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though evident to the meaneft ca pacity, yet, by a combination of circumstances, are only known to a few thinking men in every nation, and in every age. But apinions, worthy only of the defpotifm of Afia, and paffions, armed with power and authority, have, generally by infenfible and fometimes by violent impreffions on the timid credulity of men, effaced thofe fimple ideas, which perhaps conftituted the first philofophy of infant fociety. Happily the philofophy of the prefent enlightened age feems again to conduct us to the fame principles, and with that degree of certainty, which is obtained by a rational examination, and repeated experience.

The opinion, that every member of fociety has a right to do any thing, that is not contrary to the laws, without fearing any other inconveniences, than thofe which are the natural confequences of the action itself, is a political dogma, which fhould be defended by the laws, inculcated by the magiArates, and believed by the people; a facred dogma, without which there can be no lawful fociety; a juft recompence for our facrifice of that univerfal liberty of action, com.. mon to all fenfible beings, and only limited by our natural powers. By this principle, our minds become free, active, and vigorous; by this alone we are infpired with that virtue which knows no fear, to different from that pliant prudence, worthy of thofe only who can bear a precarious exiftence.

I do not know of any exception to this general axiom, that Every member of fociety fhould know when he is iminal, and when innocent. If and, in general, arbi

trary magistrates, be neceffary in any government, it proceeds from fome fault in the conftitution. The uncertainty of crimes hath facrificed more victims to fecret tyranny, than have ever fuffered by public and folemn cruelty.

What are, in general, the proper punishments for crimes? Is the punishment of death really useful, or neceffary for the fafety, or good order of fociety? Are tortures. and torments confiftent with jus tice, or do they answer the end propofed by the laws.? Which is the best method of preventing crimes ? Are the fame punishment's equally ufeful at all times? What influ ence have they on manners? 1 hefe problems fhould be folved with that geometrical precision, which the mift of fophiftry, the feduction of eloquence, and the timidity of doubt are unable to refift.

If I have no other merit than that of having firft prefented to my country, with a greater degree of evidence, what other nations have written, and are beginning to practife, I fhall account myself for tunate; but if, by fupporting the rights of mankind, and of invincible truth, I thall contribute to fave from the agonies of death one unfortunate victim of tyranny, or of ignorance, equally fatal; his blefsing and tears of tranfport will be a fufficient confolation to me for the contempt of all mankind."

We wish that the extent of our plan could admit of our giving more extracts from this favourite writer; his unbounded philanthropy, and the eloquence and ten→ dernefs with which he pleads the caufe of humanity, must always procure him the molt favpurable reception.

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cies: and every experiment relative to this fubject should be made with entire focieties, not with fingle men. We have every reafon however, to believe, that in the case of such an experiment made, we shall fuppofe with a colony of children tranfplanted from the nursery, and left to form a fociety apart, untaught and undifciplined, we should only have the fame things repeated, which, in fo many different parts of the earth, have been tranfacted already. The members of our little fociety would feed and fleep, would herd together and play, would have a language of their own, would quarrel and divide, would be to one another the most important objects of the fcene, and, in the ardour of their friendfhips and competitions, would overlook their perfonal danger, and fufpend the care of their self-prefervation. Has not the human race been planted like the colony vin question? who has directed their courfe? whose inftruction have they heard? or whose exam`ple have they followed ?

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It would be ridiculous to affirm, as a difcovery, that the fpecies of the horse was probably never the fame with that of the lion; yet, in appofition to what has dropped from the pens of eminent writers, -we are obliged to obferve, that men have always appeared among animals a distinct and a fuperior race; that neither the poffeffion of fimilar organs, nor the approximation of fhape, nor the use of the hand, nor the continued intercourse with this fovereign artist, has enabled any other fpecies to blend their nature or their inventions with his; that in his rudeft

ftate, he is found to be above them; and in his greatest degeneracy, never defcends to their level. He is, in fhort, a man in every condition; and we can learn nothing of his nature from the analogy of other animals. If we would know him, we must attend to himself, to the courfe of his life, and the tenor of his conduct, With him the fociety appears to be as old as the individual, and the ufe of the tongue as univerfal as that of the hand or the foot. If there was a time in which he had his acquaintance with his own fpecies to make, and his faculties to acquire, it is a time of which we have no record, and in relation to which our opinions can ferve no purpose, and are fupportcd by no evidence.

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We speak of art as diftinguished from nature; but art itself is natural to man. He is in fome meafure the artificer of his own frame, as well as his fortune, and is deftined, from the firft age of his being, to invent and contrive. applies the same talents to a variety of purposes, and acts nearly the fame part in very different fcenes. He would be always improving on his fubject, and he carries this intention where-ever he moves, through the ftreets of the populous city, or the wilds of the foreft.To whatever length he has carried his artifice, there he feems to enjoy the conveniencies that fuit his nature, and to have found the condition to which he is destined. The tree which an American, on the banks of the Oroonoko, has chofen to climb, for the retreat and the lodgement of his family, is to him a convenient dwelling. The fopha, the vaulted dome, and the

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believed that Othello, on the ftage, was enraged for the lofs of his handkerchief, was not more mistaken, than the reafoner who imputes any of the more vehement paffions of men to the impreffions of mere profit or lofs.

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Men affemble to deliberate on bufinefs; they separate from jealoufies of intereft; but in their feveral collifions, whether as friends or as enemies; a fire is ftruck out which the regards to interest or fafety cannot confine. The value of a favour is not meafured when fentiments of kindness are perceived; and the term misfortune has but a feeble meaning, when compared to that of infult and wrong.

tinguished by faculties that quali fy him to multiply contrivances for the fupport and convenience of animal life, and by the extent of a fancy that renders the care of animal prefervation to him more burdenfome than it is to the herd with which he shares in the bounty of nature? If this were his cafe, the joy which attends on fuccefs, or the griefs which arife from disappointment, would make the fum of his paffions. The torrent that wafted, or the inundation that enriched his poffeffions, would give him all the emotion with which he is feized, on the occa fion of a wrong by which his for tunes are impaired, or of a benefit by which they are preferved and enlarged. His fellow-creatures As actors or fpectators, we are would be confidered merely as perpetually made to feel the difthey affected his intereft. Profit ference of human conduct, and orlofs would serve to mark the from a bare recital of tranfactions event of every tranfaction and which have paffed in ages and the epithets ufeful or detrimental countries remote from our own, would fervento diftinguith his are moved with admiration and mates in fociety, as they do the pity, or tranfported with indignatree which bears plenty of fruit, tion and rage. Our fenfibility on from that which ferves only to this fubject gives their charm, in cumber the ground, mor inter-retirement, to the relations of hif.cept his view.

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This, however, is not the hiftory of our fpecies. What comes from a fellow-creature is received with peculiar attention; and every language abounds with terms that exprefs fomewhat in the tranfactions of men, different from fuccefs and difappointment. The bofom kindles in company, while the point of interest in view has nothing to inflame; and a matter frivolous in itself, becomes important, when it ferves to bring to light the intentions and characters of men. The foreigner, who

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tory, and to the fictions of poetry; fends forth the tear of compaffion, gives to the blood its brifkeft movement, and to the eye its livelieft glances of difpleasure or joy. It turns human life into an ins terefting spectacle, and perpetually folicits even the indolent to mix, as opponents or friends, in the fcenes which are acted before them. Joined to the powers of deliberation and reason, it conftitutes the bafis of a moral nature; and whilft it dictates the terms of praise and of blame, ferves to class our fellow-creatures by the most admi

rable

Oliver Cromwell's fpeech to the members of the tong parliament, when be turned them out of the house.

[212

An account of all the public debts, at the receipt of his majesty's exchequer, Standing out Jan. 5, 1767, (being old Chriflmas-day), with the annual intereft or other charges payable for the fame.

Supplies granted by parliament, for the year 1767.

Ways and means for raifing the above jupply.

STATE PAPER S.

[214

1216

[221

His majesty's most gracious speech to both houfes of parliament, on Thursday the 2d day of July, 1767.

ibid.

1230 His majesty's most gracious Speech to both houses of parliament, on Tuesday the 24th of November, 1767 with the bumble addresses of both boufes upon the occafion, and his majesty's most gracious anfwers. The bumble addrefs to his majefty, of the right hon. the lord mayer, aldermen, and commens of the city of London, in common council affembled, prefented the 11th of November, 176, on the happy occafion of the birth of a prince; together with their condolence on the death of his royal highnefs the duke of York; and his majesty's most gracious anfwer. [234 His excellency George lord viscount Townshend, lord lieutenant general, and general governor of Ireland, his fpeech to both boufes of parliament at Dublin, on Tuesday the 20th day of October, 1767, with their addresses on the occafion, &c.

CHARACTER S.

(235

General character of the Welf, as it was in the time of Henry the fecond.

Character of the Englif and Normans.

of Harold.

of William the First,

of William Rufus.

of Louis le Gros.

of king Stephen.

of Henry the Jecond.

of the empress Matilda.

and death of prince Euftace, fon to king Stephen.

of Siward, carl of Northumberland.

7 ibid.

10

13

14

15

17

ibid.

21

of Sir Philip Sidney, with a comparison between him and the

celebrated chevalier Bayard.

Curious particulars of fome remote nations and tribes of Tartars.

Character of the due of Shrewsbury.

of John duke of Argyle.

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Some account of Mrs. Thomas, the celebrated Corinna.

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Anecdctes of Monf. de Voltaire in his prejent fituation at Fernex in Burgundy,

near Genewa.

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