and the laws, for checking the depravity of the people, contribute to it, when they ap.. pear to be considered by the GREAT as little more than artifices of politicians, designed to keep the vulgar (as they are often unjustly called) in subjection to wicked upstarts, possessed of temporary and official power, by intrigue and unconstitutional influence.

It is certainly in the power of a well regulated government, by rendering the CHURCH effective, and by good examples and sincere attachment to virtuous men and virtu ous principles, to correct the levity, effeminacy, and want of principle in private life, which leads to the loss of liberty. The church will be effective, as soon as the people are convinced that all preferments in it are bestowed on those who have preached the gospel faithfully; and not on time-servers, and the friends and relations of parasites, who have no other view in seeking seats in the senate, but to serve a minister for their own advantage. Till the people aré convinced that an administration is sin-. cere in religion, they will be too apt to consider not only religion, but common honesty, as an empty name.

The religious principle being thus destroyed by the greedy aspirants at worldly gran deur, no wonder the people lapse into that dissolute conduct, which seeks nothing se

riously but selfish pleasure and private profit. Levity of manners both proceeds from, and produces, defect of moral principle. Effeminacy, the natural consequence of vice and luxury caused by defect of moral principle, precludes courage, spirit, and all manly, virtuous exertion. Ignorance must follow; for to obtain knowledge requires a degree of labor and laudable application, which those who are sunk in indolence and sensuality will never bestow. When ignorance is become general, and vice reigns triumphant, what remains to oppose the giant Despotism, who, like a Colussus, strides over the pigmy and insignificant slaves of oriental climes, from trampling on MEN in countries once free?

Farewell, then, all that truly ennobles human nature. Pride, pomp, and CRUELTY domineer without control. The very name of liberty becomes odious; and man, degenerated, contents himself with the licence to eat, drink, sleep, and die at the will of an ignorant, base, libidinous superior. The sword rules absolutely. Reason, law, philosophy, learning, repose in the tomb with departed liberty. The sun of the moral world is extinguished; and the earth is overshadowed with darkness and with death. Better had it been for a man not to have been born, than born in a country rendered by the wickedness of government, corrupting and enslaving a whole people, a HELL anticipated.

SECTION XIX,

Certain Passages in Dr. Brown's "Estimate" which deserve the serious Consideration of all who would oppose the subversion of a free Constitution by Corrup tion of Manners and Principles, and by undue influence.

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FEW books have been more popular than BROWN'S Estimate of the Manners and Priniples of the Times. He wrote with sincerity and ability; but his unfortunate end, occasioned by mental disease, had a unfavorable influence on the circulation of his book, and his posthumous fame. Nothing can, however, be more unreasonable, than to depreciate a book, allowed by all, at its first appearance, to contain indisputable and important truth, because of the misfor tune, or even misconduct, of its author sub. sequent to its publication. I confidently recommend the following passages to the consideration of every true lover of that free constitution, which renders our country con spicuously happy and honorable among the nations which surround it.

"The restraints laid on the royal prerogative at the revolution, and the accession of liberty thus gained by the PEOPLE, Produced two effects with respect to parlia

ments. One was, that instead of being occasionally, they were thenceforward annual ly; the other was, that whereas on any trifling offence given they had usually been intimidated or dissolved, they now found themselves possessed of new dignity and power; their consent being necessary for raising annual supplies.

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No body of men, except in the simplest and most virtuous times, ever found themselves possessed of power, but many of them would attempt to turn it to their own private advantage. Thus the parliament, finding themselves of weight, and finding, at the same time, that the disposal of all lucrative employments was vested in the crown, soon bethought themselves, that in exchange for their concurrence in granting supplies, and forwarding the measures of government, it was but equitable that the crown should concur in vesting them or their dependents with the lucrative employments of state.

"If this was done, the wheels of government ran smooth and quiet; but if any large body of claimants was dispossessed, the public uproar began, and public measures were obstructed or overturned.

"William the Third found this to be the natural turn, and set himself like a politician, to oppose it; he therefore silenced all he could by places and pensions, and hence the origin of making of parliaments."

This making of parliaments, I contend, is fundi nostri calamitas, the origin of all our present political evil; it defeated the good purposes of the revolution, and tended to introduce the despotism of the Stewarts, under the mask of liberty. It arose from the corruption of the people; and has gone on augmenting it to this very day.

Vanity, luxury and effeminacy (proceeds Dr. Brown) increased beyond all belief within these thirty years; as they are of a selfish, so are they of a craving and unsatisfied nature. The present rage of plea sure and unmanly dissipation, hath created a train of new necessities, which in their demands outstrip every supply.

"And if the great principles of religion, honor, and public spirit are weak or lost among us, what effectual check can there be upon the GREAT, to control their unwarranted pursuit of lucrative employments, for the gratification of these unmanly passions?

"In a nation so circumstanced, it is natural to imagine that, next to Gaming and Riot, the chief attention of the great world must be turned on the business of Election Jobbing, of securing Counties, controling, bribing or buying Boroughs; in a word, on the possession of a great parliamentary interest.

"But what an aggravation of this evil would arise, should ever those of the highest rank, though prohibited by act of Par