 the Execution. And that no Man, or Nations of Men, can possibly be bound by any Consents or Contracts eversive of the Laws of God and their own Nature, of common Sense and general Equity, of eternal Reason and Truth.
I beg Pardon, Sir, says
Harry,
for interrupting you once more, but you desire that I should always speak my Mind with Freedom. You have delighted me greatly with the Account which you give of the Benefits and Sweets of
Liberty,
and of its being equally the Claim and Birth-Right of all Men; and I wish to Heaven that they had an equal Enjoyment thereof. But this you know, Sir, is very far from being the Case, and that this
animating Fire,
which ought to comfort All who come into the World, is now nearly extinguished throughout the Earth.
O Sir, if this divine, this GOLDEN LAW OF LIBERTY were observed, if ALL WERE RESTRAINED FROM DOING INJURY TO ANY; what a Heaven we should speedily have upon Earth! the Habit of such a Restraint would, in time, suppress every Emotion to Evil. The Weak would have the Mightiness of this Law for their Support, the Poor would have the Benevolence thereof for their Riches. Under the light and delightsome Yoke of such a Restraint, how would Industry be encouraged to plant and to multiply the Vine and the Fig-Tree, how would Benignity rejoice to call Neighbours and Strangers to come and fearlessly partake of the Fruits thereof!
How has the sacred Name of All-benefitting LIBERTY been perverted and profaned, by the Mouths of madding Demagogues at the Head of their shouting Rabble, who mean no Other than a licentious Unmuzzling from all Restraint, that they may ravage and lay desolate the Works and Fruits of Peace.
But Liberty, in your System, is a real an essential Good; the only Source, indeed, whence any Good can arise. I see it, I revere it, it shines by its own Light in the Evidence of your Description.
How is it then, Sir, that there are Persons so blind, or so bigotted against their own Interests and Those of their Fellows, as to declaim with much Energy and studied Argumentation against this divine, inheritable, and indefeisible Right (not of Kings as should seem) but of Humankind?
I lately happened in Company with a Number of discontentedly looking Gentlemen, whom I supposed to have been Abettors of the late King
James,
and Friends to the arrogating Family of the
Stuarts.
Among them was One of some Learning and great Cleverness, and he paraded and shewed away, at a
