exert his conftitutional prerogatives for the benefit of all his subjects; he feels himself in deed and in truth a King.

This is not an ideal ftate of things impoffible to be realized in Great Britain. It is true that it has not yet been realized; and obftacles fcarcely poffible to be removed were long opposed to all who might be inclined to make the attempt. Not to look to events prior to the memorable æra of the Revolution; the changes in Government which took place at that time, the two fubfequent rebellions, together with various incidental circumftances of more recent date, concurred to divide the nation into two diftinct and hoftile parties; a divifion which the mifguided or selfish policy of individuals has laboured to defend and to perpetuate. But time has fo far removed the ground of these party diftinctions; and the fecret operation of various principles, good and bad, has of late years made fuch inroads into the ancient fyftem, has fo intermingled the fquadrons and interchanged the colours of the contending armies; that a Sovereign, wha fhould now endeavour to reduce the spirit of party

5

party to the narroweft limits within which the genius of a free Conftitution will permit it to be confined (and those bounds the natural jealousy entertained of Government, and the stimulus of disappointed ambition, will always enable it to fill) might not find the object very difficult to be accomplished. He might experience for a time attempts to feduce or to intimidate him from his purpose: and a large share of prudence (I mean honeft prudence, honeft not only as to the end proposed, but equally so as to the mode of purfuing it), together with steady resolution never lofing fight of its aim, would be requifite to overcome the laft ftruggles of interefted combinations, and the remaining antipathies of prejudice. By a fparing introduction of those descriptions of good citizens least favoured by the tide of prevailing opinion into the fubordinate departments of office; by gradually elevating them, in a fair proportion to their numbers and their qualifications, to posts of more importance; by giving time for paffion to cool, for averfion to fubfide; by studying to obviate occafions and to remove causes of offence; and above all things, by uniformly appealing to the fober judgement and the love of

his people; and by evincing his whole conduct to be fuch as might be expected from the vigilant and impartial friend and protector of all his fubjects; he could scarcely fail to gain very important if not complete fuccefs.

The fame attention to the national fafety and the national morals, and the fame disregard of mere party diftinctions, which ought to characterize the conduct of the King with respect to the nomination of his ministers, ought equally to guide the exercife of his conftitutional influence in filling up vacancies in the other departments of the State, whether civil, military, or ecclefiaftical; and in the choice of thofe public officers whom he appoints to attend on his own perfon, or honours with efpecial marks of royal favour.

Towards perfons in the political world who diftinguish themfelves by oppofition to the measures of Government, it is the wisdom and the duty of a King to conduct himself with cordial frankness; and neither haftily to in-dulge, nor act fo as to be fufpected of haftily indulging, an opinion, that their dislike to the

VOL. I.

F

plans

plans and proceedings of his ministers arises from finifter motives, or is connected with perfonal averfion to himself. The advantage of this candid and conciliating behaviour will be felt at all times; and will be particularly confpicuous, if the viciffitude of events fhould afterwards make it expedient to invest these very men with the offices of administration.

There is a natural propenfity in the human mind to imitate the conduct and adopt the fentiments of those who are invested with authority. The example of the Sovereign, like the impulse of a stone on the yielding furface of a lake, diffuses its influence around in concentric and gradually enlarging circles, to an extent which the eye can neither trace nor limit. The power which he poffeffes of checking or of accelerating the progress of luxury, diffipation, and vice, of exciting or repreffing genuine patriotism, of encouraging or discountenancing christian virtue, is not confined to those who are eye-witneffes of his own manner of life. The rumour is communicated from the frequenter of the court to the inhabitant of the country; it fpreads from town to town, from

village

village to village, until it reaches and affects the most obfcure corners of the empire. The direction of the cenforial jurisdiction of public opinion is in the hands of the Monarch. It is a jurifdiction before which the most audacious criminals ftand abafhed. It is the only jurif diction by which in this country several enormous vices can be reftrained. The greatest bleffings have commonly their attendant evils. The fpirit of Liberty, which happily pervades the British Conftitution, defeats in various inftances the operation of pofitive ftatutes, and renders their wifeft provisions nearly or altogether unavailing. The proof requisite for the conviction of the gambler, and of various other violators of the laws (d), is fometimes impoffible to be obtained, and is rarely to be obtained without the utmost difficulty; partly because

(d) The influence of the Sovereign might be most beneficially displayed in checking, and probably might be successful in exterminating, an irrational, savage, and unchristian practice, which laws have hitherto been unable to abolish; and which owes its existence to the countenance given to it by a class of subjects, who from their profeffion are particularly alive to royal approbation and cenfure. It is fcarcely neceffary to add that I allude to Duelling.