Transcript
CIVIL SOCIETIES.
295
The time may come, when this country of Great-Britain Shall lofe her liberty. There are, who think they perceive
too many fymptoms of this approach -
ing lofs; but while the precious moments
of freedom remain, let us, at leaft, indulge ourfelves in the gloomy Satisfaction of predicting the infamy, that will
certainly overwhelm the authors of our
fervitude ; whether they be future kings,
and their tools the minifters, or minifters, and their tools the kings.
Indeed, minifters are much more to
be fufpected of defigns upon the liberties
of a people than kings. For, in all arbitrary governments, it is the minister
that is, in fact, pofTeffed of the power of
the ftate, the prince having nothing but
the name, and the burdenfome pageantry of it. Thofe princes, therefore, who
liften to fuch pernicious advice, are, in
reality, fubmitting their own necks, and
thofe of their pofterity, to the yoke of
their fervants. For, fuch is the condition of human affairs, that, in all the
fucceffions of arbitrary princes, nine have
been