advantage is obtained by the new establishment, as far as human skill and wisdom can extend itself.

These are the feparate advantages of fixing the fucceffion, either in the house of STUART, or in that of HANOVER. There are alfo difadvantages in each eftablifhment, which an impartial patriot would ponder and examine, in order to form a juft judgment upon the whole.

The difadvantages of the proteftant fucceffion confift in the foreign dominions, which are poffeffed by the princes of the HANOVER line, and which, it might be supposed, would engage us in the intrigues and wars of the continent, and lofe us, in fome measure, the ineftimable advantage we poffefs, of being furrounded and guarded by the sea, which we command. The disadvantages of recalling the abdicated family confift chiefly in their religion, which is more prejudicial to fociety than that established amongst us, is contrary to it, and affords no toleration, or peace, or fecurity to any other communion,

It appears to me, that thefe advantages and difadvantages are allowed on both fides; at least, by every one who is at all fufceptible of argument or reasoning. No fubject, however loyal, pretends to deny, that the difputed title and foreign-dominions of the prefent royal family are a lofs. Nor is there any partizan of the STUARTS, but will confefs, that the claim of hereditary, indefeasible right, and the Roman Catholic religion, are also disadvantages in that family. It belongs, therefore, to a philofopher alone, who is of neither party, to put all the circumstances in the fcale, and affign to each of them its proper poife and influence. Such a one will readily, at firft, acknowledge that all political queftions are infinitely complicated, and that there fcarcely

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fcarcely ever occurs, in any deliberation, a choice, which is either purely good, or purely ill. Confequences, mixed and varied, may be foreseen to flow from every measure: And many confequences, unforeseen, do always, in fact, refult from every one. Hefitation, and referve, and fufpenfe, are, therefore, the only fentiments he brings to this effay or trial. Or if he indulges any paffion, it is that of derifion against the ignorant multitude, who are always clamorous and dogmatical, even in the niceft queftions, of which, from want of temper, perhaps ftill more than of understanding, they are altogether unfit judges.

But to fay fomething more determinate on this head, the following reflections will, I hope, fhow the temper, if not the understanding, of a philofopher.

Were we to judge merely by firft appearances, and by paft experience, we must allow that the advantages of a parliamentary title in the house of HANOVER are greater than those of an undifputed hereditary title in the house of STUART; and that our fathers acted wifely in preferring the former to the latter. So long as the house of STUART ruled in GREAT BRITAIN, which, with fome interruption, was above eighty years, the government was kept in a continual fever, by the contention between. the privileges of the people and the prerogatives of the crown. If arms were dropped, the noife of difputes continued: Or if these were filenced, jealoufy ftill cor-. roded the heart, and threw the nation into an unnatural ferment and diforder. And while we were thus occupied in domeftic difputes, a foreign power, dangerous to public liberty, erected itself in EUROPE, without any oppofition from us, and even fometimes with our affiftance.

But

But during these last fixty years, when a parliamentary establishment has taken place; whatever factions may have prevailed either among the people or in public affemblies, the whole force of our conftitution has always fallen to one fide, and an uninterrupted harmony has been preferved between our princes and our parliaments. Public liberty, with internal peace and order, has flourished almoft without interruption: Trade and manufactures, and agriculture, have encreased: The arts, and sciences, and philofophy, have been cultivated. Even religious parties have been neceffitated to lay afide their mutual rancour: And the glory of the nation has spread itself all over EUROPE; derived equally from our progrefs in the arts of peace, and from valour and success in war. So long and fo glorious a period no nation. almost can boast of: Nor is there another inftance in the whole hiftory of mankind, that fo many millions of people have, during fuch a space of time, been held together, in a manner fo free, so rational, and so suitable to the dignity of human nature,

But though this recent experience feems clearly to decide in favour of the prefent establishment, there are fome circumftances to be thrown into the other fcale; and it is dangerous to regulate our judgment by one event or example.

We have had two rebellions during the flourishing period above mentioned, befides plots and confpiracies without number. And if none of these have produced any very fatal event, we may afcribe our efcape chiefly to the narrow genius of thofe princes who difuted our establishment; and we may efteem ourfelves fo far fortunate. But the claims of the banished family, I fear, are not yet antiquated; and who can foretel, that their future attempts will produce no greater diforder?

The difputes between privilege and prerogative may eafily be compofed by laws, and votes, and conferences, and conceffions; where there is tolérable temper or prudence on both fides, or on either fide. Among contending titles, the question can only be determined by the fword, and by devastation, and by civil war..

A prince, who fills the throne with a difputed title, dares not arm his fubjects; the only method of fecuring a people fully, both against domeftic oppreffion and foreign conqueft.

Notwithstanding our riches and renown, what a critical escape did we make, by the late peace, from dangers, which were owing not fo much to bad conduct and ill fuccefs in war, as to the pernicious practice of mortgaging our finances, and the ftill more pernicious maxim of never paying off our incumbrances? Such fatal meafures would not probably have been embraced, had it not been to fecure a precarious eftablishment.

But to convince us, that an hereditary title is to be embraced rather than a parliamentary one, which is not fupported by any other views or motives; à man needs only transport himfelf back to the æra of the reftoration, and fuppofe, that he had had a feat in that parliament which recalled the royal family, and put a period to the greatest disorders that ever arose from the oppofite pretenfions of prince and people. What would have been thought of one, that had propofed, at that time, to set afide CHARLES II. and fettle the crown on the Duke of YORK OF GLOUCESTER, merely in order to exclude all high claims, like thofe of their father and grandfather? Would not fuch a one have been regarded as an extravagant projector, who loved dangerous remedies, and could tamper and play with a government and national constitution, like a quack with a fickly patient?

In reality, the reason affigned by the nation for excluding the race of STUART, and fo many other branches of the royal family, is not on account of their hereditary title (a reason, which would, to vulgar apprehenfions, have appeared altogether abfurd), but on account of their religion. Which leads us to compare the disadvantages above mentioned in each establishment.

I confefs, that, confidering the matter in general, it were much to be wifhed, that our prince had no foreign dominions, and could confine all his attention to the government of this island. For not to mention fome real inconveniencies that may refult from territories on the continent, they afford fuch a handle for calumny and defamation, as is greedily feized by the people, always difpofed to think ill of their superiors. It must, however, be acknowledged, that HANOVER, is, perhaps, the fpot of ground in EUROPE the leaft inconvenient for a King of ENGLAND. It lies in the heart of GERMANY, at a distance from the great powers, which are our natural rivals: It is protected by the laws of the empire, as well as by the arms of its own fovereign: And it ferves only to connect us more clofely with the houfe of AusTRIA, our natural ally.

The religious perfuafion of the house of STUART is an inconvenience of a much deeper dye, and would threaten us with much more difmal confequences. The Roman Catholic religion, with its train of priefts and friars, is more expenfive than ours: Even though unaccompanied with its natural attendants of inquifitors, and stakes, and gibbets, it is lefs tolerating: And not content with dividing the facerdotal from the regal office (which must be prejudicial to any ftate), it beftows the former on a foreigner, who has always a feparate intereft from that of the public, and may often have an oppofite one.