But were this religion ever fo advantageous to fociety, it is contrary to that which is established among us, and which is likely to keep poffeffion, for a long time, of the minds of the people. And though it is much to be hoped, that the progress of reason will, by degrees, abaté the acrimony of oppofite religions all over EUROPE; yet the spirit of moderation has, as yet, made too flow advances to be entirely trufted.

Thus, upon the whole, the advantages of the fettlement in the family of STUART, which frees us from a difputed title, feem to bear fome proportion with thofe of the fettlement in the family of HANOVER, which frees us from the claims of prerogative: But at the fame time, its disadvantages, by placing on the throne a Roman Catholic, are greater than thofe of the other establishment, in fettling the crown on a foreign prince. What party an impartial patriot, in the reign of K. WILLIAM or Q ANNE, would have chosen amidst these oppofite views, may, perhaps, to fome appear hard to determine.

But the fettlement in the houfe of HANOVER has actually taken place. The princes of that family, without intrigue, without cabal, without folicitation on their part, have been called to mount our throne, by the united voice of the whole legiflative body. They have, fince their acceffion, displayed, in all their actions, the utmost mildness, equity, and regard to the laws and conftitution. Our own minifters, our own parliaments, ourselves have governed us; and if aught ill has befallen us, we can only blame fortune er ourfelves. What a reproach muft we become among nations, if, difgufted with a fettlement fo deliberately made, and whofe conditions have been fo religiously observed, we fhould throw every thing again into confufion; and by our levity and rebellious difpofition,

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fition, prove ourselves totally unfit for any state but that of absolute slavery and subjection?

The greatest inconvenience, attending a difputed title, is, that it brings us in danger of civil wars and rebellions. What wife man, to avoid this inconvenience, would run directly into a civil war and rebellion? Not to mention, that fo long poffeffion, fecured by fo many laws, muft, ere this time, in the apprehenfion of a great part of the nation, have begotten a title in the house of HANOVER, independent of their present poffeffion: So that now we fhould not, even by a revolution, obtain the end of avoiding a difputed title.

No revolution made by national forces, will ever be able, without some other great neceffity, to abolish our debts and incumbrances, in which the interest of so many perfons is concerned. And a revolution made by foreign forces, is a conqueft: A calamity, with which the precarious balance of power threatens us, and which our civil diffentions are likely, above all other circumstances, to bring upon us.

ESSAY XVI.

IDEA of a PERFECT COMMONWEALTH.

T is not with forms of government, as with other Trificial contrivances, where an old engine may be rejected, if we can discover another more accurate and commodious, or where trials may fafely be made, even though the fuccefs be doubtful. An established government has an infinite advantage, by that very circumstance of its being established; the bulk of mankind being governed by authority, not reason, and never attributing authority to any thing that has not the recommendation of antiquity. To tamper, therefore, in this affair, or try experiments merely upon the credit of supposed argument and philofophy, can never be the part of a wife magiftrate, who will bear a reverence to what carries the marks of age; and though he may attempt fome improvements for the public good, yet will he adjust his innovations, as much as poffible, to the ancient fabric, and preserve entire the chief pillars and fupports of the conftitution.

The mathematicians in EUROPE have been much divided concerning that figure of a fhip, which is the most commodious for failing; and HUYGENS, who at laft determined the controversy, is juftly thought to have obliged the learned, as well as commercial world; though COLUMBUS

COLUMBUS had failed to AMERICA, and Sir FRANCIS DRAKE made the tour of the world, without any such difcovery. As one form of government must be allowed more perfect than another, independent of the manners and humours of particular men; why may we not enquire what is the moft perfect of all, though the common botched and inaccurate governments feem to ferve the purposes of society, and though it be not so easy to establish a new system of government, as to build a vessel upon a new conftruction? The subject is furely the most worthy curiofity of any the wit of man can poffibly devise. And who knows, if this controverfy were fixed by the univerfal confent of the wife and learned, but, in fome future age, an opportunity might be afforded of reducing the theory to practice, either by a diffolution of fome old government, or by the combination of men to form a new one, in fome diftant part of the world? In all cafes, it must be advantageous to know what is most perfect in the kind, that we may be able to bring any real constitution or form of government as near it as poffible, by fuch gentle alterations and innovations as may not give too great difturbance to fociety.

All I pretend to in the prefent effay is, to revive this fubject of speculation; and therefore I fhall deliver my fentiments in as few words as poffible. A long differtation on that head would not, I apprehend, be very acceptable to the public, who will be apt to regard fuch difquifitions both as ufelefs and chimerical.

All plans of government, which suppose great reformation in the manners of mankind, are plainly imaginary. Of this nature, are the Republic of PLATO, and the Utopia of Sir THOMAS MORE. The OCEANA is the only valuable model of a commonwealth, that has yet been offered to the public.

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