ax is among the first fruits of their liberality.
Tarnished as the glory of this nation is, and far as it has waded into
the shades of an eclipse, some beams of its former illumination still
play upon its surface; and what is done in England is still looked to,
as argument, and as example. It is certainly true, that no law of this
country ever met with such universal applause abroad, or was so likely
to produce the perfection of that tolerating spirit which, as I
observed, has been long gaining ground in Europe: for abroad it was
universally thought that we had done what I am sorry to say we had not;
they thought we had granted a full toleration. That opinion was,
however, so far from hurting the Protestant cause, that I declare, with
the most serious solemnity, my firm belief that no one thing done for
these fifty years past was so likely to prove deeply beneficial to our
religion at large as Sir George Savile's act. In its effects it was "an
act for tolerating and protecting Protestantism throughout Europe"; and
I hope that those who were taking steps for the quiet and settlement of
our Protestant brethren in other countries will, even yet, rather
consider the steady equity of the greater and better part of the people
of Great Britain than the vanity and violence of a few.

I perceive, Gentlemen, by the manner of all about me, that you look with
horror on the wicked clamor which has been raised on this subject, and
that, instead of an apology for what was done, you rather demand from me
an account, why the execution of the scheme of toleration was not made
more answerable to the large and liberal grounds on which it was taken
up. The question is natural and proper; and I remember that a great and
learned magistrate,[50] distinguished for his strong and systematic
understanding, and who at that time was a member of the House of
Commons, made the same objection to the proceeding. The statutes, as
they now stand, are, without doubt, perfectly absurd. But I beg leave to
explain the cause of this gross imperfection in the tolerating plan, as
well and as shortly as I am able. It was universally thought that the
session ought not to pass over without doing _something_ in this
business. To revise the whole body of the penal statutes was conceived
to be an object too big for the time. The penal statute, therefore,
which was chosen for repeal (chosen to show our disposition to
conciliate, not to perfect a toleration) was this ac