hould put his affairs into the hands of any one of them, he is sure to
disgust the rest; if he select particular men from among them all, it is
a hazard that he disgusts them all. Those who are left out, however
divided before, will soon run into a body of opposition; which, being a
collection of many discontents into one focus, will without doubt be hot
and violent enough. Faction will make its cries resound through the
nation, as if the whole were in an uproar, when by far the majority, and
much the better part, will seem for a while as it were annihilated by
the quiet in which their virtue and moderation incline them to enjoy the
blessings of government. Besides that the opinion of the mere vulgar is
a miserable rule even with regard to themselves, on account of their
violence and instability. So that if you were to gratify them in their
humor to-day, that very gratification would be a ground of their
dissatisfaction on the next. Now as all these rules of public opinion
are to be collected with great difficulty, and to be applied with equal
uncertainty as to the effect, what better can a king of England do, than
to employ such men as he finds to have views and inclinations most
conformable to his own; who are least infected with pride and self-will;
and who are least moved by such popular humors as are perpetually
traversing his designs, and disturbing his service; trusting that, when
he means no ill to his people, he will be supported in his appointments,
whether he chooses to keep or to change, as his private judgment or his
pleasure leads him? He will find a sure resource in the real weight and
influence of the crown, when it is not suffered to become an instrument
in the hands of a faction.

I will not pretend to say, that there is nothing at all in this mode of
reasoning; because I will not assert that there is no difficulty in the
art of government. Undoubtedly the very best administration must
encounter a great deal of opposition; and the very worst will find more
support than it deserves. Sufficient appearances will never be wanting
to those who have a mind to deceive themselves. It is a fallacy in
constant use with those who would level all things, and confound right
with wrong, to insist upon the inconveniences which are attached to
every choice, without taking into consideration the different weight and
consequence of those inconveniences. The question is not concerning
_absolute_ discontent or _perfect_ sa