manufactures, and
commerce, appear to have flourished most amongst the Protestants.
The [end of page #264] cruelties of the Duke of Alva, and the absurd
bigotry of Louis XIV. drove the most industrious inhabitants from the
Netherlands, and from France, merely because they happened to be
Protestants, which is a proof that there is a connection between that
branch of the Christian religion and industry. The Protestants were the
most industrious.

The Protestants appear also to be the most attentive to preserving a
good form of government, and to set a greater value upon liberty than
people of any other religion. In this, England has an advantage that is
inappretiable. {203}

The reformation in religion, and the establishment of manufactures in
England, date from nearly the same period; it was about the same time,
also, that the spirit of liberty began to break out first in Scotland,
and then in England, which terminated in the revolution. There are,
therefore, many reasons, from experience, for believing that the
Protestant religion is particularly favourable to industry and freedom.
There are other reasons, likewise, that arise from a consideration of
the subject, that would lead one to the same conclusion, even if there
were no experience of the fact.

Whatever frees the human mind from useless prejudice, and leads it to
pure morality, gives dignity to man, and increases his power of
becoming a good and useful member of society.

The Christian religion not only contains the most pure moral code, but
the best, most useful, and simple rules for conduct in life are

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{203} The great influence, founded on attachment to her person, and
the feeling of the long happiness they had enjoyed, under Queen
Elizabeth: her great authority, supported by esteem, and confirmed by
long habit, restrained the spirit of freedom which so soon after
tormented her successors. James had had full experience of that spirit
before he left Scotland; and, when he mounted the English throne, was
known, frequently, to exclaim against presbytry, as the enemy of
monarchy. He, as was very natural, thought that the difference of
religion caused the superior love of freedom in Scotland, for he was
not sensible of the different effects produced by the calm, steady, and
dignified deportment of Elizabeth, and the unsteady conduct of his
unhappy mother, Mary. He also confounded hatred for arbitrary
prerogative in kings, with hatred for kings themselve