te somewhat of both natures, and make the communication which
is betwixt them. A king, who is just and moderate in his nature, who
rules according to the laws, whom God has made happy by forming the
temper of his soul to the constitution of his government, and who
makes us happy, by assuming over us no other sovereignty than that
wherein our welfare and liberty consists; a prince, I say, of so
excellent a character, and so suitable to the wishes of all good men,
could not better have conveyed himself into his people's
apprehensions, than in your lordship's person; who so lively express
the same virtues, that you seem not so much a copy, as an emanation of
him. Moderation is doubtless an establishment of greatness; but there
is a steadiness of temper which is likewise requisite in a minister of
state; so equal a mixture of both virtues, that he may stand like an
isthmus betwixt the two encroaching seas of arbitrary power, and
lawless anarchy. The undertaking would be difficult to any but an
extraordinary genius, to stand at the line, and to divide the limits;
to pay what is due to the great representative of the nation, and
neither to enhance, nor to yield up, the undoubted prerogatives of the
crown. These, my lord, are the proper virtues of a noble Englishman,
as indeed they are properly English virtues; no people in the world
being capable of using them, but we who have the happiness to be born
under so equal, and so well poised a government;--a government which
has all the advantages of liberty beyond a commonwealth, and all the
marks of kingly sovereignty, without the danger of a tyranny. Both my
nature, as I am an Englishman, and my reason, as I am a man, have bred
in me a loathing to that specious name of a republic; that mock
appearance of a liberty, where all who have not part in the
government, are slaves; and slaves they are of a viler note, than such
as are subjects to an absolute dominion. For no Christian monarchy is
so absolute, but it is circumscribed with laws; but when the executive
power is in the law-makers, there is no farther check upon them; and
the people must suffer without a remedy, because they are oppressed by
their representatives. If I must serve, the number of my masters, who
were born my equals, would but add to the ignominy of my bondage. The
nature of our government, above all others, is exactly suited both to
the situation of our country, and the temper of the natives; an island
being mor