from Diminishing the
Affections of his Subjects, that it highten'd their Esteem for their
Grand Monarch.

But of late the populace of _France_ are not so perfectly enclouded
with Superstition, and if a young Author can pretend to Divine, I
think it is easy to foresee that the papal Power will in a very short
space be considerably lessen'd if not in a great measure disregarded
in that Kingdom, by the intestine Jarrs and Discords of their Parties
for Religion, and the Desultory Judgments of the most considerable
Prelates.

The best Support of an Arbitrary Power is undoubtedly Ignorance, and
this cannot be better cultivated than by an Absolute Denial of
Printing; the Oppressions of the Popularity cannot be thoroughly
Stated, or Liberty in general Propagated without the use of the Press
in some measure, and therefore the Subjects must inevitably submit to
such Ordinances as an Ambitious or Ignorant Monarch and his Tyrannical
Council shall think fit to impose upon them, how Arbitrary soever: And
the Hands of the Patriots and Men of Eminence who should Illuminate
the Age, and open the Eyes of the deluded People are thereby tied up,
and the Infelicity of the Populace so compleat that they are incapable
of either seeing their approaching Misery, or having a redress of
present Grievances.

In _Constantinople_ I think they have no such thing as Printing
allow'd on any Account whatsoever; all their Publick Acts relating to
the Church and State are recorded in Writing by expert Amanuensis's,
so very strict are the Divan and great Council of the Sultan in
prohibiting the Publication of all manner of Writings: They are very
sensible had Persons a common Liberty of stating their own Cases, they
might Influence the Publick so far, that the Yoke of Tyranny must sink
if not be rendred insupportable; and this is regarded in all Kingdoms
and Countries upon Earth Govern'd by a Despotick Power.

To what I have already offer'd in favour of the Press, there may be
Exceptions taken by some Persons in the World; and as it is my
Intentions to solve all Objections that may be rais'd to what I
advance, as I proceed, I think I cannot too early make known, that I
am apprehensive the following Observations may be made; _viz._ that a
general License of the Press is of such a fatal Tendency, that it
causes Uneasinesses in the State, Confusions in the Church, and is
destructive sometimes even to Liberty, by putting the ruling Powers
upon making La