ed and defied among the lower
class of mankind, among those whose want of the lights of knowledge
and instruction, makes positive and compulsory directions more
necessary for the regulation of their conduct, is apparent from the
representation of the magistrates, in which the general disorders of
this great city, the open wickedness, the daring insolence, and
unbounded licentiousness of the common people, is very justly
described.

Their wickedness and insolence, my lords, is, indeed, such, that order
is almost at an end, rank no longer confers respect, nor does dignity
afford security. The same confidence produces insults and robberies,
and that insensibility with which debauchery arms the mind equally
against fear and pity, frequently aggravates the guilt of robbery with
greater crimes; those who are so unhappy as to fall into the hands of
thieves, heated by spirits into madmen, seldom escape without
suffering greater cruelties than the loss of money.

That the use of these poisonous draughts quickly debilitates the
limbs, and destroys the strength of the body; however this quality may
impair our manufactures, weaken our armies, and diminish our commerce;
however it may reduce our fleets to an empty show, and enable our
enemies to triumph in the field, or our rivals to supplant us in the
market, can scarcely, my lords, come under consideration, when we
reflect how debauchery operates upon the morals.

It is happy, my lords, that those who are inclined to mischief, are
disabled in a short time from executing their intentions, by the same
causes which excite them; that they are obliged to stop in the career
of their crimes, that they are preserved from the hand of the
executioner by the liquor which exposes them to it, and that palsies
either disable them from pursuing their villanies, or fevers put an
end to their lives.

It is happy, my lords, that what is thus violent, cannot be lasting;
that those lives which are employed in mischief, are generally short;
and that since it is the quality of this malignant liquor to corrupt
the mind, it likewise destroys the body.

But this effect, my lords, is not constant or regular; men sometimes
continue for many years, to supply the, expenses of drunkenness by
rapine, and to exasperate the fury of rapine by drunkenness. And,
therefore, though there could be any one so regardless of the
happiness of mankind, as to look without concern upon them who hurry
themselves to the