ch or more from national pride than
reason. Individuals are undoubtedly safer in England than in some
other countries, but the WILL of the king is as much the LAW of the
land in Britain as in France, with this difference, that instead of
proceeding directly from his mouth, it is handed to the people under
the more formidable shape of an act of parliament. For the fate of
Charles the First hath only made kings more subtle--not more just.

Wherefore, laying aside all national pride and prejudice in favour of
modes and forms, the plain truth is, that IT IS WHOLLY OWING TO THE
CONSTITUTION OF THE PEOPLE, AND NOT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE
GOVERNMENT, that the crown is not as oppressive in England as in Turkey.

An inquiry into the CONSTITUTIONAL ERRORS in the English form of
government is at this time highly necessary; for as we are never in a
proper condition of doing justice to others, while we continue under
the influence of some leading partiality, so neither are we capable of
doing it to ourselves while we remain fettered by any obstinate
prejudice. And as a man, who is attached to a prostitute, is unfitted
to choose or judge a wife, so any prepossession in favour of a rotten
constitution of government will disable us from discerning a good one.

OF MONARCHY AND HEREDITARY SUCCESSION

Mankind being originally equals in the order of creation, the equality
could only be destroyed by some subsequent circumstance; the
distinctions of rich, and poor, may in a great measure be accounted
for, and that without having recourse to the harsh, ill-sounding names
of oppression and avarice. Oppression is often the CONSEQUENCE, but
seldom or never the MEANS of riches; and though avarice will preserve a
man from being necessitously poor, it generally makes him too timorous
to be wealthy.

But there is another and greater distinction, for which no truly
natural or religious reason can be assigned, and that is, the
distinction of men into KINGS and SUBJECTS. Male and female are the
distinctions of nature, good and bad the distinctions of heaven; but
how a race of men came into the world so exalted above the rest, and
distinguished like some new species, is worth inquiring into, and
whether they are the means of happiness or of misery to mankind.

In the early ages of the world, according to the scripture chronology,
there were no kings; the consequence of which was, there were no wars;
it is the pride of kings which t