acity
are too often the willing tools of a powerful faction or a dexterous
adventurer. Life, is short, man is imaginative; our means are limited,
our passions high.

In seasons of great popular excitement, gold and glory offer strong
temptations to needy ability. The demagogues throughout a country, the
orators of town-councils and vestries, and the lecturers of mechanics'
institutes present, doubtless in most cases unconsciously, the ready and
fit machinery for the party or the individual that aspires to establish
a tyranny. Duly graduating in corruption, the leaders of the mob become
the oppressors of the people. Cultivation of intellect and diffusion of
knowledge may make the English nation more sensible of the benefits of
their social system, and better qualified to discharge the duties with
which their institutions have invested them, but they will never render
them competent to preserve their liberties without the aid of these
institutions. Let us for a moment endeavour to fancy Whiggism in a state
of rampant predominance; let us try to contemplate England enjoying all
those advantages which our present rulers have not yet granted us, and
some of which they have as yet only ventured to promise by innuendo.
Let us suppose our ancient monarchy abolished, our independent hierarchy
reduced to a stipendiary sect, the gentlemen of England deprived of
their magisterial functions, and metropolitan prefects and sub-prefects
established in the counties and principal towns, commanding a vigorous
and vigilant police, and backed by an army under the immediate orders
of a single House of Parliament. Why, these are threatened changes--aye,
and not one of them that may not be brought about to-morrow, under
the plea of the 'spirit of the age' or 'county reform' or 'cheap
government.' But where then will be the liberties of England? Who will
dare disobey London?--the enlightened and reformed metropolis! And can
we think, if any bold squire, in whom some of the old blood might still
chance to linger, were to dare to murmur against this grinding tyranny,
or appeal to the spirit of those neighbours whose predecessors his
ancestors had protected, can we flatter ourselves that there would not
be judges in Westminster Hall prepared and prompt to inflict on him all
the pains and penalties, the dungeon, the fine, the sequestration, which
such a troublesome Anti-Reformer would clearly deserve? Can we flatter
ourselves that a Parliamentary S