'animofities about the late elections. The fecond Seffion has entered into bufinefs, but rather 'with a spirit of contradiction to what the prevailing fet of men in former Parliaments had 'brought to pass, than of a difinterested zeal for the common good. The third Seffion languifhed in the purfuit of what little was in• tended to be done in the second ; and the ap. proach of an enfuing Election terrified the 'members into a fervile management, according

as their respective principals were difpofed to-'wards the queftion before them in the House. 'Thus the State of England has been like that ' of a Veffel in diftrefs at fea: the Pilot and Mariners have been wholly employed in keeping the Ship from finking; the art of navi'gation was useless; and they never pretended 'to make fail. It is objected, that the alte'ration propofed is a breach of trust. The truft, SIR, repofed in us is that of the public 'Good; the King, Lords, and Commons, are 'the parties who exercise this truft; by the 'meafure of the common Good, they discharge themselves as well in the altering and repeal'ing, as in the making or confirming of Laws. 'The period of time, in this cafe, is a fubordi'nate confideration; and thofe gentlemen who are against the alteration, fpeak in too pompous a flyle, when they tell us, we are breaking into the Conftitution. It has been further • objected,

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'objected, that all this is only giving great power to the Ministers, who may make an 'arbitrary use of it. The Ministers are indeed like other men, from the infirmity of human nature, liable to be made worfe by power and authority; but this Act gives no addition to that authority itself, though it may, poffibly, prolong the exercise of it in them. They are nevertheless refponfible for their actions to a Parliament; and the mode of enjoying their ' offices is exactly the fame. Now when the thing is thus, and that the period of three years is found, from infallible experience itself, a 'period that can afford us no good, where shall we reft? The Ills that are to be done against fingle perfons or communities are done by furprize, and on a sudden; but good things are flow in their progress, and must wait occafion. Deftruction is done by a blow; but Reformation is brought about by leifurely advances. All the mischiefs which can be wrought under the Septennial ACT, can be perpetrated under the Triennial; but all the good which may be 'compaffed under the Septennial, cannot be hoped for under the Triennial. We may fear that the Minifters may do us harm; but that is no reason why we fhould continue them under a difability of doing us good. For these confiderations, I am unrefervedly for the Bill.'

CHA

CHARACTER OF SIR RICHARD STEELE,"

From "Memoirs towards a Hiftory of Men eminent "in the Republic of Letters, as well foreign as "domeftic, 1731."

FROM the cafuiftry of Dr. BURNET, I shall

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now proceed to that of Sir RICHARD STEELE, who in 1715, the year of the Preston rebellion, gives us his honeft reafons for concerning himself fo warmly both in theological and political enquiries. I muft,' fays he, fay fomething 'by way of apology to thofe who may be fur'prized at my being fo deep in points which 'I never before pretended to meddle with.' And, adds he, I acknowledge it has been fometimes. 'with me, as it is with too many others, that a 'fort of an implicit Religion feemed the most

easy, and most comfortable; and that a blind ' veneration for I know not what, and I knew not whom, stood for every thing valuable and important, I confefs, I was not enough ' aware that this implicitnefs of conduct is the great engine of Popery framed for the de'ftruction of good nature, as well as good fenfe.

But my benevolence to my fellow-creatures, L 'can truly fay, is, and has been always warm and 'inflexible. And this it is that hath, at length, 'alarmed and rouzed my understanding, which

one

⚫ one or two accidental fhocks have fettled into the order wherein I now feel it.

I remember, that fome ago I faid, in print, That all exorbitant power in Clergymen was Popery. What would be more general, or more inoffensive, than to speak this, without determining at all, what is that exorbitant 'power? And yet it is incredible, what an outcry there was made about this, as if it was the very height of all madness and absurdity to fay fo. I know there are many of that reverend body who are difinterested enough themselves • to maintain such a fentiment; but I foon found, from the refentment of others, that no power, let it be what it will, in their hands, can be • efteemed by them to be exorbitant; or elfe, that that part of Popery was not a thing they • mightily abhorred. Upon this, I proceeded to think a little farther of the confequence and tendernefs of fuch principles.

But the great shock of all that I ever received was from the proceedings about the late Schifmact, which opened the scene thoroughly. And this, I confefs, was fo great, as to move in me an indignation not to be contained; to fee the ¶ law of nature, and the common rights of mankind, going to be facrificed to fury and bigotry. I knew, indeed, very well, that the Church was ← only a word, made ufe of by those then at the

helm,

'helm, who valued all Churches and all Religions equally, and that no farther than for the forwarding their own ruinous projects. But I faw 'by how great a party the defign was warmly, 'espoused; that their very hearts were in it; and 'crowds of innocent people enfnared by them into the fame violence. This put me upon 'more enquiries; and led me to fome thoughts, ' of which I then gave the world a short account. It is upon that bottom I have governed myself · ever fince; till I am now brought, by the na'tural courfe of fuch thoughts, to examine into 'the conduct of Chriftians, and particularly of Proteftants of all forts. One thing drew on another; and, as little converfant as I have 'heretofore been in fuch matters, I quickly found

that Christianity was neither unintelligible, nor 'ill-natured; that the Gospel does not invade the rights of mankind; nor invest any men ' with authority deftructive to fociety; and (what 'was the most melancholy part of the whole) 'that Proteftants must be reduced to the ab'furdity of renouncing Proteftant as well as 'Chriftian Principles, before they can pretend to 'make their practices and their profeffions confiftent. This I refolved to reprefent; and have done it, without regard to any one fort of them more than another.

I am more and more perfuaded, every day,

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that