And boisterous rage, have long been lull'd to rest ;
Where to the natural evils of the clime
Wicked designing men have fearless plac'd,

The dangerous quicksand, and the sunken rock;
Which when the innocent are wreck'd upon,,
They but rejoice. O steer my fragil bark
Amidst these perils, till I reach once more
The azure ocean, and the cloudless sky!

20

25

Alas! too soon did England's glory set ; The sun that rose to light Eliza's spirit To her blest mansion, charg'd with England's fate Sunk gloomy in the west. Nor stop, my Muse!! To sing those wretched times, when if perchance Some star of freedom rose amid the dark, 'T was like the gleamy meteor of the night

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for slight offences either immured in a prison, or transported to distant climes; while others upon constructive treasons were brought to trial for their lives, and when acquitted by a jury of their country ignominiously denominated" acquitted felons." But" the reign of terrour" is past, it is not natural to our clime, and however it may aid the views of a despotick administration in augmenting an already overloaded penal code *, yet ultimately it must tend, as all acts of a government, which does not keep pace with the illumination of the people, necessarily do tend, to excite the inquiries of that people into the abuses of their government, and to demand, with a voice that admits of no denial, a radical reformation of them.

*Upon the fertile subject of crimes and punishments, I would endeavour to impress on the minds of my countrymen this single fact, that by the good old common law there were only four crimes liable to be punished with death, and compensation might even have been made for these. There are now two hundred if not more. See the speech of sir William Meredith, May 13, 1777, Almon, vii. 180; and compare Blackstone, b. iv. ch.1.

That shone awhile to dim the eyes of men,
And leave the dark still darker. Rather speed
Thy rapid flight to where Columbia's sons,

And Washington, and Franklin, smooth'd the road
To universal freedom. O that truth

35

40

45

Could blot that page of history, which records
Britain's most foul disgrace; when British swords
Were sheath'd in British blood, to aid the cause
Of rank oppression, and despotick law!
What thus could urge Britannia to revolt
From her own principles ? 'T was Gold and Pow'r,
Twin evils form'd to curse the hopes of man.
These first induced North, presumptuous fool,
Who lindly steer'd the helm of state, which men
Of wisdom, and of foresight can alone
Guide safely thro' the intricate of things;
These him induc'd to try what force avail'd
Against the sons of freedom, freedom's sons,
Columbia's offspring, who by Franklin taught
Knew where to affix the boundary to pow'r,
And say to kings; "Thus far ye only go,
Beyond this point the people's rights begin,
Kings! trespass not ;" but North, proud minister,
Ambitious man, knew scarce the name of rights

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48.presumptuous fool,-"Let me tell you," (said lord Chatham, upon another occasion, speaking of the ministers) "whoever they were (1 don't care of what consequence) they were either fools or knaves; if the latter, they deserved to be treated with the just contempt of an injured people; if the former, they ought to have been sent to school before they were suffered to take the lead in public office." Debrett, v. 188, May 4, 1770.

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Much less to practise; but the name prevails,
And will prevail so long as man endures,
And shall not then the practice, which to man
Makes every earthly blessing doubly blest,
Gives him to know his Maker, and adore
That Maker in his works? But these are things. 60
Too deeply hid from the dim eyes of men
Obscur'd by power and wealth; for now enrag'd
Like a spoilt child who cannot bear control,
With angry words he Britons thus address'd; ..
"That prompt obedience, and support are due 65
From subjects to their rulers, is a truth,
Which they alone will controvert, who wish
To stir rebellion up, and trample down
The laws and constitution of the realm..
For what or rule, or government can last
Unless it meet support? and what support
Without taxation? Have we not endur'd

All the calamities of war? incurr'd

。,",

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55. Much less to practise ;-Lord chancellor, Camden, Jan. 9, 1770, "accused the ministry, if not in express terms, yet by direct implication, of having formed a conspiracy against the liberties of their country." And the marquis of Rockingham declared the maxim of government to be,“ That the royal prerogative alone was sufficient to support government, to whatever hands the administration should be committed." Debrett, v. 142. 145.

71. Unless it meet support? &c." Nam neque quies gentium sine armis, neque arma sine stipendiis, neque stipendia sine tributis haberi queunt." See the note in Debrett, iv. 251, where this passage is quoted from Tacitus. For the principal authority of this speech the reader may consult the speech of Mr. Grenville, Jan. 14, 1766, Debrett, iv. 292; and the Protest, 368; and the speech of Mr. Jenkinson, Mar. 17, 1778, Almon, ix. 65.

Expense enormous to defend, and guard
These our rebellious colonies; which are

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75. rebellious colonies;-Shakespeare has put these words into the mouth of Henry Vth; "We give express chargethat none of the French be upbraided, or abused in disdainful language; for when lenity and cruelty play for a kingdom, the gentlest gamester is the soonest winner." Act 3, sc. 6. Even in a just cause, and a successful war, the using of opprobrious language can only serve to aggravate and inflame the cruelty of the soldiery, and render final reconciliation more difficult; and in an unsuccessful conflict it can excite no other feeling than contempt, and make the day of retribution more dreadful. It is in fact no proof of bravery, generally speaking indeed it is the reverse; for the weaker the opponent is in real strength, the more voluble is his tongue. It might suit the heated minds of a despotick administration to exclaim," that treason and rebellion were properly and peculiarly the native growth of America ;" (see Almon, vi. 168. and King's speech, p. 5.) but the uncorrupt virtue of a Camden, a Chatham, a Richmond, and a patriotick opposition, could yet preserve untainted the dignity of the British nation. Almon, ii. 39. 61. "They are rebels," said lord Chatham, 30th May 1777," but what are they rebels for? Surely not for defending their unquestionable rights! What have these rebels done heretofore? I remember when they raised four regiments on their own bottom, and took Louisburg from the veteran troops of France. But their excesses have been great. I do not mean their panegyrick; but must observe in attenua tion, the erroneous and infatuated counsels which have prevailed-the door to mercy and justice has been shut against them." Almon, vii. 93, Lords' Deb. The duke of Richmond having remarked, that he did not think the people of America in rebellion, but merely resisting acts of the most unexampled cruelty and oppression;" the E. of Denbigh rose, and "openly contended, that those who defended rebellion, were themselves little better than rebels; and that there was very little difference between the traitor, and he who openly or privately abetted treason." In reply to this he was told by the noble duke, "that he was not to be intimidated or deterred from his duty by loud words, and that he would not retract asingle iota he had uttered on this occasion." I shall conclude this note with observing that the term rebels seems to be very fashionable, at a certain court; for whether it be the struggles of the unfortunate Corsicans—of the wretched Caribbs-of the patriotick Americans-or the suffering Irish-they are all rebels,

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As able to sustain their share of burthen

As Britons are, but that they find from hence
Favour, and countenance from factious men?
Better by far lay down the reins, and cease

To guide the state, than thus betray your trust, 80
Than thus without a contest yield your rights.
When were the colonies emancipate

From British jurisdiction? when were left
To their own judgment of their rulers' acts?
Such dangerous doctrine, if it meet support,
Will like a pestilence spread far and wide
Destruction to all governments on earth.
Are they not children planted by our care,
Nurs'd in indulgence, and when now full grown,
Mid opulence and plenty, shall they grudge

85

90

86 daring and incorrigible rebels." Belsham, i. 258-9. 417. 423; ii. 291-2. See above, b. i. note 312; and memoirs of the D. of Richmond, Mon. Mag. No. 153.

78. from factious men?—Lord Dudley, Oct. 26, 1775,“ contended that the present rebellion in America was fomented and supported by a desperate faction in this country; that none but men of the worst dispositions, and most pernicious designs, would encourage the claims of America, &c." Almon, v. 3; and see the E. of Sandwich's speech, ib. p. 6.

81. without a contest" As they totally denied (said lord North, 5 Mar. 1770,) the power of Great Britain to tax them, it became more absolutely necessary to compel the observance of the laws to vindicate our undoubted rights." Debrett, v. 254. "We must risk something; if we do not, all is over.' vii. 221.

88. planted by our care,—“ And now will these Americans, children planted by our care, nourished up by our indulgence till they are grown to a degree of strength and opulence, and protected by our arms, will they grudge to contribute their mite to relieve us from the heavy weight of that burthen which we lie under ?" See Ramsay, i. 57.346. King's speech, 26th Oct. 1775; Almon, iii. 2; and v. 23. 64.