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what is left to us that is worth enjoying or protecting? Yet take away the Liberty of the prefs, and we are all at once ftript of the use of our nobleft faculties: our fouls themfelves are imprifoned in a dark dungeon: we may breathe, but we cannot be faid to live.

If the end of

governors and govern

ment is not to diffufe with a liberal unfparing equal hand, true rational happi

nefs; but to make the bulk of mankind

beafts of burden, that a few may wallow in brutish pleasures: then it is confiftent politicks to root out the defire and love of Light and Knowledge. Certain

Scythian flaves, that they might work

the harder, had only their eyes destroyed. But to extinguish human under

ftanding,

ftanding, and establish a kingdom of darkness, is just so far more barbarous than even that monftrous cruelty, as the mind excels the body; or as understanding and reafon are fuperior to sense. Cardinal Richlieu fays, in his Political Teftament, "That fubjects with know"ledge, fense, and reason, are as mon"ftrous as a beaft with hundreds of eyes would be; and that fuch a beaft will never bear its burden peaceably. "Whence he infers, it is impoffible to promote defpotick power, while learning is encouraged and extended. The "people must be hood-winked, or ra"ther blinded, if one would have them "tame and patient drudges. In short, you must treat them every way like "pack

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*pack-horfes or mules, not excepting

the bells about their necks, which by "their perpetual jingling may be of use to drown their cares." Now this is plain dealing, and confiftent politicks. But to talk of Liberty and Free Govern ment, Publick Good and Rational Happinefs, as requiring limitations on the Prefs, and Licensers of books, is as ab. furd as to fpeak of liberty in a dungeon with chains on every limb. Hobbes too was confiftent with himself, and advises those who aim at abfolute dominion, to deftroy all the antient Greek and Latin authors; becaufe, if thofe are read, Principles of Liberty, and juft Sentiments of the Dignity and Rights of Mankind must be imbib'd. But can there be

more

more glaring bare-faced nonfenfe than to fay, "That the very fupport of a free "conftitution requires the Extinction of "the Prefs;" that is, the Extinction of the ONLY Means of knowing what we are as Men and Chriftians; what our natures are capable of; what is our just happiness, and how we ought to be treated by our governors; that is, by those whom we have entrufted with the management of our interefts and con cerns !

I hope it will never be this nation's misfortune to fall into the hands of an administration that do not from their fouls abhor any thing that has but the remoteft tendency towards the erection of a new and arbitrary jurifdiction over the prefs:

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prefs: or can otherwife look upon any attempt that way, than as the greatest impiety, the cruelleft, the wickedeft, the moft irreligious thing that can be imagined. Would it not be facrilegioufly robbing God of the only worship he delights in, "the worship of the heart and "understanding?" Can there be Religion or Virtue without Reason, Thought, and Choice? Or can Reason, Thinking, Knowledge, and Choice, fubfift without the only conceivable means of making men wife and and understanding, rational, and virtuous? What is the kingdom of CHRIST? doth not our Saviour delight in calling it Light, and a Kingdom of Light? And what did he come to destroy but the kingdom of darkness?

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