we have gained real ftrength by the reparation of our navy; we have fhewn Europe that ten years of war have not yet exhaufted us; and we have enforced our settlement on an island on which twenty years ago we durft not venture to look. These are the gratifications only of honeft minds; but there is a time in which hope comes to all. From the prefent happiness of the Publick the patriots themselves may derive advantage. To be harmless though by impotence obtains fome degree of kindness; no man hates a worm as he hates a viper; they were once dreaded enough to be detefted, as ferpents that could bite; they have now fhewn that they can only hifs, and may therefore quietly flink into holes, and change their flough unmolested and forgotten. THE PATRIOT. ADDRESSED TO THE ELECTORS OF GREAT BRITAIN. [1774] They bawl for freedom in their fenfclefs mood, MILTON. T O improve the golden moment of opportunity, and catch the good that is within our reach, is the great art of life. Many wants are fuffered, which might once have been supplied: and much time is loft in regretting the time which had been loft before. At the end of every feven years comes the Saturnalian feason, when the freemen of Great Britain may please themfelves with the choice of their reprefentatives. This happy day has now arrived, fomewhat fooner than it could be claimed. To felect and depute thofe, by whom laws are to be made, and taxes to be granted, is a high dignity and an important truft: and it is the bufinefs of every elector to confider, how this dignity may be be well fuftained, and this truft faithfully dif charged. It ought to be deeply impreffed on the minds of all who have voices in this national deliberation, that no man can deserve a feat in parliament who is not a PATRIOT. No other man will protect our rights, no other man can merit our confidence. A Patriot is he whofe publick conduct is regulated by one fingle motive, the love of his country; who, as an agent in parliament, has for himself neither hope nor fear, neither kindness nor refentment, but refers every thing to the common intereft. That of five hundred men, fuch as this degenerate age affords, a majority can be found thus virtuously abstracted, who will affirm? Yet there is no good in defpondence: vigilance and activity often effect more than was expected. Let us take a Patriot where we can meet him; and that we may not flatter ourselves by falfe appearances, diftinguish those marks which are certain, from thofe which may deceive for a man may have the external appearance of a Patriot, without the conftituent qualities; as falfe coins have often luftre, though they want weight. Some claim a place in the lift of Patriots by an acrimonious and unremitting oppofition to the court. This mark is by no means infallible. Patriotifm is not necessarily included in rebellion. A man may hate his king, yet not love his country. He that has been refused a reasonable or unreasonable request, VOL. X. G request, who thinks his merit under-rated, and fees his influence declining, begins foon to talk of natural equality, the abfurdity of many made for one, the original compact, the foundation of authority, and the majefty of the people. As his political melancholy increafes, he tells, and perhaps dreams of the advances of the prerogative, and the dangers of arbitrary power; yet his defign in all his declamation is not to benefit his country, but to gratify his malice. Thefe, however, are the most honeft of the opponents of government; their patriotifm is a fpecies of difcafe; and they feel fome part of what they exprefs. But the greater, far the greater number of those who rave and rail, and inquire and accuse, neither fufpect nor fear, nor care for the Publick; but hope to force their way to riches by virulence and invective, and are vehement and clamorous, only that they may be fooner hired to be filent. A man fometimes ftarts up a Patriot, only bý diffeminating difcontent and propagating reports of fecret influence, of dangerous counfels, of violated rights and encroaching ufurpation. This practice is no certain note of Patriotifm. To infligate the populace with rage beyond the provocation, is to fufpend publick happiness, if not to destroy it. He is no lover of his country, that unneceffarily disturbs its peace. Few errors, and few faults of government can justify an appeal to the rabble; who ought not to judge of what they cannot understand, and whofe opinions are not propagated by reafon, but caught by contagion. The The fallacioufnefs of this note of patriotifm is particularly apparent, when the clamour continues after the evil is paft. They who are ftill filling our ears with Mr. Wilkes, and the Freeholders of Middlesex, lament a grievance that is now at an end. Mr. Wilkes may be chofen, if any will choofe him, and the precedent of his exclufion makes not any honest, or any decent man, think himself in danger. It may be doubted whether the name of a Patriot can be fairly given as the reward of fecret fatire, or open outrage. To fill the news-papers with fly hints of corruption and intrigue, to circulate the Middlefex Journal and London Pacquet, may indeed be zeal; but it may likewife be intereft and malice. To offer a petition, not expected to be granted; to infult a king with a rude remonftrance, only because there is no punishment for legal infolence, is not courage, for there is no danger; nor patriotifm, for it tends to the fubverfion of order, and lets wickednefs loofe upon the land, by deftroying the reverence due to fovereign authority. It is the quality of Patriotifm to be jealous and watchful, to obferve all fecret machinations, and to fee publick dangers at a distance. The true Lover of his country is ready to communicate his fears and to found the alarm, whenever he perceives the approach of mifchief. But he founds no alarm, when there is no enemy: he never terrifies his countrymen till he is terrified himself. The patriotifm therefore may be justly doubted of him, who profeffes to be difturbed by incredibilities; who tells, that the last peace was obtained by bribing the Princess of Wales; that the King is grafping G 2 |