copy of this venerable roll. Very little more than a century had elapsed when all the other records of these stipulated Rights had disappeared. Who can doubt that these documents had been wilfully destroyed? The numerous and well-stored Libraries of later times form safer archives. From these conservatories of Knowlege the memorials of History are, with the seeds of every Science, dispersed over an immeasurable tract, and put beyond the power of human extirpation, Their diffusion can only be compared to the infinite progression of high numbers; a diffusion which ensures their endless duration : by the same means that we may observe in the order of Nature, whose economy it is to regard the increase and multiplication of the species for its preservation rather than to attend to the fate of the individuals who compose it.

PREFACE

то

EDITION IN 1772*.

THERE is a period in the progress of human designs, which, as it is regarded with negligence or with policy, will ensure their destruction or their success. The Lion is endued by Nature with

This Edition with the Dedication and the Preface I have heard ascribed to Archdeacon Blackburne; but I have not been able to learn that there is any authority for this opinion. If he were the Editor, his Family are ignorant of the circumstance.— Was it the Rev. Richard Baron, who reprinted MILTON's enlarged Edition of the 'Eixovoxadorys, and who assisted in the 4to. Edition of the Prose Works? It is far from unlikely that Baron, if then living, was the Editor; or that if it were not he, some one else was employed by Mr. Hollis for this purpose; as I find the AREOPAGITICA enumerated in a list of Books for the use of the Swedes published in this year, 1772, by this Gentleman on occasion of the royal Revolution which had recently taken place in that Country (Mem. of T. Hollis, p. 659); who says (p. 656)," let the brave worthy Swedes read the AREOPA" GITICA, and get franker."

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the means of mischief-weapons of dreadful execution; but deprive him, while he is yet young, of his teeth and his nails-disarm him while he is within your reach-and he will never rise to be the terror of the forest, or the tyrant of the field.

Impressed with a conscious sense of this proposition, I now take up the pen in the cause of my Country. The season of danger ought to be the season of alarm; and when a secret blow is aimed at the State by the cunning or the ambitious, no honest individual, who is aware of it, will be idle. On the present occasion, therefore, be it my business, as it is my duty, to unveil the foes of Public Freedom, and drag them to the public altar.

It is apprehended, and with good reason, that a design is now ripening to restrain the Liberty of the Press. The character of our present Ministry makes the existence of such a design probable, but their conduct carries it almost beyond a doubt. So daring an attempt is indeed worthy of that enterprising spirit which has already controverted Elections, and ridiculed the complaints of twelve millions of Subjects. It is well known that this

scheme has been long adopted, but adopted only in prospect; the execution of it was reserved for this season and this Pt: accordingly hints have been given, inuendoes thrown out, and whispers circulated, that the Press is grown luxuriant and wanton, and requires cropping.

This laudable business has been ushered into the world by a Publication, which may be considered as the prologue to the tragedy which is intended to follow. On Thursday the 30th day of January last (as if Freedom was doomed to bleed on the same day with Virtue*) a Pamphlet was published, entitled, "Reasons against the intended Bill for

laying some restraint upon the Liberty of the Press, "wherein all the arguments yet advanced by the

promoters of it are unanswerably answered." The tendency of this Pamphlet is obvious to the most superficial observer, It is written in a strain of continued irony; and, while it seems to be the keen foe of the errours of Administration, it is in truth their warmest advocate. It is replete with that oblique and uncouth raillery which is always aiming at humour, but never reaches it; and though

The day on which the Royal Martyr suffered.

it is neither satirical nor witty, it well serves to show that Dullness can sometimes be as malicious as Wit.

Such is its tendency, and such its character. However, the powers of this masked battery are too circumscribed and feeble to annoy the palladium of Freedom, by playing against it: if it possesses any importance, it is acquired only by its being in disguise. The keenness of its ridicule or the force of its reasoning could never give it consequence sufficient to merit a reply, were it not shielded under very powerful protection; for from very good authority I inform the Public, That it was published under the immediate patronage of C. J -n, Esq. This Gentleman- the flower of the Cabinet, and the epitome of the TreasuryBench-ever able, ever willing to lend a good hand to a bad purpose-this Gentleman (I say) kindly gave his parental bosom to foster, nourish, and warm this bantling into life.

A destructive measure cannot be too early crushed-a task worthy of the AREOPAGITICA of MILTON. This exalted Genius, when an ill-advised Parliament, in times of political rage and civil dissention, had imposed an illicit restraint upon the