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First, I always declared myself against a Popish fucceffor to the crown, whatever title he might have by the proximity of blood: neither did I ever regard the right line, except upon two accounts: first, as it was established by law; and fecondly, as it hath much weight in the opinions of the people. For neceffity nay abolish any law, but cannot alter the sentiments of the vulgar; right of inheritance being perhaps the most popular of all topics; and therefore in great changes when that is broke, there will remain much heartburning and discontent among the meaner people; which (under a weak prince and corrupt administra tion) may have the worst consequences upon the peace of any state.

As to what is called a revolution principle, my opinion was this: That whenever thofe evils which usually attend and follow a violent change of government, were not in probability so pernicious as the grievance we fuffer under a present power, then the public good will juftify fuch a revolution. And this I took to have been the cafe in the Prince of Orange's expedition, although in the confequences it produced fome very bad effects, which are likely to stick long enough by us.

I had likewise in those days a mortal antipathy against standing armies in times of peace: because I' always took standing armies to be only servants hired by the master of the family for keeping his own chil-dren in flavery; and because I conceived, that a prince,› who could not think himself fecure without mercenary troops, must needs have a separate interest from that of his fubjects. Although I am not ignorant of those artificial neceffities which a corrupted ministry

can

can create, for keeping up forces to fupport a faction againft the public interest."

As to parliaments, I adored the wisdom of that Gothic inftitution, which made them annual: and I was confident our liberty could never be placed upon a firm foundation, until that ancient law were restored among us. For who fees not, that while fuch affemblies are permitted to have a longer duration, there grows up a commerce of corruption between the miniftry and the deputies, wherein they both find their accounts, to the manifeft danger of liberty? which traffic would neither answer the defign nor expenfe, if parliaments met once a year.

I ever abominated that scheme of politics, (now about thirty years old), of fetting up a moneyed intereft in oppofition to the landed. For I conceived, there could not be a truer maxim in our government than this, That the poffeffors of the foil are the best judges of what is for the advantage of the kingdom. If others had thought the fame way, funds of credit and South-fea projects would neither have been felt nor heard of.

I could never discover the neceffity of fufpending any law upon which the liberty of the most innocent 'perfons depended; neither do I think this practice hath 'made the taste of arbitrary power so agreeable, as that we should defire to see it repeated. Every rebellion fubdued and plot difcovered, contribute to the firmer establishment of the prince: in the latter cafe, the knot of confpirators is entirely broke, and they are to begin their work anew under a thousand disadvantages; fo that those diligent inquiries into remote and proble matical guilt, with a new power of enforcing them bý

chains and dungeons to every perfon, whofe face a minifter thinks fit to diflike, are not only oppofite to that maxim, which declareth it better, that ten guilty men fhould efcape, than one innocent fuffer; but likewife leave a gate wide, open to the whole tribe of infor mers, the most accurfed, and prostitute, and abandoned race, that God ever permitted to plague mankind.

It is true, the Romans had a custom of chufing a dictator, during whofe administration the power of other magiftrates was fufpended; but this was done upon the greatest emergencies; a war near their doors, or some civil diffenfion: for arınies must be governed by arbitrary power. But when the virtue of that commonwealth gave place to luxury and ambition, this very office of dictator became perpetual in the persons of the Caefars and their fucceffors, the most infamous tyrants that have any where appeared in story.

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These are some of the fentiments I had relating to public affairs, while I was in the world: what they are at prefent, is of little importance either to that or myself; neither can I truly fay I have any at all, or, if I had. I dare not venture to publish them: for however orthodox they may be while I am now writing, they may become criminal enough to bring me into trouble before mid - fummer. And, indeed I have often wifhed for fome time past, that a political catechim might be publifhed by authority four times a-year, in order to instruct us how we are to speak, write, and act, during the curring quarter. I have by experience felt the want of such an instructor: for, intending to make my court to fome people on the prevailing fide by advancing certain old whigg fhrin

ciples,

ciples, which, it seems, had been exploded a month before, I have paffed for a disaffected perfon. I am not ignorant how idle a thing it is, for a man in obfcurity to attempt defending his reputation as a writer, while the spirit of faction hath fo univerfally poffeffed the minds of men, that they are not at leisure to attend to any thing else. They will just give themselves time to libel and accufe ane, but cannot fpare a minute to hear my defence. So in a plot-difcovering age, I have often known an innocent man seized and imprisoned, and forced to lie feveral months in chains, while the ministers were not at leisure to hear his petition, until they had prosecuted and hanged the number they proposed.

All I can reasonably hope for by this letter, is to convince my friends, and others who are pleased to wish me well, that I have neither been fo ill a subject, nor so stupid an author, as I have been represented by the virulence of libellers, whofe malice hath taken the same train in both, by fathering dangerous principles in government upon me, which I never maintained, and infipid productions, which I am not capable of writing. For, however I may have been foured by perfonal ill-treatment, or by melancholy prospects for the public, I am too much a politician to expose my own safety by offenfive words. And, if my genius and fpirit be funk by increafing years, I have at least enough discretion left, not to mistake the measure of my own abilities, by attempting fubjects where those talents are neceffary, which perhaps I may have loft with my youth.

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Gr a y.

Mit der ansehnlichen und vollständigen Ausgabe seiner Gesdichte, welche Gray's vertrauter Freund, William Mason, im Jahr 1775 veranstaltete, verband derselbe die Denkwürdigkeiten seines Lebens, die auch ins Deutsche überseßt find. - Unter deufelben befinden sich mehrère schön geschriebene Briefe des für Geschmack und Kunst innigft, fühlenden Mannes, die größten. theils während seiner Reise durch die Schweiz und Italien ges schrieben, und so angenehmen als unterrichtenden Inhalts sind. Von dieser Art ist der zweite hier abgedruckte Brief; und der erfte, aus seinen frühern Jahren, verräth schon den poetischen Gesichtspunkt, aus welchem Gray, noch ein junger Studirens der, die ihm damals nahen und gewöhnlichen Gegenstände ansah.

SIR!

I.

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TO MR. WE ST.

Peterhouse, Dec. 1736.

You must know that I'do not take degrees, and, after this term, fhall have nothing more of college impertipencies to undergo, which I trust will be some pleasure to you, as it is a great one to me. I have endured lectures daily and hourly fince I came laft, fupported by the hopes of being fhortly at full liberty to give myself up to my friends and claffical companions, who, poor fouls! though I fee them fallen into great contempt with most people here, yet I cannot help sticking to them, and out of a spirit of obftinacy (I think) love them