they are well mixed, every thing prospers; where they are single, they are destructive.”

As true liberty, then, is a plant of very slow growth, requiring a great deal of human labour to make it live anywhere, and as its fruits can never be expected to ripen except in the purest atmosphere, until its culture has been perfected, and until the minds of the great mass of a people have become so far purified or improved that a man may confidently rely upon them as the rational and sure guides in whatever is most dear to him in his social relations, let no one

"Despise those old narrow forms,*

Precious, invaluable weights are they,

Imposed by suffering mankind on

Their ruler's rash and arbitrary will.

For sudden or blind power was always terrible.
The way of order, though it leads through windings,
Is still the best. Right forward goes the lightning,
Straight cleaves the cannon-ball its murderous way—
Quick by the nearest course it gains its goal,
Destructive in its path and in its purpose.

"Lass uns die alten, engen Ordnungen
Gering nicht achten. Köstlich unschätsbare
Gewichte sinds, die der bedrängte Mensch
An seiner Dränger raschen Willen band;
Denn immer war die Willkür fürchterlich.
Der Weg der Ordnung, ging er auch durch krümmen,
Er ist kein Umweg. Grad aus geht der Blitz
Geht des Kanonball's fürchterlicher Pfad―
Schnell, auf dem nächsten Wege, langt er an,
Macht sich zermalmend Platz, um zu zermalmen.

the peaceful track which men frequent,

The path where blessings most are scattered, follows
The river's course, the valley's gentle bendings,
Encompasses the corn-field and the vine-yard;
Revering property's appointed bounds,

And leading slow, but surely, to the mark."

But happen what may, never let us accuse true or rational liberty of such excesses as have been, or still may be committed in its holy name. And, after all, the wildness of unrestricted liberty is often better and safer than the tameness and lethargy of the most parental despotism. For tranquillity, artificially produced, is neither wholesome nor enduring. The healthy repose of nations must arise from the natural and free motions of the thoughts, sentiments, and feelings of the people; it must be the result of opinion, or conviction after discussion, but not of mere passive obedience. And the cheerful cooperation of a nation for the purpose of remedying any existing evils, can never be so effectually secured, as by addressing their understanding, and by giving them an intelligible interest in what is proposed for their relief.

Die Strasse, die der Mensch befährt,
Worauf der Segen wandelt, diese folgt
Der Flüsse Lauf, der Thäler freyen Krümmen;
Umgeht das Waizenfeld, den Rebenhügel,
Des Eigenthum's gemessene Grenzen ehrend

So führt sie später, sicher doch sum Ziel.”—Schiller.

What also is man without the ardour of enterprise, without the daring of genius, without independence of action, without freedom of thought and speech? A stupid slave! nothing more. Enterprise may degenerate into extravagance, and even into swindling; genius may have its aberrations, and speech may become licentious; but is rational freedom to be blamed for these excesses? What are they but want of inward vigour, or energy, and excellence, which to acquire and to promote, is the mission allotted to us by our Creator? But can this mission be fulfilled while both our mind and body are in fetters? And though free institutions certainly permit such excesses, are they not likewise a powerful means of correcting them and of educating the multitude? Do they not also check these excesses in a very powerful and salutary manner, by the acute and neversleeping eye of rival powers? That supreme Being who rules the universe, does He not act in a similar manner? Those immutable laws which we see established by Him in the whole world, do they not, according to a wise, though in many points to us incomprehensible scheme of existence, equally permit such excesses? The lightning's flash, the tornado's fury, who shapes their course but the Almighty God?—and

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should we men be doing wrong in framing or perfecting our institutions after such a model? -Impossible!

In the same manner as we have to consider the excesses committed in the name of freedom, only as the offspring of a perverted conception of the true nature and form of liberty, so we have equally to consider all vice but as a deformity, an excrescence, springing from the free agency of man; and not as a contrivance of the Deity. For the Almighty, in making man to work out his own happiness, created him competent to will evil as well as good. Without such a free will man could not fulfil his destiny. Where there is however this free will, man must be competent to will evil as well as good. And it is the correct understanding of his own true interest that makes one man happily virtuous, as it is because he is not thus enlightened that another becomes miserably vicious. The profligate and unprincipled lead a stormy life every-where, while the virtuous and industrious find comfort in any place and in any circumstances. That this view of the case is the right one, is proved also, not only by our reason, but likewise by that incontestable fact, that whereever such a responsibility is admitted, evil is least and happiness most to be found. Exertion

of all our faculties, mental as well as physical, is therefore the only source or means of our improvement and happiness.

Discard then from your mind the false and vulgar notion, the offspring of fastidiousness and a depraved elegance, that labour, whether of the mind or body, is capable of degrading any station; that it can ever detract from the dignity of our birth or social position; or that it can throw a taint upon family honours. What is it to be useful, but to contribute to the general stock of necessaries, conveniences, and enjoyments, from which we derive what our life requires? What is it that almost in all instances has been the first cause or foundation of station or family honours, however exalted, however old or well-established, but labour, either of the mind or body? These causes of wealth and greatness have been dif ferently valued in different ages, but their effect always has been, and always will be, the same. For God has decreed that labour, either of the mind or body, shall be the only lasting source of our prosperity and happiness; and this law of our nature no human ingenuity could ever evade, nor will any earthly power be able to annul it. The true sovereigns and benefactors of mankind, therefore, are those who by their