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dare not freely ftudy, and as freely com municate the fruits of their ftudies? What is it that diftinguishes human fociety from a brutish herd, but the flourishing of the Arts and Sciences, the free exercise of Wit and Reafon? What can government mean, intend, or produce, that is worthy of man, or beneficial to him, as he is a rational creature, befides Virtue, and

Wisdom,

Knowledge,

Science? Is it merely indeed that we may eat, drink, fleep, fing, and dance, with fecurity, that we choofe governours, fubject ourselves to their administration, and pay taxes? Take away the Arts, Religion, Knowledge, Vertue, (all of which muft flourish, or fink together) and, in the name of goodness, what

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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 ufe of our noblest faculties: our fouls themselves are imprifoned in a dark dungeon: we may breathe, but we cannot be faid to live.

If the end of

governors and government is not to diffufe with a liberal unfparing equal hand, true rational happinefs; 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 extinguifh human underftanding,

ftanding, and establish a kingdom of darkness, is juft fo 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, fenfe, and reafon, are as mon"ftrous as a beast with hundreds of eyes "would be; and that fuch a beast will

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never bear its burden peaceably. "Whence he infers, it is impoffible to

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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 fhort, 66 you must treat them every way like

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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 Government, Publick Good and Rational Happinefs, as requiring limitations on the Prefs, and Licenfers of books, is as abfurd as to speak 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; because, if those are read, Principles of Liberty, and juft Sentiments of the Dignity and Rights of Mankind must be imbib'd. But can there be

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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 juft happiness, and how we ought to be treated by our governors; that is, by those whom we have entrusted with the management of our interefts and concerns !

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

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