* For he divides the power of the rich, and calls off the
' great from falling with tenfold weight on the middle

* order pkced beneath them. The middle order may"

< be compared to a town, of which the opulent are

< forming the fiege, and of which the governor from
' without is hal^ening the relief. While the befiegers

* are in dread of an enemy over them, it is but natural

< to offer the townfmen the moft fpecious terms ; to
' flatter them with founds, and amufe them with prw

< vileges ; bat if they once defeat the governor from
■* behmd, the walls of the town will be but- a fmall

' defence to its inhabitants. What they may then

* expe£):, may be feen by turning our eyes to Hol-

* land, Genoa, or Venice^ wiiere the laws govern
' the poor, and the rich govern the law. I am theh
' for, and would die for, monarchy, facred monar-
' chy ; for if there be any thing facred amongft men«
^ itmuft be the anointed SovB RBI ON of his people^
' and every diminution of his power in' war, or in

* peace, is an infringement upon the real liberties of

* the fubjeft. The founds of libeity^ patriotifm, and
' Britons, have already done much; it is to be hoped

* that the true fons of freedom will prevent their ever

* doing* more. I have known many of thofe pretended

* champions for liberty in my time, yet do I not re-

* member one that was not in his heart and in his
' family a tyrant.'

My warmth I found had lenethened this harangue
beyond the rules of good breedmg ; but the impatience
of my entertainer, who often llrove to interrupt it,
could be reftrained no longer. * What,* cried he,

* then I have been all this while entertaining a Jefuit
' in parfon'^ clothes : but by .all the coal .mines of

• Cornwall*



92 THE VICAR OF WfXETlELD.
