ſimple democracy, never had a patron among men of letters. Democratical mixtures in government have loſt almoſt all the advocates they ever had out of England and America.
Men of letters muſt have a great deal of praiſe, and ſome of the neceſſaries, conveniences, and ornaments of life. Monarchies and ariſtocracies pay well and applaud liberally. The people have almoſt always expected to be ſerved gratis, and to be paid for the honour of ſerving them, and their applauſes and adorations are beſtowed too often on artifices and tricks, on hypocriſy and ſuperſtition, on flattery, bribes, and largeſſes. It is no wonder then that democracies and democratical mixtures are annihilated all over Europe, except on a barren rock, a paltry fen, an inacceſſible mountain, or an impenetrable foreſt. The people of England, to their immortal honour, are hitherto an exception; but, to the humiliation of human nature, they ſhew very often that they are like other men. The people in America have now the beſt opportunity, and the greateſt truſt, in their hands, that Providence ever committed to ſo ſmall a number, ſince the tranſgeſſion of the firſt pair: if they betray their truſt, their guilt will merit even greater puniſhment than other nations have ſuffered, and the indignation of heaven. If there is one certain truth to be collected from the hiſtory of all ages, it is this: That the people's rights and liberties, and the democratical mixture in a conſtitution, can never be preſerved without a ſtrong executive, or, in other
