contempt from his inferiors, and of cenſure from thoſe to whom he is accountable for his conduct.
Yet farther; moſt gentlemen of conſiderable property, at ſome period or other in their lives, are ambitious of repreſenting their country in parliament: and thoſe, who are ambitious of receiving ſo high a truſt, would alſo do well to remember it’s nature and importance. They are not thus honourably diſtinguiſhed from the reſt of their fellow-ſubjects, merely that they may privilege their perſons, their eſtates, or their domeſtics; that they may liſt under party banners; may grant or with-hold ſupplies; may vote with or vote againſt a popular or unpopular adminiſtration; but upon conſiderations far more intereſting and important. They are the guardians of the Engliſh conſtitution; the makers, repealers, and interpreters of the Engliſh laws; delegated to watch, to check, and to avert every dangerous innovation, to propoſe, to adopt, and to cheriſh any ſolid and well-weighed improvement; bound by every tie of nature, of honour, and of religion, to tranſmit that conſtitution and thoſe laws to their poſterity, amended if poſſible, at leaſt without any derogation. And how unbecoming muſt it appear in a member of the legiſlature to vote for a new law, who is utterly ignorant of the old! what kind of interpretation can he be enabled to give, who is a ſtranger to the text upon which he comments!
Indeed it is perfectly amazing, that there ſhould be no other ſtate of life, no other occupation, art, or ſcience, in which ſome method of inſtruction is not looked upon as requiſite, except only the ſcience of legiſlation, the nobleſt and moſt difficult of any. Apprenticeſhips are held neceſſary to almoſt every art, commercial or mechanical: a long courſe of reading and ſtudy muſt form the divine, the phyſician, and the practical profeſſor of the laws: but every man of ſuperior fortune thinks himſelf born a legiſlator. Yet Tully was of a different opinion: “it is neceſ-
