thoughts on the present discontents-第6节

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of　their　own　importance。

I　am　no　friend　to　aristocracy；　in　the　sense　at　least　in　which　that
word　is　usually　understood。　　If　it　were　not　a　bad　habit　to　moot
cases　on　the　supposed　ruin　of　the　constitution；　I　should　be　free　to
declare；　that　if　it　must　perish；　I　would　rather　by　far　see　it
resolved　into　any　other　form；　than　lost　in　that　austere　and　insolent
domination。　　But；　whatever　my　dislikes　may　be；　my　fears　are　not　upon
that　quarter。　　The　question；　on　the　influence　of　a　Court；　and　of　a
Peerage；　is　not；　which　of　the　two　dangers　is　the　most　eligible；　but
which　is　the　most　imminent。　　He　is　but　a　poor　observer；　who　has　not
seen；　that　the　generality　of　Peers；　far　from　supporting　themselves
in　a　state　of　independent　greatness；　are　but　too　apt　to　fall　into　an
oblivion　of　their　proper　dignity；　and　to　run　headlong　into　an　abject
servitude。　　Would　to　God　it　were　true；　that　the　fault　of　our　Peers
were　too　much　spirit！　　It　is　worthy　of　some　observation；　that　these
gentlemen；　so　jealous　of　aristocracy；　make　no　complaints　of　the
power　of　those　peers　（neither　few　nor　inconsiderable）　who　are　always
in　the　train　of　a　Court；　and　whose　whole　weight　must　be　considered
as　a　portion　of　the　settled　influence　of　the　Crown。　　This　is　all
safe　and　right；　but　if　some　Peers　（I　am　very　sorry　they　are　not　as
many　as　they　ought　to　be）　set　themselves；　in　the　great　concern　of
Peers　and　Commons；　against　a　back…stairs　influence　and　clandestine
government；　then　the　alarm　begins；　then　the　constitution　is　in
danger　of　being　forced　into　an　aristocracy。

I　rest　a　little　the　longer　on　this　Court　topic；　because　it　was　much
insisted　upon　at　the　time　of　the　great　change；　and　has　been　since
frequently　revived　by　many　of　the　agents　of　that　party：　　for；　whilst
they　are　terrifying　the　great　and　opulent　with　the　horrors　of　mob…
government；　they　are　by　other　managers　attempting　（though　hitherto
with　little　success）　to　alarm　the　people　with　a　phantom　of　tyranny
in　the　Nobles。　　All　this　is　done　upon　their　favourite　principle　of
disunion；　of　sowing　jealousies　amongst　the　different　orders　of　the
State；　and　of　disjointing　the　natural　strength　of　the　kingdom；　that
it　may　be　rendered　incapable　of　resisting　the　sinister　designs　of
wicked　men；　who　have　engrossed　the　Royal　power。


Thus　much　of　the　topics　chosen　by　the　courtiers　to　recommend　their
system；　it　will　be　necessary　to　open　a　little　more　at　large　the
nature　of　that　party　which　was　formed　for　its　support。　　Without
this；　the　whole　would　have　been　no　better　than　a　visionary
amusement；　like　the　scheme　of　Harrington's　political　club；　and　not　a
business　in　which　the　nation　had　a　real　concern。　　As　a　powerful
party；　and　a　party　constructed　on　a　new　principle；　it　is　a　very
inviting　object　of　curiosity。

It　must　be　remembered；　that　since　the　Revolution；　until　the　period
we　are　speaking　of；　the　influence　of　the　Crown　had　been　always
employed　in　supporting　the　Ministers　of　State；　and　in　carrying　on
the　public　business　according　to　their　opinions。　　But　the　party　now
in　question　is　formed　upon　a　very　different　idea。　　It　is　to
intercept　the　favour；　protection；　and　confidence　of　the　Crown　in　the
passage　to　its　Ministers；　it　is　to　come　between　them　and　their
importance　in　Parliament；　it　is　to　separate　them　from　all　their
natural　and　acquired　dependencies；　it　is　intended　as　the　control；
not　the　support；　of　Administration。　　The　machinery　of　this　system　is
perplexed　in　its　movements；　and　false　in　its　principle。　　It　is
formed　on　a　supposition　that　the　King　is　something　external　to　his
government；　and　that　he　may　be　honoured　and　aggrandised；　even　by　its
debility　and　disgrace。　　The　plan　proceeds　expressly　on　the　idea　of
enfeebling　the　regular　executory　power。　　It　proceeds　on　the　idea　of
weakening　the　State　in　order　to　strengthen　the　Court。　　The　scheme
depending　entirely　on　distrust；　on　disconnection；　on　mutability　by
principle；　on　systematic　weakness　in　every　particular　member；　it　is
impossible　that　the　total　result　should　be　substantial　strength　of
any　kind。

As　a　foundation　of　their　scheme；　the　Cabal　have　established　a　sort
of　Rota　in　the　Court。　　All　sorts　of　parties；　by　this　means；　have
been　brought　into　Administration；　from　whence　few　have　had　the　good
fortune　to　escape　without　disgrace；　none　at　all　without　considerable
losses。　　In　the　beginning　of　each　arrangement　no　professions　of
confidence　and　support　are　wanting；　to　induce　the　leading　men　to
engage。　　But　while　the　Ministers　of　the　day　appear　in　all　the　pomp
and　pride　of　power；　while　they　have　all　their　canvas　spread　out　to
the　wind；　and　every　sail　filled　with　the　fair　and　prosperous　gale　of
Royal　favour；　in　a　short　time　they　find；　they　know　not　how；　a
current；　which　sets　directly　against　them；　which　prevents　all
progress；　and　even　drives　them　backwards。　　They　grow　ashamed　and
mortified　in　a　situation；　which；　by　its　vicinity　to　power；　only
serves　to　remind　them　the　more　strongly　of　their　insignificance。
They　are　obliged　either　to　execute　the　orders　of　their　inferiors；　or
to　see　themselves　opposed　by　the　natural　instruments　of　their
office。　　With　the　loss　of　their　dignity；　they　lose　their　temper。　　In
their　turn　they　grow　troublesome　to　that　Cabal；　which；　whether　it
supports　or　opposes；　equally　disgraces　and　equally　betrays　them。　　It
is　soon　found　necessary　to　get　rid　of　the　heads　of　Administration；
but　it　is　of　the　heads　only。　　As　there　always　are　many　rotten
members　belonging　to　the　best　connections；　it　is　not　hard　to
persuade　several　to　continue　in　office　without　their　leaders。　　By
this　means　the　party　goes　out　much　thinner　than　it　came　in；　and　is
only　reduced　in　strength　by　its　temporary　possession　of　power。
Besides；　if　by　accident；　or　in　course　of　changes；　that　power　should
be　recovered；　the　Junto　have　thrown　up　a　retrenchment　of　these
carcases；　which　may　serve　to　cover　themselves　in　a　day　of　danger。
They　conclude；　not　unwisely；　that　such　rotten　members　will　become
the　first　objects　of　disgust　and　resentment　to　their　ancient
connections。

They　contrive　to　form　in　the　outward　Administration　two　parties　at
the　least；　which；　whilst　they　are　tearing　one　another　to　pieces；　are
both　competitors　for　the　favour　and　protection　of　the　Cabal；　and；　by
their　emulation；　contribute　to　throw　everything　more　and　more　into
the　hands　of　the　interior　managers。

A　Minister　of　State　will　sometimes　keep　himself　totally　estranged
from　all　his　colleagues；　will　differ　from　them　in　their　counsels；
will　privately　traverse；　and　publicly　oppose；　their　measures。　　He
will；　however；　continue　in　his　employment。　　Instead　of　suffering　any
mark　of　displeasure；　he　will　be　distinguished　by　an　unbounded
profusion　of　Court　rewards　and　caresses；　because　he　does　what　is
expected；　and　all　that　is　expected；　from　men　in　office。　　He　helps　to
keep　some　form　of　Administration　in　being；　and　keeps　it　at　the　same
time　as　weak　and　divided　as　possible。

However；　we　must　take　care　not　to　be　mistaken；　or　to　imagine　that
such　persons　have　any　weight　in　their　opposition。　　When；　by　them；
Administration　is　convinced　of　its　insignificancy；　they　are　soon　to
be　convinced　of　their　own。　　They　never　are　suffered　to　succeed　in
their　opposition。　　They　and　the　world　are　to　be　satisfied；　that
neither　office；　nor　authority；　nor　property；　nor　ability；　eloquence；
counsel；　skill；　or　union；　are　of　the　least　importance；　but　that　the
mere　influence　of　the　Court；　naked　of　all　support；　and　destitute　of
all　management；　is　abundantly　sufficient　for　all　its　own　purposes。

When　any　adverse　connection　is　to　be　destroyed；　the　Cabal　seldom
appear　in　the　work　themselves。　　They　find　out　some　person　of　whom
the　party　entertains　a　high　opinion。　　Such　a　person　they　endeavour
to　delude　with　various　pretences。　　They　teach　him　first　to　distrust；
and　then　to　quarrel　with　his　friends；　among　whom；　by　the　same　arts；
they　excite　a　similar　diffidence　of　him；　so　that　in　this　mutual　fear
and　distrust；　he　may　suffer　himself　to　be　employed　as　the　instrument
in　the　change　which　is　brought　about。　　Afterwards　they　are　sure　to
destroy　him　in　his　turn；　by　setting　up　in　his　place　some　person　in
whom　he　had　himself　reposed　the　greatest　confidence；　and　who　serves
to　carry　on　a　considerable　part　of　his　adherents。

When　such　a　person　has　broke　in　this　manner　with　his　connections；　he
is　soon　compelled　to　commit　some　flagrant　act　of　iniquitous　personal
hostility　against　some　of　them　（such　as　an　attempt　to　strip　a
particular　friend　of　his　family　estate）；　by　which　the　Cabal　hope　to
render　the　parties　utterly　irreconcilable。　　In　truth；　they　have　so
contrived　matters；　that　people　have　a　greater　hatred　to　the
subordinate　instruments　than　to　the　principal　movers。

As　in　destroying　their　enemies　they　make　use　of　instruments　not
immediately　belonging　to　their　corps；　so　in　advancing　their　own
friends　they　pursue　exactly　the　same　method。　　To　promote　any　of　them
to　considerable　rank　or　emolument；　they　commonly　take　care　that　the
recommendation　shall　pass　through　the　hands　of　the　ostensible
Ministry：　　such　a　recommendation　might；　however；　appear　to　the　world
as　some　proof　of　the　credit　of　Ministers；　and　some　means　of
increasing　their　strength。　　To　prevent　this；　the　persons