TRADE (DEFINED.) TRADE is not a limited thing; as if the objects of mutual demand and confumption could not ftretch beyond the bounds of our jealoufies. God has given the earth to the children of men, and he has undoubtedly, in giving it to them, given them what is abundantly fufficient for all their exigencies; not a fcanty, but a moft liberal provifion for them all. The author of our nature has written it ftrongly in that nature, and has promulgated the fame law in his written word, that man fhall eat his bread by his labour; and I am perfuaded, that no man, and no combination of men, for their own ideas of their particular profit, can, without great impiety, undertake to say, that he shall not do fo; that they have no fort of right, either to prevent the labour, or to withhold the bread. Ireland having received no compenfation, directly or indirectly, for any restraints on their trade, ought not, in juftice or common honefly, be made fubject to fuch restraints. Two Letters to Gentlemen in Briftol. TRAGEDY. The Effects of Tragedy. Ir is thus in real calamities. In imitated diftreffes the only difference is the pleafure refulting from the effects of imitation; for it is never fo perfect, but we can perceive it is imitation, and on that principle are fomewhat pleafed with it. And indeed in fome cafes we derive as much or more pleasure from that fource than from the thing itself. But then I imagine we fhall be much miftaken if we attribute any confiderable part of our fatisfaction in tragedy to the confideration that tragedy is a deceit, and its reprefentations no realities. The nearer it approaches the reality, and the further it removes us from all idea of fiction, the more perfect is its power. But be its power of what kind it will, it never approaches to What it reprefents. Choofe a day on which to reprefent the most fublime and affecting tragedy we have; appoint the most favourite actors; fpare no cost upon the fcenes and decorations; unite the greateft efforts of poetry, painting, and mufic; and when you have collected your audience, juft at the moment when their minds are erect with expectation, let it be reported that a ftate criminal of high rank is on the point of being executed in the adjoining fquare; in a moment the emptinefs of the theatre would demonftrate the comparative weakness of the imitative arts, and proclaim the triumph of the real fympathy. I believe that this notion of our having a fimple pain in the reality, yet a delight in the reprefentation, arifes from hence, that we do not fufficiently distinguish what we would by no means choose to do, from what we should be eager enough to fee if it was once done. We delight in feeing things, which fo far from doing, our heartieft wifhes would be to fee redreffed. This noble capital, the pride of England and of Europe, I believe no man is fo ftrangely wicked as to defire to fee deftroyed by a conflagration or an earthquake, though he should be removed himself to the greateft diftance from the danger. But fuppofe fuch a fatal accident to have happened, what numbers from all parts would crowd to behold the ruins, and amongst them many who would have been content never to have feen London in its glory! Nor is it, either in real or fictitious diftreffes, our immunity from them which produces our delight; in my own mind I can discover nothing like it. I apprehend that this mistake is owing to a fort of fophifm, by which we are frequently impofed upon; it arises from our not diftinguishing between what is indeed a neceffary condition to our doing or fuffering any thing in general, and what is the caufe of fome particular act. If a man kills me with a fword, it is a neceffary condition to this that we fhould have been both of us alive before the fact; and yet it would be abfurd to fay, that our being both living creatures was the cause of his crime and of my death. So it is certain, that it is abfolutely neceffary my life fhould be out of any imminent hazard, before I can take a delight in the fufferings of others, real or imaginary, or indeed in any thing elfe from any caufe whatfoever. But then it is a fophifm to argue from thence, that this immunity is the caufe of my delight either on thefe or on any occafions. No one can diftinguifh fuch a caufe of fatisfaction in his own mind, I believe; nay, when we do not fuffer any very acute pain, nor are expofed to any imminent danger of our lives, we can feel for others, whilft we fuffer ourfclves; and often then moft when we are foftened by affliction; we fee with pity even diftreffes which we would accept in the place of our own.-Sublime and Beautiful. TRANSACTIONS OF PAST AGES. WE are very uncorrupt and tolerably enlightened judges of the tranfactions of paft ages; where no paflions deceive, and where the whole train of circumftances, from the trifling caufe to the tragical event, is fet in an orderly feries before us.-Thoughts on the Caufe of the prefent Difcontents. TYRANT AND HIS FAVOURITE, OR TYRANNY DOUBLED. THERE is hardly any prince without a favourite, by whom he is governed in as arbitrary a manner as he governs the wretches fubjected to him. Here the tyranny is double d. There are two courts, and two interefts; both very different from the interefts of the people. The favourite knows that the regard of a tyrant is as unconftant and capricious as that of a woman; and concluding his time to be fhort, he makes hafte to fill up the meafure of his iniquity, in rapine, in luxury, and in revenge. Every avenue to the throne is fhut up. He oppreffes, and ruins the people, whilft he perfuades the prince, that thofe murmurs raised by his own oppreffion are the effects. of difaffection to the prince's government. Then is the natural violence of defpotifm inflamed, and aggravated by hatred and revenge. To deferve well of the ftate is a crime against the prince. To be popular, and to be a traitor, are confidered as fynonymous terms. Even virtue is dangerous, as an af piring quality, that claims an efteem by itself, and independent of the countenance of the court. What has been faid of the chief, is true of the inferior officers of this fpecies of government; each in his province exercifing the fame tyranny, and grinding the people by an oppreffion, the more feverely felt, as it is near them, and exercifed by bafe and fubordinate perfons. For the grofs of the people, they are confidered as a mere herd of cattle; and really in a little time become no better; all principle of honest pride, all fenfe of the dignity of their nature, is loft in their flavery. The day, fays Homer, which makes a man a flave, takes away half his worth; and in fact, he lofes every impulfe to action, but that low and bafe one of fear. In this kind of government human nature is not only abufed, and infulted, but it is actually degraded and funk into a fpecies of brutality.- Vindication of natural Society. TYRANTS. THE punishment of real tyrants is a noble and awful act of justice; and it has with truth been faid to be confolatory to the human mind.Thoughts on the Caufe of the prefent Difcontents. TYRANNY. Few are the partizans of departed tyranny. Ibid. TYRANNY. TYRANNY is a poor provider. It neither knows how to accumulate, nor how to extract.Speech on American Taxation. TYRANNY. THE arguments of tyranny are as contemptible as its force is dreadful.. -Reflections on the Revolutions in France. TYRANNY. NOTHING aggravates tyranny fo much as contumely. Quicquid fuperbia in contumeliis was charged by a great man of antiquity, as a principal head of offence againft the governor general of that day. Speech on Mr. Fox's Eaft-India Bill. TYRANNY (ANCIENT.) A GREAT deal of the furniture of ancient tyranny is torn to rags; the reft is entirely out of fashion.Thoughts on the Caufe of the prefent Difcontents. TOULON. I HAVE Toulon in my eye. It was with infinite forrow I heard, that in taking the king of France's fleet in truft, we inftantly unrigged and difmafted the fhips, inftead of keeping them in a condition to ef cape in cafe of difafter, and in order to fulfil our truft, that is, to hold them for the use of the owner, and, in the mean time, to employ them for our common fervice. Thefe fhips are now fo circumftanced, that if we are forced to evacuate Toulon, they must fall into the hands of the enemy, or be burnt by ourfelves. I know this is by fome confidered as a fine thing for us. But the Athenians ought not to |