Anecdotes of the life of Richard Watson Bishop of Landaff written by himself at different intervals and revised in 1814

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1817 Excerpt: ...or indirectly, have given his consent to so nefarious a project;.nay, I will do the minister of the country the justice to say, that I believe him to be wholly incapable of either proposing or patronising such a scheme. 'K That the war was begun by the Princes of the continent, and entered into by ourselves, with a view of stopping the propagation of democratic principles, is a proposition which I believe to be true. There may have been some other causes (to say nothing of pretences) for the war, but I take this to be the chief; nor do I see any dishonour in avowing it. Every government has within itself an inherent principle of self-preservation: from this principle springs a right of resisting every attempt which evidently tends to the subversion of established governments. But that war is either the only or the best means of impeding the progress of democratic principles, is certainly not a self-evident proposition; and, how assured soever some men may be of its. truth, to me it is not a probable one; an unsuccessful war is more likely to accelerate than to impede the progress of democratic principles, and a successful war will not stop them. The history of the world informs us, that opinions are not subdued but confirmed by persecution; they are seated in the mind, and the mind is not susceptible of change from that coarse instrument of government--force. They yield to lenity, to reason, to experience; and in this enlightened state of Europe, the thrones ot despotic monarchs will be better protected by a seasonable attention to popular requisition, by a relaxation of the reins of despotism, than by all the standing armies which they can collect around them. "But let the ministers of the continental powers reason on the subject as they think fit, th...