PHI LOS 0 P H Y . - Classic Works of Apologetics Online

362 British ('011S1111l/tO};_
must be carricll 011. rl'hc killg'S cll0ice uf Ilis 111iIli~tcrs
is COl~trollc{1 by iI-Ie obiigatioll IIC is under of appointing
those men to oHices in the state, who are
foun,1 capable of managing the aflairs of his government
with tIle two hOllses of parliament. \Vhich
COIlsidcratioIl iUlpoSes such a 11ecessity upon the cro\\'n,
as hatll in a great ~tl~ure ~ubdued the influence ot"
favouritism; insomuch, that it i~ b~COlne no unconlmon
spectacle in this counlry', to see men promoted
by the king to the highest offices, and richest preferments,
\vhich he has in his po\ver to besto\v, who
have ~cn distinguif,hed by their oppo-sition to his personal
incli!latioll~.
By the bala1lce of interest, which accompanieli; and
gives {lfficacy to the bala11ce of power, is nleant this,
that the respecti\1e interests ot' the three estates of the
eillpire are so disposed and adjusted, t~!at ,\'hiche\T~r
of the three shail attempt any ellcroachm~nt, the
other two will unite in ~-~"ii~i mg it. If the lang
should endea\'Qor to extend his authoritv, bv con-
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tracting the pO\\1er and privilege.s of the comIl10n~,
the house of lords wouid see their- own dignity endangered
by every advance which th~ crown made
to in.dependency upon tIle resolutions of parliament.
TIle adnlission of arbitrary po\,rer is no ]c:-.s formidable
to the gra!ldeur of the aristocracy, than it is htal
to the liberty of the- republic; that is.. it \vould reduce
the nobility from the h~r~~ditarv ~hare th~v pos-
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se~s, in th,~ nat'lonal CQu;1cil~, in whicl1 t!leir real
grl:atn('~s c:.msj.,(s, to the b~-ing made -a part of th~
emnty patreantr~! of;1 despotic c()urt. On the other
A « ., •
h~]1(J, if the h01J~e ()f COlnlnon~ shc)uld intrench upon
the di~tinct pro',ince, ()r usurp the e~tat)li~h('d prerogative
of the croY!n, tIl(: hou~e ()f lords \vDul,i j-ect.\ive art
instant alartn from e\'cry new ~tretcJl ()f p()pular power.
In every corltcst in which t}lJ~ l\.illg 111ay be eng~ged
with the reprc~~entative body, ·in defence of his estab.
lished share of authority, he will find a ~ure ally in
the collective power of tile n()bility. An attachment
to the I5ona'(chy, from which they derive their own
distinction; the allur~nlel~tti (.'If a court, ill the habit~