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

48+ OJ fJar, and of
themselves agajn~t
the dangers that ~urround them,
can only be safe by a strict and constant junction of
their strength: here conquest will effect the purposes
of confederation and ailiance; and the uni(~!1 which
it produces is often more close and permanent than
that which results from voluntaiV association. Thus,
if the heptarchy had continued' in England, the different
kingdoms of it might have separately fallen
a prey to foreign invasion: and although the interest
and danger of one part of the island were in truth
common to every other part, it might have been difficult
to have circulated this persuasion amongst independent
nations; pr tu Ilave united them in allY
7egular or steady opposition to their COlltinental ene~
mies, had not the valour and fortUJle of all enterprising
prince incorporated the \vhole intI) a ~ingle
monarchy. Here the conquered gained a· mUlh by
the revolution as the conquerors, In like l~lanner,
and for the same reason, when the two royal families
of Spain were met together in one race of princes,
and the several pro\1inces of France had devolved in ..
to the possession of a single sovereign, it became unsafe
for the inhabitants of Great Britain any longer to
remain under separate governments. The union of
England and Scotland, which transformed t\VO quar ..
rel~ome neighbours into one po\verful en1pire, and
which was first brought about by the course of succession,
and afterwards completed by anlicallle conven ...
tion, would have been a furtunate conclu~ion of hostilities,
had it been effected by the operations of war.
These two cases being admitted, namely, the obtain ..
ing of natural boundaries and barriers, and the illcluding
under the same government tho:·.e who ha,'e
a common danger and a common entm y to guard
against, I know not whether a third can be thought
of, in \vhich t11e extension of empire by conqllest is
useful even to the conquerors.
The second rule of prudence which ought to be
recolTIlnended to those WI10 COJlduct the affairs of"
nation'), is, "never to pur~ue national honour as dis ..
lillCt frotl1 national illtcre;!." rrhis rule ackno,vl.