: CHA P. XIII. ON CONFIDENCE AND JEALOUSY. SI. UNDE 'NDER a defpotic government, there must be a state inquifition. The few, having a feparate interest from the many, must be always on the watch, prepared to nip every confpiracy in the bud, and to quench every spark the moment it appears, knowing that the leaft delay may caufe a general conflagration. The defpot muft not enquire, if guilty or not guilty, but muft at all events fecure his own repofe, by confining, by banishing, or by cutting off, all fufpected perfons. To discover these, spies are employed, and informers are encouraged, by the state inquifitors, under all defpogovernments. These infamous wretches were in great efteem under the worst T tic of of the Roman Emperors, and had public marks of honour conferred on them by Nero and Tiberius. The inquifitors of Venice not only watch the nobles, left any one fhould feize the fovereign power, but, diftrusting their own fubjects, they obferve them with a jealous eye. Nor does the French government act towards its fubjects with candour, frankness, and confidence; but evidently betrays fear and fufpicion, by employing spies to mix in every company, and by placing them in all the families of the great.—In a country where the fubjects are looked upon as enemies, we must expect to fee ftate prifons inacceffible to all, but the unhappy victims of the monarch's jealoufy or the favourite's revenge. Here, fecluded from the joys of focial life, they pafs their days in folitude and filence, without ever seeing for a moment one fypmpathifing friend, or hearing the voice of comfort. The pious Christian, urged by the benevolence of his heart, and mindful of these words, "Come, ye bleffed bleffed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you, from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry, and ye gave me meat, I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink, naked, and ye clothed me; I was fick, and ye vifited me ; I was in prifon, and ye came unto me;" the pious Chriftian, mindful of these words, feeks admittance, that he may administer to the wants, and fhed the fympathetic tear over the diftreffes of his fellow-creatures: he feeks admittance, but he feeks in vain.-Here nothing must be heard but groans, and the rattling of chains, excepting, once in fourand-twenty hours, the grinding of the hinges when the gaoler brings the portion of bread, and the crufe of water. Here, nothing must strike the eye but wheels, and racks, and inftruments of cruelty, to terrify the imagination of the prifoner, and to extort from him the names and number of thofe who had confpired with him, to recover their loft freedom. Here the prifoners must remain till a change of adminiftration, the fovereign's death, T 2 death, or some other accident, brings the year of jubilee. In a country which abounds with spies, there can be no free converfation; every man is fearful of his neighbour; univerfal jealoufy and miftrust prevail; and man, who is the moft fociable of all animals; man, who feeks fociety that he may communicate his thoughts, must be condemned to perpetual folitude, even in the midst of company, and in the capitol feel more lonely than in the wilderness. This is very striking to every one who has travelled through France, and mixed with the middle clafs of people. If they appear in any respect contemptible, their government muft bear the blame. If a lively, high-fpirited people dare not think, and dare not speak, what remains? Vive l'amour, vive la bagatelle. In the cities, you may fit down at their table d'hote, and never hear one word spoken. At these ordinaries in Paris, the human voice has not been heard during the whole time they have been together. Every man has bread, bread, wine, and water, put down by him; when he has dined, he rifes up, goes to the bar, pays his half crown, and walks away in filence. Not having opened his lips, it is impoffible that his words fhould be construed into treason. In higher life, they are lefs restrained; but in order to enjoy free communication of thought, they avoid mixt companies, and form themselves into focieties, bound together by the facred ties of honour. In the Venetian territory, they are still more reserved. If a foreigner is defirous of knowing the nature of the government, and addreffes himself, for that purpose, to a fubject of the Venetian state, he will not be able to procure an answer. They muft not talk of state affairs. § 2. From the fame prevailing jealoufy, the prefs must not be free; because the people, having loft their liberty, must be kept ignorant of their privileges, and bound with the chains of darkness. Indeed, this would be a great kindness to them, were it impoffible for them to gain their liberty; for happiness depends T 3 much |