The Preface to the Fourth Collection of

Cato's Letters.

By THOMAS GORDON, Efq;

Readily comply with the Defire of the Publisher to write a fhort Preface to the new Collection he has made of my Letters for the laft four Months. I am more concerned than furprized, that these Letters fhould be ill understood, and maliciously apprehended by thofe, who, having no Principles of their own, are apt to wreft my Principles to favour their own Prejudices.

Thefe Men are Friends to Truth out of Anger or Chance, and not for her own Sake. I am, however, glad that they have been brought to read and approve a general Condemnation of their own Scheme.

It is more than ever they did before; and I am not without Hopes, that what they have begun in Paffion may end in Conviction I am happy, if I may have been the Means of bringing those Men to think for themselves, whofe Character it has been to let other Men think for them

:

a

Character which is the highest Shame and the greatest Unhappiness of a rational Being. Thefe Papers having opened the Principles of Liberty and Power, and rendered them plain to every Understanding, may, perhaps, have their Share in preventing, for the time to come, fuch Storms of Zeal for Nonsense and Falfhood, as have thrown these Kingdoms more than once into Convulfions. I hope I have helped to cure and remove those monstrous Notions of Government, which were instilled by the crafty Few into the ignorant Many.

For those who profess to entertain the fame Sentiments. with myself upon this Subject, and yet have been offended ; as this their Offence was neither my Fault nor Intention, I can only be forry, for their Sakes, that the Principles which they avowed at all Times, fhould hap

pen

pen to displease them at any Time. I am willing to believe that it was not the Doctrine, but the Application that disobliged them. -Nor am I answerable for this ; they themselves made it, and often made it wrong. I abhor all Attacks upon the Perfons and private Characters of Men, and all little Stories and Calumnies invented or revived to blacken them. These are base and dishonest Practices; the Work and Ambition of little and malicious Minds only. Nor wanted I any fuch ill-bred and contemptible Artifices to gain Readers. I attended only to general Reafonings about public Virtue and Corruption, unbiaffed by Pique or Favour to any Man. I can say this with as much Truth as any Writer ever could. As I have abused no Man's Perfon, and courted no Man's Fortune, I have dreaded no Man's Refent

ment.

The Faults found with thefe Letters are fo frivolous and ill grounded, that to mention them is almost sufficient to answer and expose them. The putting fome Words in Italics, or different Letters, has given Offence; and I own, in fome Instances it has been indifcreet: But though it was none of my Doing, and I have often blamed it, yet I dare anfwer that it was not maliciously done. However, I have directed it to be altered in this Collection.

Other Letters and Paffages and Advertisements in the Journal, have been dishonestly blended with Cato's Letters; and when they were called Crimes, Cato has been called the Criminal A wicked and a bafe Charge! Any intelligent Man may fee that Cato has nothing farther to do with the Journal, than the writing thofe Lctters which are figned with his Name.

But the

I know it has been faid, and but faid, that Cato has fpoken difrespectfully, nay infolently, of the King. If this were true, I fhould be the first to own that all the Clamour raised against me, was just upon me. Papers vindicate themfelves; and it is certain, that no Prince was ever treated with more Duty and Regard, in any public or private Writings, than his prefent Majesty has been in these. In Point of Affection and Principle his Majefty has not a better Subject than myself; and if he has any bad ones, they are none of my making. I

know

know that this Nation cannot be faved without this King; and I am still perfuaded, that nothing tended more to his Advantage and Popularity, or more to the Credit of the Ministry, or more to the Security of the Subject, than the purfuing, with quick and impartial Vengeance, thofe Men who were Enemies to all Men. And I have the Votes and Proceedings of Parliament, to fhew that that great and honourable Affembly were guided by the fame Sentiments, as were the whole Nation.

But it seems I once spoke Latin to his Majesty, and fpoke to him in the fingular Number- — quis te vituperavit. If this be a Libel, they who make it so, are the Libellers. In itself it is a Panegyric; nor could it be a Satyr in my Mouth, who have ever thought and fpoken dutifully of the King, and endeavoured that all others should do fo. As to the Word, Te, addressed 10 his Majesty in the fingular Number, which is the Objection, I am told, of fome able Lawyers; I would, in answer, acquaint thefe learned Goths, that the Purity of the Latin Tongue warrants that way of fpeaking, and no other, and that none but Monks and Pedants practise any other. VOS regere imperiumAnd he VOBIS -would be beautiful Emendations in a new Edition of Virgil. But as the above ridiculous Objection was made by no Lawyer of Genius or Politeness, it is no Reflection upon his Brethren.

erunt artes.

Thus much I think is more than a fufficient Defence against this Latin Crime; which however I have cancelled, though not for their Sakes who make it one.

In answer to thofe deep Politicians, who have been long puzzled to know who were meant by Cicero and Brutus; intending to deal candidly with them, and put them out of Pain and Doubt, I aflure them that Cicero and Brutus were meant: That I know no present Characters or Story that will fit theirs; and that thofe Letters were tranflated for the Service of Liberty in general, without intending by them either Reproof or Praise to any Man living. And if thefe gueffing Sages are in Perplexity about any other Paffages in Cato's Letters, it is ten to one but the fame Answer will relieve them.

In Brutus's Letters it is faid, we do not dispute about the Qualifications of a Mafter; we will have noMafter. Which is the genuine Senfe of the Latin-Nifi forte non de fervitute, fed de conditione ferviendi recufandum eft a nobis. From hence fome have inferred, that, because Brutus was against having a Master, therefore I am against having a King-a ftrange Conftruction, and a wild Confequence! As if in tranflating Brutus's Letter, I was not to follow the Senfe of Brutus; or as if there was no Difference in England between a King and a Mafter, which are just as oppofite as King and Tyrant. In a neighbouring Kingdom, indeed, they fay that their Monarch is born Mafter of the Kingdom, and I believe they feel it too; as they do with a Witnefs in Turkey-But I hope it is not fo here. We have a King made and bound by the Brutus having killed one Ufurper, was oppofing another, overturning by Violence all Law. Where is the Parity, or Room for it?

Law;

It may, perhaps, be expected I fhould fay fomething here of a late Attempt, to answer this and all other Writings, in a Way that was never before taken, nor heard of a new Way without a new Occafion! And a Way more terrible to Liberty than to me! Nothing is the best Thing I can fay of it; and even for that I deferve the Thanks of the Projectors: May it be for ever covered with Oblivion! A Wish, in which I dare say I have their hearty Concurrence. No Man defires to be remembered but with Honour.

Thus much by way of Preface, I thought might be modeftly faid, in defence of a Paper which has more Friends and Readers, than any Paper that has hitherto appeared in the World; and for its Foes, they are, as to their Number, inconfiderable.

As to myself, who perhaps have more public Spirit than private Prudence, having done my Duty, I can fay with Tully, Quid eft, prob deum hominumque fidem! In quo ego Reip. plas hoc tempore prodeffe poffim? Quid eft, quod aut populo Rom. gratius effe debeat, aut fociis extcrifq; nationibus optatius effe poffit, aut faluti fortunifque omnium accommodatius fit? Quis tandem effet qui meum concilium aut fa&tum poffet reprehendere?

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"I ap

"I appeal to Heaven and Earth, whether I could "have done more for the Benefit of the Public in this "its woful Distress? -What more agreeable to the "Interest and the Wishes of our People at home, what more conducive to our Reputation abroad, or what more defirable for the Security of the univerfal Rights "and Properties of all Men? What Falfhood have I "uttered, what evil Counsel have I given, and do the "Innocent accuse me?

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The Preface to the Sixth Collection of

I

Cato's Letters.

By THOMAS GORDON, Efq;

Have faid fo much by way of Preface to the other Collections of thefe Papers, that little is left for me to fay in This. The prefent is a Collection of all the Papers written laft Winter and till now upon Governisent, ex propofito, and in a Syftem; and thofe about Cefar being near a-kin to the Defign, and containing a good Part of the Argument, I have joined then to the reft, as I have done two late ones about Elections, for the fame Reafon; and to the Whole 1 have prefixed one written laft October, concerning the general ill Condition of Mankind.

I leave the Argument handled in thefe Letters to jultify itfelf, as it is ftated there, I cannot help thinking it is fupported by the united Confent of Experience, Reason, and Nature; and is not like to be shaken by any thing that can be faid against it. The Sum of the Question is, Whether Mankind have a Right to be happy? or, whether any Man has a Right to make them miferable? I am