nearest Friends any Writings which generally passed for his; the avoidable Confequence whereof was, that beftdes thofe Poems or Treatifes, which the judicious Part of the World agreed to have come from his Pen; many others were vulgarly fixed on him, which a Writer much inferior (at least if Printers and Bookfellers were to be the Judges) might have juft Reafon to complain of; and yet, we are equally affured by thofe Gentlemen in this Kingdom, who seem to know the Author beft, that when People of more Curiofity than Tafte or Manners, of fered to charge him with fome Trifles which he had not writ, he would never give them the leaft Satisfaction, by owning or denying it.

If we are truly informed, the fuppofed Author bath often protested, that he never did write three Copies of Verfes with the leaft Intention to have them printed, although he was cafy enough to fhew them to his Friends, and at their Defire was not very fcrupulous in fuffering them to take Copies; from whence most of thofe Poems were occafionally printed in both Kingdoms, either in fingle Papers, or in Mifcellanies.

424

Several Applications have been made to the fuppofed Author for two Years paft by most of his Friends, that he would give us Leave to print those Writings in Verfe and Profe, which are univerfally imputed to him: The Arguments made use of were, that fuck a Collection as we propofed could not be printed in London; because feveral Copies, and feme whole Treatifes were the Property of different Book

fellers

fellers, who were not likely to agree in Partnership; nor had the fame Advantage with us of confulting the fuppofed Author's Friends, who were pleafed to correct many grofs Errors, and frike out some very injudicious Interpolations; particularly in the Voyages of Captain Gulliver; Not to mention Several Things in Profe as well as Verfe, which we procured from fome Gentlemen who were either connived at, or fuffered to take Copies. We add, that if did not undertake this Work, it would certainly be attempted by fome Bookfeller, who probably might not be fo ready to fubmit to the advice and Direc tion of the fuppofed uthor's Friends. That we offended against no Law in acting as we did; because in this Kingdom, neither Authors, Bookfellers or Printers, pretended any Property in Copies; which in London is fixed as certainly as any other legal Poffeffion.

we

But our Arguments were of little Effect; further, than that the fuppofed Author was prevailed on to fuffer fome Friends to review and correct the Sheets after they were printed; and fometimes be condefcended, as we have heard, to give them his own Opinion.

In printing the four Volumes we have been advifed to obferve the following Order: The firft Volume confifts of thofe Mifcellanies, which were pub lished in London about thirty Years ago; that is to fay, the Profe Part of them; but in this Impression are feveral confiderable Additions. The fecond Vo

lume

lume contains all the Poetical Writings, that we could collect, and which are generally ascribed to the fame Author; wherein we entirely fubmitted to the Directions of his Friends. The third Volume makes up the four Parts of Captain Gulliver's Travels. The laft Volume is a compleat Collection of all thofe Tracts relating to Ireland, which are univerfally allowed to have been written by the fame Au thor; and may probably be useful upon many Occafions to this poor Kingdom in future Ages; and even to England itself, where most of them have been printed, and well received.

This is all we have been allowed to prefix as a general Preface; but before each of the three enfuing Volumes, there may perhaps be a fhort Advertisement.

As the Works have been delayed fome Months longer than was promifed, it is to be hoped, that the Subfcribers will not take it ill, because we were willing to give them all the Satisfaction in our Power, by collecting as many original Pieces as were poffible to be got of the fuppofed Author's from his Friends in England, which we found a great Difficulty in procuring. By this Delay the Works have fwelled to many Pages more than was at firft imagined, by which Means we have been at much more Expence.

A

A

DISCOURSE

OF THE

Contests and Diffentions

BETWEEN THE

NOBLES and the COMMONS in Athens and Rome; with the Confequences they had upon both thofe STATES.

Si tibi vera videtur,

Dede manus; & fi falfa eft, accingere contra.

I

Written in the Year 1701.

CHAP. I.

LUCRET

Tis agreed, that in all Government there is an abfolute unlimited Power, which naturally and originally feems to be placed in the whole Body, wherever the executive Part of it lies. This holds in the Body natural: For wherever we place the Beginning of Motion, whether from the Head, or the Heart, or the animal Spirits VOL. I.

B

in

in general, the Body moves, and acts by a Confent of all its Parts. This unlimited Power placed fundamentally in the Body of a People, is what the best Legiflators of all Ages have endeavoured, in their feveral Schemes, or Inftitutions of Government, to depofite in fuch Hands as would preferve the People from Rapine, and Oppreffion within, as well as Violence from without. Moft of them feem to agree in this; that it was a Truft too great to be committed to any one Man, or Affembly; and therefore they left the Right ftill in the whole Body; but the Adminiftration, or executive Part, in the Hands of One, the Few, or the Many: Into which three Powers, all independent Bodies of Men feem naturally to divide. For by all I have read of thofe innumerable and petty Common-wealths in Italy, Greece, and Sicily, as well as the great ones of Carthage and Rome; it seems to me, that a free People met together, whether by Compact or Family Government, as foon as they fall into any Acts of Civil Society, do, of themselves, divide into three Powers. The first is, that of fome one eminent Spirit, who having fignalized his Valour, and Fortune in Defence of his Country, or by the Practice of popular Arts at home, becomes to have great Influence on the People, to grow their Leader in warlike Expeditions, and to prefide, after a sort, in their Civil Affemblies: And this is grounded upon the Principles of Nature and common Reafon, which in all Difficulties and Dangers, where Prudence or Courage is required, do rather incite us to fly for Council or Affiftance to a fingle Perfon than a Multitude. The fecond natural Divifion of Power, is of fuch Men who have acquired large Possessions, and confequently Dependances, or defcend from An

ceftors;