life they are placed, or in whatsoever fpheres they move, they must be happy themselves, and, like the fun, diffuse happiness all around them. Without this divine temper no man can be happy. Though he could feat himself on the throne of the universe, though he could bring in a revenue of glory from the most diftant ftars, though he should not keep from his eyes whatever they defire, neither withhold his heart from any joy, yet must he confefs himself diffatisfied in his poffeffions, and disappointed in his expectations. Deftitute of that heaven-born temper, a univerfal benevolence embracing the whole human race, he must be wretched; and, having not a hope beyond the grave, a hope full of immortality, every thought of diffolution must help to make him miferable.-When men of an ambitious mind have been taken from private life and feated on a throne, or, being feated on the throne of a limited monarchy, have been able to shake off all restraint, and wield a defpotic fceptre, the fudden blaze of glory has dazzled their imaginations, and made them happy for a day; but after having paffed one night under the royal canopy, they have risen with other thoughts, for they found their pillow ftrewed with thorns. Cicero gives us the most striking anecdote of Dionyfius, tyrant of Syracufe, which beautifully confirms this obfervation.-From a private perfon he became chief magiftrate at Syracufe, and by degrees affumed defpotic power. Conscious that he had incurred the hatred and abhorrence of his much-injured countrymen, he could not but look on them as his enemies, and therefore fortified himself against them in a ftrong citadel, where he lived as in a prifon. This citadel he garrifoned with foreigners. As he could not efteem any man his friend, who either valued liberty, or deserved it, he was furrounded only by trembling flaves and fordid flatterers. Neither his citadel nor his guard of foreigners could preferve him from the moft tormenting and unremitting fears.. One of his courtiers, named Damocles, was perpetually extolling with rapture his his treasures, grandeur, the number of his troops, the extent of his dominions, the magnificence of his palaces, and the universal abundance of all good things and enjoyments in his poffeffion; always repeating, that never man was happier than Dionyfius." Because you are of that opinion," said the tyrant to him one day, "will you taste and make proof of my felicity in perfon?" The offer was accepted with joy. Damocles was placed upon a golden bed, covered with carpets of ineftimable value. The fideboards were loaded with veffels of gold and filver. The most beautiful flaves, in the moft fplendid habits, stood around, watching the leaft fignal to ferve him. The most exquifite effences and perfumes had not been spared. The table was spread with proportionate magnificence. Damocles was all joy, and looked upon himself as the happiest man in the world; when, unfortunately cafting. up his eyes, this happy man beheld over his head a glittering fword, which hung from the roof only by a single horse-hair. He was immediately feized with a cold fweat; every thing disappeared in an inftant; he could fee nothing but the fword, nor think of any thing but his danger. In the height of his fear, he defired permiffion to retire, and declared he would be happy no longer *. The feelings of Dionyfius were not in kind peculiar to himself, they are in a degree the feelings of all ufurpers, of all who, thirsting after defpotic power, have robbed the people of their most facred rights. Though the wife and well-established monarch has nothing to apprehend; the sovereign who has but just established his abfolute dominion must have every thing to fear. His tenure is most precarious. This day every knee may bow before him, to-morrow he may be a fugitive, or prifoner, and the next may expire on the block. Should this event however never happen, yet the poffibility of it must fill his foul with terror, and embitter those very moments when trembling flaves bow down before the throne, or fordid flatterers with their adulations feek to charm Cicero Tufc. Queft. 1. 5. n. 61, 62. the the ear of majesty *.-While their country's wound yet bleeds, monarchs must tremble at the name of Brutus. While the keen sense of the recent lofs they have fuftained is yet fresh in the people's memory, monarchs must often be revolving in their minds the fate of former monarchs. If the monarch has cause to fear, how much more the prince who aims at monarchy, while the conteft yet fubfifts & while the event is yet uncertain? What tumultuous thoughts must haunt him at the midnight hour! But what is it for which kings have bid fo high, for which they have ventured all; their crown, their blood? What is it for which they have fubjected themselves to the execrations of their fubjects? What is it for which they have fhed their country's blood? Only that they may indulge their most unreafonable imaginations without controul, Neque fruftra præftantiffimus fapientiæ firmare folitus eft, fi recludantur tyrannorum mentes poffe afpici laniatus et i&tus; quando ut corpora verberibus, ita fævitiâ, libidine, malis confultis, animus dilaceraretur. Tacit. Anal. 1. 6. c. 6. |