at any time withdraw it on some specious pretext. The machinery of such a government could not have held together under the preffure of contending factions: it would have had no lasting strength, if subject to the breath of popular feeling, which is always uncertain, and, especially in England, liable to fudden changes. William was at once too fagacious, and too independent, to fubmit to any fuch hazard. At the very best he was entering on a task of much intricacy and toil: nothing but the ftrong prerogatives of the Crown, founded on ancient law and ufage, could have controlled a jealous House of Commons on the one hand, and on the other a proud aristocracy, at all times divided into parties, and forward to claim a large share in power and influence. Even after he became king, he was fo haraffed and chagrined by the contests of Whig and Tory factions, of enthufiafts for a Republic, and partizans of James, that he more than once formed the project of returning to Holland, and leaving the Queen to govern a people who were neither to be conciliated, nor coerced. As Regent he could never have retained a power, the bafis of which must have been the perfonal attachment of the people,-for he poffeffed none of the winning qualities that would permanently reconcile a jealous nation to a foreign rule. He exhibited, therefore, a found judgment in refufing the government with any fuch limits, or conditions annexed to it.

The Convention, in conferring the Crown upon William, did not neglect the opportunity to fettle the bounds of the Royal prerogative, and to fecure to the nation the full establishment of its religion, and

liberties. The Act, therefore, which established the sovereignty in William and Mary began with a recital of the arbitrary measures of James, contrary to the known laws, and statutes, and freedom of the Realm. It fet forth a DECLARATION OF RIGHTS comprised in thirteen Articles, which must ever be confidered a grand and noble work, the feal of our liberties, and a monument of the wisdom and patriotism of our anceftors. The very day this Act and Declaration were made, the Princess Mary arrived from Holland, and was received by all ranks with every mark of affection. William had delayed her coming, until he saw that his path to the throne was clear of every difficulty. This is an additional proof, that he would have carried out his threat of returning to Holland, rather than accept the Regency.

It is due to his active and fagacious genius to say, that every measure, in preparing and carrying out his defigns, was fo adapted to the end in view, fo well timed, and fo fortified against every contingency, as to establish his claim to a masterly political forefight. He is entitled to the merit of having, by his judicious and moderate conduct, his courage, and fecrecy, prevented the long train of evils which usually accompany a forced change of dynasty. He presents a rare inftance of an afpiring invader, controlling every event, yet seeming to submit the exercise of his power to the will of those he meant to govern. Landing on a foreign fhore, with a force very infufficient to dethrone a king in command of a much larger army than his own, he threw himself with entire confidence amidst a brave people, who had for years been engaged in obftinate

and fuccessful wars with his own countrymen: and now, by plaufible appeals to their prejudices, and by adapting his whole conduct to their known character and needs, he at once roufed them to a deeper Tense of the wrongs they had fuffered, and convinced them that he was the only proper and effectual inftrument of their deliverance.

He induced them to believe that he claimed nothing for himself, aimed at no conqueft,—defired no other title than that of mediator between them, and their deluded king. He prudently refrained from every act which they did not themselves appear to prompt. Their outraged religion and laws were the theme on which he dilated: he offered them his fympathy, and his aid, in fecuring to them a juft and legal government, defiring only, in return, that they should rightly appreciate his motives, and give him the meed of their approval. In the name of his "beloved confort," an English Princess, he claimed the confidence of the nation, with whose interests he was identified: he expreffed no paffion but the love of liberty, which he had fuccessfully vindicated in his own country; and in the fame cause he was now ready to hazard, as in the face of Europe, his perfon and good name.

Although William must be confidered in the light of a successful ufurper, we may yet remember that his ufurpation fecured to England the free exercise of her religious and civil rights. If he violated the first principles of the moral law in dethroning a fovereign, who had a natural claim to his obedience and duty, it was the general voice of the nation itself that fanctioned his crime. He was falfe to his own Declara

tion, which disclaimed any defire to seize the Crown : but when he attained it, he exercised his power with moderation.

Many learned works have been written on the abstract principles of government, involved in the history of this period; the divine right of kings, the law of nature, the original compact between prince and people, the obligation of kings to conform to their oaths, the right of forcible refiftance to the tyranny of rulers, paffive obedience, the effect of an abdication on the rights of a legitimate heir, born at the time, have been variously difcuffed. Great authorities might be quoted, as advocates on either fide. But the fate of kingdoms, and of people, in times of emergency, does not depend on fine-drawn theories of government. The prejudices and paffions, the interests and refolves of men have ever swept away all fuch restraints: practically, whether right or wrong, neceffity imposes her own law. This at least may be said, that in England the causes of confufion, if traced to their fource, will generally be found to lie with the existing rulers, or their predecessors. Such undoubtedly was the cafe in the Revolution of 1688.

CHAPTER XX.

Ken, and other Bishops, refufe to take the Oath of Allegiance to William and Mary-Act of Parliament for their fufpenfion and deprival-Question of Paffive Obedience-Ken's confiftent Conduct-The Non-juring Bishops publish a Vindication of themselves.

HE life of Ken, if not unchequered, had hitherto been one of continued and advancing usefulness in the several offices of the Church; the world fmiled

upon him, honoured his piety, admired his eloquence, and loved him for his charities. Henceforward his character is to be viewed under a new afpect. He was misunderstood, mifrepresented, forced into retirement and poverty: "fuffering deprivation" (to ufe his own words) "not only of honour, but of income; fufficiently ridiculed, and expofed to the world as a man of no confcience, particulars out of which may be framed an idea very deplorable." Still, the inner man was unchanged;-in every act we find the fame fimple unobtruding fpirit, and aversenefs to contention, combined with an undaunted firmnefs that could not bate one jot of integrity, or conviction.

His future path was to be more difficult, because

*Hawkins's Life of Ken, p. 35.