Hume, with Helps to the study of Berkeley : essays / by Thomas H. Huxley.

  • Thomas Henry Huxley
Date:
1894
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Hume, with Helps to the study of Berkeley : essays / by Thomas H. Huxley. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    discrepancy between modern political ideas and the theory of kingship. As Hume observes, even in his time, people had left off making believe that a king was a different species of man trom other men ; and, since his day, more and more such make-believes have become impossible; until the maintenance of kingship in coming generations seems likely to depend, entirely, upon whether it is the general opinion, that a hereditary president of our virtual republic will serve the general interest better than an elective one or not. The tendency of public feeling in this direction is patent, but it does not follow that a republic is to be the final stage of our govern- ment. In fact. Hume thinks not:— It is well known, that every government must come to a period, and that death is unavoidable to the political, as well as to the animal body. But, as one kind of death may be preferable to another, it may be inquired, whether it be more desirable for the British constitution to terminate in a popular government, or in an absolute monarchy ? Here, I would frankly declare, that though liberty be preferable to slavery, in almost every case ; yet I should rather wish to see an absolute monarch than a republic in this island. For let us consider what kind of republic we have reason to expect. The question is not concerning any fine imaginary republic of which a man forms a plan in his closet. There is no doubt but a popular government may be imagined more perfect than an absolute monarchy, or even than our present constitution. But what reason have we to expect that any such government will ever be established in Great Britain, upon the dissolution of our monarchy ? If any single person acquire power enough to take our constitution to pieces, and put it up anew, he is really
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