OF LITERARY MEN AND STATESMEN BY WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR, ESQ. THE SECOND EDITION, CORRECTED AND ENLARGED. THE SECOND VOLUME LONDON: HENRY COLBURN, NEW BURLINGTON STREET. 1826. ΤΟ GENERAL ESPOZ Y MINA. SIR, I INSCRIBE with your illustrious name the second volume of these dialogues, not because, of all the generals who have appeared in our age, you have displayed the greatest genius, the greatest constancy, and, what is equally rare, the greatest contempt of pleasure and titles and wealth and offices, but because your energies have been all exerted, under severe and unremitting adversity, in defence of law and civilization. Neither of these can exist in that country where any one is above them, and can dictate through any organ, how far they shall go, when they shall speak, on whom they shall act feebly, on whom strongly. All the nations of Europe are in this condition, even those few the forms of whose government bear the image and superscription of Freedom. Turn your eyes upon the only republic (for such it is still called) now left in this quarter of the globe, and where will you find readier slaves to execute the mandates of Despotism? All conquerors and oppressors have imposed an oligarchy, where it was possible, some under one name, some under another such was imposed by Sparta on the Athenians, such upon the Swiss, as now upon the Spaniards, by France. Switzerland, the asylum once of the persecuted, is hence become a mere porter's lodge to the great prison-house, Europe. Law and Religion are the watch-words! I am not in a temper for irony, nor could you bear it... but what is the reason, to speak gravely, why religion and law are in a worse condition now, than they were seventeen centuries ago, while every other part of human knowledge has been so much improved? It is because the two greatest classes of men, two entire professions, and governments, altogether, such as they are constituted, are interested in maintaining their abuses, and because the sceptre is rather the prop of weakness than the symbol of authority. Hence the cant to keep the child quiet, and the indulgence to let him grasp and beslaver and break in pieces what is not his. Every state, however small, contains more people than the wisest and most virtuous prince can render happy; why then want more? O! but making them happy is quite another thing: subjects are to give happiness as a tribute, and to receive it as a gratuity...If few subjects bring anxiety, many will bring more: if neither the fewer nor the numerous bring any, |