[The Prose Works of Jonathan Swift, Vol. X. by Jonathan Swift]@TWC D-Link bookThe Prose Works of Jonathan Swift, Vol. X. INTRODUCTION 38/88
Nothing could tend more to secure the Hanover succession, and to enlarge its benefits to Britain, than the bringing over the successor, who should, in every country, be well instructed in the language, customs, manners, religion, and laws of his future subjects, before he comes to hold the reins of government. And our author does not take the proper care to inform us how far the French thought fit to comply with banishing the Pretender their dominions, since many still live in doubt, that if he was sent out of France, he was sent into England_. _But there is one expression of our author too perverse, too grossly abused, to admit of any apology, of any palliation.
It is not to be supposed, that he was ignorant of any word in the English language.
And least of all can he be supposed ignorant of the meaning of a word, which, had it been ever so doubtful before, had a certain meaning impressed upon it by the authority of Parliament, of which no sensible subject can be ignorant_. _Notwithstanding this, where our author speaks of the late King James, he calls him the_ abdicated King, _and gives the same epithet even to his family.
Though this weak, ill-advised, and ill-fated prince, in every sense of the word, with Romans and English, and to all intents and purposes_, abdicated, _yet can he, in no sense, be called_ abdicated; _unless the people's asserting their rights, and defending themselves against a king, who broke his compact with his subjects, and overturned their government, can be called_ abdication _in them; which no man in his senses can be hardy enough to support upon any principle of reason or the laws of England.
Let the reader judge which this is most likely to be, error or design_. _These exceptions the editor thought himself bound to make to some parts of this work, to keep clear of the disagreeable imputations of being of a party, of whatsoever denomination, in opposition to truth and the rights and liberties of the subject._ _These laid aside, the work will be found to have many beauties, many excellencies.
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