Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 9.djvu/188

178 they have been all derivations from the same originals.

Now it is manifest, that all these incitements to faction, party, and division, are wholly removed from among us. For, as to the pretender, his cause is both desperate and obsolete: there are very few now alive, who were men in his father's time, and in that prince's interest; and in all others, the obligation of conscience has no place: even the papists in general, of any substance or estates, and their priests almost universally are what we call whigs, in the sense which by that word is generally understood. They feel the smart, and see the scars of their former wounds; and very well know, that they must be made a sacrifice to the least attempts toward a change; although it cannot be doubted that they would be glad to have their superstition restored, under any prince whatsoever.

Secondly, the dissenters are now tolerated by law; neither do we observe any murmurs at present from that quarter, except those reasonable complaints they make of persecution, because they are excluded from civil employments; but their number being very small in either house of parliament, they are not yet in a situation to erect a party: because, however indifferent men may be with regard to religion, they are now grown wise enough to know, that if such a latitude were allowed to dissenters, the few small employments left us in cities and corporations, would find other hands to lay hold on them.

Thirdly, the dispute between high and low church is now at an end; two thirds of the bishops having been promoted in this reign, and most of them from England,