four-pence this mark IV. of four on the reverse; and on the other side they may each have the king's head with a crown on it, to show on that side too that the piece so coined is one of those under a six-pence; and with that they may each, on that side also, have some marks of distinction one from another, as the five-pence this mark of V. the four-pence-halfpenny a little harp, and the four-pence nothing.

These or any other better distinctions which his majesty shall order, will in tale readily discover them, if by chance any of them fall into larger payments, for which they are not designed.

And thus I have, with as much brevity and clearness as I could, complied with what Mr. Lowndes professes to be the end of printing his report in these words, viz. “ That any persons, who have considered an affair of this nature, may (if they please) communicate their thoughts for rendering the design here aimed at more perfect, or more agreeable to the public service.” It must be confessed, that my considerations have led me to thoughts, in some parts of this affair, quite opposite to Mr. Lowndes's: but how far this has been from any desire to oppose him, or to have a dispute with a man no otherwise known to me but by his civilities, and whom I have a very great esteem for, will appear by what I printed about raising the value of money about three years since. All that I have said here, in answer to him, being nothing but the applying the

principles I then went on, particularly now, to Mr. Lowndes's arguments, as they came in my way, that so thereby others may judge what will, or will not, be the consequences of such a change of our coin as he proposes; the only way, I think, of rendering his design more agreeable to the public service.

TWO

TREATISES

ор

GOVERNMENT.

IN THE FORMER,

THE FALSE PRINCIPLES AND FOUNDATION OF SIR ROBERT FIL

MER, AND HIS FOLLOWERS, ARE DETECTED AND OVERTHROWN:

THE LATTER,

IS AN ESSAY CONCERNING THE TRUE ORIGINAL, EXTENT, AND

END, OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT.

THE

PREFACE.

READER,

Thou hast here the beginning and end of a discourse concerning government; what fate has otherwise disposed of the papers that should have filled up the middle, and were more than all the rest, it is not worth while to tell thee. These which remain I hope are sufficient to establish the throne of our great restorer, our present king Williamı; to make good his title in the consent ofthe people; which being the only one of all lawful governments, he has more fully and clearly than any prince in Christendom; and to justify to the world the people of England, whose love of their just and natural rights, with their resolution to preserve them, saved the nation when it was on the very brink of slavery and ruin. If these papers have that evidence I flatter myself is to be found in them, there will be no great miss of those which are lost, and my reader may be satisfied without them. For I imagine I shall have neither the time nor inclination to repeat my pains, and fill up the wanting part of my answer, by tracing sir Robert again through all the windings and obscurities which are to be met with in the several branches of his wonderful system. The king, and body of the nation, have since so thoroughly confuted his hypothesis, that I suppose nobody hereafter will have either the confidence to appear against our common safety, and be again an advocate for slavery; or the weakness to be deceived with contradictions dressed up in a popular style and well turned periods. For if any one will be at the pains himself, in those parts which are here untouched, to strip sir Robert's discourses of the flourish

VOL. V.

Р