There is another reason for publishing this satire, besides the revival of Priestcraft. Its twinbrother is alive. Kingcraft rears up its terrific mass, muffled in the mantle of Legitimacy; its head cowled and crowned, aud dripping with the holy oil of Divine Right; its eyes glaring deadly hate to human happiness; its lips demanding worship for itself. Denouncing dreadful curses against the free, and yelling forth threatenings and slaughter, it stamps with its hoof, and coils together its frightful force to fall on young Liberty and squelch it. Its red right-arm is bared for the butchery of the brave who love Freedom and dare contend for it. It has prepared its chains and dug its dungeons, erected its scaffolds, aud sharpened its axes for the wise and excellent of the earth; and its bloody banners are unfurled in insolent anticipation of unholy triumph!-- ------Still monarchs dream Of universal empire growing up From universal ruin! Blast the design, Great God of Hosts, nor let thy creatures fall, Unpitied victims at ambition's shrine! So prayed the Bishop of London, (Porteus--not Howley) and so fervently prays, The Author Of The Political House That Jack Built. {142} THE SPIRIT OF DESPOTISM. The above Rare and Extraordinary Book was privately printed in 1795, without the name of either printer or bookseller, and so effectually suppressed, that there are only two copies of it besides my own in existence. Its real value consists in exhibiting an entire and luminous view of the causes and consequences of Despotic Power. Its enthusiastic and glowing love of Liberty is unexcelled by any work written since; and for clearness, richness, and beauty of style, it is superior to every production of the Press within the same period All that the author touches, he turns into gold. I regret to say that most probably I shall never be at liberty to disclose his name. Naturally desirous that such a work should be perused by all England, I have reprinted it, verbatim, from my own copy; and, although containing as much in quantity as a volume of Gibbon's History of Rome, it is sold for _Eighteen-pence_. WILLIAM HONE. The _French_, instantly perceiving the transcendent merit of the Spirit of Despotism, and its high importance at this crisis, have translated it into their language, and it is now read throughout France with the greatest avidity. I intreat some good _Neapolitan_ to be the benefactor of his Countrymen in like manner. It should be in the hands of the free, and those who desire to be free, in all nations;-- _Austria_, for instance. {143} THE RIGHT DIVINE OF KINGS TO GOVERN WRONG. BOOK I. Thus Kings were first invented, and thus Kings Were burnish'd into heroes, and became The arbiters of this terraqueous swamp; Storks among frogs that have but croak'd and died! Cowper.