THE COLLECTED WORKS OF WILLIAM HAZLITT IN TWELVE VOLUMES VOLUME THREE _All rights reserved_ [Illustration: _Milton’s house N^o. 19, York Street, Westminster, occupied by Hazlitt 1812–1819._] THE COLLECTED WORKS OF WILLIAM HAZLITT EDITED BY A. R. WALLER AND ARNOLD GLOVER WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY W. E. HENLEY ❦ Free Thoughts on Public Affairs Political Essays Advertisement, etc., from The Eloquence of the British Senate ❦ 1902 LONDON: J. M. DENT & CO. McCLURE, PHILLIPS & CO.: NEW YORK Edinburgh: T. and A. CONSTABLE, (late) Printers to Her Majesty CONTENTS PAGE FREE THOUGHTS ON PUBLIC AFFAIRS 1 POLITICAL ESSAYS 25 ADVERTISEMENT, ETC., FROM THE ELOQUENCE OF THE BRITISH SENATE 387 NOTES 427 FREE THOUGHTS ON PUBLIC AFFAIRS IN A LETTER ADDRESSED TO A MEMBER OF THE OLD OPPOSITION BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE This pamphlet of 46 8vo pages was published by the author himself in 1806. The title-page was ‘Free Thoughts on Public Affairs, or Advice to a Patriot; in a Letter addressed to a Member of the Old Opposition. London, Printed by Taylor & Co., Shoe Lane, and sold by J. Budd, Crown & Mitre, Pall Mall, 1806.’ Mr. W. C. Hazlitt reprinted the pamphlet from the author’s own copy in 1885 (Bohn’s Library, _The Spirit of the Age, etc._), and that reprint forms the text of the present edition. The pamphlet is exceedingly rare. Mr. Alexander Ireland knew of only one copy, that which belonged to Mr. W. C. Hazlitt. This he caused to be transcribed; but it has not been possible to collate the present text with either the original or Mr. Ireland’s transcription. ADVICE TO A PATRIOT; IN A LETTER ADDRESSED TO A MEMBER OF THE OLD OPPOSITION