[23] It is no small loss to the world, that the whole of this enlightened and philosophic sermon, preached to _two hundred thousand_ national guards assembled at Blackheath (a number probably equal to the sublime and majestic _Fédération_ of the 14th of July, 1790, in the Champ de Mars) is not preserved. A short abstract is, however, to be found in Walsingham. I have added it here for the edification of the modern Whigs, who may possibly except this precious little fragment from their general contempt of ancient learning. "Ut suâ doctrinâ plures inficeret, ad le Blackheth (ubi ducenta millia hominum communium fuere simul congregata) hujuscemodi sermonem est exorsus. "Whan Adam dalfe and Eve span, Who was than a gentleman? Continuansque sermonem inceptum, nitebatur per verba proverbii, quod pro themate sumpserat, introducere et probare, _ab initio omnes pares creatos a naturâ_, servitutem per injustam oppressionem nequam hominum introductam contra Dei voluntatem, quia si Deo placuisset servos creâsse, utique in principio mundi constituisset, quis servus, quisve dominus futurus fuisset. Considerarent igitur jam tempus a Deo datum eis, in quo (deposito servitutis jugo diutius) possent, si vellent, libertate diu concupitâ gaudere. Quapropter monuit ut essent viri cordati, et amore boni patrisfamilias excolentis agrum suum, et extirpantis ac resecantis noxia gramina quæ fruges solent opprimere, et ipsi in præsenti facere festinarent. Primò _majores regni dominos occidendo. Deinde juridicos, justiciarios, et juratores patriæ perimendo._ Postremò quoscunque scirent _in posterum communitati nocivos_ tollerent de terrâ suâ, sic demum et _pacem_ sibimet _parerent et securitatem_ in futurum. _Si sublatis majoribus esset inter eos æqua libertas, eadem nobilitas, par dignitas, similisque potestas._" Here is displayed at once the whole of the grand _arcanum_ pretended to be found out by the National Assembly, for securing future happiness, peace, and tranquillity. There seems, however, to be some doubt whether this venerable protomartyr of philosophy was inclined to carry his own declaration of the rights of men more rigidly into practice than the National Assembly themselves. He was, like them, only preaching licentiousness to the populace to obtain power for himself, if we may believe what is subjoined by the historian. "Cumque hæc et _plura alia deliramenta_" (think of this old fool's calling all the wise maxims of the French Academy _deliramenta_!) "prædicâsset, commune vulgus cum tanto favore prosequitur, ut _exclamarent eum archiepiscopum futurum, et regni cancellarium_." Whether he would have taken these situations under these names, or would have changed the whole nomenclature of the State and Church, to be understood in the sense of the Revolution, is not so certain. It is probable that he would have changed the names and kept the substance of power.