1820 Feb. 17

Radicalism not dangerous

III. Experience

II. Ireland

Radicalism origin of

8

Meantime not a day passes but if peradventure he can find case for such a collection of seconds[?] not a day passes but in that Liturgy /form of prayer/ what has been established by Act of Parliament he stands assured /learns as /receives for/ an unquestionable/ that the Monarch, whatsoever by his known view whatsoever his known contempt for religion is that Charles the second for example was - not only the most gracious but the most religious of all men as well as of all kings.

Presently after, scarce has he commenced his Blackstone when he receives as another uncontradicted truth that such are the attributes belonging to the same most religious King, that it is almost a condescension in this earthly sovereign to be a religious one as towards the heavenly one that his place in the hierarchy is above that of any heathen God, and rather higher than a little lower than that of the Angels and other heavenly Ministers of grace by whom he is defended, and it is after having been duly impregnated with this half-profane half-sacred lore[?] that in his future character of Country Magistrate he prepares himself for sacrificing on the newly erected political those demagogues /turbulent spirits/ who fondly[?] regarding free discussion unbribed and coerced discussion as a necessary instrument for the discovery of important truths have by questioning any thing of that which they have been /being unable to understand they are/ commanded to believe /by controverting any thing of that which men are so richly paid for professing to believe/ placed themselves in the predicament of blasphemers.

[Marginal insertion:] in so many of them is he a sharer[?] with the triune {and} only God that it is almost a question whether that is the only God.