avoided, and, had not his character fallen into the hands of the Tudors, who multiplied thofe crimes, and blew all up into magnitude, he would have ftood one of the first candidates for fame. Perhaps about this time 1477, we may fairly date the rife of his ambition, the time in which he firft raised his ideas to royalty. He had been taught to rule; was well qualified; power was bewitching; the crown had a dazzling luftre; he had iffue, and he wished to fix it in his family. The unhappy difference between Edward and his brother Clarence, gave Richard the first opening. There is too much reason to think he artfully fomented the quarrel. But this point, like that of fixing upon the perpetrator of a private murder, may be believed eafier than proved. d 4 Thus Thus much is evident, Clarence's faults were rather foolish than vicious. He had committed no crime worthy of death. Edward was strongly perfuaded to cut him off, but did not want much perfuafions to have faved him. We are not only to blame if we commit a crime, but even if we do not prevent one, when in our power. Richard stood high with his fovereign. He might have been gratified with any fa vour for afking. One word would have faved Clarence. He did not utter that word. Clarence left two innocent orphans, An act of attainter immediately paffed, to corrupt their blood, and feize their property. This unjust act could not originate from Edward; he had nothing to fear from younger branches; nay, they might rather be be future fupports to his family. It could not originate from the two houses; they were no more than fpaniels who fetched and carried at the command of the crown. Richard must have been the author, because no man living could derive the least benefit but himself; befides, it was part of a confiftent plan. There were two families between him and a fceptre, those of his twa brothers; He had now difpofed of one. Clarence, no doubt, had entertained some distant hopes of a crown; this appears from two incidents; his bluftering words, tending to baftardize his brother, which could only be meant to make a way for himself; and, his agreement with the Lancaftrian party, when he left Edward to join them. Henry the Sixth, and his iffue, were to fway the fceptre, and upon failure, Clarence F Clarence, and his. This proves that Clarence had proceeded beyond his right; and the man who will take a little of another's, will take more if not prevented. Thus we find three brothers anxious to fill that throne which would hold but one. There was, however, nothing to fear from Clarence, he was too weak a man to carry any point. In the wars between England and France, the French generally fpurred on the Scots to break through all treaties with the English, and make inroads upon the marches, The French, Scots, and Welch, rarely quarrelled with each other, but if England differ ed with any one of the three, the others, if able, were ready to affift against her. The Picts wall, ftands a lafting monument of thofe barbarous ages; when even in times of peace, all intercourfe was prohibited be tween tween the two nations. We cannot view this ftupendious work, without drawing a comparison between ancient and modern civilization. It was formerly death for a man of either nation to pass this abfurd boundary, but now, that friendly intercourfe is open which ought ever to fubfift between neighbouring beings of the fame fpecies. I have contemplated, while standing upon the verge of Offa's dyke, that the ground on each fide was the fame; the country and profpects the fame, that the act of moving the distance of ten yards, could injure no man, nor make a difference in fituation, yet it was once lawful, had I paffed this short, and innocent fpace, to have knocked me on the head. As the ground is common, every one has a right to use it, why then fhould it be death to the man who treads it? The gentleft founds that onee paffed 1 |