The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1770-1772, 1771-12-19


petite more fcli.h and pehonai than this,
So tina; all the wicked things which a man
does to raife poaerity, are but 10 many in
famous feps to acquire pertonal fame. which
he will never arrive at and does therefore
but labour againft the very end which he la
bours for. If his poaerity prove good, it
will be remembered to their pralie, and his
fhame, what a vile anceGor they had If
they prove bad, it will not be forgot how
much they relemble him and he will be-
come fil more odious in his odious defend
ants. Even the wifef men do a foolilh
thing, when they employ great aGiduity and
care to leave a great eitate to random heir,
whom nature, or chance, or the law, gives
them. How many immenfe efates, gather
ed in long courle of years and application,
have we feen thrown away iuddenly upon
harlots and (harpers The acquifitions Of
ha'f century have disappeared, as j; were, in
a moment; and the chief remaining monu-
ments of the founders name we're JETS made
upon his memory.
But of all the foolih and wicked WAYS of
rafting families, acne equals that OF rafting
them upon the ruins OF pubctl liberty. The
general iccurity is the only certain ftcuri;y
of particulars and though desperate men
often find fafety in Publick defruction, yet
they cannot eninre the fame fafety to their
children, who mutt luffer with the ref in the
milery of all. If grea, wicked men would
conflder this, the world would not be plagued
with their ambition. Their poherity fcarce
ever mifs to reap !he bitter fruits of their ac-
tons and the cGrfc of their iniquities rarely
fails to follow them othe fourth generation.
The inaruments of publick ruin have ge-
nerally at once entailed mifery upon their
country and upon their own race. Thoie
who were the inlfruments and minifters of
Ceiar and Axgafa,, and put the common
wealth under their feet, and them above the
laws, did not confider, that they were not
only forging chains for their country, but
whetting fwords againft their own families,
who were all cut OFF under fucceeding ty-
rants: Nay, mott of their children fell early
and bloody facrihces to the cruel and fufpc-
ons fpirit of 7iJeriHs. He began bis reign
with the murder ofyoung Agrippa, whole fa-
Their had, by his courage and conduct in war,
efablilhed the tyranny in that houfe. What
avaled to Agri1pG all bis great riches, his
(umptuous buildings, and even his near ALI
ance with the prince, whole daughter he
married, but to haRen and magnify the fall
and defru6tion of his own houfe There
was not one Roman family wicksdly enrich
ed by their baie fublerviency to HngEJfRs, but
was 1augh;ered and coEilcatcd under his
fuccefors, and mott of them under his i'm
mediate fucceHor. Nay, their riches and
fplendOr were reafons for deifroying them.
The freed Gaves of the Emperors grew az
forwards the Gra men in RemE, and had at
their mercy the heads and efates of the
Patrici0ns nor could any Of thegreat Roman
Lords come into any polt' or Office in their
own empire, but by the plealure and per-
milton of thole laves, and by iervile court
paid to them.
Would their luxurious snceRors, who
were the friends and abetters of CeJSr, have
done as they did, had they forefeen this vile
fubfcrviency of their poferity to laves and
pathicks, and the daily and wanton facrif-
ces made of their boaRed blood And yet
was not all this eaGly to be forefeen While
they were arming him with power over
their country, they fripped themfelves of al
title to their lives and eltates. By laying up
riches for their families, they did bur lay
fnares for the ruin of theii families. 1t grew
crime under thefe tyrants to be conlpicu-
Gus foV any thing and riches, virtue, elo-
quence, courage, reputation, nay, names
and accidents, became crimes. Men, and
even women, were put to death for having