[156] It may be of little moment to us, at this day, to inquire, how far the princes of the house of Stuart were blameable for their endeavours to usurp on the constitution. But it must ever be of the highest moment to maintain, that we had a constitution to assert against them. Party-writers perpetually confound these two things. It is the author’s purpose, in these two Dialogues, to contend for the latter.
[157] See the late History of England by David Hume, esq.; who forms the apology of the house of Stuart on these principles.
Transcriber’s Note:
Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation are as in the original.