take to be sufficiently ently Illustrated in the late _Lewis_ the
Fourteenth, whose Arbitrary Government was so far from Diminishing the
Affections of his Subjects, that it highten'd their Esteem for their
Grand Monarch.

But of late the populace of _France_ are not so perfectly enclouded
with Superstition, and if a young Author can pretend to Divine, I
think it is easy to foresee that the papal Power will in a very short
space be considerably lessen'd if not in a great measure disregarded
in that Kingdom, by the intestine Jarrs and Discords of their Parties
for Religion, and the Desultory Judgments of the most considerable
Prelates.

The best Support of an Arbitrary Power is undoubtedly Ignorance, and
this cannot be better cultivated than by an Absolute Denial of
Printing; the Oppressions of the Popularity cannot be thoroughly
Stated, or Liberty in general Propagated without the use of the Press
in some measure, and therefore the Subjects must inevitably submit to
such Ordinances as an Ambitious or Ignorant Monarch and his Tyrannical
Council shall think fit to impose upon them, how Arbitrary soever: And
the Hands of the Patriots and Men of Eminence who should Illuminate
the Age, and open the Eyes of the deluded People are thereby tied up,
and the Infelicity of the Populace so compleat that they are incapable
of either seeing their approaching Misery, or having a redress of
present Grievances.

In _Constantinople_ I think they have no such thing as Printing
allow'd on any Account whatsoever; all their Publick Acts relating to
the Church and State are recorded in Writing by expert Amanuensis's,
so very strict are the Divan and great Council of the Sultan in