The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca

LETTERS, TRACTS, ;cr» Tto Be particularly defcribed. Our Celti-: bards havebeen fo rapt and poiTelfed by the poetic fury, thattheir geography is the leis exa^t, Oceana, ho\veverj»appears to have been either in the great Atlantic O-cean, or on the eall fide of it j or, for any thing tiiar:can now be demonftrated to the contrary^ it may havebeen fome large province, and Clutha fome fort ofancient city within the four Bntiih feas. But v/hereClutha was, or what modern city was anciently calledby that name, it is not my bufmefs or defign toinquire. If the real fa£l:3 which I tranfmit to pofterityare eileemed honourable, any univerfity thatpleafes is welcome to alTum^r the name of Clutha : Ifthe fa£f3 are condemned, every univerfity is at fullliberty to difclaim that name,, and to demonftrate, bylearned difTertations, that it is not Clutha. But it istime to leave the introdu(£tion, and begin the hiftory*Chap. I. It appears to every ferious and thinkingperfon, that Clutha muft have been in a country wherecivil government was efta^lilhed, and v/here learningwas purfued ; of the fir(l a parHanient is a proof,^ asan univerfity is of the laft. We find that freedom ofdebate was believed to be the privilege of parliament.We read of eloquent fpeeches /delivered, there j fomeparts of v/hich v/ill be afterwards .particularly takennotice of in the body of this hiilory. And though Iam not to difcufs the point till I have received fomearicient papers, which may furniih materials for a futureperformance, the conilitution feems to have beenvery different from any thing that exills at prefentfor the univerfity had a right to examine into, tojudge, and to condemi"v the ipceclies made in parliament,and even to degrade and punifii thofe who deliveredthem. Ail that was alleged againll the ilu~dent was wrong exprefiions. It was for words orimproper exprelhons that he wa5 forced to undergothat trial of which I write the hiilory.Chap. 2. Politicians, or political wiTt^rsy have la—1 i I.