OF　THE　LIBERTY　OF　THE　PRESS
  David　Hume
  1741
  NOTHING　is　more　apt　to　surprize　a　foreigner；　than　the
  extreme　liberty；　which　we　enjoy　in　this　country；　of
  communicating　whatever　we　please　to　the　public；　and　of
  openly　censuring　every　measure；　entered　into　by　the　king　or
  his　ministers。　If　the　administration　resolve　upon　war；　it　is
  affirmed；　that；　either　wilfully　or　ignorantly；　they　mistake
  the　interests　of　the　nation；　and　that　peace；　in　the　present
  situation　of　affairs；　is　infinitely　preferable。　If　the
  passion　of　the　ministers　lie　towards　peace；　our　political
  writers　breathe　nothing　but　war　and　devastation；　and
  represent　to　pacific　conduct　of　the　government　as　mean　and
  pusillanimous。　As　this　liberty　is　not　indulged　in　any　other
  government；　either　republican　or　monarchical；　in　H/OLLAND
  and　V/ENICE；　　more　than　in　F/RANCE　or　S/PAIN；　it　may　very
  naturally　give　occasion　to　a　question；
  G/REAT　B/RITAIN　？
  The　reason；　why　the　laws　indulge　us　in　such　a　liberty
  seems　to　be　derived　from　our　mixed　form　of　government；　which
  is　neither　wholly　monarchical；　nor　wholly　republican。　It
  will　be　found；　if　I　mistake　not；　a　true　observation　in
  politics；　that　the　two　extremes　in　government；　liberty　and
  slavery；　commonly　approach　nearest　to　each　other；　and　that；
  as　you　depart　from　the　extremes；　and　mix　a　little　of
  monarchy　with　liberty；　the　government　becomes　always　the
  more　free；　and　on　the　other　hand；　when　you　mix　a　little　of
  liberty　with　monarchy；　the　yoke　becomes　always　the　more
  grievous　and　intolerable。　In　a　government；　such　as　that　of
  F/RANCE；　which　is　absolute；　and　where　law；　custom；　and
  religion　concur；　all　of　them；　to　make　the　people　fully
  satisfied　with　their　condition；　the　monarch　cannot　entertain
  any　　against　his　subjects；　and　therefore　is　apt　to
  indulge　them　in　great　　both　of　speech　and　action。
  IN　a　government　altogether　republican；　such　as　that　of
  H/OLLAND；　where　there　is　not　magistrate　so　eminent　as　to
  give　　to　the　state；　there　is　no　danger　in
  intrusting　the　magistrates　with　large　discretionary　powers；
  and　though　many　advantages　result　from　such　powers；　in
  preserving　peace　and　order；　yet　they　lay　a　considerable
  restraint　on　men's　actions；　and　make　every　private　citizen
  pay　a　great　respect　to　the　government。　Thus　it　seems
  evident；　that　the　two　extremes　of　absolute　monarchy　and　of　a
  republic；　approach　near　to　each　other　in　some　material
  circumstances。　In　the　；　the　magistrate　has　no
  jealousy　of　the　people：　in　the　；　the　people　have
  none　of　the　magistrate：　Which　want　of　jealousy　begets　a
  mutual　confidence　and　trust　in　both　cases；　and　produces　a
  species　of　liberty　in　monarchies；　and　of　arbitrary　power　in
  republics。
  To　justify　the　other　part　of　the　foregoing　observation；
  that；　in　every　government；　the　means　are　most　wide　of　each
  other；　and　that　the　mixtures　of　monarchy　and　liberty　render
  the　yoke　either　more　easy　or　more　grievous；　I　must　take
  notice　of　a　remark　in　T/ACITUS　with　regard　to　the　R/OMANS
  under　the　emperors；　that　they　neither　could　bear　total
  slavery　nor　total　liberty；　。　This　remark　a　celebrated　poet　has
  translated　and　applied　to　the　E/NGLISH；　in　his　lively
  description　of　queen　E/LIZABETH's　policy　and　government；