But I hear a language still more extraordinary, and indeed of such a nature as must suppose or leave us at their mercy.  It is this:—­“You know their promptitude in writing, and their diligence in caballing; to write, speak, or act against them will only stimulate them to new efforts.”  This way of considering the principle of their conduct pays but a poor compliment to these gentlemen.  They pretend that their doctrines are infinitely beneficial to mankind; but it seems they would keep them to themselves, if they were not greatly provoked.  They are benevolent from spite.  Their oracles are like those of Proteus, (whom some people think they resemble in many particulars,) who never would give his responses, unless you used him as ill as possible.  These cats, it seems, would not give out their electrical light without having their backs well rubbed.  But this is not to do them perfect justice.  They are sufficiently communicative.  Had they been quiet, the propriety of any agitation of topics on the origin and primary rights of government, in opposition to their private sentiments, might possibly be doubted.  But, as it is notorious that they were proceeding as fast and as far as time and circumstances would admit, both in their discussions and cabals,—­as it is not to be denied that they had opened a correspondence with a foreign faction the most wicked the world ever saw, and established anniversaries to commemorate the most monstrous, cruel, and perfidious of all the proceedings of that faction,—­the question is, whether their conduct was to be regarded in silence, lest our interference should render them outrageous.  Then let them deal as they please with the Constitution.  Let the lady be passive, lest the ravisher should be driven to force.  Resistance will only increase his desires.  Yes, truly, if the resistance be feigned and feeble.  But they who are wedded to the Constitution will not act the part of wittols.  They will drive such seducers from the house on the first appearance of their love-letters and offered assignations.  But if the author of the Reflections, though a vigilant, was not a discreet guardian of the Constitution, let them who have the same regard to it show themselves as vigilant and more skilful in repelling the attacks of seduction or violence.  Their freedom from jealousy is equivocal, and may arise as well from indifference to the object as from confidence in her virtue.

On their principle, it is the resistance, and not the assault, which produces the danger.  I admit, indeed, that, if we estimated the danger by the value of the writings, it would be little worthy of our attention:  contemptible these writings are in every sense.  But they are not the cause, they are the disgusting symptoms of a frightful distemper.  They are not otherwise of consequence than as they show the evil habit of the bodies from whence they come.  In that light the meanest of them is a serious thing.  If, however, I should underrate them, and if the truth is, that they are not the result, but the cause, of the disorders I speak of, surely those who circulate operative poisons, and give to whatever force they have by their nature the further operation of their authority and adoption, are to be censured, watched, and, if possible, repressed.