LXXVIII ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE AND

which the people poflefles, diredly or indiredly,in the enadment of laws, but on the equity andexpediency of the laws that are enaded. The fharewhich the people poffelfes in the government isinterefting chiefly to the fmall number of menwhofe objed is the attainment of political import-ance ; but the equity and expediency of the lawsare interefting to every member of the community:and more efpecially to thofe whofe perfonal infig-nificance leaves them no encouragement, butwhat they derive from the general Ipirit of the go-vernment under which they live.

It is evident, therefore, that the molt import-ant branch of political fcience is that which hasfor its objed to afcertain the philofophical princi-ples ofjurifprudence; or (as Mr. Smith expreffesit) to afcertain “ the general principles whichought to run through and be the foundation of the“ laws of all nations * ” In countries, where theprejudices of the people are widely at variancewith thefe principles, the political liberty whichthe conftitution bellows, only furniflies them withthe means of accomplilhing their own ruin: Andif it were poffible to fuppofe thefe principles com-pletely realized in any fyftem of laws, the peoplewould have little reafon to complain, that theywere not immediately inftrumental in their enad-

* See the conclufion of his Theory of Moral Sentiments.