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HIS ADDRESS TO THE SWEDISH ESTATES OF THE REALM. 173
have the honor to wish them the most happy success, and I sincerely trust that
their resolutions may be decided as unanimously as possible. I beg, at the
same time, that I may be permitted to suggest the following advice :
" The essential business of the honorable deputies being that of examining all
the facts which may be found contrary to the laws and statutes of the kingdom,
to redress every wrong which concerns the public and the state, and to entrust
all particular and private business to the different special deputations to which
they belong, the great object of your honorable assembly is to prevent, with all
wisdom and prudence, all discontent and disaffection which evil-disposed persons
may have excited and fomented against the established form of our laws, and
against the constitution of our government. For it is easy to discover faults and
imperfections as well in the administration of a state, as in the conduct of an
individual, and in the manner, in which he superintends his office, and manages
his affairs ; but if we were to judge of a kingdom solely according to the imper-
fections and faults we might discover either in its constitution or its administra-
tion, it would be exactly like judging of a citizen from the imperfections and
faults we might discover in his character, leaving out of sight his virtues and
usefulness; which mode of judgment would be exceedingly unjust and preju-
dicial to the individual in question, and inevitably bring upon him great and
unmerited evil.
"May r be permitted to explain and illustrate more amply what I have ad-
vanced.
*’
I. Suppose, then, that it were proposed to discover and divulge all the de-
fects and foibles of a man of good intentions, and very zealous for the good and
prosperity of his country, by this means his honor would be certainly destroyed,
and he would soon be regarded as a subject unworthy of any other consideration,
than that of contempt. But in order to render the subject still more clear and
obvious, I will take for example the Councelior of Commerce (M. Nordencrants),
and myself. If all our weaknesses and errors were scrupulously examined into,
and then placed under the eyes of the public in the blackest colors in which
they could be presented, it is evident that we should be regarded as black as
crows, although I dare presume to assert, that as to our good intentions, and our
sincere love for our country, we would not yield to a single individual.
" II. We know that man is naturally inclined to observe the faults of others,
and to divulge them abroad, and to pass a judgment upon them which is most
injurious to the person in question; this is agreeable to our hereditary evil dis-
positions, so that each is inclined by nature ’
to discover the mote which is in his
brother’s eye, and to neglect the beam which is in his own eye. Proud and evil-disposed
minds delight in criticising and blaming others; whereas a generous and well-
disposed man, who thinks as a Christian, explains everything favorably accord-
ing to circumstances, that is, he knows how to excuse those faults, which are
committed by error, and only to resent tiiose which are done of design and de-
liberation.
" III. I would observe, that the same observations apply to the public admin-
istration of government. No government is exempt from fault; the faults, in-
deed, of the best government are often numerous, and volumes might be written
in detailing them. If, for example, I were to describe all the faults and errors
which, I am informed, have been committed in England and in Holland, against
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