Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

I fhould be glad to know, how the Oppofition could have fet it intirely afide.

But what I would principally remark upon this Pamphlet, in Defence of my former Writings, is, that the Projector hath not yet laid his Scheme afide; and only waits for a proper Opportunity to revive it; for it is very obfervable, that the Writer now before us conftantly makes Ufe of the Terms post-poned, or fufpended, and takes particular Care to let us know that his Patron is refolved not to let it drop intirely. In one Place, He tells us, that it is only poft-poned, and not abfolutely laid afide. In another Place, He fpeaks more plainly, and puts us in Mind, that a Door is fill left open for the Revival of the Scheme, when Party-Spleen and felf-interefted Views are better reconciled to the publick Good; and, perhaps, for the Bills themselves to be more fuccessfully adapted to the Bufinefs of the State, and the Humour of the Nation; That is, in plain English, till They can drefs it up in fuch a Manner as to impofe on the Nation; or fome more favourable Opportunity offers itself of cramming it down their Throats. I must therefore repeat my Exhortations, in an efpecial Manner, to the trading Part of my Readers, that They would keep themfelves ftrictly on their Guard against every Attempt of this Nature, how diltant foever, and lay hold of all Opportunities to difable their Enemy from executing his Defigns; for We may fee, from the Fate of the poor Druggifts and Grocers, how difficult a Thing it is to remove a Grievance, when it is once eftablifh'd and hath got a Footing amongst us.

The remaining Part of this Pamphlet is fill'd up, like the Beginning, with grofs Flattery to his Patron, and the fashionable Abufe upon all his Oppofers. I have the Honour myself to partake of his Scandal, as a pert` Demagogue, the Bully of the People, and a Writer of Libels on Record. Thefe are very fevere Reflections, and would, no Doubt, mortify fome Men extremely;

but

but I forgive the Author of them with all my Heart, and fhall never envy Him the more honourable Character of being the BULLY of an odious Minifter, a TooL of State, and a PENSIONER upon Record.

To CALEB D'ANVERS, Efq;

SIR,

D.

AVING accidentally been prefent at Guild

Hball, when the Affair between the Recorder and

Lord Mayor, relating to a Charge then given to the Grand Fury, happen'd, (in which the Lord Mayor was of a different Sentiment from the Recorder) and having fince feen a Representation of it publifh'd, in which I think fome Matters have been omitted; I beg you would give the following Relation of it, which to the best of my Remembrance is the Truth of the Tranfaction, a Place in your Paper.

In the Poft-Bay of May the 15th, there is a Paragraph fign'd WILLIAM THOMSON; in the Introduction to which it is faid, "that feveral Falsehoods have "been difperfed as to the Charge of the faid Gentle

man to the Grand Jury of the City of London; and "that what follows therein is a true Relation, Word "for Word, of what was faid upon that Occafion; a "Caution having been used to write it down."

It is not difputed, or doubted, that what was spoken was writ down, and that Mr. Recorder came prepared; but as to its being a true Relation, Word for Word, I think Mr. Recorder may have forgot himself, notwithftanding his great Caution, and therefore beg that He would be pleafed to recollect whether He did not begin his Charge with faying,

[ocr errors]

"That whoever contrived, or procured the Death of the King, was guilty of high Treason; that who

66 ever,

[ocr errors]

"ever, by printing or writing, impeach'd his Majefty's Title, was guilty of high Treafon; that for any "Number of Men, above Ten, to petition the King, or "either Houfe of Parliament, in a riotous or tumultuous "Manner, to redress Grievances, was HIGH TREASON.

He then exprefs'd himself in a very particular Manner on the late Riots and Tumults, as He was pleased to call them.

When he had done, the Lord Mayor (with becoming Zeal, and to his immortal Honour) deliver'd himself to the following Effect.

[ocr errors]

"That no Perfon whatsoever could have a greater "Abhorrence of Riots and Tumults than himself; but "that He thought the publick Rejoicings, on a late Oc"cafion, were laudable and highly becoming good Citi66 zens and good Subjects, as they were Teftimonies of "univerfal Joy, on their being deliver'd from a Scheme, "deftructive of their Liberties and Properties; and that, "if ever fuch another Attempt should be made, and "meet with no better Success, He hoped where One "appear'd this Time to rejoice, there would then be a "Thousand."

This Speech induced the Grand Jury unanimously to give his Lordfbip their Thanks; which their Foreman did in the following Words.

"We the Grand Jury of the City of London return 66 your Lordship Thanks for your feasonable Advice and "Inftructions, as well as for your just Distinction be"tween publick Rejoycing and riotous Mobbing.

R.

Your conftant Reader,

A. B.

SATURDAY,

N° 361. SATURDAY, June 2, 1733.

To CALEB D'ANVERS, Efq;

Mr. D'AN VERS,

Τ

HE vigorous Oppofition and, I hope, total Defeat of a late execrable Scheme, have given us a juft Idea of a brave People ftruggling for their Liberties; and notwithstanding the Noife, which the Projector and his Advocates have lately made about fome little Infults, which the Populace committed in the firft Flush of their Joy, upon fuch an Occafion, I think They ought rather to admire their Forbearance and Moderation. But They seem to expect that We should be abfolutely tame and paffive, under any Ufage; and, perhaps, it was with this View that the Principles of Patriotifm have been so induftriously ridiculed for feveral Years past.

As This is a Subject, which may admit of a few ufeful Obfervations, and is in my Apprehenfion of as much Importance as any Thing of a publick Nature, I beg Leave, Mr. D'Anvers, to lay a few Thoughts upon it before my Countrymen, for whose Intereft and Happinefs I am moft fincerely engaged, and more deeply concern'd than about any Thing elfe in this World.

That our Paffions have the principal Share in all our Pursuits, and are the Mediums, by which (under the Guidance of Reafon) the Author of Nature intended human Affairs fhould be conducted, are Truths not to be queftion'd; and the highest Virtue we seem capable of, is That of directing our Paffions to thofe Objects, which have the greatest Tendency to commu

nicate Happiness to our Fellow-Creatures, in Conjunction with Ourfelves.

He, who acts upon this View in private, and promotes it in publick Life, is in that Degree a virtuous Man, and a Friend to his Country, by diffufing a Principle, which is not only amiable in itself, but of publick Utility to the whole World; and as a greater, or lefs Good arifes to Mankind by the different Purfuit of this Principle, the Obligation to promote it in publick Life increases, in Proportion to the Influence and Credit, that each Man has in the Society.

From the Prevalence, or Depreffion of this Principle in any Country, a Standard may be erected, by which the Condition of it may be measured; the real Intentions of Thofe, under whose Conduct the People are govern'd, and confequently the Expediency of farther Submiffion, or juft Refentment, may be difcover'd.

There is fo much Certainty in this Standard, that in the Application of it to the Romans, it holds equally from the Beginning to the Deftruction of that once brave People; for the flourishing Condition of that Commonwealth was always in exact Proportion, as thefe noble Sentiments were countenanced and patronized by Thofe, who had the Reins of Government in their Hands.

Here I doubt my Conclufion is anticipated, and drawn by Feeling, instead of Argument; but my Undertaking requires an Application of thefe Principles; which must be admitted to be very general, and perhaps be thought not to admit of any particular Ufe.

As this Standard is in my Apprehenfion both infallible, and applicable to any People upon the Globe, who are circumfcribed by Laws, I fhall take the Freedom to enquire, fo far as it relates to the publick Good, what Footing this Principle of Virtue, or, in the Language of the Romans, Amor Patria, hath got at present in this Ifland; what Patronage it receives from Thofe, in whofe Power it is tò raife, or deprefs

« AnteriorContinua »