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papers fhould revive; not that I am in pain of any danger to myself (for they contain nothing of present Times or Perfons, upon which I fhall never lofe a thought while there is a Cat or a Spaniel in the house) but to preserve them from being loft among Meffengers and Clerks.

I have written in this kingdom, ac discourse to perfuade the wretched people to wear their own Manufactures instead of those from England. This Treatise foon fpread very fast, being agreeable to the fentiments of the whole nation, except of those gentlemen who had employments, or were Expectants. Upon which a perfon in great office here immediately took the alarm: he fent in hafte for the Chief Juftice, and informed him of a feditious, factious, and virulent Pamphlet, lately published with a defign of setting the two Kingdoms at variance; directing at the fame time that the Printer fhould be profecuted to the utmost rigour of law. The Chief Justice had so quick an understanding, that he refolved, if poffible, to out-do his orders. The Grand-Juries of the county and city were practifed effectually with to represent the said Pamphlet with all aggravating Epithets, for which they had thanks fent them from England, and their Prefentments published for feveral weeks in all the news-papers. The A Propofal for the universal Use of Irish Manufactures. P.

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Printer was feized, and forced to give great bail: after his trial the Jury brought him in Not Guilty, although they had been culled with the utmost industry; the Chief Juftice fent them back nine times, and kept them eleven hours, until being perfectly tired out, they were forced to leave the matter to the mercy of the Judge, by what they call a fpecial Verdict. During the trial, the Chief Justice, among other fingularities, laid his hand on his breaft, and protested folemnly that the Author's defign was to bring in the Pretender; although there was not a fingle fyllable of Party in the whole Treatise, and although it was known that the most eminent of those who profeffed his own principles, publicly difallowed his proceedings. But the cause being fo very odious and impopular, the trial of the Verdict was deferred from one Term to another, until upon the Duke of G--ft-n the Lord Lieutenant's arrival, his Grace, after mature advice, and permiffion from England, was pleased to grant a noli profequi.

This is the more remarkable, because it is faid that the man is no ill decider in common cafes of property, where party is out of the question; but when that intervenes, with ambition at heels to push it forward, it must needs confound any man of little spirit, and low birth, who hath no other endowment than that sort of Knowledge,

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which, however poffeffed in the highest degree, can poffibly give no one good quality to the mind ".

It is true, I have been much concerned, for feveral years past, upon account of the public as well as for myself, to fee how ill a tafte for wit and sense prevails in the world, which Politics, and South-fea, and Party, and Opera's, and Masquerades have introduced. For, befides many infipid papers which the malice of

a focial, and a civil being. And these are all included under Ethics; whether you call the fcience Morality or Law. With regard to the Common-Law of England, we may juftly apply to it what Tully fays of the law of the twelve tables. "Fremant omnes licet, "dicam quod fentio: bib"liothecas mehercule om"nium Philofophorum u"" num mihi videtur Pan"dectarum volumen et au"thoritatis pondere et uti"litatis ubertate fuperare." But the best evidence of its moral efficacy is the manners of its Profeffors: and these, in every age, have been fuch as were the firft improved, and the last corrupted.

This is a very strange | affertion. To fuppofe that a confummate knowledge of the Laws, by which civilized focieties are governed, can give no one good quality to the mind, is making Ethics (of which public laws are fo confiderable a part) a very unprofitable study. The best divifion of the fciences is that old one of Plato, into Ethics, Phyfics, and Logic. The feverer Philofophers condemn a total application to the two latter, because they have no tendency to mend the heart; and recommended the first as our principal ftudy, for its efficacy in this important fervice. And fure, if any human fpeculations have this effect, they must be those which have man for their object, as a reasonable,

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fome hath entitled me to, there are many perfons appearing to wish me well, and pretending to be judges of my ftyle and manner, who have yet afcribed fome writings to me, of which any man of common fenfe and literature would be heartily ashamed. I cannot forbear instancing a Treatife called a Dedication upon Dedications, which many would have to be mine, although it be as empty, dry, and fervile a compofition, as I remember at any time to have read. But above all, there is one Circumftance which makes it impoffible for me to have been Author of a Treatife, wherein there are feveral pages containing a Panegyric on King George, of whose character and person I am utterly ignorant, nor ever had once the curiofity to enquire into either, living at fo great a distance as I do, and having long done with whatever can relate to public matters,

Indeed I have formerly delivered my thoughts very freely, whether I were afked or no; but never affected to be a Counsellor, to which I had no manner of call. I was humbled enough to see myself so far out-done by the Earl of Oxford in my own trade as a Scholar, and too good a courtier not to discover his contempt of those who would be men of importance out of their sphere. Befides, to say the truth, although I have known many great Minifters ready enough

enough to hear Opinions, yet I have hardly feen one that would ever defcend to take Advice; and this pedantry arifeth from a Maxim themfelves do not believe at the fame time they practife by it, that there is fomething profound in Politics, which men of plain honeft fenfe cannot arrive to.

I only wish my endeavours had fucceeded better in the great point I had at heart, which was that of reconciling the Minifters to each other. This might have been done, if others, who had more concern and more influence, would have acted their parts; and, if this had fucceeded, the public intereft both of Church and State would not have been the worfe, nor the Proteftant Succeffion endangered.

But, whatever opportunities a constant attendance of four years might have given me for endeavouring to do good offices to particular perfons, I deferve at leaft to find tolerable quarter from thofe of the other Party; for many of which I was a conftant advocate with the Earl of Oxford, and for this I appeal to his Lordship: He knows how often I preffed him in favour of Mr. Addison, Mr. Congreve, Mr. Row, and Mr. Steel; although I freely confefs that his Lordship's kindness to them was altogether owing to his generous notions, and the esteem he had for their wit and parts, of which I could

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