own Manufactures instead of those from England: This Treatife foon fpread very faft, being agreeable to the Sentiments of the whole Nation, except of thofe Gentlemen who had Employments, or were Expectants. Upon which a Perfon in great Office here immediately took the Alarm; he sent in hafte for the Chief Juftice, and informed him of a feditious, factious, and virulent Pamphlet, lately published, with a Defign of fetting the two Kingdoms at Variance, directing at the fame Time that the Printer fhould be profecuted with the utmost Rigour of Law. * The Chief Juftice had fo 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 reprefent the faid 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 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 Special Verdict. During the Trial, the Chief Juftice, among other Singularities, laid his Hand on his Breaft, and protested folemnly, that the Author's Design was to bring

* Lord Chief Justice Whitshed.

in

in the Pretender; although there was not a fingle Syllable of Party in the.whole Treatife, and although it was known that the most eminent of those who profeffed his own Principles, publickly difallowed his Proceedings. But the Caufe being fo very odious and impopular, the Trial of the Verdict was deferred from one Term to another, until upon the Duke of Grafton 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, which, however poffeffed in the higheft Degree, can poffibly give no one good Quality to the Mind.

It is true, I have been much concerned for feveral Years paft, upon account of the Publick as well as of myself, to fee how ill a Taste for Wit and Sense prevaileth in the World, which Politicks and South-Sea, and Party, and Opera's and Masquerades have introduced. For, befides many infipid Papers which the Malice of fome hath entitled me to, there are many Perfons appearing to wish me well, and pretending to be

* A Law Phrafe, fignifying, a Stop to further Proceedings.

be Judges of my Style and Manner, who have yet afcribed fome Writings to me, of which any Man of common Senfe 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 Circumstance which maketh it impoffible for me to have been Author of a Treatife, wherein there are feveral Pages containing a Panegyrick on King George, of whofe Character and Perfon 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 publick Matters.

Indeed I have formerly delivered my Thoughts very freely, whether I were asked or no, but never affected to be a Counsellor, to which I had no Manner of Call. I was humbled enough to fee my self fo far out-done by the Earl of Oxford in my own Trade as a Scholar, and too good a Courtier not to difcover 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 Ministers ready enough to hear Opinions, yet I have hardly feen one that would ever defcend to take Advice; and this Pedantry arifeth from a Maxim themselves do not believe at the fame Time they practife by it, that there is Something proVOL. VII. found

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found in Politicks, which men of plain honeft Senfe 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 Ministers 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 publick intereft both of Church and State would not have been the worse, nor the Proteftant Succeffion endangered.

But, whatever opportunities a conftant 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 knoweth how often I preffed him in favour of Mr. Addifon, 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 efteem he had for their wit and parts, of which I could only pretend to be a remembrancer.. For, I can never forget the answer he gave to the late Lord Hallifax, who upon the firft change of the Ministry interceded with him to fpare Mr. Congreve: It was by repeating these two lines of Virgil,

Non

*Non obtufa adeo geftamus pectora Pani, Nec tam averfus equos Tyria Sol jungit ab urbe. Pursuant to which, he always treated Mr. Congreve with the greatest perfonal civilites, affured him of his conftant favour and protection; adding, that he would ftudy to do fomething better for him.

I remember it was in thofe times a ufual fubject of raillery towards me among the 'Minifters, that I never came to them without a Whig in my sleeve; which I do not fay with any view towards making my Court: For, the new Principles fixed to thofe of that denomination, I did then, and do now from my heart abhor, deteft and abjure, as wholly degenerate from their predeceffors. I have converfed in fome freedom with more Minifters of State of all Parties than usually happeneth to men of my level, and I confefs, in their capacity as Minifters, I look upon them as a race of people whofe acquaintance no man would court, otherwise than upon the score of Vanity or Ambition. The firft quickly wears off (and is the Vice of low minds, for a man of fpirit is too proud to be vain) and the other was not my cafe. Befides, having never received more than one small favour, I was under no neceffity of being

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*Our Hearts are not fo cold, nor flames the Fire Of Sol fo different from the Race of Tyre.

Dunkin.