England (except those who have the honor to approach his person) were his enemies and in arms against him; than which, nothing is less true. .:

A rebellious fong from a drunken peasant is the delight of a Whig ; and he that informs fhall find his reward,

al.

SHOULD the waves of Jacobitism be entirely hushed, and no little murmuring remain upon the fhore, the eyes of all England would be turned on the miniftry; the people would foon be convinced how neceffary it is to change the adhimfelf cured of the

miniftration, and the

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groundlefs fear of lofing his by the contrivances of Jacobites (of which there is no danger) perceive, that his juft prerogative and authority were fecretly undermining by the Whigs; and thus, the Tories might again find favour in his eyes, the only perfons whofe principles. at present can fuftain alike the king's juft power, and the peoples lawful rights.

AVI

HENCE you fee a little treafon is acceptable to the ministry of England; it is the buttress of their caufe, it keeps them from falling into con

1

tempt

tempt and ruin, and therefore all intelligence of that nature is most acceptably received.

11.

I

THE public news-papers, favoured by the administration, teem with fongs and healths filled with treafon, reported to be fung and drank in the diftant cities of England, whilft affidavits to the contrary are coming daily from the fame places; thus, the Whigs are labouring by all poffible means to keep Jacobitifm alive, and the Tories to exftinguish it; for certain it is, that no future king, who entertains no terror from Jacobites, will continue the administration in the hands of Whigs, who has the leaft penetration into the confequences of what has, and always must follow the principles on which they proceed; if he fhould, he may as well change places with the waxen figure of king William in Westminster abbey, and be gazed at by boys for halfpence, and that figure removed to St. James's to reign, and be drawn to the in the old ftate-coach four or five times a year for an airing, to prevent both machines from growing mouldy.

THEY tell me too, that the difgrace of the clergy is another object which the great have in view; and that this is most effectually obtained by filling it with ignominious members. I am,

LETTER XL.

To the Reverend Father VINCENZO SPINELLO at Rome.

Dear Sir,

NOTHING is fo frequently met with

;

as discontent, in the manners and expreffions of the English people, and nothing fo uncommon as that disposition amongst the French a Briton growls at his fituation in life all day long, and a Frenchman appears pleased with his ; and yet, the former extols the mode of his government beyond all others in Europe, and affirms, that England is the only land of liberty and happiness: this, as paradoxical as it seems to be, is not owing (as the inhabitants imagine) to the easterly winds, fogs or rains, which are in this island more frequent than in fome other parts of the world.

THE mind takes little tincture from winds or weather; whatever difpofitions prevail, the

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caufes

causes are to be found in the mind alone, and in mental nature.

If we examine the waywardness of an Englishman, the little inclination he has to follow any opinion but his own, whether conceived to be right, or preferred because he would have it fo; we fhall find fomething of that kind in him not to be found in a Frenchman.

THE fame caufe is the fource of discontent as well as waywardness, and takes its rife from the nature of the English government, as it is at preTent conducted, not as originally constituted.

A CHILD born to a great effate, the only fon of a 'great family, 'never feels the least curb to his inclinations; he is indulged in every thing reasonable and unreasonable, and this naturally 'brings difcontent on the mind, a wayward 'difpofition that having been foothed by the poffeffion of every folly, at last, has nothing to defire and poffefs which has not been already granted: it becomes by that means the most peevish, difquiet, and difpleafed creature upon earth, eternally dimpated and perplexed.

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HUMAN