< more than one third part of the inhabitants of that ' province.

About one hundred years ago the houses in that 'country were all numbered, and by a just computa'tion the inhabitants of all sorts could not then exceed 750,000 souls. And if any man will consider the de'solation by almost perpetual wars, the numerous ar"mies that have lived almost ever since at discretion · upon the people, and how much of their commerce has been removed for more security to other places, ' he will have little reason to imagine that their num 'bers have since increased; and therefore with one 'third part of that province that prince can have gain⚫ed no more than one third part of the inhabitants, or 250,000 new subjects, even though it should be supposed they were all contented to live still in their * native country, and transfer their allegiance to a

The fertility of this province, its convenient situ*ation for trade and commerce, its capacity for fur'nishing employment and subsistence to great num'bers, and the vast armies that have been maintained ' here, make it credible that the remaining two thirds ❝ of Flanders are equal to all his other conquests; and consequently by all he cannot have gained more than 750,000 new subjects, men, women, and children, ' especially if a deduction shall be made of such as "have retired from the conqueror to live under their "old masters.

It is time now to set his loss against his profit, and to shew for the new subjects he had acquired, how many old ones he had lost in the acquisition. 'I think that in his wars he has seldom brought less into the field in all places than 200,000 fighting men, besides what have been left in garrisons; and "I think the common computation is, that of an army, at the end of a campaign, without sieges or battles, scarce four fifths can be mustered of those that

came into the field at the beginning of the year. His wars at several times, until the last peace, have held ' about twenty years; and if 40,000 yearly lost, or a 'fifth part of his armies, are to be multiplied by 20, ' he cannot have lost less than 800,000 of his old sub'jects, and all able-bodied men; a greater number 'than the new subjects he had acquired.

'But this loss is not all: Providence seems to have S equally divided the whole mass of mankind into dif'ferent sexes, that every woman may have her hus'band, and that both may equally contribute to the 'continuance of the species. It follows then, that for 'all the men that have been lost, as many women 'must have lived single, and it were but charity to 'believe they have not done all the service they were 'capable of doing in their generation. In so long a course of years great part of them must have died, ' and all the rest must go off at least without leaving 6 any representatives behind. By this account he must ' have lost not only 800,000 subjects, but double that ' number, and all the increase that was reasonably to 'be expected from it.

It is said that in the last war there was a famine ' in his kingdom, which swept away two millions of 'his people. This is hardly credible: if the loss was only of one fifth part of that sum, it was very great. But it is no wonder there should be famine, where so much of the people's substance is taken away for 'the king's use, that they have not sufficient left to provide against accidents; where so many of the 'men are taken from the plough to serve the king ' in his wars, and a great part of the tillage is left to 'the weaker hands of so many women and children. 'Whatever was the loss it must undoubtedly be pla'ced to the account of his ambition.

'And so must also the destruction or banishment ' of 3 or 400,000 of his reformed subjects; he could 'have no other reasons for valuing those lives so very

'cheap, but only to recommend himself to the bigotry of the Spanish nation.

'How should there be industry in a country where 'all property is precarious? What subject will sow his land that his prince may reap the whole harvest? "Parsimony and frugality must be strangers to such a people; for will any man save to-day what he has reason to fear will be taken from him to-morrow? And where is the encouragement for marrying? Will any man think of raising children, without any · assurance of clothing for their backs, or so much as food for their bellies? And thus by his fatal ambi⚫tion he must have lessened the number of his sub'jects not only by slaughter and destruction, but by preventing their very births, he has done as much C as was possible towards destroying posterity itself.

'

"Is this then the great, the invincible Lewis? This • the immortal man, the tout puissent, or the almighty, as his flatterers have called him? Is this the man that is so celebrated for his conquests? For every subject he has acquired, has he not lost three that 'were his inheritance? Are not his troops fewer, and those neither so well fed, cloathed, or paid, as they were formerly, though he has now so much greater cause to exert himself? And what can be the reason ' of all this, but that his revenue is a great deal less, • his subjects are either poorer, or not so many to be 6 plundered by constant taxes for his use?

It is well for him he had found out a way to steal • a kingdom; if he had gone on conquering as he did before, his ruin had been long since finished. This 'brings to my mind a saying of king Pyrrhus, after he had a second time beat the Romans in a pitched battle, and was complimented by his generals : 'Yes,' says he, such another victory and I am quite • undone.' And since I have mentioned Pyrrhus, I will end with a very good, though known story of this ambitious madman, When he had shewn the

' utmost fondness for his expedition against the Ro6 mans, Cyneas, his chief minister, asked him what 'he proposed to himself by this war? Why, says " Pyrrhus, to conquer the Romans, and reduce all 'Italy to my obedience. What then? says Cyneas. 'To pass over into Sicily, says Pyrrhus, and then all 'the Sicilians must be our subjects. And What does your majesty intend next? Why truly, says the king, to conquer Carthage, and make myself mas'ter of all Africa. And what, Sir, says the minister, is to be the end of all your expeditions? Why then, says the king, for the rest of our lives we will sit 'down to good wine. How, Sir, replied, Cyneas, to 'better than we have now before us? Have we not ' already as much as we can drink?

'Riot and excess are not the becoming characters 'of princes; but if Pyrrhus and Lewis had debauched 'like Vitellius, they had been less hurtful to their 'people.

Your humble servant,

T

< PHILARITHMUS."

No. CLXXXI.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27.

His lacrymis vitam damus, & miserescimus ultro. VIRG.

Mov'd by these tears, we pity and protect.

I AM more pleased with a letter that is filled with touches of nature than of wit. The following one is of this kind.

• SIR,

• AMONG all the distresses which happen in families, I do not remember that you have touched upon the marriage of children without the consent ' of their parents. I am one of these unfortunate " persons. I was about fifteen when I took the liberty 'to choose for myself: and have ever since languish'ed under the displeasure of an inexorable father, who, though he sees me happy in the best of husbands, and blessed with very fine children, can never be prevailed upon to forgive me. He was

" so kind to me before this unhappy accident, that ' indeed it makes my breach of duty in some mea'sure inexcusable; and at the same time creates in " me such a tenderness towards him, that I love him ' above all things, and would die to be reconciled to him. I have thrown myself at his feet, and be'sought him with tears to pardon me; but he al4. ways pushes me away and spurns me from him ; ♦ I have written several letters to him, but he will 'neither open nor receive them. About two years " ago I sent my little boy to him, dressed in a new ' apparel; but the child returned to me crying, because he said his grand-father would not see him, • and had ordered him to be put out of his house. My mother is won over to my side, but dares not ⚫ mention me to my father for fear of provoking him.