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 A F r R S T 
 
 LETT E R 
 
 TO THE 
 
 People of England. 
 
 O N T H E 
 
 Prefent Situation and Conduct 
 
 
 
 
 O F 
 
 National Affairs. 
 
 7 
 
 ^■. I ini I ■ 
 
 
 Hoc illud eft pnecipue in c^gnitione return faluhre ac 
 
 ' frugiferuTh^ dmnis te exempli documenta in iUuJiri poftta 
 
 monumento intueri : inde tibi tuaque reipuhlica quod 
 
 trnterty capias^ inde fofdum inceptUy fcedum exitu^ 
 
 quodvites. . Tit. Li V. 
 
 Ki_i__^_^^ 
 
 The FOURTH EDITION. 
 
 — ' ■ - .1 .■ ■ - ,. 
 
 X O N D O N: 
 Printed in the YEA R, 1756. 
 
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 E R 
 
 People or England, 
 
 
 LETTER I. . 
 
 
 ^:.''-::.vii;'; 
 
 WH O E V E R has been accuftomcd 
 to read with Atteruion, the Hifto- 
 .. - rians, Orators, and falyric Poets of 
 Gr^epe and Rome^ that wrote towards the Dqt 
 dine of thofe States, and obferved the Manr 
 ners, Purfuits, Objedls, and ruling Pafiions 
 of thefe People, together with the Symptoms 
 of inipepding Ruin, prefaged and delineated 
 by thofe Men of fuperior Genius, muft, on 
 Comparifon with what prevails at prcfent 141 
 England^ be deeply touched with the Ana-» 
 logy. The Philippics of Demofthenes are fo 
 replete with ftriking Pidures and vivid Rc- 
 prefentations, drawn from Obfervation, on 
 what paffed at Athens during his Time^ and 
 
 A 2 fo 
 
p 
 
 fo applicable to the People and prcTcnt State 
 of this Country, that the great Difference of 
 the Names of thofe Perfons who lived, and 
 Places which exifted Two Thoufand Years ago 
 in Greece, have not fufficient Power to with- 
 hold my Imagination from being impofed on 
 by the Similitude of Manners ; or reftrain me 
 from believing, that I am veading the Hiflory 
 
 of Englijhmen, and the prefcnt Age. 
 
 ■ ■• * * 
 
 When I fee this Patriot Orator generoufly 
 upbraiding his degenerate Countrymen with 
 uniyerfal Venality and Lofs of public Virtue ; 
 defcribing themdrown'd in Floods of Selfclow, 
 Pleafiire, and public Shows, fupinely . negli- 
 gent of their Country's Welfare -, contemn- 
 ing the Merit of all other Nations th^m^ 
 felves arrogant and felf- fufficient in Excefs • 
 preferring private Opinion to eftablilhed Wif- 
 dom ; idolizing Mortals in Power and irre- 
 verent to their Gods : What Eye fo dim that 
 cannot diftinguidi the Analogy fo manifeft 
 between the Athenians of his Time, and the 
 Englijh of ours ? What Mind fo ftupid as not 
 to foi efee the fame Events \ 
 
 ■ 4H i > * 
 
 J T feems evident from all I can gather, 
 tjiat the Strength, I|appincfs, Military, and 
 
 Civil 
 
 
 i 
 
 /! 
 
 iA 
 
I 
 
 ts] 
 
 Civil Glory of all Nations, have ever fubfifted 
 and increafcd in Proportion to the Under- 
 flanding and Virtue of the fe, who reigned, 
 and thofe who obeyed -, and though Numbers 
 of Inhabitants and Degrees of Riches may 
 be thought by many to oppofe this Obferva- 
 tion, yet a juft Examination will prove the 
 Truth of what is here faid. ^•-'";' >>^ • ^-^^ 
 
 ' Was it not by means of the happy Union 
 of thofe fuperior Qualifications in the firft 
 Cyrus, that he extended his Empire from the 
 little Realm of Pe^Jia over Nations, almoft 
 too diftant to be vifited, and whofe Languages 
 were unintelligible to each other, as Xenophon 
 has defcribed them ? Yet fuch is the Fate and 
 Revolution of Empires 5 Darius with all thefe 
 Nations in Subjeftion, with infinite Armies 
 and untold Sums of Treafure, deferted by 
 Virtue only, fell the eafy Prey oS. Alexander 
 ^nd VL fevr Macedom'ans, 
 
 -*-«4. 
 
 , t„, 
 
 J 
 
 .•?A T- 
 
 To thisenergic Influence of Virtue in the 
 common People, and Underftanding united 
 with it in their Leaders, it is owing that the 
 Grecians in their rifing Glory performed al- 
 moft miraculous Ex|)loits. '-' r 
 
 .V-'i->¥o i n* 1^.1 'fi^iui-iJ-Jt-:: .r.^'^:, J-J''.»f i'lll ..' y^'-'*^ 
 
[6] 
 
 To confirm this Truth, the well fought 
 Field of Marathon^ where Multiades and ten 
 thoufand Greeks defeated fix hundred thoufand 
 PerfianSy affords an irrefiftable Evidence : as 
 did the naval Vidtory of TbemiJiocUs^ who 
 faved bis Country from Perdition, fuch amaz-^ 
 ipg Atchievements can fmall Numbers, adtu- 
 ated by their Country's Love, armed witji 
 the Sword of Virtue, and condu(fted by fupe- 
 rior Wifdom, perform againfl Millions funk 
 in Effeminacy, Luxury, and Riches. 
 
 ^i '1 
 
 • » < ' 
 
 'T 
 
 ♦ ,* . :' ;'si! j^y \ 
 
 ,''? 
 
 SPARTA remained invincible whilft her 
 Son$ were virtuous, and fjepniifas unconquer^ 
 able but by Death. _ ; ; v ., ,,, 
 
 . . Even Thebes, the lopg Objedt of fafcaftip 
 Attic Wit, lifted her Head from belo>v the 
 Duff, and walked forth the prevailing po>yer 
 ,of Greece^ by the Virtu(B of one great Man ; 
 like a new Star (he (bpne forth in Ludre 
 amongft the other Cities : With Epaminondai 
 it'$ refplendent Courfe began, with \{\m it 
 ,b}azed, and with him expired.- 
 
 
 ■Man!' i 
 
 » . 
 
 The whole Roman Qlory vjras entirely owr 
 ing to the Virtue of jt's Inhabitants, whild the 
 greatefl Honoui* attended Integrity in Poverty, 
 and private parfimony vvas Praife y whilft their 
 
 Generals 
 
 :< I 
 
 l\ ■: 
 
ght 
 
 ten 
 and 
 : as 
 who 
 naz^ 
 iftu- 
 
 fupe- 
 funk 
 
 ft her 
 
 iquerr 
 
 oh . ' 
 ^fcaftip 
 
 V^r the 
 
 po\yer 
 
 Man 5 
 Luftre 
 inondas 
 
 \nm it 
 
 ■ft*', i 
 
 ely owr 
 hilftthe 
 
 Poverty, 
 ilft their 
 Generals 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 I 
 
 \ 
 
 [7] 
 
 Generals tilled their own little Farms, and the 
 Labour of their Hands gave their Children 
 the Bread of Virtue j whilft Merit brought 
 Didtators from the Plough to rule a Nation, 
 the Romans were infuperable : Yet, when their 
 Emperors pofTefTed half the Globe and half 
 the Riches on it's Surface, this very People be- 
 came the eafy Capture of Gotbs and Vandals, 
 
 V I N this Manner will Nations peri(h, who 
 renounce the Dictates of Virtue. ..j ... >.:'• 
 
 M" ^* «• W 1 
 
 , 'HVIAIH'.,/! 
 
 i . In all Situations, where Nations arc cquial 
 in the Qualities of the Heart, the Chief who 
 excels in Underftanding prevails in his Un- 
 dertakings. The Moment Marlborough left 
 the Command of the Army, Villars conquered 
 the Allies, and the long vanquished triumphed 
 over their former Vidtories. Turenm, who dur- 
 ing three Months had traverfed the Defigg^ 
 and difappointed the Attempts oiihcAuJirians^ 
 being now no more, left an eafy Conqueft 
 over the Troops he had commanded, and his 
 Country to be invaded by Montecuculi, .; w. ' 
 
 riitt.i 
 
 A 
 
 'i_.v!.r'' 
 
 PETER the RuJ^an Emperor, by Dint of 
 Gej[)ius created a civilized People from Beings 
 little better than Brutes. The very Man, who 
 with more than a Hundred Thoufand of his 
 
 Ti 1 V 'Jl Troops 
 
i 
 
 in 
 
 Troops fled before the Approach of cightThou* 
 fand Swedes^ and the fevere Virtue of Charles^ 
 in his Beginning Reign, became at lail his 
 Conqueror, and made his Nation refpedtable. 
 
 i The prefent Sovereign o( Pruffia, the 
 patriot Kiug, who has refcued his SrSje<^ 
 from the Rapine of the Law, who infUtutes 
 and fuflains Manufaduries, encourages Arts 
 «and Sciences, promotes Induilry, opens new 
 Trades, extends his Commerce, enlarges his 
 Dominions, aggrandizes his Name, and holds 
 the Balance of Europe ^ h a living Inftance of 
 what exaked Underflanding on a Throae can 
 
 /. t > 1 • -^ • •#«> A 4^^ ■ 
 
 Hi 
 
 .V.-W'. 
 
 cfFedt for a Nation, 
 
 h In this Manner out* illuArious Queen E/i- 
 zabetb reigned over the Hearts of a free Peo* 
 pie, dired:ed by upright MiniAers to her Sub^ 
 'Jeds Good. In this Manner it might have 
 continued, if the cold, conceited Difputa^ 
 tious, mstn-loving Scot^ had not filled the 
 Throne of England ^ and blafled with his 
 Northern Breath' the blooming Plants of 
 Glory which {he had raifed. 
 
 .., ;.>.vix<i . • - - *i s;aT^«\ : ■ ■ 
 
 As are the Princes and Minifters, fuch have 
 ever been the People who live beneath their 
 Irfluence, in England and all Nations* 
 . . i Even 
 
 j 
 
 I 
 
his 
 the 
 
 cas 
 
 utes 
 Arts 
 new 
 \ his 
 lolds 
 ce of 
 t can 
 
 I Eff- 
 
 Pco* 
 
 Sub- 
 
 t have 
 
 fputa- 
 
 id the 
 
 h his 
 
 hts of 
 
 ;h have 
 h their 
 
 H 
 
 EVEH 
 
 I 
 
 « 
 
 . f 9 ] 
 
 Even long after Luxury, and every Vici 
 had prevailed at Rome^ a virtuous Emperor 
 recalled the People to Greatnefs and Felicity ; 
 the Reigns of Trajan and Antoninus Piui 
 were equal in Happinefs and Glory, to the 
 mod flourifhilig -^ra of the Roman Name. 
 
 ' V 1 RT tJ E and Wifdom, Vice and Venality, 
 have ever been ; the firft the Sources of n^t- 
 tional Happinefs and Succefs, the latter of 
 Decline and Ruin. 
 
 To flatter olirfelves then, that the fame 
 Caufes vvhich dcftroyed Greece and Rome will 
 not generate the like Confequences in Eng* 
 land, is to delude ourfelves like Children with 
 ftlf- willed, over- weaning Fondnefs. It is to 
 fuppofe that the original Inflitution of all 
 Things is edablifhed on vague and capricious 
 Principles, and that thofe degenerate Facul- 
 ties of meUtal Nature, which have begotten 
 Ruin in all oiher Countries, will not prdducc 
 the fame Effedl in this Ifland. 
 
 It is to believe that Corruption of fJeart^ 
 rind public Virtue ; Love of Eafe and Search 
 of Danger ; Infolence and true Bravery ; 
 Contempt of Heaven and Contempt of 
 
 B Death. 
 
fi 
 
 I <;;» 
 
 [lO] 
 
 Death, can be cxifting in the fame People ; 
 that the Courfe of Nature is fufpended in 
 our Favour or that England is exempted 
 from the Conditions which Providence firft 
 fixt on all created Things. 
 
 Is fuch Imagination a lefs Abfurdity than 
 to conceive that phyfical Principles, which 
 produce Putrefadion and DifTolution in ve- 
 getable and animal Nature, may exift in full 
 Energy, and yet thefe Subftanccs remain un- 
 altered, incorrupt, and entire, from that In- 
 fluence. . •' - : . . 
 
 {' • ;■ ■ • ' •• . i' -. -"v • (' ' " 
 
 Has not Venality in human Kind, the 
 lame Effedt on the Soul that the putrefadtive 
 Principle has on Matter ? Docs it not deftroy 
 the Union of it's Parts, and diffipate that 
 flrong attractive Power which holds the 
 Mind firm, and refilling all vicious Attacks? 
 Deprived of Virtue, it no longer poflelfes 
 Strength or Vigour ^ it becomes feeble and 
 effete. Yet, as in preferving animal and 
 vegetable Subftances from Decay, Art may 
 fupply the Abfence of Nature in fome De- 
 gree ; fo in Societies and moral Nature, Wif- 
 dom may reftrain the precipitate Fall of Na- 
 tions, and preferve them from total Ruin, 
 
 ' tho' 
 
 /J 
 
[ " ] 
 
 tho* it may never reftore them to their origi* 
 nal Perfedlion. - • 
 
 \ 
 
 I '^ 
 
 I HAVE frequently thought that the Ro- 
 man Word Virtus^ which fignific8 Courage, 
 has a Propriety in expreffing the Idea beyond 
 all the itvt Languages I have any Knowledge 
 of 5 it feems to embrace the whole in Man 
 which confpires to perfe<5l that Attribute j 
 Courage has been deemed by that People an 
 Emanation of every Virtue, the Refult of all 
 others combined ; and therefore by way of 
 Eminence diftinguidied by that Appellation 
 Virtus, the Virtue, They had remarked, that 
 in Proportion as the Bofom is replete with 
 Probity and Truth, the Love of it's Country 
 and it's Gods ^ fo is the Heart which inhabits 
 it, with Courage. '^'^^ ' ^*^*' g .. v 
 
 That Breaft which is freeft from Pollu- 
 tion, is the leaft intimidated at Danger j the 
 pureft Soul is foremoft in offering up Life a 
 Sacrifice to it's Country, whereas the conta- 
 minated ikulks to fave itfelf in Cowardice. : 
 
 This was the unvarying Charaderiftics of 
 Perjians^ Greeks^ and Romans^ in their Days 
 
[ 12] 
 
 ©f greateft Clory, *tilj at Lpngth their Souls, 
 debafed by Corruption and Pleafure, became 
 pufillanimous in Adlion, even in thofe Men 
 whofe Minds were not influenced by the cer- 
 tain Fear of future Puniihments. 
 
 This Kind of Cowardice receives a ne>y 
 Caufe, and this Obfervation a farther Con- 
 firmation in Chriflian Kingdoms ; that Being 
 which is depreciated by mean Adtions, Coi- 
 rupcion, and Injuflice, is eternally haunted 
 ^y the Dread of oppofing himfelf to Danger^^ 
 bis Fears increafe with his Vices, that very 
 Individual which defpifes his Religion and 
 defies his God, breathes Infolence and Out-* 
 rage apart from Danger, trembles at the ApT 
 proach of an Enemy, when Death and con- 
 scious Guilt recoil upon his Mind, like the 
 timid Deer, who, valuing himfelf upon the 
 Strength of his Antlers, flies at the firft Sound- 
 qf Hounds which purfue him j or the Lark, 
 which (brinks to the Bofom of the Earth at 
 the Sight of the Hawk, which hovers over 
 |iis Head, > 
 
 The EngUJhman whofe Valour is infupe- 
 rable whilft Integrity fuftains, Religion ani- 
 fpates, and Patriotifm urges him to Batde, 
 
 muft 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
/;S 
 
 i 
 
 [ '3] 
 
 jnuft yield an unrefifting Vidory when thofc 
 invigorating Qualities defert him ; however 
 irue this mud be acknowledged to be, it 
 mu(}. be confeiTed alfo that the common Peo^ 
 pie in no Nation have ever been the Caufe 
 of their own Corruption ; it has always taken 
 it's Source from the polluted Fountiiin of the 
 Great, and thence ran muddy thro' the MuU 
 titude below. 
 
 'i. 
 
 iw:i:V; 
 
 Wa s it not the Patricians at Rome that by 
 bribes began to Tap the Virtue, pollute the 
 Hearts, and corrupt the Integrity of the Ro-^ 
 man common People, by purchaiing their 
 Votes in the public Eledlions of their Offi- 
 cers 5 the Inferior fought not the Great, 
 England was a Nation of Probity, 'till thofe 
 who ought to have been the voluntary 
 Choice of uninfluenced Confent, debafed 
 their own Souls and thofe of their Electors, 
 by becoming their Reprefentatives thro' Ve- 
 nality and Purchafe. The Man who fells 
 himfelf is more a Slave than he that is fold 
 by another, and deeper impregnated with 
 bafer Qualities of Bondage. 
 
 •■*, } 
 
 Hence, from Hiflory and Nature, from 
 Qbfervation and Reafon, it plainly appears, 
 V • ^ " ' that 
 
i> 
 
 [ 1+ ] 
 
 that Nations have ever fucceoded according 
 to the Virtue and Underftanding of thofc who 
 diredled them, and have declined and rifea 
 as thefe prevailed, ... 
 
 ; . ( .» 
 
 \ ■ 
 
 ■ That this Kingdom is replete with all 
 thofe fatal Symptoms, which foretold the 
 Ruin of other free States, who (hall deny ? 
 In England the King can do no Wrong, for 
 
 which Reafon the M r becomes juftly 
 
 chargeable with the Errors and Mifcondudt 
 of the State. As are the Talents and Defigns 
 of this Man, will be the Capacities and Pur^ 
 fuits of thofe who are employed beneath him. 
 If we divide the Scale of mental Nature into 
 
 ten degrees, and fuppofe that of a M r 
 
 to be at five, will not all thofe he appoints 
 either in the Army or the Fleet, in Embaf- 
 fies and Council, be below that Degree of 
 Underftanding, his own Judgment muft in 
 his own Opinion be the moft perfedt of hu- 
 man Intelle(5t in all Plans, Refolutions, and 
 Condudl 5 he is prevented, by his (hallow 
 ihort- lighted Degree of Underftanding, from 
 penetrating into the Conceptions and Schemes 
 of fuperior Minds, and muft necefTarily chufe 
 thofe which refcmble him in Size of Capaci- 
 ty, foi this Reafon, as Men exceed him 
 . . and 
 
 I. 
 
I 
 
 [ 15 ] 
 
 and one another in Excellence, the lefs pro- 
 bable will it be that they will be employed 
 under him. As thefe Men advance to Per- 
 fedtion in this Scale of inteliedtual Nature, 
 they will grow more incomprehenfible to his 
 confined Underflanding, and be deemed as 
 Vifionaries and Projedorsj in Proportion as 
 they are adapted by all the exalted Attributes 
 of the Mind to ferve their King and Coun- 
 try, their Counfel will be rejeded and 
 themfelves excluded ; judge then what 
 Cataflrophy mud attend Kingdoms fo di- 
 reded. 
 
 It is with the human Intelled as with 
 the human Body, each extends according to 
 it's natural Size, each has it's Limit, beyond 
 which it cannot pafs ; and a Dwarf will reach 
 with his Hand as high as Goliah, before the 
 Duke of ********* will conceive the Ex- 
 tent, Force, and Truth of the Earl of 
 G ^'s Capacity. 
 
 ^aci- 
 
 lim 
 
 land 
 
 From this Manner of Reafoning, when- 
 
 ev^; a M r is weak [we fhall talk of 
 
 the Effeds of Wicked nefs in a fucceeding 
 Letter] all thofe who are under his Direc- 
 tion, and of his Choice, mult participate of 
 
 that 
 
w 
 
 [16] 
 
 that national Calamity ; the Stream of Poifon 
 which rifcs deftrudlive in the Head, will ftill 
 tun on the fame, through the Condudt of all 
 that Body which lies beneath him. 
 
 I H AV E thus long intruded on your Pa- 
 tience, my Fellow- Countrymen, to ftiow 
 you that what may be here advaticed is true 
 in the View of Nature, as deduced from 
 Principle j and verified by Obfervation and 
 Experience in the Hiftory of Mankind, to 
 convince you that Love of my Country, and 
 not Malevolence to M rs. Truth and 
 not Scandal, Good-will towards Mankind^ 
 and no latent Averfion againft Indivi- 
 duals, have been my fole Motives to thi^ 
 Attempt; 
 
 In all Accounts I (hall confine myfelf fe- 
 verely to Truth, and attempt to draw no In- 
 ferences which do not appear evidently de- 
 duceable from preceding Fads : In executing 
 this, however derogatory to the Capacity 
 of thofe in Power, I fear not the Calumny 
 of Minions in Favour, Hawkers of minifterial 
 FalQioods, Advocates for Deftroyers of their 
 Country, or even M*^^^— rs themfelves. 
 
 If 
 
 f 
 
 i 
 
fon 
 
 m 
 
 all 
 
 Pa- 
 
 lOW 
 
 true 
 irom 
 and 
 , to 
 and 
 and 
 dnd^ 
 idivi- 
 thU 
 
 If fe- 
 oln- 
 
 de- 
 uting 
 jacity 
 umny 
 fterial 
 
 their 
 
 If 
 
 [ ^7 ] 
 
 li^ whit fliall be here written ap[ earS to be 
 Juft, what honeft Englijhfnan fhall difapprove 
 of my Condudt ? Whatever Diflance cither 
 Chance, Birth, or Riches, may haVc placed 
 between me s'^d a Prime M- — ^-r, there muft 
 be yet more between him and his Country* 
 No Subjedt can be fo fuperior to mc in Rank, 
 as this Nation is above him in Dignity. If t 
 prefame to examine the Underftanding of him 
 who prefldes at the Helm, let it be remem- 
 bered it is becaufe I am convinced his 
 Weaknefs mifguidcs his Feliow-Subjedts. If I 
 am blamed for during to arraign his Conduct, it 
 is becaufe I am fatisfied his Prefumption may 
 ruitrhis Country. Acquit me then or condemn 
 tiie^ as he is innocent or guilty. 
 
 )ti I 
 
 
 JHowE Vfi R, I confide that the patriot t)e(lgn 
 which juftifi^ed Demojihenes the Atheriian, and 
 Immortalized hts Name, Hiall at kail find me, 
 an EngUjhman^ prcfertt Favour and Applaufe ; 
 and Zeal for the Cbhftitution of my Country 
 vindicate me in the Hearts of all Men, who 
 yet preferve the Love of Probity and their 
 native Land* . -.^. w.vi;^ ,<.>.;. i ^. 
 
 ;c 4. ii u CI :...! 
 
 ^'^ As we refemble the Greehz!cA Romani ih 
 the Symptons of declining Liberty and Virtue, 
 
 C fuperior 
 
 ^w. 
 
»fr 
 
 T" 
 
 [ i8 ] 
 
 fuperior Wifdom in the Condud of our M — rs 
 can alone reinftate and preferve us. Let us then 
 examine on what our Expedtations are founded, 
 and what is to be expedted from thofe who 
 prelide in public Affairs. , , .^^..^j 
 
 <- It is not my prefent Defign to fummon up 
 before your Eyes the Ghofts of Mal-Admini- 
 jftracion, or turn then back on the Conduct of 
 the two Brothers, during the laft Waisj I 
 mean not now to awaken your Attention to 
 that Flood of Pollution and Corruption, which 
 has been let oat, to deluge Integrity and Ju- 
 flice ; I wifli not to bring pad Crimes to your 
 Remembrance, fquandcring your Properties, 
 and invading your Liberties, to aggravate the 
 preftnt Mifcondud:, or tread backwards thofe 
 
 (Paths which lead to unraveling in 1 Ini- 
 
 iquity J I will not hint the Inattention which^ 
 prevailed during the French naval Armaments 
 •and Ufurpations m America, Objeds within 
 the Ken of every Eye, Tranfadions of Ye- 
 (flcfday, what has lately pafTed by Land and Sea, 
 iliall be lain before you. Behold thofe with 
 Attention, judge impartially from the Condud 
 in thefe Affairs, what is the Force of that Ca- 
 pacity which direds them, then remember 
 that England IS y out native^Land^and lefled 
 
 ''..> 
 
 ^B 
 
 
I 
 
 C »9] 
 
 one Monaent on the Danger which hangt 
 threatning over it. 
 
 i I ' ilH 
 
 To avoid every minute Particular, let us 
 begin with exami'^ing the Conduct of our 
 
 Navies. 
 
 ' ' ! 
 
 No Man, I believe, will prefume to deny 
 that a true Intelligence, of what employs our 
 Enemies, is neceflary to all Miniftcrs who 
 would fuccefsfuUy oppofe their Machinations ; 
 and though it may be difficult to obtain a fure 
 Knowledge of that Expedition which a Fleet 
 is deftined to go upon, it muft be an eafy 
 Taflc to be afcertained of the Number of Ships 
 they are equipping. The Bofom of one Man 
 only may be confcious of the Intention of a 
 naval Armament, when Thoufands muft 
 know the Number which are arming. The 
 Minifter may be incorruptible, and the Secret 
 impoffible to be penetrated. Amongft the 
 Multitudes employed in preparing this Force, 
 many may be found, and infinite Ways corh- 
 trived, to know the Number of our Ene- 
 mies Ships. Without this previous Know- 
 ledge, on what Bafis can it be prctiimed we 
 oppofe the Fleets of our Enemies ? Yet this 
 neceffary Information, fo eafily procured, muft 
 
 C 2 be 
 

 [30] 
 
 be confefTed to have been totally negle(fled, 
 difrcgardcd, or unobtained ; or, which is yet 
 more flagrant, the higheft Imputation of Folly 
 xnuft be attributed to the Ad— n. 
 
 i^ t»lx» »•' 
 
 ft 
 
 I.. 
 
 T o prove this AfTertion, let us begin witli 
 faying, that it was decided that the French 
 Fleet at Breji (hould be oppofed by the Eng- 
 Ufl:^ and it's Dedru^ion refolved upon ; let us^ 
 now cad our Eyes on the Manner in which 
 this Deiign was plann*d, and the Way iq. 
 which it was intended to be acccnipliihed. 
 
 To execute this, Admiral Bofcawen was 
 fcnt to conin^and a Squadron of Men of War. 
 and i|i confequence of that Refolve fet Sail 
 ifrom off Plymouth the Twenty- feven^h of. 
 Aprily with a Fleet confifling of eleven Ships 
 of the Line and one Frigate. It has fince ap- 
 peared, that his Orders wer^; to cruize on the 
 Banks of Newfoundlan4y to vyait the Arrival 
 of the French Fleet, and intercept their Voy- 
 age to America, , . , ;; • -'/ *: ' 
 
 .»*?♦'■ i'^ V -1 '. 
 
 f ■ 
 
 The fending this Squadron under Admiral 
 Bofcawen, is a clear Proof that our M— — rs 
 jmagined the Number it contained was fuffi- 
 cient to deftroy the French Fleet j or it muftr 
 
 1l! 
 
 •••I 
 
be 
 
 f " J 
 
 f)e granted, that if they were purpofely fentout 
 
 unequal to the Attempt, that that Behaviour 
 would be but little better than dooming them 
 a Sacrifice. On the fixth of May the French 
 Fleet, confifting of Twenty-five Ships of the 
 Lii\e, ten of which were employed as Tranf- 
 ports, their lower-deck guns being taken out ^^ 
 the reft fully armed, failed from Breji for 
 North' America,, f ^\'^: i ' ittdj^c.; h \ i « a 
 
 • r . , 
 
 ,'!'.' 
 
 ».-*/! 
 
 I I 
 
 ncij • n/f- i 
 
 'iic.a 
 
 J N confequcnce of the Intelligence that this 
 ]Pleet was failed, and the Number cf it, Adi>4 
 miral Holbourne was difpatched with fix Shipif 
 of the Line and one Frigate, and failed from 
 oS Plymouth the fixteenth of May^ being ninKf<-» 
 teen Days after Mr Bofcawen, and ten after the 
 iailing of the French Fleet, to join the Englijh 
 Admiral. ,., . . . . -. 
 
 This Reinfqrcment is an undeniable Proof 
 jhat the M , ■ i y was abfolutely unacquainted 
 witl^ the Number of Ships equipping at Breji^ 
 for this Expedition, before their failing ; other- 
 wife can it be prefumed they would not have 
 fent a greater Number of Ships with Mr Bof- 
 cawen at fird, fince many more were ready for 
 the Sea; or would they have fent the Rein- 
 forcement by Mr Holbourne at all, if they ha4 
 
 known 
 
 yj»' 
 
 » 
 
[ 22 J 
 
 known that Mr Macnamaro would have re-' 
 turned with nine Ships of the Line ; the' 
 Nnmbcr of the French Fleet then, and thof 
 Part of it which was to return, were abfolutc- 
 ly unknown lo our M — ^y before it failed j for 
 the lafl they may be excufed, but the Igno- 
 rance of the firrrier is utterly unpardonable,''! 
 
 After thefe three Fleets w^re failed, let us 
 now fuppofe that to happen, which our 
 M^- — y had prcfumecj and wirtied at Admiral 
 Bofcawen*% failing might be the 6vent of their 
 Ofders; that is, that l^e might meet Macna-^ 
 mora with his Squadron of Twenty-hve Ships 
 of the Line, fixieen of which were prcpirtd 
 for fighting, and the refl with their lower-^deck 
 Guns out, proceeding as the M — y believed 
 at the Time of llolbourne'^ failing, for Nori/M 
 America. 
 
 v^ J . 
 
 .ifiS(:.llU 
 
 
 11^ -T 
 
 \ What would have been the Event of this? 
 Ilencounter, fince Mr Bojcaiven had received 
 Orders to attack the French^ I afk this 
 Queftion of Men who can look with unpre- 
 judiced Eyes on the Merits of other Nations. 
 With all the true Bravery, Prudence, and 
 Knowledge of that Commander in naval Af- 
 fairs, and thofe brave Captains joined with 
 iivx''; i him 
 
 ■^ 
 
 fUl 
 
this 
 dved 
 
 this 
 ipre- 
 |ion8; 
 
 and 
 
 Iwith 
 
 him 
 
 C 23 ] 
 
 him in the Iixpcdition, is there a wcll-faund«- 
 
 I ,ed Rcalou to bcUevc that Twtcixty'dwc FrencJ^ 
 
 ' Men of War, circumlUnccd even as th^^f^ 
 
 I were, would have been defeated by eleven Engr 
 
 lijk? It they had not, would not the (hamtfr 
 
 ful Ignorance of the; M— ; — y in tiie Number 
 
 of the Iinemy's Fleet, a Knowledge which 
 
 ^very Man might have obtainjcd vyho would 
 
 have been at the Expencc of paying for it, ar\d 
 
 furely the Parfimony of public Money is not 
 
 the prefent reigning Tafte, have proved th^ 
 
 Peidjtion of his Majefty's Fleets and, Subjed^a, 
 
 to the everlafting Difgracc of the Englifi Na- 
 
 lion. ].;j,^,yy j^:;i'4 4'vMi.:)n:i ym io lyuiuU/i 
 
 Nay fo exquifitely fubile was the Defign 
 of this Scheme, even the feccnd Fleet, com- 
 manded by Admiral Holbourne^ would in all 
 human Probability have fallen into the Hands 
 of the French Squadron alio j for by the Re- 
 fuk it has appeared, that, he did not join Mr 
 Bofcawen 'till elcveri Days after the_ taking tht 
 j^lcide and Lyu ^ i.-»,o" mi jrris aWfidi.iOnii 11 
 
 ^ j^Bythls Accident, It might,^ \yith the great- 
 ,<?fl: Probability, have happened, that Admfral 
 Bofiawen being defeated the tenth of Juiii^ 
 the Day the EngliJJj and French Fleet met in 
 
 Darknefs 
 
 . X 
 
Dftrknefs and Fogs on the Banks of iV^- 
 foundland^ that Mr Hdtboume might have 
 fufFered the fame Fate eleven Days after, the 
 very Time of his amvlng at tnefe Parts, I 
 mean, if the furrounding Obfcurity had not 
 fayed the Englijh Fleet, as it has the French. 
 
 i ' StrcH ^as the probable Prcfumption when 
 Mr Holhurne quitted the EngKJh Coaft, and 
 fudh would have been the fatal Event, if Mac* 
 namara had continued the Voyage and Mr 
 Bofcawen had met and engaged him. Judge 
 then how pernicious this ignorance of the 
 Number of ths Enemy's Fleet would have 
 proved to this once illuflrious Nat.jn^ had 
 Things fallen out as our M* ^^ rs origini.;!y 
 dcfigned it. 
 
 ,(. -^ 
 
 iv 
 
 ''It is extremely difficult to aflign any Rea- 
 fon for Mr Uolbourne^ beii.g difpatched at all 
 to join Admiral Bofcatven^ the very Didance 
 'in the Times of failing of thcfe Fleets rendered 
 it improbable that he could joia the firft Ad^ 
 miral before the Engagement between \j\tti 
 and Macnamara muft have been totally de*- 
 cided; as is manifeft by the Event of his join- 
 ing Mr Bofcawen. 
 
 M.;d i^i: 
 
 .Ml 
 
 It 
 
have 
 
 r, the 
 ts« I 
 id not 
 encb. 
 
 when 
 ^, and 
 ■Mac* 
 id Mr 
 Judge 
 of the 
 I have 
 n^ had 
 gmu!y 
 
 d at all 
 iftance 
 ndered 
 ft Ad- 
 n jj^im 
 lly de- 
 is join- 
 
 It 
 
 
 :« 
 
 [ 25 ] 
 
 I T appears then felf- evident, that the fend- 
 ing this Admiral could have anfwered no 
 other Purpofe than deftroying two Fleets in- 
 flead of one, and facrif cing more of their 
 Countrymen to the God of War, on the Al* 
 tar of Ignorance. 
 
 Th e Efcape then v^ith which thefe two 
 Fleets have been favoured, and the Succefs 
 which the firft obtained in taking two French 
 Men of War, inconfiderable as it is, cannot 
 with the lead Appearance of Juftice be attri- 
 buted to the ill-plann'd Defigns of thofe who 
 fent them on the Expedition. Can thofe Men 
 be intitled to Praife for an Error in Judgment, 
 in xh^ French Admiral's Return, of which they 
 knew nothing ? and who, if he had proceed- 
 ed on the whole Voyage to America^ would in 
 all Probability have ruined the two Fleets of 
 England^ fent as they were one after the other 
 on this Expedition? With what Propriety 
 then can this unforefeen Event be imputed to 
 the Fore-thought of thofe who prefide in 
 m ! and naval Affairs 5 (hall the Advan- 
 tage of Accidents, unimagined, be laid to the 
 Account, of their Penetration and Wifdom ? as 
 well may you attribute the Winds which blew 
 tliw Fleet to the Coaft of America to their Sa- 
 
 D gacity. 
 
1:11 
 
 rM 
 
 [ 26 ] 
 
 gacity, as the little Succefs which they have 
 obtained in the Voyage. The juft Reward of 
 thele Men then, is the Difhonour of planning 
 an Expedition that, through the Ignorance of 
 what Numbers the Enemies Squadron was 
 formed, would in all human Probability have 
 been the Perdition of two Englijh Fleets, and 
 Thoufands of brave Men and ufeful Subjedts 
 oi Great' Britain, . . 
 
 B u T as there may be Englijhmen who, 
 prompted by national Prejudice, believe that 
 Admiral Bofcawen with his eleven Ships was 
 a Match for Macnamara and ^vq and twenty 
 French Men of War ; let us, fuppofing this to 
 be true, examine the Prudence with which, un- 
 der this Idea, the Expedition was conduded. 
 
 Fi RST it is a felf-cvident Truth, that there 
 can be no Evidence or Intelligence of a Fleet's 
 failing to any Part of the Globe, equally cer- 
 tain with that of it's leaving the Port in which 
 it is equipt j the firft, however well founded 
 it may be in the Opinion and Judgment of 
 an Enemy, can in it's Nature be no more than 
 cafual and the Height of Probability ; the fe* 
 cond muft be Demonflration and Neceflity. 
 
 m 
 
 ■'mm 
 
 Ministers 
 
 
 "^ 
 
[ 27 ] 
 
 "Ministers may alter the Nature of their 
 * Defign in an Hour, and fend a FIccl which 
 was originally equipping for one Part of the 
 World, to another J they may purpofely give 
 out different Tales to cover their Intentions, 
 i or the Powers engaged again ft them may be 
 left to divine it*s Intent only; thefe Circum- 
 ftances may alter or conceal the true Place of 
 it's Deftination, But no Change of Sentiment 
 or Difguife can prevent a fleet's being difco- 
 vered in failing out of that Port in which it is 
 armed, whether deftined to the Baltic or 
 j^/rica^ America or Japan ^ ho 'ever dubious 
 the Place of it s Deftination may be ; neither 
 of thefe can alter any thing in it's Manner of 
 leaving the Harbour in which it is prepared for 
 the Seas. 
 
 ch 
 led 
 
 fe- 
 
 RS 
 
 Supposiif G then the Strength of the French 
 Fleet had been perfedly known, and Mr Bof- 
 cawen had commanded a Force fufficient to 
 have defeated it, which he might with Eafe 
 have had under his Command, there being at 
 that Time twenty Ships of the Line at Spithead 
 more than his Squadron, moft of them fully 
 mann'd. Is there a Boatfwain of the Fleet who 
 would have fent the Admiral to the Banks of 
 Newfoundland, where Darknefs, palpable like 
 
 D 2 thq 
 
m ' 
 
 T 
 
 m ^ 
 
 ^ .' 
 
 [28] 
 
 the Mgyptian, is known, by every common 
 Sailor in the Navy, to reign three fucceflive 
 Months in the Year, in one of v^hich the 
 French Fleet muft have pafs'd thefe Parts of the 
 Seas ; where Fogs that conceal more effectually 
 than the darkeft Night all Objedts which pafs 
 within the Length of a Ship, muft have faved 
 the greateft Part of that Fleet which they were 
 fent to deftroy ? A Place to which ihey never 
 might arrive, or never be feen if they did. 
 The Confequence of their being feut has evi- 
 dently proved the Truth of this Obfervation. 
 
 What (hall then be faid in Favour of that 
 Man, who ordered the Englijh Navy from thofe 
 Parts where the Enemies Fleet muft inevita- 
 tably pafs, to one where they might not have 
 been ordered to fail? To delert a Part in 
 which they muft be vifible to all the Squadron, 
 for one in which they would probably be enve*- 
 loped in a Cloud, like Mneas fecured from 
 the Eyes of all Beholders ? What is this but 
 fending Ships the long Voyage to America^ 
 with the greateft Rifque of miffing in thofe 
 Seas that which they muft have met in the 
 Britijh Channel ? Is not this the firft In- 
 ftance of an Underftanding that has prefided 
 over Fleets and Armies, that preierr.ed a may 
 
 be 
 
rom 
 but 
 
 lofe 
 the 
 In- 
 ded 
 
 f 
 
 [29] 
 be to a Demonflration, and quitted a real Ad- 
 vantage in Certainty, for one of Icfs Value in 
 Probability only ? Is it not owing to this Caufe 
 that fo little Utility has been reaped from this 
 Expedition, and the French Fleet efcaped al- 
 moft unfcen ? Was there ever a Perfon 'till 
 this Time who would have deferred the Door 
 of the Houfe of that Man he wanted to meet, 
 and who muft come out of it, to feck him in 
 the Streets where he never might pafs, and 
 prefer even Darknefs to the noon- tide Hour, 
 for that Bufinefs? Is there a Country Gentle- 
 man who could judge fo diametrically wrong? 
 vrould he have fent his Game- Keeper to (hoot 
 Woodcocks by Night ? . 
 
 Yet fuch is the Goodnefs of Heaven, as 
 Mr Bofcawen was prepared, inferior to the 
 Fleet which left Breji; the Abfurdities of 
 thefe Directors have preferved our Navy from 
 a Defeat, and our Nation from a greater pub- 
 lic Difgrace. For if Mr Bofcawen had been 
 ordered off Breji^ the Place which in right 
 Reafon he ought to have been ordered, the 
 
 Ignorance of our M rs in the Number of 
 
 that Fleet which firft left Brefl^ would have 
 proved the Deilrudtion of him and the Eng- 
 liJJo Squadron, So gracious was the Will of 
 
 Heaven, 
 
i! I' 
 
 "'•!•! 
 
 
 
 1;: 
 
 [ 30 ] 
 
 Heaven, and fo abfurd the Judgment of thole 
 who prelide over naval Affairs in this King- 
 dom. This Condudl of our M r§ is not 
 
 however without it's Advocates 5 the Reafons 
 for juflifying their Proceedings in this Manner 
 are yet more extraordinary than the Behaviour 
 itfelf : It is moft gravely urged in Defence of 
 this Condud, that the French Squadron was 
 not attacked in Europe, becaufe their Allies, 
 particularly the Spaniard, fliould not take Um- 
 brage at •our Behaviour j or fuch an Aftion 
 bring on Hoftilities in Europe, What kind of 
 Capacities mud thefe Men poffefs, who can 
 imagine that an Englijhman of common Scnfe 
 can be cajoled with fuch frivolous Pretenfions 
 to a JufHhcation of wrong Meafures? Who 
 can be deluded to believe, that a Fleet, freight- 
 ed in France with Arms, Ammunition, Sol- 
 diers, and Provifions for America, can create 
 any Difference of Opinion in a Nation, whe- 
 ther it be defeated on the Coaft of France or 
 the Banks of Newfoundland^ Thefe Advocates 
 muft have well ftudied Grotius and Puffen- 
 dorff, who make this Diftindion ; and un- 
 derftand human Nature to great Perfedlion, 
 who conceive, that the Spanijh Miniftry can 
 be influenced againft England, or to it's Ad- 
 vantage, in Favour of, or contrary to it's own 
 . Intereft, 
 
 TW'M 
 
[ 31 ] 
 
 Intereft, to join or oppofe the Power of 
 France^ by fo fubtle a Diftindion, as our not 
 engaging that French Fleet in Europe, which 
 you determine to dcftroy in America *. A 
 Defeat in this Part of the World of one half 
 of the French Navy, would have humbled 
 the Gallic Arrogance, prevented Spain and 
 the Allies from joining the King of France ; 
 and cooled their Ardor for War, in Proportion 
 as it diminifhed the Powers with which it 
 muft be fuftained. . ^ 
 
 The depriving our Enemies of their mi- 
 litary Force, is the mod effedual Method of 
 intimidating their Allies from joining them :. 
 few chufe the finking Side of a Queftion, 
 and add a Probability of their own Ruin to 
 that of thofe who are already deftroying; 
 Though the drowning Perfon feizes every 
 thing to fave himfelf ; yet few catch hold of 
 him that is finking, with the View of going 
 along with him. But in the Manner we have 
 proceeded, what have we done but behaved 
 
 like 
 
 can 
 
 Ad- 
 
 lown 
 
 * That this was given out as a Reafon to cover their 
 I Miftakes, and not thro' any juft Apprchenfion of Spafujh 
 ^ Refentment, is now evident from the taking the French 
 % Merchant-Ships, and Mr Ha^^':kc'^ cruiiing tor their Men 
 
 Ireft 1 °^ ^^^ ^^ ^^^ European Seas. 
 
I 
 
 [ 32 ] 
 
 like Poachers, with all that little dcfpicable 
 Cunning of fending our Ships at a Diftance, to 
 efFe<?. «vhat it was prevented from doing by 
 the Nature of the Place : A Specimen of that 
 mean Timidity and Weaknefs of Capacity, 
 proceeding from the Exercife of corrupting, 
 and being corrupted, which has been long too 
 
 manifeft in all our m 1 Meafures. A Dif- 
 
 pofition which effedlually difgraces a M r> 
 
 and infallibly ruins a Nation. What have we 
 done more than (hewn, that our Navy, though 
 the mod powerful, and our Seamen the brav- 
 eft ; by the wrong Judgment and finifter Di- 
 
 i*edtion of our Rulers in m 1 Affairs, can 
 
 be rendered abfolutely ineffedual ? 
 
 We have cautioned and not chaftifed the 
 French j we have fent a brave Admiral, brave 
 Officers, brave Sailors, and feventeen Line of 
 Battle Ships on a ufelefs Parade to Nova Scotia^ 
 at an immenfe Expence, to take two French 
 Men of War and to lofe one of our own. 
 We have been the Witnefles to the landing 
 their Troops in America y and not prevented 
 their Expedition. Such is the Conclulion of 
 all the boafted Secrecy, Difpatch, and ravifh- 
 ing free-born Subjects from the Arms of their 
 
 Wives 
 
:§ 
 
 II 
 
 [ 33 ] 
 
 Wives and Children ; and fuch the Refult of 
 the Wifdom of our m 1 Condudors. • 
 
 y.: 
 
 • r>«* ct 
 
 . »(■' » 
 
 This then having been the Succefs and 
 Conduct of our naval Armaments j let us 
 now turn our Eyes on thofe of our Land- 
 Forces, and candidly enquire, if the Wifdom 
 of our M rs has (hone forth more emi- 
 nently in the . Management and Defign of 
 our Army on the Continent of America, 
 
 It was at length refolved, that General 
 Braddocky with two Regiments, and all necef- 
 fary Proviiion for a Siege, (hould be fent to 
 America^ to defeat the Schemes of the French 
 Nation, which had been artfully ufurping the 
 Dominions of our Sovereign. And here it is 
 impoflible to avoid remarking, that the Alarm 
 which was fpread againft the French Infolencc, 
 and the Meafures taken in confequence of it, 
 were not fo much undertaken from the Repre- 
 fentations of the various Provinces o£ America, 
 as from the private Intereft which a certain 
 
 Quaker had in the M — ^^y, to whom 
 
 Lands on the River Ohio had been granted by 
 the Governor of Virginia ^ which have finee 
 been ratified in £/?^/^W. ..,*,.. 
 
 ^. l'JL\ 
 
 £ 
 
 This 
 
f 
 
 III 
 
 [ 34] 
 
 This Man, being at the Head of a Seift 
 
 which has conftanily fupported the M r 
 
 in all his ftrenuous Endeavours for Power, and 
 Defigns upon his Country, was attended to 
 with greater Deference, and had more Weight 
 than the Remonftrances of Two Millions of 
 faithful American Subjeds, who were ftill to- 
 tally negledted : So much can the Intereft of 
 one Man, who heads a fadious Sedt in favour 
 of a M — r, prevail beyond the public Good 
 of the Subjeds of this Kingdom, and the 
 Honour of it's Sovereign. 
 
 . ) 
 
 ,1 
 
 r" 
 
 
 Fort Lequefne^ featcd on the Ohio, in thofc 
 Lands which were granted to thi;: Q^iaker^ 
 >|fas the Objed which General Braddocky and 
 the Briti/h Forces were dcftined to demolifh ; 
 the French were to be diflodged from thefe 
 
 Parts, at all Adventures. :v. / ., . y , v 
 
 .... • I ... * ^' 
 
 A N D in this Place it muft ftrike the Senfe 
 of every Man who refleds one Moment, that 
 this very Perfon, whofe paflive Principles of 
 Chriftian Patience prevent him from bear- 
 ing Arms in Defence of this Land, which was 
 granted him, had yet the unrelenting Con- 
 fcience to obtain many Hundreds of his FeL 
 low-Subjeds to oppofe their Lives, and fall a 
 . i ., Sacrifice 
 
 H- . i 
 
r 3?] 
 
 Sacrifice in repofTefTing his Property. Such are 
 the P'oceedings of this Scd of Anti-conftitu- 
 tionul and p'^rnicious Beings. 
 
 ' Th e Expjedition, however, being fet on 
 foot, the fame Identical Quaker, who had In- 
 fluence fufficient to get it refolved on at firft, 
 had yet the farther Intereft of it's being defti- 
 ned to defend Virginia : The Reafon of this 
 will foon appear more evident ; and here, not- 
 withftanding we (hould low Fort Leqttefne 
 to be a Place which ought to be attacked, we 
 muft infift that Pen/yivam'a was the Place 
 where the Troops ought to have been difcni- 
 barked. 
 
 First, This Country being fuller of Inha- 
 bitants, and all kinds of Handicraft Workmen^ 
 could have eafily fupplied whatever an Army 
 might have (lood in need of at that Time. 
 Virginia being a Land cultivated by Negroes, 
 murt, for that Reafon, be more deltitute of 
 European Settlers, than Colonies where Blacks 
 are not in ufe. . 
 
 Secondly, The additional Numbers which 
 might have been thought neceffary to have 
 been raifed for this Expedition to the Ohio^ 
 
 E 2 would 
 
I 
 
 [ 36 ] 
 
 would have been more calily levied in Penfyl^ 
 njajiid than Virginia, 
 
 Thirdly, The requifite Attendants of a 
 Military Expedition, fuch as Horfcs, Carts, 
 Cattle, Piovifion, and all kinds of Tools, are 
 in greater Plenty in Penjylvania than Virginia, 
 This is evident from the NecefTity the Army 
 in Virginia was under, of having thofe Uten- 
 jQls and Supplies from Penjylvania before it 
 inarched. 
 
 Fourthly, The March of the Troops to 
 Fort Lequejhe from Philadelphia^ had been for 
 a much longer Part ot the Road through a 
 fettled and cultivated Country, where all Kinds 
 of Refrefliments which a e ufeful for an Army 
 in hot Countries, and fatiguing Marches, 
 might have been fupplied with greater Eafe. 
 
 The important Advantages which attended 
 Penjylvania above Virginia^ though repre- 
 
 fcnted to our M rs in the mod ftrong and 
 
 demonflrative Ma/uier, were ?11 negleded and 
 over-ruled by the private Intereft and Opinion 
 of one Quaker. .; ; ;,. 
 
 • J -v ^ i » 
 
 ■«' N /* ' 
 
 . ,. , Tantum ilk potuit fuadere mahrum. 
 
 li 
 
[37] 
 
 Is it not obvious to all Apprchenfionc; that 
 a Tobacco- Merchant, efpccially if he be ihe 
 Head of his Profeirion in London ^ muft have 
 n>ore Intereft: in Virginia than in Penfylvania^ 
 his Corrcfpondencc being with the former, 
 which produces the Commodity he traffics in, 
 and not with the Pbiladelphiam, who do not 
 raife that Merchandize ? 
 
 Is it not certain alfo from the Ncceffity of 
 Trade, that he muft have many outQanding 
 and dubious Debts in that Colony, and from 
 the Nature of Man, and more particularly from 
 the Nature of a Quaker, that he muft wi(h 
 to have thefe hazardous Debts rendered more 
 probable to be paid ; and with this Intent, 
 that he would embrace an Opportunity of put- 
 ting his Debtors in a Way of difchi\rging them 
 whatever his Country might fut^er ? As his 
 Correfpondence is the largeft of any Merchant's 
 in this City with the Colony of Virginia, and 
 his Intereft the ftrongeft with the M— r, he 
 clearly forefaw that an Army fent to Virginia 
 could not be fuftained without large Sums of 
 Money, and that the Remittance of it mufl 
 fall to his Share : which very Circumftance be- 
 ing attended with at leaft two and a half per 
 Cent, was an Object too replete with Advan- 
 / tages 
 
>' : i'i 
 
 
 m 
 
 [38] 
 
 tages to be neglefled by a Money-loving Mer- 
 caiitile Man, detached irom all other Confide- 
 ratioii^ of Advantage. ; , 
 
 i »: 
 
 .nil 
 
 mi 
 
 Th e s e Circumftances then duly attended 
 to, would tney not pe.fuade many a Man, 
 who is not firmly convinced of the fincere 
 dilintcrciJed Spiiit and patriot Love which a- 
 nimatcs a Qj^ker's Heart, that Virginia was 
 preferred 10 Penfyhania for the lucrative Con- 
 iidcrations above men iioned. 
 
 / But as this Sedt has ever behaved with 
 liich particular Zeal to defend their own Coun- 
 try, and fingular Attachmeni to it's Welfare, 
 diverted of all Delirc ol private Advantage, 
 what can the moft malevolent Imagination 
 fugged againfl the Behaviour of this individual 
 Quaker. > • j , ' 
 
 Let me then fuppofe a Thing not abfolute- 
 ly impoflible, That this Dwlign of his pro- 
 curing the Troops to be lent to P trginia^ took 
 it's Source from an Error of Judgment ; that 
 the Good of his Country was his Objed:, thoV 
 ha was midaken in his Aim, and though his 
 private Iiitereft was the folc Refuh ot his De- 
 lign, yet he propofcd it for the Pubkc. How 
 .^.T ihall 
 
[ 39] 
 
 fhall we, even in this View of Things, apo- 
 logize for the M rs who were drawn into 
 
 fo palpable a Miflake ? 
 
 Though it might be allowed, that Mer- 
 chants may be vindicated in not underftanding 
 to what Part of the American Continent a 
 Military Force ought to be fent, which was 
 deftined to attack Fort Lequefne^ yet a M — r 
 whofe peculiar Province it is to fuperintend 
 the public Welfare, ;he Lives, Properties, Ad- 
 vantages, J'nd Commerce of hb Fellow- Sub- 
 jedls in Peace and War, cannot avoid Con* 
 demnation for fuch midaken and fatal Judg- 
 ment, : V •' ''■■-■ 
 
 '- There may indeed be Men who may ima- 
 gine, that this Quaker was truly acquainted 
 with the Difference and Da'advantage which 
 attended Virginia more than Penjyivaniay and 
 that Self-Intereli, mr)re than :he public Wel- 
 fare, weighed in obtaining the Troops being 
 fent to the Colony of Virginia, It this No- 
 tion (hould meet a general R'teption among 
 Mankind, how (hall we then account for a 
 
 ]^ r*s bting duped to rhe Intereft of a 
 
 private Quaker, or reconcile naiunal Difgracc 
 and flender Imelleds, with the Duty of Dired- 
 
 > . > ing 
 
III 
 
 '1 
 
 [40 ] 
 
 ing in Peace and War, the Affairs of a whole 
 
 Nation ? 
 
 ■« ' r-A 
 
 .5V 
 
 ■:«.*.■ 
 
 . '» C«2 
 
 From what has been faid, does it not 
 evidently appear, that allowing Fort Lequefne 
 to be an Objc»5l which demanded our Atten- 
 tion, and that a Military Force was neceflary 
 to be fent from thefe Kingdoms to reduce it, 
 that Virginia was the Spot which ought not 
 to be preferred to Fenfyhania F 
 
 i. 
 
 * Th I s theri, abfurd as it may appear, is 
 even lefs than what we (hall foon lay before 
 your Eyes, /hall we venture to affert, that the 
 whole Armament which was defigned and 
 fent to the Demolition of this little Fortiiica- 
 tic -, the Money which it has and will coft 
 the Nation, and Lives which it has laviflied 
 in the Service of a non-refifting Quaker, were 
 altogether ufelefs and unnecefTary ; nay, that 
 even Siiccefs in the Expedition to this Fort, 
 could have been attended with no poflible Ad- 
 vantage, whether the Attempts of the Ame' 
 ricans fucceed er mifcarry at Niagara and 
 
 Crown- Point. 
 
 *■■■-■ ■ "' '■ 
 
 T prove what we have here fuggefted, 
 let us caft our Eyes over Mr Hujke\ Map of 
 
 North 
 
[40 
 
 North' America, by much the mod accurate 
 of all thofe which have been given to the 
 Public. 
 
 •M. . . ' ' ' ■ . 
 
 Let US obferve from what Part of the Do- 
 minions pofTelTed by the French, the Supplies^ 
 Provifion, and Men neccffary for the Support* 
 ing Fort Lequejhe, mufl be dra%n. 
 
 It is a Truth univerfally acknowledged, 
 that Canada is the only part which can afford 
 thefe Rcquifites to the Parts where the French 
 Forts are built from ^ebec to Fort Lequefne^ 
 
 ! i happens becaufe the Method is by an eafy 
 Tranfit, and Things are commodioully trans- 
 ported, the whole Diftance being almoft Wa* 
 ter-Carriage, from the Mouth oi St Lawrence 
 River, to the Forts on the Ohio^ 
 
 Th e MiJJiJfipi is too diftant for a March 
 by Land, and the Navigation of the meander- 
 ing Oh'r^ too long to be attempted by Water. 
 IndeeV U I i known Fadt, that the Northern] 
 Settlement of the French fupply all thefe" 
 Parts with Recruits, Ammunition, and Pro- 
 vifion. v. : i > , .,4. c:YiiV« - 
 
 To attack Fort Lequefne at all theil fecrti« 
 
 rbfolu^ely abfurd, becaufe all Supplies for that 
 
 .■; F -^ Place 
 

 lill 
 
 [42] 
 
 Place being neceflltated to pafs by the Fortifi- 
 cation at Niagara^ fituated between the two 
 Lakes Erie and Ontario^ whoever becomes 
 Mafter of that Fort, necefiarily cuts off ali 
 Communication and Power of Support from 
 Fort Lequefne, and this latter Place muft of 
 confequence furrender itfelf in a very little 
 Time, into the Hands of thofe who poflefs 
 Niagara : This AfTertion is as true, as that the 
 Power which can cut off the River names at 
 Maidenhead^ and turn it into a new Channel, 
 prevents JVindfoi from being fupplied with 
 that Wafer. 
 
 % 
 ■I 
 
 I 
 til 
 
 h ••\ 
 
 mi 
 
 Th I s Fortification of Niagara then fitua- 
 ted between the Lakes, being abfolutely the 
 Pafs by which all Supplies muft go to Le^ 
 quefne^ the taking that alone (hould have been 
 the Objedl of our Forces. 
 
 \ 3: 
 
 The Defign on Lequefne^ fuppofing all to 
 have been honeft that produced it, could have 
 taken it's Rife from nothing but want of 
 Knowledge in common Geography : No Eye 
 that follows the Courfe in the Map, which is 
 always taken by the Canadian French from 
 ^ebec to Fort Lequefne^ but muft be necef- 
 farily convinced that the taking Niagara, would 
 have anfwered all the Purpofes of pofleffing • 
 that and Lequejhe. Th u s 
 
f- 
 
 Id 
 
 Is 
 
 s 
 
 [43 ] 
 
 Thus the difgraccful Defeat of our Army, 
 the Difreputation ot our General, the Deftruc- 
 tion of our Subjedls, the Expence of the Ex- 
 pedition, and Dilhonour of the Nation, might 
 have been prevented. 
 
 I !%• 
 
 But alas ! fuch has been the undeviating 
 Cullom of the Englijh^ fince the Adminiftra- 
 tion of the late Earl of Or — dj to bear Iiifultg 
 from all Na'ions inattentively, 'till the Reler- 
 voir of Injuries being full, the Banks are brokca 
 down, and the Torrent of Refentment ruQi- 
 ing forth with too much Impetuofity, deftroy^ 
 bv it's Violence and Quantity, the very Bene- 
 fit which it would otherwife have afforded by 
 being deliberately and juftly difpenfed abroad. 
 
 Too flow in our Revives in the Begin- 
 ning, and too impetuous in the Execution of 
 them at laft, the Zeal for doing, too frequent- 
 ly defeats the Reafons a^Jd Powers which con- 
 duit and fupport our Enterprizes, 
 
 '^«i U^"), 
 
 A *■>■•> 
 
 \]-irv. 
 
 There are not wanting indeed Men well 
 acquainted with thofe Parts of America^ who, 
 with great Appearance of Truth, and Force of 
 Argument, alledge, that a few armed Veflels 
 on the Lake Ontario ^ would have fecured us 
 g fafe and eafy Conqucft of Niagara and For^ 
 
 F % Lec[uef7U. 
 

 
 [ 4+ ] 
 
 JLequefne, It is indubitably true, that no Ship 
 of Force or Burden can enter that Ljke from 
 the Head of the River St Lawrence: Confe- 
 quently the Englijh Ships being firft let a 
 fwimniing on the Lake Ontario, they mud 
 have prevented all Supplies fiom going by 
 Watcir to Niagara, as well as deftroyed all 
 Ships pretended to be built on the Borders of 
 the Lake by the French ; as the Englifh by 
 that Condud: would become abfolute Mafters 
 of that Water, . • v 
 
 ■•ki-.i:. 
 
 t r '• 
 
 Hence, by the cruizing of thcfe Ships, it 
 being rendered impradlicable to fupply iV/tf- 
 ^ara and Fort LequefnCy a few Months con- 
 fuming the prefent Provifion, would have 
 given us PolTefiion of both ; Famine being an 
 Enemy which no human Power cap refift, 
 
 Thus then, by obferving this Conduft, a 
 fmall Expence, a prudent Patience, a fteady 
 Perfeverance, and a little Time, would have 
 accomplidied what has already failed in one 
 Part. 
 
 ;:;M f ' 
 
 .' .' -*• 
 
 :V/ ^'. 
 
 1 f| 
 
 :0i 
 
 . Let US however fuppofe, that it was abfo^ 
 lately ncceffary that an Army (hould be fent 
 to the befieging Fort Lequefne from England^ 
 (hall we be permitted the Liberty of afking 
 V thofe 
 
 '' 
 
[45] 
 
 thofe who chofe the General for this Expedi- 
 tion, and direcftcd the Undertaking, Whether 
 a hot impetuous Arrogance of Temper is that 
 which is adapted by Nature, or (hould be 
 pitched upon in a Man who is fcnt to com- 
 mand an Army in a new Land, wiieie Hard- 
 ships, more than in European Countries, muft 
 be undergone by the Sjldier, where Affability 
 and Compaflion, Gaiety, Popularity, and En- 
 couragement in a General, are the neceflary 
 Ingredients to fweeten and palliate the Bitter- 
 nefs of that Draught which War adminifters 
 to the Tafte of all Nations, and to win the 
 People to his Confidence and Obedience. 
 
 Would a Man of common Underftanding 
 have fent a felf- willed, felf-fufficient, rafh Com- 
 mander, to oppofe an Enemy in a Country re- 
 plete with Opportunities and Situations for 
 Ambufcade and Snare ? The Genius of which 
 People is to combat their Enemies in that way 
 of Fighting; a Man whofe very Prefumption, 
 Idea of Security, and Contempt of his Enemy, 
 effedually deceived him into the Ruin of his 
 brave Officers and his Army, with an Addi- 
 tion of Difgrace to his own peculiar Deftruc- 
 tion J fuch aDifpofitionin a General, is a greater 
 Advantage to a difcreet Enemy than a thou- 
 fand fighting Men added to their Party. "' ' ' 
 
 And 
 

 [ 46] 
 
 And here permit me to obfervc, that it 
 feems owing to this want of Judgment in 
 thnfc who have long appointed our Command- 
 Ik* ^flicers, that the Panic at Prejion Pans, 
 tht aiality, as it is politely called, at Falkirk, 
 the Flight at Port UOrient, and the Dilgi ace 
 at Fort Lequejhe, have thus fucceeded each 
 other, in a great mcafure, as well as to the uni- 
 verfal Corruption of ihofe Men from which 
 the Soldiery are generally colledted. ; ..' 
 
 ,. , . . .; ■'_■:}. 
 
 Had the Soldiers pofleffed a full Confi- 
 dence in either of the Generals, who com- 
 manded on thefe Days, they would probably 
 have behaved with the fame Spirit they did 
 at Culloden^ when the Duke of Cumberland, 
 in whom every Soldier confided, led them to 
 an eafy Conqueft, ^nd routed the Rebels at 
 that Place. 
 
 m 
 
 HI: 
 
 .It is this Confidence of an Army in their 
 General which unites every Hand into one 
 Adion, animates every Heart to the fame Obe^ 
 dience, and executes, by a happy Belief in 
 their General's Excellence, what is vainly ej^- 
 pedled f om the exadl Difcipline of Exercifc 
 in a Martinet \ thefe are the Means, and not 
 the Regularity of moving the Legs of a whole 
 Rank, which incite and carry a Soldier on to 
 Victory. From 
 
t47] _ [. 
 
 From what has been already faid, is it not 
 fclf-cvident, that General Braddock fliould, 
 inftead of dividing his Powers, have marched 
 in Union with Mr Shirley to Niagara^ if they 
 were determined to take that Fort by a land 
 Force? ' . 
 
 But by thus having divided their Forces, 
 and his being defeated four Days before Mr 
 Shirley began his march for Niagara ^ ^Iv Brad- 
 dock has given his Enemies that received him 
 fo fatally near Fort Lequefne^ the unexpeded 
 Opportunity and Advantage of being at Nia^ 
 gar a before the Americans under the Com- 
 mand of Mr Shirley^ and affifting their Coun- 
 trymen with all the Ammunition, Cannon, 
 and Baggage, which were taken at this dif- 
 graceful Defeat : This Circumftance, if it 
 fhould not totally prevent, will abfolutely re- 
 tard the taking JNirgara, produce more Blood- 
 fhed, and expend more Money. 
 
 I , 
 
 When we refledl on the Behaviour of our 
 Troops on this difaftrous Spot, fo fatal to Eng* 
 HJh Honour; how can we refrain from obferving 
 that the Irregulars of the Provinces held their 
 Bofoms firm again ft that Battle, and that Dan* 
 ger from which the Regulars and DifcipKncd 
 Troops turned away -, and that native Courage 
 
 fupphed 
 
[48 J 
 
 fupplicd to the uncorrupted Atnericatiy what 
 Art and Difcipline could not impart to thp 
 Soldiers of Great-Britain, 
 
 This, in my Opinion, offers an invincible 
 Proof, that a Militia in this Kingdom, raifcd 
 amongft the Farmers and Peafants, where 
 Virtue yet remains in a much greater Degree, 
 than amongft that corrupt Rabble of perjured 
 Corporation Borough-men, from whom the 
 Soldiers are chiefly coUedled, where every mo- 
 ral and religious Influence being effaced by Bri- 
 bery and Venality, all Senfe of Honour and 
 Duty is deftroyed, would be a more cffcdual 
 Defence of the Kingdom from all foreign At- 
 tacks, than ten times the Number of land- 
 ing Troops, compofed of fuch miferable Mif- 
 creants. 
 
 But alas ! fuch is the Difference in Judg- 
 ment and Condud: of that M y which 
 
 direds the Affairs o{ France and this Kingdom, 
 the Subjeds of a Free Nation are not permitted 
 to know the Ufe of Arms, and defend them- 
 felves, their Liberties, King, and Country- 
 whilft thofe which we treat as Slaves in that 
 Nation, are encouraged to the Ufe of military; 
 Difcipline, and entrufted with Arms to defend, , 
 alas I what we call neither Liberty nor Property,; 
 
 Sho^ 
 
 
 
' 
 
 [ 49 ] 
 
 Show mc a greater Paradox in all Nature, and 
 explain to me the Motives to this Behaviour 
 
 in the different M rs on juftifiable Rea- 
 
 fons, why a free People Hiould be denied the 
 Power of defending tlicir Freedom, and thofe 
 under a Monarchic Government fliould b^ 
 openly encouraged to fight for Slavery? Is 
 Bravery more natural to Slaves than Freemen ? 
 or is Defpotifm a more animating Motive to 
 the Perfon who lives under it, than the 
 Cbaroisof Liberty? .,,. , 
 
 Thus, my Countrymen, I have, with the 
 utmoft Impartiality, laid before your Eyes the 
 true Proceedings of thofe who have lately con- 
 duced our Fleets and Armies. From this View 
 does it not too plainly appear, that the Direc- 
 tion of each has been totally miftaken ? Provi- 
 dence indeed, in Pity to this favourite Ifle, has 
 almoft deviated from the common Courfe of 
 Nature, and once more faved it's Fleets from 
 Difgrace, in fpite of all the Ignorance that fu- 
 perintended them. A Miracle only could have 
 faved the Army commanded by a fclf-willed 
 General, who arrogantly defpifing the Powers 
 of his Enemy, fell the Vidim of his own Folly 
 ^od their ftipcrior Knowledge,, ....,.:'.« 
 
 •iiKi- 
 
 V vi f-. : ■: t \J^ > ».> ^. «j»; 
 
 
 ' ».-4 ' i' t,- n *■' 
 
 w 
 
 ,-i, rf-r , ; 
 
 », ... •.- tut I «. 
 
 How 
 
[ so ] 
 
 How contemptible mull we appear in the 
 Eyes of all Eurofc^ from this Imbecility of 
 m 1 Judgment in the Choice of Gene- 
 rals, what Expectations of Succefs may not 
 our Foes flatier themfelvcs with, from this vi- 
 lible Inequality of Underftanding in thofc 
 who dircdl, to the Grcatnefs of thofc Powers 
 which are to be conducted by them during 
 a War, when they have feen a State the 
 ftrongcft in maritime Force fo totally diverted 
 of all Advantage, by the finifter Application 
 of it's Navy; an immenfe Fleet preventing not 
 their Enemies from being fupplied with every 
 thing neceffary to lupport themfelves during a 
 "War ? What niuft we conceive will be the 
 
 ultimate Event, when IVI rs, by the natural 
 
 Bent of their Underflanding, can defeat all our 
 Armamen^^ with fcarce ap Enemy to oppofc 
 them ? V/ili they whofe Capacities, in Tran- 
 quillity and at Eafe, might have planned the 
 Deftrudion of their Enemies Fleet, and yet 
 have failed, be equal to the Condudl of a ge- 
 neral War, and Succefs ? 
 
 Will not thofe who have been the dudile 
 Dupes of their own Incapacity, and a Quaker's 
 felf-interefted Defigns, in appointing ufelefs 
 Expeditions and unequal Generals, be eternal- 
 ly bewildered in the Turbulence of a general 
 
 War^ 
 
 „ 
 
:s 
 
 [51 ] 
 
 War, anii the Attention which is ncccflarj' to 
 
 a Multipliciiy of Affairs? , ,. . 
 
 / 1 : : ^\ 
 
 t' 
 
 Will thofe then be lefs open to the 
 Schemes of their Enemies, than to iheir own 
 Follies, and the Defigns of their occeitful 
 Countrymen ? Will thofe Eyes which could 
 not difccrn the true Objedl that fhould be pur- 
 fued, when one only was in Agitation, be ca- 
 pable of lupervifing to the infinite Calls of a 
 general War ? 
 
 \.\ 
 
 'r» Vi J 
 
 'I ' » • ■ 
 lilt 
 
 Wh AT more beneficial Suggeftion in Fa- 
 vour of France could Moni\euT Macbaulthavc 
 
 infinuated into the Im.iginati< n o^ our M r, 
 
 than this, of concealing the Fleet of England 
 in Fogs impenetrable to human Vifion, ren- 
 dering them invifible and ufeleis ? Who but 
 this Bayes in Politics can elevate and fur- 
 prize in fo amazing a manner ? He has con- 
 cealed his Ships in Darknels as effedlual as his 
 Namefake did his Army at Knight/bridge, Is 
 
 not this, as a certain Speaker in P 1 began 
 
 his Speech; " New in Politics, new in War, 
 ** and new in Council." ; ,. — ^^ • , 
 
 \. It is more than probable that Macnamara^ 
 not meeting our Fleet in the European Seas, 
 had Orders to return, and confide in their Invi- 
 ., • G 2 fibilay 
 
I? 
 
 t 
 
 Ability on the Banks of NewfoundlaM for their 
 fafc Arrival in America, In this how little 
 was he deceived ? 
 
 ^ii) ni i'. 
 
 :.a 
 
 H E N c E it too evidently appears, that we 
 are in that finking Slate which, through all 
 Ages, has attended the Want of Underftand- 
 ing and Virtue. If then the Refurredion of 
 a Nation from Sloth and Corruption, to Ho- 
 nour and Efteem, depend on the Capacity of 
 
 thofe M rs who di«ed i', how dreary and 
 
 barren is the Profpedl which is eternally offer- 
 dd to our Eyes ? ^' ; '^ ' ^ • * ; 
 
 Is it not the fettled Rule of Providence, that 
 the beft Underftandings fhaii always prevail at 
 lad, though in the Beginning fometimcs the 
 contrary appears true 5 yet here, alas ! we want 
 that flattering Commencement. It is like the 
 Calculation of Chances ; though the Perfon 
 that deals at Pharo may be worfted once or 
 more, he mud infallibly get the better at the 
 Year's End, and ruin thofe who engage with 
 him at the Conclufion. If then the Dircdion 
 of m—— 1 Affairs run on in this Channel, what 
 fhall defend us from, national Deftrudion, 
 which comes failing down before the Wind 
 and Current full armed upon us ? - - 
 
 f \ J! 
 
 *«■>.*. 
 
 ) i/f i «,"^ 
 
 «-.: 
 
 But 
 
\ Suf as my Intent in this Letter is to ad- 
 mon'^h you, my Countrymen, before it be too 
 late, and not impute that to a criminal Heart 
 which is but Error in Underftanding ; to clear 
 myfelf of all Malevolence agamft the private 
 Charaders of thofe who fuperintend ; I mod 
 fincercly believe, that no pernicious Intention 
 
 in the M y has been the Caufe of thefs 
 
 ill-judged Undertakings and Mifcarriages J they 
 have not taken their Source from Spleen, or 
 Refentment to a Party ; which too often warp- 
 ing the Minds of M rs, drives them into 
 
 unbecoming Adions; their private Refent- 
 ment urging them to the public Ruin. -" ' 
 
 ^ I N this Inftance, th'^Ir Hearts being not cul- 
 pable will excufe them for this fingle EiTay 
 of their Incapacity, in the Opinion of all ho- 
 ned Men : But if the Ambition of prefiding in 
 public Affairs, a Paffion too often and too fa 
 tally mixed with Weaknefs of Underftanding, 
 fhould ftill goad them on to dired and ruir^, 
 what will then be their Due from your Hands ? 
 
 Yet even tho' Incapacity may plead a Par- 
 don, it does not annihilate the r.fgrace which 
 attends the Nation in confequence of it : Tho* 
 the Funifhment due to premeditated Villainy 
 cannot be imputed to the Charge of thofe Di- 
 
 redors. 
 
i:"- 
 
 C 54] 
 
 redors, yet the Sufferers are not alleviated by 
 that Confide rat ion in the Dinref^ wliich they 
 bring to a Nation. Weaknefs and Incapacity 
 are even more fatal and deflrudive than a 
 wicked Heart Joined to fuperior Intelledls in a 
 M — —r I This laft, thro' pure Underftanding, 
 will exert every Faculty ^ conceiving his own 
 and his Country's Interell infeparably united, 
 his Judgment will correct his Miftakes, and 
 re-inflate what may have been originally 
 wrong ; But want of Intelledl is irremediable ; 
 no human Power can corredl that Error ; it's 
 natural Lumpiflmefs, like Gravitation in Mat- 
 ter, making it tend for ever to the Center of 
 Darknefs; like Impotence in Nature, producing 
 noching, or but ilUiliaped Monfters: It is the 
 mod incurable of all Difeafes of the Mind. 
 
 Wh at I wifli then, is not to roufe you to 
 the Deftrudion of thefe Men, but to your own 
 Prefervation ; to awaken your Attention, that 
 nods over the Ruin which furrounds you, that, 
 like the paralytic Stroke, feems to benumb 
 your Faculties. Rife then to the Salvation of 
 your expiring Country; urge to your Rcpre- 
 fentatives the Refolution of obtaining a fupe- 
 rior Underflanding, as elTentially neceffary to 
 the Prefervation of this Kingdom, which ought 
 to be dear to every E?7gliJ}:?nan, * • 
 
 bo 
 
[55 ] _ 
 
 ''Do not imagine I mean to intimidate yoi^ 
 with the Dread of Perils, or alarm you with 
 the Idea of French Power, to the afking an 
 ignominious Peace. I am no Advocate but 
 for my Country, and for Englifj Glory : All I 
 intreat y6u is, not by exclaiming againft French 
 Perfidy to lofc the Sight of difplacing thofe, 
 who, by the Want of Underftanding, are yet 
 greater Enemies to this Nation. 
 
 A s I know that Succefs muft ultimately de- 
 pend on Prudence and Underftanding, that 
 Heaven has originally determined that Human 
 Glory fhall be the Slave of thefe and Virtue, as 
 your Lives and Properties, Liberties and Reli- 
 gion, muft be the ignominious Vidims of 
 wrong Judgment. Remember how dangerouf- 
 ly you are at prefent fituated. Will not one 
 Mifcarriage in Europe pufb you headlong into 
 the Gulf of Perdition, from that Precipice on 
 which you at prefent ftand expofed ? 
 
 ill 
 
 Let not the Clamour of Difpatch, and Im- 
 petuofity of Warlike Preparation, deceive you 
 into an Opinion of thefe Men. The headftrong 
 Horfe, whofe Violence carries him without the 
 Courfe, asefFedtually lofes the Race as that which 
 is diftanced : The Traveller who rides Poft out 
 of the Way, is at the Evening only more tired 
 ^nd farther diftant from his Plome than he 
 
 who 
 
 
 I 
 
• [56] 
 
 who trots on foberly ; and Fleets and Armies, 
 deflined by flrong mifguided Impulfe to wrong 
 Places, ufelefs and inapplicable Defigns, only 
 looner exhauft the Powers of a Nation, 
 
 m 
 
 * *Lft me implore you then to remonftrate to 
 Majefty itfelf, if your Reprefentativcs refufe 
 your Petition, that able Heads may diredl his 
 Councils ; and that Arms be intrufted to your 
 Hands, in whom Safety can be only placed ; 
 who love your King and Country, and. are 
 ready to offer up your Lives a Sacrifice to their 
 Prefervation and Welfare. 
 
 
 * 
 
 t 
 
 Let us not ftand thus, almod naked, and 
 cxpofed to the Attacks and Infults of Two 
 hundred thoufand Soldiers, defended by lefs 
 than twenty thoufand : A Battle loft in this 
 Jfle decides the Fate of England, Remedy 
 thofe Evils ; place yourfelves, your King, and 
 Country in Security; chaftife your Enemies 
 by Sea. Believe me in what I have uttered, 
 left, like the Trojans who ncgledted the Pro- 
 phecies of C^7^«^r^, felf-f ifficient, inattentive, 
 and fecure, you bewail too late the predicfted 
 Evil, when no human. Powers can remove 
 the Weight of that Ruin which now hangs 
 threatning over you. 
 
 
 FINIS, 
 
 % M.'