Ex Libris C. K. OGDEN CURIOUS PARTICULARS RESPECTING THE LATE WITH A PARALLEL between thefe celebrated PERSONAGES* AND AN Impartial Character of Lord Cbefterfield* TO WHICH IS ADDED, A SHORT VINDICATION OF THE CHRISTIAN CAUSE ANtf CHARACTER, OCCASIONED BY A RECENT RE- FLECTION THROWN UPON THEM, BY THE AUTHOR OF THE APOLOGY FOR THE LIFE AND WRITINGS OF DAVID HUME. BY A FRIEND TO RELIGIOUS AND CIVIL LIBERTY* LONDON. FOR C. KEARSLEY, AT JOHNSON'S HEAD, NO. IN FLEET STREET, PREFACE. INTERESTING particulars, and ge- nuine anecdotes, relative to juftly cele- brated perfonages, have been generally well received by the public. In political life, as well as in the republic of letters^ few have been more admired than the late LORD CHESTERFIELD, and DAVID HUME. We have, accordingly, had their Jives, letters, and characters pub- limed; or fupplements and apologies, &c. concerning them, printed. Some of the moft entertaining parts of thefe, the editor of the following felections, feledions, has endeavoured to prefent to the public, which he hopes will be both entertaining and mftruffiive. They are taken from different publications refpeft- ing Mr. HUME and LORD CHESTER- FIELD ; or the moft amufing parts of thefe writings thrown together, in a fliort compafs. The hfe of HUME, already published, makes not a part of this work : but the particulars now inferted concerning Mr. HUME'S death and funeral, with his laft will and teftament, cannot but prove a- greeable to many readers ; as muft the reflections which are added on dedications* and certain authors. Befides this, a comparifon at fome length is made between LORD CHESTER- FIELD and Mr. HUME : An impartial 2 character chara&er of the former is added, with occafional obfervations interfperfed, tend- ing to vindicate the dignity of the chrif- tian philofophy. The whole is with great deference fubmitted to the public, for whofe en- tertainment it was originally defigned. CURIOUS CURIOUS PARTICULARS, &c. SECTION I. 1 H E R E can be no ftronger proof of the high eftimation in which Mr. Hume was held, and of his being confidered as an extra- ordinary character, than the eager, yet, per- haps, idle curiofity which the public enter- tained to learn the moft minute circumftances refpecting his exit. Mr. Hume's natural temper difpofed him to feel, with exquifite fenfibility, every thing which affected his literary fame ; and notwith- ftanding his boafted equanimity, philofophy did not fhield him from the exceflive chagrin which he felt from thofe arrows, which Envy and Prejudice darted at his reputation. Amtiety, B relativq relative to his difference with the whimfical feau extracted from him a perfonal, but com- plete j unification. The illiberal criticifms which Mr. Gray* threw out againft 'him, in his Epiftolary Correfpondence, gave him much concern. He faw, with mortification, the laurel wreath which Oxford weaved to cover the bald reputation of Beattie, his antagoniji^ not his rival. And fuch was the antipathy that fubfifted between him and Mr. Tytler, the * Perhaps the mercenary Mafon is more deferring of this cenfurc than Mr. Gray. In order to fwell his volume, and to fill his pockets, the former has publiflied a Joofe and defultory Corref- pondence, which the latter never dreamt would fee the light, and would have reprobated could he ever have conceived the idea of his vrorft papers being put to this ungenerous and ungrateful ufe. . Neverthelefs, in return to a benefactor, who conferred effential favours upon him, Mr. Mafon has, as far as he was able, facri- ficed his patron's reputation at the fordid altar of Plutus. The pofthumous Poetical Pieces of Mr. Gray, though infinitely valu- able, are few in number, and were not likely to anfwer the inter - cfted purpofes of the hungry Editor by much emolument. This gentleman, therefore, refolving to eftablifli a literary property or eftate, by the name and writings of another, which he honeft- ly acquaints us he was unable to perform by his own, has given to the world, with little labour, a large but meagre Quarto, containing fome puerile letters, fuperior, however, to the Edi- tor's notes, with which they are garnifhed. And by entitling thefe " The Poems of Mr. Gray," led the public to buy up a large impreflion before the deception was difcovered. Thus has the in- genious Mafon bartered the high poetical and literary reputation of of a worthy man who confided in him for money ." Quid non mortalia peSora coges. Auri facra fames ? [ 3 1 the author of the Vindication of Mary Queen of Scots j that not fatisfied with a moft acri- monious note,* which he has publifhed in the laft edition of his Hiftory, he would not even fit in company with him, and the appearance of the one effected the inftantaneous withdraw- ing of the other* Mr. Hume, in the Hiftory of his Life, has not informed us of his having flood candi- date for the Profeflbrfhip of Moral Philofophy, in the Univerfity of Edinburgh j of the oppo- fkion which the Scots clergy excited to his pre- B 2 tenfionsj * This note deferves a place, as it will fliow that even Mr. Hume himfelf could occafionally be guilty of, * the illiberal arro- f gance, petulance and fcurrility which diflinguifh the Warburtcman * School.' " But there is a perfon, that has writ an * Enquiry, * hiltorical and critical, into the evidence againft Mary Queen of Scots j' and has attempted to refute the foregoing narrative. He *' quotes a fmgle paflage of the narrative in which Mary is faid " fimply to refufe anlwcring ; and then a fmgle paflage from Good- " all, in which me boafts fimply that Hie will anfwer ; and he very " civilly and almoft direftly calls the author a liar, on account of " this pretended contradiction. That whole Enquiry, from begin - " ning to end, is compofed of (uch fcandalous artifices. And from ' this inftance, the reader may judge of the candour, fair deal- " ing, veracity, and good manners of the Enquirer, there are, " indeed, three events in our hiftory, which may be regarded as " touchftones of party-men. An Englifh Whig, who aflerts the " reality of the popifh Plot, an Irifh Catholic, who denies die mai- " facre in 1641, and a Scotch Jacobite, who maintains the inno- " cence of Queen Mary, muft be confidered as men beyond the *' reach of argument or reafon, and muft be left to their prejudices." [4 ] tenfions j nor of the enquiry which was moved for in the venerable afTembly of the Church of Scotland, refpecting the principles incul- cated in his writings ; and of the cenfures pro- pofed to be inflicted on him as the author o Heretical Doctrines. He has obferved in the nineteenth page of his Life, that his Hiftory of Great Britain met at firft with an indifferent reception. But with refpect to this, Mr. Hume himfelf was miftaken. The firft edition of the Hiftory of Great Britain, for the reigns of James the Firft and Charles the Fii ft, was printed at Edin- burgh, A. D. 1754, for Hamilton, Balfour, and Neil. Hamilton, upon his expectations from this book, took a fhop, and fettled in London. He applied to the London bookfellers to take copies of the Hiftory from him, but none of them would deal with an interloper. Hamilton, fadly diftrefied, has recourfe to bis friend, Mr. Millar j Millar obliges him by taking fifty copies : but when gentlemen, in his well-frequented fhop, afked for the book, " Pho, (fays Millar generoufly) " it is incomplete, another vo- " lume is coming out foon. You are wel- he refigned all hopes of life. He main- tained, however, his ufual chearfulnefs ; and being refoived to make the moil of the fhort remainder of his leafe, he wrote to his friends in Edinburgh, informing them of his refolution to be in that city by a cer- tain day, which he named ; and feparate- Ly requefted their company to dinner on the day following. Accordingly, Lord Elibank* Profeflbr Fergufon, Mr. Home the Dramatic Poet, Dr. Smith, Dr. Blair, Dr. Black, and others of his literary friends, obeyed the fummons, and took a fort of farewel dinner with their dying friend. His flowery rival in hiftoric fame was alfo invited* But, alas ! the Lord Advocate of Scotland invites this Reverend Doffor on that very day to a turtle feaft. What was to be done ? both invitations could not be embraced ; the con- teft was fhort : For as it wojflfifcem> this C 2 ftprian's [ 3 Hiftorian's tafce is almoft as elegant in eating, AS in writing, he juilicioufly preferred the turtle of my Lord Advocate to the mutton of David Hume. Never did death make more regular and vifible approaches than to Mr. Hume. He met thefe with a chearfulnefs and refignation, which could only be the refult of a vigorous, underftanding, and a well-fpent life. He ftill went abroad, called upon his friends, but as the fatigue of a chaife was now become in- tolerable, he went in a fedan chair, and his ghaftly looks bore the moft finking appear- ances of fpeedy death. His fituation was the more uncomfortable, that in his weak ema- ciated ftate, the phyficians prefcribed to him inftead of a down bed, to lie on a rugged pallet*. He had already fettled his affairs, and his facetioufnefs ftill fuggefted to him to make fome verbal legacies, which would not have been fo fuitable to the gravity of a foleinn deed. His friend Mr. Home the Poet, af- fected * His difeafe was a diarrhoea 5 the phyficians were divided about the fe^^Ohe malady. There is rcafon however to con- jehire, th*^ftrder originated from z courte of eating ra- it drinking in proportion. fe&ed a delicacy which abhorred even the tafte of Port wine ; this whimfical nicety had often been the fubjeft of Mr. Hume's rail- lery, and he left verbally to his friend the poet, one bottle of Port,- and ten dozen of Claret, but on this condition, that the poet ihould drink the Port at two fittings, before he tafted the Claret. Such was the eftimation in which Mr. Hume was held, from his amiable qualities as a citizen, as well as from his literary fame, that for fome weeks before his death, his fituation became the univerfal topick of con- verfation and enquiry; each individual ex- prefling an anxious folicitude about his health, as if he had been his intimate and particular friend, On the twenty-fifth of Auguft, Mr. Hume's character was put beyond the reach of being fulled by human frailty*. As foon as he conceived himfelf to be in a dying way, he purchafed a fpot for the depofiting of his aflies; * Mr. H\ me, after his circumftances became affluent, lived Yery hofpitab.y and genteely. Yet he left to his relations up- wards of i o.i ^ol. of his own acquiring. He had a penfjop from government of 500!. per annum. [ 14 ] afties ; the fouth-weft corner of the Cafton burying-ground at Edinburgh, a rock wherein never man bad been laid. And from the par- ticular charge he gave about his corpfe, it would feem he was not altogether devoid of apprehenfions of its being treated with in- fuk. The anxious attention with which the public viewed every circumftance refpecting Mr. Hume's illnefs was not terminated even by his death. From the bufy curiofity of the mob, one would have prefumed them to entertain notions that the afhes of Mr. Hume were to have be.en the caufe or the object of miraculous exertion. As the phyficians of London and Edinburgh were divided about the feat of his diforder, thofe of the city where he died, propofed that his body fliould be opened*, but this, his brother, who was alfo his executor, agreeably to the orders of the deceafed, would not permit* It is hardly to be credited^ that the grave- diggers, digging with pick-axes Mr. Hume's grave, fhould have attracted the gaping curio- fity of the multitude. That, notwithftand- I ing [ '5 ] ing a heavy rain, which fell during the in- terment, multitudes of all ranks gazed at the funeral proceffion*, as if they had expected the hearfe to have been confumed in livid flames, or encircled with a ray of glory ; that people in a fphere much above the rab- ble would have fent to the fexton for the keys of the burying,ground, and paid him to have accefs to vifit the grave. And that on a Sunday evening (the gates of the bury- ing-ground being opened for another funeral) the company, from a public walk in the neighbourhood, flocked in fuch crouds to Mr. Hume's grave, that his brother actually became apprehenfive upon the unufual con- courfe, and ordered the grave to be railed in with all expedition. After his interment, two trufty perfons watched the grave for about eight nights. The watch was fet by eight at night j at which time a piftol was fired, and fo continued to be every hour till day-light. Candles in a lanthorn * When the mob were affembled round Mr. Hume's door to fee the corpfe taken out to interment, the following fliort dia- logue puffed -between two of the refufe of the rabble: "Ah, " (fays one) he was an Atheift." "No matter, (fays another) " he was an konfft man." Ian thorn were placed upon the grave, where' they burned all night - 3 and the greafe which dropped in renewing or {huffing the candles was to be feen upon the grave afterwards. C E R T I. CERTIFIED COPY OF THE LAST WILL and TESTAMENT O F DAVID HUME, D O J DAVID HUME, fecohd lawful " fon of Jofeph Home of Ninewells, Advo- *' cate, for the love and affedtion I bear to cc John Home, of Ninewells, my brother, fc and for other caufes, Do, by thefe pre- tc fents, under the refervations and burthens " after mentioned, Give and Difpone to the Cf faid John Home, or, if he die before me, phy in the College of Edin- t( burgh, Two hundred pounds fterling : To r/- cifles. But let us next proceed to the apology for the life and writings of our philofopher, and fee the reafons for his not having dedicated his works to any great men. To To confefs the truth, he wrote, generally, upon fubjects of which the modern nobility are, for the moft part, fo contemptibly ig- norant, that to have infcribed performances fo fcientific, to fuch patrons, would involve the Philofopher in a fimilar error of judg- ment. Indeed, nothing is more offenfive to men of true tafte, and right feeling, than the condejcenfwn of perfons of genius, to perfons of rank, merely as fuch. This it is, more than any thing elfe, that hath helped to degrade the literary character ; which, as it implies a fuperior vigour of intellect:, and a more enlarged capacity, poflefles, naturally, an unrivalled dignity. According to all the fyftems of all the feels, it is allowed that the human underftandirtg is the greateft, as it is the moft boafted, diftinction of human beings j conf quently, one of thefe beings muft rife higher than another in the fcale of rationality, only by fo much, as the diftinguifhing part of him is elevated above that of others : So, like- wife, a (hallow, illiterate, and vacant creature, muft fink in the fcale, by the fame equitable proportion. Now, it is eafy to prove, that, what are called the Great (who are but too com- monly the leaft of all God's little atoms), muft, according to the very nature of things, be amongft the worfi judges of literary merit, and and therefore, fpeaking truly, its moft im- proper patrons. Men, born to titles and to fortunes which defcend without effort, or ex- ertion of any talent whatever, imagine the cul- tivation of the mind totally adventitious : nor does the man of falhion admit it into the catalogue of his accomplifhments. Even the harlequin Lord Chefterfield that fuccefsful fmatterer allows only fuch a fhare of phi- lofophy, as belongs to the philofophy of the paflions j which is nothing more in his idea, than guarding yourjelf while you make a fine, dextrous, and fuccefsful pufh at the paflions of another. Giddinefs, glitter, the indolence of plenty, and above ail, its impudence, all contribute to render perfons of rank, frivolous, voluble, fuperficial j the illuftrious excep- tions of a Bacon, a Bolingbroke, a Shaftef- bury, a Lyttleton, a Pruffia, a Clarendon, have nothing to do with a rule fo deplorably general. This being the cafe, can any thing be fo prepofterous, as to infcribe to the mere tin- fel of titles, the labours of learning, or the reflections of accurate and abflrufe Philo- fophy ? Yet hath this been, for many ages, the practice. Whence hath it happened ? i The The queftion cannot be anfwered without affecting us. Fortune feems to have neglected thofe, whom Nature hath moft favoured ; and men of genius, I fuppofe, think it but fair, to fupply the defect by foliciting men of money. This folicitation, however, fubjedts them to all that rudenefs and difdain, which thofe who have only a handful of authority, be- flow upon their flatterers. The flatterers are, in turn, well ferved ; they fet out upon a wrong principle. The intercourfe is alto- gether ill managed. Dedications, being an- other fource of our national Hypocrify y de- ferve a more correct inveftigation. It has been juft obferved, that they are fundamen- tally falfe. A dedication admits of two diflinct defini- tions, of which, one belongs to the Patron, and one to the Author. The Patron not only receives every untruth that can be ex- prefled in the pride of Panegyric, as his due, but believes, at the fame time, that he re- ceives it from an unprovided being, who is to exift for a certain fpace of time upon the fuccefs of his encomium. Something there- fore is ufually fent to keep (for I would adopt [ 33 ] adopt the great man's language" cc the poor devil of an Author froipn ftarving :" The Au- thor's definition, is, on the other hand, fo fervile, as to deduct from every fentiment of pity, and make us confefs the juftice o his difgrace. He is contented to hvifh praifes, of which the beft man on earth, might blufli to be the object, and he expects a golden reward, proportionate to the violent colour- ings of the varnifh, and to the fainter, or fuller blaze of the " lye courteous." Which conduct fhall we mod reprobate ? They are equally contemptible. The traffic fhould be regulated more confidently. If men of genius muft needs addrefs their works to men of rank, let them arTert a more noble equality. If they draw the portraits of any perfon re- markable for any thing, let not a writer think, he is more honoured, than he honours > if he emblazons a name, which was before, glim- mering in obfcurity, the obligation is, to all intents and purpofes, on the fide of the Patron ; who, but for fuch imputed excel- lence, would have puffed unobferved through life : if he faithfully difplays a character al- ready much celebrated, he is frill a benefac- tor to that character, if it were only for jog- ging the elbow of the public, which, but for F fuch [ 34 ] fuch occasional mementos would loon forget the beft and brighteft man in the world. Serioufly, were .literary perfons to act upon fome fuch principle as this, and Ihew their Patrons, that the dealing, was, in point both of praife and profit, entirely on the fquare, it would check much of that affurance which is now Indulged, on the fuppofition that writers are to offer incenfe at the fhrine of greatnefs ; or, in words more worthy fo grovling a fub- ject, to making the faggot blaze to gratify folly, and then to be paid for burning the fingers, as the pittance is diipenfed by a tafk- mafter. Of much more fervice, indeed, would it be to genius, fcience, and general learn- ing, if their votaries' were more inclined to cherifh a fpirit of intellectual independency if, inftead of cringing to a courtier, or run- ning, from the moft fordid motives, into panegyrical hyperbole, they were to affert their dignity; and fhew the fuperior luftre of ta- lents to the dullnefs of titles, I fay, if a fpirit of this kind were aroufed, it would foon reftore to men of genius, the original rights of literature, at the fame time that it would effectually crufh that daring infolence, which is now common among a fet of people, who pique [ 35 1 pique themfelves upon advantages which, were the proper levelling power maintained, would of itfelf, by no means entitle them to equal honours. Inftead of this fpirited conduct, however, we have the misfortune to perceive a ftyle of bafenefs and adulation, creep through moil of the epiftles dedicatory for the fpace of feveral centuries ; by which means flattery and fulfomenefs is aflbciated with the very idea of thofe addrefTes, and the literary character is held, by the dulleft of the fpecies, in utter contempt. What hath, .undoubtedly, contributed to bring about fo difgraceful a circumftance, is a cuftom which prevails amongft authors, of dwelling the ignorant vanity of Patrons, by fubmitting to them a performance prior to its entry into the public world : this mode, might, indeed, be reafonable enough, were it only defigned as a compliment to the tafle of the Patron, which the Authors may be fuppofed anxious to gratify, before the matter becomes, as it were, public proper- ty ; but when it is done with a view of begging permifiion to fay civil things of ;he Patron and his family, it degenerates F 2 into [ 36 ] into a meaanefs which juftly merits the neg- lect that commonly attends it. Alk permifiion 1 for what ? For diftin- guifhing a man ? For circulating the know- ledge of his good qualities beyond the nar- row circle of very likely, a frivilous fet of" companions ! Require leave to do this ! Was there ever heard fuch an inconfift- cncy ? The point is mifconceived. Be it again remarked, that, in true fcience there is a greatnefs which can feldom receive, though it may often, confer obligations. Genius may more properly be faid to patronize, than be patronized. If a production is fit for the eye of men of tafte, it ought to be acceptable to men of rank ; who are ready enough to be thought in pofTeffion of a fine tafte them- felves, and very frequently, no doubt, pay liberally, for their dedications, folely upon that principle. If, on the other hand, a performance is crude, trifling, ill-written, and notwithftand- ing fuch defects, is, without the confent of the Patron, adorned with a name which it difgraccs, fuch Patron ought publicly to re- nounce [ 37 ] nounce his protection, and treat the pre- tender, as every pretender of whatever pro- fefiion deferves to be treated , ftill, however, with this falvo, that if the production could have done any fervice to literature, or pro- moted, but in a fmall degree, the caufe of fcience, he would have been the firft man to acknowledge his obligations, for having been thought a fit patron to aflift that caufe, and flrengthen thofe fervices. While the pre- fent fcandalous conceffions remain, the fneer will inevitably be thrown upon fuch abomin- able proftration. I have been fomewhat co- pious on this fubject, becaufe it has never, to my recollection, been placed in a proper light. / Perhaps, this doctrine of dedications, may be little relifhed by thofc who are daily pam- pered into conceit by daily panegyric, but it is a juftice which every man of letters owes to a character, founded on qualities, which ought to be a better paflport to ho- norary diftinctions, than any that can be con- ferred by royal grant, or by the pride of ancefhy. On fuch qualities was founded the reputa- tion of David Hume, fo that upon this oc- 2 cafion, cafion, at leaft, his example may be held up to the perfons engaged in literary purfuits, as a proper ftandard. It would feem from thefe ingenious remarks, on dedicators, that authors fhould maintain dignity of character, and not proftitute them- felves by addrefiing either folly or ftupidity in high ftations; but if they dedicate at all, to addrefs the wife and good only. This would undoubtedly greatly lefTen the number of dedications, and Dedicatees might be held up to view from the middling, or lower ranks, which would exhibit new phenomena in the literary region. But alas ! this, tho' a debt due to fuperior merit, is not to be expect- ed, for there would feldom be $atronage } or emoluments in the cafe. Certainly, in this infinuating kind of bufi- nefs, all daubing, flattery, or bombaft, fhould be laid afide, as what may be termed, " coarfe, flat/Bering work," has brought addrefles of this fort into contempt. A firodufition of genius requires not patronage ; That, marked by the uninterefting, the dull> or infipid, will not be pufhed into public efteem by any fatron, or dedication whatfoever. The [ 39 ] The names of feveral fenfible, and even eminent writers, have not a little been dif- graced by fulfome dedications. Dryden, Coliey Gibber, Mrs. Centlivre, Lee, Otway, and others, witnefs to the truth of this; as do fome of our modern mifcellanies, novels, plays, adventures, &c. ; not forgetting the author of liberal opinions. But it is hoped, that with the increafe of fcience, a general reform in this abufe, will take place. Literary para/ites, in an age of light and knowledge, Jhould neither befeen, felt, heard, or underjlood. BETWIXT DAVID HUME and LORD CHESTERFIELD. [ 43 3 SECTION III. A PARALLEL betwixt DAVID HUME and LORD CHESTERFIELD, both with re- fpect to Abilities and Principles. I A E T me now, fays the author of the Apo- logy, &c. draw a flight parallel betwixt this gentleman, and another celebrated writer, who defcended into the tomb a little before him. I would perfuade the reader to compare with me the fyftem of David Hume, and that of the late Earl of Chefterfield. Not with a view of propofmg the former to his imitation for that point fhould always be fettled by a man's own mind, after a great deal of premedita- tion upon the matter but, as it may ferve to fhew, what hath, indeed, been a principal endeavour in thefe pages, that it is poffible even for fceptics, to be more worthy mem- G a bers t 44 3 bers of fociety, more reverend to a firft caufe, whatever it may be, and more eficntially the friend of mankind, than the moft illuftrious perfons who have never ventured fo far into the receffes of enquiry. Lord Chefterfield was a character more diftinguilhed for the brillian- cy of his wit, than the folider powers of his underftanding. In points of philofophy, he was exceedingly fuperficial, in politics he did not want fagacity or experience. Affifted, however, very much, by the fplendours of his title for a little fpark will make a large luftre in a Lord he fuftained his character with fingular eclat, and patted in the world (which is very eafily dazzled) as a compound of elegance, humour, morality, gaiety, and patronage. Thefe qualities, in a certain de- gree, we allow him to have pofleffed, except one : it certainly is not now neceflfary to ob- ferve that it is the word morality which muft be icratched out of this lift. For many years, however, Lord Chefterfield's morals were un- fufpeded ; at length, too fuperficial to be con- fident, or perhaps, weary of deceiving the world into notions of his plain dealing, he condefcended, in the eve of life, to fhew man- kind what a bubbk he had made of it j how long, and how fuccefsful he had fported upon its weaknefles with how much eaie he had 2 played [ 45 ] played the elegant trifler, and by what modes and manoeuvres, he had, with a facility which required no effort but a ihnooth face, and pli- able features, led, in victorious chains, a thou- fand fools to the altars either of ridicule, or de- bauchery, or deftrucUon. Such were the principles ; fuch is the fyftem of this diftinguifaed hypocrite, by the adoption of whofe precepts, it is utterly impoflible either for youth or age, wit or wifdom, to efcape every thing that is execrable, contemptible, and delufive. The atheiftical Hume, as fome have called him, was, in comparifon with Chef- terfield, deferving of every epithet that could be formed in language to exprefs virtue. In his life, writing, and at his death, he feems to have abhorred dijfimulation ; and yet, his com- pany " was not unacceptible to the young and carelefs, as well as to the ftudious, and lite- rary ;" nor had he " any reafon to complain of t'.ie reception he met from modefl women, in whofe company he was particularly de- lighted." He did not, neverthelefs, profefs a fondnefs for the fociety of mcdeft women, becaufe it was Jafer to have an affair of gal- lantry with fuch, than with a proftitute pro- fefied j or becaufe the connection was more, elevated and confident witli the amours of a gentleman i gentleman ; nor did he mix with the gay, and carelefs, with any latent defign to take an ad- vantage of the chearful hour, in order to make himfelf mafter of the fecrets of the heart, im- parted in its fullnefs and confequently mafter of the perfon to whom that entrapped heart had the misfortune to belong. By no means. Whatever objections may lie againft the phi- lofophy of Hume ; none of them are of this nature ; fince his moft abftracl: refearches were in favour of a behaviour perfectly irreproach- able. Whoever is acquainted with Mr. Hume's writings, will bear witnefs, that he was a lover of decency, order and decorum. Whoever knew the man, can atteft, that, the following pafTages are no wife exaggerated. and Mr. Hume, cannot but claim attention from perfons of tafte, and a laudable curiofity. After what has been faid by Humes advo- cates, particularly, by the afologiji for his life and writings, it were wrong not to remark on fome fentiments that have been thrown out, with an air of triumph by that writer. K He [ 66 ] He fays, " perhaps it is one of the very worft circumflances againft the cauje of chrifti- anity, that very few of its profeffors were ever either fo moral, fo humane, or could fo phi- lofophically govern their pafiions, as the fcep- tical David Hume. It is admitted that the lives of too many who think themfclves chriftians, are vicious and immoral, a difgrace to their profeflion, a re- proach to humanity. I will alfb admit Mr. Hume to have had, a virtuous, philofophic mind. But furely chriftianity ought not to be blamed for the profligacy of its profeiibrs. It were as unjuft to declaim againft the beauty and excellence of our civil ccnftitution, becaufe it hath been fo frequently violated by the venal, and the wicked. Chriftianity gives not fhelter to any fin j but on the contrary, hath fet the precepts and example of its divine founder againft all iniquity, as well as the pains of the world to come. If its votaries are not pure, Jelf-denied 3 meek., humble, pious and benevolent, it is not the fault of their religion j becaufe, for fublimity of precepts and doclrines, un- adulterated chriftianity will ever Hand unri- valled. But [ 6? 1 But that very few of its profeflbrs, " were ever, either fo moral, fo humane, or could fo fhilojophically govern their paffions as Mr. Hume," I deny.' Tho' clerical charaflers may, probably, appear moft exceptionable to the author of this unjuft remark, yet the very refpeftable names of Leighton, Barrow, Which- cot, fillet/on, Cud-worth, Burnet, Clarke, Head- ley, Butler, Middletcn, Clayton, Berkley, Young, Sherlock, Seeker Fofter, Chandler, Duchal Abernethly, Watts, Iceland, and others that might be named, fully evince the contrary. Several of thefe were remarkable for Jelf go- vernment, for an equanimity of temper, effected by moral difcifline , all of them were men of abilities, and diftinguifhed by eminent virtue : Nor is there one of them, whofe life was not as pure, and, perhaps, more ufeful than Mr. Hume's. But our catalogue of chriftian worthies need not be confined to the clerical order. The lift of ftatejmen, -patriots, and fhilojophers that have adorned our annals, likewife contradicl: fo vague an aflfertion. When we fpcak of Sir Matthew Hale, Sir Thomas More, of Milton, Sydney, Locke, Newton, Boyle, Addijon, Hut- chefon, with certain cotemporaries of the two laft, and Lord Lyttleton j we fhall fee in K 2 tome [ 68 ] , fomc of thefe, that both Mr. Hume's virtues and abilities, more than equalled. The LATTER END of mofl of the names above-mentioned, was fo peaceful, fo full of hope, fo nobly fupported by a confcioujnefs to paft retfitude of life, and at the fame time, marked by fuch fublime fentiments j that when we ccntraft their laftfcene, to Mr. Hume's not having an excuje to give Charon, which in- deed fhewed much ferenity of mind) a great fuperiority appears. The entertainment de- rived from Lucian's Dialogues of the Dead, was but cold and infipid at fuch an hour, compared to the elevated ftrains of devotion which fell from thofe who did honour to the chriftian name, It were indelicate to fpeak of living cha- racters, or numbers would fwell the recital, as moral, and humane as Mr. Hume. But if we look back to the firft reformers, or days of perfecution, when truth flood in need of fup- port from its votaries , fhould we bring into this account thofe chriftian heroes and martyrs, who animated by virtuous refolution, fuffered, and bled in the nobleft of all caufes, a glo- rious cloud of witncifes in our favour would appear, The 69 ] The magnimity, and greatnefs of mind that diftinguifhed many of thefe when perfecuted, and put to death for righteoufnefs fake, cannot but command our admiration ! 1 fhall not fay, whether Mr. Hume would have fhewn as much firmnefs in defence of his moft favourite tenets ; but he has, I believe, never made any expenfive facrifices on the alta* of truth and li- berty, confequently not to be fet in competi- tion with tried, triumphant integrity. The calm retreats of fhilofofhic cafe, call not forth the heroic virtues. In fuch retire- ments (fometimes devoted to fceptical difqui- fitions) temptations to defection, have been, comparatively, but few; nor can individuals of this fort much boaft of having exhibited to the world, many inftances of perfevering for- titude under perfecuting trials, or of having met the Kiug of Terrors, in his moft awful ap- pearances with that generous contempt, or Jur- prifing rejolution which marked the exits of many chriftian martyrs even at the ftake, or when the flames had laid hold on them ! However moral and humane Mr. Hume may have been, (his merit is not controverted) yet his admirers ought not to celebrate his vir- [ 7 ] tue at the expence of the chriftian character, (which we have feen is elevated) or, as if good morals, and deifm, had before been ftrangers ! Such triumph on account of goodnefs and hu- manity in zjceptical individual, would feem to mark a deficiency in eminent worth among thofe of that caft. Be this as it may, certain it is, that Mr. Hume's propofitions, refpeding CAUSE and EFFECT, would, if purfued in their confe- quences, terminate nearly in atheifm: This hath been the opinion of wife and good men. It is needlefs to fay, how fuch tenets tend to loofen moral obligation, confequently to deftroy the moft effential inter efts of fociety. It is, therefore, with caution, that the young and unthinking mould hear men of fuch principles, praifed, or fet above thofe eminent profeflbrs of chriftianity, to which honour, I truft, it now appears they have not a juft claim. Licentioufnefs in principle, has generally lead to libertinfm in practice, and I will alfert, " that the man who is bound by the awful Janftions of religion, may be moft depended on 3" he bids faireft for being the honeft trader, the good neighbour, and citizen, the fincere friend, and ftedfaft fteadfaft lover of his country j or for difcharg- ing in a becoming manner, all the duties of civil and focial life. Nay, I know not, whe- ther it would be a breach of charity to fay, " that doubters or unbelievers, have feldombeen eminent for purify of manners, difinterefted bene- ficence, exalted piety, or for true magnanimity mind. It is not to perfons of this defcription, that truth and liberty j the civil and religious rights of mankind ; arts, fciences and philofophy ; the peace and happinefs of mens minds ; or their advancement in ufeful knowledge, fub- ftantial piety, and generous virtue, Hand emi- nently indebted. On the contrary, many of them, have been the moftfuperficial, bigot ted, and narrow minded of mortals-, covetous profligate, impious! under a pretence of greater freedom of thought than others, they have been known to take liberties inconfiftent with decency and gocd manners, or have openly attempted, by the coarfeft buffoonery ', to throw the moft venerable things into con- tempt. Itwereunnecefiary to add, that calmnefs and true fortitude of fpirit, are not likely to be the death bed attendants on fuch men. Thefe [ 72 ] Thefe particulars will, it is hoped, fhew the futility, as well as falfehood of the afiertion we have been controverting, viz. which is certainly an excellent and a good moral comedy, did noc defign to fatirize any great man of that age ; yet a great man in France at that time took it to himfelf, and fancied the author had taken him as a model for one of the principal and one of the worft characters in that comedy: By good luck he was not the licenfer, other- wife the kingdom of France had never had the pleafure, the happinefs, I may fay, of feeing that play acted ; but when the play- ers firft propofed to act it at Paris, he had intereft enough to get it forbid. Moliere, who knew himfelf innocent of what was laid to his charge, complained to his patron the Prince of Conti, that as his play was de- iigned only to expofe hypocrify, and a falfe pretence to religion, it was very hard it fhould be forbid being acted, when at the fame time they were fuffered to expofe re- ligion itfelf every night publicly upon the Italian ftage. To which the Prince wittily anfwered, 'lis true, Moliere, Harlequin ridi- cules Heaven, and expofes Religion ; but you have done much ivorfe you have ridiculed the frjl Mitiifter of Religion, I am [ 88 1 I am as much for reftraining the licentiouf- nefs of the Stage, and every other fort of li- centioufnefs, as any of your 'kJotfdfhips can be; but, my Lordsj I am, I fhall always be ex- tremely cautious and fearful of making the leaft encroachment upon liberty; and there- fore, when a new law is propofed againft li- centioufnefs, I fhall always be for confidering it deliberately and maturely, before I venture to give my confent to its being paffed. This is a fufficient reafon for my being againft palling this Bill at fo unfeafonable a time, and in fo extraordinary a manner ; but I have my reafons for being againft the Bill itfelf, fome of which I fhall beg leave to explain to your Lordfhips. The Bill, my Lords, at firft view, may feem to be defigned only a- gainft the Stage, but to me it plainly appears to point fomewherc elle. It is an arrow that does but glance upon the Stage, the mortal wound feems defigned againft the liberty of the prefs. By this Bill you prevent a play be- ing acted, but you do not prevent its being printed ; therefore, if a licence fhould be re- fufed for its being acted, we may depend on it the play will be printed. It will be printed and publifhed, my Lords, with the refufal in capital letters on the title page. People are always fond of what is forbidden. Libri pro- 2 bibitt [ 9 ] bibiti are in all countries diligently and ge- nerally fought after. It will be much eafier to procure a refufal, than it ever was to pro- cure a good houfe, or a good fale : There- fore we may expect, that plays will be wrote on purpofc to have a refufal: This will cer- tainly procure a good fale : Thus will fatires be fpread and difperfed through the whole na- tion, and thus every man in the kingdom may and probably will, read for fixpence, what a few only could have feen acted and that not under the expence of half a crown. We fhall then be told, What! Will you allow an in- famous libel to be printed and difperfed, which you would not allow to be acted? You have agreed to a law for preventing its be- ing acted, can you refufe your afient to a law for preventing its being printed and publifh- ed ? I fhould really my Lords, be glad to hear what excufe, what reafon one could givfr for being againft the latter, after having a- greed to the former; for, I proteft I can- not fugged to myfelf the leaft fhadovv of an excufe. If we agree to the Bill now be- fore us, we muft perhaps next fefiion, agree to a Bill for preventing any play being printed without a licence. Then fatires will be wrote by way of novels, fecret hiftories, dialogues, or under fome fuch title ; and thereupon we fhall N be [ 9 1 be told, What ! Will you allow an infamous libel to be printed and difperfed, only becaufe it does not bear the title of a play ? Thus, my Lords, from the precedent now before us, we fliall be induced, nay we can find no reafon for refufmg to lay the prefs under a general li- cence, and then we may bid adieu to the liber- ties of Great Britain. But fuppofe, my Lords, it were necefiary to make a new law for the retraining the li- centioufnefs of the Stage, which I am very far from granting, yet I lhall never be for efta- blifliing fuch a power as is propofed by this Bill. If poets and players are to be reftrained, let them be reftrained as other fubjecls are, by the known laws of their country ; if they of- fend, let them be tried as every Englijhman ought to be, by God and their country. Do not let us fubject them to the arbitrary will and pleafure of any one man. A power lodged in the hands of one fmglc man, to judge and determine, without any limitation, without any controul or appeal, is a fort of power un- known to our laws, inconfiftent with our con- ftitution. It is a higher, a more abfolute power than we truft even to the' King him- felfi and therefore I muft think, we ought not to veft any fuch power in his Majefty's Lord f 9' ] Lord Chamberlain. When I fay this, I am fare I do not mean to give the leaft, the moft diftant offence to the noble Duke who now fills the poft of Lord Chamberlain : His na- tural candour and love of juftice, would not, I know, permit him to exercife any power but with the ftricteft regard to the rules of juftice and humanity. Were we fure his fucceffors in that high office would always be perfons of fuch diftinguifhed merit, even the power to be eftablifhed by this Bill could give me no farther alarm, than left it fhould be made a precedent for introducing other new powers of the fame nature. This, indeed, is an alarm which cannot be avoided, which cannot be prevented by any hope, by any confideration; it is an alarm which, I think, every man muft take, who has a due regard to the conftitution and liberties of his country, I fliall admit, my Lords, that the Stage ought not upon any occafion to meddle with politics, and for this very reafon, among the reft, I am againft the Bill now before us: This Bill will be fo far from preventing the Stage's meddling with politics, that 1 fear it will be the occafion of its meddling with no- thing die i but then it will be a political Stage It will be made fubfervient to the N 2 politics [ 9i J politics. and fchemes of the court only. The licentioufnefs of the Stage will be encouraged inftead of being reftrained; but, like court - journalifts; it will be licentious only againft the patrons of liberty, and the protectors of the people. Whatever man, whatever party oppofes the court in any of their moil de- ftrudlive fchemes, will, upon the- Stage, be re- prefented in the mod ridiculous light the hirelings of a court can contrive. True patriotifm and love of public good will be reprefented as madnefs, or as a cloak for envy, difappointment and malice j while the moft flagitious crimes, the moft extravagant vices and follies, if they are fafhionable at court, will be difguifed and dreft up in the habit of the moft amiable virtues. This has formerly been the cafe: In King Charles lid's days the play-houfe was under a licence. What was the confequence ? The play- houie retailed nothing but the politics, the vices, and the follies of the court': Not to expofe them ; no but to recommend them: though it muft be granted their poli- tics were often as bad as their vices, and much more pernicious than their other fol- lies. It is true, the court had, at that time, a great deal of wit ; it was then indeed full of men of true wit and great humour; but 2. it [ 93 ] it was the more dangerous ; for the courtiers did then, as thorough-paced courtiers always will do, they facrificed their honour, by mak- ing their wit and their humour fubfervient to the court only j and what made it ftill appear more dangerous, no man could appear upon the ftage againft them. We know that Dryden, the Poet Laureat of that reign, always repre- fents the cavaliers as honeft, brave, merry fel- lows, and fine gentlemen : Indeed, his fine gentleman, as he generally draws him, is an atheiftical, lewd, abandoned fellow, which was at that time, it feems, the fafliionable cha- racter at court. On the other hand, he always reprefents the diffenters as hypocritical, dif- fembling rogues, or fHipid fenfelefs boobies. When the court had a mind to fall out with the Dutch, he wrote M\ Amboyna, in which he reprefents the Dutch as a pack of avariti- ous, cruel, ungrateful rafcals. And when the Exclufion Bill was moved in parliament, he wrote his Duke of Guife, in which thofe who were for preferving and fecuring the religion of their country, were expofed under the cha- mber of the Duke of Guife and his party, who leagued together, for excluding Henry IV. of France from the throne, on account of his re- ligion. The city of London too, was made to feel the partial and mercenary licentioufnefs of [ 94 3 of the Stage at that time ; for the citizens having at that time, as well as now, a great deal of property, they had a mind to preferve that property, and therefore they oppoied fome of the arbitrary meafures which were then, be- gun, but purfued more openly in the following reign; for which reafon they were then al- ways reprefented upon the Stage, as a parcel of defigning knaves, diffembling hypocrites, griping ufurers, and cuckolds into the bar- gain. My Lords, the proper bufmefs of the Stage, and that for which only it is ufeful, is to ex- pofe thofe vices and follies, which the laws cannot lay hold of, and to recommend thofe beauties and virtues, which minifters and cour- tiers feldom either imitate or reward ; but by laying it under a licence, and under an arbi- trary court-licence too, you will, in my opi- nion, intirely pervert its ufej for though I have the greateft efteem for that noble Duke, in whofe hands this power is at prefent defign- ed to fall, though I have an intire confidence in his judgment and impartiality ; yet I may fuppofe that a leaning towards the fafhions of a court is fometimes hard to be avoided. It may be very difficult to make one who is every- day at court believe that to be a vice or folly, which C 95 f which he fees daily pradifed by thofe he loves and efteems. By cuftom even deformity itfelf becomes familiar, and at laft agreeable. To fuch, a perfon, let his natural impartiality be ever fo great, that may appear a libel againfl the court, which is only a moft juft and a moil neceflary fatire upon the fafhionable vices and follies of the court. Courtiers, my Lords, are too polite to reprove one another; the only place where they can meet with any juft reproof, is a free, though not a licentious Stage;, and as every fort of vice and folly, generally in all countries, begins at court, and from thence fpreads through the country, by laying the Stage under an arbitrary court-licence, in- ftead of leaving it what it is, and always ought to be, a gentle fcourge for the vices of great men and courtiers, you will make it a canal for propagating and conveying their vices and follies through the whole kingdom. From hence, my Lords, I think it muft ap- pear, that the Bill now before us cannot fo properly be called a Bill for reftraining the li- centioufnels, as it may be called a Bill for re- ftraining the liberty of the Stage, and for re- ftraining it too in that- branch which in all countries has been the moft ufeful ; therefore I muft look upon the Bill as a moft dangerous encroach- 96 ] encroachment upon liberty in general. Nay farther, my Lords, it Is not only an encroach- ment upon liberty, but it is likewife an en- croachment on property. Wit, my Lords, is a fort of property : It is the property of thofe that have it, and too often the only property they have to depend on. It is, indeed, but a " precarious dependance. Thank God ! we, my Lords, have a dependance of another kind, we have a much lefs precarious fup- port, and therefore, cannot feel the incon- veniencies of the Bill now before us , but it is our duty to encourage and protect wit, \vhofoever 's property it may be. Thofe gen- tlemen who have any fuch property, are all, I hope, our friends : Do not let us fubject them to any unnecefiary or arbitrary reftraint. I muft own, I cannot eafily agree to the laying of any tax upon wit ; but by this Bill it is to be heavily taxed, it is to be excifed j for if this Bill paries, it cannot be retailed in a proper way without a permit j and the Lord Cham- berlain is to have the honour of being chief gauger, fupervifor, commiflioner, judge and jury : But what is ftill more hard, though the poor author, the proprietor I fhould fay, can- not perhaps dine till he has found out and a- greed with a purchaferj yet before he can propofe to feck for a purchafer, he muft patiently [ 97 ] patiently fubmit to have his goods rummaged at their new excife-office, where they may be detained for fourteen days, and even then he may find them returned as prohibited goods^ by which his chief and bed market will be for ever fhut againft him; and that without any caufe, without the leaft fhadow of rea- fon, either from the laws of his country, or the laws of the Stage. Thefe hardfliips, this hazard, which every gentleman will be expofed to who writes any thing for the Stage, muft certainly prevent every man of a generous and free fpirit from attempting any thing in that way ; and as the Stage has always been the proper chan- nel for wit and humour, therefore, my Lords, when I fpeak againft this Bill, I muft think I plead the caufe of wir, I plead the caufe of humoiir, 1 plead the caufe of the Britijh Stage, and of every gentleman of tafte in the kingdom : But it is not^ my Lords, for the fake of wit only ; even for the fake of his Majefty's Lord Chamber- lain, I muft be againft this Bill. The noble Duke who has now the honour to execute that office, has, I am fure, as little inclination to difoblige as any man; but if this Bill pafies-, he muft difoblige, he may difoblige fome of his mod intimate O friends. [ 9* ] friends. It is impofiible to write a play, but fome of the characters, or fome of the fatire, may be interpreted fo as to point at fome perfon or other, perhaps at fome perfon in an eminent ftation : When it comes to be acted, the people will make the application, and the perfon againil whom the application is made, will think himfelf injured, and will, at leaft privately, refent it: At prefent this refentment can be directed only againft the author j but when an author's play appears with my Lord Chamberlain's paiTport, every fuch refentment will be turned from the au- thor, and pointed directly againft the Lord Chamberlain, who by his flamp made the piece current. What an unthankful office are we therefore by this Bill to put upon his Majefty's Lord Chamberlain ! an office which can no way contribute to his honour or profit, and yet fuch a one as muft neceflarily gain him a great deal of ill will, and create him a number of enemies. The laft reafon I fhall trouble your Lord- ihips with for my being againft the Bill, is, that in my opinion, it will no way anfwer the end propofed: I mean the end openly pro- pofed, and, I am fure, the only end which your Lordfhips propofe. To prevent the act- ing t 99 ] ing of a play which has any tendency to blafphemy, immorality, fedition, or private fcandal, can fignify nothing, nnlefs you can likewife prevent its being printed and pub- liihed. On the contrary, if you prevent its being acted, and admit of its being printed and published, you will propagate the mif- chief: Your prohibition will prove a bellows which will blow up the fire you intend to extinguish. This Bill can therefore be of no ufe for preventing either the public or the private injury intended by fuch a play; and confequently can be of no manner of ufe, unlefs it be defigned as a precedent, as a leading ftep towards another, for fubject- jng the Prefs likewife to a licenfer. For fuch a wicked purpofe it may, indeed, be of great ufe ; and in that light, it may moft properly be called a ftep towards arbitrary power. Let us confider, my Lords, that arbitrary power has feldom or ever been introduced into any country at once. It muft be intro- duced by flow degrees, and as it were ftep by ftep, left the people fhould perceive its approach. The barriers and fences of the people's liberty muft be plucked up one by pne, and fome plaufible pretences muft be O i found [ 100 ] found for removing or hood-winking, one after another, thofe fentries who are pofted by the conftitution of eyery free country, for warning the people of their danger. When thefe preparatory fteps are once made,- the people may then, indeed, with regret fee flavery and arbitrary power making long flrides over their land, but it will then be too late to think of preventing or avoiding the impending ruin. The Stage, my Lords, and the Prefs, are two of our out-fentries ; if we remove them, if we hood-wink them, if we throw them in fetters, the enemy may furprize us. Therefore I muft look upon the Bill now before us as a. flep, and a moft necefiary ftep top, for in- troducing arbitrary power into this kingdom: It is a ftep fo neceflary, that, if ever any fu.ture ambitious king, or guilty minifter, Ihould form to himfelf fo wicked a defign^ he will have reafon to thank us for having done fo much of the work to his hand ; but fqch thanks, or thanks from fuch a man, J am convinced every one of your Lord- Jhips would bjulh to receive, and {corn to $eferye * T * By this Bill, which puffed both houfes, all copies of plays, farces, or any thing wrote in the dramatic way, are to lie [ 10. ] lie before his Grace the Lord Chamberlain of his Majefty'* houfhold for the time being, for his Grace's perufal and appro- Ration, before they Jhall be exhibited on the Stage. TO THE KING'S moft Excellent MAJESTY. The humble PETITION of PHILIP Earl of CHESTERFIELD, Knight of the moft noble Order of the Garter. SHEWETH, JL HAT your Petitioner, being rendered, by deafnefs, as ufelefs and infignificant as moft of his equals and cotemporaries are by nature, hopes in common with them, to fhare your Majefty's Royal favour and bounty ; whereby he may be enabled either to fave or fpend, as he fhall think proper, more than he can do at prefent. That your Petitioner, having had the honour of ferving your Majefty in feveral very lucrative employments, feems thereby entitled to a lu- crative retreat from bufinefs, and to enjoy otmm fUffi cum dignltate > that is, leifure and a large pen- fion. Your Petitioner humbly prefumes, that he has, at leaft, a common claim to fuch a pen- lion : he has a vote in the moft auguft affem- bly in the world j he has an eftate that puts him above wanting it ; but he has, at the fame time (though he fays it) an elevation of fenti- ment, that makes him not only defire, but (pardon, dread Sir, an exprefiion you are ufed to) injtft upon it. That your Petitioner is little apt, and always unwilling, to fpeak advantageoufly of himfelf; but as, after all, fome juftice is due to one's- felf, as well as to others, he begs leave to re- prefent, That his loyalty to your Majefty has al- ways been unfhaken, even in the worft of times 5 That, particularly, in the late unnatural rebel- lion, when the Pretender advanced as far as Derby, at the head of, at leaft, three thoufand undifciplined men, the flower of the Scottifh Nobility and Gentry, your Petitioner did not join him, as unqueftionably he might have done, had he been fo inclined j but, on the contrary, raifed fixteen companies, of one hundred men each, at the public expence, in fupport of your Majefty's undoubted right to the Imperial Crown Crown of thefe Realms; which diftinguifhed proof of his loyalty is, to this hour, unre- warded. Your Majefty's Petitioner is well aware* that your Civil Lift muft neceffarily be in a low and languid ftate, after the various, fre- quent, and profufe evacuations which it has of late years undergone ; but, at the fame time, he prefumes to hope, that this argu- ment, which feems not to have been made ufe of againft any other perfon whatfoever, lhall not, in this fmgle cafe, be urged againft him ; and the lefs fo, as he has good reafons to be- lieve, that the deficiencies of the Penfion-fund are by no means the laft that will be made good by Parliament. Your Petitioner begs leave to obferve, That a fmall Penfion is difgraceful and opprobious, as it intimates a fhameful necefTity on one part, and a degrading fort of charity on the other r but that a great one implies dignity and afflu- ence on one fide , on the other regard and efteem; which, doubtlefs, your Majefty muft entertain in the higheft degree, for thofe great perfonages whofe refpectable names ftand upon rour Eleemofynary lift. Your Petitioner, there- P fore fore humbly perfuades himfelf, upon this prm-, ciple, that lefs than three thoufand pounds a year will not be propofed to him : if made up gold the more agreeable j if for life the more marketable. Your Petitioner perfuades himfelf, that your Majefty will not fufpeft this his humble appli- cation to proceed from any mean, interefted motive, of which he has always had the ut- moft abhorrence. No, Sir, he confeffes his own weaknefs - y Honour alone is his object ; Honour is his paflion ; Honour is dearer to him than life. To Honour he has always fa- crificed all other confederations j and upon this generous principle, fingly, he now folicits that honour, which, in the moft fining times, dif- tinguifhed the greateft men of Greece - t who were fed at the expence of the public. Upon this Honour, fo facred to him as a Peer, fo tender to him as a lylan, he moft fo- lemnly affures your Majefty, that, in cafe yoi^ fhall be pleafed to grant him this his humble requeft, he will gratefully aiid honourably fup T port, and promote with zeal and vigour, the worft meafure that the worft Minifter can ever, to your Majefty: but, on the other handj [ 107 3 hand, ihould he be fingled out, marked, and branded by a refufal, he thinks himfelf obliged jn honour to declare, that he will, to the ut- rnoft of his power, oppofe the beft and wifeft jneafures that your NJajdty yoyrfelf can eyer dictate, And your Majefty's Petitioner fhall ever pray, F I N I University of California SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1388 Return this material to the library from which it was borrowed. APR 18 1994 A 000358187 3 Utii versity