In the firſt Chapter of his excellent Trea⯑tiſe, he reaſons Philoſophically concerning the Nature of the Soul of Man, and thoſe Qua⯑lities which render it ſuſceptible of Lyes. He ſuppoſes the Soul to be of the Nature of a Plano-Cylindrical Speculum, or Looking-glaſs; that the plain ſide was made by God Almigh⯑ty, but that the Devil afterwards wrought the other ſide into a Cylindrical Figure. The plain ſide repreſents Objects juſt as they are, and the Cylindrical ſide, by the Rules of Catoptricks, muſt needs repreſent true Objects falſe, and falſe Objects true; but the Cylin⯑drical ſide being much the larger Surface, takes in a greater Compaſs of viſual Rays. That upon the Cylindrical ſide of the Soul of Man depends the whole Art and Succeſs of Political Lying. The Author, in this Chap⯑ter, proceeds to reaſon upon the other Qua⯑lities of the Mind; As, great Fondneſs of the Malicious and the Miraculous: The Tendency of the Soul towards the Malicious, ſprings from Self-love, or a Pleaſure to find Man⯑kind more wicked, baſe, or unfortunate, than our ſelves. The Deſign of the Miraculous, proceeds from the Inactivity of the Soul, or its Incapacity to be moved or delighted with any thing that is vulgar or common. The Author having eſtabliſh'd the Qualities of the [8] MIND, upon which his Art is founded, he proceeds,

In his Second Chapter, to Treat of the Nature of Political Lying; which he defines, to be, The Art of convincing the People of Salu⯑tary Falſhoods, for ſome good End. He calls it an Art to diſtinguiſh it from that of telling Truth, which does not ſeem to want Art; but then he would have this underſtood on⯑ly as to the Invention, becauſe there is indeed more Art neceſſary to convince the People of a Salutary Truth, than a Salutary Falſhood. Then he proceeds to prove, that there are Salutary Falſhoods, of which he gives a great many Inſtances both before and after the Revolution; and demonſtrates plainly, that we could not have carried, on the War ſo long, without ſeveral of thoſe Salutary Falſ⯑hoods. He gives Rules to calculate the Va⯑lue of a Political Lye, in Pounds, Shillings, and Pence. By Good, he does not mean that which is abſolutely ſo, but what appears ſo to the Artiſt, which is a ſufficient Ground for him to proceed upon; and. he diſtinguiſhes the Good, as it commonly, is, into Bonum utile, dulce, & honeſtum. He ſhews you, that there are Political Lyes of a mix'd Nature, which include all the Three in different reſpects▪ That the Utile reigns generally about the Exchange, the Dulce and Honeſtum at the Weſt⯑minſter End of the Town. One Man ſpreads [9] a Lye to ſell or Buy Stock to greater Advan⯑tage; a ſecond, becauſe it is honorable to ſerve his Party; and a third, becauſe it is ſweet to gratify his Revenge. Having ex⯑plain'd the ſeveral Terms of his Definition, he proceeds,

In his Third Chapter, to treat of the Law⯑fulneſs of Political Lying; which he deduces from its true and genuine Principles, by en⯑quiring into the ſeveral Rights that Man⯑kind have to Truth. He ſhews, that the People have a Right to private Truth from their Neighbours, and oeconomical Truth from their own Family; that they ſhould not be abuſed by their Wives, Children, and Servants; but, that they have no Right at all to Political Truth: That the People may as well all pretend to be Lords of Mannors and poſſeſs great Eſtates, as to have Truth told them in Matters of Government. The Author, with great Judgment, ſtates the ſe⯑veral Shares of Mankind in this Matter of Truth, according to their ſeveral Capacities, Dignities, and Profeſſions; and ſhews you, that Children have hardly any ſhare at all; in conſequence of which, they have very ſeldom any Truth told them. It muſt be own'd, that the Author, in this Chapter, has ſome ſeeming Difficulties to anſwer and explain Texts of Scripture, and a Sermon lately Preach'd before Her Majeſty at Windſor.

The Fourth Chapter is wholly employed in this Queſton, Whether the Right of Coinage of Political Lyes be wholly in the Government? The Author, who is a true Friend to Engliſh Liberty, determines in the Negative, and anſwers all the Arguments of the oppoſite Party with great Acuteneſs; That as the Go⯑vernment of England has a Mixture of De⯑mocratical in it, ſo the Right of Inventing and Spreading Political Lyes, is partly in the People; and their obſtinate Adherence to this juſt Privilege has been moſt conſpicuous, and ſhin'd with great Luſtre of late Years: That it happens very often, that there is no other Means left to the good People of England to pull down a Miniſtry and Government they are weary of, but by exerciſing this their undoubted Right: That abundance of Political Lying is a ſure ſign of true Engliſh Liberty: That as Miniſters do ſometimes uſe Tools to ſupport their Power, it is but reaſonable that the People ſhould employ the ſame Weapon to defend themſelves, and pull them down.

In his Fifth Chapter, he divides Political Lyes into their ſeveral Species and Claſſes, and gives Precepts about the Inventing, Spreading, and Propagating the ſeveral ſorts of them: He begins with the Rumores, and Libelli famoſi, ſuch as concern the Reputation of Men in Power; where he finds Fault [11] with the common Miſtake, that takes No⯑tice only of one ſort, viz. the Detractory or Defamatory, whereas in truth there are three ſorts, the Detractory, the Additory, and the Tranſlatory. The Additory gives to a Great Man a greater ſhare of Reputa⯑tion than belongs to him, to enable him to ſerve ſome good End or Purpoſe. The De⯑tractory or Defamatory, is a Lye which takes from a Great Man the Reputation that juſtly belongs to him, for fear he ſhould uſe it to the Detriment of the Publick. The Tranſlatory, is a Lye that transfers the Me⯑rit of a Man's good Action to another who is in himſelf more deſerving; or, transfers the Demerit of a bad Action from the true Author, to a Perſon who is in himſelf leſs deſer⯑ving. He gives ſeveral Inſtances of very great Strokes in all the Three Kinds, eſpecially in the laſt, when it was neceſſary for the Good of the Publick to beſtow the Valour and Con⯑duct of one Man upon another, and that of many to one Man; nay, even upon a good Occaſion, a Man may be rob'd of his Victory by a Perſon that did not Command in the Action. The Reſtoring and the De⯑ſtroying the Publick may be aſcrib'd to Per⯑ſons who had no hand in either. The Au⯑thor exhorts all Gentlemen Practitioners to exerciſe themſelves in the Tranſlatory, be⯑cauſe the Exiſtence of the Things them⯑ſelves being viſible, and not demanding any [12] Proof, there wants nothing to be put upon the Publick but a falſe Author or a falſe Cauſe, which is no great Preſumption upon the Credulity of Mankind, to whom the ſe⯑cret Springs of things are for the moſt part unknown.

The Author proceeds to give ſome Pre⯑cepts as to the Additory. That when one aſcribes any thing to a Perſon which does not belong to him, the Lye ought to be calcu⯑lated not quite contradictory to his known Qualities: Ex. gr. One would not make the French King preſent at a Proteſtant Conven⯑ticle; nor, like Queen Elizabeth, reſtore the Overplus of Taxes to her Subjects. One would not bring in the Emperor giving two Months Pay in Advance to his Troops; nor the Dutch paying more, than their Quota. One would not make the ſame Perſon zea⯑lous for a Standing Army and Publick Li⯑berty; nor an Atheiſt ſupport the Church; nor a lewd Fellow a Reformer of Manners; nor a hot-headed crack-brain'd Coxcomb for⯑ward for a Scheme of Moderation. But if it is abſolutely neceſſary that a Perſon is to have ſome good adventitious Quality given him, the Author's Precept is, that it ſhould not be done at firſt in extremo gradu. For Example: They ſhould not make, a Covetous Man give away all at once, Five thouſand Pounds in a charitable generous way; Twen⯑ty or Thirty Pounds may ſuffice at firſt, [13] They ſhould not introduce a Perſon of re⯑markable Ingratitude to his Benefactors, re⯑warding a poor Man for ſome good Office that was done him thirty Years ago; but they may allow him to acknowledge a Ser⯑vice to a Perſon who is capable ſtill to do him another. A Man whoſe perſonal Cou⯑rage is ſuſpected, is not at firſt to drive whole Squadrons before him; but he may be allow'd the Merit of ſome Squabble, or throwing a Bottle at his Adverſary's Head.

It will not be allow'd, to make a Great Man, that is a known Deſpiſer of Religion, ſpend whole Days in his Cloſet at his Devo⯑tion; but, you may with Safety make him ſit out publick Prayers with Decency. A Great Man, who has never been known wil⯑lingly to pay a juſt Debt, ought not all of a ſudden to be introduc'd making Reſti⯑tution of Thouſands he has cheated; let it ſuffice at firſt, to pay Twenty Pounds to a Friend who has loſt his Note.

He lays down the ſame Rules in the De⯑tractory or Defamatory kind; that they ſhould not be quite oppoſite to the Qualities the Perſons are ſuppoſed to have. Thus it will not be found, according to the found Rules of Pſeudology, to report of a pious and religious Prince, that he neglects his Devo⯑tion, and would introduce Hereſy; but, you may report of a merciful Prince, that he has Pardon'd a Criminal who did not deſerve it. [14] You will be unſucceſsful if you give out of a Great Man, who is remarkable for his Fru⯑gality for the Publick, that he ſquanders away the Nation's Money; but, you may ſafely re⯑late that he hoards it: You muſt not affirm he took a Bribe; but, you may freely cenſure him for being tardy in his Payments; Be⯑cauſe though neither may be true, yet the laſt is credible, the firſt not. Of an open⯑hearted generous Miniſter you are not to ſay, that he was in an Intrigue to Betray his Country; but, you may affirm with ſome Probability, that he was in an In⯑trigue with a Lady. He warns all Practi⯑tioners to take good heed to theſe Precepts, for want of which, many of their Lies, of late, have prov'd abortive on ſhort-liv'd.

In his Sixth Chapter he treats of the Mi⯑raculous; by which he underſtands any thing that exceeds the common Degrees of Proba⯑bility. In reſpect of the People, it is divi⯑ded into two ſorts, the [...], or the [...], Terrifying Lyes, and Animating or Encouraging Lyes, both being extremely uſeful on their proper Occaſions. Concern⯑ing the [...], he gives ſeveral Rules; one of which is, that terrible Objects ſhould not be too frequently ſhewn to the People, leſt they grow familiar. He ſays, it is ab⯑ſolutely neceſſary that the People of England ſhould be frighted with the French King and [15] the Pretender once a Year; but, that the Bears ſhould be chain'd up again till that time Twelve-month. The want of Obſer⯑ving this ſo neceſſary a Precept, in bring⯑ing out the Raw-head and Bloody-bones upon every trifling Occaſion, has produc'd great Indifference in the Vulgar of late Years. As to the Animating or Encouraging Lyes, he gives the following Rules; That they ſhould not far exceed the common degrees of Pro⯑bability, and that there ſhould be variety of them, and the ſame Lye not obſtinately inſiſted upon; that the Promiſſory or Prog⯑noſticating Lyes ſhould not be upon ſhort Days, for fear the Authors ſhould have the Shame and Confuſion to ſee themſelves ſpee⯑dily contradicted. He examines by theſe Rules, that well-meant, but unfortunate Lye of the Conqueſt of France, which continued near twenty Years together; but at laſt, by being too obſtinately inſiſted upon, it was worn threadbare, and became unſucceſsful.

As to the [...], or the Prodigious, he has little to adviſe, but that their Co⯑mets, Whales and Dragons, ſhould be ſiza⯑ble; their Storms, Tempeſts, and Earth⯑quakes, without the reach of a Days Jour⯑ney of a Man and a Horſe.

The Seventh Chapter is wholly taken up in an Enquiry, Which of the two Parties are the greateſt Artiſts in Political Lying. He [16] owns the Tories have been better believed of late; but, that the Whigs have much the greater Genius's amongſt them. He attri⯑butes the late ill Succeſs of the Whig-Party to their glutting the Market, and retailing too much of a bad Commodity at once: When there is too great a Quantity of Worms, it is hard to catch Gudgeons. He propoſes a Scheme for the Recovery of the Credit of the Whig-Party, which indeed ſeems to be ſomewhat Chimerical, and does not ſavour of that ſound Judgment the Author has ſhown in the reſt of the Work It amounts to this, That the Party ſhould agree to vent nothing but Truth for three Months together, which will give them Cre⯑dit for ſix Months Lying afterwards. He owns, that he believes it almoſt impoſſible to find fit Perſons to execute this Scheme. Towards the end of the Chapter, he in⯑veighs ſeverely againſt the Folly of Parties, in retaining ſuch Scoundrels and Men of Low Genius's to retail their Lyes; ſuch as moſt of the preſent News-Writers are, who beſides a ſtrong Bent and Inclination towards the Profeſſion, ſeem to be wholly ignorant in the Rules of Pſeudology, and not at all qualified for ſo weighty a Truſt.

In his Eighth Chapter he treats of ſome extraordinary Genius's who have appear'd of late Years, eſpecially in their Diſpoſition to⯑wards [17] the Miraculous. He adviſes thoſe hopeful Young-men to turn their Invention to the Service of their Country, it being inglorious, at this time, to employ their Ta⯑lent in prodigious Fox-Chaſes, Horſe-Courſes, Feats of Activity in Driving of Coaches, Jumping, Running, Swallowing of Peaches, Pulling out whole Sets of Teeth to clean, &c. when their Country ſtands ſo much in need of their Aſſiſtance.

The Eighth Chapter is a Project for Uni⯑ting the ſeveral ſmaller Corporations of Lyars into one Society. It is too tedious to give a full Account of the whole Scheme; what is moſt remarkable is, That this Society ought to conſiſt of the Heads of each Party; that no Lye is to paſs current without their Ap⯑probation, they being the beſt Judges of the preſent Exigencies, and what ſort of Lyes are demanded: That in ſuch a Corporation there ought to be Men of all Profeſſions, that the [...], and the [...], that is, Decency and Probability, may be obſerv'd as much as poſſible: That beſides the Perſons above-mentioned, this Society ought to con⯑ſiſt of the hopeful Genius's about the Town (of which there are great plenty to be pick'd up in the ſeveral Coffee-houſes) Travellers, Virtuoſo's, Fox-hunters, Jockeys, Attorneys, Old Sea-men and Soldiers out of the Hoſpi⯑tals of Greenwich and Chelſea. To this So⯑ciety, [18] ſo Conſtituted, ought to be committed the ſole Management of Lying. That in their outer Room there ought always to attend ſome Perſons endow'd with a great Stock of Credulity, a Generation that thrives mightily in this Soil and Climate: He thinks a ſufficient Number of them may be pick'd up any where about the Exchange: Theſe are to Circulate what the other Coin; for no Man ſpreads a Lye with ſo good a Grace as he that be⯑lieves it. That the Rule of the Society be to invent a Lye, and ſometimes two, for eve⯑ry Day; in the Choice of which, great Re⯑gard ought to be had to the Weather, and the Seaſon of the Year: Your [...], or Ter⯑rifying Lyes, do mighty well in November and December, but not ſo well in May and June, unleſs the Eaſterly Winds reign. That it ought to be Penal, for any body to talk of any thing but the Lye of the Day. That the Society is to maintain a ſufficient Num⯑ber of Spies at Court, and other Places, to furniſh Hints and Topicks for Invention; and a general Correſpondence in all the Market-Towns, for Circulating their Lyes. That if any one of die Society were obſerv'd to bluſh, or look out of Countenance, or want a neceſſary Circumſtance in telling the Lye, he ought to be expell'd, and de⯑clar'd incapable. Beſides the Roaring Lies, there ought to be a private Committee for Whiſpers, conſtituted of the ableſt Men of [19] the Society. Here the Author makes a Di⯑greſſion in Praiſe of the Whig-Party, for the right Underſtanding and Uſe of Proof-Lyes. A Proof-Lye is like a Proof-Charge for a Piece of Ordnance, to try a Standard-Credu⯑lity. Of ſuch a nature he takes Tranſubſtan⯑tiation to be in the Church of Rome, a Proof⯑Article, which if any one ſwallows, they are ſure he will digeſt every thing elſe. There⯑fore the Whig-Party do wiſely, to try the Credulity of the People ſometimes by Swin⯑gers, that they may be able to judge to what heighth they may Charge them afterwards. Towards the End of this Chapter, he warns the Heads of Parties againſt Believing their own Lyes; which has prov'd of pernicious Conſequence of late, both a Wiſe Party and a Wiſe Nation having regulated their Affairs upon Lyes of their own Invention. The Cauſes of this he ſuppoſes to be too great a Zeal and Intenſeneſs in the Practice of this Art, and a vehement Heat in mutual Con⯑verſation, whereby they perſwade one ano⯑ther, that what they wiſh, and report to be true, is really ſo. That all Parties have been ſubject to this Misfortune: The Jacobites have been conſtantly infeſted with it; but, the Whigs of late ſeem ev'n to exceed them in this ill Habit and Weakneſs. To this Chapter, the Author ſubjoins a Calendar of Lyes proper for the ſeveral Months of the Year.

The Ninth Chapter treats of the Celerity and Duration of Lyes. As to the Celerity of their Motion, the Author ſays it is almoſt incredible: He gives ſeveral Inſtances of Lyes that have gone faſter than a Man can ride Poſt: Your Terrifying Lyes travel at a prodi⯑gious rate, above ten Miles an hour; your Whiſpers move in a narrow Vortex, but ve⯑ry ſwiftly. The Author ſays it is impoſ⯑ſible to explain ſeveral Phoenomena in relation to the Celerity of Lyes, without the Suppo⯑ſition of Synchroniſm and Combination. As to the Duration of Lyes, he ſays they are of all ſorts, from Hours and Days to Ages; that there are ſome which, like your Inſects, die and revive again in a different Form; that good Artiſts, like People who build upon a ſhort Leaſe, will calculate the Duration of a Lye ſurely to anſwer their purpoſe; to laſt juſt as long, and no longer, than the Turn is ſerv'd.

The Tenth Chapter treats of the Chara⯑cteriſticks of Lyes; how to know, when, where, and by whom invented: Your Dutch, Engliſh, and French Ware, are amply diſtin⯑guiſh'd from one another; an Exchange-Lye from one Coin'd at the other End of the Town; Great Judgment is to be ſhewn as to the Place where the Species is intended to Circulate: Very low and baſe Coin will ſerve for Wapping: There are ſeveral Coffee⯑houſes [21] that have their particular Stamps, which a judicious Practitioner may eaſily know. All your Great Men have their proper Phan⯑tateuſticks. The Author ſays he has attained, by Study and Application, to ſo great Skill in this Matter, that bring him any Lye, he can tell whoſe Image it bears ſo truly, as the Great Man himſelf ſhall not have the face to deny it. The Promiſſory Lyes of Great Men are known by Shouldering, Hug⯑ging, Squeezing, Smiling, Bowing; and Lyes in Matter of Fact, by immoderate Swearing.

He ſpends the whole Eleventh Chapter on one ſimple Queſtion, Whether a Lye is best contradicted by Truth, or another Lye. The Author ſays, that conſidering the large Ex⯑tent of the Cylindrical Surface of the Soul, and the great Propenſity to believe Lyes in the generality of Mankind of late Years, he thinks the propereſt Contradiction to a Lye, is another Lye: For Example; If it ſhould be reported that the Pretender was at London, one would not contradict it by ſaying he never was in England; but you muſt prove by Eye-witneſſes that he came no farther than Greenwich, but then went back again. Thus if it be ſpread about that a great Per⯑ſon were dying of ſome Diſeaſe, you muſt not ſay the Truth, that they are in Health, and never had ſuch a Diſeaſe; but, that they are ſlowly recovering of it. So there was, [22] not long ago, a Gentleman who affirmed, That the Treaty with France for bringing in Popery and Slavery into England, was Sign'd the 15th of September; to which another an⯑ſwered very judiciouſly, not by oppoſing Truth to his Lye, That there was no ſuch Treaty; but that, to his certain Know⯑ledge, there were many things in that Treaty not yet adjuſted.