AN ATTEMPT, &c.

IT is not for Want of having ſeriouſly reflected upon the utter Abſurdity there is, in endeavouring to remove any Prejudice whatever that I have undertaken the preſent Performance; I am too ſenſible myſelf of the Satisfaction there is, in giving an abſolute Credit to any Thing, only becauſe it is doubtful, or improbable, to think of depriving any Body elſe, were it in my Power, of ſuch glo⯑rious Uſe of the reaſoning Faculty; nor is it from any particular Affection I bear the illuſtrious Perſon I am attempting to juſtify, ſince, ſo far from having received any Favour at his Hands or owing him any Obligation whatever, (unleſs one could be weak enough to reckon the Enjoyment of Liberty, Life, [2] and Religion, ſuch a Debt, which even in that Caſe would be due to him from me, only in common with every Proteſtant in Great-Britain and Ireland) that it is not many years, ſince his R— H— follow'd ſome Birds through a Feild belonging to a Tenant of mine, juſt before the Eddiſh was cut, yet no Offer of any kind of Recompence has to this Day been made, the Reader may be ſure none was ever aſk'd; this I hope is enough to clear me from any Shadow of Suſpicion of being in the leaſt biaſs'd in his Favour. I have never before ventured to make any Complaint of this Matter publick, even at a Time when the World muſt do me the Juſtice to own it has been troubled with Cries enough againſt his R— H— of a leſs greivous Nature. As to any Expectations of inſinua⯑ting myſelf into his Favour, by writing on this Side of the Queſtion, I believe the Manner, in which I have ventured to treat this Subject, lies manifeſtly ſo wide of any Road leading to the Favour of the Great, as to ſecure me, with all diſpaſſionate People, from being ſo hardly thought of. But (to cloſe the Paragraph and Senſe, which by this Time I fancy the gentle Reader may be out of Breath for) it is from a Weakneſs I have long labour'd againſt to no Purpoſe, a na⯑tural Love to Juſtice, which has always [3] made me rebel againſt that univerſally-received Doctrine of condemning a Perſon's Actions without Exception, and by the Groſs, becauſe ſome particular ones of his have not been exactly to our own Minds and Likeing; being yet, for any Thing I could ever ſee to the contrary, of Opinion the Man exiſts not, whoſe real Character is not a Compound of good and bad.

After having thus (as I flatter myſelf) fully proved my Qualifications for the Work I have taken in hand; to proceed in it, I ſhall begin with the greateſt Charge, and what may be deem'd the Cauſe why every other laid to his R— H— has been aggravated. Sorry I am, that the Thing itſelf is too flagrant for me, or any Man in his Senſes, to think of entirely reconciling the Publick to it; yet ſtill (with Submiſſion to better Judgements) I can't help thinking it capable of being placed in ſo mitigating a Light, that the Objectors themſelves would own, if it did not make againſt them, and I would not chuſe to be thought ſo void of common Senſe, as to expect that from any Man) that, conſidering his R— H—'s Youth and warm Blood, the Situation he was in is what might have hurried away any one, ever ſo little influ⯑enced by Party-Spirit. Every Reader muſt [4] know that I am talking of the Victory gain'd over the Rebels at Culloden. I ſuppoſe it is allow'd on all Hands to have been the moſt fatal Stroke that could have been given to the Glory, Riches, and Trade of theſe Kingdoms; and the ſettling the State and the Proteſtant Church upon ſtronger, and more durable Foundations than they have ever yet reſted upon. It would be too tedious to enumerate all the particular Advantages, which would have accrued to both, on a contrary Succeſs; but what will immedi⯑ately occur to every Body is the deter⯑mining the Rights of Electors to Parliament, and repealing the ſeptennial Bill; and as for the Church ſhe could not fail of finding her Account in the great Diſcouragement, which of courſe would have been given to Diſſenters of all Denominations.

It is an old Aphoriſm, that to judge im⯑partially of the Merit or Demerit of any Action, one ought to put one's ſelf in the Place and Circumſtances of the Perſon, at the Time of his performing it. In the preſent Caſe, this would be too dangerous for me to adviſe the Reader to, or ſhew him the Example myſelf; but ſo far we may follow his R— H— with Safety as to conſider, what were in all Probability ſome of the Reaſons that prompted him to do as he did.

[5]In the firſt Place, if I may be allow'd to make uſe of an Argument from the Force of Blood, though I know it is at preſent gene⯑rally exploded, he might be actuated, for any Thing that appears to the contrary, by a Senſe of Love and Duty to his M—y; in whom he had always found the beſt and tendereſt Father; two ſuch Motives may no doubt have very violent Effects in young Minds, where they are unhappily left to operate to their full extent; but ſhould they be allow'd to be brought as Arguments againſt his R— H—, I can't be ſure if afterwards they might not yet be apply 'd to the Diſturbance of ſome few Families, even of Diſtinction in Great-Britain; though no doubt at vaſt Diſtances from Town, and of but ſmall Fortunes; not to mention Ireland, of which I don't know enough to pretend to judge; but even ſuppoſing his R— H— the only Inſtance left, in whom they were to be found at this preſent, I don't ſee whereon to build ſo heinous a Charge againſt him, eſpecially when it comes to be conſider'd, that by his high Rank he was actually debarr'd from all the Advantages in Education, which are to be drawn from foreign Travel, as it is now happily practiced, and the domeſtick Oc⯑currences in modern Life at White's, &c. &c. &c. for as he never loſt more than he [6] could pay, he could have no Pretence for hating a Father for not allowing him more than he could afford.

Add we, that the Perſon, whoſe Schemes and Hopes he ſo entirely deſtroy'd, may be ſaid to have been abſolutely unknown to his R— H—; one, who would never give him any Opportunity of ſeeing his Face; one, who very poſſibly may have been repreſented to him in a very disadvan⯑tageous Light, and entirely unlike his real Character; I mean as we have it from the independent Electors. Every Body is liable to be impoſed upon by Miſrepreſentation of Things; Princes more than other Men. It is the great Advantage of People in middling Stations, that Truth of Princes always flows down to us, pure and unadul⯑terated; whereas Truth to Princes by moun⯑ting upwards againſt it's natural Courſe, and by the Force neceſſary for gaining it a Paſ⯑ſage, gets ſomething from every Channel it goes through, before it arrives at them; ſo that, though we may abſolutely depend upon all we hear of them, they have no Manner of Reaſon to believe any Thing that comes to their Ears; the more Shame ſay I, for thoſe, who dare impoſe upon them. However, this Prejudice was not ſo entirely peculiar to his R— H— but [7] that many, otherwiſe, good Men, were ſo blinded by the ſame Party-zeal, as to ven⯑ture their Lives and Fortunes along with him, in Oppoſition to this Perſon, whom they had been taught to regard in ſo odious a Light as verily to believe he could have no Chance of finding any Body diſpoſed to ſubmit to his Rule, but from the Convic⯑tion (we have indiſcreetly let People be almoſt laugh'd out of) of his not being what he pretends to be.

Another Argument I have ventured to make uſe of, in Favour of his R— H—, I am ſenſible may be retorted upon me, for being too ſelfiſh in him; but ſince we can none of us propoſe univerſally to reform Mankind, it would be inhuman to refuſe our Com⯑miſeration at leaſt to Weakneſſes that ap⯑pear to have their Foundation in Nature. It is this. He might perhaps be induced to the committing this Action by ſome Appre⯑henſions, which I cannot but ſay, and I hope I am not prejudiced in it, appear to me 'to have been juſtly grounded (viz) that if he had not done as he did, he might have been reduced to the Condition of a pri⯑vate Man, or what we, though I verily be⯑lieve his R— H— does not, ſhould think ſtill worſe, to that of a dead one. Now, notwithſtanding all the Pretenſions to [8] Virtue, which have been ſo common, not to ſay cheap, latterly, I muſt own I ſtill think ill enough of Mankind to be apt to believe there are others in the World, who, if they could be aſk'd, whether they would conſent to have their Brains knock'd out, on Condi⯑tion the Duty on Salt or Candles ſhould ex⯑pire punctually with themſelves, would be apt to boggle for ſome Time; therefore why it ſhould have been expected of his R— H— to have laid down his Life quietly without making any Reſiſtance, for the Sake of Advantages, by the very Suppoſition of which he is deprived of all Poſſibility of partaking, I muſt fairly declare I can ſee no manner of Reaſon.

But ſuppoſe an Author ſhould all of a ſud⯑den grow deſperate, and take it into his Head to advance, that in the fatal Affair we are talk⯑ing of, his R— H— was not ſo much in Fault as thoſe, who (according to the in⯑nate Juſtice of Mankind) commit the great⯑eſt Miſtakes, and are themſelves the Occaſion of the greateſt Errors, yet lay the Event of them at other People's Doors; might I not aſk them, when they complain of him ſo bit⯑terly, for the compleat Miſchief he brought upon them, and their whole Deſign, why in the Name of Wonder did not they pre⯑vent it? Would they have the Aſſurance to [9] anſwer, they could bring no more Men into the Field? Now I would be glad to ſee the Man ſo ridiculous a Favourer of his R— H— as to dare advance that, if the Gen⯑tlemen in that Oppoſition had brought fifty or ſixty thouſand Men more againſt him, he either could or would have attack'd them; unleſs, on the other Hand, his own Army had been a little re-inforced. Would not one ſometimes be apt to think that there are Peo⯑ple in the World, who ſee wrong Meaſures taken, and things carry'd on in a Manner contrary to what they approve of, without endeavouring to hinder them, only that they may have the Pleaſure of roaring afterwards either againſt the Managers on their own Side, or thoſe who gain any Advantage on the other? Without ſuch a Suppoſition, it will be hard to account for the Behaviour of ſuch of my Countrymen as lie under the Suſpicion of not having dared to promote their favourite Cauſe, when it was in ſo thriv⯑ing a Way; for we muſt either conclude, that they ſtood by, neutral Spectators, on purpoſe to open againſt his R— H—, if he ſhould be Victor; or that they, who are call'd by a Name odious to the preſent Go⯑vernment, are only ſuch till they have an Opportunity of being ſo to any Purpoſe.

[10]When I have gone thus far, to convince the Reader I am not animated with the Spirit of an Editor, who, whatever Author he is at Work upon, is determined to ſee no Ble⯑miſh, either in his perſonal Character or Writings; I will of my own Accord give up the Point, the Sc—ts ſo juſtly complain of, as abſolutely indefenſible, his permitting, perhaps it might be proved commanding, (at leaſt his Officers did) his Troops to fire ſharp Shot, inſtead of only Powder upon the Rebels. What will become of Britiſh Liberty, if People are to be knock'd on the Head for following their lawful Employ⯑ments? and what Cruelty can equal his R— H—, in not conſidering there was not a Family engaged againſt him, which had not generouſly furniſh'd the Army under his Command with Father, Brother, or neareſt Relation?

It would be look'd upon as an Affectation in me, an Omiſſion by Deſign, ſhould I take leave of this Subject, without taking Notice of one particular Branch of this Charge, though even at the worſt I think it a very trifling one; namely, that during the whole Northern Expedition, his R— H—'s Table was never cover'd without Highlander's Harſelets, dreſs'd in ſome Shape or other. Now, though enough [11] might be ſaid in Alleviation of this, (were it proved inconteſtably true) from the im⯑moderate Paſſion for new Diſhes of all ſorts, that has ſpread ſo univerſally amongſt us of late; yet, I ſhall wave it for the preſent, as I will make no Scruple of owning myſelf ſo far inclined to favour his R— H—, where there can be any viſible Pretence for ſo doing, as to ſuſpend my Belief of this Article, till I can light upon any one of the Cooks, who will give in upon Oath, before any of his Majeſty's Juſtices of the Peace, that he himſelf, or ſome Brother of the Profeſſion to his Knowledge, actually dreſs'd the ſaid, Diſh, and deliver'd it over to proper Perſons, in order to be ſerved up. What I think makes conſiderably in Favour of my Doubt is, that it is well known his R— H—, ſo far from being in any wiſe nice in his Diet, while he was upon that Expedition, always contented himſelf with whatever could be got for him, with the leaſt Trouble; ſo far at leaſt cannot be diſputed, that they could not be literally a conſtant Diſh, as they all along were the Game in the World the ſhyeſt of its Purſuer.

I have been told, and have heard it af⯑firm'd more than once, by one of undoubted Credit, that there actually did exiſt in Print, [12] and not a great while ago, a certain uni⯑verſity Performance, which, had it never been publiſh'd, would have been call'd a famous Oration, but that the ſuppoſed Charge in that Speech, which was only ſuppoſed, was too inexplicite; that it was difficult to ſay where the Encomium on the beaten Italian Roman-catholick ended, and the Satire on the victorious Engliſh Proteſ⯑tant began, both from the Authors para⯑doxical Manner, and from a certain Obſcu⯑rity in his Stile, which was imagined to ariſe from his blinking the Law; and more⯑over I was told that either he, or his Readers, did not underſtand Latin; but as this Piece is at preſent no where to be found, I reckon I am excuſed from taking farther Notice of it. It would be pity to diſturb the Aſhes of an Invective, which is now at Peace in a ſeparate State; and which, from all I can learn of it, was in that its Day very inno⯑cent; though, perhaps, that might be owing to its being very unintelligible.

There is to my own Knowledge, another Satiriſt, (as he thinks himſelf) in every Reſpect preferable to the former, of whom it might be proper to take ſome Notice, if the Poignancy of his Reproofs did not lie chiefly in Daſhes; but as it is not half ſo eaſy to write an Apology, or an Attempt [13] towards one, all in Aſterics, as a Philippic, I am afraid I muſt leave him unmoleſted, to avail himſelf of all his Influence over the Marrowbones and Cleavers of Clare-market, and yet they (however it happen'd I can't tell though I am certain of the Fact) rang on both Sides laſt Weſtminſter Election.

Let us proceed now to his R— H—'s Conduct in Flanders, of which it is very difficult for us to pick up any exact and authentic Information, as it muſt have been remitted to us, either by his Friends, or our Enemies. The firſt, I dare not pro⯑duce as Witneſſes to be rely'd on in this Caſe, and I think we ſhould be in the wrong to believe our Enemies; they indeed ſay more in Praiſe both of his Conduct and Courage than the former. In this Dilemma, it may be ſafeſt to ſtick to the true Britiſh Way of thinking; which is, that the Soldier, who comes off alive, has done nothing for us; and that he, who dies, has been paid by us before-hand for ſo doing. But let this be how it will, the Impartiality I profeſs, ob⯑liges me to declare, I have not one Word to ſay in Excuſe for his R— H—'s unac⯑countable Over-ſight, in having reckon'd upon our faithful Allies, any otherwiſe than one ought to reckon upon our faithful Friends in private Life. Beſides (taking Succeſs for the [14] only approved Teſt of every Deſign) ſome Blame will ſtill hang upon his R— H— for any Diſadvantage we ſuffer'd from the Enemy; ſince there ſtill remain'd under his Command (deſerted as he was by our Allies) a little Army, almoſt incapable of fearing Numbers, while it follow'd him: nay, if the Truth was known, it might appear he had a conſiderable Superiority over the E⯑nemy, at ſo moderate a Computation as one Engliſhman againſt ten French, which has always been reckon'd an advantageous Bett on our Side. Another Thing, I deſpair of ever being able to palliate, is his endea⯑vouring to reduce the Army under military Diſcipline; and I ſhould have ſufficient Reaſon for that Deſpair, if it were from this only Circumſtance attending it; its being copied from the French, which alone is enough to render it odious to every free⯑born Briton; all that can be ſaid for it is, it ſeems to have been undertaken from a Want of examining into the Difference there is between our Government and theirs; the Officers in that Service, as they have no P—t for themſelves, or neareſt Rela⯑tions, to have Seats in, actually have Nothing better to do, than apply themſelves to the Study of the Science they profeſs. I have heard from a Friend of mine, who has been abroad, and a good deal converſant with them, that [15] when he firſt arrived amongſt them, he has more than once been ready to bluſh, and that, for Perſons of diſtinguiſh'd Birth, and ſome Rank in the Army, at hearing them talk as minutely and intelligibly of all man⯑ner of military Operations, as if their Cha⯑racters or Bread depended upon it; to a Degree, that a common Engineer of ours (ſays he) would be aſhamed to think himſelf ſuſpected of knowing ſo much. I dare not urge too far, as a palliative Argument, the Propenſity we have, one and all, always to abuſe, and conſtantly to copy from that Nation; but this is certain, that the preſent unfortunate Charge againſt his R— H—, and a Politeneſs, which, though of his natural Growth, is ſo different from our Manners as to paſs for foreign, are the only Faſhions I have ever heard him condemn'd for learning from our Neigh⯑bours. As I make no Secret of my being a good deal diſtreſs'd for a proper Defence, in this immediate Subject, I truſt the Reader will have the Goodneſs, in Return, to forgive, if I am forced to go a great Way for proper Matter upon the Occaſion. Perhaps then he might be dazzled with that tinſell Ob⯑ſervation of the Submiſſion the French enure themſelves to at Home, being what will, one Day or other, render them the Lords of every Body elſe; but this Doctrine is, [16] and always muſt be abſurd, if apply'd to ſo brave and generous a Nation as we are, who are above concerning ourſelves to what Country we become a Province, or how ſoon; provided always, till then, we can keep ourſelves clear of any Subordination at Home. I know it has been urged ſtill far⯑ther againſt his R— H—, that he not only endeavour'd to recover military Diſcipline, but was authorized to do ſo by Law; and it is hard to ſeparate the Ideas of it, and Injuſtice; but happily for us he ſeems not to have known how many illegal Things he might legally do, elſe it would have been no Amends to the Sufferers to have ſaid, in Excuſe of Tyranny, that it did not riſe to the Level of the Law; ſince it is poſſible to ſuppoſe a Country, where the Law itſelf may be more inſufferable than any Abuſe of it could be. In Anſwer to this Charge I have no more to ſay, than though, in a political Senſe, to be able to do Hurt is, and ought to be, an actual Crime, yet in a legal one, to have even attempted it, if it fail of Succeſs, is ſo far from being one, that it is abſolutely unpuniſhable.

It is farther charged upon his R— H—, that he not only honours with his Company and Converſation, but has now and then advanced in the Army ſome, who, [17] though of our moſt diſtinguiſh'd Families, are only of about the ſame Years with him⯑ſelf. It has been ſaid in Excuſe of this, by ſome, (who I ſuppoſe had their Reaſons for it) that very few of our Veterans had ſeen more Service, and that there might be in that Number thoſe, who had forgot even what they had ſeen; but far be it from me to give into any Reaſon that may yield the leaſt Encouragement to the Forwardneſs of the Youth of this Age, at all Times too much prejudiced in Favour of itſelf, but now inſolent enough to conceive itſelf as capable to learn, and as active to execute, as we, of advanced Years, know ourſelves to be. But if there is any Thing favourable to be ſaid, in Extenuation of this Charge upon his R— H—, it is, that though he is ſo great a Prince, it is poſſible he may have ſome of the Failings of human Nature in him; amongſt which, when one is merciful⯑ly inclined, one may have the Goodneſs to rank the Choice of Perſons of the ſame Time, and Turn of Life with oneſelf.

Having thus far endeavour'd to vindicate, in a friendly Manner, (if the Expreſſion does not ſound too familiar, though it means no more than giving up the main Points of an Accuſation) ſo much of his R— H—'s Behaviour as is at all relative to his [18] Command, let us follow him into the Coun⯑try. I cannot but ſay, I am ſurprized his paſſionate Love of his Park and Retirement ſhould fill ſo many well-meaning People with Alarms for the publick Repoſe, which they conceive to be in the utmoſt Danger thereby. This is being ſo afraid of not ſleeping, as to keep oneſelf awake by that very Fear. So far we will allow to be true, his R— H— is there at the Head of a great Body of Huntſmen, not to mention Whippers-in, &c. &c. &c. who as they ſometimes ſee, and perhaps may, ſome of them, have had the Honour to have been ſpoke to by him, I make no manner of Doubt, would be ready to a Man to ſacrifice their Lives in his Ser⯑vice. But my Amaze ſtill continues that this ſhould be thought a juſtifiable Pretence for People of quick-ſighted Fears, to put themſelves and the Publick in Terrors, as if Windſor-Caſtle was not therefore ſafe. Had his R— H— had any ſuch Deſign, what could have prevented his trying to put it in Execution, when he had ſo fine an Op⯑portunity, by having Cannon ready planted in his Park for a Trial, and that at a Time when it is very well known that Fortreſs was but very indifferently garriſon'd? But if the Grounds of Suſpicion were ever ſo juſt and clear, ought we not to reſt quite ſecure on that Side, ſo long as we have the Satisfaction [19] to know that important Place is in the Hands of one, who can never in the leaſt be ſuſpected of any Kind of Inclination to give up any Thing to his R— H—. As to that fooliſh Story of one belonging to his Suite be⯑ing ſhot upon the Spot for reconnoitring too curiouſly ſome of the Outworks; I can take upon myſelf to aſſure the Reader, that the Thing happen'd long before any of theſe Suſpicions had been broach'd, and was in re⯑ality nothing more than a Dog of his R— H—, who ſuffer'd Death for marauding.

The laſt mention'd Circumſtance is far from being the only one that has made me often and ſeriouſly wiſh, he had been pleaſed to content himſelf without having either Hare or Partridge at his Table, or in⯑deed any Thing the Product of his own Park. A Gentleman, who lives in his Neighbour⯑hood, has zealouſly endeavour'd to give my Wiſh it's Effect, by putting it, as far as in him lay, out of his R— H—'s Power to do otherwiſe, having moſt generouſly af⯑forded half a Crown for every Partridge Neſt that could be brought him in the Seaſon. What adds to the Magnificence of this Ex⯑pence is, that it is not done with a View of making a Merit of it, but (I ſuppoſe) as a Return of Gratitude for family Obligations; which is having a Memory almoſt unparal⯑lel'd [20] in this forgetful Age; wherein I have lived to remark, though I yet make Uſe nei⯑ther of Crutches nor Spectacles, more In⯑ſtances than one of extraordinary Acts of Friendſhip, Kindneſs and Obligation, placed upon thoſe who have ſo ſoon, and ſo entire⯑ly wore out all Traces of them as ſcarce to have thought of, and never to have put in Practice, the leaſt Miſchief in Return to their Benefactors. I have been told ſome leading People in the City are quite in my Way of thinking as to this Article, nay carry it farther, as appears by the Hints they give out, how popular an Act it would be in his R— H—, ſhould he think pro⯑per to live, if it was but for one Month, himſelf and his Family, entirely upon our own Herrings. For my own Part, I ſhall not take upon me to determine, if ſuch an Exceſs of Popularity might not, in the E⯑vent, do more Harm than Good; a Doubt which in all Probability could never have enter'd my Head, had I any Herrings to ſell; but as to my Wiſh, I believe ſcarce any one will differ from me in it; I mean of thoſe, who by living within any reaſonable Diſtance of his R— H—, have accuſtom'd them⯑ſelves to look upon his Game as their own. However, though the Advice I would have given is what I have no Manner of Reaſon to imagine would have been follow'd, I am [21] far from being one of thoſe who cry out upon a Practice contrary to it, as being ſo heinous a Crime in his R— H—; and I flatter myſelf that as to this one Point at leaſt, I ſhall have the good Luck to find more than one Reader of the ſame extenuating Diſpoſition with myſelf.

Every Body muſt be ſenſible of what in⯑finite Prejudice ſo exalted a Station as that of his R— H— muſt have been to him, in ſo free a Country as this; where nothing but an immenſe Fortune can ſcreen a Man from the Odium of being a Gentle⯑man; a Rank, which like the Poſts in our Streets, every Link-boy thinks is placed for him to play at Leap-frog over. But with what Juſtice, the Rancour of a certain Set of People, not ſatisfied with heaping up all that the moſt ſevere Obſervation can furniſh them with againſt their Day of Wrath, ſtill adds to the Load, to be thrown on the Object of it, Circumſtances, impoſſible to have been avoided, I appeal to the impartial. Thank God, his R— H—, who is undoubtedly a Gentleman, has not his For⯑tune to make; ſo that he has nothing to fear from the Clog, that Appellation has always been to Preferment, at leaſt is at preſent in theſe Kingdoms. But his R— H—'s Birth is what, I imagine, could never have [22] been made uſe of as an Argument againſt him, if it had not been thought a neceſſary Introduction for the Charge of Pride, which was to follow it. No doubt his R — H — might have eluded it if he had been pleaſed to merry-make with his Neigh⯑bours, as other country Gentlemen do, who, I take for granted, would have made him welcome to their beſt; and I don't doubt but a many of us would have taken a Ride from Town, and have been jolly at the Lodge, with all our Hearts. But whether the Privilege may not extend upwards as well as downwards, of living in the Country in what Manner one will, is a Point that may bear diſputing upon. However, to reaſon a little upon the Caſe; I don't know a Vice, and ſcarce a Virtue, that Mankind is ſo much obliged to, as this ſame Pride; for take it in the worſt Senſe, it is no more than a Valuation of Merit and Rank, which can't be ſettled between the Publick and every Particular; for if both Parties agree upon the Sum total; it is no longer Pride; for which Reaſon I have often wonder'd to find it ſo common a Reproach, from the trading Part of this City, as it is only an Endeavour to get a greater Price for a Commodity than it is really worth; but then to take it in its beſt Senſe, how uſeful a Monitor is it to the [23] World, by its never failing to ſtick inſepa⯑rably to every thing low, dirty and mean, that has got over our Heads, never to forget the Naſtineſs of its Origin! If any Thing therefore, his R— H— is to be pitied, for being born in a Rank ſo much above Pride, as to have it abſolutely out of his Power to be proud if he would, and for having no one Pretence to it, that can be diſputed by any Man living. But could he be guilty of it, not he would be to be blamed, but our Conſtitution, which has the unac⯑countable Defedt to have neglected the bind⯑ing out the neareſt in Blood to the Imperial Crown of theſe Realms to the moſt eminent Tradeſmen in the City; which, I take it, is the only Method to be thought of for con⯑vincing this great Metropolis that Trade is ſufficiently the Concern of the Crown.

The next Objection is point blank con⯑trary to the laſt, but bears ſo hard upon his R— H—, that could I look upon it as undoubtedly true, I ſhould reckon I threw away all Pretenſions of ever hereafter paſſing myſelf upon the World for a diſin⯑tereſted Writer, ſhould I ſo much as offer to palliate it. But is it not too groſs to Senſe to be conceived, that his R— H— forgetting every Advantage over the more amiable Part of his Fellow-Subjects, which could be [24] drawn from Birth, Youth, Perſon and Va⯑lour, (the moſt dangerous Qualifications, were our fair Countrywomen of an Acceſs ſtill more difficult than the Strictneſs of our preſent Religion and Morals have rather too ſeverely ty'd them up to) ſhould ſo far have neglected Beauty of our own Product and Manufacture, as to have taken Notice of a Piedmonteſe Girl; he, who ſuitably to his high Rank, might, and ought to have amuſed himſelf with bringing Unhappineſs and Infamy into at leaſt a dozen Families? I ſhall tack to this Article, becauſe it has no kind of Connection with it, the greivous Accuſation againſt his R— H— for being inclined to grow fat, but as I have been very well aſſured he does not encourage it, either by too much Sleep, or too little Exerciſe, and that conſequently it cannot be fix'd upon him as his own Choice, and beſides that, his Country has never yet had any Cauſe to complain of any Inactivity in him, when ſhe ſtood in Need of him, I am of humble Opinion, it ought to be treated with that Favour and Indulgence, which Crimes, ſpringing from Conſtitution, in every Body elſe, never fail receiving from the Publick.

Thus have I endeavour'd to remove, or at leaſt to alleviate, every Thing I have yet heard laid to his R— H—'s Charge, [25] with the leaſt Appearance of Probability, and I have little Doubt but all thoſe, who will allow themſelves Time ſeriouſly to re⯑flect, how prone we all are to pull down to our own Level whatever over-tops us, either by Merit or Birth, will agree with me in be⯑lieving, that one is likely to have heard rather more than leſs than the Truth. I have no Doubt neither, but the Publick will do me the Juſtice to own, that if, on the one Hand, I have not over familiarly treated a Name ſo reſpectable, on the other, I have kept myſelf free from a Degree of Flattery, which is now o'Days grown to be look'd upon, not only as the ſole Dialect in which Men of ſuch exalted Rank are to be addreſs'd, but to be ſpoken of. If I have ſo much Succeſs, as to have wiped off any one of thoſe Strokes of Aggravation, which have been added to his Picture, but were in Reality no Part of it, I ſhall have anſwer'd the only View I had, namely, the doing Juſtice to one, whom I own I cannot help wiſhing well to, becauſe I wiſh well to myſelf.