between it and the smallest wheel, or else no useful motion could be performed. This referved mysterious way of acting, upon points where there appeared not the leaft occafion for it, and towards perfons, who at leaft, in right of their pofts, expected a more open treatment, was imputed to fome hidden defign, which every man conjectured to be the very thing he was moft afraid of. Those who profeffed the height of what is called the church principle, fufpected, that a comprehenfion was intended, wherein the moderate men on both fides might be equally employed. Others went farther, and dreaded such a comp, ehenfion, as directly tending to bring the old exploded principles and perfons once more into play. Again, fome affected to be uneafy about the fucceffion, and feemed to think there was a view of introducing that perfon, whatever he is, who pretends to claim the crown by inheritance. Others, especially of late, furmised on the contrary, that the demands of the house of Hanover were induftrioufly fomented by fome in power, without the privity of the ---- or

Now, although these accufations were too inconfiftent to be all of them true, yet they were malicioufly fuffered to pafs, and thereby took off much of that popularity, which thofe at the helm ftood in need of, to fupport them under the difficulties of a long perplexing negotiation, a daily addition of public debts, and an exhaufted treasury.

But the effects of this myftical manner of proceeding did not end here for the late diffenfions between the great men at court (which have been, for fome time paft, the public entertainment of eve. ry coffeehouse,) are faid to have arifen from the fame fountain; while on one fide very great referve, and certainly very great refentment on the other *, if we may believe general report, (for I.

Lord Oxford's referve was the cause of Bolingbroke's refentment.

pretend

pretend to know no farther,) have inflamed animo-fities to fuch a height, as to make all reconcilement >> impracticable. Suppofing this to be true, it may ferve for a great leffon of humiliation to mankind, to behold the habits and paffions of men, otherwise highly accomplished, triumphing over intereft, friendship, honour, and their own personal safety, as well as that of their country, and probably of a moft gracious princefs, who hath intrufted it to them. A fhip's crew quarreling in a ftorm, or while their enemies are within gun-fhot, is but a faint idea of this fatal infatuation : of which, altho’ it be hard to fay enough, fome people may think perhaps I have already faid too much.

.

Since this unhappy incident, the defertion of friends, and lofs of reputation, have been fo great, that I do not fee how the minifters could have continued many weeks in their ftations, if their oppo-fers of all kinds had agreed about the methods by which they should be ruined: and their prefervation hitherto feems to refemble his, who had two poifons given him together of contrary operations.

It may feem very impertinent in one of my level to point out to thofe who fit at the helm, what course they ought to fteer. I know enough of courts to be fenfible, how mean an opinion great minifters have of most men's understanding; to a degree, that in any other fcience would be called the groffeft pedantry. However, unless I offer my fentiments in this point, all I have hitherto faid will be to no purpose.

The general wifhes and defires of a people are perhaps more obvious to other men, than to minifters of ftate. There are two points of the highest importance, wherein a very great majority of the kingdom appear perfectly hearty and unanimous. First, that the church of England fhould be preferved entire in all her rights, powers and privileges; all doctrines relating to government difcouraged,

which the condemns; all schisms, fects and herefies discountenanced and kept under due fubjection, as far as confifts with the lenity of our conftitution; her open enemies (among whom I include at least diffenters of all denominations; not trufted with the fmalleft degree of civil or military power; and her fecret adverfaries, under the name of Whigs. Lowchurch, Republicans, Moderation men and the like, receive no marks of favour from the crown, but what they should deserve by a fincere reformation.

Had this point been fteadily purfued in all its parts, for three years paft, and afferted as the avowed refolution of the court, there muft probably have been an end of faction, which hath been able ever fince with fo much vigour to disturb and infult the adminiftration. I know very well, that fome refiners pretend to argue for the usefulness of parties in fuch a government as ours: I have faid fomething of this already, and have heard a great many idle wife topics upon the fubject. But I fhall not argue that matter at prefent; I suppose, if a man thinks it neceffary to play with a ferpent, he will chufe one of a kind that is leaft mifchiev ous; otherwise, although it appears to be crushed, it may have life enough to fting him to death. So, I think it is not fafe tampering with the present faction, at leaft at this juncture: firft, because their principles and practices have been already very dangerous to the conftitution in church and ftate fecondly, because they are highly irritated with the lofs of their power, full of venom and vengeance, and prepared to execute every thing that rage or malice can fuggeft: but principally because they have prevailed by mifreprefentations and other artifices, to make the fucceffor look upon them as the only perfons he can truft: upon which account they cannot be too foon, or too much dif abled neither will England ever be fafe from the

attempts

attempts of this wicked confederacy, until their ftrength and interest be so far reduced, that, for the future it fhall not be in the power of the crown although in conjunction with any rich and factious body of men, to chufe an ill majority in the House of Commons.

One ftep very neceffary to this great work, will be to regulate the army, and chiefly thofe troops, which in their turns have the care of her Majefty's person; who are most of them fitter to guard a prince under an high court of justice, than feated on the throne. The peculiar hand of providence hath hatherto preferved her Majefty, encompaffed, whether fleeping or travelling, by her enemies : but fince religion teacheth us, that providence ought not to be tempted, it is ill venturing to truft that precious life any longer to thofe, who, by their public behaviour and difcourfe, difcover their impatience to fee it at an end; that they may have liberty to be the inftruments of glutting at once the revenge of their patrons and their own. It fhould be well remembered, what a fatisfaction thefe gen. tlemen (after the example of their betters) were fo fanguine to exprefs upon the Queen's laft illness at Windfor, and what threatenings they used of refufing to obey their general, in cafe that illness had proved fatal. Nor do I think it a want of charity to fufpect, that, in fuch an evil day, an enrag. ed faction would be highly pleafed with the power of the fword, and with great connivance leave it fo long unfheathed, until they were got rid of their most formidable adverfaries. In the mean time it must be a very melancholy profpect, that, whenever it fhall pleafe God to visit us with this calamity, thofe who are paid to be defenders of the civil power, will ftand ready for any acts of violence, that a junto, compofed of the greatest e. nemies to the conftitution, fhall think fit to enjoin them,

The

The other point of great importance is the fecurity of the proteftant fucceffion in the house of Hanover: not from any partiality to that illuftrious house, further than as it hath had the honour to mingle with the blood royal of England, and is the nearest branch of our legal line reformed from popery. This point hath one advantage over the former, that both parties profefs to defire the fame bleffing for pofterity, but differ about the means of fecuring it. From whence it hath come to pass, that the proteftant fucceffion, in appearance the defire of the whole nation, hath proved the greateft topic of flander, jealoufy, fufpicion and difcon

tent.

I have been fo curious as to afk feveral acquaintances among the oppofite party, whether they, or their leaders, did really fufpect there had been ever any defign in the ministry to weaken the fucceffion in favour of the pretender, or of any other perfon whatsoever. Some of them freely answered in the negative others were of the fame opinion, but added, they did not know what might be done in time, and upon farther provocations: others again. feemed to believe the affirmative, but could never produce any plaufible grounds for their belief. I have likewife been affured by a perfon of some confequence, that, during a very near and conftant familiarity with the great men at court for four years paft, he never could obferve, even in those hours of converfation where there is ufually leaft reftraint, that one word ever paffed among them to fhew a dislike to the prefent fettlement; although they would fometimes lament, that the falfe reprefentation of their's and the kingdom's enemies had made fome impreffions in the mind of the fucceffor. As to my own circle of acquaintance, I can fafely affirm, that, excepting thole who are nonjurors by profeffion, I have not met with above two perfons who appeared to have any fcruples concerning the prefent