and treble together, as other artifts do; which was a great difadvantage to my performance.

The King, who, as I before obferved, was a prince of excellent understanding, would frequently order, that I fhould be brought in my box, and fet upon the table in his clofet; he would then command me to bring one of my chairs out of the box, and fit down within three yards distance upon the top of the cabinet, which brought me almost to a level with his face. In this manner I had feveral converfations with him. I one day took the freedom to tell his Majefty, that the contempt he dif covered towards Europe, and the reft of the world, did not feem answerable to thofe excellent qualities of mind that he was mafter of: that reafon did not extend itfelf with the bulk of the body; on the contrary, we obferved in our country, that the tallest persons were usually least provided with it: that, among other animals, bees and ants had the reputation of more industry, art, and fagacity, than many of the larger kinds; and that, as inconfiderable as he took me to be, I hoped I might live to do his Majesty fome fignal fervice. The King heard. me with attention, and began to conceive a muchbetter opinion of me than he had ever before. He defired I would give him as exact an account of the government of England, as I poffibly could; becaufe, as fond as princes commonly are of their own customs, (for fo he conjectured of other monarchs by my former difcourfes,) he fhould be glad to hear of any thing that might deserve imitation.

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Imagine with thyfelf, courteous reader, how of ten-I then wifhed for the tongue of Demofthenes or Cicero, that might have enabled me to celebrate: the praise of my own dear native country, in a stile equal to its merits and felicity.

I began my difcourfe by informing his Majefty, that our dominions confifted of two iflands, which compofed three mighty kingdoms under one fove

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reign,

reign, befides our plantations in America. I dwelt long upon the fertility of our foil, and the temperature of our climate. I then spoke at large upon the constitution of an English parliament, partly made up of an illuftrious body called the House of Peers, perfons of the nobleft blood, and of the moft ancient and ample patrimonies. I defcribed that extraordinary care always taken of their education in arts and arms, to qualify them for being counsellors both to the king and kingdom; to have a fhare in the legiflature; to be members of the highest court of judicature, from whence there could be no appeal; and to be champions always ready for the defence of their prince and country, by their valour, conduct, and fidelity. That thele were the ornament and bulwark of the kingdom, worthy followers of their most renowned ancestors, whose honour had been the reward of their virtue, from which their pofterity were never once known to degenerate. To thefe were joined feveral holy perfons as part of that affembly, under the title of bifhops, whofe peculiar bufinefs it is to take care of religion, and of those who inftruct the people therein. These were fearched and fought out through the whole nation, by the prince and his wifeft counsellors among fuch of the priesthood, as were most deservedly distinguished by the fanctity of their lives, and the depth of their erudition, who were indeed the fpiritual fathers of the clergy and the people.

That the other part of the parliament confifted of an affembly called the houfe of commons, who were all principal gentlemen, freely picked and culled out by the people themselves, for their great abilities and love of their country, to reprefent the wifdom of the whole nation. And that these two bodies made up the moft auguft affembly in Europe, to whom, in conjunction with the prince, the whole legiflature is committed.

cence.

I then defcended to the courts of juftice, over which the judges, thofe venerable fages and interpreters of the law, prefided for determining the difputed rights and properties of men, as well as for the punishment of vice and protection of innoI mentioned the prudent management of our treasury, the valour and atchievements of our forces by fea and land. I computed the number of our people, by reckoning how many millions there might be of each religious fect, or political party among us. I did not omit even our sports and paftimes, or any other particular, which I thought might redound to the honour of my country. And I finished all with a brief hiftorical account of affairs and events in England for about an hundred years paft.

This converfation was not ended under five audiences, each of feveral hours; and the king heard. the whole with great attention, frequently taking notes of what I fpoke, as well as memorandums of what questions he intended to ask me.

When I had put an end to thefe long difcourfes, his Majefty in a fixth audience confulting his notes, propofed many doubts, queries, and object ons upon every article. He asked what methods were used to cultivate the minds and bodies of our young nobility, and in what kind of bufinefs they commonly fpent the firft and teachable part of their lives. What courfe was taken to fupply that affembly when any noble family became extinct. What qualifications were neceffary in thofe who are to be created new lords: whether the humour of the prince, a fum of money to a court-lady or a prime minifter, or a defign of ftrengthening a party oppofite to the public intereft, ever happened to be motives in thofe advancements. What fhare of knowledge thefe lords had in the laws of their country, and how they came by it, fo as to enable them to decide the properties of their fellow fubjects in

the

the last refort. Whether they were always fo free from avarice, partialities, or want, that a bribe or fome other finifter view could have no place among them. Whether those holy lords I spoke of, were always promoted to that rank upon account of their knowledge in religious matters, and the fanc, tity of their lives; had never been compliers with the times while they were common priefts, or fla vith prostitute chaplains, to fome nobleman, whofe opinions they continued fervilely to follow after they were admitted into that affembly.

He then defired to know, what arts were practifed in electing those whom I called commoners : whether a ftranger with a strong purfe might not influence the vulgar voters to chufe him before their own landlord, or the most confiderable gentleman in the neighbourhood. How it came to pass, that people were fo violently bent upon getting into this affembly, which I allowed to be a great trous ble and expence, often to the ruin of their families, without any falary or penfion; because this appeared fuch an exalted ftrain of virtue and public fpirit, that his Majefty feemed to doubt it might poffibly not be always fincere: and he defired to know whether fuch zealous gentlemen could have any views of refunding themfelves for the charges and trouble they were at, by facrificing the public good to the designs of a weak and vicious prince, in conjunction with a corrupted miniftry. He multiplied his questions, and fifted me thoroughly upon every part of this head, propofing numberless enquiries and objections, which I think it not prudent or convenient to repeat.

Upon what I faid in relation to our courts of juftice, his Majefty defired to be fatisfied in feveral points and this I was the better able to do, having been formerly almost ruined by a long fuit in chancery, which was decreed for me with costs. He afked what time was ufually spent in determining

between

between right and wrong, and what degree of expence. Whether advocates and orators had liberty to plead in causes manifeftly known to be unjust, vexatious, or oppreflive. Whether party in religion or politics were obferved to be of any weight in the fcale of juftice. Whether thofe pleading orators were perfons educated in the general knowledge of equity, or only in provincial, national, and other local customs. Whether they or their judges had any part in penning thofe laws, which they affumed the liberty of interpreting and gloffing upon at their pleasure. Whether they had ever, at different times, pleaded for and against the fame caufe, and cited precedents to prove contrary opinions. Whether they were a rich or a poor corporation. Whether they received any pecuniary reward for pleading or delivering their opinions. And particularly, whether they were ever admitted as members in the lower fenate.

He fell next upon the management of our treafury; and faid, he thought my memory had failed me, because I computed our taxes at about five or fix millions a-year, and when I came to mention the iffues, he found they amounted to fometimes more than double for the notes he had taken were very particular in this point, because he hoped, as he told me, that the knowledge of our conduct might be useful to him, and he could not be deceived in his calculations. But, if what I told him were true, he was ftill at a lofs how a kingdom could run out of its eftate like a private perfon. He asked me, who were our creditors where we found money to pay them. He wondered to hear me talk of fuch chargeable and expenfive wars; that certainly we must be a quarrelfome people, or live among very bad neighbours, and that our generals muft needs be richer than our kings. He afked what bufinefs we had out of our own iflands, unless upon the fcore of trade or trea

and

ty,