worse than weakness; and if, in favour of the foolish intention, we do not call it a crime, we must allow at least that it arifes from an overweening, bufy, meddling impudence.Junius fays only, and he fays truly, that it is more extraordinary, that it involves a greater contradiction than the other; and is it not a maxim received in life, that in general we can determine more wifely for others than for ourfelves? The reafon of it is fo clear in argument, that it hardly wants the confirmation of experience. Sir William Draper, I confefs, is an exception to the general rule, though not much to his credit. 4. IF this gentleman will go back to his Ethicks, he may perhaps difcover the truth of what Junius fays, that no outward tyranny can reach the mind. The tortures of the body may be introduced by way of ornament or illustration to represent those of the mind, but ftrictly there is no fimilitude between them. They are totally different both in their cause and operation. The wretch, who fuffers upon the rack, is merely paffive; but when the mind is tortured, it is not at the command of any outward power. It is the fenfe of guilt which which conftitutes the punishment, and creates that torture with which the guilty mind acts upon itself. 5. HE mifquotes what Junius fays of confcience, and makes the fentence ridiculous, by making it his own.. So much for compofition. Now for fact.Junius it feems has mistaken the duke of Bedford. His Grace had all the proper feelings of a father, though he took care to fupprefs the appearance of them. Yet it was an occafion, one would think, on which he need not have been afhamed of his grief;-on which lefs fortitude would have done him more honour. I can conceive indeed a benevolent motive for his endeavouring to affume an air of tranquillity in his own family, and I wish I could difcover any thing, in the reft of his character, to justify, my affigning that motive to his behaviour. But is there no medium? Was it neceffary to appear abroad, to ballot at the India-house, and make a public difplay, tho it were only of an apparent infenfibility ?—I know we are treading on tender ground, and Junius, I am convinced, does not wish to urge this this question farther. Let the friends of the Duke of Bedford obferve that humble filence, which becomes their fituation. They should recollect that there are still some facts in store, at which human nature would fhudder. I fhall be understood by those whom it concerns, when I say that these facts go farther than to the Duke *. IT is not inconfiftent to suppose that a man may be quite indifferent about one part of a charge, yet severely ftung with another, and though he feels no remorse, that he may wish to be revenged. The charge of infenfibility carries a reproach indeed, but no danger with * Within a fortnight after Lord Tavistock's death, the venerable Gertrude had a route at Bedford-houfe. The good Duke (who had only fixty thousand pounds a year) ordered an inventory to be taken of his fon's wearing apparel, down to his flippers, fold them all, and put the money in his pocket. The amiable Marchioness, shocked at such brutal, unfeeling avarice, gave the value of the cloaths, to the Marquis's fervant, out of her own purfe. That incomparable woman did not long furvive her husband. When fhe died, the Duchefs of Bedford treated her as the Duke had treated his only fon. She ordered every gown and trinket to be fold, and pocketed the money.-These are the monsters, whom Sir William Draper comes forward to defend.---May God protect me from doing any thing that may require fuch defence, or deferve fuch friendhip! it. it.Junius had said, there are others who would affaffinate. Modeftus, knowing his man, will not fuffer the infinuation to be divided, but fixes it all upon the Duke of Bedford. WITHOUT determining upon what evidence Junius would choose to be condemned, I will venture to maintain, in oppofition to Modeftus, or to Mr. Rigby (who is certainly not Modeftus) or any other of the Bloomsbury gang, that the evidence against the Duke of Bedford is as ftrong as any prefumptive evidence can be. It depends upon a combination of facts and reasoning, which require no confirmation from the anecdote of the Duke of Marlborough. This anecdote was referred to merely to fhew how ready a great man may be to receive a great bribe; and if Modeftus could read the original, he would see that the expreffion, only not accepted, was probably the only one in our language that exactly fitted the case. The bribe, offered to the Duke of Marlborough, was not refused. I CANNOT conclude without taking notice of this honeft gentleman's learning, and wish ing ing he had given us a little more of it. When". he accidentally found himself fo near fpeaking. truth, it was rather unfair of him to leave out the non potuiffe refelli. As it stands, the pudet, hac opprobria may be divided equally between Mr. Rigby and the Duke of Bedford. Mr. Rigby, I take for granted, will affert his natural right to the modefty of the quotation, and leave all the opprobrium to his Grace. PHILO JUNIUS, END OF THE FIRST VOLUME. |