LETTER XLIII. To JUNIUS. July 15, 1771. SIR, FARCE, comedy, and tragedy,—Wilkes, Foote, and Junius, united at the fame time against one poor parfon, are fearful odds. The two former are only labouring in their vocation, and may equally plead in excufe that their aim is a livelihood. I admit the plea for the fecond; his is an honest calling, and my clothes were lawful game; but I cannot fo readily approve Mr. Wilkes, or commend him for making patriotism a trade, and a fradulent trade. But what fhall I fay to Junius, the grave, the folemn, the didactic? Ridicule, indeed, has been ridiculously called the test of truth; but furely to confefs that you lofe your natural moderation when mention is made of the man, does not promise much truth or justice when you speak of him yourself. You charge me with "a new zeal in fupport "of administration," and with "Endeavours in fupport of the ministerial nomination of sheriffs.” The reputation which your talents have deservedly gained to the fignature of Junius, draws from me a reply, which I difdained to give to the anonymous lies of Mr. Wilkes. You make frequent ufe of the word gentleman; I only call myself a man, and defire no other distinction. If you are either, you are bound to make good your charges, or to confess that you have done me a hasty injustice upon no authority.. I put the matter fairly to iffue.-I fay, that fo far from any new zeal in fupport of admini"ftration," I am poffeffed with the utmost abhorrence of their meafures; and that I have ever fhewn myself, and am ftill ready, in any rational manner, to lay down all I have-my life, in oppofition to those measures. I fay, that I have not, and never have had, any communication or con. nexion of any kind, directly or indirectly with any courtier or minifterial man, or any of their adherents that I never have received, or folicited, or expected, or defired, or do now hope for, any reward of any fort from any party or set of men in administration or oppofition: I fay, that I never used any "endeavours in fupport of the "minifterial nomination of fheriffs:" that I did not not folicit any one liveryman for his vote for any one of the candidates, nor employ any other perfon to folicit and that I did not write one fingle line or word in favour of Meffrs. Plumbe and Kirkman, whom I understand to have been fupported by the ministry. You are bound to refute what I here advance, or to lofe your credit for veracity: you must produce facts; furmife and general abuse, in however elegant language, ought not to pass for proofs. You have every advantage, and I have every disadvantage: you are unknown, I give my name: all parties, both in and out of admini-' ftration, have their reafons (which I fhall relate hereafter) for uniting in their wishes against me: and the popular prejudice is as ftrongly in your favour, as it is violent against the parfon. Singular as my present fituation is, it is neither painful, nor was it unforeseen. He is not fit for public business who does not even at his entrance prepare his mind for fuch an event. Health, fortune, tranquillity, and private connexions I have facrificed upon the altar of the public; and the only return I receive, because I will not concur to dupe and mislead a fenfelefs multitude, is barely that they have not yet torn me in pieces. That That this has been the only return, is my pride, and a fource of more real fatisfaction than honours or profperity. I can practife before I am ol the leffons I learned in my youth: nor fhall I ever forget the words of my antient monitor, "'Tis the last key-stone : "That makes the arch the reft, that there "were put, "Are nothing till that comes to bind and "shut. "Then stands it a triumphal mark! then men "Obferve the Strength, the height, the why and "when "It was erected; and ftill walking under, "Meet fome new matter to look up and LETTER XLIV. To the Reverend Mr. HORNE. SIR, July 24, 1771. I Cannot defcend to an altercation with you in the news-papers. But fince I have attacked your character, and you complain of injuftice, I think you have fome right to an explanation. You defy me to prove, that you ever folicited a vote, or wrote a word in fupport of the minifterial aldermen. Sir, I did never fufpect you of fuch grofs folly. It would have been impoffible for Mr. Horne to have folicited votes, and very difficult to have written for the news-papers in defence of that caufe, without being detected and brought to shame. Neither do I pretend to any intelligence concerning you, or to know more of your conduct, then you yourself have thought proper to communicate to the public. It is from your own letters I conclude that you have fold yourself to the miniftry; or, if that charge be too. fevere, and fuppofing it poffible to be deceived by appearances fo very strongly against you, what are your friends to fay in your defence? Must they |