LETTER XXX. A WORD AT PARTING TO JUNIUS. * SIR, Odr. 7, 1769. As S you have not favoured me with either of the explanations demanded of you, I can have no thing *Measures and not Men' is the common cant of affected moderation;-a base, counterfeit language, fabricated by knaves, and made current ainong fools. Such gentle cenfure is not fitted to the prefent, degenerate state of fociety. When does it avail to expose the abfurd contrivance, or pernicious tendency of measures, if the man, who advises or executes, fhall be suffered not only to escape with impunity, but even to preferve his power, and infult us with the favour of his Sovereign! I would recommend to the reader the whole of Mr. Pope's letter to Doctor Arbuthnot, dated 26 June, 1734, from which the following is an extract.— "To reform and not chaftife I am afraid, is impoffible; "and that the best precepts, as well as the best laws, would prove of fmall ufe, if there were no examples to inforce "them. To attack vices in the abstract, without touching perfons, may be safe fighting indeed, but it is fighting "with fhawdows. My greatest comfort and encourage"ment to proceed has been to fee that thofe, who have no "shame, and no fear of any thing else, have appeared "touched by my fatires." thing more to fay to you upon my own account. Your mercy to me, or tenderness for yourself, has been very great. The public will judge of your motives. If your excess of modesty forbids you to produce either the proofs, or yourself, I will excufe it. Take courage; I have not the temper of Tiberius, any more than the rank or power. You, indeed, are a tyrant of another fort, and upon your political bed of torture can excruciate any fubject, from a first minifter down to fuch a grub or butterfly as myself; like another detefted tyrant of antiquity, can make the wretched fufferer fit the bed, if the bed will not fit the fufferer, by disjointing or tearing the trembling limbs until they are ftretched to its extremity. But courage, conftancy and patience, under torments, have fometimes caused the most hardened monsters to relent, and forgive the object of their cruelty. You, Sir, are determined to try all that human nature can endure, until fhe expires: else, was it poffible that you could be the author of that most inhuman letter to the Duke of Bedford, I have read with astonishment and horror? Where, Sir, where are the feelings of your own heart, when you could upbraid a most affectionate father with the lofs of his only and most amiable fon? Read over again those cruel lines of yours, and let them ན wring your very foul! Cannot political queftions. be difcuffed without defcending to the most odious personalities? Must you go wantonly out of your way to torment declining age, because the Duke of Bedford may have quarrelled with those whose cause and politics you efpoufe? For fhame! for fhame! As you have spoke daggars to him, you may justly dread the use of them against your own breast, did a want of courage, or of noble sentiments, ftimulate him to fuch mean revenge. He is above it; he is brave. Do you fancy that your own base arts have infected our whole island? But your own reflections, your own conscience, muft and will, if you have any spark of humanity remaining, give him moft ample vengeance. Not all the power of words with which you are so graced, will ever wash out, or even palliate this foul blot in your character. I have not time at present to diffect your letter fo minutely as I could wish, but I will be bold enough to say, that it is (as to reafon and argument) the most extraordinary piece of florid impotence that ever was impofed upon the eyes and ears of the too credulous and deluded mob. It accufes the Duke of Bedford of hightreafon. Upon what foundation? You tell us, "That the Duke's pecuniary character makes it 66 more 66 more than probable, that he could not have "made fuch facrifices at the peace, without fome 66 private compenfations; that his conduct carried "with it an interior evidence, beyond all the le"gal proofs of a court of justice." My academical education, Sir, bids me tell you that it is neceffary to eftablish the truth of your first propofition, before you presume to draw inferences from it. First prove the avarice, before you make the rafh, hafty, and moft wicked conclufion. This father, Junius, whom you call avaricious, allowed that for eight thousand pounds 2-year. Upon his most unfortunate death, which your ufual goodnature took care to remind him of, he greatly increased the jointure of the afflicted lady, his widow. Is this avarice? Is this doing good by fealth? It is upon record. If exact order, method, and true œconomy as a mafter of a family; if fplendor and just magnificence, without wild waste and thoughtless extravagance, may conftitute the character of an avaricious man, the Duke is guilty. But for a moment let us admit that an ambaffador may love money too much; what proof do you give that he has taken any to betray his country? Is it hearfay? or the evidence of letters? or ocular? or the evidence of thofe concerned in this black affair; Produce Produce your authorities to the public. It is a most impudent kind of forcery to attempt to blind us with the finoke, without convincing us that the fire has exifted. You firft brand him with a vice that he is free from, to render him odious and fufpected. Sufpicion is the foul weapon with which you make all your chief attacks; with that you ftab. But fhall one of the first subjects of the realm be ruined in his fame; fhall even his life be in conftant danger, from a charge built upon fuch fandy foundations? Muft his house be befieged by lawless ruffians, his journies impeded, and even the afylum of an altar be infecure, from affertions fo base and falfe? Potent as he is, the Duke is amenable to juftice; if guilty, punishable. The parliament is the high and folemn tribunal for matters of fuch great moment. To that be they fubnitted. But I hope alfo that fome notice will be taken of, and fome punishment inflicted upon falfe accufers, especially upon fuch, Junius, who are wilfully falfe. In any truth I will agree even with Junius; will agree with him, that it is highly unbecoming the dignity of Peers to tamper with boroughs. Ariftocracy is as fatal as democracy. Our conftitution admits of neither, It loves a King, Lords, and Commons really chofen by the unbought fuffrages of a free people. But if corrup |