IN DEFENCE OF HIS POLITICAL CONDUCT.

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recommend them to better usage than their father meets with in the world. I am not indebted one shilling for any part of their education, or for any thing else belonging to bringing them up; yet the author of the Flying-post published lately, that I never paid for the education of any of my children. If any man in Britain has a shilling to demand of me for any part of their education, or any thing belonging to them, let them come for it. But these men care not what injurious things they write, nor what they say, whether truth or not, if it may but raise a reproach on me, though it were to be my ruin. I may well appeal to the honour and justice of my worst enemies in such cases as this."

"Conscia mens recti fama mendacia ridet.”

In the following passage, dictated no less by good sense than by a manly independence, he appeals to the moderation of the King against the hostile threats of the Whigs, who had denounced vengeance upon their political opponents. "It is, and ever was my opinion that moderation is the only true virtue by which the peace and tranquillity of this nation can be preserved. Even the King himself, I believe his majesty will allow me that freedom, can only be happy in the enjoyment of the crown by a moderate administration. If his majesty should be obliged, contrary to his known disposition, to join with intemperate councils, if it does not lessen his security, I am persuaded it will lessen his satisfaction. It cannot be pleasant, and I think it cannot be safe, to any just prince to rule over a divided people, split into incensed and exasperated parties. Though a skilful mariner may have courage to master a tempest, and go fearlessly through a storm, yet he can never be said to delight in the danger. A fresh fair gale, and a quiet sea, is the pleasure of his voyage; and we have a saying worth notice to them that are otherwise minded, Qui amat periculum periibat in illo.

"To attain at the happy calm, which, as I say, is the safety of Britain, is the question which should now move us

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EXTRACT FROM HIS WORK.

all; and he would merit to be called the nation's physician that could prescribe the specific for it. I think I may be allowed to say, a conquest of parties will never do it; a balance of parties may. Some are for the former; they talk high of punishments, letting blood, revenging the treatment they have met with, and the like. If they, not knowing what spirit they are of, think this the course to be taken, let them try their hands; I shall give them up for lost, and look for their downfal from that time; for the ruin of all such tempers slumbereth not. It is many years that I have professed myself an enemy to all precipitations in public administrations; and often I have attempted to show, that hot councils have ever been destructive to those who have made use of them. Indeed, they have not always been a disadvantage to the nation, as, in King James II.'s reign, when, as I have often said in print, his precipitation was the safety of us all. If he had proceeded temperately and politicly, we had been undone. Felix quem faciunt. These are some of the reasons why I think this is the proper juncture for me to give some account of myself, and of my past conduct, to the world."

Whilst engaged upon this narrative, and before he had fully completed it, De Foe was struck with apoplexy. The ill-treatment he had experienced preyed so much upon his spirits, as to undermine his health, and, in the opinion of his friends, was the accelerating cause of this calamity. After languishing six months, with an uncertain prospect of recovery, his friends determined to delay the publication no longer. It therefore appeared without his finishing hand; but Baker, the publisher, added a paragraph by way of Conclusion, in which he noticed the author's illness as the occasion of the delay. De Foe eventually recovered from his attack, which left him for a long time in a very weak state; but he at length regained sufficient health and vigour of mind to delight the world by many valuable writings.

CHAPTER XVI.

De Foe publishes his "Family Instructor."-Dr. Wright's Recommendation.-Object and Character of the Work.-His Account of its Success. Various Editions.-And Anecdotes respecting it.-Friendly Epistle to Thomas Bradbury.-Sharp Rebuke to Henry Sacheverell.-Seasonable Expostulation with the Duke of Ormond.- Declaration of Truth to Benjamin Hoadly.-Thoughts on Trade and a Public Spirit.-Account of Two Nights' Court at Greenwich.-Triennial Bill impartially stated.-Controversy with Toland upon Ennobling Foreigners.-"What if the Swedes should Come?"-"History of the Press-Yard," and Answer.-Project of a Paper, called, "The Hanover Spy."-Mesnager's Negociations.—Memoirs of the Church of Scotland.-Pamphlets upon the Division in the Ministry.-Second Volume of the "Family Instructor."-Memoirs of Dr. Daniel Williams.— De Foe's Letter to the Dissenters upon the Trinitarian Controversy.→→→ Curious Oration of Father Andrews.-De Foe's Assignment of Property.

1715-1719.

THE little patriotism that was to be found in public men, who sought the gratification of their passions, in preference to those virtues that conduce most to the welfare of nations, had already convinced De Foe of the vanity of parties; and the persecutions he had suffered for his political writings, indisposed him to any fresh encounter with the malice of his enemies. He, therefore, now turned his attention to a subject with which all parties might be pleased, and from which they might derive wholesome lessons to soften their asperities, and cultivate the best affections of the heart. Having him

404

DE FOE PUBLISHES HIS FAMILY INSTRUCTOR." self reaped the consolations of religion, he was desirous of imparting their savour to his countrymen.

In the early part of 1715, he committed to the press one of the most valuable of his treatises, and perhaps one of the most useful of its kind in the English language. It bears the title of "The Family Instructor. In Three Parts. With a recommendatory Letter by the Rev. S. Wright (T).

(T) Dr. Samuel Wright was an eminent divine and popular preacher amongst the Presbyterians in London, during the former part of the last century, and published many sermons and religious treatises. The "Family Instructor," with his "Letter to the Publisher," was entered at Stationers'Hall, March 31, 1715. His recommendation appears only to the first edition, which being now difficult to be procured, a copy of it shall be preserved, as the testimony of a competent judge to the value of De Foe's work. It is as follows:

'My very good friend. Having, at your request, read over the book, called the Family Instructor, I do, upon several accounts, very much approve of the design of it; and wish I could say any thing to recommend it to the perusal of others. The decay of family religion is very visible, and frequently matter of complaint; and, therefore, I doubt not such an attempt as this will be well received by all serious and thoughtful persons among us. The printer has been faulty to a degree that I am afraid will render the reader very uneasy, and I wish the author had thought fit to communicate his papers to you before they had fallen into such hands; but the substance of the book, however, will command regard; and if I may judge for others by myself, will afford some pleasure and entertainment. The first part is an amazing encouragement to parents that have been negligent in the education of their children, to set up family religion, and is very proper, both to convince the governor of a family of his duty, and to direct him in it. It will let us see how much sometimes may be learnt from children that are very young; and also what way is proper to be taken with those that are grown up, and have not been used to any thing of regularity. The second part is exceedingly well contrived to instruct masters of families in their care of apprentices and servants, and possibly it may be the more useful to some families, because of the different sentiments of the husband and wife in matters of religion; the one being a worshipper of God with the Dissenters, the other with the Church of England. The third part is designed to instruct persons in the disposing of their children in marriage, and to direct those that are new-married in their duty to one another. The notes upon each dialogue may be very useful, as they are designed to gather up the most important things in every dialogue, and present them to the reader in one uninterrupted view.

DR. WRIGHT'S RECOMMENDATION.

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London: sold by Eman. Matthews, at the Bible, in Paternoster Row; and Jo. Button, in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. 1715." 12mo. pp. 444. The three portions of the work are addressed, 1. To Father and Children. 2. To Masters and Servants. 3. To Husband and Wives.

The main object of this performance is, to impress upon the heads of families the great duty of instructing their children and dependants in the principles of religion and virtue; and to inculcate upon the latter, the obligations they are under to listen to such instruction. Being thrown into the form of familiar dialogues, and enlivened by apt stories, that present all the colouring of real life, it is calculated to gain an easier access to the capacities of most readers, than a grave didactic treatise. Upon this account, it has been found to yield as much amusement to the young, as instruction to persons in riper years. Of the piety and good understanding of the writer, no one who reads his

"I think the whole of it very much fitted to do good, especially if the reader be first assured that the substance of each narrative is real; and there are some whole dialogues to which, with very little alteration, I myself could put names and families. There are some passages very moving to those who have any sense of religion, and I think it not ill-contrived to take hold of the hearts of those who are loose and ignorant. The dialogues are sometimes longer (in my opinion) than was needful to the design; and there are, now and then, some expressions that may seem a little out of character; that is not perfectly suitable to the circumstances and capacity of the person supposed to be speaking, or of the other that is spoken to. But I think there can be no disgust which will not quickly be taken away, if a dialogue be read over at one time. Let but the several main strokes be carefully observed, and the lesser incidencies may be hastened over. I wish that all who peruse this book may find the same entertainment which, in some parts of it, I have done; and I wish that in every house, one of 'em might lye in common, for the use of all such as may be willing to look into it. There are passages suited to all sorts of families, and to every member in them, and who knows but something may occur to the eyes of those that do but glance into it, that may engage their further regards and attention. I have nothing more to add, but only to tell you, that you have liberty to make what use you please of this letter. From your real friend and servant.

"S. WRIGHT.".