fibly reap from any Accomplishments of his own. But all the Credit of Wit which was given me by the Gentlemen above-mentioned (with whom I have now accounted) has not been able to attone for the Exceptions made against me for fome Raillery in Behalf of that learned Advocate for the Epifeopacy of the Church, and the Liberty of the People, Mr. Hoadley. I mention'd this only to defend myself against the Imputation of being moved rather by Party than Opinion; and I think it is apparent, I have with the utmost Franknefs allowed Merit where-ever I found it, though joined in Interests different from those for which I have declared myself. When my Favonius is acknowledged to be Dr. Smalridge, and the amiable Character of the Dean in the Sixty-fixth Tatler, drawn for Dr. Atterbury; I hope I need fay na more as to my Impartiality.

I really have acted in thefe Cafes with Honesty, and am concerned it should be thought otherwife: For Wit, if a Man had it, unless it be directed to Some useful End, is but a wanton frivolous Quality; all that one should value himself upon in this Kind is, that he had fome honourable Intention in it.

AS for this Point, never Hero in Romance was carried away with a more furious Ambition to conquer Giants and Tyrants, than I have been in extirpating Gamefters and Duellifts. And indeed, like one of thofe Knights too, tho' I was calm before, I am apt to fly out again, when the Thing that firft difturbed me, is prefented to my Imagination. I fhall therefore leave off when I am well, and fight with Windmills no more: Only fhall be fo arrogant as to fay of myself, that in Spight of all the Force of Fashion and Prejudice, in the Face of all the World, I alone bewailed the Condition of an English Gentleman, whofe Fortune and Life are at this Day precarious; while his Estate

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is liable to the Demands of Gamefters, through a falfe Senfe of Justice; and to the Demands of Duellifts, through a falfe Senfe of Honour. As to the first of thefe Orders of Men, I have not one Word more to Jay of them: As to the latter, I shall conclude all I have more to offer against them (with Refpect to their being prompted by the Fear of Shame) by applying to the Duellift what I think Dr. South fays Jomewhere of the Liar, He is a Coward to Man, and a Brave to GOD.

THE

and Benefactors.

Tuesday, June 27, 1710.

Sheer-Lane, June 26.

HERE are fome Occafions in Life, wherein Regard to a Man's felf is the moft pitiful and contemptible of all Paffions; and fuch a Time certainly is when the true publick Spirit of a Nation is run into a Faction against their Friends

I have hinted heretofore fome Things which discover the real Sorrow I am in at the Obfervation, that it is now very much fo in Great Britain, and. have had the Honour to be pelted with feveral Epiftles VOL. IV.

B

to expoftulate with me on that Subject. Among others, one from a Perfon of the Number of thofe they call Qua kers, who feems to admonish me out of pure Zeal and Good-will. But as there is no Character fo unjust as that of talking in Party upon all Occafions, without Respect to Merit or Worth on the contrary Side; fo there is no Part we can act fo juftifiable as to fpeak our Mind when we fee Things urged to Extremity, againft alb that is Praife worthy or valuable in Life, upon general and groundless Suggestions. But if I have talked too frankly upon fuch Reflections, my Correfpondent has laid before me, after his Way, the Error of it in a Manner that makes me indeed thankful for his Kindness, but the more inclinable to repeat the Imprudence from the Neceffity of the Circumftance.

Friend Ifaac,

F

The 23d of the 6th Month, which is the Month June. ORASMUCH as I love thee, I cannot any longer refrain declaring my Mind unto thee ⚫ concerning fome Things. Thou didst thy felf indite the Epittle in one of thy late Lucubrations, as thou would't have us call them: For verily thy Friend of Stone, and I fpeak according to Knowledge, hath no Fingers; and though he hath a Mouth, yet fpeaketh ⚫he not therewith; nor yet did that Epifle at all come unto thee from the Manfion houfe of the ScarletWhore. It is plain therefore, that the Truth is not in thee: But fince thou wouldst lie, couldst thou not lia with more Difcretion? Wherefore fhouldft thou infult over the Afflicted, or add Sorrow unto the Heavy of Heart? Truly this Gall proceedeth not from the Spirit of Meeknefs. I tell thee moreover, the People of this Land be marvelously given to Change; ⚫ infomuch that it may likely come to pafs, that before thou art many Years nearer to thy Diffolution, thou may'ft behold him fitting on a high Place whom thou now laugheft to Scorn: And then how wilt thou be glad to humble thy felf to the Ground, and lick the Duft of his Feet, that thou may't find Favour in his Sight? If thou didst meditate as much upon the Word, as thou doft upon the profane Scribblings of

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the wife ones of this Generation, thou wouldst have remembred what happened unto Shimei, the Son of Gera the Benjamite, who curfed the good Man David in his Diftrefs. David pardoned his Tranfgreflion, yet was he afterwards taken as in a Snare by the Words of his own Mouth, and fell by the Sword of Solomon the chief Ruler. Furthermore, I do not remember to have heard in the Days of my Youth and Vanity, when, like thine, my Converfation was with the Gentiles, that the Men of Rome, which is Babylan, ever fued unto the Men of Carthage, for Tranquillity, as thou doft aver: Neither was Hannibal, the Son of Hamilcar, called Home by his Country་ men, till thefe faw the Sword of their Enemies at their Gates; and then was it not Time for him, thinkeft thou, to return? It appeareth therefore that thou doft prophefy backwards; thou doft row one Way and look another; and indeed in all Things art thou too much a Time ferver; yet feemeft thou not to confider what a Day may bring forth. Think of this, and 'take Tobacco.'

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Thy Friend,

Aminadab.

IF the zealous Writer of the above Letter has any Meaning, it is of too high a Nature to be the Subject of my Lucubrations. I fhall therefore wave fuch high Points, and be as ufeful as I can to Perfons of lefs Moment than any he hints at. When a Man runs into a little Fame in the World, as he meets with a great deal of Reproach which he does not deferve, fo does he alfo a great deal of Efteem to which he has in himself no Pretenfions. Were it otherwife, I am fure no one would offer to put a Law Cafe to me: But because I am an Adept in Phyfick and Aftrology, they will needs perfwade me that I am no lefs a Proficient in all other Sciences. However, the Point mentioned in the following Letter is fo plain a one, that I think I need not trouble myfelf to caft a Figure to be able to dif cufs it.