Thus difcours'd Hannibal unto those, who tafting the bitter Fruits of their own malicious. Counsel, repented when it was too late, and inftead of curfing their own Disorders which had bred this grievous Difeafe, accus'd that Phyfician, whofe Noble Endeavours had been employ'd in procuring the Remedy. And the Romans, being in Contemplation of that grievous War paft, whereof they had been in a manner without Hope, that ever they should fet free their Country, were fill'd with more Joy than they well cou'd moderate.

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Polyb. lib. 15.

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Few Weeks after this, was fet up the Examiner, a Villainous Libel, defign'd to blacken the old Miniftry, and prepare the Way for a Change; by removing the best and most able Servants a Prince ever had, to make Room for a Company of worthless namelefsi Creatures, who had nothing but Faction tỏ recommend them. 'Twas with Indignation, that Mr. Maynwaring faw his great Friends the Duke of Marlborough, the Earl of Godolphin, the Earl of Sunderland, and all the Illuftrious Minifters of that Part of Queen Anne's Reign, which will Shine in the British Annals, villify'd, and by thofe very Hirelings, who had been fed, and fome of 'em promoted by them.

There were feveral Perfons faid to be the Author of the first Examiner: As Mr. Prior, Dr. Swift, Dr. Ay, &c. But Mr. Maynwaring always inclin'd to think the former had the greateft hand in it, at leaft when it was firft fet up. Upon this he us'd to exprefs the utmoft Abhorrence of that Man's Ingratitude, who had been rais'd by the Whigs, from a very mean Beginning, to be a Commiffioner of Trade, and a Member of Parliament He got into the Houfe of Commons, by the Intereft of the Earl of Dorfet; and had not fat there a Year, before he deserted the Party that had prefer'd him, and fell in with thofe Men whofe Merit was a conftant Oppofition to all King William's Measures to reduce the Exorbitant

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Power of France. As for Swift, he wou'd hardly ever deign to name him. He has affur'd me more than once, that the Doctor offer'd his Service to the Earl of Godolphin, and wou'd for a Penfion, have Writ as much Falfhood and Scandal against the new Minifters, as he did afterwards against the Old, if there had been Occafion of it. But their Characters were fuch, that he might have rioted in Satyr, and not have of fended the Truth. That noble Lord had the Jaft Contempt for fuch Hirelings, and their Performances : He ever defpis'd the Prefs, and never cou'd think a Nation capable of being influeric'd, by the Mercenary Productions of a few Libellers till he felt the Effects of it, till his Merit was no longer a Defence to him, and his exalted Reputation was levell'd with Infamy, inthe odious Comparisons made by the Examiner and his Brethren, of his Administration with his Succeffons. : · Mr. Maynwaring never doubted, but that Mr. St. Jn was the main Promoter of that Paper, and if Mr. Hy paid for it out of the Publick Purfe, he not only contributed to it out. of his private One, but also by his Affistance in Writing and Correcting. It was not long after the Examiner was publish'd, that a Letter came out, directed to the Author, containing Inftructions how he should behave himself in it; that Letter no Body doubts, was a Production of Mr. St. Jn's, and Mr. Maynwaring cou'd not fuffer fo much Infolence to pafs, without Animadverfion. The Author of a Paper, call'd the Whig Examiner, undertook it, by Direction from him; if he was not himself that Author, which I never prefum'd to ask him, finding he avoided always to mention it.

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There is one Paffage in the Letter, that falls upon Mr. Steel, who then publifh'd the Tatler, and had given Offence to the Tories, by fome fmart Strokes against the Leaders of that Faction. Every one Remembers, Mr. Steel us'd to Stile himself the Cenfor of Great Britain: Upon which the Letter Writer faid, he resembled the Famous Cenfor of Rome in nothing, but efpoufing the Caufe of the Vanquish'd. To this Mr. Maynwaring, or his Friend reply'd, Tis just the fame, as if one should fay, in Regard to the many obfcure Truths, and fecret Hiftories that are brought to Light in this Letter, that the Author of these new Revelations, refembles the Ancient Author of the Revelations in nothing, but venturing his Head. Befides that there would be no Ground for fuch a Refemblance, would not a Man be laugh'd at by every common Reader, fhould be thus Miftake one St. John for another, and apply that to St. John the Evangelift, which relates to St. John the Baptift, who died many Years before him. Here the Author of the Letter is ingenioufly mark'd out, as well as his Wit reflected upon. We have, in the fame Reply, fome Hints of his Gratitude. This Writer of Letters, had had very great Obligations to his Grace the Duke of Mb; to whofe Favour he in a great Meafure ow'd the Distinction he had in the World. 'Twas by his Recommendation he obtain'd the Poft of Secretary of War, and had a double Salary allow'd him, which continu'd till the Worthy Gentleman who now enjoys it, generoully excus'd himself from accepting that Additional Penfion. Yet notwithstanding this, and several other Obligations, did the Writer of the Letter treat their Graces, the Duke and Dutchess of Marlborough, as Plagues, Furies, &c. One wou'd think, faid Mr. Maynwaring on this Occafion, this foul mouth'd Writer must have receiv'd fome particular Injuries,

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Injuries, either from this great Lady, or from her Husband, and thefe the World Shall foon be acquainted with by a Book, which is now in the Prefs, Entitul'd, An Effay to prove Gratitude is no Virtue. I cannot forbear obferving, with what Malice this very grateful and Ingenuous Perfon reflects on my Lord Duke's unparrallel'd Victories. Towns have been taken, fays he, and Battels have been won, the Mob bas Huzza'd round Bonfires, the Stentor of the Chappel, bas ftrain'd his Throat in the Gallery, and the Stentor of Sm, bas deafen'd his Audience from the Pulpit. On which Mr. Maynwaring has this Reflection. Thus you fee how like a true Son of the HighChurch, he falls upon a Learned and Reverend Prelate, and for no other Crime, but for preaching with an Audible Voice." What fol lows is fo extreamly Diverting, that one cannot help repeating it: The Reader will fee by it, what an admirable Talent the Author had at Raillery, and how the Quondam Secretary, as much as he is admir'd by his Faction for his Wit and Eloquence, comes far fhort of the Merit he has in their Opinion. I promis'd in the next Place, Jays our Critick, to confider the Language of this excellent Author, now a Vt, who I find, takes himself for an Orator: In the firft Page he cenfures feveral, for the Poyfon which they profufely fcatter thro' the Nation, that is, in plain English, for fquandring away their Poyfon: In the fecond, he talks of carrying Probability thro' the Thread of a Fable; and in the third, of laying an Odium at a Man's Door. In the G fourth, he rifes in his Expreffions, where he fpeaks of those who wou'd perfuade the People, that the G- -1, the quondam Tr and the Ito, are the only Objects of the Confidence the Allies, and of the Fears of the Enemies. I ⚫ would

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