A MODEST
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1
APOLOGY
The
FOR MY
OWN CONDUCT,
When I was a Child I conceiv'd as a Child,
I reafon'd as a Child: But when I became
a Man, I put away Childish Things.
St. Paul's Epiftle to the Corinthians,
Chap. xiii. Ver. 11.
Duplices tendens ad fydera Palmas,
Talia voce refert.
VIRG.
LONDON:
Printed for M. Cooper in Paternofter Row,
M.D.CCXLVIII.
}
DA
501
49
M7
English
Holwer
3.30-43
47643
(I)
}
1
A
Modeſt APOLOGY, &c.
T
HEY who judge of Men,
their Morals or Steddinefs, ei-
ther by their own narrow Prin-
ciples, Pique or Prejudices;
or by this or that diſtinct Action, Speech,
or Manner of Conduct, will always fub-
ject themſelves to the Hazard of being de-
ceived. Times, Seafons, Circumſtances
of Affairs, and Difference of Age and
Experience, in the Courfe and Reaſon of
Things, naturally and juftly create Vari-
ety of Opinion; elfe were we at firſt in-
fallible, and in the Order of our Lives
incapable of further Improvement. This,
ſeriouſly confider'd, will produce Matter
fufficient to vindicate a Man from Im-
morality, or Unſteadineſs, who with
Time, and the Change of Events, alters
his Scheme of Thinking and Acting, and
thereby happens to vary effentially from
the Many, whofe Thoughts previouſly
coincided
B
( 2 )
coincided with his own.
There are
Abundance of Points in Government-Af-
fairs, as in Religious Matters, which have
not any determinate Standard, that can
fix us to any tolerable Degree of Certain-
ty: And in regard to them, Steaddineſs is
only another Name, or Term, for Poli-
tical Bigotry. He must therefore not
have a very moderate Share of Pride and
Preſumption, who affumes to himſelf a
Right of determining arbitrarily in Points
purely Political; how this or that Man
fhall always act, what Party or Set of
Men he ſhall co-operate with, or how he
ſhall in particular conduct himſelf; as the
confin'd Circle of our Reafon but too
often evinces, in the Rotation of a few
Hours, how eafily we are miſtaken: And
it is hence wife Men conclude, that thoſe
who affert pofitively, generally argue
falfly. A fettled Imagination and found
Judgment, contribute greatly to form
our Conceptions of Men, Manners and
Things: Thefe, aided by Experience, raiſe
theMind to the utmoft Extent of its known
moral Capacity. The first owes its Ex-
iſtence, in a great Meaſure, to a good
State of Health, an eafy Fortune, and a
calm and deliberate Habit of Thinking.
The
(3)
The laft is the natural Effect of the for-
mer, corrected and ripened by Experience.
In order therefore to judge of the Recti-
tude of this or that Man's Conduct, it is
neceffary at leaſt that our Imagination be
clear and difengaged from all Biafs, and
that we have a perfect Knowlege of the
prefent State of Affairs, as well as a tho-
rough Acquaintance with the Tranfac-
tions of the paft; and confider in both,
what the Wifeft, and moft Experienc'd
have done, and are now every Day doing.
When our Judgment is once rectified
by Obſervation and Reflections of this
Nature, a new Light breaks in upon us,
and we then come to fee very plainly how
far human Opinion is from being infallible.
There is nothing more eaſy, than to ſay
rude and indecent Things, or to endea-
vour to brand each other with Marks of
Infamy and Reproach; but to take all
Things together, and thence prove by
fair Argument, that the varying from
our former Sentiments, and from thofe
with whom we affociated, muſt neceffarily
be wrong, is, I fancy, much too difficult
a Matter for thofe to effect, whoſe warm
Imaginations never fuffered them to con-
fider more than one Side of the Queſtion,
B 2
and
(4)
and, in general, not even that, with due
Care and Circumfpection. Men entertaining
fuperftitious Prejudices, in Political Mat-
te.s, which they either imbibed with their
Milk, or have acquired by converfing too
narrowly, forget how much they decry
the fame Turn of Thinking in Religious
Affairs. Yet, if it be an Error, it is
equally fo in both Cafes, as neither can be
brought to a Point, nor fo well afcertain'd,
as to conclude all Men by it. If the Opi-
nions of Men are, and neceffarily must be
various, as to the Practice of Religion, ſo
they muſt be as to Government; and he
muſt be Maſter of a very uncommon
Prefumption, who would, on fo unbound-
ed a Subject, make his Opinion the
Standard of every Man's. In particular
Circumftances, there are fuch Things as
evident Right and Wrong; as Blafphemy
in Religion, Immorality in common Life,
Cowardice in War, and the Betraying
ones Country to an Enemy: But no Man
that reafons freely, will prefume to deter-
mine whether I fhall pray kneeling or
ſtanding. Yet the Prieft, whofe Intereſt
it is that you ſhould do as he bids you,
will reflect ſeverely, if that is not done
which he and his Colleagues preſcribe,
There
(5)
There are Prieſts in Politics as well as in
Religion; and while it is the Intereft of
this or that Man that I fhould be of his
Party, I naturally expect to be hardly uſed,
when I find Reafon to alter my Opinion.
But every honeft Man will think at the
fame Time, that I have full as muchRight
to judge for myſelf as he or they can pre-
tend to, at least hope, that a little Modeſty
may teach him or them to give the Pub-
lic fome fair Reaſons, why I fhould not
have varied my Sentiments; and not ima-
gine that I am to be talked out of my
Freedom of judging for myſelf, by fuch
Peculiarities of Thinking as are the Reſult
of Self-intereft or Political Superftition.
I conceiv'd it proper to premiſe thus much,
in order to fix the Attention of the
Reader to my future Reaſoning; and as I
am now entering on obvious Facts, to un-
biaſs him from all Party Prejudice until I
have finiſh'd my Defence, when, let him
be of whart Party he may, I hope he
will do me the Juſtice to own that I have
treated the Argument fairly.
The Antiminiſterial Party who acted
in Oppofition to the Power of Sir Robert
Walpole, are allowed, by all, to have
been Men of the greatest Genius and A-
bilities,
( 6 )
熊
​bilities, and, in all their Actions and Pur-
fuits, carried the evidentMarks of Engliſh-
men and Patriots. I was then, as were
moft of the Gentlemen now reflected on,
in the Vigour of my Youth, had a warm
Imagination, little Experience in Men,
and leſs in Public Affairs, but the Intereſt
of my Country then, as now, fincerely
atHeart; but inſtead of prefuming at thoſe
Years to examine too curioufly into the
general State of Things, I had the Mode-
fty to ſubmit my own Judgment to the
Conduct of Thoſe who ſeemed to have
the Intereft of their Country folicitouſly
in View. I could not poffibly then fee
that the Antiminiſterial Party were com-
pos'd of Men who only fought their own
Intereft, of Men who blindly followed
them, and of profeft Jacobites, blended
together in one common Union. "Tis
Evident now to all Mankind that this
was the Cafe, and that when the Leaders
of the Party had fully matured their
Scheme, by long Labour, great Art, and
infinite Affiduity, the Farce concluded
very differently from the fanguine Expec-
tations of moſt People. The Jacobites
were generally dropt; the blind Followers
of the great Leaders were held dexte,
roufly
(7)
&
rouſly in Sufpence; a kind of Coalition
was framed between the Court and An-
ti-court-Chiefs; and all the Minifter's
Crimes and Errors, as we were before
taught to call them, on a fudden buried
in Oblivion. It may readily be believ'd
that I was by this Time fomewhat more
experienc'd than at firft; and fo were fe-
veral other Gentlemen, then, and now,
my Friends, Companions, and Colleagues;
and as this remarkable Event contributed
to open our Eyes, we naturally clubb'd
Underſtandings, in order to concert, the
beſt in our Powers, what Meaſures were
moſt right for us to take. We faw our-
felves impoſed on by the Appearance of
Patriotism; and while we all had the Sub-
ject warm at Heart, and nothing but our
Country's Welfare in View, and faw the
Effect very widely from what we always
propofed, we enter'd into a ſtrict League
and Amity; and having out of Three Fa-
milies formed a very confiderable Alliance,
we refolved thenceforth to be our own
Leaders. Mr. P------as, a Perſon of
the ſteadieſt Countenance, and beſt Elo-
quence, was indeed elected into the Chair,
but had not the Power of Leading more
than the reſt of the Confederacy.
Our
firit
( 8 )
first Enquiry center'd in examining why
Men, whom we always thought our Supe-
riors in Judgment, whofe Candour none
before queftioned, and whofe Experience
could hardly be equall'd by any ſet of Po-
liticians in the Kingdom, after having
carried their Point, as it feemed to us,
fhould quit all their former Principles,
and the Credit of leading fo formidable a
Party, for what was evidently little better
than a Dream. Upon a thorough Inqui-
fition into the Matter, we found the Cafe
to ftand thus: Our Capital Chief had
all along acted on the Principle of Re-
fentment, and his Adverfary, whoſe Ruin
he had fworn, being now difplaced, and
himſelf advanced in Dignity equal to him,
the Contention, as to them, ended; and the
General being by this Means bought off,
and the moſt Eminent of his Colleagues
provided for, all who immediately fol-
lowed them went to the Court; and the
Combination being thus broken, the reſt
were left to make the best Ufe in their
Power of thoſe Principles, which they had
fo ſteadfaſtly maintain'd, againſt a Majo-
rity which their old Leaders had now
eſtabliſh'd. The Effect of this Change
is rather to be remark'd on, than related.
If
(9)
•
If one of the Secretaryships was better
filled up than before, a Counterbalance
to the Party was preferv'd, by continuing
the other in its former State. A new
Chancellor of the Exchequer, who tho'
a Man of Underſtanding in other Reſpects,
yet being a Stranger to Bufinefs, in no Senfe
counterpois'd the firft Lord of the Trea-
fury. And as to the Privy Seal, Admi-
ralty, &c. it matter'd little who were
there, becauſe their Fate wholly depended
on that of their Friends in the more ruling
Stations. I can't avoid a fhort Digreffion
here, on a fingle Circumftance that ſtruck
our little Party very fenfibly. It had been
made a Point by our Grand Confederacy
to get Mr. Vernon employ'd, in order to
break the then Minifter's peaceable
Schemes, by convincing the World what
a British Navy was capable of effecting,
when a Man of Skill and Courage com-
manded. Mr. Vernon's high Worth and
confummate Experience, gave him a
great Advantage over the Minifter's
Ignorance in Maritime Affairs; and
Mr. Vernon being in the Houſe of Com-
mons, when the Minifter was ufing all
his Eloquence to fhew the Impracti-
cability of harming the Spaniards in the
C
Weft
( 10 )
West Indies, he ſtood up, and told the
Houſe, That though it was made an Ar-
gument that Mr. Hofier's great Fleet could
not take Porto Bello, the Fact he knew
to be falfe; and to prove it fo, would
undertake it with Five Ships only. The
Miniſter taking this for a meer Bravado,
conſented to his being employ'd: He was
fo, and executed what he undertook, and
much more afterwards. This Succefs rais'd
at once both the Spirits and Credit of the
Anti-Courtiers, and gave them that Ma-
jority at the next general Election, which
threw out the Minifter. I have only
left to remark what fo affected us: This
fame Mr. Vernon, whom our Leaders fo
much rever'd, as appears by his Letters
fince publiſh'd, and who indeed gave
them Being, if I may fo exprefs myſelf;
thefe Leaders were no fooner in Power,
but they immediately diſcarded their Fa-
ther and Benefactor, took great Pains to
leffen the Glory of his Conduct, and treated
him with the greateſt Contempt and In-
folence imaginable; putting a Land-Ad-
miral and a Gamefter in the Station that
ought only to have been Mr. Vernon's,
and who, with the firſt Party of the Band
of
( II II)
)
of Honourable Coalizers, foon made his
Exit.
It was principally under the Being of
this famous Confederacy that I acquir'd
my political Education, and with the
Aid of their Hints, made the firſt rude
Sketches of my Perfian Letters, fince
more rudely quoted againſt me. I thought
then, as perhaps every Man of my Age
would have thought, with fuch feem-
ing great and noble Precedents before me.
The Event, my Mind could not be fup-
poſed to reach at that Time; but as that
happened, and Experience taught me an-
other Leffon, the whole Circle of my
Thoughts gradually took a new Colour-
ing, Images differently cloath'd. planted
themſelves on the Surface of my Imagi-
nation, and my Ideas glowed with freſh
Warmth and Vigour, on a nearer View
of fome agreeable Proſpects which now
began to open to me. It was now a-
greed in our little Circle, that Patriotiſm
had been only made the Dupe of Ambi-
tion that thoſe who had not enter'd on
the firſt Coalition, were preparing to en-
ter, and to puſh their Power fo warmly,
as that
many Miſchiefs would refult from
their being refufed Preferment. On the
other
;
С 2
( 12 )
other Side, it feemed too dangerous to
truſt them all in together; as on the Ap-
prehenfion of it, the Friends of the late
Miniſtry, who had now recover'd again
in fome Meaſure their wonted Power
and Influence, began to mutiny, as fore-
feeing in it their own Ruin, or what
they efleem'd fo, the inevitable Lofs of
their Penfions and Places, which the
long Enjoyment of, had made them for-
get by what Means to fubfiſt on their
own private Fortunes. Their warm Ad-
dreffes quickned the Minifter's Spirits,
and fo effectually alarm'd all about him,
that it was determined at laft to make
their utmoft Efforts to rid themſelves of
the firſt intruding Patriots, to make
Room for the Second Band. But even
this their old Friends objected to, and
defir'd that the whole Courfe of the
Stream might be turned into its former
Channel, and none of thefe pretended Pa-
triots admitted among them, fince they
had a Right by long Preſcription to di-
vide all the Wealth of the Nation. But
they were wifely anfwer'd, That it was
only propoſed to take them in, in order to
expoſe to the People the Nonſenſe of Pa-
triotiſm; after which they ſhould be pro-
perly
(13)
perly difpos'd of, without the leaſt future
Danger either to the Minifter or his Par-
ty: Thenceforth the Name of Patriot
would become a Jeft, and they might
reft fecure from any further Attempts of
the like Nature. As this Conference came
preſently to our Knowlege, it diverted
us very pleaſantly for the prefent; and on
comparing Notes, we found ourſelves in a
Humour to form a Scheme for the over-
reaching of the Miniſter in his own Way.
The Hint was no fooner given, but una-
nimoufly affented to; and as we fancied
ourfelves old enough to effect what we
refolved on, fo we inftantly refolved on
what to effect; referving in our Breaſts
all the old true Public Spirit, we deter-
mined to feem Apoftates, and follow our
Leaders in Appearance, in order to ſerve
our Country in Reality. We were fenfi-
ble enough how acceptable fo confidera-
ble a Body as we were muſt be to the Mi-
nifter, and confequently that we ſhould
be readily received, and when received,
at once revenge ourfelves of thofe who
had left us, by turning them out; and
being once in, play the fame Game upon
the Minifter and his Party, we found
they had played with the pretended Pa-
triots.
( 14 )
1
triots. There lay but one Stumbling-
Block in our Way, which was, that it
had come more than once to our S----n's
Ear what Company we had formerly
kept, what Parties made againſt his In-
tereft, and what Healths drank that were
highly reſented. We canvafs'd this Point
in every Light, and at Length came to a
Conclufion to ftop at no Condefcenfions
that might be required, fo they contributed
in the leaft to the great End aimed at.
There was indeed another Obſtacle, but
of fuch a Nature, as it ſeemed we ſhould
not find much Difficulty in removing.
This was a Perfon not only of higher
Rank, but of much better Abilities,
and more experienc'd in Public Affairs,
and in the World, than either of us fe-
perately confider'd, and perhaps, without
a perfect good Underſtanding among
ourſelves, fuperior to us alltogether. In
order to carry our Point, it was firſt ne-
ceffary to get him out of the Way, dif-
pos'd into an honourable and profitable
Exile, which we foon found Means to
effect, but which had but Part of the
defir'd Iffue; for he grew fo great a
Favourite with the People over whom
hę govern'd, as alarm'd the Miniftry,
and
( 15 )
and occafion'd their hurrying of him
Back again; and to prevent his being
irritated at this fudden Recall, they very
wifely confer'd on him one of the firſt
Dignities of the State. Before we ap-
prehended the true Cauſe of this Change,
it did not a little ftartle us; but when
we had ftudied and found out the Bottom
of this Affair, it appeared to us clear
as Light, that he would not continue
long in his new Poſt; and that the real
View of his Removal, was purely to
diſcard him in the Event with a better
Grace.
Here I can't help reflecting to what
numerous Inconveniencies, not to ſay
Miſchiefs, a Nation is fubject, where
the very Nature and Neceffity of the
Public Affairs, or of thoſe who direct
them, makes it abfolutely neceffary to ex-
clude the greateft, the wifeft, and the
beſt Men. This noble Lord was certain-
ly the beſt formed for the Government
of a Free People, taking all Things to-
gether, that the Nation ever produced;
if unequal to fome in Depth and general
Knowlege, his Wit and Politeneſs ex-
ceed all; in fine Learning not excelled
by any; his Steadinefs, Judgment and
Honefty,
1
( 16 )
Honefty, fuperior to moft Men, infinite-
ly above Chicane, and all the little Arts of
narrow-minded Statefmen; he loves his
Country, and purfues its Welfare on the
beſt moral Principles; fmiles at the Men-
tion of Party, and confiders Men only
as they are good or bad, wife or weak;
difdains every Thing that is merely noti
onal; and while he loves his Country, for
his own Sake as well as of his Sovereign
and People, he is determined on one
plain Point, which is, either to ferye his
Country as he ought, with his beſt
Reaſon and Understanding, or totally to
decline interfering with that Kind of
Government, which can only bring Dif
grace to himſelf, and Ruin on his Fellow-
Subjects.
Such a Character, and the endeavour-
ing to keep him out of the Public Service,
may ſeem at firft Sight not the fairest
Manner of Dealing, among Men profef-
fing that they have the Intereſt and
Welfare of their Country alone in View.
But as I before obferv'd, ſuch are the In-
conveniencies to which a Free State is
liable. This Noble Perfőn would either
not have joined with us, or if he had,
muſt have been the fole Manager; which.
in
( 17 )
་
+
in it ſelf we ſhould not have diſliked,
provided he would have ſtood the fame
Teſts we were refolved to do, and not
boggled at any feeming Apoftacy, by
which only the old Courtiers might in
the End have been entirely thrown out,
and a new Set of Men eſtabliſh'd in their
Places, refolute in purſuing the great End
of Religion, Virtue, and good Govern-
ment. The laſt he would readily have
concurred in, but fo very refin'd, nice,
and delicate in his Principles, that he
would not even imitate that great Apoftle
St. Paul, In being every Thing to all
Men. And therefore when we confider'd
how impracticable it was to gain him,
and compared that with the fundamen-
tal Principles of our own Scheme, and
the determin'd Refolution we were all
in, to facrifice every Appearance to the
great End of preferving our Country,
common Prudence, added to the Nature
and Neceffity of Things, caufed us very
readily to conclude, that it was much
better to have this great Man quite out
of the Way, than that our Defign ſhould
periſh.
We were, during a Variety of Changes
and Counter-Changes, enabled to put
D
the
( 18 )
the first Part of our Scheme in Execution;
That is to fay, we made a bold Puſh,
and got into
into Play. And it is very diffi-
cult to determine whether we, or the
Miniſter and his Party, were the beſt
pleas'd, as they had, or fancied they had,
gain'd over a Body of the moſt ſhining
Orators, as well as ufeful Men, from the
Service of the People; and we enter'd
fuccefsfully on the firſt Part of our Project.
Our little Cabal were no fooner got into
Power, than we began making ourſelves
ufeful to the Miniftry; we found the
Teſt of our being what we pretended,
muſt be not only fpeaking, but voting
as fpecially directed ; we made a Jeft of
that, becauſe we were not only determined
to do ſo ourſelves, but to make every one
of the old Patriots, ftill remaining in
Power, do the fame; and even carried
this Point farther than the Miniſter ex-
pected, every now and then giving him
a Hint, that the Patriots were very far
from being his Friends; on the contrary,
were contriving how to joftle him out,
with his old Friends, and to bring an
entire new Set of Men in. This at once
piqu'd his Pride, alarmed his Jealoufy,
and confirmed us in his Confidence; yet,
after
( 19 )
after all, we had a very difficult Point to
manage; for as he was extremely diffi-
dent of himſelf, not a little afraid to
increaſe the Number of his potent Ene-
mies, and at a Loſs what Reaſon to give
his Maſter, for being every Day turning
out of his Service, Men of Weight, Vir-
tue, and Significance; fo we were drove to
the puſhing him on to the laſt Teft, viz.
that of making them fully declare them-
felves in Public, in fuch a Manner, as
either to give them no Room to retreat, or
to do it immediately. He feem'd very
well fatisfied with this Thought, and, of
himſelf, took preparatory Meaſures, by
acquainting his Maſter of what he had
learned concerning the Purpoſes of thoſe
People; and that a Nobleman of the Firft
Rank was a Principal in the Deſign, and
one of the capital Scribes his Co-adjutor;
and, in fhort, that all thoſe who were
formerly called Patriots, had formed a
Deſign to force a new Miniftry upon him,
except the Three Families, meaning us,
who came over the laft to the prefent
Meaſures The K---- immediately took
Fire, told the Miniſter that he might dif-
place them at his Pleafure; but foon
after cooling again, and reflecting on the
D 2
Confe-
( 20 )
Confequence of fuffering any Thing of
this Kind to be done rafhly, as he had
much more at Stake than his Minifter,
he commanded him to take his Steps very
cautiously, and to contrive it fo, that
while he was difgracing them on the one
Side, he muſt find Means to oblige them
fome other, Way; and, at all Events, not
be too precipitate, but to let them walk
off one after another gradually. This
was not only wife Advice, but a Com-
mand that muft neceffarily be obey'd.
So that now it only remain❜d to bring the
Matter to a fair Iffue, by founding them
thoroughly: How to effect this, ftagger'd
him for a Time; but our Chairman being
now one of his Council, and refolved not
to let fo fine an Opportunity flip, whiſ-
per'd him in the Ear, that he and all his
Colleagues fhould lead the Way below
Stairs, if the Minifter would contrive
fome Means above to ſecond him; which
was no fooner mentioned, than affented
to.
About this Time I receiv'd a Letter
from a certain noble Perfon, and incloſed
the following Spectator, No. 162; it is
one of Mr. Addifon's, and which he
thought particularly reach'd me, but did
not
1
(21)
not confider, at the fame Time, how much
nearer it touch'd himſelf. But when
Men aim at Power only, they naturally
confider every Man in the Wrong, who
does, or feems, to interfere, with what
they vainly imagine alone their Right.
And as this was the Cafe here, and the
faid noble Perfon quite a Stranger to our
Views or Defigns, and for many Reaſons
we refolved ſhould be fo, it was no Won-
der to find him piqued at our feeming
Apoftacy, when by it he muſt evidently
lofe fome of the beft Aids to lift him up
to that Power he aim'd at, and had been,
in fome Meaſure, for a Time poffeffed of.
I ſhall wave here giving his own Epiftle,
as the Style is too well known among
us, and becauſe the Reader will fee his
Thoughts in a finer Light and better di-
gefted, than from his own Words.
The SPECTATOR,
Servetur adimum
Qualis ab incæpto procefferit & fibi conftet.
HOR.
NOTHING, That is not a real Crime,
makes a Man appear fo contemptible in
the
( 22 )
the Eyes of the World as Inconftancy;
efpecially when it regards Religion, or
Party; in either of theſe Caſes, tho' a
Man perhaps does but his Duty in chang-
ing his Side, he not only makes himfelf
hated by thoſe he left, but is feldom
heartily eſteem'd by thofe he comes
over to.
In theſe great Articles of Life, there-
fore, a Man's Conviction ought to be very
Strong, and, if poffible, fo well timed,
that worldly Advantage may ſeem to
have no Share in it; or Mankind will be
ill natur'd enough to think he does not
change Sides out of Principle, but either
out of Levity of Temper, or Profpects
of Intereft. Converts, and Renegadoes of
all Kinds, fhou'd take particular Care to
let the World ſee they act upon honour-
able Motives; or whatever Approbations
they may receive from themſelves, or
Applaufes from thoſe they converſe with,
they may be very well affured, that they
are the Scorn of all good Men, and the
public Marks of Infamy and Derifion.
Irrefolution on the Schemes of Life,
which offer themſelves to our Choice,
and Inconftancy in purfuing them, are
the greateſt and moſt univerſal Caufes of
all
(23)
all our Diſquiet and Unhappineſs. When
Ambition pulls one Way, Intereſt an-
other, Inclination a third, and, perhaps,
Reafon contrary to all, a Man is likely
to paſs his Time but ill who has fo many
different Parties to pleaſe. When the
Mind hovers among fuch a Variety of
Allurements, one had better fettle on a
Way of Life that is not the very beſt we
might have chofen, than grow old with-
out determining our Choice, and go out
of the World, as the greateſt Part of
Mankind do, before we have refolved
how to live in it. There is but one Method
of fetting ourſelves at Reft in this Parti-
cular; and that is, by adhering ſteadfaſtly
to one great End, as the chief ultimate
Aim of all our Purfuits. If we are
firmly refolved to live up to the Dictates
of Reaſon, without any Regard to Wealth,
Reputation, or the like Confiderations,
any more than as they fall in with our
principal Defign, we may go thro' Life
with Steadineſs and Pleaſure; but if we act
by feveral broken Views, and will not
only be Virtuous, but Wealthy, Popular,
and every Thing that has a Value fet upon
it by the World, we fhall live and die in
Milery and Repentance.
One
(24)
}
One wou'd take more than ordinary
Care to guard one's felf againſt this parti-
cular Imperfection, becauſe it is that
which our Nature very ſtrongly inclines
to; for if we examine ourſelves thorough-
ly, we fhall find, that we are the moſt
changeable Beings in the Univerfe; in Re-
fpect to our Underſtandings we often
embrace and reject the very fame Opi-
nions; whereas Beings above and be-
neath us, have probably no Opinions at
all;
; or, at leaſt, noWaverings and Uncer-
tainties in thoſe they have. Our Supe-
riors are guided by Intuition, and our
Inferiors by Inftinct; in Refpect to our
Wills, we fall into Crimes, and recover
out of them; are amiable, or odious, in
the Eyes of our great Judge; and pafs
our whole Life in offending and afking
Pardon. On the contrary, the Beings
underneath us are not capable of Sinning,
nor thoſe above us of Repenting. The
one is out of the Poffibilities of Duty, and
the others fix'd in an eternal Courfe of
Sin, or an eternal Courſe of Virtue.
There is ſcarce a State of Life, or Stage
in it, which does not produce Changes
and Revolutions in the Mind of Man;
our Schemes of Thought, in Infancy, are
loft
(25)
loft in thoſe of Youth; theſe too take a
different Turn in Manhood, till old Age
often leads us back into our former In-
fancy; a newTitle, or unexpected Succefs,
throws us out of ourſelves, and, in a man-
ner, deſtroys our Identity. A cloudy
Day, or a little Sunſhine, have as great an
Influence on many Conftitutions, as the
moſt real Bleffings or Misfortunes. A
Dream varies our Being, and Changes
our Condition while it lafts; and every
Paffion, not to mention Health and Sick-
neſs, and the greater Alterations in Body
and Mind, makes us appear almoft diffe-
rent Creatures. If a Man is fo diftin-
guiſh'd among other Beings by this Infir-
mity, what can we think of ſuch as
make themſelves remarkable for it, even
among their own Species? It is a very
trifling Character, to be one of the moſt
variable Beings of the moſt variable Kind;
eſpecially if we confider, that he who is
the great Standard of Perfection, has in
him no Shadow of Change, but is the
fame Yeſterday, to Day, and for Ever.
As this Mutability of Temper and Incon-
fiftency with ourſelves is the greateſt
Weakneſs of human Nature, fo it makes
E
the
!
( 26 )
the Perſon who is remarkable for it, in a
very particular Manner, more ridiculous
than any other Infirmity whatſoever; as
it fets him in a greater Variety of fooliſh
Lights, and diſtinguiſhes him from him-
ſelf by an Oppofition of Party-colour'd
Characters. The moſt humourous Cha-
racter in Horace is founded upon this Un-
eveneſs of Temper, and Irregularity of
Conduct.
Ille Tigellius boc.
poffet,
Sardus habebat
Cafar, qui cogere
Si peteret per Amicitiam patris, atque
fuam, non
Quidquam proficeret: Si collibuiffet, ab
ova
Ufque ad mala citaret, Io Bacche,
modo fummâ
Voce modò bác, refonat quæ chordis qua-
tuor ima,
Nil æquale homini fuit illi: Sæpe velut
qui
Currebat fugiens boflem: Perfæpe velut
qui
Junonis facra ferret. Habebat Sæpe
ducentos,
·Sæpe ·
( 27 )
Sæpe decèm fervos. Modo reges atque
tetrarchas,
Omnia magna loquens. Modò fit mibi
Menja tripes
Et concha falis puri, & toga, quæ defen-
dere frigus,
Quamvis craffa, queat. Decies centena
dediffes
Huic parco paucis contento: Quinque
diebus
Nil erat in loculis. Noctes Vigilabat
ad ipfum
Mane: Diem totum flertebat. Nil fuit
unquam
Sic impar fibi.
HOR. SAT. 3. Lib. 1.
Inftead of tranflating this Paffage in
Horace, I fhall entertain my English
Reader with the Defcription of a parallel
Character, that is wonderfully well fi-
niſhed by Mr. Dryden, upon the fame
Foundation.
In the first Rank of thefe did Zimri
ftand:
A Man fo various, that he feem'd
to be
Not one but all Mankind's Epitome.
E 2.
Stiff
( 28 )
Stiff in Opinions, 'always in the Wrong;
Was every Thing by Starts, and no-
thing long;
But in the Courfe of one revolving
Moon,
Was Chymift, Fidler, Stateſman, and
Buffoon:
Then all for Women, Painting, Rhim-
ing, Drinking,
Befides ten thouſand Freaks that dy'd
in thinking:
Bleft Madman, who cou'd every Hour
employ,
With fomething new to wifh, or to
enjoy!
If our own particular Interefts had
been the Rule of our Conduct, and a
View of advancing ourſelves the fole
Motives of our Actions, the Contents
of the above recited Spectator had ope-
rated againſt us in its full Force and Effi-
cacy. But as what has been previouſly
faid, and what hereafter will be fhewn,
amply evinces the contrary, I fhall only
beg leave to make a few fhort Obſervati-
ons on the Nature of this little labour'd
Piece. It was wrote at a Time when
Parties
(
( 29 )
Parties and Factions ran high, and when,
as of late it has happened, a War was in
Hand, a Peace in Agitation, and a total
Change of Men and Meaſures in Profpect,
if not attain'd. And Mr. Addiſon's
Friendſhips and Interefts being fixt to
the declining Party, it is no Wonder that
he for once digreffed from his ufual Courſe
of Amuſements, and, on fo critical an
Occafion, turn'd Politician. And as it
is evident his Motives, and thoſe of the
noble Lord above, were precifely the fame,
fo, as far as the Strength of Reaſoning
therein extends, it equally well ferved
both their Purpoſes. But to me, who fee
Things in quite another Light, I conceive
that Man only honeft, who attaches himſelf
to no Party, but acts fimply, as induced
by the Nature and Reafon of Things, and
as led by a difintereſted Judgment.
We had now work'd into fome Kind
of Shape and Perfection, out of its Em-
brio State, that Brilliant Scheme which
we intend, when fully matured, ſhall be
as a Light to direct the Footsteps of the
Britiſh People to Peace and Harmony
at Home, and to Fame and Glory A-
broad.
The
1
(30)
1
The fame noble Perfon, whofe Cha-
racter is faintly drawn in the early Part
of this Defence, had an Intimation given
him, that it would be for the public Ser-
vice if he would, for fome Time, quit the
honourable Station he held, as thereby
the bringing of a Set of Men together in-
to the Council, as would chearfully and
unanimouſly concur to the getting out of
the War with Honour, might be effected;
which could not be, while fo many per-
turb'd and contradictory Spirits interfer'd
în, and diforder❜d that ſweet and happy
Concord, fo effentially neceffary to be pre-
ferved amongſt them. His Lordfhip took
fome Time to confider of it, and while
Matters were concerting above, our Chair-
man acted his Part below to the ut-
moſt Perfection. He faid, he had hither-
to confider'd himſelf as in a puerile State,
but now was at Leifure to infpect his
Heart, in the Character of a Man, who
had digefted his Thoughts and Reflecti-
ons as became every reaſonable Perfon to
do, who intended himſelf to be of any
important Service to the Common-wealth.
That a Kind of new Light had thereupon
broke in on his Mind, whereby the Tran£
actions
\
( 31 )
actions of Times paft appeared to him
very differently to what had heretofore
met his Obſervation; and only wonder'd
how Prejudice could fo blind him, as
not to fee Things in the fame Light
long before. But he eſteem'd that as
much owing to his Youth and Inatten-
tion, as to thoſe fatal Party-Principles
early imbib'd into him by bad Exam-
ples; and that as the feeing an Error,
and rectifying it, was an Acquifition
to his Wiſdom, he hoped that every
Perſon who had formerly thought with
him, and now faw Reafon, as he did,
by accepting Places, to vary their for-
mer Manner of Thinking, would be as
candid as he was; and by publickly ac-
knowleging their firſt Miſtake, con-
vince the World that they were grown
wiſer, and eſtabliſh'd in a new Set of
Thoughts. Otherwiſe he could not help
thinking, that thoſe who had formerly,
in a Kind of Joke, chriften'd them-
felves Patriots, held ſtill their old
Tenets; and only accepted Places, to
make a Property of the Minifter, and
to impoſe upon and deceive the Peo-
ple.
This
( 32 )
This was fair Warning to all the Pa-
triots, to prepare themſelves for a cloſe
and ſteady Attachment to thoſe Mea-
fures which they had always affected to
abhor; or to make their Exit, and
retire from that Power they were as
yet but flenderly poffefs'd of. The firft
we were fenfible many of them would
not fubmit to, as the Change was too
fudden, and freſh in every Man's Memo-
ry on what Principles they had attracted
the Affections of the People. It was
yet too foon to throw off the Virgin Bluſh
and Coyneſs of the innocent, unde-
bauch'd, Maiden Patriot : And Pride
and Fear, operating at the fame Time
with Reafon, Judgment, and the re-
maining Taint of Native Modefty, gave
Baſhfulneſs the Afcendant, and baniſh'd
the quite abandon'd Proſtitute from their
Bofoms. So that they chofe, as we ex-
pected they would, to ftand their.Ground
on their old Terms as long as poffible,
and, at laſt, quit all, rather than go the
Lengths fo arbitrarily prefcribed them.
The noble Perfon, laft mentioned, had
too penetrating an Eye not to fee, tho'
but through a dark Medium, what we
were
i
( )
33)
33 aiming at, and having a Hint given him
that fome Removes were neceffary to
get rid, by Degrees, of theſe odd Kind
of wavering minded Men, unripe for
abfolute Proſtitution, and that himſelf or
Relations ſhould have any handfome Re-
turns, in the Power of the Miniſtry to
oblige them with, he very readily feiz'd
Time by the Forelock, quitted the ho-
nourable Station which himſelf almoſt
could only hold with Honour, and was
fucceeded by the firft Patriot, in Rank,
tho' perhaps the laft or leaft in Judg-
ment, or Experience, among them all.
My Lord Clarendon has fomewhere
drawn his Character, before he was
born, when he ſpeaks of a Secretary
of State that cou'd not write. This No-
ble Perfon indeed could write, but not
in Lord Clarendon's Senfe, which is,
that he cou'd not write any Thing to the
Purpoſe.
He was now in the leading Way down
Hill, having quitted a Higher Poft for
a Lower, at leaft for one more Unftable
and Impermanent, which within the
Compaſs of ſeven Years had been oc-
F
cupied
( 34 )
34)
cupied by a Variety of Operators, and
fometimes the fame over again, and
was now fo placed, as to render his
future Removal eafy. For his prime
Counſellor, and who first put him into
the Head of Intermedling with public
Affairs, and much his Superior in Abi-
lities, now following him clofe, pof-
fefs'd the Poft he quitted, and was rea-
dy to enter upon that, he could not
refufe to leave, if fo worthy a Perfon,
and ſo eſtabliſh'd a Friend, had the Ho-
nour to fucceed him in it.
There happened, foon after this, an
Affair which was near deftroying all thoſe
happy Meaſures, fo finely calculated for
giving the Nation Peace and Profperity,
by fixing a ſteady unchangeable Mi-
niſtry, on the old genuine Whig Princi-
ples.
One of the Gentlemen of the Fa-
mily Triumvirate, took it into his Head
to go a Step farther than our Leader had
done, or any of us ever intended; and
this in an Affair that would make a great
Noife, without anſwering any effential
Purpoſe: A Point that had nothing to
juſtify it, but meer Pique and Refent-
ment;
1
( 35 )
ment; but the Minifter was very hu-
morous, and muſt be gratify'd in this
ſeeming Trifle at our Expence. This
was to fet on Foot a Law, which was to
be a Precedent, for taking away at Plea-
fure the old Rights and Cuſtoms of ju-
dicial Officers, and making them do their
Bufinefs for the Future in Places pe-
remptorily appointed, however inconve-
nient to them or grievous to the Parties
intereſted: And this only becauſe one of
thefe Officers had not been quite fo com-
plaiſant to the Minifter, as he thought he
had Reaſon to expect, tho' at other Times,
and on various Occafions, he had gone
very great Lengths in the fame Intereſt.
But this, that one would have thought,
ſhould have been a Reaſon for not pro-
fecuting him too violently, or rafhly,
and in a Matter too, that could neither
injure him, nor benefit the Nation, nor
in fact hardly pleaſure any Body, was
the very Reaſon for doing it; as the Ap-
pearance of Apoftacy from the old
Meaſures, was the greateft Incitement
imaginable, to Minds ireful and vin-
dictive, to exprefs their Refentment on
the moſt trivial Occafion.
F 2
The
(36)
The very Nature and Neceffity of our
Situation, obliged us to run Headlong
into this whimfical Piece of Conduct ;
and to concur in every Meaſure neceffary
to accompliſh the important End fo ar-
dantly aim'd at, which all together
amounting to little or nothing, put us
a good deal out of Countenance; as
it naturally induced People to believe
that our Wantonnefs had no Bounds;
and that when we had really nothing
fignificant in Motion, to express our
unfeigned Attachment to our new En-
gagements by, we must then employ
ourſelves in doing all the Miſchief in
our Power to thoſe, who did not concur
in every Particular with us. But this
I muſt beg leave to clear my Friends
and Affociates from. That we did it
is true, and that we were oblig'd to do
it is as true. And the Misfortune was,
that we either muſt do it, or the miniſte-
rial Confidence in us had, after all the
Lengths we had gone, now ceaſed en-
tirely; the Effect whereof would have
been the utter Diffolution of our Scheme,
and confequently all thoſe glorious Views,
which
(37)
which the Good of the Nation requi-
red we ſhould fteadily purfue, had va-
nish'd into Smoke.
To make this more clear to the Un-
derſtanding of the Reader, and to per-
fect this my Work of Juftification, it
is neceffary to fet in a true Light, the
univerfal, political Situation, of Public
Affairs. It has been obvious enough to
the Senfe of all Mankind, how many
vain Attempts have been made, by the
greateſt Geniuſes of the Age, to give a
new Turn to the old Political Syſtem,
founded on Corruption, and fupported
by Bribery and Venality. The Men
who attempted this, however wife in
other Reſpects, miſtook the Road. They
judged perhaps from their own Hearts,
and from what had been writ or faid on
the Subject, that the Nation was defirous
of fuch a happy Change, which no
doubt was very true: But the Means to
attain it was evidently miſtaken. The
old miniſterial Train, their Agents, Re-
lations and Dependents, were infinitely
too numerous, for thofe who had more
Inclination than Abilities to retrieve the
Domeſtic
( 38 )
Domeſtic Honour of the Nation. By
Abilities here, I don't mean Senfe and
Judgment, but Numbers and Votes. To
change the old Syftem, was in Effect to
take from theſe Numbers the Right they
had to live on the Plunder of the People.
They were poffefs'd of this Right, as of
a Kind of legal Inheritance, which they
would no more part with willingly, than
they would with the Church Lands: Nor
confequently would let any Man, how-
ever great in other Refpects, eſtabliſh
himſelf in the Miniftry, who had an
Eye to the Overturning this Syftem, be-
caufe that would have been turning them
out of their Bread; which no Man who
reafon'd judiciously, could have fufpected
them of affenting to: And as they
were too powerful to be forced, fuch
End could not poffibly be attained. The
Anti-Syftem Men made indeed a great
Shew at firſt, as they were attended to
by a third Party, who in fact were for
entirely overthrowing the Conftitution;
and as fome of the old Syſtem Men
had Hopes of being continued, they did
not immediately join in the Oppofition
to new Meafures. But one fatal Error
•
in
( 39 )
in the Conductors of the Anti-Syftem
Scheme, foon deftroyed all their Views.
They were obſerved to be in a great
hurry to provide for their Relations,
and very particular Friends, without the
leaft Regard, to the Intereft or Recom-
mendation of the old Syftem Men, many
of whom ſtill held their Station. This
Manner of Acting taking Place of the
more neceffary. Attention to the main
End, and thoſe who could do moſt good
or harm being entirely neglected, the
Scene naturally changed again, and re-
turned once more into its former Chan-
nel. Now all Parties, except a very few
Men, who did not fee the Error of fuch
Proceedings, began to confider the Ne-
ceffity of having fome Man at the Head
of the Miniſtry, who was rather verſed
in, and Maſter of the old Syftem, than
a very deep Politician, whofe Brains was
playing Tricks with foreign Potentates,
inſtead of attending to the Management
of domeſtic Policy, the Bafis whereon
alone, any great Defigns were capable
of being conſtructed. They foon fixed
their Eyes on a Man of Significance,
one who was always confider'd as the
most
( 40 )
moft proper to fucceed the former Mi-
niſter on the old fyftem Principle. Not
that they had any Shadow of Reaſon to
expect the fame eafy Advantages under
his Conduct, as they enjoyed under that of
his Predeceffor; but as he was at once the
beſt they could think of, and not a little
in the Favour of his Mafter, they foon
concluded on him, and as foon gave Birth
to that Power he is now poffeffed of.
This plainly enough evinces, that the
great Men above mentioned were very
far from being in the right Way of eſta-
bliſhing a new Siſtem; and which feri-
ouſly reflecting on, naturally induced us
to purſue another Courſe, with the ſame
Views. We were all of us moſt deeply
affected with a Senfe of the Neceffity
of bringing, by fome Means or other,
the new Syſtem into play, and as fen-
fible how much the People panted for,
and defired it. On the old Syſtem re-
viving, it appeared evident enough to
the Minifter, what a ftrong Party had
been formed againſt it, which only meer
Negligence, or if you pleaſe, too great
a Contempt of little Things, in their
Leaders
( 41 )
Leaders, prevented from taking Place,
and confequently was convinced of the
Neceffity of purchafing in, with Ho-
nours, or by other Means, the moſt Im-
portant of them. As we had not at firſt
finish'd our Scheme, we all agreed to
hold back, tho' valuable Offers daily
prefented, and when we faw it the right
Time, and were thoroughly determin'd
what to do, and what to fubmit to for
the future Good of the People, we all
fell readily into the Minifter's Meaſures,
and acted from Time to Time as you
have either read here, or otherwife heard
of.
A very little Reflection will fhew,
that our Sentiments of Men or Meaſures,
did not vary in the leaft from our former
Conceptions of them, or that our Minds
co-operated with the feeming Change;
but as we found this the only poffible
Method of getting into Power, and
thereby of effectually ferving
Country, no reaſonable Man will con-
demn us for ufing Art, for the Attain-
ment of fo important an End. Nor
does it fignify what either our Leader
G
our
or
( 42 )
or any of us have faid, or may be obliged
to fay hereafter in Public; fince when
a Point is to be gained, the neceffary
Means leading thereto must be purfued.
The firft Brutus was not the more an
Ideot for feeming fo, untill all Things
were duly prepared for the Banifhment
of Tarquin; nor, by a Parity of Rea-
foning, are we lefs the Friends of the
Conſtitution, becauſe the World cannot
fuddenly perceive our Drift. While
the Plot of Brutus was forming, and
Lucretia inftru&ting how to conduct her-
felf in the Character of a ravifh'd Ma-
tron; while the Friends to Liberty and
the Conſtitution of Rome, were contri-
ving how to make the younger Tarquin
the Dupe of their Defigns, it fignified
little to thofe in the Secret, what the
Run of Mankind thought about the
Matter: It was fufficient that all turn'd
out Right at laft; that the Power of
the King thenceforth ceafed, and the
Conftitution became thereby, and by
the refin❜d Conduct of the Confpirators,
changed and re-eſtabliſh'd on a firm,
happy, and permanent Bafis.
We
(43)
We need not indeed carry our Retro-
fpect, in Regard to Things of this Na-
ture, ſo far back, nor be under any Ne-
ceffity of juſtifying our preſent Conduct,
from Inftances recorded in the Roman
Hiſtory, as many of a fimilar Nature,
and more recent, preſent from our own.
Any Man who either has or will take
the Pains to read my Lord Clarendon's
Hiſtory of the Rebellion, will plainly ſee,
That Sir Harry Vane did more Service to
the Views of thoſe who then intended
to purge the Common-wealth and fe-
cure our Liberties, by being in with the
Miniſtry, than all the reft that were out
of Place, would have been capable of
effecting together. Thofe that appeared
publickly in the Oppofition, were care-
fully guarded againſt; and from any
Thing that appears to the contrary,
would have been totally difappointed, nay
had, if the fame Hiftorian may be de-
pended upon, given up all for loft, and
were on the Point of making their re-
treat to Holland, if thoſe who ſeemed to
take Part with the regal Intereft, had
not come in fuddenly to their Aid, and
G 2
given
( 44 )
given that furpriſing Turn to the whole
Syſtem, as is too well known to need
reciting. It is almoſt needleſs to add, that
the like Conduct in a certain noble Lord,
produced a fimilar Effect in a later Reign,
which obliged the Sovereign to abdi-
cate, and the ever memorable and glo-
rious Revolution to take Place, and gave
Being to that Spirit of Liberty, which,
I hope, will continue to the End of
Time.
In a Word, the changing of Miniſtries,
being a Matter not fo eafily effected as
Men generally dream, in the Manner
they now act, and on the Footing they
are conftituted, which is better known,
than proper to be explain'd; it will evi-
dently follow, that it is not the Great,
the Wife, or the Judicious, who publick-
ly declare themſelves to that Purpoſe,
who are capable of removing Men,
which every Way anſwer the great End
of their Conftitution, but one. It is
therefore become abfolutely neceffary,
that fuch Men of Parts, Genius and
Ability, as are determin'd on ufing their
utmoft Efforts, to ferve the Nation with
their
( 45 )
their beſt Powers, muſt not heſitate at
fuch Kind of Condefcenfions, which
may in any Manner contribute to carry
them dexterously to the intended Point.
The S-------n's Ear muſt be gain'd by
Degrees, it requires Time to be fixed in
his Confidence; and to attain the Friend-
ſhip and Compliance of a Set of Men,
who only can fupport a Miniſter, and
who are generally too well fituated to be
fond of Changes, be the Voice of the
People ever fo vehement, demands all
the Skill and Addrefs of a fteady, con-
fummate Politician. I have there-
fore, upon the whole, the beft Reaſon
imaginable to hope, that as I purſue no
worſe Maxims, than fuch as the wiſeſt
Men in all Ages have either acted upon
or approved, and as have been happily
found fucceſsfull, the public Difguft
will not be the Refult of my ardent
Wiſhes for the People's Welfare but
that they will wait with Patience the
Event of Meaſures, which have been,
with the greateſt Care, Attention, and
Confideration, calculated for the com-
mon Welfare; and which I doubt not
will be in due Time the Means of re-
;
viving,
( 46 )
+
viving, and eſtabliſhing the now dor-
mant Syftem, that can alone recover
the Nation's Honour, and give Peace,
Happineſs, and Profperity to the Com-
munity.
+
FINI S.
:
!
(
}