THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES FREDERIC THOMAS BLANCHARD ENDOWMENT FUND ^ LETTERS ON THE'' ^ ENGLISH NATION: B y BATISTA ANGELONI, A JESUIT, Who refided many years in LONDON. Tranflated from the Original ITALIAN, BY T HE AUTHOR of the MA R R i AC E ACT a Novel. Cupio in tantis reipublic the pleafure of doing you juftice, in convincing the world of the errors, miftakes, and blunders, which this papiil has afferted, and giving eafe to my own confcience, which would not per- mit me to fleep in peace, till I had de- clared to you and my country, the true difference which exifts between my man- ner of thinking, and that of the original author. THIS dedication, however, I implore your Grace to receive as an hafty fketch of fome future defign, and not as any thing pretended to be finimed > as a hint of what people ought to think of you, rather than a defeription of your full glories j fome- thing that my heart pants to complete with all poflible truth and expedition ; fo, that there may not remain a lingle doubt in any one breaft of this ifland, of the real extent of your capacity, and of the true ufe which you have proved to your coun- try in peace and war. ONE DEDICATION. vii O N E of the firft aflertions of this ca- tholic writer, my Lord, is, That the Whig idea, of every man's pofleffing a right of deciding for himfelf in matters of reli- gi6n, is deftrudive of true liberty, and mufi, from the love of power fo natural to man, terminate, in making a minifter abfolute. NOTHING is Co apt to deceive, my Lord, as fpeculative reafoning j the web of which is finely fpun from arguments a priori, where men pretend to draw from caufes thofe confequences which expe- rience teaches us are never to be found in the fequel : in this manner was this author deceived. BUT permit me, my Lord, without fufpieion of adulation, to draw a mod UluHrious inftance of this truth from the A 4 beha- V'Hl DEDICATION. behaviour of your Grace, and many other confpicuous Whigs. CAN it ever be forgotten, my Lord, by the and people of England, with what amazing modefly, refignation, and humility, your Grace, accompanied with many other complete Whigs, offered to refign into the hands of your Mailer, all the high offices, poils, charges, ho- nors, and advantages you enjoy'd, in pre- ference of one fuperior underilanding, which he intended to take to his councils. IN this, did you not glorioufly deter- mine to facrifice all private intereil, and relinquiih all particular advantage? And this, my Lord, at a time when rebellion, was in the land, your mailer engaged in a war on the continent, and the money- jobbers of the city refufed to lend the : fupplies to every one but you, even at this inilant when it was fcarce pofilblc for his to DEDICATION. ix '~- to difplace you. Such was the confcioufnefs of your own worth, obe- 4ience to your Matter, and promotion of your country's weal, that you would una- nimoufly have furrendered all pofts, ho- nors and profits into his hands, on the ac- count of one man, univerfally acknowledged of greater underftanding. CAN fuch afloniming refignation, and difinterefted actions, fpring from the love of power ? mall Whigs hereafter be ftig- matized with arbitrary difpofitions, when* no reign can produce one inftance of equal humility and fubjedtion in a mini- fter? THUS, my Lord, this fingle inftance is fufficient to demonftrate the falfehood of this papift's affertion ; it proves that the practice of a Whig manifeftly contradicts his fpeculative conceptions ; that humility, modefty, refignation, and duty, are the effeds x DEDICATION. effects of thofe caufes and principles, which he afierted would generate pride, arrogance, difobedience, and usurpation. Here, my Lord, give me leave to rejoyce with you, in producing this happy proof of experience, which fo thoroughly clears you and all Whigs, from the malicious infmuations that are contained in this popim author ; fince the firft annals of the Britifh empire, it could never be faid with fo much truth as at prefent, The king can do no wrong. WITH what piety does your Grace pre- ferve gray hairs, and declining life, from that fatigue which attends looking into public affairs ; and difpofe of all things without difturbing the quiet of his days? With what wonderful invention do you devife means to keep that intelligence which would difpleafe him, from his eyes, and lull him with tales of more amufing eircum fiances 1 THE DEDICATION. xi THE care and pain of diftributing all things, either honorary, or lucrative, your Orace has fo prudently eafed your Mafters hands of, that in all the late changes and appointments of his fervants, the very let- ters which compofe his title, were never heard amongft the people. IT is faid, his Grace has given the pod of **** to the honourable *#** the office e f **** to the right honorable ***** ; the garter to the moft high and puiflant ****. So tender are you in troubling his re- pofe ; thus are you at once the nurfe of *****, and people grown old and paft the vigor of their lives. NOR is the alone indebted to your Grace for the immenfe care you have (hewn, in exonerating his fhoulders of the weight of reigning ; did not his fon prove an ^qual ihftance of your attention, to iH DEDICAfiO & to his eafe alfo ? with the moil becoming modefly you decently contrived to fup- plant him at that univerfity, over which he wifhed to prefide; even contrary to his will you procured yourfelf to be elected head of that place, and bravely dared his difpleafure, to fave him from the trouble which attends fuch a charge ? Can the pre- fent fon forget your affecYion for his de- parted fire ? Can you fail of continued honors from him, who have thus alike politely treated his father and grand-fa- ther ? Will he not hereafter mew his fenfe of thefe proceedings ? How ridiculous then to aflert, that the prefent administration of affairs requires the principles of a Tory, to preferve the king's prerogative, and peoples rights, from the ambitious views of a Whig-adminiftration. IN matters relating to religion, my Lord, give me leave to obferve, that thi author is equally miftaken, as he is in thofe D E D I C A T I O N. xiii thofe of the Whig-principles. But when we confider him as a papift, bred under the darknefs of Jefuitifm, in a land of fla- very and church-defpotifm, imbibing pre- judices from infancy by this education ; it is not much to be wonder'd at, that the paths which you purfue in policy mould be incomprehenfible to his circurnfcri^ed conception. . RELIGION, my Lord, may be allowed in Italy, in a land of arbitrary power -, it may form one part of government where men are born flaves, compofed of all the depreciating faculties and pafiions, that dif- grace human nature : in that country in- deed, the belief of a <2od, and of future rewards and punimments, may be of pu- blic utility, and neceflary to influence the lives of the inhabitants. BUT in Britain, a land of liberty, where the innocent natives are almoft returned i to xiv DEDICATION. to a ftate of nature, can a man be faid to be truly free, whofe daftard foul dreads the offending his creator j or, who is harraffed by the flavifh apprehenfions of punifh- ment in another world, for a&ions which his constitution continually prompts him to commit in this. How ought we then to congratulate each other, that fuch humiliating tenets have been totally extirpated during your adminiftration ? Right reafon, the love of virtue, moral rectitude, and the fitnefs of things, are the fole motives which influence the nobler parts of a Briton's mind : you alone are the terror of the guilty. IN all commercial ftates, my Lord, it has been ever allowed the diflinguiming mark of a legiflator and ftatefman, to en- courage thofe kinds of commerce, where the original materials are of the leaft worth, and the chief value of the commodities arifes from the labour of the people ; in this DEDICATION. xv this art, your Grace, and your immortal pre- deceflbr, have excelled all the fons of men. You have created a gainful merchandize without labour, from materials of no va- lue. To inflance in one refpeft only; what was the iingle article of confcience worth in this kingdom, before your adminiftra- tion ? the utmoft that could be faid in fa- vour of the beft was, that it gave a man a chearful countenance, and made his {lum- bers fweet and eafy. But, did it fate the hungry appetite, or clothe the naked limbs of virtue in diftrefs ? Of what ufe was jt then to the poflefibr ? SINCE your prudential, and virtuous ad- miniftrationj how confpicuous is the change ? ftfot a Ifttle borough remains in England, where the very worft of all conferences may not be fold once in feven years, for what is fufficient to fuftain a moderate fa- jnily during that time j of fuch increaled 3 value xvi DEDICATIO N. value has that trifle been made thro* all England, during your fuperintendance of the nation's welfare; and tho' your Grace cannot be faid to be the firft dealer in this commodity, to your immortal honor it muft be allowed, that you have mpre than trebled its value, lince you have taken it under your protection, and voluntarily con- defcended to be conflantly chofen matter of that company which are the greateft traders in that merchandize. How great then are the obligations which ftarving virtue owes to your charitable dif- polition ? What thanks are due to fuch public fpiritednefs, and care for poverty in diftrefs ? When will the ftupid people re- pay you as you deferve ? N o R is your public-fpirited difpofltion confined to this country alone ; the neigh- bouring ifle, which depends on this king- dom, has felt the aufpicious influence; the judicjous protection which you gave DEDICATION. xvii to a certain favorite, has created ftich a mar- vellous fpirit of patriotifm, as cannot be equalled in all ancient ftory ; what floods of claret have been exhaufted in loyal healths to his majefty, by this your prudent manage- ment ? To what degree muft a minifter be loved, when one fingle action can produce fuch an univerfal fpirit of patriotifm in a na- tion? Would you not fufpect me of adulation, if I mould deliver my real fentiments to your Grace ? Can fuch a people ever be tempted to revolt againfl this darling minifter ? YET to your eternal fame, this fpirit refts not there : the commands which have been given to the governors of the British plantations, particularly New- York, have created an equal efleem for you in that country ; the fingular mildnefs of expref- fion in their fpeeches ; and the facred- nefs, with which you obferved your pro- mifes made, during the laft war, have united the inhabitants univerfally in one VOL I. b paffion, xviii DEDICATION. pafTion, fentiment, and opinion towards you. There is fcarce an ifland or colony where the Britim power prefides, which is not filled with admiration of the gover- nors you fend, and of you who fend them. Never was there an union at home and abroad, in the judgment of all ranks and degrees, concerning the minifterial abilities of any man, equal to that which is to be found in their opinions of your Grace. H o w thankfully will the Americans receive the twelve-hundred foldiers, which you are fending to their aid ? How equal to the tafk of deftroying the fettlements of Canada and Mifiiffippi, is this military force ? Which, confidering the fuperiority of Brito tifh courage, and fkill of its officers, to thofe of France, and that the French are but ten thoufand feven-hundred regular troops (not quite ten to one) -, what proba- bility is there that they can. look us in the face, and how feafable is the project of dri- ving them out of the American continent? 4 INDEED, DEDICATION. xix INDEED, my Lord, the Americans are a hard-headed and flubborn race, defcend- ed from thofe fathers, who are great ene- mies to mifliftersj they have fhewn in the late wars that they dare to fight, and will follow no leaders but thofe born in their own country : for this reafon it may be prefumed you have fent them officers from this kingdom, left being innured to martial affairs under their own coun- trymen, they may declare themfelves inde- pendent. BY this fingle thought you have fully contrived, that they mall raife no army, and thrown the blame on the planters, who will not inlift under the natives of Eng- land. THUS you have preferred yourfelf &ia all impeachment of neglect, in- fuccour- ing the Americans, prevented a war, and b 2 given xx DEDICATION. given no umbrage to the French govern- ment. THIS appears to me the moil machi- vilian and refined ftretch of all human po- licy. NOTHING, my Lord, is fo common amongft men of feeble under/landing, as to form judgments, and found prejudices on the maxims and manners of their illuf- trious anceftors j becaufe Horace, Juvenal, and other ancient Greek, and Latin writers of immortal honor, exclaimed again ft in- formers as the moft detefted race of men, they would infer, that your attention to thefe mifcreants, is highly culpable. . i lO i.3 ' I BUT alas ! fuch is their fhort-fighted ken into your policy, fo abfolutely different from that of Minos, Solon, Lycurgus, and Nimia, thofe drivelers in the old fy ft ems cf government, that they do not perceive one DEDICATION. xx* one excellence in your new and unpreci- dented manner of governing. WILL any man dare to condemn this inclination in your Grace, who has heard of that bloody rebellion fo deftruftive to this nation, which was carried on by three drunken boys in the univerfity of Oxford 3 or of that plot, which makes every chriftian's blood run cold with hor- ror at the recital of it; that horrid plot, which was like to prove fo deftructive to all England, becaufe it was fo fecretly conducted, fo fecretly concealed in rags, that all men of fenfe believe, it had ne- ver been difcovered but for him that in- vented it; can fuch difcoverers be deno- minated informers, too well rewarded, or too highly diflinguifhed ? Can you be too much adored, for thus watching over the fleeping nation. YET, give me leave to obferve, that this malicious papiflical author, has not b 3 pene- xxii DEDICATION. penetrated into the true defign of your Grace; in this behaviour, no man has manifefted more indignation againft thefe pefts of fo- dety than yourfelf. YOUR Grace knows as well as any man living (being moil extremely profound in the knowledge of paft and prefent hiftoryj the manners of ancient and mo- dern kingdoms, and the fyftems of all for- mer legiflators) that it has ever been the undeviating cuftom for all honeft men to confider fuch traiterous and degenerate beings, as fellows branded in the forehead with the infamous mark of information. THIS then muft of confequencc make them detefted, and fhun'd by all honeft company. The felon, burnt in the hand, bears that jftigma, which muft for ever prevent his being employed by all vir- tuous people ; thus obliged to continue the fame impious employment, at laft the gallows DEDICATION, xxiii gallows terminates his illuftrious race of glory. IN like manner the informer, detefted and excluded from all virtuous fociety, mark- ed in his face by the feelings of his con- fcience, muft naturally have wanted bread, and continued in the fame execrable em- ploy, if your fuperlative prudence had not placed him above neceffity ; and thus chari- tably, virtuoufly, honorably, confcientioufly, and chriftianly, prevented him from all fu- ture inclination to treachery and information. How exalted then is your conception in this inftance of refined policy ? How ef- fectually are thefe mifcreants withheld from all future infidious defigns againft their fellow-creatures ? How abfolutely are all others difcouraged from attempting the like bafenefs, left like too many of late, they fhould be exalted to fome high ftation, and thus become a confpicuous and flagrant objedl: of the public fcorn ? How new, un- fa 4 com- xxiv DEDICATION. common, and decifive is this your manner of fupprefling this execrable race of in- formers ! MINISTERS, my Lord, have frequently met with unfuitable returns from the people, vvhofe happinefs they fuperintend- cd > but no one has ever received ufage fo unequal to his deferts, as your Grace : your eye, ever watchful over the morals and religion of the fubjects, (witnefs the many laws, which have been made in their favour during your adminiftration) could not behold the declining caufe of Chrift without much fecret very fecret grief, and repining j inftigated by this decay, you pi- oufly determined to recall the languiming ftate of chriflianity, by intending intima- tely to mix the Jews, the chofen people of heaven, with this nation. What fanguine hopes did this beget of reftoring the chrif- tian religion? How would morality have been improved by this race, fo remarkable fa DEDICATION, xxr for the ftrld obfervance of it all over Eu- rope ? THIS law, which was to give them the civil rights of chriftians, to encourage their coming hither, in your harangues you infifted to be of the utmoft public utility ; you told us, it was made to mend the people, and then you faid it was revok- ed to pleafe the people 5 it was created With vigor., becaufe it was a moil excellent law, and it was fuddenly abrogated, becaufe it was never proved to the contrary : how refined is this policy ! how convincing is the manner of reafoning! new and un- known to our mole-eyed anceftors; how few mortals can difcern your exquifite do- figns in civil inftitutions ? ANOTHER law, my Lord, has alfo with equal injuftice been exclaimed againfl ; it is that, which has been made againfl clan- defline marriage. SHALL sxvi DEDICATION. SHALL young people, my Lord, actuat- ed with the paffions which God only has given them, be permitted to chufe partners for life, becaufe they love each other, and it is a matter which relates chiefly to their happinefs ? Where then is the wifdom which grey hairs afford to age, and the di- fcretion which feventy imparts to judgments in love-aifairsj when they no longer tafte the leaft remain of that feductive paflion r IN this, my Lord, this author has been equally miftaken, as in all his former re- marks j he does not conceive, that minifters are obliged too frequently to difguife their true defigns from vulgar eyes and common obfervation, to make one object pafs for an- other, and conceal truth by fpecious ap- pearances. IT has been too long, my Lord, a juft complaint, that the inferior clergy of this land DEDICATION, xxvii land ftarvedin learning, penury, and neglect, whilfl the unlettered and dignified wallow- ed in pleafure and excefs ; that the pious and humane curate, who officiated in his duty with decency, was fcarce clothed as he ought; his rector, like Dives, faired fumptuoufly every day, clad in fine linnen. TH i s complaint, by one fuperior ftrokev is at laft effectually removed by this pioufly intended law ; the diftreffed curates will all fpeedily be provided for in America, and incumbents obliged to do their duty them- felves : thus, there will no more remain that object of reproach on thofe, who have neglected the clergy. BUT, my Lord, it was necefTary to con- ceal this your intention for the eitablimed clergy, from the jealous eyes of prefbyte- rians, left this kindnefs, fo partially fhewn to them, fhould wean their affections from you, xxviii DEDICATION. you, which you are confcious they al- ways withdrew on the leaft neglect, and thus deprive you of that kind of afliftance, which is not to be expedted from thofe of the eftablifhed religion. With what addrefs was this your pious defign difguifed in this law ? How apparently does it prove, that the eftablifhed church, and her fons are your peculiar care ! NEVER fince the beginning of things, was there a more unjuft allegation againft man, than this which has been afTerted, that you are an enemy to liberty. When alas ! fo true is the contrary of this affer- tion, that there are public affemblies per- mitted and undifturbed, where full liberty is allowed to difpute the exigence of that God which forms the object of the nation- al religion. YE ingrates, how can this allegation proceed from your lips ? is not this a liberty unknown, DEDICATION, xxlx Unknown, and unallowed in any nation, pa- gan or chriftian, to this day. How can it be aflerted, that your Grace intends to deftroy liberty, who have given no bounds to it ? How can you be faid to be the enemy of the chriftian religion, who have allowed fuch freedom in fearch- ing into its truths ? I N'D BED (your Grace will pardon this feeming flattery) you refemble your Cre- ator in nothing, fo much as in that liberty which was firft given to our parents in Eden, to eat of the fruit of all trees feut one ; in like manner, free liberty is given to pluck from the religion, laws, public and private property and character ; the tree of knowledge was the only inter- dicted thing in Paradife ; the examination of your policy, in Britain ; two things which, tho* totally unlike, are yet my Lord, equally myftical and inexplicable : can this xxx DEDICATION. this fingle reftri&ion be deemed a breach of liberty ? M Y Lord, there are many which accufe you with ftrange defigns againft your coun- try's welfare : furely nothing was ever done with equal injuftice ; I am convinced that it would be extremely cafy for me to prove, that you have been totally void of all defign, thro' the whole tenour of your adminiftra- tion j your very enemies the French, have ever been ftrictly convinced of this truth. AND here, my Lord, I fpeak from cer- tain knowledge, and therefore, the more boldly affert, that no Britifh minifter ever polTeffed an equal intereft in the opinion of the French king and his miniftry ; nay, fuch is the regard which they profefs for you, that fliould any popular attempt re- move you from your mailer's ear and coun- cil, I am thoroughly convinced, that not only the mofl chriftian king, but his whole court, would unite in one petition for your being DEDICATION, xxxt being reftored to his favour, and your ho- nors ; fach interefting jm'preffion you have created in the hearts of your very ene- mies : your prefents are the moft accept- able, of all tjiofe which arrive at Belle Veue j the marchionefs never fails of fmiL> ing at the mention of your name, your actions afford the fubjecl of many a pleafant converfation, between this lady and her roy- al lover j me dignifies you with the name of the moft chriftian minifter, who having been fmitten on one cheek, have turned to them, me fays, the other alfq ; nay, a ftory of you will create a laugh of approbation, in the moft melancholy hours of his ma- jefty, when every other attempt has proved abortive j fuch is your power and interest, in the nation of our natural enemies. . IT is a melancholy confideration, my Lord, that men in high ftations can no more avoid the fcourge of calumny, than they can exift without food ; it is there- fora xxxii kEDICATION. fore the more to be admired, that fo lit- tle a mare has fallen on your Grace. The Tories are eternally exclaiming againil the inattention which you have (hewn to form- ing a militia, and this Papiftical author has joined in the clamour. BUT, my Lord, in this inftance, as in all the preceding, they do not penetrate your true defign, and manner of govern- ing; {hall the brave peafants of Britain conceive, becaufe they are naked and un- armed, that they are not a match for the regular troops of the French monarch? Shall we free born Englifh, intimate the lead appearance of timidity ? what ill-judged temerity would that be, which the Tories call prudence ? mould your Grace arm and difcipline the peafants of this land, would not this miftaken prudence be conftrued by the French, as an apprehenlion of an invafion from that nation, and confequent- ly, would they not invade us thus armed and DEDICATI ON. xxxiii and equipt, becaufe of thefe tokens of fear j this they will never dare to attempt, whilft they fee us unarmed and unafraid ? What ramnefs then, to confefs fuch daftard dif- pofitions, by providing ourfelves with arms, and thus, as it were challenging them to invade us BESIDES, my Lord, the great excel* lence of a minifter is, to be thoroughly acquainted with the manners, and way of thinking, of thofe nations with whom he is engaged ; the indifputed characleriftic of the French nation is politenefs ; will thefe polite people then violate that character, and come hither armed, to .a nation that is difarmed, and in no condi- tion to receive them ? or, if we fhould arm ourfelves, would not they immediately, actuated by the fame polite fpirit, pay us a vifit becaufe we feem to be prepared to receive them as we ought, VOL. I. c THIS, xxxiv DEDICATION. THIS, my Lord, is another aftonifliing inftance of that uncommon penetration, which you abound in above all men, a fample of that exquiliteiy curious man- ner of governing, and faving the nation's money, abfolutely unknown to our thick- lighted anceftors j the kingdom is fafe from all invafions, from die nature of our enemies, why then a military power to prevent an invafion which cannot happen ? Thus you have moft admirably tranf- muted that which has been hitherto far- caftically ftyled the moft palpable neglect, into the moft refined policy, a policy, my Lord, equally refined and perfpicuous in all its parts, with this laft inftance that I have mentioned. THERE is yet another imputation a- gainft your Grace, which, with his ufual injuftice, this writer has thrown upon you ; it is my Lord, the inattention which you have DEDICATION, xxxv have (hewn, towards providing for men of genius and learning. My Lord, I can produce almoft numberlefs inftances of the great provifion which you have made for the moft ftupid, unlettered) and worthlefs of God's creation - y can it be conceived then, that this can arife from any thing, but igno- rance where true merit is to be found ? if your Grace could difcover where it lyes, is it to be imagined, that informers would be preferred to men of honor, the fons of dullnefs to thofe of genius, vice to vir- tue, impudence to modefty, deceit to in- tegrity, irreligion to piety ? with what in*- juftice then is this imputed as a crime tp your Grace, who are by nature and fitua- tion, out of all power of diftinguiming the difference. Can any man who fhines ib eminently, in all the parts of a minifter, be fo deficient in this of a man, unlefs the true diftin&ion of merit and demerit, was totally concealed from him ? c 2 IF xxxvi DEDICATION. I F there be any one thing, my Lord, in which the works of the author which I have tranflated, feem to coincide with the conduct of your adminiflration, it is in the following inftances : THAT the regal power in future times, may poflible become too feeble, and re- ligion lofe its influence thro' neglect of ex- ternal objects, which may flrongly actuate .the minds of men. I N confequence of this opinion, it may be humbly prefumed, that men who are known to acquiefce in favour of thefe fen- timents, are made the fuperintendants of the of and the reft of the How miraculoufly provi- dent are you in all things ! you fee into dif- tant futurity with the fame perfpicuity, that you behold thofe objects w^hich are pre- fent to your eyes. 4 THESE, DEDICATION, xxxvii THESE, my Lord, and a thoufand other inftances I could produce, equally convincing how much your minifterial judgment is to be admired, beyond all that has ever been found in the admini- flration of former ftatefmen ; your wars conducted, and peace concluded, in a man- ner the moft amazing to all Europe j your fkill in encouraging trade by promoting public companies j your increafing the na- tional wealth by making paper equal in va- lue with gold, the former of which we are not likely to want, and may remain in this land, after every dufl of the latter is ex- ported to Germany, and the Eaft Indies. THUS, my Lord, I hope that I have advanced a great way towards reconciling the minds of thofe who have been mif- taken, into one opinion of you ; and fhewn, how truly your adminiftration differs from the remarks of this blinded Papift. , c 3 YET xxxviii DEDICATION. Y E T as it is probabk, my Lord, tho* this may have great influence on your friends, that your enemies may ftill perfift in their obftinacy of opinion, regarding your Grace ; I intend to (hew the true and eflential dif- ference between the times of Charles the firft and the prefent, between the then Lord StrafTord and your Grace ; draw a c"cmparifon of his understanding and your Grace's, your virtues and his, his minifte- rial conduct and yours, the crimes imput- ed to him and you, the difpofition of Eng- liihmen at that time and at prefent, your parliamentary knowledge and that of that nobleman, the taxes levied then and now, and {hew the national incumbrance at each time : thro* the whole examination I fhall endeavour to flrip off the delufive furface, which covered the kingdom at that pe- riod, and compare it nakedly and impar- tially with this ; and then dualizing the different times and manners, the caufes of applaufe DEDICATION, xxxix applaufe and refentment, the falfehood of his and truth of your adminiftration, en- deavour to affign the true reafons which may juftify a nation in executing a minifter. I N the execution of this defign, I muft neceflarily bring before the public eye, the pad conduct of your Grace's life ; and then I make no doubt that every man from the comparifon will be truly convinced of the efTential difference which exifts be- tween you, and render your Grace ex- actly that applaufe which you merit. Asa lover of my country I cannot re- fufe myfelf this fatisfaction ; befides this, my Lord, the fingular favour, with which you have diftinguiihed me, in taking fuch particular and partial notice of my fmall performance, and letting the works and the editor of the great Lord Bolingbrok^ fo truly calculated for private good, and public welfare, pafs unobferved and unno- c 4 ticed xl DEDICATION. ticed by you, is what a grateful mind can never forget, THERE remains, my Lord, that I be- feech your Grace to believe, that in this future defign, I mail endeavour to ahftain from all appearance of adulation ; that I mail give you no reafon to blum from re- marks too partially made in your favour; that I mall reprefent facts as they are, and yet praife. you as you deferve. INDEED, this dedication by many of your enemies, may feem .to contradict this defign of preferving impartiality, and create a fufpicion even in your Grace, that the fpirit of flattery may enter too much into my future writings > but, my Lord, as thofe I have confulted on this head agree in the truth of all that is here intended, why mould your enemies and your Grace's mo- defly withhold me from the truth ? IF DEDICATION. xli Ira war then fhould unhappily be de~ dared, how great will be my pleafure to be engaged, from time to time, in placing your management in its true light ? exhibit to the public attention, your magnanimity and minifterial capacity, in the moft con- fpicuous point of view j your labours for the national welfare, and neglect of your own; and thus excite this difcontented people to their duty, and juftly point out how you ought to be confidered by them? ' BUT, my Lord, before I take my leave of you in this dedication, let me entreat you to forgive the liberty I am going to take ; do not conceive that it arifes from any imagined or vifionary deficiency in your Grace ; I implore you to believe me, that nothing but your own and the nation's welfare, could poflibly have drawn this requeft from my bofom ; will you then have the infinite goodnefs to pardon me in this rlii DEDICATION. this requeft ? tho' it may appear extremely finguiar in its kind, I am confident your Grace will indulge me in it, for the good of that nation which you are fo watch- ful over ; it is, may it pleafe you, moft noble and puiiTant prince, That you would condefcend, for the eafe of your adminiflra- tion and the people's good, to permit that moft eminent and fciehtific, tho' too much neglected calculator, ftatefman, and friend to Britain, Jacob Henriques, to fill fome poft of high importance neat your perfon ; his fkill in paying the nation's debts, and raif- ing money without any one's contributing a milling towards it, will certainly be moft extremely ufeful in times of war, tho' it muft be avowed your method, by reducing money to no value, is new and admirable. CONSIDER then, may not cam 'fail and paper become fufpe&ed, if you pro- ceed in this war as in the laft ; let me then DEDICATION. xliH then entreat your Grace, to take him to your's and the nation "s aid ; it is not to be imagined, what afloniming advantages may redound to this kingdom, from an union of two fuch inimkable and compre- henfive underftandings ; his faving and your directing fpirit, mixed with fuch probable and extenuVe fcheming, will without doubt complete the happinefs of this Hie, already fo greatly advanced by your Grace's pecu- liar management. I HAVE, my Lord, already, from the lit- tle knowledge I have in the works of art, defigned the frontifpiece which is to ac- company my future productions on your Grace ; the following lines, my Lord, are a defcription of it. B Y this your Grace, who I am credibly informed are to the full as knowing in the works of art, as in thofe of government, and decide as juftly of the merits of pic- 4 tures DEDICATION. tures as of men, will have fufHcient time to fteal a moment from the nation's care, confider of the defign before it be carried into execution, and make alterations, if any fhall be found necefiary. 1 N the fore-ground your Grace is placed beneath a canopy on a throne, in juft atti- tude, and full expreffion of that wonder- ful underflanding, fteady behaviour, be- coming grace, and true importance, which you fo eminently pofTefs, and which have fo long done honor to this nation, in the opinion of all foreign minifters. THE favourite bird of wifdom, the fa- gacious owl, always bufied in the dark, perched like the pigeon of Mahomet on your moulder, whifpers your moft pru- dent counfels, his tail is turned towards the people of England, from which part during his communication with your Grace, a certain fpecies of matter drops upon your George DEDICATION. xlv George and Garter, at once an emblem of your being advifed, beloved, and rewarded, by that great goddefs Minerva. BEFORE your feet fits Britannia be- come twi-child, playing with the cap of folly, which me miftakes for that of liberty. BEHIND you in a nitch, Hands die figure of one of the kings of England made of wax. ' ON the left hand, a little retired, .pat rents at your command are binding their children in chains, aitd the Prefbyterian teachers, armed with thong-whips, driv- ing the neceffitous clergy in tattered crape, fettered together like hounds in couples, on board mips which lye ready to tranf- port them to America; religion, beauty, and innocence in tear ^ implore in vain to fave them from this treatment. xlvi DEDICATION. N your right hand is a large group of puppets, which are fo conftrufted, that on your Grace's pulling a firing, the puppet you intend rifes up, with open mouth, to Ipeak whatever you {hall dictate. THESE with many emblematical devi- ces, form the frontifpiece of the work in which I intend to do juftice to your Grace. 1 F it mail have the happinefs to find fa- vour in your eyes, it will add to that plea- fure which I already poffefs, in fubfcribing xnyfelf, May it pleafe your Grace, your Graces moft obedient > moft dutiful^ moft humble^ and -moft devoted fervant., The TRANSLATOR* PREFACE. THE many lives of authors which havs been written, fufficiently evince the natu- ral define that people entertain, of knowing the particulars which relate to men of letters ; to fatisfy this curiofhy, the Tranflator has deter- mined to give fome account of the perfon, who wrote the following epiftles. THE author Batifta Angeloni was a Roman by birth, and bred at Rome in the college of that religious order, which is called the jefuits ; during his ftudies he applied himfelf clofely to the understanding, amongtt other languages, that of the Englifh ; the authors which he read, creat- ed in him a great inclination to fee the nation which had produced them ; he therefore carrc to this kingdom as a mifiionary, and refided many years in London, and it is but very Jately that thofe, whether of his perfuafion, or of a different, who knew and loved him, have been xlviii PREFACE. been robbed by death of that pleafure whicji was the conftant attendant of his company, and which is moft fincerely regretted. H i s figure was pleafing, his face exprefilvej particularly his eye, his manners engaging; he remarked the objects of fenfe, and felt thofe of fenfation with fingular accuracy, and tendernefs, and was much more juft in his reafoning, than correct in his ftyle ; he had great quicknefs in conceiving the truth of things intuitively, and was not always patient enough to explain it to men of (lower apprehenfion ; of a fatyric turn in converfation againft polite and unpolite vice ; in fecret the moft humane, compafiionate, and ten- der to all human failings and diftrefs. His chief excellence confuted in analizing the human mind, difcovering the moft active and prevalent faculties in our compofition, adapt- ing proper objects to each, and diftinguilhing the motives to actions in men , by long appli- cation and delight in this kind of ftudy, he pofleft an infight into the nature of man, beyond what is to be found but in very few of the fpecies. FROM PREFACE. xlix FROM this particular turn, and natural per- fpicuity, he beheld human nature as it is, di- verted of that exalted idea which the prefent deiftical reafoners affect to compliment it with, and yet not fo depreciated and bafe, as the wild and extravagant humility of the Prefbyterian and Methodiil delights to conceive and affert it to be. HE had much compared his own particular mind with thofe of others, and had long conclud- ed that the fame principles were in all, but vaftly different in degree ; and that from the inequality of faculties in each, arofe in great part the variety which is found in human kind j a paffion which is weak in one, is often ftrong in another : in like manner the perfection of the fenfes, the delicacy of internal feelings, the powers of the imagi- nation, the ftrength of reafoning, the prompt- nefs of faith, were all varioufly proportioned, and yet to be found in fome degree in all j from this he inferred, that as the human mind was compounded of all thefc diftinct faculties, that objects were originally created for each faculty, and that the true legiflator ought to adapt thofs Vo L. I. d which 1 PREFACE. which were the moft agreeable to the nature of man, and conducive to the general welfare. IN all inftitutions civil and religious, it wai his Handing maxim, that the fenfes, paflions, faith, imagination, and reafon, ought to be in- fluenced by objects, which are proper to incite the mind to virtue, and withhold it from vice. F R o M a full conviction of this truth, he fuf- tained, that nothing had in it fo little reafon, as that pretenfion of the Deifts to govern man- kind by reafon, excluding the objects of faith, and the influence of religion ; and that examin- ing the individual articles of a nation's religious belief, by the inquifition of reafon, according to the prefent deiftical writers, was the moft infal- lible mark of a limited and narrow underftand- ing, unpractifed in human nature, and blind to its conduct in mental proceeding ; in religious confiderations, he never diftinguifhed between utility and truth; whatever then was ufeful, in his opinion was true ; and this, eftablifhed by law, made national truth ; for this reafon he enter- tained the moft contemptible opinion of Chub above all writers ; the mind, fays he, diverted of a . - PREFACE. li a religious faith eftablimed by law, will adopt a more abfurd one in ics place, and become more ridiculous by the change -, it is my conftant re- mark, that none give credit to fuch abfurdities, as thofe who pretend to believe nothing. UTILITY and. truth in all national con- duct, whether civil or religious, being the fame thing in his opinion ; he concluded that who- ever intended to- diminifli the influence of reli* gious ordinances on the mind of man, was either weak or wicked, and confequently deftructiye of the public good j for this reafon, a certain bifhop, who has endeavoured to fet the human mind loofe from every anchor which can hold it fleady to virtue, into the open, ftormy qcean of infidelity and private opinion, was no great favourite of his. H i s rule of right a^d wrong, truth or falfe^ hood, in the inftitution and objects for moral and religious obligation, was the fhnefs and propriety which they bore to the faculties exifting in the. human mind -, and from this way of conceiving things, he always infifted that no fyftem of phi- lofophy or religion, ancient or modern, or union d 2 of Hi PREFACE. of both, fo truly correfponded to the whole composition of man in head and heart, as the chriftian religion : this I imagine will appear in his letters. FROM this fagacity in confidering the hu- man powers, he had alfo feen the neceffity of each faculty being animated and reftrained, by motives which are native and original to it ; for this reafon he entertained the moil defpi- cable opinion of the miniftry who prefided in public affairs, who had weakly imagined, that money was a proper incentive to honorable actions in war, and that men could be purchafcd by it, to virtuous and becoming deeds. In their whole adminiftration, he frequently afferted, that not the lead ray of the knowledge of man- kind, appeared thro* the darknefs of their con- duct ; and in confequence of this, that every na- tion, fo directed, mud necefifarily tumble into ruin. r THERE feem but very few men in nature of underftanding fufficiently perfect to make rea- fonable and juft obfervations on the actions of hu- man nature, in the .different manners, cuftoms, and PREFACE. liii and laws of nations j of thefe again how few Can diveft themfelves of original and invisible prejudices, which they have imbibed from edu- cation and manners of their own country, and juftly diflinguifh between right and wrong, in thofe comparifons which they make between the religion, Jaws, conftitution, and government of -other nations and their own ? , THE inftitutions in religion and government in the land we are born, generally conflituie the idea of right in thefe things, in the minds of the individuals, and mod men confider thefe as fixed rules of truth to try others by, rather than ?.s objects to be examined by what is to be found in other nations , and even thofe of a more li- beral manner of conceiving things, cannot di- veft themfelves of that education which has in- fluenced all their lives, and formed their man- ner of thinking, fufficiently to judge impartially, between the fitnefs or unfitnefs of a govern- ment, in all parts, to the original fabric of the human mind. BESIDES this, that partial love of our coun- try, which tho* it ought to enter ftrongly into d 3 every liv PREFACE. every heart, Ihould be as ftrenuoufly excluded "from the head of every examiner of national inftitutions, is very apt to difguife the truth, and fecret it from ourfelves, LIKE children, the natives are blind to the faults, and magnifiers of the virtues, which arc in- herent in their mother country ; the fanguine mind exalting every virtue, conceives his nation the fu- preme of all, and invincible ; the timid, uniting fear with love, is aghaft at every apprehenfion of an attack from abroad, and trembles for his country ; each of thefe from their native con- ftitutions, where paffions are ftrongly unit- ed with reafon, are equally biafied to differ- ent and fallacious opinions, no true obferva- tion is to be expected from thefe men ; and yet fuch form the generality of all nations. Thus then, a true ftate of any kingdom is not to be expected from the natives, cither in its domeftic police, or foreign influence ; for the fame reafon that the Englifh are prohibited from feeing their national cufloms in a true light, grangers are equally prevented by their prepof- feffipn in their own favour s befides this, they i feldpm PREFACE. Jv fcldom tarry long enough in any country, to wear off the prevalency of firft impreflions, to be intimately acquainted with a people's manners, accuftomed to their habits, and uninfluenced from particular prejudices. IF ever they remain in any kingdom long enough to effectuate all this, they bid faireft to difcover the real fituation of it, to weigh its po- licy and religion with that of others, and draw the leaft partial conclufions. T o know one country well, it is necefiary to have long refided in fome other , the medium which forms itfclf in the mind of man habituated to reflexion, cannot fettle into the center of things, without being weaned from old cuftoms by the habit of new ; the lofs on one fide, and gain on the other, bring the ballance as jiear as pof- iible to an equipoife. I F this be acceded to, the writer of the fol- letters promifes fome appearance of truth in his remarks; his long- living in this ifland had weaned him from former prejudice, and even created a love for its inhabitants j it is to be hoped hi PREFACE. hoped therefore, that the following remarks are neither trifling, inaccurate, prejudiced, or un- juft ; of this the reader will decide. The friends of the author thought them worth giving to the public, and at their reqneft they are tranflat- cd, yet not without permifiion granted by him during his inclifpofition ; from his hands I re- ceived them in the Italian, and from mine they go to the public in Englifh : I had once an inclination to have printed them in the original, but the bookfdler imagined an edition in that language, would not be difpofed of. THERE is this farther to be objected on this head, that the author, being a catholic, may be imagined to incline too much to that manner of thinking in religion and government ; it muft however, at the fame time be remembered, that we are Proteftants, and not under lefs influence of prejudice . and education, than thofe who are bred in nations of more arbitrary power, and more ceremonious worfnip ; that if being edu- cated under the influence of fear from church? men and ftatefmen, may deprefs the mind, be- ing brought up unchecked by either of thefe reftraints, PREFACE. Ivii reftraints, lets loofe the foul into all that is wild and extravagant -, in fhort, that whatever can be faid againft men fo bred, may in another view be oppofed againft us who are not ; fo that neither can be a proper judge of what each country truly is, whilft the individuals continue under the influence of their original education. IF this man originally pofieffed the effect of his youthful prejudices, in the purfuit and attention of his later ftudies he loft them , not worrt into deifm by difapproving all religion, nor blown into extravagant enthufiafm by contemning rea- fon ; examination had made him drop from the vaft pomp and parade of popery, and defpife the pretended fimplicity of Quakers and Prefby- terians -, if he faw that the mind of men might be too much -bufied in ceremony, and thence neglect the real duties of religious worfhip, he was convinced alfo, that in its nature it was not fufceptible of that purity, and fimplicity, af- fected by the fcctaries ; he obferved, that a falfe and exorbitant faith was the confequence of the firft, and hypocrify, deteftable vice, the effect of the other ; and that human nature, to be well directed, muft be influenced by objects juftly . ' adapted Iviii PREFACE. adapted in nature and degree to every faculty in the foul. This was his fyftem of natural govern- ment ; as a man of honor, he did not choofe to change the manner of profefling his religion ; as a chriftian, he confidered vows made in that awful view, as indelible -, as a philofopher, he beheld things in another light, where no one mode ap- pearing perfect, the difference was not fufficient to create a renunciation of former tenets ; laftly, his fixed opinion was, that chriftianity contained in itfelf the mod perfect of all philofophies. THE following letters being all written fome time fince, it is to be hoped, that no one will apply perfonally what they contain, from any imaginary refemblance which may be found be- tween thofe who were then in the adminiftration, and thefe who have at prefent this honor; if they fhould be guilty of this miftake, it is they and not the author, who are to be blamed in that application. I F there mould appear any feeming contra- dictions in this collection, it may be offered in defence of that appearance, that a man is not Ids PREFACE. lix Ids different from himfclf a: fome times, than two men are different from each other ; that every faculty has its hour of reigning, and that objects appear extremely different to the fame mind, according to the medium thro' which they are feen ; the gay and gloomy minutes have not a lefs influence on objects, than fun-fhine and made, and the man of to-day, looking at things thro* one difpofition, approves what an- other day*s review may condemn beheld thro' a different temper : hope gilds the objects of one hour, and fear obfcures the fame confidered on the next. IN this manner things might have been beheld by the author of thefe letters ; nay, perhaps, this very particular circumftance may render them more generally pleating, as variety of difpofitions may find fomething to like and difapprove, the latter of which has its pleafure in many heads, and even contradictory minds by approving and condemning in direct oppofition to each other. To be agreeable to all, is, in the nature of things, impoffible , and the author is removed from J.T PREFACE. from all poffible power of fuffering from invec- tive ; tho' his writings may probably difpleafe many, we hope they will be agreeable to more, and that the people of this iQand will endeavour to examine candidly and impartially, what are the truths and falfehoods contained in the Jet- ters of Battifta Angeloni, tho' a Roman jefuit. CON- CONTENTS. LETTER I. TO the Reverend Father FRANCESCO MOLA, of the College of JESUITS at Rome. Rea- fons why the Romans were ruined by a military force, and the Englijh probably will not. Page i LETTER II. To the fame. The liberty of thinking for tbem- ffhes in matters of religion and government, as a- dopted by the Whigs ^ the ruin of liberty. i o LETTER III. To the fame. If the Wbig principles were ne- ceffary at the time of James the fecond to preferi-f liberty tbofe of the Tories equally fo at this time. 20 LETTER IV. To the Reverend Father PAOLO SEGNERI, at Rome. The caujes of fuicide in the old Ramans and modern Britons ajjigned. 2 7 LETTER V. To the Reverend Father ANGELO BONC.VRO, at Rome. Whether the Italians are not as keppy in their enthufiafm for religion, as the Evglijb m theirs for mone\. 4.?. L E T- CONTENTS. LETTER VI. To the Reverend Father STEFANO LOKENZIKI, at Rome. Comparifons between the external ob- jefts of Rome and London. p. 50 LETTER VII. To the Reverend Father DOMINICO MANZONI, at Rome. On the little regard paid to literature in London. 59 LETTER VIII. To tbs Reverend Father FILIPPO BONINI, at Rome. Praife of the minijlry in promoting the propagation of the king's fubjefls. 67 LETTER IX. To the Reverend Father DOMINICO MANZONI, at Rome. A philofophkal examination of national religion. 7 1 LETTER X. To the Rsverend Father ANTONIO COCCHI, at Rome. Prejbyteriam and Papijls equally avowers of infallibility. 79 LETTER XL To the Reverend Father FILIPPO LAURA, at Rome. Net luxury that ruins a ftate^ nor par ci- npny that faves /'/, inftanced in France and Hol- land. 85 LETTER XII. To the Reverend Father DOMINICO MANZONI, at Rome. The effeRs on a nation^ by injuring boufes, foipS) &c. 97 LET- CONTENTS. LETTER XIII. To tie Reverend Father LORENZO FRANCIO- I, at Rome. Whether the ridicule is not equally ftrong againft the Englijh^ for fuffering pub- lie companies to eat them up, as againft the It a- Hans J f or permitting Monks. p. 105 LETTER XIV. To the Reverend Father CURTIO MARINELLI, at Rome. England and France compared in their manner of conducting the two different kingdoms. 112 LETTER XV. To the Reverend Father FRANCESCO SANSO- vi NO, at Rome. The defer iption of an odd cba- raffer. 121 LETTER XVI. To (he Reverend Father DOMINICO MANZONI, at Rome. The Quakers politically and religioujly confidered. 128 L E T E R XXVII. To the Reverend Father ANTONIO COCCHI, at Rome.- The little knowledge in the mini/try, in applying enthufiafm to national advantage. 138 LETTER XVIII. To the Reverend Father ALESSANDRO ADI- MARI, at Rome. Liberty not the caufe of genius in a nation. j 45 LETTER XIX. To the Count-efs e?/** at Rome. Englijh gallantry compared frith the Italian and French. 158 LET- CONTENTS. LETTER XX. To tie Marcbionefs of * * * * at Rome. Engli/h indelicacy in the married people. p. 1 64 LETTER XXL To the Reverend Father BATISTA GUARINI, at Rome. The Jhsl! philofophy, and philofopbers, confidered. 171 LETTER XXII. To the Reverend Father FABIOMARETTI, at Rome. The reception of Italian fiddlers, and En- glijhmen of letters. i 83 LETTER XXIII. To the Reverend Father ANTONIO COCCHI, at Rome. The ridicule equally Jinking in the En- glijh believing impfljftible ftories* as in the Italians believing in faints. 190 LETTER XXIV. To tie Reverend Father DOMINICO MAXZONI, at Rome. The impojjibility of governing a nation without religion. 198 LETTER XXV. To the Reverend Father' ANGELO BONCARO> at Rome. The effefts of Fatality received as a truth^ by the individuals of a nation. 208 LETTER XXVI. To the Countefs of * * * * at Rome. The deanlinefs internally and externally of Englifi and French women > compared. 219 LETTER I. To the Reverend Father FRANCESCO M o L A, of the College ^JESUITS at Rome. Dear Sir, O compliment, however well turned in its exprefiion or elegant in its con- ception, can impart a more flatter^ ing idea to an Englifhman than that of comparing him with an old Roman j the va- lour, prudence, love of liberty and his country, with thofe other eminent qualities of our illuf- trious predeceflbrs, are the attributes which he receives with mod delight. IF a foreigner, in company with a member of parliament who had that day fold himfelf and fcis country to the inclinations of a pernicious tni- VOL. I. B niirer, j t E T T E R I niftcr, fhould compare the fenate of Rome to. the houfe of commons of Great Britain, he would fee a fenfible joy fpreading over his face, a civility in his actions and exprefiions, forget- ting for one moment that he had revolted from the virtue of his anceftors and committed the molt opprobrious action belonging to man. TH>ERE was perhaps a time when thefe ifland- ers might with much juftice affume the like- nefs of thofe Romans who lived in the moft flourifhing and virtuous moments of the Roman {late. When integrity was the greateft honor, poverty no Ihame, and the fervice of their coun- try their higheft ambition and deem'd their moft exalted virtue ; but they, are greatly deceived if they imagine the prefent race refembles the former. BELIEVE me, Sir, the miftake lies only in the point of time? If you advance more for- ward in the dates of the Roman empire, the. re- femblance is extremely remarkable -, that vena- lity which once raged in Rome reigns here with equal diflindion at prefent, and when I leave London, I fhall pronounce with as much truth, us L E T T E R I. 3 as Jugurtha did at leaving Rome, urbem vent* lem et mature perituramji em ft or em inverter it. IF. one. may be allowed to judge of the differ- ent periods of the moral character of a nation and compare them with another whofe race has been ran thro' all the various ftages of the courfe, the Romans in the time- of Sylla were like the Englifh of this prefent hour, in the corruption of their hearts and their difpofition to venal in- fluence, and the ruin of this government is near the fame date proceeding from the fame caufe* NOT that I mean to mew or imagine that things will proceed or terminate in this king- dom exactly as they did at Rome, tho* the con- ftitution is totally perverting from its original plan, THINGS' are not enough alike in nature, efpe- dally thofe which are compounded of fuch nu- merous parts as thofe that form a goverment, to permit a parallel between the progreflive ftates of any two conftitutions, one of which is already ruined and the other advancing a great pace i and yet there is analogy enough to predict the B 2 dc- 4 LETTER!. deftru&ion of a prefent government by man* ners prevailing in it fimilar to thofe which min- ed a former (late. FROM this it is, that the antirninifterial part of this kingdom keeping in idea the progref- fion of the Roman ftate too clofely parallel to the Englifh, and forming no certain judgment from the principles and manners now actuating and exifting, conclude, that becaufe a proftitute venality was the ruin of Rome and a Handing army the executive power, that England muft be ruined by a (landing army alfo, and that as Rome fell under the fubjecYion of one arbitra- ry man, the fate of this kingdom will termi- nate in like manner. To me it appears, who fee things, Of, at leaft endeavour to fee them, in a light which a native (generally too prejudiced) is Ids likely to behold them, that the {landing army of England will fcarcely be the inftrument of changing the con- ilitution of this kingdom, or a monarchical ftate the firfl alteration it receives. LETTERI 5 IN order to make an army opprefs their fel- low countrymen, it feems neceflary that it fliould be much inured to conqueft, detained long abroad in the kingdoms which they fubdue, and exerting a defporifm which the victor too often affumes over the conquered ; by this new habit the tem- per of the whole foldiery becomes changed, thence indeed by an ambitious general it may be led to enflave the land of its nativity, abfence having weaned them from that tenderncfs which they originally cheriflied for their native country, and a long exercife of power over thofe they vanquimed totally eradicated the love of equa- lity wi^h thofe amongft whom they were born. FROM this it feems to me it arofe, that the Romans inured to conqucft and power in the different parts of the world, under the com- mand of Caefar in Gaul and other generals in different parts, drowned all love for their coun- try in the defire of power, and deftroyed one another with as little remorfe as they would a Gaul or an Afiatic. B 3 How 6 LETTER!. How the Britons fhould come to this excefs is not eafy to conceive ; they can fcarce be led to conqueft any where and long enough detained from home, to forget their native land by the exercife of power. Befides this, humanity to- wards the vanquifhed is every where at prefent ten times greater than it was in the days of Rome, and consequently an arbitrary difpofition lefs obtained by refiding in a conquered country than at that time. ADDED to this, that unlefs the army be com- manded by the king in perfon, or fome one nearly t related to him whofe intereft is infepar- able from that of the reigning prince, there can not be much to fear ; the general who has led the troops to conqueft in a ftrange land will fcarcely lead them to rebellion in their native foil; there generally fubfifts too good an un- derftanding between the commander and po- tentate to form the leaft fuggeftion of his fet- ting up a feparate intereft ^ and increafing his fovereign's power would probably lofe his own. Tho* the foldiers are induced to love the prince unfler whofe reign they eonquer notwithftand- L E T T E R I. 7 ing he never enters the field of battle, as well as the general by whom they are led to it, connecting each in the caufe, yet is there little to fear from that union. Queen Anne fhar- ed the glory of conqueft and eftecm with thz Duke of Marlborough, and every old fol- dier joins them in his praifes, and yet they would not have made her abfolute. For theie reafons it feems only neceflary that the king or fome one nearly related to him be not the com- manding officer, and England has nothing to dread from a {landing army, mixed as it is amongft its own countrymen, and its officers generally v from the beft families. IN truth, Sir, to me there does not appear to be the lead dread of the lofs of liberty from the army of England ; the intereft of the exiled family is aim 6ft extirpated, no Englifhmen will contend in rfieir favour who can make head long enough to create a mortal antipathy in each party, which might terminate in the ruin of both, and abfolute power : Competitors for kingdoms are comets which bring plague, pefti- lence and flavery to the natives, let which fide will prevail ; and tho' this nation has been moft B 4 ^amazingly 8 LETTER I, amazingly refcued from tyranny by the indo- lence and inactivity of Richard Cromwell, who with the fpirit of a man might have been ab- folute as his father j and by the timidity, want of munificence and change of religion in James the fecond ; yet the fame confequences are by no means to be expected always. A contefted king- dom renders the conqueror abfolute in general, and the vanquifhing and vanquifhed party are alike (laves in the fecond generation. For this reafon if there was no other, I think that a re- volution mould never be attempted but to pre- vent tyranny, for tho' this favourite people has preferved its liberty by revolutions, yet if a cal- culation could have been made a priori of the probabilities, whether liberty would have been increafed or not by thofe tranfactions, it would have appeared ten to one againft that which hap- pened in the end ? Where then was their wif- dom ? and what reafon have they to expect, this fuperior favour of heaven above other nations will always attend them ? Is it worth while then for two parties to contend when each muft fufTer fooner or later by the conteft ? or are two men tho' both kings worth all the bloodmed f a civil war, when nothing is to be expec~le4 by LETTER I. 9 by the change which may improve the condition of the inhabitants ? Indeed the people of England are not at prefent in that tafte of thinking, and yet perhaps their liberty in more danger of ruin than at any other time. It appears to me that mankind in moft nations are fo much civi- lized, that were not abfolutc monarchies already fo firmly eftablifhed, it would be extremely difficult to induce one part of a nation to in (lave the other by arms ; tho' there remain in- numerable other ways by which it may be done, one of which I ftiall endeavour to mew you in my next letter, and which I fuppofe will prove the prevailing power and destroying angel of this land. I am, Tour moft obedient fervanf, LET- io LETTER II. LETTER II. To the fame. Dear Sir, TT is not at all furprizing that you who judge * of the manners of this nation from what has been written of them only, mould form your opinion of its character different from that which real-ly exifts at this hour. you fay with refpe& to the Englifli hi the time of Charles the firft is true ; t>ut the two intefefts which inflamed the minds oT this peop ; le into fuch extravagant enthufiafm are quite at aft nd, at leaft as to martial matters, neither the Lord" of hofts nor the king has one foldier who will fight his battles independent of his own private intereft, t'ho* perhaps each party ex- erts as much prating in their favour as at any time whatever. WHAT I mean is, that neither religion nor the prefervation of a crown in the fame family, will make the people cut one another's throats, m this iiland, at leaft in this part of it. To whatever excefs the Tories have carried the notion of indefeafable hereditary right and non- LETTER IL ai non-refiftance, how much foever the idea of a king is to be confidened as facred in their prin- ciples, the prevailing opinion of the Whigs .run- ning into the oppofite extreme and confidering the crowned head as the fervant of the pec* pie, hath as much deftroyed the true conftitu- tion by that means, as it would have been -by the 'former had it been carried into execution. MEN will fpeculativelyfupport an opinion with vehemence, the ill effect of which -they do not feel, which opinion carried into practice, rhofe very identical jperfons will oppofe with all their might ; and therefore thofc very Tories who preached fo much in favour of their pafiive doc- trine, would not have accjtiiefced in the fufFerings of an arbitrary power, and thus probably the due poife of the government might have been -ad- jufted. WHEREAS the Whigs fpinning the web of their fyftem too fine for the turbulent nature of mankind and more fubtte than any government is capable of being wtll directed by, giving the king his power, the people its liberty, on fuch nice and exact diftinctions, ideal only, at leaft with 4 *2 L E T T E R II. with refpecl to long duration, have by pretend- ing to preferve their privileges ufurped a right which by no means belongs to them, and placed the fovereign in a fituation infinitely below his true degree. NOTHING appears more exquifitely combined to an unexperienced examination than the En- glim goverment, where the executive and legi- flative powers, controul each other fo perfectly, where the prerogative of the crown and rights of the people are fo nicely adjufted and coun- terpoifed ; it is indeed a fine machine in idea, yet the fabric is too delicately wrought to go long well, and fubtilty of workmanfhip wants flrength of parts to fuftain it. IN real truth the oligarchic government has been gaining ground ever fince the revolution ; the reafon of it feems to be this. AT the time of king William's being fixt on the throne of Great Britain thofe who placed him there were the Whigs, who, 'tho* they might pre- tend an attachment to his intereft, had really no other inclination than an increafe of their own L E T T E R II. k , 3 own power, difguifed under the pretence of pre- ferving liberty, and which at that very time was really true in its effects, tho' not in their dcfign. BUT as it was the (landing and avowed prin- ciple of thofe men in power to afiert that every man had a right to think and decide for himfelf in religious matters, to deride the clergy and inveigh againft their tyrannic difpofition, it na- turally became impofllble to reftrain thofe per- fons from thinking for themfelves in all affairs civil as well as religious j thofe who have in- dulged themfelves in every kind of latitude in examining the objects of religion and infift on their right to it, will never flop from that of government , if they have a right to act with freedom in one they will alike purfue it in the other, the minds of men are not capable of fuch nice feparations, if they are indulged in one they will ufurp it in the other, and the confe- quence will be that if they conceive they have a right to decide for themfelves in matters of religion and act in confequence of it, fo in thofe of government they will apprehend they have an equal right, and will endeavour to act in con- fequence of that alfo. THUS 4 14 LETTER H. THUS the love of power being fo natural to man, it has followed that the miniftry of En- gland have gained in arbitrarinefs fince that time, and the kings and the people loft their rights. THE Whig minifter then from the nature of man and his own principles, which are built on felf intereiV, muft be ever increafing his own power and infringing thofe of his mafter and the liberty of his fubjects : as it is. the love of power Which generally leads men to the adminiftration of a nation, fo that fame defire of fuperior in- ftuence exerts every art to increafe it and con- tinue them in that ficuationj and in fact thc Whigs have put in practice every artifice that-canr diminifh the royal prerogative, the people's pri- vileges and liberties* and are at laft become a kind of traitors to both, and not -much different' from ufurpers. THEY have all along confrdered their ma- tters as neccftary to offer to the populapeye, to- fcreen themfelves, and to remove the ignominy w&ch would have too. apparently- fallen upon them in many inftances j and the people as a bugbear L E T T E R II. 15 bugbear to be offered to their princes fears, mix- ed with the word Jacobite, whenever they intend- ed to quell any rifing obftinacy in their breads. ADDSD to this, they have duped the nation to tneir intereft by an enormpus debt and pub- lic companies, of banks, South Seas, and Eaft; Jndie.s, t?y which proceedings the monieid pare necefTarily becomes fo deeply interested in the prefervation of this kind of adminiftrationi that a minifter is here an abfolute power. NOT content with this degree of certainty in, preferving defpotifm, it has been the univerfai practice to fpread venality through every little borough in the kingdom ; by this may noc every man be returned member of T who. is furnifhed with moft money from the treafury ? and may not the fenators of Britain in future, times be no longer reprefentatives of a free peo- ple, but the reprefentatives of the minifters in- clinations ? from this fource may not fome fu- ture more corrupted man become fo firmly ftxe in the adminiftration, that, far from fearing the l?eing diirniiTed from his office, he may even threaten the king to leave his fervice (if one. can ufc 16 LETTER ll. ufe that laft word on fuch an occafion) unlefs his demands are complied with ? WOULD not fuccefs in fuch a defign be an abfolute power ? when the minifter has nothing to apprehend from the prince's difpleafure, and thofe who mould be the truftees of the peo- ple's rights and immunities are all chofen by him, and each afiigned to the borough he mall pretend to reprefent, and obedient to his will. THESE laft then are the (landing troops which will deftroy the conftitution of Great Britain, and are more to be dreaded than the army, as every thing ftill bears the fpecious appearance of the ancient government. Here is the and the ^_ and who fhall dare to fuggeft that every thing is not tranfacted by them void of all un- due influence ? EVERY new way of deftroying a government is much eafier executed than one that has been al- ready put in practice, the minds of men are alarm- ed by the fimilarity of the fecond to the firft, and therefore are eafily led to obferve it ; from this it happens that whilft the Whigs have been cry. ing L E T T E R II. if ing out againft popery, pafiive o' \.'.enc?> and arbitrary power, the eyes of the people have been drawn to thofe objects, and never attended the filent path by which thefe exclaimers ftole to power i in this imitating little thieves in a throng, one calls your attention to the right whilft another picks your pocket on the Jefh They thought they had once fuifered from the two former caufes, and therefore believed it pro- bable they might again ; but being never accuf- flomed to, or indeed capable of inveftigating the true caufe of any thing, or perceiving where the principles of the Whigs would terminate, lulled with the muficof that fong of liberty which was for ever chanted in their ears, that the king's power was diminimed by the revolution, they conceived it impolTible they could be enflaved from ano- ther quarter; and becaufe they faw their prince'i authority decline, they concluded it impofiible that it could increafe in any other place. This will finilh the life of liberty in England, not unobferved by numbers, tho' too few to prevent its fall* nor unoppofed by thofe who to the ho- nor of themfelves and ftllow fubjefts would have refcued their country from ruin, if true VOL. I. C reafon- i8 L E T T E R II. reafoning, or public utility, had any longer found attention in the nation. PERHAPS, in ufmg the term flavery, I have aggravated the condition of the Englim beyond that (late in which it really at prefent ought to be confidered, tho' I fear abfolutely beyond recovery -, every in-dividual being difunited from the other, without any common principle to hold them together , open to venality, vend- ing the public good for private intereft, and re- garding honor, patriotifm and its attributes, as vifionary ties of deluded and miftaken men. PERHAPS, if the united kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland were not fo extenfive, fome- thing like che Venetian government might one day be the fate of thefe kingdoms ; but as they feem too large for the nature of that conftitution, as the people have fo long tafted of kingly go- vernment mixt with liberty, the fway which arifto- cracy or oligarchy would bear over the people would be too ungrateful, and drive them to th^ furrendering thcmfelves entirely to the difpofal of the prince Upon the throne -, and thus defpo- tifm in one, take, its rife from the defire of avoiding L E T T E R IL 19 avoiding the defpotifm of many, as it once hap- pened in Denmark. I prefume you are tired with this long letter ; I therefore give you my benediction* and di mifs you with the trued afiurance, that I am* Tour mvft efodienl fervaM. Ci to LETTER IH. LETTER III. To the fame. Dear Sir, YOUR compliment, in anfwer to my laft, merits my beft acknowledgments : you de- fire me to give you my fentiments, on what would have been the fate of England, if the Tories had continued in the admimftration-, but this is an affair compofed of fuch different and entangled parts, that it will be almoft impoffi- ble to develope what would have been the con- fequence -, it will be more difficultly decided, than the famous queftion in Livy, where that author examines, what would have been the fuc- cefs of Alexander's arms, if he had turned them againft the Italians, inftead of the Perfians. IF we confider a Tory fimply, without con- necting with it what all the Whigs never fail of beftowing him, in my opinion, he is the pro- pereft minifter ; a man of his principles muft conceive the religion of his country, the prero- gative of the crown, the-rights of the people, fomething above himfelf; as he acknowledges he has no right to think different from the efta- 3 blifhment LETTER III. 21 bh'fhment in cither cafe. Whereas, every Whig muft imagine himfclf above all thefe ; becaufe he imagines he has a right to think, and deter- mine for himfelf in each particular. And cer- tainly it is the nature of that man, who thinks he has a privilege of accepting or refufing whatever parts he pleafes in any government, to be lefs 'bound by it, than thofe who look on the three above mentioned articles as facred. The con- ftitution is for ever unftable from principle, in the hands of a Whig, and fixt in that of a Tory : For tho* this kingdom received its ulti- mate degree of perfection, at the acceffion of king William to the throne , yet that principle of changing, which has infenfibly prevailed fince, has totally deftroyed the true ftate of the go- vernment then eftablimed, in every thing but nominate; after that change, it was abfolutely neceflary to be fteady. SUPPOSING that the catholic religion, and the return of the Stuarts, would have been the neceflary attendants of a Tory miniftry ; things which are always connected in the idea of a Tory by a Whig ; it muft be difficult toafcertain, what would have followed fuch a change, or how C 3 far > LETTER III. Far the miftaken zeal of thofe catholics, whofe fiery imaginations pulhed king James the fe- cond into fuch precipitate difcoveries of his re- ligious faith, would have carried them ? YET, give me leave to afiert, that, if theWhig principle was neceffary to preferve the Englifh in their freedom and religion, at the revolution^ the Tory is equally neceflary at this moment, un- lefs they prefer no king and no religion, and madly imagine a nation can be well directed, without either of them, and their conftitution prcferved. WHATEVER was the opinion and defign of the Tories at the revolution, however fixt their attachment to the Stuart race might be, at that time, thofe notions at prefent are at an end ; they how defend the royal houfe on the throne, with as much zeal as the Whigs, and can only pre- ferve the kingdom from the anarchic ftate which threatens it, before it totally takes its laft unalter- able change. In fact, unlefs the Tories have the adminiftration, or their principles are adopted, the Englifh conftitution is at an end : it is become as abfolutely requifite to oppofe the oligarchic power at prefent^ as ever it was the monarchic, LETTER III. 23 in the time of king James the fecond ; and the principles of the Tories will loon be as neceflfary to defend his prefent majefty, ana the people's rights, from the ufurpation of the miniftry, as thofe of the Whigs were in the reign of king James the fecond, to protect the people's liber- ties alone. NOTHING is fo apt to deceive mankind, as fpecious plans of government, ideally delineated on paper : what can be finer imagined than this of England ? but it is in this inftance, as in the moft highly finimed machines ; a duft flops their motion, or produces an irregularity. If men were all reafonable beings, and their whole drift and defign were to render each other hap- py ; if no intervening pafiions would interfere, to difturb the regular difpofition of things, and the principles of a government once eftabliflied would proceed as uniformly as thofe in mecha- nics 5 the Whig plan of the Englifh conftitu- tion would be the beft adapted for human na- ture, and human happinefs. BUT alas ! fuch is the temper of man, that fgmething more material and hardy muft make C 4 p 34 LETTER III. up the component parts of a government, thai thofe which are imagined in the whig fyftem. Ira king fuppofes that he has an indefeala- ble right, and his minifter indulges him in that imaginations a militia, which was the ancient military force of this kingdom, and the gentry which command it, will never bend to fuch a difpofition, carried beyond what the laws allow. No king has an indefeafable right to more than what the coftftitution allows him j and this j$, and may be fafely granted : whatever more the fpeculative zeal of a people may yield him, their fenfations will contradict and correct ; and real feelings banilh the influence of ideal notions. Thus, in this very manner of confidering things, the king's defire of power muft be oppofed by the people's love of liberty.; two objects of the fame ftrong paflion, which, meeting like the fides of an arch in the central ft one", fup- port all firm and connected, Ira ft ranger may judge of a nation he has long lived in, the pre&nt natives are miftafcf n in L E T T E R HI. 2 j in what is every day advanced in public places, that the Tories are become Whigs, and the Whigs Tories , which is, that the minifter has adopted the principles of the Tory, tho' he calls himfelf a Whig, and the Tory oppofes on thofe of the Whigs. BUT I think nothing has lefs truth in it than this afiertion ; the Tories have no inclination to oppofe the king, they bend their force againft the minifter alone, whofe power they fee. every year fy cnormoufly increafmg , and the minifter has no in- clination to augment the regal prerogative, and only advances his own power : thus it appears that the Whigs are ftill Whigs, tho' in power ; and the Tories ftill the fame, tho' out of it. THIS is the true ftate as it appears to me, and the Whigs are confcious of it ; for which reafon they brand with the opprobrious term of Jacobitifm, all thofe who are in the oppofition to their meafures. And as the million judges from words alone, without diftinguifhing ideas, this keeps their fchemes from being examined, and their opponents doomed to a kind of infamy. 26 LETTER III. METHINKS I have given you an account fufficient to let you into the prefent fituation of Englifh liberty i I have no more to add on this fubjefl, and only defire that you would con- ceal thefe Letters, which I may from time to time write you ; perhaps there may be greater free- dom in them, than the nature of our order allows, or at leaft, than fome warm heads wifl permit, who cannot bear a difference of fenti- ment in matters of this nature. Adieu, I am Tours mojl fmcerety. LET- L E T T E R IV. vf L E T T E R IV. "To the Rev*. Father PAOLO SIGNER* at Rome. Dear Sir, IT has been my frequent obfervation, that when man cannot account for any phenomenon which is chara&eriftic of the manners of a na- tion, they immediately feek affiftance from ex- ternal nature, to explain the appearance and effects of internal. Indeed, a late writer of great merit would folve all the difference of governments on the face of the earth, by refer- ring them to the variety of air, climates and foils, which are to be found upon it ; and thus, by placing words in the ftead of ideas, foothe us into a folution of that phenomenon, which he yet leaves unaccounted for. IT is ten thoufand times eafier to fay, that the air, climate, and fpil of Venice, have been the caufes of the government which exifts in that city, than to trace the thoufand intrica- cies, which lead back to its real fource. 28 L E T T E R IV. To me it appears, that nothing which af- fects the body in the manner which chofe exter- nal objects muft affect it, can be the motives to any confiderable changes in government ; they may make men more or lefs healthy, fatter or leaner, hotter or colder. But as all parts of go- vernment take their rife from the powers of the mind and cafual circumftances in its progref- fion ; methinks, to that .all changes and con- ftitutions of it mould be refer'd. WOULD it hot puzzle a philofopher who cfpoufes this airial fyftem of government, to af- fign by what wind the little republics of Lucca and St. Marino were blown into Italy, furround- ed with dominions of another kind , and pre- ferved during the change of the reft ? Or whence it arifes, that the very city which you inhabit mould have felt fuch remarkable alterations ? Are the climes and all material objects fo totally changed fince the days of Cincinnatus, that the revolutions of Rome can be deduced from thofe caufes ? Have the winds of liberty forgotten to blow over that city, and the foil refufed to lend nurture to iss feeds ? THAT L E T T E R IV. 29 THAT the effr 6ts of climates and exterior caufea operate little in producing the various forms, by which mankind is governed, methinks we need to feek no other proof, than that famenefs of govern- ment which prevails thro* the continent of Ame- rica, where (according to the accounts from the beft travellers I have converfed with in this kingdom, who have often vifited the various nations which inhabit that part of the earth, and refided long with them) they are all held by one kind of conftitution, from the leaft habitable parts of the north, to thofe of the gulf of Florida; and even the more fouthern divifion of Mexico and Peru, tho* the Spanifh writer^ have given fuch formi- dable accounts of their emperors and incas, have no remaining traces which can lead a traveller to believe their (lories ; this renders their accounts to be fufpefled, and that the vanity of being deem'd conqueror^ ,01 great nations, may have fupplied their imaginations with what was deficient ia reality. I F winds, foil, and climates, were the efficient caufes of that great variety of forms in govern- ment, which fubfift on the fact of the old world ; it would be rcaionable to expert the fame con- fcquences jo, LETTER IV. fequences in the new, where thefe caufes have equally operated, and America fhould therefore teem with all that is to be found in Europe in. that kind. YET, Sir, if we difclaim all refource from thefe caufes, do not we deliver up the veffel of philofophy to the direction of winds and waves ; and lofing that which may pafs for a reafonable account, tho* without foundation, fet our minds into difquietude, and thus become more unhappy t>y this difcovery, which tends to tell us we have been deluded. SHALL we then fay, that fuicide amongft the ancient Romans and prefent Britons, is owing to the winds, air and foil ? If we fliould pay this complaifance to that opinion, how will it help us to explain, why Rome has loft that iniquity, and England found it ? Why it dcferted that land, where it is no more known* and fled to this, where it never found admittance in former times ? or fhall we rifque the afiigning fome caufe, which may explain this phenomenon. Kotwithftand- ing this cuftom of felf- murder has fo greatly pre-< vail'd in each nation, I am far from thinking, that it took its rife- from the fame caufes in Rome, 2 and L E T T E R IV, 31 and in England ; the education of Roman youth was military, and a contempt of life was of con- fequence inculcated into their firft ideas, and grew up into a total pofifefiion of their fouls. BESIDES this, the nature of their religion does not feem to offer fuch reafons for the fear of death, as the Chriftian 5 nor is it yet quite evident to me, that the Romans believed in a future {late : if Tully in fome places feems to give countenance to fuch a belief, in others he contradicts it ; and Tacitus, and he, I think, afcribe the intrepid be- haviour of the Germans, to their expectation of rewards in another world, for dying glorioufly in this. DOES not this feem to intimate, that the Ro- mans entertain'd no notions of future exiftence; at leaft, that it was not the popular opinion, or even the philofophical ? and if they expected no re- ward it is fcarce probable they feared punilhment. THUS it feems that their difpofi don of kil- ling themfelves arofe from a contempt of life, early ingrafted in their minds, not conceiving it worthy the dignity qf a Roman to live in mi- 32 L E T T E R IV. fery or difhonour, either ideal or abfolute, for the fake of prefer ving that fimple property, exiftence. FR OM this refolution their religion could not terrify them ; it did not tell them, that the fuffer- ings of this world lead to the felicities of a better; or that the crime of felf-murder would be attended with punimment hereafter : they had nothing to hope by tarrying here in affliction, and nothing to dread by leaving it, thro* their own volun- tary inclinations ; and thus the love of life alone was not fufficiently prevalent to withhold their hands from fuicide, unaflifted by the two prevail- ing paflions of hope and fear. IF you mould have the goodnefs to indulge me in this account of the caufe of the Roman fui- cide, it will ferve me but little, I fear, in this of theEnglifh. Thefe men are Chriftians, I think I may fay it to you, who fee things with the lead prejudice of all men, tho* our faith fcarce allows it to them , and yet I believe we muft have re- cource to the reformation and its confequences, for the caufe of this unnatural practice. In en- deavouring to trace this to its fource, we may per- perhaps find the reafon, why it no longer prevails in Italy ; and difcover the caufe of its prevailing in L E T T E R IV. 33. in this kingdom, to be owkig to the neglect of that which is obferved in catholic countries. 'EVER fmce my refiding in this nation, when I have heard of this rafh act of felf-murder be- ing committed, and have endeavoured at the knowledge of the character of thofe perfons who have been' guilty of it ; it has conftantly appeared to be from poverty, from which they faw no way of relieving theriifelves ; from a religious melancholy, where the fear of future punifhments has weighed down thir fouls fo heavily, that they have fled from this infupportable burthen, to the very place they dreaded, the prefent pang was too dreadful to fuflfer a moment's delay ; from difap- pointment in their deTires; from having amaiTed large fums by the mod iniquitous means, inatten- tive in the fultry day of youth and action, to the horrors which muft fucceed in the chilly evening of old age , or laftly from having been 'equally abandoned thro* the love of inordinate pleafures in their youth, and ilored their breads with feeds of tortures for the inquifidve hour of confcience one or other of thefe has been the vifible caufc of their fuicide. You I, D N 34 L E T T E R IV. Norman is fo partial to his own religion, to ima- gine that the catholics have not feeds of the fame difpofitions in them ; whoever is accuftomed to con- fcfs thofe people, will find them there 5 but then they poffefs a cure which the proteftants have nor, and can fly to the falutary and Toothing expedient of a confeffbr, where the mind disburthens itfelf in fecrecy and fafety, and comes back lighten'd from its woes, like a galky-flave from his fetters juft knocked off. Every perfon who has felt afflic- tion, or obferved the confequences of it in others, mufl have perceived how greedily that condition' of the heart pours out the ftory of its fufferings and calamities. So earned is it of feeking fomc car to whom it may unfold its ftate, that the de- fire of obtaining prefent eafe very frequently urges men to difcoveries of what they ought to conceal, and to perfons who they are con- vinced are DO friends, and whom they ought not to truft. I N many inftances they dare not put this into execution j a confeflion of former iniquities would be certain death, irreparable difgrace, or total niin : thus the mind continues harrafied, till it flies to that, which is the greateft of all terrors, to avoid the prefent. L E T T E R IV. 35 THOSE in that fituation have no relief in the religion of England. To whom fhall they con- fefs ? Who can be fafely trufted with the import- ant fecrets of life, reputation and prdperty, that will not reveal them ? Whereas in the catholic religion the confeflbr hears this, and no dread of difcovery haunts the mind, which has opened its whole cabinet of fecrets ; he fooths the afflicted into fome contentment of their (late, and alle- viates their mifery. It is to the want of this re- fource in England, that this horrid crime of fuicide is chiefly to be attributed, and to th power of corifeQing the moft atrocious actions, that it prevails no where in catholic countries. PRAY tell me, Sir, you who have been long inured to the fecret receffes of human hearts, and found confolation for thoufands in diftrefs, whether this which I have been faying, may not offer fome reafon for the common practice of felf- deftruc*lion fo frequent in England, and its deferring our country ? During my refidcnce here, I have never known one catholic who has been guilty of it* To me it appears that the reformers of the Englilh church were extremely miftaken in abo- D 2 lilhing 36 L E T T E R IV, lifting auricular confeffion. To divert the prief! of the power of the peoples conferences they gave them into their own hands, who are very bad keepers of them ; and thro* fear of being held in fiavery, as they call it, by the church, they re- f'gned themfelves up to be actuated by s that evil principle which reigns more or lefs in every bread ; which Xenophon has finely defcribed in his Cyropaedia, in the ftory of Panthasa, to have actuated Arafpes, and which the Chriftian religion calls the devil. 1 s it not true that the minds of men require as much attention, to be preferved healthy, as their' bodies ? And tho' we pay the greateft regard to the latter, in chufing all we eat or drink, yet difeafes will arrive, and we are obliged to fly to fome fkill, fuperior to our own, or we run the rifque of being deftroyed. Is it uncharitable to fuppofe, that health of body is more the concern of human nature, than fanity of foul ? Or that it is lefs felicitous to preferve the. latter from flains, than the former from every thing which may defile it. , LETTER IV. 37 IF it is not, it muft require more relief, and more frequent application to the latter, than at- tention to the former ; the mind of a man will no be more at eafe under the thoughts of great crimes, than a beauty under that of a tetter creep- ing upon the rofe in her cheeks, and fpreading deformity ; and yet in thefe mental difeafes, there are no remedies provided in this land. Is not this to be ignorant of human nature, and a want of the greateft proof of political (kill ; that of keeping people eafy in themfelves ? PERHAPS it is in part from this caufe, that there is almoft an univerfal reftlefsnefs in the be- haviour of the people of England ; they are fteady in nothing but the love of wine, which difiipates their difquietude whilft they fit together ; we fee them moving from feat to feat in company, with every fymptom of the tedium vita on their countenances and actions. In aflemblies, without being prefent ; riding and driving from one pu- blic place to another in fearch of new objects, which after a week become as dull and unenter- taining as thofe of their own homes. For this reafon you fee more people on the roads of Eng- D g land 38 L E T T E R . IV. land than in all Europe, and more uneafy counte- nances than are to be found in the world befides. ONE great excellence in the government of mankind, is to prevent a^ much as poflible the inhabitants of a country from running into ex- ceffive diforders, which are fatal to the happinefs of the people ; and the moft effectual way of ob- taining this advantage is the coming to the know- ledge oF them the fooneft poftible. THE mind which has been tainted by its firfl crime, generally feels inexpreflible compunction for that commifilon, and would gladly lay hold on the occafion of being reinftated in its former tranquillity. Yet, fuch is the nature of human frailty, it feldom has force enough to obtain this without afliftance; the pain harraffes him that has lapfed, to drown it in company and cxcefs \ and that again putties him to farther outrage ; till at laft time hardens that heact 'which before was fenfible of its offence, and the delinquent goes on to deftr notion, or old age, when all re- coils in horror on the fedentary and ina&ivc foul. THIS is frequently prevented by confefllng the firft error, the offender finds fuch lightenefs 4 of L E T T E R IV. 39 of fpirits after this difcharge, fuch cafe (preading over the foul, recalling peace and pleafurc, like a flower drowned with excefiive rains, or like the fleeping animal awakened by the genial fun- beams; that he dreads the relapfing into his former ftate, and is reclaimed entirely. The foul in the guilt of offence is carelefs of itfelf, it heedlefsly lets all run to ruin, but when it becomes depurated by this aft of confeflion and comfort ; it takes heed to its paths, and enjoys the felicities which arc allotted to human nature. THE human mind is like a pool, into which Tome filth will flow with the pureft water, and requires cleaning at certain times, or the whole element becomes corrupted. Yo u muft have obferved, Sir, that a fon who falls under the father's difpleafure, if it continues, feldom amends his life from it, the pain of hav- ing offended, leaves him entirely reftlefs and un- heeding ; he commits yet greater offence from that very uneafinefs which was caufed by his offend- ing. Yet let a reconciliation be once obtained, he feels a pleafure and eafe unknown before, and having freed himfelf from that anxious fituation, fins no more, and lives in peace and felicity. D 4 To 40 L E T T E R-IV. To this. want of eafing the mind by confefiion, is to be attributed the frequent commiflion of fuicide, tho* indeed many of thefe defperate ac- tions may be affigned to the being awed by no god, and influenced by no religion j a ftate not uncommonly found amongft the higheft and loweft ranks of people in this kingdom. IF you converfe with the natives of this coun- try on this fubjecl:, they will either tell you, that their church allows and approves of confefiion, or that this ufe gives the prieft an abfolute power over the lives and confciences of the confeffing. IN D E E D, the firft is true ; but then there lies no punishment againft that prieft who mould re- veal the fecrets committed to his ear ; and thus the penitent has no fecurity : And the latter they are rniftaken in, fmce no man need be afraid of them who cannot hurt him. All revelation of fecrets, by catholic clergy, is inevitably punifhed by death. Pray tell me then, have not thefe reform- ers diverted human nature of its greateft con- folation, and by the imagination of preferving themfelves free from the tyranny of the clergy, rendered themfelves flaves to thofe feelings an,d conditions which are. more or lefs infeparable 4 from L E T T E R IV. 4 r from the ftate of a man, from which very fatal confequences are hourly arifmg ? To me it feems, they might have preferred this cuftom, without being thought guilty of popery, that heinous fin to prefbyterian purity. Burn this, and believe me, mod affuredly, Tour mof obedient. LET- p LETTERS LETTER V. To the Reverend Father Ai SELO BONCA&O, at Rome. Dear Sir, IT has been frequently remarked, that the hap- pinefs of individuals does not depend on pof- fefiions, and that the labourer enjoys the delights of eafe and fleep, with a pleafure unknown to thofc who live in continual ina&ivity : One day of re- laxation from toil is taflred with rapture, by thofe limbs which are exercifed in work all the "s other fix ; fleep is exftacy to fatigue, and plain food delicious to the hungry. Whilft all thefe are paft over, unaffe&ing the hearts or fenfes of thofe who live in one continual refearch of that which fails them in the poflefiion. IN like manner every people forms the idea of felicity from what it perceives in itfelf : The Englifh are not more confident, that this ifland from Tweed to the Lands-end, ( Scotland is ex- cepted) is the moft inviting fpot of the univerfe, than the Laplander, who freezes beneath the arc- tic s L E T T E R V. ' 43 tic circle, or the negro who burns upon the tor- rid fands of Guinea, are of the places of their nativity. I F this be a weaknefs, it is a beneficial one ; it reconciles its inhabitants to the place of their refidence, and peoples the globe in a thoufand places, which muft have been otherwife a defert. YET probably it is no weaknefs in the nature of man, but the abfolute and real condition of being human creatures: the ideas we receive from external objects, and internal fenfations, form and compofe the actuality of the foul, and thefe naturally make the pleafures of our lives. Cuftom and education are the bafis of our judgments ; things are confidered right or wrong, true or falfe, more as they refer to thefe two parts in us, than as they are in the real nature of things. Abftra&ed truths are the con- ceptions of very few understandings, whilft thofe of relative ones, are general to all minds : the beauty, happinefs, understanding, of all na- tions are examined, as they relate to each in- dividual, tho* imperceptably, and determined to be more or lefs excellent, as they tally with the 44 L E T T E R V. the ideas which we have formed upon thefc fubjects ; felf fteals into all our examinations, and eftablifhes our judgments relating to man- kind. I F thi^ be true, that cuftom and locality Form our fouls and its pleafures, it of confe- quence makes us diQike or condemn thofe which differ from us ; and therefore, whilft an Englifli- man wonders how an Italian can live in a land of popery and flavery, the Italian admires at the JEnglifh libertinifm, and want of all religion and police ; in thofe two views it appears, to thofe Englifh eyes who are accuftomed to fee our worfhip in fuch excefs, carried into ido- latry and arbitrary power, according to En- glim judgments ; and to Italians their liberty is licentioufnefs. METHINKS liberty is but another name for cafe ; where the mind is in tranquillity under the government where it lives, the inhabitants may be denominated free, at leaft they cannot be termed flaves, where the chains are not felt. EVERY LETTER V/ EVERY Englifhman's notions of happinefs is included in riches -, for that reafon, where- ever they travel, they conclude all the world are more or lefs happy, as they are more or lefs wealthy. When they fpeak of the deferted towns of Italy, they talk of their inhabitants as the moft miferable of people, becaufe they are not rich ; trade, commerce, and buflle, are their only and eternal notions of felicity : the quiet, fedentary and contented man, is conceived as unhappy, becaufe he is not in conflant acti- vity ; whereas I believe, that the. pain in getting, riches, is feldom balanced by .the joys they bring with them. I N truth, money is all that is zealoufly pur- fued in this nation ; the inhabitants have placed the whole of human blifs, in the poflefling it ; not conceiving that the mind of man may dravr confolation and exftatic joy from other objects, with more eafe and certainty. ; WHEN thefe people, on their travels, fee a poor Italian pouring out the. warm devotion of his foul, before the image of his patron faint, they 46 L E T T E R V. they conclude him a fool, or a deluded bigot* becaufe he can draw no advantage from this image, which is inanimate and void of power \ and laugh at this as idolatry, not once conceiving that the rapture which fills the foul of this de- votee, is as real and effectual joy to him and his conception at that time, as if the image was im- powered with all the acts of creation : yet thefe very men (hall approve of the perfon, who, in commerce, fweats thro' the day, and paffes the night fleepleQy, or him who demeans himfelf to aft the lowed character to an idol minifter, 5n hopes of that gold, which each is frequently difappointed of ; or, if they lay their hands upon it to take pofieflfion, feel every parting milling going from their fingers, like vitality from their hearts. THE idolatrous adorer of gold is frequently deceived, if not always, in one fhape or ano- ther , the religious devotee never : if he does not receive the boon he afks, he always rifes from his knees with more happinefs, than he fell upon them ; and, fuch is the fabric of the mind of man, finds eafe in afking, tho* difap- pointed, and continues that devotion thro* a whole L E T T E R V 47 whole life of penury, happy in his religious difpofition. THE mifer can never find eafe in difappoint ment, and tho' he pofieffes what he adores, to a man of his temper gold can afford no more of what the world generally admires, than the $atue of the faint does to the religious ; the mifer dares not touch the facred hoard, and the marble cannot give. Thus, in each inftance, it is the belief only, that each objed of their devo- tion has the power of bcftowing, which com- municates their happinefs, and no real reception in any other manner from either of them. IF we place liberty in the room of happinefs, and examine whether the being (laves to the pafiion of wealth, and goaded on to the obtaining it, is not as painful as that of being fubjeded to the religion and laws of monarchic (bites j taking into the confideration the effe&s of cuf- torn, education, and belief, lhall we not find that thofe people are as free as the Englifh, at Icaft as eafy, chearful, and contented ? which tho' not the ideal liberty of a Britain, is the true one of human nature ; in which, freedom and 48 L E T T E R V. and eafe are the fame things, and the poWer* or the paflion which domineers over us, is equally a tyrant, whether feated without on a throne, or inwardly in our hearts. - FOR my fr if, I truly fay it, were it in my power to choofe which of thofe pafllons I would poffefsj the love of God in penury, or the love* of riches in pofTdlion as a mifer, even for the joys of this world, were they to extend no far- ther ; I would feize the firft, and renounce the latter : every difappointment on earth, the de- vout mind converts by hope into rewards in hea- ven 5 and every difappointment to the adorer of gold, is real. torture. I am therefore fatisfied, that devotion yields more joy to the natives of Italy, than wealth does to thofe of England ; and that the poor of each nation have no kind of comparifon in their happinefs ; thofe of London having loft alt influence of religion, and almoft forgotten thac there is a God, at leaft in practice ; whilft thofe of Rome draw conftant happinefs, from his eter- nal prefence. 'TO LETTER v. 49 To the philofopher it remains to decide, which is the moft reafonable way of paffing life ? not to the Englifh wifemanj who trying every fingle object of the various faculties of man* by what he calls reafon, which is wealth, in this inftance, judges truly of none : but to that man who knows human nature, its variety and weaknefs, its paffions, fenfes, and fenfa- tions, the fallibility of its judgment and par- tiality to particular cuftoms, and what it muft enjoy to be at eafe; to him I fanfy, the difference of happinefs will not be fo wide, as the Englifh conceive itj between the pofiefibr of the Ro- mim. religion, and Englifh riches , if it fhould, I own myfelf miftakenj and recall my opinion ; and yet believe me, fuch is the depravity of man, I am perfwaded, that the catholic Italian would renounce his faith, and patron faint, fooner than the Englifhman his money, with a view of finding happinefs in the change. I am, Tour moft ofadient* VOL. I. LET- LETTER VI, LETTER VI. To the Reverend Father STEP AND LORENZINI at Rome, Dear Sir, PERHAPS it would be difficult to find two cities, which referable each other fo little, as that which you inhabit, and this from whence I write. At Rome tho* there are marks of prefent grandeur, yet the remains of the an- tient edifices impart an air of dejection, and decline, which naturally awakes the figh ; whilft all London increafes in architecture and inhabi- tants, and conveys no other idea, but that of buftle and bufmefs. WERE we to judge of what pafles in the Tercets on all days but the Sunday, we muft con- clude that the idea of a God is unknown in this country; here are no monks in procemons, richly clad, bearing crucifixes, and relicks i no hoft carrying to the fick, to fweeten the moment of the foul's departure ; the temples are fhut, and their God feems exiled from that place, where. L B T T E R VI. 51 where he is more immediately fuppofed to dwell : not a prieft in the ftreets to be feen, * but 'juft at the times of, before, or after dinner, ftrutting behind a rofey cheek and double, chin, to or from forrie table of good chear. Even on their days of worlhip in their churches, there is ten thoufand times more inattention to their duty, than to the price of flocks in change alley all the reft of the week ; and the fervour of their devotion to obtain a feat in paradife is infinitely fhort of that of procuring one in parliament, purchasing a good bargain on the exchange, or trying to obtain a good place at court : they are as cool and unanimated in their acts of de- votion, as they are warm and active in thofe of getting riches ; and their temples, and exchanges, are accordingly conftructed within for thofe dif- ferent difpofitions , every family having in their churches a fnug pew, a kind of clofet, where they all fit and deep, or employ themfelves in any thing but their duty to the higheft : where- as, in their places of commercial rendezvous there are no feats, they would be ufelefs there, the zeal of gain keeping them (landing to their duty.. 2 Ox 52 L E T T E R VL O r the contrary, the (Ireets of Rome are filled with religious objects, priefts, proceflions, cru- cifixes ? the living and dying attend ir?g and at- tended 5 the churches, ready to receive the rifing devotion of the inhabitants, ftand with open doors to yield them a place of worfliip ; all has the continual air of religious exercife. IN London, religion feems to be periodical, like an ague, which returns only once in fevert days, and then attacks the inhabitants with the cold fit only, which phyficians reckon the moft fatal j the burning never fucceeds in this country. IN fa<5l, the whole bufinefs of London feems to be defigned for the kingdom of this world ; and that of Rome, for that of the other. If it be true, as the proteftants pretend, that we have too much pomp and pageantry, in our way of worfhipping the author of our religion ; is it not equally true, that they have too little ? Shall we then, one moment dropping all attach- ment to every particular feel: of chriftians, ex- amine as philofopners, whether thefe aflertions arc true or falfe j and confidering man as he is, endeavour L E T T E R VI. 53 endeavour to decide fomething more perma- nent, than has hitherto been determined upon this fubjeft. IT has been objected againft the catholics, in favour of the proteftants; that the former have deferted the primitive way of worfhip, and introduced ten thoufand frivolous and idle ceremonies into their religion, which find no countenance in the gofpel ; this latter, I thinlc, has been fairly obviated in the writings of our churchmen, BUT methinks, the fuppofing that the pri- mitive mode of worihip, when Chriftianity was in its infancy, before any kingdtm or govern- ment had r.-jsived it, mould always continue in that fiate, is juft as fenfible as to fay, that becaufe we are at firft children, we mould al- ways continue fo ; or, that our Saviour being born in a place for the reception of cattle, ought to be wormipped by none but cow-herds, fhep- herds, and grooms, EVERY inftitution, religious or civil, mud have its birth, progrefs, maturity, and decline E 3 per- 54 L E T T E R VI. perhaps, equally with animal nature. Things and fyftems, animate or inanimate, are obnoxious to this deftiny ; and if it were not contrad idled in the facred fcriptures, I fhould be inclined to believe, that even the chriftian religion, may one day or other feel this fatal effect, and a new difpenfation recall mankind from the vices it is at prefent precipitated into ; at leaft, it feems neceffary in this country of apoftacy from thk truth. As there is no mode of worfhip laid down in thofe writings, which have imparted to us the dictates of Clirift ; we may reafonably fug- geft, that chriftianity, like the firft religion of nature, was defignedly left in this manner, that legiflators and potentates might adapt it to the different fyftems of government which they pleafed ; and to the nature of thofe inhabi- tants, amongft whom it was promulged : there are many paffages in fcripture which would fup- port fuch an opinion, at leaft which feem fo to do. FOR this reafon, the nature of all mankind being much the fame, in the days of the firft prt- L E T T E R VI. 55 propagating the gofpel ; their excrcifes, arts, commerce, and employments, being extremely few, except in Greece and Italy , it was ne- cefTary that much time fhould be employed in a<5b of devotion : the mind muft be agitated like the ocean to keep it fweet, and every part of it, the paflions, fenfes, faith, imagination, and reafon, find fome object which may anfwer to each faculty, to make it happy and at eafe. THOSE who have conceived that the origi- nal fimplicity, which made the characteriftic of the firft chriftians, was always to continue, have been extremely ignorant in the nature of man : it was necefiary to oppofe, at that time, that deluge of deifying the moft infamous of men, who from being lofs than human under the title of emperors in this world, would be gods in the other, or the whole effect of reli- gion had been deftroyed. But when this rage was abolifhed, human nature muft again take place ; tho' floods have drowned the lands and fwept away the harveft, yet it would be abfurd to think it muft never be fair weather : tho* the common procefs of nature, feems necefTarily interrupted by thofe revelations from heaven for E 4 fome 56 L E T T E R VI. fome time, yet the former manners will return j and thus the progrefiion of Chriftianity from its primitive to its mature ftate, has been as natural to it, as the palling from infancy to manhood. For thefe reafons, have we not done right to catch the eye and ear, by objects of admiration, and influence ? mufl; not th,e faith be kept alive, jpy objects adapted to the credulity of the hu- man mind ; which difpofition actuates indefi-* nitely in human nature, if not the whole fpe- cies , fomething mud inflame us by enthufiafm to acts of virtue, and damp us in the hour when the evil principle prefides ; and thus fecure us from violence and mifdeeds.. THE reafon of that man who does not con- ceive things in this way, is extremely limited 5 he is either differently framed, or not acquaint- ed with what paflfes in himfelf, or in the hearts of other men ; he decides from too circum- fcribed a knowledge, and calls that truth and right reafon, which is the glimmering of a weak capacity, and only ferves, like the dim fepul- chral lamp, to light him to difeafe and death. LETTER VI. 57 AFTER having advanced thus far, it may be allowed, that fome governments, and fome people, may require lefs pompous application to every part of the unclerftanding, than others ; but certainly no civilized nation can be happily conducted, without fomething of this nature. IF the idlenefs of the Italians requires the at- tention of many religious ceremonies to pre- ferve them from ill actions, and keep their minds active ; the Englifh, a bufy commercial ftate, may perhaps ftand lefs in need of fuch great numbers as are feen in Italy -, if the im- putation of idolatry be thrown upon us, becaufe we abound too much with ceremony ; if tyranny over the minds of the people, be the farcafrn which falls on the Romifh church ; we may re- ply, that irreligion is the confequence of ne- glecting the firft, and anarchy, confufion, and immorality in the people, from the too much indulgence in the other., in Great Britain. I F it fhould be objected, that by means of all that pageantry of devotion which is feen at Home, the fpirit which fhould animate the chriftian 55 LETTER *VI. ehriftian evaporates, and leaves the foul fteril in ads of charity ; it may be juftly replied, that in Britain there is not enough to make the mind active, in fearch of beneficence. Thus pro- bably, it may feem that fomething may be mended in each city, relating t6 the form and fpirit of religion , and that tho* England requires left ceremony at this time than Rome j yet confidering human nature as it is, there is more morality to be expected from that peo- ple, which has fome object operating on every part of the mind, by the warmth of hope en- couraging, and the chill of fear reiftraining ; than from that where the whole number of in- dividuals has almoft forgotten, that there is a power which fuperintends, and is fuperior to man. receive the bearer of this, with that refpeft which he deferves ; and conceal the con- tents from your right eye, if you read it with your left ; in truth forget this and remember me. I am, &c. LET- LETTER VII. 59 LETTER VII. 70 the Reverend Father D o M i N i c o MANZONI at Rome. Dear Sir, PERHAPS no nation has produced great> er geniufes, than this from whence I write this letter, in many parts of literature and knowledge ; their philofophers, poets, and ma- thematicians, are efteemed and ftudied every where ; and a reputation of learning attributed to them, beyond the other kingdoms in Europe. It is befides this, the peculiar honor of the indi- viduals, that their productions have been owing to the force of their own genius, unaffifted and unencouraged by any thing from the throne ; even to this hour, there is not a fmgle penfion given to any one, as the reward of literature, unlefs it be to that apoftate f3^t^u^\^ of our order, who having revolted from the religion he profeffed, and difengaged himfelf from all the vows he had made (a liberty Sir Thomas More 60 LETTER VII. More thought that no man could confcientioufly difpenfe with) receives a penfion of two hundred pounds a year as long as he mall continue to write the lives of the(/2^e-/ ; how long this will continue you will judge from the nature of the man, a very ftenle fample of which he Eas already given -to the public ; you would be delighted with the. artifices which he has made wfe of, to imprint a belief of his being in conti- nual danger of death from the hands or machi- nations of our order ; it would not be furpri- zing to me, if I faw him Archbimop of Can* teibury : So greedily thofe fenfible people fwal- low the improbable accounts he gives them, and believe that a man, who thinks himfelf bound by no oaths, becaufe he has a mind to break them, and that change of fentiment dif- folves all obligation, is yet candid enough to tell nothing but truth in the tales he recites to them -, after this can they laugh at catholics who give credit to the miracles of faints, and be furprized at the populace bng in devotion, before their Ihrines ? FROM LETTER VII. 6t FROM this negleft of learned men k is, th* the prefent decline of literature is fo great : The men of letters have nothing but that harpy, a bookfeller, to give them bread ; and is it pot- fible that an author will for the fake of honour alone ftarve, whilft he is giving the laft finifhings of his productions by repeated revifals, for whida he will not obtain one fhilling better price ? Can the nonum prematur in annum find entrance here ? IT is a fcandal to the nation, fince letteis have given the kingdom its greatefl reputation, that thofe who defer ve well on that account fhould be conftantly haunted by that fiend ne- ceflity ; and whilfl: they are labouring for the inftruction, happinefs, and entertainment of others, be depri :ed of all thefe therafelves. EVERY thing that does not come from the hands of a genius, is either difefteemed, or pre- tended fo to be : like the late king of Pruflia in his tall troops, this nation receives none, of the common ftaridard. A genius will (hew itfelf, ic burfts fpontaneous like flowers from the earth ; it is a native of this clime, and therefore requires no artificial 62 L E T T E R VII. artificial heat to bring it to perfection : This is trie common talk of all ; and yet the naturalift will tell them, that very few flowers in this varying clime blow Veil, without being fhelter'd from the fudden blights and frofts which are natural to it. THEIR neighbours the French are of an- other fentiment , the academy of fcience fur* nimes twenty penfions to men of genius ; and their other academies honours and favourable reception to their members alfo ; fcarce a wri- ter of note who is not at his eafe, remains unre- warded. The celebrated Marivaux and Crebillion have beep ' each very lately remunerated by the Marchionefs of , who does honour to the king that takes her to his arms, and effaces every reproach by the favour which me mews to learned men and artifts. It mould be declared high treafon for a king of any nation to have a miftrefs, or be ferved by a domeftic, that is not a native of that land they live in. SOVEREIGNS who feel lefs controul than their fubjecls, from all kinds of inclination, are more liable to purfue their defires than other men j and indeed, fpeaking humanly, they will and LETTER VII. 63 and muft be allowed in it -, but then their fol- lies {hould be converted to as much ufe as pofii- blf 5 and what they give their favourites, mould return to the people. The fun which roba the , fields of their fragrance by exhalations, reftore*--, it again in dews aruji friendly {bowers, to the re- frefhing thofe flowers which it parched in the zenith of its heat, and does notfuffer them to be wafted to other lands, and denied to thofe fields which firft yielded them. . IN this nation a man of fenfe has very little . power of afiifting himfelf, and improving, in polite company j there fcarce remains a perfon of diitinc- tion who pays regard to men of letters -, and the ladies, who have good natural capacities, have not yet imitated the French, in what would be jnore laudable than following the cut of a cap, or the dreffing their hair, the prefiding at their own afiemblies^ there men of letters might meety converfe, and learn purity of manners, elegance of conversation, and decency of raillery, -from the refpecl which men naturally pay to the- pre- fence of a polite .woman. It is the ill fate of this 64-1 LETTER VII. this nation to borrow the follies of France ; arid the good fortune of the French to adopt the excellencies of this ifland : You will fuggeft then from this continual intercourfe, what judg- ment threatens this kingdom, and what a glorious revolution there will arrive at laft. IF genius furnimes a man with ideas, it is education which affords them their drefs j not that of fchools and colleges, where the defire of following the ancients in their very expreffions, as near as two languages will fuffer ic* deftroys the originality of thinking, which mould appear in all writings, and gives that the air of copy and plagiarifm, which the knowledge of the world would otherwife have rendered new and original. FROM hence it is, that thofe men of ftudy who have written on familiar fubjects, have drawn the characters in their works with a mock exalted and ftiff out-line, like the drawings of Albert Durer; and thofe who have never ftudied tha clafiics, but written from what they call life, are too LETTER VIL 65 too low, finical, and familiar, without that alert and eafy grace which is to be feen in the paint- ings of Watteau. The firft have defcribed mankind as it is feen in moft moral authors ; the good unallay*d with weaknefs, the bad unim- proved with virtues : The other as it generally looks in nature unexalted by fuperior touches of genius and underftandingj a uniform nothing in nature, like cyphers without a firft figure to add value to the fum ; an every moments object totally improper for entertainment or ufe. THIS feems to be the true reafcn why ftran- gers complain, that the writers in this language are deficient in a certain grace and elegance, which are to be found amongft the French and Italians, at the fame time applauding their ftrength of conception and hardinefs of expref- fion , the feeds of genius moot out ftrong in this foil, but the primer's hand is not fufficiently employed to make them bear the moft ex- quifite fruit to foreign palates. If the man- ners, and way of life, mould change to that which is known abroad ; the women dictate VOL. I. F elegance 66 LETTER VII. elegance to fenfe, and grace to behaviour, and genius once more revifit this ifland, we may yet fee. the other nations of Europe furpafifed in all the parts of fine writing. ADIEU, recommend me to / am your moft obedient. LET- LETTER vin. 6 7 LETTER VIII. To the Reverend Father FILIPPO BON IN i, at Rome. Dear Sir, IN my letters to you, I have frequently hinted how deficient the police of this nation is in the knowledge of laws, which may prevent inde- cencies, outrages and theft, but to do all man- kind juftice; if the legislative capacity fails in this refpect, it excells in another ; and if the Eng- lifh are not much reftrained from deftroying themfelves and others, they are greatly en- couraged to increafe their fpecies by every in- centive to propagation. The number of the inhabitants makes the riches of a kingdom : of confequence, the minifter who encourages the propagation of mankind ought to be efteemed a true patriot, and lover of his country ; and from all I have gathered from antiquity, none ever excelled the prefent of this ifle, in that particular branch of enriching a land. MARRIAGES in general take fome time be- fore they can be completed : Cuftom has made F 2 4 68 LETTER VIII. a previous courtfhip necefiary, of months of years ; this is lofs of time, lofs of inhabitants, and lofs of wealth. In this nation, where the fpirit of calculation is fo much cheriflied, where lives, hours and days are ftridtly . brought to account j and every minute's idlenefs comes into the computation of lofs and gain ; where the fabbath is look'd upon with an evil eye, becaufe it deftroys one year's labour in feven; every delay comes into queftion, and is con- fidered as a lofs ; for this reafon all due en- couragement is given to the increafe of man- kind, not by the old Roman law of the Jus trium Liberorumi but by an act againft mar- riage, and by incentives to what is called (imply fornication. THRO' fear however, left fo beneficial a fcheme might languifh and decay, objects are exhibited to catch every fcnfe, which may in- duce men to ferve their country ; every print- fhop has its windows ftuck full with indecent prints, to inflame defire thro' the eye, and fing- ers in the ftreets charm your ears with la- fcivious fongs, to waken you to the fame em- ployment, LETTER VIII. 69 ployment, left you mould forget to what pur- pofe you were born ; for men are apt to forget their duty in this inftance particularly. This is to know mankind, to ferve a country, and be a minifter , but as the night comes on, and the eye can no longer be folicited by vifible objects, there are innumerable women who walk the public ftreets, and prompt their fellow-crea- tures with the foothing words of my dear, like Phi- lip's (lave, remembering them that they are men, and enticing them to their duty, and the enriching their country : The comedies reprefented on their ftages have an excellent tendency to this patriot defign, and all feems full of this ufeful intent. In this part of governing then, itmuft be allowed that the proteftant legiflators excel 1 the catho- lic ; liberty is the word ; and therefore the har- lots of England have full freedom to fcduce all whom they can, and augment their fpecies ; whilft ladies of this order at Rome are confined to one part of the city, fhut up from the pu- blic good ; thro* a miftaken notion that they feduce the unwary, and fpread difeafe to the de- ftruction of particular happinefs between men and their wives. F 3 THIS 70 LETTER VIIL THIS popifh invention, of reftraining pro-*' pagation, is abominable ; ic is direftly a con- tradi&ion to the fcriptures, which tell us to increafe and multiply. And therefore I hope his holinefs will iflfue a bull, which may abolifh this reftraint from the Roman ladies of plea- fure ; and as the proteftants of England have adopted the Gregorian ftyle, tho 3 it was of popifh invention, that you will in return ftjck the pof- tures of Aretine in every window, and not fuf- fering obftinacy to oppofe reafon, becaufe it is proteftant, give the fame indulgence at Rome, which is to be found in London. At my re- turn I hope to find every thing of this kind, as it is here ; your ftreets fill'd with harlots and libidinous fingers, with full liberty to propagate our fpecies by law and public encouragement, un? fetter'd by matrimony. I am Tour mcft obedient. L T T E R IX. 71 LETTER IX. To the Reverend Father D o M i N i co MANZONI, at Rome. Dear Sir, THERE is but one way, as it appears to me, by which the religion of a country mould be examined by the eye of a philofopher 5 which is, if it anfwers all thofe faculties in hu- man nature, which will find objects for them- felves, if the legiflature does not take this pro- vifion on itfelf ; that is, the fenfes, pafilons, faith, imagination and reafon of man, ought to be exercifed and influenced by the various parts of a religion, eftablifhed in all countries, where men muft be reflrain'd by mental ties from evil- doing, and ftimulated to virtue by hopes of future confide rations. If we confider the nature of man, and compute as well as we are able, the number of thofe who ought to be intruded with the liberty of thinking for themfelves, or draw- ing conclufions in things relating to their own in- tereft , we mall conclude, I believe, that the peo- ple of England are not the moft likely to con- F 4 fider 72 L E T T E R IX. fider themfelves ftrictly tied to the rules of re* ligion and morality. THE man who examines, whether an ac- tion fhould be tranfacted or not, which would increafe his wealth, (tho* not ftrictly honeft) hefitates lefs at injuftice than one following implicitly the dictates of religion, which tell him it is iniquitous, and will ruin his future feii< city. DEBATING on matters of intereft, like de- liberating in love, is attended with conqueft on the fide of paffion ; the love of money and the love of the fexes, carry it from the founded rea- foning which finds no affiftance from hopes and fears ; honor in one cafe, and probity in another, are extremely apt to yield in all contefts, where the head and heart are at variance ; and hu- man nature unaffifted by the ordinances of re- ligion, has not virtue fufficient to be honeft. FOR this reafon there muft be checks made to thefe propenfities in mankind, for the fenfes, as well as the other parts of the underflanding. In this great city, where commerce and the love pf gain, occupy all mankind in one fhape or an- i other, L E T T E R IX. 73 other, the mind, hurried in amafiing wealth, is apt to forget the ftrict rules of probity, tho' a chriftian. IT is not ill-founded, to my manner of think' ing, therefore in human nature, that the Hoft mould be carried publicly to the departing foul 5 it may be of as much ufe to the living as the dying, and awake a fenfe of duty in thofe who fee it in the ftreets, who are apt to be remifs without frequent admonitions ; it may fufpend the hand one moment from deeds of in- juftice, and by awakening the hopes and fears which would otherwife lye deeping, prefer ve men from impofing, and being impofed upon. WITHOUT entering into the arguments for and againft tranfubftantiation ; as an affair of this world, is it not better that all Chriftians mould believe it than not ? will it not affect the mind with more folemnity, if the God of our wor- fhip be believed to be prefent in this facrament, than not ? and would that teft of Chriftianity be permitted to be fo trifled with, as it is by the proteftants who pretend to conform to the efta- blifhed 74 L E T T E R DC bliftied church of England, if the real pre- fence was received as the doctrine of the efta- bliflied religion ? For the mutual advantage then of human nature, if the belief of the actual pre- fence is not abfolutely neceffary, it feems re- quifite that the facrament fhould be confidered as the moft facred of all obligations : and yet, the corrupted heart, or pernicious head of a cer- tain bifhop of this nation, has produced a book on theEucharift, with defign to annihilate all confideration of its being facred, a mere health to the pious memory of Jefus Chrift, King William, or Oliver Cromwell ; as if men wanted to have the reftraints, which keep the mind From running into contempt of religion and her ordinances, rendered lefs obligatory than they are. FROM this it is, that the Prefbyterians, who are obliged to take the Eucharift before they can poflefs any place under the crown ; moft fo- lemnly in the face of heaven receive this fa- crament, the proof and pledge of their confor- mity to the church of England, the moft fa- cred of oaths, and then totally difregard it the next day, and all their future lives j confider- 3 in S L E T T E R IX. 75 ing it in no light but as a convivial ceremony. Should a man who can trifle with thefe infti- tutions, be intruded with the public welfare ? Can there be an expectation of honor, or pro- bity, in that heart, which has been mean enough to yield to fo bafe, and fo infamous a practice ? Yet, the bifliop has been exalted to the moft acceptable fee in the kingdom, by the minifter, for this performance, and others equally bene- ficial ; and his praife is the fubject of all thofe who ftand in need of fupport for the practices of occafional conformity ; he has done more mifchief to the caufe of religion, than all the deiftical writers of the world, and fapp'd the foundation of thofe principles which actuate more flrongly than reafon, in producing hap- pinefs in man : It feems to me, that the rebel to the religion of his country, mould not be better treated, than the rebel to his king -, even here I mall venture to fay, that tho' they both ought to be preferved, religion and the prince, that the religion of a country is of as much confequence to its welfare, as the fovereign who governs it ; and the perfon who employs his head and hand to the deftruction of the efta- blifhed 76 L E T T E R IX, blifhed worfhip of his native land, is but little likely to exert them in defence of his fovereign. FROM what has been faid, does it npt ap- pear, that the catholics are more philofophical in believing, and fupporting the belief, of the real prefence, than the Proteftants who reject it ? METHINKS the word truth, tho* it has made fo much clamour in the world, has yet ne- ver been well underftood ; the reafon is, that few people have yet defined what it is. Every thing which is the object of faith, and received by any mind, is always confidered as true ; therefore, the manner in which all things are conceived, is the particular truth of each individual mind : but as this muft for ever make one eternal clafh in the belief, behaviour, and actions of mankind, there remains, that the objects of faith not being capable of receiving any demon- ftrative proof, the utility which accompanies any of them is the only truth they can poflefs. Truth in this fenfe being abfolutely unlike ma- thematical truths, where every part is perfectly underftood, and the whole refult fairly compre- hended. Iff LETTER IX. 77 I N this inftance, it means nothing but right or fitting : Thus, rain is truth, in refpect to its being right and fitting for the preclusions of the earth, without which no fuftenance is to be ex- pelted. The whole vegetable and animal world were originally formed with reference to this fluid 5 and in like manner the mind was di- vided into various parts, to each of which there are proper objects adapted by the hands of na- ture. DOE s it not appear like reafon to fay, that objects adapted to influence the faith and paflions to good works are true ; that is, right or fit- ting for human nature; tho* they cannot be proved to be logically, or mathematically true* In what fenfe are the laws of a nation to be confidered but in this light ? We acquiefce in the belief of their being true, becaufe they are right and ufeful, without feeing the reafon on which they are founded j and we ought alike to to receive the objects of our faith as true, be- eaufe they are right and fitting to our welfare. THE public inftitution of a religion and its objects, are the truth of religion in every coun- 78 L E T T E R IX* try, from which no one has a greater right to differ, than he has from the eftablifhed laws 5 members of fbcieties having given up all right in both to think for themfelves, at lead to a6t and fpeak in confequence of fuch thinking. THUS then, each religion eftablimed is the truth of that nation in which it exifts ; yet, there are fome religions more, and fome lefs, adapted than others to the public utility, in particular parts ; and in this refpect of the real prefence, it feems to me more philofophical and wife, to adopt than reject that belief. A nation will be more probably reftrained from acls of injuf- tice and rapine where it is received, than where it is not, which is all that feems necefiary to conftitute the truth of things of this kind. REMEMBER of what confequence this let- ter is to me, let it be beheld by no eye but yours ; indeed your own intereft fpeaks plain enough, that it be committed to the flames. I am, Tcur moft obedient. LET- L E T T E R X. 79 LETTER X. To the Reverend Father ANTONIO COCCHI at Rome. Dear Sir, rip HERE is nothing which the Proteftants JL endeavour to turn into ridicule with more pleafure, than the infallibility of the Pope, par- ticularly the difienters from the church of En- gland ; and yet there is nothing in which the laft refemble us fo much, as in that particular. INDEED they carry the idea much higher than we do ; for whereas we catholics, know- ing that infallibility muft reft fome where, or which is the fame thing, an implicit obedience to the dictates of fome one council or head, have modeftly given this to the head of the church ; whilft the difienters have in direct con- tradiction, made each a Pope of himfelf ; that is, fet himfelf up as an infallible judge in all fpiritual matters. To 80 L E T T E R X. To me it feems, if there be an abfurdity in making one infallible head, there is yet a greater in making ten thoufand infallibilities 5 and there is even more modefty and reafon, in allowing that the perfon who has applied his whole ftu-^ dies and talents to the difcovering and adapt- ing religious objects to the mind of man ; than in every taylor who leaps from his (hop-board, or cobler who fallies from his ftall, fetting up for an infallible judge in matters which he can- not underftand, both from the nature of the fub- jeft, and the degree of his capacity : In En- gland therefore, every Prefbyterian is a Pope, and in Italy there is but one. I T is the avowed principle of the Diffenters in this kingdom, that each man has a right to decide for himfelf in affairs of religion, which is the fame thing as to fay, that men have a right to determine wrong in thefe matters ; or, that every thing is both right and wrong in this fub- jec~t. If two men are of opinions, that are dia- metrically oppufite to each other in every tenet ; each of them it is faid, has a right to decide for himfelf ; one then mud be wrong, or nothing comes L E T T E R X. 8j come under that denomination , and thus, in confequence this man has a right to decide wrong; or which is yet more abfurd, as they afTert, that whatever each decides with refpect to himfelf is the truth ; it follows, that what is wrong being the fame as what is falfe; right and wrong, truth and falfehood, are one and the fame thing -, this is yet a more manifeft abfur- dity, than the infallibility in the Pope. The con- tradictions between truth and falfehood, right and wrong, are not incurred in the fuppofmg that infaU lible power in one man, which are manifeftly the confequence, in allowing it the general right of all men ; hence it feems, that the Prefbyterians and Papifts do not differ in the article of infal- libility, but where it mall be placed -, whether every tinker, taylor, and mechanic, mall pofiefs this power, as the Difienters conceive, or in the head of the church, as the Papifts profefs to al- low it. INDEED, the eftablifhed religion of England obferves a medium between thefe extremes, and without allowing infallibility in the head of their church, acknowledges, that he has an authority to rule and determine what is, and what is nor, You I, G to 82 L E T T E R X. to be admitted into their worfhip. Thus then, this heinous fin of fappofing an infallibility in the Pope, fo laughed at and ridiculed by the fectaries in this country, is yet more glaringly abfurd in their own tenets and doclrines. I T is a fettled law, that whoever obtains a place in the hands of the government in this kingdom, muft take the oaths of allegiance and fupremacy ; that is fwear feaky to the king, and renounce the Pope as being the head of the church j or, which is the fame thing, that the king is the head of his church : this excludes all catholics, who tho' they would willingly take that of allegiance to the king on the throne, have not yet dared to trifle with their confci- ences and abjure the Pope if this is no proof of their prudence, it is of their integrity ; and that they are yet bound by fome principle, as this circumftance excludes them from all places and employments of honor and profit. THE Prefbyterians on the contrary, without hefitation fwear allegiance, and take the oath of fupremacy, allowing, the king to be head of his church ; which Jaft article is contrary to the firft L E T T E R X. 83 firfl principle in their Diflention -, that each man has a right to think for himfelf in religious af- fairs, independant of all powers upon earth. THUS the catholic is excluded and diflrufted* becaufehe has confidence, honor and probity ; and the Prefbyterian cherifhed and promoted, becaufe he trifles \vith the mod facred obligation on earth openly, in diredl violation of his avowed princi- ples. Methinks this partial toleration is knowing little of mankind, and being but weak in the great affairs of adminiftration. In defence of this they alledge, that the Prefbyterian principle is" ftrong in favour of liberty, and the catholic of ar- bitrary power. The catholic Cantons of Swit- zerland are as free as the Proteftant ; the Prefbyterian principle is in nature defpotic, and in the days of Cromwell, was the occafion of more blood (bed and defpotifm, than all the at- tempts of catholics have produced in this na- tion : did it not "end in the hands -of that ufurper as arbitrarily, as it could have done in- Charles Fs ? and would it not have con- tinued in that manner, if his fuccefibrliad been equal to the tafk of governing ? G 2 NAY 8* L E T T E R X. NAY thefe very Prefbyterians, thofe advo- cates for liberty of confcience, were they not equally defpotic during the grand rebellion with what they impute to catholics ? they had no fooner paft the 1 ocean and landed in America, than they ill-treated thofe who differed from them in religious fentiments ; inflicting that perfecu- tion on others, which they exclaimed againft, and fled from themfelves. Thus it appears, that extremes are all the fame , fire and froft tfeftroy vitality alike, and a rank Prefbyte- rian is at the bottom fome thing worfe, thaa what they fo liberally impute to u.s of the RQ- mifh communion. I am, Your tnojl obedient* L E T T E R XI, 8if LETTER XL *To the Reverend Father F i L i p P b LAURA at Rome. Dear Sir, WHATEVER may have been the caufe of the decline of the Roman ftate ; it is not luxury which has been the ruin of this. Men are too apt to attribute the caufe of things to fome vifible object:, which accompa- nies or precedes any change, and neglecting to examine within^ miftake the fhadow for the reality. That nations are generally ruin'd when luxury prevails, may be true ; but it is from the fame caufe that luxury and ruin come to- gether: PEOPLE of every ftate that is poor, and driven to frequent diftrefs, have no objects which can tempt them to eternal diffipation ; the ruling pafiions in that land, are the love of their god, and the love of their country ; the fe- condary, themfdves. The Svvifs amidft the de- G 3 lights 6 L E T T E R XI. lights of France, pines to death thro* pure love for /his native mountains ; and the Dutchman, worth a hundred thoufand pounds, fighs for hinds of gold and ophir. The only bond which can unke a whole nation are the two firft, and the laft is that quality which diffolves this power of attraction, whatever is the intervening caufe in a (late, that diflipates the fpirit of patriot! frn, or banifhes the influence of religion, at the fame time it lets the mind loofe to all kinds of depravity and deftructicn. However, Sir, when I fay that the hft pafflon is that which deftroys a nation , I would not be underftood to mean, , that the love of ourfelves becomes ewlpable but in the wrong application and excels IF we cad pur eyes upon two neighbouring nations, we may plainly perceive, that luxury does not ruin, nor parcimony in the individuals lave, a .fta,te. , tho* ic has be^n long praclifed in the higteft luxury, in a much more refined and excefftvtMray than is to be fcen in England, or perhaps ever was known in any nation of Europe, has yet incrcafed in power, extent, riches and fci- 4 ence, LETTER XL 7 tnce, fmce the introduction of that tafte atnongft them j and Holland has funk into contempt and ruin amidft the greateft parcimqny, and mod ex- ceffive meannefs of faving : Hence it is evident, that neither luxury deftroys, nor frugality fuftains a ftate , but fome uniting principle, which com- bining all the individual particles, moves the whole together, and imparts a force to the center, of the greateft importance, when the mafs is once put into motion , it is this which prefervcs the confequence of a people ; whereas each parti- cle being let loofe, and difunited, the whole moves without effect or regard. From thefe depends the good or evil of a nation ; the firft is a bullet which, from its union, driven from a cannon acts with efficacy and import -, the other fmall /hot, which difunited, have no effect but upon fmall things. THE love of money, whenever it takes pdflcf- fion of the heart, declares war againft ah 1 human nature. As the object of trade is the poffefiing riches , the more that purfuit is encouraged, the more will this love of money prevail, till at laft it becomes the fole- motive to all actions. G 4 The 88 L E T T E R XL The Dutch, infatuated by the Jove of riches, have fupplied the French during the war with that powder and ball, which was to be the death and deftruclion of their own native troops the next day , and the higheft ranks amongft them have fold themfelves, their towns, and nation's intereft, till it is become contemptible, to the French 5 and thus are undone without one fpark of luxury having ever been lighted up amongft them. TH E French officer, loft in luxury at Paris, no fooner hears the drtim beat to arms, but he flies to the field, and behaves becoming the braveft man ; his own honor and his monarch's glory form the union, and create incentives which actuate the whole nation to this behaviour. The Dutchman fculks in his town, and, contracted into himfelf, plods how he may draw fome per- fonal advantage and preferve felf in fafety from the circumftances around him. Thus the firft grows great with his country*s greatnefs ; and the latter, meanly conceiving he can create a parti- cular advantage from that of his country, blinded by felf- intereft fees it fink, tho' he muft fall wkh it at laft. 2 L E T T E R XI. g 9 THUS parcimony does not fave, nor luxury deftroy a nation ; it is fome other difpofition, blended with either, which muft fave or deftroy a {rate. Every exercife of the love of wealth is accompanied with the idea of felf, in aug- menting its own flores, and diminifhing thofe of ethers ; or, which comes to the fame thing, that of being richer than every one elfe : this difunites every man from every other, creates a feparate intereft in the breaft of each individual, and in- creafes the pafiion of felf-love, which it is the duty of every nation to* difcourage j it deftroys the univerfal good by foftering the private ; thus nations become poor, whilft the individuals gnaw their way" thro* the vitals of their mother into immenfe riches, or, like young pelicans, live on their parent's blood. Parcimony in the inhabit- ants of a country is a virtue, if they fave from themfelves to ferve the public ; and, like the old Romans, empty their own coffers to fill thofe of the national treafury. This frugality arifes from a different motive from that which robs its country to enrich itfelf. This laft fort of men efteem their own nation preferable to no other, but 9 o L E T T E R XL but becaufe in time of diftrefs, they can enrich themfelves by its ruin. It is the moft amazing of all things, what fortunes were made by thofe men who during the late war joined with the mini- fter and their enemies, to plunder this king- dom by loans of money at treble intereft, and aflifted in endeavouring to fink that fhip which fcarce finds power of fwimming at prefent, except the tamenefs with which this iniquity was permitted ; thefe are the nation's friends, if we are to believe the Courtier and Whig. THE idea of luxury in England, is ill un- derftood ; it does not deferve that name ; it is profufion only, another fpecies of felf : All that is expended here, at leaft the greateft part of it, is on the individual poffefibr. That of the table is at taverns, where each of the company pays for hi'mfelf : In France the notion of libe- rality accompanies expence ; the men of that turn impart to their friends and acquaintance, that which an Englifhman beftows on himfelf alone , the ten guineas, which this latter at a tavern fwallows fcififhly down his own throat at LOH- LETTER XL 91 London, fhall be communicated in Paris with gaiety and good humour to a company, who are entertained with politenefs 'and eafe ; even noblemen of great eftates and high places in this country, will meanly fend a turtle, to be eaten at a tavern amcngft their acquaintance, club their five guineas with the others, and feufHe off large plates to be fent to their ladies, who admire it extremely, .but do not like that their good men fhould have that liberality which makes the genuine chara&eriftic of nobility, and entertain their friends at home. They tremble at the fatigue, poor women ! and pretend they cannot fupport fucH hurry ; as if they were the cooks, obliged to drefs it. IN France, luxury is combined with liberality; this keeps up the mind to its true.fpirit: In England, with avarice ; wjijch debafes it to the lad degree. It is the felEPnnefs of the Dutchman, and not the pleafure of the Frenchman, that threatens the ruin of this country, if ruin is to come from either of them. LUXURY, in the manner in which it is ufed in France, has the fame effect that parcimony had in ancient 92 LETTER XI. ancient Rome. In rich dates the national fupplies are kept up by the confumption of thofe articles which form the luxury of a ftate , and the libe- rality, with which it is given, prefer ves a true fpirit of generofity in the mind of men. I N Rome, poor in its beginning, the national expence could be faved from the private alone ; the ceconomy of the individual was only able to fupply the wants of the public, and the minds of the citizens were enobled by thus giving to the general good. I N England where all is felf, their profufion as well as their parcimony, the mind is contracted and debafed, and the nation declining from that caufe. If the chevalier de St. George was not to the minifter what the devil is to finners, it had been ruin'd long fince : The one keeps many a chriftian honeft thro* fear, as the other has many a minifter from taking too hafty ftrides, to the placing themfelves in abfolute power : fince the laft rebellion, the eldeft fon fecreting himfelf, and the other being turn'd pried, the terrors from that L E T T E R XI. 93 that quarter are much alleviated, and ruin advan- ces with larger fteps. I T is not in the luxury of eating atone, that this felfifhnefs prevails ; their collections of paint- ings, and other fafhionable ftudies, are all for themfelves. In France and Italy, thofe curioli- ties are made to mew how much the matter is obliged to thofe who think them worth their attention. In England, to tell you how much you ought to be obliged to the mafter that lets you fee them, ; the difficulty is great which you muft overcome to obtain a fight of their curio- fities, and the mafter confiders it worth ten fhil- Jings, which the fervant receives, and oftentimes double that fum : by this means a domeftic in many families has as good an employment as many at court -, and as much money has been paid for the feeing many houfes, as they ha,ve coft building. THUS, it is not luxury which threatens this nation with ruin ; it is that mean felf-love which is mixed in all the actions of the prefent genera- tion, that is to be dreaded only on this account : the money which is fpent, is not in the liberal and 94 L E T T E R XI. and noble manner of their anceftors ; when pub- lic tables received men of wit and learning, as in the days of Charles the fecond, and queen Anne ; but in the purchafe of boroughs, and in that company of fellows who are pimps to the ruin of their country : this contracts the nature of their fouls into that of traffickers ; the firft minuter is only a larger broker than thofe on the exchange, and deals in more pernicious com- modities, T H E k E are ten thoufand things which may be inftanc*d 4 to (hew the contracted fpirit of this nation $ no painter, however excellent, can fucceed amongft them, that is not engaged in painting pourtraits. Canaletti, whofe works they admired whilft he refided at Venice ; at his coming to London, had not in a whole year the employment of three months. Watteau, whofe pictures are fold at fuch great prices at prefent, painted never a picture but two which he gave to Dr. Mead, during the time he refided here. At the fame time, Van Loo who came hi- ther with the reputation of painting pourtraits very well, was obliged to keep three or four fubaltern painters L E T T E R XL 95 painters for drapery and other parts, whofe pictures nine out of ten, from hurry and other things, are not better than the firft figns which hang in the flreets , yet, every one trembled left his own fweet face mould not be drawn by him. Self is the mod delightful object which felf can behold ; from this fpirit it is, that painters of the fuperior kind never find encouragement in this city, the connoiffeurs of this nation will not give fix-pence for the production of any man who paints in their own country, becaufe others can have the fame performance ; it- muft be the felfifh idea of having what no other man has, which makes the pleafure of the poiTeffbr, and not the true merit of the production. THIS, tho* it extinguifhes all advancement of the imitative arts in the fublimefl part of them, is of great ufe to the dealers in pictures j it has converted many a footy old woman into a Rembrand's , Raphael's, Guide's, Carrache's, and Titian's, are to be found in every collection, undoubtedly belonging to thefe painters, becaufe the godfathers who gave them thefe names are (till alive, and can anfwer for their being ori- ginals. 96 L E T T E R XL A N Englimman of no note, thinks he can- not make you a more acceptable prefent than his own picture -, as he knows that the deareft thing on earth to himfelf, is himfelf, he fanfies he makes you the moft valuable donation, in giving you that other felf ; tho 1 the whole ac- tions of his life have been without one inftance of a good heart, or good underftanding. Thus, in a thoufand inftances of expence, all termi- nates in felf, and communicates a contracted and limited fpirit ; whereas, liberality added to ex- pence, enlarges and exalts the mind -, the one refembles that peculiar power of attraction which belongs to particular bodies, which drawing only to itfelf, diffolves and counter-acts the general union , the other, that power which, diffufmg its influence every-where, holds together the univer- fal frame of nature, which is liberal and produc- tive of all the benefits we receive. Adieu, I am, Tours moji obediently. LETTER XII. 97 LETTER XII.' To the Reverend Father D o M i N i c o MANZOMI, at Rome. Dear Sir, I have formerly faid in my letters to you, that the caufe of the decline of religion in England, was owing to that liberty which each man takes, in deciding for himfelf in thefe matters ; from thence it happens, that tho* there may not be more than five hundred nominal feds, yet there are almoft as many different opinions as there are various heads *, and nothing in either of them in which all unite ; from this it proceeds that the true fire of devotion is difiipated in difpute, and the fervour which at- tends our worfhip annihilated and unknown in this country. THO* this difcord makes great part of the ne- gled of public worlhip, and difregard of the author of all, yet there are other reafons which conduce to this effed, which were formerly unknown or unobferved by me. VOL. L H JT 98 LETTER XII. IT is natural to the mind of man to be more ardent in obtaining its defires, than grate- ful in its returns for the receiving the comple- tion of them the caufe of the inequality of thefe pafljons, feems to me to arife from this, that no one thing which we can poflefs, anfwers to that excellence of it, which we have enter- tained in idea ; the mind therefore being greatly difappointed in poffeffing the enjoyment which it expected to receive, becomes cool in its re- turns of gratitude to the Being who beftowed it; and this, whether it be to the Giver of all, or to our fellow- creatures ? WHOEVER therefore is at eafe, and in afflu- ence, is neglectful of acknowledgments ; whilft the perlbn in expectation, and defire, is active and humble i the firft will be lefs bufied in de- votion to the God who has given, than the latter who expects : the firft will fooner think himfelf independant of all things and all beings, than he who finds in himfelf dependance, and want of many things, and much afiiftance i thus riches create irreligion. IF LETTER XIL 9^ I F this be true, that kind of policy which ren- ders men moft independant of their Maker, is moft likely to extirpate religion, and with that generally all the valuable qualities of the heart dif- appear ; we give to thofe in want becaufe we have tailed of that bitter cup ourfelves, or becaufe we conceive we may naturally fall into that conditi- on ; the man furrounded with plenty and fecurity who has not felt diftrefs, is lefs likely to impart, than another who is not in that fituation and has tailed of affliction ; this is generally found to be a true obfervation. Methinks therefore, this depen- dance on a fuperior power, mould not be annihi- lated, fince chanty and probity depend fo much upon the believing that we are in a ftate of danger, and in the hands of fomething fuperior to man. S E c u R i T Y deftroys our fears and our devo- tion, and thence in great part proceeds this neglect of worfhip, which is to be feen in this nation , the power of infifring a fhip at fea, or houfes and effects at home, if what I have faid be true, is therefore productive of this independance and neglect. H 2 TH loo LETTER XII. THE merchant who has fecured his property by infurance, from waves, winds, and fhipwreck, on the ocean , and from fires at home, is more at eafs than if he had no fuch power of infuring ; he is lefs apt from nature to alk protection from heaven, and be charitable with the view of re- ceiving favours in return, than he who is under the actual influence of all thefe rifques. Rea- fon as you will on this fubject, and exalt the no- tion of the human fpecies as you pleafe, fuch is the nature of man ; he will lefs probably defraud, who fears being vifited with calamities of the above kind, than he who, fecure from thefe chances,, pur- fugs his intereft, unadmonimed and unchecked by fuch apprehenfions. The infurers, on the other hand, where this lofs of devotion in the merchant ought to be accumulated, compute and reafon in another manner -, they conclude from a com- putation of chances of all the mips which fail, and all the houfes which are infured, and draw the idea of advantage and profit from the whole calculation ; they are therefore unactuated from that fpirit of devotion, by their fecurity being diffufed thro' the whole of commerce and build- ing ; LETTER XII. 101 ing ; their concern is too little in any one place to be much afraid for particular accidents. THUS this idea of fecurity in property difii- pates the fpirit of religion ; the heart of him who is fecure and at eafe, is never fo truly animated with gratitude, as his is with defire who wiflies to fucceed ; and from thence this frigidity of de- votion, and neglect of worfhip, is partly llolen upon this nation without their being acquainted with the motive. NOTHING is fo flattering and prevalent in the minds of men, as the love of indepen- dancy ; it is therefore no wonder that thefe in- furances have fo univerfally prevailed -, yet, fince no lucrative advantage to the whole community can be obtained by thefe inftitutions, the tranf- fer of property only from one man to another, being the confequence of their lofs or gain ; it may be worth while for a legiflator to confider, whether dependance in the mind of man on the fupreme Being, mould be leflened by thefe in- ftitutions, and the restraints from ill actions and incentives to good diminimed, for the fake even of no temporal advantage to the whole. H 3 I* 102 LETTER XII. IF the caufe of God was fimply to be op- pofed to the defire of wealth, I know this nation too well to doubt one moment which would be the victor. I T feems to me alfo, that the great debauchery which is feen in this city, the total inattention to all acts of devotion, and irreligion amongft the lowed people, arife in great part from the fame caufe. IN this kingdom there is an aft of the le- giflature, which obliges all the parifhes to main- tain their poor ; nothing feems more humane, or more worthy the care of a legiflator, than this inftitution : fcarce any man living, who had not feen the effects of this law, but would approve of it, and yet the confequence is this, that the ftreets of London are filled with fuch objects of mifery, as are to be feen in no other city and no other nation. THE poor claim the revenue arifing from this tax as their proper right, they receive it without thankfulnefs, the giver does not bequeath it LETTER XII. 103 it from the principle of charity, nor the re- ceiver take it with the fenfation of gratitude. THE firft depends upon it in ficknefs and old age, is lefs felicitous to fave, than thofe of other nations, till he becomes habitually pro- fufe ; he fees the eftabiifhment is of man's ordaining, and not depending on charity, that principle eftablifhed by providence in the hu- man heart, is not touched with gratitude at the provifion j whereas if this afilftance came from the good difpofition of the giver, the caule being invifible to vulgar minds, the God of all would receive their acknowledgment, and the fpirit of devotion be preferved living amon^ft thefe mod defpicable creatures. I F if they depended on heaven for their fup- port, they would be more religious j if they were influenced by religion, they would be lets aban- doned in their behaviour : thus, this feeming good act, turns to a national evil, and there is more diftrefs amongft the poor of JLondon, than any where in Europe ; fuch drunkennefs both in male and female, as is inconceivable to you who have never pafled the channel 'which divides Bngland and France -, however, this laft vice is H 4 become 104 LETTER XIII. become a national advantage ; the revenue arifing from fpirituous liquors is fo very considerable, that the minifters, having drenched the nation in debt fo deeply, are reduced to be much obliged to thofe whofe vices aflift them in raifing taxes for their fupport. SHALL we then exclaim in praife of the faga- city of that minifter, who converts the fins of the people to the advantage of the whole ; or fhall we pity that nation whofe health, morality, and religion, are duped to the pernicious fchemes of deftructive men, and whofe vices cannot be corrected, left they and the revenue fuffer. I am, Tours. LET- LETTER XIII. 105 LETTER XIII. 70 the Reverend Father LORENZO FR A N c i o s i N i at Rome. Dear Sir, NOTHING is more the ridicule of the people of this nation, than that fet of idle drones, as they are pleafed to denominate thofe men, who, dedicated to the good of man- kind, give themfelves up to the fervice of reli- gion ; they defpife from their fouls, a people who can fuffer fuch ufelefs members in a nation, beings who live on the toil and labour of other men. I fhall not enter into a vindication of thefe pious men," the reflections of proteftants do not affect them, and you and I want no conviction of their utility. ALL that I fhall remark is, that the fole ob- jection to them arifes from their being devoted to religion ; change that name, and as great a proof of weaknefs is to be found amongft thefe (harp- lighted philofophers of England. FOR jo6 LETTER XIII. FOR inftance, put fine-cure places and trade in the room of religion, and Eaft India company in that of monks, and it will appear that the people of England are at prefent greater dupes to the Eaft India Directors, than ever they have been to the clergy at any time, IN the moft reigning hour of the catholic religion, when the clergy had fuch great pof- fefiions and power, the money which came into their hands remained in the kingdom, the poor and many others received affiftance from it ; it is certain thefe churchmen lived in great affluence and fplendor at that time. AT prefent, the gold and filver which is gained by other trades, from the weftern world, is ex- ported by this company for teas, china, and other ufelefs commodities i thus, the other merchants work to enrich this kingdom, and this com- pany to impoverim it for their own private advantage ; many millions having been ex- ported, and totally annihilated with refpect to the nation, fince the eftablimment of this per* mcious company. Is this convent of directors i 'fcfa LETTER XIII. 107 lefs pernicious, than thofe of the monks were formerly ? or, is their fplendor and affluence more moderate than thofe of the clergy ? If the lat- ter received too great a revenue, they exported lefs, and confequently were lefs prejudicial than thefe gentlemen in that refpect. YET fuch is the fhort-fightednefs of the pre- fent adminiftration, that this company is en- couraged to the nation's ruin, and the people tamely fee a fet of men felected from the reft, making them their property, and wallowing in riches : unlefs I am mifmformed, the whole profit of this trade rifes from what is imported and fold to their fellow-countrymen, and not on what is carried abroad. DOES not this appear as filly, and mew as great an infatuation, as being fubjected to the artifices of Priefts ? and if trade was fallen into as much difgrace as religion, would it not ap- pear as great a reflection on the underftanding of a nation, to be the property of an Eaft India director, as of a capuchin fryar ? For this rea- fon, unlefs the miniftry, and this company, drew fbme reciprocal advantage different from that of io8 LETTER XIII. of the public, this inftitution had long fmcc been aboliftied ; notwithftanding this may be the mutual advantage of the above mentioned men, it is become the people's interefl to re- form this power, and the abufe of it, as much at leaft as it was that of the power of the clergy, at the reformation ; without it, as it appears to my eyes, and to thofe of father ******, who is well inftrucled in thefe affairs, this nation muft be un- done without another enemy. I F he informs me right, there have been forty millions of money coined fince the reftoration ; of which fum there remains circulating in the hands of the natives, at the higheft calculation, not more than fourteen millions, and according to fome not more than twelve- THUS, it is plain that the trade of the Eaft Indies, and fome other means which may be hereafter explained, have drained this nation continually of its cam ; the pool has been run- ning out at the lower end, as faft as it has filled From the fource. Since the eftablifhment of the Eaft India company, this nation has only in- crcafed LETTER XIII. lop creafcd in vifionary wealth, by jobbs and loans in time of neceflity, there being, according to fome well founded computations, as much wealth in the kingdom at the expulfion of James the fe- cond, as at this moment, and fcarce any taxes ; the whole being no more than two millions annu- ally levied. THE veil which covers this diminution of cam is the bank, who lending to the minifter pa- per in the place of money, and it being received as fuch in all payments, conceals the efcape of that fpecie which is continually deferting this land j till at laft it will become too vifible to be unobferved, and too great to be remedied. To fay the truth, his holinefs drew large fums of money, during the reigning of the catholic faith, from this iQand ; but then the German fubfidies are as fatal at prefent, as the glory of the church was at tha"t time ; and of what confequence is it to the fubjects of this na- tion, whether electing and fuftaining an emperor of Germany, or a Pope at Rome, plunder them of the fruits of their labour ? THE no LETTER Xllfc THE making a king of the Romans is to & Briton as ridiculous an obje<5t in itfelf, as reco- vering the holy fepulchre from the hands of the Saracens, and a crufade not more vifionary, than the fuftaining a ballance of power in Europe. THE fpirit of religious warfare is loft, and the latter remains to lull the people, and fqueezc the money from them with lefs reluctance : thus this nation, however it may value itfelf for its be- ing enlightened in philofophy and good fenfe, is in fact, all prejudice a-part, as weak in intellects, and as much fubjected to delufion in the days of George the fecond, as before the reformation in the days of Henry the fecond, and Thomas a Becket ; the object is changed, but the folly re- mains, and the latter will probably prove more fatal than the former. FROM all I can perceive, the getting free from priefts, has duped the inhabitants to Eaft India companies,' bank and South-fea direc- tors, fine* cures of great profits, and deceits in public L E T T E & XIII. public offices ; and tho' the fituation of the king- dom may flatter the mole-eyed with ideas of liberty unknown to their anceftors 5 yet, to their minifters and their agents they are at prefent as great flaves, as to the kings and clergy before she reformation. I am, Mof fmwelj. LET- U2 LETTER XIV. LETTER XIV. 70 the Reverend Father CURTIO M A R i N E L LI at Rome. Dear Sir, THEOLOGISTS have adapted two manners in their accounts of providence ; one that the Author of all having finifhcd his creation ; from the perfection of the creator the work muft be likewife perfect, and there- fore it has needed no intervening attention fmce its completion. THIS is one way ; others have fuppofed that tho' the creation was the work of a perfect be- ing, yet that it requires at certain times farther fuperintendance and afliftance from the firft author, THE Britons from a fclf-fufficiency, igno- rance, or neglect, feem to conceive their govern- ment eftablilhed upon the firft fchemej which as LETTER XIV. 113 as it is a competition of the fallibility of man, cannot be perfect, and therefore impoffible. THE French, knowing what government is in its true nature, proceed on the fecond way of difpofing things, fuperintend and remedy ap- proaching evils before they become enormous. WHEN the people of this nation have once made a law, they imagine it will have its effect without putting it in motion, and are as care- lefs about its execution, as if it had never been made at all ; the evil proceeds, and no advantage is drawn from it. A N irregularity which cannot be fotally cured is not worth their attention, the leflening inconve- niencies is not an object of fuch all-feeing mini- fters ; therefore becaufe licentious and immodeft women will be found in every flate, no- care fhall be taken to diminifh the mifchief which they may bring; inftead of being confined topar- ticulai- places and prevented from feducing intoxi- cated men and heedlefs boys, they are fuffered VOL, I. I to u 4 LETTER XIV. to patrole the ftreets, and fpread difeafe every where, to the ruin of families. 1 N Paris and Rome there are lewd women, but they appear not in the ftreets j laws made in that country are obferved, the people and the prince are the better for them. THRG* the whole adminiftration of this go- vernment, there runs a heedleflhefs which is not eafily to be accounted for ; every officer in a pu- blic place fteals with impunity, and whoever thro r a defign of ferving his country mould difcover frauds of this nature, will be received with con- tempt, and perhaps difmiffed if he has a place, whilfl the thief proceeds uninterrupted. THE kingdom of Ireland has refented with juftice, the countenance which has been given to a perfon who had robbed the public, and the minifter fupports the deceiver againil the par- liament ; this may be right in this country, but would be wrong in every other. THE inhabitants of that ifle are extreme- ly loyal at prefent, and friends to the family on LETTER XIV. 115 on the throne ; but men angry with the fer- vants, are very apt to tranfcr it to the matter who may fupport them in their ill-deeds ; at leaft, Charles the firft feems to have ruined himfelf*by fomething like that conduct. Men are not beings endowed with equity fufficient to make fuch nice dittinctions, ar. may one day preferve the lord, and execute the fteward : minifters therefore, who trifle with themfelves, mould take care of their matters. THE refpect which is paid to a nation, is chiefly in proportion to the underftanding of the ruling powers, and not the money which it can raife alone ; a domeftic police well direct- ed, a care of foreign affairs that befpeaks atten- tion and capacity in the minifter, convey to other nations that fpirit of good fenfe, which will protect a people from infults. YET fuch is the known relaxation of this true fpirit of government, the very Portugueze treat this kingdom with contempt ; and fo little is the care in fending fit governors to their plan- tations, that thofe who hare fhewn no marks I 2 Of i US LETTER XIV. of underftanding in their own affairs, are fent to direct thofe of a people whom they know not. B Y fuch proceedings the colonies abroad are divided into feuds and feparate interefts. BESIDES the weaknefs of thofe at the helm, the Englifh have nothing to fear but the French -, and yet, this feems the only nation againft which they are not guarded ; their {landing troops are not fufficient to repell an invafion, the paffage is fo fhort from one country to another, and may be made fo quickly in a dark night with a favourable wind, fo little to be interrupted by the naval powers, that it is amazing no pro- vifion of a militia is yet instituted to defend this country from attacks* ONE battle in the favour of the enemy will decide the fate of London ; what is to be ex- pected from a people unufed to the thoughts of an invafion, and untrained to arms : yet, fuch is the remiffnefs of the adminiftration, that the minifter choofes to rely on the few troops which this nation has in pay, rather than arm the na- tives in their own defence, and feems more in- clined LETTER XIV, 117 dined that the French fhall be their matters, than that they fhall owe the protection of them- felves and property to their own hands and virtue. I s it a confcioufnefs of mifbehaviour which reftrains him from permitting the people to be their own defenders ? or, is he afraid left being in- dulged with the power of protecting themfelves from foreign invaders, they may turn their arms on the domeftic, and expell him from the pre- fence of his mafter ? IT is in conducting a government, as in fuftain- ing a vaft machine, the parts of the firft as well as the latter muft wear by action ; and it is the prudence of a minifter to fupply thofe deficien- cies as they come on, and thus fupport and con- tinue without intermifTion its motion and opera- tion : this the French continually do, they re- pair every failing part, and add new ones to make it yet more perfect. THE Englifh on the contrary, inattentively let the whole machine wear out, and then are tt a lofs how to behave i having nothing pre- I 3 pared, jt8 LETTER XIV. pared, the whole work {lands ftill till the new parts are made, and thus, the benefit of its motion and effect is loft for fome time. Indeed the French referable the wife, and this nation the foolifh vir- gins in fcripture. Since the peace of Aix la Cha- pelle, the Englifli have done no one thing in fa- vour of their nation, unlefs that of reducing the intereft of money may be thought fo, and which I imagine in the end will prove the contrary. THE French have proceeded on other prin- ciples, and preparing to ftrengthen their colonies in America have built forts to fupport them ; not with defign as is generally fuggefted of in- vading the Englifh fettlements at prefent, but to be in readinefs when a war fhall be again de- clared between the two nations. THE colonies of Virginia and Maryland are the morfels which tempt the French appetite ; the tobacco which they buy annually from the Englifh, carries a great fum from their nation in favour of the Britons ; this they would pre- vent. If good authority may be relied on, the French fcheme of going to the walls of Vienna is at an end, and thofe of London will be their next LETTER XIV. 119 next attempt. If they fucceed, they know their intereft too well to pretend the continuing in this iQand, the other powers of Europe will fcarce permit it. Yet, after having created univerfal ruin and national bankruptcy, Virgi- nia and Maryland may be gladly given to make peace, and procure their departure. THIS every Englimman in the minifterial train, tho' he faw his country invaded by a hand- ful of Scotch highlanders, treats with infinite de- rifion. Security, and felf-fufficiency, have already ruin'd too many nations, and promifes to be the bane of this. A T this very moment they are railing fub- fidies for electors, whofe fituation cannot fuffer them to be their friends ; the true reafon of which is unknown to the fubjedl ; only to pay the intereft of money, borrowed from another elector, who is the richeft of the whole Ger- manic body, which they cannot pay themfelves : Thus England is the bondfman of all the Ger- man courts, pays principal and intereft, and breaks at laft ; bufied in making a king of the Romans, and inattentive to the ftate of their co- I 4 lonies -, UP LETTER XIV. lonies ; oppofmg the French power on the con- tinent, where it cannot hurt them, and neglect- ing the defence of their own country, where it is fo eafily attack'd ; believing nothing can offend it, till it happens , and then totally difconcerted, thro* want of providing againft it. Such is the policy and minifterial conduct of this Hland at prefent, and fiich it will continue in all appear- ance. Judge what will be the event of it. I am, Tour woft obedient* LET- L E T T E R XV. m LETTER XV. 70 the Reverend Father FRANCESCO SANSOVINO, at Rome, Dear Sir, TH O* you have often heard of the various characters which inhabit this ifland, it is impoflible to feign to yourfelf one half the oddities, which are to be found amongft the inhabitants , checked neither by religion nor policy, each runs into extremes, and the ruling whim, or reigning pafiion, takes up all his time, and marks his whole behaviour. From this latitudinarian manner of thinking, there is greater variety of men of the fame kind, than is to be found upon the globe : the men of pleafure are all of the fame (lamp, in Italy and France ; in this country there is fome va- rying vein, which characterizes one from another: tho' the purfuit may be the fame, yet the man- ner of taking and enjoying the game makes fome difference in each of them. Itf I22 L E T T E R XV. IN the law, phyfic, divinity, and trade, tho* there may be every where fome original difference that decides to which each man belongs ; yet there is fome fecondary diftinclion, which makes every man more original in this land, than is to be found in any other country. To me, who have long refided in this ifle, there ftart out every day new characters, which I have never feen before. Not long fince two dif- putants in a coffee-houfe caught my attention ; one fuftained with great humour the mifchief, which had been brought into the world by phi- lofophy and learning ; the other how much thefe fludies added to the dignity of human nature : The firft protected, that in his opinion there were but two ufeful books in the world, which were the bible and an almanac. Men, fays he, cannot well do without knowing their religion and tht day of the month 5 but as to all commen- tators and expofitors of the fcripture, they mould be committed to the flames. A religion once erftablifhed, fhould be complied with , and the object of a nation's faith once fettled, mould no more LETTER XV. 1 23 more be examined than the right of the prince, to whom a man has once fworn allegiance. T o what other purpofe have all the learned theologifts and philofophers publimed their fe- veral fentiments, but to difturb the heads of others who read their works, and believe they underftand them ; the lad have reafon'd them- fclves out of the truth of a fmall underftand- ing, into the errors of what they think a greater, and like dwarfs who undertake to carry the burthens of giants, fink beneath the weight which becomes intolerable -, they are amamed to fliew their weaknefs, by acknowledging that the load is too heavy for them. WHAT advantage have all your writers on the fcriptures brought to chriftians, continued he i the fpirit of difpute has devour'd the fpirit of religion, and we want another revelation to bring back the minds of men from the various ways of thinking, and feels in chriftianity, as much as that revelation was neceflary to deftroy all the futile and claming fects of philofophers amongft the ancients, OUT 124 LETTER XV. OUT of one plain truth they have produced a thoufand errors, all under the fanction of in- fallible truth, and yet each of thefe truths is de- nied by the followers of the others : Thus, each feet being avow'd as true by fome, and falfe by others, it comes to pafs, that every feel: is at once both true and falfe ; a rare conclufion on a matter of fo much confequence, as the re- ligion of a nation. To thefe men of philo- fophy we are indebted for this abfurdity ; all which would have been avoided, but for thefe fingular judgments, which differing from the vulgar, are called wife, and perhaps the lead in^ titled to it amongft men. I know, fays he, that thefe wife heads and their followers aflfert, that the ancients permitted all opinions in their religion, and therefore had no difputes about it -, but this is a miftake, the ancients of the fame kingdom never differed about the ge- nealogy or worfhip of their gods, nor attributed to one, what belonged to another ; the worfhip of Jupiter was the fame by all the Romans, and no one ever attempted an innovation ; they never fuffered it to be difputed, whether a god, 4 received L E T T E R XV. 125 received as fuch by fhe nation, was a god or not ; or whether his temples fhould (land eaft and weft, or north and fouth , nor would the ftate fuffer a fet of fwivel-headed bigots or free- thinkers," to alter the worfhip of their deities, Or change a national religion to pleafe a few fana- tic imaginations, perhaps of a cobler or tinker, whofe impudence had thruft them into the in- termeddling with the affairs of a religion. WHAT has Locke done to human undef- ftandings, but puzzle ten thoufand fculls who would have gone to their graves undiflurbed but for him, and let loofe millions of tongues, to prate about what they have not the leaft comprehenfion of. S i R Ifaac Newton has made more cox* combs than all the dancing- mafters and mammas of London j every prig has him in his mouth, who never underftood one of his problems, arid nothing but demonflration can convince thefe gentlemen, in things even where demonftration is not to be obtained. ia6 L E T T E R XV. To me it feems necefiary, that as in the af fairs of gold and filver,- there are officers eftablifhed to examine into the vafes and other utenfils made of thefe metals, to fee if they are genuine ; fo there mould be others, dcftin'd to infpec"l and decide what underftandings are pro- per to be trufted. with fuch authors, and not permit the moft abftrufe and difficult matters to fall into the hands of every pretender to think- ing. IN my opinion, fays he, the emperor, who burnt the library at Alexandria, was the greateft friend to human kind ; and if all the copies of Plato and Ariflotle-, as well as the other Greek and Latin writers, had been confumed in it, we mould have had reafon to blefs the day, and pafs'd our hours in unanimity and peace. I am not fure whether printing has not done as much mifchief as the plague. FOR my part, fays he, I would join in a petition to the legiilature to burn all the books in the nation, except thofe I firft mentioned, we LETTER XV. 127 we fhould have more eafe, lefs diffipation, warmer devotion, better fenfe, and better times. THUS he ended his converfation, which tho' mixt with much wildnefs, has yet much truth in it, and may partly ferve to juftify our reftraining the bible from the hands of the weak and ill-judging. Adieu. / am yours weft affectionately. LET- 128 LETTER XVI. LETTER XVI. To the Reverend Father D o M i N i c o MANZONI, at Rome. Dear Sir* NOTHING his lefs truth in it than what Voltaire and abbe le Bland have faid relat- ing to the Quakers in this kingdom : it is either plain from what the firft has written, that he ne- ver was in their company, or did not attend to their cuftoms. He defcribes one of thefe gentry, with whom he dined, as taking off his hat, and afking a benediction on his repaftj in which he muft be abfolutely miftaken : it being the eftablilhed maxim of this feel, never to per- form that ceremony, It is the prefbyterian cuf- tom indeed, to fay a grace as long as the hundred-and-nineteenth Pfalm, before and after meals -, but a quaker afks no blefling from hea- ven before he eats, and has not gratitude enough to return thanks after lie is fili'd. To fay the truth : the church of England does both in a be- coming manner, without that ridiculous and hy- pocritic length, and tone, which is to be found amongft LETTER XVI. 1^9 amongft the prefbyterians, anabaptifts and inde- pendants. IF it was the fpirit of religious enthufiafm which actuated the firft Quakers ; it is a fpirit of another kind, which reigns amongft them at pre- fcnt. If fimplicity of drefs, and fimplicity of fpeech, arofe from the humble confideration of human nature, in the beginning j it is the love of fingularity, pride, and perfonal advan- tage, which has taken porTeflion of their hearts, and which continues their drefs and manners ac prefent. NOTHING on this globe has half the arrti- gance of a Quaker ; he will accoft the king with Friend George, the miqifter with Neighbour William, and this without the lead relu&ancej diftruft of himfelf, or mark of confufion. What can argue greater infolence than this of meeting thofe perfons, whofe characters all the world agree to reverence, upon equal terms, and treating them with the utmoft familiarity : the fon of a Quaker has more aflurance at ten years old* than the wildeft officer of the king's guards at twenty five. VOL. I. K THIV -ijo LETTER XVI. THEY call themfelves Chriftians, but I know not what title they have to it 5 there is no facra- ment in ufe in their religion: : in fad, they feem to be a fet of fatalifts, who agree to call that caufe which moves them to action, a fomething proceeding from the fpirit. I have heard it af- firmed in their company, that the refurredlion of the body is not an article of their faith, if they have any at all. As their number is but frnall, fo they draw advantage from that circum (lance, being all united in the general intereft of die fe&. They are al- moft all in trade, and therefore once in the year they meet in feveral towns k> England, to know the ftate of thofe parts of the country : to thofc places of rendezvous one -or more of the Quakers of the towns within two hundred rniks always comes. At this time their real defrgn of meet- ing is concealed, by praying and preaching ; i: is a religious act to the eye, but a political one at the heart , every Quaker who af&mbles brings the ftate of the trade of that town from whence he comes along with him ; the particular bufirrcfs of LETTER XVf. ijt of every grocer, mercer, and other tradefman ; his induftry, manner of living, and expences : by this means the wholefale dealers of London, Briftol, and other great towns, are acquainted with the characters and bufinefs of all the tradesmen in the kingdom : they know whether their bufinefs is fiich as that they may be fafely trufted with goods, if induftry is obferved in their affairs, and all other requifites for thriving in trade. Tus the Quakers in the lefTer tc*mrc and cities of England are fpies on the actions of the inhabitants, and preferve their feel: from loffes in trade. And for this reafon they endeavour to eftablifh a Quaker in every town, if there arc none already, who may bring annual intelligence, SINGULARITY to mod peoples apprehenfion ftands in the place of merit, a gimcrack in Ihell- philofophy will Jay out twenty guineas for * Ihell, which is fingular and without a fellow, tho' ugly and ill-fliapen ; at the fame time hp will riot give a farthing for that which has the moft elegant fhape and greateft diverfity of co- lours, if the fpecies is numerous. Thus it is not beauty, bat fingularity which makes it cftcemed. K 2 It i 3 2 LETTER XVI. I T is the fame thing amongd men, a Quaker with his Angularity of drefs, behaviour, laconic ftyle, and air of riches, the laft of which he never fails to infinuate to all his cuftomers, catches the eyes of tradefmen in the country ; the apparent probity and power of felling cheap, becaufe fup- pofed wealthy, create him bufmefs ; men in the country are defirous of talking with fuch a man, and thus deal with him from that fingularity in him, and that whimfical difpofition in themfelves. THE Quakers are extremely punctual and ho- neft in trifles, confcious that men wear out their characters before they make their fortune, who proceed otherwife in trades where riches are gotten by degrees* B u T, in matters of confequence, the right of the thing is not the queftion ; the power of ob- taining it by artifice is the only object to be con- fidered ; and, if a fortune can be made at once, there is little heiitation about the manner how. I T is not a little furprifmg, that a fet of men of fuch principles as the Quakers profefs, could be L E T T E R XVI. 133 be fuffered to take root in any nation ; they have covered all the political maxims which they adopt, by the veil of religion. Accordingly, in the rebellion which happened laft in England, they openly avowed that their, principles would not allow them to oppofe it. This was nothing to be remarked in a Quaker : yet a man of the eftablifhed church would have been ftigmatized for a Jacobite, that had faid any thing like this. THEIR religion, it feems, will not fuffer them to bear arms. What can be more ridicu- lous than this principle, to a man who knows human nature, except the people who indulge them in this humour ? WHAT right have any fet of men to the pro- tection of a government in times of peace, who will not aflift with every power they pofifefs to defend their country in times of war ? their taxes are not greater than other peoples. ARE the catholics more ridiculous in indulg- ing monks amongft them without contributing to fave their country by arms, than the Britons HI permitting a feet amongft themfelves, who K 3 openly ij4 LETTER XVI. openly avow that their religion will not fuffbc them to defend their country ? ANOTHER indulgence their obftinacy has cured them is this ; they are fuffered to affirm before a magiftrate that which all'other fubjec~U of this crown are obliged to depofe upon o#h on the Evangelifts. In order to obferve the ,efFec~l of this fufferance, I have frequently at- tended trials where thcfe people have been wit- neffes, and thro' the whole of my obfervation I have never found them give an explicit anfwer when it could make againft their friends ', nay, the whole chicanery and fearch of the council could not draw an anfwer which was not filled with ambiguities. THEIR caufc of demanding this privilege i> the moft convincing reafon for its not being al- lowed them -, it is evident they imagine that there is fomething more obligatory, facred and binding in an oath, than in an affirmation : therefore fince all the individuals of a nation ought to be under the fame influence sn4 apprehenfion in the ad- miniilration of an oath, it was extremely ill un- clefftoqd to. grant this liberty of affirmation to any LETTER XVI. 135 any fet of men whatever. It is a road that leads to injuftice ; it is injuftice itfelf, that one man fhould be fubjected to the terrors of eternal pu- nifhment, for the breach of that which another only conceives as fomething of a common nature. THAT the legiflature and the Quakers them- felves conceive an affirmation to be of an infe- rior obligation on the perfon who takes it, to that of an oath, is certain : no man> whatever crime he is guilty of, can be executed on the affirmation of a Quaker ; and no Quaker has refufed taking his oath to the execution of one that has roufed his righteous fpirit, by robbing him. Thus the legiflature thinks it an indulgence, and not equal- ly obligatory, by making this difference in cafes of life and death. THE Quaker who takes the common oaths of the country, in cafes of being robbed, cannot at other times plead confcience againft it with juf- tice ; becaufe either his confcience admits of do- ing what it knows to be wrong on thefe occafions, or he fcreens himfelf from what he thinks to be K 4 right 136 LETTER XVI, right in others, and has no real exception againft. FOR thefe reafons if he is fuffered to take his affirmation in cafes of property, he mould not be indulged to take his oath in thofe of life and death. He ought to adhere to his confcience throughout, and not change the nature of the .obligation as his intereft and inclination permit: him. In truth, it is a weaknefs to excufe a fet of men from oaths in thofe instances, where all others of the kingdom are obliged to take them. SUCH are the Quakers : I leave you to decide if they are that fimple primitive people which Voltaire and abbe Je Bland have told you -, have not they found means to obtain advantages which favour of refined cunning, and fecure themfelves in fafety whilft the nation is fighting their battles ? THE celebrated fyftem of Penn, which has been fo much praifed and for fo little reafon, is abfolutely impracticable amongfl men : indeed it is eafy to preferve peace with the Indians, who are purchafed by fmall prefents to continue it ; but can they buy off the French, who are pre- paring LETTER XVI. 137 paring to increafe their dominions in America ? will the fpirit of meeknefs ferve them in that cafe ? and what has been faid with refpefb to their indulging all religions amongft them, is not true, the catholics are excepted i and the ill effects of a general naturalization is fenfibly felt amongft them, the Germans being at prefent fo numerous that they preferve their language and intereft feparate, which is no fmall inconveniency to the country , and would as probably live un- der a French, as an Englifh government. THUS, fir, you fee this applauded fyftem of government in England and that in America is ftained with as deep blots as thofe of other na- tions : it is ideally better, but in execution as bad as that of France, whofe inhabitants are compli- mented with the name of flaves in this country. / am yours moft tffettionately. LET- 138 LETTER XVIL LETTER XVIL To tie Reverend Father ANTONIO COCCHI at Rome. Dear Sir, IT is impoffible to fay what may happen in this kingdom by the effect of time ; but at prefent there is no probability of the catholic faith increafmg amongft the Englifh. ALL public meetings but thofe at the am- bafiadors chapels are forbidden by Jaw, the priefts of our religion are not permitted to preach amongft the people, and thofe of an enthufiaftic nature are all fcized by the preachers of new feels, who harangue the multitude in fields and particular places deftin'd for that end. I T feems difficult to propagate any mode of religion amongft people who are at eafe j thofe who feel no worldly evils are little folicited to enquire into matters of religion, they are in opulence in this world, and undifturbed about the C onfequences of the other : for that reafon there are LETTER XVII. 139 ^re none but the poorer fort, whofe diftreffes prompt them to follow thofe new preachers, who are extremely liberal in promifes of rewards in heaven to thofe who join in their worfhip upon earth. A foothing confolation to the feelings of poverty ! WHAT a general calamity might effectuate, I know not ; probably, as thofe who have no re- ligion are the moft apt to run into the oppofite extrepie in thefe fituations, the catholic faith, an- fwering fully to the difpolitions of fuch times, might he re-eftablilhed in England. At prefent I cannot avoid thinking, that this nation is of all others the lead advantaged by the religion which is to be found in it ; the heads of thofe who were originally defigned to fuperintend thefe affairs, are either extremely weak or extravagant- ly negligent. THE men in power, remifs in all things, leave this enthufiaftic fpirit of the field-preachers un- converted to any ufe, unlefs they fuppofe the weakening the eftablilhed church an advantage ; whereas it is capable of being turned to great national fervice, if they treated them as we do thofe i 4 o LETTER XVII. thofe of our religious orders, whofe fouls are on fire with zeal to bring their bodies to fuffer for religion and the fervice of our church. WERE they fent to convert the Indians in A- merica to the chriflian faith, they would unite thefe nations more ftrongly to the Englifti in- tereft than every other power on earth ; he who rules the foul, rules every thing -, otherwife the French will prevail throughout the continent, whofe priefts are labouring to convert the Ame- rican nations to their faith, and confequently to their party. r Tin s being encouraged in the manner I men- tion, the kingdom of England would draw as much advantage from their enthufiafm in Ame- rica, as it brings mifchief at prefent in this ifland. INDEED the difbelief of all futurity is fo uni- verfally prevalent in this country, the men in power are altogether inattentive or ignorant what effect religion can have amongft an uncivilized and barbarous race ; the fliort and only way they know of coming at things, is buying. This, sho' it fucceeds in perfection amongft the na- L E T T E R XVII. 141 tives, is not Cure of fuccefs in other countries ; and thofe who can prevail over the mind by ob- jects of religion, and influence by money alfo, are almoft fure of prevailing in the end. The French neither neglect one or the other method. MAY not the reafon of this ignorance in hu- man nature be owing to this ? The human heart is not fo well known in this nation as in catholic countries ; men judge of others by what they feel alone, and no man is various enough to found a knowledge of all mankind on what pafles in himfelf only. Thus the man in power, direct- ing all thhgs .irom his peculiar fenfations, knows litri- of all human nature. I N nations where the catholic religion prevails, the clergy, accuftomed to attend to the various difpofitions of men, by the confeffions of very different tempers in head and heart, know the map of man, the fhoals, creeks, bays, tides, and currents of human nature, better than thofe who are not acquainted with any bofom but their own : they difcern what incites, and what re- (trains. THEY LETTER XVII. THEY are fenfible how eafily man is conducV cd by his ruling paffion, and therefore guide it to their intentions by that way, and not break down their minds into compliance with what they pleafe to have done, by dint of money only ; by this means even the doing juftly thro* a fi- nifter influence has a vicious effect, the mind even fuffers a kind of corruption in being pur- chafed to do right. THUS this effectual machine of zeal for the caufe of God, through want of knowledge or in- attention, is fuffered to do mifchief in this na- tion ; which, fent into their colonies, would be productive of infinite utility. No nation knows fo little how to turn the various difpofitions of the heart to advantage, as the Englim. -No nation has more criminals condemned for Violating the laws of the land than this -, hundreds are tranfported to the plantations every year ; from whence many return, and are hanged 5 o- thers are fervants for a certain time only. LETTER XVII. 143 'THIS brings but little advantage to the colo- nies ; whereas, 'if they had encouragement given them to marry Indian women, if it made part of the judgment pafs'd on them, or the women were obliged to marry Indian men, there would then be a ftronger alliance between thefe Ameri- can nations and the Englifh. Some fmall fums of money might be given on this account. THE French pracYife the encouraging inter- marriages between the neighbouring Indians and their people ; and by this, and by their zeal for making converts, they increafe greatly in intereft amongft the Indian nations of America. I F thefe obfervations be true, which I have received from father B in that country, it items evident that riches and irreligion bring floth and ignorance in the knowledge of the human head and heart. The great fchool for the fcience of which, is at that city where you ^refide ; where men are better known and under- ftood, and the different difpofitions better ap- plied, than any where on earth j from the zealot who 144 LETTER XVII. who believes, burns, and dies a martyr on the fiery fands of Africa, to him who manages nation's intereft in the conclave. Adieu : love me, as I do you. Tour 9 s moft affectionately. LET- LETTER XVIIL LETTER XVIIL To the Reverend Father ALESSANDRO A D i M A R r, at Rome. Dear Sir, HO W many things are received for cer- tain truths by the different people of Europe, which are really without any foun- dation. This variety of opinions feems to me to ari'e from fhortfightednefs, or drawing para- lells between kingdoms ; whereas no two things in political affairs feem to be enough alike to deduce any reafonable confluence from the fimilarity. If you afk an Englifhman, what has made arts, letters, and trade, flourifh in the different parts of the world ? he will immediately an- fwer, Liberty : the Athenians were a free people; behold what prodigies the city of Athens pro- duced ; the Romans alfo -, what did that illuf- trious people produce in arms, and literature ! fays he in rapture. VOL. I, L Itf j 4 6 LETTER IN commerce, in ( like manner, free dates alone, were thole who fucceeded. The Tynans* Carthaginians, Syracufans* and Marfeillians ; the Genoefe and Venetians - t the Dutch and Brit- tons ; what a figure have they made in the world ! They have cover' d the ocean with their fleets, and brought immenfe riches to the inha- bitants : The laft of which, has not only mix'd the knowledge of trade with war, but even philofophy and fcience , thus it is liberty alone 4 which can give birth to the iuperior arts, fupe- perior philofophy, and learning. IF we fhould grant this to be true, thefe affertors of this caufe of learning and com- merce will fall into a wildernefs, difficult enough to find a path which leads frc*m it* to fafety ; if we fhould deny it* there would be no lefs pain t6 prove the truth of this affertion. IF painting and ilatuary be the works ef genius, even catholic Rome has no fmall reafon to boaft of its productions in that tafte ; was that city then free at the times- when Raphael, Michel LETTER XVIII. 147 Michel Angelo, and other great men, painted and carved in it ? If it was at that time, it is the fame at preferit j the fyftem of govern- ment being changed in no refpefl j this will fcarce be allow'd, I fanfy. No man will deny, that the French have produced men of genius in all kinds of literature; and yetj no Englifhman will allow that they are a free people $ how comes it to pafs, that liberty can only promote works of genius, fincc the French a nation of flaves, has been proli- fick in thofe productions ? PERHAPS, in ftrict truth, even Rome and Athens were declining from the fummit of li- berty at the times of their greateft men in literary genius. If Socrates, Plato, and Xeno- phon, like fruit ripeft juft before its falling from the tree, lived in the autumn of li- berty 5 Demofthenes, Ariftotle, and others, pan fcarce be imagine^ to have pad their lives in that ftate or be efteem'd free in the days of Philip and Alexander : And furely Livy, Horace, Virgii, Tully, antf many pther? L 2 WTOW H 8 LETTER XVIIL wrote in that time when liberty was no lon- ger at Rome ; to fay nothing of Lucan, Taci- tus, Seneca, Juvenal, and many others, who lived in the days of avow'd tyranny. EVEN thegreateft geniufes of this nation can- not with ftricl propriety be faid to have lived in times when England enjoy'd its greateft free- dom. The glory of England was great in the, reign of Elizabeth, but the liberty was nothing in the comparifon of what it has fince known j furely her father's reign was not remarkable for the freedom of his fubjecls ; and yet, .Sir Thomas More 'lived in the days of Henry the eighth, whcfe little book of the Utopia has more genius in it than all thofe that have been written in that way. SHAKESPEAR and Spencer wrote in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and no men have (hewn more genius in poetry than thefe two. Sir Walther Rawleigh, and my lord Verulam, in like manner, were far from feeling the warmeft beams of liberty, and yet they are un- doubtedly men of genius, particularly the latter, who LETTER XVIII. 149 who probably excell'd all men in that greateft diftinclion of genius, intuitive perception. THUS it Teems, that liberty is neither the caufe of literature, nor genius ; if it were, greater liberty would have produced greater proofs of each kind. Whereas this nation has declined in genius in many parts, fmce it has iocreafed in liberty : it would be difficult to find a man of very exalted underftanding in the nation at prefent, and yet no Englimman will allow he is not free. THUS it is not liberty which creates ge- nius and literature in a nation ; it rnufl then be look'd for from fome other caufe. THE firft of thefe no human power, nor ftate, can create j it feems to be, amongft hu- man kind, what a comet is amongft the heavenly bodies, a being, bpund to no one government, that comes with fuperior intellects, to enligh- ten the underftanding of this world at various limes-, as the other may, to replenim the orbs of this fyftem with light, or fome other qua- lities unknown to us. L t THAT 150 LETTER XVIII. THAT encouragement has not produced ge-. nius, is alfo as evidently true ; fince all who have ever received any advantage from fu- perior parts, have diftinguiftYd themfelvu be- fore they were rewarded ; and many a man of great capacity has languifh'd in obfcurity and penury his whole life ; even thofe, whofe Writings had convinced the world, that the men had merit who wrote them. It is not encouragement then which has produced the talents of thofe who are fo juftly admired. FROM thefe confiderations perhaps it arifes, that the Englim have appointed no (rated pro- vifion, as an encouragement for men of fu- perior genius in the polite parts of literature and fcience : The divine and lawyer are amply taken care of indeed ; but the phyfician, mathematician, and others in other ftudies, have neither honors nor profits annex' d to them, for being fin- gularly eminent. THE nglim tell you, that a genius will mew itfelf; and for this reafon it is prefumed, they conclude that the beft of thofe capacities, which I are LETTER XVIII. 151 are amongft the common run of mankind, are Co be neglected. EVERY nation mould have academies, with honor and penfions annex'd to the members of them, to call out the beft exertion of thofe talents or degree of underhand ing, which every man pofieiTes. THIS, tho' it cannot make genius, will make fomething very near it ; it will make the intellects of thofe who apply, more ftrong and ready in their ftudies, than thofe who have no incentive, but what may cafually refult from their labours. The mind of a ftudent fhould neither be in great affluence, or in great anxie- ty ; the firft will create floth, the other emacir ate the powers of thinking, by the pain which it communicates to the foul. WITHOUT thefe encouragements to ftudy, the character of a nation will decline, and the powers alfo. Genius comes too rarely to fup- port the authority of a learned people > it is therefore the bqfinefs of a minifter, to infti- tute focieties of that kind, where men (hall be urged by honor and intereft, tp the difcovery L 4 of j 5 z LETTER XVIII. of things ufeful to the community, and pre- ferve a nation as well as the nature of things will permit, in the rank it has acquired. THIS the French have already done, and their academies have had the good effect of fuftain- ing knowledge, and producing men who are of public utility to arts, fciences, trades, and ma- nufactures. The honor of being a member of the academy of fcience firft draws men of ftudy to offer their obfervations and difcoveries ; which, if approved of, introduce them by de- grees to be chofen members : v/here, after far- ther proofs of their abilities, they become pen- fioners, and are at eafe enough to proceed lei- furely in their (ludies during life. THE great bufinefs of a nation is, to con- vert the common talents of men to the greateft poflible advantages, not waiting the arrival of genius ; which, like the Meffiah to the Jews, may never come ; which if it fhould arrive, is to be confider'd as fornething above expectation, and applied accordingly to their farther utility. THIS the French know and purfue ; the Englifh, on the contrary, defpife, are ignorant of, LETTER XVIII. 153 of, or neglect ; hence it muft inconteftably fol- low, that fooner or later France muft gain the afcendant over all thofe who are remifs in thefe affairs. The fpirit of invention is greatly promoted amongft all ranks of people in France, every common mechanic is rewarded with fome gratuity, proportioned to its utility ; and the minifter will read a memorial of any thing propofed as an advantage, without rejecting it with the ignominy of a project, and projector, even if it come from the hands of the meaneft artizan or labourer -, and, if it offer any thing that is probable to be carried into execution, reward him for the hint. I F commerce has not hitherto advanced much amongft any ftat.es but thofe which are free, it is not becaufe a monarchic government is not fit for the fupport and encouragement of trade j but becaufe monarchs having hitherto efteemed trade as fomething below their atten- tion, and neglected to turn their eyes that way, conqueft has been the purfuit of kings, glory in arms their chief object, till England and Holland growing great by trade, have fliewn them, that there are other ways of ag- grandizing LETTER XVIII, grandizing a nation, than that of extending their dominions. I N confequence of this, the French trade has proved a formidable rival to that of Eng- Jand ; and by determining the view of their meafures on this object, wean'd them from the vifion of univerfal monarchy, and enrich'd thertr nation, THE monarch, who determines to take the care of commerce under his protection, has it in his power to promote it beyond that which can be expected from a free ftate. Good laws may be defeated by claming interefts in popular aflemblies, each fet of tradefmen oppof- ing the increafe of trades different from their own ; perhaps the nature of a free ftate will fcarce permit that rigour of enquiry which is peceflary to keep men from committing frauds, in the manufactures which they are engaged in. THE infpection of the French manufactories in every refpect is fo order'd, that no frauds ean be committed; the minifter knows the na- ture ad pnrfuit of commercial men is to en,- ricrj LETTER XVIII. 155 rich themfelves : this defire being entirely feU fifh, is but little apt to confider pofterity, or be ftrictly hbneft. For thefe reafons, thofe pro- penfities are check'd by public infpection : a trade once begun with a foreign kingdom is almoft certain of being eftabliuYd, the merchandize be* ing fure of continuing the fame ; the foreign merchant knows this, and depends upon it. WHEREAS the mechanics and manufactur- ers of England, having no fuperintendancy over their productions, goaded on by the deftre of fud- den gain, have full licence of deceiving: For this reafon they have loft their trades in fome branches, and muft in more, whilft they are curfr ing the French, for robbing them of that whicfy they lofe by their own difhonefty. Itf free countries it is difficult to preferve that fubordinationj which is neceflary to fupport; commerce in its greateft perfection : the enr couragement of advantageous fchemes, an<4 prohibition of bad practices, are never well un- derftood, are always tedious in execution, and the laws made in confequence of one or the other ill plan'd or imperfect. EITHER 156 LETTER XVIIL EITHER of thefe defigns a monarch ac- oomplifhes by a fingle ordinance ; the firft fhall be encouraged, the latter mall be deftroyed ; and the people, accuftomed to confider things with a dependancy on their fovereign, are con- tented with their ftate, live more .frugally and happy than any where elfe, and acquiefce with what is right. IT feems to me therefore, that a monarchic ftate is the moft proper for the advancement of commerce, and wi]l at laft (rinding the advan- tage, which accrues from it ) prevail over all qther kinds of government. It is probable that a king will Men to the public good, beyond that of particular companies , but minifters will protect thofe companies, in oppofition to the pu- blic good, if thefe can protect them from their matter's and the peoples refentments. THE confideration of what luxury effects in a nation, comes under this head of commerce alfo. In France, the Eaft- India commodities, which are bought for fterling money, are fold again for fterling money, and the nation is a gain- er; LETTER XVIII. 157 er; England, on the contrary, fending out money, fees no return for the greateft part which it confumes at home ; even the fugar co- lonies, only fupply the people with luxury ; they work a whole year, fwallow their manufactories down their throats, and draw little advantage to themfelves by exportation ; the French mak- ing their luxury confift in elegance, and confum- ing their own productions, export great quanti- ties of eaftern and weftern goods to be run into England, exported to Hamborough, and other parts of Germany ; and thus convert their foreign product to domeftic utility. I T is the part of a great minifter, to remedy thefe inconveniencies, which are growing in this kingdom where 1 am , but there is yet no St. John, in this defert of politics, arrived to pre- pare the way, and foretell the coming, of this temporal faviour, fo much wanted in this nation. Adieu, believe me Tours weft a L E T- i S 8 LETTER LETTER XIX. To the Count ef 3 of * * * * at Rome* Madam, YOUR enquiry in relation to the amours and gallantries of the Englilh, will afford .me no very romantic fubject of difplaying the va- rious revolutions of the heart, which take place in the loves of the Italians \ the French have much more of the fentimental in their general nature, than the Englifh , their gallantries are conducted with more decency, and more time is paft to- gether between the amorous pair, than in Eng* land. I N general, it is the extinction of defire which Is the object of every Englifhman's purfuir. j yet, when they do love fmcerely, no beings up- on earth are fo totally devoted tp their paflion as the natives of this ifle ; they hang, drown, and {hoot themfelves, if difappointed in their loves \ nothing is reftraint enough on their inclinations : men of the higheft rank marry women of even infamy, LETTER XIX. 159 infamy, not to fay of extreme low birth .-, and ladies of noble families wed their footmen, play- ers and fingers ; that univerfal manner of breed* ing children to fcarce any reftraint, that fpiric which is ill underftood for liberty, indulging them to think that all actions which are not directly criminal, are not culpable. This, tho* it Will appear extremely ftrange to your appre- henfions, is not confidered fo here i many wo- men who have been public proftitutes, have figured at court with titles, by this accident of marriage* I AM apt to believe, that few beings in any Ha- lion are truly actuated by the real fenfation of love j the defign of meeting in the fexes, being Very well anfwered by an inferior degree of, perhaps, a quite different pafiion. 1 1? England it is confidered as unmanly and effeminate to dangle after a woman, to prevail by fighs, tender fpeeches, long fufferings, and perfeverance ; to take a heart like a citadel is a thing unknown amongft them : the mod decent Englifhman therefore, in fearch of a mitfrefs, applies where he is mod probable of fuccels, amongH: 160 LETTER XIX. amongft the meaner clafs of women, who are extremely beautiful in this nation, and making a compliment of his money, which he and me prefer to bleeding hearts and all amorous ac- knowledgements, obtains his defires. FOR thefe reafons the power of women is infinitely lefs here, than in Italy or France. t I N the public gardens, at plays, operas, and afiemblies, here is no chichifbe nor amant as in Italy and France, who fighs, grins, ogles, fetches and carries like a well educated fpaniel. As man, madaiH, is a creature which is ex- tremely fond of power, ought I not to glory in this freedom which an Englimman preferves, in thus keeping independant of the thraldom of beauty, and its fervice, which is fometimes very feverely exacted ? YET, fuch is the fenfation of true lovt, that I would renounce all other enjoyments on earth to pofiefs the object, and feel that thrilling pai- fion which I once knew ; to fee the emanations >f reciprocal delight daiting from the eyes or her LETTER XIX. 161 her whom I adored ; our whole fouls correfpond- ing to each other's touch, like firings in unifon ; for furely fouls have power of touching each other ; the joy of being ever with her, and me impatient of my abfence, whether in the mo- ment of exalted rapture^ or in the chilling hour which generally fucceeds, alike ardently defiring to be confubftantiated with her. THIS, in fpite of vows and prayers pofieffed my foul entirely ; this you knew and indulged the weaknefs for the fake of the perfection in the object; this rapture you will yet indulge; alas! diftance has not yet reclaimed my heart ; one thought of love and woman, brings her back in full power upon my bofom, and I am dejected whole hours afcer it. A s there is an indelicacy in the men of Eng- land, and as their paflions are not of the moft re- fined fort, I do not wonder that they indulge themfelves with taking girls from the lower claf- fes, which are extremely beautiful, provided they had yet been unpolluted , but fuch is the indelicate tafte of many of the nobility and gentry of this nation,, they keep expenfively women as well VOL. I. M knowc, i6z LETTER XIX. known, and as much hackney'd, as the Appiarc way in Italy ; this is fuch a tafte as feems not to be accounted for ; they are mere hounds in their appetites, and prefer carrion to the moft exquifite delicacies of the table. I HAVE been often led to imagine, that ther fultans of the eaft, are actuated by more deli- cate emotions than the northern nations ; it can- not be the mere defire between the fexes, which can thus feclude them from the converfation of the world in company with women, it muft certainly be that refined fenfation which I yet fecly perhaps, evert more exalted and refined by the warmer funs,, and the temperament which feigns amongft that people. I F it be that joy y how ill- judging is human nature, that, unconfeious of the tranfpert, con- demns this flothful and unambitious life, as much to be preferred to thofe tumultous joys of men in full liberty, as all that has been imagined of angelic natures and their enjoyments, is fupe- rior to thofe of the moft debafed of the hu- man kincU THE LETTER XIX. 163 THE recalling what I would ever wim to for* get, has difabled me from purfuing my account of the Englifli Jadies ; I feel fomething at my heart tthich fo enfeebles me, that I cannot proceed ; alas ! after fo many years of abfence, I am obliged to figh and weep myfelf into tranquillity. I am, Tour moft obedient and mqft bumble few ant* LET- 164 L E T T E R XX. LETTER XX. To the Marchionefs of*****at Rome. Dear Madam,. THAT women have feparate delights from thofe of a hufband's company, is nothing, furprifing to an Italian -, but that there mould be fo little converfation between men and their wives when they are not difagreeable to each other, is ibmewhat fingular. It is no uncommon thing in. London, perhaps it is the moft common, for a couple to live together on very good terms, who have not the kaft real love for each other ^ if their condition of life fupplies them with mo- ney enough, each purfuea their feparate plea- fures , he pafies his evening at the tavern in wine, and fmoaking tobacco, fbe drinks her af- ternoon's tea in chatting with her neighbour about her hufband's bufinefs y her new cloaths, er any curfory tittle-tattle of the day. AT night they tumble into one bed toge- ther, he drenched in wine, and ftinking of to- 2 bacco, LETTER XX. 1-6$ feacco, (he carelefs of this violation of decency, till next morning, when each wakes to their daily employments, and the day goes on like every other : if this prevailed only amongft thofc of the lowed order of human creatures, the fur- prize would be nothing -, but citizens of great wealth, and gentlemen of great eftates, pafs their Jives in this filthy manner ; a wife who mould have delicacy enough to leave her hufband's bed on this account, would be confidered as a wo- man of a vicious difpofition, and be treated fomething like a proftitute perhaps ; thus there is no kind of delicacy on either fide, as they came together for fome worldly advantage, fo when either dies, the furvivor makes a hand- fome funeral, and looks out for another partner. THE widow, iflhe has the good fortune to outlive the good-man, wears her weeds a whole year, and fighs heavily every hour after a new hufband j fo indelicate are the women of this country, even thofe that are ftill thought mo- deft, they never reftrain themfelves to any num* ber of hufbands, and meet one with as much in- difference, or joy, as they mec the other, even to half a dozen. M 3 THIS 166 L E T T E R XX. THIS kind of behaviour is not to be found in Italy -, wgmen who marry men for their con- veniency, feldom bear their company with good temper, tho* diverted of ajl thefe difpleafing fenfations which accompany wine and tobacco ; and in France one bed never contains fuch a pair ; fhe that has loft the man Ihe loves, is ne- ver indifferent, much Jefs happy, with another after the flrft is no more. PRAY Madam, tell me, you who know the human heart better than any philofopher I have read, or been acquainted with, is this want of de- licacy in thefe people a real lofs of happinefs, or FOR my own part, I am convinced, that in this kingdom it is not, as far as my obfervation can extend, HUMAN fouls pf a fuperior nature, like the rnoft elegant and beft formed inftruments, are eafier put out of tune, than thofe of a coarfer fabric ^ a duft, lying on a particular part, fhall impair the found of one ; and a trifle difturb the 3 repofe LJE T T E R XX. 167 repofe of the other ; a rainy day untunes both : tho 3 the harmony of the inftrument is moft ex- quifite, and the delights of the mind ineffable, yet confidering how many difagreeabk accidents are probable to arrive, which may difcompofe one and the other, is it not better to be formed of lefs delicate materials, and, tho* wanting the the higheft excellence in found or fenfation, to pofiefs a common -fiddle, or a common foul? To carry on the aUufion ; if we could al- ways play folos, happinefs might be obtained by thofe of refined taftes ; but as fociety is almoft neceflary to our natures, and each fex thinks it- felf unhappy to a certain degree, till united with the other, as greater pieces of mufic cotnpofed of many parts, are neceflary to fhew ail the pow- ers of harmony , fo perhaps, the probability of meeting with correfponding tempers and accord- ing tones makes it better to have lefs delicate fenfations, and being lefs pleafed with one ano- ther, feel no mifery from jarring difpofitions. THE ladies of the beft quality are indeed relieved from this cruel manner, which prevailed M 4 no; i68 L E T T E R XX, not long fince, amongft the nobility even, when drinking and fmoaking were more the cuftom than at prefent : notwithftanding this change, and that the ladies are more in company with men than, ufual ; yet, they have not all the fweetnefs of tem^ per, which fo truly characterizes a woman. That freedom which French education gives the females of Paris, fo artful in fact, and yet fo artlefs in ap- pearance, is not yet arrived in this capital, but in few families ; like the firft flight of woodcocks but here and there one, which, like all fcarce things, are much valued and difficultly met with, GALLANTRY in England is not under- flood, and complaifance to the opinion of wo- men has not yet prevailed enough to make their opinions in literature fafhionable ; it is not that their underilandings are not as good as in any part of Europe, but the ladies themfelves have not yet taken upon them to determine in works of literature, and writers think themfelves above being criticifed by female remarks. I N this they are wrong, in my opinion ; I wpuld rather take your judgment in matters of polite L E T T E R XX. 169 polite writing, than the firft wit's of Italy, and fliould think myfelf fafer in your approbation, than in that of a long lift of literati, whom I could mention. Women have in general more delicate fenfations than men ; what touches them is, for the moft part, true in nature ; whereas men, warpt by education, judge amifs from pre- vious prejudice, and referring all things to the model of the ancients, condemn that by com- parifon, where no true fimilitude ought to be ex- pected. ^* : ' I w i s H fmcerely you could travel to this kingdom, and fpeak this language : how proud mould I be to fee you prefide at your aflem- bly of men of letters, foothing the Englim to politenefs by your psefiding genius, and letting them fee what advantage one polite woman would bring to all their literary productions. I AM ftill flattering myfelf, the day will come, when women will have the afcendant, and take to their protection the languifhing arts, and expiring letters. Tho* I am not a native qf this land, yet I own long refidence amongft the 170 L E T T E R XX. the inhabitants, and the fame they have juflly me- rited in learning, makes me wifh that fome au- fpicious hour would arrive, and retrieve the de- clining ftate of literature. J am, Tour moft obedient fcrvant. LET- LETTER XXL 171 LETTER XXL To the Reverend Father BATISTA GUARINI, at Rome. Dear Sir, TX7E have it from more than human au- * thority, that a prophet has no honour in his own country i in like manner, to keep the character of a people in its fulled luftre, it fliould never be feen. A nation reputed for learning and philofophy, when we read at a diftance the authors it has produced, fills us with admiration j we forget to imagine, that every one in it is not a man of letters and fct- cnce, and entertain conceptions which are much above nature ; yet, when it comes to be beheld, we foon find our miftake : a whole people, like an individual, lofes admiration by acquaintance, T o you, who live on the other fide of the Alps, who ftudy Newton, and adore him, all England appears fill'd with fuch geniufcs. 372 LETTER XXI. But what will you fay, when I tell you, that the reigning philofophy at prefent, is, collecting natural curiofities^ fofiils, fhefls, and petrefac- tions of all kinds ; and mathematics much ne-v gteftcd. It is 'much eafier to remember all the different kinds of natural productions, than to folve a problem in the abftrufe mathematics ; for one, who can perform the latter, there are thoufands, who are equal to the firft. Who- ever has memory enough to retain the names, and patience fufficient to gaze till he knows one production from another, is an adept in that philofophy. Thus, the number is in- creafed, and the value leffened. You would be amazed to fee how dege- nerate this nation is become: can you con- ceive, that in the land where Bacon and, New- ton were born, there ihould not be one ex- tenfive genius, or one confiderable mathema- ^ tician. The academy of fcience at Paris, at prefent, has much greater men in that fludy, than are to be found here: Clairaut and d'A- lembert are fuperior to Simfon, who is almoft the only one which belongs to the royal fociety. Indeed, LETTER XXI. 173 Indeed, to the honour of England, here is one nobleman, who is by much the greateft ma- thematician in the world,* amongft men of high rank ; it is my lord Stanhope. A T the meetings of thefe philofophers, ga- zing with raptures at a cockle-ftiell of a new kind, admiring the aptitude with which each animal is fitted to his deftination in nature, won- dering at the humming-bird and his neft, built with fo much art, and inftinct ; I have beheld them with the utmoft contempt, confcious that their intellects were not ftrong enough to fee the fitnefs of religion to human kind. THESE wondrous philofophers, who extoll the fupreme intelligence fo highly in the ftruc- ture and difpofition of a fly, fmile at the word miracle ; and from, mere poverty of genius conceive that to be falfe which is unintelligible to their limited capacities. When alas ! the wings of that infect are not more adapted to the ufe of flying, than miracles are to faith in man ; and as infeparable from his well-be- ing, and his nature. THERE i 7 4 LETTER XXL THERE is a certain kind of capacity, which is not exalted enough to fee that hu- man nature is imperfed in all its refearche?* nor humble enough to acknowledge its incapacity, which is deftructive to itfelf, and intolerable to men of great underftanding , prompt to exa- mine all things, and capable of comprehending none, as it ought , it begets an arrogance in full health, which terminates in uneafmefs in old age ; fuch is that of the philofophers of this prefenc ,hour in Great Britain. 1 F you mention the attributes of the deity, each of them fnall defcant an hour on his in- finite wifdom, juftice, and benevolence ; and if you name the chriftian religion, they will give -you to underftand, they do not believe one word of it to be true : How incompatible with the former part of their converfation is this laft declaration ? How (hort-fighted is this pre- tenfion to philofophy ? Infinite wifdom, juftice, and benevolence, have fuffered mankind to be govern'd feventeen hundred and fifty years by a rule and guide, which has not a word of truth in it. THIS LETTER XXI. THIS is either making their deity impotent, or regardlefs of the welfare of his creatures (nei- ther of which can be deduced from their prin- ciples) and deftroys his attributes. Is there one man amongft them, who has yet afiign'd from what caufe one part of his favourite fhell is white, the other purple , he muft tell you, nature made it, and the eye fees it fo ; it is taken off intuitively. If he mould afk a believer, why he gives credit to miracles ? He would anfwer : God ordain'd them, and his faith was convinced of the truth of them : At this the philofopher would laugh, and yet the humbler man of faith has all to urge in his favour, that this mighty man of reafon can plead for himfelf ; the one tells you the colours are fo to his eye ; the other, that the tranfac- tions are fo to his faith, and all the reafoning on earth upon either of them would be exactly equal; neither of them being able to explain, how the (hell became purple and white, nor how wa- ter became wine. One has the evidence of fenfe to convince him, and the other the evi- dence of faith to convince him i and the world acquiefce 176 LETTER XXI. acquiefce alike in both, where nature has beerl uncorrupted by falfe philofophy, and delufivc pretenfions to thinking and refearch. METHI N-KS there is nothing fo truly great in the character of Socrates, as defpifing all knowledge which did not tend to the ftudy and. difcovery of human nature : even the fublimer parts of philofophy, the inquiry into the motions* connections, and dependances of the heavenly bodies, which require genius and application, are infinitely inferiour to that of the ftudying man. What would that divine philofopher have faid of thofe, whofe whole purfuit is amaffing together the fcarce and rare productions of na- ture, whofe happinefs confifts in having a fhell which no man elfe poffeffes, neglecting all ap- plication to ufeful knowledge. THESE philofophers, like the reafoning of the fophifts of old, are productive of evil to Science and mankind ; they bring a contempt on the appellation, in the opinion of many, which extends itfelf over other parts of what is dif- tinguifh'd by that name, or creating a real cha^ rafter and valuation in the heads -of others, for LETTER XXL 177 for fuch trifles, feduce them from more reafon- able and worthy purfuits, and leffen the true value of real knowledge. ALMOST all of this ftamp, are proud in being efteem'd unbelievers ; yet it is remark- able, that the moft extent! ve capacities have been chriftians ; Sir Ifaac, and Mr. Locke, are known to have been fuch, but thefe men are wifer ; they have difcover'd the fecret behind the curtain, and being too cunning to be deluded by the falacy and art of priefts, are only dupes to their own weaknefs and follies, a kind of f clones de fe 9 who have the great confolation of deftroying their happinefs by their own wrong reafoning, as the others have their lives by their own rafh hands. I HAVE often imagined, that amongft men there are to be found all kinds and degrees of know- ledge, which heaven has given to the other animals of the creation ; the men of this kind of underftanding, refembJe moles, who have juft fenfe enough to grovel in the dirt, and difcern foflils, it is their native fphere ; but when they emerge into day-light, are aftonifti'd, and judge VOL. I. N amifs, 178 LETTER XXI. amifs, from the imperfection of their organs, and full blaze of truth. Ira man would attend to the fenfations which pafs in his own bofom, and unravel the combination of thofe materials, with which he is competed, without flattering the vanity that prompts him within, he will perceive, at leaft, I perceive it myfelf, that there are mo- ments, hours, and days, when reafon has no influence in correcting the difquietude we feel, where the only folid rock, which offers us a firm footing, is the belief in the mediation of a celeftial advocate, and redeemer of man- kind -, when the objedts of religion only take place, and foothe the mind to a contentment with itfelf. - CAN thefe feeble philofophers calculate, how many animals are contained in a drop of fluid, admire how nicely the form of every crea- ture is adapted to its exercife and employ- mcnr, and not remark how truly the objects of religion are adjufted to the various fabric of the foul of man ; even the belief of a Me- diator and Redeemer, are fuch confolatory ideas, * 7 fo LETTER XXI. 179 fo fitted to the wants of human nature, that, were there no other tefti monies and advantages in the chriftian doctrine, I fhould declare, that re- velation came from heaven. Is honey and wax more natural and necefiary to the bee, than fuch expectations and dependance to human kind ? Is that infect better formed for collect- ing thefe productions, than the mind of man for receiving the fuccour and belief of fuch opinions ? Is it reafoning like man, to admire the formation of a bee, and exclaim there is a God, and then feeing the means, by which he has ever conducted mankind, aflert there is SUCH it is at the conclufion : if reli- gion is an abfurdity, it is not one of thofe tranfient things, which feem to obftruct or interfere with the general proceedings of pro- vidence, like earthquakes or plagues. It is a ftable being, the ftandard rule and direction of man's behaviour : either religion is therefore of his hand and revelation, or there is no God. For to fuppofe man governed eternally by a falfehood, is to fuppofe that there is no fuperin- N 2 tending i8o LETTER XXI. tending power. If they perfift to affert, that there is that power, from jthe works of the cre- ation, from flies and infects, which directs them by inllindt to what is right, and deny the truth of religion ; they own that there is a god of flies, and not of men ; that the bee, and ant, are objefts of his care, and man left unheeded and uncared for ; either a partial deity, or oppofed by fome malevolent power, which reftrains him from the exertion of his will. THE ruling philofophy of France is more confentaneous to itfelf, than this in England : the materialifts found all thefe phenomena in mental nature, as arifing from matter alone; and tho' there have yet appeared no philofo- phers amongft them, who have traced the cir- culation of things, thro' the whole round of what is call'd caufe and effect, yet they aflign all alike to one material caufe, and are not fo weak and contradictory to imagine, that there is a being who prefides over infects, and is inat- tentive to what pafles amongft men. IT LETTER XXI. 181 I T is generally faid, that there never was a fpeculative Atheiftj whether there ever have been fuch men or not, I fhall not take upon me to decide , yet, I am convinced that I could with more eafe be induced to follow that phi- loibphy which fuppofes the caufe of all things to exift in their own nature ; that is, that the different degrees of fubtilty in matter, and the affections of its various parts, attracting and re- pelling, are equal to the production of all the phenomena which we behold in nature, than acknowledging a providence, which has formed and prefides over all, exclude him from the fuperintendancy of human kind, giving him as a god of flies and infects, and permitting man to be guided by fomething totally erro- neous. This lad manner of conceiving things, is that generally received by thofe who deal in the knowledge of mells, and are unjuftly named deifts ; the philofophers of England. THE other fyftem of materialifm, is the modim philofophy of France. I am neither N 3 the 182 LETTER XXI. the follower of one or the other ; but taking nature as flie appears, am convinced that there is a God of infec~ls and of men. ADIIU, remember me in your addrefs to that being. / am your moft obedient. L E T- LETTER XXII. 183 LETTER XXII. "To the Reverend Father F A B i o M A R E T T i at Rome. Dear Sir, AFTER the found of an inftrument has been communicated to a place of echoes, there remains a long while fome dying tone which the ear diftinguifhes, that makes it re- gret the lofs of the mufic which imparted it. I N like manner, the languid ftate of letters in this nation imparts a pain to thofe who afpire to be received of that number ; they remember like a fine woman the full funfhine of their beauty, and knowing that they are ftiil agree- able, cannot bear being treated with flight in the declining hour, when the fhadows are largeft. AT prefent, all attention is turned from fenfe to found, and an Italian fiddler of note coming N 4 from 184 LETTER XXII. from Rome, would find admifiion and counte- nance, where a genius equal to Horace, travel- ling from the fame place, would meet no re- ception. Music is the fafhionable favourite of the ladies ; a fiddler is received in this country as an emiffary from the fkies ; and I am con- vinced, if the ladies were to order a picture of our Saviour's being received into heaven, the/ would follow the Dutch tafte, only inftead of angels playing on the violin, they would think to honor him more by the company of Italian fiddlers. O N E of thefe gentlemen is confidered of con- fequence enough, to divide a nation into two par- ties in his favour. The diftinction of Whig and Tory is almoft at an end, and the concertifts and operafts will probably take their place with e- qual vehemence ; for this nation muft be divided by fomething. THE money which thefe performers get in this city is amazing 5 they are no longer con- fidered. as creatures of entertainment, but rank ; 3 they LETTER XXII. 185 they keep better company than men of letters, and often very arrogantly refufe playing at the houfes of great men where they have dined ; how would an Italian nobleman confider fuch behaviour ? S o much found has gained on fenfe, and the talents of one performer obtained upon thofe of the other, that for one who fighs after the genius of Shakefpear, there are thoufands who pant with defire to play like Digardino -, and fo much he profits of his (kill, that I believe myfelf but little miftaken, when I afiert, that he gets as much money by his violin, as the whole number of wri- ters in the kingdom do by their knowledge. This will in a great meafure explain the reafon of their being more enamoured of founds, than iinderftanding ; and preferring the modulations of an artful mufician, to the fineft productions of the mod vivid and juft imagination. PERHAPS, the fecurity which attends criti- cifm on mufic, is the great caufe of its being promoted by the patrons of fiddlers ; there are po treatifes written on the compofition of con- certos, 186 LETTER XXII. certos, trios, overtures, and folos, as there are on heroic poems, tragedy, comedy, paftoral, elegy, and fatire; thefe, tho' they never im- part tafte, furnifh rules which the people of pre- tenfion to literature apply ; with thefe they combat the opinions of thofe who have never read them, tho' probably of better tafte, and make their judgment controverted. I N mufic tafte is more arbitrary ; and if a lady who has travelled into Italy, who does not know one note in the gamut, or when an inftrument is in or out of tune, talks much of the Cantabile and Cromatic, (he mail be efteemed a fpirit of choice difcernment in harmonic knowledge, and followed as blindly as the oracles which the prieftefs of the god of mufic delivered to his votaries of old. I HAVE known more than one inftance of this, I allure you, where a lady has been dying in raptures at the found of a fiddle, that was fqueaking out of tune, and the upper part of the compofition had no more mufic in it, than the whetting a knife, filing a faw, or the crying f a fow hung by the head in the ftye; at the LETTER XXII. j8 7 the fame time, nine parts in ten of the company fcrewing faces in concert and complaifancc to her ladyfhip, which would have made a ftudy or academy for artifts who carved heads of flicks, or paint in Caracatura. I T is amazing in all countries, how much pre- tenfion to tafte finds means of diffipating, but no where more remarkable than in England 5 here are men of fortune who facrifice a thoufand pounds in exhibiting a tragedy, only to convince the world how ill they are made for the reprc- fentation of great things. MANY a man of quality entertains the world with concerts, to fhew that of the thou- fand requifites which are neceflary to make a complete fiddler, he wants but two, flopping in tune, and playing in time ; however, there was yet a more extraordinary reafon which in- duced an Englilh Jew who refided at Paris, to give a public concert, which was to fhew, that his lady's gallant was not an eunuch, for no hu- man head could divine to what other intent he was defired to fing. IT i88 LETTER XXII. I T is become the fafhion in this city to pro- cure charities by mufick ; that power has found the way of aiding in the fupport of hofpitals, melting from hearts as hard as ftone, the fum of one guinea for a concert ticket. I imagine Amphion was an Italian fiddler, and the walls of Thebes were built much in this manner, perhaps by fubfcription concerts-, I think operas were not then in fafhion, that infipid tafte of chanting frigid nonfenfe, thro* three acts, is an invention of the moderns, and owes its rife to our nation: THE genius of the Englifh is not much turned for mufic, tho' much more fo than that of France, fafhion makes its prefent prevalency ; the converfation which is continued at concerts whilft the fineft pieces are performing, puts this remark beyond contradiction j or, it muft be a ftrange degree of felf-love, which prefers the found of its own voice, to the fineft compofitions of Corelli, Handel, or Geminiani. NOTWITHSTANDING the protection and encouragement which are given to the natives of our country, I mould with pleafure fee the re- vival LETTER XXII. 189 vival of letters, and the languid flame of fcience cherifhed by that generous fuel, which it merits from the attention of great men ; when it hap- pens, I (hall not fail of communicating it to your knowledge. Adieu, believe me, Yours affeftionately. LET- i 9 o LETTER XXIII. LETTER XXIII. 70 the Reverend Father ANTONIO COCCHI at Rome. Dear Sir, THERE is nothing which the Englifh value themfelves more upon, than their be- ing free from thofe flavifh apprehenfions, to which fuperftition fubjects the minds of men in catholic countries ; they are continually deriding our belief in the power of faints, and wonder how human creatures can be fo weak, as to give credit to their influence and efficacy. To a new comer, this looks fo much like a nation of philofophers, that it is no won- der, ftrangers have reported fuch favourable ideas, in their accounts of this people ; and yet acquaintance brings down all this apparent fu- periority, to the level of that in other nations ; indeed, they do not believe that the fhrine of St. Francis, or St. Anthony, the Virgin's or faints relicks, LETTER XXIII. 191 relicks, have any power of doing miraculous cures j but they believe, that one medicine can difiipate all difeafes, an.^ that a horfe-fhoe nailed on the threfhold of the door, will keep all evil beings from the houfe. EVEN the people of condition yield to this faith in quack remedies, and put their lives into the hands of ignorance itfelf : owing to this cre- dulity in the people of this ifland, it is, that fo many remedies of infallible virtue, are conftantly advertiied againft all the evils which can affect the human body. In looking over the pub- lic papers, one would imagine, that the avenues of death were intirely ftopt, and his realms in danger of receiving no more fubjects ; yet, fuch is the event, that thoufands find a fpeedier way to that kingdom, by thefe preventives. How is the belief in one univerfal remedy founded in truth, beyond that of believing in the powers of faints ; is it not equally the effect of enthufiafm or fuperftition ? from the firft, if the mind of the perfon affected is naturally inclined to hope, and from the latter, if inclined to fear ; the love of life, and fear of death produce both. IN 192 LETTER XXIII. I N truth, it is as reafonable to believe, that the effluvia breathing from the fhrine which inclofes the relicks of St. Francis, can cure any difeafe, as that a drop or pill of the fame nature, can cure two difeafes fpringing from two dif- ferent caufes, or a thoufand from fo many caufes, if fo many can fubfift. WHERE is the greater ridicule in believing in one, more than another ? or is the contempt of fu perdition and enthufiafm, better founded in the Englim, than in the Italians ? what phi- lofophy is there in believing impofiibilities in medicine, more than in religion ? THUS then, the nature of the object is changed in this kingdom, but the paflions which receive them remain ; and the habits moft pre- valent in each country, make each purfuit feem lefs contradictory to good fenfe. IN fad, it is the nature of the human heart to be anxious in ficknefs, and the head to be eafily prevailed on, by its perfwafive fenfations ; for LETTER XXIII. 193 for that reafon, in religious countries the dif- eafed flies to his faint for fafety and protection ; and in thofe who have none, to quack medi- cines ; each believes, that one and the other has fome inexplicable power of extirpating their grievance, and the believer in univerfal reme- dies, is as much a fuperftitious devotee, as he that confides in St. Anthony. PRAY, is it more incredible that St Anthony preached to the fifties, and that they attended his difcourfe, than that a minifter has found a way to preach men into the ruin of themfelves and pofterity -, or, that he can conceive it pofii- ble to oppofe the invafion of an enemy of regu- lar troops, with thofe who never knew the ufe of arms; yet, the latter is true to my certain knowledge. MR. Addifon treats with much ridicule, the believing that an image of our lady in Italy changed the pofition of our Saviour from one arm to another, to preferve it from injury ; and yet his countrymen have believed as im- probable things within this laft year. VOL. I. O THE 194 LETTER XXIII. THE favourers of a girl who had fworn a robbery againft an old woman, and was after- wards convicted of perjury, believed that this girl lived a month upon one pound of bread and a frnall pitcher of water, withput diminu- tion of ftrength , and that the old woman was at one and the fame time in two different places, more than a hundred miles diftant from each other j for this mud be their belief, the old woman being proved beyond all contradiction to be at that diftance, at the time when the other fwore that this robbery was committed, and the advocates of the girl believed me was prefent at the robbery. PRAY, what is there more ridiculous in the Vir- gin's power of changing pofiures with the child, than in an old woman's being at two places at one and the fame minute ; or, how are the Italians more ridiculous in the belief of the firft, than the Englifh in that of the latter ; I am convinced, that for one Italian who believes the tf ory of the virgin, there are twenty Englifli who believe this of the girl and the old woman, and people of a rank where one ihould not expect fuch abfurd credulity : LETTER XXIII. credulity : indeed the whole nation was divided on this ridiculous (lory of the old woman and girl, with as much zeal, as if their whole fate depended on it. THUS then, the credulity of a nation may be as vifible and eafily duped, where religion does not afford it objects, as where it does; and if the church does not find it proper diet, it will take it for itfelf. I HAVE often fmiled at the account which Dr. Middleton has given, of the conformity be- tween pagan and catholic Rome in matters of religion ; a difcovery made long before his time, and acknowledged by our writers ; it is juft as ingenious as it would be to prove the confor- mity between the functions of the body of thofe men who lived in the time of Numa, and pope Leo the tenth. A PHILOSOPHER who knows his proper object, does not admire at, or condemn this con- formity, he is convinced that human nature is ftill the fame in all countries j that the mind 2 actuated 196 LETTER XXIII. actuated with religion cannot avoid (hewing marks of gratitude, and being pleafed with fee- ing the object of their adoration ferved with in- cenfe, pomp, and fplendour. To what purpofe is all this fatire againft votive pieces, lighted tapers, burning perfumes, and other ceremonies of this kind , the i^.inds of thefe people are only in- cited by gratitude, to actions of adoration and de- votion in thefe objects of the fenfes; it changes not eflfentials in our religion, and thofe creatures are not capable of being led by reafoning, to the paths which conduct to happinefs. EVERY Englishman would be a philofopher, and treat mankind as beings influenced by rea* fonable motives only ; than which nothing mews a greater deficiency in true philofophy : the ef- fect of which is, that the common peopte neglect- ed, and uninfluenced by objects of the fenfes, are untouched by any power of religion, and to- tally abandoned, as one hour's ramble in the ftreets of London will convince the moft incre- dulous. I s it wifer then, to ridicule and defpife the re- femblances which he has recited in his epiflle, and 4. leave LETTER XXI1L 197 leave the populace unreftrained, than to hold their minds fteady to their duty, by ceremonies which can have no ill tendency ? As a philofopher* Dr. Middleton mud have agreed in the latter, and as a chriftian he ought to have faid nothing, be- caufe he felt no influence from that faith, it may be juftly prefumed from his other works. I am, four's moft O * LET- 198 LETTER XXIV. LETTER XXIV. To the Reverend Father D o M i N i co MANZONI, at Rome. Dear Sir, T AM apt to believe from what may be feen * amongft this people, that the love of riches always brings the ruin of a nation with it, not by the luxury, which is for the moft part the confequence of that defire, but from weaning the mind from every other purfuit. THE fouls of thofe people, who are actu- ated by this paflion, are eternally feparating more and more from the univerfal mafs ; they refemble the ground which cleaves into diftinct parts, and becomes fterile by too much drinefs , it is thirfty, and would rob all other parts of their native dividend of moiiture. NOTHING LETTER XXIV. 199 NOTHING fhould be fo much guarded againft by a legiflator, as the evil effects of this love of money ; this nothing can effectually do, but an univerlal belief of a future ftate ; a day of anfv/ering for all crimes by punimment, and receiving full re\vard for virtue. THE fyflem of every legidator muft be im- perfect for ever, without this. No plan of go- vernment, however excellent in preventive and penal laws, can anfwer that defign. Men may be guilty of the moil infamous tranfactions, where no part of them can be known, but to themfelves, againft which the fear of corporal punifhment cannot effectuate any thing, and from the fteady belief of religious obligation alone, any effectual check to vice, or impulfe to virtue, can be expected. Self-love in this tranfient ftate, muft be overcome by the felf- love in that of Eternity. Therefore all thpfe appear to be drivelers in philofophy and man, who would weaken the influence of the re- wards and punilhments of another world j can it O 4 be 200 LETTER XXIV. be too much encouraged to virtue, or with- held from vice by any motives ? and if punifh- ment be not everlafting, the reward which attends virtue cannot be intitled to ir y becaufe each relating alike to the com million of temporary evil, and temporary good, the recompence for virtue has no title to eternal rewards, more than that of vice to ever-during punimment. Thus, what the libertine gains by fuppofing the punimment is not eternal in the other world, the pious and devout foul lofes by the thoughts of his happinefs being limited in its duration, when this life is at an end : at the fame time, motives to virtue are enfeebled on both fides the queftion, by fuftaining, that punimment hereafter cannot be everlafting, and the two moft animating paffions of the human heart, are leffen'd in their force arid operation, hope, and fear. THE truth of this is manifeftly feen in the practice of all the common people of this city. ONE would be led to imagine, that it was the avow'd fcheme of the miniftry in this kingdom, to LETTER XXIV. 201 to deftroy all incentive to virtue, or reftraint from vice. Every man that is not of the efta- blifli'd church, is obliged to take the facrament as an oath of his conformity to it, before he can accept any office under the government ; not that they who oblige him, expect he mould keep it any more, than he intends adhering to this mod facred obligation, at the moment of his taking it. BY this action, the minds of men being robb'd of that uniting principle of integrity, which holds them firmly together, are more cafily invaded by all future attacks from the fide of intereft, and open to corruption , the firft breach makes way for the inroad of every fuc- ceeding vice. THE common people of London, who are indeed fubjected to no powers, but the fecular, are moft heinous inftances of the mifchiefs which the neglect of religious motives brings on a nation. There is at prefent nothing however, impofiible according to the rules of common nature, that numberlefs witnefies may not be brought 202 LETTER XXIV. brought to fwear for fmall fums of mo- ney ; every trial gives inftances fhocking to human nature, of this contempt of the name of God. TH E regard paid to money, being the only thing .confider'd as eflentially good amongft the greateft, without regard to the perfections, or excellencies of the mind, it is become a re- ceived maxim, that by whatever means riches can be obtain'd, pofTeffion obliterates all fhame belonging to it. THUS the terrors of another world being to- tally annihilated, the mod monftrous crimes are every day committed ; the effed of the fear of death in thefe inftances is loft, and that ftrong reftraint from evil, fo natural to human minds, the pain of (hame, is totally eradicated. WHAT fting has death to thofe who never reflect on futurity, and live unhappy lives ? What punifliment is fhame to fouls, which have loft the fenfe of it. THE LETTER XXIV. 203 THE two great engines of government in this kingdom, are rendered ufelefs, religion, and the fenfe of fhame : to fo deteftable a de- gree the affair of perjury is arrived, that the legiflator, who ought to make and preferve laws againft that mofl destructive of all evils to human fociety, is the very perfon who bribes them to that iniquity ; the very means which lead to the obtaining the higheft honors are pro- ftituting the minds of the electors to the guilt of perjury. If minifters are to anfwer for the good they omit doing ; what have thofe to an- fwer, who are defloying all diftindtion between fas and fiefas ; confiderations of the higheft im- port to the well-being of mankind. THEY exclaim vehemently againft ruling the mind by religious awe, it is all fuper- ftition and flavery ; the catholic potentates, who keep men to their duty, by die influence of priefts and church-power, are all a fet of moft infamous men ; it is a tyranny over xhe confcience, which a free agent mould not bear ; a flagitious practice of (tripping and deluding the LETTER XXIV. the poor people of their effects, and right of* thinking for themfelves* THIS has been the conflant cry ever fince the revolution ; but is it a national good, or more honeft and virtuous in a minifter to deftroy all obligation from religion, and fetting the king- dom loofe from the regards which it owes to heaven and earth j putrify the minds of a whole people, by the taint of one univerfal bribery* and corruption. -,rfl : IF in Italy their governors keep mankind too ftricr. to their duty, and more in fubjection than they ought ; if the fears and hopes of fu- turity influence too much, and fubjecl them to their ecclefiaflical power beyond what nature can bear and be eafy, and liberty is too much infringed by reftraints , there is yet a million times more mifchief done in this country, by the whole bond of human nature being broken, and men encouraged by public bribery, to the commimon of that which corrupts the mind entirely. LETTER XXIV. 205 IF liberty confift in the fecurity of proper- ty, what fecurity can any man have for what he poiTeffes, or for his own life, when per- jury is openly encouraged ? Will thofe who are guilty of avow'd and public perjuries, once in feven years, be men of integrity all the other intervening time ? Liberty therefore is more infringed by this habitude of licentious indul- gence, than by all the reftraint from ecclefiaftic power ; the fole difference lies in this : the natives of England think that the Italians are cajoled into flavery, and lofs of their property, by priefts ; and here the minifter buys them like oxen in the market, to their own Daugh- ter. The latter may be more pleaiing, but the people are (laves alike. TH is is the prefent mode of ruling in Eng- land ; and from fuch proceedings, what can be expected, but goals filPd with felons ; high- ways and public ftreets fwarming with thieves and beggars, and the gallows groaning beneath the crowds of thofe that are executed : the mi- nifters fsrfl: try every way to take off the ef- fects 206 LETTER XXIV. fe&s of fhame, and fear of death, and then won- ckr that men plunder and are hang'd. A DAY of execution here is attended with as much pleafure, as a fliew of gladiators was in old Rome , the contempt of death is as much applauded by the populace in this action as in the other, mftfic pro patria concidiffet : It com immicates no more terror to the fpectators, than the flaughtering a bull. The frequency of the celebration of the hanging- feaft, as it is call'd, has made it as little aweful as the felling dead fheep in the mambles , the populace have rank'd it amongft the difeafes of life, and think it no more unnatural to die of a rope and an executioner, than of a doctor and a fever. PERHAPS you will be apt to impute much of this caufe to neglect in the clergy of this country j fome there may be, but the cry againft the church-power is fo great, and the fin of popery fo readily imputed to thofe who would do their duty this way, by the diflenters, that I know not, whether they may with fafety .t about an innovation of this kind. NOTHING is more amazing to my appre- henfion, than that a nation which has ftruggled fo LETTER XXIV. 207 fo nobly againft former invafions of their rights, fhould now fo tamely fee themfelves fold in their elections of reprefentatives, by the worft and loweft of mankind, to him alone that is only more defpicable. DURING the laft elections, inftead of pre- venting the ruin of their country, or lament- ing its forlorn condition ; the whole attention was taken up about the two tryals, of an old beggar-woman, and an infamous young girl. It recall'd to my mind the ftate of the Athe- nian people in the time of Demofthenes, and the pictures he has given of them in his phi- lipics. WHATEVER be the event of its prefent condition, I am not gifted with the art of divi- nation, fufficient to penetrate-, but at prefent it refembles thofe infects, which are near the moment of a new metamorphofis ; but whe- ther an eagle or a moth, a creature that mall face the fun, or be doom'd to perpetual dark- nefs only, a few years muft difcover, as it is at this hour it cannot long remain. 1 am yours moft affectionately. LET- LETTER XXV. LETTER XXV. To the Reverend Father ANGELO BONCARO at Rome. Dear Sir, THE various feds which fill this ifle, refemble the ark of Noah in every thing but one ; they are almoft as numerous as the whole race of living things, but fome of them fcarce feem to be of God's creation. I F they muft be imputed to that caufe, they feem rather to fhew us the excellency of fome by the depravity of others, as vice exhibits virtue in its fulleft glory, a ftorm endears the hours of funmine, or an earthquake enhances the value of the fteady courfe of nature. MB THINKS chriftianity has been tax'd by the men of pretended reafon, with a fault, which in fact ought to have been confider'd as an ex- cellency by them ; from its promulgation have iprung as many different feels, as philofophies from LETTER XXV. 209 from that which was call'd reafon , mould not this analogy have made the enquirers into truth and nature, as it is call'd, determine in its favour rather than the contrary, and have won them to its party, rather than driven them to the oppofite , refemblance in other things, generally creates efteem where we have liked one before: In this however it makes an ob- jection. OF all the opinions that feem to prevail in this nation, that which is reckon* d the moft ab- ftrufe and deep, is that of fatality, and the moft readily adapted, for reafons which may be eafily fuggefted. IF I mould enter into a thorough difquifition on this fubjeft, it would carry me too far for the limits of a letter ; befides, I have no other intent at prefent than to remark, that there is in the human mind, a power of examining, com- paring, and combining ideas, which is not in machines ; and that if all actions fpring from fata- lity, yet there is fomething in the fatality of one, which is not to be feen in the fatality VOL. I. P of 2io LETTER XXV. of the other. Otherwife there feems to be no more excellence in Homer than in a clock j the mind of the firft from internal fprings and weights, or other material caufes, as necefiarily points to the thoughts, which combined, make fuch charming pictures to the reader's imagi- nation, as the latter does to the hour, and the man fpeaks as mechanically at {peaking time, as the clock does at the revolution of the hours at ftriking time ; whence do we admire the fatality in one, and not the. other, if each is equally fatal ? aib'jwft'. . ,,I.F this be true, it really feems odd that it mould 5 however, if we fuppofe all is mechanifm and ne- cefiity, we muft yet accede to this, that this ma- chine has a power of combining, feparating, com- paring, and diftingui filing ideas, and of examin- ing its own powers, which is not to be found in thofe of. the human contrivance. This no fa- talift can deny, and perhaps thefe faculties will probably amount to fomething. adequate to the idea of freedom. THAT LETTER XXV. 211 THAT man fhould be acquainted with hris own fabric, is a thing thac cannot be denied by any one, if he intends to regulate his mo- tions at all. THIS fyftem of fatality then, tends to make man unacquainted with his own powers j it not only deiftroys as far as it influences all moral and religious motives, but effaces the knowledge of ourfelves. Philofophers in this fyftem pro- ceed no farthtr, than that every effect has its caufe, and therefore every thing is necefiary; that as prefcience muft be an attribute of the deity, prefcience includes a certainty of all things being determined as they are, or there can be no prefcience 5 therefore a fatality de- cides in all things. Here their philofophy reftsj confidering all things as predeftin.ed j thus grow- ing inactive they fearch no farther into the com-, pofition and operation of this machine : does not this tend to deftroy the very knowledge of hu- man kind ? It cannot be denied, I think, thac we have a power of examining ourfelves ; this makes part of fatality then, if all is fatal. P 2 LET 2i'2 LETTER XXV. LET us for once conceive that every fa- cility of the mind ads mechanically, as in a machine which is kept going by weights and fprings -, the pafiions are the weights and fprings which put it in motion, reafon the pendulum, which balances- and corrects the force of the former, and regulates its movements ; befides thefe, that the fenfes, faith, imagination, and all the large family of the various faculties, have their caufes to put them into action, and that there is in fome minds a power of examining all ; in this, man differs at leaft, from the ma- chines of man's invention. :, f .;;! A s in the ftudy of mechanics, the perfon who bed knows the powers of fprings, weights, wheels, and levers, and the refult which follows their combination, will certainly be the moft expert machinic ; and he who has never ap- plied to this ftudy will have infinite difficul- ties to furmount, in the making the leaft in- ilrument of a complex nature ; yet each under the. fame power of necemty : So LETTER -XXV. 2*3 So in like manner the philofopher, tho* a fa- . talift, who intends making any progrefs in thfc knowledge of the human mind, mould attempt the difcovering thofe objects which influence and affect every part of it, and not reft in the lazy inattentive ftate of fatality, without enquir- ing into the motives which fet the different parts of this various machine into motion. IN the conftruction of watches and clocks, he that knows that the elafticity of fteel renders it fit for making fprings, that it will re-ad after being acted upon, that a fwinging weight will regulate thefe motions, has gained already two the moft eflential parts towards the fabricating thefe machines ; when he finds allb, that different powers of the fpring make watches go fader or flower , that length of pendulum influences greatly in the motions of a clock, tho* all thefe differences are found by experience to be fo many fatalities, yet, after they are known, he makes a more certain ufe of them, than if they were not fo, and applies all thefe proper- ties to his own advantage , and tho* influenced P 3. by LETTER XXV. by nscefiity, has a faculty of combining thefe powers. I N like manner, a fatalift, I mean a philofo- pher, who knows the mind of man, and how it is affected, fhould apply the motives which influence the various faculties of the foul , thofe things which act necefiarily according to his fcheme, on our hopes, fears, and other paflions -, faith mould have its proper objects to direct it right ; the fenfes be influenced in like manner, operating for the general good j the imagination be affected by the dazzle and delight of future glory , and laftly, the efoteric doctrine fhould be that of reafon, not that limited view of thefe philofophers at prefent, which excludes all the parts we have already mentioned, fenfe, faith, paf- fions and imagination, from their fyftem, as if they contained nothing true ; but that of knowing and acknowledging that all things are true, to thofe faculties which apprehend them, and that the only right reafon is that, which conceiving man thus formed, and allowing things to be thus con- ftituted, goes along with the ftream of nature in the conduct of the world, acknowledging all thefe 3 parts LETTER XXV. 215 parts to make the whole of man, and enter into the reafon of the univerfe. NECESSITY taken in this way would have, in its effect, little difference from free-will and liberty , perhaps, tho* philofophers fee it not in this view, this is the way nature proceeds ; and on this plan a philofopher would form his fyftem of governing mankind, if he was truly inftructed in the knowledge of that fatality he pretended to underftand. THE man who truly comprehends the nature of his own exiftence, would deftine to every part of the foul its proper object, and forming the exacted computation of the powers of all the faculties of the mind, not as they ftand in himfelf, but in all nature as far as he could pe- netrate, adapt the objects fitted to each percep- tion, and proportioned to the degrees of them in all nature. To the lowed underftandipgs as well as the higheft, that each might find its object and influence in governing and regulat- ing the actions of mankind. P 4 F^iTifc LETTER XXV. FAITH, fo natural to men of all capacities, efpecially the meaneft, the million, muft be fixed on proper objects , the paflions animated by par- ticular circumftances, or reftrained by others in the articles of belief ; the fenfes awakened and touched by the vifible reprefentations of their creed ; the mind induced to confider highly of the power believed in, by pomp and wor- fhip, and tokens of reverence and gratitude ; the weaknefs of human nature indulged in the hopes of a redeemer and mediator, between a foul funk to nothing by its vices in its own con- fideration, and that being of their worfhip all purity and perfection ; the imagination warmed by the objects of another world, combining the whole fum of mental pleafures and fupreme de- lights ; and laftly, reafon fhould behold all thefe right .in nature, as wheels, weights, fprings, and their powers are in machines, with no great- er proof of the truth of the lad, than of the fijft, experience only ; which teaches us that thefe are natural, to man, without which fagacioufly ad- jufted, he can no more be governed and go right, LETTER XXV. 217 right, than a clock can meafure time. Chriftianity certainly embraces the whole fyftem of truth to mental nature, neceffary if the fatalift pleafes, pro- ceeding from the will of God, in the opinion of thofe who acknowledge a free-will j but in bo:h manners of coniidering it, equally true with all other things, and equally adapted to our well- being, as rain and funmine to fruit and flowers. THUS, Sir, I have been led I know not how into this metaphyfical refearch, to fhew you that the fyftem of fatality, as it is generally received, tends to deftroy the knowledge of men, and would effect it, if even neceffity in all the facul- ties did not lay claim to its right ; fatality in the hands of a man of genius would then be directed- much to the fame purpofes, with thofc of a man who acknowledged the doctrine of free-wiil : let me tell you, that the philofophers of Fr ^ land are extremely deficient in this fyftem ; thiy allow that all exifts from neceffity, and yet, that religion is a falfe and deftructive inftitution, when this muft have the fame title to be right .and true, with all the mod favourite truths of jheir reafcn and fyftem j its fpringing from feme caufe 218 LETTER XXV. caufe which is neceflary, and it has always made part of the fyftem of nature and govern- ment of men ; thus, their philofophy and ne- gleft of their religion, tend alike at prefent to the ruin of national government, I am, Your woft oltfant. L E T LETTER XXVI. 219 LETTER XXVL To the Count efs of ***** at Rome. Madam, WHAT yon have been told with refpeft to the Englifh ladies, and women in ge- neral, is true ; they have an external neatnefs in their drefs, which is to be feen in no other na- tion upon earth , that part of apparel which is called an apron, unknown to your country, and which I know no way of describing to you, but by referring you, like a mathematician to his diagram, to that little jointed baby which I fend you with this, by Mr. . This figure is dreft in the night-gown of England, which be- ing often white, handkerchiefs and caps, as you will fee, all of the fame hue, give an air of clean- Jinefs beyond imagination. TH is drefs, with their hats on in the public walks, communicates to a ftranger the mod pkafjng fenfation, a kiod of paftoral delight, a fcejje 220 LETTER XXVI. fcene of old Arcadia, or like fome of Wattcau's pictures in the rural kind. I N Paris the women have quite another air in their motions, looks, drefs, and behaviour, they impart a grace .of a very fuperior nature, fuch as becomes perfons of the higheft rank in the fpecies ; in London, the women of quality have much of the fhepherdefs mein, or rather inclin- ing to fomething lefs modeft, the nymphs of the town ; this air I prefume thefe ladies affect for a moral purpofe, that by this artifice all kinds of characters in women looking alike, the men flial 1 be afraid to accoft any of them, left peradventure, they mould meet a virtuous wo- man and be rejected with contempt. Thus the dames of avowed pleafure are prevented from exerting all their mifchief, by being mixt with and undiftinguifhable fromthofeof profeffed vir- tue, as the fame quantity of poifon diffufed thro* a large mafs of matter, is lefs likely to kill, than in its unmixed ftate , or, wine lefs apt to intoxicate when it is difFufed in water, than when taken alone ; this policy you muft allow to be admirable in favour of virtue and chaftity, amongft the ladies of England. 3 YET LETTER XXVI. 221 YET I am afraid, madam, that in drefs, the fame objection lies againft the ladies of London, that they 'fay lies againft the religion of the Ita- lians ; the external fhovv and parade may be greater, but the parts concealed are more ne- glected, than in the regions of Italy. A MAN of my character and function, muft be fuppofed to fpeak all this from hearfay only, and not knowledge ; and I affure you, the gen- tlemen who have vifited the kingdoms on the the other fide of the Alps, tell me, that the hidden corners are kept cleaner by our ladies, than by thofe of England, and internal purity makes ample amends for external appearance. THIS I think, is but reafonable in thofe ladies, if they were as elegantly neat beneath as above, they would like fo many Calypfos charm all mankind, and confine them to this ifland ; but they are moderate in their defires, and cherilh fome hidden difguft on purpofe not to difpeople other realms, or, at leaft, make them all fo many nations of Amazons without a man amongft them. THE 222 LETTER XXVI. THE perfons of Englifh women are certainly very fine, their complexions, fhapes, and pro- portions very pleafing and attractive , yet they are extremely deficient, not only in that which I have already mentioned, but in another inter- nal confideration , they do not give their minds all that beauty, which grace adds to fentiment, and are infinitely lefs pleafing in converfation, than the ladies of Italy or France. THUS, tho* they eafily captivate, their chains are too feeble to hold their captives long in de- pendance , they think of no more than the mo- ments of delight, and leave the hours of indif- ference unprovided for, that is, they decorate their perfofls, and neglect their understandings. THUS it happens, that when pofiefflon has Uript the veil, which love throws over all parts of its objects, unlefs thofe deftined for the eye j a new fceae appears, and all the undifcovered parts of perfbn, in mind and difpofition, now put into the oppofite fcale, weigh down the former, which like gold becomes lighter by wearing, IT * LETTER XXVI. 223 IT is*o this neglect in England alfo, that the ladies of France and Italy find fuch praifes in the mouths of Englifh travellers ; indeed it is owing to a falfe notion in this nation, of fuppofing wo- men unfit for converfation, that it has fo long pre- vailed ; whereas, in truth, their underftandings are as good as thofe of the ladies of any nation, and the converfation as brilliant, of all thofc who have been bred to the ufe and exertion of their faculties. THE chief reafon that women are lefs efteem- ed here than in France, is, that the education of youth tends naturally to keep them from their company ; from fchool they go to the uni- verfities, the law, or phyfic, and are under the tuicion of men till three or four and twenty j whereas, a young gentleman in France comes from the college at thirteen or fourteen, and is immediately delivered over to the care and fu- perintendency of fome woman of quality, prac- tifed in the ways of love, men, and gallantry. HE R E he learns every qualification necefTary to accomplifh a young gentleman, for the fu- preme 224 LETTER XXVI. preme art and myfteries of love j he is inftrucled in all the falacies and deceits of women ; the artifices and devices of men ; the whole attack and defence of the fex ; when being accom- plifh'd, he is let loofe, not to make war, but love, on the females of Paris. FROM this it is, that the gentlemen of France always think ladies the moft defireable companions for converfation, and the women are ftil) inftructed by teaching, as preceptors become more expert by having pupils. A WOMAN in England is the momentary toy of pafiion. In France the companion, in the hours of reafon and converfation, as well as in thofe of love ; the fentimental makes the greatefl part of the delight : a female of France would blufh at the gothic joys which an En- glimman only thinks of, and pretend at leaft to fly his arms and converfation. IN truth, they fupply the void of love with much art; and if they do not fofter a genuine paffion, they fupport an artificial one fo per- fcftly, LETTER XXVI. 225 feftly, that all feems eafy and natural. A wo- man in England, in general, (corns difguife ; ihe will have the whole heart, or nothing j and c-etefls the ghoft of a lover, as every thing is calPd but flefh and blood. Indeed the mod polite men and their wives have learnt to be civil of ]ate, without caring fix- pence for each other. To recompence the lofs of thefe qualities, how- ever amiable, it muil be avow'd that virtue is the due praife of Englifh wives j and were the men half fo fteady to their country's good, as their ladies are to their honor, no nation could boaft more Uluftrious natives. WITHOUT doubt there are ftwer corrupt mar- ried woman in this nation, than in any in Europe where women have fo much liberty ; and huf- bands have juftly more reliance on them, than in any other country. Confidence creates ho- nor, and the liberty of choofing thofe they love has preferved their virtue -, but the time ap- proaches, and the law is talk'd of, which mull in fome time bring them on a level in levity with- other women of Europe.: it is determin- ed, that neither honor in man, nor virtue in VOL. I. Q woman, 226 LETTER XXVI. woman, (hall be longer encouraged in this ifle ; that fince the naturalization of the off-caft of all nations cannot take place at prefent, the expulfion of every virtue may, in order to pave the road for that glorious defign. In all pro- bability, madam, a few years, if a law which rsftrains young people from being wedded to their choices, Ihould be pafs'd, the Englifh la- dies may be as remarkable for having as much cleanlinefs, and as little chaftity, as thofe of Italy or any other country. THEIR gallantries and intrigues may make them as fentimental, and refined, . as either the French or Italians ; and the lofs of one virtue, ( indeed it is a capital one ) be amply recom- penced by the acquifition of five hundred hypo- crifies. This is a thing to be dreaded by the wo- men of all other nations : if beauty makes the females of England already a formidable rival to the French power in that particular, in oppo- fition to internal cleanlinefs, fpiritof converfation, cajoling, and intrigue ; what will it effect when it has acquired all thefe powerful additions ? I TREM- LETTER XXVI. 227 I TREMBLE For the continent, and verily be- lieve, that this which appears a defign of ex- tirpating female virtue, is in truth a deep-laid fcheme to conquer the French in their own way, and declaring a new kind of war, where the powers are female. IN what a flrange light do vulgar eyes be- hold things ! how often are minifters calum- niated by the tongue of malice and maledic- tion ! what can (hew the genius of a ftatef- man to fo much advantage, as this fingle ftroke in policy, if it takes place ? where, after having ex- haufted the nation's treafure fruitlefsly in war, and mortgaged its honeft inhabitants to public plun- derers, he difcovers a new way of raifing the re- putation of his country, by abolifhing all female honor as much as he can, on purpofe to oppofe the gallantries, intrigues, and adulteries of this nation, againft thofe of France, and thus beat them at their own weapons in a new kind of war. I am told, by this he expects to be as much famed for fpreading the powers of vice every where, and conquering the virtues of both fexes, Q.2 as 228 LETTER XXVI. as the Duke of Marlborough was renown'd fof fubduing the enemies of the crown of England. Alas ! I tremble for the grand monarch. I am a Madam, Tour moft obedient, and moft humble fervant. End of the FIRST V o L u M E, University of California SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY Return this material to the library from which it was borrowed. REC'D J/W211991 062003 REC'DYRL ^.1 1005 3 1158 00984 0983 A 000 006 853 6 BHB