diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 05:24:54 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 05:24:54 -0700 |
| commit | a8334f7378baffeecd8322cb517a2ea5a5a3a4e8 (patch) | |
| tree | 71cfe979e18774fd5a634e9ed33dd0567c0b1687 | |
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 5132-0.txt | 4525 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 5132-0.zip | bin | 0 -> 105532 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 5132-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 192220 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 5132-h/5132-h.htm | 5012 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 5132-h/images/tpb.jpg | bin | 0 -> 77003 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 5132-h/images/tps.jpg | bin | 0 -> 8716 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/ltww10.txt | 4780 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/ltww10.zip | bin | 0 -> 104880 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/ltww10h.htm | 4615 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/ltww10h.zip | bin | 0 -> 104838 bytes |
13 files changed, 18948 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/5132-0.txt b/5132-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ee5397a --- /dev/null +++ b/5132-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4525 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Letters to Sir William Windham and Mr. Pope, +by Lord Bolingbroke, Edited by Henry Morley + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Letters to Sir William Windham and Mr. Pope + + +Author: Lord Bolingbroke + +Editor: Henry Morley + +Release Date: August 10, 2014 [eBook #5132] +[This file was first posted on May 7, 2002] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LETTERS TO SIR WILLIAM WINDHAM AND +MR. POPE*** + + +This eBook was produced by Les Bowler. + + CASSELL’S NATIONAL LIBRARY + + * * * * * + + + + + + LETTERS + TO + SIR WILLIAM WINDHAM + AND + MR. POPE + + + BY + LORD BOLINGBROKE + + [Picture: Decorative graphic] + + CASSELL AND COMPANY, LIMITED + _LONDON_, _PARIS & MELBOURNE_ + 1894 + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +HENRY ST. JOHN, who became Viscount Bolingbroke in 1712, was born on the +1st of October, 1678, at the family manor of Battersea, then a country +village. His grandfather, Sir Walter St. John, lived there with his wife +Johanna,—daughter to Cromwell’s Chief Justice, Oliver St. John,—in one +home with the child’s father, Henry St. John, who was married to the +second daughter of Robert Rich, Earl of Warwick. The child’s +grandfather, a man of high character, lived to the age of eighty-seven; +and his father, more a man of what is miscalled pleasure, to the age of +ninety. It was chiefly by his grandfather and grandmother that the +education of young Henry St. John was cared for. Simon Patrick, +afterwards Bishop of Ely, was for some years a chaplain in their home. +By his grandfather and grandmother the child’s religious education may +have been too formally cared for. A passage in Bolingbroke’s letter to +Pope shows that he was required as a child to read works of a divine who +“made a hundred and nineteen sermons on the hundred and nineteenth +Psalm.” + +After education at Eton and Christchurch, Henry St. John travelled +abroad, and in the year 1700 he married, at the age of twenty-two, +Frances, daughter and co-heiress of Sir Henry Winchescomb, a Berkshire +baronet. She had much property, and more in prospect. + +In the year 1701, Henry St. John entered Parliament as member for Wotton +Bassett, the family borough. He acted with the Tories, and became +intimate with their leader, Robert Harley. He soon became distinguished +as the ablest and most vigorous of the young supporters of the Tory +party. He was a handsome man and a brilliant speaker, delighted in by +politicians who, according to his own image in the Letter to Windham, +“grow, like hounds, fond of the man who shows them game.” He was active +in the impeachment of Somers, Montague, the Duke of Portland, and the +Earl of Oxford for their negotiation of the Partition Treaties. In later +years he said he had acted here in ignorance, and justified those +treaties. + +James II. died at St. Germains, a pensioner of France, aged sixty-eight, +on the 6th of September, 1701. + +His pretensions to the English throne passed to the son, who had been +born on the 10th of June, 1688, and whose birth had hastened on the +Revolution. That son, James Francis Edward Stuart, who was only thirteen +years old at his father’s death, is known sometimes in history as the Old +Pretender; the Young Pretender being his son Charles Edward, whose defeat +at Culloden in 1746 destroyed the last faint hope of a restoration of the +Stuarts. It is with the young heir to the pretensions of James II. that +the story of the life of Bolingbroke becomes concerned. + +King William III. died on the 8th of March, 1702, and was succeeded by +James II.’s daughter Anne, who was then thirty-eight years old, and had +been married when in her nineteenth year to Prince George of Denmark. +She was a good wife and a good, simple-minded woman; a much-troubled +mother, who had lost five children in their infancy, besides one who +survived to be a boy of eleven and had died in the year 1700. As his +death left the succession to the Crown unsettled, an Act of Settlement, +passed on the 12th of June, 1701, had provided that, in case of failure +of direct heirs to the throne, the Crown should pass to the next +Protestant in succession, who was Sophia, wife of the Elector of Hanover. +The Electress Sophia was daughter of the Princess Elizabeth who had +married the Elector Palatine in 1613, granddaughter, therefore, of James +I. She was more than seventy years old when Queen Anne began her reign. +For ardent young Tories, who had no great interest in the limitation of +authority or enthusiasm for a Protestant succession, it was no treason to +think, though it would be treason to say, that the old Electress and her +more than forty-year-old German son George, gross-minded and clumsy, did +not altogether shut out hope for the succession of a more direct heir to +the Crown. + +In 1704 St. John was Secretary at War when Harley was Secretary of State, +and he remained in office till 1708, when the Whigs came in under +Marlborough and Godolphin, and St. John’s successor was his rival Robert +Walpole. St. John retired then for two year from public life to his +country seat at Bucklersbury in Berkshire, which had come to him, through +his wife, by the death of his wife’s father the year before. He was +thirty years old, the most brilliant of the rising statesmen; impatient +of Harley as a leader and of Walpole as his younger rival from the other +side, both of them men who, in his eyes, were dull and slow. St. John’s +quick intellect, though eager and impatient of successful rivalry, had +its philosophic turn. During these two years of retirement he indulged +the calmer love of study and thought, whose genius he said once, in a +letter to Lord Bathurst “On the True use of Retirement and Study,” +“unlike the dream of Socrates, whispered so softly, that very often I +heard him not, in the hurry of those passions by which I was transported. +Some calmer hours there were; in them I hearkened to him. Reflection had +often its turn, and the love of study and the desire of knowledge have +never quite abandoned me.” + +In 1710 the Whigs were out and Harley in again, with St. John in his +ministry as Secretary of State. “I am thinking,” wrote Swift to Stella, +“what a veneration we used to have for Sir William Temple because he +might have been Secretary of State at fifty; and here is a young fellow +hardly thirty in that employment.” + +It was the policy of the Tories to put an end to the war with France, +that was against all their political interests. The Whigs wished to +maintain it as a safeguard against reaction in favour of the Pretender. +In the peace negotiations nobody was so active as Secretary St. John. On +one occasion, without consulting his colleagues, he wrote to the Duke of +Ormond, who commanded the English army in the Netherlands: “Her Majesty, +my lord, has reason to believe that we shall come to an agreement on the +great article of the union of the two monarchies as soon as a courier +sent from Versailles to Madrid can return; it is, therefore, the Queen’s +positive command to your grace, that you avoid engaging in any siege or +hazarding a battle till you have further orders from her Majesty. I am +at the same time directed to let your grace know that the Queen would +have you disguise the receipt of this order; and that her Majesty thinks +you cannot want pretences for conducting yourself so as to answer her +ends without owning that which might at present have an ill effect if +publicly known.” He added as a postscript: “I had almost forgot to tell +your grace that communication is given of this order to the Court of +France.” The peace was right, but the way of making it was mean in more +ways than one, and the friction between Harley and St. John steadily +increased. St. John used his majority in the House for the expulsion of +his rival Walpole and Walpole’s imprisonment in the Tower upon charges of +corruption. In 1712, when Harley had obtained for himself the Earldom of +Oxford, St. John wanted an earldom too; and the Earldom of Bolingbroke, +in the elder branch of his family, had lately become extinct. His +ill-will to Harley was embittered by the fact that only the lower rank of +Viscount was conceded to him, and he was sent from the House of Commons, +where his influence was great, at the age of thirty-four, as Viscount +Bolingbroke and Baron St. John. His father’s congratulation on the +peerage glanced at the perils of Jacobitism: “Well, Harry, I said you +would be hanged, but now I see you’ll be beheaded.” + +The Treaty of Utrecht, that closed the War of the Spanish Succession, was +signed on the 11th of April (new style), 1713. Queen Anne died on the +1st of August, 1714, when time was not ripe for the reaction that +Bolingbroke had hoped to see. His Letter to Windham frankly leaves us to +understand that in Queen Anne’s reign the possible succession of James +II.’s son, the Chevalier de St. George, had never been out of his mind. + +The death of the Electress Sophia brought her son George to the throne. +The Whigs triumphed, and Lord Bolingbroke was politically ruined. He was +dismissed from office before the end of the month. On the 26th of March, +1715, he escaped to France, in disguise of a valet to the French +messenger La Vigne. A Secret Committee of the House of Commons was, a +few days afterwards, appointed to examine papers, and the result was +Walpole’s impeachment of Bolingbroke. He was, in September, 1715, in +default of surrender, attainted of high treason, and his name was erased +from the roll of peers. His own account of his policy will be found in +this letter to his friend Sir William Windham, in which the only weak +feature is the bitterness of Bolingbroke’s resentment against Harley. + +When he went in exile to France, Bolingbroke remained only a few days in +Paris before retiring to St. Clair, near Vienne, in Dauphiny. His Letter +to Windham tells how he became Secretary of State to the Pretender, and +how little influence he could obtain over the Jacobite counsels. The +hopeless Rebellion of 1715, in Scotland, Bolingbroke laboured in vain to +delay until there might be some chance of success. The death of Louis +XIV., on the 1st of September in that year, had removed the last prop of +a falling cause. + +Some part of Bolingbroke’s forfeited property was returned to his wife, +who pleaded in vain for the reversal of his attainder. Bolingbroke was +ill-used by the Pretender and abused by the Jacobites. He had been +writing philosophical “Reflections upon Exile,” but when he found himself +thus attacked on both sides Bolingbroke resolved to cast Jacobitism to +the winds, speak out like a man, and vindicate himself in a way that +might possibly restore him to the service of his country. So in April, +1717, at the age of thirty-nine, he began work upon what is justly +considered the best of his writings, his Letter to Sir William Windham. + +Windham was a young Tory politician of good family and great wealth, who +had married a daughter of the Duke of Somerset, and had been accepted by +the Tories in the House of Commons as a leader, after Henry St. John had +been sent to the House of Lords. Windham was “Dear Willie” to +Bolingbroke, a constant friend, and in 1715 he was sent to the Tower as a +Jacobite. But he had powerful connections, was kindly and not dangerous, +and was soon back in his place in the House fighting the Whigs. The +Letter to Windham was finished in the summer of 1717. Its frankness was +only suited to the prospect of a pardon. It was found that there was no +such prospect, and the Letter was not published until 1753, a year or two +after its writer’s death. + +Bolingbroke’s first wife died in November, 1718. He married in 1720 a +Marquise de Villette, with whom he lived on an estate called La Source, +near Orleans, at the source of the small river Loiret. There he talked +and wrote philosophy. His pardon was obtained in May, 1723. In 1725 he +was allowed by Act of Parliament the possession of his family +inheritance; but as the attainder was not reversed he could never again +sit in Parliament. So he came home in 1725, and bought an estate at +Dawley, near Uxbridge. There he philosophised in his own way and played +at farming, discoursed with Pope and plied his pen against the Whigs. In +his letter to Pope, Bolingbroke writes of ministers of religion as if +they had no other function than to maintain theological dogmas, and draws +a false conclusion from false premisses. He died on the 12th of +December, 1751. + + H.M. + + + + +A LETTER +TO +SIR WILLIAM WINDHAM. + + +I WAS well enough acquainted with the general character of mankind, and +in particular with that of my own countrymen, to expect to be as much out +of the minds of the Tories during my exile as if we had never lived and +acted together. I depended on being forgot by them, and was far from +imagining it possible that I should be remembered only to be condemned +loudly by one half of them, and to be tacitly censured by the greatest +part of the other half. As soon as I was separated from the Pretender +and his interest, I declared myself to be so; and I gave directions for +writing into England what I judged sufficient to put my friends on their +guard against any surprise concerning an event which it was their +interest, as well as mine, that they should be very rightly informed +about. + +As soon as the Pretender’s adherents began to clamour against me in this +country, and to disperse their scandal by circular letters everywhere +else, I gave directions for writing into England again. Their groundless +articles of accusation were refuted, and enough was said to give my +friends a general idea of what had happened to me, and at least to make +them suspend the fixing any opinion till such time as I should be able to +write more fully and plainly to them myself. To condemn no person +unheard is a rule of natural equity, which we see rarely violated in +Turkey, or in the country where I am writing: that it would not be so +with me in Great Britain, I confess that I flattered myself. I dwelt +securely in this confidence, and gave very little attention to any of +those scurrilous methods which were taken about this time to blast my +reputation. The event of things has shown that I trusted too much to my +own innocence, and to the justice of my old friends. + +It was obvious that the Chevalier and the Earl of Mar hoped to load me +with the imputation of treachery, incapacity, or neglect: it was +indifferent to them of which. If they could ascribe to one of those +their not being supported from France, they imagined that they should +justify their precipitate flight from Scotland, which many of their +fastest friends exclaimed against; and that they should varnish over that +original capital fault, the drawing the Highlanders together in arms at +the time and in the manner in which it was done. + +The Scotch, who fell at once from all the sanguine expectations with +which they had been soothed, and who found themselves reduced to despair, +were easy to be incensed; they had received no support whatever, and it +was natural for them rather to believe that they failed of this support +by my fault, than to imagine their general had prevailed on them to rise +in the very point of time when it was impossible that they should be +supported from France, or from any other part of the world. The Duke of +Ormond, who had been the bubble of his own popularity, was enough out of +humour with the general turn of affairs to be easily set against any +particular man. The emissaries of this Court, whose commission was to +amuse, had imposed upon him all along; and there were other busy people +who thought to find their account in having him to themselves. I had +never been in his secret whilst we were in England together: and from his +first coming into France he was either prevailed upon by others, or, +which I rather believe, he concurred with others, to keep me out of it. +The perfect indifference I showed whether I was in it or no, might carry +him from acting separately, to act against me. + +The whole tribe of Irish and other papists were ready to seize the first +opportunity of venting their spleen against a man, who had constantly +avoided all intimacy with them; who acted in the same cause, but on a +different principle, and who meant no one thing in the world less than +raising them to the advantages which they expected. + +That these several persons, for the reasons I have mentioned, should join +in a cry against me, is not very marvellous; the contrary would be so to +a man who knows them as well as I do. But that the English Tories should +serve as echoes to them—nay more, that my character should continue +doubtful at best amongst you, when those who first propagated the slander +are become ashamed of railing without proof, and have dropped the +clamour,—this I own that I never expected; and I may be allowed to say, +that as it is an extreme surprise, so it shall be a lesson to me. + +The Whigs impeached and attainted me. They went farther—at least, in my +way of thinking, that step was more cruel than all the others—by a +partial representation of facts, and pieces of facts, put together as it +best suited their purpose, and published to the whole world, they did all +that in them lay to expose me for a fool, and to brand me for a knave. +But then I had deserved this abundantly at their hands, according to the +notions of party-justice. The Tories have not indeed impeached nor +attainted me; but they have done, and are still doing something very like +to that which I took worse of the Whigs than the impeachment and +attainder: and this, after I have shown an inviolable attachment to the +service, and almost an implicit obedience to the will of the party; when +I am actually an outlaw, deprived of my honours, stripped of my fortune, +and cut off from my family and my country, for their sakes. + +Some of the persons who have seen me here, and with whom I have had the +pleasure to talk of you, may, perhaps, have told you that, far from being +oppressed by that storm of misfortunes in which I have been tossed of +late, I bear up against it with firmness enough, and even with alacrity. +It is true, I do so; but it is true likewise that the last burst of the +cloud has gone near to overwhelm me. From our enemies we expect evil +treatment of every sort, we are prepared for it, we are animated by it, +and we sometimes triumph in it; but when our friends abandon us, when +they wound us, and when they take, to do this, an occasion where we stand +the most in need of their support, and have the best title to it, the +firmest mind finds it hard to resist. + +Nothing kept up my spirits when I was first reduced to the very +circumstances I now describe so much as the consideration of the +delusions under which I knew that the Tories lay, and the hopes I +entertained of being able soon to open their eyes, and to justify my +conduct. I expected that friendship, or, if that principle failed, +curiosity at least, would move the party to send over some person from +whose report they might have both sides of the question laid before them. +Though this expectation be founded in reason, and you want to be informed +at least as much as I do to be justified, yet I have hitherto flattered +myself with it in vain. To repair this misfortune, therefore, as far as +lies in my power, I resolve to put into writing the sum of what I should +have said in that case. These papers shall lie by me till time and +accidents produce some occasion of communicating them to you. The true +occasion of doing it with advantage to the party will probably be lost; +but they will remain a monument of my justification to posterity. At +worst, if even this fails me, I am sure of one satisfaction in writing +them: the satisfaction of unburdening my mind to a friend, and of stating +before an equitable judge the account, as I apprehend it to stand, +between the Tories and myself—“Quantum humano consilio efficere potui, +circumspectis rebus meis omnibus, rationibusque subductis, summam feci +cogitationum mearum omnium, quam tibi, si potero, breviter exponam.” + +It is necessary to my design that I call to your mind the state of +affairs in Britain from the latter part of the year 1710 to the beginning +of the year 1715, about which time we parted. I go no farther back +because the part which I acted before that time, in the first essays I +made in public affairs, was the part of a Tory, and so far of a piece +with that which I acted afterwards. Besides, the things which preceded +this space of time had no immediate influence on those which happened +since that time, whereas the strange events which we have seen fall out +in the king’s reign were owing in a great measure to what was done, or +neglected to be done, in the last four years of the queen’s. The memory +of these events being fresh, I shall dwell as little as possible upon +them; it will be sufficient that I make a rough sketch of the face of the +Court, and of the conduct of the several parties during that time. Your +memory will soon furnish the colours which I shall omit to lay, and +finish up the picture. + +From the time at which I left Britain I had not the advantage of acting +under the eyes of the party which I served, nor of being able from time +to time to appeal to their judgment. The gross of what happened has +appeared; but the particular steps which led to those events have been +either concealed or misrepresented—concealed from the nature of them or +misrepresented by those with whom I never agreed perfectly except in +thinking that they and I were extremely unfit to continue embarked in the +same bottom together. It will, therefore, be proper to descend under +this head to a more particular relation. + +In the summer of the year 1710 the Queen was prevailed upon to change her +Parliament and her Ministry. The intrigue of the Earl of Oxford might +facilitate the means, the violent prosecution of Sacheverel, and other +unpopular measures, might create the occasion and encourage her in the +resolution; but the true original cause was the personal ill-usage which +she received in her private life and in some trifling instances of the +exercise of her power, for indulgence in which she would certainly have +left the reins of government in those hands which had held them ever +since her accession to the throne. + +I am afraid that we came to Court in the same dispositions as all parties +have done; that the principal spring of our actions was to have the +government of the state in our hands; that our principal views were the +conservation of this power, great employments to ourselves, and great +opportunities of rewarding those who had helped to raise us, and of +hurting those who stood in opposition to us. It is, however, true that +with these considerations of private and party interest there were others +intermingled which had for their object the public good of the nation—at +least what we took to be such. + +We looked on the political principles which had generally prevailed in +our government from the Revolution in 1688 to be destructive of our true +interest, to have mingled us too much in the affairs of the Continent, to +tend to the impoverishing our people, and to the loosening the bands of +our constitution in Church and State. We supposed the Tory party to be +the bulk of the landed interest, and to have no contrary influence +blended into its composition. We supposed the Whigs to be the remains of +a party formed against the ill designs of the Court under King Charles +II., nursed up into strength and applied to contrary uses by King William +III., and yet still so weak as to lean for support on the Presbyterians +and the other sectaries, on the Bank and the other corporations, on the +Dutch and the other Allies. From hence we judged it to follow that they +had been forced, and must continue so, to render the national interest +subservient to the interest of those who lent them an additional +strength, without which they could never be the prevalent party. The +view, therefore, of those amongst us who thought in this manner was to +improve the Queen’s favour, to break the body of the Whigs, to render +their supports useless to them, and to fill the employments of the +kingdom, down to the meanest, with Tories. We imagined that such +measures, joined to the advantages of our numbers and our property, would +secure us against all attempts during her reign, and that we should soon +become too considerable not to make our terms in all events which might +happen afterwards: concerning which, to speak truly, I believe few or +none of us had any very settled resolution. + +In order to bring these purposes about, I verily think that the +persecution of Dissenters entered into no man’s head. By the Bills for +preventing Occasional Conformity and the growth of schism, it was hoped +that their sting would be taken away. These Bills were thought necessary +for our party interest, and, besides, were deemed neither unreasonable +nor unjust. The good of society may require that no person should be +deprived of the protection of the Government on account of his opinions +in religious matters; but it does not follow from hence that men ought to +be trusted in any degree with the preservation of the Establishment, who +must, to be consistent with their principles, endeavour the subversion of +what is established. An indulgence to consciences, which the prejudice +of education and long habits have rendered scrupulous, may be agreeable +to the rules of good policy and of humanity, yet will it hardly follow +from hence that a government is under any obligation to indulge a +tenderness of conscience to come, or to connive at the propagating of +these prejudices and at the forming of these habits. The evil effect is +without remedy, and may, therefore, deserve indulgence; but the evil +cause is to be prevented, and can, therefore, be entitled to none. +Besides this, the Bills I am speaking of, rather than to enact anything +new, seemed only to enforce the observation of ancient laws which had +been judged necessary for the security of the Church and State at a time +when the memory of the ruin of both, and of the hands by which that ruin +had been wrought, was fresh in the minds of men. + +The Bank, the East India Company, and in general the moneyed interest, +had certainly nothing to apprehend like what they feared, or affected to +fear, from the Tories—an entire subversion of their property. Multitudes +of our own party would have been wounded by such a blow. The intention +of those who were the warmest seemed to me to go no farther than +restraining their influence on the Legislature, and on matters of State; +and finding at a proper season means to make them contribute to the +support and ease of a government under which they enjoyed advantages so +much greater than the rest of their fellow-subjects. The mischievous +consequence which had been foreseen and foretold too, at the +establishment of those corporations, appeared visibly. The country +gentlemen were vexed, put to great expenses and even baffled by them in +their elections; and among the members of every parliament numbers were +immediately or indirectly under their influence. The Bank had been +extravagant enough to pull off the mask; and, when the Queen seemed to +intend a change in her ministry, they had deputed some of their members +to represent against it. But that which touched sensibly even those who +were but little affected by other considerations, was the prodigious +inequality between the condition of the moneyed men and of the rest of +the nation. The proprietor of the land, and the merchant who brought +riches home by the returns of foreign trade, had during two wars borne +the whole immense load of the national expenses; whilst the lender of +money, who added nothing to the common stock, throve by the public +calamity, and contributed not a mite to the public charge. + +As to the Allies, I saw no difference of opinion among all those who came +to the head of affairs at this time. Such of the Tories as were in the +system above mentioned, such of them as deserted soon after from us, and +such of the Whigs as had upon this occasion deserted to us, seemed +equally convinced of the unreasonableness, and even of the impossibility, +of continuing the war on the same disproportionate footing. Their +universal sense was, that we had taken, except the part of the States +General, the whole burden of the war upon us, and even a proportion of +this; while the entire advantage was to accrue to others: that this had +appeared very grossly in 1709, and 1710, when preliminaries were insisted +upon, which contained all that the Allies, giving the greatest loose to +their wishes, could desire, and little or nothing on the behalf of Great +Britain: that the war, which had been begun for the security of the +Allies, was continued for their grandeur: that the ends proposed, when we +engaged in it, might have been answered long before, and therefore that +the first favourable occasion ought to be seized of making peace; which +we thought to be the interest of our country, and which appeared to all +mankind, as well as to us, to be that of our party. + +These were in general the views of the Tories: and for the part I acted +in the prosecution of them, as well as of all the measures accessory to +them, I may appeal to mankind. To those who had the opportunity of +looking behind the curtain I may likewise appeal, for the difficulties +which lay in my way, and for the particular discouragements which I met +with. A principal load of parliamentary and foreign affairs in their +ordinary course lay upon me: the whole negotiation of the peace, and of +the troublesome invidious steps preliminary to it, as far as they could +be transacted at home, were thrown upon me. I continued in the House of +Commons during that important session which preceded the peace; and +which, by the spirit shown through the whole course of it, and by the +resolutions taken in it, rendered the conclusion of the treaties +practicable. After this I was dragged into the House of Lords in such a +manner as to make my promotion a punishment, not a reward; and was there +left to defend the treaties almost alone. + +It would not have been hard to have forced the Earl of Oxford to use me +better. His good intentions began to be very much doubted of; the truth +is, no opinion of his sincerity had ever taken root in the party, and, +which was worse perhaps for a man in his station, the opinion of his +capacity began to fall apace. He was so hard pushed in the House of +Lords in the beginning of 1712 that he had been forced, in the middle of +the session, to persuade the Queen to make a promotion of twelve peers at +once, which was an unprecedented and invidious measure, to be excused by +nothing but the necessity, and hardly by that. In the House of Commons +his credit was low and my reputation very high. You know the nature of +that assembly; they grow, like hounds, fond of the man who shows them +game, and by whose halloo they are used to be encouraged. The thread of +the negotiations, which could not stand still a moment without going +back, was in my hands, and before another man could have made himself +master of the business much time would have been lost, and great +inconveniences would have followed. Some, who opposed the Court soon +after, began to waver then, and if I had not wanted the inclination I +should have wanted no help to do mischief. I knew the way of quitting my +employments and of retiring from Court when the service of my party +required it; but I could not bring myself up to that resolution, when the +consequence of it must have been the breaking my party and the distress +of the public affairs. I thought my mistress treated me ill, but the +sense of that duty which I owed her came in aid of other considerations, +and prevailed over my resentment. These sentiments, indeed, are so much +out of fashion that a man who avows them is in danger of passing for a +bubble in the world; yet they were, in the conjuncture I speak of, the +true motives of my conduct, and you saw me go on as cheerfully in the +troublesome and dangerous work assigned me as if I had been under the +utmost satisfaction. I began, indeed, in my heart to renounce the +friendship which till that time I had preserved inviolable for Oxford. I +was not aware of all his treachery, nor of the base and little means +which he employed then, and continued to employ afterwards, to ruin me in +the opinion of the Queen and everywhere else. I saw, however, that he +had no friendship for anybody, and that with respect to me, instead of +having the ability to render that merit, which I endeavoured to acquire, +an addition of strength to himself, it became the object of his jealousy +and a reason for undermining me. In this temper of mind I went on till +the great work of the peace was consummated and the treaty signed at +Utrecht; after which a new and more melancholy scene for the party, as +well as for me, opened itself. + +I am far from thinking the treaties, or the negotiations which led to +them, exempt from faults. Many were made no doubt in both by those who +were concerned in them; by myself in the first place, and many were owing +purely to the opposition they met with in every step of their progress. +I never look back on this great event, passed as it is, without a secret +emotion of mind; when I compare the vastness of the undertaking and the +importance of its success, with the means employed to bring it about, and +with those which were employed to traverse it. To adjust the pretensions +and to settle the interests of so many princes and states as were engaged +in the late war would appear, when considered simply and without any +adventitious difficulty, a work of prodigious extent. But this was not +all. Each of our Allies thought himself entitled to raise his demands to +the most extravagant height. They had been encouraged to this, first, by +the engagements which we had entered into with several of them, with some +to draw them into the war, with others to prevail on them to continue it; +and, secondly, by the manner in which we had treated with France in 1709 +and 1710. Those who intended to tie the knot of the war as hard, and to +render the coming at a peace as impracticable as they could, had found no +method so effectual as that of leaving everyone at liberty to insist on +all he could think of, and leaving themselves at liberty, even if these +concessions should be made, to break the treaty by ulterior demands. +That this was the secret I can make no doubt after the confession of one +of the plenipotentiaries who transacted these matters, and who +communicated to me and to two others of the Queen’s Ministers an instance +of the Duke of Marlborough’s management at a critical moment, when the +French Ministers at Gertrudenberg seemed inclinable to come into an +expedient for explaining the thirty-seventh article of the preliminaries, +which could not have been refused. Certain it is that the King of France +was at that time in earnest to execute the article of Philip’s +abdication, and therefore the expedients for adjusting what related to +this article would easily enough have been found, if on our part there +had been a real intention of concluding. But there was no such +intention, and the plan of those who meant to prolong the war was +established among the Allies as the plan which ought to be followed +whenever a peace came to be treated. The Allies imagined that they had a +right to obtain at least everything which had been demanded for them +respectively, and it was visible that nothing less would content them. +These considerations set the vastness of the undertaking in a sufficient +light. + +The importance of succeeding in the work of the peace was equally great +to Europe, to our country, to our party, to our persons, to the present +age, and to future generations. But I need not take pains to prove what +no man will deny. The means employed to bring it about were in no degree +proportionable. A few men, some of whom had never been concerned in +business of this kind before, and most of whom put their hands for a long +time to it faintly and timorously, were the instruments of it. The +Minister who was at their head showed himself every day incapable of that +attention, that method, that comprehension of different matters, which +the first post in such a Government as ours requires in quiet times. He +was the first spring of all our motion by his credit with the Queen, and +his concurrence was necessary to everything we did by his rank in the +State, and yet this man seemed to be sometimes asleep and sometimes at +play. He neglected the thread of business, which was carried on for this +reason with less dispatch and less advantage in the proper channels, and +he kept none in his own hands. He negotiated, indeed, by fits and +starts, by little tools and indirect ways, and thus his activity became +as hurtful as his indolence, of which I could produce some remarkable +instances. No good effect could flow from such a conduct. In a word, +when this great affair was once engaged, the zeal of particular men in +their several provinces drove it forward, though they were not backed by +the concurrent force of the whole Administration, nor had the common +helps of advice till it was too late, till the very end of the +negotiations; even in matters, such as that of commerce, which they could +not be supposed to understand. That this is a true account of the means +used to arrive at the peace, and a true character of that Administration +in general, I believe the whole Cabinet Council of that time will bear me +witness. Sure I am that most of them have joined with me in lamenting +this state of things whilst it subsisted, and all those who were employed +as Ministers in the several parts of the treaty felt sufficiently the +difficulties which this strange management often reduced them to. I am +confident they have not forgotten them. + +If the means employed to bring the peace about were feeble, and in one +respect contemptible, those employed to break the negotiation were strong +and formidable. As soon as the first suspicion of a treaty’s being on +foot crept abroad in the world the whole alliance united with a powerful +party in the nation to obstruct it. From that hour to the moment the +Congress of Utrecht finished, no one measure possible to be taken was +omitted to traverse every advance that was made in this work, to +intimidate, to allure, to embarrass every person concerned in it. This +was done without any regard either to decency or good policy, and from +hence it soon followed that passion and humour mingled themselves on each +side. A great part of what we did for the peace, and of what others did +against it, can be accounted for on no other principle. The Allies were +broken among themselves before they began to treat with the common enemy. +The matter did not mend in the course of the treaty, and France and +Spain, but especially the former, profited of this disunion. + +Whoever makes the comparison, which I have touched upon, will see the +true reasons which rendered the peace less answerable to the success of +the war than it might and than it ought to have been. Judgment has been +passed in this case as the different passions or interests of men have +inspired them. But the real cause lay in the constitution of our +Ministry, and much more in the obstinate opposition which we met with +from the Whigs and from the Allies. However, sure it is that the defects +of the peace did not occasion the desertions from the Tory party which +happened about this time, nor those disorders in the Court which +immediately followed. + +Long before the purport of the treaties could be known, those Whigs who +had set out with us in 1710 began to relapse back to their party. They +had among us shared the harvest of a new Ministry, and, like prudent +persons, they took measures in time to have their share in that of a new +Government. + +The whimsical or the Hanover Tories continued zealous in appearance with +us till the peace was signed. I saw no people so eager for the +conclusion of it. Some of them were in such haste that they thought any +peace preferable to the least delay, and omitted no instances to quicken +their friends who were actors in it. As soon as the treaties were +perfected and laid before the Parliament, the scheme of these gentlemen +began to disclose itself entirely. Their love of the peace, like other +passions, cooled by enjoyment. They grew nice about the construction of +the articles, could come up to no direct approbation, and, being let into +the secret of what was to happen, would not preclude themselves from the +glorious advantage of rising on the ruins of their friends and of their +party. + +The danger of the succession and the badness of the peace were the two +principles on which we were attacked. On the first the whimsical Tories +joined the Whigs, and declared directly against their party. Although +nothing is more certain than this truth: that there was at that time no +formed design in the party, whatever views some particular men might +have, against his Majesty’s accession to the throne. On the latter, and +most other points, they affected a most glorious neutrality. + +Instead of gathering strength, either as a Ministry or as a party, we +grew weaker every day. The peace had been judged, with reason, to be the +only solid foundation whereupon we could erect a Tory system; and yet +when it was made we found ourselves at a full stand. Nay, the very work +which ought to have been the basis of our strength was in part demolished +before our eyes, and we were stoned with the ruins of it. Whilst this +was doing, Oxford looked on as if he had not been a party to all which +had passed; broke now and then a jest, which savoured of the Inns of +Court and the bad company in which he had been bred. And on those +occasions where his station obliged him to speak of business, was +absolutely unintelligible. + +Whether this man ever had any determined view besides that of raising his +family is, I believe, a problematical question in the world. My opinion +is that he never had any other. The conduct of a Minister who proposes +to himself a great and noble object, and who pursues it steadily, may +seem for a while a riddle to the world; especially in a Government like +ours, where numbers of men, different in their characters and different +in their interests, are at all times to be managed; where public affairs +are exposed to more accidents and greater hazards than in other +countries; and where, by consequence, he who is at the head of business +will find himself often distracted by measures which have no relation to +his purpose, and obliged to bend himself to things which are in some +degree contrary to his main design. The ocean which environs us is an +emblem of our government, and the pilot and the Minister are in similar +circumstances. It seldom happens that either of them can steer a direct +course, and they both arrive at their port by means which frequently seem +to carry them from it. But as the work advances the conduct of him who +leads it on with real abilities clears up, the appearing inconsistencies +are reconciled, and when it is once consummated the whole shows itself so +uniform, so plain, and so natural, that every dabbler in politics will be +apt to think he could have done the same. But, on the other hand, a man +who proposes no such object, who substitutes artifice in the place of +ability, who, instead of leading parties and governing accidents, is +eternally agitated backwards and forwards by both, who begins every day +something new, and carries nothing on to perfection, may impose awhile on +the world; but a little sooner or a little later the mystery will be +revealed, and nothing will be found to be couched under it but a thread +of pitiful expedients, the ultimate end of which never extended farther +than living from day to day. Which of these pictures resembles Oxford +most you will determine. I am sorry to be obliged to name him so often, +but how is it possible to do otherwise while I am speaking of times +wherein the whole turn of affairs depended on his motions and character? + +I have heard, and I believe truly, that when he returned to Windsor in +the autumn of 1713, after the marriage of his son, he pressed extremely +to have him created Duke of Newcastle or Earl of Clare, and the Queen +presuming to hesitate on so extraordinary a proposal, he resented this +hesitation in a manner which little became a man who had been so lately +raised by the profusion of her favours upon him. Certain it is, that he +began then to show a still greater remissness in all parts of his +Ministry, and to affect to say that from such a time, the very time I am +speaking of, he took no share in the direction of affairs, or words to +that effect. + +He pretended to have discovered intrigues which were set on foot against +him, and particularly he complained of the advantage which was taken of +his absence during the journey he made at his son’s marriage to undermine +him with the Queen. He is naturally inclined to believe the worst, which +I take to be a certain mark of a mean spirit and a wicked soul. At +least, I am sure that the contrary quality, when it is not due to +weakness of understanding, is the fruit of a generous temper and an +honest heart. Prone to judge ill of all mankind, he will rarely be +seduced by his credulity, but I never knew a man so capable of being the +bubble of his distrust and jealousy. He was so in this case, although +the Queen, who could not be ignorant of the truth, said enough to +undeceive him. But to be undeceived, and to own himself so, was not his +play. He hoped by cunning to varnish over his want of faith and of +ability. He was desirous to make the world impute the extraordinary +part, or, to speak more properly, the no part, which he acted with the +staff of Treasurer in his hand, to the Queen’s withdrawing her favour +from him and to his friends abandoning him—pretences utterly groundless +when he first made them, and which he brought to be real at last. Even +the winter before the Queen’s death, when his credit began to wane apace, +he might have regained it; he might have reconciled himself perfectly +with all his ancient friends, and have acquired the confidence of the +whole party. I say he might have done all this, because I am persuaded +that none of those I have named were so convinced of his perfidy, so +jaded with his yoke, or so much piqued personally against him as I was; +and yet if he would have exerted himself in concert with us to improve +the few advantages which were left us and to ward off the visible danger +which threatened our persons and our party, I would have stifled my +private animosity and would have acted under him with as much zeal as +ever. But he was incapable of taking such a turn. The sum of all his +policy had been to amuse the Whigs, the Tories, and the Jacobites as long +as he could, and to keep his power as long as he amused them. When it +became impossible to amuse mankind any longer, he appeared plainly at the +end of his line. + +By a secret correspondence with the late Earl of Halifax, and by the +intrigues of his brother and other fanatical relations, he had +endeavoured to keep some hold on the Whigs. + +The Tories were attached to him at first by the heat of a revolution in +the Ministry, by their hatred of the people who were discarded, and by +the fond hopes which it is easy to give at the setting out of a new +administration. Afterwards he held out the peace in prospect to them and +to the Jacobites separately, as an event which must be brought about +before he could effectually serve either. You cannot have forgot how +things which we pressed were put off upon every occasion till the peace; +the peace was to be the date of a new administration, and the period at +which the millenary year of Toryism should begin. Thus were the Tories +at that time amused; and since my exile I have had the opportunity of +knowing certainly and circumstantially that the Jacobites were treated in +the same manner, and that the Pretender was made, through the French +Minister, to expect that measures should be taken for his restoration as +soon as the peace had rendered them practicable. He was to attempt +nothing, his partisans were to lie still, Oxford undertook for all. + +After many delays, fatal to the general interest of Europe, this peace +was signed: and the only considerable thing which he brought about +afterwards was the marriage I have mentioned above; and by it an +accession of riches and honour to a family whose estate was very mean, +and whose illustration before this time I never met with anywhere, but in +the vain discourses which he used to hold over claret. If he kept his +word with any of the parties above-mentioned, it must be supposed that he +did so with the Whigs; for as to us, we saw nothing after the peace but +increase of mortification and nearer approaches to ruin. Not a step was +made towards completing the settlement of Europe, which the treaties of +Utrecht and Radstadt left imperfect; towards fortifying and establishing +the Tory party; towards securing those who had been the principal actors +in this administration against future events. We had proceeded in a +confidence that these things should immediately follow the conclusion of +the peace: he had never, I dare swear, entertained a thought concerning +them. As soon as the last hand was given to the fortune of his family, +he abandoned his mistress, his friends, and his party, who had borne him +so many years on their shoulders: and I was present when this want of +faith was reproached him in the plainest and strongest terms by one of +the honestest men in Britain, and before some of the most considerable +Tories. Even his impudence failed him on this occasion: he did not so +much as attempt an excuse. + +He could not keep his word which he had given the Pretender and his +adherents, because he had formed no party to support him in such a +design. He was sure of having the Whigs against him if he made the +attempt, and he was not sure of having the Tories for him. + +In this state of confusion and distress, to which he had reduced himself +and us, you remember the part he acted. He was the spy of the Whigs, and +voted with us in the morning against those very questions which he had +penned the night before with Walpole and others. He kept his post on +terms which no man but he would have held it on, neither submitting to +the Queen, nor complying with his friends. He would not, or he could +not, act with us; and he resolved that we should not act without him as +long as he could hinder it. The Queen’s health was very precarious, and +at her death he hoped by these means to deliver us up, bound as it were +hand and foot, to our adversaries. On the foundation of this merit he +flattered himself that he had gained some of the Whigs, and softened at +least the rest of the party to him. By his secret negotiations at +Hanover, he took it for granted that he was not only reconciled to that +Court, but that he should, under his present Majesty’s reign, have as +much credit as he had enjoyed under that of the Queen. He was weak +enough to boast of this, and to promise his good offices voluntarily to +several: for no man was weak enough to think them worth being solicited. +In a word, you must have heard that he answered to Lord Dartmouth and to +Mr. Bromley, that one should keep the Privy Seal, and the other the seals +of Secretary; and that Lord Cowper makes no scruple of telling how he +came to offer him the seals of Chancellor. When the King arrived, he +went to Greenwich with an affectation of pomp and of favour. Against his +suspicious character, he was once in his life the bubble of his +credulity; and this delusion betrayed him into a punishment more severe +in my sense than all which has happened to him since, or than perpetual +exile; he was affronted in the manner in which he was presented to the +King. The meanest subject would have been received with goodness, the +most obnoxious with an air of indifference; but he was received with the +most distinguishing contempt. This treatment he had in the face of the +nation. The King began his reign, in this instance, with punishing the +ingratitude, the perfidy, the insolence, which had been shown to his +predecessor. Oxford fled from Court covered with shame, the object of +the derision of the Whigs and of the indignation of the Tories. + +The Queen might, if she had pleased, have saved herself from all those +mortifications she met with during the last months of her reign, and her +servants and the Tory party from those misfortunes which they endured +during the same time; perhaps from those which they have fallen into +since her death. When she found that the peace, from the conclusion of +which she expected ease and quiet, brought still greater trouble upon +her; when she saw the weakness of her Government, and the confusion of +her affairs increase every day; when she saw her First Minister +bewildered and unable to extricate himself or her; in fine, when the +negligence of his public conduct, and the sauciness of his private +behaviour had rendered him insupportable to her, and she took the +resolution of laying him aside, there was a strength still remaining +sufficient to have supported her Government, to have fulfilled in great +part the expectations of the Tories, and to have constituted both them +and the Ministers in such a situation as would have left them little to +apprehend. Some designs were, indeed, on foot which might have produced +very great disorders: Oxford’s conduct had given much occasion to them, +and with the terror of them he endeavoured to intimidate the Queen. But +expedients were not hard to be found by which those designs might have +been nipped in the bud, or else by which the persons who promoted them +might have been induced to lay them aside. But that fatal irresolution +inherent to the Stuart race hung upon her. She felt too much inward +resentment to be able to conceal his disgrace from him; yet, after he had +made this discovery, she continued to trust all her power in his hands. + +No people ever were in such a condition as ours continued to be from the +autumn of 1713 to the summer following. The Queen’s health sank every +day. The attack which she had in the winter at Windsor served as a +warning both to those who wished, and to those who feared her death, to +expect it. The party which opposed the court had been continually +gaining strength by the weakness of our administration: and at this time +their numbers were vastly increased, and their spirit was raised by the +near prospect of the succession taking place. We were not at liberty to +exert the strength we had. We saw our danger, and many of us saw the +true means of avoiding it; but whilst the magic wand was in the same +hands, this knowledge served only to increase our uneasiness; and, +whether we would or no, we were forced with our eyes open to walk on +towards the precipice. Every moment we became less able, if the Queen +lived, to support her Government; if she died, to secure ourselves. One +side was united in a common view, and acted upon a uniform plan: the +other had really none at all. We knew that we were out of favour at the +Court of Hanover, that we were represented there as Jacobites, and that +the Elector, his present Majesty, had been rendered publicly a party to +that opposition, in spite of which we made the peace: and yet we neither +had taken, nor could take in our present circumstances, any measures to +be better or worse there. Thus we languished till the 27th of July, +1714, when the Queen dismissed the Treasurer. On the Friday following, +she fell into an apoplexy, and died on Sunday the 1st of August. + +You do me, I daresay, the justice to believe that whilst this state of +things lasted I saw very well, how little mention soever I might make of +it at the time, that no man in the Ministry, or in the party, was so much +exposed as myself. I could expect no quarter from the Whigs, for I had +deserved none. There were persons amongst them for whom I had great +esteem and friendship; yet neither with these, nor with any others, had I +preserved a secret correspondence, which might be of use to me in the day +of distress: and besides the general character of my party, I knew that +particular prejudices were entertained against me at Hanover. The Whigs +wanted nothing but an opportunity of attacking the peace, and it could +hardly be imagined that they would stop there. In which case I knew that +they could have hold on no man so much as myself: the instructions, the +orders, the memorials had been drawn by me; the correspondence relating +to it in France, and everywhere else, had been carried on by me; in a +word, my hand appeared to almost every paper which had been writ in the +whole course of the negotiation. To all these considerations I added +that of the weight of personal resentment, which I had created against +myself at home and abroad: in part unavoidably, by the share I was +obliged to take in these affairs; and in part, if you will, +unnecessarily, by the warmth of my temper, and by some unguarded +expressions, for which I have no excuse to make but that which Tacitus +makes for his father-in-law, Julius Agricola: “honestius putabam +offendere, quam odisse.” + +Having this prospect of being distinguished from the rest of my party, in +the common calamity, by severer treatment, I might have justified myself, +by reason and by great authorities too, if I had made early provision, at +least to be safe when I should be no longer useful. How I could have +secured this point I do not think fit to explain: but certain it is that +I made no one step towards it. I resolved not to abandon my party by +turning Whig, or, which is worse a great deal, whimsical; nor to treat +separately from it. I resolved to keep myself at liberty to act on a +Tory bottom. If the Queen disgraced Oxford and continued to live +afterwards, I knew we should have time and means to provide for our +future safety: if the Queen died, and left us in the same unfortunate +circumstances, I expected to suffer for and with the Tories; and I was +prepared for it. + +The thunder had long grumbled in the air; and yet when the bolt fell, +most of our party appeared as much surprised as if they had had no reason +to expect it. There was a perfect calm and universal submission through +the whole kingdom. The Chevalier, indeed, set out as if his design had +been to gain the coast and to embark for Great Britain; and the Court of +France made a merit to themselves of stopping him and obliging him to +return. But this, to my certain knowledge, was a farce acted by concert, +to keep up an opinion of his character, when all opinion of his cause +seemed to be at an end. He owned this concert to me at Bar, on the +occasion of my telling him that he would have found no party ready to +receive him, and that the enterprise would have been to the last degree +extravagant. He was at this time far from having any encouragement: no +party numerous enough to make the least disturbance was formed in his +favour. On the King’s arrival the storm arose. The menaces of the +Whigs, backed by some very rash declarations, by little circumstances of +humour which frequently offend more than real injuries, and by the entire +change of all the persons in employment, blew up the coals. + +At first many of the Tories had been made to entertain some faint hopes +that they would be permitted to live in quiet. I have been assured that +the King left Hanover in that resolution. Happy had it been for him and +for us if he had continued in it; if the moderation of his temper had not +been overborne by the violence of party, and his and the national +interest sacrificed to the passions of a few. Others there were among +the Tories who had flattered themselves with much greater expectations +than these, and who had depended, not on such imaginary favour and +dangerous advancement as was offered them afterwards, but on real credit +and substantial power under the new government. Such impressions on the +minds of men had rendered the two Houses of Parliament, which were then +sitting, as good courtiers to King George as ever they had been to Queen +Anne. But all these hopes being at once and with violence extinguished, +despair succeeded in their room. + +Our party began soon to act like men delivered over to their passions, +and unguided by any other principle; not like men fired by a just +resentment and a reasonable ambition to a bold undertaking. They treated +the Government like men who were resolved not to live under it: and yet +they took no one measure to support themselves against it. They +expressed, without reserve or circumspection, an eagerness to join in any +attempt against the Establishment which they had received and confirmed, +and which many of them had courted but a few weeks before; and yet in the +midst of all this bravery, when the election of the new Parliament came +on, some of these very men acted with the coolness of those who are much +better disposed to compound than to take arms. + +The body of the Tories being in this temper, it is not to be wondered at +if they heated one another, and began apace to turn their eyes towards +the Pretender; and if those few who had already engaged with him, applied +themselves to improve the conjuncture, and endeavoured to list a party +for him. + +I went, about a month after the Queen’s death, as soon as the Seals were +taken from me, into the country; and whilst I continued there, I felt the +general disposition to Jacobitism increase daily among people of all +ranks; amongst several who had been constantly distinguished by their +aversion to that cause. But at my return to London in the month of +February or March, 1715, a few weeks before I left England, I began for +the first time in my whole life to perceive these general dispositions +ripen into resolutions, and to observe some regular workings among many +of our principal friends, which denoted a scheme of this kind. These +workings, indeed, were very faint; for the persons concerned in carrying +them on did not think it safe to speak too plainly to men who were, in +truth, ill disposed to the Government because they neither found their +account at present under it nor had been managed with art enough to leave +them hopes of finding it hereafter, but who at the same time had not the +least affection for the Pretender’s person, nor any principle favourable +to his interest. + +This was the state of things when the new Parliament which his Majesty +had called assembled. A great majority of the elections had gone in +favour of the Whigs; to which the want of concert among the Tories had +contributed as much as the vigour of that party and the influence of the +new Government. The Whigs came to the opening of this Parliament full of +as much violence as could possess men who expected to make their court, +to confirm themselves in power, and to gratify their resentments by the +same measures. I have heard that it was a dispute among the Ministers +how far this spirit should be indulged; and that the King was determined, +or confirmed in a determination, to consent to the prosecutions, and to +give the reins to the party, by the representations that were made to him +that great difficulties would arise in the conduct of the Session if the +Court should appear inclined to check this spirit, and by Mr. W—’s +undertaking to carry all the business successfully through the House of +Commons if they were at liberty. Such has often been the unhappy fate of +our Princes: a real necessity sometimes, and sometimes a seeming one, has +forced them to compound with a part of the nation at the expense of the +whole; and the success of their business for one year has been purchased +at the price of public disorder for many. + +The conjuncture I am speaking of affords a memorable instance of this +truth. If milder measures had been pursued, certain it is that the +Tories had never universally embraced Jacobitism. The violence of the +Whigs forced them into the arms of the Pretender. The Court and the +party seemed to vie with one another which should go the greatest lengths +in severity: and the Ministers, whose true interest it must at all times +be to calm the minds of men, and who ought never to set the examples of +extraordinary inquiries or extraordinary accusations, were upon this +occasion the tribunes of the people. + +The Council of Regency which began to sit as soon as the Queen died, +acted like a council of the Holy Office. Whoever looked on the face of +the nation saw everything quiet; not one of those symptoms appearing +which must have shown themselves more or less at that moment if in +reality there had been any measures taken during the former reign to +defeat the Protestant succession. His Majesty ascended the throne with +as little contradiction and as little trouble as ever a son succeeded a +father in the possession of a private patrimony. But he who had the +opportunity, which I had till my dismission, of seeing a great part of +what passed in that Council, would have thought that there had been an +opposition actually formed, that the new Establishment was attacked +openly from without and betrayed from within. + +The same disposition continued after the King’s arrival. This political +Inquisition went on with all the eagerness imaginable in seizing of +papers, in ransacking the Queen’s closet, and examining even her private +letters. The Whigs had clamoured loudly, and affirmed in the face of the +world that the nation had been sold to France, to Spain, to the +Pretender; and whilst they endeavoured in vain, by very singular methods, +to find some colour to justify what they had advanced without proof, they +put themselves under an absolute necessity of grounding the most solemn +prosecution on things whereof they might indeed have proof, but which +would never pass for crimes before any judges but such as were parties at +the same time. + +In the King’s first Speech from the Throne all the inflaming hints were +given, and all the methods of violence were chalked out to the two +Houses. The first steps in both were perfectly answerable; and, to the +shame of the peerage be it spoken, I saw at that time several lords +concur to condemn in one general vote all that they had approved of in a +former Parliament by many particular resolutions. Among several bloody +resolutions proposed and agitated at this time, the resolution of +impeaching me of high treason was taken; and I took that of leaving +England, not in a panic terror improved by the artifices of the Duke of +Marlborough (whom I knew even at that time too well to act by his advice +or information in any case), but on such grounds as the proceedings which +soon followed sufficiently justified, and as I have never repented +building upon. Those who blamed it in the first heat were soon after +obliged to change their language; for what other resolution could I take? +The method of prosecution designed against me would have put me +immediately out of condition to act for myself, or to serve those who +were less exposed than me, but who were, however, in danger. On the +other hand, how few were there on whose assistance I could depend, or to +whom I would, even in those circumstances, be obliged? The ferment in +the nation was wrought up to a considerable height; but there was at that +time no reason to expect that it could influence the proceedings in +Parliament in favour of those who should be accused. Left to its own +movement, it was much more proper to quicken than slacken the +prosecutions; and who was there to guide its motions? The Tories who had +been true to one another to the last were a handful, and no great vigour +could be expected from them. The Whimsicals, disappointed of the figure +which they hoped to make, began, indeed, to join their old friends. One +of the principal amongst them was so very good as to confess to me that +if the Court had called the servants of the late Queen to account, and +had stopped there, he must have considered himself as a judge, and have +acted according to his conscience on what should have appeared to him; +but that war had been declared to the whole Tory party, and that now the +state of things was altered. This discourse needed no commentary, and +proved to me that I had never erred in the judgment I made of this set of +men. Could I then resolve to be obliged to them, or to suffer with +Oxford? As much as I still was heated by the disputes in which I had +been all my life engaged against the Whigs, I would sooner have chose to +owe my security to their indulgence than to the assistance of the +Whimsicals; but I thought banishment, with all her train of evils, +preferable to either. I abhorred Oxford to that degree that I could not +bear to be joined with him in any case. Nothing, perhaps, contributed so +much to determine me as this sentiment. A sense of honour would not have +permitted me to distinguish between his case and mine own; and it was +worse than death to lie under the necessity of making them the same, and +of taking measures in concert with him. + +I am now come to the time at which I left England, and have finished the +first part of that deduction of facts which I proposed to lay before you. +I am hopeful that you will not think it altogether tedious or +unnecessary; for although very little of what I have said can be new to +you, yet this summary account will enable you with greater ease to recall +to your memory the passages of those four years wherewith all that I am +going to relate to you has an immediate and necessary connection. + +In what has been said I am far from making my own panegyric. I had not +in those days so much merit as was ascribed to me, nor since that time +have I had so little as the same persons allowed me. I committed, +without dispute, many faults, and a greater man than I can pretend to be, +constituted in the same circumstances, would not have kept clear of all; +but with respect to the Tories I committed none. I carried the point of +party honour to the height, and specified everything to my attachment to +them during this period of time. Let us now examine whether I have done +so during the rest. + +When I arrived in France, about the end of March, 1715, the affairs of +England were represented to me in another light than I had seen them in +when I looked upon them with my own eyes very few weeks before. I found +the persons who were detached to speak with me prepared to think that I +came over to negotiate for the Pretender; and when they perceived that I +was more ignorant than they imagined, I was assured by them that there +would be suddenly a universal rising in England and Scotland. The +leaders were named to me, their engagements specified, and many +gentlemen, yourself among others, were reckoned upon for particular +services, though I was certain you had never been treated with; from +whence I concluded, and the event has justified my opinion, that these +assurances had been given on the general characters of men by such of our +friends as had embarked sooner and gone farther than the rest. + +This management surprised me extremely. In the answers I made I +endeavoured to set the mistake right, to show that things were far from +the point of maturity imagined, that the Chevalier had yet no party for +him, and that nothing could form one but the extreme violence which the +Whigs threatened to exercise. Great endeavours were used to engage me in +this affair, and to prevail on me to answer the letter of invitation sent +me from Bar. I alleged, as it was true, that I had no commission from +any person in England, and that the friends I left behind me were the +only persons who could determine me, if any could, to take such a step. +As to the last proposition, I absolutely refused it. + +In the uncertainty of what would happen—whether the prosecutions would be +pushed, which was most probable, in the manner intended against me, and +against others, for all of whom, except the Earl of Oxford, I had as much +concern as for myself; or whether the Whigs would relent, drop some, and +soften the fate of others—I resolved to conduct myself so as to create no +appearance which might be strained into a pretence for hard usage, and +which might be retorted on my friends when they debated for me, or when +they defended themselves. I saw the Earl of Stair; I promised him that I +would enter into no Jacobite engagements, and I kept my word with him. I +wrote a letter to Mr. Secretary Stanhope which might take off any +imputation of neglect of the Government, and I retired into Dauphine to +remove the objection of residence near the Court of France. + +This retreat from Paris was censured in England, and styled a desertion +of my friends and of their cause, with what foundation let any reasonable +man determine. Had I engaged with the Pretender before the party acted +for him, or required of me that I should do so, I had taken the air of +being his man; whereas I looked on myself as theirs. I had gone about to +bring them into his measures; whereas I never intended, even since that +time, to do anything more than to make him as far as possible act +conformably to their views. + +During the short time I continued on the banks of the Rhone the +prosecutions were carried on at Westminster with the utmost violence, and +the ferment among the people was risen to such a degree that it could end +in nothing better—it might have ended in something worse—than it did. +The measures which I observed at Paris had turned to no account; on the +contrary, the letter which I wrote to Mr. Secretary Stanhope was quoted +as a base and fawning submission, and what I intended as a mark of +respect to the Government and a service to my friends was perverted to +ruin me in the opinion of the latter. The Act of Attainder, in +consequence of my impeachment, had passed against me for crimes of the +blackest dye; and among other inducements to pass it, my having been +engaged in the Pretender’s interest was one. How well founded this +Article was has already appeared; I was just as guilty of the rest. The +correspondence with me was, you know, neither frequent nor safe. I heard +seldom and darkly from you, and though I saw well enough which way the +current ran, yet I was entirely ignorant of the measures you took, and of +the use you intended to make of me. I contented myself, therefore, with +letting you all know that you had but to command me, and that I was ready +to venture in your service the little which remained, as frankly as I had +exposed all which was gone. At last your commands came, and I shall show +you in what manner I executed them. + +The person who was sent to me arrived in the beginning of July, 1715, at +the place where I was. He spoke in the name of all the friends whose +authority could influence me, and he brought me word that Scotland was +not only ready to take arms, but under some sort of dissatisfaction to be +withheld from beginning; that in England the people were exasperated +against the Government to such a degree that, far from wanting to be +encouraged, they could not be restrained from insulting it on every +occasion; that the whole Tory party was become avowedly Jacobite; that +many officers of the army and the majority of the soldiers were very well +affected to the cause; that the City of London was ready to rise; and +that the enterprises for seizing of several places were ripe for +execution: in a word, that most of the principal Tories were in a concert +with the Duke of Ormond, for I had pressed particularly to be informed +whether his Grace acted alone, or, if not, who were his council; and that +the others were so disposed that there remained no doubt of their joining +as soon as the first blow should be struck. He added that my friends +were a little surprised to observe that I lay neuter in such a +conjuncture. He represented to me the danger I ran of being prevented by +people of all sides from having the merit of engaging early in this +enterprise, and how unaccountable it would be for a man impeached and +attainted under the present Government to take no share in bringing about +a revolution so near at hand and so certain. He entreated that I would +defer no longer to join the Chevalier, to advise and assist in carrying +on his affairs, and to solicit and negotiate at the Court of France, +where my friends imagined that I should not fail to meet with a +favourable reception, and from whence they made no doubt of receiving +assistance in a situation of affairs so critical, so unexpected, and so +promising. He concluded by giving me a letter from the Pretender, whom +he had seen in his way to me, in which I was pressed to repair without +loss of time to Commercy; and this instance was grounded on the message +which the bearer of the letter had brought me from my friends in England. +Since he was sent to me, it had been more proper to have come directly +where I was; but he was in haste to make his own court, and to deliver +the assurances which were entrusted to him. Perhaps, too, he imagined +that he should tie the knot faster on me by acquainting me that my +friends had actually engaged for themselves and me, than by barely +telling me that they desired I would engage for myself and them. + +In the progress of the conversation he related a multitude of facts which +satisfied me as to the general disposition of the people; but he gave me +little satisfaction as to the measures taken for improving this +disposition, for driving the business on with vigour if it tended to a +revolution, or for supporting it with advantage if it spun into a war. +When I questioned him concerning several persons whose disinclination to +the Government admitted of no doubt, and whose names, quality, and +experience were very essential to the success of the undertaking, he +owned to me that they kept a great reserve, and did, at most, but +encourage others to act by general and dark expressions. + +I received this account and this summons ill in my bed; yet, important as +the matter was, a few minutes served to determine me. The circumstances +wanting to form a reasonable inducement to engage did not escape me. But +the smart of a Bill of Attainder tingled in every vein; and I looked on +my party to be under oppression and to call for my assistance. Besides +which I considered, first, that I should certainly be informed, when I +conferred with the Chevalier, of many particulars unknown to this +gentleman; for I did not imagine that you could be so near to take arms, +as he represented you to be, on no other foundation than that which he +exposed. And, secondly, that I was obliged in honour to declare, without +waiting for a more particular information of what might be expected from +England, since my friends had taken their resolution to declare, without +any previous assurance of what might be expected from France. This +second motive weighed extremely with me at that time; there is, however, +more sound than sense in it, and it contains the original error to which +all your subsequent errors, and the thread of misfortunes which followed, +are to be ascribed. + +My resolution thus taken, I lost no time in repairing to Commercy. The +very first conversations with the Chevalier answered in no degree my +expectations; and I assure you, with great truth, that I began even then, +if not to repent of my own rashness, yet to be fully convinced both of +yours and mine. + +He talked to me like a man who expected every moment to set out for +England or Scotland, but who did not very well know for which. And when +he entered into the particulars of his affairs I found that concerning +the former he had nothing more circumstantial nor positive to go upon +than what I had already heard. The advices which were sent from thence +contained such assurances of success as it was hard to think that men who +did not go upon the surest grounds would presume to give. But then these +assurances were general, and the authority seldom satisfactory. Those +which came from the best hands were verbal, and often conveyed by very +doubtful messengers; others came from men whose fortunes were as +desperate as their counsels; and others came from persons whose situation +in the world gave little reason to attend to their judgment in matters of +this kind. + +The Duke of Ormond had been for some time, I cannot say how long, engaged +with the Chevalier. He had taken the direction of this whole affair, as +far as it related to England, upon himself, and had received a commission +for this purpose, which contained the most ample powers that could be +given. After this, one would be apt to imagine that the principles on +which the Pretender should proceed, and the Tories engage, in this +service had been laid down; that a regular and certain method of +correspondence had been established; that the necessary assistances had +been specified; and that positive assurances had been given of them. +Nothing less. In a matter as serious as this, all was loose and +abandoned to the disposition of fortune. The first point had never been +touched upon; by what I have said above you see how little care was taken +of the second; and as to the third, the Duke had asked a small body of +regular forces, a sum of money, and a quantity of arms and ammunition. +He had been told in answer by the Court of France that he must absolutely +despair of any number of troops whatever, but he had been made in general +to hope for some money, some arms, and some ammunition; a little sum had, +I think, been advanced to him. In a case so plain as this it is hard to +conceive how any man could err. The assistances demanded from France at +this time, and even greater than these, will appear, in the sequel of +this relation, by the sense of the whole party, to have been deemed +essentially necessary to success. In such an uncertainty, therefore, +whether even these could be obtained, or rather with so much reason to +apprehend that they could not, it was evident that the Tories ought to +have lain still. They might have helped the ferment against the +Government, but should have avoided with the utmost care the giving any +alarm or even suspicion of their true design, and have resumed or not +resumed it as the Chevalier was able or not able to provide the troops, +the arms, the money, etc. Instead of which those who were at the head of +the undertaking, and therefore answerable for the measures which were +pursued, suffered the business to jog merrily on. They knew in general +how little dependence was to be placed on foreign succour, but acted as +if they had been sure of it; while the party were rendered sanguine by +their passions, and made no doubt of subverting a Government they were +angry with, both one and the other made as much bustle and gave as great +alarm as would have been imprudent even at the eve of a general +insurrection. This appeared to me to be the state of things with respect +to England when I arrived at Commercy. + +The Scots had long pressed the Chevalier to come amongst them, and had of +late sent frequent messages to quicken his departure, some of which were +delivered in terms much more zealous than respectful. The truth is, they +seemed in as much haste to begin as if they had thought themselves able +to do the work alone; as if they had been apprehensive of no danger but +that of seeing it taken out of their hands and of having the honour of it +shared by others. However, that which was wanting on the part of England +was not wanting in Scotland; the Scots talked aloud, but they were in a +condition to rise. They took little care to keep their intentions +secret, but they were disposed to put those intentions into immediate +execution, and thereby to render the secret no longer necessary. They +knew upon whom to depend for every part of the work, and they had +concerted with the Chevalier even to the place of his landing. + +There was need of no great sagacity to perceive how unequal such +foundations were to the weight of the building designed to be raised on +them. The Scots, with all their zeal and all their valour, could bring +no revolution about unless in concurrence with the English; and among the +latter nothing was ripe for such an undertaking but the temper of the +people, if that was so. I thought, therefore, that the Pretender’s +friends in the North should be kept from rising till those in the South +had put themselves in a condition to act; and that in the meanwhile the +utmost endeavours ought to be used with the King of France to espouse the +cause; and that a plan of the design, with a more particular +specification of the succours desired, as well as of the time when and +the place to which they should be conveyed, ought to be written for;—all +which I was told by the Marshal of Berwick, who had the principal +direction at that time of these affairs in France, and I daresay very +truly, had been often asked, but never sent. I looked on this enterprise +to be of the nature of those which can hardly be undertaken more than +once, and I judged that the success of it would depend on timing as near +as possible together the insurrection in both parts of the island and the +succours from hence. The Pretender approved this opinion of mine. He +instructed me accordingly, and I left Lorraine after having accepted the +Seals much against my inclination. I made one condition with him; it was +this—that I should be at liberty to quit a station which my humour and +many other considerations made me think myself very unfit for, whenever +the occasion upon which I engaged was over, one way or other; and I +desire you to remember that I did so. + +I arrived at Paris towards the end of July, 1715. You will observe that +all I was charged with, and all by consequence that I am answerable for, +was to solicit this Court and to dispose them to grant us the succours +necessary to make the attempt as soon as we should know certainly from +England in what it was desired that these succours should consist and +whither they should be sent. Here I found a multitude of people at work, +and every one doing what seemed good in his own eyes; no subordination, +no order, no concert. Persons concerned in the management of these +affairs upon former occasions have assured me this is always the case. +It might be so to some degree, but I believe never so much as now. The +Jacobites had wrought one another up to look on the success of the +present designs as infallible. Every meeting-house which the populace +demolished, every little drunken riot which happened, served to confirm +them in these sanguine expectations; and there was hardly one amongst +them who would lose the air of contributing by his intrigues to the +Restoration, which, he took it for granted, would be brought about, +without him, in a very few weeks. + +Care and hope sat on every busy Irish face. Those who could write and +read had letters to show; and those who had not arrived to this pitch of +erudition had their secrets to whisper. No sex was excluded from this +Ministry. Fanny Oglethorpe, whom you must have seen in England, kept her +corner in it, and Olive Trant was the great wheel of our machine. + +I imagine that this picture, the lines of which are not in the least too +strong, would serve to represent what passed on your side of the water at +the same time. The letters which came from thence seemed to me to +contain rather such things as the writers wished might be true, than such +as they knew to be so: and the accounts which were sent from hence were +of the same kind. The vanity of some and the credulity of others +supported this ridiculous correspondence; and I question not but very +many persons, some such I have known, did the same thing from a principle +which they took to be a very wise one: they imagined that they helped by +these means to maintain and to increase the spirit of the party in +England and France. They acted like Thoas, that turbulent Ætolian, who +brought Antiochus into Greece: “quibus mendaciis de rege, multiplicando +verbis copias ejus, erexerat multorum in Græcia animos; iisdem et regis +spem inflabat, omnium votis eum arcessi.” Thus were numbers of people +employed under a notion of advancing the business, or from an affectation +of importance, in amusing and flattering one another and in sounding the +alarm in the ears of an enemy whom it was their interest to surprise. +The Government of England was put on its guard: and the necessity of +acting, or of laying aside with some disadvantage all thoughts of acting +for the present, was precipitated before any measures necessary to enable +you to act had been prepared, or almost thought of. + +If his Majesty did not, till some short time after this, declare the +intended invasion to Parliament it was not for want of information. +Before I came to Paris, what was doing had been discovered. The little +armament made at the Havre, which furnished the only means the Chevalier +then had for his transportation into Britain, which had exhausted the +treasury of St. Germains, and which contained all the arms and ammunition +that could be depended upon for the whole undertaking, though they were +hardly sufficient to begin the work even in Scotland, was talked of +publicly. A Minister less alert and less capable than the Earl of Stair +would easily have been at the bottom of the secret, for so it was called, +when the particulars of messages received and sent, the names of the +persons from whom they came, and by whom they were carried, were +whispered about at tea-tables and in coffee-houses. + +In short, what by the indiscretion of people here, what by the rebound +which came often back from London, what by the private interests and +ambitious views of persons in the French Court, and what by other causes +unnecessary to be examined now, the most private transactions came to +light: and they who imagined that they trusted their heads to the keeping +of one or two friends, were in reality at the mercy of numbers. Into +such company was I fallen for my sins; and it is upon the credit of such +a mob Ministry that the Tories have judged me capable of betraying a +trust, or incapable of discharging it. + +I had made very little progress in the business which brought me to +Paris, when the paper so long expected was sent, in pursuance of former +instances, from England. The unanimous sense of the principal persons +engaged was contained in it. The whole had been dictated word for word +to the gentleman who brought it over, by the Earl of Mar, and it had been +delivered to him by the Duke of Ormond. I was driving in the wide ocean +without a compass when this dropped unexpectedly into my hands. I +received it joyfully, and I steered my course exactly by it. Whether the +persons from whom it came pursued the principles and observed the rules +which they laid down as the measures of their own conduct and of ours, +will appear by the sequel of this relation. + +This memorial asserted that there were no hopes of succeeding in a +present undertaking, for many reasons deduced in it, without an immediate +and universal rising of the people in all parts of England upon the +Chevalier’s arrival; and that this insurrection was in no degree probable +unless he brought a body of regular troops along with him: that if this +attempt miscarried, his cause and his friends, the English liberty and +Government, would be utterly ruined: but if by coming without troops he +resolved to risk these and everything else, he must set out so as not to +arrive before the end of September, to justify which opinion many +arguments were urged. In this case twenty thousand arms, a train of +artillery, five hundred officers with their servants, and a considerable +sum of money were demanded: and as soon as they should be informed that +the Chevalier was in condition to make this provision, it was said that +notice should be given him of the places to which he might send, and of +the persons who were to be trusted. I do not mention some inconveniences +which they touched upon arising from a delay; because their opinion was +clearly for this delay, and because that they could not suppose that the +Chevalier would act, or that those about him would advise him to act, +contrary to the sense of all his friends in England. No time was lost in +making the proper use of this paper. As much of it as was fit to be +shown to this Court was translated into French, and laid before the King +of France. I was now able to speak with greater assurance, and in some +sort to undertake conditionally for the event of things. + +The proposal of violating treaties so lately and so solemnly concluded, +was a very bold one to be made to people, whatever their inclinations +might be, whom the war had reduced to the lowest ebb of riches and power. +They would not hear of a direct and open engagement, such as the sending +a body of troops would have been; neither would they grant the whole of +what was asked in the second plan. But it was impossible for them, or +any one else, to foresee how far those steps which they were willing to +take, well improved, might have encouraged or forced them to go. They +granted us some succours, and the very ship in which the Pretender was to +transport himself was fitted out by Depine d’Anicant at the King of +France’s expense. They would have concealed these appearances as much as +they could; but the heat of the Whigs and the resentment of the Court of +England might have drawn them in. We should have been glad indirectly to +concur in fixing these things upon them: and, in a word, if the late King +had lived six months longer, I verily believe there had been war again +between England and France. This was the only point of time when these +affairs had, to my apprehension, the least reasonable appearance even of +possibility: all that preceded was wild and uncertain: all that followed +was mad and desperate. But this favourable aspect had an extreme short +duration. Two events soon happened, one of which cast a damp on all we +were doing, and the other rendered vain and fruitless all we had done. +The first was the arrival of the Duke of Ormond in France, the other was +the death of the King. + +We had sounded the duke’s name high. His reputation and the opinion of +his power were great. The French began to believe that he was able to +form and to head a party; that the troops would join him; that the nation +would follow the signal whenever he drew his sword; and the voice of the +people, the echo of which was continually in their ears, confirmed them +in this belief. But when, in the midst of all these bright ideas, they +saw him arrive, almost literally alone, when, to excuse his coming, I was +obliged to tell them that he could not stay, they sank at once from their +hopes, and that which generally happens happened in this case: because +they had had too good an opinion of the cause, they began to form too bad +a one. Before this time, if they had no friendship for the Tories, they +had at least some consideration and esteem. After this, I saw nothing +but compassion in the best of them, and contempt in the others. + +When I arrived at Paris, the King was already gone to Marly, where the +indisposition which he had begun to feel at Versailles increased upon +him. He was the best friend the Chevalier had: and when I engaged in +this business, my principal dependence was on his personal character. +This failed me to a great degree; he was not in a condition to exert the +same vigour as formerly. The Ministers who saw so great an event as his +death to be probably at hand, a certain minority, an uncertain regency, +perhaps confusion, at best a new face of Government and a new system of +affairs, would not, for their own sakes, as well as for the sake of the +public, venture to engage far in any new measures. All I had to +negotiate by myself first, and in conjunction with the Duke of Ormond +soon afterwards, languished with the King. My hopes sank as he declined, +and died when he expired. The event of things has sufficiently shown +that all those which were entertained by the duke and the Jacobite party +under the Regency, were founded on the grossest delusions imaginable. +Thus was the project become impracticable before the time arrived which +was fixed by those who directed things in England for putting it in +execution. + +The new Government of France appeared to me like a strange country. I +was little acquainted with the roads. Most of the faces I met with were +unknown to me, and I hardly understood the language of the people. Of +the men who had been in power under the late reign, many were discarded, +and most of the others were too much taken up with the thoughts of +securing themselves under this, to receive applications in favour of the +Pretender. The two men who had the greatest appearance of favour and +power were D’Aguesseau and Noailles. One was made Chancellor, on the +death of Voisin, from Attorney-General; and the other was placed at the +head of the Treasury. The first passes for a man of parts, but he never +acted out of the sphere of the law: I had no acquaintance with him before +this time; and when you consider his circumstances and mine, you will not +think it could be very easy for me to get access to him now. The latter +I had known extremely well whilst the late King lived: and from the same +Court principle, as he was glad to be well with me then, he would hardly +know me now. The Minister who had the principal direction of foreign +affairs I lived in friendship with, and I must own, to his honour, that +he never encouraged a design which he knew that his Court had no +intention of supporting. + +There were other persons, not to tire you with farther particulars upon +this head, of credit and influence with whom I found indirect and private +ways of conversing; but it was in vain to expect any more than civil +language from them in a case which they found no disposition in their +Master to countenance, and in favour of which they had no prejudices of +their own. The private engagements into which the Duke of Orleans had +entered with his Majesty during the life of the late King will abate of +their force as the Regent grows into strength, and would soon have had no +force at all if the Pretender had met with success: but in these +beginnings they operated very strongly. The air of this Court was to +take the counterpart of all which had been thought right under Louis XIV. +“Cela resemble trop à l’ancien système” was an answer so often given that +it became a jest and almost a proverb. But to finish this account with a +fact which is incredible, but strictly true; the very peace which had +saved France from ruin, and the makers of it, were become as unpopular at +this Court as at the Court of Vienna. + +The Duke of Ormond flattered himself, in this state of things, that he +had opened a private and sure channel of arriving at the Regent, and of +bending him to his purposes. His Grace and I lived together at this time +in an house which one of my friends had lent me. I observed that he was +frequently lost, and that he made continual excursions out of town, with +all the mysterious precaution imaginable. I doubted at first whether +those intrigues related to business or pleasure. I soon discovered with +whom they were carried on, and had reason to believe that both were +mingled in them. It is necessary that I explain this secret to you. + +Mrs. Trant, whom I have named above, had been preparing herself for the +retired abstemious life of a Carmelite by taking a surfeit of the +pleasures of Paris, when, a little before the death of the Queen, or +about that time, she went into England. What she was entrusted either by +the Chevalier, or any other person, to negotiate there, I am ignorant of; +and it imports not much to know. In that journey she made or renewed an +acquaintance with the Duke of Ormond. The scandalous chronicle affirms +that she brought with her, when she returned into France, a woman of whom +I have not the least knowledge, but who was probably handsome, since +without beauty such a merchandise would not have been saleable, nor have +answered the design of the importer; and that she made this way her court +to the Regent. Whatever her merit was, she kept a correspondence with +him, and put herself upon that foot of familiarity which he permits all +those who contribute to his pleasures to assume. She was placed by him, +as she told me herself, where I found her some time after that which I am +speaking of, in the house of an ancient gentlewoman who had formerly been +Maid of Honour to Madame, and who had contracted at Court a spirit of +intrigue which accompanied her in her retreat. + +These two had associated to them the Abbé de Tesieu in all the political +parts of their business; for I will not suppose that so reverend an +ecclesiastic entered into any other secret. This Abbé is the Regent’s +secretary; and it was chiefly through him that the private treaty had +been carried on between his master and the Earl of Stair in the King’s +reign. Whether the priest had stooped at the lure of a cardinal’s hat, +or whether he acted the second part by the same orders that he acted the +first, I know not. This is sure, and the British Minister was not the +bubble of it—that whilst he concerted measures on one hand to traverse +the Pretender’s designs, he testified on the other all the inclination +possible to his service. A mad fellow who had been an intendant in +Normandy, and several other politicians of the lowest form, were at +different times taken into this famous Junto. + +With these worthy people his Grace of Ormond negotiated; and no care was +omitted on his part to keep me out of the secret. The reason of which, +as far as I am able to guess at, shall be explained to you by-and-by. I +might very justly have taken this proceeding ill, and the duke will not +be able to find in my whole conduct towards him anything like it; I +protest to you very sincerely I was not in the least moved at it. + +He advanced not a step in his business with these sham Ministers, and yet +imagined that he got daily ground. I made no progress with the true +ones, but I saw it. These, however, were not our only difficulties. We +lay under another, which came from your side, and which embarrassed us +more. The first hindered us from working forward to our point of view, +but the second took all point of view from us. + +A paper was sent into England just before the death of the King of +France, which had been drawn by me at Chaville in concert with the Dukes +of Ormond and Berwick, and with Monsieur de Torcy. This paper was an +answer to the memorial received from thence. The state of this country +was truly represented in it: the difference was fixed between what had +been asked, and what might be expected from France; and upon the whole it +was demanded what our friends would do, and what they would have us to +do. The reply to this came through the French Secretary of State to our +hands. They declared themselves unable to say anything till they should +see what turn affairs would take on so great an event as the death of the +King, the report of which had reached them. + +Such a declaration shut our mouths and tied our hands. I confess I knew +neither how to solicit, nor what to solicit; this last message suspending +the project on which we had acted before, and which I kept as an +instruction constantly before my eyes. It seemed to me uncertain whether +you intended to go on, or whether your design was to stifle, as much as +possible, all past transactions; to lie perfectly still; to throw upon +the Court the odium of having given a false alarm; and to wait till new +accidents at home, and a more favourable conjuncture abroad, might tempt +you to resume the enterprise. Perhaps this would have been the wisest +game you could have played: but then you should have concerted it with us +who acted for you here. You intended no such thing, as appeared +afterwards: and therefore those who acted for the party at London, +whoever they were, must be deemed inexcusable for leaving things on the +foot of this message, and giving us no advice fit to be depended upon for +many weeks. Whilst preparations were to be made, and the work was to be +set a-going by assistance from hence, you might reasonably expect to hear +from us, and to be determined by us: but when all hopes of this kind +seemed to be gone, it was your part to determine us; and we could take no +resolution here but that of conforming ourselves to whatever should come +prescribed from England. + +Whilst we were in this condition, the most desperate that can be +imagined, we began to receive verbal messages from you that no more time +was to be lost, and that the Chevalier should come away. No man was, I +believe, ever so embarrassed as I found myself at that time. I could not +imagine that you would content yourselves by loose verbal messages, after +all that had happened, to call us over; and I knew by experience how +little such messages are to be depended on. For soon after I engaged in +these affairs, a monk arrived at Bar, despatched, as he affirmed, by the +Duke of Ormond, in whose name he insisted that the Chevalier should +hasten into Britain, and that nothing but his presence was wanting to +place the crown on his head. The fellow delivered his errand so +positively, and so circumstantially, that the resolution was taken at Bar +to set out, and my rendezvous to join the Chevalier was appointed me. +This method to fetch a King, with as little ceremony as one would invite +a friend to supper, appeared somewhat odd to me, who was then very new in +these affairs. But when I came to talk with the man, for by good luck he +had been sent for from Bar to Paris, I easily discerned that he had no +such commission as he pretended to, and that he acted of his own head. I +presumed to oppose the taking any resolution upon his word, though he was +a monk: and soon after we knew from the Duke of Ormond himself that he +had never sent him. + +This example made me cautious; but that which determined my opinion was, +that I could never imagine, without supposing you all run mad, that the +same men who judged this attempt unripe for execution, unless supported +by regular troops from France, or at least by all the other assistances +which are enumerated above, while the design was much more secret than at +present; when the King had no fleet at sea, nor more than eight thousand +men dispersed over the whole island; when we had the good wishes of the +French Court on our side, and were sure of some particular assistances, +and of a general connivance; that the same men, I say, should press for +making it now without any other preparation, when we had neither money, +arms, ammunition, nor a single company of foot; when the Government of +England was on its guard, national troops were raised, foreign forces +sent for, and France, like all the rest of the Continent, against us. I +could not conceive such a strange combination of accidents as should make +the necessity of acting increase gradually upon us as the means of doing +so were taken from us. + +Upon the whole matter, my opinion was, and I did not observe the Duke of +Ormond to differ from me, that we should wait till we heard from you in +such a manner as might assure us of what you intended to do yourselves, +and of what you expected from us; and that in the meanwhile we should go +as far as the little money which we had, and the little favour which was +shown us would allow, in getting some embarkations ready on the coast. + +Sir George Byng had come into the road of Havre, and had demanded by name +several ships which belonged to us to be given up to him. The Regent did +not think fit to let him have the ships; but he ordered them to be +unloaded, and their cargoes were put into the King’s magazines. We were +in no condition to repair the loss; and therefore when I mention +embarkations, you will please to understand nothing more than vessels to +transport the Pretender’s person and the persons of those who should go +over with him. This was all we could do, and this was not neglected. + +We were thus employed when a gentleman arrived from Scotland to represent +the state of that country, and to require a definitive answer from the +Chevalier whether he would have the insurrection to be made immediately, +which they apprehended they might not be able to make at all if they were +obliged to defer it much longer. This gentleman was sent instantly back +again, and was directed to let the persons he came from know that the +Chevalier was desirous to have the rising of his friends in England and +Scotland so adjusted that they might mutually assist each other and +distract the enemy; that he had not received a final answer from his +friends in England, but that he was in daily expectation of it; that it +was very much to be wished that all attempts in Scotland could be +suspended till such time as the English were ready; but that if the Scots +were so pressed that they must either submit or rise immediately, he was +of opinion they should rise, and he would make the best of his way to +them. + +What this forwardness in the Scots and this uncertainty and backwardness +in the English must produce, it was not hard to foresee; and, therefore, +that I might neglect nothing in my power to prevent any false measures—as +I was conscious to myself that I had neglected nothing to promote true +ones—I despatched a gentleman to London, where I supposed the Earl of Mar +to be, some days before the message I have just spoken of was sent to +Scotland. I desired him to make my compliments to Lord Mar, and to tell +him from me that I understood it to be his sense, as well as the sense of +all our friends, that Scotland could do nothing effectually without the +concurrence of England, and that England would not stir without +assistance from abroad; that he might assure himself no such assistance +could be depended upon; and that I begged of him to make the inference +from these propositions. The gentleman went; but upon his arrival at +London he found that the Earl of Mar was already set out to draw the +Highlanders into arms. He communicated his message to a person of +confidence, who undertook to send it after his lordship; and this was the +utmost which either he or I could do in such a conjuncture. + +You were now visibly departed from the very scheme which you had sent us +over, and from all the principles which had been ever laid down. I did +what I could to keep up my own spirit, as well as the spirits of the +Chevalier, and of all those with whom I was in correspondence: I +endeavoured even to deceive myself. I could not remedy the mischief, and +I was resolved to see the conclusion of the perilous adventure; but I own +to you that I thought then, and that I have not changed my opinion since, +that such measures as these would not be pursued by any reasonable man in +the most common affairs of life. It was with the utmost astonishment +that I saw them pursued in the conduct of an enterprise which had for its +object nothing less than the disposition of crowns, and for the means of +bringing it about nothing less than a civil war. + +Impatient that we heard nothing from England, when we expected every +moment to hear that the war was begun in Scotland, the Duke of Ormond and +I resolved to send a person of confidence to London. We instructed him +to repeat to you the former accounts which we had sent over, to let you +know how destitute the Chevalier was either of actual support or even of +reasonable hopes, and to desire that you would determine whether he +should go to Scotland or throw himself on some part of the English coast. +This person was further instructed to tell you that, the Chevalier being +ready to take any resolution at a moment’s warning, you might depend on +his setting out the instant he received your answer; and, therefore, that +to save time, if your intention was to rise, you would do well to act +immediately, on the assurance that the plan you prescribed, be it what it +would, should be exactly complied with. We took this resolution the +rather because one of the packets, which had been prepared in cypher to +give you an account of things, which had been put above three weeks +before into Monsieur de Torcy’s hands, and which by consequence we +thought to be in yours, was by this time sent back to me by this Minister +(I think, open), with an excuse that he durst not take upon him to +forward it. + +The person despatched to London returned very soon to us, and the answer +he brought was, that since affairs grew daily worse, and could not mend +by delay, our friends in England had resolved to declare immediately, and +that they would be ready to join the Chevalier on his landing; that his +person would be as safe there as in Scotland, and that in every other +respect it was better that he should land in England; that they had used +their utmost endeavours, and that they hoped the western counties were in +a good posture to receive him. To this was added a general indication of +the place he should come to, as near to Plymouth as possible. + +You must agree that this was not the answer of men who knew what they +were about. A little more precision was necessary in dictating a message +which was to have such consequences, and especially since the gentleman +could not fail to acquaint the persons he spoke with that the Chevalier +was not able to carry men enough to secure him from being taken up even +by the first constable. Notwithstanding this, the Duke of Ormond set out +from Paris and the Chevalier from Bar. Some persons were sent to the +North of England and others to London to give notice that they were both +on their way. Their routes were so ordered that the Duke of Ormond was +to sail from the coast of Normandy some days before the Chevalier arrived +at St. Malo, to which place the duke was to send immediate notice of his +landing; and two gentlemen acquainted with the country, and perfectly +well known to all our friends in those parts, were despatched before, +that the people of Devonshire and Somersetshire, who were, we concluded, +in arms, might be apprised of the signals which were to be made from the +ships, and might be ready to receive the duke. + +On the coast of France, and before his embarkation, the duke heard that +several of our principal friends had been seized immediately after the +person who came last from them had left London, that the others were all +dispersed, and that the consternation was universal. He embarked, +notwithstanding this melancholy news, and, supported by nothing but the +firmness of his temper, he went over to the place appointed; he did more +than his part, and he found that our friends had done less than theirs. +One of the gentlemen who had passed over before him, and had traversed +part of the country, joined him on the coast, and assured him that there +was not the least room to expect a rising; in a word, he was refused a +night’s lodging in a country which we had been told was in a good posture +to receive the Chevalier, and where the duke expected that multitudes +would repair to him. + +He returned to the coast of Brittany after this uncomfortable expedition, +where the Chevalier arrived about the same time from Lorraine. What his +Grace proposed by the second attempt, which he made as soon as the vessel +could be refitted, to land in the same part of the island, I profess +myself to be ignorant. I wrote him my opinion at the time, and I have +always thought that the storm in which he had like to have been cast +away, and which forced him back to the French coast, saved him from a +much greater peril—that of perishing in an attempt as full of extravagant +rashness, and as void of all reasonable meaning, as any of those +adventures which have rendered the hero of La Mancha immortal. + +The Chevalier had now but one of these two things left him to do: one was +to return to Bar; the other was to go to Scotland, where there were +people in arms for him. He took this last resolution. He left Brittany, +where he had as many Ministers as there were people about him, and where +he was eternally teased with noisy disputes about what was to be done in +circumstances in which no reasonable thing could be done. He sent to +have a vessel got ready for him at Dunkirk, and he crossed the country as +privately as he could. + +Whilst all these things passed I remained at Paris to try if by any means +some assistance might be at last procured, without which it was evident, +even to those who flattered themselves the most, that the game was up. + +No sooner was the Duke of Ormond gone from Paris on the design which I +have mentioned, and Mrs. Trant, who had accompanied him part of the way, +returned, but I was sent for to a little house at Madrid, in the Bois de +Boulogne, where she lived with Mademoiselle de Chaussery, the ancient +gentlewoman with whom the Duke of Orleans had placed her. These two +persons opened to me what had passed whilst the Duke of Ormond was here, +and the hopes they had of drawing the Regent into all the measures +necessary to support the attempts which were making in favour of the +Chevalier. + +By what they told me at first I saw that they had been trusted, and by +what passed in the course of my treating with them it appeared that they +had the access which they pretended to. All which I had been able to do +by proper persons and in proper methods, since the King of France’s +death, amounting to little or nothing, I resolved, at last, to try what +was to be done by this indirect way. I put myself under the conduct of +these female managers, and without having the same dependence on them as +his Grace of Ormond had, I pushed their credit and their power as far as +they reached during the time I continued to see them. I met with +smoother language and greater hopes than had been given me hitherto. A +note signed by the Regent, supposed to be written to a woman, but which +was to be explained to be intended for the Earl of Mar, was put into my +hands to be sent to Scotland. I took a copy of it, which you may see at +the end of these papers. When Sir John Areskine came to press for +succour, the Regent was prevailed upon by these women to see him; but he +carried nothing real back with him except a quantity of gold, part of the +money which we had drawn from Spain, and which was lost, with the vessel, +in a very odd manner, on the Scotch coast. The Duke of Ormond had been +promised seven or eight thousand arms, which were drawn out of the +magazines, and said to be lodged, I think, at Compiègne. I used my +utmost efforts that these arms might be carried forward to the coast, and +I undertook for their transportation, but all was in vain, so that the +likelihood of bringing anything to effect in time appeared to me no +greater than I had found it before I entered into this intrigue. + +I soon grew tired of a commerce which nothing but success could render +tolerable, and resolved to be no longer amused by the pretences which +were daily repeated to me, that the Regent had entertained personal +prejudices against me, and that he was insensibly and by degrees to be +dipped in our measures; that both these things required time, but that +they would certainly be brought about, and that we should then be able to +answer all the expectations of the English and the Scotch. The first of +these pretences contained a fact which I could hardly persuade myself to +be true, because I knew very certainly that I had never given His Royal +Highness the least occasion for such prejudices; the second was a work +which might spin out into a great and uncertain length. I took my +resolution to drive what related to myself to an immediate explanation, +and what related to others to an immediate decision; not to suffer any +excuse for doing nothing to be founded on my conduct, nor the salvation, +if I could hinder it, of so many gallant men as were in arms in Scotland, +to rest on the success of such womanish projects. I shall tell you what +I did on the first head now, and what I did on the second, hereafter, in +its proper place. + +The fact which it was said the Regent laid to my charge was a +correspondence with Lord Stair, and having been one night at his house +from whence I did not retire till three in the morning. As soon as I got +hold of this I desired the Marshal of Berwick to go to him. The Marshal +told him, from me, that I had been extremely concerned to hear in general +that I lay under his displeasure; that a story, which it was said he +believed, had been related to me; that I expected the justice, which he +could deny to no man, of having the accusation proved, in which case I +was contented to pass for the last of humankind, or of being justified if +it could not be proved. He answered that such a story had been related +to him by such persons as he thought would not have deceived him; that he +had been since convinced that it was false, and that I should be +satisfied of his regard for me; but that he must own he was very uneasy +to find that I, who could apply to him through the Marshal d’Huxelles, +could choose to treat with Mrs. Trant and the rest; for he named all the +cabal, except his secretary, whom I had never met at Mademoiselle +Chaussery’s. He added that these people teased him, at my instigation, +to death, and that they were not fit to be trusted with any business. He +applied to some of them the severest epithets. The Marshal of Berwick +replied that he was sure I should receive the whole of what he had been +pleased to say with the greatest satisfaction; that I had treated with +those persons much against my will; and, finally, that if his Royal +Highness would not employ them he was sure I would never apply to them. +In a conversation which I had not long after with him he spoke to me in +much the same terms as he had done to the Marshal. I went from him very +ill edified as to his intentions of doing anything in favour of the +Chevalier; but I carried away with me this satisfaction, that he had +assigned me, from his own mouth, the person through whom I should make my +applications to him, and through whom I should depend on receiving his +answers; that he had disavowed all the little politic clubs, and had +commanded me to have no more to do with them. + +Before I resume the thread of my narration give me leave to make some +reflection upon what I have been last saying to you. When I met with the +Duke of Ormond at his return from the coast, he thought himself obliged +to say something to excuse his keeping me out of a secret which during +his absence I had been let into. His excuse was that the Regent had +exacted from him that I should know nothing of the matter. You will +observe that the account which I have given you seems to contradict this +assertion of his Grace, since it is hard to suppose that if the Regent +had exacted that I should be kept out of the secret, these women would +have dared to have let me into it, and since it is still harder to +suppose that the Regent would make this express condition with the Duke +of Ormond, and the moment the duke’s back was turned would suffer these +women to tease him from me and to bring me answers from him. I am, +however, far from taxing the duke with affirming an untruth. I believe +the Regent did make such a condition with him; and I will tell you how I +understand all this little management, which will explain a great deal to +you. This Prince, with wit and valour, has joined all the irresolution +of temper possible, and is, perhaps, the man in the world the least +capable of saying “no” to your face. From hence it happened that these +women, like multitudes of other people, forced him to say and do enough +to give them the air of having credit with him and of being trusted by +him. This drew in the Duke of Ormond, who is not, I daresay, as yet +undeceived. The Regent never intended from the first to do anything, +even indirectly, in favour of the Jacobite cause. His interest was +plainly on the other side, and he saw it. But then the same weakness in +his character carried him, as it would have done his great-uncle Gaston +in the same case, to keep measures with the Chevalier. His +double-trimming character prevailed on him to talk with the Duke of +Ormond, but it carried him no farther. I question not but he did, on +this occasion, what you must have observed many men to do: we not only +endeavour to impose on the world, but even on ourselves; we disguise our +weakness, and work up in our minds an opinion that the measure which we +fall into by the natural or habitual imperfection of our character is the +effect of a principle of prudence or of some other virtue. Thus the +Regent, who saw the Duke of Ormond because he could not resist the +importunity of Olive Trant, and who gave hopes to the duke because he can +refuse nobody, made himself believe that it was a great strain of policy +to blow up the fire and to keep Britain embroiled. I am persuaded that I +do not err in judging that he thought in this manner, and here I fix the +reason of his excluding me out of the commerce which he had with the Duke +of Ormond, of his affecting a personal dislike of me, and of his avoiding +any correspondence with me upon these matters, till I forced myself in a +manner upon him, and he could not keep me any longer at a distance +without departing from his first principle—that of keeping measures with +everybody. He then threw me, or let me slide if you will, into the hands +of these women; and when he found that I pressed him hard that way, too, +he took me out of their hands and put me back again into the proper +channel of business, where I had not been long, as you will see +by-and-by, before the scene of amusement was finished. + +Sir John Areskine told me when he came from the first audience that he +had of his Royal Highness, that he put him in mind of the encouragement +which he had given the Earl of Mar to take arms. I never heard anything +of this kind but what Sir John let drop to me. If the fact be true, you +see that the Scotch general had been amused by him with a witness. The +English general was so in his turn; and while this was doing, the Regent +might think it best to have him to himself. Four eyes comprehend more +objects than two, and I was a little better acquainted with the +characters of people, and the mass of the country, than the duke, though +this Court had been at first a strange country to me in comparison of the +former. + +An infinity of little circumstances concurred to make me form this +opinion, some of which are better felt than explained, and many of which +are not present to my memory. That which had the greatest weight with +me, and which is, I think, decisive, I will mention. At the very time +when it is pretended that the Regent treated with the Duke of Ormond on +the express condition that I should know nothing of the matter, two +persons of the first rank and greatest credit in this Court, when I made +the most pressing instances to them in favour of the Chevalier, threw out +in conversation to me that I should attach myself to the Duke of Orleans, +that in my circumstances I might want him, and that he might have +occasion for me. Something was intimated of pensions and establishment, +and of making my peace at home. I would not understand this language, +because I would not break with the people who held it: and when they saw +that I would not take the hints, they ceased to give them. + +I fancy that you see by this time the motives of the Regent’s conduct. I +am not, I confess, able to explain to you those of the Duke of Ormond’s; +I cannot so much as guess at them. When he came into France, I was +careful to show him all the friendship and all the respect possible. My +friends were his, my purse was his, and even my bed was his. I went +further; I did all those things which touch most sensibly people who have +been used to pomp. I made my court to him, and haunted his levee with +assiduity. In return to this behaviour—which was the pure effect of my +goodwill, and which no duty that I owed his Grace, no obligation that I +had to him, imposed upon me—I have great reason to suspect that he went +at least half way in all which was said or done against me. He threw +himself blindly into the snare which was laid for him; and instead of +hindering, as he and I in concert might have done, those affairs from +languishing in the manner they did several months, he furnished this +Court with an excuse for not treating with me, till it was too late to +play even a saving game; and he neither drove the Regent to assist the +Chevalier, nor to declare that he would not assist him; though it was +fatal to the cause in general, and to the Scotch in particular, not to +bring one of the two about. + +It was Christmas 1715 before the Chevalier sailed for Scotland. The +battle of Dunblain had been fought, the business of Preston was over: +there remained not the least room to expect any commotion in his favour +among the English; and many of the Scotch who had declared for him began +to grow cool in the cause. No prospect of success could engage him in +this expedition: but it was become necessary for his reputation. The +Scotch on one side spared not to reproach him, I think unjustly, for his +delay; and the French on the other were extremely eager to have him gone. +Some of those who knew little of British affairs imagined that his +presence would produce miraculous effects. You must not be surprised at +this. As near neighbours as we are, ninety-nine in an hundred among the +French are as little acquainted with the inside of our island as with +that of Japan. Others of them were uneasy to see him skulking about in +France, and to be told of it every hour by the Earl of Stair. Others, +again, imagined that he might do their business by going into Scotland, +though he should not do his own: this is, they flattered themselves that +he might keep a war for some time alive, which would employ the whole +attention of our Government; and for the event of which they had very +little concern. Unable from their natural temper, as well as their +habits, to be true to any principle, they thought and acted in this +manner, whilst they affected the greatest friendship to the King, and +whilst they really did desire to enter into new and more intimate +engagements with him. Whilst the Pretender continued in France they +could neither avow him, nor favour his cause: if he once set his foot on +Scotch ground, they gave hopes of indirect assistance; and if he could +maintain himself in any corner of the island, they could look upon him, +it was said, as a king. This was their language to us. To the British +Minister they denied, they forswore, they renounced; and yet the man of +the best head in all their councils, being asked by Lord Stair what they +intended to do, answered, before he was aware, that they pretended to be +neuters. I leave you to judge how this slip was taken up. + +As soon as I received advice that the Chevalier was sailed from Dunkirk, +I renewed, I redoubled all my applications. I neglected no means, I +forgot no argument which my understanding could suggest to me. What the +Duke of Ormond rested upon, you have seen already. And I doubt very much +whether Lord Mar, if he had been here in my place, would have been able +to employ measures more effectual than those which I made use of. I may, +without any imputation of arrogance, compare myself on this occasion with +his lordship, since there was nothing in the management of this affair +above my degree of capacity; nothing equal, either in extent or +difficulty, to the business which he was a spectator of, and which I +carried on when we were Secretaries of State together under the late +Queen. + +The King of France, who was not able to furnish the Pretender with money +himself, had written some time before his death to his grandson, and had +obtained a promise of four hundred thousand crowns from the King of +Spain. A small part of this sum had been received by the Queen’s +Treasurer at St. Germains, and had been either sent to Scotland or +employed to defray the expenses which were daily making on the coast. I +pressed the Spanish Ambassador at Paris; I solicited, by Lawless, +Alberoni at Madrid, and I found another more private and more promising +way of applying to him. I took care to have a number of officers picked +out of the Irish troops which serve in that country; their routes were +given them, and I sent a ship to receive and transport them. The money +came in so slowly and in such trifling sums that it turned to little +account, and the officers were on their way when the Chevalier returned +from Scotland. + +In the summer endeavours had been used to prevail on the King of Sweden +to transport from Gottenburg the troops he had in that neighbourhood into +Scotland or into the North of England. He had excused himself, not +because he disliked the proposition, which, on the contrary, he thought +agreeable to his interest, but for reasons of another kind. First, +because the troops at hand for this service consisted in horse, not in +foot, which had been asked, and which were alone proper for such an +expedition. Secondly, because a declaration of this sort might turn the +Protestant princes of the Empire, from whose offices he had still some +prospect of assistance, against him. And thirdly, because although he +knew that the King of Great Britain was his enemy, yet they were not in +war together, nor had the latter acted yet awhile openly enough against +him to justify such a rupture. At the time I am speaking of, these +reasons were removed by the King of Sweden’s being beat out of the Empire +by the little consequence which his management of the Protestant princes +was to him, and by the declaration of war which the King, as Elector of +Hanover, made. I took up this negotiation therefore again. The Regent +appeared to come into it. He spoke fair to the Baron de Spar, who +pressed him on his side as I pressed him on mine, and promised, besides +the arrears of the subsidy due to the Swedes, an immediate advance of +fifty thousand crowns for the enterprise on Britain. He kept the officer +who was to be despatched I know not how long booted; sometimes on +pretence that in the low state of his credit he could not find bills of +exchange for the sum, and sometimes on other pretences, and by these +delays he evaded his promise. The French were very frank in declaring +that they could give us no money, and that they would give us no troops. +Arms, ammunition, and connivance they made us hope for. The latter, in +some degree, we might have had perhaps; but to what purpose was it to +connive, when by a multitude of little tricks they avoided furnishing us +with arms and ammunition, and when they knew that we were utterly unable +to furnish ourselves with them? I had formed the design of engaging +French privateers in the Pretender’s service. They were to have carried +whatever we should have had to send to any part of Britain in their first +voyage, and after that to have cruised under his commission. I had +actually agreed for some, and it was in my power to have made the same +bargains with others. Sweden on one side and Scotland on the other would +have afforded them retreats. And if the war had been kept up in any part +of the mountains, I conceive the execution of this design would have been +of the greatest advantage to the Pretender. It failed because no other +part of the work went on. He was not above six weeks in his Scotch +expedition, and these were the things I endeavoured to bring to bear in +his absence. I had no great opinion of my success before he went; but +when he had made the last step which it was in his power to make, I +resolved to suffer neither him nor the Scotch to be any longer bubbles of +their own credulity and of the scandalous artifice of this Court. It +would be tedious to enter into a longer narrative of all the useless +pains I took. To conclude, therefore; in a conversation which I had with +the M. d’Huxelles, I took occasion to declare that I would not be the +instrument of amusing the Scotch, and that, since I was able to do them +no other service, I would at least inform them that they must flatter +themselves no longer with hopes of succour from France. I added that I +would send them vessels which, with those already on the coast of +Scotland, might serve to bring off the Pretender, the Earl of Mar, and as +many others as possible. The Marshal approved my resolution, and advised +me to execute it as the only thing which was left to do. On this +occasion he showed no reserve, he was very explicit; and yet in this very +point of time the promise of an order was obtained, or pretended to be +obtained, from the Regent for delivering those stores of arms and +ammunition which belonged to the Chevalier, and which had been put into +the French magazines when Sir George Byng came to Havre. Castel Blanco +is a Spaniard who married a daughter of Lord Melford, and who under that +title set up for a meddler in English business. I cannot justly tell +whether the honour of obtaining this promise was ascribed to him, to the +Junto in the Bois de Boulogne, or to any one else. I suppose they all +assumed a share of the merit. The project was that these stores should +be delivered to Castel Blanco; that he should enter into a recognisance +to carry them to Spain, and from thence to the West Indies; that I should +provide a vessel for this purpose, which he should appear to hire or buy; +and that when she was at sea she should sail directly for Scotland. You +cannot believe that I reckoned much on the effect of this order, but +accustomed to concur in measures the inutility of which I saw evidently +enough, I concurred in this likewise. The necessary care was taken, and +in a fortnight’s time the ship was ready to sail, and no suspicion of her +belonging to the Chevalier or of her destination was gone abroad. + +As this event made no alteration in my opinion, it made none in the +despatches which I prepared and sent to Scotland. In them I gave an +account of what was in negotiation. I explained to him what might be +hoped for in time if he was able to maintain himself in the mountains +without the succours he demanded from France. But from France I told him +plainly that it was in vain to expect the least part of them. In short, +I concealed nothing from him. This was all I could do to put the +Chevalier and his council in a condition to judge what measures to take; +but these despatches never came to his hands. He was sailed from +Scotland just before the gentleman whom I sent arrived on the coast. He +landed at Graveline about the 22nd of February, and the first orders he +gave were to stop all the vessels which were going on his account to the +country from whence he came. + +I saw him the morning after his arrival at St. Germains, and he received +me with open arms. I had been, as soon as we heard of his return, to +acquaint the French Court with it. They were not a little uneasy; and +the first thing which the M. d’Huxelles said to me upon it was that the +Chevalier ought to proceed to Bar with all the diligence possible, and to +take possession of his former asylum before the Duke of Lorraine had time +to desire him to look out for a residence somewhere else. Nothing more +was meant by this proposal than to get him out of the dominions of France +immediately. I was not in my mind averse to it for other reasons. +Nothing could be more disadvantageous to him than to be obliged to pass +the Alps, or to reside in the Papal territory on this side of them. +Avignon was already named for his retreat in common conversation, and I +know not whether from the time he left Scotland he ever thought of any +other. I imagined that by surprising the Duke of Lorraine we should +furnish that Prince with an excuse to the King and to the Emperor; that +we might draw the matter into length, and gain time to negotiate some +other retreat than that of Avignon for the Chevalier. The duke’s +goodwill there was no room to doubt of, and by what the Prince of +Vaudemont told me at Paris some time afterwards I am apt to think we +should have succeeded. In all events, it could not be wrong to try every +measure, and the Pretender would have gone to Avignon with much better +grace when he had done, in the sight of the world, all he could to avoid +it. + +I found him in no disposition to make such haste; he had a mind, on the +contrary, to stay some time at St. Germains, and in the neighbourhood of +Paris, and to have a private meeting with the Regent. He sent me back to +Paris to solicit this meeting. I wrote, I spoke, to the Marshal +d’Huxelles; I did my best to serve him in his own way. The Marshal +answered me by word of mouth and by letter; he refused me by both. I +remember he added this circumstance: that he found the Regent in bed, and +acquainted him with what the Chevalier desired; that the Regent rose up +in a passion, said that the things which were asked were puerilities, and +swore that he would not see him. I returned without having been able to +succeed in my commission; and I confess I thought the want of success on +this occasion no great misfortune. + +It was two or three o’clock on the Sunday or Monday morning when I parted +from the Pretender. He acquiesced in the determination of the Regent, +and declared that he would instantly set out for Lorraine; his trunks +were packed, his chaise was ordered to be at the door at five, and I sent +to Paris to acquaint the Minister that he was gone. He asked me how soon +I should be able to follow him, gave me commissions for some things which +he desired I should bring after him, and, in a word, no Italian ever +embraced the man he was going to stab with greater show of affection and +confidence. + +Instead of taking post for Lorraine he went to the little house in the +Bois de Boulogne where his female Ministers resided; and there he +continued lurking for several days, and pleasing himself with the air of +mystery and business, whilst the only real business which he should have +had at that time lay neglected. He saw the Spanish and Swedish Ministers +in this place. I cannot tell, for I never thought it worth asking, +whether he saw the Duke of Orleans; possibly he might. To have been +teased into such a step, which signified nothing, and which gave the +cabal an air of credit and importance, is agreeable enough to the levity +of his Royal Highness’s character. + +The Thursday following, the Duke of Ormond came to see me, and after the +compliment of telling me that he believed I should be surprised at the +message he brought, he put into my hands a note to himself and a little +scrip of paper directed to me, and drawn in the style of a justice of +peace’s warrant. They were both in the Chevalier’s handwriting, and they +were dated on the Tuesday, in order to make me believe that they had been +written on the road and sent back to the duke; his Grace dropped in our +conversation with great dexterity all the insinuations proper to confirm +me in this opinion. I knew at this time his master was not gone, so that +he gave me two very risible scenes, which are frequently to be met with +when some people meddle in business; I mean that of seeing a man labour +with a great deal of awkward artifice to make a secret of a nothing, and +that of seeing yourself taken for a bubble when you know as much of the +matter as he who thinks that he imposes on you. + +I cannot recollect precisely the terms of the two papers. I remember +that the kingly laconic style of one of them, and the expression of +having no further occasion for my service, made me smile. The other was +an order to give up the papers in my office, all which might have been +contained in a letter-case of a moderate size. I gave the duke the Seals +and some papers which I could readily come at. Some others—and, indeed, +all such as I had not destroyed—I sent afterwards to the Chevalier; and I +took care to convey to him by a safe hand several of his letters which it +would have been very improper the duke should have seen. I am surprised +that he did not reflect on the consequence of my obeying his order +literally. It depended on me to have shown his general what an opinion +the Chevalier had of his capacity. I scorned the trick, and would not +appear piqued when I was far from being angry. As I gave up without +scruple all the papers which remained in my hands, because I was +determined never to make use of them, so I confess to you that I took a +sort of pride in never asking for those of mine which were in the +Pretender’s hands; I contented myself with making the duke understand how +little need there was to get rid of a man in this manner who had made the +bargain which I had done at my engagement, and with taking this first +opportunity to declare that I would never more have to do with the +Pretender or his cause. + +That I might avoid being questioned and quoted in the most curious and +the most babbling town in the world, I related what had passed to three +or four of my friends, and hardly stirred abroad during a fortnight out +of a little lodging which very few people knew of. At the end of this +term the Marshal of Berwick came to see me, and asked me what I meant to +confine myself to my chamber when my name was trumpeted about in all the +companies of Paris, and the most infamous stories were spread concerning +me. This was the first notice I had, and it was soon followed by others. +I appeared immediately in the world, and found there was hardly a +scurrilous tongue which had not been let loose on my subject; and that +those persons whom the Duke of Ormond and Earl of Mar must influence, or +might silence, were the loudest in defaming me. + +Particular instances wherein I had failed were cited; and as it was the +fashion for every Jacobite to affect being in the secret, you might have +found a multitude of vouchers to facts which, if they had been true, +could in the nature of them be known to very few persons. + +This method of beating down the reputation of a man by noise and +impudence imposed on the world at first, convinced people who were not +acquainted with me, and staggered even my friends. But it ceased in a +few days to have any effect against me. The malice was too gross to pass +upon reflection. These stories died away almost as fast as they were +published, for this very reason, because they were particular. + +They gave out, for instance, that I had taken to my own use a very great +sum of the Chevalier’s money, when it was notorious that I had spent a +great sum of my own in his service, and never would be obliged to him for +a farthing, in which case, I believe, I was single. Upon this head it +was easy to appeal to a very honest gentleman, the Queen’s Treasurer at +St. Germains, through whose hands, and not through mine, went the very +little money which the Chevalier had. + +They gave out that whilst he was in Scotland he never heard from me, +though it was notorious that I sent him no less than five expresses +during the six weeks which he consumed in this expedition. It was easy, +on this head, to appeal to the persons to whom my despatches had been +committed. + +These lies, and many others of the same sort, which were founded on +particular facts, were disproved by particular facts, and had not time—at +least at Paris—to make any impression. But the principal crime with +which they charged me then, and the only one which since that time they +have insisted upon, is of another nature. This part of their accusation +is general, and it cannot be refuted without doing what I have done +above, deducing several facts, comparing these facts together, and +reasoning upon them; nay, that which is worse is, that it cannot be fully +refuted without the mention of some facts which, in my present +circumstances, it would not be very prudent, though I should think it +very lawful, for me to divulge. You see that I mean the starving the war +in Scotland, which it is pretended might have been supported, and might +have succeeded, too, if I had procured the succours which were asked—nay, +if I had sent a little powder. This the Jacobites who affect moderation +and candour shrug their shoulders at: they are sorry for it, but Lord +Bolingbroke can never wash himself clean of this guilt; for these +succours might have been obtained, and a proof that they might is that +they were so by others. These people leave the cause of this +mismanagement doubtful between my treachery and my want of capacity. The +Pretender, with all the false charity and real malice of one who sets up +for devotion, attributes all his misfortunes to my negligence. + +The letters which were written by my secretary, above a year ago, into +England; the marginal notes which have been made since to the letter from +Avignon; and what is said above, have set this affair in so clear a +light, that whoever examines, with a fair intention, must feel the truth, +and be convinced by it. I cannot, however, forbear to make some +observations on the same subject here. It is even necessary that I +should do so, in the design of making this discourse the foundation of my +justification to the Tories at present, and to the whole world in time. + +There is nothing which my enemies apprehend so much as my justification: +and they have reason. But they may comfort themselves with this +reflection—that it will be a misfortune which will accompany me to my +grave, that I suffered a chain of accidents to draw me into such measures +and such company; that I have been obliged to defend myself against such +accusations and such accusers; that by associating with so much folly and +so much knavery I am become the victim of both; that I was distressed by +the former, when the latter would have been less grievous to me, since it +is much better in business to be yoked to knaves than fools; and that I +put into their hands the means of loading me, like the scape-goat, with +all the evil consequences of their folly. + +In the first letters which I received from the Earl of Mar he wrote for +arms, for ammunition, for money, for officers, and all things frankly, as +if these things had been ready, and I had engaged to supply him with +them, before he set up the standard at the Brae of Mar; whereas our +condition could not be unknown to his lordship; and you have seen that I +did all I could to prevent his reckoning on any assistance from hence. +As our hopes at this Court decreased, his lordship rose in his demands; +and at the time when it was visible that the Regent intended nothing less +than even privately and indirectly to support the Scotch, the Pretender +and the Earl of Mar wrote for regular forces and a train of artillery, +which was in effect to insist that France should enter into a war for +them. I might, in answer to the first instances, have asked Lord Mar +what he did in Scotland, and what he meant by drawing his countrymen into +a war at this time, or at least upon this foot? He who had dictated not +long before a memorial wherein it was asserted that to have a prospect of +succeeding in this enterprise there must be a universal insurrection, and +that such an insurrection was in no sort probable, unless a body of +troops was brought to support it? He who thought that the consequence of +failing, when the attempt was once made, must be the utter ruin of the +cause and the loss of the British liberty? He who concurred in demanding +as a _pis-aller_, and the least which could be insisted on, arms, +ammunition, artillery, money, and officers? I say, I might have asked +what he meant to begin the dance when he had not the least assurance of +any succour, but, on the contrary, the greatest reason imaginable to +believe this affair was become as desperate abroad by the death of the +most Christian King as it was at home by the discovery of the design and +by the measures taken to defeat it? + +Instead of acting this part, which would have been wise, I took that +which was plausible. I resolved to contribute all I could to support the +business, since it was begun. I encouraged his lordship as long as I had +the least ground for doing so, and I confirmed the Pretender in his +resolution of going to Scotland when he had nothing better left him to +do. If I have anything to reproach myself with in the whole progress of +the war in Scotland, it is having encouraged Lord Mar too long. But, on +the other hand, if I had given up the cause, and had written despondingly +to him before this Court had explained itself as fully as the Marshal +d’Huxelles did in the conversation which is mentioned above, it is easy +to see what turn would have been given to such a conduct. + +The true cause of all the misfortunes which happened to the Scotch and to +those who took arms in the North of England lies here—that they rose +without any previous certainty of foreign help, in direct contradiction +to the scheme which their leaders themselves had formed. The excuse +which I have heard made for this is that the Act of Parliament for +curbing the Highlanders was near to be put in execution; that they would +have been disarmed, and entirely disabled from rising at any other time, +if they had not rose at this. You can judge better than I of the +validity of this excuse. It seems to me that by management they might +have gained time, and that even when they had been reduced to the dilemma +supposed, they ought to have got together under pretence of resisting the +infractions of the Union without any mention of the Pretender, and have +treated with the Government on this foot. By these means they might +probably have preserved themselves in a condition of avowing their design +when they should be sure of being backed from abroad. At the worst, they +might have declared for the Chevalier when all other expedients failed +them. In a word, I take this excuse not to be very good, and the true +reason of this conduct to have been the rashness of the people and the +inconsistent measures of their head. + +But admitting the excuse to be valid, it remains still an undeniable +truth that this is the original fountain from whence all those waters of +bitterness flowed which so many unhappy people have drunk of. I have +said already that the necessity of acting was precipitated before any +measures to act with success had been taken, and that the necessity of +doing so seemed to increase as the means of doing so were taken away. To +whom is this to be ascribed? Is it to be ascribed to me, who had no +share in these affairs till a few weeks before the Duke of Ormond was +forced to abandon England, and the discovery of the intended invasion was +published to Parliament and to the world? or is it to be ascribed to +those who had from the first been at the head of this undertaking? + +Unable to defend this point, the next resort of the Jacobites is to this +impudent and absurd affirmation—that, notwithstanding the disadvantages +under which they took arms, they should have succeeded if the indirect +assistances which were asked from France had been obtained. Nay, that +they should have been able to defend the Highlands if I had sent them a +little powder. Is it possible that a man should be wounded with such +blunt weapons? Much more than powder was asked for from the first, and I +have already said that when the Chevalier came into Scotland, regular +troops, artillery, etc., were demanded. Both he and the Earl of Mar +judged it impossible to stand their ground without such assistance as +these. How scandalous, then, must it be deemed that they suffer their +dependents to spread in the world that for want of a little powder I +forced them to abandon Scotland! The Earl of Mar knows that all the +powder in France would not have enabled him to stay at Perth as long as +he did if he had not had another security. And when that failed him, he +must have quitted the party, if the Regent had given us all that he made +some of us expect. + +But to finish all that I intend to say on a subject which has tired me, +and perhaps you; the Jacobites affirm that the indirect assistances which +they desired, might have been obtained; and I confess that I am +inexcusable if this fact be true. To prove it, they appeal to the little +politicians of whom I have spoken so often. I affirm, on the contrary, +that nothing could be obtained here to support the Scotch or to encourage +the English. To prove the assertion, I appeal to the Ministers with whom +I negotiated, and to the Regent himself, who, whatever language he may +hold in private with other people, cannot controvert with me the truth of +what I advance. He excluded me formerly, that he might the more easily +avoid doing anything; and perhaps he has blamed me since, that he might +excuse his doing nothing. All this may be true, and yet it will remain +true that he would never have been prevailed upon to act directly against +his interest in the only point of view which he has—I mean, the crown of +France—and against the unanimous sense of all his Ministers. Suppose +that in the time of the late Queen, when she had the peace in view, a +party in France had implored her assistance, and had applied to Margery +Fielding, to Israel, to my Lady Oglethorpe, to Dr. Battle, and +Lieutenant-General Stewart, what success do you imagine such applications +would have had? The Queen would have spoke them fair—she would speak +otherwise to nobody; but do you imagine she would have made one step in +their favour? Olive Trant, Magny, Mademoiselle Chaussery, a dirty Abbé +Brigault, and Mr. Dillon, are characters very apposite to these. And +what I suppose to have passed in England is not a whit more ridiculous +than what really passed here. + +I say nothing of the ships which the Jacobites pretend that they sent +into Scotland three weeks or a month after the Pretender was returned. I +believe they might have had my Lord Stair’s connivance then, as well as +the Regent’s. I say nothing of the order which they pretend to have +obtained, and which I never saw, for the stores that were seized at Havre +to be delivered to Castel Blanco. I have already said enough on this +head, and you cannot have failed to observe that this signal favour was +never obtained by these people till the Marshal d’Huxelles had owned to +me that nothing was to be expected from France, and that the only thing +which I could do was to endeavour to bring the Pretender, the Earl of +Mar, and the principal persons who were most exposed, off, neither he nor +I imagining that any such would be left behind. + +When I began to appear in the world, upon the advertisements which my +friends gave me of the clamour that was raised against me, you will +easily think I did not enter into so many particulars as I have done with +you. I said even less than you have seen in those letters which Brinsden +wrote into England in March and April was twelvemonth, and yet the +clamour sank immediately. The people of consideration at this Court beat +it down, and the Court of St. Germains grew so ashamed of it that the +Queen thought fit to purge herself of having had any share in encouraging +the discourses which were held against me, or having been so much as let +into the secret of the measure which preceded them. The provocation was +great, but I resolved to act without passion. I saw the advantage the +Pretender and his council, who disposed of things better for me than I +should have done for myself, had given me; but I saw likewise that I must +improve this advantage with the utmost caution. + +As I never imagined that he would treat me in the manner he did, nor that +his Ministers could be weak enough to advise him to it, I had resolved, +on his return from Scotland, to follow him till his residence should be +fixed somewhere or other. After which, having served the Tories in this +which I looked upon as their last struggle for power, and having +continued to act in the Pretender’s affairs till the end of the term for +which I embarked with him, I should have esteemed myself to be at +liberty, and should in the civillest manner I was able have taken my +leave of him. Had we parted thus, I should have remained in a very +strange situation during the rest of my life; but I had examined myself +thoroughly, I was determined, I was prepared. + +On one side he would have thought that he had a sort of right on any +future occasion to call me out of my retreat; the Tories would probably +have thought the same thing: my resolution was taken to refuse them both, +and I foresaw that both would condemn me. On the other side, the +consideration of his keeping measures with me, joined to that of having +once openly declared for him, would have created a point of honour by +which I should have been tied down, not only from ever engaging against +him, but also from making my peace at home. The Chevalier cut this +gordian knot asunder at one blow. He broke the links of that chain which +former engagements had fastened on me, and gave me a right to esteem +myself as free from all obligations of keeping measures with him as I +should have continued if I had never engaged in his interest. I took +therefore, from that moment, the resolution of making my peace at home, +and of employing all the unfortunate experience I had acquired abroad to +undeceive my friends and to promote the union and the quiet of my +country. + +The Earl of Stair had received a full power to treat with me whilst I was +engaged with the Pretender, as I have been since informed. He had done +me the justice to believe me incapable to hearken, in such circumstances, +to any proposals of that kind; and as much friendship as he had for me, +as much as I had for him, we entertained not the least even indirect +correspondence together during that whole time. Soon afterwards he +employed a person to communicate to me the disposition of his Majesty to +grant me my pardon, and his own desire to give me, on this occasion, all +the proofs he could of his inclination in my favour. I embraced the +offer, as it became me to do, with all possible sense of the King’s +goodness, and of his lordship’s friendship. We met, we talked together, +and he wrote to the Court on the subject. The turn which the Ministers +gave to this matter was, to enter into a treaty to reverse my attainder, +and to stipulate the conditions on which this act of grace should be +granted me. + +The notion of a treaty shocked me. I resolved never to be restored +rather than go that way to work; and I opened myself without any reserve +to Lord Stair. I told him that I looked on myself to be obliged in +honour and in conscience to undeceive my friends in England, both as to +the state of foreign affairs, as to the management of the Jacobite +interest abroad, and as to the characters of persons—in every one of +which points I knew them to be most grossly and most dangerously deluded; +that the treatment I had received from the Pretender and his adherents +would justify me to the world in doing this; that if I remained in exile +all my life, he might be assured that I would never more have to do with +the Jacobite cause; and that if I was restored, I should give it an +effectual blow, in making that apology which the Pretender has put me +under a necessity of making: that in doing this I flattered myself that I +should contribute something to the establishment of the King’s +Government, and to the union of his subjects; but that this was all the +merit which I could promise to have; that if the Court believed these +professions to be sincere, a treaty with me was unnecessary for them; and +that if they did not believe them so, a treaty with them was dangerous +for me; that I was determined in this whole transaction to make no one +step which I would not own in the face of the world; that in other +circumstances it might be sufficient to act honestly, but that in a case +as extraordinary as mine it was necessary to act clearly, and to leave no +room for the least doubtful construction. + +The Earl of Stair, as well as Mr. Craggs, who arrived soon after in +France, came into my sense. I have reason to believe that the King has +approved it likewise upon their representations, since he has been +pleased to give me the most gracious assurances of his favour. What the +effect of all this may be in the next or in any other Session, I know +not; but this is the foot on which I have put myself, and on which I +stand at the moment I write to you. The Whigs may continue inveterate, +and by consequence frustrate his Majesty’s good intentions towards me; +the Tories may continue to rail at me, on the credit of such enemies as I +have described to you in the course of this relation: neither the one nor +the other shall make me swerve out of the path which I have traced to +myself. + +I have now led you through the several stages which I proposed at first; +and I should do wrong to your good understanding, as well as to our +mutual friendship, if I suspected that you could hold any other language +to me than that which Dolabella uses to Cicero: “Satisfactum est jam a te +vel officio vel familiaritati; satisfactum etiam partibus.” The King, +who pardons me, might complain of me; the Whigs might declaim against me; +my family might reproach me for the little regard which I have shown to +my own and to their interests; but where is the crime I have been guilty +of towards my party and towards my friends? In what part of my conduct +will the Tories find an excuse for the treatment which they have given +me? As Tories such as they were when I left England, I defy them to find +any. But here lies the sore, and, tender as it is, I must lay it open. +Those amongst them who rail at me now are changed from what they were, or +from what they professed themselves to be, when we lived and acted +together. They were Tories then; they are Jacobites now. Their +objections to the course of my conduct whilst I was in the Pretender’s +interest are the pretence; the true reason of their anger is, that I +renounce the Pretender for my life. When you were first driven into this +interest, I may appeal to you for the notion which the party had. You +thought of restoring him by the strength of the Tories, and of opposing a +Tory king to a Whig king. You took him up as the instrument of your +revenge and of your ambition. You looked on him as your creature, and +never once doubted of making what terms you pleased with him. This is so +true that the same language is still held to the catechumens in +Jacobitism. Were the contrary to be avowed even now, the party in +England would soon diminish. I engaged on this principle when your +orders sent me to Commercy, and I never acted on any other. This ought +to have been part of my merit towards the Tories; and it would have been +so if they had continued in the same dispositions. But they are changed, +and this very thing is become my crime. Instead of making the Pretender +their tool, they are his. Instead of having in view to restore him on +their own terms, they are labouring to do it without any terms; that is, +to speak properly, they are ready to receive him on his. Be not +deceived: there is not a man on this side of the water who acts in any +other manner. The Church of England Jacobite and the Irish Papist seem +in every respect to have the same cause. Those on your side of the water +who correspond with these are to be comprehended in the same class; and +from hence it is that the clamour raised against me has been kept up with +so much industry, and is redoubled on the least appearance of my return +home, and of my being in a situation to justify myself. + +You have seen already what reasons the Pretender, and the several sorts +of people who compose his party here, had to get rid of me, and to cover +me to the utmost of their power with infamy. Their views were as short +in this case as they are in all others. They did not see at first that +this conduct would not only give me a right, but put me under a necessity +of keeping no farther measures with them, and of laying the whole mystery +of their iniquity open. As soon as they discovered this, they took the +only course which was left them—that of poisoning the minds of the +Tories, and of creating such prejudices against me whilst I remained in a +condition of not speaking for myself, as will they hope prevent the +effect of whatever I may say when I am in a condition of pleading my own +cause. The bare apprehension that I shall show the world that I have +been guilty of no crime renders me criminal among these men; and they +hold themselves ready, being unable to reply either in point of fact or +in point of reason, to drown my voice in the confusion of their clamour. + +The only crimes I am guilty of, I own. I own the crime of having been +for the Pretender in a very different manner from those with whom I +acted. I served him as faithfully, I served him as well as they; but I +served him on a different principle. I own the crime of having renounced +him, and of being resolved never to have to do with him as long as I +live. I own the crime of being determined sooner or later, as soon as I +can, to clear myself of all the unjust aspersions which have been cast +upon me; to undeceive by my experience as many as I can of those Tories +who may have been drawn into error; and to contribute, if ever I return +home, as far as I am able, to promote the national good of Britain +without any other regard. These crimes do not, I hope, by this time +appear to you to be of a very black dye. You may come, perhaps, to think +them virtues, when you have read and considered what remains to be said; +for before I conclude, it is necessary that I open one matter to you +which I could not weave in sooner without breaking too much the thread of +my narration. In this place, unmingled with anything else, it will have, +as it deserves to have, your whole attention. + +Whoever composed that curious piece of false fact, false argument, false +English, and false eloquence, the letter from Avignon, says that I was +not thought the most proper person to speak about religion. I confess I +should be of his mind, and should include his patrons in my case, if the +practice of it was to be recommended; for surely it is unpardonable +impudence to impose by precept what we do not teach by example. I should +be of the same mind, if the nature of religion was to be explained, if +its mysteries were to be fathomed, and if this great truth was to be +established—that the Church of England has the advantage over all other +Churches in purity of doctrine, and in wisdom of discipline. But nothing +of this kind was necessary. This would have been the task of reverend +and learned divines. We of the laity had nothing more to do than to lay +in our claim that we could never submit to be governed by a Prince who +was not of the religion of our country. Such a declaration could hardly +have failed of some effect towards opening the eyes and disposing the +mind even of the Pretender. At least, in justice to ourselves, and in +justice to our party, we who were here ought to have made it; and the +influence of it on the Pretender ought to have become the rule of our +subsequent conduct. + +In thinking in this manner I think no otherwise now than I have always +thought; and I cannot forget, nor you neither, what passed when, a little +before the death of the Queen, letters were conveyed from the Chevalier +to several persons—to myself among others. In the letter to me the +article of religion was so awkwardly handled that he made the principal +motive of the confidence we ought to have in him to consist in his firm +resolution to adhere to Popery. The effect which this epistle had on me +was the same which it had on those Tories to whom I communicated it at +that time; it made us resolve to have nothing to do with him. + +Some time after this I was assured by several, and I make no doubt but +others have been so too, that the Chevalier at the bottom was not a +bigot; that whilst he remained abroad and could expect no succour, either +present or future, from any Princes but those of the Roman Catholic +Communion, it was prudent, whatever he might think, to make no +demonstration of a design to change; but that his temper was such, and he +was already so disposed, that we might depend on his compliance with what +should be desired of him if ever he came amongst us, and was taken from +under the wing of the Queen his mother. To strengthen this opinion of +his character, it was said that he had sent for Mr. Leslie over; that he +allowed him to celebrate the Church of England service in his family; and +that he had promised to hear what this divine should represent on the +subject of religion to him. When I came abroad, the same things, and +much more, were at first insinuated to me; and I began to let them make +impression upon me, notwithstanding what I had seen under his hand. I +would willingly flatter myself that this impression disposed me to +incline to Jacobitism rather than allow that the inclination to +Jacobitism disposed me easily to believe what, upon that principle, I had +so much reason to wish might be true. Which was the cause, and which the +effect, I cannot well determine: perhaps they did mutually occasion each +other. Thus much is certain—that I was far from weighing this matter as +I ought to have done when the solicitation of my friends and the +persecution of my enemies precipitated me into engagements with the +Pretender. + +I was willing to take it for granted that since you were as ready to +declare as I believed you at that time, you must have had entire +satisfaction on the article of religion. I was soon undeceived; this +string had never been touched. My own observation, and the unanimous +report of all those who from his infancy have approached the Pretender’s +person, soon taught me how difficult it is to come to terms with him on +this head, and how unsafe to embark without them. + +His religion is not founded on the love of virtue and the detestation of +vice; on a sense of that obedience which is due to the will of the +Supreme Being, and a sense of those obligations which creatures formed to +live in a mutual dependence on one another lie under. The spring of his +whole conduct is fear. Fear of the horns of the devil and of the flames +of hell. He has been taught to believe that nothing but a blind +submission to the Church of Rome and a strict adherence to all the terms +of that communion can save him from these dangers. He has all the +superstition of a Capuchin, but I found on him no tincture of the +religion of a prince. Do not imagine that I loose the reins to my +imagination, or that I write what my resentments dictate: I tell you +simply my opinion. I have heard the same description of his character +made by those who know him best, and I conversed with very few among the +Roman Catholics themselves who did not think him too much a Papist. + +Nothing gave me from the beginning so much uneasiness as the +consideration of this part of his character, and of the little care which +had been taken to correct it. A true turn had not been given to the +first steps which were made with him. The Tories who engaged afterwards, +threw themselves, as it were, at his head. He had been suffered to think +that the party in England wanted him as much as he wanted them. There +was no room to hope for much compliance on the head of religion when he +was in these sentiments, and when he thought the Tories too far advanced +to have it in their power to retreat; and little dependence was at any +time to be placed on the promises of a man capable of thinking his +damnation attached to the observance, and his salvation to the breach, of +these very promises. Something, however, was to be done, and I thought +that the least which could be done was to deal plainly with him, and to +show him the impossibility of governing our nation by any other expedient +than by complying with that which would be expected from him as to his +religion. This was thought too much by the Duke of Ormond and Mr. +Leslie; although the duke could be no more ignorant than the minister how +ill the latter had been used, how far the Chevalier had been from keeping +the word which he had given, and on the faith of which Mr. Leslie had +come over to him. They both knew that he not only refused to hear +himself, but that he sheltered the ignorance of his priests, or the +badness of his cause, or both, behind his authority, and absolutely +forbade all discourse concerning religion. The duke seemed convinced +that it would be time enough to talk of religion to him when he should be +restored, or, at soonest, when he should be landed in England; that the +influence under which he had lived being at a distance, the +reasonableness of what we might propose, joined to the apparent necessity +which would then stare him in the face, could not fail to produce all the +effects which we could desire. + +To me this whole reasoning appeared fallacious. Our business was not to +make him change appearances on this side of the water, but to prepare him +to give those which would be necessary on the other; and there was no +room to hope that if we could gain nothing on his prejudices here, we +should be able to overcome them in Britain. I would have argued just as +the Duke of Ormond and Leslie if I had been a Papist; and I saw well +enough that some people about him, for in a great dearth of ability there +was cunning to be met with, affected nothing more than to keep off all +discourse of religion. To my apprehension it was exceeding plain that we +should find, if we were once in England, the necessity of going forward +at any rate with him much greater than he would find that of complying +with us. I thought it an unpardonable fault to have taken a formal +engagement with him, when no previous satisfaction had been obtained on a +point at least as essential to our civil as to our religious rights; to +the peace of the State as to the prosperity of the Church; and I looked +on this fault to be aggravated by every day’s delay. Our silence was +unfair both to the Chevalier and to our friends in England. He was +induced by it to believe that they would exact far less from him than we +knew they expected, and they were confirmed in an opinion of his +docility, which we knew to be void of all foundation. The pretence of +removing that influence under which he had lived was frivolous, and +should never have been urged to me, who saw plainly that, according to +the measures pursued by the very persons who urged it, he must be +environed in England by the same people that surrounded him here; and +that the Court of St. James’s would be constituted, if ever he was +restored, in the same manner as that of St. Germains was. + +When the draft of a declaration and other papers which were to be +dispersed in Great Britain came to be settled, it appeared that my +apprehension and distrust were but too well founded. The Pretender took +exception against several passages, and particularly against those +wherein a direct promise of securing the Churches of England and Ireland +was made. He was told, he said, that he could not in conscience make +such a promise, and, the debate being kept up a little while, he asked me +with some warmth why the Tories were so desirous to have him if they +expected those things from him which his religion did not allow. I left +these drafts, by his order, with him, that he might consider and amend +them. I cannot say that he sent them to the Queen to be corrected by her +confessor and the rest of her council, but I firmly believe it. Sure I +am that he took time sufficient to do this before he sent them from Bar, +where he then was, to Paris, whither I was returned. When they were +digested in such a manner as satisfied his casuists he made them be +printed, and my name was put to the declaration, as if the original had +been signed by me. I had hitherto submitted my opinion to the judgment +of others, but on this occasion I took advice from myself. I declared to +him that I would not suffer my name to be at the bottom of this paper. +All the copies which came to my hands I burnt, and another was printed +off without any countersigning. + +The whole tenor of the amendments was one continued instance of the +grossest bigotry, and the most material passages were turned with all the +Jesuitical prevarication imaginable. As much as it was his interest at +that time to cultivate the respect which many of the Tories really had +for the memory of the late Queen, and which many others affected as a +farther mark of their opposition to the Court and to the Whig party; as +much as it was his interest to weave the honour of her name into his +cause, and to render her, even after her death, a party to the dispute, +he could not be prevailed upon to give her that character which her +enemies allowed her, nor to make use of those expressions, in speaking of +her, which, by the general manner of their application, are come to be +little more than terms of respect and words of form proper in the style +of public acts. For instance:— + +She was called in the original draft “his sister of glorious and blessed +memory.” In that which he published, the epithet of “blessed” was left +out. Her eminent justice and her exemplary piety were occasionally +mentioned; in lieu of which he substituted a flat, and, in this case, an +invidious expression, “her inclinations to justice.” + +Not content with declaring her neither just nor pious in this world he +did little less than declare her damned in the other, according to the +charitable principles of the Church of Rome. + +“When it pleased Almighty God to take her to Himself,” was the expression +used in speaking of the death of the Queen. This he erased, and instead +thereof inserted these words: “When it pleased Almighty God to put a +period to her life.” + +He graciously allowed the Universities to be nurseries of loyalty; but +did not think that it became him to style them “nurseries of religion.” + +Since his father passes already for a saint, and since reports are +encouraged of miracles which they suppose to be wrought at his tomb, he +might have allowed his grandfather to pass for a martyr; but he struck +out of the draft these words, “that blessed martyr who died for his +people,” which were applied to King Charles I., and would say nothing +more of him than that “he fell a sacrifice to rebellion.” + +In the clause which related to the Churches of England and Ireland there +was a plain and direct promise inserted of “effectual provision for their +security, and for their re-establishment in all those rights which belong +to them.” This clause was not suffered to stand, but another was formed, +wherein all mention of the Church of Ireland was omitted, and nothing was +promised to the Church of England but the security, and “re-establishment +of all those rights, privileges, immunities, and possessions which belong +to her,” and wherein he had already promised by his declaration of the +20th of July, to secure and “protect all her members.” + +I need make no comment on a proceeding so easy to be understood. The +drift of these evasions, and of this affected obscurity, is obvious +enough—at least, it will appear so by the observations which remain to be +made. + +He was so afraid of admitting any words which might be construed into a +promise of his consenting to those things which should be found necessary +for the present or future security of our constitution, that in a +paragraph where he was made to say that he thought himself obliged to be +solicitous for the prosperity of the Church of England, the word +prosperity was expunged, and we were left by this mental reservation to +guess what he was solicitous for. It could not be for her prosperity: +that he had expunged. It must therefore be for her destruction, which in +his language would have been styled her conversion. + +Another remarkable proof of the same kind is to be found towards the +conclusion of the declaration. After having spoken of the peace and +flourishing estate of the kingdom, he was made to express his readiness +to concert with the two Houses such further measures as should be thought +necessary for securing the same to future generations. The design of +this paragraph you see. He and his council saw it too, and therefore the +word “securing” was laid aside, and the word “leaving” was inserted in +lieu of it. + +One would imagine that a declaration corrected in this manner might have +been suffered to go abroad without any farther precaution. But these +papers had been penned by Protestants; and who could answer that there +might not be still ground sufficient from the tenor of them to insist on +everything necessary for the security of that religion? The declaration +of the 20th of July had been penned by a priest of the Scotch college, +and the expressions had been measured so as to suit perfectly with the +conduct which the Chevalier intended to hold; so as to leave room to +distinguish him, upon future occasions, with the help of a little pious +sophistry, out of all the engagements which he seemed to take in it. +This orthodox paper was therefore to accompany the heretical paper into +the world, and no promise of moment was to stand in the latter, unless +qualified by a reference to the former. Thus the Church was to be +secured in the rights, etc., which belong to her. How? No otherwise +than according to the declaration of the month of July. And what does +that promise? Security and protection to the members of this Church in +the enjoyment of their property. I make no doubt but Bellarmine, if he +had been the Chevalier’s confessor, would have passed this paragraph thus +amended. No engagement whatever taken in favour of the Church of +Ireland, and a happy distinction found between securing that of England, +and protecting her members. Many a useful project for the destruction of +heretics, and for accumulating power and riches to the See of Rome, has +been established on a more slender foundation. + +The same spirit reigns through the whole. Civil and religious rights are +no otherwise to be confirmed than in conformity to the declaration of +July; nay, the general pardon is restrained and limited to the terms +prescribed therein. + +This is the account which I judged too important to be omitted, and which +I chose to give you all together. I shall surely be justified at present +in concluding that the Tories are grossly deluded in their opinion of +this Prince’s character, or else that they sacrifice all which ought to +be esteemed precious and sacred among men to their passions. In both +these cases I remain still a Tory, and am true to the party. In the +first, I endeavour to undeceive you by an experience purchased at my +expense and for your sakes: in the second, I endeavour to prevail on you +to revert to that principle from which we have deviated. You never +intended, whilst I lived amongst you, the ruin of your country; and yet +every step which you now make towards the restoration you are so fond of, +is a step towards this ruin. No man of sense, well informed, can ever go +into measures for it, unless he thinks himself and his country in such +desperate circumstances that nothing is left them but to choose of two +ruins that which they like best. + +The exile of the royal family, under Cromwell’s usurpation, was the +principal cause of all those misfortunes in which Britain has been +involved, as well as of many of those which have happened to the rest of +Europe, during more than half a century. + +The two brothers, Charles and James, became then infected with Popery to +such degrees as their different characters admitted of. Charles had +parts, and his good understanding served as an antidote to repel the +poison. James, the simplest man of his time, drank off the whole +chalice. The poison met in his composition with all the fear, all the +credulity, and all the obstinacy of temper proper to increase its +virulence and to strengthen its effect. The first had always a wrong +bias upon him; he connived at the establishment, and indirectly +contributed to the growth, of that power which afterwards disturbed the +peace and threatened the liberty of Europe so often; but he went no +further out of the way. The opposition of his Parliaments and his own +reflections stopped him here. The Prince and the people were, indeed, +mutually jealous of one another, from whence much present disorder +flowed, and the foundation of future evils was laid; but his good and his +bad principles combating still together, he maintained, during a reign of +more than twenty years, in some tolerable degree, the authority of the +Crown and the flourishing estate of the nation. The last, drunk with +superstitious and even enthusiastic zeal, ran headlong into his own ruin +whilst he endeavoured to precipitate ours. His Parliament and his people +did all they could to save themselves by winning him. But all was vain; +he had no principle on which they could take hold. Even his good +qualities worked against them, and his love of his country went halves +with his bigotry. How he succeeded we have heard from our fathers. The +revolution of 1688 saved the nation and ruined the King. + +Now the Pretender’s education has rendered him infinitely less fit than +his uncle—and at least as unfit as his father—to be King of Great +Britain. Add to this that there is no resource in his understanding. +Men of the best sense find it hard to overcome religious prejudices, +which are of all the strongest; but he is a slave to the weakest. The +rod hangs like the sword of Damocles over his head, and he trembles +before his mother and his priest. What, in the name of God, can any +member of the Church of England promise himself from such a character? +Are we by another revolution to return into the same state from which we +were delivered by the first? Let us take example from the Roman +Catholics, who act very reasonably in refusing to submit to a Protestant +Prince. Henry IV. had at least as good a title to the crown of France as +the Pretender has to ours. His religion alone stood in his way, and he +had never been King if he had not removed that obstacle. Shall we submit +to a Popish Prince, who will no more imitate Henry IV. in changing his +religion than he will imitate those shining qualities which rendered him +the honestest gentleman, the bravest captain, and the greatest prince of +his age? Allow me to give a loose to my pen for a moment on this +subject. General benevolence and universal charity seem to be +established in the Gospel as the distinguishing badges of Christianity. +How it happens I cannot tell; but so it is, that in all ages of the +Church the professors of Christianity seem to have been animated by a +quite contrary spirit. Whilst they were thinly scattered over the world, +tolerated in some places, but established nowhere, their zeal often +consumed their charity. Paganism, at that time the religion by law +established, was insulted by many of them; the ceremonies were disturbed, +the altars thrown down. As soon as, by the favour of Constantine, their +numbers were increased, and the reins of government were put into their +hands, they began to employ the secular arm, not only against different +religions, but against different sects which arose in their own religion. +A man may boldly affirm that more blood has been shed in the disputes +between Christian and Christian than has ever been drawn from the whole +body of them in the persecutions of the heathen emperors and in the +conquests of the Mahometan princes. From these they have received +quarter, but never from one another. The Christian religion is actually +tolerated among the Mahometans, and the domes of churches and mosques +arise in the same city. But it will be hard to find an example where one +sect of Christians has tolerated another which it was in their power to +extirpate. They have gone farther in these later ages; what was +practised formerly has been taught since. Persecution has been reduced +into system, and the disciples of the meek and humble Jesus have avowed a +tyranny which the most barbarous conquerors never claimed. The wicked +subtilty of casuists has established breach of faith with those who +differ from us as a duty in opposition to faith, and murder itself has +been made one of the means of salvation. I know very well that the +Reformed Churches have been far from going those cruel lengths which are +authorised by the doctrine as well as example of that of Rome, though +Calvin put a flaming sword on the title of a French edition of his +Institute, with this motto, “Je ne suis point venu mettre la paix, mais +l’epée;” but I know likewise that the difference lies in the means and +not in the aim of their policy. The Church of England, the most humane +of all of them, would root out every other religion if it was in her +power. She would not hang and burn; her measures would be milder, and +therefore, perhaps, more effectual. + +Since, then, there is this inveterate rancour among Christians, can +anything be more absurd than for those of one persuasion to trust the +supreme power, or any part of it, to those of another? Particularly must +it not be reputed madness in those of our religion to trust themselves in +the hands of Roman Catholics? Must it not be reputed impudence in a +Roman Catholic to expect that we should? he who looks upon us as +heretics, as men in rebellion against a lawful—nay, a divine—authority, +and whom it is, therefore, meritorious by all sorts of ways to reduce to +obedience? There are many, I know, amongst them who think more +generously, and whose morals are not corrupted by that which is called +religion; but this is the spirit of the priesthood, in whose scale that +scrap of a parable, “Compel them to come in,” which they apply as they +please, outweighs the whole Decalogue. This will be the spirit of every +man who is bigot enough to be under their direction; and so much is +sufficient for my present purpose. + +During your last Session of Parliament it was expected that the Whigs +would attempt to repeal the Occasional Bill. The same jealousy +continues; there is, perhaps, foundation for it. Give me leave to ask +you upon what principle we argued for making this law, and upon what +principle you must argue against the repeal of it. I have mentioned the +principle in the beginning of this discourse. No man ought to be trusted +with any share of power under a Government who must, to act consistently +with himself, endeavour the destruction of that very Government. Shall +this proposition pass for true when it is applied to keep a Presbyterian +from being mayor of a corporation, and shall it become false when it is +applied to keep a Papist from being king? The proposition is equally +true in both cases; but the argument drawn from it is just so much +stronger in the latter than in the former case, as the mischiefs which +may result from the power and influence of a king are greater than those +which can be wrought by a magistrate of the lowest order. This seems to +my apprehension to be _argumentum ad hominem_, and I do not see by what +happy distinction a Jacobite Tory could elude the force of it. + +It may be said, and it has been urged to me, that if the Chevalier was +restored, the knowledge of his character would be our security; “habet +fœnum in cornu;” there would be no pretence for trusting him, and by +consequence it would be easy to put such restrictions on the exercise of +the regal power as might hinder him from invading or sapping our religion +and liberty. But this I utterly deny. Experience has shown us how ready +men are to court power and profit, and who can determine how far either +the Tories or the Whigs would comply, in order to secure to themselves +the enjoyment of all the places in the kingdom? Suppose, however, that a +majority of true Israelites should be found, whom no temptation could +oblige to bow the knee to Baal; in order to preserve the Government on +one hand must they not destroy it on the other? The necessary +restrictions would in this case be so many and so important as to leave +hardly the shadow of a monarchy if he submitted to them; and if he did +not submit to them, these patriots would have no resource left but in +rebellion. Thus, therefore, the affair would turn if the Pretender was +restored. We might, most probably, lose our religion and liberty by the +bigotry of the Prince and the corruption of the people. We should have +no chance of preserving them but by an entire change of the whole frame +of our Government or by another revolution. What reasonable man would +voluntarily reduce himself to the necessity of making an option among +such melancholy alternatives? + +The best which could be hoped for, were the Chevalier on the throne, +would be that a thread of favourable accidents, improved by the wisdom +and virtue of Parliament, might keep off the evil day during his reign. +But still the fatal cause would be established; it would be entailed upon +us, and every man would be apprised that sooner or later the fatal effect +must follow. Consider a little what a condition we should be in, both +with respect to our foreign interest and our domestic quiet, whilst the +reprieve lasted, whilst the Chevalier or his successors made no direct +attack upon the constitution. + +As to the first, it is true, indeed, that princes and States are friends +or foes to one another according as the motives of ambition drive them. +These are the first principles of union and division amongst them. The +Protestant Powers of Europe have joined, in our days, to support and +aggrandise the House of Austria, as they did in the days of our +forefathers to defeat her designs and to reduce her power; and the most +Christian King of France has more than once joined his councils, and his +arms too, with the councils and arms of the most Mahometan Emperor of +Constantinople. But still there is, and there must continue, as long as +the influence of the Papal authority subsists in Europe, another general, +permanent, and invariable division of interests. The powers of earth, +like those of heaven, have two distinct motions. Each of them rolls in +his own political orb, but each of them is hurried at the same time round +the great vortex of his religion. If this general notion be just, apply +it to the present case. Whilst a Roman Catholic holds the rudder, how +can we expect to be steered in our proper course? His political interest +will certainly incline him to direct our first motion right, but his +mistaken religious interest will render him incapable of doing it +steadily. + +As to the last, our domestic quiet; even whilst the Chevalier and those +of his race concealed their game, we should remain in the most unhappy +state which human nature is subject to, a state of doubt and suspense. +Our preservation would depend on making him the object of our eternal +jealousy, who, to render himself and his people happy, ought to be that +of our entire confidence. + +Whilst the Pretender and his successors forbore to attack the religion +and liberty of the nation, we should remain in the condition of those +people who labour under a broken constitution, or who carry about them +some chronical distemper. They feel a little pain at every moment; or a +certain uneasiness, which is sometimes less tolerable than pain, hangs +continually on them, and they languish in the constant expectation of +dying perhaps in the severest torture. + +But if the fear of hell should dissipate all other fears in the +Pretender’s mind, and carry him, which is frequently the effect of that +passion, to the most desperate undertakings; if among his successors a +man bold enough to make the attempt should arise, the condition of the +British nation would be still more deplorable. The attempt succeeding, +we should fall into tyranny; for a change of religion could never be +brought about by consent; and the same force that would be sufficient to +enslave our consciences, would be sufficient for all the other purposes +of arbitrary power. The attempt failing, we should fall into anarchy; +for there is no medium when disputes between a prince and his people are +arrived at a certain point; he must either be submitted to or deposed. + +I have now laid before you even more than I intended to have said when I +took my pen, and I am persuaded that if these papers ever come to your +hands, they will enable you to cast up the account between party and me. +Till the time of the Queen’s death it stands, I believe, even between us. +The Tories distinguished me by their approbation and by the credit which +I had amongst them, and I endeavoured to distinguish myself in their +service, under the immediate weight of great discouragement and with the +not very distant prospect of great danger. Since that time the account +is not so even, and I dare appeal to any impartial person whether my side +in it be that of the debtor. As to the opinion of mankind in general, +and the judgment which posterity will pass on these matters, I am under +no great concern. “Suum cuique decus posteritas rependit.” + + + + +A LETTER TO ALEXANDER POPE. + + +DEAR SIR,—Since you have begun, at my request, the work which I have +wished long that you would undertake, it is but reasonable that I submit +to the task you impose upon me. The mere compliance with anything you +desire, is a pleasure to me. On the present occasion, however, this +compliance is a little interested; and that I may not assume more merit +with you than I really have, I will own that in performing this act of +friendship—for such you are willing to esteem it—the purity of my motive +is corrupted by some regard to my private utility. In short, I suspect +you to be guilty of a very friendly fraud, and to mean my service whilst +you seem to mean your own. + +In leading me to discourse, as you have done often, and in pressing me to +write, as you do now, on certain subjects, you may propose to draw me +back to those trains of thought which are, above all others, worthy to +employ the human mind: and I thank you for it. They have been often +interrupted by the business and dissipations of the world, but they were +never so more grievously to me, nor less usefully to the public, than +since royal seduction prevailed on me to abandon the quiet and leisure of +the retreat I had chosen abroad, and to neglect the example of Rutilius, +for I might have imitated him in this at least, who fled further from his +country when he was invited home. + +You have begun your ethic epistles in a masterly manner. You have copied +no other writer, nor will you, I think, be copied by any one. It is with +genius as it is with beauty; there are a thousand pretty things that +charm alike; but superior genius, like superior beauty, has always +something particular, something that belongs to itself alone. It is +always distinguishable, not only from those who have no claim to +excellence, but even from those who excel, when any such there are. + +I am pleased, you may be sure, to find your satire turn, in the very +beginning of these epistles, against the principal cause—for such you +know that I think it—of all the errors, all the contradictions, and all +the disputes which have arisen among those who impose themselves on their +fellow-creatures for great masters, and almost sole proprietors of a gift +of God which is common to the whole species. This gift is reason; a +faculty, or rather an aggregate of faculties, that is bestowed in +different degrees; and not in the highest, certainly, on those who make +the highest pretensions to it. Let your satire chastise, and, if it be +possible, humble that pride, which is the fruitful parent of their vain +curiosity and bold presumption; which renders them dogmatical in the +midst of ignorance, and often sceptical in the midst of knowledge. The +man who is puffed up with this philosophical pride, whether divine or +theist, or atheist, deserves no more to be respected than one of those +trifling creatures who are conscious of little else than their animality, +and who stop as far short of the attainable perfections of their nature +as the other attempts to go beyond them. You will discover as many silly +affections, as much foppery and futility, as much inconsistency and low +artifice in one as in the other. I never met the mad woman at Brentford +decked out in old and new rags, and nice and fantastical in the manner of +wearing them, without reflecting on many of the profound scholars and +sublime philosophers of our own and of former ages. + +You may expect some contradiction and some obloquy on the part of these +men, though you will have less to apprehend from their malice and +resentment than a writer in prose on the same subjects would have. You +will be safer in the generalities of poetry; and I know your precaution +enough to know that you will screen yourself in them against any direct +charge of heterodoxy. But the great clamour of all will be raised when +you descend lower, and let your Muse loose among the herd of mankind. +Then will those powers of dulness whom you have ridiculed into +immortality be called forth in one united phalanx against you. But why +do I talk of what may happen? You have experienced lately something more +than I prognosticate. Fools and knaves should be modest at least; they +should ask quarter of men of sense and virtue: and so they do till they +grow up to a majority, till a similitude of character assures them of the +protection of the great. But then vice and folly such as prevail in our +country, corrupt our manners, deform even social life, and contribute to +make us ridiculous as well as miserable, will claim respect for the sake +of the vicious and the foolish. It will be then no longer sufficient to +spare persons; for to draw even characters of imagination must become +criminal when the application of them to those of highest rank and +greatest power cannot fail to be made. You began to laugh at the +ridiculous taste or the no taste in gardening and building of some men +who are at great expense in both. What a clamour was raised instantly! +The name of Timon was applied to a noble person with double malice, to +make him ridiculous, and you, who lived in friendship with him, odious. +By the authority that employed itself to encourage this clamour, and by +the industry used to spread and support it, one would have thought that +you had directed your satire in that epistle to political subjects, and +had inveighed against those who impoverish, dishonour, and sell their +country, instead of making yourself inoffensively merry at the expense of +men who ruin none but themselves, and render none but themselves +ridiculous. What will the clamour be, and how will the same authority +foment it, when you proceed to lash, in other instances, our want of +elegance even in luxury, and our wild profusion, the source of insatiable +rapacity, and almost universal venality? My mind forebodes that the time +will come—and who knows how near it may be?—when other powers than those +of Grub Street may be drawn forth against you, and when vice and folly +may be avowedly sheltered behind a power instituted for better and +contrary purposes—for the punishment of one, and for the reformation of +both. + +But, however this may be, pursue your task undauntedly, and whilst so +many others convert the noblest employments of human society into sordid +trades, let the generous Muse resume her ancient dignity, re-assert her +ancient prerogative, and instruct and reform, as well as amuse the world. +Let her give a new turn to the thoughts of men, raise new affections in +their minds, and determine in another and better manner the passions of +their hearts. Poets, they say, were the first philosophers and divines +in every country, and in ours, perhaps, the first institutions of +religion and civil policy were owing to our bards. Their task might be +hard, their merit was certainly great. But if they were to rise now from +the dead they would find the second task, if I mistake not, much harder +than the first, and confess it more easy to deal with ignorance than with +error. When societies are once established and Governments formed, men +flatter themselves that they proceed in cultivating the first rudiments +of civility, policy, religion, and learning. But they do not observe +that the private interests of many, the prejudices, affections, and +passions of all, have a large share in the work, and often the largest. +These put a sort of bias on the mind, which makes it decline from the +straight course; and the further these supposed improvements are carried, +the greater this declination grows, till men lose sight of primitive and +real nature, and have no other guide but custom, a second and a false +nature. The author of one is divine wisdom; of the other, human +imagination; and yet whenever the second stands in opposition to the +first, as it does most frequently, the second prevails. From hence it +happens that the most civilised nations are often guilty of injustice and +cruelty which the least civilised would abhor, and that many of the most +absurd opinions and doctrines which have been imposed in the Dark Ages of +ignorance continue to be the opinions and doctrines of ages enlightened +by philosophy and learning. “If I was a philosopher,” says Montaigne, “I +would naturalise art instead of artilising Nature.” The expression is +odd, but the sense is good, and what he recommends would be done if the +reasons that have been given did not stand in the way; if the +self-interest of some men, the madness of others, and the universal pride +of the human heart did not determine them to prefer error to truth and +authority to reason. + +Whilst your Muse is employed to lash the vicious into repentance, or to +laugh the fools of the age into shame, and whilst she rises sometimes to +the noblest subjects of philosophical meditation, I shall throw upon +paper, for your satisfaction and for my own, some part at least of what I +have thought and said formerly on the last of these subjects, as well as +the reflections that they may suggest to me further in writing on them. +The strange situation I am in, and the melancholy state of public +affairs, take up much of my time; divide, or even dissipate, my thoughts; +and, which is worse, drag the mind down by perpetual interruptions from a +philosophical tone or temper to the drudgery of private and public +business. The last lies nearest my heart; and since I am once more +engaged in the service of my country, disarmed, gagged, and almost bound +as I am, I will not abandon it as long as the integrity and perseverance +of those who are under none of these disadvantages, and with whom I now +co-operate, make it reasonable for me to act the same part. Further than +this no shadow of duty obliges me to go. Plato ceased to act for the +Commonwealth when he ceased to persuade, and Solon laid down his arms +before the public magazine when Pisistratus grew too strong to be opposed +any longer with hopes of success. + +Though my situation and my engagements are sufficiently known to you, I +choose to mention them on this occasion lest you should expect from me +anything more than I find myself able to perform whilst I am in them. It +has been said by many that they wanted time to make their discourses +shorter; and if this be a good excuse, as I think it may be often, I lay +in my claim to it. You must neither expect in what I am about to write +to you that brevity which might be expected in letters or essays, nor +that exactness of method, nor that fulness of the several parts which +they affect to observe who presume to write philosophical treatises. The +merit of brevity is relative to the manner and style in which any subject +is treated, as well as to the nature of it; for the same subject may be +sometimes treated very differently, and yet very properly, in both these +respects. Should the poet make syllogisms in verse, or pursue a long +process of reasoning in the didactic style, he would be sure to tire his +reader on the whole, like Lucretius, though he reasoned better than the +Roman, and put into some parts of his work the same poetical fire. He +may write, as you have begun to do, on philosophical subjects, but he +must write in his own character. He must contract, he may shadow, he has +a right to omit whatever will not be cast in the poetic mould; and when +he cannot instruct, he may hope to please. But the philosopher has no +such privileges. He may contract sometimes, he must never shadow. He +must be limited by his matter, lest he should grow whimsical, and by the +parts of it which he understands best, lest he should grow obscure. But +these parts he must develop fully, and he has no right to omit anything +that may serve the purpose of truth, whether it please or not. As it +would be disingenuous to sacrifice truth to popularity, so it is trifling +to appeal to the reason and experience of mankind, as every philosophical +writer does, or must be understood to do, and then to talk, like Plato +and his ancient and modern disciples, to the imagination only. There is +no need, however, to banish eloquence out of philosophy, and truth and +reason are no enemies to the purity nor to the ornaments of language. +But as the want of an exact determination of ideas and of an exact +precision in the use of words is inexcusable in a philosopher, he must +preserve them, even at the expense of style. In short, it seems to me +that the business of the philosopher is to dilate, if I may borrow this +word from Tully, to press, to prove, to convince; and that of the poet to +hint, to touch his subject with short and spirited strokes, to warm the +affections, and to speak to the heart. + +Though I seem to prepare an apology for prolixity even in writing essays, +I will endeavour not to be tedious, and this endeavour may succeed the +better perhaps by declining any over-strict observation of method. There +are certain points of that which I esteem the first philosophy whereof I +shall never lose sight, but this will be very consistent with a sort of +epistolary licence. To digress and to ramble are different things, and +he who knows the country through which he travels may venture out of the +highroad, because he is sure of finding his way back to it again. Thus +the several matters that may arise even accidentally before me will have +some share in guiding my pen. + +I dare not promise that the sections or members of these essays will bear +that nice proportion to one another and to the whole which a severe +critic would require. All I dare promise you is that my thoughts, in +what order soever they flow, shall be communicated to you just as they +pass through my mind, just as they use to be when we converse together on +these or any other subjects when we saunter alone, or, as we have often +done with good Arbuthnot and the jocose Dean of St. Patrick’s, among the +multiplied scenes of your little garden. That theatre is large enough +for my ambition. I dare not pretend to instruct mankind, and I am not +humble enough to write to the public for any other purpose. I mean by +writing on such subjects as I intend here, to make some trial of my +progress in search of the most important truths, and to make this trial +before a friend in whom I think I may confide. These epistolary essays, +therefore, will be written with as little regard to form and with as +little reserve as I used to show in the conversations which have given +occasion to them, when I maintained the same opinions and insisted on the +same reasons in defence of them. + +It might seem strange to a man not well acquainted with the world, and in +particular with the philosophical and theological tribe, that so much +precaution should be necessary in the communication of our thoughts on +any subject of the first philosophy, which is of common concern to the +whole race of mankind, and wherein no one can have, according to nature +and truth, any separate interest. Yet so it is. The separate interests +we cannot have by God’s institutions, are created by those of man; and +there is no subject on which men deal more unfairly with one another than +this. There are separate interests, to mention them in general only, of +prejudice and of profession. By the first, men set out in the search of +truth under the conduct of error, and work up their heated imaginations +often to such a delirium that the more genius, and the more learning they +have, the madder they grow. By the second, they are sworn, as it were, +to follow all their lives the authority of some particular school, to +which “tanquam scopulo, adhærescunt;” for the condition of their +engagement is to defend certain doctrines, and even mere forms of speech, +without examination, or to examine only in order to defend them. By +both, they become philosophers as men became Christians in the primitive +Church, or as they determined themselves about disputed doctrines; for +says Hilarius, writing to St. Austin, “Your holiness knows that the +greatest part of the faithful embrace, or refuse to embrace, a doctrine +for no reason but the impression which the name and authority of some +body or other makes on them.” What now can a man who seeks truth for the +sake of truth, and is indifferent where he finds it, expect from any +communication of his thoughts to such men as these? He will be much +deceived if he expects anything better than imposition or altercation. + +Few men have, I believe, consulted others, both the living and the dead, +with less presumption, and in a greater spirit of docility, than I have +done: and the more I have consulted, the less have I found of that inward +conviction on which a mind that is not absolutely implicit can rest. I +thought for a time that this must be my fault. I distrusted myself, not +my teachers—men of the greatest name, ancient and modern. But I found at +last that it was safer to trust myself than them, and to proceed by the +light of my own understanding than to wander after these _ignes fatui_ of +philosophy. If I am able therefore to tell you easily, and at the same +time so clearly and distinctly as to be easily understood, and so +strongly as not to be easily refuted, how I have thought for myself, I +shall be persuaded that I have thought enough on these subjects. If I am +not able to do this, it will be evident that I have not thought on them +enough. I must review my opinions, discover and correct my errors. + +I have said that the subjects I mean, and which will be the principal +objects of these essays, are those of the first philosophy; and it is +fit, therefore, that I should explain what I understand by the first +philosophy. Do not imagine that I understand what has passed commonly +under that name—metaphysical pneumatics, for instance, or ontology. The +first are conversant about imaginary substances, such as may and may not +exist. That there is a God we can demonstrate; and although we know +nothing of His manner of being, yet we acknowledge Him to be immaterial, +because a thousand absurdities, and such as imply the strongest +contradiction, result from the supposition that the Supreme Being is a +system of matter. But of any other spirits we neither have nor can have +any knowledge: and no man will be inquisitive about spiritual +physiognomy, nor go about to inquire, I believe, at this time, as Evodius +inquired of St. Austin, whether our immaterial part, the soul, does not +remain united, when it forsakes this gross terrestrial body, to some +ethereal body more subtile and more fine; which was one of the +Pythagorean and Platonic whimsies: nor be under any concern to know, if +this be not the case of the dead, how souls can be distinguished after +their separation—that of Dives, for example, from that of Lazarus. The +second—that is, ontology—treats most scientifically of being abstracted +from all being (“de ente quatenus ens”). It came in fashion whilst +Aristotle was in fashion, and has been spun into an immense web out of +scholastic brains. But it should be, and I think it is already, left to +the acute disciples of Leibnitz, who dug for gold in the ordure of the +schools, and to other German wits. Let them darken by tedious +definitions what is too plain to need any; or let them employ their +vocabulary of barbarous terms to propagate an unintelligible jargon, +which is supposed to express such abstractions as they cannot make, and +according to which, however, they presume often to control the particular +and most evident truths of experimental knowledge. Such reputed science +deserves no rank in philosophy, not the last, and much less the first. + +I desire you not to imagine neither that I understand by the first +philosophy even such a science as my Lord Bacon describes—a science of +general observations and axioms, such as do not belong properly to any +particular part of science, but are common to many, “and of an higher +stage,” as he expresses himself. He complains that philosophers have not +gone up to the “spring-head,” which would be of “general and excellent +use for the disclosing of Nature and the abridgment of art,” though they +“draw now and then a bucket of water out of the well for some particular +use.” I respect—no man more—this great authority; but I respect no +authority enough to subscribe on the faith of it, to that which appears +to me fantastical, as if it were real. Now this spring-head of science +is purely fantastical, and the figure conveys a false notion to the mind, +as figures employed licentiously are apt to do. The great author himself +calls these axioms, which are to constitute his first philosophy, +observations. Such they are properly; for there are some uniform +principles, or uniform impressions of the same nature, to be observed in +very different subjects, “una eademque naturæ vestigia aut signacula +diversis materiis et subjectis impressa.” These observations, therefore, +when they are sufficiently verified and well established, may be properly +applied in discourse, or writing, from one subject to another. But I +apprehend that when they are so applied, they serve rather to illustrate +a proposition than to disclose Nature, or to abridge art. They may have +a better foundation than similitudes and comparisons more loosely and +more superficially made. They may compare realities, not appearances; +things that Nature has made alike, not things that seem only to have some +relation of this kind in our imaginations. But still they are +comparisons of things distinct and independent. They do not lead us to +things, but things that are lead us to make them. He who possesses two +sciences, and the same will be often true of arts, may find in certain +respects a similitude between them because he possesses both. If he did +not possess both, he would be led by neither to the acquisition of the +other. Such observations are effects, not means of knowledge; and, +therefore, to suppose that any collection of them can constitute a +science of an “higher stage,” from whence we may reason _à priori_ down +to particulars, is, I presume, to suppose something very groundless, and +very useless at best, to the advancement of knowledge. A pretended +science of this kind must be barren of knowledge, and may be fruitful of +error, as the Persian magic was, if it proceeded on the faint analogy +that may be discovered between physics and politics, and deduced the +rules of civil government from what the professors of it observed of the +operations and works of Nature in the material world. The very specimen +of their magic which my Lord Bacon has given would be sufficient to +justify what is here objected to his doctrine. + +Let us conclude this head by mentioning two examples among others which +he brings to explain the better what he means by his first philosophy. +The first is this axiom, “If to unequals you add equals, all will be +unequal.” This, he says, is an axiom of justice as well as of +mathematics; and he asks whether there is not a true coincidence between +commutative and distributive justice, and arithmetical and geometrical +proportion. But I would ask in my turn whether the certainty that any +arithmetician or geometrician has of the arithmetical or geometrical +truth will lead him to discover this coincidence. I ask whether the most +profound lawyer who never heard perhaps this axiom would be led to it by +his notions of commutative and distributive justice. Certainly not. He +who is well skilled in arithmetic or geometry, and in jurisprudence, may +observe perhaps this uniformity of natural principle or impression +because he is so skilled, though, to say the truth, it be not very +obvious; but he will not have derived his knowledge of it from any +spring-head of a first philosophy, from any science of an “higher stage” +than arithmetic, geometry, and jurisprudence. + +The second example is this axiom, “That the destruction of things is +prevented by the reduction of them to their first principles.” This rule +is said to hold in religion, in physics, and in politics; and Machiavel +is quoted for having established it in the last of these. Now though +this axiom be generally, it is not universally, true; and, to say nothing +of physics, it will not be hard to produce, in contradiction to it, +examples of religious and civil institutions that would have perished if +they had been kept strictly to their first principles, and that have been +supported by departing more or less from them. It may seem justly matter +of wonder that the author of the “Advancement of Learning” should espouse +this maxim in religion and politics, as well as physics, so absolutely, +and that he should place it as an axiom of his first philosophy +relatively to the three, since he could not do it without falling into +the abuse he condemns so much in his “Organum Novum”—the abuse +philosophers are guilty of when they suffer the mind to rise too fast, as +it is apt to do, from particulars to remote and general axioms. That the +author of the “Political Discourses” should fall into this abuse is not +at all strange. The same abuse runs through all his writings, in which, +among many wise and many wicked reflections and precepts, he establishes +frequently general maxims or rules of conduct on a few particular +examples, and sometimes on a single example. Upon the whole matter, one +of these axioms communicates no knowledge but that which we must have +before we can know the axiom, and the other may betray us into great +error when we apply it to use and action. One is unprofitable, the other +dangerous; and the philosophy which admits them as principles of general +knowledge deserves ill to be reputed philosophy. It would have been just +as useful, and much more safe, to admit into this receptacle of axioms +those self-evident and necessary truths alone of which we have an +immediate perception, since they are not confined to any special parts of +science, but are common to several, or to all. Thus these profitable +axioms, “What is, is,” “The whole is bigger than a part,” and divers +others, might serve to enlarge the spring-head of a first philosophy, and +be of excellent use in arguing _ex prœcognitis et prœconcessis_. + +If you ask me now what I understand then by a first philosophy, my answer +will be such as I suppose you already prepared to receive. I understand +by a first philosophy, that which deserves the first place on account of +the dignity and importance of its objects, natural theology or theism, +and natural religion or ethics. If we consider the order of the sciences +in their rise and progress, the first place belongs to natural +philosophy, the mother of them all, or the trunk, the tree of knowledge, +out of which, and in proportion to which, like so many branches, they all +grow. These branches spread wide, and bear even fruits of different +kinds. But the sap that made them shoot, and makes them flourish, rises +from the root through the trunk, and their productions are varied +according to the variety of strainers through which it flows. In plain +terms, I speak not here of supernatural, or revealed science; and +therefore I say that all science, if it be real, must rise from below, +and from our own level. It cannot descend from above, nor from superior +systems of being and knowledge. Truth of existence is truth of +knowledge, and therefore reason searches after them in one of these +scenes, where both are to be found together, and are within our reach; +whilst imagination hopes fondly to find them in another, where both of +them are to be found, but surely not by us. The notices we receive from +without concerning the beings that surround us, and the inward +consciousness we have of our own, are the foundations, and the true +criterions too, of all the knowledge we acquire of body and of mind: and +body and mind are objects alike of natural philosophy. We assume +commonly that they are two distinct substances. Be it so. They are +still united, and blended, as it were, together, in one human nature: and +all natures, united or not, fall within the province of natural +philosophy. On the hypothesis indeed that body and soul are two distinct +substances, one of which subsists after the dissolution of the other, +certain men, who have taken the whimsical title of metaphysicians, as if +they had science beyond the bounds of Nature, or of Nature discoverable +by others, have taken likewise to themselves the doctrine of mind; and +have left that of body, under the name of physics, to a supposed inferior +order of philosophers. But the right of these stands good; for all the +knowledge that can be acquired about mind, or the unextended substance of +the Cartesians, must be acquired, like that about body, or the extended +substance, within the bounds of their province, and by the means they +employ, particular experiments and observations. Nothing can be true of +mind, any more than of body, that is repugnant to these; and an +intellectual hypothesis which is not supported by the intellectual +phenomena is at least as ridiculous as a corporeal hypothesis which is +not supported by the corporeal phenomena. + +If I have said thus much in this place concerning natural philosophy, it +has not been without good reason. I consider theology and ethics as the +first of sciences in pre-eminence of rank. But I consider the constant +contemplation of Nature—by which I mean the whole system of God’s works +as far as it lies open to us—as the common spring of all sciences, and +even of these. What has been said agreeably to this notion seems to me +evidently true; and yet metaphysical divines and philosophers proceed in +direct contradiction to it, and have thereby, if I mistake not, +bewildered themselves, and a great part of mankind, in such inextricable +labyrinths of hypothetical reasoning, that few men can find their way +back, and none can find it forward into the road of truth. To dwell +long, and on some points always, in particular knowledge, tires the +patience of these impetuous philosophers. They fly to generals. To +consider attentively even the minutest phenomena of body and mind +mortifies their pride. Rather than creep up slowly, _à posteriori_, to a +little general knowledge, they soar at once as far and as high as +imagination can carry them. From thence they descend again, armed with +systems and arguments _à priori_; and, regardless how these agree or +clash with the phenomena of Nature, they impose them on mankind. + +It is this manner of philosophising, this preposterous method of +beginning our search after truth out of the bounds of human knowledge, or +of continuing it beyond them, that has corrupted natural theology and +natural religion in all ages. They have been corrupted to such a degree +that it is grown, and was so long since, as necessary to plead the cause +of God, if I may use this expression after Seneca, against the divine as +against the atheist; to assert his existence against the latter, to +defend his attributes against the former, and to justify his providence +against both. To both a sincere and humble theist might say very +properly, “I make no difference between you on many occasions, because it +is indifferent whether you deny or defame the Supreme Being.” Nay, +Plutarch, though little orthodox in theology, was not in the wrong +perhaps when he declared the last to be the worst. + +In treating the subjects about which I shall write to you in these +letters or essays, it will be therefore necessary to distinguish genuine +and pure theism from the unnatural and profane mixtures of human +imagination—what we can know of God from what we cannot know. This is +the more necessary, too, because, whilst true and false notions about God +and religion are blended together in our minds under one specious name of +science, the false are more likely to make men doubt of the true, as it +often happens, than to persuade men that they are true themselves. Now, +in order to this purpose, nothing can be more effectual than to go to the +root of error, of that primitive error which encourages our curiosity, +sustains our pride, fortifies our prejudices, and gives pretence to +delusion. This primitive error consists in the high opinion we are apt +to entertain of the human mind, though it holds, in truth, a very low +rank in the intellectual system. To cure this error we need only turn +our eyes inward, and contemplate impartially what passes there from the +infancy to the maturity of the mind. Thus it will not be difficult, and +thus alone it is possible, to discover the true nature of human +knowledge—how far it extends, how far it is real, and where and how it +begins to be fantastical. + +Such an inquiry, if it cannot check the presumption nor humble the pride +of metaphysicians, may serve to undeceive others. Locke pursued it; he +grounded all he taught on the phenomena of Nature; he appealed to the +experience and conscious knowledge of every one, and rendered all he +advanced intelligible. Leibnitz, one of the vainest and most chimerical +men that ever got a name in philosophy, and who is often so +unintelligible that no man ought to believe he understood himself, +censured Locke as a superficial philosopher. What has happened? The +philosophy of one has forced its way into general approbation, that of +the other has carried no conviction and scarce any information to those +who have misspent their time about it. To speak the truth, though it may +seem a paradox, our knowledge on many subjects, and particularly on those +which we intend here, must be superficial to be real. This is the +condition of humanity. We are placed, as it were, in an intellectual +twilight, where we discover but few things clearly, and none entirely, +and yet see just enough to tempt us with the hope of making better and +more discoveries. Thus flattered, men push their inquiries on, and may +be properly enough compared to Ixion, who “imagined he had Juno in his +arms whilst he embraced a cloud.” + +To be contented to know things as God has made us capable of knowing them +is, then, a first principle necessary to secure us from falling into +error; and if there is any subject upon which we should be most on our +guard against error, it is surely that which I have called here the first +philosophy. God is hid from us in the majesty of His nature, and the +little we discover of Him must be discovered by the light that is +reflected from His works. Out of this light, therefore, we should never +go in our inquiries and reasonings about His nature, His attributes, and +the order of His providence; and yet upon these subjects men depart the +furthest from it—nay, they who depart the furthest are the best heard by +the bulk of mankind. The less men know, the more they believe that they +know. Belief passes in their minds for knowledge, and the very +circumstances which should beget doubt produce increase of faith. Every +glittering apparition that is pointed out to them in the vast wild of +imagination passes for a reality; and the more distant, the more +confused, the more incomprehensible it is, the more sublime it is +esteemed. He who should attempt to shift these scenes of airy vision for +those of real knowledge might expect to be treated with scorn and anger +by the whole theological and metaphysical tribe, the masters and the +scholars; he would be despised as a plebeian philosopher, and railed at +as an infidel. It would be sounded high that he debased human nature, +which has a “cognation,” so the reverend and learned Doctor Cudworth +calls it, with the divine; that the soul of man, immaterial and immortal +by its nature, was made to contemplate higher and nobler objects than +this sensible world, and even than itself, since it was made to +contemplate God and to be united to Him. In such clamour as this the +voice of truth and of reason would be drowned, and, with both of them on +his side, he who opposed it would make many enemies and few converts—nay, +I am apt to think that some of these, if he made any, would say to him, +as soon as the gaudy visions of error were dispelled, and till they were +accustomed to the simplicity of truth, “Pol me occidistis.” Prudence +forbids me, therefore, to write as I think to the world, whilst +friendship forbids me to write otherwise to you. I have been a martyr of +faction in politics, and have no vocation to be so in philosophy. + +But there is another consideration which deserves more regard, because it +is of a public nature, and because the common interests of society may be +affected by it. Truth and falsehood, knowledge and ignorance, +revelations of the Creator, inventions of the creature, dictates of +reason, sallies of enthusiasm, have been blended so long together in our +systems of theology that it may be thought dangerous to separate them, +lest by attacking some parts of these systems we should shake the whole. +It may be thought that error itself deserves to be respected on this +account, and that men who are deluded for their good should be deluded +on. + +Some such reflections as these it is probable that Erasmus made when he +observed, in one of his letters to Melancthon, that Plato, dreaming of a +philosophical commonwealth, saw the impossibility of governing the +multitude without deceiving them. “Let not Christians lie,” says this +great divine: “but let it not be thought neither that every truth ought +to be thrown out to the vulgar.” (“Non expedit omnem veritatem prodere +vulgo.”) Scævola and Varro were more explicit than Erasmus, and more +reasonable than Plato. They held not only that many truths were to be +concealed from the vulgar, but that it was expedient the vulgar should +believe many things that were false. They distinguished at the same +time, very rightly, between the regard due to religions already +established, and the conduct to be held in the establishment of them. +The Greek assumed that men could not be governed by truth, and erected on +this principle a fabulous theology. The Romans were not of the same +opinion. Varro declared expressly that if he had been to frame a new +institution, he would have framed it “ex naturæ potius formula.” But +they both thought that things evidently false might deserve an outward +respect when they are interwoven into a system of government. This +outward respect every good citizen will show them in such a case, and +they can claim no more in any. He will not propagate these errors, but +he will be cautious how he propagates even truth in opposition to them. + +There has been much noise made about free-thinking; and men have been +animated in the contest by a spirit that becomes neither the character of +divines nor that of good citizens, by an arbitrary tyrannical spirit +under the mask of religious zeal, and by a presumptuous factious spirit +under that of liberty. If the first could prevail, they would establish +implicit belief and blind obedience, and an Inquisition to maintain this +abject servitude. To assert antipodes might become once more as +heretical as Arianism or Pelagianism; and men might be dragged to the +jails of some Holy Office, like Galilei, for saying they had seen what in +fact they had seen, and what every one else that pleased might see. If +the second could prevail, they would destroy at once the general +influence of religion by shaking the foundations of it which education +had laid. These are wide extremes. Is there no middle path in which a +reasonable man and a good citizen may direct his steps? I think there +is. + +Every one has an undoubted right to think freely—nay, it is the duty of +every one to do so as far as he has the necessary means and +opportunities. This duty, too, is in no case so incumbent on him as in +those that regard what I call the first philosophy. They who have +neither means nor opportunities of this sort must submit their opinions +to authority; and to what authority can they resign themselves so +properly and so safely as to that of the laws and constitution of their +country? In general, nothing can be more absurd than to take opinions of +the greatest moment, and such as concern us the most intimately, on +trust; but there is no help against it in many particular cases. Things +the most absurd in speculation become necessary in practice. Such is the +human constitution, and reason excuses them on the account of this +necessity. Reason does even a little more, and it is all she can do. +She gives the best direction possible to the absurdity. Thus she directs +those who must believe because they cannot know, to believe in the laws +of their country, and conform their opinions and practice to those of +their ancestors, to those of Coruncanius, of Scipio, of Scævola—not to +those of Zeno, of Cleanthes, of Chrysippus. + +But now the same reason that gives this direction to such men as these +will give a very contrary direction to those who have the means and +opportunities the others want. Far from advising them to submit to this +mental bondage, she will advise them to employ their whole industry to +exert the utmost freedom of thought, and to rest on no authority but +hers—that is, their own. She will speak to them in the language of the +Soufys, a sect of philosophers in Persia that travellers have mentioned. +“Doubt,” say these wise and honest freethinkers, “is the key of +knowledge. He who never doubts, never examines. He who never examines, +discovers nothing. He who discovers nothing, is blind and will remain +so. If you find no reason to doubt concerning the opinions of your +fathers, keep to them; they will be sufficient for you. If you find any +reason to doubt concerning them, seek the truth quietly, but take care +not to disturb the minds of other men.” + +Let us proceed agreeably to these maxims. Let us seek truth, but seek it +quietly as well as freely. Let us not imagine, like some who are called +freethinkers, that every man, who can think and judge for himself, as he +has a right to do, has therefore a right of speaking, any more than of +acting, according to the full freedom of his thoughts. The freedom +belongs to him as a rational creature; he lies under the restraint as a +member of society. + +If the religion we profess contained nothing more than articles of faith +and points of doctrine clearly revealed to us in the Gospel, we might be +obliged to renounce our natural freedom of thought in favour of this +supernatural authority. But since it is notorious that a certain order +of men, who call themselves the Church, have been employed to make and +propagate a theological system of their own, which they call +Christianity, from the days of the Apostles, and even from these days +inclusively, it is our duty to examine and analyse the whole, that we may +distinguish what is divine from what is human; adhere to the first +implicitly, and ascribe to the last no more authority than the word of +man deserves. + +Such an examination is the more necessary to be undertaken by every one +who is concerned for the truth of his religion and for the honour of +Christianity, because the first preachers of it were not, and they who +preach it still are not, agreed about many of the most important points +of their system; because the controversies raised by these men have +banished union, peace, and charity out of the Christian world; and +because some parts of the system savour so much of superstition and +enthusiasm that all the prejudices of education and the whole weight of +civil and ecclesiastical power can hardly keep them in credit. These +considerations deserve the more attention because nothing can be more +true than what Plutarch said of old, and my Lord Bacon has said since: +one, that superstition, and the other, that vain controversies are +principal causes of atheism. + +I neither expect nor desire to see any public revision made of the +present system of Christianity. I should fear an attempt to alter the +established religion as much as they who have the most bigot attachment +to it, and for reasons as good as theirs, though not entirely the same. +I speak only of the duty of every private man to examine for himself, +which would have an immediate good effect relatively to himself, and +might have in time a good effect relatively to the public, since it would +dispose the minds of men to a greater indifference about theological +disputes, which are the disgrace of Christianity and have been the +plagues of the world. + +Will you tell me that private judgment must submit to the established +authority of Fathers and Councils? My answer shall be that the Fathers, +ancient and modern, in Councils and out of them, have raised that immense +system of artificial theology by which genuine Christianity is perverted +and in which it is lost. These Fathers are fathers of the worst sort, +such as contrive to keep their children in a perpetual state of infancy, +that they may exercise perpetual and absolute dominion over them. “Quo +magis regnum in illos exerceant pro sua libidine.” I call their theology +artificial, because it is in a multitude of instances conformable neither +to the religion of Nature nor to Gospel Christianity, but often repugnant +to both, though said to be founded on them. I shall have occasion to +mention several such instances in the course of these little essays. +Here I will only observe that if it be hard to conceive how anything so +absurd as the pagan theology stands represented by the Fathers who wrote +against it, and as it really was, could ever gain credit among rational +creatures, it is full as hard to conceive how the artificial theology we +speak of could ever prevail, not only in ages of ignorance, but in the +most enlightened. There is a letter of St. Austin wherein he says that +he was ashamed of himself when he refuted the opinions of the former, and +that he was ashamed of mankind when he considered that such absurdities +were received and defended. The reflections might be retorted on the +saint, since he broached and defended doctrines as unworthy of the +Supreme All-Perfect Being as those which the heathens taught concerning +their fictitious and inferior gods. Is it necessary to quote any other +than that by which we are taught that God has created numbers of men for +no purpose but to damn them? “Quisquis prædestinationis doctrinam +invidia gravat,” says Calvin, “aperte maledicit Deo.” Let us say, +“Quisquis prædestinationis doctrinam asserit, blasphemat”. Let us not +impute such cruel injustice to the all-perfect Being. Let Austin and +Calvin and all those who teach it be answerable for it alone. You may +bring Fathers and Councils as evidences in the cause of artificial +theology, but reason must be the judge; and all I contend for is, that +she should be so in the breast of every Christian that can appeal to her +tribunal. + +Will you tell me that even such a private examination of the Christian +system as I propose that every man who is able to make it should make for +himself, is unlawful; and that, if any doubts arise in our minds +concerning religion, we must have recourse for the solution of them to +some of that holy order which was instituted, by God Himself, and which +has been continued by the imposition of hands in every Christian society, +from the Apostles down to the present clergy? My answer shall be shortly +this: it is repugnant to all the ideas of wisdom and goodness to believe +that the universal terms of salvation are knowable by the means of one +order of men alone, and that they continue to be so even after they have +been published to all nations. Some of your directors will tell you that +whilst Christ was on earth the Apostles were the Church; that He was the +Bishop of it; that afterwards the admission of men into this order was +approved, and confirmed by visions and other divine manifestations; and +that these wonderful proofs of God’s interposition at the ordinations and +consecrations of presbyters and bishops lasted even in the time of St. +Cyprian—that is, in the middle of the third century. It is pity that +they lasted no longer, for the honour of the Church, and for the +conviction of those who do not sufficiently reverence the religious +society. It were to be wished, perhaps, that some of the secrets of +electricity were improved enough to be piously and usefully applied to +this purpose. If we beheld a shekinah, or divine presence, like the +flame of a taper, on the heads of those who receive the imposition of +hands, we might believe that they receive the Holy Ghost at the same +time. But as we have no reason to believe what superstitious, credulous, +or lying men (such as Cyprian himself was) reported formerly, that they +might establish the proud pretensions of the clergy, so we have no reason +to believe that five men of this order have any more of the Divine Spirit +in our time, after they are ordained, than they had before. It would be +a farce to provoke laughter, if there was no suspicion of profanation in +it, to see them gravely lay hands on one another, and bid one another +receive the Holy Ghost. + +Will you tell me finally, in opposition to what has been said, and that +you may anticipate what remains to be said, that laymen are not only +unauthorised, but quite unequal, without the assistance of divines, to +the task I propose? If you do, I shall make no scruple to tell you, in +return, that laymen may be, if they please, in every respect as fit, and +are in one important respect more fit than divines to go through this +examination, and to judge for themselves upon it. We say that the +Scriptures, concerning the divine authenticity of which all the +professors of Christianity agree, are the sole criterion of Christianity. +You add tradition, concerning which there may be, and there is, much +dispute. We have, then, a certain invariable rule whenever the +Scriptures speak plainly. Whenever they do not speak so, we have this +comfortable assurance—that doctrines which nobody understands are +revealed to nobody, and are therefore improper objects of human inquiry. +We know, too, that if we receive the explanations and commentaries of +these dark sayings from the clergy, we take the greatest part of our +religion from the word of man, not from the Word of God. Tradition, +indeed, however derived, is not to be totally rejected; for if it was, +how came the canon of the Scriptures, even of the Gospels, to be fixed? +How was it conveyed down to us? Traditions of general facts, and general +propositions plain and uniform, may be of some authority and use. But +particular anecdotical traditions, whose original authority is unknown, +or justly suspicious, and that have acquired only an appearance of +generality and notoriety, because they have been frequently and boldly +repeated from age to age, deserve no more regard than doctrines evidently +added to the Scriptures, under pretence of explaining and commenting +them, by men as fallible as ourselves. We may receive the Scriptures, +and be persuaded of their authenticity, on the faith of ecclesiastical +tradition; but it seems to me that we may reject, at the same time, all +the artificial theology which has been raised on these Scriptures by +doctors of the Church, with as much right as they receive the Old +Testament on the authority of Jewish scribes and doctors whilst they +reject the oral law and all rabbinical literature. + +He who examines on such principles as these, which are conformable to +truth and reason, may lay aside at once the immense volumes of Fathers +and Councils, of schoolmen, casuists, and controversial writers, which +have perplexed the world so long. Natural religion will be to such a man +no longer intricate, revealed religion will be no longer mysterious, nor +the Word of God equivocal. Clearness and precision are two great +excellences of human laws. How much more should we expect to find them +in the law of God? They have been banished from thence by artificial +theology, and he who is desirous to find them must banish the professors +of it from his councils, instead of consulting them. He must seek for +genuine Christianity with that simplicity of spirit with which it is +taught in the Gospel by Christ Himself. He must do the very reverse of +what has been done by the persons you advise him to consult. + +You see that I have said what has been said, on a supposition that, +however obscure theology may be, the Christian religion is extremely +plain, and requires no great learning nor deep meditation to develop it. +But if it was not so plain, if both these were necessary to develop it, +is great learning the monopoly of the clergy since the resurrection of +letters, as a little learning was before that era? Is deep meditation +and justness of reasoning confined to men of that order by a peculiar and +exclusive privilege? In short, and to ask a question which experience +will decide, have these men who boast that they are appointed by God “to +be the interpreters of His secret will, to represent His person, and to +answer in His name, as it were, out of the sanctuary”—have these men, I +say, been able in more than seventeen centuries to establish an uniform +system of revealed religion—for natural religion never wanted their help +among the civil societies of Christians—or even in their own? They do +not seem to have aimed at this desirable end. Divided as they have +always been, they have always studied in order to believe, and to take +upon trust, or to find matter of discourse, or to contradict and confute, +but never to consider impartially nor to use a free judgment. On the +contrary, they who have attempted to use this freedom of judgment have +been constantly and cruelly persecuted by them. + +The first steps towards the establishment of artificial theology, which +has passed for Christianity ever since, were enthusiastical. They were +not heretics alone who delighted in wild allegories and the pompous +jargon of mystery; they were the orthodox Fathers of the first ages, they +were the disciples of the Apostles, or the scholars of their disciples; +for the truth of which I may appeal to the epistles and other writings of +these men that are extant—to those of Clemens, of Ignatius, or of +Irenæus, for instance—and to the visions of Hermes, that have so near a +resemblance to the productions of Bunyan. + +The next steps of the same kind were rhetorical. They were made by men +who declaimed much and reasoned ill, but who imposed on the imaginations +of others by the heat of their own, by their hyperboles, their +exaggerations, the acrimony of their style, and their violent invectives. +Such were the Chrysostoms, the Jeromes, an Hilarius, a Cyril, and most of +the Fathers. + +The last of the steps I shall mention were logical, and these were made +very opportunely and very advantageously for the Church and for +artificial theology. Absurdity in speculation and superstition in +practice had been cultivated so long, and were become so gross, that men +began to see through the veils that had been thrown over them, as +ignorant as those ages were. Then the schoolmen arose. I need not +display their character; it is enough known. This only I will say—that +having very few materials of knowledge and much subtilty of wit they +wrought up systems of fancy on the little they knew, and invented an art, +by the help of Aristotle, not of enlarging, but of puzzling, knowledge +with technical terms, with definitions, distinctions, and syllogisms +merely verbal. They taught what they could not explain, evaded what they +could not answer, and he who had the most skill in this art might put to +silence, when it came into general use, the man who was consciously +certain that he had truth and reason on his side. + +The authority of the schools lasted till the resurrection of letters. +But as soon as real knowledge was enlarged, and the conduct of the +understanding better understood, it fell into contempt. The advocates of +artificial theology have had since that time a very hard task. They have +been obliged to defend in the light what was imposed in the dark, and to +acquire knowledge to justify ignorance. They were drawn to it with +reluctance. But learning, that grew up among the laity, and +controversies with one another, made this unavoidable, which was not +eligible on the principles of ecclesiastical policy. They have done with +these new arms all that great parts, great pains, and great zeal could do +under such disadvantages, and we may apply to this order, on this +occasion, “si Pergama dextra,” etc. But their Troy cannot be defended; +irreparable breaches have been made in it. They have improved in +learning and knowledge, but this improvement has been general, and as +remarkable at least among the laity as among the clergy. Besides which +it must be owned that the former have had in this respect a sort of +indirect obligation to the latter; for whilst these men have searched +into antiquity, have improved criticism, and almost exhausted subtilty, +they have furnished so many arms the more to such of the others as do not +submit implicitly to them, but examine and judge for themselves. By +refuting one another, when they differ, they have made it no hard matter +to refute them all when they agree. And I believe there are few books +written to propagate or defend the received notions of artificial +theology which may not be refuted by the books themselves. I conclude, +on the whole, that laymen have, or need to have, no want of the clergy in +examining and analysing the religion they profess. + +But I said that they are in one important respect more fit to go through +this examination without the help of divines than with it. A layman who +seeks the truth may fall into error; but as he can have no interest to +deceive himself, so he has none of profession to bias his private +judgment, any more than to engage him to deceive others. Now, the +clergyman lies strongly under this influence in every communion. How, +indeed, should it be otherwise? Theology is become one of those sciences +which Seneca calls “scientiæ in lucrum exeuntes;” and sciences, like arts +whose object is gain, are, in good English, trades. Such theology is, +and men who could make no fortune, except the lowest, in any other, make +often the highest in this; for the proof of which assertion I might +produce some signal instances among my lords the bishops. The +consequence has been uniform; for how ready soever the tradesmen of one +Church are to expose the false wares—that is, the errors and abuses—of +another, they never admit that there are any in their own; and he who +admitted this in some particular instance would be driven out of the +ecclesiastical company as a false brother and one who spoiled the trade. + +Thus it comes to pass that new Churches may be established by the +dissensions, but that old ones cannot be reformed by the concurrence, of +the clergy. There is no composition to be made with this order of men. +He who does not believe all they teach in every communion is reputed +nearly as criminal as he who believes no part of it. He who cannot +assent to the Athanasian Creed, of which Archbishop Tillotson said, as I +have heard, that he wished we were well rid, would receive no better +quarter than an atheist from the generality of the clergy. What recourse +now has a man who cannot be thus implicit? Some have run into +scepticism, some into atheism, and, for fear of being imposed on by +others, have imposed on themselves. The way to avoid these extremes is +that which has been chalked out in this introduction. We may think +freely without thinking as licentiously as divines do when they raise a +system of imagination on true foundations, or as sceptics do when they +renounce all knowledge, or as atheists do when they attempt to demolish +the foundations of all religion and reject demonstration. As we think +for ourselves, we may keep our thoughts to ourselves, or communicate them +with a due reserve and in such a manner only as it may be done without +offending the laws of our country and disturbing the public peace. + +I cannot conclude my discourse on this occasion better than by putting +you in mind of a passage you quoted to me once, with great applause, from +a sermon of Foster, and to this effect: “Where mystery begins, religion +ends.” The apophthegm pleased me much, and I was glad to hear such a +truth from any pulpit, since it shows an inclination, at least, to purify +Christianity from the leaven of artificial theology, which consists +principally in making things that are very plain mysterious, and in +pretending to make things that are impenetrably mysterious very plain. +If you continue still of the same mind, I shall have no excuse to make to +you for what I have written and shall write. Our opinions coincide. If +you have changed your mind, think again and examine further. You will +find that it is the modest, not the presumptuous, inquirer who makes a +real and safe progress in the discovery of divine truths. One follows +Nature and Nature’s God—that is, he follows God in His works and in His +Word; nor presumes to go further, by metaphysical and theological +commentaries of his own invention, than the two texts, if I may use this +expression, carry him very evidently. They who have done otherwise, and +have affected to discover, by a supposed science derived from tradition +or taught in the schools, more than they who have not such science can +discover concerning the nature, physical and moral, of the Supreme Being, +and concerning the secrets of His providence, have been either +enthusiasts or knaves, or else of that numerous tribe who reason well +very often, but reason always on some arbitrary supposition. + +Much of this character belonged to the heathen divines, and it is in all +its parts peculiarly that of the ancient Fathers and modern doctors of +the Christian Church. The former had reason, but no revelation, to guide +them; and though reason be always one, we cannot wonder that different +prejudices and different tempers of imagination warped it in them on such +subjects as these, and produced all the extravagances of their theology. +The latter had not the excuse of human frailty to make in mitigation of +their presumption. On the contrary, the consideration of this frailty, +inseparable from their nature, aggravated their presumption. They had a +much surer criterion than human reason; they had divine reason and the +Word of God to guide them and to limit their inquiries. How came they to +go beyond this criterion? Many of the first preachers were led into it +because they preached or wrote before there was any such criterion +established, in the acceptance of which they all agreed, because they +preached or wrote, in the meantime, on the faith of tradition and on a +confidence that they were persons extraordinarily gifted. Other reasons +succeeded these. Skill in languages, not the gift of tongues, some +knowledge of the Jewish cabala and some of heathen philosophy, of Plato’s +especially, made them presume to comment, and under that pretence to +enlarge the system of Christianity with as much licence as they could +have taken if the word of man, instead of the Word of God, had been +concerned, and they had commented the civil, not the divine, law. They +did this so copiously that, to give one instance of it, the exposition of +St. Matthew’s Gospel took up ninety homilies, and that of St. John’s +eighty-seven, in the works of Chrysostom; which puts me in mind of a +Puritanical parson who, if I mistake not—for I have never looked into the +folio since I was a boy and condemned sometimes to read in it—made one +hundred and nineteen sermons on the hundred and nineteenth Psalm. + +Now all these men, both heathens and Christians, appeared gigantic forms +through the false medium of imagination and habitual prejudice; but were, +in truth, as arrant dwarfs in the knowledge to which they pretended as +you and I and all the sons of Adam. The former, however, deserved some +excuse; the latter none. The former made a very ill use of their reason, +no doubt, when they presume to dogmatise about the divine nature, but +they deceived nobody. What they taught, they taught on their own +authority, which every other man was at liberty to receive or reject as +he approved or disapproved the doctrine. Christians, on the other hand, +made a very ill use of revelation and reason both. Instead of employing +the superior principle to direct and confine the inferior, they employed +it to sanctify all that wild imagination, the passions, and the interests +of the ecclesiastical order suggested. This abuse of revelation was so +scandalous that whilst they were building up a system of religion under +the name of Christianity, every one who sought to signalise himself in +the enterprise—and they were multitudes—dragged the Scriptures to his +opinion by different interpretations, paraphrases, comments. Arius and +Nestorius both pretended that they had it on their sides; Athanasius and +Cyril on theirs. They rendered the Word of God so dubious that it ceased +to be a criterion, and they had recourse to another—to Councils and the +decrees of Councils. He must be very ignorant in ecclesiastical +antiquity who does not know by what intrigues of the contending +factions—for such they were, and of the worst kind—these decrees were +obtained; and yet, an opinion prevailing that the Holy Ghost, the same +Divine Spirit who dictated the Scriptures, presided in these assemblies +and dictated their decrees, their decrees passed for infallible +decisions, and sanctified, little by little, much of the superstition, +the nonsense, and even the blasphemy which the Fathers taught, and all +the usurpations of the Church. This opinion prevailed and influenced the +minds of men so powerfully and so long that Erasmus, who owns in one of +his letters that the writings of Œcolampadius against transubstantiation +seemed sufficient to seduce even the elect (“ut seduci posse videantur +etiam electi”), declares in another that nothing hindered him from +embracing the doctrine of Œcolampadius but the consent of the Church to +the other doctrine (“nisi obstaret consensus Ecclesiæ”). Thus artificial +theology rose on the demolitions, not on the foundations, of +Christianity; was incorporated into it; and became a principal part of +it. How much it becomes a good Christian to distinguish them, in his +private thoughts at least, and how unfit even the greatest, the most +moderate, and the least ambitious of the ecclesiastical order are to +assist us in making this distinction, I have endeavoured to show you by +reason and by example. + +It remains, then, that we apply ourselves to the study of the first +philosophy without any other guides than the works and the Word of God. +In natural religion the clergy are unnecessary; in revealed they are +dangerous guides. + + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LETTERS TO SIR WILLIAM WINDHAM AND +MR. POPE*** + + +******* This file should be named 5132-0.txt or 5132-0.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/5/1/3/5132 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at + www.gutenberg.org/license. + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 +North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email +contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the +Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/5132-0.zip b/5132-0.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..35333b8 --- /dev/null +++ b/5132-0.zip diff --git a/5132-h.zip b/5132-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..86c4d8c --- /dev/null +++ b/5132-h.zip diff --git a/5132-h/5132-h.htm b/5132-h/5132-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5b7e8fb --- /dev/null +++ b/5132-h/5132-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,5012 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII" /> +<title>Letters to Sir William Windham and Mr. Pope, by Lord Bolingbroke</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .75em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + P.gutsumm { margin-left: 5%;} + P.poetry {margin-left: 3%; } + .GutSmall { font-size: 0.7em; } + H1, H2 { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + } + H3, H4, H5 { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + table { border-collapse: collapse; } +table {margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;} + td { vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid black;} + td p { margin: 0.2em; } + .blkquot {margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 4em;} /* block indent */ + + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .pagenum {position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: small; + text-align: right; + font-weight: normal; + color: gray; + } + img { border: none; } + img.dc { float: left; width: 50px; height: 50px; } + p.gutindent { margin-left: 2em; } + div.gapspace { height: 0.8em; } + div.gapline { height: 0.8em; width: 100%; border-top: 1px solid;} + div.gapmediumline { height: 0.3em; width: 40%; margin-left:30%; + border-top: 1px solid; } + div.gapmediumdoubleline { height: 0.3em; width: 40%; margin-left:30%; + border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} + div.gapshortdoubleline { height: 0.3em; width: 20%; + margin-left: 40%; border-top: 1px solid; + border-bottom: 1px solid; } + div.gapdoubleline { height: 0.3em; width: 50%; + margin-left: 25%; border-top: 1px solid; + border-bottom: 1px solid;} + div.gapshortline { height: 0.3em; width: 20%; margin-left:40%; + border-top: 1px solid; } + .citation {vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: none;} + img.floatleft { float: left; + margin-right: 1em; + margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; } + img.floatright { float: right; + margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; + margin-bottom: 0.5em; } + img.clearcenter {display: block; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0.5em; + margin-bottom: 0.5em} + --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Letters to Sir William Windham and Mr. Pope, +by Lord Bolingbroke, Edited by Henry Morley + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Letters to Sir William Windham and Mr. Pope + + +Author: Lord Bolingbroke + +Editor: Henry Morley + +Release Date: August 10, 2014 [eBook #5132] +[This file was first posted on May 7, 2002] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LETTERS TO SIR WILLIAM WINDHAM AND +MR. POPE*** +</pre> +<p>This eBook was produced by Les Bowler.</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><span +class="GutSmall">CASSELL’S NATIONAL LIBRARY</span></p> + +<div class="gapshortline"> </div> +<h1><span class="smcap">Letters</span><br /> +<span class="GutSmall">TO</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Sir William Windham</span><br /> +<span class="GutSmall">AND</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Mr. Pope</span></h1> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="GutSmall">BY</span><br +/> +LORD BOLINGBROKE</p> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/tpb.jpg"> +<img alt= +"Decorative graphic" +title= +"Decorative graphic" +src="images/tps.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<p style="text-align: center">CASSELL <span +class="GutSmall">AND</span> COMPANY, <span +class="smcap">Limited</span><br /> +<span class="GutSmall"><i>LONDON</i></span><span +class="GutSmall">, </span><span class="GutSmall"><i>PARIS & +MELBOURNE</i></span><br /> +<span class="GutSmall">1894</span></p> +<h2>INTRODUCTION.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">Henry St. John</span>, who became Viscount +Bolingbroke in 1712, was born on the 1st of October, 1678, at the +family manor of Battersea, then a country village. His +grandfather, Sir Walter St. John, lived there with his wife +Johanna,—daughter to Cromwell’s Chief Justice, Oliver +St. John,—in one home with the child’s father, Henry +St. John, who was married to the second daughter of Robert Rich, +Earl of Warwick. The child’s grandfather, a man of +high character, lived to the age of eighty-seven; and his father, +more a man of what is miscalled pleasure, to the age of +ninety. It was chiefly by his grandfather and grandmother +that the education of young Henry St. John was cared for. +Simon Patrick, afterwards Bishop of Ely, was for some years a +chaplain in their home. By his grandfather and grandmother +the child’s religious education may have been too formally +cared for. A passage in Bolingbroke’s letter to Pope +shows that he was required as a child to read works of a divine +who “made a hundred and nineteen sermons on the hundred and +nineteenth Psalm.”</p> +<p>After education at Eton and Christchurch, Henry St. John +travelled abroad, and in the year 1700 he married, at the age of +twenty-two, Frances, daughter and co-heiress of Sir Henry +Winchescomb, a Berkshire baronet. She had much property, +and more in prospect.</p> +<p>In the year 1701, Henry St. John entered Parliament as member +for Wotton Bassett, the family borough. He acted with the +Tories, and became intimate with their leader, Robert +Harley. He soon became distinguished as the ablest and most +vigorous of the young supporters of the Tory party. He was +a handsome man and a brilliant speaker, delighted in by +politicians who, according to his own image in the Letter to +Windham, “grow, like hounds, fond of the man who shows them +game.” He was active in the impeachment of Somers, +Montague, the Duke of Portland, and the Earl of Oxford for their +negotiation of the Partition Treaties. In later years he +said he had acted here in ignorance, and justified those +treaties.</p> +<p>James II. died at St. Germains, a pensioner of France, aged +sixty-eight, on the 6th of September, 1701.</p> +<p>His pretensions to the English throne passed to the son, who +had been born on the 10th of June, 1688, and whose birth had +hastened on the Revolution. That son, James Francis Edward +Stuart, who was only thirteen years old at his father’s +death, is known sometimes in history as the Old Pretender; the +Young Pretender being his son Charles Edward, whose defeat at +Culloden in 1746 destroyed the last faint hope of a restoration +of the Stuarts. It is with the young heir to the +pretensions of James II. that the story of the life of +Bolingbroke becomes concerned.</p> +<p>King William III. died on the 8th of March, 1702, and was +succeeded by James II.’s daughter Anne, who was then +thirty-eight years old, and had been married when in her +nineteenth year to Prince George of Denmark. She was a good +wife and a good, simple-minded woman; a much-troubled mother, who +had lost five children in their infancy, besides one who survived +to be a boy of eleven and had died in the year 1700. As his +death left the succession to the Crown unsettled, an Act of +Settlement, passed on the 12th of June, 1701, had provided that, +in case of failure of direct heirs to the throne, the Crown +should pass to the next Protestant in succession, who was Sophia, +wife of the Elector of Hanover. The Electress Sophia was +daughter of the Princess Elizabeth who had married the Elector +Palatine in 1613, granddaughter, therefore, of James I. She +was more than seventy years old when Queen Anne began her +reign. For ardent young Tories, who had no great interest +in the limitation of authority or enthusiasm for a Protestant +succession, it was no treason to think, though it would be +treason to say, that the old Electress and her more than +forty-year-old German son George, gross-minded and clumsy, did +not altogether shut out hope for the succession of a more direct +heir to the Crown.</p> +<p>In 1704 St. John was Secretary at War when Harley was +Secretary of State, and he remained in office till 1708, when the +Whigs came in under Marlborough and Godolphin, and St. +John’s successor was his rival Robert Walpole. St. +John retired then for two year from public life to his country +seat at Bucklersbury in Berkshire, which had come to him, through +his wife, by the death of his wife’s father the year +before. He was thirty years old, the most brilliant of the +rising statesmen; impatient of Harley as a leader and of Walpole +as his younger rival from the other side, both of them men who, +in his eyes, were dull and slow. St. John’s quick +intellect, though eager and impatient of successful rivalry, had +its philosophic turn. During these two years of retirement +he indulged the calmer love of study and thought, whose genius he +said once, in a letter to Lord Bathurst “On the True use of +Retirement and Study,” “unlike the dream of Socrates, +whispered so softly, that very often I heard him not, in the +hurry of those passions by which I was transported. Some +calmer hours there were; in them I hearkened to him. +Reflection had often its turn, and the love of study and the +desire of knowledge have never quite abandoned me.”</p> +<p>In 1710 the Whigs were out and Harley in again, with St. John +in his ministry as Secretary of State. “I am +thinking,” wrote Swift to Stella, “what a veneration +we used to have for Sir William Temple because he might have been +Secretary of State at fifty; and here is a young fellow hardly +thirty in that employment.”</p> +<p>It was the policy of the Tories to put an end to the war with +France, that was against all their political interests. The +Whigs wished to maintain it as a safeguard against reaction in +favour of the Pretender. In the peace negotiations nobody +was so active as Secretary St. John. On one occasion, +without consulting his colleagues, he wrote to the Duke of +Ormond, who commanded the English army in the Netherlands: +“Her Majesty, my lord, has reason to believe that we shall +come to an agreement on the great article of the union of the two +monarchies as soon as a courier sent from Versailles to Madrid +can return; it is, therefore, the Queen’s positive command +to your grace, that you avoid engaging in any siege or hazarding +a battle till you have further orders from her Majesty. I +am at the same time directed to let your grace know that the +Queen would have you disguise the receipt of this order; and that +her Majesty thinks you cannot want pretences for conducting +yourself so as to answer her ends without owning that which might +at present have an ill effect if publicly known.” He +added as a postscript: “I had almost forgot to tell your +grace that communication is given of this order to the Court of +France.” The peace was right, but the way of making +it was mean in more ways than one, and the friction between +Harley and St. John steadily increased. St. John used his +majority in the House for the expulsion of his rival Walpole and +Walpole’s imprisonment in the Tower upon charges of +corruption. In 1712, when Harley had obtained for himself +the Earldom of Oxford, St. John wanted an earldom too; and the +Earldom of Bolingbroke, in the elder branch of his family, had +lately become extinct. His ill-will to Harley was +embittered by the fact that only the lower rank of Viscount was +conceded to him, and he was sent from the House of Commons, where +his influence was great, at the age of thirty-four, as Viscount +Bolingbroke and Baron St. John. His father’s +congratulation on the peerage glanced at the perils of +Jacobitism: “Well, Harry, I said you would be hanged, but +now I see you’ll be beheaded.”</p> +<p>The Treaty of Utrecht, that closed the War of the Spanish +Succession, was signed on the 11th of April (new style), +1713. Queen Anne died on the 1st of August, 1714, when time +was not ripe for the reaction that Bolingbroke had hoped to +see. His Letter to Windham frankly leaves us to understand +that in Queen Anne’s reign the possible succession of James +II.’s son, the Chevalier de St. George, had never been out +of his mind.</p> +<p>The death of the Electress Sophia brought her son George to +the throne. The Whigs triumphed, and Lord Bolingbroke was +politically ruined. He was dismissed from office before the +end of the month. On the 26th of March, 1715, he escaped to +France, in disguise of a valet to the French messenger La +Vigne. A Secret Committee of the House of Commons was, a +few days afterwards, appointed to examine papers, and the result +was Walpole’s impeachment of Bolingbroke. He was, in +September, 1715, in default of surrender, attainted of high +treason, and his name was erased from the roll of peers. +His own account of his policy will be found in this letter to his +friend Sir William Windham, in which the only weak feature is the +bitterness of Bolingbroke’s resentment against Harley.</p> +<p>When he went in exile to France, Bolingbroke remained only a +few days in Paris before retiring to St. Clair, near Vienne, in +Dauphiny. His Letter to Windham tells how he became +Secretary of State to the Pretender, and how little influence he +could obtain over the Jacobite counsels. The hopeless +Rebellion of 1715, in Scotland, Bolingbroke laboured in vain to +delay until there might be some chance of success. The +death of Louis XIV., on the 1st of September in that year, had +removed the last prop of a falling cause.</p> +<p>Some part of Bolingbroke’s forfeited property was +returned to his wife, who pleaded in vain for the reversal of his +attainder. Bolingbroke was ill-used by the Pretender and +abused by the Jacobites. He had been writing philosophical +“Reflections upon Exile,” but when he found himself +thus attacked on both sides Bolingbroke resolved to cast +Jacobitism to the winds, speak out like a man, and vindicate +himself in a way that might possibly restore him to the service +of his country. So in April, 1717, at the age of +thirty-nine, he began work upon what is justly considered the +best of his writings, his Letter to Sir William Windham.</p> +<p>Windham was a young Tory politician of good family and great +wealth, who had married a daughter of the Duke of Somerset, and +had been accepted by the Tories in the House of Commons as a +leader, after Henry St. John had been sent to the House of +Lords. Windham was “Dear Willie” to +Bolingbroke, a constant friend, and in 1715 he was sent to the +Tower as a Jacobite. But he had powerful connections, was +kindly and not dangerous, and was soon back in his place in the +House fighting the Whigs. The Letter to Windham was +finished in the summer of 1717. Its frankness was only +suited to the prospect of a pardon. It was found that there +was no such prospect, and the Letter was not published until +1753, a year or two after its writer’s death.</p> +<p>Bolingbroke’s first wife died in November, 1718. +He married in 1720 a Marquise de Villette, with whom he lived on +an estate called La Source, near Orleans, at the source of the +small river Loiret. There he talked and wrote +philosophy. His pardon was obtained in May, 1723. In +1725 he was allowed by Act of Parliament the possession of his +family inheritance; but as the attainder was not reversed he +could never again sit in Parliament. So he came home in +1725, and bought an estate at Dawley, near Uxbridge. There +he philosophised in his own way and played at farming, discoursed +with Pope and plied his pen against the Whigs. In his +letter to Pope, Bolingbroke writes of ministers of religion as if +they had no other function than to maintain theological dogmas, +and draws a false conclusion from false premisses. He died +on the 12th of December, 1751.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">H.M.</p> +<h2>A LETTER<br /> +<span class="GutSmall">TO</span><br /> +SIR WILLIAM WINDHAM.</h2> +<p>I <span class="smcap">was</span> well enough acquainted with +the general character of mankind, and in particular with that of +my own countrymen, to expect to be as much out of the minds of +the Tories during my exile as if we had never lived and acted +together. I depended on being forgot by them, and was far +from imagining it possible that I should be remembered only to be +condemned loudly by one half of them, and to be tacitly censured +by the greatest part of the other half. As soon as I was +separated from the Pretender and his interest, I declared myself +to be so; and I gave directions for writing into England what I +judged sufficient to put my friends on their guard against any +surprise concerning an event which it was their interest, as well +as mine, that they should be very rightly informed about.</p> +<p>As soon as the Pretender’s adherents began to clamour +against me in this country, and to disperse their scandal by +circular letters everywhere else, I gave directions for writing +into England again. Their groundless articles of accusation +were refuted, and enough was said to give my friends a general +idea of what had happened to me, and at least to make them +suspend the fixing any opinion till such time as I should be able +to write more fully and plainly to them myself. To condemn +no person unheard is a rule of natural equity, which we see +rarely violated in Turkey, or in the country where I am writing: +that it would not be so with me in Great Britain, I confess that +I flattered myself. I dwelt securely in this confidence, +and gave very little attention to any of those scurrilous methods +which were taken about this time to blast my reputation. +The event of things has shown that I trusted too much to my own +innocence, and to the justice of my old friends.</p> +<p>It was obvious that the Chevalier and the Earl of Mar hoped to +load me with the imputation of treachery, incapacity, or neglect: +it was indifferent to them of which. If they could ascribe +to one of those their not being supported from France, they +imagined that they should justify their precipitate flight from +Scotland, which many of their fastest friends exclaimed against; +and that they should varnish over that original capital fault, +the drawing the Highlanders together in arms at the time and in +the manner in which it was done.</p> +<p>The Scotch, who fell at once from all the sanguine +expectations with which they had been soothed, and who found +themselves reduced to despair, were easy to be incensed; they had +received no support whatever, and it was natural for them rather +to believe that they failed of this support by my fault, than to +imagine their general had prevailed on them to rise in the very +point of time when it was impossible that they should be +supported from France, or from any other part of the world. +The Duke of Ormond, who had been the bubble of his own +popularity, was enough out of humour with the general turn of +affairs to be easily set against any particular man. The +emissaries of this Court, whose commission was to amuse, had +imposed upon him all along; and there were other busy people who +thought to find their account in having him to themselves. +I had never been in his secret whilst we were in England +together: and from his first coming into France he was either +prevailed upon by others, or, which I rather believe, he +concurred with others, to keep me out of it. The perfect +indifference I showed whether I was in it or no, might carry him +from acting separately, to act against me.</p> +<p>The whole tribe of Irish and other papists were ready to seize +the first opportunity of venting their spleen against a man, who +had constantly avoided all intimacy with them; who acted in the +same cause, but on a different principle, and who meant no one +thing in the world less than raising them to the advantages which +they expected.</p> +<p>That these several persons, for the reasons I have mentioned, +should join in a cry against me, is not very marvellous; the +contrary would be so to a man who knows them as well as I +do. But that the English Tories should serve as echoes to +them—nay more, that my character should continue doubtful +at best amongst you, when those who first propagated the slander +are become ashamed of railing without proof, and have dropped the +clamour,—this I own that I never expected; and I may be +allowed to say, that as it is an extreme surprise, so it shall be +a lesson to me.</p> +<p>The Whigs impeached and attainted me. They went +farther—at least, in my way of thinking, that step was more +cruel than all the others—by a partial representation of +facts, and pieces of facts, put together as it best suited their +purpose, and published to the whole world, they did all that in +them lay to expose me for a fool, and to brand me for a +knave. But then I had deserved this abundantly at their +hands, according to the notions of party-justice. The +Tories have not indeed impeached nor attainted me; but they have +done, and are still doing something very like to that which I +took worse of the Whigs than the impeachment and attainder: and +this, after I have shown an inviolable attachment to the service, +and almost an implicit obedience to the will of the party; when I +am actually an outlaw, deprived of my honours, stripped of my +fortune, and cut off from my family and my country, for their +sakes.</p> +<p>Some of the persons who have seen me here, and with whom I +have had the pleasure to talk of you, may, perhaps, have told you +that, far from being oppressed by that storm of misfortunes in +which I have been tossed of late, I bear up against it with +firmness enough, and even with alacrity. It is true, I do +so; but it is true likewise that the last burst of the cloud has +gone near to overwhelm me. From our enemies we expect evil +treatment of every sort, we are prepared for it, we are animated +by it, and we sometimes triumph in it; but when our friends +abandon us, when they wound us, and when they take, to do this, +an occasion where we stand the most in need of their support, and +have the best title to it, the firmest mind finds it hard to +resist.</p> +<p>Nothing kept up my spirits when I was first reduced to the +very circumstances I now describe so much as the consideration of +the delusions under which I knew that the Tories lay, and the +hopes I entertained of being able soon to open their eyes, and to +justify my conduct. I expected that friendship, or, if that +principle failed, curiosity at least, would move the party to +send over some person from whose report they might have both +sides of the question laid before them. Though this +expectation be founded in reason, and you want to be informed at +least as much as I do to be justified, yet I have hitherto +flattered myself with it in vain. To repair this +misfortune, therefore, as far as lies in my power, I resolve to +put into writing the sum of what I should have said in that +case. These papers shall lie by me till time and accidents +produce some occasion of communicating them to you. The +true occasion of doing it with advantage to the party will +probably be lost; but they will remain a monument of my +justification to posterity. At worst, if even this fails +me, I am sure of one satisfaction in writing them: the +satisfaction of unburdening my mind to a friend, and of stating +before an equitable judge the account, as I apprehend it to +stand, between the Tories and myself—“Quantum humano +consilio efficere potui, circumspectis rebus meis omnibus, +rationibusque subductis, summam feci cogitationum mearum omnium, +quam tibi, si potero, breviter exponam.”</p> +<p>It is necessary to my design that I call to your mind the +state of affairs in Britain from the latter part of the year 1710 +to the beginning of the year 1715, about which time we +parted. I go no farther back because the part which I acted +before that time, in the first essays I made in public affairs, +was the part of a Tory, and so far of a piece with that which I +acted afterwards. Besides, the things which preceded this +space of time had no immediate influence on those which happened +since that time, whereas the strange events which we have seen +fall out in the king’s reign were owing in a great measure +to what was done, or neglected to be done, in the last four years +of the queen’s. The memory of these events being +fresh, I shall dwell as little as possible upon them; it will be +sufficient that I make a rough sketch of the face of the Court, +and of the conduct of the several parties during that time. +Your memory will soon furnish the colours which I shall omit to +lay, and finish up the picture.</p> +<p>From the time at which I left Britain I had not the advantage +of acting under the eyes of the party which I served, nor of +being able from time to time to appeal to their judgment. +The gross of what happened has appeared; but the particular steps +which led to those events have been either concealed or +misrepresented—concealed from the nature of them or +misrepresented by those with whom I never agreed perfectly except +in thinking that they and I were extremely unfit to continue +embarked in the same bottom together. It will, therefore, +be proper to descend under this head to a more particular +relation.</p> +<p>In the summer of the year 1710 the Queen was prevailed upon to +change her Parliament and her Ministry. The intrigue of the +Earl of Oxford might facilitate the means, the violent +prosecution of Sacheverel, and other unpopular measures, might +create the occasion and encourage her in the resolution; but the +true original cause was the personal ill-usage which she received +in her private life and in some trifling instances of the +exercise of her power, for indulgence in which she would +certainly have left the reins of government in those hands which +had held them ever since her accession to the throne.</p> +<p>I am afraid that we came to Court in the same dispositions as +all parties have done; that the principal spring of our actions +was to have the government of the state in our hands; that our +principal views were the conservation of this power, great +employments to ourselves, and great opportunities of rewarding +those who had helped to raise us, and of hurting those who stood +in opposition to us. It is, however, true that with these +considerations of private and party interest there were others +intermingled which had for their object the public good of the +nation—at least what we took to be such.</p> +<p>We looked on the political principles which had generally +prevailed in our government from the Revolution in 1688 to be +destructive of our true interest, to have mingled us too much in +the affairs of the Continent, to tend to the impoverishing our +people, and to the loosening the bands of our constitution in +Church and State. We supposed the Tory party to be the bulk +of the landed interest, and to have no contrary influence blended +into its composition. We supposed the Whigs to be the +remains of a party formed against the ill designs of the Court +under King Charles II., nursed up into strength and applied to +contrary uses by King William III., and yet still so weak as to +lean for support on the Presbyterians and the other sectaries, on +the Bank and the other corporations, on the Dutch and the other +Allies. From hence we judged it to follow that they had +been forced, and must continue so, to render the national +interest subservient to the interest of those who lent them an +additional strength, without which they could never be the +prevalent party. The view, therefore, of those amongst us +who thought in this manner was to improve the Queen’s +favour, to break the body of the Whigs, to render their supports +useless to them, and to fill the employments of the kingdom, down +to the meanest, with Tories. We imagined that such +measures, joined to the advantages of our numbers and our +property, would secure us against all attempts during her reign, +and that we should soon become too considerable not to make our +terms in all events which might happen afterwards: concerning +which, to speak truly, I believe few or none of us had any very +settled resolution.</p> +<p>In order to bring these purposes about, I verily think that +the persecution of Dissenters entered into no man’s +head. By the Bills for preventing Occasional Conformity and +the growth of schism, it was hoped that their sting would be +taken away. These Bills were thought necessary for our +party interest, and, besides, were deemed neither unreasonable +nor unjust. The good of society may require that no person +should be deprived of the protection of the Government on account +of his opinions in religious matters; but it does not follow from +hence that men ought to be trusted in any degree with the +preservation of the Establishment, who must, to be consistent +with their principles, endeavour the subversion of what is +established. An indulgence to consciences, which the +prejudice of education and long habits have rendered scrupulous, +may be agreeable to the rules of good policy and of humanity, yet +will it hardly follow from hence that a government is under any +obligation to indulge a tenderness of conscience to come, or to +connive at the propagating of these prejudices and at the forming +of these habits. The evil effect is without remedy, and +may, therefore, deserve indulgence; but the evil cause is to be +prevented, and can, therefore, be entitled to none. Besides +this, the Bills I am speaking of, rather than to enact anything +new, seemed only to enforce the observation of ancient laws which +had been judged necessary for the security of the Church and +State at a time when the memory of the ruin of both, and of the +hands by which that ruin had been wrought, was fresh in the minds +of men.</p> +<p>The Bank, the East India Company, and in general the moneyed +interest, had certainly nothing to apprehend like what they +feared, or affected to fear, from the Tories—an entire +subversion of their property. Multitudes of our own party +would have been wounded by such a blow. The intention of +those who were the warmest seemed to me to go no farther than +restraining their influence on the Legislature, and on matters of +State; and finding at a proper season means to make them +contribute to the support and ease of a government under which +they enjoyed advantages so much greater than the rest of their +fellow-subjects. The mischievous consequence which had been +foreseen and foretold too, at the establishment of those +corporations, appeared visibly. The country gentlemen were +vexed, put to great expenses and even baffled by them in their +elections; and among the members of every parliament numbers were +immediately or indirectly under their influence. The Bank +had been extravagant enough to pull off the mask; and, when the +Queen seemed to intend a change in her ministry, they had deputed +some of their members to represent against it. But that +which touched sensibly even those who were but little affected by +other considerations, was the prodigious inequality between the +condition of the moneyed men and of the rest of the nation. +The proprietor of the land, and the merchant who brought riches +home by the returns of foreign trade, had during two wars borne +the whole immense load of the national expenses; whilst the +lender of money, who added nothing to the common stock, throve by +the public calamity, and contributed not a mite to the public +charge.</p> +<p>As to the Allies, I saw no difference of opinion among all +those who came to the head of affairs at this time. Such of +the Tories as were in the system above mentioned, such of them as +deserted soon after from us, and such of the Whigs as had upon +this occasion deserted to us, seemed equally convinced of the +unreasonableness, and even of the impossibility, of continuing +the war on the same disproportionate footing. Their +universal sense was, that we had taken, except the part of the +States General, the whole burden of the war upon us, and even a +proportion of this; while the entire advantage was to accrue to +others: that this had appeared very grossly in 1709, and 1710, +when preliminaries were insisted upon, which contained all that +the Allies, giving the greatest loose to their wishes, could +desire, and little or nothing on the behalf of Great Britain: +that the war, which had been begun for the security of the +Allies, was continued for their grandeur: that the ends proposed, +when we engaged in it, might have been answered long before, and +therefore that the first favourable occasion ought to be seized +of making peace; which we thought to be the interest of our +country, and which appeared to all mankind, as well as to us, to +be that of our party.</p> +<p>These were in general the views of the Tories: and for the +part I acted in the prosecution of them, as well as of all the +measures accessory to them, I may appeal to mankind. To +those who had the opportunity of looking behind the curtain I may +likewise appeal, for the difficulties which lay in my way, and +for the particular discouragements which I met with. A +principal load of parliamentary and foreign affairs in their +ordinary course lay upon me: the whole negotiation of the peace, +and of the troublesome invidious steps preliminary to it, as far +as they could be transacted at home, were thrown upon me. I +continued in the House of Commons during that important session +which preceded the peace; and which, by the spirit shown through +the whole course of it, and by the resolutions taken in it, +rendered the conclusion of the treaties practicable. After +this I was dragged into the House of Lords in such a manner as to +make my promotion a punishment, not a reward; and was there left +to defend the treaties almost alone.</p> +<p>It would not have been hard to have forced the Earl of Oxford +to use me better. His good intentions began to be very much +doubted of; the truth is, no opinion of his sincerity had ever +taken root in the party, and, which was worse perhaps for a man +in his station, the opinion of his capacity began to fall +apace. He was so hard pushed in the House of Lords in the +beginning of 1712 that he had been forced, in the middle of the +session, to persuade the Queen to make a promotion of twelve +peers at once, which was an unprecedented and invidious measure, +to be excused by nothing but the necessity, and hardly by +that. In the House of Commons his credit was low and my +reputation very high. You know the nature of that assembly; +they grow, like hounds, fond of the man who shows them game, and +by whose halloo they are used to be encouraged. The thread +of the negotiations, which could not stand still a moment without +going back, was in my hands, and before another man could have +made himself master of the business much time would have been +lost, and great inconveniences would have followed. Some, +who opposed the Court soon after, began to waver then, and if I +had not wanted the inclination I should have wanted no help to do +mischief. I knew the way of quitting my employments and of +retiring from Court when the service of my party required it; but +I could not bring myself up to that resolution, when the +consequence of it must have been the breaking my party and the +distress of the public affairs. I thought my mistress +treated me ill, but the sense of that duty which I owed her came +in aid of other considerations, and prevailed over my +resentment. These sentiments, indeed, are so much out of +fashion that a man who avows them is in danger of passing for a +bubble in the world; yet they were, in the conjuncture I speak +of, the true motives of my conduct, and you saw me go on as +cheerfully in the troublesome and dangerous work assigned me as +if I had been under the utmost satisfaction. I began, +indeed, in my heart to renounce the friendship which till that +time I had preserved inviolable for Oxford. I was not aware +of all his treachery, nor of the base and little means which he +employed then, and continued to employ afterwards, to ruin me in +the opinion of the Queen and everywhere else. I saw, +however, that he had no friendship for anybody, and that with +respect to me, instead of having the ability to render that +merit, which I endeavoured to acquire, an addition of strength to +himself, it became the object of his jealousy and a reason for +undermining me. In this temper of mind I went on till the +great work of the peace was consummated and the treaty signed at +Utrecht; after which a new and more melancholy scene for the +party, as well as for me, opened itself.</p> +<p>I am far from thinking the treaties, or the negotiations which +led to them, exempt from faults. Many were made no doubt in +both by those who were concerned in them; by myself in the first +place, and many were owing purely to the opposition they met with +in every step of their progress. I never look back on this +great event, passed as it is, without a secret emotion of mind; +when I compare the vastness of the undertaking and the importance +of its success, with the means employed to bring it about, and +with those which were employed to traverse it. To adjust +the pretensions and to settle the interests of so many princes +and states as were engaged in the late war would appear, when +considered simply and without any adventitious difficulty, a work +of prodigious extent. But this was not all. Each of +our Allies thought himself entitled to raise his demands to the +most extravagant height. They had been encouraged to this, +first, by the engagements which we had entered into with several +of them, with some to draw them into the war, with others to +prevail on them to continue it; and, secondly, by the manner in +which we had treated with France in 1709 and 1710. Those +who intended to tie the knot of the war as hard, and to render +the coming at a peace as impracticable as they could, had found +no method so effectual as that of leaving everyone at liberty to +insist on all he could think of, and leaving themselves at +liberty, even if these concessions should be made, to break the +treaty by ulterior demands. That this was the secret I can +make no doubt after the confession of one of the +plenipotentiaries who transacted these matters, and who +communicated to me and to two others of the Queen’s +Ministers an instance of the Duke of Marlborough’s +management at a critical moment, when the French Ministers at +Gertrudenberg seemed inclinable to come into an expedient for +explaining the thirty-seventh article of the preliminaries, which +could not have been refused. Certain it is that the King of +France was at that time in earnest to execute the article of +Philip’s abdication, and therefore the expedients for +adjusting what related to this article would easily enough have +been found, if on our part there had been a real intention of +concluding. But there was no such intention, and the plan +of those who meant to prolong the war was established among the +Allies as the plan which ought to be followed whenever a peace +came to be treated. The Allies imagined that they had a +right to obtain at least everything which had been demanded for +them respectively, and it was visible that nothing less would +content them. These considerations set the vastness of the +undertaking in a sufficient light.</p> +<p>The importance of succeeding in the work of the peace was +equally great to Europe, to our country, to our party, to our +persons, to the present age, and to future generations. But +I need not take pains to prove what no man will deny. The +means employed to bring it about were in no degree +proportionable. A few men, some of whom had never been +concerned in business of this kind before, and most of whom put +their hands for a long time to it faintly and timorously, were +the instruments of it. The Minister who was at their head +showed himself every day incapable of that attention, that +method, that comprehension of different matters, which the first +post in such a Government as ours requires in quiet times. +He was the first spring of all our motion by his credit with the +Queen, and his concurrence was necessary to everything we did by +his rank in the State, and yet this man seemed to be sometimes +asleep and sometimes at play. He neglected the thread of +business, which was carried on for this reason with less dispatch +and less advantage in the proper channels, and he kept none in +his own hands. He negotiated, indeed, by fits and starts, +by little tools and indirect ways, and thus his activity became +as hurtful as his indolence, of which I could produce some +remarkable instances. No good effect could flow from such a +conduct. In a word, when this great affair was once +engaged, the zeal of particular men in their several provinces +drove it forward, though they were not backed by the concurrent +force of the whole Administration, nor had the common helps of +advice till it was too late, till the very end of the +negotiations; even in matters, such as that of commerce, which +they could not be supposed to understand. That this is a +true account of the means used to arrive at the peace, and a true +character of that Administration in general, I believe the whole +Cabinet Council of that time will bear me witness. Sure I +am that most of them have joined with me in lamenting this state +of things whilst it subsisted, and all those who were employed as +Ministers in the several parts of the treaty felt sufficiently +the difficulties which this strange management often reduced them +to. I am confident they have not forgotten them.</p> +<p>If the means employed to bring the peace about were feeble, +and in one respect contemptible, those employed to break the +negotiation were strong and formidable. As soon as the +first suspicion of a treaty’s being on foot crept abroad in +the world the whole alliance united with a powerful party in the +nation to obstruct it. From that hour to the moment the +Congress of Utrecht finished, no one measure possible to be taken +was omitted to traverse every advance that was made in this work, +to intimidate, to allure, to embarrass every person concerned in +it. This was done without any regard either to decency or +good policy, and from hence it soon followed that passion and +humour mingled themselves on each side. A great part of +what we did for the peace, and of what others did against it, can +be accounted for on no other principle. The Allies were +broken among themselves before they began to treat with the +common enemy. The matter did not mend in the course of the +treaty, and France and Spain, but especially the former, profited +of this disunion.</p> +<p>Whoever makes the comparison, which I have touched upon, will +see the true reasons which rendered the peace less answerable to +the success of the war than it might and than it ought to have +been. Judgment has been passed in this case as the +different passions or interests of men have inspired them. +But the real cause lay in the constitution of our Ministry, and +much more in the obstinate opposition which we met with from the +Whigs and from the Allies. However, sure it is that the +defects of the peace did not occasion the desertions from the +Tory party which happened about this time, nor those disorders in +the Court which immediately followed.</p> +<p>Long before the purport of the treaties could be known, those +Whigs who had set out with us in 1710 began to relapse back to +their party. They had among us shared the harvest of a new +Ministry, and, like prudent persons, they took measures in time +to have their share in that of a new Government.</p> +<p>The whimsical or the Hanover Tories continued zealous in +appearance with us till the peace was signed. I saw no +people so eager for the conclusion of it. Some of them were +in such haste that they thought any peace preferable to the least +delay, and omitted no instances to quicken their friends who were +actors in it. As soon as the treaties were perfected and +laid before the Parliament, the scheme of these gentlemen began +to disclose itself entirely. Their love of the peace, like +other passions, cooled by enjoyment. They grew nice about +the construction of the articles, could come up to no direct +approbation, and, being let into the secret of what was to +happen, would not preclude themselves from the glorious advantage +of rising on the ruins of their friends and of their party.</p> +<p>The danger of the succession and the badness of the peace were +the two principles on which we were attacked. On the first +the whimsical Tories joined the Whigs, and declared directly +against their party. Although nothing is more certain than +this truth: that there was at that time no formed design in the +party, whatever views some particular men might have, against his +Majesty’s accession to the throne. On the latter, and +most other points, they affected a most glorious neutrality.</p> +<p>Instead of gathering strength, either as a Ministry or as a +party, we grew weaker every day. The peace had been judged, +with reason, to be the only solid foundation whereupon we could +erect a Tory system; and yet when it was made we found ourselves +at a full stand. Nay, the very work which ought to have +been the basis of our strength was in part demolished before our +eyes, and we were stoned with the ruins of it. Whilst this +was doing, Oxford looked on as if he had not been a party to all +which had passed; broke now and then a jest, which savoured of +the Inns of Court and the bad company in which he had been +bred. And on those occasions where his station obliged him +to speak of business, was absolutely unintelligible.</p> +<p>Whether this man ever had any determined view besides that of +raising his family is, I believe, a problematical question in the +world. My opinion is that he never had any other. The +conduct of a Minister who proposes to himself a great and noble +object, and who pursues it steadily, may seem for a while a +riddle to the world; especially in a Government like ours, where +numbers of men, different in their characters and different in +their interests, are at all times to be managed; where public +affairs are exposed to more accidents and greater hazards than in +other countries; and where, by consequence, he who is at the head +of business will find himself often distracted by measures which +have no relation to his purpose, and obliged to bend himself to +things which are in some degree contrary to his main +design. The ocean which environs us is an emblem of our +government, and the pilot and the Minister are in similar +circumstances. It seldom happens that either of them can +steer a direct course, and they both arrive at their port by +means which frequently seem to carry them from it. But as +the work advances the conduct of him who leads it on with real +abilities clears up, the appearing inconsistencies are +reconciled, and when it is once consummated the whole shows +itself so uniform, so plain, and so natural, that every dabbler +in politics will be apt to think he could have done the +same. But, on the other hand, a man who proposes no such +object, who substitutes artifice in the place of ability, who, +instead of leading parties and governing accidents, is eternally +agitated backwards and forwards by both, who begins every day +something new, and carries nothing on to perfection, may impose +awhile on the world; but a little sooner or a little later the +mystery will be revealed, and nothing will be found to be couched +under it but a thread of pitiful expedients, the ultimate end of +which never extended farther than living from day to day. +Which of these pictures resembles Oxford most you will +determine. I am sorry to be obliged to name him so often, +but how is it possible to do otherwise while I am speaking of +times wherein the whole turn of affairs depended on his motions +and character?</p> +<p>I have heard, and I believe truly, that when he returned to +Windsor in the autumn of 1713, after the marriage of his son, he +pressed extremely to have him created Duke of Newcastle or Earl +of Clare, and the Queen presuming to hesitate on so extraordinary +a proposal, he resented this hesitation in a manner which little +became a man who had been so lately raised by the profusion of +her favours upon him. Certain it is, that he began then to +show a still greater remissness in all parts of his Ministry, and +to affect to say that from such a time, the very time I am +speaking of, he took no share in the direction of affairs, or +words to that effect.</p> +<p>He pretended to have discovered intrigues which were set on +foot against him, and particularly he complained of the advantage +which was taken of his absence during the journey he made at his +son’s marriage to undermine him with the Queen. He is +naturally inclined to believe the worst, which I take to be a +certain mark of a mean spirit and a wicked soul. At least, +I am sure that the contrary quality, when it is not due to +weakness of understanding, is the fruit of a generous temper and +an honest heart. Prone to judge ill of all mankind, he will +rarely be seduced by his credulity, but I never knew a man so +capable of being the bubble of his distrust and jealousy. +He was so in this case, although the Queen, who could not be +ignorant of the truth, said enough to undeceive him. But to +be undeceived, and to own himself so, was not his play. He +hoped by cunning to varnish over his want of faith and of +ability. He was desirous to make the world impute the +extraordinary part, or, to speak more properly, the no part, +which he acted with the staff of Treasurer in his hand, to the +Queen’s withdrawing her favour from him and to his friends +abandoning him—pretences utterly groundless when he first +made them, and which he brought to be real at last. Even +the winter before the Queen’s death, when his credit began +to wane apace, he might have regained it; he might have +reconciled himself perfectly with all his ancient friends, and +have acquired the confidence of the whole party. I say he +might have done all this, because I am persuaded that none of +those I have named were so convinced of his perfidy, so jaded +with his yoke, or so much piqued personally against him as I was; +and yet if he would have exerted himself in concert with us to +improve the few advantages which were left us and to ward off the +visible danger which threatened our persons and our party, I +would have stifled my private animosity and would have acted +under him with as much zeal as ever. But he was incapable +of taking such a turn. The sum of all his policy had been +to amuse the Whigs, the Tories, and the Jacobites as long as he +could, and to keep his power as long as he amused them. +When it became impossible to amuse mankind any longer, he +appeared plainly at the end of his line.</p> +<p>By a secret correspondence with the late Earl of Halifax, and +by the intrigues of his brother and other fanatical relations, he +had endeavoured to keep some hold on the Whigs.</p> +<p>The Tories were attached to him at first by the heat of a +revolution in the Ministry, by their hatred of the people who +were discarded, and by the fond hopes which it is easy to give at +the setting out of a new administration. Afterwards he held +out the peace in prospect to them and to the Jacobites +separately, as an event which must be brought about before he +could effectually serve either. You cannot have forgot how +things which we pressed were put off upon every occasion till the +peace; the peace was to be the date of a new administration, and +the period at which the millenary year of Toryism should +begin. Thus were the Tories at that time amused; and since +my exile I have had the opportunity of knowing certainly and +circumstantially that the Jacobites were treated in the same +manner, and that the Pretender was made, through the French +Minister, to expect that measures should be taken for his +restoration as soon as the peace had rendered them +practicable. He was to attempt nothing, his partisans were +to lie still, Oxford undertook for all.</p> +<p>After many delays, fatal to the general interest of Europe, +this peace was signed: and the only considerable thing which he +brought about afterwards was the marriage I have mentioned above; +and by it an accession of riches and honour to a family whose +estate was very mean, and whose illustration before this time I +never met with anywhere, but in the vain discourses which he used +to hold over claret. If he kept his word with any of the +parties above-mentioned, it must be supposed that he did so with +the Whigs; for as to us, we saw nothing after the peace but +increase of mortification and nearer approaches to ruin. +Not a step was made towards completing the settlement of Europe, +which the treaties of Utrecht and Radstadt left imperfect; +towards fortifying and establishing the Tory party; towards +securing those who had been the principal actors in this +administration against future events. We had proceeded in a +confidence that these things should immediately follow the +conclusion of the peace: he had never, I dare swear, entertained +a thought concerning them. As soon as the last hand was +given to the fortune of his family, he abandoned his mistress, +his friends, and his party, who had borne him so many years on +their shoulders: and I was present when this want of faith was +reproached him in the plainest and strongest terms by one of the +honestest men in Britain, and before some of the most +considerable Tories. Even his impudence failed him on this +occasion: he did not so much as attempt an excuse.</p> +<p>He could not keep his word which he had given the Pretender +and his adherents, because he had formed no party to support him +in such a design. He was sure of having the Whigs against +him if he made the attempt, and he was not sure of having the +Tories for him.</p> +<p>In this state of confusion and distress, to which he had +reduced himself and us, you remember the part he acted. He +was the spy of the Whigs, and voted with us in the morning +against those very questions which he had penned the night before +with Walpole and others. He kept his post on terms which no +man but he would have held it on, neither submitting to the +Queen, nor complying with his friends. He would not, or he +could not, act with us; and he resolved that we should not act +without him as long as he could hinder it. The +Queen’s health was very precarious, and at her death he +hoped by these means to deliver us up, bound as it were hand and +foot, to our adversaries. On the foundation of this merit +he flattered himself that he had gained some of the Whigs, and +softened at least the rest of the party to him. By his +secret negotiations at Hanover, he took it for granted that he +was not only reconciled to that Court, but that he should, under +his present Majesty’s reign, have as much credit as he had +enjoyed under that of the Queen. He was weak enough to +boast of this, and to promise his good offices voluntarily to +several: for no man was weak enough to think them worth being +solicited. In a word, you must have heard that he answered +to Lord Dartmouth and to Mr. Bromley, that one should keep the +Privy Seal, and the other the seals of Secretary; and that Lord +Cowper makes no scruple of telling how he came to offer him the +seals of Chancellor. When the King arrived, he went to +Greenwich with an affectation of pomp and of favour. +Against his suspicious character, he was once in his life the +bubble of his credulity; and this delusion betrayed him into a +punishment more severe in my sense than all which has happened to +him since, or than perpetual exile; he was affronted in the +manner in which he was presented to the King. The meanest +subject would have been received with goodness, the most +obnoxious with an air of indifference; but he was received with +the most distinguishing contempt. This treatment he had in +the face of the nation. The King began his reign, in this +instance, with punishing the ingratitude, the perfidy, the +insolence, which had been shown to his predecessor. Oxford +fled from Court covered with shame, the object of the derision of +the Whigs and of the indignation of the Tories.</p> +<p>The Queen might, if she had pleased, have saved herself from +all those mortifications she met with during the last months of +her reign, and her servants and the Tory party from those +misfortunes which they endured during the same time; perhaps from +those which they have fallen into since her death. When she +found that the peace, from the conclusion of which she expected +ease and quiet, brought still greater trouble upon her; when she +saw the weakness of her Government, and the confusion of her +affairs increase every day; when she saw her First Minister +bewildered and unable to extricate himself or her; in fine, when +the negligence of his public conduct, and the sauciness of his +private behaviour had rendered him insupportable to her, and she +took the resolution of laying him aside, there was a strength +still remaining sufficient to have supported her Government, to +have fulfilled in great part the expectations of the Tories, and +to have constituted both them and the Ministers in such a +situation as would have left them little to apprehend. Some +designs were, indeed, on foot which might have produced very +great disorders: Oxford’s conduct had given much occasion +to them, and with the terror of them he endeavoured to intimidate +the Queen. But expedients were not hard to be found by +which those designs might have been nipped in the bud, or else by +which the persons who promoted them might have been induced to +lay them aside. But that fatal irresolution inherent to the +Stuart race hung upon her. She felt too much inward +resentment to be able to conceal his disgrace from him; yet, +after he had made this discovery, she continued to trust all her +power in his hands.</p> +<p>No people ever were in such a condition as ours continued to +be from the autumn of 1713 to the summer following. The +Queen’s health sank every day. The attack which she +had in the winter at Windsor served as a warning both to those +who wished, and to those who feared her death, to expect +it. The party which opposed the court had been continually +gaining strength by the weakness of our administration: and at +this time their numbers were vastly increased, and their spirit +was raised by the near prospect of the succession taking +place. We were not at liberty to exert the strength we +had. We saw our danger, and many of us saw the true means +of avoiding it; but whilst the magic wand was in the same hands, +this knowledge served only to increase our uneasiness; and, +whether we would or no, we were forced with our eyes open to walk +on towards the precipice. Every moment we became less able, +if the Queen lived, to support her Government; if she died, to +secure ourselves. One side was united in a common view, and +acted upon a uniform plan: the other had really none at +all. We knew that we were out of favour at the Court of +Hanover, that we were represented there as Jacobites, and that +the Elector, his present Majesty, had been rendered publicly a +party to that opposition, in spite of which we made the peace: +and yet we neither had taken, nor could take in our present +circumstances, any measures to be better or worse there. +Thus we languished till the 27th of July, 1714, when the Queen +dismissed the Treasurer. On the Friday following, she fell +into an apoplexy, and died on Sunday the 1st of August.</p> +<p>You do me, I daresay, the justice to believe that whilst this +state of things lasted I saw very well, how little mention soever +I might make of it at the time, that no man in the Ministry, or +in the party, was so much exposed as myself. I could expect +no quarter from the Whigs, for I had deserved none. There +were persons amongst them for whom I had great esteem and +friendship; yet neither with these, nor with any others, had I +preserved a secret correspondence, which might be of use to me in +the day of distress: and besides the general character of my +party, I knew that particular prejudices were entertained against +me at Hanover. The Whigs wanted nothing but an opportunity +of attacking the peace, and it could hardly be imagined that they +would stop there. In which case I knew that they could have +hold on no man so much as myself: the instructions, the orders, +the memorials had been drawn by me; the correspondence relating +to it in France, and everywhere else, had been carried on by me; +in a word, my hand appeared to almost every paper which had been +writ in the whole course of the negotiation. To all these +considerations I added that of the weight of personal resentment, +which I had created against myself at home and abroad: in part +unavoidably, by the share I was obliged to take in these affairs; +and in part, if you will, unnecessarily, by the warmth of my +temper, and by some unguarded expressions, for which I have no +excuse to make but that which Tacitus makes for his +father-in-law, Julius Agricola: “honestius putabam +offendere, quam odisse.”</p> +<p>Having this prospect of being distinguished from the rest of +my party, in the common calamity, by severer treatment, I might +have justified myself, by reason and by great authorities too, if +I had made early provision, at least to be safe when I should be +no longer useful. How I could have secured this point I do +not think fit to explain: but certain it is that I made no one +step towards it. I resolved not to abandon my party by +turning Whig, or, which is worse a great deal, whimsical; nor to +treat separately from it. I resolved to keep myself at +liberty to act on a Tory bottom. If the Queen disgraced +Oxford and continued to live afterwards, I knew we should have +time and means to provide for our future safety: if the Queen +died, and left us in the same unfortunate circumstances, I +expected to suffer for and with the Tories; and I was prepared +for it.</p> +<p>The thunder had long grumbled in the air; and yet when the +bolt fell, most of our party appeared as much surprised as if +they had had no reason to expect it. There was a perfect +calm and universal submission through the whole kingdom. +The Chevalier, indeed, set out as if his design had been to gain +the coast and to embark for Great Britain; and the Court of +France made a merit to themselves of stopping him and obliging +him to return. But this, to my certain knowledge, was a +farce acted by concert, to keep up an opinion of his character, +when all opinion of his cause seemed to be at an end. He +owned this concert to me at Bar, on the occasion of my telling +him that he would have found no party ready to receive him, and +that the enterprise would have been to the last degree +extravagant. He was at this time far from having any +encouragement: no party numerous enough to make the least +disturbance was formed in his favour. On the King’s +arrival the storm arose. The menaces of the Whigs, backed +by some very rash declarations, by little circumstances of humour +which frequently offend more than real injuries, and by the +entire change of all the persons in employment, blew up the +coals.</p> +<p>At first many of the Tories had been made to entertain some +faint hopes that they would be permitted to live in quiet. +I have been assured that the King left Hanover in that +resolution. Happy had it been for him and for us if he had +continued in it; if the moderation of his temper had not been +overborne by the violence of party, and his and the national +interest sacrificed to the passions of a few. Others there +were among the Tories who had flattered themselves with much +greater expectations than these, and who had depended, not on +such imaginary favour and dangerous advancement as was offered +them afterwards, but on real credit and substantial power under +the new government. Such impressions on the minds of men +had rendered the two Houses of Parliament, which were then +sitting, as good courtiers to King George as ever they had been +to Queen Anne. But all these hopes being at once and with +violence extinguished, despair succeeded in their room.</p> +<p>Our party began soon to act like men delivered over to their +passions, and unguided by any other principle; not like men fired +by a just resentment and a reasonable ambition to a bold +undertaking. They treated the Government like men who were +resolved not to live under it: and yet they took no one measure +to support themselves against it. They expressed, without +reserve or circumspection, an eagerness to join in any attempt +against the Establishment which they had received and confirmed, +and which many of them had courted but a few weeks before; and +yet in the midst of all this bravery, when the election of the +new Parliament came on, some of these very men acted with the +coolness of those who are much better disposed to compound than +to take arms.</p> +<p>The body of the Tories being in this temper, it is not to be +wondered at if they heated one another, and began apace to turn +their eyes towards the Pretender; and if those few who had +already engaged with him, applied themselves to improve the +conjuncture, and endeavoured to list a party for him.</p> +<p>I went, about a month after the Queen’s death, as soon +as the Seals were taken from me, into the country; and whilst I +continued there, I felt the general disposition to Jacobitism +increase daily among people of all ranks; amongst several who had +been constantly distinguished by their aversion to that +cause. But at my return to London in the month of February +or March, 1715, a few weeks before I left England, I began for +the first time in my whole life to perceive these general +dispositions ripen into resolutions, and to observe some regular +workings among many of our principal friends, which denoted a +scheme of this kind. These workings, indeed, were very +faint; for the persons concerned in carrying them on did not +think it safe to speak too plainly to men who were, in truth, ill +disposed to the Government because they neither found their +account at present under it nor had been managed with art enough +to leave them hopes of finding it hereafter, but who at the same +time had not the least affection for the Pretender’s +person, nor any principle favourable to his interest.</p> +<p>This was the state of things when the new Parliament which his +Majesty had called assembled. A great majority of the +elections had gone in favour of the Whigs; to which the want of +concert among the Tories had contributed as much as the vigour of +that party and the influence of the new Government. The +Whigs came to the opening of this Parliament full of as much +violence as could possess men who expected to make their court, +to confirm themselves in power, and to gratify their resentments +by the same measures. I have heard that it was a dispute +among the Ministers how far this spirit should be indulged; and +that the King was determined, or confirmed in a determination, to +consent to the prosecutions, and to give the reins to the party, +by the representations that were made to him that great +difficulties would arise in the conduct of the Session if the +Court should appear inclined to check this spirit, and by Mr. +W—’s undertaking to carry all the business +successfully through the House of Commons if they were at +liberty. Such has often been the unhappy fate of our +Princes: a real necessity sometimes, and sometimes a seeming one, +has forced them to compound with a part of the nation at the +expense of the whole; and the success of their business for one +year has been purchased at the price of public disorder for +many.</p> +<p>The conjuncture I am speaking of affords a memorable instance +of this truth. If milder measures had been pursued, certain +it is that the Tories had never universally embraced +Jacobitism. The violence of the Whigs forced them into the +arms of the Pretender. The Court and the party seemed to +vie with one another which should go the greatest lengths in +severity: and the Ministers, whose true interest it must at all +times be to calm the minds of men, and who ought never to set the +examples of extraordinary inquiries or extraordinary accusations, +were upon this occasion the tribunes of the people.</p> +<p>The Council of Regency which began to sit as soon as the Queen +died, acted like a council of the Holy Office. Whoever +looked on the face of the nation saw everything quiet; not one of +those symptoms appearing which must have shown themselves more or +less at that moment if in reality there had been any measures +taken during the former reign to defeat the Protestant +succession. His Majesty ascended the throne with as little +contradiction and as little trouble as ever a son succeeded a +father in the possession of a private patrimony. But he who +had the opportunity, which I had till my dismission, of seeing a +great part of what passed in that Council, would have thought +that there had been an opposition actually formed, that the new +Establishment was attacked openly from without and betrayed from +within.</p> +<p>The same disposition continued after the King’s +arrival. This political Inquisition went on with all the +eagerness imaginable in seizing of papers, in ransacking the +Queen’s closet, and examining even her private +letters. The Whigs had clamoured loudly, and affirmed in +the face of the world that the nation had been sold to France, to +Spain, to the Pretender; and whilst they endeavoured in vain, by +very singular methods, to find some colour to justify what they +had advanced without proof, they put themselves under an absolute +necessity of grounding the most solemn prosecution on things +whereof they might indeed have proof, but which would never pass +for crimes before any judges but such as were parties at the same +time.</p> +<p>In the King’s first Speech from the Throne all the +inflaming hints were given, and all the methods of violence were +chalked out to the two Houses. The first steps in both were +perfectly answerable; and, to the shame of the peerage be it +spoken, I saw at that time several lords concur to condemn in one +general vote all that they had approved of in a former Parliament +by many particular resolutions. Among several bloody +resolutions proposed and agitated at this time, the resolution of +impeaching me of high treason was taken; and I took that of +leaving England, not in a panic terror improved by the artifices +of the Duke of Marlborough (whom I knew even at that time too +well to act by his advice or information in any case), but on +such grounds as the proceedings which soon followed sufficiently +justified, and as I have never repented building upon. +Those who blamed it in the first heat were soon after obliged to +change their language; for what other resolution could I +take? The method of prosecution designed against me would +have put me immediately out of condition to act for myself, or to +serve those who were less exposed than me, but who were, however, +in danger. On the other hand, how few were there on whose +assistance I could depend, or to whom I would, even in those +circumstances, be obliged? The ferment in the nation was +wrought up to a considerable height; but there was at that time +no reason to expect that it could influence the proceedings in +Parliament in favour of those who should be accused. Left +to its own movement, it was much more proper to quicken than +slacken the prosecutions; and who was there to guide its +motions? The Tories who had been true to one another to the +last were a handful, and no great vigour could be expected from +them. The Whimsicals, disappointed of the figure which they +hoped to make, began, indeed, to join their old friends. +One of the principal amongst them was so very good as to confess +to me that if the Court had called the servants of the late Queen +to account, and had stopped there, he must have considered +himself as a judge, and have acted according to his conscience on +what should have appeared to him; but that war had been declared +to the whole Tory party, and that now the state of things was +altered. This discourse needed no commentary, and proved to +me that I had never erred in the judgment I made of this set of +men. Could I then resolve to be obliged to them, or to +suffer with Oxford? As much as I still was heated by the +disputes in which I had been all my life engaged against the +Whigs, I would sooner have chose to owe my security to their +indulgence than to the assistance of the Whimsicals; but I +thought banishment, with all her train of evils, preferable to +either. I abhorred Oxford to that degree that I could not +bear to be joined with him in any case. Nothing, perhaps, +contributed so much to determine me as this sentiment. A +sense of honour would not have permitted me to distinguish +between his case and mine own; and it was worse than death to lie +under the necessity of making them the same, and of taking +measures in concert with him.</p> +<p>I am now come to the time at which I left England, and have +finished the first part of that deduction of facts which I +proposed to lay before you. I am hopeful that you will not +think it altogether tedious or unnecessary; for although very +little of what I have said can be new to you, yet this summary +account will enable you with greater ease to recall to your +memory the passages of those four years wherewith all that I am +going to relate to you has an immediate and necessary +connection.</p> +<p>In what has been said I am far from making my own +panegyric. I had not in those days so much merit as was +ascribed to me, nor since that time have I had so little as the +same persons allowed me. I committed, without dispute, many +faults, and a greater man than I can pretend to be, constituted +in the same circumstances, would not have kept clear of all; but +with respect to the Tories I committed none. I carried the +point of party honour to the height, and specified everything to +my attachment to them during this period of time. Let us +now examine whether I have done so during the rest.</p> +<p>When I arrived in France, about the end of March, 1715, the +affairs of England were represented to me in another light than I +had seen them in when I looked upon them with my own eyes very +few weeks before. I found the persons who were detached to +speak with me prepared to think that I came over to negotiate for +the Pretender; and when they perceived that I was more ignorant +than they imagined, I was assured by them that there would be +suddenly a universal rising in England and Scotland. The +leaders were named to me, their engagements specified, and many +gentlemen, yourself among others, were reckoned upon for +particular services, though I was certain you had never been +treated with; from whence I concluded, and the event has +justified my opinion, that these assurances had been given on the +general characters of men by such of our friends as had embarked +sooner and gone farther than the rest.</p> +<p>This management surprised me extremely. In the answers I +made I endeavoured to set the mistake right, to show that things +were far from the point of maturity imagined, that the Chevalier +had yet no party for him, and that nothing could form one but the +extreme violence which the Whigs threatened to exercise. +Great endeavours were used to engage me in this affair, and to +prevail on me to answer the letter of invitation sent me from +Bar. I alleged, as it was true, that I had no commission +from any person in England, and that the friends I left behind me +were the only persons who could determine me, if any could, to +take such a step. As to the last proposition, I absolutely +refused it.</p> +<p>In the uncertainty of what would happen—whether the +prosecutions would be pushed, which was most probable, in the +manner intended against me, and against others, for all of whom, +except the Earl of Oxford, I had as much concern as for myself; +or whether the Whigs would relent, drop some, and soften the fate +of others—I resolved to conduct myself so as to create no +appearance which might be strained into a pretence for hard +usage, and which might be retorted on my friends when they +debated for me, or when they defended themselves. I saw the +Earl of Stair; I promised him that I would enter into no Jacobite +engagements, and I kept my word with him. I wrote a letter +to Mr. Secretary Stanhope which might take off any imputation of +neglect of the Government, and I retired into Dauphine to remove +the objection of residence near the Court of France.</p> +<p>This retreat from Paris was censured in England, and styled a +desertion of my friends and of their cause, with what foundation +let any reasonable man determine. Had I engaged with the +Pretender before the party acted for him, or required of me that +I should do so, I had taken the air of being his man; whereas I +looked on myself as theirs. I had gone about to bring them +into his measures; whereas I never intended, even since that +time, to do anything more than to make him as far as possible act +conformably to their views.</p> +<p>During the short time I continued on the banks of the Rhone +the prosecutions were carried on at Westminster with the utmost +violence, and the ferment among the people was risen to such a +degree that it could end in nothing better—it might have +ended in something worse—than it did. The measures +which I observed at Paris had turned to no account; on the +contrary, the letter which I wrote to Mr. Secretary Stanhope was +quoted as a base and fawning submission, and what I intended as a +mark of respect to the Government and a service to my friends was +perverted to ruin me in the opinion of the latter. The Act +of Attainder, in consequence of my impeachment, had passed +against me for crimes of the blackest dye; and among other +inducements to pass it, my having been engaged in the +Pretender’s interest was one. How well founded this +Article was has already appeared; I was just as guilty of the +rest. The correspondence with me was, you know, neither +frequent nor safe. I heard seldom and darkly from you, and +though I saw well enough which way the current ran, yet I was +entirely ignorant of the measures you took, and of the use you +intended to make of me. I contented myself, therefore, with +letting you all know that you had but to command me, and that I +was ready to venture in your service the little which remained, +as frankly as I had exposed all which was gone. At last +your commands came, and I shall show you in what manner I +executed them.</p> +<p>The person who was sent to me arrived in the beginning of +July, 1715, at the place where I was. He spoke in the name +of all the friends whose authority could influence me, and he +brought me word that Scotland was not only ready to take arms, +but under some sort of dissatisfaction to be withheld from +beginning; that in England the people were exasperated against +the Government to such a degree that, far from wanting to be +encouraged, they could not be restrained from insulting it on +every occasion; that the whole Tory party was become avowedly +Jacobite; that many officers of the army and the majority of the +soldiers were very well affected to the cause; that the City of +London was ready to rise; and that the enterprises for seizing of +several places were ripe for execution: in a word, that most of +the principal Tories were in a concert with the Duke of Ormond, +for I had pressed particularly to be informed whether his Grace +acted alone, or, if not, who were his council; and that the +others were so disposed that there remained no doubt of their +joining as soon as the first blow should be struck. He +added that my friends were a little surprised to observe that I +lay neuter in such a conjuncture. He represented to me the +danger I ran of being prevented by people of all sides from +having the merit of engaging early in this enterprise, and how +unaccountable it would be for a man impeached and attainted under +the present Government to take no share in bringing about a +revolution so near at hand and so certain. He entreated +that I would defer no longer to join the Chevalier, to advise and +assist in carrying on his affairs, and to solicit and negotiate +at the Court of France, where my friends imagined that I should +not fail to meet with a favourable reception, and from whence +they made no doubt of receiving assistance in a situation of +affairs so critical, so unexpected, and so promising. He +concluded by giving me a letter from the Pretender, whom he had +seen in his way to me, in which I was pressed to repair without +loss of time to Commercy; and this instance was grounded on the +message which the bearer of the letter had brought me from my +friends in England. Since he was sent to me, it had been +more proper to have come directly where I was; but he was in +haste to make his own court, and to deliver the assurances which +were entrusted to him. Perhaps, too, he imagined that he +should tie the knot faster on me by acquainting me that my +friends had actually engaged for themselves and me, than by +barely telling me that they desired I would engage for myself and +them.</p> +<p>In the progress of the conversation he related a multitude of +facts which satisfied me as to the general disposition of the +people; but he gave me little satisfaction as to the measures +taken for improving this disposition, for driving the business on +with vigour if it tended to a revolution, or for supporting it +with advantage if it spun into a war. When I questioned him +concerning several persons whose disinclination to the Government +admitted of no doubt, and whose names, quality, and experience +were very essential to the success of the undertaking, he owned +to me that they kept a great reserve, and did, at most, but +encourage others to act by general and dark expressions.</p> +<p>I received this account and this summons ill in my bed; yet, +important as the matter was, a few minutes served to determine +me. The circumstances wanting to form a reasonable +inducement to engage did not escape me. But the smart of a +Bill of Attainder tingled in every vein; and I looked on my party +to be under oppression and to call for my assistance. +Besides which I considered, first, that I should certainly be +informed, when I conferred with the Chevalier, of many +particulars unknown to this gentleman; for I did not imagine that +you could be so near to take arms, as he represented you to be, +on no other foundation than that which he exposed. And, +secondly, that I was obliged in honour to declare, without +waiting for a more particular information of what might be +expected from England, since my friends had taken their +resolution to declare, without any previous assurance of what +might be expected from France. This second motive weighed +extremely with me at that time; there is, however, more sound +than sense in it, and it contains the original error to which all +your subsequent errors, and the thread of misfortunes which +followed, are to be ascribed.</p> +<p>My resolution thus taken, I lost no time in repairing to +Commercy. The very first conversations with the Chevalier +answered in no degree my expectations; and I assure you, with +great truth, that I began even then, if not to repent of my own +rashness, yet to be fully convinced both of yours and mine.</p> +<p>He talked to me like a man who expected every moment to set +out for England or Scotland, but who did not very well know for +which. And when he entered into the particulars of his +affairs I found that concerning the former he had nothing more +circumstantial nor positive to go upon than what I had already +heard. The advices which were sent from thence contained +such assurances of success as it was hard to think that men who +did not go upon the surest grounds would presume to give. +But then these assurances were general, and the authority seldom +satisfactory. Those which came from the best hands were +verbal, and often conveyed by very doubtful messengers; others +came from men whose fortunes were as desperate as their counsels; +and others came from persons whose situation in the world gave +little reason to attend to their judgment in matters of this +kind.</p> +<p>The Duke of Ormond had been for some time, I cannot say how +long, engaged with the Chevalier. He had taken the +direction of this whole affair, as far as it related to England, +upon himself, and had received a commission for this purpose, +which contained the most ample powers that could be given. +After this, one would be apt to imagine that the principles on +which the Pretender should proceed, and the Tories engage, in +this service had been laid down; that a regular and certain +method of correspondence had been established; that the necessary +assistances had been specified; and that positive assurances had +been given of them. Nothing less. In a matter as +serious as this, all was loose and abandoned to the disposition +of fortune. The first point had never been touched upon; by +what I have said above you see how little care was taken of the +second; and as to the third, the Duke had asked a small body of +regular forces, a sum of money, and a quantity of arms and +ammunition. He had been told in answer by the Court of +France that he must absolutely despair of any number of troops +whatever, but he had been made in general to hope for some money, +some arms, and some ammunition; a little sum had, I think, been +advanced to him. In a case so plain as this it is hard to +conceive how any man could err. The assistances demanded +from France at this time, and even greater than these, will +appear, in the sequel of this relation, by the sense of the whole +party, to have been deemed essentially necessary to +success. In such an uncertainty, therefore, whether even +these could be obtained, or rather with so much reason to +apprehend that they could not, it was evident that the Tories +ought to have lain still. They might have helped the +ferment against the Government, but should have avoided with the +utmost care the giving any alarm or even suspicion of their true +design, and have resumed or not resumed it as the Chevalier was +able or not able to provide the troops, the arms, the money, +etc. Instead of which those who were at the head of the +undertaking, and therefore answerable for the measures which were +pursued, suffered the business to jog merrily on. They knew +in general how little dependence was to be placed on foreign +succour, but acted as if they had been sure of it; while the +party were rendered sanguine by their passions, and made no doubt +of subverting a Government they were angry with, both one and the +other made as much bustle and gave as great alarm as would have +been imprudent even at the eve of a general insurrection. +This appeared to me to be the state of things with respect to +England when I arrived at Commercy.</p> +<p>The Scots had long pressed the Chevalier to come amongst them, +and had of late sent frequent messages to quicken his departure, +some of which were delivered in terms much more zealous than +respectful. The truth is, they seemed in as much haste to +begin as if they had thought themselves able to do the work +alone; as if they had been apprehensive of no danger but that of +seeing it taken out of their hands and of having the honour of it +shared by others. However, that which was wanting on the +part of England was not wanting in Scotland; the Scots talked +aloud, but they were in a condition to rise. They took +little care to keep their intentions secret, but they were +disposed to put those intentions into immediate execution, and +thereby to render the secret no longer necessary. They knew +upon whom to depend for every part of the work, and they had +concerted with the Chevalier even to the place of his +landing.</p> +<p>There was need of no great sagacity to perceive how unequal +such foundations were to the weight of the building designed to +be raised on them. The Scots, with all their zeal and all +their valour, could bring no revolution about unless in +concurrence with the English; and among the latter nothing was +ripe for such an undertaking but the temper of the people, if +that was so. I thought, therefore, that the +Pretender’s friends in the North should be kept from rising +till those in the South had put themselves in a condition to act; +and that in the meanwhile the utmost endeavours ought to be used +with the King of France to espouse the cause; and that a plan of +the design, with a more particular specification of the succours +desired, as well as of the time when and the place to which they +should be conveyed, ought to be written for;—all which I +was told by the Marshal of Berwick, who had the principal +direction at that time of these affairs in France, and I daresay +very truly, had been often asked, but never sent. I looked +on this enterprise to be of the nature of those which can hardly +be undertaken more than once, and I judged that the success of it +would depend on timing as near as possible together the +insurrection in both parts of the island and the succours from +hence. The Pretender approved this opinion of mine. +He instructed me accordingly, and I left Lorraine after having +accepted the Seals much against my inclination. I made one +condition with him; it was this—that I should be at liberty +to quit a station which my humour and many other considerations +made me think myself very unfit for, whenever the occasion upon +which I engaged was over, one way or other; and I desire you to +remember that I did so.</p> +<p>I arrived at Paris towards the end of July, 1715. You +will observe that all I was charged with, and all by consequence +that I am answerable for, was to solicit this Court and to +dispose them to grant us the succours necessary to make the +attempt as soon as we should know certainly from England in what +it was desired that these succours should consist and whither +they should be sent. Here I found a multitude of people at +work, and every one doing what seemed good in his own eyes; no +subordination, no order, no concert. Persons concerned in +the management of these affairs upon former occasions have +assured me this is always the case. It might be so to some +degree, but I believe never so much as now. The Jacobites +had wrought one another up to look on the success of the present +designs as infallible. Every meeting-house which the +populace demolished, every little drunken riot which happened, +served to confirm them in these sanguine expectations; and there +was hardly one amongst them who would lose the air of +contributing by his intrigues to the Restoration, which, he took +it for granted, would be brought about, without him, in a very +few weeks.</p> +<p>Care and hope sat on every busy Irish face. Those who +could write and read had letters to show; and those who had not +arrived to this pitch of erudition had their secrets to +whisper. No sex was excluded from this Ministry. +Fanny Oglethorpe, whom you must have seen in England, kept her +corner in it, and Olive Trant was the great wheel of our +machine.</p> +<p>I imagine that this picture, the lines of which are not in the +least too strong, would serve to represent what passed on your +side of the water at the same time. The letters which came +from thence seemed to me to contain rather such things as the +writers wished might be true, than such as they knew to be so: +and the accounts which were sent from hence were of the same +kind. The vanity of some and the credulity of others +supported this ridiculous correspondence; and I question not but +very many persons, some such I have known, did the same thing +from a principle which they took to be a very wise one: they +imagined that they helped by these means to maintain and to +increase the spirit of the party in England and France. +They acted like Thoas, that turbulent Ætolian, who brought +Antiochus into Greece: “quibus mendaciis de rege, +multiplicando verbis copias ejus, erexerat multorum in +Græcia animos; iisdem et regis spem inflabat, omnium votis +eum arcessi.” Thus were numbers of people employed +under a notion of advancing the business, or from an affectation +of importance, in amusing and flattering one another and in +sounding the alarm in the ears of an enemy whom it was their +interest to surprise. The Government of England was put on +its guard: and the necessity of acting, or of laying aside with +some disadvantage all thoughts of acting for the present, was +precipitated before any measures necessary to enable you to act +had been prepared, or almost thought of.</p> +<p>If his Majesty did not, till some short time after this, +declare the intended invasion to Parliament it was not for want +of information. Before I came to Paris, what was doing had +been discovered. The little armament made at the Havre, +which furnished the only means the Chevalier then had for his +transportation into Britain, which had exhausted the treasury of +St. Germains, and which contained all the arms and ammunition +that could be depended upon for the whole undertaking, though +they were hardly sufficient to begin the work even in Scotland, +was talked of publicly. A Minister less alert and less +capable than the Earl of Stair would easily have been at the +bottom of the secret, for so it was called, when the particulars +of messages received and sent, the names of the persons from whom +they came, and by whom they were carried, were whispered about at +tea-tables and in coffee-houses.</p> +<p>In short, what by the indiscretion of people here, what by the +rebound which came often back from London, what by the private +interests and ambitious views of persons in the French Court, and +what by other causes unnecessary to be examined now, the most +private transactions came to light: and they who imagined that +they trusted their heads to the keeping of one or two friends, +were in reality at the mercy of numbers. Into such company +was I fallen for my sins; and it is upon the credit of such a mob +Ministry that the Tories have judged me capable of betraying a +trust, or incapable of discharging it.</p> +<p>I had made very little progress in the business which brought +me to Paris, when the paper so long expected was sent, in +pursuance of former instances, from England. The unanimous +sense of the principal persons engaged was contained in it. +The whole had been dictated word for word to the gentleman who +brought it over, by the Earl of Mar, and it had been delivered to +him by the Duke of Ormond. I was driving in the wide ocean +without a compass when this dropped unexpectedly into my +hands. I received it joyfully, and I steered my course +exactly by it. Whether the persons from whom it came +pursued the principles and observed the rules which they laid +down as the measures of their own conduct and of ours, will +appear by the sequel of this relation.</p> +<p>This memorial asserted that there were no hopes of succeeding +in a present undertaking, for many reasons deduced in it, without +an immediate and universal rising of the people in all parts of +England upon the Chevalier’s arrival; and that this +insurrection was in no degree probable unless he brought a body +of regular troops along with him: that if this attempt +miscarried, his cause and his friends, the English liberty and +Government, would be utterly ruined: but if by coming without +troops he resolved to risk these and everything else, he must set +out so as not to arrive before the end of September, to justify +which opinion many arguments were urged. In this case +twenty thousand arms, a train of artillery, five hundred officers +with their servants, and a considerable sum of money were +demanded: and as soon as they should be informed that the +Chevalier was in condition to make this provision, it was said +that notice should be given him of the places to which he might +send, and of the persons who were to be trusted. I do not +mention some inconveniences which they touched upon arising from +a delay; because their opinion was clearly for this delay, and +because that they could not suppose that the Chevalier would act, +or that those about him would advise him to act, contrary to the +sense of all his friends in England. No time was lost in +making the proper use of this paper. As much of it as was +fit to be shown to this Court was translated into French, and +laid before the King of France. I was now able to speak +with greater assurance, and in some sort to undertake +conditionally for the event of things.</p> +<p>The proposal of violating treaties so lately and so solemnly +concluded, was a very bold one to be made to people, whatever +their inclinations might be, whom the war had reduced to the +lowest ebb of riches and power. They would not hear of a +direct and open engagement, such as the sending a body of troops +would have been; neither would they grant the whole of what was +asked in the second plan. But it was impossible for them, +or any one else, to foresee how far those steps which they were +willing to take, well improved, might have encouraged or forced +them to go. They granted us some succours, and the very +ship in which the Pretender was to transport himself was fitted +out by Depine d’Anicant at the King of France’s +expense. They would have concealed these appearances as +much as they could; but the heat of the Whigs and the resentment +of the Court of England might have drawn them in. We should +have been glad indirectly to concur in fixing these things upon +them: and, in a word, if the late King had lived six months +longer, I verily believe there had been war again between England +and France. This was the only point of time when these +affairs had, to my apprehension, the least reasonable appearance +even of possibility: all that preceded was wild and uncertain: +all that followed was mad and desperate. But this +favourable aspect had an extreme short duration. Two events +soon happened, one of which cast a damp on all we were doing, and +the other rendered vain and fruitless all we had done. The +first was the arrival of the Duke of Ormond in France, the other +was the death of the King.</p> +<p>We had sounded the duke’s name high. His +reputation and the opinion of his power were great. The +French began to believe that he was able to form and to head a +party; that the troops would join him; that the nation would +follow the signal whenever he drew his sword; and the voice of +the people, the echo of which was continually in their ears, +confirmed them in this belief. But when, in the midst of +all these bright ideas, they saw him arrive, almost literally +alone, when, to excuse his coming, I was obliged to tell them +that he could not stay, they sank at once from their hopes, and +that which generally happens happened in this case: because they +had had too good an opinion of the cause, they began to form too +bad a one. Before this time, if they had no friendship for +the Tories, they had at least some consideration and +esteem. After this, I saw nothing but compassion in the +best of them, and contempt in the others.</p> +<p>When I arrived at Paris, the King was already gone to Marly, +where the indisposition which he had begun to feel at Versailles +increased upon him. He was the best friend the Chevalier +had: and when I engaged in this business, my principal dependence +was on his personal character. This failed me to a great +degree; he was not in a condition to exert the same vigour as +formerly. The Ministers who saw so great an event as his +death to be probably at hand, a certain minority, an uncertain +regency, perhaps confusion, at best a new face of Government and +a new system of affairs, would not, for their own sakes, as well +as for the sake of the public, venture to engage far in any new +measures. All I had to negotiate by myself first, and in +conjunction with the Duke of Ormond soon afterwards, languished +with the King. My hopes sank as he declined, and died when +he expired. The event of things has sufficiently shown that +all those which were entertained by the duke and the Jacobite +party under the Regency, were founded on the grossest delusions +imaginable. Thus was the project become impracticable +before the time arrived which was fixed by those who directed +things in England for putting it in execution.</p> +<p>The new Government of France appeared to me like a strange +country. I was little acquainted with the roads. Most +of the faces I met with were unknown to me, and I hardly +understood the language of the people. Of the men who had +been in power under the late reign, many were discarded, and most +of the others were too much taken up with the thoughts of +securing themselves under this, to receive applications in favour +of the Pretender. The two men who had the greatest +appearance of favour and power were D’Aguesseau and +Noailles. One was made Chancellor, on the death of Voisin, +from Attorney-General; and the other was placed at the head of +the Treasury. The first passes for a man of parts, but he +never acted out of the sphere of the law: I had no acquaintance +with him before this time; and when you consider his +circumstances and mine, you will not think it could be very easy +for me to get access to him now. The latter I had known +extremely well whilst the late King lived: and from the same +Court principle, as he was glad to be well with me then, he would +hardly know me now. The Minister who had the principal +direction of foreign affairs I lived in friendship with, and I +must own, to his honour, that he never encouraged a design which +he knew that his Court had no intention of supporting.</p> +<p>There were other persons, not to tire you with farther +particulars upon this head, of credit and influence with whom I +found indirect and private ways of conversing; but it was in vain +to expect any more than civil language from them in a case which +they found no disposition in their Master to countenance, and in +favour of which they had no prejudices of their own. The +private engagements into which the Duke of Orleans had entered +with his Majesty during the life of the late King will abate of +their force as the Regent grows into strength, and would soon +have had no force at all if the Pretender had met with success: +but in these beginnings they operated very strongly. The +air of this Court was to take the counterpart of all which had +been thought right under Louis XIV. “Cela resemble +trop à l’ancien système” was an answer +so often given that it became a jest and almost a proverb. +But to finish this account with a fact which is incredible, but +strictly true; the very peace which had saved France from ruin, +and the makers of it, were become as unpopular at this Court as +at the Court of Vienna.</p> +<p>The Duke of Ormond flattered himself, in this state of things, +that he had opened a private and sure channel of arriving at the +Regent, and of bending him to his purposes. His Grace and I +lived together at this time in an house which one of my friends +had lent me. I observed that he was frequently lost, and +that he made continual excursions out of town, with all the +mysterious precaution imaginable. I doubted at first +whether those intrigues related to business or pleasure. I +soon discovered with whom they were carried on, and had reason to +believe that both were mingled in them. It is necessary +that I explain this secret to you.</p> +<p>Mrs. Trant, whom I have named above, had been preparing +herself for the retired abstemious life of a Carmelite by taking +a surfeit of the pleasures of Paris, when, a little before the +death of the Queen, or about that time, she went into +England. What she was entrusted either by the Chevalier, or +any other person, to negotiate there, I am ignorant of; and it +imports not much to know. In that journey she made or +renewed an acquaintance with the Duke of Ormond. The +scandalous chronicle affirms that she brought with her, when she +returned into France, a woman of whom I have not the least +knowledge, but who was probably handsome, since without beauty +such a merchandise would not have been saleable, nor have +answered the design of the importer; and that she made this way +her court to the Regent. Whatever her merit was, she kept a +correspondence with him, and put herself upon that foot of +familiarity which he permits all those who contribute to his +pleasures to assume. She was placed by him, as she told me +herself, where I found her some time after that which I am +speaking of, in the house of an ancient gentlewoman who had +formerly been Maid of Honour to Madame, and who had contracted at +Court a spirit of intrigue which accompanied her in her +retreat.</p> +<p>These two had associated to them the Abbé de Tesieu in +all the political parts of their business; for I will not suppose +that so reverend an ecclesiastic entered into any other +secret. This Abbé is the Regent’s secretary; +and it was chiefly through him that the private treaty had been +carried on between his master and the Earl of Stair in the +King’s reign. Whether the priest had stooped at the +lure of a cardinal’s hat, or whether he acted the second +part by the same orders that he acted the first, I know +not. This is sure, and the British Minister was not the +bubble of it—that whilst he concerted measures on one hand +to traverse the Pretender’s designs, he testified on the +other all the inclination possible to his service. A mad +fellow who had been an intendant in Normandy, and several other +politicians of the lowest form, were at different times taken +into this famous Junto.</p> +<p>With these worthy people his Grace of Ormond negotiated; and +no care was omitted on his part to keep me out of the +secret. The reason of which, as far as I am able to guess +at, shall be explained to you by-and-by. I might very +justly have taken this proceeding ill, and the duke will not be +able to find in my whole conduct towards him anything like it; I +protest to you very sincerely I was not in the least moved at +it.</p> +<p>He advanced not a step in his business with these sham +Ministers, and yet imagined that he got daily ground. I +made no progress with the true ones, but I saw it. These, +however, were not our only difficulties. We lay under +another, which came from your side, and which embarrassed us +more. The first hindered us from working forward to our +point of view, but the second took all point of view from us.</p> +<p>A paper was sent into England just before the death of the +King of France, which had been drawn by me at Chaville in concert +with the Dukes of Ormond and Berwick, and with Monsieur de +Torcy. This paper was an answer to the memorial received +from thence. The state of this country was truly +represented in it: the difference was fixed between what had been +asked, and what might be expected from France; and upon the whole +it was demanded what our friends would do, and what they would +have us to do. The reply to this came through the French +Secretary of State to our hands. They declared themselves +unable to say anything till they should see what turn affairs +would take on so great an event as the death of the King, the +report of which had reached them.</p> +<p>Such a declaration shut our mouths and tied our hands. I +confess I knew neither how to solicit, nor what to solicit; this +last message suspending the project on which we had acted before, +and which I kept as an instruction constantly before my +eyes. It seemed to me uncertain whether you intended to go +on, or whether your design was to stifle, as much as possible, +all past transactions; to lie perfectly still; to throw upon the +Court the odium of having given a false alarm; and to wait till +new accidents at home, and a more favourable conjuncture abroad, +might tempt you to resume the enterprise. Perhaps this +would have been the wisest game you could have played: but then +you should have concerted it with us who acted for you +here. You intended no such thing, as appeared afterwards: +and therefore those who acted for the party at London, whoever +they were, must be deemed inexcusable for leaving things on the +foot of this message, and giving us no advice fit to be depended +upon for many weeks. Whilst preparations were to be made, +and the work was to be set a-going by assistance from hence, you +might reasonably expect to hear from us, and to be determined by +us: but when all hopes of this kind seemed to be gone, it was +your part to determine us; and we could take no resolution here +but that of conforming ourselves to whatever should come +prescribed from England.</p> +<p>Whilst we were in this condition, the most desperate that can +be imagined, we began to receive verbal messages from you that no +more time was to be lost, and that the Chevalier should come +away. No man was, I believe, ever so embarrassed as I found +myself at that time. I could not imagine that you would +content yourselves by loose verbal messages, after all that had +happened, to call us over; and I knew by experience how little +such messages are to be depended on. For soon after I +engaged in these affairs, a monk arrived at Bar, despatched, as +he affirmed, by the Duke of Ormond, in whose name he insisted +that the Chevalier should hasten into Britain, and that nothing +but his presence was wanting to place the crown on his +head. The fellow delivered his errand so positively, and so +circumstantially, that the resolution was taken at Bar to set +out, and my rendezvous to join the Chevalier was appointed +me. This method to fetch a King, with as little ceremony as +one would invite a friend to supper, appeared somewhat odd to me, +who was then very new in these affairs. But when I came to +talk with the man, for by good luck he had been sent for from Bar +to Paris, I easily discerned that he had no such commission as he +pretended to, and that he acted of his own head. I presumed +to oppose the taking any resolution upon his word, though he was +a monk: and soon after we knew from the Duke of Ormond himself +that he had never sent him.</p> +<p>This example made me cautious; but that which determined my +opinion was, that I could never imagine, without supposing you +all run mad, that the same men who judged this attempt unripe for +execution, unless supported by regular troops from France, or at +least by all the other assistances which are enumerated above, +while the design was much more secret than at present; when the +King had no fleet at sea, nor more than eight thousand men +dispersed over the whole island; when we had the good wishes of +the French Court on our side, and were sure of some particular +assistances, and of a general connivance; that the same men, I +say, should press for making it now without any other +preparation, when we had neither money, arms, ammunition, nor a +single company of foot; when the Government of England was on its +guard, national troops were raised, foreign forces sent for, and +France, like all the rest of the Continent, against us. I +could not conceive such a strange combination of accidents as +should make the necessity of acting increase gradually upon us as +the means of doing so were taken from us.</p> +<p>Upon the whole matter, my opinion was, and I did not observe +the Duke of Ormond to differ from me, that we should wait till we +heard from you in such a manner as might assure us of what you +intended to do yourselves, and of what you expected from us; and +that in the meanwhile we should go as far as the little money +which we had, and the little favour which was shown us would +allow, in getting some embarkations ready on the coast.</p> +<p>Sir George Byng had come into the road of Havre, and had +demanded by name several ships which belonged to us to be given +up to him. The Regent did not think fit to let him have the +ships; but he ordered them to be unloaded, and their cargoes were +put into the King’s magazines. We were in no +condition to repair the loss; and therefore when I mention +embarkations, you will please to understand nothing more than +vessels to transport the Pretender’s person and the persons +of those who should go over with him. This was all we could +do, and this was not neglected.</p> +<p>We were thus employed when a gentleman arrived from Scotland +to represent the state of that country, and to require a +definitive answer from the Chevalier whether he would have the +insurrection to be made immediately, which they apprehended they +might not be able to make at all if they were obliged to defer it +much longer. This gentleman was sent instantly back again, +and was directed to let the persons he came from know that the +Chevalier was desirous to have the rising of his friends in +England and Scotland so adjusted that they might mutually assist +each other and distract the enemy; that he had not received a +final answer from his friends in England, but that he was in +daily expectation of it; that it was very much to be wished that +all attempts in Scotland could be suspended till such time as the +English were ready; but that if the Scots were so pressed that +they must either submit or rise immediately, he was of opinion +they should rise, and he would make the best of his way to +them.</p> +<p>What this forwardness in the Scots and this uncertainty and +backwardness in the English must produce, it was not hard to +foresee; and, therefore, that I might neglect nothing in my power +to prevent any false measures—as I was conscious to myself +that I had neglected nothing to promote true ones—I +despatched a gentleman to London, where I supposed the Earl of +Mar to be, some days before the message I have just spoken of was +sent to Scotland. I desired him to make my compliments to +Lord Mar, and to tell him from me that I understood it to be his +sense, as well as the sense of all our friends, that Scotland +could do nothing effectually without the concurrence of England, +and that England would not stir without assistance from abroad; +that he might assure himself no such assistance could be depended +upon; and that I begged of him to make the inference from these +propositions. The gentleman went; but upon his arrival at +London he found that the Earl of Mar was already set out to draw +the Highlanders into arms. He communicated his message to a +person of confidence, who undertook to send it after his +lordship; and this was the utmost which either he or I could do +in such a conjuncture.</p> +<p>You were now visibly departed from the very scheme which you +had sent us over, and from all the principles which had been ever +laid down. I did what I could to keep up my own spirit, as +well as the spirits of the Chevalier, and of all those with whom +I was in correspondence: I endeavoured even to deceive +myself. I could not remedy the mischief, and I was resolved +to see the conclusion of the perilous adventure; but I own to you +that I thought then, and that I have not changed my opinion +since, that such measures as these would not be pursued by any +reasonable man in the most common affairs of life. It was +with the utmost astonishment that I saw them pursued in the +conduct of an enterprise which had for its object nothing less +than the disposition of crowns, and for the means of bringing it +about nothing less than a civil war.</p> +<p>Impatient that we heard nothing from England, when we expected +every moment to hear that the war was begun in Scotland, the Duke +of Ormond and I resolved to send a person of confidence to +London. We instructed him to repeat to you the former +accounts which we had sent over, to let you know how destitute +the Chevalier was either of actual support or even of reasonable +hopes, and to desire that you would determine whether he should +go to Scotland or throw himself on some part of the English +coast. This person was further instructed to tell you that, +the Chevalier being ready to take any resolution at a +moment’s warning, you might depend on his setting out the +instant he received your answer; and, therefore, that to save +time, if your intention was to rise, you would do well to act +immediately, on the assurance that the plan you prescribed, be it +what it would, should be exactly complied with. We took +this resolution the rather because one of the packets, which had +been prepared in cypher to give you an account of things, which +had been put above three weeks before into Monsieur de +Torcy’s hands, and which by consequence we thought to be in +yours, was by this time sent back to me by this Minister (I +think, open), with an excuse that he durst not take upon him to +forward it.</p> +<p>The person despatched to London returned very soon to us, and +the answer he brought was, that since affairs grew daily worse, +and could not mend by delay, our friends in England had resolved +to declare immediately, and that they would be ready to join the +Chevalier on his landing; that his person would be as safe there +as in Scotland, and that in every other respect it was better +that he should land in England; that they had used their utmost +endeavours, and that they hoped the western counties were in a +good posture to receive him. To this was added a general +indication of the place he should come to, as near to Plymouth as +possible.</p> +<p>You must agree that this was not the answer of men who knew +what they were about. A little more precision was necessary +in dictating a message which was to have such consequences, and +especially since the gentleman could not fail to acquaint the +persons he spoke with that the Chevalier was not able to carry +men enough to secure him from being taken up even by the first +constable. Notwithstanding this, the Duke of Ormond set out +from Paris and the Chevalier from Bar. Some persons were +sent to the North of England and others to London to give notice +that they were both on their way. Their routes were so +ordered that the Duke of Ormond was to sail from the coast of +Normandy some days before the Chevalier arrived at St. Malo, to +which place the duke was to send immediate notice of his landing; +and two gentlemen acquainted with the country, and perfectly well +known to all our friends in those parts, were despatched before, +that the people of Devonshire and Somersetshire, who were, we +concluded, in arms, might be apprised of the signals which were +to be made from the ships, and might be ready to receive the +duke.</p> +<p>On the coast of France, and before his embarkation, the duke +heard that several of our principal friends had been seized +immediately after the person who came last from them had left +London, that the others were all dispersed, and that the +consternation was universal. He embarked, notwithstanding +this melancholy news, and, supported by nothing but the firmness +of his temper, he went over to the place appointed; he did more +than his part, and he found that our friends had done less than +theirs. One of the gentlemen who had passed over before +him, and had traversed part of the country, joined him on the +coast, and assured him that there was not the least room to +expect a rising; in a word, he was refused a night’s +lodging in a country which we had been told was in a good posture +to receive the Chevalier, and where the duke expected that +multitudes would repair to him.</p> +<p>He returned to the coast of Brittany after this uncomfortable +expedition, where the Chevalier arrived about the same time from +Lorraine. What his Grace proposed by the second attempt, +which he made as soon as the vessel could be refitted, to land in +the same part of the island, I profess myself to be +ignorant. I wrote him my opinion at the time, and I have +always thought that the storm in which he had like to have been +cast away, and which forced him back to the French coast, saved +him from a much greater peril—that of perishing in an +attempt as full of extravagant rashness, and as void of all +reasonable meaning, as any of those adventures which have +rendered the hero of La Mancha immortal.</p> +<p>The Chevalier had now but one of these two things left him to +do: one was to return to Bar; the other was to go to Scotland, +where there were people in arms for him. He took this last +resolution. He left Brittany, where he had as many +Ministers as there were people about him, and where he was +eternally teased with noisy disputes about what was to be done in +circumstances in which no reasonable thing could be done. +He sent to have a vessel got ready for him at Dunkirk, and he +crossed the country as privately as he could.</p> +<p>Whilst all these things passed I remained at Paris to try if +by any means some assistance might be at last procured, without +which it was evident, even to those who flattered themselves the +most, that the game was up.</p> +<p>No sooner was the Duke of Ormond gone from Paris on the design +which I have mentioned, and Mrs. Trant, who had accompanied him +part of the way, returned, but I was sent for to a little house +at Madrid, in the Bois de Boulogne, where she lived with +Mademoiselle de Chaussery, the ancient gentlewoman with whom the +Duke of Orleans had placed her. These two persons opened to +me what had passed whilst the Duke of Ormond was here, and the +hopes they had of drawing the Regent into all the measures +necessary to support the attempts which were making in favour of +the Chevalier.</p> +<p>By what they told me at first I saw that they had been +trusted, and by what passed in the course of my treating with +them it appeared that they had the access which they pretended +to. All which I had been able to do by proper persons and +in proper methods, since the King of France’s death, +amounting to little or nothing, I resolved, at last, to try what +was to be done by this indirect way. I put myself under the +conduct of these female managers, and without having the same +dependence on them as his Grace of Ormond had, I pushed their +credit and their power as far as they reached during the time I +continued to see them. I met with smoother language and +greater hopes than had been given me hitherto. A note +signed by the Regent, supposed to be written to a woman, but +which was to be explained to be intended for the Earl of Mar, was +put into my hands to be sent to Scotland. I took a copy of +it, which you may see at the end of these papers. When Sir +John Areskine came to press for succour, the Regent was prevailed +upon by these women to see him; but he carried nothing real back +with him except a quantity of gold, part of the money which we +had drawn from Spain, and which was lost, with the vessel, in a +very odd manner, on the Scotch coast. The Duke of Ormond +had been promised seven or eight thousand arms, which were drawn +out of the magazines, and said to be lodged, I think, at +Compiègne. I used my utmost efforts that these arms +might be carried forward to the coast, and I undertook for their +transportation, but all was in vain, so that the likelihood of +bringing anything to effect in time appeared to me no greater +than I had found it before I entered into this intrigue.</p> +<p>I soon grew tired of a commerce which nothing but success +could render tolerable, and resolved to be no longer amused by +the pretences which were daily repeated to me, that the Regent +had entertained personal prejudices against me, and that he was +insensibly and by degrees to be dipped in our measures; that both +these things required time, but that they would certainly be +brought about, and that we should then be able to answer all the +expectations of the English and the Scotch. The first of +these pretences contained a fact which I could hardly persuade +myself to be true, because I knew very certainly that I had never +given His Royal Highness the least occasion for such prejudices; +the second was a work which might spin out into a great and +uncertain length. I took my resolution to drive what +related to myself to an immediate explanation, and what related +to others to an immediate decision; not to suffer any excuse for +doing nothing to be founded on my conduct, nor the salvation, if +I could hinder it, of so many gallant men as were in arms in +Scotland, to rest on the success of such womanish projects. +I shall tell you what I did on the first head now, and what I did +on the second, hereafter, in its proper place.</p> +<p>The fact which it was said the Regent laid to my charge was a +correspondence with Lord Stair, and having been one night at his +house from whence I did not retire till three in the +morning. As soon as I got hold of this I desired the +Marshal of Berwick to go to him. The Marshal told him, from +me, that I had been extremely concerned to hear in general that I +lay under his displeasure; that a story, which it was said he +believed, had been related to me; that I expected the justice, +which he could deny to no man, of having the accusation proved, +in which case I was contented to pass for the last of humankind, +or of being justified if it could not be proved. He +answered that such a story had been related to him by such +persons as he thought would not have deceived him; that he had +been since convinced that it was false, and that I should be +satisfied of his regard for me; but that he must own he was very +uneasy to find that I, who could apply to him through the Marshal +d’Huxelles, could choose to treat with Mrs. Trant and the +rest; for he named all the cabal, except his secretary, whom I +had never met at Mademoiselle Chaussery’s. He added +that these people teased him, at my instigation, to death, and +that they were not fit to be trusted with any business. He +applied to some of them the severest epithets. The Marshal +of Berwick replied that he was sure I should receive the whole of +what he had been pleased to say with the greatest satisfaction; +that I had treated with those persons much against my will; and, +finally, that if his Royal Highness would not employ them he was +sure I would never apply to them. In a conversation which I +had not long after with him he spoke to me in much the same terms +as he had done to the Marshal. I went from him very ill +edified as to his intentions of doing anything in favour of the +Chevalier; but I carried away with me this satisfaction, that he +had assigned me, from his own mouth, the person through whom I +should make my applications to him, and through whom I should +depend on receiving his answers; that he had disavowed all the +little politic clubs, and had commanded me to have no more to do +with them.</p> +<p>Before I resume the thread of my narration give me leave to +make some reflection upon what I have been last saying to +you. When I met with the Duke of Ormond at his return from +the coast, he thought himself obliged to say something to excuse +his keeping me out of a secret which during his absence I had +been let into. His excuse was that the Regent had exacted +from him that I should know nothing of the matter. You will +observe that the account which I have given you seems to +contradict this assertion of his Grace, since it is hard to +suppose that if the Regent had exacted that I should be kept out +of the secret, these women would have dared to have let me into +it, and since it is still harder to suppose that the Regent would +make this express condition with the Duke of Ormond, and the +moment the duke’s back was turned would suffer these women +to tease him from me and to bring me answers from him. I +am, however, far from taxing the duke with affirming an +untruth. I believe the Regent did make such a condition +with him; and I will tell you how I understand all this little +management, which will explain a great deal to you. This +Prince, with wit and valour, has joined all the irresolution of +temper possible, and is, perhaps, the man in the world the least +capable of saying “no” to your face. From hence +it happened that these women, like multitudes of other people, +forced him to say and do enough to give them the air of having +credit with him and of being trusted by him. This drew in +the Duke of Ormond, who is not, I daresay, as yet +undeceived. The Regent never intended from the first to do +anything, even indirectly, in favour of the Jacobite cause. +His interest was plainly on the other side, and he saw it. +But then the same weakness in his character carried him, as it +would have done his great-uncle Gaston in the same case, to keep +measures with the Chevalier. His double-trimming character +prevailed on him to talk with the Duke of Ormond, but it carried +him no farther. I question not but he did, on this +occasion, what you must have observed many men to do: we not only +endeavour to impose on the world, but even on ourselves; we +disguise our weakness, and work up in our minds an opinion that +the measure which we fall into by the natural or habitual +imperfection of our character is the effect of a principle of +prudence or of some other virtue. Thus the Regent, who saw +the Duke of Ormond because he could not resist the importunity of +Olive Trant, and who gave hopes to the duke because he can refuse +nobody, made himself believe that it was a great strain of policy +to blow up the fire and to keep Britain embroiled. I am +persuaded that I do not err in judging that he thought in this +manner, and here I fix the reason of his excluding me out of the +commerce which he had with the Duke of Ormond, of his affecting a +personal dislike of me, and of his avoiding any correspondence +with me upon these matters, till I forced myself in a manner upon +him, and he could not keep me any longer at a distance without +departing from his first principle—that of keeping measures +with everybody. He then threw me, or let me slide if you +will, into the hands of these women; and when he found that I +pressed him hard that way, too, he took me out of their hands and +put me back again into the proper channel of business, where I +had not been long, as you will see by-and-by, before the scene of +amusement was finished.</p> +<p>Sir John Areskine told me when he came from the first audience +that he had of his Royal Highness, that he put him in mind of the +encouragement which he had given the Earl of Mar to take +arms. I never heard anything of this kind but what Sir John +let drop to me. If the fact be true, you see that the +Scotch general had been amused by him with a witness. The +English general was so in his turn; and while this was doing, the +Regent might think it best to have him to himself. Four +eyes comprehend more objects than two, and I was a little better +acquainted with the characters of people, and the mass of the +country, than the duke, though this Court had been at first a +strange country to me in comparison of the former.</p> +<p>An infinity of little circumstances concurred to make me form +this opinion, some of which are better felt than explained, and +many of which are not present to my memory. That which had +the greatest weight with me, and which is, I think, decisive, I +will mention. At the very time when it is pretended that +the Regent treated with the Duke of Ormond on the express +condition that I should know nothing of the matter, two persons +of the first rank and greatest credit in this Court, when I made +the most pressing instances to them in favour of the Chevalier, +threw out in conversation to me that I should attach myself to +the Duke of Orleans, that in my circumstances I might want him, +and that he might have occasion for me. Something was +intimated of pensions and establishment, and of making my peace +at home. I would not understand this language, because I +would not break with the people who held it: and when they saw +that I would not take the hints, they ceased to give them.</p> +<p>I fancy that you see by this time the motives of the +Regent’s conduct. I am not, I confess, able to +explain to you those of the Duke of Ormond’s; I cannot so +much as guess at them. When he came into France, I was +careful to show him all the friendship and all the respect +possible. My friends were his, my purse was his, and even +my bed was his. I went further; I did all those things +which touch most sensibly people who have been used to +pomp. I made my court to him, and haunted his levee with +assiduity. In return to this behaviour—which was the +pure effect of my goodwill, and which no duty that I owed his +Grace, no obligation that I had to him, imposed upon me—I +have great reason to suspect that he went at least half way in +all which was said or done against me. He threw himself +blindly into the snare which was laid for him; and instead of +hindering, as he and I in concert might have done, those affairs +from languishing in the manner they did several months, he +furnished this Court with an excuse for not treating with me, +till it was too late to play even a saving game; and he neither +drove the Regent to assist the Chevalier, nor to declare that he +would not assist him; though it was fatal to the cause in +general, and to the Scotch in particular, not to bring one of the +two about.</p> +<p>It was Christmas 1715 before the Chevalier sailed for +Scotland. The battle of Dunblain had been fought, the +business of Preston was over: there remained not the least room +to expect any commotion in his favour among the English; and many +of the Scotch who had declared for him began to grow cool in the +cause. No prospect of success could engage him in this +expedition: but it was become necessary for his reputation. +The Scotch on one side spared not to reproach him, I think +unjustly, for his delay; and the French on the other were +extremely eager to have him gone. Some of those who knew +little of British affairs imagined that his presence would +produce miraculous effects. You must not be surprised at +this. As near neighbours as we are, ninety-nine in an +hundred among the French are as little acquainted with the inside +of our island as with that of Japan. Others of them were +uneasy to see him skulking about in France, and to be told of it +every hour by the Earl of Stair. Others, again, imagined +that he might do their business by going into Scotland, though he +should not do his own: this is, they flattered themselves that he +might keep a war for some time alive, which would employ the +whole attention of our Government; and for the event of which +they had very little concern. Unable from their natural +temper, as well as their habits, to be true to any principle, +they thought and acted in this manner, whilst they affected the +greatest friendship to the King, and whilst they really did +desire to enter into new and more intimate engagements with +him. Whilst the Pretender continued in France they could +neither avow him, nor favour his cause: if he once set his foot +on Scotch ground, they gave hopes of indirect assistance; and if +he could maintain himself in any corner of the island, they could +look upon him, it was said, as a king. This was their +language to us. To the British Minister they denied, they +forswore, they renounced; and yet the man of the best head in all +their councils, being asked by Lord Stair what they intended to +do, answered, before he was aware, that they pretended to be +neuters. I leave you to judge how this slip was taken +up.</p> +<p>As soon as I received advice that the Chevalier was sailed +from Dunkirk, I renewed, I redoubled all my applications. I +neglected no means, I forgot no argument which my understanding +could suggest to me. What the Duke of Ormond rested upon, +you have seen already. And I doubt very much whether Lord +Mar, if he had been here in my place, would have been able to +employ measures more effectual than those which I made use +of. I may, without any imputation of arrogance, compare +myself on this occasion with his lordship, since there was +nothing in the management of this affair above my degree of +capacity; nothing equal, either in extent or difficulty, to the +business which he was a spectator of, and which I carried on when +we were Secretaries of State together under the late Queen.</p> +<p>The King of France, who was not able to furnish the Pretender +with money himself, had written some time before his death to his +grandson, and had obtained a promise of four hundred thousand +crowns from the King of Spain. A small part of this sum had +been received by the Queen’s Treasurer at St. Germains, and +had been either sent to Scotland or employed to defray the +expenses which were daily making on the coast. I pressed +the Spanish Ambassador at Paris; I solicited, by Lawless, +Alberoni at Madrid, and I found another more private and more +promising way of applying to him. I took care to have a +number of officers picked out of the Irish troops which serve in +that country; their routes were given them, and I sent a ship to +receive and transport them. The money came in so slowly and +in such trifling sums that it turned to little account, and the +officers were on their way when the Chevalier returned from +Scotland.</p> +<p>In the summer endeavours had been used to prevail on the King +of Sweden to transport from Gottenburg the troops he had in that +neighbourhood into Scotland or into the North of England. +He had excused himself, not because he disliked the proposition, +which, on the contrary, he thought agreeable to his interest, but +for reasons of another kind. First, because the troops at +hand for this service consisted in horse, not in foot, which had +been asked, and which were alone proper for such an +expedition. Secondly, because a declaration of this sort +might turn the Protestant princes of the Empire, from whose +offices he had still some prospect of assistance, against +him. And thirdly, because although he knew that the King of +Great Britain was his enemy, yet they were not in war together, +nor had the latter acted yet awhile openly enough against him to +justify such a rupture. At the time I am speaking of, these +reasons were removed by the King of Sweden’s being beat out +of the Empire by the little consequence which his management of +the Protestant princes was to him, and by the declaration of war +which the King, as Elector of Hanover, made. I took up this +negotiation therefore again. The Regent appeared to come +into it. He spoke fair to the Baron de Spar, who pressed +him on his side as I pressed him on mine, and promised, besides +the arrears of the subsidy due to the Swedes, an immediate +advance of fifty thousand crowns for the enterprise on +Britain. He kept the officer who was to be despatched I +know not how long booted; sometimes on pretence that in the low +state of his credit he could not find bills of exchange for the +sum, and sometimes on other pretences, and by these delays he +evaded his promise. The French were very frank in declaring +that they could give us no money, and that they would give us no +troops. Arms, ammunition, and connivance they made us hope +for. The latter, in some degree, we might have had perhaps; +but to what purpose was it to connive, when by a multitude of +little tricks they avoided furnishing us with arms and +ammunition, and when they knew that we were utterly unable to +furnish ourselves with them? I had formed the design of +engaging French privateers in the Pretender’s +service. They were to have carried whatever we should have +had to send to any part of Britain in their first voyage, and +after that to have cruised under his commission. I had +actually agreed for some, and it was in my power to have made the +same bargains with others. Sweden on one side and Scotland +on the other would have afforded them retreats. And if the +war had been kept up in any part of the mountains, I conceive the +execution of this design would have been of the greatest +advantage to the Pretender. It failed because no other part +of the work went on. He was not above six weeks in his +Scotch expedition, and these were the things I endeavoured to +bring to bear in his absence. I had no great opinion of my +success before he went; but when he had made the last step which +it was in his power to make, I resolved to suffer neither him nor +the Scotch to be any longer bubbles of their own credulity and of +the scandalous artifice of this Court. It would be tedious +to enter into a longer narrative of all the useless pains I +took. To conclude, therefore; in a conversation which I had +with the M. d’Huxelles, I took occasion to declare that I +would not be the instrument of amusing the Scotch, and that, +since I was able to do them no other service, I would at least +inform them that they must flatter themselves no longer with +hopes of succour from France. I added that I would send +them vessels which, with those already on the coast of Scotland, +might serve to bring off the Pretender, the Earl of Mar, and as +many others as possible. The Marshal approved my +resolution, and advised me to execute it as the only thing which +was left to do. On this occasion he showed no reserve, he +was very explicit; and yet in this very point of time the promise +of an order was obtained, or pretended to be obtained, from the +Regent for delivering those stores of arms and ammunition which +belonged to the Chevalier, and which had been put into the French +magazines when Sir George Byng came to Havre. Castel Blanco +is a Spaniard who married a daughter of Lord Melford, and who +under that title set up for a meddler in English business. +I cannot justly tell whether the honour of obtaining this promise +was ascribed to him, to the Junto in the Bois de Boulogne, or to +any one else. I suppose they all assumed a share of the +merit. The project was that these stores should be +delivered to Castel Blanco; that he should enter into a +recognisance to carry them to Spain, and from thence to the West +Indies; that I should provide a vessel for this purpose, which he +should appear to hire or buy; and that when she was at sea she +should sail directly for Scotland. You cannot believe that +I reckoned much on the effect of this order, but accustomed to +concur in measures the inutility of which I saw evidently enough, +I concurred in this likewise. The necessary care was taken, +and in a fortnight’s time the ship was ready to sail, and +no suspicion of her belonging to the Chevalier or of her +destination was gone abroad.</p> +<p>As this event made no alteration in my opinion, it made none +in the despatches which I prepared and sent to Scotland. In +them I gave an account of what was in negotiation. I +explained to him what might be hoped for in time if he was able +to maintain himself in the mountains without the succours he +demanded from France. But from France I told him plainly +that it was in vain to expect the least part of them. In +short, I concealed nothing from him. This was all I could +do to put the Chevalier and his council in a condition to judge +what measures to take; but these despatches never came to his +hands. He was sailed from Scotland just before the +gentleman whom I sent arrived on the coast. He landed at +Graveline about the 22nd of February, and the first orders he +gave were to stop all the vessels which were going on his account +to the country from whence he came.</p> +<p>I saw him the morning after his arrival at St. Germains, and +he received me with open arms. I had been, as soon as we +heard of his return, to acquaint the French Court with it. +They were not a little uneasy; and the first thing which the M. +d’Huxelles said to me upon it was that the Chevalier ought +to proceed to Bar with all the diligence possible, and to take +possession of his former asylum before the Duke of Lorraine had +time to desire him to look out for a residence somewhere +else. Nothing more was meant by this proposal than to get +him out of the dominions of France immediately. I was not +in my mind averse to it for other reasons. Nothing could be +more disadvantageous to him than to be obliged to pass the Alps, +or to reside in the Papal territory on this side of them. +Avignon was already named for his retreat in common conversation, +and I know not whether from the time he left Scotland he ever +thought of any other. I imagined that by surprising the +Duke of Lorraine we should furnish that Prince with an excuse to +the King and to the Emperor; that we might draw the matter into +length, and gain time to negotiate some other retreat than that +of Avignon for the Chevalier. The duke’s goodwill +there was no room to doubt of, and by what the Prince of +Vaudemont told me at Paris some time afterwards I am apt to think +we should have succeeded. In all events, it could not be +wrong to try every measure, and the Pretender would have gone to +Avignon with much better grace when he had done, in the sight of +the world, all he could to avoid it.</p> +<p>I found him in no disposition to make such haste; he had a +mind, on the contrary, to stay some time at St. Germains, and in +the neighbourhood of Paris, and to have a private meeting with +the Regent. He sent me back to Paris to solicit this +meeting. I wrote, I spoke, to the Marshal d’Huxelles; +I did my best to serve him in his own way. The Marshal +answered me by word of mouth and by letter; he refused me by +both. I remember he added this circumstance: that he found +the Regent in bed, and acquainted him with what the Chevalier +desired; that the Regent rose up in a passion, said that the +things which were asked were puerilities, and swore that he would +not see him. I returned without having been able to succeed +in my commission; and I confess I thought the want of success on +this occasion no great misfortune.</p> +<p>It was two or three o’clock on the Sunday or Monday +morning when I parted from the Pretender. He acquiesced in +the determination of the Regent, and declared that he would +instantly set out for Lorraine; his trunks were packed, his +chaise was ordered to be at the door at five, and I sent to Paris +to acquaint the Minister that he was gone. He asked me how +soon I should be able to follow him, gave me commissions for some +things which he desired I should bring after him, and, in a word, +no Italian ever embraced the man he was going to stab with +greater show of affection and confidence.</p> +<p>Instead of taking post for Lorraine he went to the little +house in the Bois de Boulogne where his female Ministers resided; +and there he continued lurking for several days, and pleasing +himself with the air of mystery and business, whilst the only +real business which he should have had at that time lay +neglected. He saw the Spanish and Swedish Ministers in this +place. I cannot tell, for I never thought it worth asking, +whether he saw the Duke of Orleans; possibly he might. To +have been teased into such a step, which signified nothing, and +which gave the cabal an air of credit and importance, is +agreeable enough to the levity of his Royal Highness’s +character.</p> +<p>The Thursday following, the Duke of Ormond came to see me, and +after the compliment of telling me that he believed I should be +surprised at the message he brought, he put into my hands a note +to himself and a little scrip of paper directed to me, and drawn +in the style of a justice of peace’s warrant. They +were both in the Chevalier’s handwriting, and they were +dated on the Tuesday, in order to make me believe that they had +been written on the road and sent back to the duke; his Grace +dropped in our conversation with great dexterity all the +insinuations proper to confirm me in this opinion. I knew +at this time his master was not gone, so that he gave me two very +risible scenes, which are frequently to be met with when some +people meddle in business; I mean that of seeing a man labour +with a great deal of awkward artifice to make a secret of a +nothing, and that of seeing yourself taken for a bubble when you +know as much of the matter as he who thinks that he imposes on +you.</p> +<p>I cannot recollect precisely the terms of the two +papers. I remember that the kingly laconic style of one of +them, and the expression of having no further occasion for my +service, made me smile. The other was an order to give up +the papers in my office, all which might have been contained in a +letter-case of a moderate size. I gave the duke the Seals +and some papers which I could readily come at. Some +others—and, indeed, all such as I had not destroyed—I +sent afterwards to the Chevalier; and I took care to convey to +him by a safe hand several of his letters which it would have +been very improper the duke should have seen. I am +surprised that he did not reflect on the consequence of my +obeying his order literally. It depended on me to have +shown his general what an opinion the Chevalier had of his +capacity. I scorned the trick, and would not appear piqued +when I was far from being angry. As I gave up without +scruple all the papers which remained in my hands, because I was +determined never to make use of them, so I confess to you that I +took a sort of pride in never asking for those of mine which were +in the Pretender’s hands; I contented myself with making +the duke understand how little need there was to get rid of a man +in this manner who had made the bargain which I had done at my +engagement, and with taking this first opportunity to declare +that I would never more have to do with the Pretender or his +cause.</p> +<p>That I might avoid being questioned and quoted in the most +curious and the most babbling town in the world, I related what +had passed to three or four of my friends, and hardly stirred +abroad during a fortnight out of a little lodging which very few +people knew of. At the end of this term the Marshal of +Berwick came to see me, and asked me what I meant to confine +myself to my chamber when my name was trumpeted about in all the +companies of Paris, and the most infamous stories were spread +concerning me. This was the first notice I had, and it was +soon followed by others. I appeared immediately in the +world, and found there was hardly a scurrilous tongue which had +not been let loose on my subject; and that those persons whom the +Duke of Ormond and Earl of Mar must influence, or might silence, +were the loudest in defaming me.</p> +<p>Particular instances wherein I had failed were cited; and as +it was the fashion for every Jacobite to affect being in the +secret, you might have found a multitude of vouchers to facts +which, if they had been true, could in the nature of them be +known to very few persons.</p> +<p>This method of beating down the reputation of a man by noise +and impudence imposed on the world at first, convinced people who +were not acquainted with me, and staggered even my friends. +But it ceased in a few days to have any effect against me. +The malice was too gross to pass upon reflection. These +stories died away almost as fast as they were published, for this +very reason, because they were particular.</p> +<p>They gave out, for instance, that I had taken to my own use a +very great sum of the Chevalier’s money, when it was +notorious that I had spent a great sum of my own in his service, +and never would be obliged to him for a farthing, in which case, +I believe, I was single. Upon this head it was easy to +appeal to a very honest gentleman, the Queen’s Treasurer at +St. Germains, through whose hands, and not through mine, went the +very little money which the Chevalier had.</p> +<p>They gave out that whilst he was in Scotland he never heard +from me, though it was notorious that I sent him no less than +five expresses during the six weeks which he consumed in this +expedition. It was easy, on this head, to appeal to the +persons to whom my despatches had been committed.</p> +<p>These lies, and many others of the same sort, which were +founded on particular facts, were disproved by particular facts, +and had not time—at least at Paris—to make any +impression. But the principal crime with which they charged +me then, and the only one which since that time they have +insisted upon, is of another nature. This part of their +accusation is general, and it cannot be refuted without doing +what I have done above, deducing several facts, comparing these +facts together, and reasoning upon them; nay, that which is worse +is, that it cannot be fully refuted without the mention of some +facts which, in my present circumstances, it would not be very +prudent, though I should think it very lawful, for me to +divulge. You see that I mean the starving the war in +Scotland, which it is pretended might have been supported, and +might have succeeded, too, if I had procured the succours which +were asked—nay, if I had sent a little powder. This +the Jacobites who affect moderation and candour shrug their +shoulders at: they are sorry for it, but Lord Bolingbroke can +never wash himself clean of this guilt; for these succours might +have been obtained, and a proof that they might is that they were +so by others. These people leave the cause of this +mismanagement doubtful between my treachery and my want of +capacity. The Pretender, with all the false charity and +real malice of one who sets up for devotion, attributes all his +misfortunes to my negligence.</p> +<p>The letters which were written by my secretary, above a year +ago, into England; the marginal notes which have been made since +to the letter from Avignon; and what is said above, have set this +affair in so clear a light, that whoever examines, with a fair +intention, must feel the truth, and be convinced by it. I +cannot, however, forbear to make some observations on the same +subject here. It is even necessary that I should do so, in +the design of making this discourse the foundation of my +justification to the Tories at present, and to the whole world in +time.</p> +<p>There is nothing which my enemies apprehend so much as my +justification: and they have reason. But they may comfort +themselves with this reflection—that it will be a +misfortune which will accompany me to my grave, that I suffered a +chain of accidents to draw me into such measures and such +company; that I have been obliged to defend myself against such +accusations and such accusers; that by associating with so much +folly and so much knavery I am become the victim of both; that I +was distressed by the former, when the latter would have been +less grievous to me, since it is much better in business to be +yoked to knaves than fools; and that I put into their hands the +means of loading me, like the scape-goat, with all the evil +consequences of their folly.</p> +<p>In the first letters which I received from the Earl of Mar he +wrote for arms, for ammunition, for money, for officers, and all +things frankly, as if these things had been ready, and I had +engaged to supply him with them, before he set up the standard at +the Brae of Mar; whereas our condition could not be unknown to +his lordship; and you have seen that I did all I could to prevent +his reckoning on any assistance from hence. As our hopes at +this Court decreased, his lordship rose in his demands; and at +the time when it was visible that the Regent intended nothing +less than even privately and indirectly to support the Scotch, +the Pretender and the Earl of Mar wrote for regular forces and a +train of artillery, which was in effect to insist that France +should enter into a war for them. I might, in answer to the +first instances, have asked Lord Mar what he did in Scotland, and +what he meant by drawing his countrymen into a war at this time, +or at least upon this foot? He who had dictated not long +before a memorial wherein it was asserted that to have a prospect +of succeeding in this enterprise there must be a universal +insurrection, and that such an insurrection was in no sort +probable, unless a body of troops was brought to support +it? He who thought that the consequence of failing, when +the attempt was once made, must be the utter ruin of the cause +and the loss of the British liberty? He who concurred in +demanding as a <i>pis-aller</i>, and the least which could be +insisted on, arms, ammunition, artillery, money, and +officers? I say, I might have asked what he meant to begin +the dance when he had not the least assurance of any succour, +but, on the contrary, the greatest reason imaginable to believe +this affair was become as desperate abroad by the death of the +most Christian King as it was at home by the discovery of the +design and by the measures taken to defeat it?</p> +<p>Instead of acting this part, which would have been wise, I +took that which was plausible. I resolved to contribute all +I could to support the business, since it was begun. I +encouraged his lordship as long as I had the least ground for +doing so, and I confirmed the Pretender in his resolution of +going to Scotland when he had nothing better left him to +do. If I have anything to reproach myself with in the whole +progress of the war in Scotland, it is having encouraged Lord Mar +too long. But, on the other hand, if I had given up the +cause, and had written despondingly to him before this Court had +explained itself as fully as the Marshal d’Huxelles did in +the conversation which is mentioned above, it is easy to see what +turn would have been given to such a conduct.</p> +<p>The true cause of all the misfortunes which happened to the +Scotch and to those who took arms in the North of England lies +here—that they rose without any previous certainty of +foreign help, in direct contradiction to the scheme which their +leaders themselves had formed. The excuse which I have +heard made for this is that the Act of Parliament for curbing the +Highlanders was near to be put in execution; that they would have +been disarmed, and entirely disabled from rising at any other +time, if they had not rose at this. You can judge better +than I of the validity of this excuse. It seems to me that +by management they might have gained time, and that even when +they had been reduced to the dilemma supposed, they ought to have +got together under pretence of resisting the infractions of the +Union without any mention of the Pretender, and have treated with +the Government on this foot. By these means they might +probably have preserved themselves in a condition of avowing +their design when they should be sure of being backed from +abroad. At the worst, they might have declared for the +Chevalier when all other expedients failed them. In a word, +I take this excuse not to be very good, and the true reason of +this conduct to have been the rashness of the people and the +inconsistent measures of their head.</p> +<p>But admitting the excuse to be valid, it remains still an +undeniable truth that this is the original fountain from whence +all those waters of bitterness flowed which so many unhappy +people have drunk of. I have said already that the +necessity of acting was precipitated before any measures to act +with success had been taken, and that the necessity of doing so +seemed to increase as the means of doing so were taken +away. To whom is this to be ascribed? Is it to be +ascribed to me, who had no share in these affairs till a few +weeks before the Duke of Ormond was forced to abandon England, +and the discovery of the intended invasion was published to +Parliament and to the world? or is it to be ascribed to those who +had from the first been at the head of this undertaking?</p> +<p>Unable to defend this point, the next resort of the Jacobites +is to this impudent and absurd affirmation—that, +notwithstanding the disadvantages under which they took arms, +they should have succeeded if the indirect assistances which were +asked from France had been obtained. Nay, that they should +have been able to defend the Highlands if I had sent them a +little powder. Is it possible that a man should be wounded +with such blunt weapons? Much more than powder was asked +for from the first, and I have already said that when the +Chevalier came into Scotland, regular troops, artillery, etc., +were demanded. Both he and the Earl of Mar judged it +impossible to stand their ground without such assistance as +these. How scandalous, then, must it be deemed that they +suffer their dependents to spread in the world that for want of a +little powder I forced them to abandon Scotland! The Earl +of Mar knows that all the powder in France would not have enabled +him to stay at Perth as long as he did if he had not had another +security. And when that failed him, he must have quitted +the party, if the Regent had given us all that he made some of us +expect.</p> +<p>But to finish all that I intend to say on a subject which has +tired me, and perhaps you; the Jacobites affirm that the indirect +assistances which they desired, might have been obtained; and I +confess that I am inexcusable if this fact be true. To +prove it, they appeal to the little politicians of whom I have +spoken so often. I affirm, on the contrary, that nothing +could be obtained here to support the Scotch or to encourage the +English. To prove the assertion, I appeal to the Ministers +with whom I negotiated, and to the Regent himself, who, whatever +language he may hold in private with other people, cannot +controvert with me the truth of what I advance. He excluded +me formerly, that he might the more easily avoid doing anything; +and perhaps he has blamed me since, that he might excuse his +doing nothing. All this may be true, and yet it will remain +true that he would never have been prevailed upon to act directly +against his interest in the only point of view which he +has—I mean, the crown of France—and against the +unanimous sense of all his Ministers. Suppose that in the +time of the late Queen, when she had the peace in view, a party +in France had implored her assistance, and had applied to Margery +Fielding, to Israel, to my Lady Oglethorpe, to Dr. Battle, and +Lieutenant-General Stewart, what success do you imagine such +applications would have had? The Queen would have spoke +them fair—she would speak otherwise to nobody; but do you +imagine she would have made one step in their favour? Olive +Trant, Magny, Mademoiselle Chaussery, a dirty Abbé +Brigault, and Mr. Dillon, are characters very apposite to +these. And what I suppose to have passed in England is not +a whit more ridiculous than what really passed here.</p> +<p>I say nothing of the ships which the Jacobites pretend that +they sent into Scotland three weeks or a month after the +Pretender was returned. I believe they might have had my +Lord Stair’s connivance then, as well as the +Regent’s. I say nothing of the order which they +pretend to have obtained, and which I never saw, for the stores +that were seized at Havre to be delivered to Castel Blanco. +I have already said enough on this head, and you cannot have +failed to observe that this signal favour was never obtained by +these people till the Marshal d’Huxelles had owned to me +that nothing was to be expected from France, and that the only +thing which I could do was to endeavour to bring the Pretender, +the Earl of Mar, and the principal persons who were most exposed, +off, neither he nor I imagining that any such would be left +behind.</p> +<p>When I began to appear in the world, upon the advertisements +which my friends gave me of the clamour that was raised against +me, you will easily think I did not enter into so many +particulars as I have done with you. I said even less than +you have seen in those letters which Brinsden wrote into England +in March and April was twelvemonth, and yet the clamour sank +immediately. The people of consideration at this Court beat +it down, and the Court of St. Germains grew so ashamed of it that +the Queen thought fit to purge herself of having had any share in +encouraging the discourses which were held against me, or having +been so much as let into the secret of the measure which preceded +them. The provocation was great, but I resolved to act +without passion. I saw the advantage the Pretender and his +council, who disposed of things better for me than I should have +done for myself, had given me; but I saw likewise that I must +improve this advantage with the utmost caution.</p> +<p>As I never imagined that he would treat me in the manner he +did, nor that his Ministers could be weak enough to advise him to +it, I had resolved, on his return from Scotland, to follow him +till his residence should be fixed somewhere or other. +After which, having served the Tories in this which I looked upon +as their last struggle for power, and having continued to act in +the Pretender’s affairs till the end of the term for which +I embarked with him, I should have esteemed myself to be at +liberty, and should in the civillest manner I was able have taken +my leave of him. Had we parted thus, I should have remained +in a very strange situation during the rest of my life; but I had +examined myself thoroughly, I was determined, I was prepared.</p> +<p>On one side he would have thought that he had a sort of right +on any future occasion to call me out of my retreat; the Tories +would probably have thought the same thing: my resolution was +taken to refuse them both, and I foresaw that both would condemn +me. On the other side, the consideration of his keeping +measures with me, joined to that of having once openly declared +for him, would have created a point of honour by which I should +have been tied down, not only from ever engaging against him, but +also from making my peace at home. The Chevalier cut this +gordian knot asunder at one blow. He broke the links of +that chain which former engagements had fastened on me, and gave +me a right to esteem myself as free from all obligations of +keeping measures with him as I should have continued if I had +never engaged in his interest. I took therefore, from that +moment, the resolution of making my peace at home, and of +employing all the unfortunate experience I had acquired abroad to +undeceive my friends and to promote the union and the quiet of my +country.</p> +<p>The Earl of Stair had received a full power to treat with me +whilst I was engaged with the Pretender, as I have been since +informed. He had done me the justice to believe me +incapable to hearken, in such circumstances, to any proposals of +that kind; and as much friendship as he had for me, as much as I +had for him, we entertained not the least even indirect +correspondence together during that whole time. Soon +afterwards he employed a person to communicate to me the +disposition of his Majesty to grant me my pardon, and his own +desire to give me, on this occasion, all the proofs he could of +his inclination in my favour. I embraced the offer, as it +became me to do, with all possible sense of the King’s +goodness, and of his lordship’s friendship. We met, +we talked together, and he wrote to the Court on the +subject. The turn which the Ministers gave to this matter +was, to enter into a treaty to reverse my attainder, and to +stipulate the conditions on which this act of grace should be +granted me.</p> +<p>The notion of a treaty shocked me. I resolved never to +be restored rather than go that way to work; and I opened myself +without any reserve to Lord Stair. I told him that I looked +on myself to be obliged in honour and in conscience to undeceive +my friends in England, both as to the state of foreign affairs, +as to the management of the Jacobite interest abroad, and as to +the characters of persons—in every one of which points I +knew them to be most grossly and most dangerously deluded; that +the treatment I had received from the Pretender and his adherents +would justify me to the world in doing this; that if I remained +in exile all my life, he might be assured that I would never more +have to do with the Jacobite cause; and that if I was restored, I +should give it an effectual blow, in making that apology which +the Pretender has put me under a necessity of making: that in +doing this I flattered myself that I should contribute something +to the establishment of the King’s Government, and to the +union of his subjects; but that this was all the merit which I +could promise to have; that if the Court believed these +professions to be sincere, a treaty with me was unnecessary for +them; and that if they did not believe them so, a treaty with +them was dangerous for me; that I was determined in this whole +transaction to make no one step which I would not own in the face +of the world; that in other circumstances it might be sufficient +to act honestly, but that in a case as extraordinary as mine it +was necessary to act clearly, and to leave no room for the least +doubtful construction.</p> +<p>The Earl of Stair, as well as Mr. Craggs, who arrived soon +after in France, came into my sense. I have reason to +believe that the King has approved it likewise upon their +representations, since he has been pleased to give me the most +gracious assurances of his favour. What the effect of all +this may be in the next or in any other Session, I know not; but +this is the foot on which I have put myself, and on which I stand +at the moment I write to you. The Whigs may continue +inveterate, and by consequence frustrate his Majesty’s good +intentions towards me; the Tories may continue to rail at me, on +the credit of such enemies as I have described to you in the +course of this relation: neither the one nor the other shall make +me swerve out of the path which I have traced to myself.</p> +<p>I have now led you through the several stages which I proposed +at first; and I should do wrong to your good understanding, as +well as to our mutual friendship, if I suspected that you could +hold any other language to me than that which Dolabella uses to +Cicero: “Satisfactum est jam a te vel officio vel +familiaritati; satisfactum etiam partibus.” The King, +who pardons me, might complain of me; the Whigs might declaim +against me; my family might reproach me for the little regard +which I have shown to my own and to their interests; but where is +the crime I have been guilty of towards my party and towards my +friends? In what part of my conduct will the Tories find an +excuse for the treatment which they have given me? As +Tories such as they were when I left England, I defy them to find +any. But here lies the sore, and, tender as it is, I must +lay it open. Those amongst them who rail at me now are +changed from what they were, or from what they professed +themselves to be, when we lived and acted together. They +were Tories then; they are Jacobites now. Their objections +to the course of my conduct whilst I was in the Pretender’s +interest are the pretence; the true reason of their anger is, +that I renounce the Pretender for my life. When you were +first driven into this interest, I may appeal to you for the +notion which the party had. You thought of restoring him by +the strength of the Tories, and of opposing a Tory king to a Whig +king. You took him up as the instrument of your revenge and +of your ambition. You looked on him as your creature, and +never once doubted of making what terms you pleased with +him. This is so true that the same language is still held +to the catechumens in Jacobitism. Were the contrary to be +avowed even now, the party in England would soon diminish. +I engaged on this principle when your orders sent me to Commercy, +and I never acted on any other. This ought to have been +part of my merit towards the Tories; and it would have been so if +they had continued in the same dispositions. But they are +changed, and this very thing is become my crime. Instead of +making the Pretender their tool, they are his. Instead of +having in view to restore him on their own terms, they are +labouring to do it without any terms; that is, to speak properly, +they are ready to receive him on his. Be not deceived: +there is not a man on this side of the water who acts in any +other manner. The Church of England Jacobite and the Irish +Papist seem in every respect to have the same cause. Those +on your side of the water who correspond with these are to be +comprehended in the same class; and from hence it is that the +clamour raised against me has been kept up with so much industry, +and is redoubled on the least appearance of my return home, and +of my being in a situation to justify myself.</p> +<p>You have seen already what reasons the Pretender, and the +several sorts of people who compose his party here, had to get +rid of me, and to cover me to the utmost of their power with +infamy. Their views were as short in this case as they are +in all others. They did not see at first that this conduct +would not only give me a right, but put me under a necessity of +keeping no farther measures with them, and of laying the whole +mystery of their iniquity open. As soon as they discovered +this, they took the only course which was left them—that of +poisoning the minds of the Tories, and of creating such +prejudices against me whilst I remained in a condition of not +speaking for myself, as will they hope prevent the effect of +whatever I may say when I am in a condition of pleading my own +cause. The bare apprehension that I shall show the world +that I have been guilty of no crime renders me criminal among +these men; and they hold themselves ready, being unable to reply +either in point of fact or in point of reason, to drown my voice +in the confusion of their clamour.</p> +<p>The only crimes I am guilty of, I own. I own the crime +of having been for the Pretender in a very different manner from +those with whom I acted. I served him as faithfully, I +served him as well as they; but I served him on a different +principle. I own the crime of having renounced him, and of +being resolved never to have to do with him as long as I +live. I own the crime of being determined sooner or later, +as soon as I can, to clear myself of all the unjust aspersions +which have been cast upon me; to undeceive by my experience as +many as I can of those Tories who may have been drawn into error; +and to contribute, if ever I return home, as far as I am able, to +promote the national good of Britain without any other +regard. These crimes do not, I hope, by this time appear to +you to be of a very black dye. You may come, perhaps, to +think them virtues, when you have read and considered what +remains to be said; for before I conclude, it is necessary that I +open one matter to you which I could not weave in sooner without +breaking too much the thread of my narration. In this +place, unmingled with anything else, it will have, as it deserves +to have, your whole attention.</p> +<p>Whoever composed that curious piece of false fact, false +argument, false English, and false eloquence, the letter from +Avignon, says that I was not thought the most proper person to +speak about religion. I confess I should be of his mind, +and should include his patrons in my case, if the practice of it +was to be recommended; for surely it is unpardonable impudence to +impose by precept what we do not teach by example. I should +be of the same mind, if the nature of religion was to be +explained, if its mysteries were to be fathomed, and if this +great truth was to be established—that the Church of +England has the advantage over all other Churches in purity of +doctrine, and in wisdom of discipline. But nothing of this +kind was necessary. This would have been the task of +reverend and learned divines. We of the laity had nothing +more to do than to lay in our claim that we could never submit to +be governed by a Prince who was not of the religion of our +country. Such a declaration could hardly have failed of +some effect towards opening the eyes and disposing the mind even +of the Pretender. At least, in justice to ourselves, and in +justice to our party, we who were here ought to have made it; and +the influence of it on the Pretender ought to have become the +rule of our subsequent conduct.</p> +<p>In thinking in this manner I think no otherwise now than I +have always thought; and I cannot forget, nor you neither, what +passed when, a little before the death of the Queen, letters were +conveyed from the Chevalier to several persons—to myself +among others. In the letter to me the article of religion +was so awkwardly handled that he made the principal motive of the +confidence we ought to have in him to consist in his firm +resolution to adhere to Popery. The effect which this +epistle had on me was the same which it had on those Tories to +whom I communicated it at that time; it made us resolve to have +nothing to do with him.</p> +<p>Some time after this I was assured by several, and I make no +doubt but others have been so too, that the Chevalier at the +bottom was not a bigot; that whilst he remained abroad and could +expect no succour, either present or future, from any Princes but +those of the Roman Catholic Communion, it was prudent, whatever +he might think, to make no demonstration of a design to change; +but that his temper was such, and he was already so disposed, +that we might depend on his compliance with what should be +desired of him if ever he came amongst us, and was taken from +under the wing of the Queen his mother. To strengthen this +opinion of his character, it was said that he had sent for Mr. +Leslie over; that he allowed him to celebrate the Church of +England service in his family; and that he had promised to hear +what this divine should represent on the subject of religion to +him. When I came abroad, the same things, and much more, +were at first insinuated to me; and I began to let them make +impression upon me, notwithstanding what I had seen under his +hand. I would willingly flatter myself that this impression +disposed me to incline to Jacobitism rather than allow that the +inclination to Jacobitism disposed me easily to believe what, +upon that principle, I had so much reason to wish might be +true. Which was the cause, and which the effect, I cannot +well determine: perhaps they did mutually occasion each +other. Thus much is certain—that I was far from +weighing this matter as I ought to have done when the +solicitation of my friends and the persecution of my enemies +precipitated me into engagements with the Pretender.</p> +<p>I was willing to take it for granted that since you were as +ready to declare as I believed you at that time, you must have +had entire satisfaction on the article of religion. I was +soon undeceived; this string had never been touched. My own +observation, and the unanimous report of all those who from his +infancy have approached the Pretender’s person, soon taught +me how difficult it is to come to terms with him on this head, +and how unsafe to embark without them.</p> +<p>His religion is not founded on the love of virtue and the +detestation of vice; on a sense of that obedience which is due to +the will of the Supreme Being, and a sense of those obligations +which creatures formed to live in a mutual dependence on one +another lie under. The spring of his whole conduct is +fear. Fear of the horns of the devil and of the flames of +hell. He has been taught to believe that nothing but a +blind submission to the Church of Rome and a strict adherence to +all the terms of that communion can save him from these +dangers. He has all the superstition of a Capuchin, but I +found on him no tincture of the religion of a prince. Do +not imagine that I loose the reins to my imagination, or that I +write what my resentments dictate: I tell you simply my +opinion. I have heard the same description of his character +made by those who know him best, and I conversed with very few +among the Roman Catholics themselves who did not think him too +much a Papist.</p> +<p>Nothing gave me from the beginning so much uneasiness as the +consideration of this part of his character, and of the little +care which had been taken to correct it. A true turn had +not been given to the first steps which were made with him. +The Tories who engaged afterwards, threw themselves, as it were, +at his head. He had been suffered to think that the party +in England wanted him as much as he wanted them. There was +no room to hope for much compliance on the head of religion when +he was in these sentiments, and when he thought the Tories too +far advanced to have it in their power to retreat; and little +dependence was at any time to be placed on the promises of a man +capable of thinking his damnation attached to the observance, and +his salvation to the breach, of these very promises. +Something, however, was to be done, and I thought that the least +which could be done was to deal plainly with him, and to show him +the impossibility of governing our nation by any other expedient +than by complying with that which would be expected from him as +to his religion. This was thought too much by the Duke of +Ormond and Mr. Leslie; although the duke could be no more +ignorant than the minister how ill the latter had been used, how +far the Chevalier had been from keeping the word which he had +given, and on the faith of which Mr. Leslie had come over to +him. They both knew that he not only refused to hear +himself, but that he sheltered the ignorance of his priests, or +the badness of his cause, or both, behind his authority, and +absolutely forbade all discourse concerning religion. The +duke seemed convinced that it would be time enough to talk of +religion to him when he should be restored, or, at soonest, when +he should be landed in England; that the influence under which he +had lived being at a distance, the reasonableness of what we +might propose, joined to the apparent necessity which would then +stare him in the face, could not fail to produce all the effects +which we could desire.</p> +<p>To me this whole reasoning appeared fallacious. Our +business was not to make him change appearances on this side of +the water, but to prepare him to give those which would be +necessary on the other; and there was no room to hope that if we +could gain nothing on his prejudices here, we should be able to +overcome them in Britain. I would have argued just as the +Duke of Ormond and Leslie if I had been a Papist; and I saw well +enough that some people about him, for in a great dearth of +ability there was cunning to be met with, affected nothing more +than to keep off all discourse of religion. To my +apprehension it was exceeding plain that we should find, if we +were once in England, the necessity of going forward at any rate +with him much greater than he would find that of complying with +us. I thought it an unpardonable fault to have taken a +formal engagement with him, when no previous satisfaction had +been obtained on a point at least as essential to our civil as to +our religious rights; to the peace of the State as to the +prosperity of the Church; and I looked on this fault to be +aggravated by every day’s delay. Our silence was +unfair both to the Chevalier and to our friends in England. +He was induced by it to believe that they would exact far less +from him than we knew they expected, and they were confirmed in +an opinion of his docility, which we knew to be void of all +foundation. The pretence of removing that influence under +which he had lived was frivolous, and should never have been +urged to me, who saw plainly that, according to the measures +pursued by the very persons who urged it, he must be environed in +England by the same people that surrounded him here; and that the +Court of St. James’s would be constituted, if ever he was +restored, in the same manner as that of St. Germains was.</p> +<p>When the draft of a declaration and other papers which were to +be dispersed in Great Britain came to be settled, it appeared +that my apprehension and distrust were but too well +founded. The Pretender took exception against several +passages, and particularly against those wherein a direct promise +of securing the Churches of England and Ireland was made. +He was told, he said, that he could not in conscience make such a +promise, and, the debate being kept up a little while, he asked +me with some warmth why the Tories were so desirous to have him +if they expected those things from him which his religion did not +allow. I left these drafts, by his order, with him, that he +might consider and amend them. I cannot say that he sent +them to the Queen to be corrected by her confessor and the rest +of her council, but I firmly believe it. Sure I am that he +took time sufficient to do this before he sent them from Bar, +where he then was, to Paris, whither I was returned. When +they were digested in such a manner as satisfied his casuists he +made them be printed, and my name was put to the declaration, as +if the original had been signed by me. I had hitherto +submitted my opinion to the judgment of others, but on this +occasion I took advice from myself. I declared to him that +I would not suffer my name to be at the bottom of this +paper. All the copies which came to my hands I burnt, and +another was printed off without any countersigning.</p> +<p>The whole tenor of the amendments was one continued instance +of the grossest bigotry, and the most material passages were +turned with all the Jesuitical prevarication imaginable. As +much as it was his interest at that time to cultivate the respect +which many of the Tories really had for the memory of the late +Queen, and which many others affected as a farther mark of their +opposition to the Court and to the Whig party; as much as it was +his interest to weave the honour of her name into his cause, and +to render her, even after her death, a party to the dispute, he +could not be prevailed upon to give her that character which her +enemies allowed her, nor to make use of those expressions, in +speaking of her, which, by the general manner of their +application, are come to be little more than terms of respect and +words of form proper in the style of public acts. For +instance:—</p> +<p>She was called in the original draft “his sister of +glorious and blessed memory.” In that which he +published, the epithet of “blessed” was left +out. Her eminent justice and her exemplary piety were +occasionally mentioned; in lieu of which he substituted a flat, +and, in this case, an invidious expression, “her +inclinations to justice.”</p> +<p>Not content with declaring her neither just nor pious in this +world he did little less than declare her damned in the other, +according to the charitable principles of the Church of Rome.</p> +<p>“When it pleased Almighty God to take her to +Himself,” was the expression used in speaking of the death +of the Queen. This he erased, and instead thereof inserted +these words: “When it pleased Almighty God to put a period +to her life.”</p> +<p>He graciously allowed the Universities to be nurseries of +loyalty; but did not think that it became him to style them +“nurseries of religion.”</p> +<p>Since his father passes already for a saint, and since reports +are encouraged of miracles which they suppose to be wrought at +his tomb, he might have allowed his grandfather to pass for a +martyr; but he struck out of the draft these words, “that +blessed martyr who died for his people,” which were applied +to King Charles I., and would say nothing more of him than that +“he fell a sacrifice to rebellion.”</p> +<p>In the clause which related to the Churches of England and +Ireland there was a plain and direct promise inserted of +“effectual provision for their security, and for their +re-establishment in all those rights which belong to +them.” This clause was not suffered to stand, but +another was formed, wherein all mention of the Church of Ireland +was omitted, and nothing was promised to the Church of England +but the security, and “re-establishment of all those +rights, privileges, immunities, and possessions which belong to +her,” and wherein he had already promised by his +declaration of the 20th of July, to secure and “protect all +her members.”</p> +<p>I need make no comment on a proceeding so easy to be +understood. The drift of these evasions, and of this +affected obscurity, is obvious enough—at least, it will +appear so by the observations which remain to be made.</p> +<p>He was so afraid of admitting any words which might be +construed into a promise of his consenting to those things which +should be found necessary for the present or future security of +our constitution, that in a paragraph where he was made to say +that he thought himself obliged to be solicitous for the +prosperity of the Church of England, the word prosperity was +expunged, and we were left by this mental reservation to guess +what he was solicitous for. It could not be for her +prosperity: that he had expunged. It must therefore be for +her destruction, which in his language would have been styled her +conversion.</p> +<p>Another remarkable proof of the same kind is to be found +towards the conclusion of the declaration. After having +spoken of the peace and flourishing estate of the kingdom, he was +made to express his readiness to concert with the two Houses such +further measures as should be thought necessary for securing the +same to future generations. The design of this paragraph +you see. He and his council saw it too, and therefore the +word “securing” was laid aside, and the word +“leaving” was inserted in lieu of it.</p> +<p>One would imagine that a declaration corrected in this manner +might have been suffered to go abroad without any farther +precaution. But these papers had been penned by +Protestants; and who could answer that there might not be still +ground sufficient from the tenor of them to insist on everything +necessary for the security of that religion? The +declaration of the 20th of July had been penned by a priest of +the Scotch college, and the expressions had been measured so as +to suit perfectly with the conduct which the Chevalier intended +to hold; so as to leave room to distinguish him, upon future +occasions, with the help of a little pious sophistry, out of all +the engagements which he seemed to take in it. This +orthodox paper was therefore to accompany the heretical paper +into the world, and no promise of moment was to stand in the +latter, unless qualified by a reference to the former. Thus +the Church was to be secured in the rights, etc., which belong to +her. How? No otherwise than according to the +declaration of the month of July. And what does that +promise? Security and protection to the members of this +Church in the enjoyment of their property. I make no doubt +but Bellarmine, if he had been the Chevalier’s confessor, +would have passed this paragraph thus amended. No +engagement whatever taken in favour of the Church of Ireland, and +a happy distinction found between securing that of England, and +protecting her members. Many a useful project for the +destruction of heretics, and for accumulating power and riches to +the See of Rome, has been established on a more slender +foundation.</p> +<p>The same spirit reigns through the whole. Civil and +religious rights are no otherwise to be confirmed than in +conformity to the declaration of July; nay, the general pardon is +restrained and limited to the terms prescribed therein.</p> +<p>This is the account which I judged too important to be +omitted, and which I chose to give you all together. I +shall surely be justified at present in concluding that the +Tories are grossly deluded in their opinion of this +Prince’s character, or else that they sacrifice all which +ought to be esteemed precious and sacred among men to their +passions. In both these cases I remain still a Tory, and am +true to the party. In the first, I endeavour to undeceive +you by an experience purchased at my expense and for your sakes: +in the second, I endeavour to prevail on you to revert to that +principle from which we have deviated. You never intended, +whilst I lived amongst you, the ruin of your country; and yet +every step which you now make towards the restoration you are so +fond of, is a step towards this ruin. No man of sense, well +informed, can ever go into measures for it, unless he thinks +himself and his country in such desperate circumstances that +nothing is left them but to choose of two ruins that which they +like best.</p> +<p>The exile of the royal family, under Cromwell’s +usurpation, was the principal cause of all those misfortunes in +which Britain has been involved, as well as of many of those +which have happened to the rest of Europe, during more than half +a century.</p> +<p>The two brothers, Charles and James, became then infected with +Popery to such degrees as their different characters admitted +of. Charles had parts, and his good understanding served as +an antidote to repel the poison. James, the simplest man of +his time, drank off the whole chalice. The poison met in +his composition with all the fear, all the credulity, and all the +obstinacy of temper proper to increase its virulence and to +strengthen its effect. The first had always a wrong bias +upon him; he connived at the establishment, and indirectly +contributed to the growth, of that power which afterwards +disturbed the peace and threatened the liberty of Europe so +often; but he went no further out of the way. The +opposition of his Parliaments and his own reflections stopped him +here. The Prince and the people were, indeed, mutually +jealous of one another, from whence much present disorder flowed, +and the foundation of future evils was laid; but his good and his +bad principles combating still together, he maintained, during a +reign of more than twenty years, in some tolerable degree, the +authority of the Crown and the flourishing estate of the +nation. The last, drunk with superstitious and even +enthusiastic zeal, ran headlong into his own ruin whilst he +endeavoured to precipitate ours. His Parliament and his +people did all they could to save themselves by winning +him. But all was vain; he had no principle on which they +could take hold. Even his good qualities worked against +them, and his love of his country went halves with his +bigotry. How he succeeded we have heard from our +fathers. The revolution of 1688 saved the nation and ruined +the King.</p> +<p>Now the Pretender’s education has rendered him +infinitely less fit than his uncle—and at least as unfit as +his father—to be King of Great Britain. Add to this +that there is no resource in his understanding. Men of the +best sense find it hard to overcome religious prejudices, which +are of all the strongest; but he is a slave to the weakest. +The rod hangs like the sword of Damocles over his head, and he +trembles before his mother and his priest. What, in the +name of God, can any member of the Church of England promise +himself from such a character? Are we by another revolution +to return into the same state from which we were delivered by the +first? Let us take example from the Roman Catholics, who +act very reasonably in refusing to submit to a Protestant +Prince. Henry IV. had at least as good a title to the crown +of France as the Pretender has to ours. His religion alone +stood in his way, and he had never been King if he had not +removed that obstacle. Shall we submit to a Popish Prince, +who will no more imitate Henry IV. in changing his religion than +he will imitate those shining qualities which rendered him the +honestest gentleman, the bravest captain, and the greatest prince +of his age? Allow me to give a loose to my pen for a moment +on this subject. General benevolence and universal charity +seem to be established in the Gospel as the distinguishing badges +of Christianity. How it happens I cannot tell; but so it +is, that in all ages of the Church the professors of Christianity +seem to have been animated by a quite contrary spirit. +Whilst they were thinly scattered over the world, tolerated in +some places, but established nowhere, their zeal often consumed +their charity. Paganism, at that time the religion by law +established, was insulted by many of them; the ceremonies were +disturbed, the altars thrown down. As soon as, by the +favour of Constantine, their numbers were increased, and the +reins of government were put into their hands, they began to +employ the secular arm, not only against different religions, but +against different sects which arose in their own religion. +A man may boldly affirm that more blood has been shed in the +disputes between Christian and Christian than has ever been drawn +from the whole body of them in the persecutions of the heathen +emperors and in the conquests of the Mahometan princes. +From these they have received quarter, but never from one +another. The Christian religion is actually tolerated among +the Mahometans, and the domes of churches and mosques arise in +the same city. But it will be hard to find an example where +one sect of Christians has tolerated another which it was in +their power to extirpate. They have gone farther in these +later ages; what was practised formerly has been taught +since. Persecution has been reduced into system, and the +disciples of the meek and humble Jesus have avowed a tyranny +which the most barbarous conquerors never claimed. The +wicked subtilty of casuists has established breach of faith with +those who differ from us as a duty in opposition to faith, and +murder itself has been made one of the means of salvation. +I know very well that the Reformed Churches have been far from +going those cruel lengths which are authorised by the doctrine as +well as example of that of Rome, though Calvin put a flaming +sword on the title of a French edition of his Institute, with +this motto, “Je ne suis point venu mettre la paix, mais +l’epée;” but I know likewise that the +difference lies in the means and not in the aim of their +policy. The Church of England, the most humane of all of +them, would root out every other religion if it was in her +power. She would not hang and burn; her measures would be +milder, and therefore, perhaps, more effectual.</p> +<p>Since, then, there is this inveterate rancour among +Christians, can anything be more absurd than for those of one +persuasion to trust the supreme power, or any part of it, to +those of another? Particularly must it not be reputed +madness in those of our religion to trust themselves in the hands +of Roman Catholics? Must it not be reputed impudence in a +Roman Catholic to expect that we should? he who looks upon us as +heretics, as men in rebellion against a lawful—nay, a +divine—authority, and whom it is, therefore, meritorious by +all sorts of ways to reduce to obedience? There are many, I +know, amongst them who think more generously, and whose morals +are not corrupted by that which is called religion; but this is +the spirit of the priesthood, in whose scale that scrap of a +parable, “Compel them to come in,” which they apply +as they please, outweighs the whole Decalogue. This will be +the spirit of every man who is bigot enough to be under their +direction; and so much is sufficient for my present purpose.</p> +<p>During your last Session of Parliament it was expected that +the Whigs would attempt to repeal the Occasional Bill. The +same jealousy continues; there is, perhaps, foundation for +it. Give me leave to ask you upon what principle we argued +for making this law, and upon what principle you must argue +against the repeal of it. I have mentioned the principle in +the beginning of this discourse. No man ought to be trusted +with any share of power under a Government who must, to act +consistently with himself, endeavour the destruction of that very +Government. Shall this proposition pass for true when it is +applied to keep a Presbyterian from being mayor of a corporation, +and shall it become false when it is applied to keep a Papist +from being king? The proposition is equally true in both +cases; but the argument drawn from it is just so much stronger in +the latter than in the former case, as the mischiefs which may +result from the power and influence of a king are greater than +those which can be wrought by a magistrate of the lowest +order. This seems to my apprehension to be <i>argumentum ad +hominem</i>, and I do not see by what happy distinction a +Jacobite Tory could elude the force of it.</p> +<p>It may be said, and it has been urged to me, that if the +Chevalier was restored, the knowledge of his character would be +our security; “habet fœnum in cornu;” there +would be no pretence for trusting him, and by consequence it +would be easy to put such restrictions on the exercise of the +regal power as might hinder him from invading or sapping our +religion and liberty. But this I utterly deny. +Experience has shown us how ready men are to court power and +profit, and who can determine how far either the Tories or the +Whigs would comply, in order to secure to themselves the +enjoyment of all the places in the kingdom? Suppose, +however, that a majority of true Israelites should be found, whom +no temptation could oblige to bow the knee to Baal; in order to +preserve the Government on one hand must they not destroy it on +the other? The necessary restrictions would in this case be +so many and so important as to leave hardly the shadow of a +monarchy if he submitted to them; and if he did not submit to +them, these patriots would have no resource left but in +rebellion. Thus, therefore, the affair would turn if the +Pretender was restored. We might, most probably, lose our +religion and liberty by the bigotry of the Prince and the +corruption of the people. We should have no chance of +preserving them but by an entire change of the whole frame of our +Government or by another revolution. What reasonable man +would voluntarily reduce himself to the necessity of making an +option among such melancholy alternatives?</p> +<p>The best which could be hoped for, were the Chevalier on the +throne, would be that a thread of favourable accidents, improved +by the wisdom and virtue of Parliament, might keep off the evil +day during his reign. But still the fatal cause would be +established; it would be entailed upon us, and every man would be +apprised that sooner or later the fatal effect must follow. +Consider a little what a condition we should be in, both with +respect to our foreign interest and our domestic quiet, whilst +the reprieve lasted, whilst the Chevalier or his successors made +no direct attack upon the constitution.</p> +<p>As to the first, it is true, indeed, that princes and States +are friends or foes to one another according as the motives of +ambition drive them. These are the first principles of +union and division amongst them. The Protestant Powers of +Europe have joined, in our days, to support and aggrandise the +House of Austria, as they did in the days of our forefathers to +defeat her designs and to reduce her power; and the most +Christian King of France has more than once joined his councils, +and his arms too, with the councils and arms of the most +Mahometan Emperor of Constantinople. But still there is, +and there must continue, as long as the influence of the Papal +authority subsists in Europe, another general, permanent, and +invariable division of interests. The powers of earth, like +those of heaven, have two distinct motions. Each of them +rolls in his own political orb, but each of them is hurried at +the same time round the great vortex of his religion. If +this general notion be just, apply it to the present case. +Whilst a Roman Catholic holds the rudder, how can we expect to be +steered in our proper course? His political interest will +certainly incline him to direct our first motion right, but his +mistaken religious interest will render him incapable of doing it +steadily.</p> +<p>As to the last, our domestic quiet; even whilst the Chevalier +and those of his race concealed their game, we should remain in +the most unhappy state which human nature is subject to, a state +of doubt and suspense. Our preservation would depend on +making him the object of our eternal jealousy, who, to render +himself and his people happy, ought to be that of our entire +confidence.</p> +<p>Whilst the Pretender and his successors forbore to attack the +religion and liberty of the nation, we should remain in the +condition of those people who labour under a broken constitution, +or who carry about them some chronical distemper. They feel +a little pain at every moment; or a certain uneasiness, which is +sometimes less tolerable than pain, hangs continually on them, +and they languish in the constant expectation of dying perhaps in +the severest torture.</p> +<p>But if the fear of hell should dissipate all other fears in +the Pretender’s mind, and carry him, which is frequently +the effect of that passion, to the most desperate undertakings; +if among his successors a man bold enough to make the attempt +should arise, the condition of the British nation would be still +more deplorable. The attempt succeeding, we should fall +into tyranny; for a change of religion could never be brought +about by consent; and the same force that would be sufficient to +enslave our consciences, would be sufficient for all the other +purposes of arbitrary power. The attempt failing, we should +fall into anarchy; for there is no medium when disputes between a +prince and his people are arrived at a certain point; he must +either be submitted to or deposed.</p> +<p>I have now laid before you even more than I intended to have +said when I took my pen, and I am persuaded that if these papers +ever come to your hands, they will enable you to cast up the +account between party and me. Till the time of the +Queen’s death it stands, I believe, even between us. +The Tories distinguished me by their approbation and by the +credit which I had amongst them, and I endeavoured to distinguish +myself in their service, under the immediate weight of great +discouragement and with the not very distant prospect of great +danger. Since that time the account is not so even, and I +dare appeal to any impartial person whether my side in it be that +of the debtor. As to the opinion of mankind in general, and +the judgment which posterity will pass on these matters, I am +under no great concern. “Suum cuique decus posteritas +rependit.”</p> +<h2>A LETTER TO ALEXANDER POPE.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">Dear Sir</span>,—Since you have +begun, at my request, the work which I have wished long that you +would undertake, it is but reasonable that I submit to the task +you impose upon me. The mere compliance with anything you +desire, is a pleasure to me. On the present occasion, +however, this compliance is a little interested; and that I may +not assume more merit with you than I really have, I will own +that in performing this act of friendship—for such you are +willing to esteem it—the purity of my motive is corrupted +by some regard to my private utility. In short, I suspect +you to be guilty of a very friendly fraud, and to mean my service +whilst you seem to mean your own.</p> +<p>In leading me to discourse, as you have done often, and in +pressing me to write, as you do now, on certain subjects, you may +propose to draw me back to those trains of thought which are, +above all others, worthy to employ the human mind: and I thank +you for it. They have been often interrupted by the +business and dissipations of the world, but they were never so +more grievously to me, nor less usefully to the public, than +since royal seduction prevailed on me to abandon the quiet and +leisure of the retreat I had chosen abroad, and to neglect the +example of Rutilius, for I might have imitated him in this at +least, who fled further from his country when he was invited +home.</p> +<p>You have begun your ethic epistles in a masterly manner. +You have copied no other writer, nor will you, I think, be copied +by any one. It is with genius as it is with beauty; there +are a thousand pretty things that charm alike; but superior +genius, like superior beauty, has always something particular, +something that belongs to itself alone. It is always +distinguishable, not only from those who have no claim to +excellence, but even from those who excel, when any such there +are.</p> +<p>I am pleased, you may be sure, to find your satire turn, in +the very beginning of these epistles, against the principal +cause—for such you know that I think it—of all the +errors, all the contradictions, and all the disputes which have +arisen among those who impose themselves on their +fellow-creatures for great masters, and almost sole proprietors +of a gift of God which is common to the whole species. This +gift is reason; a faculty, or rather an aggregate of faculties, +that is bestowed in different degrees; and not in the highest, +certainly, on those who make the highest pretensions to it. +Let your satire chastise, and, if it be possible, humble that +pride, which is the fruitful parent of their vain curiosity and +bold presumption; which renders them dogmatical in the midst of +ignorance, and often sceptical in the midst of knowledge. +The man who is puffed up with this philosophical pride, whether +divine or theist, or atheist, deserves no more to be respected +than one of those trifling creatures who are conscious of little +else than their animality, and who stop as far short of the +attainable perfections of their nature as the other attempts to +go beyond them. You will discover as many silly affections, +as much foppery and futility, as much inconsistency and low +artifice in one as in the other. I never met the mad woman +at Brentford decked out in old and new rags, and nice and +fantastical in the manner of wearing them, without reflecting on +many of the profound scholars and sublime philosophers of our own +and of former ages.</p> +<p>You may expect some contradiction and some obloquy on the part +of these men, though you will have less to apprehend from their +malice and resentment than a writer in prose on the same subjects +would have. You will be safer in the generalities of +poetry; and I know your precaution enough to know that you will +screen yourself in them against any direct charge of +heterodoxy. But the great clamour of all will be raised +when you descend lower, and let your Muse loose among the herd of +mankind. Then will those powers of dulness whom you have +ridiculed into immortality be called forth in one united phalanx +against you. But why do I talk of what may happen? +You have experienced lately something more than I +prognosticate. Fools and knaves should be modest at least; +they should ask quarter of men of sense and virtue: and so they +do till they grow up to a majority, till a similitude of +character assures them of the protection of the great. But +then vice and folly such as prevail in our country, corrupt our +manners, deform even social life, and contribute to make us +ridiculous as well as miserable, will claim respect for the sake +of the vicious and the foolish. It will be then no longer +sufficient to spare persons; for to draw even characters of +imagination must become criminal when the application of them to +those of highest rank and greatest power cannot fail to be +made. You began to laugh at the ridiculous taste or the no +taste in gardening and building of some men who are at great +expense in both. What a clamour was raised instantly! +The name of Timon was applied to a noble person with double +malice, to make him ridiculous, and you, who lived in friendship +with him, odious. By the authority that employed itself to +encourage this clamour, and by the industry used to spread and +support it, one would have thought that you had directed your +satire in that epistle to political subjects, and had inveighed +against those who impoverish, dishonour, and sell their country, +instead of making yourself inoffensively merry at the expense of +men who ruin none but themselves, and render none but themselves +ridiculous. What will the clamour be, and how will the same +authority foment it, when you proceed to lash, in other +instances, our want of elegance even in luxury, and our wild +profusion, the source of insatiable rapacity, and almost +universal venality? My mind forebodes that the time will +come—and who knows how near it may be?—when other +powers than those of Grub Street may be drawn forth against you, +and when vice and folly may be avowedly sheltered behind a power +instituted for better and contrary purposes—for the +punishment of one, and for the reformation of both.</p> +<p>But, however this may be, pursue your task undauntedly, and +whilst so many others convert the noblest employments of human +society into sordid trades, let the generous Muse resume her +ancient dignity, re-assert her ancient prerogative, and instruct +and reform, as well as amuse the world. Let her give a new +turn to the thoughts of men, raise new affections in their minds, +and determine in another and better manner the passions of their +hearts. Poets, they say, were the first philosophers and +divines in every country, and in ours, perhaps, the first +institutions of religion and civil policy were owing to our +bards. Their task might be hard, their merit was certainly +great. But if they were to rise now from the dead they +would find the second task, if I mistake not, much harder than +the first, and confess it more easy to deal with ignorance than +with error. When societies are once established and +Governments formed, men flatter themselves that they proceed in +cultivating the first rudiments of civility, policy, religion, +and learning. But they do not observe that the private +interests of many, the prejudices, affections, and passions of +all, have a large share in the work, and often the largest. +These put a sort of bias on the mind, which makes it decline from +the straight course; and the further these supposed improvements +are carried, the greater this declination grows, till men lose +sight of primitive and real nature, and have no other guide but +custom, a second and a false nature. The author of one is +divine wisdom; of the other, human imagination; and yet whenever +the second stands in opposition to the first, as it does most +frequently, the second prevails. From hence it happens that +the most civilised nations are often guilty of injustice and +cruelty which the least civilised would abhor, and that many of +the most absurd opinions and doctrines which have been imposed in +the Dark Ages of ignorance continue to be the opinions and +doctrines of ages enlightened by philosophy and learning. +“If I was a philosopher,” says Montaigne, “I +would naturalise art instead of artilising Nature.” +The expression is odd, but the sense is good, and what he +recommends would be done if the reasons that have been given did +not stand in the way; if the self-interest of some men, the +madness of others, and the universal pride of the human heart did +not determine them to prefer error to truth and authority to +reason.</p> +<p>Whilst your Muse is employed to lash the vicious into +repentance, or to laugh the fools of the age into shame, and +whilst she rises sometimes to the noblest subjects of +philosophical meditation, I shall throw upon paper, for your +satisfaction and for my own, some part at least of what I have +thought and said formerly on the last of these subjects, as well +as the reflections that they may suggest to me further in writing +on them. The strange situation I am in, and the melancholy +state of public affairs, take up much of my time; divide, or even +dissipate, my thoughts; and, which is worse, drag the mind down +by perpetual interruptions from a philosophical tone or temper to +the drudgery of private and public business. The last lies +nearest my heart; and since I am once more engaged in the service +of my country, disarmed, gagged, and almost bound as I am, I will +not abandon it as long as the integrity and perseverance of those +who are under none of these disadvantages, and with whom I now +co-operate, make it reasonable for me to act the same part. +Further than this no shadow of duty obliges me to go. Plato +ceased to act for the Commonwealth when he ceased to persuade, +and Solon laid down his arms before the public magazine when +Pisistratus grew too strong to be opposed any longer with hopes +of success.</p> +<p>Though my situation and my engagements are sufficiently known +to you, I choose to mention them on this occasion lest you should +expect from me anything more than I find myself able to perform +whilst I am in them. It has been said by many that they +wanted time to make their discourses shorter; and if this be a +good excuse, as I think it may be often, I lay in my claim to +it. You must neither expect in what I am about to write to +you that brevity which might be expected in letters or essays, +nor that exactness of method, nor that fulness of the several +parts which they affect to observe who presume to write +philosophical treatises. The merit of brevity is relative +to the manner and style in which any subject is treated, as well +as to the nature of it; for the same subject may be sometimes +treated very differently, and yet very properly, in both these +respects. Should the poet make syllogisms in verse, or +pursue a long process of reasoning in the didactic style, he +would be sure to tire his reader on the whole, like Lucretius, +though he reasoned better than the Roman, and put into some parts +of his work the same poetical fire. He may write, as you +have begun to do, on philosophical subjects, but he must write in +his own character. He must contract, he may shadow, he has +a right to omit whatever will not be cast in the poetic mould; +and when he cannot instruct, he may hope to please. But the +philosopher has no such privileges. He may contract +sometimes, he must never shadow. He must be limited by his +matter, lest he should grow whimsical, and by the parts of it +which he understands best, lest he should grow obscure. But +these parts he must develop fully, and he has no right to omit +anything that may serve the purpose of truth, whether it please +or not. As it would be disingenuous to sacrifice truth to +popularity, so it is trifling to appeal to the reason and +experience of mankind, as every philosophical writer does, or +must be understood to do, and then to talk, like Plato and his +ancient and modern disciples, to the imagination only. +There is no need, however, to banish eloquence out of philosophy, +and truth and reason are no enemies to the purity nor to the +ornaments of language. But as the want of an exact +determination of ideas and of an exact precision in the use of +words is inexcusable in a philosopher, he must preserve them, +even at the expense of style. In short, it seems to me that +the business of the philosopher is to dilate, if I may borrow +this word from Tully, to press, to prove, to convince; and that +of the poet to hint, to touch his subject with short and spirited +strokes, to warm the affections, and to speak to the heart.</p> +<p>Though I seem to prepare an apology for prolixity even in +writing essays, I will endeavour not to be tedious, and this +endeavour may succeed the better perhaps by declining any +over-strict observation of method. There are certain points +of that which I esteem the first philosophy whereof I shall never +lose sight, but this will be very consistent with a sort of +epistolary licence. To digress and to ramble are different +things, and he who knows the country through which he travels may +venture out of the highroad, because he is sure of finding his +way back to it again. Thus the several matters that may +arise even accidentally before me will have some share in guiding +my pen.</p> +<p>I dare not promise that the sections or members of these +essays will bear that nice proportion to one another and to the +whole which a severe critic would require. All I dare +promise you is that my thoughts, in what order soever they flow, +shall be communicated to you just as they pass through my mind, +just as they use to be when we converse together on these or any +other subjects when we saunter alone, or, as we have often done +with good Arbuthnot and the jocose Dean of St. Patrick’s, +among the multiplied scenes of your little garden. That +theatre is large enough for my ambition. I dare not pretend +to instruct mankind, and I am not humble enough to write to the +public for any other purpose. I mean by writing on such +subjects as I intend here, to make some trial of my progress in +search of the most important truths, and to make this trial +before a friend in whom I think I may confide. These +epistolary essays, therefore, will be written with as little +regard to form and with as little reserve as I used to show in +the conversations which have given occasion to them, when I +maintained the same opinions and insisted on the same reasons in +defence of them.</p> +<p>It might seem strange to a man not well acquainted with the +world, and in particular with the philosophical and theological +tribe, that so much precaution should be necessary in the +communication of our thoughts on any subject of the first +philosophy, which is of common concern to the whole race of +mankind, and wherein no one can have, according to nature and +truth, any separate interest. Yet so it is. The +separate interests we cannot have by God’s institutions, +are created by those of man; and there is no subject on which men +deal more unfairly with one another than this. There are +separate interests, to mention them in general only, of prejudice +and of profession. By the first, men set out in the search +of truth under the conduct of error, and work up their heated +imaginations often to such a delirium that the more genius, and +the more learning they have, the madder they grow. By the +second, they are sworn, as it were, to follow all their lives the +authority of some particular school, to which “tanquam +scopulo, adhærescunt;” for the condition of their +engagement is to defend certain doctrines, and even mere forms of +speech, without examination, or to examine only in order to +defend them. By both, they become philosophers as men +became Christians in the primitive Church, or as they determined +themselves about disputed doctrines; for says Hilarius, writing +to St. Austin, “Your holiness knows that the greatest part +of the faithful embrace, or refuse to embrace, a doctrine for no +reason but the impression which the name and authority of some +body or other makes on them.” What now can a man who +seeks truth for the sake of truth, and is indifferent where he +finds it, expect from any communication of his thoughts to such +men as these? He will be much deceived if he expects +anything better than imposition or altercation.</p> +<p>Few men have, I believe, consulted others, both the living and +the dead, with less presumption, and in a greater spirit of +docility, than I have done: and the more I have consulted, the +less have I found of that inward conviction on which a mind that +is not absolutely implicit can rest. I thought for a time +that this must be my fault. I distrusted myself, not my +teachers—men of the greatest name, ancient and +modern. But I found at last that it was safer to trust +myself than them, and to proceed by the light of my own +understanding than to wander after these <i>ignes fatui</i> of +philosophy. If I am able therefore to tell you easily, and +at the same time so clearly and distinctly as to be easily +understood, and so strongly as not to be easily refuted, how I +have thought for myself, I shall be persuaded that I have thought +enough on these subjects. If I am not able to do this, it +will be evident that I have not thought on them enough. I +must review my opinions, discover and correct my errors.</p> +<p>I have said that the subjects I mean, and which will be the +principal objects of these essays, are those of the first +philosophy; and it is fit, therefore, that I should explain what +I understand by the first philosophy. Do not imagine that I +understand what has passed commonly under that +name—metaphysical pneumatics, for instance, or +ontology. The first are conversant about imaginary +substances, such as may and may not exist. That there is a +God we can demonstrate; and although we know nothing of His +manner of being, yet we acknowledge Him to be immaterial, because +a thousand absurdities, and such as imply the strongest +contradiction, result from the supposition that the Supreme Being +is a system of matter. But of any other spirits we neither +have nor can have any knowledge: and no man will be inquisitive +about spiritual physiognomy, nor go about to inquire, I believe, +at this time, as Evodius inquired of St. Austin, whether our +immaterial part, the soul, does not remain united, when it +forsakes this gross terrestrial body, to some ethereal body more +subtile and more fine; which was one of the Pythagorean and +Platonic whimsies: nor be under any concern to know, if this be +not the case of the dead, how souls can be distinguished after +their separation—that of Dives, for example, from that of +Lazarus. The second—that is, ontology—treats +most scientifically of being abstracted from all being (“de +ente quatenus ens”). It came in fashion whilst +Aristotle was in fashion, and has been spun into an immense web +out of scholastic brains. But it should be, and I think it +is already, left to the acute disciples of Leibnitz, who dug for +gold in the ordure of the schools, and to other German +wits. Let them darken by tedious definitions what is too +plain to need any; or let them employ their vocabulary of +barbarous terms to propagate an unintelligible jargon, which is +supposed to express such abstractions as they cannot make, and +according to which, however, they presume often to control the +particular and most evident truths of experimental +knowledge. Such reputed science deserves no rank in +philosophy, not the last, and much less the first.</p> +<p>I desire you not to imagine neither that I understand by the +first philosophy even such a science as my Lord Bacon +describes—a science of general observations and axioms, +such as do not belong properly to any particular part of science, +but are common to many, “and of an higher stage,” as +he expresses himself. He complains that philosophers have +not gone up to the “spring-head,” which would be of +“general and excellent use for the disclosing of Nature and +the abridgment of art,” though they “draw now and +then a bucket of water out of the well for some particular +use.” I respect—no man more—this great +authority; but I respect no authority enough to subscribe on the +faith of it, to that which appears to me fantastical, as if it +were real. Now this spring-head of science is purely +fantastical, and the figure conveys a false notion to the mind, +as figures employed licentiously are apt to do. The great +author himself calls these axioms, which are to constitute his +first philosophy, observations. Such they are properly; for +there are some uniform principles, or uniform impressions of the +same nature, to be observed in very different subjects, +“una eademque naturæ vestigia aut signacula diversis +materiis et subjectis impressa.” These observations, +therefore, when they are sufficiently verified and well +established, may be properly applied in discourse, or writing, +from one subject to another. But I apprehend that when they +are so applied, they serve rather to illustrate a proposition +than to disclose Nature, or to abridge art. They may have a +better foundation than similitudes and comparisons more loosely +and more superficially made. They may compare realities, +not appearances; things that Nature has made alike, not things +that seem only to have some relation of this kind in our +imaginations. But still they are comparisons of things +distinct and independent. They do not lead us to things, +but things that are lead us to make them. He who possesses +two sciences, and the same will be often true of arts, may find +in certain respects a similitude between them because he +possesses both. If he did not possess both, he would be led +by neither to the acquisition of the other. Such +observations are effects, not means of knowledge; and, therefore, +to suppose that any collection of them can constitute a science +of an “higher stage,” from whence we may reason +<i>à priori</i> down to particulars, is, I presume, to +suppose something very groundless, and very useless at best, to +the advancement of knowledge. A pretended science of this +kind must be barren of knowledge, and may be fruitful of error, +as the Persian magic was, if it proceeded on the faint analogy +that may be discovered between physics and politics, and deduced +the rules of civil government from what the professors of it +observed of the operations and works of Nature in the material +world. The very specimen of their magic which my Lord Bacon +has given would be sufficient to justify what is here objected to +his doctrine.</p> +<p>Let us conclude this head by mentioning two examples among +others which he brings to explain the better what he means by his +first philosophy. The first is this axiom, “If to +unequals you add equals, all will be unequal.” This, +he says, is an axiom of justice as well as of mathematics; and he +asks whether there is not a true coincidence between commutative +and distributive justice, and arithmetical and geometrical +proportion. But I would ask in my turn whether the +certainty that any arithmetician or geometrician has of the +arithmetical or geometrical truth will lead him to discover this +coincidence. I ask whether the most profound lawyer who +never heard perhaps this axiom would be led to it by his notions +of commutative and distributive justice. Certainly +not. He who is well skilled in arithmetic or geometry, and +in jurisprudence, may observe perhaps this uniformity of natural +principle or impression because he is so skilled, though, to say +the truth, it be not very obvious; but he will not have derived +his knowledge of it from any spring-head of a first philosophy, +from any science of an “higher stage” than +arithmetic, geometry, and jurisprudence.</p> +<p>The second example is this axiom, “That the destruction +of things is prevented by the reduction of them to their first +principles.” This rule is said to hold in religion, +in physics, and in politics; and Machiavel is quoted for having +established it in the last of these. Now though this axiom +be generally, it is not universally, true; and, to say nothing of +physics, it will not be hard to produce, in contradiction to it, +examples of religious and civil institutions that would have +perished if they had been kept strictly to their first +principles, and that have been supported by departing more or +less from them. It may seem justly matter of wonder that +the author of the “Advancement of Learning” should +espouse this maxim in religion and politics, as well as physics, +so absolutely, and that he should place it as an axiom of his +first philosophy relatively to the three, since he could not do +it without falling into the abuse he condemns so much in his +“Organum Novum”—the abuse philosophers are +guilty of when they suffer the mind to rise too fast, as it is +apt to do, from particulars to remote and general axioms. +That the author of the “Political Discourses” should +fall into this abuse is not at all strange. The same abuse +runs through all his writings, in which, among many wise and many +wicked reflections and precepts, he establishes frequently +general maxims or rules of conduct on a few particular examples, +and sometimes on a single example. Upon the whole matter, +one of these axioms communicates no knowledge but that which we +must have before we can know the axiom, and the other may betray +us into great error when we apply it to use and action. One +is unprofitable, the other dangerous; and the philosophy which +admits them as principles of general knowledge deserves ill to be +reputed philosophy. It would have been just as useful, and +much more safe, to admit into this receptacle of axioms those +self-evident and necessary truths alone of which we have an +immediate perception, since they are not confined to any special +parts of science, but are common to several, or to all. +Thus these profitable axioms, “What is, is,” +“The whole is bigger than a part,” and divers others, +might serve to enlarge the spring-head of a first philosophy, and +be of excellent use in arguing <i>ex prœcognitis et +prœconcessis</i>.</p> +<p>If you ask me now what I understand then by a first +philosophy, my answer will be such as I suppose you already +prepared to receive. I understand by a first philosophy, +that which deserves the first place on account of the dignity and +importance of its objects, natural theology or theism, and +natural religion or ethics. If we consider the order of the +sciences in their rise and progress, the first place belongs to +natural philosophy, the mother of them all, or the trunk, the +tree of knowledge, out of which, and in proportion to which, like +so many branches, they all grow. These branches spread +wide, and bear even fruits of different kinds. But the sap +that made them shoot, and makes them flourish, rises from the +root through the trunk, and their productions are varied +according to the variety of strainers through which it +flows. In plain terms, I speak not here of supernatural, or +revealed science; and therefore I say that all science, if it be +real, must rise from below, and from our own level. It +cannot descend from above, nor from superior systems of being and +knowledge. Truth of existence is truth of knowledge, and +therefore reason searches after them in one of these scenes, +where both are to be found together, and are within our reach; +whilst imagination hopes fondly to find them in another, where +both of them are to be found, but surely not by us. The +notices we receive from without concerning the beings that +surround us, and the inward consciousness we have of our own, are +the foundations, and the true criterions too, of all the +knowledge we acquire of body and of mind: and body and mind are +objects alike of natural philosophy. We assume commonly +that they are two distinct substances. Be it so. They +are still united, and blended, as it were, together, in one human +nature: and all natures, united or not, fall within the province +of natural philosophy. On the hypothesis indeed that body +and soul are two distinct substances, one of which subsists after +the dissolution of the other, certain men, who have taken the +whimsical title of metaphysicians, as if they had science beyond +the bounds of Nature, or of Nature discoverable by others, have +taken likewise to themselves the doctrine of mind; and have left +that of body, under the name of physics, to a supposed inferior +order of philosophers. But the right of these stands good; +for all the knowledge that can be acquired about mind, or the +unextended substance of the Cartesians, must be acquired, like +that about body, or the extended substance, within the bounds of +their province, and by the means they employ, particular +experiments and observations. Nothing can be true of mind, +any more than of body, that is repugnant to these; and an +intellectual hypothesis which is not supported by the +intellectual phenomena is at least as ridiculous as a corporeal +hypothesis which is not supported by the corporeal phenomena.</p> +<p>If I have said thus much in this place concerning natural +philosophy, it has not been without good reason. I consider +theology and ethics as the first of sciences in pre-eminence of +rank. But I consider the constant contemplation of +Nature—by which I mean the whole system of God’s +works as far as it lies open to us—as the common spring of +all sciences, and even of these. What has been said +agreeably to this notion seems to me evidently true; and yet +metaphysical divines and philosophers proceed in direct +contradiction to it, and have thereby, if I mistake not, +bewildered themselves, and a great part of mankind, in such +inextricable labyrinths of hypothetical reasoning, that few men +can find their way back, and none can find it forward into the +road of truth. To dwell long, and on some points always, in +particular knowledge, tires the patience of these impetuous +philosophers. They fly to generals. To consider +attentively even the minutest phenomena of body and mind +mortifies their pride. Rather than creep up slowly, +<i>à posteriori</i>, to a little general knowledge, they +soar at once as far and as high as imagination can carry +them. From thence they descend again, armed with systems +and arguments <i>à priori</i>; and, regardless how these +agree or clash with the phenomena of Nature, they impose them on +mankind.</p> +<p>It is this manner of philosophising, this preposterous method +of beginning our search after truth out of the bounds of human +knowledge, or of continuing it beyond them, that has corrupted +natural theology and natural religion in all ages. They +have been corrupted to such a degree that it is grown, and was so +long since, as necessary to plead the cause of God, if I may use +this expression after Seneca, against the divine as against the +atheist; to assert his existence against the latter, to defend +his attributes against the former, and to justify his providence +against both. To both a sincere and humble theist might say +very properly, “I make no difference between you on many +occasions, because it is indifferent whether you deny or defame +the Supreme Being.” Nay, Plutarch, though little +orthodox in theology, was not in the wrong perhaps when he +declared the last to be the worst.</p> +<p>In treating the subjects about which I shall write to you in +these letters or essays, it will be therefore necessary to +distinguish genuine and pure theism from the unnatural and +profane mixtures of human imagination—what we can know of +God from what we cannot know. This is the more necessary, +too, because, whilst true and false notions about God and +religion are blended together in our minds under one specious +name of science, the false are more likely to make men doubt of +the true, as it often happens, than to persuade men that they are +true themselves. Now, in order to this purpose, nothing can +be more effectual than to go to the root of error, of that +primitive error which encourages our curiosity, sustains our +pride, fortifies our prejudices, and gives pretence to +delusion. This primitive error consists in the high opinion +we are apt to entertain of the human mind, though it holds, in +truth, a very low rank in the intellectual system. To cure +this error we need only turn our eyes inward, and contemplate +impartially what passes there from the infancy to the maturity of +the mind. Thus it will not be difficult, and thus alone it +is possible, to discover the true nature of human +knowledge—how far it extends, how far it is real, and where +and how it begins to be fantastical.</p> +<p>Such an inquiry, if it cannot check the presumption nor humble +the pride of metaphysicians, may serve to undeceive others. +Locke pursued it; he grounded all he taught on the phenomena of +Nature; he appealed to the experience and conscious knowledge of +every one, and rendered all he advanced intelligible. +Leibnitz, one of the vainest and most chimerical men that ever +got a name in philosophy, and who is often so unintelligible that +no man ought to believe he understood himself, censured Locke as +a superficial philosopher. What has happened? The +philosophy of one has forced its way into general approbation, +that of the other has carried no conviction and scarce any +information to those who have misspent their time about it. +To speak the truth, though it may seem a paradox, our knowledge +on many subjects, and particularly on those which we intend here, +must be superficial to be real. This is the condition of +humanity. We are placed, as it were, in an intellectual +twilight, where we discover but few things clearly, and none +entirely, and yet see just enough to tempt us with the hope of +making better and more discoveries. Thus flattered, men +push their inquiries on, and may be properly enough compared to +Ixion, who “imagined he had Juno in his arms whilst he +embraced a cloud.”</p> +<p>To be contented to know things as God has made us capable of +knowing them is, then, a first principle necessary to secure us +from falling into error; and if there is any subject upon which +we should be most on our guard against error, it is surely that +which I have called here the first philosophy. God is hid +from us in the majesty of His nature, and the little we discover +of Him must be discovered by the light that is reflected from His +works. Out of this light, therefore, we should never go in +our inquiries and reasonings about His nature, His attributes, +and the order of His providence; and yet upon these subjects men +depart the furthest from it—nay, they who depart the +furthest are the best heard by the bulk of mankind. The +less men know, the more they believe that they know. Belief +passes in their minds for knowledge, and the very circumstances +which should beget doubt produce increase of faith. Every +glittering apparition that is pointed out to them in the vast +wild of imagination passes for a reality; and the more distant, +the more confused, the more incomprehensible it is, the more +sublime it is esteemed. He who should attempt to shift +these scenes of airy vision for those of real knowledge might +expect to be treated with scorn and anger by the whole +theological and metaphysical tribe, the masters and the scholars; +he would be despised as a plebeian philosopher, and railed at as +an infidel. It would be sounded high that he debased human +nature, which has a “cognation,” so the reverend and +learned Doctor Cudworth calls it, with the divine; that the soul +of man, immaterial and immortal by its nature, was made to +contemplate higher and nobler objects than this sensible world, +and even than itself, since it was made to contemplate God and to +be united to Him. In such clamour as this the voice of +truth and of reason would be drowned, and, with both of them on +his side, he who opposed it would make many enemies and few +converts—nay, I am apt to think that some of these, if he +made any, would say to him, as soon as the gaudy visions of error +were dispelled, and till they were accustomed to the simplicity +of truth, “Pol me occidistis.” Prudence forbids +me, therefore, to write as I think to the world, whilst +friendship forbids me to write otherwise to you. I have +been a martyr of faction in politics, and have no vocation to be +so in philosophy.</p> +<p>But there is another consideration which deserves more regard, +because it is of a public nature, and because the common +interests of society may be affected by it. Truth and +falsehood, knowledge and ignorance, revelations of the Creator, +inventions of the creature, dictates of reason, sallies of +enthusiasm, have been blended so long together in our systems of +theology that it may be thought dangerous to separate them, lest +by attacking some parts of these systems we should shake the +whole. It may be thought that error itself deserves to be +respected on this account, and that men who are deluded for their +good should be deluded on.</p> +<p>Some such reflections as these it is probable that Erasmus +made when he observed, in one of his letters to Melancthon, that +Plato, dreaming of a philosophical commonwealth, saw the +impossibility of governing the multitude without deceiving +them. “Let not Christians lie,” says this great +divine: “but let it not be thought neither that every truth +ought to be thrown out to the vulgar.” (“Non +expedit omnem veritatem prodere vulgo.”) +Scævola and Varro were more explicit than Erasmus, and more +reasonable than Plato. They held not only that many truths +were to be concealed from the vulgar, but that it was expedient +the vulgar should believe many things that were false. They +distinguished at the same time, very rightly, between the regard +due to religions already established, and the conduct to be held +in the establishment of them. The Greek assumed that men +could not be governed by truth, and erected on this principle a +fabulous theology. The Romans were not of the same +opinion. Varro declared expressly that if he had been to +frame a new institution, he would have framed it “ex +naturæ potius formula.” But they both thought +that things evidently false might deserve an outward respect when +they are interwoven into a system of government. This +outward respect every good citizen will show them in such a case, +and they can claim no more in any. He will not propagate +these errors, but he will be cautious how he propagates even +truth in opposition to them.</p> +<p>There has been much noise made about free-thinking; and men +have been animated in the contest by a spirit that becomes +neither the character of divines nor that of good citizens, by an +arbitrary tyrannical spirit under the mask of religious zeal, and +by a presumptuous factious spirit under that of liberty. If +the first could prevail, they would establish implicit belief and +blind obedience, and an Inquisition to maintain this abject +servitude. To assert antipodes might become once more as +heretical as Arianism or Pelagianism; and men might be dragged to +the jails of some Holy Office, like Galilei, for saying they had +seen what in fact they had seen, and what every one else that +pleased might see. If the second could prevail, they would +destroy at once the general influence of religion by shaking the +foundations of it which education had laid. These are wide +extremes. Is there no middle path in which a reasonable man +and a good citizen may direct his steps? I think there +is.</p> +<p>Every one has an undoubted right to think freely—nay, it +is the duty of every one to do so as far as he has the necessary +means and opportunities. This duty, too, is in no case so +incumbent on him as in those that regard what I call the first +philosophy. They who have neither means nor opportunities +of this sort must submit their opinions to authority; and to what +authority can they resign themselves so properly and so safely as +to that of the laws and constitution of their country? In +general, nothing can be more absurd than to take opinions of the +greatest moment, and such as concern us the most intimately, on +trust; but there is no help against it in many particular +cases. Things the most absurd in speculation become +necessary in practice. Such is the human constitution, and +reason excuses them on the account of this necessity. +Reason does even a little more, and it is all she can do. +She gives the best direction possible to the absurdity. +Thus she directs those who must believe because they cannot know, +to believe in the laws of their country, and conform their +opinions and practice to those of their ancestors, to those of +Coruncanius, of Scipio, of Scævola—not to those of +Zeno, of Cleanthes, of Chrysippus.</p> +<p>But now the same reason that gives this direction to such men +as these will give a very contrary direction to those who have +the means and opportunities the others want. Far from +advising them to submit to this mental bondage, she will advise +them to employ their whole industry to exert the utmost freedom +of thought, and to rest on no authority but hers—that is, +their own. She will speak to them in the language of the +Soufys, a sect of philosophers in Persia that travellers have +mentioned. “Doubt,” say these wise and honest +freethinkers, “is the key of knowledge. He who never +doubts, never examines. He who never examines, discovers +nothing. He who discovers nothing, is blind and will remain +so. If you find no reason to doubt concerning the opinions +of your fathers, keep to them; they will be sufficient for +you. If you find any reason to doubt concerning them, seek +the truth quietly, but take care not to disturb the minds of +other men.”</p> +<p>Let us proceed agreeably to these maxims. Let us seek +truth, but seek it quietly as well as freely. Let us not +imagine, like some who are called freethinkers, that every man, +who can think and judge for himself, as he has a right to do, has +therefore a right of speaking, any more than of acting, according +to the full freedom of his thoughts. The freedom belongs to +him as a rational creature; he lies under the restraint as a +member of society.</p> +<p>If the religion we profess contained nothing more than +articles of faith and points of doctrine clearly revealed to us +in the Gospel, we might be obliged to renounce our natural +freedom of thought in favour of this supernatural +authority. But since it is notorious that a certain order +of men, who call themselves the Church, have been employed to +make and propagate a theological system of their own, which they +call Christianity, from the days of the Apostles, and even from +these days inclusively, it is our duty to examine and analyse the +whole, that we may distinguish what is divine from what is human; +adhere to the first implicitly, and ascribe to the last no more +authority than the word of man deserves.</p> +<p>Such an examination is the more necessary to be undertaken by +every one who is concerned for the truth of his religion and for +the honour of Christianity, because the first preachers of it +were not, and they who preach it still are not, agreed about many +of the most important points of their system; because the +controversies raised by these men have banished union, peace, and +charity out of the Christian world; and because some parts of the +system savour so much of superstition and enthusiasm that all the +prejudices of education and the whole weight of civil and +ecclesiastical power can hardly keep them in credit. These +considerations deserve the more attention because nothing can be +more true than what Plutarch said of old, and my Lord Bacon has +said since: one, that superstition, and the other, that vain +controversies are principal causes of atheism.</p> +<p>I neither expect nor desire to see any public revision made of +the present system of Christianity. I should fear an +attempt to alter the established religion as much as they who +have the most bigot attachment to it, and for reasons as good as +theirs, though not entirely the same. I speak only of the +duty of every private man to examine for himself, which would +have an immediate good effect relatively to himself, and might +have in time a good effect relatively to the public, since it +would dispose the minds of men to a greater indifference about +theological disputes, which are the disgrace of Christianity and +have been the plagues of the world.</p> +<p>Will you tell me that private judgment must submit to the +established authority of Fathers and Councils? My answer +shall be that the Fathers, ancient and modern, in Councils and +out of them, have raised that immense system of artificial +theology by which genuine Christianity is perverted and in which +it is lost. These Fathers are fathers of the worst sort, +such as contrive to keep their children in a perpetual state of +infancy, that they may exercise perpetual and absolute dominion +over them. “Quo magis regnum in illos exerceant pro +sua libidine.” I call their theology artificial, +because it is in a multitude of instances conformable neither to +the religion of Nature nor to Gospel Christianity, but often +repugnant to both, though said to be founded on them. I +shall have occasion to mention several such instances in the +course of these little essays. Here I will only observe +that if it be hard to conceive how anything so absurd as the +pagan theology stands represented by the Fathers who wrote +against it, and as it really was, could ever gain credit among +rational creatures, it is full as hard to conceive how the +artificial theology we speak of could ever prevail, not only in +ages of ignorance, but in the most enlightened. There is a +letter of St. Austin wherein he says that he was ashamed of +himself when he refuted the opinions of the former, and that he +was ashamed of mankind when he considered that such absurdities +were received and defended. The reflections might be +retorted on the saint, since he broached and defended doctrines +as unworthy of the Supreme All-Perfect Being as those which the +heathens taught concerning their fictitious and inferior +gods. Is it necessary to quote any other than that by which +we are taught that God has created numbers of men for no purpose +but to damn them? “Quisquis prædestinationis +doctrinam invidia gravat,” says Calvin, “aperte +maledicit Deo.” Let us say, “Quisquis +prædestinationis doctrinam asserit, +blasphemat”. Let us not impute such cruel injustice +to the all-perfect Being. Let Austin and Calvin and all +those who teach it be answerable for it alone. You may +bring Fathers and Councils as evidences in the cause of +artificial theology, but reason must be the judge; and all I +contend for is, that she should be so in the breast of every +Christian that can appeal to her tribunal.</p> +<p>Will you tell me that even such a private examination of the +Christian system as I propose that every man who is able to make +it should make for himself, is unlawful; and that, if any doubts +arise in our minds concerning religion, we must have recourse for +the solution of them to some of that holy order which was +instituted, by God Himself, and which has been continued by the +imposition of hands in every Christian society, from the Apostles +down to the present clergy? My answer shall be shortly +this: it is repugnant to all the ideas of wisdom and goodness to +believe that the universal terms of salvation are knowable by the +means of one order of men alone, and that they continue to be so +even after they have been published to all nations. Some of +your directors will tell you that whilst Christ was on earth the +Apostles were the Church; that He was the Bishop of it; that +afterwards the admission of men into this order was approved, and +confirmed by visions and other divine manifestations; and that +these wonderful proofs of God’s interposition at the +ordinations and consecrations of presbyters and bishops lasted +even in the time of St. Cyprian—that is, in the middle of +the third century. It is pity that they lasted no longer, +for the honour of the Church, and for the conviction of those who +do not sufficiently reverence the religious society. It +were to be wished, perhaps, that some of the secrets of +electricity were improved enough to be piously and usefully +applied to this purpose. If we beheld a shekinah, or divine +presence, like the flame of a taper, on the heads of those who +receive the imposition of hands, we might believe that they +receive the Holy Ghost at the same time. But as we have no +reason to believe what superstitious, credulous, or lying men +(such as Cyprian himself was) reported formerly, that they might +establish the proud pretensions of the clergy, so we have no +reason to believe that five men of this order have any more of +the Divine Spirit in our time, after they are ordained, than they +had before. It would be a farce to provoke laughter, if +there was no suspicion of profanation in it, to see them gravely +lay hands on one another, and bid one another receive the Holy +Ghost.</p> +<p>Will you tell me finally, in opposition to what has been said, +and that you may anticipate what remains to be said, that laymen +are not only unauthorised, but quite unequal, without the +assistance of divines, to the task I propose? If you do, I +shall make no scruple to tell you, in return, that laymen may be, +if they please, in every respect as fit, and are in one important +respect more fit than divines to go through this examination, and +to judge for themselves upon it. We say that the +Scriptures, concerning the divine authenticity of which all the +professors of Christianity agree, are the sole criterion of +Christianity. You add tradition, concerning which there may +be, and there is, much dispute. We have, then, a certain +invariable rule whenever the Scriptures speak plainly. +Whenever they do not speak so, we have this comfortable +assurance—that doctrines which nobody understands are +revealed to nobody, and are therefore improper objects of human +inquiry. We know, too, that if we receive the explanations +and commentaries of these dark sayings from the clergy, we take +the greatest part of our religion from the word of man, not from +the Word of God. Tradition, indeed, however derived, is not +to be totally rejected; for if it was, how came the canon of the +Scriptures, even of the Gospels, to be fixed? How was it +conveyed down to us? Traditions of general facts, and +general propositions plain and uniform, may be of some authority +and use. But particular anecdotical traditions, whose +original authority is unknown, or justly suspicious, and that +have acquired only an appearance of generality and notoriety, +because they have been frequently and boldly repeated from age to +age, deserve no more regard than doctrines evidently added to the +Scriptures, under pretence of explaining and commenting them, by +men as fallible as ourselves. We may receive the +Scriptures, and be persuaded of their authenticity, on the faith +of ecclesiastical tradition; but it seems to me that we may +reject, at the same time, all the artificial theology which has +been raised on these Scriptures by doctors of the Church, with as +much right as they receive the Old Testament on the authority of +Jewish scribes and doctors whilst they reject the oral law and +all rabbinical literature.</p> +<p>He who examines on such principles as these, which are +conformable to truth and reason, may lay aside at once the +immense volumes of Fathers and Councils, of schoolmen, casuists, +and controversial writers, which have perplexed the world so +long. Natural religion will be to such a man no longer +intricate, revealed religion will be no longer mysterious, nor +the Word of God equivocal. Clearness and precision are two +great excellences of human laws. How much more should we +expect to find them in the law of God? They have been +banished from thence by artificial theology, and he who is +desirous to find them must banish the professors of it from his +councils, instead of consulting them. He must seek for +genuine Christianity with that simplicity of spirit with which it +is taught in the Gospel by Christ Himself. He must do the +very reverse of what has been done by the persons you advise him +to consult.</p> +<p>You see that I have said what has been said, on a supposition +that, however obscure theology may be, the Christian religion is +extremely plain, and requires no great learning nor deep +meditation to develop it. But if it was not so plain, if +both these were necessary to develop it, is great learning the +monopoly of the clergy since the resurrection of letters, as a +little learning was before that era? Is deep meditation and +justness of reasoning confined to men of that order by a peculiar +and exclusive privilege? In short, and to ask a question +which experience will decide, have these men who boast that they +are appointed by God “to be the interpreters of His secret +will, to represent His person, and to answer in His name, as it +were, out of the sanctuary”—have these men, I say, +been able in more than seventeen centuries to establish an +uniform system of revealed religion—for natural religion +never wanted their help among the civil societies of +Christians—or even in their own? They do not seem to +have aimed at this desirable end. Divided as they have +always been, they have always studied in order to believe, and to +take upon trust, or to find matter of discourse, or to contradict +and confute, but never to consider impartially nor to use a free +judgment. On the contrary, they who have attempted to use +this freedom of judgment have been constantly and cruelly +persecuted by them.</p> +<p>The first steps towards the establishment of artificial +theology, which has passed for Christianity ever since, were +enthusiastical. They were not heretics alone who delighted +in wild allegories and the pompous jargon of mystery; they were +the orthodox Fathers of the first ages, they were the disciples +of the Apostles, or the scholars of their disciples; for the +truth of which I may appeal to the epistles and other writings of +these men that are extant—to those of Clemens, of Ignatius, +or of Irenæus, for instance—and to the visions of +Hermes, that have so near a resemblance to the productions of +Bunyan.</p> +<p>The next steps of the same kind were rhetorical. They +were made by men who declaimed much and reasoned ill, but who +imposed on the imaginations of others by the heat of their own, +by their hyperboles, their exaggerations, the acrimony of their +style, and their violent invectives. Such were the +Chrysostoms, the Jeromes, an Hilarius, a Cyril, and most of the +Fathers.</p> +<p>The last of the steps I shall mention were logical, and these +were made very opportunely and very advantageously for the Church +and for artificial theology. Absurdity in speculation and +superstition in practice had been cultivated so long, and were +become so gross, that men began to see through the veils that had +been thrown over them, as ignorant as those ages were. Then +the schoolmen arose. I need not display their character; it +is enough known. This only I will say—that having +very few materials of knowledge and much subtilty of wit they +wrought up systems of fancy on the little they knew, and invented +an art, by the help of Aristotle, not of enlarging, but of +puzzling, knowledge with technical terms, with definitions, +distinctions, and syllogisms merely verbal. They taught +what they could not explain, evaded what they could not answer, +and he who had the most skill in this art might put to silence, +when it came into general use, the man who was consciously +certain that he had truth and reason on his side.</p> +<p>The authority of the schools lasted till the resurrection of +letters. But as soon as real knowledge was enlarged, and +the conduct of the understanding better understood, it fell into +contempt. The advocates of artificial theology have had +since that time a very hard task. They have been obliged to +defend in the light what was imposed in the dark, and to acquire +knowledge to justify ignorance. They were drawn to it with +reluctance. But learning, that grew up among the laity, and +controversies with one another, made this unavoidable, which was +not eligible on the principles of ecclesiastical policy. +They have done with these new arms all that great parts, great +pains, and great zeal could do under such disadvantages, and we +may apply to this order, on this occasion, “si Pergama +dextra,” etc. But their Troy cannot be defended; +irreparable breaches have been made in it. They have +improved in learning and knowledge, but this improvement has been +general, and as remarkable at least among the laity as among the +clergy. Besides which it must be owned that the former have +had in this respect a sort of indirect obligation to the latter; +for whilst these men have searched into antiquity, have improved +criticism, and almost exhausted subtilty, they have furnished so +many arms the more to such of the others as do not submit +implicitly to them, but examine and judge for themselves. +By refuting one another, when they differ, they have made it no +hard matter to refute them all when they agree. And I +believe there are few books written to propagate or defend the +received notions of artificial theology which may not be refuted +by the books themselves. I conclude, on the whole, that +laymen have, or need to have, no want of the clergy in examining +and analysing the religion they profess.</p> +<p>But I said that they are in one important respect more fit to +go through this examination without the help of divines than with +it. A layman who seeks the truth may fall into error; but +as he can have no interest to deceive himself, so he has none of +profession to bias his private judgment, any more than to engage +him to deceive others. Now, the clergyman lies strongly +under this influence in every communion. How, indeed, +should it be otherwise? Theology is become one of those +sciences which Seneca calls “scientiæ in lucrum +exeuntes;” and sciences, like arts whose object is gain, +are, in good English, trades. Such theology is, and men who +could make no fortune, except the lowest, in any other, make +often the highest in this; for the proof of which assertion I +might produce some signal instances among my lords the +bishops. The consequence has been uniform; for how ready +soever the tradesmen of one Church are to expose the false +wares—that is, the errors and abuses—of another, they +never admit that there are any in their own; and he who admitted +this in some particular instance would be driven out of the +ecclesiastical company as a false brother and one who spoiled the +trade.</p> +<p>Thus it comes to pass that new Churches may be established by +the dissensions, but that old ones cannot be reformed by the +concurrence, of the clergy. There is no composition to be +made with this order of men. He who does not believe all +they teach in every communion is reputed nearly as criminal as he +who believes no part of it. He who cannot assent to the +Athanasian Creed, of which Archbishop Tillotson said, as I have +heard, that he wished we were well rid, would receive no better +quarter than an atheist from the generality of the clergy. +What recourse now has a man who cannot be thus implicit? +Some have run into scepticism, some into atheism, and, for fear +of being imposed on by others, have imposed on themselves. +The way to avoid these extremes is that which has been chalked +out in this introduction. We may think freely without +thinking as licentiously as divines do when they raise a system +of imagination on true foundations, or as sceptics do when they +renounce all knowledge, or as atheists do when they attempt to +demolish the foundations of all religion and reject +demonstration. As we think for ourselves, we may keep our +thoughts to ourselves, or communicate them with a due reserve and +in such a manner only as it may be done without offending the +laws of our country and disturbing the public peace.</p> +<p>I cannot conclude my discourse on this occasion better than by +putting you in mind of a passage you quoted to me once, with +great applause, from a sermon of Foster, and to this effect: +“Where mystery begins, religion ends.” The +apophthegm pleased me much, and I was glad to hear such a truth +from any pulpit, since it shows an inclination, at least, to +purify Christianity from the leaven of artificial theology, which +consists principally in making things that are very plain +mysterious, and in pretending to make things that are +impenetrably mysterious very plain. If you continue still +of the same mind, I shall have no excuse to make to you for what +I have written and shall write. Our opinions +coincide. If you have changed your mind, think again and +examine further. You will find that it is the modest, not +the presumptuous, inquirer who makes a real and safe progress in +the discovery of divine truths. One follows Nature and +Nature’s God—that is, he follows God in His works and +in His Word; nor presumes to go further, by metaphysical and +theological commentaries of his own invention, than the two +texts, if I may use this expression, carry him very +evidently. They who have done otherwise, and have affected +to discover, by a supposed science derived from tradition or +taught in the schools, more than they who have not such science +can discover concerning the nature, physical and moral, of the +Supreme Being, and concerning the secrets of His providence, have +been either enthusiasts or knaves, or else of that numerous tribe +who reason well very often, but reason always on some arbitrary +supposition.</p> +<p>Much of this character belonged to the heathen divines, and it +is in all its parts peculiarly that of the ancient Fathers and +modern doctors of the Christian Church. The former had +reason, but no revelation, to guide them; and though reason be +always one, we cannot wonder that different prejudices and +different tempers of imagination warped it in them on such +subjects as these, and produced all the extravagances of their +theology. The latter had not the excuse of human frailty to +make in mitigation of their presumption. On the contrary, +the consideration of this frailty, inseparable from their nature, +aggravated their presumption. They had a much surer +criterion than human reason; they had divine reason and the Word +of God to guide them and to limit their inquiries. How came +they to go beyond this criterion? Many of the first +preachers were led into it because they preached or wrote before +there was any such criterion established, in the acceptance of +which they all agreed, because they preached or wrote, in the +meantime, on the faith of tradition and on a confidence that they +were persons extraordinarily gifted. Other reasons +succeeded these. Skill in languages, not the gift of +tongues, some knowledge of the Jewish cabala and some of heathen +philosophy, of Plato’s especially, made them presume to +comment, and under that pretence to enlarge the system of +Christianity with as much licence as they could have taken if the +word of man, instead of the Word of God, had been concerned, and +they had commented the civil, not the divine, law. They did +this so copiously that, to give one instance of it, the +exposition of St. Matthew’s Gospel took up ninety homilies, +and that of St. John’s eighty-seven, in the works of +Chrysostom; which puts me in mind of a Puritanical parson who, if +I mistake not—for I have never looked into the folio since +I was a boy and condemned sometimes to read in it—made one +hundred and nineteen sermons on the hundred and nineteenth +Psalm.</p> +<p>Now all these men, both heathens and Christians, appeared +gigantic forms through the false medium of imagination and +habitual prejudice; but were, in truth, as arrant dwarfs in the +knowledge to which they pretended as you and I and all the sons +of Adam. The former, however, deserved some excuse; the +latter none. The former made a very ill use of their +reason, no doubt, when they presume to dogmatise about the divine +nature, but they deceived nobody. What they taught, they +taught on their own authority, which every other man was at +liberty to receive or reject as he approved or disapproved the +doctrine. Christians, on the other hand, made a very ill +use of revelation and reason both. Instead of employing the +superior principle to direct and confine the inferior, they +employed it to sanctify all that wild imagination, the passions, +and the interests of the ecclesiastical order suggested. +This abuse of revelation was so scandalous that whilst they were +building up a system of religion under the name of Christianity, +every one who sought to signalise himself in the +enterprise—and they were multitudes—dragged the +Scriptures to his opinion by different interpretations, +paraphrases, comments. Arius and Nestorius both pretended +that they had it on their sides; Athanasius and Cyril on +theirs. They rendered the Word of God so dubious that it +ceased to be a criterion, and they had recourse to +another—to Councils and the decrees of Councils. He +must be very ignorant in ecclesiastical antiquity who does not +know by what intrigues of the contending factions—for such +they were, and of the worst kind—these decrees were +obtained; and yet, an opinion prevailing that the Holy Ghost, the +same Divine Spirit who dictated the Scriptures, presided in these +assemblies and dictated their decrees, their decrees passed for +infallible decisions, and sanctified, little by little, much of +the superstition, the nonsense, and even the blasphemy which the +Fathers taught, and all the usurpations of the Church. This +opinion prevailed and influenced the minds of men so powerfully +and so long that Erasmus, who owns in one of his letters that the +writings of Œcolampadius against transubstantiation seemed +sufficient to seduce even the elect (“ut seduci posse +videantur etiam electi”), declares in another that nothing +hindered him from embracing the doctrine of Œcolampadius +but the consent of the Church to the other doctrine (“nisi +obstaret consensus Ecclesiæ”). Thus artificial +theology rose on the demolitions, not on the foundations, of +Christianity; was incorporated into it; and became a principal +part of it. How much it becomes a good Christian to +distinguish them, in his private thoughts at least, and how unfit +even the greatest, the most moderate, and the least ambitious of +the ecclesiastical order are to assist us in making this +distinction, I have endeavoured to show you by reason and by +example.</p> +<p>It remains, then, that we apply ourselves to the study of the +first philosophy without any other guides than the works and the +Word of God. In natural religion the clergy are +unnecessary; in revealed they are dangerous guides.</p> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LETTERS TO SIR WILLIAM WINDHAM AND +MR. POPE***</p> +<pre> + + +***** This file should be named 5132-h.htm or 5132-h.zip****** + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/5/1/3/5132 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at + www.gutenberg.org/license. + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 +North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email +contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the +Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. +</pre></body> +</html> diff --git a/5132-h/images/tpb.jpg b/5132-h/images/tpb.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..24aa03d --- /dev/null +++ b/5132-h/images/tpb.jpg diff --git a/5132-h/images/tps.jpg b/5132-h/images/tps.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b04541d --- /dev/null +++ b/5132-h/images/tps.jpg diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4bb91c3 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #5132 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5132) diff --git a/old/ltww10.txt b/old/ltww10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7add531 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/ltww10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4780 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Letters to Sir William Windham and Mr. Pope +by Lord Bolingbroke +(#1 in our series by Lord Bolingbroke) + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Letters to Sir William Windham and Mr. Pope + +Author: Lord Bolingbroke + +Release Date: February, 2004 [EBook #5132] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on May 7, 2002] +[Most recently updated: May 7, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, LETTERS BY BOLINGBROKE *** + + + + +This eBook was produced by Les Bowler, St. Ives, Dorset. + + + + + +LETTERS TO SIR WILLIAM WINDHAM AND MR. POPE +BY LORD BOLINGBROKE + + + + +Contents + Introduction By Henry Morley + Letter To Sir William Windham + Letter To Alexander Pope + + + +INTRODUCTION + + + +Henry St. John, who became Viscount Bolingbroke in 1712, was born on +the 1st of October, 1678, at the family manor of Battersea, then a +country village. His grandfather, Sir Walter St. John, lived there +with his wife Johanna,--daughter to Cromwell's Chief Justice, Oliver +St. John,--in one home with the child's father, Henry St. John, who +was married to the second daughter of Robert Rich, Earl of Warwick. +The child's grandfather, a man of high character, lived to the age +of eighty-seven; and his father, more a man of what is miscalled +pleasure, to the age of ninety. It was chiefly by his grandfather +and grandmother that the education of young Henry St. John was cared +for. Simon Patrick, afterwards Bishop of Ely, was for some years a +chaplain in their home. By his grandfather and grandmother the +child's religious education may have been too formally cared for. A +passage in Bolingbroke's letter to Pope shows that he was required +as a child to read works of a divine who "made a hundred and +nineteen sermons on the hundred and nineteenth Psalm." + +After education at Eton and Christchurch, Henry St. John travelled +abroad, and in the year 1700 he married, at the age of twenty-two, +Frances, daughter and co-heiress of Sir Henry Winchescomb, a +Berkshire baronet. She had much property, and more in prospect. + +In the year 1701, Henry St. John entered Parliament as member for +Wotton Bassett, the family borough. He acted with the Tories, and +became intimate with their leader, Robert Harley. He soon became +distinguished as the ablest and most vigorous of the young +supporters of the Tory party. He was a handsome man and a brilliant +speaker, delighted in by politicians who, according to his own image +in the Letter to Windham, "grow, like hounds, fond of the man who +shows them game." He was active in the impeachment of Somers, +Montague, the Duke of Portland, and the Earl of Oxford for their +negotiation of the Partition Treaties. In later years he said he +had acted here in ignorance, and justified those treaties. + +James II. died at St. Germains, a pensioner of France, aged sixty- +eight, on the 6th of September, 1701. + +His pretensions to the English throne passed to the son, who had +been born on the 10th of June, 1688, and whose birth had hastened on +the Revolution. That son, James Francis Edward Stuart, who was only +thirteen years old at his father's death, is known sometimes in +history as the Old Pretender; the Young Pretender being his son +Charles Edward, whose defeat at Culloden in 1746 destroyed the last +faint hope of a restoration of the Stuarts. It is with the young +heir to the pretensions of James II. that the story of the life of +Bolingbroke becomes concerned. + +King William III. died on the 8th of March, 1702, and was succeeded +by James II.'s daughter Anne, who was then thirty-eight years old, +and had been married when in her nineteenth year to Prince George of +Denmark. She was a good wife and a good, simple-minded woman; a +much-troubled mother, who had lost five children in their infancy, +besides one who survived to be a boy of eleven and had died in the +year 1700. As his death left the succession to the Crown unsettled, +an Act of Settlement, passed on the 12th of June, 1701, had provided +that, in case of failure of direct heirs to the throne, the Crown +should pass to the next Protestant in succession, who was Sophia, +wife of the Elector of Hanover. The Electress Sophia was daughter +of the Princess Elizabeth who had married the Elector Palatine in +1613, granddaughter, therefore, of James I. She was more than +seventy years old when Queen Anne began her reign. For ardent young +Tories, who had no great interest in the limitation of authority or +enthusiasm for a Protestant succession, it was no treason to think, +though it would be treason to say, that the old Electress and her +more than forty-year-old German son George, gross-minded and clumsy, +did not altogether shut out hope for the succession of a more direct +heir to the Crown. + +In 1704 St. John was Secretary at War when Harley was Secretary of +State, and he remained in office till 1708, when the Whigs came in +under Marlborough and Godolphin, and St. John's successor was his +rival Robert Walpole. St. John retired then for two year from +public life to his country seat at Bucklersbury in Berkshire, which +had come to him, through his wife, by the death of his wife's father +the year before. He was thirty years old, the most brilliant of the +rising statesmen; impatient of Harley as a leader and of Walpole as +his younger rival from the other side, both of them men who, in his +eyes, were dull and slow. St. John's quick intellect, though eager +and impatient of successful rivalry, had its philosophic turn. +During these two years of retirement he indulged the calmer love of +study and thought, whose genius he said once, in a letter to Lord +Bathurst "On the True use of Retirement and Study," "unlike the +dream of Socrates, whispered so softly, that very often I heard him +not, in the hurry of those passions by which I was transported. +Some calmer hours there were; in them I hearkened to him. +Reflection had often its turn, and the love of study and the desire +of knowledge have never quite abandoned me." + +In 1710 the Whigs were out and Harley in again, with St. John in his +ministry as Secretary of State. "I am thinking," wrote Swift to +Stella, "what a veneration we used to have for Sir William Temple +because he might have been Secretary of State at fifty; and here is +a young fellow hardly thirty in that employment." + +It was the policy of the Tories to put an end to the war with +France, that was against all their political interests. The Whigs +wished to maintain it as a safeguard against reaction in favour of +the Pretender. In the peace negotiations nobody was so active as +Secretary St. John. On one occasion, without consulting his +colleagues, he wrote to the Duke of Ormond, who commanded the +English army in the Netherlands: "Her Majesty, my lord, has reason +to believe that we shall come to an agreement on the great article +of the union of the two monarchies as soon as a courier sent from +Versailles to Madrid can return; it is, therefore, the Queen's +positive command to your grace, that you avoid engaging in any siege +or hazarding a battle till you have further orders from her Majesty. +I am at the same time directed to let your grace know that the Queen +would have you disguise the receipt of this order; and that her +Majesty thinks you cannot want pretences for conducting yourself so +as to answer her ends without owning that which might at present +have an ill effect if publicly known." He added as a postscript: +"I had almost forgot to tell your grace that communication is given +of this order to the Court of France." The peace was right, but the +way of making it was mean in more ways than one, and the friction +between Harley and St. John steadily increased. St. John used his +majority in the House for the expulsion of his rival Walpole and +Walpole's imprisonment in the Tower upon charges of corruption. In +1712, when Harley had obtained for himself the Earldom of Oxford, +St. John wanted an earldom too; and the Earldom of Bolingbroke, in +the elder branch of his family, had lately become extinct. His ill- +will to Harley was embittered by the fact that only the lower rank +of Viscount was conceded to him, and he was sent from the House of +Commons, where his influence was great, at the age of thirty-four, +as Viscount Bolingbroke and Baron St. John. His father's +congratulation on the peerage glanced at the perils of Jacobitism: +"Well, Harry, I said you would be hanged, but now I see you'll be +beheaded." + +The Treaty of Utrecht, that closed the War of the Spanish +Succession, was signed on the 11th of April (new style), 1713. +Queen Anne died on the 1st of August, 1714, when time was not ripe +for the reaction that Bolingbroke had hoped to see. His Letter to +Windham frankly leaves us to understand that in Queen Anne's reign +the possible succession of James II.'s son, the Chevalier de St. +George, had never been out of his mind. + +The death of the Electress Sophia brought her son George to the +throne. The Whigs triumphed, and Lord Bolingbroke was politically +ruined. He was dismissed from office before the end of the month. +On the 26th of March, 1715, he escaped to France, in disguise of a +valet to the French messenger La Vigne. A Secret Committee of the +House of Commons was, a few days afterwards, appointed to examine +papers, and the result was Walpole's impeachment of Bolingbroke. He +was, in September, 1715, in default of surrender, attainted of high +treason, and his name was erased from the roll of peers. His own +account of his policy will be found in this letter to his friend Sir +William Windham, in which the only weak feature is the bitterness of +Bolingbroke's resentment against Harley. + +When he went in exile to France, Bolingbroke remained only a few +days in Paris before retiring to St. Clair, near Vienne, in +Dauphiny. His Letter to Windham tells how he became Secretary of +State to the Pretender, and how little influence he could obtain +over the Jacobite counsels. The hopeless Rebellion of 1715, in +Scotland, Bolingbroke laboured in vain to delay until there might be +some chance of success. The death of Louis XIV., on the 1st of +September in that year, had removed the last prop of a falling +cause. + +Some part of Bolingbroke's forfeited property was returned to his +wife, who pleaded in vain for the reversal of his attainder. +Bolingbroke was ill-used by the Pretender and abused by the +Jacobites. He had been writing philosophical "Reflections upon +Exile," but when he found himself thus attacked on both sides +Bolingbroke resolved to cast Jacobitism to the winds, speak out like +a man, and vindicate himself in a way that might possibly restore +him to the service of his country. So in April, 1717, at the age of +thirty-nine, he began work upon what is justly considered the best +of his writings, his Letter to Sir William Windham. + +Windham was a young Tory politician of good family and great wealth, +who had married a daughter of the Duke of Somerset, and had been +accepted by the Tories in the House of Commons as a leader, after +Henry St. John had been sent to the House of Lords. Windham was +"Dear Willie" to Bolingbroke, a constant friend, and in 1715 he was +sent to the Tower as a Jacobite. But he had powerful connections, +was kindly and not dangerous, and was soon back in his place in the +House fighting the Whigs. The Letter to Windham was finished in the +summer of 1717. Its frankness was only suited to the prospect of a +pardon. It was found that there was no such prospect, and the +Letter was not published until 1753, a year or two after its +writer's death. + +Bolingbroke's first wife died in November, 1718. He married in 1720 +a Marquise de Villette, with whom he lived on an estate called La +Source, near Orleans, at the source of the small river Loiret. +There he talked and wrote philosophy. His pardon was obtained in +May, 1723. In 1725 he was allowed by Act of Parliament the +possession of his family inheritance; but as the attainder was not +reversed he could never again sit in Parliament. So he came home in +1725, and bought an estate at Dawley, near Uxbridge. There he +philosophised in his own way and played at farming, discoursed with +Pope and plied his pen against the Whigs. In his letter to Pope, +Bolingbroke writes of ministers of religion as if they had no other +function than to maintain theological dogmas, and draws a false +conclusion from false premisses. He died on the 12th of December, +1751. + +H.M. + + + +A LETTER TO SIR WILLIAM WINDHAM + + + +I was well enough acquainted with the general character of mankind, +and in particular with that of my own countrymen, to expect to be as +much out of the minds of the Tories during my exile as if we had +never lived and acted together. I depended on being forgot by them, +and was far from imagining it possible that I should be remembered +only to be condemned loudly by one half of them, and to be tacitly +censured by the greatest part of the other half. As soon as I was +separated from the Pretender and his interest, I declared myself to +be so; and I gave directions for writing into England what I judged +sufficient to put my friends on their guard against any surprise +concerning an event which it was their interest, as well as mine, +that they should be very rightly informed about. + +As soon as the Pretender's adherents began to clamour against me in +this country, and to disperse their scandal by circular letters +everywhere else, I gave directions for writing into England again. +Their groundless articles of accusation were refuted, and enough was +said to give my friends a general idea of what had happened to me, +and at least to make them suspend the fixing any opinion till such +time as I should be able to write more fully and plainly to them +myself. To condemn no person unheard is a rule of natural equity, +which we see rarely violated in Turkey, or in the country where I am +writing: that it would not be so with me in Great Britain, I +confess that I flattered myself. I dwelt securely in this +confidence, and gave very little attention to any of those +scurrilous methods which were taken about this time to blast my +reputation. The event of things has shown that I trusted too much +to my own innocence, and to the justice of my old friends. + +It was obvious that the Chevalier and the Earl of Mar hoped to load +me with the imputation of treachery, incapacity, or neglect: it was +indifferent to them of which. If they could ascribe to one of those +their not being supported from France, they imagined that they +should justify their precipitate flight from Scotland, which many of +their fastest friends exclaimed against; and that they should +varnish over that original capital fault, the drawing the +Highlanders together in arms at the time and in the manner in which +it was done. + +The Scotch, who fell at once from all the sanguine expectations with +which they had been soothed, and who found themselves reduced to +despair, were easy to be incensed; they had received no support +whatever, and it was natural for them rather to believe that they +failed of this support by my fault, than to imagine their general +had prevailed on them to rise in the very point of time when it was +impossible that they should be supported from France, or from any +other part of the world. The Duke of Ormond, who had been the +bubble of his own popularity, was enough out of humour with the +general turn of affairs to be easily set against any particular man. +The emissaries of this Court, whose commission was to amuse, had +imposed upon him all along; and there were other busy people who +thought to find their account in having him to themselves. I had +never been in his secret whilst we were in England together: and +from his first coming into France he was either prevailed upon by +others, or, which I rather believe, he concurred with others, to +keep me out of it. The perfect indifference I showed whether I was +in it or no, might carry him from acting separately, to act against +me. + +The whole tribe of Irish and other papists were ready to seize the +first opportunity of venting their spleen against a man, who had +constantly avoided all intimacy with them; who acted in the same +cause, but on a different principle, and who meant no one thing in +the world less than raising them to the advantages which they +expected. + +That these several persons, for the reasons I have mentioned, should +join in a cry against me, is not very marvellous; the contrary would +be so to a man who knows them as well as I do. But that the English +Tories should serve as echoes to them--nay more, that my character +should continue doubtful at best amongst you, when those who first +propagated the slander are become ashamed of railing without proof, +and have dropped the clamour,--this I own that I never expected; and +I may be allowed to say, that as it is an extreme surprise, so it +shall be a lesson to me. + +The Whigs impeached and attainted me. They went farther--at least, +in my way of thinking, that step was more cruel than all the others- +-by a partial representation of facts, and pieces of facts, put +together as it best suited their purpose, and published to the whole +world, they did all that in them lay to expose me for a fool, and to +brand me for a knave. But then I had deserved this abundantly at +their hands, according to the notions of party-justice. The Tories +have not indeed impeached nor attainted me; but they have done, and +are still doing something very like to that which I took worse of +the Whigs than the impeachment and attainder: and this, after I +have shown an inviolable attachment to the service, and almost an +implicit obedience to the will of the party; when I am actually an +outlaw, deprived of my honours, stripped of my fortune, and cut off +from my family and my country, for their sakes. + +Some of the persons who have seen me here, and with whom I have had +the pleasure to talk of you, may, perhaps, have told you that, far +from being oppressed by that storm of misfortunes in which I have +been tossed of late, I bear up against it with firmness enough, and +even with alacrity. It is true, I do so; but it is true likewise +that the last burst of the cloud has gone near to overwhelm me. +From our enemies we expect evil treatment of every sort, we are +prepared for it, we are animated by it, and we sometimes triumph in +it; but when our friends abandon us, when they wound us, and when +they take, to do this, an occasion where we stand the most in need +of their support, and have the best title to it, the firmest mind +finds it hard to resist. + +Nothing kept up my spirits when I was first reduced to the very +circumstances I now describe so much as the consideration of the +delusions under which I knew that the Tories lay, and the hopes I +entertained of being able soon to open their eyes, and to justify my +conduct. I expected that friendship, or, if that principle failed, +curiosity at least, would move the party to send over some person +from whose report they might have both sides of the question laid +before them. Though this expectation be founded in reason, and you +want to be informed at least as much as I do to be justified, yet I +have hitherto flattered myself with it in vain. To repair this +misfortune, therefore, as far as lies in my power, I resolve to put +into writing the sum of what I should have said in that case. These +papers shall lie by me till time and accidents produce some occasion +of communicating them to you. The true occasion of doing it with +advantage to the party will probably be lost; but they will remain a +monument of my justification to posterity. At worst, if even this +fails me, I am sure of one satisfaction in writing them: the +satisfaction of unburdening my mind to a friend, and of stating +before an equitable judge the account, as I apprehend it to stand, +between the Tories and myself--"Quantum humano consilio efficere +potui, circumspectis rebus meis omnibus, rationibusque subductis, +summam feci cogitationum mearum omnium, quam tibi, si potero, +breviter exponam." + +It is necessary to my design that I call to your mind the state of +affairs in Britain from the latter part of the year 1710 to the +beginning of the year 1715, about which time we parted. I go no +farther back because the part which I acted before that time, in the +first essays I made in public affairs, was the part of a Tory, and +so far of a piece with that which I acted afterwards. Besides, the +things which preceded this space of time had no immediate influence +on those which happened since that time, whereas the strange events +which we have seen fall out in the king's reign were owing in a +great measure to what was done, or neglected to be done, in the last +four years of the queen's. The memory of these events being fresh, +I shall dwell as little as possible upon them; it will be sufficient +that I make a rough sketch of the face of the Court, and of the +conduct of the several parties during that time. Your memory will +soon furnish the colours which I shall omit to lay, and finish up +the picture. + +From the time at which I left Britain I had not the advantage of +acting under the eyes of the party which I served, nor of being able +from time to time to appeal to their judgment. The gross of what +happened has appeared; but the particular steps which led to those +events have been either concealed or misrepresented--concealed from +the nature of them or misrepresented by those with whom I never +agreed perfectly except in thinking that they and I were extremely +unfit to continue embarked in the same bottom together. It will, +therefore, be proper to descend under this head to a more particular +relation. + +In the summer of the year 1710 the Queen was prevailed upon to +change her Parliament and her Ministry. The intrigue of the Earl of +Oxford might facilitate the means, the violent prosecution of +Sacheverel, and other unpopular measures, might create the occasion +and encourage her in the resolution; but the true original cause was +the personal ill-usage which she received in her private life and in +some trifling instances of the exercise of her power, for indulgence +in which she would certainly have left the reins of government in +those hands which had held them ever since her accession to the +throne. + +I am afraid that we came to Court in the same dispositions as all +parties have done; that the principal spring of our actions was to +have the government of the state in our hands; that our principal +views were the conservation of this power, great employments to +ourselves, and great opportunities of rewarding those who had helped +to raise us, and of hurting those who stood in opposition to us. It +is, however, true that with these considerations of private and +party interest there were others intermingled which had for their +object the public good of the nation--at least what we took to be +such. + +We looked on the political principles which had generally prevailed +in our government from the Revolution in 1688 to be destructive of +our true interest, to have mingled us too much in the affairs of the +Continent, to tend to the impoverishing our people, and to the +loosening the bands of our constitution in Church and State. We +supposed the Tory party to be the bulk of the landed interest, and +to have no contrary influence blended into its composition. We +supposed the Whigs to be the remains of a party formed against the +ill designs of the Court under King Charles II., nursed up into +strength and applied to contrary uses by King William III., and yet +still so weak as to lean for support on the Presbyterians and the +other sectaries, on the Bank and the other corporations, on the +Dutch and the other Allies. From hence we judged it to follow that +they had been forced, and must continue so, to render the national +interest subservient to the interest of those who lent them an +additional strength, without which they could never be the prevalent +party. The view, therefore, of those amongst us who thought in this +manner was to improve the Queen's favour, to break the body of the +Whigs, to render their supports useless to them, and to fill the +employments of the kingdom, down to the meanest, with Tories. We +imagined that such measures, joined to the advantages of our numbers +and our property, would secure us against all attempts during her +reign, and that we should soon become too considerable not to make +our terms in all events which might happen afterwards: concerning +which, to speak truly, I believe few or none of us had any very +settled resolution. + +In order to bring these purposes about, I verily think that the +persecution of Dissenters entered into no man's head. By the Bills +for preventing Occasional Conformity and the growth of schism, it +was hoped that their sting would be taken away. These Bills were +thought necessary for our party interest, and, besides, were deemed +neither unreasonable nor unjust. The good of society may require +that no person should be deprived of the protection of the +Government on account of his opinions in religious matters; but it +does not follow from hence that men ought to be trusted in any +degree with the preservation of the Establishment, who must, to be +consistent with their principles, endeavour the subversion of what +is established. An indulgence to consciences, which the prejudice +of education and long habits have rendered scrupulous, may be +agreeable to the rules of good policy and of humanity, yet will it +hardly follow from hence that a government is under any obligation +to indulge a tenderness of conscience to come, or to connive at the +propagating of these prejudices and at the forming of these habits. +The evil effect is without remedy, and may, therefore, deserve +indulgence; but the evil cause is to be prevented, and can, +therefore, be entitled to none. Besides this, the Bills I am +speaking of, rather than to enact anything new, seemed only to +enforce the observation of ancient laws which had been judged +necessary for the security of the Church and State at a time when +the memory of the ruin of both, and of the hands by which that ruin +had been wrought, was fresh in the minds of men. + +The Bank, the East India Company, and in general the moneyed +interest, had certainly nothing to apprehend like what they feared, +or affected to fear, from the Tories--an entire subversion of their +property. Multitudes of our own party would have been wounded by +such a blow. The intention of those who were the warmest seemed to +me to go no farther than restraining their influence on the +Legislature, and on matters of State; and finding at a proper season +means to make them contribute to the support and ease of a +government under which they enjoyed advantages so much greater than +the rest of their fellow-subjects. The mischievous consequence +which had been foreseen and foretold too, at the establishment of +those corporations, appeared visibly. The country gentlemen were +vexed, put to great expenses and even baffled by them in their +elections; and among the members of every parliament numbers were +immediately or indirectly under their influence. The Bank had been +extravagant enough to pull off the mask; and, when the Queen seemed +to intend a change in her ministry, they had deputed some of their +members to represent against it. But that which touched sensibly +even those who were but little affected by other considerations, was +the prodigious inequality between the condition of the moneyed men +and of the rest of the nation. The proprietor of the land, and the +merchant who brought riches home by the returns of foreign trade, +had during two wars borne the whole immense load of the national +expenses; whilst the lender of money, who added nothing to the +common stock, throve by the public calamity, and contributed not a +mite to the public charge. + +As to the Allies, I saw no difference of opinion among all those who +came to the head of affairs at this time. Such of the Tories as +were in the system above mentioned, such of them as deserted soon +after from us, and such of the Whigs as had upon this occasion +deserted to us, seemed equally convinced of the unreasonableness, +and even of the impossibility, of continuing the war on the same +disproportionate footing. Their universal sense was, that we had +taken, except the part of the States General, the whole burden of +the war upon us, and even a proportion of this; while the entire +advantage was to accrue to others: that this had appeared very +grossly in 1709, and 1710, when preliminaries were insisted upon, +which contained all that the Allies, giving the greatest loose to +their wishes, could desire, and little or nothing on the behalf of +Great Britain: that the war, which had been begun for the security +of the Allies, was continued for their grandeur: that the ends +proposed, when we engaged in it, might have been answered long +before, and therefore that the first favourable occasion ought to be +seized of making peace; which we thought to be the interest of our +country, and which appeared to all mankind, as well as to us, to be +that of our party. + +These were in general the views of the Tories: and for the part I +acted in the prosecution of them, as well as of all the measures +accessory to them, I may appeal to mankind. To those who had the +opportunity of looking behind the curtain I may likewise appeal, for +the difficulties which lay in my way, and for the particular +discouragements which I met with. A principal load of parliamentary +and foreign affairs in their ordinary course lay upon me: the whole +negotiation of the peace, and of the troublesome invidious steps +preliminary to it, as far as they could be transacted at home, were +thrown upon me. I continued in the House of Commons during that +important session which preceded the peace; and which, by the spirit +shown through the whole course of it, and by the resolutions taken +in it, rendered the conclusion of the treaties practicable. After +this I was dragged into the House of Lords in such a manner as to +make my promotion a punishment, not a reward; and was there left to +defend the treaties almost alone. + +It would not have been hard to have forced the Earl of Oxford to use +me better. His good intentions began to be very much doubted of; +the truth is, no opinion of his sincerity had ever taken root in the +party, and, which was worse perhaps for a man in his station, the +opinion of his capacity began to fall apace. He was so hard pushed +in the House of Lords in the beginning of 1712 that he had been +forced, in the middle of the session, to persuade the Queen to make +a promotion of twelve peers at once, which was an unprecedented and +invidious measure, to be excused by nothing but the necessity, and +hardly by that. In the House of Commons his credit was low and my +reputation very high. You know the nature of that assembly; they +grow, like hounds, fond of the man who shows them game, and by whose +halloo they are used to be encouraged. The thread of the +negotiations, which could not stand still a moment without going +back, was in my hands, and before another man could have made +himself master of the business much time would have been lost, and +great inconveniences would have followed. Some, who opposed the +Court soon after, began to waver then, and if I had not wanted the +inclination I should have wanted no help to do mischief. I knew the +way of quitting my employments and of retiring from Court when the +service of my party required it; but I could not bring myself up to +that resolution, when the consequence of it must have been the +breaking my party and the distress of the public affairs. I thought +my mistress treated me ill, but the sense of that duty which I owed +her came in aid of other considerations, and prevailed over my +resentment. These sentiments, indeed, are so much out of fashion +that a man who avows them is in danger of passing for a bubble in +the world; yet they were, in the conjuncture I speak of, the true +motives of my conduct, and you saw me go on as cheerfully in the +troublesome and dangerous work assigned me as if I had been under +the utmost satisfaction. I began, indeed, in my heart to renounce +the friendship which till that time I had preserved inviolable for +Oxford. I was not aware of all his treachery, nor of the base and +little means which he employed then, and continued to employ +afterwards, to ruin me in the opinion of the Queen and everywhere +else. I saw, however, that he had no friendship for anybody, and +that with respect to me, instead of having the ability to render +that merit, which I endeavoured to acquire, an addition of strength +to himself, it became the object of his jealousy and a reason for +undermining me. In this temper of mind I went on till the great +work of the peace was consummated and the treaty signed at Utrecht; +after which a new and more melancholy scene for the party, as well +as for me, opened itself. + +I am far from thinking the treaties, or the negotiations which led +to them, exempt from faults. Many were made no doubt in both by +those who were concerned in them; by myself in the first place, and +many were owing purely to the opposition they met with in every step +of their progress. I never look back on this great event, passed as +it is, without a secret emotion of mind; when I compare the vastness +of the undertaking and the importance of its success, with the means +employed to bring it about, and with those which were employed to +traverse it. To adjust the pretensions and to settle the interests +of so many princes and states as were engaged in the late war would +appear, when considered simply and without any adventitious +difficulty, a work of prodigious extent. But this was not all. +Each of our Allies thought himself entitled to raise his demands to +the most extravagant height. They had been encouraged to this, +first, by the engagements which we had entered into with several of +them, with some to draw them into the war, with others to prevail on +them to continue it; and, secondly, by the manner in which we had +treated with France in 1709 and 1710. Those who intended to tie the +knot of the war as hard, and to render the coming at a peace as +impracticable as they could, had found no method so effectual as +that of leaving everyone at liberty to insist on all he could think +of, and leaving themselves at liberty, even if these concessions +should be made, to break the treaty by ulterior demands. That this +was the secret I can make no doubt after the confession of one of +the plenipotentiaries who transacted these matters, and who +communicated to me and to two others of the Queen's Ministers an +instance of the Duke of Marlborough's management at a critical +moment, when the French Ministers at Gertrudenberg seemed inclinable +to come into an expedient for explaining the thirty-seventh article +of the preliminaries, which could not have been refused. Certain it +is that the King of France was at that time in earnest to execute +the article of Philip's abdication, and therefore the expedients for +adjusting what related to this article would easily enough have been +found, if on our part there had been a real intention of concluding. +But there was no such intention, and the plan of those who meant to +prolong the war was established among the Allies as the plan which +ought to be followed whenever a peace came to be treated. The +Allies imagined that they had a right to obtain at least everything +which had been demanded for them respectively, and it was visible +that nothing less would content them. These considerations set the +vastness of the undertaking in a sufficient light. + +The importance of succeeding in the work of the peace was equally +great to Europe, to our country, to our party, to our persons, to +the present age, and to future generations. But I need not take +pains to prove what no man will deny. The means employed to bring +it about were in no degree proportionable. A few men, some of whom +had never been concerned in business of this kind before, and most +of whom put their hands for a long time to it faintly and +timorously, were the instruments of it. The Minister who was at +their head showed himself every day incapable of that attention, +that method, that comprehension of different matters, which the +first post in such a Government as ours requires in quiet times. He +was the first spring of all our motion by his credit with the Queen, +and his concurrence was necessary to everything we did by his rank +in the State, and yet this man seemed to be sometimes asleep and +sometimes at play. He neglected the thread of business, which was +carried on for this reason with less dispatch and less advantage in +the proper channels, and he kept none in his own hands. He +negotiated, indeed, by fits and starts, by little tools and indirect +ways, and thus his activity became as hurtful as his indolence, of +which I could produce some remarkable instances. No good effect +could flow from such a conduct. In a word, when this great affair +was once engaged, the zeal of particular men in their several +provinces drove it forward, though they were not backed by the +concurrent force of the whole Administration, nor had the common +helps of advice till it was too late, till the very end of the +negotiations; even in matters, such as that of commerce, which they +could not be supposed to understand. That this is a true account of +the means used to arrive at the peace, and a true character of that +Administration in general, I believe the whole Cabinet Council of +that time will bear me witness. Sure I am that most of them have +joined with me in lamenting this state of things whilst it +subsisted, and all those who were employed as Ministers in the +several parts of the treaty felt sufficiently the difficulties which +this strange management often reduced them to. I am confident they +have not forgotten them. + +If the means employed to bring the peace about were feeble, and in +one respect contemptible, those employed to break the negotiation +were strong and formidable. As soon as the first suspicion of a +treaty's being on foot crept abroad in the world the whole alliance +united with a powerful party in the nation to obstruct it. From +that hour to the moment the Congress of Utrecht finished, no one +measure possible to be taken was omitted to traverse every advance +that was made in this work, to intimidate, to allure, to embarrass +every person concerned in it. This was done without any regard +either to decency or good policy, and from hence it soon followed +that passion and humour mingled themselves on each side. A great +part of what we did for the peace, and of what others did against +it, can be accounted for on no other principle. The Allies were +broken among themselves before they began to treat with the common +enemy. The matter did not mend in the course of the treaty, and +France and Spain, but especially the former, profited of this +disunion. + +Whoever makes the comparison, which I have touched upon, will see +the true reasons which rendered the peace less answerable to the +success of the war than it might and than it ought to have been. +Judgment has been passed in this case as the different passions or +interests of men have inspired them. But the real cause lay in the +constitution of our Ministry, and much more in the obstinate +opposition which we met with from the Whigs and from the Allies. +However, sure it is that the defects of the peace did not occasion +the desertions from the Tory party which happened about this time, +nor those disorders in the Court which immediately followed. + +Long before the purport of the treaties could be known, those Whigs +who had set out with us in 1710 began to relapse back to their +party. They had among us shared the harvest of a new Ministry, and, +like prudent persons, they took measures in time to have their share +in that of a new Government. + +The whimsical or the Hanover Tories continued zealous in appearance +with us till the peace was signed. I saw no people so eager for the +conclusion of it. Some of them were in such haste that they thought +any peace preferable to the least delay, and omitted no instances to +quicken their friends who were actors in it. As soon as the +treaties were perfected and laid before the Parliament, the scheme +of these gentlemen began to disclose itself entirely. Their love of +the peace, like other passions, cooled by enjoyment. They grew nice +about the construction of the articles, could come up to no direct +approbation, and, being let into the secret of what was to happen, +would not preclude themselves from the glorious advantage of rising +on the ruins of their friends and of their party. + +The danger of the succession and the badness of the peace were the +two principles on which we were attacked. On the first the +whimsical Tories joined the Whigs, and declared directly against +their party. Although nothing is more certain than this truth: +that there was at that time no formed design in the party, whatever +views some particular men might have, against his Majesty's +accession to the throne. On the latter, and most other points, they +affected a most glorious neutrality. + +Instead of gathering strength, either as a Ministry or as a party, +we grew weaker every day. The peace had been judged, with reason, +to be the only solid foundation whereupon we could erect a Tory +system; and yet when it was made we found ourselves at a full stand. +Nay, the very work which ought to have been the basis of our +strength was in part demolished before our eyes, and we were stoned +with the ruins of it. Whilst this was doing, Oxford looked on as if +he had not been a party to all which had passed; broke now and then +a jest, which savoured of the Inns of Court and the bad company in +which he had been bred. And on those occasions where his station +obliged him to speak of business, was absolutely unintelligible. + +Whether this man ever had any determined view besides that of +raising his family is, I believe, a problematical question in the +world. My opinion is that he never had any other. The conduct of a +Minister who proposes to himself a great and noble object, and who +pursues it steadily, may seem for a while a riddle to the world; +especially in a Government like ours, where numbers of men, +different in their characters and different in their interests, are +at all times to be managed; where public affairs are exposed to more +accidents and greater hazards than in other countries; and where, by +consequence, he who is at the head of business will find himself +often distracted by measures which have no relation to his purpose, +and obliged to bend himself to things which are in some degree +contrary to his main design. The ocean which environs us is an +emblem of our government, and the pilot and the Minister are in +similar circumstances. It seldom happens that either of them can +steer a direct course, and they both arrive at their port by means +which frequently seem to carry them from it. But as the work +advances the conduct of him who leads it on with real abilities +clears up, the appearing inconsistencies are reconciled, and when it +is once consummated the whole shows itself so uniform, so plain, and +so natural, that every dabbler in politics will be apt to think he +could have done the same. But, on the other hand, a man who +proposes no such object, who substitutes artifice in the place of +ability, who, instead of leading parties and governing accidents, is +eternally agitated backwards and forwards by both, who begins every +day something new, and carries nothing on to perfection, may impose +awhile on the world; but a little sooner or a little later the +mystery will be revealed, and nothing will be found to be couched +under it but a thread of pitiful expedients, the ultimate end of +which never extended farther than living from day to day. Which of +these pictures resembles Oxford most you will determine. I am sorry +to be obliged to name him so often, but how is it possible to do +otherwise while I am speaking of times wherein the whole turn of +affairs depended on his motions and character? + +I have heard, and I believe truly, that when he returned to Windsor +in the autumn of 1713, after the marriage of his son, he pressed +extremely to have him created Duke of Newcastle or Earl of Clare, +and the Queen presuming to hesitate on so extraordinary a proposal, +he resented this hesitation in a manner which little became a man +who had been so lately raised by the profusion of her favours upon +him. Certain it is, that he began then to show a still greater +remissness in all parts of his Ministry, and to affect to say that +from such a time, the very time I am speaking of, he took no share +in the direction of affairs, or words to that effect. + +He pretended to have discovered intrigues which were set on foot +against him, and particularly he complained of the advantage which +was taken of his absence during the journey he made at his son's +marriage to undermine him with the Queen. He is naturally inclined +to believe the worst, which I take to be a certain mark of a mean +spirit and a wicked soul. At least, I am sure that the contrary +quality, when it is not due to weakness of understanding, is the +fruit of a generous temper and an honest heart. Prone to judge ill +of all mankind, he will rarely be seduced by his credulity, but I +never knew a man so capable of being the bubble of his distrust and +jealousy. He was so in this case, although the Queen, who could not +be ignorant of the truth, said enough to undeceive him. But to be +undeceived, and to own himself so, was not his play. He hoped by +cunning to varnish over his want of faith and of ability. He was +desirous to make the world impute the extraordinary part, or, to +speak more properly, the no part, which he acted with the staff of +Treasurer in his hand, to the Queen's withdrawing her favour from +him and to his friends abandoning him--pretences utterly groundless +when he first made them, and which he brought to be real at last. +Even the winter before the Queen's death, when his credit began to +wane apace, he might have regained it; he might have reconciled +himself perfectly with all his ancient friends, and have acquired +the confidence of the whole party. I say he might have done all +this, because I am persuaded that none of those I have named were so +convinced of his perfidy, so jaded with his yoke, or so much piqued +personally against him as I was; and yet if he would have exerted +himself in concert with us to improve the few advantages which were +left us and to ward off the visible danger which threatened our +persons and our party, I would have stifled my private animosity and +would have acted under him with as much zeal as ever. But he was +incapable of taking such a turn. The sum of all his policy had been +to amuse the Whigs, the Tories, and the Jacobites as long as he +could, and to keep his power as long as he amused them. When it +became impossible to amuse mankind any longer, he appeared plainly +at the end of his line. + +By a secret correspondence with the late Earl of Halifax, and by the +intrigues of his brother and other fanatical relations, he had +endeavoured to keep some hold on the Whigs. + +The Tories were attached to him at first by the heat of a revolution +in the Ministry, by their hatred of the people who were discarded, +and by the fond hopes which it is easy to give at the setting out of +a new administration. Afterwards he held out the peace in prospect +to them and to the Jacobites separately, as an event which must be +brought about before he could effectually serve either. You cannot +have forgot how things which we pressed were put off upon every +occasion till the peace; the peace was to be the date of a new +administration, and the period at which the millenary year of +Toryism should begin. Thus were the Tories at that time amused; and +since my exile I have had the opportunity of knowing certainly and +circumstantially that the Jacobites were treated in the same manner, +and that the Pretender was made, through the French Minister, to +expect that measures should be taken for his restoration as soon as +the peace had rendered them practicable. He was to attempt nothing, +his partisans were to lie still, Oxford undertook for all. + +After many delays, fatal to the general interest of Europe, this +peace was signed: and the only considerable thing which he brought +about afterwards was the marriage I have mentioned above; and by it +an accession of riches and honour to a family whose estate was very +mean, and whose illustration before this time I never met with +anywhere, but in the vain discourses which he used to hold over +claret. If he kept his word with any of the parties above- +mentioned, it must be supposed that he did so with the Whigs; for as +to us, we saw nothing after the peace but increase of mortification +and nearer approaches to ruin. Not a step was made towards +completing the settlement of Europe, which the treaties of Utrecht +and Radstadt left imperfect; towards fortifying and establishing the +Tory party; towards securing those who had been the principal actors +in this administration against future events. We had proceeded in a +confidence that these things should immediately follow the +conclusion of the peace: he had never, I dare swear, entertained a +thought concerning them. As soon as the last hand was given to the +fortune of his family, he abandoned his mistress, his friends, and +his party, who had borne him so many years on their shoulders: and +I was present when this want of faith was reproached him in the +plainest and strongest terms by one of the honestest men in Britain, +and before some of the most considerable Tories. Even his impudence +failed him on this occasion: he did not so much as attempt an +excuse. + +He could not keep his word which he had given the Pretender and his +adherents, because he had formed no party to support him in such a +design. He was sure of having the Whigs against him if he made the +attempt, and he was not sure of having the Tories for him. + +In this state of confusion and distress, to which he had reduced +himself and us, you remember the part he acted. He was the spy of +the Whigs, and voted with us in the morning against those very +questions which he had penned the night before with Walpole and +others. He kept his post on terms which no man but he would have +held it on, neither submitting to the Queen, nor complying with his +friends. He would not, or he could not, act with us; and he +resolved that we should not act without him as long as he could +hinder it. The Queen's health was very precarious, and at her death +he hoped by these means to deliver us up, bound as it were hand and +foot, to our adversaries. On the foundation of this merit he +flattered himself that he had gained some of the Whigs, and softened +at least the rest of the party to him. By his secret negotiations +at Hanover, he took it for granted that he was not only reconciled +to that Court, but that he should, under his present Majesty's +reign, have as much credit as he had enjoyed under that of the +Queen. He was weak enough to boast of this, and to promise his good +offices voluntarily to several: for no man was weak enough to think +them worth being solicited. In a word, you must have heard that he +answered to Lord Dartmouth and to Mr. Bromley, that one should keep +the Privy Seal, and the other the seals of Secretary; and that Lord +Cowper makes no scruple of telling how he came to offer him the +seals of Chancellor. When the King arrived, he went to Greenwich +with an affectation of pomp and of favour. Against his suspicious +character, he was once in his life the bubble of his credulity; and +this delusion betrayed him into a punishment more severe in my sense +than all which has happened to him since, or than perpetual exile; +he was affronted in the manner in which he was presented to the +King. The meanest subject would have been received with goodness, +the most obnoxious with an air of indifference; but he was received +with the most distinguishing contempt. This treatment he had in the +face of the nation. The King began his reign, in this instance, +with punishing the ingratitude, the perfidy, the insolence, which +had been shown to his predecessor. Oxford fled from Court covered +with shame, the object of the derision of the Whigs and of the +indignation of the Tories. + +The Queen might, if she had pleased, have saved herself from all +those mortifications she met with during the last months of her +reign, and her servants and the Tory party from those misfortunes +which they endured during the same time; perhaps from those which +they have fallen into since her death. When she found that the +peace, from the conclusion of which she expected ease and quiet, +brought still greater trouble upon her; when she saw the weakness of +her Government, and the confusion of her affairs increase every day; +when she saw her First Minister bewildered and unable to extricate +himself or her; in fine, when the negligence of his public conduct, +and the sauciness of his private behaviour had rendered him +insupportable to her, and she took the resolution of laying him +aside, there was a strength still remaining sufficient to have +supported her Government, to have fulfilled in great part the +expectations of the Tories, and to have constituted both them and +the Ministers in such a situation as would have left them little to +apprehend. Some designs were, indeed, on foot which might have +produced very great disorders: Oxford's conduct had given much +occasion to them, and with the terror of them he endeavoured to +intimidate the Queen. But expedients were not hard to be found by +which those designs might have been nipped in the bud, or else by +which the persons who promoted them might have been induced to lay +them aside. But that fatal irresolution inherent to the Stuart race +hung upon her. She felt too much inward resentment to be able to +conceal his disgrace from him; yet, after he had made this +discovery, she continued to trust all her power in his hands. + +No people ever were in such a condition as ours continued to be from +the autumn of 1713 to the summer following. The Queen's health sank +every day. The attack which she had in the winter at Windsor served +as a warning both to those who wished, and to those who feared her +death, to expect it. The party which opposed the court had been +continually gaining strength by the weakness of our administration: +and at this time their numbers were vastly increased, and their +spirit was raised by the near prospect of the succession taking +place. We were not at liberty to exert the strength we had. We saw +our danger, and many of us saw the true means of avoiding it; but +whilst the magic wand was in the same hands, this knowledge served +only to increase our uneasiness; and, whether we would or no, we +were forced with our eyes open to walk on towards the precipice. +Every moment we became less able, if the Queen lived, to support her +Government; if she died, to secure ourselves. One side was united +in a common view, and acted upon a uniform plan: the other had +really none at all. We knew that we were out of favour at the Court +of Hanover, that we were represented there as Jacobites, and that +the Elector, his present Majesty, had been rendered publicly a party +to that opposition, in spite of which we made the peace: and yet we +neither had taken, nor could take in our present circumstances, any +measures to be better or worse there. Thus we languished till the +27th of July, 1714, when the Queen dismissed the Treasurer. On the +Friday following, she fell into an apoplexy, and died on Sunday the +1st of August. + +You do me, I daresay, the justice to believe that whilst this state +of things lasted I saw very well, how little mention soever I might +make of it at the time, that no man in the Ministry, or in the +party, was so much exposed as myself. I could expect no quarter +from the Whigs, for I had deserved none. There were persons amongst +them for whom I had great esteem and friendship; yet neither with +these, nor with any others, had I preserved a secret correspondence, +which might be of use to me in the day of distress: and besides the +general character of my party, I knew that particular prejudices +were entertained against me at Hanover. The Whigs wanted nothing +but an opportunity of attacking the peace, and it could hardly be +imagined that they would stop there. In which case I knew that they +could have hold on no man so much as myself: the instructions, the +orders, the memorials had been drawn by me; the correspondence +relating to it in France, and everywhere else, had been carried on +by me; in a word, my hand appeared to almost every paper which had +been writ in the whole course of the negotiation. To all these +considerations I added that of the weight of personal resentment, +which I had created against myself at home and abroad: in part +unavoidably, by the share I was obliged to take in these affairs; +and in part, if you will, unnecessarily, by the warmth of my temper, +and by some unguarded expressions, for which I have no excuse to +make but that which Tacitus makes for his father-in-law, Julius +Agricola: "honestius putabam offendere, quam odisse." + +Having this prospect of being distinguished from the rest of my +party, in the common calamity, by severer treatment, I might have +justified myself, by reason and by great authorities too, if I had +made early provision, at least to be safe when I should be no longer +useful. How I could have secured this point I do not think fit to +explain: but certain it is that I made no one step towards it. I +resolved not to abandon my party by turning Whig, or, which is worse +a great deal, whimsical; nor to treat separately from it. I +resolved to keep myself at liberty to act on a Tory bottom. If the +Queen disgraced Oxford and continued to live afterwards, I knew we +should have time and means to provide for our future safety: if the +Queen died, and left us in the same unfortunate circumstances, I +expected to suffer for and with the Tories; and I was prepared for +it. + +The thunder had long grumbled in the air; and yet when the bolt +fell, most of our party appeared as much surprised as if they had +had no reason to expect it. There was a perfect calm and universal +submission through the whole kingdom. The Chevalier, indeed, set +out as if his design had been to gain the coast and to embark for +Great Britain; and the Court of France made a merit to themselves of +stopping him and obliging him to return. But this, to my certain +knowledge, was a farce acted by concert, to keep up an opinion of +his character, when all opinion of his cause seemed to be at an end. +He owned this concert to me at Bar, on the occasion of my telling +him that he would have found no party ready to receive him, and that +the enterprise would have been to the last degree extravagant. He +was at this time far from having any encouragement: no party +numerous enough to make the least disturbance was formed in his +favour. On the King's arrival the storm arose. The menaces of the +Whigs, backed by some very rash declarations, by little +circumstances of humour which frequently offend more than real +injuries, and by the entire change of all the persons in employment, +blew up the coals. + +At first many of the Tories had been made to entertain some faint +hopes that they would be permitted to live in quiet. I have been +assured that the King left Hanover in that resolution. Happy had it +been for him and for us if he had continued in it; if the moderation +of his temper had not been overborne by the violence of party, and +his and the national interest sacrificed to the passions of a few. +Others there were among the Tories who had flattered themselves with +much greater expectations than these, and who had depended, not on +such imaginary favour and dangerous advancement as was offered them +afterwards, but on real credit and substantial power under the new +government. Such impressions on the minds of men had rendered the +two Houses of Parliament, which were then sitting, as good courtiers +to King George as ever they had been to Queen Anne. But all these +hopes being at once and with violence extinguished, despair +succeeded in their room. + +Our party began soon to act like men delivered over to their +passions, and unguided by any other principle; not like men fired by +a just resentment and a reasonable ambition to a bold undertaking. +They treated the Government like men who were resolved not to live +under it: and yet they took no one measure to support themselves +against it. They expressed, without reserve or circumspection, an +eagerness to join in any attempt against the Establishment which +they had received and confirmed, and which many of them had courted +but a few weeks before; and yet in the midst of all this bravery, +when the election of the new Parliament came on, some of these very +men acted with the coolness of those who are much better disposed to +compound than to take arms. + +The body of the Tories being in this temper, it is not to be +wondered at if they heated one another, and began apace to turn +their eyes towards the Pretender; and if those few who had already +engaged with him, applied themselves to improve the conjuncture, and +endeavoured to list a party for him. + +I went, about a month after the Queen's death, as soon as the Seals +were taken from me, into the country; and whilst I continued there, +I felt the general disposition to Jacobitism increase daily among +people of all ranks; amongst several who had been constantly +distinguished by their aversion to that cause. But at my return to +London in the month of February or March, 1715, a few weeks before I +left England, I began for the first time in my whole life to +perceive these general dispositions ripen into resolutions, and to +observe some regular workings among many of our principal friends, +which denoted a scheme of this kind. These workings, indeed, were +very faint; for the persons concerned in carrying them on did not +think it safe to speak too plainly to men who were, in truth, ill +disposed to the Government because they neither found their account +at present under it nor had been managed with art enough to leave +them hopes of finding it hereafter, but who at the same time had not +the least affection for the Pretender's person, nor any principle +favourable to his interest. + +This was the state of things when the new Parliament which his +Majesty had called assembled. A great majority of the elections had +gone in favour of the Whigs; to which the want of concert among the +Tories had contributed as much as the vigour of that party and the +influence of the new Government. The Whigs came to the opening of +this Parliament full of as much violence as could possess men who +expected to make their court, to confirm themselves in power, and to +gratify their resentments by the same measures. I have heard that +it was a dispute among the Ministers how far this spirit should be +indulged; and that the King was determined, or confirmed in a +determination, to consent to the prosecutions, and to give the reins +to the party, by the representations that were made to him that +great difficulties would arise in the conduct of the Session if the +Court should appear inclined to check this spirit, and by Mr. W--'s +undertaking to carry all the business successfully through the House +of Commons if they were at liberty. Such has often been the unhappy +fate of our Princes: a real necessity sometimes, and sometimes a +seeming one, has forced them to compound with a part of the nation +at the expense of the whole; and the success of their business for +one year has been purchased at the price of public disorder for +many. + +The conjuncture I am speaking of affords a memorable instance of +this truth. If milder measures had been pursued, certain it is that +the Tories had never universally embraced Jacobitism. The violence +of the Whigs forced them into the arms of the Pretender. The Court +and the party seemed to vie with one another which should go the +greatest lengths in severity: and the Ministers, whose true +interest it must at all times be to calm the minds of men, and who +ought never to set the examples of extraordinary inquiries or +extraordinary accusations, were upon this occasion the tribunes of +the people. + +The Council of Regency which began to sit as soon as the Queen died, +acted like a council of the Holy Office. Whoever looked on the face +of the nation saw everything quiet; not one of those symptoms +appearing which must have shown themselves more or less at that +moment if in reality there had been any measures taken during the +former reign to defeat the Protestant succession. His Majesty +ascended the throne with as little contradiction and as little +trouble as ever a son succeeded a father in the possession of a +private patrimony. But he who had the opportunity, which I had till +my dismission, of seeing a great part of what passed in that +Council, would have thought that there had been an opposition +actually formed, that the new Establishment was attacked openly from +without and betrayed from within. + +The same disposition continued after the King's arrival. This +political Inquisition went on with all the eagerness imaginable in +seizing of papers, in ransacking the Queen's closet, and examining +even her private letters. The Whigs had clamoured loudly, and +affirmed in the face of the world that the nation had been sold to +France, to Spain, to the Pretender; and whilst they endeavoured in +vain, by very singular methods, to find some colour to justify what +they had advanced without proof, they put themselves under an +absolute necessity of grounding the most solemn prosecution on +things whereof they might indeed have proof, but which would never +pass for crimes before any judges but such as were parties at the +same time. + +In the King's first Speech from the Throne all the inflaming hints +were given, and all the methods of violence were chalked out to the +two Houses. The first steps in both were perfectly answerable; and, +to the shame of the peerage be it spoken, I saw at that time several +lords concur to condemn in one general vote all that they had +approved of in a former Parliament by many particular resolutions. +Among several bloody resolutions proposed and agitated at this time, +the resolution of impeaching me of high treason was taken; and I +took that of leaving England, not in a panic terror improved by the +artifices of the Duke of Marlborough (whom I knew even at that time +too well to act by his advice or information in any case), but on +such grounds as the proceedings which soon followed sufficiently +justified, and as I have never repented building upon. Those who +blamed it in the first heat were soon after obliged to change their +language; for what other resolution could I take? The method of +prosecution designed against me would have put me immediately out of +condition to act for myself, or to serve those who were less exposed +than me, but who were, however, in danger. On the other hand, how +few were there on whose assistance I could depend, or to whom I +would, even in those circumstances, be obliged? The ferment in the +nation was wrought up to a considerable height; but there was at +that time no reason to expect that it could influence the +proceedings in Parliament in favour of those who should be accused. +Left to its own movement, it was much more proper to quicken than +slacken the prosecutions; and who was there to guide its motions? +The Tories who had been true to one another to the last were a +handful, and no great vigour could be expected from them. The +Whimsicals, disappointed of the figure which they hoped to make, +began, indeed, to join their old friends. One of the principal +amongst them was so very good as to confess to me that if the Court +had called the servants of the late Queen to account, and had +stopped there, he must have considered himself as a judge, and have +acted according to his conscience on what should have appeared to +him; but that war had been declared to the whole Tory party, and +that now the state of things was altered. This discourse needed no +commentary, and proved to me that I had never erred in the judgment +I made of this set of men. Could I then resolve to be obliged to +them, or to suffer with Oxford? As much as I still was heated by +the disputes in which I had been all my life engaged against the +Whigs, I would sooner have chose to owe my security to their +indulgence than to the assistance of the Whimsicals; but I thought +banishment, with all her train of evils, preferable to either. I +abhorred Oxford to that degree that I could not bear to be joined +with him in any case. Nothing, perhaps, contributed so much to +determine me as this sentiment. A sense of honour would not have +permitted me to distinguish between his case and mine own; and it +was worse than death to lie under the necessity of making them the +same, and of taking measures in concert with him. + +I am now come to the time at which I left England, and have finished +the first part of that deduction of facts which I proposed to lay +before you. I am hopeful that you will not think it altogether +tedious or unnecessary; for although very little of what I have said +can be new to you, yet this summary account will enable you with +greater ease to recall to your memory the passages of those four +years wherewith all that I am going to relate to you has an +immediate and necessary connection. + +In what has been said I am far from making my own panegyric. I had +not in those days so much merit as was ascribed to me, nor since +that time have I had so little as the same persons allowed me. I +committed, without dispute, many faults, and a greater man than I +can pretend to be, constituted in the same circumstances, would not +have kept clear of all; but with respect to the Tories I committed +none. I carried the point of party honour to the height, and +specified everything to my attachment to them during this period of +time. Let us now examine whether I have done so during the rest. + +When I arrived in France, about the end of March, 1715, the affairs +of England were represented to me in another light than I had seen +them in when I looked upon them with my own eyes very few weeks +before. I found the persons who were detached to speak with me +prepared to think that I came over to negotiate for the Pretender; +and when they perceived that I was more ignorant than they imagined, +I was assured by them that there would be suddenly a universal +rising in England and Scotland. The leaders were named to me, their +engagements specified, and many gentlemen, yourself among others, +were reckoned upon for particular services, though I was certain you +had never been treated with; from whence I concluded, and the event +has justified my opinion, that these assurances had been given on +the general characters of men by such of our friends as had embarked +sooner and gone farther than the rest. + +This management surprised me extremely. In the answers I made I +endeavoured to set the mistake right, to show that things were far +from the point of maturity imagined, that the Chevalier had yet no +party for him, and that nothing could form one but the extreme +violence which the Whigs threatened to exercise. Great endeavours +were used to engage me in this affair, and to prevail on me to +answer the letter of invitation sent me from Bar. I alleged, as it +was true, that I had no commission from any person in England, and +that the friends I left behind me were the only persons who could +determine me, if any could, to take such a step. As to the last +proposition, I absolutely refused it. + +In the uncertainty of what would happen--whether the prosecutions +would be pushed, which was most probable, in the manner intended +against me, and against others, for all of whom, except the Earl of +Oxford, I had as much concern as for myself; or whether the Whigs +would relent, drop some, and soften the fate of others--I resolved +to conduct myself so as to create no appearance which might be +strained into a pretence for hard usage, and which might be retorted +on my friends when they debated for me, or when they defended +themselves. I saw the Earl of Stair; I promised him that I would +enter into no Jacobite engagements, and I kept my word with him. I +wrote a letter to Mr. Secretary Stanhope which might take off any +imputation of neglect of the Government, and I retired into Dauphine +to remove the objection of residence near the Court of France. + +This retreat from Paris was censured in England, and styled a +desertion of my friends and of their cause, with what foundation let +any reasonable man determine. Had I engaged with the Pretender +before the party acted for him, or required of me that I should do +so, I had taken the air of being his man; whereas I looked on myself +as theirs. I had gone about to bring them into his measures; +whereas I never intended, even since that time, to do anything more +than to make him as far as possible act conformably to their views. + +During the short time I continued on the banks of the Rhone the +prosecutions were carried on at Westminster with the utmost +violence, and the ferment among the people was risen to such a +degree that it could end in nothing better--it might have ended in +something worse--than it did. The measures which I observed at +Paris had turned to no account; on the contrary, the letter which I +wrote to Mr. Secretary Stanhope was quoted as a base and fawning +submission, and what I intended as a mark of respect to the +Government and a service to my friends was perverted to ruin me in +the opinion of the latter. The Act of Attainder, in consequence of +my impeachment, had passed against me for crimes of the blackest +dye; and among other inducements to pass it, my having been engaged +in the Pretender's interest was one. How well founded this Article +was has already appeared; I was just as guilty of the rest. The +correspondence with me was, you know, neither frequent nor safe. I +heard seldom and darkly from you, and though I saw well enough which +way the current ran, yet I was entirely ignorant of the measures you +took, and of the use you intended to make of me. I contented +myself, therefore, with letting you all know that you had but to +command me, and that I was ready to venture in your service the +little which remained, as frankly as I had exposed all which was +gone. At last your commands came, and I shall show you in what +manner I executed them. + +The person who was sent to me arrived in the beginning of July, +1715, at the place where I was. He spoke in the name of all the +friends whose authority could influence me, and he brought me word +that Scotland was not only ready to take arms, but under some sort +of dissatisfaction to be withheld from beginning; that in England +the people were exasperated against the Government to such a degree +that, far from wanting to be encouraged, they could not be +restrained from insulting it on every occasion; that the whole Tory +party was become avowedly Jacobite; that many officers of the army +and the majority of the soldiers were very well affected to the +cause; that the City of London was ready to rise; and that the +enterprises for seizing of several places were ripe for execution: +in a word, that most of the principal Tories were in a concert with +the Duke of Ormond, for I had pressed particularly to be informed +whether his Grace acted alone, or, if not, who were his council; and +that the others were so disposed that there remained no doubt of +their joining as soon as the first blow should be struck. He added +that my friends were a little surprised to observe that I lay neuter +in such a conjuncture. He represented to me the danger I ran of +being prevented by people of all sides from having the merit of +engaging early in this enterprise, and how unaccountable it would be +for a man impeached and attainted under the present Government to +take no share in bringing about a revolution so near at hand and so +certain. He entreated that I would defer no longer to join the +Chevalier, to advise and assist in carrying on his affairs, and to +solicit and negotiate at the Court of France, where my friends +imagined that I should not fail to meet with a favourable reception, +and from whence they made no doubt of receiving assistance in a +situation of affairs so critical, so unexpected, and so promising. +He concluded by giving me a letter from the Pretender, whom he had +seen in his way to me, in which I was pressed to repair without loss +of time to Commercy; and this instance was grounded on the message +which the bearer of the letter had brought me from my friends in +England. Since he was sent to me, it had been more proper to have +come directly where I was; but he was in haste to make his own +court, and to deliver the assurances which were entrusted to him. +Perhaps, too, he imagined that he should tie the knot faster on me +by acquainting me that my friends had actually engaged for +themselves and me, than by barely telling me that they desired I +would engage for myself and them. + +In the progress of the conversation he related a multitude of facts +which satisfied me as to the general disposition of the people; but +he gave me little satisfaction as to the measures taken for +improving this disposition, for driving the business on with vigour +if it tended to a revolution, or for supporting it with advantage if +it spun into a war. When I questioned him concerning several +persons whose disinclination to the Government admitted of no doubt, +and whose names, quality, and experience were very essential to the +success of the undertaking, he owned to me that they kept a great +reserve, and did, at most, but encourage others to act by general +and dark expressions. + +I received this account and this summons ill in my bed; yet, +important as the matter was, a few minutes served to determine me. +The circumstances wanting to form a reasonable inducement to engage +did not escape me. But the smart of a Bill of Attainder tingled in +every vein; and I looked on my party to be under oppression and to +call for my assistance. Besides which I considered, first, that I +should certainly be informed, when I conferred with the Chevalier, +of many particulars unknown to this gentleman; for I did not imagine +that you could be so near to take arms, as he represented you to be, +on no other foundation than that which he exposed. And, secondly, +that I was obliged in honour to declare, without waiting for a more +particular information of what might be expected from England, since +my friends had taken their resolution to declare, without any +previous assurance of what might be expected from France. This +second motive weighed extremely with me at that time; there is, +however, more sound than sense in it, and it contains the original +error to which all your subsequent errors, and the thread of +misfortunes which followed, are to be ascribed. + +My resolution thus taken, I lost no time in repairing to Commercy. +The very first conversations with the Chevalier answered in no +degree my expectations; and I assure you, with great truth, that I +began even then, if not to repent of my own rashness, yet to be +fully convinced both of yours and mine. + +He talked to me like a man who expected every moment to set out for +England or Scotland, but who did not very well know for which. And +when he entered into the particulars of his affairs I found that +concerning the former he had nothing more circumstantial nor +positive to go upon than what I had already heard. The advices +which were sent from thence contained such assurances of success as +it was hard to think that men who did not go upon the surest grounds +would presume to give. But then these assurances were general, and +the authority seldom satisfactory. Those which came from the best +hands were verbal, and often conveyed by very doubtful messengers; +others came from men whose fortunes were as desperate as their +counsels; and others came from persons whose situation in the world +gave little reason to attend to their judgment in matters of this +kind. + +The Duke of Ormond had been for some time, I cannot say how long, +engaged with the Chevalier. He had taken the direction of this +whole affair, as far as it related to England, upon himself, and had +received a commission for this purpose, which contained the most +ample powers that could be given. After this, one would be apt to +imagine that the principles on which the Pretender should proceed, +and the Tories engage, in this service had been laid down; that a +regular and certain method of correspondence had been established; +that the necessary assistances had been specified; and that positive +assurances had been given of them. Nothing less. In a matter as +serious as this, all was loose and abandoned to the disposition of +fortune. The first point had never been touched upon; by what I +have said above you see how little care was taken of the second; and +as to the third, the Duke had asked a small body of regular forces, +a sum of money, and a quantity of arms and ammunition. He had been +told in answer by the Court of France that he must absolutely +despair of any number of troops whatever, but he had been made in +general to hope for some money, some arms, and some ammunition; a +little sum had, I think, been advanced to him. In a case so plain +as this it is hard to conceive how any man could err. The +assistances demanded from France at this time, and even greater than +these, will appear, in the sequel of this relation, by the sense of +the whole party, to have been deemed essentially necessary to +success. In such an uncertainty, therefore, whether even these +could be obtained, or rather with so much reason to apprehend that +they could not, it was evident that the Tories ought to have lain +still. They might have helped the ferment against the Government, +but should have avoided with the utmost care the giving any alarm or +even suspicion of their true design, and have resumed or not resumed +it as the Chevalier was able or not able to provide the troops, the +arms, the money, etc. Instead of which those who were at the head +of the undertaking, and therefore answerable for the measures which +were pursued, suffered the business to jog merrily on. They knew in +general how little dependence was to be placed on foreign succour, +but acted as if they had been sure of it; while the party were +rendered sanguine by their passions, and made no doubt of subverting +a Government they were angry with, both one and the other made as +much bustle and gave as great alarm as would have been imprudent +even at the eve of a general insurrection. This appeared to me to +be the state of things with respect to England when I arrived at +Commercy. + +The Scots had long pressed the Chevalier to come amongst them, and +had of late sent frequent messages to quicken his departure, some of +which were delivered in terms much more zealous than respectful. +The truth is, they seemed in as much haste to begin as if they had +thought themselves able to do the work alone; as if they had been +apprehensive of no danger but that of seeing it taken out of their +hands and of having the honour of it shared by others. However, +that which was wanting on the part of England was not wanting in +Scotland; the Scots talked aloud, but they were in a condition to +rise. They took little care to keep their intentions secret, but +they were disposed to put those intentions into immediate execution, +and thereby to render the secret no longer necessary. They knew +upon whom to depend for every part of the work, and they had +concerted with the Chevalier even to the place of his landing. + +There was need of no great sagacity to perceive how unequal such +foundations were to the weight of the building designed to be raised +on them. The Scots, with all their zeal and all their valour, could +bring no revolution about unless in concurrence with the English; +and among the latter nothing was ripe for such an undertaking but +the temper of the people, if that was so. I thought, therefore, +that the Pretender's friends in the North should be kept from rising +till those in the South had put themselves in a condition to act; +and that in the meanwhile the utmost endeavours ought to be used +with the King of France to espouse the cause; and that a plan of the +design, with a more particular specification of the succours +desired, as well as of the time when and the place to which they +should be conveyed, ought to be written for;--all which I was told +by the Marshal of Berwick, who had the principal direction at that +time of these affairs in France, and I daresay very truly, had been +often asked, but never sent. I looked on this enterprise to be of +the nature of those which can hardly be undertaken more than once, +and I judged that the success of it would depend on timing as near +as possible together the insurrection in both parts of the island +and the succours from hence. The Pretender approved this opinion of +mine. He instructed me accordingly, and I left Lorraine after +having accepted the Seals much against my inclination. I made one +condition with him; it was this--that I should be at liberty to quit +a station which my humour and many other considerations made me +think myself very unfit for, whenever the occasion upon which I +engaged was over, one way or other; and I desire you to remember +that I did so. + +I arrived at Paris towards the end of July, 1715. You will observe +that all I was charged with, and all by consequence that I am +answerable for, was to solicit this Court and to dispose them to +grant us the succours necessary to make the attempt as soon as we +should know certainly from England in what it was desired that these +succours should consist and whither they should be sent. Here I +found a multitude of people at work, and every one doing what seemed +good in his own eyes; no subordination, no order, no concert. +Persons concerned in the management of these affairs upon former +occasions have assured me this is always the case. It might be so +to some degree, but I believe never so much as now. The Jacobites +had wrought one another up to look on the success of the present +designs as infallible. Every meeting-house which the populace +demolished, every little drunken riot which happened, served to +confirm them in these sanguine expectations; and there was hardly +one amongst them who would lose the air of contributing by his +intrigues to the Restoration, which, he took it for granted, would +be brought about, without him, in a very few weeks. + +Care and hope sat on every busy Irish face. Those who could write +and read had letters to show; and those who had not arrived to this +pitch of erudition had their secrets to whisper. No sex was +excluded from this Ministry. Fanny Oglethorpe, whom you must have +seen in England, kept her corner in it, and Olive Trant was the +great wheel of our machine. + +I imagine that this picture, the lines of which are not in the least +too strong, would serve to represent what passed on your side of the +water at the same time. The letters which came from thence seemed +to me to contain rather such things as the writers wished might be +true, than such as they knew to be so: and the accounts which were +sent from hence were of the same kind. The vanity of some and the +credulity of others supported this ridiculous correspondence; and I +question not but very many persons, some such I have known, did the +same thing from a principle which they took to be a very wise one: +they imagined that they helped by these means to maintain and to +increase the spirit of the party in England and France. They acted +like Thoas, that turbulent AEtolian, who brought Antiochus into +Greece: "quibus mendaciis de rege, multiplicando verbis copias +ejus, erexerat multorum in Graecia animos; iisdem et regis spem +inflabat, omnium votis eum arcessi." Thus were numbers of people +employed under a notion of advancing the business, or from an +affectation of importance, in amusing and flattering one another and +in sounding the alarm in the ears of an enemy whom it was their +interest to surprise. The Government of England was put on its +guard: and the necessity of acting, or of laying aside with some +disadvantage all thoughts of acting for the present, was +precipitated before any measures necessary to enable you to act had +been prepared, or almost thought of. + +If his Majesty did not, till some short time after this, declare the +intended invasion to Parliament it was not for want of information. +Before I came to Paris, what was doing had been discovered. The +little armament made at the Havre, which furnished the only means +the Chevalier then had for his transportation into Britain, which +had exhausted the treasury of St. Germains, and which contained all +the arms and ammunition that could be depended upon for the whole +undertaking, though they were hardly sufficient to begin the work +even in Scotland, was talked of publicly. A Minister less alert and +less capable than the Earl of Stair would easily have been at the +bottom of the secret, for so it was called, when the particulars of +messages received and sent, the names of the persons from whom they +came, and by whom they were carried, were whispered about at tea- +tables and in coffee-houses. + +In short, what by the indiscretion of people here, what by the +rebound which came often back from London, what by the private +interests and ambitious views of persons in the French Court, and +what by other causes unnecessary to be examined now, the most +private transactions came to light: and they who imagined that they +trusted their heads to the keeping of one or two friends, were in +reality at the mercy of numbers. Into such company was I fallen for +my sins; and it is upon the credit of such a mob Ministry that the +Tories have judged me capable of betraying a trust, or incapable of +discharging it. + +I had made very little progress in the business which brought me to +Paris, when the paper so long expected was sent, in pursuance of +former instances, from England. The unanimous sense of the +principal persons engaged was contained in it. The whole had been +dictated word for word to the gentleman who brought it over, by the +Earl of Mar, and it had been delivered to him by the Duke of Ormond. +I was driving in the wide ocean without a compass when this dropped +unexpectedly into my hands. I received it joyfully, and I steered +my course exactly by it. Whether the persons from whom it came +pursued the principles and observed the rules which they laid down +as the measures of their own conduct and of ours, will appear by the +sequel of this relation. + +This memorial asserted that there were no hopes of succeeding in a +present undertaking, for many reasons deduced in it, without an +immediate and universal rising of the people in all parts of England +upon the Chevalier's arrival; and that this insurrection was in no +degree probable unless he brought a body of regular troops along +with him: that if this attempt miscarried, his cause and his +friends, the English liberty and Government, would be utterly +ruined: but if by coming without troops he resolved to risk these +and everything else, he must set out so as not to arrive before the +end of September, to justify which opinion many arguments were +urged. In this case twenty thousand arms, a train of artillery, +five hundred officers with their servants, and a considerable sum of +money were demanded: and as soon as they should be informed that +the Chevalier was in condition to make this provision, it was said +that notice should be given him of the places to which he might +send, and of the persons who were to be trusted. I do not mention +some inconveniences which they touched upon arising from a delay; +because their opinion was clearly for this delay, and because that +they could not suppose that the Chevalier would act, or that those +about him would advise him to act, contrary to the sense of all his +friends in England. No time was lost in making the proper use of +this paper. As much of it as was fit to be shown to this Court was +translated into French, and laid before the King of France. I was +now able to speak with greater assurance, and in some sort to +undertake conditionally for the event of things. + +The proposal of violating treaties so lately and so solemnly +concluded, was a very bold one to be made to people, whatever their +inclinations might be, whom the war had reduced to the lowest ebb of +riches and power. They would not hear of a direct and open +engagement, such as the sending a body of troops would have been; +neither would they grant the whole of what was asked in the second +plan. But it was impossible for them, or any one else, to foresee +how far those steps which they were willing to take, well improved, +might have encouraged or forced them to go. They granted us some +succours, and the very ship in which the Pretender was to transport +himself was fitted out by Depine d'Anicant at the King of France's +expense. They would have concealed these appearances as much as +they could; but the heat of the Whigs and the resentment of the +Court of England might have drawn them in. We should have been glad +indirectly to concur in fixing these things upon them: and, in a +word, if the late King had lived six months longer, I verily believe +there had been war again between England and France. This was the +only point of time when these affairs had, to my apprehension, the +least reasonable appearance even of possibility: all that preceded +was wild and uncertain: all that followed was mad and desperate. +But this favourable aspect had an extreme short duration. Two +events soon happened, one of which cast a damp on all we were doing, +and the other rendered vain and fruitless all we had done. The +first was the arrival of the Duke of Ormond in France, the other was +the death of the King. + +We had sounded the duke's name high. His reputation and the opinion +of his power were great. The French began to believe that he was +able to form and to head a party; that the troops would join him; +that the nation would follow the signal whenever he drew his sword; +and the voice of the people, the echo of which was continually in +their ears, confirmed them in this belief. But when, in the midst +of all these bright ideas, they saw him arrive, almost literally +alone, when, to excuse his coming, I was obliged to tell them that +he could not stay, they sank at once from their hopes, and that +which generally happens happened in this case: because they had had +too good an opinion of the cause, they began to form too bad a one. +Before this time, if they had no friendship for the Tories, they had +at least some consideration and esteem. After this, I saw nothing +but compassion in the best of them, and contempt in the others. + +When I arrived at Paris, the King was already gone to Marly, where +the indisposition which he had begun to feel at Versailles increased +upon him. He was the best friend the Chevalier had: and when I +engaged in this business, my principal dependence was on his +personal character. This failed me to a great degree; he was not in +a condition to exert the same vigour as formerly. The Ministers who +saw so great an event as his death to be probably at hand, a certain +minority, an uncertain regency, perhaps confusion, at best a new +face of Government and a new system of affairs, would not, for their +own sakes, as well as for the sake of the public, venture to engage +far in any new measures. All I had to negotiate by myself first, +and in conjunction with the Duke of Ormond soon afterwards, +languished with the King. My hopes sank as he declined, and died +when he expired. The event of things has sufficiently shown that +all those which were entertained by the duke and the Jacobite party +under the Regency, were founded on the grossest delusions +imaginable. Thus was the project become impracticable before the +time arrived which was fixed by those who directed things in England +for putting it in execution. + +The new Government of France appeared to me like a strange country. +I was little acquainted with the roads. Most of the faces I met +with were unknown to me, and I hardly understood the language of the +people. Of the men who had been in power under the late reign, many +were discarded, and most of the others were too much taken up with +the thoughts of securing themselves under this, to receive +applications in favour of the Pretender. The two men who had the +greatest appearance of favour and power were D'Aguesseau and +Noailles. One was made Chancellor, on the death of Voisin, from +Attorney-General; and the other was placed at the head of the +Treasury. The first passes for a man of parts, but he never acted +out of the sphere of the law: I had no acquaintance with him before +this time; and when you consider his circumstances and mine, you +will not think it could be very easy for me to get access to him +now. The latter I had known extremely well whilst the late King +lived: and from the same Court principle, as he was glad to be well +with me then, he would hardly know me now. The Minister who had the +principal direction of foreign affairs I lived in friendship with, +and I must own, to his honour, that he never encouraged a design +which he knew that his Court had no intention of supporting. + +There were other persons, not to tire you with farther particulars +upon this head, of credit and influence with whom I found indirect +and private ways of conversing; but it was in vain to expect any +more than civil language from them in a case which they found no +disposition in their Master to countenance, and in favour of which +they had no prejudices of their own. The private engagements into +which the Duke of Orleans had entered with his Majesty during the +life of the late King will abate of their force as the Regent grows +into strength, and would soon have had no force at all if the +Pretender had met with success: but in these beginnings they +operated very strongly. The air of this Court was to take the +counterpart of all which had been thought right under Louis XIV. +"Cela resemble trop a l'ancien systeme" was an answer so often given +that it became a jest and almost a proverb. But to finish this +account with a fact which is incredible, but strictly true; the very +peace which had saved France from ruin, and the makers of it, were +become as unpopular at this Court as at the Court of Vienna. + +The Duke of Ormond flattered himself, in this state of things, that +he had opened a private and sure channel of arriving at the Regent, +and of bending him to his purposes. His Grace and I lived together +at this time in an house which one of my friends had lent me. I +observed that he was frequently lost, and that he made continual +excursions out of town, with all the mysterious precaution +imaginable. I doubted at first whether those intrigues related to +business or pleasure. I soon discovered with whom they were carried +on, and had reason to believe that both were mingled in them. It is +necessary that I explain this secret to you. + +Mrs. Trant, whom I have named above, had been preparing herself for +the retired abstemious life of a Carmelite by taking a surfeit of +the pleasures of Paris, when, a little before the death of the +Queen, or about that time, she went into England. What she was +entrusted either by the Chevalier, or any other person, to negotiate +there, I am ignorant of; and it imports not much to know. In that +journey she made or renewed an acquaintance with the Duke of Ormond. +The scandalous chronicle affirms that she brought with her, when she +returned into France, a woman of whom I have not the least +knowledge, but who was probably handsome, since without beauty such +a merchandise would not have been saleable, nor have answered the +design of the importer; and that she made this way her court to the +Regent. Whatever her merit was, she kept a correspondence with him, +and put herself upon that foot of familiarity which he permits all +those who contribute to his pleasures to assume. She was placed by +him, as she told me herself, where I found her some time after that +which I am speaking of, in the house of an ancient gentlewoman who +had formerly been Maid of Honour to Madame, and who had contracted +at Court a spirit of intrigue which accompanied her in her retreat. + +These two had associated to them the Abbe de Tesieu in all the +political parts of their business; for I will not suppose that so +reverend an ecclesiastic entered into any other secret. This Abbe +is the Regent's secretary; and it was chiefly through him that the +private treaty had been carried on between his master and the Earl +of Stair in the King's reign. Whether the priest had stooped at the +lure of a cardinal's hat, or whether he acted the second part by the +same orders that he acted the first, I know not. This is sure, and +the British Minister was not the bubble of it--that whilst he +concerted measures on one hand to traverse the Pretender's designs, +he testified on the other all the inclination possible to his +service. A mad fellow who had been an intendant in Normandy, and +several other politicians of the lowest form, were at different +times taken into this famous Junto. + +With these worthy people his Grace of Ormond negotiated; and no care +was omitted on his part to keep me out of the secret. The reason of +which, as far as I am able to guess at, shall be explained to you +by-and-by. I might very justly have taken this proceeding ill, and +the duke will not be able to find in my whole conduct towards him +anything like it; I protest to you very sincerely I was not in the +least moved at it. + +He advanced not a step in his business with these sham Ministers, +and yet imagined that he got daily ground. I made no progress with +the true ones, but I saw it. These, however, were not our only +difficulties. We lay under another, which came from your side, and +which embarrassed us more. The first hindered us from working +forward to our point of view, but the second took all point of view +from us. + +A paper was sent into England just before the death of the King of +France, which had been drawn by me at Chaville in concert with the +Dukes of Ormond and Berwick, and with Monsieur de Torcy. This paper +was an answer to the memorial received from thence. The state of +this country was truly represented in it: the difference was fixed +between what had been asked, and what might be expected from France; +and upon the whole it was demanded what our friends would do, and +what they would have us to do. The reply to this came through the +French Secretary of State to our hands. They declared themselves +unable to say anything till they should see what turn affairs would +take on so great an event as the death of the King, the report of +which had reached them. + +Such a declaration shut our mouths and tied our hands. I confess I +knew neither how to solicit, nor what to solicit; this last message +suspending the project on which we had acted before, and which I +kept as an instruction constantly before my eyes. It seemed to me +uncertain whether you intended to go on, or whether your design was +to stifle, as much as possible, all past transactions; to lie +perfectly still; to throw upon the Court the odium of having given a +false alarm; and to wait till new accidents at home, and a more +favourable conjuncture abroad, might tempt you to resume the +enterprise. Perhaps this would have been the wisest game you could +have played: but then you should have concerted it with us who +acted for you here. You intended no such thing, as appeared +afterwards: and therefore those who acted for the party at London, +whoever they were, must be deemed inexcusable for leaving things on +the foot of this message, and giving us no advice fit to be depended +upon for many weeks. Whilst preparations were to be made, and the +work was to be set a-going by assistance from hence, you might +reasonably expect to hear from us, and to be determined by us: but +when all hopes of this kind seemed to be gone, it was your part to +determine us; and we could take no resolution here but that of +conforming ourselves to whatever should come prescribed from +England. + +Whilst we were in this condition, the most desperate that can be +imagined, we began to receive verbal messages from you that no more +time was to be lost, and that the Chevalier should come away. No +man was, I believe, ever so embarrassed as I found myself at that +time. I could not imagine that you would content yourselves by +loose verbal messages, after all that had happened, to call us over; +and I knew by experience how little such messages are to be depended +on. For soon after I engaged in these affairs, a monk arrived at +Bar, despatched, as he affirmed, by the Duke of Ormond, in whose +name he insisted that the Chevalier should hasten into Britain, and +that nothing but his presence was wanting to place the crown on his +head. The fellow delivered his errand so positively, and so +circumstantially, that the resolution was taken at Bar to set out, +and my rendezvous to join the Chevalier was appointed me. This +method to fetch a King, with as little ceremony as one would invite +a friend to supper, appeared somewhat odd to me, who was then very +new in these affairs. But when I came to talk with the man, for by +good luck he had been sent for from Bar to Paris, I easily discerned +that he had no such commission as he pretended to, and that he acted +of his own head. I presumed to oppose the taking any resolution +upon his word, though he was a monk: and soon after we knew from +the Duke of Ormond himself that he had never sent him. + +This example made me cautious; but that which determined my opinion +was, that I could never imagine, without supposing you all run mad, +that the same men who judged this attempt unripe for execution, +unless supported by regular troops from France, or at least by all +the other assistances which are enumerated above, while the design +was much more secret than at present; when the King had no fleet at +sea, nor more than eight thousand men dispersed over the whole +island; when we had the good wishes of the French Court on our side, +and were sure of some particular assistances, and of a general +connivance; that the same men, I say, should press for making it now +without any other preparation, when we had neither money, arms, +ammunition, nor a single company of foot; when the Government of +England was on its guard, national troops were raised, foreign +forces sent for, and France, like all the rest of the Continent, +against us. I could not conceive such a strange combination of +accidents as should make the necessity of acting increase gradually +upon us as the means of doing so were taken from us. + +Upon the whole matter, my opinion was, and I did not observe the +Duke of Ormond to differ from me, that we should wait till we heard +from you in such a manner as might assure us of what you intended to +do yourselves, and of what you expected from us; and that in the +meanwhile we should go as far as the little money which we had, and +the little favour which was shown us would allow, in getting some +embarkations ready on the coast. + +Sir George Byng had come into the road of Havre, and had demanded by +name several ships which belonged to us to be given up to him. The +Regent did not think fit to let him have the ships; but he ordered +them to be unloaded, and their cargoes were put into the King's +magazines. We were in no condition to repair the loss; and +therefore when I mention embarkations, you will please to understand +nothing more than vessels to transport the Pretender's person and +the persons of those who should go over with him. This was all we +could do, and this was not neglected. + +We were thus employed when a gentleman arrived from Scotland to +represent the state of that country, and to require a definitive +answer from the Chevalier whether he would have the insurrection to +be made immediately, which they apprehended they might not be able +to make at all if they were obliged to defer it much longer. This +gentleman was sent instantly back again, and was directed to let the +persons he came from know that the Chevalier was desirous to have +the rising of his friends in England and Scotland so adjusted that +they might mutually assist each other and distract the enemy; that +he had not received a final answer from his friends in England, but +that he was in daily expectation of it; that it was very much to be +wished that all attempts in Scotland could be suspended till such +time as the English were ready; but that if the Scots were so +pressed that they must either submit or rise immediately, he was of +opinion they should rise, and he would make the best of his way to +them. + +What this forwardness in the Scots and this uncertainty and +backwardness in the English must produce, it was not hard to +foresee; and, therefore, that I might neglect nothing in my power to +prevent any false measures--as I was conscious to myself that I had +neglected nothing to promote true ones--I despatched a gentleman to +London, where I supposed the Earl of Mar to be, some days before the +message I have just spoken of was sent to Scotland. I desired him +to make my compliments to Lord Mar, and to tell him from me that I +understood it to be his sense, as well as the sense of all our +friends, that Scotland could do nothing effectually without the +concurrence of England, and that England would not stir without +assistance from abroad; that he might assure himself no such +assistance could be depended upon; and that I begged of him to make +the inference from these propositions. The gentleman went; but upon +his arrival at London he found that the Earl of Mar was already set +out to draw the Highlanders into arms. He communicated his message +to a person of confidence, who undertook to send it after his +lordship; and this was the utmost which either he or I could do in +such a conjuncture. + +You were now visibly departed from the very scheme which you had +sent us over, and from all the principles which had been ever laid +down. I did what I could to keep up my own spirit, as well as the +spirits of the Chevalier, and of all those with whom I was in +correspondence: I endeavoured even to deceive myself. I could not +remedy the mischief, and I was resolved to see the conclusion of the +perilous adventure; but I own to you that I thought then, and that I +have not changed my opinion since, that such measures as these would +not be pursued by any reasonable man in the most common affairs of +life. It was with the utmost astonishment that I saw them pursued +in the conduct of an enterprise which had for its object nothing +less than the disposition of crowns, and for the means of bringing +it about nothing less than a civil war. + +Impatient that we heard nothing from England, when we expected every +moment to hear that the war was begun in Scotland, the Duke of +Ormond and I resolved to send a person of confidence to London. We +instructed him to repeat to you the former accounts which we had +sent over, to let you know how destitute the Chevalier was either of +actual support or even of reasonable hopes, and to desire that you +would determine whether he should go to Scotland or throw himself on +some part of the English coast. This person was further instructed +to tell you that, the Chevalier being ready to take any resolution +at a moment's warning, you might depend on his setting out the +instant he received your answer; and, therefore, that to save time, +if your intention was to rise, you would do well to act immediately, +on the assurance that the plan you prescribed, be it what it would, +should be exactly complied with. We took this resolution the rather +because one of the packets, which had been prepared in cypher to +give you an account of things, which had been put above three weeks +before into Monsieur de Torcy's hands, and which by consequence we +thought to be in yours, was by this time sent back to me by this +Minister (I think, open), with an excuse that he durst not take upon +him to forward it. + +The person despatched to London returned very soon to us, and the +answer he brought was, that since affairs grew daily worse, and +could not mend by delay, our friends in England had resolved to +declare immediately, and that they would be ready to join the +Chevalier on his landing; that his person would be as safe there as +in Scotland, and that in every other respect it was better that he +should land in England; that they had used their utmost endeavours, +and that they hoped the western counties were in a good posture to +receive him. To this was added a general indication of the place he +should come to, as near to Plymouth as possible. + +You must agree that this was not the answer of men who knew what +they were about. A little more precision was necessary in dictating +a message which was to have such consequences, and especially since +the gentleman could not fail to acquaint the persons he spoke with +that the Chevalier was not able to carry men enough to secure him +from being taken up even by the first constable. Notwithstanding +this, the Duke of Ormond set out from Paris and the Chevalier from +Bar. Some persons were sent to the North of England and others to +London to give notice that they were both on their way. Their +routes were so ordered that the Duke of Ormond was to sail from the +coast of Normandy some days before the Chevalier arrived at St. +Malo, to which place the duke was to send immediate notice of his +landing; and two gentlemen acquainted with the country, and +perfectly well known to all our friends in those parts, were +despatched before, that the people of Devonshire and Somersetshire, +who were, we concluded, in arms, might be apprised of the signals +which were to be made from the ships, and might be ready to receive +the duke. + +On the coast of France, and before his embarkation, the duke heard +that several of our principal friends had been seized immediately +after the person who came last from them had left London, that the +others were all dispersed, and that the consternation was universal. +He embarked, notwithstanding this melancholy news, and, supported by +nothing but the firmness of his temper, he went over to the place +appointed; he did more than his part, and he found that our friends +had done less than theirs. One of the gentlemen who had passed over +before him, and had traversed part of the country, joined him on the +coast, and assured him that there was not the least room to expect a +rising; in a word, he was refused a night's lodging in a country +which we had been told was in a good posture to receive the +Chevalier, and where the duke expected that multitudes would repair +to him. + +He returned to the coast of Brittany after this uncomfortable +expedition, where the Chevalier arrived about the same time from +Lorraine. What his Grace proposed by the second attempt, which he +made as soon as the vessel could be refitted, to land in the same +part of the island, I profess myself to be ignorant. I wrote him my +opinion at the time, and I have always thought that the storm in +which he had like to have been cast away, and which forced him back +to the French coast, saved him from a much greater peril--that of +perishing in an attempt as full of extravagant rashness, and as void +of all reasonable meaning, as any of those adventures which have +rendered the hero of La Mancha immortal. + +The Chevalier had now but one of these two things left him to do: +one was to return to Bar; the other was to go to Scotland, where +there were people in arms for him. He took this last resolution. +He left Brittany, where he had as many Ministers as there were +people about him, and where he was eternally teased with noisy +disputes about what was to be done in circumstances in which no +reasonable thing could be done. He sent to have a vessel got ready +for him at Dunkirk, and he crossed the country as privately as he +could. + +Whilst all these things passed I remained at Paris to try if by any +means some assistance might be at last procured, without which it +was evident, even to those who flattered themselves the most, that +the game was up. + +No sooner was the Duke of Ormond gone from Paris on the design which +I have mentioned, and Mrs. Trant, who had accompanied him part of +the way, returned, but I was sent for to a little house at Madrid, +in the Bois de Boulogne, where she lived with Mademoiselle de +Chaussery, the ancient gentlewoman with whom the Duke of Orleans had +placed her. These two persons opened to me what had passed whilst +the Duke of Ormond was here, and the hopes they had of drawing the +Regent into all the measures necessary to support the attempts which +were making in favour of the Chevalier. + +By what they told me at first I saw that they had been trusted, and +by what passed in the course of my treating with them it appeared +that they had the access which they pretended to. All which I had +been able to do by proper persons and in proper methods, since the +King of France's death, amounting to little or nothing, I resolved, +at last, to try what was to be done by this indirect way. I put +myself under the conduct of these female managers, and without +having the same dependence on them as his Grace of Ormond had, I +pushed their credit and their power as far as they reached during +the time I continued to see them. I met with smoother language and +greater hopes than had been given me hitherto. A note signed by the +Regent, supposed to be written to a woman, but which was to be +explained to be intended for the Earl of Mar, was put into my hands +to be sent to Scotland. I took a copy of it, which you may see at +the end of these papers. When Sir John Areskine came to press for +succour, the Regent was prevailed upon by these women to see him; +but he carried nothing real back with him except a quantity of gold, +part of the money which we had drawn from Spain, and which was lost, +with the vessel, in a very odd manner, on the Scotch coast. The +Duke of Ormond had been promised seven or eight thousand arms, which +were drawn out of the magazines, and said to be lodged, I think, at +Compiegne. I used my utmost efforts that these arms might be +carried forward to the coast, and I undertook for their +transportation, but all was in vain, so that the likelihood of +bringing anything to effect in time appeared to me no greater than I +had found it before I entered into this intrigue. + +I soon grew tired of a commerce which nothing but success could +render tolerable, and resolved to be no longer amused by the +pretences which were daily repeated to me, that the Regent had +entertained personal prejudices against me, and that he was +insensibly and by degrees to be dipped in our measures; that both +these things required time, but that they would certainly be brought +about, and that we should then be able to answer all the +expectations of the English and the Scotch. The first of these +pretences contained a fact which I could hardly persuade myself to +be true, because I knew very certainly that I had never given His +Royal Highness the least occasion for such prejudices; the second +was a work which might spin out into a great and uncertain length. +I took my resolution to drive what related to myself to an immediate +explanation, and what related to others to an immediate decision; +not to suffer any excuse for doing nothing to be founded on my +conduct, nor the salvation, if I could hinder it, of so many gallant +men as were in arms in Scotland, to rest on the success of such +womanish projects. I shall tell you what I did on the first head +now, and what I did on the second, hereafter, in its proper place. + +The fact which it was said the Regent laid to my charge was a +correspondence with Lord Stair, and having been one night at his +house from whence I did not retire till three in the morning. As +soon as I got hold of this I desired the Marshal of Berwick to go to +him. The Marshal told him, from me, that I had been extremely +concerned to hear in general that I lay under his displeasure; that +a story, which it was said he believed, had been related to me; that +I expected the justice, which he could deny to no man, of having the +accusation proved, in which case I was contented to pass for the +last of humankind, or of being justified if it could not be proved. +He answered that such a story had been related to him by such +persons as he thought would not have deceived him; that he had been +since convinced that it was false, and that I should be satisfied of +his regard for me; but that he must own he was very uneasy to find +that I, who could apply to him through the Marshal d'Huxelles, could +choose to treat with Mrs. Trant and the rest; for he named all the +cabal, except his secretary, whom I had never met at Mademoiselle +Chaussery's. He added that these people teased him, at my +instigation, to death, and that they were not fit to be trusted with +any business. He applied to some of them the severest epithets. +The Marshal of Berwick replied that he was sure I should receive the +whole of what he had been pleased to say with the greatest +satisfaction; that I had treated with those persons much against my +will; and, finally, that if his Royal Highness would not employ them +he was sure I would never apply to them. In a conversation which I +had not long after with him he spoke to me in much the same terms as +he had done to the Marshal. I went from him very ill edified as to +his intentions of doing anything in favour of the Chevalier; but I +carried away with me this satisfaction, that he had assigned me, +from his own mouth, the person through whom I should make my +applications to him, and through whom I should depend on receiving +his answers; that he had disavowed all the little politic clubs, and +had commanded me to have no more to do with them. + +Before I resume the thread of my narration give me leave to make +some reflection upon what I have been last saying to you. When I +met with the Duke of Ormond at his return from the coast, he thought +himself obliged to say something to excuse his keeping me out of a +secret which during his absence I had been let into. His excuse was +that the Regent had exacted from him that I should know nothing of +the matter. You will observe that the account which I have given +you seems to contradict this assertion of his Grace, since it is +hard to suppose that if the Regent had exacted that I should be kept +out of the secret, these women would have dared to have let me into +it, and since it is still harder to suppose that the Regent would +make this express condition with the Duke of Ormond, and the moment +the duke's back was turned would suffer these women to tease him +from me and to bring me answers from him. I am, however, far from +taxing the duke with affirming an untruth. I believe the Regent did +make such a condition with him; and I will tell you how I understand +all this little management, which will explain a great deal to you. +This Prince, with wit and valour, has joined all the irresolution of +temper possible, and is, perhaps, the man in the world the least +capable of saying "no" to your face. From hence it happened that +these women, like multitudes of other people, forced him to say and +do enough to give them the air of having credit with him and of +being trusted by him. This drew in the Duke of Ormond, who is not, +I daresay, as yet undeceived. The Regent never intended from the +first to do anything, even indirectly, in favour of the Jacobite +cause. His interest was plainly on the other side, and he saw it. +But then the same weakness in his character carried him, as it would +have done his great-uncle Gaston in the same case, to keep measures +with the Chevalier. His double-trimming character prevailed on him +to talk with the Duke of Ormond, but it carried him no farther. I +question not but he did, on this occasion, what you must have +observed many men to do: we not only endeavour to impose on the +world, but even on ourselves; we disguise our weakness, and work up +in our minds an opinion that the measure which we fall into by the +natural or habitual imperfection of our character is the effect of a +principle of prudence or of some other virtue. Thus the Regent, who +saw the Duke of Ormond because he could not resist the importunity +of Olive Trant, and who gave hopes to the duke because he can refuse +nobody, made himself believe that it was a great strain of policy to +blow up the fire and to keep Britain embroiled. I am persuaded that +I do not err in judging that he thought in this manner, and here I +fix the reason of his excluding me out of the commerce which he had +with the Duke of Ormond, of his affecting a personal dislike of me, +and of his avoiding any correspondence with me upon these matters, +till I forced myself in a manner upon him, and he could not keep me +any longer at a distance without departing from his first principle- +-that of keeping measures with everybody. He then threw me, or let +me slide if you will, into the hands of these women; and when he +found that I pressed him hard that way, too, he took me out of their +hands and put me back again into the proper channel of business, +where I had not been long, as you will see by-and-by, before the +scene of amusement was finished. + +Sir John Areskine told me when he came from the first audience that +he had of his Royal Highness, that he put him in mind of the +encouragement which he had given the Earl of Mar to take arms. I +never heard anything of this kind but what Sir John let drop to me. +If the fact be true, you see that the Scotch general had been amused +by him with a witness. The English general was so in his turn; and +while this was doing, the Regent might think it best to have him to +himself. Four eyes comprehend more objects than two, and I was a +little better acquainted with the characters of people, and the mass +of the country, than the duke, though this Court had been at first a +strange country to me in comparison of the former. + +An infinity of little circumstances concurred to make me form this +opinion, some of which are better felt than explained, and many of +which are not present to my memory. That which had the greatest +weight with me, and which is, I think, decisive, I will mention. At +the very time when it is pretended that the Regent treated with the +Duke of Ormond on the express condition that I should know nothing +of the matter, two persons of the first rank and greatest credit in +this Court, when I made the most pressing instances to them in +favour of the Chevalier, threw out in conversation to me that I +should attach myself to the Duke of Orleans, that in my +circumstances I might want him, and that he might have occasion for +me. Something was intimated of pensions and establishment, and of +making my peace at home. I would not understand this language, +because I would not break with the people who held it: and when +they saw that I would not take the hints, they ceased to give them. + +I fancy that you see by this time the motives of the Regent's +conduct. I am not, I confess, able to explain to you those of the +Duke of Ormond's; I cannot so much as guess at them. When he came +into France, I was careful to show him all the friendship and all +the respect possible. My friends were his, my purse was his, and +even my bed was his. I went further; I did all those things which +touch most sensibly people who have been used to pomp. I made my +court to him, and haunted his levee with assiduity. In return to +this behaviour--which was the pure effect of my goodwill, and which +no duty that I owed his Grace, no obligation that I had to him, +imposed upon me--I have great reason to suspect that he went at +least half way in all which was said or done against me. He threw +himself blindly into the snare which was laid for him; and instead +of hindering, as he and I in concert might have done, those affairs +from languishing in the manner they did several months, he furnished +this Court with an excuse for not treating with me, till it was too +late to play even a saving game; and he neither drove the Regent to +assist the Chevalier, nor to declare that he would not assist him; +though it was fatal to the cause in general, and to the Scotch in +particular, not to bring one of the two about. + +It was Christmas 1715 before the Chevalier sailed for Scotland. The +battle of Dunblain had been fought, the business of Preston was +over: there remained not the least room to expect any commotion in +his favour among the English; and many of the Scotch who had +declared for him began to grow cool in the cause. No prospect of +success could engage him in this expedition: but it was become +necessary for his reputation. The Scotch on one side spared not to +reproach him, I think unjustly, for his delay; and the French on the +other were extremely eager to have him gone. Some of those who knew +little of British affairs imagined that his presence would produce +miraculous effects. You must not be surprised at this. As near +neighbours as we are, ninety-nine in an hundred among the French are +as little acquainted with the inside of our island as with that of +Japan. Others of them were uneasy to see him skulking about in +France, and to be told of it every hour by the Earl of Stair. +Others, again, imagined that he might do their business by going +into Scotland, though he should not do his own: this is, they +flattered themselves that he might keep a war for some time alive, +which would employ the whole attention of our Government; and for +the event of which they had very little concern. Unable from their +natural temper, as well as their habits, to be true to any +principle, they thought and acted in this manner, whilst they +affected the greatest friendship to the King, and whilst they really +did desire to enter into new and more intimate engagements with him. +Whilst the Pretender continued in France they could neither avow +him, nor favour his cause: if he once set his foot on Scotch +ground, they gave hopes of indirect assistance; and if he could +maintain himself in any corner of the island, they could look upon +him, it was said, as a king. This was their language to us. To the +British Minister they denied, they forswore, they renounced; and yet +the man of the best head in all their councils, being asked by Lord +Stair what they intended to do, answered, before he was aware, that +they pretended to be neuters. I leave you to judge how this slip +was taken up. + +As soon as I received advice that the Chevalier was sailed from +Dunkirk, I renewed, I redoubled all my applications. I neglected no +means, I forgot no argument which my understanding could suggest to +me. What the Duke of Ormond rested upon, you have seen already. +And I doubt very much whether Lord Mar, if he had been here in my +place, would have been able to employ measures more effectual than +those which I made use of. I may, without any imputation of +arrogance, compare myself on this occasion with his lordship, since +there was nothing in the management of this affair above my degree +of capacity; nothing equal, either in extent or difficulty, to the +business which he was a spectator of, and which I carried on when we +were Secretaries of State together under the late Queen. + +The King of France, who was not able to furnish the Pretender with +money himself, had written some time before his death to his +grandson, and had obtained a promise of four hundred thousand crowns +from the King of Spain. A small part of this sum had been received +by the Queen's Treasurer at St. Germains, and had been either sent +to Scotland or employed to defray the expenses which were daily +making on the coast. I pressed the Spanish Ambassador at Paris; I +solicited, by Lawless, Alberoni at Madrid, and I found another more +private and more promising way of applying to him. I took care to +have a number of officers picked out of the Irish troops which serve +in that country; their routes were given them, and I sent a ship to +receive and transport them. The money came in so slowly and in such +trifling sums that it turned to little account, and the officers +were on their way when the Chevalier returned from Scotland. + +In the summer endeavours had been used to prevail on the King of +Sweden to transport from Gottenburg the troops he had in that +neighbourhood into Scotland or into the North of England. He had +excused himself, not because he disliked the proposition, which, on +the contrary, he thought agreeable to his interest, but for reasons +of another kind. First, because the troops at hand for this service +consisted in horse, not in foot, which had been asked, and which +were alone proper for such an expedition. Secondly, because a +declaration of this sort might turn the Protestant princes of the +Empire, from whose offices he had still some prospect of assistance, +against him. And thirdly, because although he knew that the King of +Great Britain was his enemy, yet they were not in war together, nor +had the latter acted yet awhile openly enough against him to justify +such a rupture. At the time I am speaking of, these reasons were +removed by the King of Sweden's being beat out of the Empire by the +little consequence which his management of the Protestant princes +was to him, and by the declaration of war which the King, as Elector +of Hanover, made. I took up this negotiation therefore again. The +Regent appeared to come into it. He spoke fair to the Baron de +Spar, who pressed him on his side as I pressed him on mine, and +promised, besides the arrears of the subsidy due to the Swedes, an +immediate advance of fifty thousand crowns for the enterprise on +Britain. He kept the officer who was to be despatched I know not +how long booted; sometimes on pretence that in the low state of his +credit he could not find bills of exchange for the sum, and +sometimes on other pretences, and by these delays he evaded his +promise. The French were very frank in declaring that they could +give us no money, and that they would give us no troops. Arms, +ammunition, and connivance they made us hope for. The latter, in +some degree, we might have had perhaps; but to what purpose was it +to connive, when by a multitude of little tricks they avoided +furnishing us with arms and ammunition, and when they knew that we +were utterly unable to furnish ourselves with them? I had formed +the design of engaging French privateers in the Pretender's service. +They were to have carried whatever we should have had to send to any +part of Britain in their first voyage, and after that to have +cruised under his commission. I had actually agreed for some, and +it was in my power to have made the same bargains with others. +Sweden on one side and Scotland on the other would have afforded +them retreats. And if the war had been kept up in any part of the +mountains, I conceive the execution of this design would have been +of the greatest advantage to the Pretender. It failed because no +other part of the work went on. He was not above six weeks in his +Scotch expedition, and these were the things I endeavoured to bring +to bear in his absence. I had no great opinion of my success before +he went; but when he had made the last step which it was in his +power to make, I resolved to suffer neither him nor the Scotch to be +any longer bubbles of their own credulity and of the scandalous +artifice of this Court. It would be tedious to enter into a longer +narrative of all the useless pains I took. To conclude, therefore; +in a conversation which I had with the M. d'Huxelles, I took +occasion to declare that I would not be the instrument of amusing +the Scotch, and that, since I was able to do them no other service, +I would at least inform them that they must flatter themselves no +longer with hopes of succour from France. I added that I would send +them vessels which, with those already on the coast of Scotland, +might serve to bring off the Pretender, the Earl of Mar, and as many +others as possible. The Marshal approved my resolution, and advised +me to execute it as the only thing which was left to do. On this +occasion he showed no reserve, he was very explicit; and yet in this +very point of time the promise of an order was obtained, or +pretended to be obtained, from the Regent for delivering those +stores of arms and ammunition which belonged to the Chevalier, and +which had been put into the French magazines when Sir George Byng +came to Havre. Castel Blanco is a Spaniard who married a daughter +of Lord Melford, and who under that title set up for a meddler in +English business. I cannot justly tell whether the honour of +obtaining this promise was ascribed to him, to the Junto in the Bois +de Boulogne, or to any one else. I suppose they all assumed a share +of the merit. The project was that these stores should be delivered +to Castel Blanco; that he should enter into a recognisance to carry +them to Spain, and from thence to the West Indies; that I should +provide a vessel for this purpose, which he should appear to hire or +buy; and that when she was at sea she should sail directly for +Scotland. You cannot believe that I reckoned much on the effect of +this order, but accustomed to concur in measures the inutility of +which I saw evidently enough, I concurred in this likewise. The +necessary care was taken, and in a fortnight's time the ship was +ready to sail, and no suspicion of her belonging to the Chevalier or +of her destination was gone abroad. + +As this event made no alteration in my opinion, it made none in the +despatches which I prepared and sent to Scotland. In them I gave an +account of what was in negotiation. I explained to him what might +be hoped for in time if he was able to maintain himself in the +mountains without the succours he demanded from France. But from +France I told him plainly that it was in vain to expect the least +part of them. In short, I concealed nothing from him. This was all +I could do to put the Chevalier and his council in a condition to +judge what measures to take; but these despatches never came to his +hands. He was sailed from Scotland just before the gentleman whom I +sent arrived on the coast. He landed at Graveline about the 22nd of +February, and the first orders he gave were to stop all the vessels +which were going on his account to the country from whence he came. + +I saw him the morning after his arrival at St. Germains, and he +received me with open arms. I had been, as soon as we heard of his +return, to acquaint the French Court with it. They were not a +little uneasy; and the first thing which the M. d'Huxelles said to +me upon it was that the Chevalier ought to proceed to Bar with all +the diligence possible, and to take possession of his former asylum +before the Duke of Lorraine had time to desire him to look out for a +residence somewhere else. Nothing more was meant by this proposal +than to get him out of the dominions of France immediately. I was +not in my mind averse to it for other reasons. Nothing could be +more disadvantageous to him than to be obliged to pass the Alps, or +to reside in the Papal territory on this side of them. Avignon was +already named for his retreat in common conversation, and I know not +whether from the time he left Scotland he ever thought of any other. +I imagined that by surprising the Duke of Lorraine we should furnish +that Prince with an excuse to the King and to the Emperor; that we +might draw the matter into length, and gain time to negotiate some +other retreat than that of Avignon for the Chevalier. The duke's +goodwill there was no room to doubt of, and by what the Prince of +Vaudemont told me at Paris some time afterwards I am apt to think we +should have succeeded. In all events, it could not be wrong to try +every measure, and the Pretender would have gone to Avignon with +much better grace when he had done, in the sight of the world, all +he could to avoid it. + +I found him in no disposition to make such haste; he had a mind, on +the contrary, to stay some time at St. Germains, and in the +neighbourhood of Paris, and to have a private meeting with the +Regent. He sent me back to Paris to solicit this meeting. I wrote, +I spoke, to the Marshal d'Huxelles; I did my best to serve him in +his own way. The Marshal answered me by word of mouth and by +letter; he refused me by both. I remember he added this +circumstance: that he found the Regent in bed, and acquainted him +with what the Chevalier desired; that the Regent rose up in a +passion, said that the things which were asked were puerilities, and +swore that he would not see him. I returned without having been +able to succeed in my commission; and I confess I thought the want +of success on this occasion no great misfortune. + +It was two or three o'clock on the Sunday or Monday morning when I +parted from the Pretender. He acquiesced in the determination of +the Regent, and declared that he would instantly set out for +Lorraine; his trunks were packed, his chaise was ordered to be at +the door at five, and I sent to Paris to acquaint the Minister that +he was gone. He asked me how soon I should be able to follow him, +gave me commissions for some things which he desired I should bring +after him, and, in a word, no Italian ever embraced the man he was +going to stab with greater show of affection and confidence. + +Instead of taking post for Lorraine he went to the little house in +the Bois de Boulogne where his female Ministers resided; and there +he continued lurking for several days, and pleasing himself with the +air of mystery and business, whilst the only real business which he +should have had at that time lay neglected. He saw the Spanish and +Swedish Ministers in this place. I cannot tell, for I never thought +it worth asking, whether he saw the Duke of Orleans; possibly he +might. To have been teased into such a step, which signified +nothing, and which gave the cabal an air of credit and importance, +is agreeable enough to the levity of his Royal Highness's character. + +The Thursday following, the Duke of Ormond came to see me, and after +the compliment of telling me that he believed I should be surprised +at the message he brought, he put into my hands a note to himself +and a little scrip of paper directed to me, and drawn in the style +of a justice of peace's warrant. They were both in the Chevalier's +handwriting, and they were dated on the Tuesday, in order to make me +believe that they had been written on the road and sent back to the +duke; his Grace dropped in our conversation with great dexterity all +the insinuations proper to confirm me in this opinion. I knew at +this time his master was not gone, so that he gave me two very +risible scenes, which are frequently to be met with when some people +meddle in business; I mean that of seeing a man labour with a great +deal of awkward artifice to make a secret of a nothing, and that of +seeing yourself taken for a bubble when you know as much of the +matter as he who thinks that he imposes on you. + +I cannot recollect precisely the terms of the two papers. I +remember that the kingly laconic style of one of them, and the +expression of having no further occasion for my service, made me +smile. The other was an order to give up the papers in my office, +all which might have been contained in a letter-case of a moderate +size. I gave the duke the Seals and some papers which I could +readily come at. Some others--and, indeed, all such as I had not +destroyed--I sent afterwards to the Chevalier; and I took care to +convey to him by a safe hand several of his letters which it would +have been very improper the duke should have seen. I am surprised +that he did not reflect on the consequence of my obeying his order +literally. It depended on me to have shown his general what an +opinion the Chevalier had of his capacity. I scorned the trick, and +would not appear piqued when I was far from being angry. As I gave +up without scruple all the papers which remained in my hands, +because I was determined never to make use of them, so I confess to +you that I took a sort of pride in never asking for those of mine +which were in the Pretender's hands; I contented myself with making +the duke understand how little need there was to get rid of a man in +this manner who had made the bargain which I had done at my +engagement, and with taking this first opportunity to declare that I +would never more have to do with the Pretender or his cause. + +That I might avoid being questioned and quoted in the most curious +and the most babbling town in the world, I related what had passed +to three or four of my friends, and hardly stirred abroad during a +fortnight out of a little lodging which very few people knew of. At +the end of this term the Marshal of Berwick came to see me, and +asked me what I meant to confine myself to my chamber when my name +was trumpeted about in all the companies of Paris, and the most +infamous stories were spread concerning me. This was the first +notice I had, and it was soon followed by others. I appeared +immediately in the world, and found there was hardly a scurrilous +tongue which had not been let loose on my subject; and that those +persons whom the Duke of Ormond and Earl of Mar must influence, or +might silence, were the loudest in defaming me. + +Particular instances wherein I had failed were cited; and as it was +the fashion for every Jacobite to affect being in the secret, you +might have found a multitude of vouchers to facts which, if they had +been true, could in the nature of them be known to very few persons. + +This method of beating down the reputation of a man by noise and +impudence imposed on the world at first, convinced people who were +not acquainted with me, and staggered even my friends. But it +ceased in a few days to have any effect against me. The malice was +too gross to pass upon reflection. These stories died away almost +as fast as they were published, for this very reason, because they +were particular. + +They gave out, for instance, that I had taken to my own use a very +great sum of the Chevalier's money, when it was notorious that I had +spent a great sum of my own in his service, and never would be +obliged to him for a farthing, in which case, I believe, I was +single. Upon this head it was easy to appeal to a very honest +gentleman, the Queen's Treasurer at St. Germains, through whose +hands, and not through mine, went the very little money which the +Chevalier had. + +They gave out that whilst he was in Scotland he never heard from me, +though it was notorious that I sent him no less than five expresses +during the six weeks which he consumed in this expedition. It was +easy, on this head, to appeal to the persons to whom my despatches +had been committed. + +These lies, and many others of the same sort, which were founded on +particular facts, were disproved by particular facts, and had not +time--at least at Paris--to make any impression. But the principal +crime with which they charged me then, and the only one which since +that time they have insisted upon, is of another nature. This part +of their accusation is general, and it cannot be refuted without +doing what I have done above, deducing several facts, comparing +these facts together, and reasoning upon them; nay, that which is +worse is, that it cannot be fully refuted without the mention of +some facts which, in my present circumstances, it would not be very +prudent, though I should think it very lawful, for me to divulge. +You see that I mean the starving the war in Scotland, which it is +pretended might have been supported, and might have succeeded, too, +if I had procured the succours which were asked--nay, if I had sent +a little powder. This the Jacobites who affect moderation and +candour shrug their shoulders at: they are sorry for it, but Lord +Bolingbroke can never wash himself clean of this guilt; for these +succours might have been obtained, and a proof that they might is +that they were so by others. These people leave the cause of this +mismanagement doubtful between my treachery and my want of capacity. +The Pretender, with all the false charity and real malice of one who +sets up for devotion, attributes all his misfortunes to my +negligence. + +The letters which were written by my secretary, above a year ago, +into England; the marginal notes which have been made since to the +letter from Avignon; and what is said above, have set this affair in +so clear a light, that whoever examines, with a fair intention, must +feel the truth, and be convinced by it. I cannot, however, forbear +to make some observations on the same subject here. It is even +necessary that I should do so, in the design of making this +discourse the foundation of my justification to the Tories at +present, and to the whole world in time. + +There is nothing which my enemies apprehend so much as my +justification: and they have reason. But they may comfort +themselves with this reflection--that it will be a misfortune which +will accompany me to my grave, that I suffered a chain of accidents +to draw me into such measures and such company; that I have been +obliged to defend myself against such accusations and such accusers; +that by associating with so much folly and so much knavery I am +become the victim of both; that I was distressed by the former, when +the latter would have been less grievous to me, since it is much +better in business to be yoked to knaves than fools; and that I put +into their hands the means of loading me, like the scape-goat, with +all the evil consequences of their folly. + +In the first letters which I received from the Earl of Mar he wrote +for arms, for ammunition, for money, for officers, and all things +frankly, as if these things had been ready, and I had engaged to +supply him with them, before he set up the standard at the Brae of +Mar; whereas our condition could not be unknown to his lordship; and +you have seen that I did all I could to prevent his reckoning on any +assistance from hence. As our hopes at this Court decreased, his +lordship rose in his demands; and at the time when it was visible +that the Regent intended nothing less than even privately and +indirectly to support the Scotch, the Pretender and the Earl of Mar +wrote for regular forces and a train of artillery, which was in +effect to insist that France should enter into a war for them. I +might, in answer to the first instances, have asked Lord Mar what he +did in Scotland, and what he meant by drawing his countrymen into a +war at this time, or at least upon this foot? He who had dictated +not long before a memorial wherein it was asserted that to have a +prospect of succeeding in this enterprise there must be a universal +insurrection, and that such an insurrection was in no sort probable, +unless a body of troops was brought to support it? He who thought +that the consequence of failing, when the attempt was once made, +must be the utter ruin of the cause and the loss of the British +liberty? He who concurred in demanding as a pis-aller, and the +least which could be insisted on, arms, ammunition, artillery, +money, and officers? I say, I might have asked what he meant to +begin the dance when he had not the least assurance of any succour, +but, on the contrary, the greatest reason imaginable to believe this +affair was become as desperate abroad by the death of the most +Christian King as it was at home by the discovery of the design and +by the measures taken to defeat it? + +Instead of acting this part, which would have been wise, I took that +which was plausible. I resolved to contribute all I could to +support the business, since it was begun. I encouraged his lordship +as long as I had the least ground for doing so, and I confirmed the +Pretender in his resolution of going to Scotland when he had nothing +better left him to do. If I have anything to reproach myself with +in the whole progress of the war in Scotland, it is having +encouraged Lord Mar too long. But, on the other hand, if I had +given up the cause, and had written despondingly to him before this +Court had explained itself as fully as the Marshal d'Huxelles did in +the conversation which is mentioned above, it is easy to see what +turn would have been given to such a conduct. + +The true cause of all the misfortunes which happened to the Scotch +and to those who took arms in the North of England lies here--that +they rose without any previous certainty of foreign help, in direct +contradiction to the scheme which their leaders themselves had +formed. The excuse which I have heard made for this is that the Act +of Parliament for curbing the Highlanders was near to be put in +execution; that they would have been disarmed, and entirely disabled +from rising at any other time, if they had not rose at this. You +can judge better than I of the validity of this excuse. It seems to +me that by management they might have gained time, and that even +when they had been reduced to the dilemma supposed, they ought to +have got together under pretence of resisting the infractions of the +Union without any mention of the Pretender, and have treated with +the Government on this foot. By these means they might probably +have preserved themselves in a condition of avowing their design +when they should be sure of being backed from abroad. At the worst, +they might have declared for the Chevalier when all other expedients +failed them. In a word, I take this excuse not to be very good, and +the true reason of this conduct to have been the rashness of the +people and the inconsistent measures of their head. + +But admitting the excuse to be valid, it remains still an undeniable +truth that this is the original fountain from whence all those +waters of bitterness flowed which so many unhappy people have drunk +of. I have said already that the necessity of acting was +precipitated before any measures to act with success had been taken, +and that the necessity of doing so seemed to increase as the means +of doing so were taken away. To whom is this to be ascribed? Is it +to be ascribed to me, who had no share in these affairs till a few +weeks before the Duke of Ormond was forced to abandon England, and +the discovery of the intended invasion was published to Parliament +and to the world? or is it to be ascribed to those who had from the +first been at the head of this undertaking? + +Unable to defend this point, the next resort of the Jacobites is to +this impudent and absurd affirmation--that, notwithstanding the +disadvantages under which they took arms, they should have succeeded +if the indirect assistances which were asked from France had been +obtained. Nay, that they should have been able to defend the +Highlands if I had sent them a little powder. Is it possible that a +man should be wounded with such blunt weapons? Much more than +powder was asked for from the first, and I have already said that +when the Chevalier came into Scotland, regular troops, artillery, +etc., were demanded. Both he and the Earl of Mar judged it +impossible to stand their ground without such assistance as these. +How scandalous, then, must it be deemed that they suffer their +dependents to spread in the world that for want of a little powder I +forced them to abandon Scotland! The Earl of Mar knows that all the +powder in France would not have enabled him to stay at Perth as long +as he did if he had not had another security. And when that failed +him, he must have quitted the party, if the Regent had given us all +that he made some of us expect. + +But to finish all that I intend to say on a subject which has tired +me, and perhaps you; the Jacobites affirm that the indirect +assistances which they desired, might have been obtained; and I +confess that I am inexcusable if this fact be true. To prove it, +they appeal to the little politicians of whom I have spoken so +often. I affirm, on the contrary, that nothing could be obtained +here to support the Scotch or to encourage the English. To prove +the assertion, I appeal to the Ministers with whom I negotiated, and +to the Regent himself, who, whatever language he may hold in private +with other people, cannot controvert with me the truth of what I +advance. He excluded me formerly, that he might the more easily +avoid doing anything; and perhaps he has blamed me since, that he +might excuse his doing nothing. All this may be true, and yet it +will remain true that he would never have been prevailed upon to act +directly against his interest in the only point of view which he +has--I mean, the crown of France--and against the unanimous sense of +all his Ministers. Suppose that in the time of the late Queen, when +she had the peace in view, a party in France had implored her +assistance, and had applied to Margery Fielding, to Israel, to my +Lady Oglethorpe, to Dr. Battle, and Lieutenant-General Stewart, what +success do you imagine such applications would have had? The Queen +would have spoke them fair--she would speak otherwise to nobody; but +do you imagine she would have made one step in their favour? Olive +Trant, Magny, Mademoiselle Chaussery, a dirty Abbe Brigault, and Mr. +Dillon, are characters very apposite to these. And what I suppose +to have passed in England is not a whit more ridiculous than what +really passed here. + +I say nothing of the ships which the Jacobites pretend that they +sent into Scotland three weeks or a month after the Pretender was +returned. I believe they might have had my Lord Stair's connivance +then, as well as the Regent's. I say nothing of the order which +they pretend to have obtained, and which I never saw, for the stores +that were seized at Havre to be delivered to Castel Blanco. I have +already said enough on this head, and you cannot have failed to +observe that this signal favour was never obtained by these people +till the Marshal d'Huxelles had owned to me that nothing was to be +expected from France, and that the only thing which I could do was +to endeavour to bring the Pretender, the Earl of Mar, and the +principal persons who were most exposed, off, neither he nor I +imagining that any such would be left behind. + +When I began to appear in the world, upon the advertisements which +my friends gave me of the clamour that was raised against me, you +will easily think I did not enter into so many particulars as I have +done with you. I said even less than you have seen in those letters +which Brinsden wrote into England in March and April was +twelvemonth, and yet the clamour sank immediately. The people of +consideration at this Court beat it down, and the Court of St. +Germains grew so ashamed of it that the Queen thought fit to purge +herself of having had any share in encouraging the discourses which +were held against me, or having been so much as let into the secret +of the measure which preceded them. The provocation was great, but +I resolved to act without passion. I saw the advantage the +Pretender and his council, who disposed of things better for me than +I should have done for myself, had given me; but I saw likewise that +I must improve this advantage with the utmost caution. + +As I never imagined that he would treat me in the manner he did, nor +that his Ministers could be weak enough to advise him to it, I had +resolved, on his return from Scotland, to follow him till his +residence should be fixed somewhere or other. After which, having +served the Tories in this which I looked upon as their last struggle +for power, and having continued to act in the Pretender's affairs +till the end of the term for which I embarked with him, I should +have esteemed myself to be at liberty, and should in the civillest +manner I was able have taken my leave of him. Had we parted thus, I +should have remained in a very strange situation during the rest of +my life; but I had examined myself thoroughly, I was determined, I +was prepared. + +On one side he would have thought that he had a sort of right on any +future occasion to call me out of my retreat; the Tories would +probably have thought the same thing: my resolution was taken to +refuse them both, and I foresaw that both would condemn me. On the +other side, the consideration of his keeping measures with me, +joined to that of having once openly declared for him, would have +created a point of honour by which I should have been tied down, not +only from ever engaging against him, but also from making my peace +at home. The Chevalier cut this gordian knot asunder at one blow. +He broke the links of that chain which former engagements had +fastened on me, and gave me a right to esteem myself as free from +all obligations of keeping measures with him as I should have +continued if I had never engaged in his interest. I took therefore, +from that moment, the resolution of making my peace at home, and of +employing all the unfortunate experience I had acquired abroad to +undeceive my friends and to promote the union and the quiet of my +country. + +The Earl of Stair had received a full power to treat with me whilst +I was engaged with the Pretender, as I have been since informed. He +had done me the justice to believe me incapable to hearken, in such +circumstances, to any proposals of that kind; and as much friendship +as he had for me, as much as I had for him, we entertained not the +least even indirect correspondence together during that whole time. +Soon afterwards he employed a person to communicate to me the +disposition of his Majesty to grant me my pardon, and his own desire +to give me, on this occasion, all the proofs he could of his +inclination in my favour. I embraced the offer, as it became me to +do, with all possible sense of the King's goodness, and of his +lordship's friendship. We met, we talked together, and he wrote to +the Court on the subject. The turn which the Ministers gave to this +matter was, to enter into a treaty to reverse my attainder, and to +stipulate the conditions on which this act of grace should be +granted me. + +The notion of a treaty shocked me. I resolved never to be restored +rather than go that way to work; and I opened myself without any +reserve to Lord Stair. I told him that I looked on myself to be +obliged in honour and in conscience to undeceive my friends in +England, both as to the state of foreign affairs, as to the +management of the Jacobite interest abroad, and as to the characters +of persons--in every one of which points I knew them to be most +grossly and most dangerously deluded; that the treatment I had +received from the Pretender and his adherents would justify me to +the world in doing this; that if I remained in exile all my life, he +might be assured that I would never more have to do with the +Jacobite cause; and that if I was restored, I should give it an +effectual blow, in making that apology which the Pretender has put +me under a necessity of making: that in doing this I flattered +myself that I should contribute something to the establishment of +the King's Government, and to the union of his subjects; but that +this was all the merit which I could promise to have; that if the +Court believed these professions to be sincere, a treaty with me was +unnecessary for them; and that if they did not believe them so, a +treaty with them was dangerous for me; that I was determined in this +whole transaction to make no one step which I would not own in the +face of the world; that in other circumstances it might be +sufficient to act honestly, but that in a case as extraordinary as +mine it was necessary to act clearly, and to leave no room for the +least doubtful construction. + +The Earl of Stair, as well as Mr. Craggs, who arrived soon after in +France, came into my sense. I have reason to believe that the King +has approved it likewise upon their representations, since he has +been pleased to give me the most gracious assurances of his favour. +What the effect of all this may be in the next or in any other +Session, I know not; but this is the foot on which I have put +myself, and on which I stand at the moment I write to you. The +Whigs may continue inveterate, and by consequence frustrate his +Majesty's good intentions towards me; the Tories may continue to +rail at me, on the credit of such enemies as I have described to you +in the course of this relation: neither the one nor the other shall +make me swerve out of the path which I have traced to myself. + +I have now led you through the several stages which I proposed at +first; and I should do wrong to your good understanding, as well as +to our mutual friendship, if I suspected that you could hold any +other language to me than that which Dolabella uses to Cicero: +"Satisfactum est jam a te vel officio vel familiaritati; satisfactum +etiam partibus." The King, who pardons me, might complain of me; +the Whigs might declaim against me; my family might reproach me for +the little regard which I have shown to my own and to their +interests; but where is the crime I have been guilty of towards my +party and towards my friends? In what part of my conduct will the +Tories find an excuse for the treatment which they have given me? +As Tories such as they were when I left England, I defy them to find +any. But here lies the sore, and, tender as it is, I must lay it +open. Those amongst them who rail at me now are changed from what +they were, or from what they professed themselves to be, when we +lived and acted together. They were Tories then; they are Jacobites +now. Their objections to the course of my conduct whilst I was in +the Pretender's interest are the pretence; the true reason of their +anger is, that I renounce the Pretender for my life. When you were +first driven into this interest, I may appeal to you for the notion +which the party had. You thought of restoring him by the strength +of the Tories, and of opposing a Tory king to a Whig king. You took +him up as the instrument of your revenge and of your ambition. You +looked on him as your creature, and never once doubted of making +what terms you pleased with him. This is so true that the same +language is still held to the catechumens in Jacobitism. Were the +contrary to be avowed even now, the party in England would soon +diminish. I engaged on this principle when your orders sent me to +Commercy, and I never acted on any other. This ought to have been +part of my merit towards the Tories; and it would have been so if +they had continued in the same dispositions. But they are changed, +and this very thing is become my crime. Instead of making the +Pretender their tool, they are his. Instead of having in view to +restore him on their own terms, they are labouring to do it without +any terms; that is, to speak properly, they are ready to receive him +on his. Be not deceived: there is not a man on this side of the +water who acts in any other manner. The Church of England Jacobite +and the Irish Papist seem in every respect to have the same cause. +Those on your side of the water who correspond with these are to be +comprehended in the same class; and from hence it is that the +clamour raised against me has been kept up with so much industry, +and is redoubled on the least appearance of my return home, and of +my being in a situation to justify myself. + +You have seen already what reasons the Pretender, and the several +sorts of people who compose his party here, had to get rid of me, +and to cover me to the utmost of their power with infamy. Their +views were as short in this case as they are in all others. They +did not see at first that this conduct would not only give me a +right, but put me under a necessity of keeping no farther measures +with them, and of laying the whole mystery of their iniquity open. +As soon as they discovered this, they took the only course which was +left them--that of poisoning the minds of the Tories, and of +creating such prejudices against me whilst I remained in a condition +of not speaking for myself, as will they hope prevent the effect of +whatever I may say when I am in a condition of pleading my own +cause. The bare apprehension that I shall show the world that I +have been guilty of no crime renders me criminal among these men; +and they hold themselves ready, being unable to reply either in +point of fact or in point of reason, to drown my voice in the +confusion of their clamour. + +The only crimes I am guilty of, I own. I own the crime of having +been for the Pretender in a very different manner from those with +whom I acted. I served him as faithfully, I served him as well as +they; but I served him on a different principle. I own the crime of +having renounced him, and of being resolved never to have to do with +him as long as I live. I own the crime of being determined sooner +or later, as soon as I can, to clear myself of all the unjust +aspersions which have been cast upon me; to undeceive by my +experience as many as I can of those Tories who may have been drawn +into error; and to contribute, if ever I return home, as far as I am +able, to promote the national good of Britain without any other +regard. These crimes do not, I hope, by this time appear to you to +be of a very black dye. You may come, perhaps, to think them +virtues, when you have read and considered what remains to be said; +for before I conclude, it is necessary that I open one matter to you +which I could not weave in sooner without breaking too much the +thread of my narration. In this place, unmingled with anything +else, it will have, as it deserves to have, your whole attention. + +Whoever composed that curious piece of false fact, false argument, +false English, and false eloquence, the letter from Avignon, says +that I was not thought the most proper person to speak about +religion. I confess I should be of his mind, and should include his +patrons in my case, if the practice of it was to be recommended; for +surely it is unpardonable impudence to impose by precept what we do +not teach by example. I should be of the same mind, if the nature +of religion was to be explained, if its mysteries were to be +fathomed, and if this great truth was to be established--that the +Church of England has the advantage over all other Churches in +purity of doctrine, and in wisdom of discipline. But nothing of +this kind was necessary. This would have been the task of reverend +and learned divines. We of the laity had nothing more to do than to +lay in our claim that we could never submit to be governed by a +Prince who was not of the religion of our country. Such a +declaration could hardly have failed of some effect towards opening +the eyes and disposing the mind even of the Pretender. At least, in +justice to ourselves, and in justice to our party, we who were here +ought to have made it; and the influence of it on the Pretender +ought to have become the rule of our subsequent conduct. + +In thinking in this manner I think no otherwise now than I have +always thought; and I cannot forget, nor you neither, what passed +when, a little before the death of the Queen, letters were conveyed +from the Chevalier to several persons--to myself among others. In +the letter to me the article of religion was so awkwardly handled +that he made the principal motive of the confidence we ought to have +in him to consist in his firm resolution to adhere to Popery. The +effect which this epistle had on me was the same which it had on +those Tories to whom I communicated it at that time; it made us +resolve to have nothing to do with him. + +Some time after this I was assured by several, and I make no doubt +but others have been so too, that the Chevalier at the bottom was +not a bigot; that whilst he remained abroad and could expect no +succour, either present or future, from any Princes but those of the +Roman Catholic Communion, it was prudent, whatever he might think, +to make no demonstration of a design to change; but that his temper +was such, and he was already so disposed, that we might depend on +his compliance with what should be desired of him if ever he came +amongst us, and was taken from under the wing of the Queen his +mother. To strengthen this opinion of his character, it was said +that he had sent for Mr. Leslie over; that he allowed him to +celebrate the Church of England service in his family; and that he +had promised to hear what this divine should represent on the +subject of religion to him. When I came abroad, the same things, +and much more, were at first insinuated to me; and I began to let +them make impression upon me, notwithstanding what I had seen under +his hand. I would willingly flatter myself that this impression +disposed me to incline to Jacobitism rather than allow that the +inclination to Jacobitism disposed me easily to believe what, upon +that principle, I had so much reason to wish might be true. Which +was the cause, and which the effect, I cannot well determine: +perhaps they did mutually occasion each other. Thus much is +certain--that I was far from weighing this matter as I ought to have +done when the solicitation of my friends and the persecution of my +enemies precipitated me into engagements with the Pretender. + +I was willing to take it for granted that since you were as ready to +declare as I believed you at that time, you must have had entire +satisfaction on the article of religion. I was soon undeceived; +this string had never been touched. My own observation, and the +unanimous report of all those who from his infancy have approached +the Pretender's person, soon taught me how difficult it is to come +to terms with him on this head, and how unsafe to embark without +them. + +His religion is not founded on the love of virtue and the +detestation of vice; on a sense of that obedience which is due to +the will of the Supreme Being, and a sense of those obligations +which creatures formed to live in a mutual dependence on one another +lie under. The spring of his whole conduct is fear. Fear of the +horns of the devil and of the flames of hell. He has been taught to +believe that nothing but a blind submission to the Church of Rome +and a strict adherence to all the terms of that communion can save +him from these dangers. He has all the superstition of a Capuchin, +but I found on him no tincture of the religion of a prince. Do not +imagine that I loose the reins to my imagination, or that I write +what my resentments dictate: I tell you simply my opinion. I have +heard the same description of his character made by those who know +him best, and I conversed with very few among the Roman Catholics +themselves who did not think him too much a Papist. + +Nothing gave me from the beginning so much uneasiness as the +consideration of this part of his character, and of the little care +which had been taken to correct it. A true turn had not been given +to the first steps which were made with him. The Tories who engaged +afterwards, threw themselves, as it were, at his head. He had been +suffered to think that the party in England wanted him as much as he +wanted them. There was no room to hope for much compliance on the +head of religion when he was in these sentiments, and when he +thought the Tories too far advanced to have it in their power to +retreat; and little dependence was at any time to be placed on the +promises of a man capable of thinking his damnation attached to the +observance, and his salvation to the breach, of these very promises. +Something, however, was to be done, and I thought that the least +which could be done was to deal plainly with him, and to show him +the impossibility of governing our nation by any other expedient +than by complying with that which would be expected from him as to +his religion. This was thought too much by the Duke of Ormond and +Mr. Leslie; although the duke could be no more ignorant than the +minister how ill the latter had been used, how far the Chevalier had +been from keeping the word which he had given, and on the faith of +which Mr. Leslie had come over to him. They both knew that he not +only refused to hear himself, but that he sheltered the ignorance of +his priests, or the badness of his cause, or both, behind his +authority, and absolutely forbade all discourse concerning religion. +The duke seemed convinced that it would be time enough to talk of +religion to him when he should be restored, or, at soonest, when he +should be landed in England; that the influence under which he had +lived being at a distance, the reasonableness of what we might +propose, joined to the apparent necessity which would then stare him +in the face, could not fail to produce all the effects which we +could desire. + +To me this whole reasoning appeared fallacious. Our business was +not to make him change appearances on this side of the water, but to +prepare him to give those which would be necessary on the other; and +there was no room to hope that if we could gain nothing on his +prejudices here, we should be able to overcome them in Britain. I +would have argued just as the Duke of Ormond and Leslie if I had +been a Papist; and I saw well enough that some people about him, for +in a great dearth of ability there was cunning to be met with, +affected nothing more than to keep off all discourse of religion. +To my apprehension it was exceeding plain that we should find, if we +were once in England, the necessity of going forward at any rate +with him much greater than he would find that of complying with us. +I thought it an unpardonable fault to have taken a formal engagement +with him, when no previous satisfaction had been obtained on a point +at least as essential to our civil as to our religious rights; to +the peace of the State as to the prosperity of the Church; and I +looked on this fault to be aggravated by every day's delay. Our +silence was unfair both to the Chevalier and to our friends in +England. He was induced by it to believe that they would exact far +less from him than we knew they expected, and they were confirmed in +an opinion of his docility, which we knew to be void of all +foundation. The pretence of removing that influence under which he +had lived was frivolous, and should never have been urged to me, who +saw plainly that, according to the measures pursued by the very +persons who urged it, he must be environed in England by the same +people that surrounded him here; and that the Court of St. James's +would be constituted, if ever he was restored, in the same manner as +that of St. Germains was. + +When the draft of a declaration and other papers which were to be +dispersed in Great Britain came to be settled, it appeared that my +apprehension and distrust were but too well founded. The Pretender +took exception against several passages, and particularly against +those wherein a direct promise of securing the Churches of England +and Ireland was made. He was told, he said, that he could not in +conscience make such a promise, and, the debate being kept up a +little while, he asked me with some warmth why the Tories were so +desirous to have him if they expected those things from him which +his religion did not allow. I left these drafts, by his order, with +him, that he might consider and amend them. I cannot say that he +sent them to the Queen to be corrected by her confessor and the rest +of her council, but I firmly believe it. Sure I am that he took +time sufficient to do this before he sent them from Bar, where he +then was, to Paris, whither I was returned. When they were digested +in such a manner as satisfied his casuists he made them be printed, +and my name was put to the declaration, as if the original had been +signed by me. I had hitherto submitted my opinion to the judgment +of others, but on this occasion I took advice from myself. I +declared to him that I would not suffer my name to be at the bottom +of this paper. All the copies which came to my hands I burnt, and +another was printed off without any countersigning. + +The whole tenor of the amendments was one continued instance of the +grossest bigotry, and the most material passages were turned with +all the Jesuitical prevarication imaginable. As much as it was his +interest at that time to cultivate the respect which many of the +Tories really had for the memory of the late Queen, and which many +others affected as a farther mark of their opposition to the Court +and to the Whig party; as much as it was his interest to weave the +honour of her name into his cause, and to render her, even after her +death, a party to the dispute, he could not be prevailed upon to +give her that character which her enemies allowed her, nor to make +use of those expressions, in speaking of her, which, by the general +manner of their application, are come to be little more than terms +of respect and words of form proper in the style of public acts. +For instance:- + +She was called in the original draft "his sister of glorious and +blessed memory." In that which he published, the epithet of +"blessed" was left out. Her eminent justice and her exemplary piety +were occasionally mentioned; in lieu of which he substituted a flat, +and, in this case, an invidious expression, "her inclinations to +justice." + +Not content with declaring her neither just nor pious in this world +he did little less than declare her damned in the other, according +to the charitable principles of the Church of Rome. + +"When it pleased Almighty God to take her to Himself," was the +expression used in speaking of the death of the Queen. This he +erased, and instead thereof inserted these words: "When it pleased +Almighty God to put a period to her life." + +He graciously allowed the Universities to be nurseries of loyalty; +but did not think that it became him to style them "nurseries of +religion." + +Since his father passes already for a saint, and since reports are +encouraged of miracles which they suppose to be wrought at his tomb, +he might have allowed his grandfather to pass for a martyr; but he +struck out of the draft these words, "that blessed martyr who died +for his people," which were applied to King Charles I., and would +say nothing more of him than that "he fell a sacrifice to +rebellion." + +In the clause which related to the Churches of England and Ireland +there was a plain and direct promise inserted of "effectual +provision for their security, and for their re-establishment in all +those rights which belong to them." This clause was not suffered to +stand, but another was formed, wherein all mention of the Church of +Ireland was omitted, and nothing was promised to the Church of +England but the security, and "re-establishment of all those rights, +privileges, immunities, and possessions which belong to her," and +wherein he had already promised by his declaration of the 20th of +July, to secure and "protect all her members." + +I need make no comment on a proceeding so easy to be understood. +The drift of these evasions, and of this affected obscurity, is +obvious enough--at least, it will appear so by the observations +which remain to be made. + +He was so afraid of admitting any words which might be construed +into a promise of his consenting to those things which should be +found necessary for the present or future security of our +constitution, that in a paragraph where he was made to say that he +thought himself obliged to be solicitous for the prosperity of the +Church of England, the word prosperity was expunged, and we were +left by this mental reservation to guess what he was solicitous for. +It could not be for her prosperity: that he had expunged. It must +therefore be for her destruction, which in his language would have +been styled her conversion. + +Another remarkable proof of the same kind is to be found towards the +conclusion of the declaration. After having spoken of the peace and +flourishing estate of the kingdom, he was made to express his +readiness to concert with the two Houses such further measures as +should be thought necessary for securing the same to future +generations. The design of this paragraph you see. He and his +council saw it too, and therefore the word "securing" was laid +aside, and the word "leaving" was inserted in lieu of it. + +One would imagine that a declaration corrected in this manner might +have been suffered to go abroad without any farther precaution. But +these papers had been penned by Protestants; and who could answer +that there might not be still ground sufficient from the tenor of +them to insist on everything necessary for the security of that +religion? The declaration of the 20th of July had been penned by a +priest of the Scotch college, and the expressions had been measured +so as to suit perfectly with the conduct which the Chevalier +intended to hold; so as to leave room to distinguish him, upon +future occasions, with the help of a little pious sophistry, out of +all the engagements which he seemed to take in it. This orthodox +paper was therefore to accompany the heretical paper into the world, +and no promise of moment was to stand in the latter, unless +qualified by a reference to the former. Thus the Church was to be +secured in the rights, etc., which belong to her. How? No +otherwise than according to the declaration of the month of July. +And what does that promise? Security and protection to the members +of this Church in the enjoyment of their property. I make no doubt +but Bellarmine, if he had been the Chevalier's confessor, would have +passed this paragraph thus amended. No engagement whatever taken in +favour of the Church of Ireland, and a happy distinction found +between securing that of England, and protecting her members. Many +a useful project for the destruction of heretics, and for +accumulating power and riches to the See of Rome, has been +established on a more slender foundation. + +The same spirit reigns through the whole. Civil and religious +rights are no otherwise to be confirmed than in conformity to the +declaration of July; nay, the general pardon is restrained and +limited to the terms prescribed therein. + +This is the account which I judged too important to be omitted, and +which I chose to give you all together. I shall surely be justified +at present in concluding that the Tories are grossly deluded in +their opinion of this Prince's character, or else that they +sacrifice all which ought to be esteemed precious and sacred among +men to their passions. In both these cases I remain still a Tory, +and am true to the party. In the first, I endeavour to undeceive +you by an experience purchased at my expense and for your sakes: in +the second, I endeavour to prevail on you to revert to that +principle from which we have deviated. You never intended, whilst I +lived amongst you, the ruin of your country; and yet every step +which you now make towards the restoration you are so fond of, is a +step towards this ruin. No man of sense, well informed, can ever go +into measures for it, unless he thinks himself and his country in +such desperate circumstances that nothing is left them but to choose +of two ruins that which they like best. + +The exile of the royal family, under Cromwell's usurpation, was the +principal cause of all those misfortunes in which Britain has been +involved, as well as of many of those which have happened to the +rest of Europe, during more than half a century. + +The two brothers, Charles and James, became then infected with +Popery to such degrees as their different characters admitted of. +Charles had parts, and his good understanding served as an antidote +to repel the poison. James, the simplest man of his time, drank off +the whole chalice. The poison met in his composition with all the +fear, all the credulity, and all the obstinacy of temper proper to +increase its virulence and to strengthen its effect. The first had +always a wrong bias upon him; he connived at the establishment, and +indirectly contributed to the growth, of that power which afterwards +disturbed the peace and threatened the liberty of Europe so often; +but he went no further out of the way. The opposition of his +Parliaments and his own reflections stopped him here. The Prince +and the people were, indeed, mutually jealous of one another, from +whence much present disorder flowed, and the foundation of future +evils was laid; but his good and his bad principles combating still +together, he maintained, during a reign of more than twenty years, +in some tolerable degree, the authority of the Crown and the +flourishing estate of the nation. The last, drunk with +superstitious and even enthusiastic zeal, ran headlong into his own +ruin whilst he endeavoured to precipitate ours. His Parliament and +his people did all they could to save themselves by winning him. +But all was vain; he had no principle on which they could take hold. +Even his good qualities worked against them, and his love of his +country went halves with his bigotry. How he succeeded we have +heard from our fathers. The revolution of 1688 saved the nation and +ruined the King. + +Now the Pretender's education has rendered him infinitely less fit +than his uncle--and at least as unfit as his father--to be King of +Great Britain. Add to this that there is no resource in his +understanding. Men of the best sense find it hard to overcome +religious prejudices, which are of all the strongest; but he is a +slave to the weakest. The rod hangs like the sword of Damocles over +his head, and he trembles before his mother and his priest. What, +in the name of God, can any member of the Church of England promise +himself from such a character? Are we by another revolution to +return into the same state from which we were delivered by the +first? Let us take example from the Roman Catholics, who act very +reasonably in refusing to submit to a Protestant Prince. Henry IV. +had at least as good a title to the crown of France as the Pretender +has to ours. His religion alone stood in his way, and he had never +been King if he had not removed that obstacle. Shall we submit to a +Popish Prince, who will no more imitate Henry IV. in changing his +religion than he will imitate those shining qualities which rendered +him the honestest gentleman, the bravest captain, and the greatest +prince of his age? Allow me to give a loose to my pen for a moment +on this subject. General benevolence and universal charity seem to +be established in the Gospel as the distinguishing badges of +Christianity. How it happens I cannot tell; but so it is, that in +all ages of the Church the professors of Christianity seem to have +been animated by a quite contrary spirit. Whilst they were thinly +scattered over the world, tolerated in some places, but established +nowhere, their zeal often consumed their charity. Paganism, at that +time the religion by law established, was insulted by many of them; +the ceremonies were disturbed, the altars thrown down. As soon as, +by the favour of Constantine, their numbers were increased, and the +reins of government were put into their hands, they began to employ +the secular arm, not only against different religions, but against +different sects which arose in their own religion. A man may boldly +affirm that more blood has been shed in the disputes between +Christian and Christian than has ever been drawn from the whole body +of them in the persecutions of the heathen emperors and in the +conquests of the Mahometan princes. From these they have received +quarter, but never from one another. The Christian religion is +actually tolerated among the Mahometans, and the domes of churches +and mosques arise in the same city. But it will be hard to find an +example where one sect of Christians has tolerated another which it +was in their power to extirpate. They have gone farther in these +later ages; what was practised formerly has been taught since. +Persecution has been reduced into system, and the disciples of the +meek and humble Jesus have avowed a tyranny which the most barbarous +conquerors never claimed. The wicked subtilty of casuists has +established breach of faith with those who differ from us as a duty +in opposition to faith, and murder itself has been made one of the +means of salvation. I know very well that the Reformed Churches +have been far from going those cruel lengths which are authorised by +the doctrine as well as example of that of Rome, though Calvin put a +flaming sword on the title of a French edition of his Institute, +with this motto, "Je ne suis point venu mettre la paix, mais +l'epee;" but I know likewise that the difference lies in the means +and not in the aim of their policy. The Church of England, the most +humane of all of them, would root out every other religion if it was +in her power. She would not hang and burn; her measures would be +milder, and therefore, perhaps, more effectual. + +Since, then, there is this inveterate rancour among Christians, can +anything be more absurd than for those of one persuasion to trust +the supreme power, or any part of it, to those of another? +Particularly must it not be reputed madness in those of our religion +to trust themselves in the hands of Roman Catholics? Must it not be +reputed impudence in a Roman Catholic to expect that we should? he +who looks upon us as heretics, as men in rebellion against a lawful- +-nay, a divine--authority, and whom it is, therefore, meritorious by +all sorts of ways to reduce to obedience? There are many, I know, +amongst them who think more generously, and whose morals are not +corrupted by that which is called religion; but this is the spirit +of the priesthood, in whose scale that scrap of a parable, "Compel +them to come in," which they apply as they please, outweighs the +whole Decalogue. This will be the spirit of every man who is bigot +enough to be under their direction; and so much is sufficient for my +present purpose. + +During your last Session of Parliament it was expected that the +Whigs would attempt to repeal the Occasional Bill. The same +jealousy continues; there is, perhaps, foundation for it. Give me +leave to ask you upon what principle we argued for making this law, +and upon what principle you must argue against the repeal of it. I +have mentioned the principle in the beginning of this discourse. No +man ought to be trusted with any share of power under a Government +who must, to act consistently with himself, endeavour the +destruction of that very Government. Shall this proposition pass +for true when it is applied to keep a Presbyterian from being mayor +of a corporation, and shall it become false when it is applied to +keep a Papist from being king? The proposition is equally true in +both cases; but the argument drawn from it is just so much stronger +in the latter than in the former case, as the mischiefs which may +result from the power and influence of a king are greater than those +which can be wrought by a magistrate of the lowest order. This +seems to my apprehension to be argumentum ad hominem, and I do not +see by what happy distinction a Jacobite Tory could elude the force +of it. + +It may be said, and it has been urged to me, that if the Chevalier +was restored, the knowledge of his character would be our security; +"habet foenum in cornu;" there would be no pretence for trusting +him, and by consequence it would be easy to put such restrictions on +the exercise of the regal power as might hinder him from invading or +sapping our religion and liberty. But this I utterly deny. +Experience has shown us how ready men are to court power and profit, +and who can determine how far either the Tories or the Whigs would +comply, in order to secure to themselves the enjoyment of all the +places in the kingdom? Suppose, however, that a majority of true +Israelites should be found, whom no temptation could oblige to bow +the knee to Baal; in order to preserve the Government on one hand +must they not destroy it on the other? The necessary restrictions +would in this case be so many and so important as to leave hardly +the shadow of a monarchy if he submitted to them; and if he did not +submit to them, these patriots would have no resource left but in +rebellion. Thus, therefore, the affair would turn if the Pretender +was restored. We might, most probably, lose our religion and +liberty by the bigotry of the Prince and the corruption of the +people. We should have no chance of preserving them but by an +entire change of the whole frame of our Government or by another +revolution. What reasonable man would voluntarily reduce himself to +the necessity of making an option among such melancholy +alternatives? + +The best which could be hoped for, were the Chevalier on the throne, +would be that a thread of favourable accidents, improved by the +wisdom and virtue of Parliament, might keep off the evil day during +his reign. But still the fatal cause would be established; it would +be entailed upon us, and every man would be apprised that sooner or +later the fatal effect must follow. Consider a little what a +condition we should be in, both with respect to our foreign interest +and our domestic quiet, whilst the reprieve lasted, whilst the +Chevalier or his successors made no direct attack upon the +constitution. + +As to the first, it is true, indeed, that princes and States are +friends or foes to one another according as the motives of ambition +drive them. These are the first principles of union and division +amongst them. The Protestant Powers of Europe have joined, in our +days, to support and aggrandise the House of Austria, as they did in +the days of our forefathers to defeat her designs and to reduce her +power; and the most Christian King of France has more than once +joined his councils, and his arms too, with the councils and arms of +the most Mahometan Emperor of Constantinople. But still there is, +and there must continue, as long as the influence of the Papal +authority subsists in Europe, another general, permanent, and +invariable division of interests. The powers of earth, like those +of heaven, have two distinct motions. Each of them rolls in his own +political orb, but each of them is hurried at the same time round +the great vortex of his religion. If this general notion be just, +apply it to the present case. Whilst a Roman Catholic holds the +rudder, how can we expect to be steered in our proper course? His +political interest will certainly incline him to direct our first +motion right, but his mistaken religious interest will render him +incapable of doing it steadily. + +As to the last, our domestic quiet; even whilst the Chevalier and +those of his race concealed their game, we should remain in the most +unhappy state which human nature is subject to, a state of doubt and +suspense. Our preservation would depend on making him the object of +our eternal jealousy, who, to render himself and his people happy, +ought to be that of our entire confidence. + +Whilst the Pretender and his successors forbore to attack the +religion and liberty of the nation, we should remain in the +condition of those people who labour under a broken constitution, or +who carry about them some chronical distemper. They feel a little +pain at every moment; or a certain uneasiness, which is sometimes +less tolerable than pain, hangs continually on them, and they +languish in the constant expectation of dying perhaps in the +severest torture. + +But if the fear of hell should dissipate all other fears in the +Pretender's mind, and carry him, which is frequently the effect of +that passion, to the most desperate undertakings; if among his +successors a man bold enough to make the attempt should arise, the +condition of the British nation would be still more deplorable. The +attempt succeeding, we should fall into tyranny; for a change of +religion could never be brought about by consent; and the same force +that would be sufficient to enslave our consciences, would be +sufficient for all the other purposes of arbitrary power. The +attempt failing, we should fall into anarchy; for there is no medium +when disputes between a prince and his people are arrived at a +certain point; he must either be submitted to or deposed. + +I have now laid before you even more than I intended to have said +when I took my pen, and I am persuaded that if these papers ever +come to your hands, they will enable you to cast up the account +between party and me. Till the time of the Queen's death it stands, +I believe, even between us. The Tories distinguished me by their +approbation and by the credit which I had amongst them, and I +endeavoured to distinguish myself in their service, under the +immediate weight of great discouragement and with the not very +distant prospect of great danger. Since that time the account is +not so even, and I dare appeal to any impartial person whether my +side in it be that of the debtor. As to the opinion of mankind in +general, and the judgment which posterity will pass on these +matters, I am under no great concern. "Suum cuique decus posteritas +rependit." + + + +A LETTER TO ALEXANDER POPE + + + +Dear Sir,--Since you have begun, at my request, the work which I +have wished long that you would undertake, it is but reasonable that +I submit to the task you impose upon me. The mere compliance with +anything you desire, is a pleasure to me. On the present occasion, +however, this compliance is a little interested; and that I may not +assume more merit with you than I really have, I will own that in +performing this act of friendship--for such you are willing to +esteem it--the purity of my motive is corrupted by some regard to my +private utility. In short, I suspect you to be guilty of a very +friendly fraud, and to mean my service whilst you seem to mean your +own. + +In leading me to discourse, as you have done often, and in pressing +me to write, as you do now, on certain subjects, you may propose to +draw me back to those trains of thought which are, above all others, +worthy to employ the human mind: and I thank you for it. They have +been often interrupted by the business and dissipations of the +world, but they were never so more grievously to me, nor less +usefully to the public, than since royal seduction prevailed on me +to abandon the quiet and leisure of the retreat I had chosen abroad, +and to neglect the example of Rutilius, for I might have imitated +him in this at least, who fled further from his country when he was +invited home. + +You have begun your ethic epistles in a masterly manner. You have +copied no other writer, nor will you, I think, be copied by any one. +It is with genius as it is with beauty; there are a thousand pretty +things that charm alike; but superior genius, like superior beauty, +has always something particular, something that belongs to itself +alone. It is always distinguishable, not only from those who have +no claim to excellence, but even from those who excel, when any such +there are. + +I am pleased, you may be sure, to find your satire turn, in the very +beginning of these epistles, against the principal cause--for such +you know that I think it--of all the errors, all the contradictions, +and all the disputes which have arisen among those who impose +themselves on their fellow-creatures for great masters, and almost +sole proprietors of a gift of God which is common to the whole +species. This gift is reason; a faculty, or rather an aggregate of +faculties, that is bestowed in different degrees; and not in the +highest, certainly, on those who make the highest pretensions to it. +Let your satire chastise, and, if it be possible, humble that pride, +which is the fruitful parent of their vain curiosity and bold +presumption; which renders them dogmatical in the midst of +ignorance, and often sceptical in the midst of knowledge. The man +who is puffed up with this philosophical pride, whether divine or +theist, or atheist, deserves no more to be respected than one of +those trifling creatures who are conscious of little else than their +animality, and who stop as far short of the attainable perfections +of their nature as the other attempts to go beyond them. You will +discover as many silly affections, as much foppery and futility, as +much inconsistency and low artifice in one as in the other. I never +met the mad woman at Brentford decked out in old and new rags, and +nice and fantastical in the manner of wearing them, without +reflecting on many of the profound scholars and sublime philosophers +of our own and of former ages. + +You may expect some contradiction and some obloquy on the part of +these men, though you will have less to apprehend from their malice +and resentment than a writer in prose on the same subjects would +have. You will be safer in the generalities of poetry; and I know +your precaution enough to know that you will screen yourself in them +against any direct charge of heterodoxy. But the great clamour of +all will be raised when you descend lower, and let your Muse loose +among the herd of mankind. Then will those powers of dulness whom +you have ridiculed into immortality be called forth in one united +phalanx against you. But why do I talk of what may happen? You +have experienced lately something more than I prognosticate. Fools +and knaves should be modest at least; they should ask quarter of men +of sense and virtue: and so they do till they grow up to a +majority, till a similitude of character assures them of the +protection of the great. But then vice and folly such as prevail in +our country, corrupt our manners, deform even social life, and +contribute to make us ridiculous as well as miserable, will claim +respect for the sake of the vicious and the foolish. It will be +then no longer sufficient to spare persons; for to draw even +characters of imagination must become criminal when the application +of them to those of highest rank and greatest power cannot fail to +be made. You began to laugh at the ridiculous taste or the no taste +in gardening and building of some men who are at great expense in +both. What a clamour was raised instantly! The name of Timon was +applied to a noble person with double malice, to make him +ridiculous, and you, who lived in friendship with him, odious. By +the authority that employed itself to encourage this clamour, and by +the industry used to spread and support it, one would have thought +that you had directed your satire in that epistle to political +subjects, and had inveighed against those who impoverish, dishonour, +and sell their country, instead of making yourself inoffensively +merry at the expense of men who ruin none but themselves, and render +none but themselves ridiculous. What will the clamour be, and how +will the same authority foment it, when you proceed to lash, in +other instances, our want of elegance even in luxury, and our wild +profusion, the source of insatiable rapacity, and almost universal +venality? My mind forebodes that the time will come--and who knows +how near it may be?--when other powers than those of Grub Street may +be drawn forth against you, and when vice and folly may be avowedly +sheltered behind a power instituted for better and contrary +purposes--for the punishment of one, and for the reformation of +both. + +But, however this may be, pursue your task undauntedly, and whilst +so many others convert the noblest employments of human society into +sordid trades, let the generous Muse resume her ancient dignity, re- +assert her ancient prerogative, and instruct and reform, as well as +amuse the world. Let her give a new turn to the thoughts of men, +raise new affections in their minds, and determine in another and +better manner the passions of their hearts. Poets, they say, were +the first philosophers and divines in every country, and in ours, +perhaps, the first institutions of religion and civil policy were +owing to our bards. Their task might be hard, their merit was +certainly great. But if they were to rise now from the dead they +would find the second task, if I mistake not, much harder than the +first, and confess it more easy to deal with ignorance than with +error. When societies are once established and Governments formed, +men flatter themselves that they proceed in cultivating the first +rudiments of civility, policy, religion, and learning. But they do +not observe that the private interests of many, the prejudices, +affections, and passions of all, have a large share in the work, and +often the largest. These put a sort of bias on the mind, which +makes it decline from the straight course; and the further these +supposed improvements are carried, the greater this declination +grows, till men lose sight of primitive and real nature, and have no +other guide but custom, a second and a false nature. The author of +one is divine wisdom; of the other, human imagination; and yet +whenever the second stands in opposition to the first, as it does +most frequently, the second prevails. From hence it happens that +the most civilised nations are often guilty of injustice and cruelty +which the least civilised would abhor, and that many of the most +absurd opinions and doctrines which have been imposed in the Dark +Ages of ignorance continue to be the opinions and doctrines of ages +enlightened by philosophy and learning. "If I was a philosopher," +says Montaigne, "I would naturalise art instead of artilising +Nature." The expression is odd, but the sense is good, and what he +recommends would be done if the reasons that have been given did not +stand in the way; if the self-interest of some men, the madness of +others, and the universal pride of the human heart did not determine +them to prefer error to truth and authority to reason. + +Whilst your Muse is employed to lash the vicious into repentance, or +to laugh the fools of the age into shame, and whilst she rises +sometimes to the noblest subjects of philosophical meditation, I +shall throw upon paper, for your satisfaction and for my own, some +part at least of what I have thought and said formerly on the last +of these subjects, as well as the reflections that they may suggest +to me further in writing on them. The strange situation I am in, +and the melancholy state of public affairs, take up much of my time; +divide, or even dissipate, my thoughts; and, which is worse, drag +the mind down by perpetual interruptions from a philosophical tone +or temper to the drudgery of private and public business. The last +lies nearest my heart; and since I am once more engaged in the +service of my country, disarmed, gagged, and almost bound as I am, I +will not abandon it as long as the integrity and perseverance of +those who are under none of these disadvantages, and with whom I now +co-operate, make it reasonable for me to act the same part. Further +than this no shadow of duty obliges me to go. Plato ceased to act +for the Commonwealth when he ceased to persuade, and Solon laid down +his arms before the public magazine when Pisistratus grew too strong +to be opposed any longer with hopes of success. + +Though my situation and my engagements are sufficiently known to +you, I choose to mention them on this occasion lest you should +expect from me anything more than I find myself able to perform +whilst I am in them. It has been said by many that they wanted time +to make their discourses shorter; and if this be a good excuse, as I +think it may be often, I lay in my claim to it. You must neither +expect in what I am about to write to you that brevity which might +be expected in letters or essays, nor that exactness of method, nor +that fulness of the several parts which they affect to observe who +presume to write philosophical treatises. The merit of brevity is +relative to the manner and style in which any subject is treated, as +well as to the nature of it; for the same subject may be sometimes +treated very differently, and yet very properly, in both these +respects. Should the poet make syllogisms in verse, or pursue a +long process of reasoning in the didactic style, he would be sure to +tire his reader on the whole, like Lucretius, though he reasoned +better than the Roman, and put into some parts of his work the same +poetical fire. He may write, as you have begun to do, on +philosophical subjects, but he must write in his own character. He +must contract, he may shadow, he has a right to omit whatever will +not be cast in the poetic mould; and when he cannot instruct, he may +hope to please. But the philosopher has no such privileges. He may +contract sometimes, he must never shadow. He must be limited by his +matter, lest he should grow whimsical, and by the parts of it which +he understands best, lest he should grow obscure. But these parts +he must develop fully, and he has no right to omit anything that may +serve the purpose of truth, whether it please or not. As it would +be disingenuous to sacrifice truth to popularity, so it is trifling +to appeal to the reason and experience of mankind, as every +philosophical writer does, or must be understood to do, and then to +talk, like Plato and his ancient and modern disciples, to the +imagination only. There is no need, however, to banish eloquence +out of philosophy, and truth and reason are no enemies to the purity +nor to the ornaments of language. But as the want of an exact +determination of ideas and of an exact precision in the use of words +is inexcusable in a philosopher, he must preserve them, even at the +expense of style. In short, it seems to me that the business of the +philosopher is to dilate, if I may borrow this word from Tully, to +press, to prove, to convince; and that of the poet to hint, to touch +his subject with short and spirited strokes, to warm the affections, +and to speak to the heart. + +Though I seem to prepare an apology for prolixity even in writing +essays, I will endeavour not to be tedious, and this endeavour may +succeed the better perhaps by declining any over-strict observation +of method. There are certain points of that which I esteem the +first philosophy whereof I shall never lose sight, but this will be +very consistent with a sort of epistolary licence. To digress and +to ramble are different things, and he who knows the country through +which he travels may venture out of the highroad, because he is sure +of finding his way back to it again. Thus the several matters that +may arise even accidentally before me will have some share in +guiding my pen. + +I dare not promise that the sections or members of these essays will +bear that nice proportion to one another and to the whole which a +severe critic would require. All I dare promise you is that my +thoughts, in what order soever they flow, shall be communicated to +you just as they pass through my mind, just as they use to be when +we converse together on these or any other subjects when we saunter +alone, or, as we have often done with good Arbuthnot and the jocose +Dean of St. Patrick's, among the multiplied scenes of your little +garden. That theatre is large enough for my ambition. I dare not +pretend to instruct mankind, and I am not humble enough to write to +the public for any other purpose. I mean by writing on such +subjects as I intend here, to make some trial of my progress in +search of the most important truths, and to make this trial before a +friend in whom I think I may confide. These epistolary essays, +therefore, will be written with as little regard to form and with as +little reserve as I used to show in the conversations which have +given occasion to them, when I maintained the same opinions and +insisted on the same reasons in defence of them. + +It might seem strange to a man not well acquainted with the world, +and in particular with the philosophical and theological tribe, that +so much precaution should be necessary in the communication of our +thoughts on any subject of the first philosophy, which is of common +concern to the whole race of mankind, and wherein no one can have, +according to nature and truth, any separate interest. Yet so it is. +The separate interests we cannot have by God's institutions, are +created by those of man; and there is no subject on which men deal +more unfairly with one another than this. There are separate +interests, to mention them in general only, of prejudice and of +profession. By the first, men set out in the search of truth under +the conduct of error, and work up their heated imaginations often to +such a delirium that the more genius, and the more learning they +have, the madder they grow. By the second, they are sworn, as it +were, to follow all their lives the authority of some particular +school, to which "tanquam scopulo, adhaerescunt;" for the condition +of their engagement is to defend certain doctrines, and even mere +forms of speech, without examination, or to examine only in order to +defend them. By both, they become philosophers as men became +Christians in the primitive Church, or as they determined themselves +about disputed doctrines; for says Hilarius, writing to St. Austin, +"Your holiness knows that the greatest part of the faithful embrace, +or refuse to embrace, a doctrine for no reason but the impression +which the name and authority of some body or other makes on them." +What now can a man who seeks truth for the sake of truth, and is +indifferent where he finds it, expect from any communication of his +thoughts to such men as these? He will be much deceived if he +expects anything better than imposition or altercation. + +Few men have, I believe, consulted others, both the living and the +dead, with less presumption, and in a greater spirit of docility, +than I have done: and the more I have consulted, the less have I +found of that inward conviction on which a mind that is not +absolutely implicit can rest. I thought for a time that this must +be my fault. I distrusted myself, not my teachers--men of the +greatest name, ancient and modern. But I found at last that it was +safer to trust myself than them, and to proceed by the light of my +own understanding than to wander after these ignes fatui of +philosophy. If I am able therefore to tell you easily, and at the +same time so clearly and distinctly as to be easily understood, and +so strongly as not to be easily refuted, how I have thought for +myself, I shall be persuaded that I have thought enough on these +subjects. If I am not able to do this, it will be evident that I +have not thought on them enough. I must review my opinions, +discover and correct my errors. + +I have said that the subjects I mean, and which will be the +principal objects of these essays, are those of the first +philosophy; and it is fit, therefore, that I should explain what I +understand by the first philosophy. Do not imagine that I +understand what has passed commonly under that name--metaphysical +pneumatics, for instance, or ontology. The first are conversant +about imaginary substances, such as may and may not exist. That +there is a God we can demonstrate; and although we know nothing of +His manner of being, yet we acknowledge Him to be immaterial, +because a thousand absurdities, and such as imply the strongest +contradiction, result from the supposition that the Supreme Being is +a system of matter. But of any other spirits we neither have nor +can have any knowledge: and no man will be inquisitive about +spiritual physiognomy, nor go about to inquire, I believe, at this +time, as Evodius inquired of St. Austin, whether our immaterial +part, the soul, does not remain united, when it forsakes this gross +terrestrial body, to some ethereal body more subtile and more fine; +which was one of the Pythagorean and Platonic whimsies: nor be +under any concern to know, if this be not the case of the dead, how +souls can be distinguished after their separation--that of Dives, +for example, from that of Lazarus. The second--that is, ontology-- +treats most scientifically of being abstracted from all being ("de +ente quatenus ens"). It came in fashion whilst Aristotle was in +fashion, and has been spun into an immense web out of scholastic +brains. But it should be, and I think it is already, left to the +acute disciples of Leibnitz, who dug for gold in the ordure of the +schools, and to other German wits. Let them darken by tedious +definitions what is too plain to need any; or let them employ their +vocabulary of barbarous terms to propagate an unintelligible jargon, +which is supposed to express such abstractions as they cannot make, +and according to which, however, they presume often to control the +particular and most evident truths of experimental knowledge. Such +reputed science deserves no rank in philosophy, not the last, and +much less the first. + +I desire you not to imagine neither that I understand by the first +philosophy even such a science as my Lord Bacon describes--a science +of general observations and axioms, such as do not belong properly +to any particular part of science, but are common to many, "and of +an higher stage," as he expresses himself. He complains that +philosophers have not gone up to the "spring-head," which would be +of "general and excellent use for the disclosing of Nature and the +abridgment of art," though they "draw now and then a bucket of water +out of the well for some particular use." I respect--no man more-- +this great authority; but I respect no authority enough to subscribe +on the faith of it, to that which appears to me fantastical, as if +it were real. Now this spring-head of science is purely +fantastical, and the figure conveys a false notion to the mind, as +figures employed licentiously are apt to do. The great author +himself calls these axioms, which are to constitute his first +philosophy, observations. Such they are properly; for there are +some uniform principles, or uniform impressions of the same nature, +to be observed in very different subjects, "una eademque naturae +vestigia aut signacula diversis materiis et subjectis impressa." +These observations, therefore, when they are sufficiently verified +and well established, may be properly applied in discourse, or +writing, from one subject to another. But I apprehend that when +they are so applied, they serve rather to illustrate a proposition +than to disclose Nature, or to abridge art. They may have a better +foundation than similitudes and comparisons more loosely and more +superficially made. They may compare realities, not appearances; +things that Nature has made alike, not things that seem only to have +some relation of this kind in our imaginations. But still they are +comparisons of things distinct and independent. They do not lead us +to things, but things that are lead us to make them. He who +possesses two sciences, and the same will be often true of arts, may +find in certain respects a similitude between them because he +possesses both. If he did not possess both, be would be led by +neither to the acquisition of the other. Such observations are +effects, not means of knowledge; and, therefore, to suppose that any +collection of them can constitute a science of an "higher stage," +from whence we may reason a priori down to particulars, is, I +presume, to suppose something very groundless, and very useless at +best, to the advancement of knowledge. A pretended science of this +kind must be barren of knowledge, and may be fruitful of error, as +the Persian magic was, if it proceeded on the faint analogy that may +be discovered between physics and politics, and deduced the rules of +civil government from what the professors of it observed of the +operations and works of Nature in the material world. The very +specimen of their magic which my Lord Bacon has given would be +sufficient to justify what is here objected to his doctrine. + +Let us conclude this head by mentioning two examples among others +which he brings to explain the better what he means by his first +philosophy. The first is this axiom, "If to unequals you add +equals, all will be unequal." This, he says, is an axiom of justice +as well as of mathematics; and he asks whether there is not a true +coincidence between commutative and distributive justice, and +arithmetical and geometrical proportion. But I would ask in my turn +whether the certainty that any arithmetician or geometrician has of +the arithmetical or geometrical truth will lead him to discover this +coincidence. I ask whether the most profound lawyer who never heard +perhaps this axiom would be led to it by his notions of commutative +and distributive justice. Certainly not. He who is well skilled in +arithmetic or geometry, and in jurisprudence, may observe perhaps +this uniformity of natural principle or impression because he is so +skilled, though, to say the truth, it be not very obvious; but he +will not have derived his knowledge of it from any spring-head of a +first philosophy, from any science of an "higher stage" than +arithmetic, geometry, and jurisprudence. + +The second example is this axiom, "That the destruction of things is +prevented by the reduction of them to their first principles." This +rule is said to hold in religion, in physics, and in politics; and +Machiavel is quoted for having established it in the last of these. +Now though this axiom be generally, it is not universally, true; +and, to say nothing of physics, it will not be hard to produce, in +contradiction to it, examples of religious and civil institutions +that would have perished if they had been kept strictly to their +first principles, and that have been supported by departing more or +less from them. It may seem justly matter of wonder that the author +of the "Advancement of Learning" should espouse this maxim in +religion and politics, as well as physics, so absolutely, and that +he should place it as an axiom of his first philosophy relatively to +the three, since he could not do it without falling into the abuse +he condemns so much in his "Organum Novum"--the abuse philosophers +are guilty of when they suffer the mind to rise too fast, as it is +apt to do, from particulars to remote and general axioms. That the +author of the "Political Discourses" should fall into this abuse is +not at all strange. The same abuse runs through all his writings, +in which, among many wise and many wicked reflections and precepts, +he establishes frequently general maxims or rules of conduct on a +few particular examples, and sometimes on a single example. Upon +the whole matter, one of these axioms communicates no knowledge but +that which we must have before we can know the axiom, and the other +may betray us into great error when we apply it to use and action. +One is unprofitable, the other dangerous; and the philosophy which +admits them as principles of general knowledge deserves ill to be +reputed philosophy. It would have been just as useful, and much +more safe, to admit into this receptacle of axioms those self- +evident and necessary truths alone of which we have an immediate +perception, since they are not confined to any special parts of +science, but are common to several, or to all. Thus these +profitable axioms, "What is, is," "The whole is bigger than a part," +and divers others, might serve to enlarge the spring-head of a first +philosophy, and be of excellent use in arguing ex proecognitis et +proeconcessis. + +If you ask me now what I understand then by a first philosophy, my +answer will be such as I suppose you already prepared to receive. I +understand by a first philosophy, that which deserves the first +place on account of the dignity and importance of its objects, +natural theology or theism, and natural religion or ethics. If we +consider the order of the sciences in their rise and progress, the +first place belongs to natural philosophy, the mother of them all, +or the trunk, the tree of knowledge, out of which, and in proportion +to which, like so many branches, they all grow. These branches +spread wide, and bear even fruits of different kinds. But the sap +that made them shoot, and makes them flourish, rises from the root +through the trunk, and their productions are varied according to the +variety of strainers through which it flows. In plain terms, I +speak not here of supernatural, or revealed science; and therefore I +say that all science, if it be real, must rise from below, and from +our own level. It cannot descend from above, nor from superior +systems of being and knowledge. Truth of existence is truth of +knowledge, and therefore reason searches after them in one of these +scenes, where both are to be found together, and are within our +reach; whilst imagination hopes fondly to find them in another, +where both of them are to be found, but surely not by us. The +notices we receive from without concerning the beings that surround +us, and the inward consciousness we have of our own, are the +foundations, and the true criterions too, of all the knowledge we +acquire of body and of mind: and body and mind are objects alike of +natural philosophy. We assume commonly that they are two distinct +substances. Be it so. They are still united, and blended, as it +were, together, in one human nature: and all natures, united or +not, fall within the province of natural philosophy. On the +hypothesis indeed that body and soul are two distinct substances, +one of which subsists after the dissolution of the other, certain +men, who have taken the whimsical title of metaphysicians, as if +they had science beyond the bounds of Nature, or of Nature +discoverable by others, have taken likewise to themselves the +doctrine of mind; and have left that of body, under the name of +physics, to a supposed inferior order of philosophers. But the +right of these stands good; for all the knowledge that can be +acquired about mind, or the unextended substance of the Cartesians, +must be acquired, like that about body, or the extended substance, +within the bounds of their province, and by the means they employ, +particular experiments and observations. Nothing can be true of +mind, any more than of body, that is repugnant to these; and an +intellectual hypothesis which is not supported by the intellectual +phenomena is at least as ridiculous as a corporeal hypothesis which +is not supported by the corporeal phenomena. + +If I have said thus much in this place concerning natural +philosophy, it has not been without good reason. I consider +theology and ethics as the first of sciences in pre-eminence of +rank. But I consider the constant contemplation of Nature--by which +I mean the whole system of God's works as far as it lies open to us- +-as the common spring of all sciences, and even of these. What has +been said agreeably to this notion seems to me evidently true; and +yet metaphysical divines and philosophers proceed in direct +contradiction to it, and have thereby, if I mistake not, bewildered +themselves, and a great part of mankind, in such inextricable +labyrinths of hypothetical reasoning, that few men can find their +way back, and none can find it forward into the road of truth. To +dwell long, and on some points always, in particular knowledge, +tires the patience of these impetuous philosophers. They fly to +generals. To consider attentively even the minutest phenomena of +body and mind mortifies their pride. Rather than creep up slowly, a +posteriori, to a little general knowledge, they soar at once as far +and as high as imagination can carry them. From thence they descend +again, armed with systems and arguments a priori; and, regardless +how these agree or clash with the phenomena of Nature, they impose +them on mankind. + +It is this manner of philosophising, this preposterous method of +beginning our search after truth out of the bounds of human +knowledge, or of continuing it beyond them, that has corrupted +natural theology and natural religion in all ages. They have been +corrupted to such a degree that it is grown, and was so long since, +as necessary to plead the cause of God, if I may use this expression +after Seneca, against the divine as against the atheist; to assert +his existence against the latter, to defend his attributes against +the former, and to justify his providence against both. To both a +sincere and humble theist might say very properly, "I make no +difference between you on many occasions, because it is indifferent +whether you deny or defame the Supreme Being." Nay, Plutarch, +though little orthodox in theology, was not in the wrong perhaps +when he declared the last to be the worst. + +In treating the subjects about which I shall write to you in these +letters or essays, it will be therefore necessary to distinguish +genuine and pure theism from the unnatural and profane mixtures of +human imagination--what we can know of God from what we cannot know. +This is the more necessary, too, because, whilst true and false +notions about God and religion are blended together in our minds +under one specious name of science, the false are more likely to +make men doubt of the true, as it often happens, than to persuade +men that they are true themselves. Now, in order to this purpose, +nothing can be more effectual than to go to the root of error, of +that primitive error which encourages our curiosity, sustains our +pride, fortifies our prejudices, and gives pretence to delusion. +This primitive error consists in the high opinion we are apt to +entertain of the human mind, though it holds, in truth, a very low +rank in the intellectual system. To cure this error we need only +turn our eyes inward, and contemplate impartially what passes there +from the infancy to the maturity of the mind. Thus it will not be +difficult, and thus alone it is possible, to discover the true +nature of human knowledge--how far it extends, how far it is real, +and where and how it begins to be fantastical. + +Such an inquiry, if it cannot check the presumption nor humble the +pride of metaphysicians, may serve to undeceive others. Locke +pursued it; he grounded all he taught on the phenomena of Nature; he +appealed to the experience and conscious knowledge of every one, and +rendered all he advanced intelligible. Leibnitz, one of the vainest +and most chimerical men that ever got a name in philosophy, and who +is often so unintelligible that no man ought to believe he +understood himself, censured Locke as a superficial philosopher. +What has happened? The philosophy of one has forced its way into +general approbation, that of the other has carried no conviction and +scarce any information to those who have misspent their time about +it. To speak the truth, though it may seem a paradox, our knowledge +on many subjects, and particularly on those which we intend here, +must be superficial to be real. This is the condition of humanity. +We are placed, as it were, in an intellectual twilight, where we +discover but few things clearly, and none entirely, and yet see just +enough to tempt us with the hope of making better and more +discoveries. Thus flattered, men push their inquiries on, and may +be properly enough compared to Ixion, who "imagined he had Juno in +his arms whilst he embraced a cloud." + +To be contented to know things as God has made us capable of knowing +them is, then, a first principle necessary to secure us from falling +into error; and if there is any subject upon which we should be most +on our guard against error, it is surely that which I have called +here the first philosophy. God is hid from us in the majesty of His +nature, and the little we discover of Him must be discovered by the +light that is reflected from His works. Out of this light, +therefore, we should never go in our inquiries and reasonings about +His nature, His attributes, and the order of His providence; and yet +upon these subjects men depart the furthest from it--nay, they who +depart the furthest are the best heard by the bulk of mankind. The +less men know, the more they believe that they know. Belief passes +in their minds for knowledge, and the very circumstances which +should beget doubt produce increase of faith. Every glittering +apparition that is pointed out to them in the vast wild of +imagination passes for a reality; and the more distant, the more +confused, the more incomprehensible it is, the more sublime it is +esteemed. He who should attempt to shift these scenes of airy +vision for those of real knowledge might expect to be treated with +scorn and anger by the whole theological and metaphysical tribe, the +masters and the scholars; he would be despised as a plebeian +philosopher, and railed at as an infidel. It would be sounded high +that he debased human nature, which has a "cognation," so the +reverend and learned Doctor Cudworth calls it, with the divine; that +the soul of man, immaterial and immortal by its nature, was made to +contemplate higher and nobler objects than this sensible world, and +even than itself, since it was made to contemplate God and to be +united to Him. In such clamour as this the voice of truth and of +reason would be drowned, and, with both of them on his side, he who +opposed it would make many enemies and few converts--nay, I am apt +to think that some of these, if he made any, would say to him, as +soon as the gaudy visions of error were dispelled, and till they +were accustomed to the simplicity of truth, "Pol me occidistis." +Prudence forbids me, therefore, to write as I think to the world, +whilst friendship forbids me to write otherwise to you. I have been +a martyr of faction in politics, and have no vocation to be so in +philosophy. + +But there is another consideration which deserves more regard, +because it is of a public nature, and because the common interests +of society may be affected by it. Truth and falsehood, knowledge +and ignorance, revelations of the Creator, inventions of the +creature, dictates of reason, sallies of enthusiasm, have been +blended so long together in our systems of theology that it may be +thought dangerous to separate them, lest by attacking some parts of +these systems we should shake the whole. It may be thought that +error itself deserves to be respected on this account, and that men +who are deluded for their good should be deluded on. + +Some such reflections as these it is probable that Erasmus made when +he observed, in one of his letters to Melancthon, that Plato, +dreaming of a philosophical commonwealth, saw the impossibility of +governing the multitude without deceiving them. "Let not Christians +lie," says this great divine: "but let it not be thought neither +that every truth ought to be thrown out to the vulgar." ("Non +expedit omnem veritatem prodere vulgo.") Scaevola and Varro were +more explicit than Erasmus, and more reasonable than Plato. They +held not only that many truths were to be concealed from the vulgar, +but that it was expedient the vulgar should believe many things that +were false. They distinguished at the same time, very rightly, +between the regard due to religions already established, and the +conduct to be held in the establishment of them. The Greek assumed +that men could not be governed by truth, and erected on this +principle a fabulous theology. The Romans were not of the same +opinion. Varro declared expressly that if he had been to frame a +new institution, he would have framed it "ex naturae potius +formula." But they both thought that things evidently false might +deserve an outward respect when they are interwoven into a system of +government. This outward respect every good citizen will show them +in such a case, and they can claim no more in any. He will not +propagate these errors, but he will be cautious how he propagates +even truth in opposition to them. + +There has been much noise made about free-thinking; and men have +been animated in the contest by a spirit that becomes neither the +character of divines nor that of good citizens, by an arbitrary +tyrannical spirit under the mask of religious zeal, and by a +presumptuous factious spirit under that of liberty. If the first +could prevail, they would establish implicit belief and blind +obedience, and an Inquisition to maintain this abject servitude. To +assert antipodes might become once more as heretical as Arianism or +Pelagianism; and men might be dragged to the jails of some Holy +Office, like Galilei, for saying they had seen what in fact they had +seen, and what every one else that pleased might see. If the second +could prevail, they would destroy at once the general influence of +religion by shaking the foundations of it which education had laid. +These are wide extremes. Is there no middle path in which a +reasonable man and a good citizen may direct his steps? I think +there is. + +Every one has an undoubted right to think freely--nay, it is the +duty of every one to do so as far as he has the necessary means and +opportunities. This duty, too, is in no case so incumbent on him as +in those that regard what I call the first philosophy. They who +have neither means nor opportunities of this sort must submit their +opinions to authority; and to what authority can they resign +themselves so properly and so safely as to that of the laws and +constitution of their country? In general, nothing can be more +absurd than to take opinions of the greatest moment, and such as +concern us the most intimately, on trust; but there is no help +against it in many particular cases. Things the most absurd in +speculation become necessary in practice. Such is the human +constitution, and reason excuses them on the account of this +necessity. Reason does even a little more, and it is all she can +do. She gives the best direction possible to the absurdity. Thus +she directs those who must believe because they cannot know, to +believe in the laws of their country, and conform their opinions and +practice to those of their ancestors, to those of Coruncanius, of +Scipio, of Scaevola--not to those of Zeno, of Cleanthes, of +Chrysippus. + +But now the same reason that gives this direction to such men as +these will give a very contrary direction to those who have the +means and opportunities the others want. Far from advising them to +submit to this mental bondage, she will advise them to employ their +whole industry to exert the utmost freedom of thought, and to rest +on no authority but hers--that is, their own. She will speak to +them in the language of the Soufys, a sect of philosophers in Persia +that travellers have mentioned. "Doubt," say these wise and honest +freethinkers, "is the key of knowledge. He who never doubts, never +examines. He who never examines, discovers nothing. He who +discovers nothing, is blind and will remain so. If you find no +reason to doubt concerning the opinions of your fathers, keep to +them; they will be sufficient for you. If you find any reason to +doubt concerning them, seek the truth quietly, but take care not to +disturb the minds of other men." + +Let us proceed agreeably to these maxims. Let us seek truth, but +seek it quietly as well as freely. Let us not imagine, like some +who are called freethinkers, that every man, who can think and judge +for himself, as he has a right to do, has therefore a right of +speaking, any more than of acting, according to the full freedom of +his thoughts. The freedom belongs to him as a rational creature; he +lies under the restraint as a member of society. + +If the religion we profess contained nothing more than articles of +faith and points of doctrine clearly revealed to us in the Gospel, +we might be obliged to renounce our natural freedom of thought in +favour of this supernatural authority. But since it is notorious +that a certain order of men, who call themselves the Church, have +been employed to make and propagate a theological system of their +own, which they call Christianity, from the days of the Apostles, +and even from these days inclusively, it is our duty to examine and +analyse the whole, that we may distinguish what is divine from what +is human; adhere to the first implicitly, and ascribe to the last no +more authority than the word of man deserves. + +Such an examination is the more necessary to be undertaken by every +one who is concerned for the truth of his religion and for the +honour of Christianity, because the first preachers of it were not, +and they who preach it still are not, agreed about many of the most +important points of their system; because the controversies raised +by these men have banished union, peace, and charity out of the +Christian world; and because some parts of the system savour so much +of superstition and enthusiasm that all the prejudices of education +and the whole weight of civil and ecclesiastical power can hardly +keep them in credit. These considerations deserve the more +attention because nothing can be more true than what Plutarch said +of old, and my Lord Bacon has said since: one, that superstition, +and the other, that vain controversies are principal causes of +atheism. + +I neither expect nor desire to see any public revision made of the +present system of Christianity. I should fear an attempt to alter +the established religion as much as they who have the most bigot +attachment to it, and for reasons as good as theirs, though not +entirely the same. I speak only of the duty of every private man to +examine for himself, which would have an immediate good effect +relatively to himself, and might have in time a good effect +relatively to the public, since it would dispose the minds of men to +a greater indifference about theological disputes, which are the +disgrace of Christianity and have been the plagues of the world. + +Will you tell me that private judgment must submit to the +established authority of Fathers and Councils? My answer shall be +that the Fathers, ancient and modern, in Councils and out of them, +have raised that immense system of artificial theology by which +genuine Christianity is perverted and in which it is lost. These +Fathers are fathers of the worst sort, such as contrive to keep +their children in a perpetual state of infancy, that they may +exercise perpetual and absolute dominion over them. "Quo magis +regnum in illos exerceant pro sua libidine." I call their theology +artificial, because it is in a multitude of instances conformable +neither to the religion of Nature nor to Gospel Christianity, but +often repugnant to both, though said to be founded on them. I shall +have occasion to mention several such instances in the course of +these little essays. Here I will only observe that if it be hard to +conceive how anything so absurd as the pagan theology stands +represented by the Fathers who wrote against it, and as it really +was, could ever gain credit among rational creatures, it is full as +hard to conceive how the artificial theology we speak of could ever +prevail, not only in ages of ignorance, but in the most enlightened. +There is a letter of St. Austin wherein he says that he was ashamed +of himself when he refuted the opinions of the former, and that he +was ashamed of mankind when he considered that such absurdities were +received and defended. The reflections might be retorted on the +saint, since he broached and defended doctrines as unworthy of the +Supreme All-Perfect Being as those which the heathens taught +concerning their fictitious and inferior gods. Is it necessary to +quote any other than that by which we are taught that God has +created numbers of men for no purpose but to damn them? "Quisquis +praedestinationis doctrinam invidia gravat," says Calvin, "aperte +maledicit Deo." Let us say, "Quisquis praedestinationis doctrinam +asserit, blasphemat". Let us not impute such cruel injustice to the +all-perfect Being. Let Austin and Calvin and all those who teach it +be answerable for it alone. You may bring Fathers and Councils as +evidences in the cause of artificial theology, but reason must be +the judge; and all I contend for is, that she should be so in the +breast of every Christian that can appeal to her tribunal. + +Will you tell me that even such a private examination of the +Christian system as I propose that every man who is able to make it +should make for himself, is unlawful; and that, if any doubts arise +in our minds concerning religion, we must have recourse for the +solution of them to some of that holy order which was instituted, by +God Himself, and which has been continued by the imposition of hands +in every Christian society, from the Apostles down to the present +clergy? My answer shall be shortly this: it is repugnant to all +the ideas of wisdom and goodness to believe that the universal terms +of salvation are knowable by the means of one order of men alone, +and that they continue to be so even after they have been published +to all nations. Some of your directors will tell you that whilst +Christ was on earth the Apostles were the Church; that He was the +Bishop of it; that afterwards the admission of men into this order +was approved, and confirmed by visions and other divine +manifestations; and that these wonderful proofs of God's +interposition at the ordinations and consecrations of presbyters and +bishops lasted even in the time of St. Cyprian--that is, in the +middle of the third century. It is pity that they lasted no longer, +for the honour of the Church, and for the conviction of those who do +not sufficiently reverence the religious society. It were to be +wished, perhaps, that some of the secrets of electricity were +improved enough to be piously and usefully applied to this purpose. +If we beheld a shekinah, or divine presence, like the flame of a +taper, on the heads of those who receive the imposition of hands, we +might believe that they receive the Holy Ghost at the same time. +But as we have no reason to believe what superstitious, credulous, +or lying men (such as Cyprian himself was) reported formerly, that +they might establish the proud pretensions of the clergy, so we have +no reason to believe that five men of this order have any more of +the Divine Spirit in our time, after they are ordained, than they +had before. It would be a farce to provoke laughter, if there was +no suspicion of profanation in it, to see them gravely lay hands on +one another, and bid one another receive the Holy Ghost. + +Will you tell me finally, in opposition to what has been said, and +that you may anticipate what remains to be said, that laymen are not +only unauthorised, but quite unequal, without the assistance of +divines, to the task I propose? If you do, I shall make no scruple +to tell you, in return, that laymen may be, if they please, in every +respect as fit, and are in one important respect more fit than +divines to go through this examination, and to judge for themselves +upon it. We say that the Scriptures, concerning the divine +authenticity of which all the professors of Christianity agree, are +the sole criterion of Christianity. You add tradition, concerning +which there may be, and there is, much dispute. We have, then, a +certain invariable rule whenever the Scriptures speak plainly. +Whenever they do not speak so, we have this comfortable assurance-- +that doctrines which nobody understands are revealed to nobody, and +are therefore improper objects of human inquiry. We know, too, that +if we receive the explanations and commentaries of these dark +sayings from the clergy, we take the greatest part of our religion +from the word of man, not from the Word of God. Tradition, indeed, +however derived, is not to be totally rejected; for if it was, how +came the canon of the Scriptures, even of the Gospels, to be fixed? +How was it conveyed down to us? Traditions of general facts, and +general propositions plain and uniform, may be of some authority and +use. But particular anecdotical traditions, whose original +authority is unknown, or justly suspicious, and that have acquired +only an appearance of generality and notoriety, because they have +been frequently and boldly repeated from age to age, deserve no more +regard than doctrines evidently added to the Scriptures, under +pretence of explaining and commenting them, by men as fallible as +ourselves. We may receive the Scriptures, and be persuaded of their +authenticity, on the faith of ecclesiastical tradition; but it seems +to me that we may reject, at the same time, all the artificial +theology which has been raised on these Scriptures by doctors of the +Church, with as much right as they receive the Old Testament on the +authority of Jewish scribes and doctors whilst they reject the oral +law and all rabbinical literature. + +He who examines on such principles as these, which are conformable +to truth and reason, may lay aside at once the immense volumes of +Fathers and Councils, of schoolmen, casuists, and controversial +writers, which have perplexed the world so long. Natural religion +will be to such a man no longer intricate, revealed religion will be +no longer mysterious, nor the Word of God equivocal. Clearness and +precision are two great excellences of human laws. How much more +should we expect to find them in the law of God? They have been +banished from thence by artificial theology, and he who is desirous +to find them must banish the professors of it from his councils, +instead of consulting them. He must seek for genuine Christianity +with that simplicity of spirit with which it is taught in the Gospel +by Christ Himself. He must do the very reverse of what has been +done by the persons you advise him to consult. + +You see that I have said what has been said, on a supposition that, +however obscure theology may be, the Christian religion is extremely +plain, and requires no great learning nor deep meditation to develop +it. But if it was not so plain, if both these were necessary to +develop it, is great learning the monopoly of the clergy since the +resurrection of letters, as a little learning was before that era? +Is deep meditation and justness of reasoning confined to men of that +order by a peculiar and exclusive privilege? In short, and to ask a +question which experience will decide, have these men who boast that +they are appointed by God "to be the interpreters of His secret +will, to represent His person, and to answer in His name, as it +were, out of the sanctuary"--have these men, I say, been able in +more than seventeen centuries to establish an uniform system of +revealed religion--for natural religion never wanted their help +among the civil societies of Christians--or even in their own? They +do not seem to have aimed at this desirable end. Divided as they +have always been, they have always studied in order to believe, and +to take upon trust, or to find matter of discourse, or to contradict +and confute, but never to consider impartially nor to use a free +judgment. On the contrary, they who have attempted to use this +freedom of judgment have been constantly and cruelly persecuted by +them. + +The first steps towards the establishment of artificial theology, +which has passed for Christianity ever since, were enthusiastical. +They were not heretics alone who delighted in wild allegories and +the pompous jargon of mystery; they were the orthodox Fathers of the +first ages, they were the disciples of the Apostles, or the scholars +of their disciples; for the truth of which I may appeal to the +epistles and other writings of these men that are extant--to those +of Clemens, of Ignatius, or of Irenaeus, for instance--and to the +visions of Hermes, that have so near a resemblance to the +productions of Bunyan. + +The next steps of the same kind were rhetorical. They were made by +men who declaimed much and reasoned ill, but who imposed on the +imaginations of others by the heat of their own, by their +hyperboles, their exaggerations, the acrimony of their style, and +their violent invectives. Such were the Chrysostoms, the Jeromes, +an Hilarius, a Cyril, and most of the Fathers. + +The last of the steps I shall mention were logical, and these were +made very opportunely and very advantageously for the Church and for +artificial theology. Absurdity in speculation and superstition in +practice had been cultivated so long, and were become so gross, that +men began to see through the veils that had been thrown over them, +as ignorant as those ages were. Then the schoolmen arose. I need +not display their character; it is enough known. This only I will +say--that having very few materials of knowledge and much subtilty +of wit they wrought up systems of fancy on the little they knew, and +invented an art, by the help of Aristotle, not of enlarging, but of +puzzling, knowledge with technical terms, with definitions, +distinctions, and syllogisms merely verbal. They taught what they +could not explain, evaded what they could not answer, and he who had +the most skill in this art might put to silence, when it came into +general use, the man who was consciously certain that he had truth +and reason on his side. + +The authority of the schools lasted till the resurrection of +letters. But as soon as real knowledge was enlarged, and the +conduct of the understanding better understood, it fell into +contempt. The advocates of artificial theology have had since that +time a very hard task. They have been obliged to defend in the +light what was imposed in the dark, and to acquire knowledge to +justify ignorance. They were drawn to it with reluctance. But +learning, that grew up among the laity, and controversies with one +another, made this unavoidable, which was not eligible on the +principles of ecclesiastical policy. They have done with these new +arms all that great parts, great pains, and great zeal could do +under such disadvantages, and we may apply to this order, on this +occasion, "si Pergama dextra," etc. But their Troy cannot be +defended; irreparable breaches have been made in it. They have +improved in learning and knowledge, but this improvement has been +general, and as remarkable at least among the laity as among the +clergy. Besides which it must be owned that the former have had in +this respect a sort of indirect obligation to the latter; for whilst +these men have searched into antiquity, have improved criticism, and +almost exhausted subtilty, they have furnished so many arms the more +to such of the others as do not submit implicitly to them, but +examine and judge for themselves. By refuting one another, when +they differ, they have made it no hard matter to refute them all +when they agree. And I believe there are few books written to +propagate or defend the received notions of artificial theology +which may not be refuted by the books themselves. I conclude, on +the whole, that laymen have, or need to have, no want of the clergy +in examining and analysing the religion they profess. + +But I said that they are in one important respect more fit to go +through this examination without the help of divines than with it. +A layman who seeks the truth may fall into error; but as he can have +no interest to deceive himself, so he has none of profession to bias +his private judgment, any more than to engage him to deceive others. +Now, the clergyman lies strongly under this influence in every +communion. How, indeed, should it be otherwise? Theology is become +one of those sciences which Seneca calls "scientiae in lucrum +exeuntes;" and sciences, like arts whose object is gain, are, in +good English, trades. Such theology is, and men who could make no +fortune, except the lowest, in any other, make often the highest in +this; for the proof of which assertion I might produce some signal +instances among my lords the bishops. The consequence has been +uniform; for how ready soever the tradesmen of one Church are to +expose the false wares--that is, the errors and abuses--of another, +they never admit that there are any in their own; and he who +admitted this in some particular instance would be driven out of the +ecclesiastical company as a false brother and one who spoiled the +trade. + +Thus it comes to pass that new Churches may be established by the +dissensions, but that old ones cannot be reformed by the +concurrence, of the clergy. There is no composition to be made with +this order of men. He who does not believe all they teach in every +communion is reputed nearly as criminal as he who believes no part +of it. He who cannot assent to the Athanasian Creed, of which +Archbishop Tillotson said, as I have heard, that he wished we were +well rid, would receive no better quarter than an atheist from the +generality of the clergy. What recourse now has a man who cannot be +thus implicit? Some have run into scepticism, some into atheism, +and, for fear of being imposed on by others, have imposed on +themselves. The way to avoid these extremes is that which has been +chalked out in this introduction. We may think freely without +thinking as licentiously as divines do when they raise a system of +imagination on true foundations, or as sceptics do when they +renounce all knowledge, or as atheists do when they attempt to +demolish the foundations of all religion and reject demonstration. +As we think for ourselves, we may keep our thoughts to ourselves, or +communicate them with a due reserve and in such a manner only as it +may be done without offending the laws of our country and disturbing +the public peace. + +I cannot conclude my discourse on this occasion better than by +putting you in mind of a passage you quoted to me once, with great +applause, from a sermon of Foster, and to this effect: "Where +mystery begins, religion ends." The apophthegm pleased me much, and +I was glad to hear such a truth from any pulpit, since it shows an +inclination, at least, to purify Christianity from the leaven of +artificial theology, which consists principally in making things +that are very plain mysterious, and in pretending to make things +that are impenetrably mysterious very plain. If you continue still +of the same mind, I shall have no excuse to make to you for what I +have written and shall write. Our opinions coincide. If you have +changed your mind, think again and examine further. You will find +that it is the modest, not the presumptuous, inquirer who makes a +real and safe progress in the discovery of divine truths. One +follows Nature and Nature's God--that is, he follows God in His +works and in His Word; nor presumes to go further, by metaphysical +and theological commentaries of his own invention, than the two +texts, if I may use this expression, carry him very evidently. They +who have done otherwise, and have affected to discover, by a +supposed science derived from tradition or taught in the schools, +more than they who have not such science can discover concerning the +nature, physical and moral, of the Supreme Being, and concerning the +secrets of His providence, have been either enthusiasts or knaves, +or else of that numerous tribe who reason well very often, but +reason always on some arbitrary supposition. + +Much of this character belonged to the heathen divines, and it is in +all its parts peculiarly that of the ancient Fathers and modern +doctors of the Christian Church. The former had reason, but no +revelation, to guide them; and though reason be always one, we +cannot wonder that different prejudices and different tempers of +imagination warped it in them on such subjects as these, and +produced all the extravagances of their theology. The latter had +not the excuse of human frailty to make in mitigation of their +presumption. On the contrary, the consideration of this frailty, +inseparable from their nature, aggravated their presumption. They +had a much surer criterion than human reason; they had divine reason +and the Word of God to guide them and to limit their inquiries. How +came they to go beyond this criterion? Many of the first preachers +were led into it because they preached or wrote before there was any +such criterion established, in the acceptance of which they all +agreed, because they preached or wrote, in the meantime, on the +faith of tradition and on a confidence that they were persons +extraordinarily gifted. Other reasons succeeded these. Skill in +languages, not the gift of tongues, some knowledge of the Jewish +cabala and some of heathen philosophy, of Plato's especially, made +them presume to comment, and under that pretence to enlarge the +system of Christianity with as much licence as they could have taken +if the word of man, instead of the Word of God, had been concerned, +and they had commented the civil, not the divine, law. They did +this so copiously that, to give one instance of it, the exposition +of St. Matthew's Gospel took up ninety homilies, and that of St. +John's eighty-seven, in the works of Chrysostom; which puts me in +mind of a Puritanical parson who, if I mistake not--for I have never +looked into the folio since I was a boy and condemned sometimes to +read in it--made one hundred and nineteen sermons on the hundred and +nineteenth Psalm. + +Now all these men, both heathens and Christians, appeared gigantic +forms through the false medium of imagination and habitual +prejudice; but were, in truth, as arrant dwarfs in the knowledge to +which they pretended as you and I and all the sons of Adam. The +former, however, deserved some excuse; the latter none. The former +made a very ill use of their reason, no doubt, when they presume to +dogmatise about the divine nature, but they deceived nobody. What +they taught, they taught on their own authority, which every other +man was at liberty to receive or reject as he approved or +disapproved the doctrine. Christians, on the other hand, made a +very ill use of revelation and reason both. Instead of employing +the superior principle to direct and confine the inferior, they +employed it to sanctify all that wild imagination, the passions, and +the interests of the ecclesiastical order suggested. This abuse of +revelation was so scandalous that whilst they were building up a +system of religion under the name of Christianity, every one who +sought to signalise himself in the enterprise--and they were +multitudes--dragged the Scriptures to his opinion by different +interpretations, paraphrases, comments. Arius and Nestorius both +pretended that they had it on their sides; Athanasius and Cyril on +theirs. They rendered the Word of God so dubious that it ceased to +be a criterion, and they had recourse to another--to Councils and +the decrees of Councils. He must be very ignorant in ecclesiastical +antiquity who does not know by what intrigues of the contending +factions--for such they were, and of the worst kind--these decrees +were obtained; and yet, an opinion prevailing that the Holy Ghost, +the same Divine Spirit who dictated the Scriptures, presided in +these assemblies and dictated their decrees, their decrees passed +for infallible decisions, and sanctified, little by little, much of +the superstition, the nonsense, and even the blasphemy which the +Fathers taught, and all the usurpations of the Church. This opinion +prevailed and influenced the minds of men so powerfully and so long +that Erasmus, who owns in one of his letters that the writings of +OEcolampadius against transubstantiation seemed sufficient to seduce +even the elect ("ut seduci posse videantur etiam electi"), declares +in another that nothing hindered him from embracing the doctrine of +OEcolampadius but the consent of the Church to the other doctrine +("nisi obstaret consensus Ecclesiae"). Thus artificial theology +rose on the demolitions, not on the foundations, of Christianity; +was incorporated into it; and became a principal part of it. How +much it becomes a good Christian to distinguish them, in his private +thoughts at least, and how unfit even the greatest, the most +moderate, and the least ambitious of the ecclesiastical order are to +assist us in making this distinction, I have endeavoured to show you +by reason and by example. + +It remains, then, that we apply ourselves to the study of the first +philosophy without any other guides than the works and the Word of +God. In natural religion the clergy are unnecessary; in revealed +they are dangerous guides. + + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, LETTERS BY BOLINGBROKE *** + +This file should be named ltww10.txt or ltww10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, ltww11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, ltww10a.txt + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we usually do not +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +We are now trying to release all our eBooks one year in advance +of the official release dates, leaving time for better editing. +Please be encouraged to tell us about any error or corrections, +even years after the official publication date. + +Please note neither this listing nor its contents are final til +midnight of the last day of the month of any such announcement. +The official release date of all Project Gutenberg eBooks is at +Midnight, Central Time, of the last day of the stated month. A +preliminary version may often be posted for suggestion, comment +and editing by those who wish to do so. + +Most people start at our Web sites at: +http://gutenberg.net or +http://promo.net/pg + +These Web sites include award-winning information about Project +Gutenberg, including how to donate, how to help produce our new +eBooks, and how to subscribe to our email newsletter (free!). + + +Those of you who want to download any eBook before announcement +can get to them as follows, and just download by date. This is +also a good way to get them instantly upon announcement, as the +indexes our cataloguers produce obviously take a while after an +announcement goes out in the Project Gutenberg Newsletter. + +http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/etext04 or +ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub/docs/books/gutenberg/etext04 + +Or /etext03, 02, 01, 00, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90 + +Just search by the first five letters of the filename you want, +as it appears in our Newsletters. + + +Information about Project Gutenberg (one page) + +We produce about two million dollars for each hour we work. The +time it takes us, a rather conservative estimate, is fifty hours +to get any eBook selected, entered, proofread, edited, copyright +searched and analyzed, the copyright letters written, etc. Our +projected audience is one hundred million readers. If the value +per text is nominally estimated at one dollar then we produce $2 +million dollars per hour in 2002 as we release over 100 new text +files per month: 1240 more eBooks in 2001 for a total of 4000+ +We are already on our way to trying for 2000 more eBooks in 2002 +If they reach just 1-2% of the world's population then the total +will reach over half a trillion eBooks given away by year's end. + +The Goal of Project Gutenberg is to Give Away 1 Trillion eBooks! +This is ten thousand titles each to one hundred million readers, +which is only about 4% of the present number of computer users. + +Here is the briefest record of our progress (* means estimated): + +eBooks Year Month + + 1 1971 July + 10 1991 January + 100 1994 January + 1000 1997 August + 1500 1998 October + 2000 1999 December + 2500 2000 December + 3000 2001 November + 4000 2001 October/November + 6000 2002 December* + 9000 2003 November* +10000 2004 January* + + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been created +to secure a future for Project Gutenberg into the next millennium. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +As of February, 2002, contributions are being solicited from people +and organizations in: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, +Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, +Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, +Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New +Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, +Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South +Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West +Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. + +We have filed in all 50 states now, but these are the only ones +that have responded. + +As the requirements for other states are met, additions to this list +will be made and fund raising will begin in the additional states. +Please feel free to ask to check the status of your state. + +In answer to various questions we have received on this: + +We are constantly working on finishing the paperwork to legally +request donations in all 50 states. If your state is not listed and +you would like to know if we have added it since the list you have, +just ask. + +While we cannot solicit donations from people in states where we are +not yet registered, we know of no prohibition against accepting +donations from donors in these states who approach us with an offer to +donate. + +International donations are accepted, but we don't know ANYTHING about +how to make them tax-deductible, or even if they CAN be made +deductible, and don't have the staff to handle it even if there are +ways. + +Donations by check or money order may be sent to: + +Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +PMB 113 +1739 University Ave. +Oxford, MS 38655-4109 + +Contact us if you want to arrange for a wire transfer or payment +method other than by check or money order. + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been approved by +the US Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) organization with EIN +[Employee Identification Number] 64-622154. Donations are +tax-deductible to the maximum extent permitted by law. As fund-raising +requirements for other states are met, additions to this list will be +made and fund-raising will begin in the additional states. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +You can get up to date donation information online at: + +http://www.gutenberg.net/donation.html + + +*** + +If you can't reach Project Gutenberg, +you can always email directly to: + +Michael S. Hart <hart@pobox.com> + +Prof. Hart will answer or forward your message. + +We would prefer to send you information by email. + + +**The Legal Small Print** + + +(Three Pages) + +***START**THE SMALL PRINT!**FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS**START*** +Why is this "Small Print!" statement here? You know: lawyers. +They tell us you might sue us if there is something wrong with +your copy of this eBook, even if you got it for free from +someone other than us, and even if what's wrong is not our +fault. So, among other things, this "Small Print!" statement +disclaims most of our liability to you. It also tells you how +you may distribute copies of this eBook if you want to. + +*BEFORE!* YOU USE OR READ THIS EBOOK +By using or reading any part of this PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +eBook, you indicate that you understand, agree to and accept +this "Small Print!" statement. If you do not, you can receive +a refund of the money (if any) you paid for this eBook by +sending a request within 30 days of receiving it to the person +you got it from. If you received this eBook on a physical +medium (such as a disk), you must return it with your request. + +ABOUT PROJECT GUTENBERG-TM EBOOKS +This PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook, like most PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBooks, +is a "public domain" work distributed by Professor Michael S. Hart +through the Project Gutenberg Association (the "Project"). +Among other things, this means that no one owns a United States copyright +on or for this work, so the Project (and you!) can copy and +distribute it in the United States without permission and +without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth +below, apply if you wish to copy and distribute this eBook +under the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark. + +Please do not use the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark to market +any commercial products without permission. + +To create these eBooks, the Project expends considerable +efforts to identify, transcribe and proofread public domain +works. Despite these efforts, the Project's eBooks and any +medium they may be on may contain "Defects". Among other +things, Defects may take the form of incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other +intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged +disk or other eBook medium, a computer virus, or computer +codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment. + +LIMITED WARRANTY; DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES +But for the "Right of Replacement or Refund" described below, +[1] Michael Hart and the Foundation (and any other party you may +receive this eBook from as a PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook) disclaims +all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including +legal fees, and [2] YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE OR +UNDER STRICT LIABILITY, OR FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT, +INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE +OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE +POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. + +If you discover a Defect in this eBook within 90 days of +receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) +you paid for it by sending an explanatory note within that +time to the person you received it from. If you received it +on a physical medium, you must return it with your note, and +such person may choose to alternatively give you a replacement +copy. If you received it electronically, such person may +choose to alternatively give you a second opportunity to +receive it electronically. + +THIS EBOOK IS OTHERWISE PROVIDED TO YOU "AS-IS". NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE TO YOU AS +TO THE EBOOK OR ANY MEDIUM IT MAY BE ON, INCLUDING BUT NOT +LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A +PARTICULAR PURPOSE. + +Some states do not allow disclaimers of implied warranties or +the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages, so the +above disclaimers and exclusions may not apply to you, and you +may have other legal rights. + +INDEMNITY +You will indemnify and hold Michael Hart, the Foundation, +and its trustees and agents, and any volunteers associated +with the production and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm +texts harmless, from all liability, cost and expense, including +legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the +following that you do or cause: [1] distribution of this eBook, +[2] alteration, modification, or addition to the eBook, +or [3] any Defect. + +DISTRIBUTION UNDER "PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm" +You may distribute copies of this eBook electronically, or by +disk, book or any other medium if you either delete this +"Small Print!" and all other references to Project Gutenberg, +or: + +[1] Only give exact copies of it. Among other things, this + requires that you do not remove, alter or modify the + eBook or this "small print!" statement. You may however, + if you wish, distribute this eBook in machine readable + binary, compressed, mark-up, or proprietary form, + including any form resulting from conversion by word + processing or hypertext software, but only so long as + *EITHER*: + + [*] The eBook, when displayed, is clearly readable, and + does *not* contain characters other than those + intended by the author of the work, although tilde + (~), asterisk (*) and underline (_) characters may + be used to convey punctuation intended by the + author, and additional characters may be used to + indicate hypertext links; OR + + [*] The eBook may be readily converted by the reader at + no expense into plain ASCII, EBCDIC or equivalent + form by the program that displays the eBook (as is + the case, for instance, with most word processors); + OR + + [*] You provide, or agree to also provide on request at + no additional cost, fee or expense, a copy of the + eBook in its original plain ASCII form (or in EBCDIC + or other equivalent proprietary form). + +[2] Honor the eBook refund and replacement provisions of this + "Small Print!" statement. + +[3] Pay a trademark license fee to the Foundation of 20% of the + gross profits you derive calculated using the method you + already use to calculate your applicable taxes. If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation" + the 60 days following each date you prepare (or were + legally required to prepare) your annual (or equivalent + periodic) tax return. Please contact us beforehand to + let us know your plans and to work out the details. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +Project Gutenberg is dedicated to increasing the number of +public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed +in machine readable form. + +The Project gratefully accepts contributions of money, time, +public domain materials, or royalty free copyright licenses. +Money should be paid to the: +"Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +If you are interested in contributing scanning equipment or +software or other items, please contact Michael Hart at: +hart@pobox.com + +[Portions of this eBook's header and trailer may be reprinted only +when distributed free of all fees. Copyright (C) 2001, 2002 by +Michael S. Hart. Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be +used in any sales of Project Gutenberg eBooks or other materials be +they hardware or software or any other related product without +express permission.] + +*END THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS*Ver.02/11/02*END* + diff --git a/old/ltww10.zip b/old/ltww10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..acf1e69 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/ltww10.zip diff --git a/old/ltww10h.htm b/old/ltww10h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..35b4526 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/ltww10h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4615 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"> +<title>Letters to Sir William Windham and Mr. Pope</title> +</head> +<body> +<h2> +<a href="#startoftext">Letters to Sir William Windham and Mr. Pope, by Lord Bolingbroke</a> +</h2> +<pre> +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Letters to Sir William Windham and Mr. Pope +by Lord Bolingbroke +(#1 in our series by Lord Bolingbroke) + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Letters to Sir William Windham and Mr. Pope + +Author: Lord Bolingbroke + +Release Date: February, 2004 [EBook #5132] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on May 7, 2002] +[Most recently updated: May 7, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII +</pre> +<p> +<a name="startoftext"></a> +This eBook was produced by Les Bowler, St. Ives, Dorset.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +LETTERS TO SIR WILLIAM WINDHAM AND MR. POPE<br> +BY LORD BOLINGBROKE<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Contents<br> + Introduction By Henry Morley<br> + Letter To Sir William Windham<br> + Letter To Alexander Pope<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +INTRODUCTION<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Henry St. John, who became Viscount Bolingbroke in 1712, was born on +the 1st of October, 1678, at the family manor of Battersea, then a country +village. His grandfather, Sir Walter St. John, lived there with +his wife Johanna, - daughter to Cromwell’s Chief Justice, Oliver +St. John, - in one home with the child’s father, Henry St. John, +who was married to the second daughter of Robert Rich, Earl of Warwick. +The child’s grandfather, a man of high character, lived to the +age of eighty-seven; and his father, more a man of what is miscalled +pleasure, to the age of ninety. It was chiefly by his grandfather +and grandmother that the education of young Henry St. John was cared +for. Simon Patrick, afterwards Bishop of Ely, was for some years +a chaplain in their home. By his grandfather and grandmother the +child’s religious education may have been too formally cared for. +A passage in Bolingbroke’s letter to Pope shows that he was required +as a child to read works of a divine who “made a hundred and nineteen +sermons on the hundred and nineteenth Psalm.”<br> +<br> +After education at Eton and Christchurch, Henry St. John travelled abroad, +and in the year 1700 he married, at the age of twenty-two, Frances, +daughter and co-heiress of Sir Henry Winchescomb, a Berkshire baronet. +She had much property, and more in prospect.<br> +<br> +In the year 1701, Henry St. John entered Parliament as member for Wotton +Bassett, the family borough. He acted with the Tories, and became +intimate with their leader, Robert Harley. He soon became distinguished +as the ablest and most vigorous of the young supporters of the Tory +party. He was a handsome man and a brilliant speaker, delighted +in by politicians who, according to his own image in the Letter to Windham, +“grow, like hounds, fond of the man who shows them game.” +He was active in the impeachment of Somers, Montague, the Duke of Portland, +and the Earl of Oxford for their negotiation of the Partition Treaties. +In later years he said he had acted here in ignorance, and justified +those treaties.<br> +<br> +James II. died at St. Germains, a pensioner of France, aged sixty-eight, +on the 6th of September, 1701.<br> +<br> +His pretensions to the English throne passed to the son, who had been +born on the 10th of June, 1688, and whose birth had hastened on the +Revolution. That son, James Francis Edward Stuart, who was only +thirteen years old at his father’s death, is known sometimes in +history as the Old Pretender; the Young Pretender being his son Charles +Edward, whose defeat at Culloden in 1746 destroyed the last faint hope +of a restoration of the Stuarts. It is with the young heir to +the pretensions of James II. that the story of the life of Bolingbroke +becomes concerned.<br> +<br> +King William III. died on the 8th of March, 1702, and was succeeded +by James II.’s daughter Anne, who was then thirty-eight years +old, and had been married when in her nineteenth year to Prince George +of Denmark. She was a good wife and a good, simple-minded woman; +a much-troubled mother, who had lost five children in their infancy, +besides one who survived to be a boy of eleven and had died in the year +1700. As his death left the succession to the Crown unsettled, +an Act of Settlement, passed on the 12th of June, 1701, had provided +that, in case of failure of direct heirs to the throne, the Crown should +pass to the next Protestant in succession, who was Sophia, wife of the +Elector of Hanover. The Electress Sophia was daughter of the Princess +Elizabeth who had married the Elector Palatine in 1613, granddaughter, +therefore, of James I. She was more than seventy years old when +Queen Anne began her reign. For ardent young Tories, who had no +great interest in the limitation of authority or enthusiasm for a Protestant +succession, it was no treason to think, though it would be treason to +say, that the old Electress and her more than forty-year-old German +son George, gross-minded and clumsy, did not altogether shut out hope +for the succession of a more direct heir to the Crown.<br> +<br> +In 1704 St. John was Secretary at War when Harley was Secretary of State, +and he remained in office till 1708, when the Whigs came in under Marlborough +and Godolphin, and St. John’s successor was his rival Robert Walpole. +St. John retired then for two year from public life to his country seat +at Bucklersbury in Berkshire, which had come to him, through his wife, +by the death of his wife’s father the year before. He was +thirty years old, the most brilliant of the rising statesmen; impatient +of Harley as a leader and of Walpole as his younger rival from the other +side, both of them men who, in his eyes, were dull and slow. St. +John’s quick intellect, though eager and impatient of successful +rivalry, had its philosophic turn. During these two years of retirement +he indulged the calmer love of study and thought, whose genius he said +once, in a letter to Lord Bathurst “On the True use of Retirement +and Study,” “unlike the dream of Socrates, whispered so +softly, that very often I heard him not, in the hurry of those passions +by which I was transported. Some calmer hours there were; in them +I hearkened to him. Reflection had often its turn, and the love +of study and the desire of knowledge have never quite abandoned me.”<br> +<br> +In 1710 the Whigs were out and Harley in again, with St. John in his +ministry as Secretary of State. “I am thinking,” wrote +Swift to Stella, “what a veneration we used to have for Sir William +Temple because he might have been Secretary of State at fifty; and here +is a young fellow hardly thirty in that employment.”<br> +<br> +It was the policy of the Tories to put an end to the war with France, +that was against all their political interests. The Whigs wished +to maintain it as a safeguard against reaction in favour of the Pretender. +In the peace negotiations nobody was so active as Secretary St. John. +On one occasion, without consulting his colleagues, he wrote to the +Duke of Ormond, who commanded the English army in the Netherlands: “Her +Majesty, my lord, has reason to believe that we shall come to an agreement +on the great article of the union of the two monarchies as soon as a +courier sent from Versailles to Madrid can return; it is, therefore, +the Queen’s positive command to your grace, that you avoid engaging +in any siege or hazarding a battle till you have further orders from +her Majesty. I am at the same time directed to let your grace +know that the Queen would have you disguise the receipt of this order; +and that her Majesty thinks you cannot want pretences for conducting +yourself so as to answer her ends without owning that which might at +present have an ill effect if publicly known.” He added +as a postscript: “I had almost forgot to tell your grace that +communication is given of this order to the Court of France.” +The peace was right, but the way of making it was mean in more ways +than one, and the friction between Harley and St. John steadily increased. +St. John used his majority in the House for the expulsion of his rival +Walpole and Walpole’s imprisonment in the Tower upon charges of +corruption. In 1712, when Harley had obtained for himself the +Earldom of Oxford, St. John wanted an earldom too; and the Earldom of +Bolingbroke, in the elder branch of his family, had lately become extinct. +His ill-will to Harley was embittered by the fact that only the lower +rank of Viscount was conceded to him, and he was sent from the House +of Commons, where his influence was great, at the age of thirty-four, +as Viscount Bolingbroke and Baron St. John. His father’s +congratulation on the peerage glanced at the perils of Jacobitism: “Well, +Harry, I said you would be hanged, but now I see you’ll be beheaded.”<br> +<br> +The Treaty of Utrecht, that closed the War of the Spanish Succession, +was signed on the 11th of April (new style), 1713. Queen Anne +died on the 1st of August, 1714, when time was not ripe for the reaction +that Bolingbroke had hoped to see. His Letter to Windham frankly +leaves us to understand that in Queen Anne’s reign the possible +succession of James II.’s son, the Chevalier de St. George, had +never been out of his mind.<br> +<br> +The death of the Electress Sophia brought her son George to the throne. +The Whigs triumphed, and Lord Bolingbroke was politically ruined. +He was dismissed from office before the end of the month. On the +26th of March, 1715, he escaped to France, in disguise of a valet to +the French messenger La Vigne. A Secret Committee of the House +of Commons was, a few days afterwards, appointed to examine papers, +and the result was Walpole’s impeachment of Bolingbroke. +He was, in September, 1715, in default of surrender, attainted of high +treason, and his name was erased from the roll of peers. His own +account of his policy will be found in this letter to his friend Sir +William Windham, in which the only weak feature is the bitterness of +Bolingbroke’s resentment against Harley.<br> +<br> +When he went in exile to France, Bolingbroke remained only a few days +in Paris before retiring to St. Clair, near Vienne, in Dauphiny. +His Letter to Windham tells how he became Secretary of State to the +Pretender, and how little influence he could obtain over the Jacobite +counsels. The hopeless Rebellion of 1715, in Scotland, Bolingbroke +laboured in vain to delay until there might be some chance of success. +The death of Louis XIV., on the 1st of September in that year, had removed +the last prop of a falling cause.<br> +<br> +Some part of Bolingbroke’s forfeited property was returned to +his wife, who pleaded in vain for the reversal of his attainder. +Bolingbroke was ill-used by the Pretender and abused by the Jacobites. +He had been writing philosophical “Reflections upon Exile,” +but when he found himself thus attacked on both sides Bolingbroke resolved +to cast Jacobitism to the winds, speak out like a man, and vindicate +himself in a way that might possibly restore him to the service of his +country. So in April, 1717, at the age of thirty-nine, he began +work upon what is justly considered the best of his writings, his Letter +to Sir William Windham.<br> +<br> +Windham was a young Tory politician of good family and great wealth, +who had married a daughter of the Duke of Somerset, and had been accepted +by the Tories in the House of Commons as a leader, after Henry St. John +had been sent to the House of Lords. Windham was “Dear Willie” +to Bolingbroke, a constant friend, and in 1715 he was sent to the Tower +as a Jacobite. But he had powerful connections, was kindly and +not dangerous, and was soon back in his place in the House fighting +the Whigs. The Letter to Windham was finished in the summer of +1717. Its frankness was only suited to the prospect of a pardon. +It was found that there was no such prospect, and the Letter was not +published until 1753, a year or two after its writer’s death.<br> +<br> +Bolingbroke’s first wife died in November, 1718. He married +in 1720 a Marquise de Villette, with whom he lived on an estate called +La Source, near Orleans, at the source of the small river Loiret. +There he talked and wrote philosophy. His pardon was obtained +in May, 1723. In 1725 he was allowed by Act of Parliament the +possession of his family inheritance; but as the attainder was not reversed +he could never again sit in Parliament. So he came home in 1725, +and bought an estate at Dawley, near Uxbridge. There he philosophised +in his own way and played at farming, discoursed with Pope and plied +his pen against the Whigs. In his letter to Pope, Bolingbroke +writes of ministers of religion as if they had no other function than +to maintain theological dogmas, and draws a false conclusion from false +premisses. He died on the 12th of December, 1751.<br> +<br> +H.M.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +A LETTER TO SIR WILLIAM WINDHAM<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +I was well enough acquainted with the general character of mankind, +and in particular with that of my own countrymen, to expect to be as +much out of the minds of the Tories during my exile as if we had never +lived and acted together. I depended on being forgot by them, +and was far from imagining it possible that I should be remembered only +to be condemned loudly by one half of them, and to be tacitly censured +by the greatest part of the other half. As soon as I was separated +from the Pretender and his interest, I declared myself to be so; and +I gave directions for writing into England what I judged sufficient +to put my friends on their guard against any surprise concerning an +event which it was their interest, as well as mine, that they should +be very rightly informed about.<br> +<br> +As soon as the Pretender’s adherents began to clamour against +me in this country, and to disperse their scandal by circular letters +everywhere else, I gave directions for writing into England again. +Their groundless articles of accusation were refuted, and enough was +said to give my friends a general idea of what had happened to me, and +at least to make them suspend the fixing any opinion till such time +as I should be able to write more fully and plainly to them myself. +To condemn no person unheard is a rule of natural equity, which we see +rarely violated in Turkey, or in the country where I am writing: that +it would not be so with me in Great Britain, I confess that I flattered +myself. I dwelt securely in this confidence, and gave very little +attention to any of those scurrilous methods which were taken about +this time to blast my reputation. The event of things has shown +that I trusted too much to my own innocence, and to the justice of my +old friends.<br> +<br> +It was obvious that the Chevalier and the Earl of Mar hoped to load +me with the imputation of treachery, incapacity, or neglect: it was +indifferent to them of which. If they could ascribe to one of +those their not being supported from France, they imagined that they +should justify their precipitate flight from Scotland, which many of +their fastest friends exclaimed against; and that they should varnish +over that original capital fault, the drawing the Highlanders together +in arms at the time and in the manner in which it was done.<br> +<br> +The Scotch, who fell at once from all the sanguine expectations with +which they had been soothed, and who found themselves reduced to despair, +were easy to be incensed; they had received no support whatever, and +it was natural for them rather to believe that they failed of this support +by my fault, than to imagine their general had prevailed on them to +rise in the very point of time when it was impossible that they should +be supported from France, or from any other part of the world. +The Duke of Ormond, who had been the bubble of his own popularity, was +enough out of humour with the general turn of affairs to be easily set +against any particular man. The emissaries of this Court, whose +commission was to amuse, had imposed upon him all along; and there were +other busy people who thought to find their account in having him to +themselves. I had never been in his secret whilst we were in England +together: and from his first coming into France he was either prevailed +upon by others, or, which I rather believe, he concurred with others, +to keep me out of it. The perfect indifference I showed whether +I was in it or no, might carry him from acting separately, to act against +me.<br> +<br> +The whole tribe of Irish and other papists were ready to seize the first +opportunity of venting their spleen against a man, who had constantly +avoided all intimacy with them; who acted in the same cause, but on +a different principle, and who meant no one thing in the world less +than raising them to the advantages which they expected.<br> +<br> +That these several persons, for the reasons I have mentioned, should +join in a cry against me, is not very marvellous; the contrary would +be so to a man who knows them as well as I do. But that the English +Tories should serve as echoes to them - nay more, that my character +should continue doubtful at best amongst you, when those who first propagated +the slander are become ashamed of railing without proof, and have dropped +the clamour, - this I own that I never expected; and I may be allowed +to say, that as it is an extreme surprise, so it shall be a lesson to +me.<br> +<br> +The Whigs impeached and attainted me. They went farther - at least, +in my way of thinking, that step was more cruel than all the others +- by a partial representation of facts, and pieces of facts, put together +as it best suited their purpose, and published to the whole world, they +did all that in them lay to expose me for a fool, and to brand me for +a knave. But then I had deserved this abundantly at their hands, +according to the notions of party-justice. The Tories have not +indeed impeached nor attainted me; but they have done, and are still +doing something very like to that which I took worse of the Whigs than +the impeachment and attainder: and this, after I have shown an inviolable +attachment to the service, and almost an implicit obedience to the will +of the party; when I am actually an outlaw, deprived of my honours, +stripped of my fortune, and cut off from my family and my country, for +their sakes.<br> +<br> +Some of the persons who have seen me here, and with whom I have had +the pleasure to talk of you, may, perhaps, have told you that, far from +being oppressed by that storm of misfortunes in which I have been tossed +of late, I bear up against it with firmness enough, and even with alacrity. +It is true, I do so; but it is true likewise that the last burst of +the cloud has gone near to overwhelm me. From our enemies we expect +evil treatment of every sort, we are prepared for it, we are animated +by it, and we sometimes triumph in it; but when our friends abandon +us, when they wound us, and when they take, to do this, an occasion +where we stand the most in need of their support, and have the best +title to it, the firmest mind finds it hard to resist.<br> +<br> +Nothing kept up my spirits when I was first reduced to the very circumstances +I now describe so much as the consideration of the delusions under which +I knew that the Tories lay, and the hopes I entertained of being able +soon to open their eyes, and to justify my conduct. I expected +that friendship, or, if that principle failed, curiosity at least, would +move the party to send over some person from whose report they might +have both sides of the question laid before them. Though this +expectation be founded in reason, and you want to be informed at least +as much as I do to be justified, yet I have hitherto flattered myself +with it in vain. To repair this misfortune, therefore, as far +as lies in my power, I resolve to put into writing the sum of what I +should have said in that case. These papers shall lie by me till +time and accidents produce some occasion of communicating them to you. +The true occasion of doing it with advantage to the party will probably +be lost; but they will remain a monument of my justification to posterity. +At worst, if even this fails me, I am sure of one satisfaction in writing +them: the satisfaction of unburdening my mind to a friend, and of stating +before an equitable judge the account, as I apprehend it to stand, between +the Tories and myself - “Quantum humano consilio efficere potui, +circumspectis rebus meis omnibus, rationibusque subductis, summam feci +cogitationum mearum omnium, quam tibi, si potero, breviter exponam.”<br> +<br> +It is necessary to my design that I call to your mind the state of affairs +in Britain from the latter part of the year 1710 to the beginning of +the year 1715, about which time we parted. I go no farther back +because the part which I acted before that time, in the first essays +I made in public affairs, was the part of a Tory, and so far of a piece +with that which I acted afterwards. Besides, the things which +preceded this space of time had no immediate influence on those which +happened since that time, whereas the strange events which we have seen +fall out in the king’s reign were owing in a great measure to +what was done, or neglected to be done, in the last four years of the +queen’s. The memory of these events being fresh, I shall +dwell as little as possible upon them; it will be sufficient that I +make a rough sketch of the face of the Court, and of the conduct of +the several parties during that time. Your memory will soon furnish +the colours which I shall omit to lay, and finish up the picture.<br> +<br> +From the time at which I left Britain I had not the advantage of acting +under the eyes of the party which I served, nor of being able from time +to time to appeal to their judgment. The gross of what happened +has appeared; but the particular steps which led to those events have +been either concealed or misrepresented - concealed from the nature +of them or misrepresented by those with whom I never agreed perfectly +except in thinking that they and I were extremely unfit to continue +embarked in the same bottom together. It will, therefore, be proper +to descend under this head to a more particular relation.<br> +<br> +In the summer of the year 1710 the Queen was prevailed upon to change +her Parliament and her Ministry. The intrigue of the Earl of Oxford +might facilitate the means, the violent prosecution of Sacheverel, and +other unpopular measures, might create the occasion and encourage her +in the resolution; but the true original cause was the personal ill-usage +which she received in her private life and in some trifling instances +of the exercise of her power, for indulgence in which she would certainly +have left the reins of government in those hands which had held them +ever since her accession to the throne.<br> +<br> +I am afraid that we came to Court in the same dispositions as all parties +have done; that the principal spring of our actions was to have the +government of the state in our hands; that our principal views were +the conservation of this power, great employments to ourselves, and +great opportunities of rewarding those who had helped to raise us, and +of hurting those who stood in opposition to us. It is, however, +true that with these considerations of private and party interest there +were others intermingled which had for their object the public good +of the nation - at least what we took to be such.<br> +<br> +We looked on the political principles which had generally prevailed +in our government from the Revolution in 1688 to be destructive of our +true interest, to have mingled us too much in the affairs of the Continent, +to tend to the impoverishing our people, and to the loosening the bands +of our constitution in Church and State. We supposed the Tory +party to be the bulk of the landed interest, and to have no contrary +influence blended into its composition. We supposed the Whigs +to be the remains of a party formed against the ill designs of the Court +under King Charles II., nursed up into strength and applied to contrary +uses by King William III., and yet still so weak as to lean for support +on the Presbyterians and the other sectaries, on the Bank and the other +corporations, on the Dutch and the other Allies. From hence we +judged it to follow that they had been forced, and must continue so, +to render the national interest subservient to the interest of those +who lent them an additional strength, without which they could never +be the prevalent party. The view, therefore, of those amongst +us who thought in this manner was to improve the Queen’s favour, +to break the body of the Whigs, to render their supports useless to +them, and to fill the employments of the kingdom, down to the meanest, +with Tories. We imagined that such measures, joined to the advantages +of our numbers and our property, would secure us against all attempts +during her reign, and that we should soon become too considerable not +to make our terms in all events which might happen afterwards: concerning +which, to speak truly, I believe few or none of us had any very settled +resolution.<br> +<br> +In order to bring these purposes about, I verily think that the persecution +of Dissenters entered into no man’s head. By the Bills for +preventing Occasional Conformity and the growth of schism, it was hoped +that their sting would be taken away. These Bills were thought +necessary for our party interest, and, besides, were deemed neither +unreasonable nor unjust. The good of society may require that +no person should be deprived of the protection of the Government on +account of his opinions in religious matters; but it does not follow +from hence that men ought to be trusted in any degree with the preservation +of the Establishment, who must, to be consistent with their principles, +endeavour the subversion of what is established. An indulgence +to consciences, which the prejudice of education and long habits have +rendered scrupulous, may be agreeable to the rules of good policy and +of humanity, yet will it hardly follow from hence that a government +is under any obligation to indulge a tenderness of conscience to come, +or to connive at the propagating of these prejudices and at the forming +of these habits. The evil effect is without remedy, and may, therefore, +deserve indulgence; but the evil cause is to be prevented, and can, +therefore, be entitled to none. Besides this, the Bills I am speaking +of, rather than to enact anything new, seemed only to enforce the observation +of ancient laws which had been judged necessary for the security of +the Church and State at a time when the memory of the ruin of both, +and of the hands by which that ruin had been wrought, was fresh in the +minds of men.<br> +<br> +The Bank, the East India Company, and in general the moneyed interest, +had certainly nothing to apprehend like what they feared, or affected +to fear, from the Tories - an entire subversion of their property. +Multitudes of our own party would have been wounded by such a blow. +The intention of those who were the warmest seemed to me to go no farther +than restraining their influence on the Legislature, and on matters +of State; and finding at a proper season means to make them contribute +to the support and ease of a government under which they enjoyed advantages +so much greater than the rest of their fellow-subjects. The mischievous +consequence which had been foreseen and foretold too, at the establishment +of those corporations, appeared visibly. The country gentlemen +were vexed, put to great expenses and even baffled by them in their +elections; and among the members of every parliament numbers were immediately +or indirectly under their influence. The Bank had been extravagant +enough to pull off the mask; and, when the Queen seemed to intend a +change in her ministry, they had deputed some of their members to represent +against it. But that which touched sensibly even those who were +but little affected by other considerations, was the prodigious inequality +between the condition of the moneyed men and of the rest of the nation. +The proprietor of the land, and the merchant who brought riches home +by the returns of foreign trade, had during two wars borne the whole +immense load of the national expenses; whilst the lender of money, who +added nothing to the common stock, throve by the public calamity, and +contributed not a mite to the public charge.<br> +<br> +As to the Allies, I saw no difference of opinion among all those who +came to the head of affairs at this time. Such of the Tories as +were in the system above mentioned, such of them as deserted soon after +from us, and such of the Whigs as had upon this occasion deserted to +us, seemed equally convinced of the unreasonableness, and even of the +impossibility, of continuing the war on the same disproportionate footing. +Their universal sense was, that we had taken, except the part of the +States General, the whole burden of the war upon us, and even a proportion +of this; while the entire advantage was to accrue to others: that this +had appeared very grossly in 1709, and 1710, when preliminaries were +insisted upon, which contained all that the Allies, giving the greatest +loose to their wishes, could desire, and little or nothing on the behalf +of Great Britain: that the war, which had been begun for the security +of the Allies, was continued for their grandeur: that the ends proposed, +when we engaged in it, might have been answered long before, and therefore +that the first favourable occasion ought to be seized of making peace; +which we thought to be the interest of our country, and which appeared +to all mankind, as well as to us, to be that of our party.<br> +<br> +These were in general the views of the Tories: and for the part I acted +in the prosecution of them, as well as of all the measures accessory +to them, I may appeal to mankind. To those who had the opportunity +of looking behind the curtain I may likewise appeal, for the difficulties +which lay in my way, and for the particular discouragements which I +met with. A principal load of parliamentary and foreign affairs +in their ordinary course lay upon me: the whole negotiation of the peace, +and of the troublesome invidious steps preliminary to it, as far as +they could be transacted at home, were thrown upon me. I continued +in the House of Commons during that important session which preceded +the peace; and which, by the spirit shown through the whole course of +it, and by the resolutions taken in it, rendered the conclusion of the +treaties practicable. After this I was dragged into the House +of Lords in such a manner as to make my promotion a punishment, not +a reward; and was there left to defend the treaties almost alone.<br> +<br> +It would not have been hard to have forced the Earl of Oxford to use +me better. His good intentions began to be very much doubted of; +the truth is, no opinion of his sincerity had ever taken root in the +party, and, which was worse perhaps for a man in his station, the opinion +of his capacity began to fall apace. He was so hard pushed in +the House of Lords in the beginning of 1712 that he had been forced, +in the middle of the session, to persuade the Queen to make a promotion +of twelve peers at once, which was an unprecedented and invidious measure, +to be excused by nothing but the necessity, and hardly by that. +In the House of Commons his credit was low and my reputation very high. +You know the nature of that assembly; they grow, like hounds, fond of +the man who shows them game, and by whose halloo they are used to be +encouraged. The thread of the negotiations, which could not stand +still a moment without going back, was in my hands, and before another +man could have made himself master of the business much time would have +been lost, and great inconveniences would have followed. Some, +who opposed the Court soon after, began to waver then, and if I had +not wanted the inclination I should have wanted no help to do mischief. +I knew the way of quitting my employments and of retiring from Court +when the service of my party required it; but I could not bring myself +up to that resolution, when the consequence of it must have been the +breaking my party and the distress of the public affairs. I thought +my mistress treated me ill, but the sense of that duty which I owed +her came in aid of other considerations, and prevailed over my resentment. +These sentiments, indeed, are so much out of fashion that a man who +avows them is in danger of passing for a bubble in the world; yet they +were, in the conjuncture I speak of, the true motives of my conduct, +and you saw me go on as cheerfully in the troublesome and dangerous +work assigned me as if I had been under the utmost satisfaction. +I began, indeed, in my heart to renounce the friendship which till that +time I had preserved inviolable for Oxford. I was not aware of +all his treachery, nor of the base and little means which he employed +then, and continued to employ afterwards, to ruin me in the opinion +of the Queen and everywhere else. I saw, however, that he had +no friendship for anybody, and that with respect to me, instead of having +the ability to render that merit, which I endeavoured to acquire, an +addition of strength to himself, it became the object of his jealousy +and a reason for undermining me. In this temper of mind I went +on till the great work of the peace was consummated and the treaty signed +at Utrecht; after which a new and more melancholy scene for the party, +as well as for me, opened itself.<br> +<br> +I am far from thinking the treaties, or the negotiations which led to +them, exempt from faults. Many were made no doubt in both by those +who were concerned in them; by myself in the first place, and many were +owing purely to the opposition they met with in every step of their +progress. I never look back on this great event, passed as it +is, without a secret emotion of mind; when I compare the vastness of +the undertaking and the importance of its success, with the means employed +to bring it about, and with those which were employed to traverse it. +To adjust the pretensions and to settle the interests of so many princes +and states as were engaged in the late war would appear, when considered +simply and without any adventitious difficulty, a work of prodigious +extent. But this was not all. Each of our Allies thought +himself entitled to raise his demands to the most extravagant height. +They had been encouraged to this, first, by the engagements which we +had entered into with several of them, with some to draw them into the +war, with others to prevail on them to continue it; and, secondly, by +the manner in which we had treated with France in 1709 and 1710. +Those who intended to tie the knot of the war as hard, and to render +the coming at a peace as impracticable as they could, had found no method +so effectual as that of leaving everyone at liberty to insist on all +he could think of, and leaving themselves at liberty, even if these +concessions should be made, to break the treaty by ulterior demands. +That this was the secret I can make no doubt after the confession of +one of the plenipotentiaries who transacted these matters, and who communicated +to me and to two others of the Queen’s Ministers an instance of +the Duke of Marlborough’s management at a critical moment, when +the French Ministers at Gertrudenberg seemed inclinable to come into +an expedient for explaining the thirty-seventh article of the preliminaries, +which could not have been refused. Certain it is that the King +of France was at that time in earnest to execute the article of Philip’s +abdication, and therefore the expedients for adjusting what related +to this article would easily enough have been found, if on our part +there had been a real intention of concluding. But there was no +such intention, and the plan of those who meant to prolong the war was +established among the Allies as the plan which ought to be followed +whenever a peace came to be treated. The Allies imagined that +they had a right to obtain at least everything which had been demanded +for them respectively, and it was visible that nothing less would content +them. These considerations set the vastness of the undertaking +in a sufficient light.<br> +<br> +The importance of succeeding in the work of the peace was equally great +to Europe, to our country, to our party, to our persons, to the present +age, and to future generations. But I need not take pains to prove +what no man will deny. The means employed to bring it about were +in no degree proportionable. A few men, some of whom had never +been concerned in business of this kind before, and most of whom put +their hands for a long time to it faintly and timorously, were the instruments +of it. The Minister who was at their head showed himself every +day incapable of that attention, that method, that comprehension of +different matters, which the first post in such a Government as ours +requires in quiet times. He was the first spring of all our motion +by his credit with the Queen, and his concurrence was necessary to everything +we did by his rank in the State, and yet this man seemed to be sometimes +asleep and sometimes at play. He neglected the thread of business, +which was carried on for this reason with less dispatch and less advantage +in the proper channels, and he kept none in his own hands. He +negotiated, indeed, by fits and starts, by little tools and indirect +ways, and thus his activity became as hurtful as his indolence, of which +I could produce some remarkable instances. No good effect could +flow from such a conduct. In a word, when this great affair was +once engaged, the zeal of particular men in their several provinces +drove it forward, though they were not backed by the concurrent force +of the whole Administration, nor had the common helps of advice till +it was too late, till the very end of the negotiations; even in matters, +such as that of commerce, which they could not be supposed to understand. +That this is a true account of the means used to arrive at the peace, +and a true character of that Administration in general, I believe the +whole Cabinet Council of that time will bear me witness. Sure +I am that most of them have joined with me in lamenting this state of +things whilst it subsisted, and all those who were employed as Ministers +in the several parts of the treaty felt sufficiently the difficulties +which this strange management often reduced them to. I am confident +they have not forgotten them.<br> +<br> +If the means employed to bring the peace about were feeble, and in one +respect contemptible, those employed to break the negotiation were strong +and formidable. As soon as the first suspicion of a treaty’s +being on foot crept abroad in the world the whole alliance united with +a powerful party in the nation to obstruct it. From that hour +to the moment the Congress of Utrecht finished, no one measure possible +to be taken was omitted to traverse every advance that was made in this +work, to intimidate, to allure, to embarrass every person concerned +in it. This was done without any regard either to decency or good +policy, and from hence it soon followed that passion and humour mingled +themselves on each side. A great part of what we did for the peace, +and of what others did against it, can be accounted for on no other +principle. The Allies were broken among themselves before they +began to treat with the common enemy. The matter did not mend +in the course of the treaty, and France and Spain, but especially the +former, profited of this disunion.<br> +<br> +Whoever makes the comparison, which I have touched upon, will see the +true reasons which rendered the peace less answerable to the success +of the war than it might and than it ought to have been. Judgment +has been passed in this case as the different passions or interests +of men have inspired them. But the real cause lay in the constitution +of our Ministry, and much more in the obstinate opposition which we +met with from the Whigs and from the Allies. However, sure it +is that the defects of the peace did not occasion the desertions from +the Tory party which happened about this time, nor those disorders in +the Court which immediately followed.<br> +<br> +Long before the purport of the treaties could be known, those Whigs +who had set out with us in 1710 began to relapse back to their party. +They had among us shared the harvest of a new Ministry, and, like prudent +persons, they took measures in time to have their share in that of a +new Government.<br> +<br> +The whimsical or the Hanover Tories continued zealous in appearance +with us till the peace was signed. I saw no people so eager for +the conclusion of it. Some of them were in such haste that they +thought any peace preferable to the least delay, and omitted no instances +to quicken their friends who were actors in it. As soon as the +treaties were perfected and laid before the Parliament, the scheme of +these gentlemen began to disclose itself entirely. Their love +of the peace, like other passions, cooled by enjoyment. They grew +nice about the construction of the articles, could come up to no direct +approbation, and, being let into the secret of what was to happen, would +not preclude themselves from the glorious advantage of rising on the +ruins of their friends and of their party.<br> +<br> +The danger of the succession and the badness of the peace were the two +principles on which we were attacked. On the first the whimsical +Tories joined the Whigs, and declared directly against their party. +Although nothing is more certain than this truth: that there was at +that time no formed design in the party, whatever views some particular +men might have, against his Majesty’s accession to the throne. +On the latter, and most other points, they affected a most glorious +neutrality.<br> +<br> +Instead of gathering strength, either as a Ministry or as a party, we +grew weaker every day. The peace had been judged, with reason, +to be the only solid foundation whereupon we could erect a Tory system; +and yet when it was made we found ourselves at a full stand. Nay, +the very work which ought to have been the basis of our strength was +in part demolished before our eyes, and we were stoned with the ruins +of it. Whilst this was doing, Oxford looked on as if he had not +been a party to all which had passed; broke now and then a jest, which +savoured of the Inns of Court and the bad company in which he had been +bred. And on those occasions where his station obliged him to +speak of business, was absolutely unintelligible.<br> +<br> +Whether this man ever had any determined view besides that of raising +his family is, I believe, a problematical question in the world. +My opinion is that he never had any other. The conduct of a Minister +who proposes to himself a great and noble object, and who pursues it +steadily, may seem for a while a riddle to the world; especially in +a Government like ours, where numbers of men, different in their characters +and different in their interests, are at all times to be managed; where +public affairs are exposed to more accidents and greater hazards than +in other countries; and where, by consequence, he who is at the head +of business will find himself often distracted by measures which have +no relation to his purpose, and obliged to bend himself to things which +are in some degree contrary to his main design. The ocean which +environs us is an emblem of our government, and the pilot and the Minister +are in similar circumstances. It seldom happens that either of +them can steer a direct course, and they both arrive at their port by +means which frequently seem to carry them from it. But as the +work advances the conduct of him who leads it on with real abilities +clears up, the appearing inconsistencies are reconciled, and when it +is once consummated the whole shows itself so uniform, so plain, and +so natural, that every dabbler in politics will be apt to think he could +have done the same. But, on the other hand, a man who proposes +no such object, who substitutes artifice in the place of ability, who, +instead of leading parties and governing accidents, is eternally agitated +backwards and forwards by both, who begins every day something new, +and carries nothing on to perfection, may impose awhile on the world; +but a little sooner or a little later the mystery will be revealed, +and nothing will be found to be couched under it but a thread of pitiful +expedients, the ultimate end of which never extended farther than living +from day to day. Which of these pictures resembles Oxford most +you will determine. I am sorry to be obliged to name him so often, +but how is it possible to do otherwise while I am speaking of times +wherein the whole turn of affairs depended on his motions and character?<br> +<br> +I have heard, and I believe truly, that when he returned to Windsor +in the autumn of 1713, after the marriage of his son, he pressed extremely +to have him created Duke of Newcastle or Earl of Clare, and the Queen +presuming to hesitate on so extraordinary a proposal, he resented this +hesitation in a manner which little became a man who had been so lately +raised by the profusion of her favours upon him. Certain it is, +that he began then to show a still greater remissness in all parts of +his Ministry, and to affect to say that from such a time, the very time +I am speaking of, he took no share in the direction of affairs, or words +to that effect.<br> +<br> +He pretended to have discovered intrigues which were set on foot against +him, and particularly he complained of the advantage which was taken +of his absence during the journey he made at his son’s marriage +to undermine him with the Queen. He is naturally inclined to believe +the worst, which I take to be a certain mark of a mean spirit and a +wicked soul. At least, I am sure that the contrary quality, when +it is not due to weakness of understanding, is the fruit of a generous +temper and an honest heart. Prone to judge ill of all mankind, +he will rarely be seduced by his credulity, but I never knew a man so +capable of being the bubble of his distrust and jealousy. He was +so in this case, although the Queen, who could not be ignorant of the +truth, said enough to undeceive him. But to be undeceived, and +to own himself so, was not his play. He hoped by cunning to varnish +over his want of faith and of ability. He was desirous to make +the world impute the extraordinary part, or, to speak more properly, +the no part, which he acted with the staff of Treasurer in his hand, +to the Queen’s withdrawing her favour from him and to his friends +abandoning him - pretences utterly groundless when he first made them, +and which he brought to be real at last. Even the winter before +the Queen’s death, when his credit began to wane apace, he might +have regained it; he might have reconciled himself perfectly with all +his ancient friends, and have acquired the confidence of the whole party. +I say he might have done all this, because I am persuaded that none +of those I have named were so convinced of his perfidy, so jaded with +his yoke, or so much piqued personally against him as I was; and yet +if he would have exerted himself in concert with us to improve the few +advantages which were left us and to ward off the visible danger which +threatened our persons and our party, I would have stifled my private +animosity and would have acted under him with as much zeal as ever. +But he was incapable of taking such a turn. The sum of all his +policy had been to amuse the Whigs, the Tories, and the Jacobites as +long as he could, and to keep his power as long as he amused them. +When it became impossible to amuse mankind any longer, he appeared plainly +at the end of his line.<br> +<br> +By a secret correspondence with the late Earl of Halifax, and by the +intrigues of his brother and other fanatical relations, he had endeavoured +to keep some hold on the Whigs.<br> +<br> +The Tories were attached to him at first by the heat of a revolution +in the Ministry, by their hatred of the people who were discarded, and +by the fond hopes which it is easy to give at the setting out of a new +administration. Afterwards he held out the peace in prospect to +them and to the Jacobites separately, as an event which must be brought +about before he could effectually serve either. You cannot have +forgot how things which we pressed were put off upon every occasion +till the peace; the peace was to be the date of a new administration, +and the period at which the millenary year of Toryism should begin. +Thus were the Tories at that time amused; and since my exile I have +had the opportunity of knowing certainly and circumstantially that the +Jacobites were treated in the same manner, and that the Pretender was +made, through the French Minister, to expect that measures should be +taken for his restoration as soon as the peace had rendered them practicable. +He was to attempt nothing, his partisans were to lie still, Oxford undertook +for all.<br> +<br> +After many delays, fatal to the general interest of Europe, this peace +was signed: and the only considerable thing which he brought about afterwards +was the marriage I have mentioned above; and by it an accession of riches +and honour to a family whose estate was very mean, and whose illustration +before this time I never met with anywhere, but in the vain discourses +which he used to hold over claret. If he kept his word with any +of the parties above-mentioned, it must be supposed that he did so with +the Whigs; for as to us, we saw nothing after the peace but increase +of mortification and nearer approaches to ruin. Not a step was +made towards completing the settlement of Europe, which the treaties +of Utrecht and Radstadt left imperfect; towards fortifying and establishing +the Tory party; towards securing those who had been the principal actors +in this administration against future events. We had proceeded +in a confidence that these things should immediately follow the conclusion +of the peace: he had never, I dare swear, entertained a thought concerning +them. As soon as the last hand was given to the fortune of his +family, he abandoned his mistress, his friends, and his party, who had +borne him so many years on their shoulders: and I was present when this +want of faith was reproached him in the plainest and strongest terms +by one of the honestest men in Britain, and before some of the most +considerable Tories. Even his impudence failed him on this occasion: +he did not so much as attempt an excuse.<br> +<br> +He could not keep his word which he had given the Pretender and his +adherents, because he had formed no party to support him in such a design. +He was sure of having the Whigs against him if he made the attempt, +and he was not sure of having the Tories for him.<br> +<br> +In this state of confusion and distress, to which he had reduced himself +and us, you remember the part he acted. He was the spy of the +Whigs, and voted with us in the morning against those very questions +which he had penned the night before with Walpole and others. +He kept his post on terms which no man but he would have held it on, +neither submitting to the Queen, nor complying with his friends. +He would not, or he could not, act with us; and he resolved that we +should not act without him as long as he could hinder it. The +Queen’s health was very precarious, and at her death he hoped +by these means to deliver us up, bound as it were hand and foot, to +our adversaries. On the foundation of this merit he flattered +himself that he had gained some of the Whigs, and softened at least +the rest of the party to him. By his secret negotiations at Hanover, +he took it for granted that he was not only reconciled to that Court, +but that he should, under his present Majesty’s reign, have as +much credit as he had enjoyed under that of the Queen. He was +weak enough to boast of this, and to promise his good offices voluntarily +to several: for no man was weak enough to think them worth being solicited. +In a word, you must have heard that he answered to Lord Dartmouth and +to Mr. Bromley, that one should keep the Privy Seal, and the other the +seals of Secretary; and that Lord Cowper makes no scruple of telling +how he came to offer him the seals of Chancellor. When the King +arrived, he went to Greenwich with an affectation of pomp and of favour. +Against his suspicious character, he was once in his life the bubble +of his credulity; and this delusion betrayed him into a punishment more +severe in my sense than all which has happened to him since, or than +perpetual exile; he was affronted in the manner in which he was presented +to the King. The meanest subject would have been received with +goodness, the most obnoxious with an air of indifference; but he was +received with the most distinguishing contempt. This treatment +he had in the face of the nation. The King began his reign, in +this instance, with punishing the ingratitude, the perfidy, the insolence, +which had been shown to his predecessor. Oxford fled from Court +covered with shame, the object of the derision of the Whigs and of the +indignation of the Tories.<br> +<br> +The Queen might, if she had pleased, have saved herself from all those +mortifications she met with during the last months of her reign, and +her servants and the Tory party from those misfortunes which they endured +during the same time; perhaps from those which they have fallen into +since her death. When she found that the peace, from the conclusion +of which she expected ease and quiet, brought still greater trouble +upon her; when she saw the weakness of her Government, and the confusion +of her affairs increase every day; when she saw her First Minister bewildered +and unable to extricate himself or her; in fine, when the negligence +of his public conduct, and the sauciness of his private behaviour had +rendered him insupportable to her, and she took the resolution of laying +him aside, there was a strength still remaining sufficient to have supported +her Government, to have fulfilled in great part the expectations of +the Tories, and to have constituted both them and the Ministers in such +a situation as would have left them little to apprehend. Some +designs were, indeed, on foot which might have produced very great disorders: +Oxford’s conduct had given much occasion to them, and with the +terror of them he endeavoured to intimidate the Queen. But expedients +were not hard to be found by which those designs might have been nipped +in the bud, or else by which the persons who promoted them might have +been induced to lay them aside. But that fatal irresolution inherent +to the Stuart race hung upon her. She felt too much inward resentment +to be able to conceal his disgrace from him; yet, after he had made +this discovery, she continued to trust all her power in his hands.<br> +<br> +No people ever were in such a condition as ours continued to be from +the autumn of 1713 to the summer following. The Queen’s +health sank every day. The attack which she had in the winter +at Windsor served as a warning both to those who wished, and to those +who feared her death, to expect it. The party which opposed the +court had been continually gaining strength by the weakness of our administration: +and at this time their numbers were vastly increased, and their spirit +was raised by the near prospect of the succession taking place. +We were not at liberty to exert the strength we had. We saw our +danger, and many of us saw the true means of avoiding it; but whilst +the magic wand was in the same hands, this knowledge served only to +increase our uneasiness; and, whether we would or no, we were forced +with our eyes open to walk on towards the precipice. Every moment +we became less able, if the Queen lived, to support her Government; +if she died, to secure ourselves. One side was united in a common +view, and acted upon a uniform plan: the other had really none at all. +We knew that we were out of favour at the Court of Hanover, that we +were represented there as Jacobites, and that the Elector, his present +Majesty, had been rendered publicly a party to that opposition, in spite +of which we made the peace: and yet we neither had taken, nor could +take in our present circumstances, any measures to be better or worse +there. Thus we languished till the 27th of July, 1714, when the +Queen dismissed the Treasurer. On the Friday following, she fell +into an apoplexy, and died on Sunday the 1st of August.<br> +<br> +You do me, I daresay, the justice to believe that whilst this state +of things lasted I saw very well, how little mention soever I might +make of it at the time, that no man in the Ministry, or in the party, +was so much exposed as myself. I could expect no quarter from +the Whigs, for I had deserved none. There were persons amongst +them for whom I had great esteem and friendship; yet neither with these, +nor with any others, had I preserved a secret correspondence, which +might be of use to me in the day of distress: and besides the general +character of my party, I knew that particular prejudices were entertained +against me at Hanover. The Whigs wanted nothing but an opportunity +of attacking the peace, and it could hardly be imagined that they would +stop there. In which case I knew that they could have hold on +no man so much as myself: the instructions, the orders, the memorials +had been drawn by me; the correspondence relating to it in France, and +everywhere else, had been carried on by me; in a word, my hand appeared +to almost every paper which had been writ in the whole course of the +negotiation. To all these considerations I added that of the weight +of personal resentment, which I had created against myself at home and +abroad: in part unavoidably, by the share I was obliged to take in these +affairs; and in part, if you will, unnecessarily, by the warmth of my +temper, and by some unguarded expressions, for which I have no excuse +to make but that which Tacitus makes for his father-in-law, Julius Agricola: +“honestius putabam offendere, quam odisse.”<br> +<br> +Having this prospect of being distinguished from the rest of my party, +in the common calamity, by severer treatment, I might have justified +myself, by reason and by great authorities too, if I had made early +provision, at least to be safe when I should be no longer useful. +How I could have secured this point I do not think fit to explain: but +certain it is that I made no one step towards it. I resolved not +to abandon my party by turning Whig, or, which is worse a great deal, +whimsical; nor to treat separately from it. I resolved to keep +myself at liberty to act on a Tory bottom. If the Queen disgraced +Oxford and continued to live afterwards, I knew we should have time +and means to provide for our future safety: if the Queen died, and left +us in the same unfortunate circumstances, I expected to suffer for and +with the Tories; and I was prepared for it.<br> +<br> +The thunder had long grumbled in the air; and yet when the bolt fell, +most of our party appeared as much surprised as if they had had no reason +to expect it. There was a perfect calm and universal submission +through the whole kingdom. The Chevalier, indeed, set out as if +his design had been to gain the coast and to embark for Great Britain; +and the Court of France made a merit to themselves of stopping him and +obliging him to return. But this, to my certain knowledge, was +a farce acted by concert, to keep up an opinion of his character, when +all opinion of his cause seemed to be at an end. He owned this +concert to me at Bar, on the occasion of my telling him that he would +have found no party ready to receive him, and that the enterprise would +have been to the last degree extravagant. He was at this time +far from having any encouragement: no party numerous enough to make +the least disturbance was formed in his favour. On the King’s +arrival the storm arose. The menaces of the Whigs, backed by some +very rash declarations, by little circumstances of humour which frequently +offend more than real injuries, and by the entire change of all the +persons in employment, blew up the coals.<br> +<br> +At first many of the Tories had been made to entertain some faint hopes +that they would be permitted to live in quiet. I have been assured +that the King left Hanover in that resolution. Happy had it been +for him and for us if he had continued in it; if the moderation of his +temper had not been overborne by the violence of party, and his and +the national interest sacrificed to the passions of a few. Others +there were among the Tories who had flattered themselves with much greater +expectations than these, and who had depended, not on such imaginary +favour and dangerous advancement as was offered them afterwards, but +on real credit and substantial power under the new government. +Such impressions on the minds of men had rendered the two Houses of +Parliament, which were then sitting, as good courtiers to King George +as ever they had been to Queen Anne. But all these hopes being +at once and with violence extinguished, despair succeeded in their room.<br> +<br> +Our party began soon to act like men delivered over to their passions, +and unguided by any other principle; not like men fired by a just resentment +and a reasonable ambition to a bold undertaking. They treated +the Government like men who were resolved not to live under it: and +yet they took no one measure to support themselves against it. +They expressed, without reserve or circumspection, an eagerness to join +in any attempt against the Establishment which they had received and +confirmed, and which many of them had courted but a few weeks before; +and yet in the midst of all this bravery, when the election of the new +Parliament came on, some of these very men acted with the coolness of +those who are much better disposed to compound than to take arms.<br> +<br> +The body of the Tories being in this temper, it is not to be wondered +at if they heated one another, and began apace to turn their eyes towards +the Pretender; and if those few who had already engaged with him, applied +themselves to improve the conjuncture, and endeavoured to list a party +for him.<br> +<br> +I went, about a month after the Queen’s death, as soon as the +Seals were taken from me, into the country; and whilst I continued there, +I felt the general disposition to Jacobitism increase daily among people +of all ranks; amongst several who had been constantly distinguished +by their aversion to that cause. But at my return to London in +the month of February or March, 1715, a few weeks before I left England, +I began for the first time in my whole life to perceive these general +dispositions ripen into resolutions, and to observe some regular workings +among many of our principal friends, which denoted a scheme of this +kind. These workings, indeed, were very faint; for the persons +concerned in carrying them on did not think it safe to speak too plainly +to men who were, in truth, ill disposed to the Government because they +neither found their account at present under it nor had been managed +with art enough to leave them hopes of finding it hereafter, but who +at the same time had not the least affection for the Pretender’s +person, nor any principle favourable to his interest.<br> +<br> +This was the state of things when the new Parliament which his Majesty +had called assembled. A great majority of the elections had gone +in favour of the Whigs; to which the want of concert among the Tories +had contributed as much as the vigour of that party and the influence +of the new Government. The Whigs came to the opening of this Parliament +full of as much violence as could possess men who expected to make their +court, to confirm themselves in power, and to gratify their resentments +by the same measures. I have heard that it was a dispute among +the Ministers how far this spirit should be indulged; and that the King +was determined, or confirmed in a determination, to consent to the prosecutions, +and to give the reins to the party, by the representations that were +made to him that great difficulties would arise in the conduct of the +Session if the Court should appear inclined to check this spirit, and +by Mr. W - ’s undertaking to carry all the business successfully +through the House of Commons if they were at liberty. Such has +often been the unhappy fate of our Princes: a real necessity sometimes, +and sometimes a seeming one, has forced them to compound with a part +of the nation at the expense of the whole; and the success of their +business for one year has been purchased at the price of public disorder +for many.<br> +<br> +The conjuncture I am speaking of affords a memorable instance of this +truth. If milder measures had been pursued, certain it is that +the Tories had never universally embraced Jacobitism. The violence +of the Whigs forced them into the arms of the Pretender. The Court +and the party seemed to vie with one another which should go the greatest +lengths in severity: and the Ministers, whose true interest it must +at all times be to calm the minds of men, and who ought never to set +the examples of extraordinary inquiries or extraordinary accusations, +were upon this occasion the tribunes of the people.<br> +<br> +The Council of Regency which began to sit as soon as the Queen died, +acted like a council of the Holy Office. Whoever looked on the +face of the nation saw everything quiet; not one of those symptoms appearing +which must have shown themselves more or less at that moment if in reality +there had been any measures taken during the former reign to defeat +the Protestant succession. His Majesty ascended the throne with +as little contradiction and as little trouble as ever a son succeeded +a father in the possession of a private patrimony. But he who +had the opportunity, which I had till my dismission, of seeing a great +part of what passed in that Council, would have thought that there had +been an opposition actually formed, that the new Establishment was attacked +openly from without and betrayed from within.<br> +<br> +The same disposition continued after the King’s arrival. +This political Inquisition went on with all the eagerness imaginable +in seizing of papers, in ransacking the Queen’s closet, and examining +even her private letters. The Whigs had clamoured loudly, and +affirmed in the face of the world that the nation had been sold to France, +to Spain, to the Pretender; and whilst they endeavoured in vain, by +very singular methods, to find some colour to justify what they had +advanced without proof, they put themselves under an absolute necessity +of grounding the most solemn prosecution on things whereof they might +indeed have proof, but which would never pass for crimes before any +judges but such as were parties at the same time.<br> +<br> +In the King’s first Speech from the Throne all the inflaming hints +were given, and all the methods of violence were chalked out to the +two Houses. The first steps in both were perfectly answerable; +and, to the shame of the peerage be it spoken, I saw at that time several +lords concur to condemn in one general vote all that they had approved +of in a former Parliament by many particular resolutions. Among +several bloody resolutions proposed and agitated at this time, the resolution +of impeaching me of high treason was taken; and I took that of leaving +England, not in a panic terror improved by the artifices of the Duke +of Marlborough (whom I knew even at that time too well to act by his +advice or information in any case), but on such grounds as the proceedings +which soon followed sufficiently justified, and as I have never repented +building upon. Those who blamed it in the first heat were soon +after obliged to change their language; for what other resolution could +I take? The method of prosecution designed against me would have +put me immediately out of condition to act for myself, or to serve those +who were less exposed than me, but who were, however, in danger. +On the other hand, how few were there on whose assistance I could depend, +or to whom I would, even in those circumstances, be obliged? The +ferment in the nation was wrought up to a considerable height; but there +was at that time no reason to expect that it could influence the proceedings +in Parliament in favour of those who should be accused. Left to +its own movement, it was much more proper to quicken than slacken the +prosecutions; and who was there to guide its motions? The Tories +who had been true to one another to the last were a handful, and no +great vigour could be expected from them. The Whimsicals, disappointed +of the figure which they hoped to make, began, indeed, to join their +old friends. One of the principal amongst them was so very good +as to confess to me that if the Court had called the servants of the +late Queen to account, and had stopped there, he must have considered +himself as a judge, and have acted according to his conscience on what +should have appeared to him; but that war had been declared to the whole +Tory party, and that now the state of things was altered. This +discourse needed no commentary, and proved to me that I had never erred +in the judgment I made of this set of men. Could I then resolve +to be obliged to them, or to suffer with Oxford? As much as I +still was heated by the disputes in which I had been all my life engaged +against the Whigs, I would sooner have chose to owe my security to their +indulgence than to the assistance of the Whimsicals; but I thought banishment, +with all her train of evils, preferable to either. I abhorred +Oxford to that degree that I could not bear to be joined with him in +any case. Nothing, perhaps, contributed so much to determine me +as this sentiment. A sense of honour would not have permitted +me to distinguish between his case and mine own; and it was worse than +death to lie under the necessity of making them the same, and of taking +measures in concert with him.<br> +<br> +I am now come to the time at which I left England, and have finished +the first part of that deduction of facts which I proposed to lay before +you. I am hopeful that you will not think it altogether tedious +or unnecessary; for although very little of what I have said can be +new to you, yet this summary account will enable you with greater ease +to recall to your memory the passages of those four years wherewith +all that I am going to relate to you has an immediate and necessary +connection.<br> +<br> +In what has been said I am far from making my own panegyric. I +had not in those days so much merit as was ascribed to me, nor since +that time have I had so little as the same persons allowed me. +I committed, without dispute, many faults, and a greater man than I +can pretend to be, constituted in the same circumstances, would not +have kept clear of all; but with respect to the Tories I committed none. +I carried the point of party honour to the height, and specified everything +to my attachment to them during this period of time. Let us now +examine whether I have done so during the rest.<br> +<br> +When I arrived in France, about the end of March, 1715, the affairs +of England were represented to me in another light than I had seen them +in when I looked upon them with my own eyes very few weeks before. +I found the persons who were detached to speak with me prepared to think +that I came over to negotiate for the Pretender; and when they perceived +that I was more ignorant than they imagined, I was assured by them that +there would be suddenly a universal rising in England and Scotland. +The leaders were named to me, their engagements specified, and many +gentlemen, yourself among others, were reckoned upon for particular +services, though I was certain you had never been treated with; from +whence I concluded, and the event has justified my opinion, that these +assurances had been given on the general characters of men by such of +our friends as had embarked sooner and gone farther than the rest.<br> +<br> +This management surprised me extremely. In the answers I made +I endeavoured to set the mistake right, to show that things were far +from the point of maturity imagined, that the Chevalier had yet no party +for him, and that nothing could form one but the extreme violence which +the Whigs threatened to exercise. Great endeavours were used to +engage me in this affair, and to prevail on me to answer the letter +of invitation sent me from Bar. I alleged, as it was true, that +I had no commission from any person in England, and that the friends +I left behind me were the only persons who could determine me, if any +could, to take such a step. As to the last proposition, I absolutely +refused it.<br> +<br> +In the uncertainty of what would happen - whether the prosecutions would +be pushed, which was most probable, in the manner intended against me, +and against others, for all of whom, except the Earl of Oxford, I had +as much concern as for myself; or whether the Whigs would relent, drop +some, and soften the fate of others - I resolved to conduct myself so +as to create no appearance which might be strained into a pretence for +hard usage, and which might be retorted on my friends when they debated +for me, or when they defended themselves. I saw the Earl of Stair; +I promised him that I would enter into no Jacobite engagements, and +I kept my word with him. I wrote a letter to Mr. Secretary Stanhope +which might take off any imputation of neglect of the Government, and +I retired into Dauphine to remove the objection of residence near the +Court of France.<br> +<br> +This retreat from Paris was censured in England, and styled a desertion +of my friends and of their cause, with what foundation let any reasonable +man determine. Had I engaged with the Pretender before the party +acted for him, or required of me that I should do so, I had taken the +air of being his man; whereas I looked on myself as theirs. I +had gone about to bring them into his measures; whereas I never intended, +even since that time, to do anything more than to make him as far as +possible act conformably to their views.<br> +<br> +During the short time I continued on the banks of the Rhone the prosecutions +were carried on at Westminster with the utmost violence, and the ferment +among the people was risen to such a degree that it could end in nothing +better - it might have ended in something worse - than it did. +The measures which I observed at Paris had turned to no account; on +the contrary, the letter which I wrote to Mr. Secretary Stanhope was +quoted as a base and fawning submission, and what I intended as a mark +of respect to the Government and a service to my friends was perverted +to ruin me in the opinion of the latter. The Act of Attainder, +in consequence of my impeachment, had passed against me for crimes of +the blackest dye; and among other inducements to pass it, my having +been engaged in the Pretender’s interest was one. How well +founded this Article was has already appeared; I was just as guilty +of the rest. The correspondence with me was, you know, neither +frequent nor safe. I heard seldom and darkly from you, and though +I saw well enough which way the current ran, yet I was entirely ignorant +of the measures you took, and of the use you intended to make of me. +I contented myself, therefore, with letting you all know that you had +but to command me, and that I was ready to venture in your service the +little which remained, as frankly as I had exposed all which was gone. +At last your commands came, and I shall show you in what manner I executed +them.<br> +<br> +The person who was sent to me arrived in the beginning of July, 1715, +at the place where I was. He spoke in the name of all the friends +whose authority could influence me, and he brought me word that Scotland +was not only ready to take arms, but under some sort of dissatisfaction +to be withheld from beginning; that in England the people were exasperated +against the Government to such a degree that, far from wanting to be +encouraged, they could not be restrained from insulting it on every +occasion; that the whole Tory party was become avowedly Jacobite; that +many officers of the army and the majority of the soldiers were very +well affected to the cause; that the City of London was ready to rise; +and that the enterprises for seizing of several places were ripe for +execution: in a word, that most of the principal Tories were in a concert +with the Duke of Ormond, for I had pressed particularly to be informed +whether his Grace acted alone, or, if not, who were his council; and +that the others were so disposed that there remained no doubt of their +joining as soon as the first blow should be struck. He added that +my friends were a little surprised to observe that I lay neuter in such +a conjuncture. He represented to me the danger I ran of being +prevented by people of all sides from having the merit of engaging early +in this enterprise, and how unaccountable it would be for a man impeached +and attainted under the present Government to take no share in bringing +about a revolution so near at hand and so certain. He entreated +that I would defer no longer to join the Chevalier, to advise and assist +in carrying on his affairs, and to solicit and negotiate at the Court +of France, where my friends imagined that I should not fail to meet +with a favourable reception, and from whence they made no doubt of receiving +assistance in a situation of affairs so critical, so unexpected, and +so promising. He concluded by giving me a letter from the Pretender, +whom he had seen in his way to me, in which I was pressed to repair +without loss of time to Commercy; and this instance was grounded on +the message which the bearer of the letter had brought me from my friends +in England. Since he was sent to me, it had been more proper to +have come directly where I was; but he was in haste to make his own +court, and to deliver the assurances which were entrusted to him. +Perhaps, too, he imagined that he should tie the knot faster on me by +acquainting me that my friends had actually engaged for themselves and +me, than by barely telling me that they desired I would engage for myself +and them.<br> +<br> +In the progress of the conversation he related a multitude of facts +which satisfied me as to the general disposition of the people; but +he gave me little satisfaction as to the measures taken for improving +this disposition, for driving the business on with vigour if it tended +to a revolution, or for supporting it with advantage if it spun into +a war. When I questioned him concerning several persons whose +disinclination to the Government admitted of no doubt, and whose names, +quality, and experience were very essential to the success of the undertaking, +he owned to me that they kept a great reserve, and did, at most, but +encourage others to act by general and dark expressions.<br> +<br> +I received this account and this summons ill in my bed; yet, important +as the matter was, a few minutes served to determine me. The circumstances +wanting to form a reasonable inducement to engage did not escape me. +But the smart of a Bill of Attainder tingled in every vein; and I looked +on my party to be under oppression and to call for my assistance. +Besides which I considered, first, that I should certainly be informed, +when I conferred with the Chevalier, of many particulars unknown to +this gentleman; for I did not imagine that you could be so near to take +arms, as he represented you to be, on no other foundation than that +which he exposed. And, secondly, that I was obliged in honour +to declare, without waiting for a more particular information of what +might be expected from England, since my friends had taken their resolution +to declare, without any previous assurance of what might be expected +from France. This second motive weighed extremely with me at that +time; there is, however, more sound than sense in it, and it contains +the original error to which all your subsequent errors, and the thread +of misfortunes which followed, are to be ascribed.<br> +<br> +My resolution thus taken, I lost no time in repairing to Commercy. +The very first conversations with the Chevalier answered in no degree +my expectations; and I assure you, with great truth, that I began even +then, if not to repent of my own rashness, yet to be fully convinced +both of yours and mine.<br> +<br> +He talked to me like a man who expected every moment to set out for +England or Scotland, but who did not very well know for which. +And when he entered into the particulars of his affairs I found that +concerning the former he had nothing more circumstantial nor positive +to go upon than what I had already heard. The advices which were +sent from thence contained such assurances of success as it was hard +to think that men who did not go upon the surest grounds would presume +to give. But then these assurances were general, and the authority +seldom satisfactory. Those which came from the best hands were +verbal, and often conveyed by very doubtful messengers; others came +from men whose fortunes were as desperate as their counsels; and others +came from persons whose situation in the world gave little reason to +attend to their judgment in matters of this kind.<br> +<br> +The Duke of Ormond had been for some time, I cannot say how long, engaged +with the Chevalier. He had taken the direction of this whole affair, +as far as it related to England, upon himself, and had received a commission +for this purpose, which contained the most ample powers that could be +given. After this, one would be apt to imagine that the principles +on which the Pretender should proceed, and the Tories engage, in this +service had been laid down; that a regular and certain method of correspondence +had been established; that the necessary assistances had been specified; +and that positive assurances had been given of them. Nothing less. +In a matter as serious as this, all was loose and abandoned to the disposition +of fortune. The first point had never been touched upon; by what +I have said above you see how little care was taken of the second; and +as to the third, the Duke had asked a small body of regular forces, +a sum of money, and a quantity of arms and ammunition. He had +been told in answer by the Court of France that he must absolutely despair +of any number of troops whatever, but he had been made in general to +hope for some money, some arms, and some ammunition; a little sum had, +I think, been advanced to him. In a case so plain as this it is +hard to conceive how any man could err. The assistances demanded +from France at this time, and even greater than these, will appear, +in the sequel of this relation, by the sense of the whole party, to +have been deemed essentially necessary to success. In such an +uncertainty, therefore, whether even these could be obtained, or rather +with so much reason to apprehend that they could not, it was evident +that the Tories ought to have lain still. They might have helped +the ferment against the Government, but should have avoided with the +utmost care the giving any alarm or even suspicion of their true design, +and have resumed or not resumed it as the Chevalier was able or not +able to provide the troops, the arms, the money, etc. Instead +of which those who were at the head of the undertaking, and therefore +answerable for the measures which were pursued, suffered the business +to jog merrily on. They knew in general how little dependence +was to be placed on foreign succour, but acted as if they had been sure +of it; while the party were rendered sanguine by their passions, and +made no doubt of subverting a Government they were angry with, both +one and the other made as much bustle and gave as great alarm as would +have been imprudent even at the eve of a general insurrection. +This appeared to me to be the state of things with respect to England +when I arrived at Commercy.<br> +<br> +The Scots had long pressed the Chevalier to come amongst them, and had +of late sent frequent messages to quicken his departure, some of which +were delivered in terms much more zealous than respectful. The +truth is, they seemed in as much haste to begin as if they had thought +themselves able to do the work alone; as if they had been apprehensive +of no danger but that of seeing it taken out of their hands and of having +the honour of it shared by others. However, that which was wanting +on the part of England was not wanting in Scotland; the Scots talked +aloud, but they were in a condition to rise. They took little +care to keep their intentions secret, but they were disposed to put +those intentions into immediate execution, and thereby to render the +secret no longer necessary. They knew upon whom to depend for +every part of the work, and they had concerted with the Chevalier even +to the place of his landing.<br> +<br> +There was need of no great sagacity to perceive how unequal such foundations +were to the weight of the building designed to be raised on them. +The Scots, with all their zeal and all their valour, could bring no +revolution about unless in concurrence with the English; and among the +latter nothing was ripe for such an undertaking but the temper of the +people, if that was so. I thought, therefore, that the Pretender’s +friends in the North should be kept from rising till those in the South +had put themselves in a condition to act; and that in the meanwhile +the utmost endeavours ought to be used with the King of France to espouse +the cause; and that a plan of the design, with a more particular specification +of the succours desired, as well as of the time when and the place to +which they should be conveyed, ought to be written for; - all which +I was told by the Marshal of Berwick, who had the principal direction +at that time of these affairs in France, and I daresay very truly, had +been often asked, but never sent. I looked on this enterprise +to be of the nature of those which can hardly be undertaken more than +once, and I judged that the success of it would depend on timing as +near as possible together the insurrection in both parts of the island +and the succours from hence. The Pretender approved this opinion +of mine. He instructed me accordingly, and I left Lorraine after +having accepted the Seals much against my inclination. I made +one condition with him; it was this - that I should be at liberty to +quit a station which my humour and many other considerations made me +think myself very unfit for, whenever the occasion upon which I engaged +was over, one way or other; and I desire you to remember that I did +so.<br> +<br> +I arrived at Paris towards the end of July, 1715. You will observe +that all I was charged with, and all by consequence that I am answerable +for, was to solicit this Court and to dispose them to grant us the succours +necessary to make the attempt as soon as we should know certainly from +England in what it was desired that these succours should consist and +whither they should be sent. Here I found a multitude of people +at work, and every one doing what seemed good in his own eyes; no subordination, +no order, no concert. Persons concerned in the management of these +affairs upon former occasions have assured me this is always the case. +It might be so to some degree, but I believe never so much as now. +The Jacobites had wrought one another up to look on the success of the +present designs as infallible. Every meeting-house which the populace +demolished, every little drunken riot which happened, served to confirm +them in these sanguine expectations; and there was hardly one amongst +them who would lose the air of contributing by his intrigues to the +Restoration, which, he took it for granted, would be brought about, +without him, in a very few weeks.<br> +<br> +Care and hope sat on every busy Irish face. Those who could write +and read had letters to show; and those who had not arrived to this +pitch of erudition had their secrets to whisper. No sex was excluded +from this Ministry. Fanny Oglethorpe, whom you must have seen +in England, kept her corner in it, and Olive Trant was the great wheel +of our machine.<br> +<br> +I imagine that this picture, the lines of which are not in the least +too strong, would serve to represent what passed on your side of the +water at the same time. The letters which came from thence seemed +to me to contain rather such things as the writers wished might be true, +than such as they knew to be so: and the accounts which were sent from +hence were of the same kind. The vanity of some and the credulity +of others supported this ridiculous correspondence; and I question not +but very many persons, some such I have known, did the same thing from +a principle which they took to be a very wise one: they imagined that +they helped by these means to maintain and to increase the spirit of +the party in England and France. They acted like Thoas, that turbulent +Ætolian, who brought Antiochus into Greece: “quibus mendaciis +de rege, multiplicando verbis copias ejus, erexerat multorum in Graecia +animos; iisdem et regis spem inflabat, omnium votis eum arcessi.” +Thus were numbers of people employed under a notion of advancing the +business, or from an affectation of importance, in amusing and flattering +one another and in sounding the alarm in the ears of an enemy whom it +was their interest to surprise. The Government of England was +put on its guard: and the necessity of acting, or of laying aside with +some disadvantage all thoughts of acting for the present, was precipitated +before any measures necessary to enable you to act had been prepared, +or almost thought of.<br> +<br> +If his Majesty did not, till some short time after this, declare the +intended invasion to Parliament it was not for want of information. +Before I came to Paris, what was doing had been discovered. The +little armament made at the Havre, which furnished the only means the +Chevalier then had for his transportation into Britain, which had exhausted +the treasury of St. Germains, and which contained all the arms and ammunition +that could be depended upon for the whole undertaking, though they were +hardly sufficient to begin the work even in Scotland, was talked of +publicly. A Minister less alert and less capable than the Earl +of Stair would easily have been at the bottom of the secret, for so +it was called, when the particulars of messages received and sent, the +names of the persons from whom they came, and by whom they were carried, +were whispered about at tea-tables and in coffee-houses.<br> +<br> +In short, what by the indiscretion of people here, what by the rebound +which came often back from London, what by the private interests and +ambitious views of persons in the French Court, and what by other causes +unnecessary to be examined now, the most private transactions came to +light: and they who imagined that they trusted their heads to the keeping +of one or two friends, were in reality at the mercy of numbers. +Into such company was I fallen for my sins; and it is upon the credit +of such a mob Ministry that the Tories have judged me capable of betraying +a trust, or incapable of discharging it.<br> +<br> +I had made very little progress in the business which brought me to +Paris, when the paper so long expected was sent, in pursuance of former +instances, from England. The unanimous sense of the principal +persons engaged was contained in it. The whole had been dictated +word for word to the gentleman who brought it over, by the Earl of Mar, +and it had been delivered to him by the Duke of Ormond. I was +driving in the wide ocean without a compass when this dropped unexpectedly +into my hands. I received it joyfully, and I steered my course +exactly by it. Whether the persons from whom it came pursued the +principles and observed the rules which they laid down as the measures +of their own conduct and of ours, will appear by the sequel of this +relation.<br> +<br> +This memorial asserted that there were no hopes of succeeding in a present +undertaking, for many reasons deduced in it, without an immediate and +universal rising of the people in all parts of England upon the Chevalier’s +arrival; and that this insurrection was in no degree probable unless +he brought a body of regular troops along with him: that if this attempt +miscarried, his cause and his friends, the English liberty and Government, +would be utterly ruined: but if by coming without troops he resolved +to risk these and everything else, he must set out so as not to arrive +before the end of September, to justify which opinion many arguments +were urged. In this case twenty thousand arms, a train of artillery, +five hundred officers with their servants, and a considerable sum of +money were demanded: and as soon as they should be informed that the +Chevalier was in condition to make this provision, it was said that +notice should be given him of the places to which he might send, and +of the persons who were to be trusted. I do not mention some inconveniences +which they touched upon arising from a delay; because their opinion +was clearly for this delay, and because that they could not suppose +that the Chevalier would act, or that those about him would advise him +to act, contrary to the sense of all his friends in England. No +time was lost in making the proper use of this paper. As much +of it as was fit to be shown to this Court was translated into French, +and laid before the King of France. I was now able to speak with +greater assurance, and in some sort to undertake conditionally for the +event of things.<br> +<br> +The proposal of violating treaties so lately and so solemnly concluded, +was a very bold one to be made to people, whatever their inclinations +might be, whom the war had reduced to the lowest ebb of riches and power. +They would not hear of a direct and open engagement, such as the sending +a body of troops would have been; neither would they grant the whole +of what was asked in the second plan. But it was impossible for +them, or any one else, to foresee how far those steps which they were +willing to take, well improved, might have encouraged or forced them +to go. They granted us some succours, and the very ship in which +the Pretender was to transport himself was fitted out by Depine d’Anicant +at the King of France’s expense. They would have concealed +these appearances as much as they could; but the heat of the Whigs and +the resentment of the Court of England might have drawn them in. +We should have been glad indirectly to concur in fixing these things +upon them: and, in a word, if the late King had lived six months longer, +I verily believe there had been war again between England and France. +This was the only point of time when these affairs had, to my apprehension, +the least reasonable appearance even of possibility: all that preceded +was wild and uncertain: all that followed was mad and desperate. +But this favourable aspect had an extreme short duration. Two +events soon happened, one of which cast a damp on all we were doing, +and the other rendered vain and fruitless all we had done. The +first was the arrival of the Duke of Ormond in France, the other was +the death of the King.<br> +<br> +We had sounded the duke’s name high. His reputation and +the opinion of his power were great. The French began to believe +that he was able to form and to head a party; that the troops would +join him; that the nation would follow the signal whenever he drew his +sword; and the voice of the people, the echo of which was continually +in their ears, confirmed them in this belief. But when, in the +midst of all these bright ideas, they saw him arrive, almost literally +alone, when, to excuse his coming, I was obliged to tell them that he +could not stay, they sank at once from their hopes, and that which generally +happens happened in this case: because they had had too good an opinion +of the cause, they began to form too bad a one. Before this time, +if they had no friendship for the Tories, they had at least some consideration +and esteem. After this, I saw nothing but compassion in the best +of them, and contempt in the others.<br> +<br> +When I arrived at Paris, the King was already gone to Marly, where the +indisposition which he had begun to feel at Versailles increased upon +him. He was the best friend the Chevalier had: and when I engaged +in this business, my principal dependence was on his personal character. +This failed me to a great degree; he was not in a condition to exert +the same vigour as formerly. The Ministers who saw so great an +event as his death to be probably at hand, a certain minority, an uncertain +regency, perhaps confusion, at best a new face of Government and a new +system of affairs, would not, for their own sakes, as well as for the +sake of the public, venture to engage far in any new measures. +All I had to negotiate by myself first, and in conjunction with the +Duke of Ormond soon afterwards, languished with the King. My hopes +sank as he declined, and died when he expired. The event of things +has sufficiently shown that all those which were entertained by the +duke and the Jacobite party under the Regency, were founded on the grossest +delusions imaginable. Thus was the project become impracticable +before the time arrived which was fixed by those who directed things +in England for putting it in execution.<br> +<br> +The new Government of France appeared to me like a strange country. +I was little acquainted with the roads. Most of the faces I met +with were unknown to me, and I hardly understood the language of the +people. Of the men who had been in power under the late reign, +many were discarded, and most of the others were too much taken up with +the thoughts of securing themselves under this, to receive applications +in favour of the Pretender. The two men who had the greatest appearance +of favour and power were D’Aguesseau and Noailles. One was +made Chancellor, on the death of Voisin, from Attorney-General; and +the other was placed at the head of the Treasury. The first passes +for a man of parts, but he never acted out of the sphere of the law: +I had no acquaintance with him before this time; and when you consider +his circumstances and mine, you will not think it could be very easy +for me to get access to him now. The latter I had known extremely +well whilst the late King lived: and from the same Court principle, +as he was glad to be well with me then, he would hardly know me now. +The Minister who had the principal direction of foreign affairs I lived +in friendship with, and I must own, to his honour, that he never encouraged +a design which he knew that his Court had no intention of supporting.<br> +<br> +There were other persons, not to tire you with farther particulars upon +this head, of credit and influence with whom I found indirect and private +ways of conversing; but it was in vain to expect any more than civil +language from them in a case which they found no disposition in their +Master to countenance, and in favour of which they had no prejudices +of their own. The private engagements into which the Duke of Orleans +had entered with his Majesty during the life of the late King will abate +of their force as the Regent grows into strength, and would soon have +had no force at all if the Pretender had met with success: but in these +beginnings they operated very strongly. The air of this Court +was to take the counterpart of all which had been thought right under +Louis XIV. “Cela resemble trop à l’ancien système” +was an answer so often given that it became a jest and almost a proverb. +But to finish this account with a fact which is incredible, but strictly +true; the very peace which had saved France from ruin, and the makers +of it, were become as unpopular at this Court as at the Court of Vienna.<br> +<br> +The Duke of Ormond flattered himself, in this state of things, that +he had opened a private and sure channel of arriving at the Regent, +and of bending him to his purposes. His Grace and I lived together +at this time in an house which one of my friends had lent me. +I observed that he was frequently lost, and that he made continual excursions +out of town, with all the mysterious precaution imaginable. I +doubted at first whether those intrigues related to business or pleasure. +I soon discovered with whom they were carried on, and had reason to +believe that both were mingled in them. It is necessary that I +explain this secret to you.<br> +<br> +Mrs. Trant, whom I have named above, had been preparing herself for +the retired abstemious life of a Carmelite by taking a surfeit of the +pleasures of Paris, when, a little before the death of the Queen, or +about that time, she went into England. What she was entrusted +either by the Chevalier, or any other person, to negotiate there, I +am ignorant of; and it imports not much to know. In that journey +she made or renewed an acquaintance with the Duke of Ormond. The +scandalous chronicle affirms that she brought with her, when she returned +into France, a woman of whom I have not the least knowledge, but who +was probably handsome, since without beauty such a merchandise would +not have been saleable, nor have answered the design of the importer; +and that she made this way her court to the Regent. Whatever her +merit was, she kept a correspondence with him, and put herself upon +that foot of familiarity which he permits all those who contribute to +his pleasures to assume. She was placed by him, as she told me +herself, where I found her some time after that which I am speaking +of, in the house of an ancient gentlewoman who had formerly been Maid +of Honour to Madame, and who had contracted at Court a spirit of intrigue +which accompanied her in her retreat.<br> +<br> +These two had associated to them the Abbé de Tesieu in all the +political parts of their business; for I will not suppose that so reverend +an ecclesiastic entered into any other secret. This Abbé +is the Regent’s secretary; and it was chiefly through him that +the private treaty had been carried on between his master and the Earl +of Stair in the King’s reign. Whether the priest had stooped +at the lure of a cardinal’s hat, or whether he acted the second +part by the same orders that he acted the first, I know not. This +is sure, and the British Minister was not the bubble of it - that whilst +he concerted measures on one hand to traverse the Pretender’s +designs, he testified on the other all the inclination possible to his +service. A mad fellow who had been an intendant in Normandy, and +several other politicians of the lowest form, were at different times +taken into this famous Junto.<br> +<br> +With these worthy people his Grace of Ormond negotiated; and no care +was omitted on his part to keep me out of the secret. The reason +of which, as far as I am able to guess at, shall be explained to you +by-and-by. I might very justly have taken this proceeding ill, +and the duke will not be able to find in my whole conduct towards him +anything like it; I protest to you very sincerely I was not in the least +moved at it.<br> +<br> +He advanced not a step in his business with these sham Ministers, and +yet imagined that he got daily ground. I made no progress with +the true ones, but I saw it. These, however, were not our only +difficulties. We lay under another, which came from your side, +and which embarrassed us more. The first hindered us from working +forward to our point of view, but the second took all point of view +from us.<br> +<br> +A paper was sent into England just before the death of the King of France, +which had been drawn by me at Chaville in concert with the Dukes of +Ormond and Berwick, and with Monsieur de Torcy. This paper was +an answer to the memorial received from thence. The state of this +country was truly represented in it: the difference was fixed between +what had been asked, and what might be expected from France; and upon +the whole it was demanded what our friends would do, and what they would +have us to do. The reply to this came through the French Secretary +of State to our hands. They declared themselves unable to say +anything till they should see what turn affairs would take on so great +an event as the death of the King, the report of which had reached them.<br> +<br> +Such a declaration shut our mouths and tied our hands. I confess +I knew neither how to solicit, nor what to solicit; this last message +suspending the project on which we had acted before, and which I kept +as an instruction constantly before my eyes. It seemed to me uncertain +whether you intended to go on, or whether your design was to stifle, +as much as possible, all past transactions; to lie perfectly still; +to throw upon the Court the odium of having given a false alarm; and +to wait till new accidents at home, and a more favourable conjuncture +abroad, might tempt you to resume the enterprise. Perhaps this +would have been the wisest game you could have played: but then you +should have concerted it with us who acted for you here. You intended +no such thing, as appeared afterwards: and therefore those who acted +for the party at London, whoever they were, must be deemed inexcusable +for leaving things on the foot of this message, and giving us no advice +fit to be depended upon for many weeks. Whilst preparations were +to be made, and the work was to be set a-going by assistance from hence, +you might reasonably expect to hear from us, and to be determined by +us: but when all hopes of this kind seemed to be gone, it was your part +to determine us; and we could take no resolution here but that of conforming +ourselves to whatever should come prescribed from England.<br> +<br> +Whilst we were in this condition, the most desperate that can be imagined, +we began to receive verbal messages from you that no more time was to +be lost, and that the Chevalier should come away. No man was, +I believe, ever so embarrassed as I found myself at that time. +I could not imagine that you would content yourselves by loose verbal +messages, after all that had happened, to call us over; and I knew by +experience how little such messages are to be depended on. For +soon after I engaged in these affairs, a monk arrived at Bar, despatched, +as he affirmed, by the Duke of Ormond, in whose name he insisted that +the Chevalier should hasten into Britain, and that nothing but his presence +was wanting to place the crown on his head. The fellow delivered +his errand so positively, and so circumstantially, that the resolution +was taken at Bar to set out, and my rendezvous to join the Chevalier +was appointed me. This method to fetch a King, with as little +ceremony as one would invite a friend to supper, appeared somewhat odd +to me, who was then very new in these affairs. But when I came +to talk with the man, for by good luck he had been sent for from Bar +to Paris, I easily discerned that he had no such commission as he pretended +to, and that he acted of his own head. I presumed to oppose the +taking any resolution upon his word, though he was a monk: and soon +after we knew from the Duke of Ormond himself that he had never sent +him.<br> +<br> +This example made me cautious; but that which determined my opinion +was, that I could never imagine, without supposing you all run mad, +that the same men who judged this attempt unripe for execution, unless +supported by regular troops from France, or at least by all the other +assistances which are enumerated above, while the design was much more +secret than at present; when the King had no fleet at sea, nor more +than eight thousand men dispersed over the whole island; when we had +the good wishes of the French Court on our side, and were sure of some +particular assistances, and of a general connivance; that the same men, +I say, should press for making it now without any other preparation, +when we had neither money, arms, ammunition, nor a single company of +foot; when the Government of England was on its guard, national troops +were raised, foreign forces sent for, and France, like all the rest +of the Continent, against us. I could not conceive such a strange +combination of accidents as should make the necessity of acting increase +gradually upon us as the means of doing so were taken from us.<br> +<br> +Upon the whole matter, my opinion was, and I did not observe the Duke +of Ormond to differ from me, that we should wait till we heard from +you in such a manner as might assure us of what you intended to do yourselves, +and of what you expected from us; and that in the meanwhile we should +go as far as the little money which we had, and the little favour which +was shown us would allow, in getting some embarkations ready on the +coast.<br> +<br> +Sir George Byng had come into the road of Havre, and had demanded by +name several ships which belonged to us to be given up to him. +The Regent did not think fit to let him have the ships; but he ordered +them to be unloaded, and their cargoes were put into the King’s +magazines. We were in no condition to repair the loss; and therefore +when I mention embarkations, you will please to understand nothing more +than vessels to transport the Pretender’s person and the persons +of those who should go over with him. This was all we could do, +and this was not neglected.<br> +<br> +We were thus employed when a gentleman arrived from Scotland to represent +the state of that country, and to require a definitive answer from the +Chevalier whether he would have the insurrection to be made immediately, +which they apprehended they might not be able to make at all if they +were obliged to defer it much longer. This gentleman was sent +instantly back again, and was directed to let the persons he came from +know that the Chevalier was desirous to have the rising of his friends +in England and Scotland so adjusted that they might mutually assist +each other and distract the enemy; that he had not received a final +answer from his friends in England, but that he was in daily expectation +of it; that it was very much to be wished that all attempts in Scotland +could be suspended till such time as the English were ready; but that +if the Scots were so pressed that they must either submit or rise immediately, +he was of opinion they should rise, and he would make the best of his +way to them.<br> +<br> +What this forwardness in the Scots and this uncertainty and backwardness +in the English must produce, it was not hard to foresee; and, therefore, +that I might neglect nothing in my power to prevent any false measures +- as I was conscious to myself that I had neglected nothing to promote +true ones - I despatched a gentleman to London, where I supposed the +Earl of Mar to be, some days before the message I have just spoken of +was sent to Scotland. I desired him to make my compliments to +Lord Mar, and to tell him from me that I understood it to be his sense, +as well as the sense of all our friends, that Scotland could do nothing +effectually without the concurrence of England, and that England would +not stir without assistance from abroad; that he might assure himself +no such assistance could be depended upon; and that I begged of him +to make the inference from these propositions. The gentleman went; +but upon his arrival at London he found that the Earl of Mar was already +set out to draw the Highlanders into arms. He communicated his +message to a person of confidence, who undertook to send it after his +lordship; and this was the utmost which either he or I could do in such +a conjuncture.<br> +<br> +You were now visibly departed from the very scheme which you had sent +us over, and from all the principles which had been ever laid down. +I did what I could to keep up my own spirit, as well as the spirits +of the Chevalier, and of all those with whom I was in correspondence: +I endeavoured even to deceive myself. I could not remedy the mischief, +and I was resolved to see the conclusion of the perilous adventure; +but I own to you that I thought then, and that I have not changed my +opinion since, that such measures as these would not be pursued by any +reasonable man in the most common affairs of life. It was with +the utmost astonishment that I saw them pursued in the conduct of an +enterprise which had for its object nothing less than the disposition +of crowns, and for the means of bringing it about nothing less than +a civil war.<br> +<br> +Impatient that we heard nothing from England, when we expected every +moment to hear that the war was begun in Scotland, the Duke of Ormond +and I resolved to send a person of confidence to London. We instructed +him to repeat to you the former accounts which we had sent over, to +let you know how destitute the Chevalier was either of actual support +or even of reasonable hopes, and to desire that you would determine +whether he should go to Scotland or throw himself on some part of the +English coast. This person was further instructed to tell you +that, the Chevalier being ready to take any resolution at a moment’s +warning, you might depend on his setting out the instant he received +your answer; and, therefore, that to save time, if your intention was +to rise, you would do well to act immediately, on the assurance that +the plan you prescribed, be it what it would, should be exactly complied +with. We took this resolution the rather because one of the packets, +which had been prepared in cypher to give you an account of things, +which had been put above three weeks before into Monsieur de Torcy’s +hands, and which by consequence we thought to be in yours, was by this +time sent back to me by this Minister (I think, open), with an excuse +that he durst not take upon him to forward it.<br> +<br> +The person despatched to London returned very soon to us, and the answer +he brought was, that since affairs grew daily worse, and could not mend +by delay, our friends in England had resolved to declare immediately, +and that they would be ready to join the Chevalier on his landing; that +his person would be as safe there as in Scotland, and that in every +other respect it was better that he should land in England; that they +had used their utmost endeavours, and that they hoped the western counties +were in a good posture to receive him. To this was added a general +indication of the place he should come to, as near to Plymouth as possible.<br> +<br> +You must agree that this was not the answer of men who knew what they +were about. A little more precision was necessary in dictating +a message which was to have such consequences, and especially since +the gentleman could not fail to acquaint the persons he spoke with that +the Chevalier was not able to carry men enough to secure him from being +taken up even by the first constable. Notwithstanding this, the +Duke of Ormond set out from Paris and the Chevalier from Bar. +Some persons were sent to the North of England and others to London +to give notice that they were both on their way. Their routes +were so ordered that the Duke of Ormond was to sail from the coast of +Normandy some days before the Chevalier arrived at St. Malo, to which +place the duke was to send immediate notice of his landing; and two +gentlemen acquainted with the country, and perfectly well known to all +our friends in those parts, were despatched before, that the people +of Devonshire and Somersetshire, who were, we concluded, in arms, might +be apprised of the signals which were to be made from the ships, and +might be ready to receive the duke.<br> +<br> +On the coast of France, and before his embarkation, the duke heard that +several of our principal friends had been seized immediately after the +person who came last from them had left London, that the others were +all dispersed, and that the consternation was universal. He embarked, +notwithstanding this melancholy news, and, supported by nothing but +the firmness of his temper, he went over to the place appointed; he +did more than his part, and he found that our friends had done less +than theirs. One of the gentlemen who had passed over before him, +and had traversed part of the country, joined him on the coast, and +assured him that there was not the least room to expect a rising; in +a word, he was refused a night’s lodging in a country which we +had been told was in a good posture to receive the Chevalier, and where +the duke expected that multitudes would repair to him.<br> +<br> +He returned to the coast of Brittany after this uncomfortable expedition, +where the Chevalier arrived about the same time from Lorraine. +What his Grace proposed by the second attempt, which he made as soon +as the vessel could be refitted, to land in the same part of the island, +I profess myself to be ignorant. I wrote him my opinion at the +time, and I have always thought that the storm in which he had like +to have been cast away, and which forced him back to the French coast, +saved him from a much greater peril - that of perishing in an attempt +as full of extravagant rashness, and as void of all reasonable meaning, +as any of those adventures which have rendered the hero of La Mancha +immortal.<br> +<br> +The Chevalier had now but one of these two things left him to do: one +was to return to Bar; the other was to go to Scotland, where there were +people in arms for him. He took this last resolution. He +left Brittany, where he had as many Ministers as there were people about +him, and where he was eternally teased with noisy disputes about what +was to be done in circumstances in which no reasonable thing could be +done. He sent to have a vessel got ready for him at Dunkirk, and +he crossed the country as privately as he could.<br> +<br> +Whilst all these things passed I remained at Paris to try if by any +means some assistance might be at last procured, without which it was +evident, even to those who flattered themselves the most, that the game +was up.<br> +<br> +No sooner was the Duke of Ormond gone from Paris on the design which +I have mentioned, and Mrs. Trant, who had accompanied him part of the +way, returned, but I was sent for to a little house at Madrid, in the +Bois de Boulogne, where she lived with Mademoiselle de Chaussery, the +ancient gentlewoman with whom the Duke of Orleans had placed her. +These two persons opened to me what had passed whilst the Duke of Ormond +was here, and the hopes they had of drawing the Regent into all the +measures necessary to support the attempts which were making in favour +of the Chevalier.<br> +<br> +By what they told me at first I saw that they had been trusted, and +by what passed in the course of my treating with them it appeared that +they had the access which they pretended to. All which I had been +able to do by proper persons and in proper methods, since the King of +France’s death, amounting to little or nothing, I resolved, at +last, to try what was to be done by this indirect way. I put myself +under the conduct of these female managers, and without having the same +dependence on them as his Grace of Ormond had, I pushed their credit +and their power as far as they reached during the time I continued to +see them. I met with smoother language and greater hopes than +had been given me hitherto. A note signed by the Regent, supposed +to be written to a woman, but which was to be explained to be intended +for the Earl of Mar, was put into my hands to be sent to Scotland. +I took a copy of it, which you may see at the end of these papers. +When Sir John Areskine came to press for succour, the Regent was prevailed +upon by these women to see him; but he carried nothing real back with +him except a quantity of gold, part of the money which we had drawn +from Spain, and which was lost, with the vessel, in a very odd manner, +on the Scotch coast. The Duke of Ormond had been promised seven +or eight thousand arms, which were drawn out of the magazines, and said +to be lodged, I think, at Compiègne. I used my utmost efforts +that these arms might be carried forward to the coast, and I undertook +for their transportation, but all was in vain, so that the likelihood +of bringing anything to effect in time appeared to me no greater than +I had found it before I entered into this intrigue.<br> +<br> +I soon grew tired of a commerce which nothing but success could render +tolerable, and resolved to be no longer amused by the pretences which +were daily repeated to me, that the Regent had entertained personal +prejudices against me, and that he was insensibly and by degrees to +be dipped in our measures; that both these things required time, but +that they would certainly be brought about, and that we should then +be able to answer all the expectations of the English and the Scotch. +The first of these pretences contained a fact which I could hardly persuade +myself to be true, because I knew very certainly that I had never given +His Royal Highness the least occasion for such prejudices; the second +was a work which might spin out into a great and uncertain length. +I took my resolution to drive what related to myself to an immediate +explanation, and what related to others to an immediate decision; not +to suffer any excuse for doing nothing to be founded on my conduct, +nor the salvation, if I could hinder it, of so many gallant men as were +in arms in Scotland, to rest on the success of such womanish projects. +I shall tell you what I did on the first head now, and what I did on +the second, hereafter, in its proper place.<br> +<br> +The fact which it was said the Regent laid to my charge was a correspondence +with Lord Stair, and having been one night at his house from whence +I did not retire till three in the morning. As soon as I got hold +of this I desired the Marshal of Berwick to go to him. The Marshal +told him, from me, that I had been extremely concerned to hear in general +that I lay under his displeasure; that a story, which it was said he +believed, had been related to me; that I expected the justice, which +he could deny to no man, of having the accusation proved, in which case +I was contented to pass for the last of humankind, or of being justified +if it could not be proved. He answered that such a story had been +related to him by such persons as he thought would not have deceived +him; that he had been since convinced that it was false, and that I +should be satisfied of his regard for me; but that he must own he was +very uneasy to find that I, who could apply to him through the Marshal +d’Huxelles, could choose to treat with Mrs. Trant and the rest; +for he named all the cabal, except his secretary, whom I had never met +at Mademoiselle Chaussery’s. He added that these people +teased him, at my instigation, to death, and that they were not fit +to be trusted with any business. He applied to some of them the +severest epithets. The Marshal of Berwick replied that he was +sure I should receive the whole of what he had been pleased to say with +the greatest satisfaction; that I had treated with those persons much +against my will; and, finally, that if his Royal Highness would not +employ them he was sure I would never apply to them. In a conversation +which I had not long after with him he spoke to me in much the same +terms as he had done to the Marshal. I went from him very ill +edified as to his intentions of doing anything in favour of the Chevalier; +but I carried away with me this satisfaction, that he had assigned me, +from his own mouth, the person through whom I should make my applications +to him, and through whom I should depend on receiving his answers; that +he had disavowed all the little politic clubs, and had commanded me +to have no more to do with them.<br> +<br> +Before I resume the thread of my narration give me leave to make some +reflection upon what I have been last saying to you. When I met +with the Duke of Ormond at his return from the coast, he thought himself +obliged to say something to excuse his keeping me out of a secret which +during his absence I had been let into. His excuse was that the +Regent had exacted from him that I should know nothing of the matter. +You will observe that the account which I have given you seems to contradict +this assertion of his Grace, since it is hard to suppose that if the +Regent had exacted that I should be kept out of the secret, these women +would have dared to have let me into it, and since it is still harder +to suppose that the Regent would make this express condition with the +Duke of Ormond, and the moment the duke’s back was turned would +suffer these women to tease him from me and to bring me answers from +him. I am, however, far from taxing the duke with affirming an +untruth. I believe the Regent did make such a condition with him; +and I will tell you how I understand all this little management, which +will explain a great deal to you. This Prince, with wit and valour, +has joined all the irresolution of temper possible, and is, perhaps, +the man in the world the least capable of saying “no” to +your face. From hence it happened that these women, like multitudes +of other people, forced him to say and do enough to give them the air +of having credit with him and of being trusted by him. This drew +in the Duke of Ormond, who is not, I daresay, as yet undeceived. +The Regent never intended from the first to do anything, even indirectly, +in favour of the Jacobite cause. His interest was plainly on the +other side, and he saw it. But then the same weakness in his character +carried him, as it would have done his great-uncle Gaston in the same +case, to keep measures with the Chevalier. His double-trimming +character prevailed on him to talk with the Duke of Ormond, but it carried +him no farther. I question not but he did, on this occasion, what +you must have observed many men to do: we not only endeavour to impose +on the world, but even on ourselves; we disguise our weakness, and work +up in our minds an opinion that the measure which we fall into by the +natural or habitual imperfection of our character is the effect of a +principle of prudence or of some other virtue. Thus the Regent, +who saw the Duke of Ormond because he could not resist the importunity +of Olive Trant, and who gave hopes to the duke because he can refuse +nobody, made himself believe that it was a great strain of policy to +blow up the fire and to keep Britain embroiled. I am persuaded +that I do not err in judging that he thought in this manner, and here +I fix the reason of his excluding me out of the commerce which he had +with the Duke of Ormond, of his affecting a personal dislike of me, +and of his avoiding any correspondence with me upon these matters, till +I forced myself in a manner upon him, and he could not keep me any longer +at a distance without departing from his first principle - that of keeping +measures with everybody. He then threw me, or let me slide if +you will, into the hands of these women; and when he found that I pressed +him hard that way, too, he took me out of their hands and put me back +again into the proper channel of business, where I had not been long, +as you will see by-and-by, before the scene of amusement was finished.<br> +<br> +Sir John Areskine told me when he came from the first audience that +he had of his Royal Highness, that he put him in mind of the encouragement +which he had given the Earl of Mar to take arms. I never heard +anything of this kind but what Sir John let drop to me. If the +fact be true, you see that the Scotch general had been amused by him +with a witness. The English general was so in his turn; and while +this was doing, the Regent might think it best to have him to himself. +Four eyes comprehend more objects than two, and I was a little better +acquainted with the characters of people, and the mass of the country, +than the duke, though this Court had been at first a strange country +to me in comparison of the former.<br> +<br> +An infinity of little circumstances concurred to make me form this opinion, +some of which are better felt than explained, and many of which are +not present to my memory. That which had the greatest weight with +me, and which is, I think, decisive, I will mention. At the very +time when it is pretended that the Regent treated with the Duke of Ormond +on the express condition that I should know nothing of the matter, two +persons of the first rank and greatest credit in this Court, when I +made the most pressing instances to them in favour of the Chevalier, +threw out in conversation to me that I should attach myself to the Duke +of Orleans, that in my circumstances I might want him, and that he might +have occasion for me. Something was intimated of pensions and +establishment, and of making my peace at home. I would not understand +this language, because I would not break with the people who held it: +and when they saw that I would not take the hints, they ceased to give +them.<br> +<br> +I fancy that you see by this time the motives of the Regent’s +conduct. I am not, I confess, able to explain to you those of +the Duke of Ormond’s; I cannot so much as guess at them. +When he came into France, I was careful to show him all the friendship +and all the respect possible. My friends were his, my purse was +his, and even my bed was his. I went further; I did all those +things which touch most sensibly people who have been used to pomp. +I made my court to him, and haunted his levee with assiduity. +In return to this behaviour - which was the pure effect of my goodwill, +and which no duty that I owed his Grace, no obligation that I had to +him, imposed upon me - I have great reason to suspect that he went at +least half way in all which was said or done against me. He threw +himself blindly into the snare which was laid for him; and instead of +hindering, as he and I in concert might have done, those affairs from +languishing in the manner they did several months, he furnished this +Court with an excuse for not treating with me, till it was too late +to play even a saving game; and he neither drove the Regent to assist +the Chevalier, nor to declare that he would not assist him; though it +was fatal to the cause in general, and to the Scotch in particular, +not to bring one of the two about.<br> +<br> +It was Christmas 1715 before the Chevalier sailed for Scotland. +The battle of Dunblain had been fought, the business of Preston was +over: there remained not the least room to expect any commotion in his +favour among the English; and many of the Scotch who had declared for +him began to grow cool in the cause. No prospect of success could +engage him in this expedition: but it was become necessary for his reputation. +The Scotch on one side spared not to reproach him, I think unjustly, +for his delay; and the French on the other were extremely eager to have +him gone. Some of those who knew little of British affairs imagined +that his presence would produce miraculous effects. You must not +be surprised at this. As near neighbours as we are, ninety-nine +in an hundred among the French are as little acquainted with the inside +of our island as with that of Japan. Others of them were uneasy +to see him skulking about in France, and to be told of it every hour +by the Earl of Stair. Others, again, imagined that he might do +their business by going into Scotland, though he should not do his own: +this is, they flattered themselves that he might keep a war for some +time alive, which would employ the whole attention of our Government; +and for the event of which they had very little concern. Unable +from their natural temper, as well as their habits, to be true to any +principle, they thought and acted in this manner, whilst they affected +the greatest friendship to the King, and whilst they really did desire +to enter into new and more intimate engagements with him. Whilst +the Pretender continued in France they could neither avow him, nor favour +his cause: if he once set his foot on Scotch ground, they gave hopes +of indirect assistance; and if he could maintain himself in any corner +of the island, they could look upon him, it was said, as a king. +This was their language to us. To the British Minister they denied, +they forswore, they renounced; and yet the man of the best head in all +their councils, being asked by Lord Stair what they intended to do, +answered, before he was aware, that they pretended to be neuters. +I leave you to judge how this slip was taken up.<br> +<br> +As soon as I received advice that the Chevalier was sailed from Dunkirk, +I renewed, I redoubled all my applications. I neglected no means, +I forgot no argument which my understanding could suggest to me. +What the Duke of Ormond rested upon, you have seen already. And +I doubt very much whether Lord Mar, if he had been here in my place, +would have been able to employ measures more effectual than those which +I made use of. I may, without any imputation of arrogance, compare +myself on this occasion with his lordship, since there was nothing in +the management of this affair above my degree of capacity; nothing equal, +either in extent or difficulty, to the business which he was a spectator +of, and which I carried on when we were Secretaries of State together +under the late Queen.<br> +<br> +The King of France, who was not able to furnish the Pretender with money +himself, had written some time before his death to his grandson, and +had obtained a promise of four hundred thousand crowns from the King +of Spain. A small part of this sum had been received by the Queen’s +Treasurer at St. Germains, and had been either sent to Scotland or employed +to defray the expenses which were daily making on the coast. I +pressed the Spanish Ambassador at Paris; I solicited, by Lawless, Alberoni +at Madrid, and I found another more private and more promising way of +applying to him. I took care to have a number of officers picked +out of the Irish troops which serve in that country; their routes were +given them, and I sent a ship to receive and transport them. The +money came in so slowly and in such trifling sums that it turned to +little account, and the officers were on their way when the Chevalier +returned from Scotland.<br> +<br> +In the summer endeavours had been used to prevail on the King of Sweden +to transport from Gottenburg the troops he had in that neighbourhood +into Scotland or into the North of England. He had excused himself, +not because he disliked the proposition, which, on the contrary, he +thought agreeable to his interest, but for reasons of another kind. +First, because the troops at hand for this service consisted in horse, +not in foot, which had been asked, and which were alone proper for such +an expedition. Secondly, because a declaration of this sort might +turn the Protestant princes of the Empire, from whose offices he had +still some prospect of assistance, against him. And thirdly, because +although he knew that the King of Great Britain was his enemy, yet they +were not in war together, nor had the latter acted yet awhile openly +enough against him to justify such a rupture. At the time I am +speaking of, these reasons were removed by the King of Sweden’s +being beat out of the Empire by the little consequence which his management +of the Protestant princes was to him, and by the declaration of war +which the King, as Elector of Hanover, made. I took up this negotiation +therefore again. The Regent appeared to come into it. He +spoke fair to the Baron de Spar, who pressed him on his side as I pressed +him on mine, and promised, besides the arrears of the subsidy due to +the Swedes, an immediate advance of fifty thousand crowns for the enterprise +on Britain. He kept the officer who was to be despatched I know +not how long booted; sometimes on pretence that in the low state of +his credit he could not find bills of exchange for the sum, and sometimes +on other pretences, and by these delays he evaded his promise. +The French were very frank in declaring that they could give us no money, +and that they would give us no troops. Arms, ammunition, and connivance +they made us hope for. The latter, in some degree, we might have +had perhaps; but to what purpose was it to connive, when by a multitude +of little tricks they avoided furnishing us with arms and ammunition, +and when they knew that we were utterly unable to furnish ourselves +with them? I had formed the design of engaging French privateers +in the Pretender’s service. They were to have carried whatever +we should have had to send to any part of Britain in their first voyage, +and after that to have cruised under his commission. I had actually +agreed for some, and it was in my power to have made the same bargains +with others. Sweden on one side and Scotland on the other would +have afforded them retreats. And if the war had been kept up in +any part of the mountains, I conceive the execution of this design would +have been of the greatest advantage to the Pretender. It failed +because no other part of the work went on. He was not above six +weeks in his Scotch expedition, and these were the things I endeavoured +to bring to bear in his absence. I had no great opinion of my +success before he went; but when he had made the last step which it +was in his power to make, I resolved to suffer neither him nor the Scotch +to be any longer bubbles of their own credulity and of the scandalous +artifice of this Court. It would be tedious to enter into a longer +narrative of all the useless pains I took. To conclude, therefore; +in a conversation which I had with the M. d’Huxelles, I took occasion +to declare that I would not be the instrument of amusing the Scotch, +and that, since I was able to do them no other service, I would at least +inform them that they must flatter themselves no longer with hopes of +succour from France. I added that I would send them vessels which, +with those already on the coast of Scotland, might serve to bring off +the Pretender, the Earl of Mar, and as many others as possible. +The Marshal approved my resolution, and advised me to execute it as +the only thing which was left to do. On this occasion he showed +no reserve, he was very explicit; and yet in this very point of time +the promise of an order was obtained, or pretended to be obtained, from +the Regent for delivering those stores of arms and ammunition which +belonged to the Chevalier, and which had been put into the French magazines +when Sir George Byng came to Havre. Castel Blanco is a Spaniard +who married a daughter of Lord Melford, and who under that title set +up for a meddler in English business. I cannot justly tell whether +the honour of obtaining this promise was ascribed to him, to the Junto +in the Bois de Boulogne, or to any one else. I suppose they all +assumed a share of the merit. The project was that these stores +should be delivered to Castel Blanco; that he should enter into a recognisance +to carry them to Spain, and from thence to the West Indies; that I should +provide a vessel for this purpose, which he should appear to hire or +buy; and that when she was at sea she should sail directly for Scotland. +You cannot believe that I reckoned much on the effect of this order, +but accustomed to concur in measures the inutility of which I saw evidently +enough, I concurred in this likewise. The necessary care was taken, +and in a fortnight’s time the ship was ready to sail, and no suspicion +of her belonging to the Chevalier or of her destination was gone abroad.<br> +<br> +As this event made no alteration in my opinion, it made none in the +despatches which I prepared and sent to Scotland. In them I gave +an account of what was in negotiation. I explained to him what +might be hoped for in time if he was able to maintain himself in the +mountains without the succours he demanded from France. But from +France I told him plainly that it was in vain to expect the least part +of them. In short, I concealed nothing from him. This was +all I could do to put the Chevalier and his council in a condition to +judge what measures to take; but these despatches never came to his +hands. He was sailed from Scotland just before the gentleman whom +I sent arrived on the coast. He landed at Graveline about the +22nd of February, and the first orders he gave were to stop all the +vessels which were going on his account to the country from whence he +came.<br> +<br> +I saw him the morning after his arrival at St. Germains, and he received +me with open arms. I had been, as soon as we heard of his return, +to acquaint the French Court with it. They were not a little uneasy; +and the first thing which the M. d’Huxelles said to me upon it +was that the Chevalier ought to proceed to Bar with all the diligence +possible, and to take possession of his former asylum before the Duke +of Lorraine had time to desire him to look out for a residence somewhere +else. Nothing more was meant by this proposal than to get him +out of the dominions of France immediately. I was not in my mind +averse to it for other reasons. Nothing could be more disadvantageous +to him than to be obliged to pass the Alps, or to reside in the Papal +territory on this side of them. Avignon was already named for +his retreat in common conversation, and I know not whether from the +time he left Scotland he ever thought of any other. I imagined +that by surprising the Duke of Lorraine we should furnish that Prince +with an excuse to the King and to the Emperor; that we might draw the +matter into length, and gain time to negotiate some other retreat than +that of Avignon for the Chevalier. The duke’s goodwill there +was no room to doubt of, and by what the Prince of Vaudemont told me +at Paris some time afterwards I am apt to think we should have succeeded. +In all events, it could not be wrong to try every measure, and the Pretender +would have gone to Avignon with much better grace when he had done, +in the sight of the world, all he could to avoid it.<br> +<br> +I found him in no disposition to make such haste; he had a mind, on +the contrary, to stay some time at St. Germains, and in the neighbourhood +of Paris, and to have a private meeting with the Regent. He sent +me back to Paris to solicit this meeting. I wrote, I spoke, to +the Marshal d’Huxelles; I did my best to serve him in his own +way. The Marshal answered me by word of mouth and by letter; he +refused me by both. I remember he added this circumstance: that +he found the Regent in bed, and acquainted him with what the Chevalier +desired; that the Regent rose up in a passion, said that the things +which were asked were puerilities, and swore that he would not see him. +I returned without having been able to succeed in my commission; and +I confess I thought the want of success on this occasion no great misfortune.<br> +<br> +It was two or three o’clock on the Sunday or Monday morning when +I parted from the Pretender. He acquiesced in the determination +of the Regent, and declared that he would instantly set out for Lorraine; +his trunks were packed, his chaise was ordered to be at the door at +five, and I sent to Paris to acquaint the Minister that he was gone. +He asked me how soon I should be able to follow him, gave me commissions +for some things which he desired I should bring after him, and, in a +word, no Italian ever embraced the man he was going to stab with greater +show of affection and confidence.<br> +<br> +Instead of taking post for Lorraine he went to the little house in the +Bois de Boulogne where his female Ministers resided; and there he continued +lurking for several days, and pleasing himself with the air of mystery +and business, whilst the only real business which he should have had +at that time lay neglected. He saw the Spanish and Swedish Ministers +in this place. I cannot tell, for I never thought it worth asking, +whether he saw the Duke of Orleans; possibly he might. To have +been teased into such a step, which signified nothing, and which gave +the cabal an air of credit and importance, is agreeable enough to the +levity of his Royal Highness’s character.<br> +<br> +The Thursday following, the Duke of Ormond came to see me, and after +the compliment of telling me that he believed I should be surprised +at the message he brought, he put into my hands a note to himself and +a little scrip of paper directed to me, and drawn in the style of a +justice of peace’s warrant. They were both in the Chevalier’s +handwriting, and they were dated on the Tuesday, in order to make me +believe that they had been written on the road and sent back to the +duke; his Grace dropped in our conversation with great dexterity all +the insinuations proper to confirm me in this opinion. I knew +at this time his master was not gone, so that he gave me two very risible +scenes, which are frequently to be met with when some people meddle +in business; I mean that of seeing a man labour with a great deal of +awkward artifice to make a secret of a nothing, and that of seeing yourself +taken for a bubble when you know as much of the matter as he who thinks +that he imposes on you.<br> +<br> +I cannot recollect precisely the terms of the two papers. I remember +that the kingly laconic style of one of them, and the expression of +having no further occasion for my service, made me smile. The +other was an order to give up the papers in my office, all which might +have been contained in a letter-case of a moderate size. I gave +the duke the Seals and some papers which I could readily come at. +Some others - and, indeed, all such as I had not destroyed - I sent +afterwards to the Chevalier; and I took care to convey to him by a safe +hand several of his letters which it would have been very improper the +duke should have seen. I am surprised that he did not reflect +on the consequence of my obeying his order literally. It depended +on me to have shown his general what an opinion the Chevalier had of +his capacity. I scorned the trick, and would not appear piqued +when I was far from being angry. As I gave up without scruple +all the papers which remained in my hands, because I was determined +never to make use of them, so I confess to you that I took a sort of +pride in never asking for those of mine which were in the Pretender’s +hands; I contented myself with making the duke understand how little +need there was to get rid of a man in this manner who had made the bargain +which I had done at my engagement, and with taking this first opportunity +to declare that I would never more have to do with the Pretender or +his cause.<br> +<br> +That I might avoid being questioned and quoted in the most curious and +the most babbling town in the world, I related what had passed to three +or four of my friends, and hardly stirred abroad during a fortnight +out of a little lodging which very few people knew of. At the +end of this term the Marshal of Berwick came to see me, and asked me +what I meant to confine myself to my chamber when my name was trumpeted +about in all the companies of Paris, and the most infamous stories were +spread concerning me. This was the first notice I had, and it +was soon followed by others. I appeared immediately in the world, +and found there was hardly a scurrilous tongue which had not been let +loose on my subject; and that those persons whom the Duke of Ormond +and Earl of Mar must influence, or might silence, were the loudest in +defaming me.<br> +<br> +Particular instances wherein I had failed were cited; and as it was +the fashion for every Jacobite to affect being in the secret, you might +have found a multitude of vouchers to facts which, if they had been +true, could in the nature of them be known to very few persons.<br> +<br> +This method of beating down the reputation of a man by noise and impudence +imposed on the world at first, convinced people who were not acquainted +with me, and staggered even my friends. But it ceased in a few +days to have any effect against me. The malice was too gross to +pass upon reflection. These stories died away almost as fast as +they were published, for this very reason, because they were particular.<br> +<br> +They gave out, for instance, that I had taken to my own use a very great +sum of the Chevalier’s money, when it was notorious that I had +spent a great sum of my own in his service, and never would be obliged +to him for a farthing, in which case, I believe, I was single. +Upon this head it was easy to appeal to a very honest gentleman, the +Queen’s Treasurer at St. Germains, through whose hands, and not +through mine, went the very little money which the Chevalier had.<br> +<br> +They gave out that whilst he was in Scotland he never heard from me, +though it was notorious that I sent him no less than five expresses +during the six weeks which he consumed in this expedition. It +was easy, on this head, to appeal to the persons to whom my despatches +had been committed.<br> +<br> +These lies, and many others of the same sort, which were founded on +particular facts, were disproved by particular facts, and had not time +- at least at Paris - to make any impression. But the principal +crime with which they charged me then, and the only one which since +that time they have insisted upon, is of another nature. This +part of their accusation is general, and it cannot be refuted without +doing what I have done above, deducing several facts, comparing these +facts together, and reasoning upon them; nay, that which is worse is, +that it cannot be fully refuted without the mention of some facts which, +in my present circumstances, it would not be very prudent, though I +should think it very lawful, for me to divulge. You see that I +mean the starving the war in Scotland, which it is pretended might have +been supported, and might have succeeded, too, if I had procured the +succours which were asked - nay, if I had sent a little powder. +This the Jacobites who affect moderation and candour shrug their shoulders +at: they are sorry for it, but Lord Bolingbroke can never wash himself +clean of this guilt; for these succours might have been obtained, and +a proof that they might is that they were so by others. These +people leave the cause of this mismanagement doubtful between my treachery +and my want of capacity. The Pretender, with all the false charity +and real malice of one who sets up for devotion, attributes all his +misfortunes to my negligence.<br> +<br> +The letters which were written by my secretary, above a year ago, into +England; the marginal notes which have been made since to the letter +from Avignon; and what is said above, have set this affair in so clear +a light, that whoever examines, with a fair intention, must feel the +truth, and be convinced by it. I cannot, however, forbear to make +some observations on the same subject here. It is even necessary +that I should do so, in the design of making this discourse the foundation +of my justification to the Tories at present, and to the whole world +in time.<br> +<br> +There is nothing which my enemies apprehend so much as my justification: +and they have reason. But they may comfort themselves with this +reflection - that it will be a misfortune which will accompany me to +my grave, that I suffered a chain of accidents to draw me into such +measures and such company; that I have been obliged to defend myself +against such accusations and such accusers; that by associating with +so much folly and so much knavery I am become the victim of both; that +I was distressed by the former, when the latter would have been less +grievous to me, since it is much better in business to be yoked to knaves +than fools; and that I put into their hands the means of loading me, +like the scape-goat, with all the evil consequences of their folly.<br> +<br> +In the first letters which I received from the Earl of Mar he wrote +for arms, for ammunition, for money, for officers, and all things frankly, +as if these things had been ready, and I had engaged to supply him with +them, before he set up the standard at the Brae of Mar; whereas our +condition could not be unknown to his lordship; and you have seen that +I did all I could to prevent his reckoning on any assistance from hence. +As our hopes at this Court decreased, his lordship rose in his demands; +and at the time when it was visible that the Regent intended nothing +less than even privately and indirectly to support the Scotch, the Pretender +and the Earl of Mar wrote for regular forces and a train of artillery, +which was in effect to insist that France should enter into a war for +them. I might, in answer to the first instances, have asked Lord +Mar what he did in Scotland, and what he meant by drawing his countrymen +into a war at this time, or at least upon this foot? He who had +dictated not long before a memorial wherein it was asserted that to +have a prospect of succeeding in this enterprise there must be a universal +insurrection, and that such an insurrection was in no sort probable, +unless a body of troops was brought to support it? He who thought +that the consequence of failing, when the attempt was once made, must +be the utter ruin of the cause and the loss of the British liberty? +He who concurred in demanding as a <i>pis-aller,</i> and the least which +could be insisted on, arms, ammunition, artillery, money, and officers? +I say, I might have asked what he meant to begin the dance when he had +not the least assurance of any succour, but, on the contrary, the greatest +reason imaginable to believe this affair was become as desperate abroad +by the death of the most Christian King as it was at home by the discovery +of the design and by the measures taken to defeat it?<br> +<br> +Instead of acting this part, which would have been wise, I took that +which was plausible. I resolved to contribute all I could to support +the business, since it was begun. I encouraged his lordship as +long as I had the least ground for doing so, and I confirmed the Pretender +in his resolution of going to Scotland when he had nothing better left +him to do. If I have anything to reproach myself with in the whole +progress of the war in Scotland, it is having encouraged Lord Mar too +long. But, on the other hand, if I had given up the cause, and +had written despondingly to him before this Court had explained itself +as fully as the Marshal d’Huxelles did in the conversation which +is mentioned above, it is easy to see what turn would have been given +to such a conduct.<br> +<br> +The true cause of all the misfortunes which happened to the Scotch and +to those who took arms in the North of England lies here - that they +rose without any previous certainty of foreign help, in direct contradiction +to the scheme which their leaders themselves had formed. The excuse +which I have heard made for this is that the Act of Parliament for curbing +the Highlanders was near to be put in execution; that they would have +been disarmed, and entirely disabled from rising at any other time, +if they had not rose at this. You can judge better than I of the +validity of this excuse. It seems to me that by management they +might have gained time, and that even when they had been reduced to +the dilemma supposed, they ought to have got together under pretence +of resisting the infractions of the Union without any mention of the +Pretender, and have treated with the Government on this foot. +By these means they might probably have preserved themselves in a condition +of avowing their design when they should be sure of being backed from +abroad. At the worst, they might have declared for the Chevalier +when all other expedients failed them. In a word, I take this +excuse not to be very good, and the true reason of this conduct to have +been the rashness of the people and the inconsistent measures of their +head.<br> +<br> +But admitting the excuse to be valid, it remains still an undeniable +truth that this is the original fountain from whence all those waters +of bitterness flowed which so many unhappy people have drunk of. +I have said already that the necessity of acting was precipitated before +any measures to act with success had been taken, and that the necessity +of doing so seemed to increase as the means of doing so were taken away. +To whom is this to be ascribed? Is it to be ascribed to me, who +had no share in these affairs till a few weeks before the Duke of Ormond +was forced to abandon England, and the discovery of the intended invasion +was published to Parliament and to the world? or is it to be ascribed +to those who had from the first been at the head of this undertaking?<br> +<br> +Unable to defend this point, the next resort of the Jacobites is to +this impudent and absurd affirmation - that, notwithstanding the disadvantages +under which they took arms, they should have succeeded if the indirect +assistances which were asked from France had been obtained. Nay, +that they should have been able to defend the Highlands if I had sent +them a little powder. Is it possible that a man should be wounded +with such blunt weapons? Much more than powder was asked for from +the first, and I have already said that when the Chevalier came into +Scotland, regular troops, artillery, etc., were demanded. Both +he and the Earl of Mar judged it impossible to stand their ground without +such assistance as these. How scandalous, then, must it be deemed +that they suffer their dependents to spread in the world that for want +of a little powder I forced them to abandon Scotland! The Earl +of Mar knows that all the powder in France would not have enabled him +to stay at Perth as long as he did if he had not had another security. +And when that failed him, he must have quitted the party, if the Regent +had given us all that he made some of us expect.<br> +<br> +But to finish all that I intend to say on a subject which has tired +me, and perhaps you; the Jacobites affirm that the indirect assistances +which they desired, might have been obtained; and I confess that I am +inexcusable if this fact be true. To prove it, they appeal to +the little politicians of whom I have spoken so often. I affirm, +on the contrary, that nothing could be obtained here to support the +Scotch or to encourage the English. To prove the assertion, I +appeal to the Ministers with whom I negotiated, and to the Regent himself, +who, whatever language he may hold in private with other people, cannot +controvert with me the truth of what I advance. He excluded me +formerly, that he might the more easily avoid doing anything; and perhaps +he has blamed me since, that he might excuse his doing nothing. +All this may be true, and yet it will remain true that he would never +have been prevailed upon to act directly against his interest in the +only point of view which he has - I mean, the crown of France - and +against the unanimous sense of all his Ministers. Suppose that +in the time of the late Queen, when she had the peace in view, a party +in France had implored her assistance, and had applied to Margery Fielding, +to Israel, to my Lady Oglethorpe, to Dr. Battle, and Lieutenant-General +Stewart, what success do you imagine such applications would have had? +The Queen would have spoke them fair - she would speak otherwise to +nobody; but do you imagine she would have made one step in their favour? +Olive Trant, Magny, Mademoiselle Chaussery, a dirty Abbé Brigault, +and Mr. Dillon, are characters very apposite to these. And what +I suppose to have passed in England is not a whit more ridiculous than +what really passed here.<br> +<br> +I say nothing of the ships which the Jacobites pretend that they sent +into Scotland three weeks or a month after the Pretender was returned. +I believe they might have had my Lord Stair’s connivance then, +as well as the Regent’s. I say nothing of the order which +they pretend to have obtained, and which I never saw, for the stores +that were seized at Havre to be delivered to Castel Blanco. I +have already said enough on this head, and you cannot have failed to +observe that this signal favour was never obtained by these people till +the Marshal d’Huxelles had owned to me that nothing was to be +expected from France, and that the only thing which I could do was to +endeavour to bring the Pretender, the Earl of Mar, and the principal +persons who were most exposed, off, neither he nor I imagining that +any such would be left behind.<br> +<br> +When I began to appear in the world, upon the advertisements which my +friends gave me of the clamour that was raised against me, you will +easily think I did not enter into so many particulars as I have done +with you. I said even less than you have seen in those letters +which Brinsden wrote into England in March and April was twelvemonth, +and yet the clamour sank immediately. The people of consideration +at this Court beat it down, and the Court of St. Germains grew so ashamed +of it that the Queen thought fit to purge herself of having had any +share in encouraging the discourses which were held against me, or having +been so much as let into the secret of the measure which preceded them. +The provocation was great, but I resolved to act without passion. +I saw the advantage the Pretender and his council, who disposed of things +better for me than I should have done for myself, had given me; but +I saw likewise that I must improve this advantage with the utmost caution.<br> +<br> +As I never imagined that he would treat me in the manner he did, nor +that his Ministers could be weak enough to advise him to it, I had resolved, +on his return from Scotland, to follow him till his residence should +be fixed somewhere or other. After which, having served the Tories +in this which I looked upon as their last struggle for power, and having +continued to act in the Pretender’s affairs till the end of the +term for which I embarked with him, I should have esteemed myself to +be at liberty, and should in the civillest manner I was able have taken +my leave of him. Had we parted thus, I should have remained in +a very strange situation during the rest of my life; but I had examined +myself thoroughly, I was determined, I was prepared.<br> +<br> +On one side he would have thought that he had a sort of right on any +future occasion to call me out of my retreat; the Tories would probably +have thought the same thing: my resolution was taken to refuse them +both, and I foresaw that both would condemn me. On the other side, +the consideration of his keeping measures with me, joined to that of +having once openly declared for him, would have created a point of honour +by which I should have been tied down, not only from ever engaging against +him, but also from making my peace at home. The Chevalier cut +this gordian knot asunder at one blow. He broke the links of that +chain which former engagements had fastened on me, and gave me a right +to esteem myself as free from all obligations of keeping measures with +him as I should have continued if I had never engaged in his interest. +I took therefore, from that moment, the resolution of making my peace +at home, and of employing all the unfortunate experience I had acquired +abroad to undeceive my friends and to promote the union and the quiet +of my country.<br> +<br> +The Earl of Stair had received a full power to treat with me whilst +I was engaged with the Pretender, as I have been since informed. +He had done me the justice to believe me incapable to hearken, in such +circumstances, to any proposals of that kind; and as much friendship +as he had for me, as much as I had for him, we entertained not the least +even indirect correspondence together during that whole time. +Soon afterwards he employed a person to communicate to me the disposition +of his Majesty to grant me my pardon, and his own desire to give me, +on this occasion, all the proofs he could of his inclination in my favour. +I embraced the offer, as it became me to do, with all possible sense +of the King’s goodness, and of his lordship’s friendship. +We met, we talked together, and he wrote to the Court on the subject. +The turn which the Ministers gave to this matter was, to enter into +a treaty to reverse my attainder, and to stipulate the conditions on +which this act of grace should be granted me.<br> +<br> +The notion of a treaty shocked me. I resolved never to be restored +rather than go that way to work; and I opened myself without any reserve +to Lord Stair. I told him that I looked on myself to be obliged +in honour and in conscience to undeceive my friends in England, both +as to the state of foreign affairs, as to the management of the Jacobite +interest abroad, and as to the characters of persons - in every one +of which points I knew them to be most grossly and most dangerously +deluded; that the treatment I had received from the Pretender and his +adherents would justify me to the world in doing this; that if I remained +in exile all my life, he might be assured that I would never more have +to do with the Jacobite cause; and that if I was restored, I should +give it an effectual blow, in making that apology which the Pretender +has put me under a necessity of making: that in doing this I flattered +myself that I should contribute something to the establishment of the +King’s Government, and to the union of his subjects; but that +this was all the merit which I could promise to have; that if the Court +believed these professions to be sincere, a treaty with me was unnecessary +for them; and that if they did not believe them so, a treaty with them +was dangerous for me; that I was determined in this whole transaction +to make no one step which I would not own in the face of the world; +that in other circumstances it might be sufficient to act honestly, +but that in a case as extraordinary as mine it was necessary to act +clearly, and to leave no room for the least doubtful construction.<br> +<br> +The Earl of Stair, as well as Mr. Craggs, who arrived soon after in +France, came into my sense. I have reason to believe that the +King has approved it likewise upon their representations, since he has +been pleased to give me the most gracious assurances of his favour. +What the effect of all this may be in the next or in any other Session, +I know not; but this is the foot on which I have put myself, and on +which I stand at the moment I write to you. The Whigs may continue +inveterate, and by consequence frustrate his Majesty’s good intentions +towards me; the Tories may continue to rail at me, on the credit of +such enemies as I have described to you in the course of this relation: +neither the one nor the other shall make me swerve out of the path which +I have traced to myself.<br> +<br> +I have now led you through the several stages which I proposed at first; +and I should do wrong to your good understanding, as well as to our +mutual friendship, if I suspected that you could hold any other language +to me than that which Dolabella uses to Cicero: “Satisfactum est +jam a te vel officio vel familiaritati; satisfactum etiam partibus.” +The King, who pardons me, might complain of me; the Whigs might declaim +against me; my family might reproach me for the little regard which +I have shown to my own and to their interests; but where is the crime +I have been guilty of towards my party and towards my friends? +In what part of my conduct will the Tories find an excuse for the treatment +which they have given me? As Tories such as they were when I left +England, I defy them to find any. But here lies the sore, and, +tender as it is, I must lay it open. Those amongst them who rail +at me now are changed from what they were, or from what they professed +themselves to be, when we lived and acted together. They were +Tories then; they are Jacobites now. Their objections to the course +of my conduct whilst I was in the Pretender’s interest are the +pretence; the true reason of their anger is, that I renounce the Pretender +for my life. When you were first driven into this interest, I +may appeal to you for the notion which the party had. You thought +of restoring him by the strength of the Tories, and of opposing a Tory +king to a Whig king. You took him up as the instrument of your +revenge and of your ambition. You looked on him as your creature, +and never once doubted of making what terms you pleased with him. +This is so true that the same language is still held to the catechumens +in Jacobitism. Were the contrary to be avowed even now, the party +in England would soon diminish. I engaged on this principle when +your orders sent me to Commercy, and I never acted on any other. +This ought to have been part of my merit towards the Tories; and it +would have been so if they had continued in the same dispositions. +But they are changed, and this very thing is become my crime. +Instead of making the Pretender their tool, they are his. Instead +of having in view to restore him on their own terms, they are labouring +to do it without any terms; that is, to speak properly, they are ready +to receive him on his. Be not deceived: there is not a man on +this side of the water who acts in any other manner. The Church +of England Jacobite and the Irish Papist seem in every respect to have +the same cause. Those on your side of the water who correspond +with these are to be comprehended in the same class; and from hence +it is that the clamour raised against me has been kept up with so much +industry, and is redoubled on the least appearance of my return home, +and of my being in a situation to justify myself.<br> +<br> +You have seen already what reasons the Pretender, and the several sorts +of people who compose his party here, had to get rid of me, and to cover +me to the utmost of their power with infamy. Their views were +as short in this case as they are in all others. They did not +see at first that this conduct would not only give me a right, but put +me under a necessity of keeping no farther measures with them, and of +laying the whole mystery of their iniquity open. As soon as they +discovered this, they took the only course which was left them - that +of poisoning the minds of the Tories, and of creating such prejudices +against me whilst I remained in a condition of not speaking for myself, +as will they hope prevent the effect of whatever I may say when I am +in a condition of pleading my own cause. The bare apprehension +that I shall show the world that I have been guilty of no crime renders +me criminal among these men; and they hold themselves ready, being unable +to reply either in point of fact or in point of reason, to drown my +voice in the confusion of their clamour.<br> +<br> +The only crimes I am guilty of, I own. I own the crime of having +been for the Pretender in a very different manner from those with whom +I acted. I served him as faithfully, I served him as well as they; +but I served him on a different principle. I own the crime of +having renounced him, and of being resolved never to have to do with +him as long as I live. I own the crime of being determined sooner +or later, as soon as I can, to clear myself of all the unjust aspersions +which have been cast upon me; to undeceive by my experience as many +as I can of those Tories who may have been drawn into error; and to +contribute, if ever I return home, as far as I am able, to promote the +national good of Britain without any other regard. These crimes +do not, I hope, by this time appear to you to be of a very black dye. +You may come, perhaps, to think them virtues, when you have read and +considered what remains to be said; for before I conclude, it is necessary +that I open one matter to you which I could not weave in sooner without +breaking too much the thread of my narration. In this place, unmingled +with anything else, it will have, as it deserves to have, your whole +attention.<br> +<br> +Whoever composed that curious piece of false fact, false argument, false +English, and false eloquence, the letter from Avignon, says that I was +not thought the most proper person to speak about religion. I +confess I should be of his mind, and should include his patrons in my +case, if the practice of it was to be recommended; for surely it is +unpardonable impudence to impose by precept what we do not teach by +example. I should be of the same mind, if the nature of religion +was to be explained, if its mysteries were to be fathomed, and if this +great truth was to be established - that the Church of England has the +advantage over all other Churches in purity of doctrine, and in wisdom +of discipline. But nothing of this kind was necessary. This +would have been the task of reverend and learned divines. We of +the laity had nothing more to do than to lay in our claim that we could +never submit to be governed by a Prince who was not of the religion +of our country. Such a declaration could hardly have failed of +some effect towards opening the eyes and disposing the mind even of +the Pretender. At least, in justice to ourselves, and in justice +to our party, we who were here ought to have made it; and the influence +of it on the Pretender ought to have become the rule of our subsequent +conduct.<br> +<br> +In thinking in this manner I think no otherwise now than I have always +thought; and I cannot forget, nor you neither, what passed when, a little +before the death of the Queen, letters were conveyed from the Chevalier +to several persons - to myself among others. In the letter to +me the article of religion was so awkwardly handled that he made the +principal motive of the confidence we ought to have in him to consist +in his firm resolution to adhere to Popery. The effect which this +epistle had on me was the same which it had on those Tories to whom +I communicated it at that time; it made us resolve to have nothing to +do with him.<br> +<br> +Some time after this I was assured by several, and I make no doubt but +others have been so too, that the Chevalier at the bottom was not a +bigot; that whilst he remained abroad and could expect no succour, either +present or future, from any Princes but those of the Roman Catholic +Communion, it was prudent, whatever he might think, to make no demonstration +of a design to change; but that his temper was such, and he was already +so disposed, that we might depend on his compliance with what should +be desired of him if ever he came amongst us, and was taken from under +the wing of the Queen his mother. To strengthen this opinion of +his character, it was said that he had sent for Mr. Leslie over; that +he allowed him to celebrate the Church of England service in his family; +and that he had promised to hear what this divine should represent on +the subject of religion to him. When I came abroad, the same things, +and much more, were at first insinuated to me; and I began to let them +make impression upon me, notwithstanding what I had seen under his hand. +I would willingly flatter myself that this impression disposed me to +incline to Jacobitism rather than allow that the inclination to Jacobitism +disposed me easily to believe what, upon that principle, I had so much +reason to wish might be true. Which was the cause, and which the +effect, I cannot well determine: perhaps they did mutually occasion +each other. Thus much is certain - that I was far from weighing +this matter as I ought to have done when the solicitation of my friends +and the persecution of my enemies precipitated me into engagements with +the Pretender.<br> +<br> +I was willing to take it for granted that since you were as ready to +declare as I believed you at that time, you must have had entire satisfaction +on the article of religion. I was soon undeceived; this string +had never been touched. My own observation, and the unanimous +report of all those who from his infancy have approached the Pretender’s +person, soon taught me how difficult it is to come to terms with him +on this head, and how unsafe to embark without them.<br> +<br> +His religion is not founded on the love of virtue and the detestation +of vice; on a sense of that obedience which is due to the will of the +Supreme Being, and a sense of those obligations which creatures formed +to live in a mutual dependence on one another lie under. The spring +of his whole conduct is fear. Fear of the horns of the devil and +of the flames of hell. He has been taught to believe that nothing +but a blind submission to the Church of Rome and a strict adherence +to all the terms of that communion can save him from these dangers. +He has all the superstition of a Capuchin, but I found on him no tincture +of the religion of a prince. Do not imagine that I loose the reins +to my imagination, or that I write what my resentments dictate: I tell +you simply my opinion. I have heard the same description of his +character made by those who know him best, and I conversed with very +few among the Roman Catholics themselves who did not think him too much +a Papist.<br> +<br> +Nothing gave me from the beginning so much uneasiness as the consideration +of this part of his character, and of the little care which had been +taken to correct it. A true turn had not been given to the first +steps which were made with him. The Tories who engaged afterwards, +threw themselves, as it were, at his head. He had been suffered +to think that the party in England wanted him as much as he wanted them. +There was no room to hope for much compliance on the head of religion +when he was in these sentiments, and when he thought the Tories too +far advanced to have it in their power to retreat; and little dependence +was at any time to be placed on the promises of a man capable of thinking +his damnation attached to the observance, and his salvation to the breach, +of these very promises. Something, however, was to be done, and +I thought that the least which could be done was to deal plainly with +him, and to show him the impossibility of governing our nation by any +other expedient than by complying with that which would be expected +from him as to his religion. This was thought too much by the +Duke of Ormond and Mr. Leslie; although the duke could be no more ignorant +than the minister how ill the latter had been used, how far the Chevalier +had been from keeping the word which he had given, and on the faith +of which Mr. Leslie had come over to him. They both knew that +he not only refused to hear himself, but that he sheltered the ignorance +of his priests, or the badness of his cause, or both, behind his authority, +and absolutely forbade all discourse concerning religion. The +duke seemed convinced that it would be time enough to talk of religion +to him when he should be restored, or, at soonest, when he should be +landed in England; that the influence under which he had lived being +at a distance, the reasonableness of what we might propose, joined to +the apparent necessity which would then stare him in the face, could +not fail to produce all the effects which we could desire.<br> +<br> +To me this whole reasoning appeared fallacious. Our business was +not to make him change appearances on this side of the water, but to +prepare him to give those which would be necessary on the other; and +there was no room to hope that if we could gain nothing on his prejudices +here, we should be able to overcome them in Britain. I would have +argued just as the Duke of Ormond and Leslie if I had been a Papist; +and I saw well enough that some people about him, for in a great dearth +of ability there was cunning to be met with, affected nothing more than +to keep off all discourse of religion. To my apprehension it was +exceeding plain that we should find, if we were once in England, the +necessity of going forward at any rate with him much greater than he +would find that of complying with us. I thought it an unpardonable +fault to have taken a formal engagement with him, when no previous satisfaction +had been obtained on a point at least as essential to our civil as to +our religious rights; to the peace of the State as to the prosperity +of the Church; and I looked on this fault to be aggravated by every +day’s delay. Our silence was unfair both to the Chevalier +and to our friends in England. He was induced by it to believe +that they would exact far less from him than we knew they expected, +and they were confirmed in an opinion of his docility, which we knew +to be void of all foundation. The pretence of removing that influence +under which he had lived was frivolous, and should never have been urged +to me, who saw plainly that, according to the measures pursued by the +very persons who urged it, he must be environed in England by the same +people that surrounded him here; and that the Court of St. James’s +would be constituted, if ever he was restored, in the same manner as +that of St. Germains was.<br> +<br> +When the draft of a declaration and other papers which were to be dispersed +in Great Britain came to be settled, it appeared that my apprehension +and distrust were but too well founded. The Pretender took exception +against several passages, and particularly against those wherein a direct +promise of securing the Churches of England and Ireland was made. +He was told, he said, that he could not in conscience make such a promise, +and, the debate being kept up a little while, he asked me with some +warmth why the Tories were so desirous to have him if they expected +those things from him which his religion did not allow. I left +these drafts, by his order, with him, that he might consider and amend +them. I cannot say that he sent them to the Queen to be corrected +by her confessor and the rest of her council, but I firmly believe it. +Sure I am that he took time sufficient to do this before he sent them +from Bar, where he then was, to Paris, whither I was returned. +When they were digested in such a manner as satisfied his casuists he +made them be printed, and my name was put to the declaration, as if +the original had been signed by me. I had hitherto submitted my +opinion to the judgment of others, but on this occasion I took advice +from myself. I declared to him that I would not suffer my name +to be at the bottom of this paper. All the copies which came to +my hands I burnt, and another was printed off without any countersigning.<br> +<br> +The whole tenor of the amendments was one continued instance of the +grossest bigotry, and the most material passages were turned with all +the Jesuitical prevarication imaginable. As much as it was his +interest at that time to cultivate the respect which many of the Tories +really had for the memory of the late Queen, and which many others affected +as a farther mark of their opposition to the Court and to the Whig party; +as much as it was his interest to weave the honour of her name into +his cause, and to render her, even after her death, a party to the dispute, +he could not be prevailed upon to give her that character which her +enemies allowed her, nor to make use of those expressions, in speaking +of her, which, by the general manner of their application, are come +to be little more than terms of respect and words of form proper in +the style of public acts. For instance:-<br> +<br> +She was called in the original draft “his sister of glorious and +blessed memory.” In that which he published, the epithet +of “blessed” was left out. Her eminent justice and +her exemplary piety were occasionally mentioned; in lieu of which he +substituted a flat, and, in this case, an invidious expression, “her +inclinations to justice.”<br> +<br> +Not content with declaring her neither just nor pious in this world +he did little less than declare her damned in the other, according to +the charitable principles of the Church of Rome.<br> +<br> +“When it pleased Almighty God to take her to Himself,” was +the expression used in speaking of the death of the Queen. This +he erased, and instead thereof inserted these words: “When it +pleased Almighty God to put a period to her life.”<br> +<br> +He graciously allowed the Universities to be nurseries of loyalty; but +did not think that it became him to style them “nurseries of religion.”<br> +<br> +Since his father passes already for a saint, and since reports are encouraged +of miracles which they suppose to be wrought at his tomb, he might have +allowed his grandfather to pass for a martyr; but he struck out of the +draft these words, “that blessed martyr who died for his people,” +which were applied to King Charles I., and would say nothing more of +him than that “he fell a sacrifice to rebellion.”<br> +<br> +In the clause which related to the Churches of England and Ireland there +was a plain and direct promise inserted of “effectual provision +for their security, and for their re-establishment in all those rights +which belong to them.” This clause was not suffered to stand, +but another was formed, wherein all mention of the Church of Ireland +was omitted, and nothing was promised to the Church of England but the +security, and “re-establishment of all those rights, privileges, +immunities, and possessions which belong to her,” and wherein +he had already promised by his declaration of the 20th of July, to secure +and “protect all her members.”<br> +<br> +I need make no comment on a proceeding so easy to be understood. +The drift of these evasions, and of this affected obscurity, is obvious +enough - at least, it will appear so by the observations which remain +to be made.<br> +<br> +He was so afraid of admitting any words which might be construed into +a promise of his consenting to those things which should be found necessary +for the present or future security of our constitution, that in a paragraph +where he was made to say that he thought himself obliged to be solicitous +for the prosperity of the Church of England, the word prosperity was +expunged, and we were left by this mental reservation to guess what +he was solicitous for. It could not be for her prosperity: that +he had expunged. It must therefore be for her destruction, which +in his language would have been styled her conversion.<br> +<br> +Another remarkable proof of the same kind is to be found towards the +conclusion of the declaration. After having spoken of the peace +and flourishing estate of the kingdom, he was made to express his readiness +to concert with the two Houses such further measures as should be thought +necessary for securing the same to future generations. The design +of this paragraph you see. He and his council saw it too, and +therefore the word “securing” was laid aside, and the word +“leaving” was inserted in lieu of it.<br> +<br> +One would imagine that a declaration corrected in this manner might +have been suffered to go abroad without any farther precaution. +But these papers had been penned by Protestants; and who could answer +that there might not be still ground sufficient from the tenor of them +to insist on everything necessary for the security of that religion? +The declaration of the 20th of July had been penned by a priest of the +Scotch college, and the expressions had been measured so as to suit +perfectly with the conduct which the Chevalier intended to hold; so +as to leave room to distinguish him, upon future occasions, with the +help of a little pious sophistry, out of all the engagements which he +seemed to take in it. This orthodox paper was therefore to accompany +the heretical paper into the world, and no promise of moment was to +stand in the latter, unless qualified by a reference to the former. +Thus the Church was to be secured in the rights, etc., which belong +to her. How? No otherwise than according to the declaration +of the month of July. And what does that promise? Security +and protection to the members of this Church in the enjoyment of their +property. I make no doubt but Bellarmine, if he had been the Chevalier’s +confessor, would have passed this paragraph thus amended. No engagement +whatever taken in favour of the Church of Ireland, and a happy distinction +found between securing that of England, and protecting her members. +Many a useful project for the destruction of heretics, and for accumulating +power and riches to the See of Rome, has been established on a more +slender foundation.<br> +<br> +The same spirit reigns through the whole. Civil and religious +rights are no otherwise to be confirmed than in conformity to the declaration +of July; nay, the general pardon is restrained and limited to the terms +prescribed therein.<br> +<br> +This is the account which I judged too important to be omitted, and +which I chose to give you all together. I shall surely be justified +at present in concluding that the Tories are grossly deluded in their +opinion of this Prince’s character, or else that they sacrifice +all which ought to be esteemed precious and sacred among men to their +passions. In both these cases I remain still a Tory, and am true +to the party. In the first, I endeavour to undeceive you by an +experience purchased at my expense and for your sakes: in the second, +I endeavour to prevail on you to revert to that principle from which +we have deviated. You never intended, whilst I lived amongst you, +the ruin of your country; and yet every step which you now make towards +the restoration you are so fond of, is a step towards this ruin. +No man of sense, well informed, can ever go into measures for it, unless +he thinks himself and his country in such desperate circumstances that +nothing is left them but to choose of two ruins that which they like +best.<br> +<br> +The exile of the royal family, under Cromwell’s usurpation, was +the principal cause of all those misfortunes in which Britain has been +involved, as well as of many of those which have happened to the rest +of Europe, during more than half a century.<br> +<br> +The two brothers, Charles and James, became then infected with Popery +to such degrees as their different characters admitted of. Charles +had parts, and his good understanding served as an antidote to repel +the poison. James, the simplest man of his time, drank off the +whole chalice. The poison met in his composition with all the +fear, all the credulity, and all the obstinacy of temper proper to increase +its virulence and to strengthen its effect. The first had always +a wrong bias upon him; he connived at the establishment, and indirectly +contributed to the growth, of that power which afterwards disturbed +the peace and threatened the liberty of Europe so often; but he went +no further out of the way. The opposition of his Parliaments and +his own reflections stopped him here. The Prince and the people +were, indeed, mutually jealous of one another, from whence much present +disorder flowed, and the foundation of future evils was laid; but his +good and his bad principles combating still together, he maintained, +during a reign of more than twenty years, in some tolerable degree, +the authority of the Crown and the flourishing estate of the nation. +The last, drunk with superstitious and even enthusiastic zeal, ran headlong +into his own ruin whilst he endeavoured to precipitate ours. His +Parliament and his people did all they could to save themselves by winning +him. But all was vain; he had no principle on which they could +take hold. Even his good qualities worked against them, and his +love of his country went halves with his bigotry. How he succeeded +we have heard from our fathers. The revolution of 1688 saved the +nation and ruined the King.<br> +<br> +Now the Pretender’s education has rendered him infinitely less +fit than his uncle - and at least as unfit as his father - to be King +of Great Britain. Add to this that there is no resource in his +understanding. Men of the best sense find it hard to overcome +religious prejudices, which are of all the strongest; but he is a slave +to the weakest. The rod hangs like the sword of Damocles over +his head, and he trembles before his mother and his priest. What, +in the name of God, can any member of the Church of England promise +himself from such a character? Are we by another revolution to +return into the same state from which we were delivered by the first? +Let us take example from the Roman Catholics, who act very reasonably +in refusing to submit to a Protestant Prince. Henry IV. had at +least as good a title to the crown of France as the Pretender has to +ours. His religion alone stood in his way, and he had never been +King if he had not removed that obstacle. Shall we submit to a +Popish Prince, who will no more imitate Henry IV. in changing his religion +than he will imitate those shining qualities which rendered him the +honestest gentleman, the bravest captain, and the greatest prince of +his age? Allow me to give a loose to my pen for a moment on this +subject. General benevolence and universal charity seem to be +established in the Gospel as the distinguishing badges of Christianity. +How it happens I cannot tell; but so it is, that in all ages of the +Church the professors of Christianity seem to have been animated by +a quite contrary spirit. Whilst they were thinly scattered over +the world, tolerated in some places, but established nowhere, their +zeal often consumed their charity. Paganism, at that time the +religion by law established, was insulted by many of them; the ceremonies +were disturbed, the altars thrown down. As soon as, by the favour +of Constantine, their numbers were increased, and the reins of government +were put into their hands, they began to employ the secular arm, not +only against different religions, but against different sects which +arose in their own religion. A man may boldly affirm that more +blood has been shed in the disputes between Christian and Christian +than has ever been drawn from the whole body of them in the persecutions +of the heathen emperors and in the conquests of the Mahometan princes. +From these they have received quarter, but never from one another. +The Christian religion is actually tolerated among the Mahometans, and +the domes of churches and mosques arise in the same city. But +it will be hard to find an example where one sect of Christians has +tolerated another which it was in their power to extirpate. They +have gone farther in these later ages; what was practised formerly has +been taught since. Persecution has been reduced into system, and +the disciples of the meek and humble Jesus have avowed a tyranny which +the most barbarous conquerors never claimed. The wicked subtilty +of casuists has established breach of faith with those who differ from +us as a duty in opposition to faith, and murder itself has been made +one of the means of salvation. I know very well that the Reformed +Churches have been far from going those cruel lengths which are authorised +by the doctrine as well as example of that of Rome, though Calvin put +a flaming sword on the title of a French edition of his Institute, with +this motto, “Je ne suis point venu mettre la paix, mais l’epée;” +but I know likewise that the difference lies in the means and not in +the aim of their policy. The Church of England, the most humane +of all of them, would root out every other religion if it was in her +power. She would not hang and burn; her measures would be milder, +and therefore, perhaps, more effectual.<br> +<br> +Since, then, there is this inveterate rancour among Christians, can +anything be more absurd than for those of one persuasion to trust the +supreme power, or any part of it, to those of another? Particularly +must it not be reputed madness in those of our religion to trust themselves +in the hands of Roman Catholics? Must it not be reputed impudence +in a Roman Catholic to expect that we should? he who looks upon us as +heretics, as men in rebellion against a lawful - nay, a divine - authority, +and whom it is, therefore, meritorious by all sorts of ways to reduce +to obedience? There are many, I know, amongst them who think more +generously, and whose morals are not corrupted by that which is called +religion; but this is the spirit of the priesthood, in whose scale that +scrap of a parable, “Compel them to come in,” which they +apply as they please, outweighs the whole Decalogue. This will +be the spirit of every man who is bigot enough to be under their direction; +and so much is sufficient for my present purpose.<br> +<br> +During your last Session of Parliament it was expected that the Whigs +would attempt to repeal the Occasional Bill. The same jealousy +continues; there is, perhaps, foundation for it. Give me leave +to ask you upon what principle we argued for making this law, and upon +what principle you must argue against the repeal of it. I have +mentioned the principle in the beginning of this discourse. No +man ought to be trusted with any share of power under a Government who +must, to act consistently with himself, endeavour the destruction of +that very Government. Shall this proposition pass for true when +it is applied to keep a Presbyterian from being mayor of a corporation, +and shall it become false when it is applied to keep a Papist from being +king? The proposition is equally true in both cases; but the argument +drawn from it is just so much stronger in the latter than in the former +case, as the mischiefs which may result from the power and influence +of a king are greater than those which can be wrought by a magistrate +of the lowest order. This seems to my apprehension to be <i>argumentum +ad hominem,</i> and I do not see by what happy distinction a Jacobite +Tory could elude the force of it.<br> +<br> +It may be said, and it has been urged to me, that if the Chevalier was +restored, the knowledge of his character would be our security; “habet +fœnum in cornu;” there would be no pretence for trusting +him, and by consequence it would be easy to put such restrictions on +the exercise of the regal power as might hinder him from invading or +sapping our religion and liberty. But this I utterly deny. +Experience has shown us how ready men are to court power and profit, +and who can determine how far either the Tories or the Whigs would comply, +in order to secure to themselves the enjoyment of all the places in +the kingdom? Suppose, however, that a majority of true Israelites +should be found, whom no temptation could oblige to bow the knee to +Baal; in order to preserve the Government on one hand must they not +destroy it on the other? The necessary restrictions would in this +case be so many and so important as to leave hardly the shadow of a +monarchy if he submitted to them; and if he did not submit to them, +these patriots would have no resource left but in rebellion. Thus, +therefore, the affair would turn if the Pretender was restored. +We might, most probably, lose our religion and liberty by the bigotry +of the Prince and the corruption of the people. We should have +no chance of preserving them but by an entire change of the whole frame +of our Government or by another revolution. What reasonable man +would voluntarily reduce himself to the necessity of making an option +among such melancholy alternatives?<br> +<br> +The best which could be hoped for, were the Chevalier on the throne, +would be that a thread of favourable accidents, improved by the wisdom +and virtue of Parliament, might keep off the evil day during his reign. +But still the fatal cause would be established; it would be entailed +upon us, and every man would be apprised that sooner or later the fatal +effect must follow. Consider a little what a condition we should +be in, both with respect to our foreign interest and our domestic quiet, +whilst the reprieve lasted, whilst the Chevalier or his successors made +no direct attack upon the constitution.<br> +<br> +As to the first, it is true, indeed, that princes and States are friends +or foes to one another according as the motives of ambition drive them. +These are the first principles of union and division amongst them. +The Protestant Powers of Europe have joined, in our days, to support +and aggrandise the House of Austria, as they did in the days of our +forefathers to defeat her designs and to reduce her power; and the most +Christian King of France has more than once joined his councils, and +his arms too, with the councils and arms of the most Mahometan Emperor +of Constantinople. But still there is, and there must continue, +as long as the influence of the Papal authority subsists in Europe, +another general, permanent, and invariable division of interests. +The powers of earth, like those of heaven, have two distinct motions. +Each of them rolls in his own political orb, but each of them is hurried +at the same time round the great vortex of his religion. If this +general notion be just, apply it to the present case. Whilst a +Roman Catholic holds the rudder, how can we expect to be steered in +our proper course? His political interest will certainly incline +him to direct our first motion right, but his mistaken religious interest +will render him incapable of doing it steadily.<br> +<br> +As to the last, our domestic quiet; even whilst the Chevalier and those +of his race concealed their game, we should remain in the most unhappy +state which human nature is subject to, a state of doubt and suspense. +Our preservation would depend on making him the object of our eternal +jealousy, who, to render himself and his people happy, ought to be that +of our entire confidence.<br> +<br> +Whilst the Pretender and his successors forbore to attack the religion +and liberty of the nation, we should remain in the condition of those +people who labour under a broken constitution, or who carry about them +some chronical distemper. They feel a little pain at every moment; +or a certain uneasiness, which is sometimes less tolerable than pain, +hangs continually on them, and they languish in the constant expectation +of dying perhaps in the severest torture.<br> +<br> +But if the fear of hell should dissipate all other fears in the Pretender’s +mind, and carry him, which is frequently the effect of that passion, +to the most desperate undertakings; if among his successors a man bold +enough to make the attempt should arise, the condition of the British +nation would be still more deplorable. The attempt succeeding, +we should fall into tyranny; for a change of religion could never be +brought about by consent; and the same force that would be sufficient +to enslave our consciences, would be sufficient for all the other purposes +of arbitrary power. The attempt failing, we should fall into anarchy; +for there is no medium when disputes between a prince and his people +are arrived at a certain point; he must either be submitted to or deposed.<br> +<br> +I have now laid before you even more than I intended to have said when +I took my pen, and I am persuaded that if these papers ever come to +your hands, they will enable you to cast up the account between party +and me. Till the time of the Queen’s death it stands, I +believe, even between us. The Tories distinguished me by their +approbation and by the credit which I had amongst them, and I endeavoured +to distinguish myself in their service, under the immediate weight of +great discouragement and with the not very distant prospect of great +danger. Since that time the account is not so even, and I dare +appeal to any impartial person whether my side in it be that of the +debtor. As to the opinion of mankind in general, and the judgment +which posterity will pass on these matters, I am under no great concern. +“Suum cuique decus posteritas rependit.”<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +A LETTER TO ALEXANDER POPE<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Dear Sir, - Since you have begun, at my request, the work which I have +wished long that you would undertake, it is but reasonable that I submit +to the task you impose upon me. The mere compliance with anything +you desire, is a pleasure to me. On the present occasion, however, +this compliance is a little interested; and that I may not assume more +merit with you than I really have, I will own that in performing this +act of friendship - for such you are willing to esteem it - the purity +of my motive is corrupted by some regard to my private utility. +In short, I suspect you to be guilty of a very friendly fraud, and to +mean my service whilst you seem to mean your own.<br> +<br> +In leading me to discourse, as you have done often, and in pressing +me to write, as you do now, on certain subjects, you may propose to +draw me back to those trains of thought which are, above all others, +worthy to employ the human mind: and I thank you for it. They +have been often interrupted by the business and dissipations of the +world, but they were never so more grievously to me, nor less usefully +to the public, than since royal seduction prevailed on me to abandon +the quiet and leisure of the retreat I had chosen abroad, and to neglect +the example of Rutilius, for I might have imitated him in this at least, +who fled further from his country when he was invited home.<br> +<br> +You have begun your ethic epistles in a masterly manner. You have +copied no other writer, nor will you, I think, be copied by any one. +It is with genius as it is with beauty; there are a thousand pretty +things that charm alike; but superior genius, like superior beauty, +has always something particular, something that belongs to itself alone. +It is always distinguishable, not only from those who have no claim +to excellence, but even from those who excel, when any such there are.<br> +<br> +I am pleased, you may be sure, to find your satire turn, in the very +beginning of these epistles, against the principal cause - for such +you know that I think it - of all the errors, all the contradictions, +and all the disputes which have arisen among those who impose themselves +on their fellow-creatures for great masters, and almost sole proprietors +of a gift of God which is common to the whole species. This gift +is reason; a faculty, or rather an aggregate of faculties, that is bestowed +in different degrees; and not in the highest, certainly, on those who +make the highest pretensions to it. Let your satire chastise, +and, if it be possible, humble that pride, which is the fruitful parent +of their vain curiosity and bold presumption; which renders them dogmatical +in the midst of ignorance, and often sceptical in the midst of knowledge. +The man who is puffed up with this philosophical pride, whether divine +or theist, or atheist, deserves no more to be respected than one of +those trifling creatures who are conscious of little else than their +animality, and who stop as far short of the attainable perfections of +their nature as the other attempts to go beyond them. You will +discover as many silly affections, as much foppery and futility, as +much inconsistency and low artifice in one as in the other. I +never met the mad woman at Brentford decked out in old and new rags, +and nice and fantastical in the manner of wearing them, without reflecting +on many of the profound scholars and sublime philosophers of our own +and of former ages.<br> +<br> +You may expect some contradiction and some obloquy on the part of these +men, though you will have less to apprehend from their malice and resentment +than a writer in prose on the same subjects would have. You will +be safer in the generalities of poetry; and I know your precaution enough +to know that you will screen yourself in them against any direct charge +of heterodoxy. But the great clamour of all will be raised when +you descend lower, and let your Muse loose among the herd of mankind. +Then will those powers of dulness whom you have ridiculed into immortality +be called forth in one united phalanx against you. But why do +I talk of what may happen? You have experienced lately something +more than I prognosticate. Fools and knaves should be modest at +least; they should ask quarter of men of sense and virtue: and so they +do till they grow up to a majority, till a similitude of character assures +them of the protection of the great. But then vice and folly such +as prevail in our country, corrupt our manners, deform even social life, +and contribute to make us ridiculous as well as miserable, will claim +respect for the sake of the vicious and the foolish. It will be +then no longer sufficient to spare persons; for to draw even characters +of imagination must become criminal when the application of them to +those of highest rank and greatest power cannot fail to be made. +You began to laugh at the ridiculous taste or the no taste in gardening +and building of some men who are at great expense in both. What +a clamour was raised instantly! The name of Timon was applied +to a noble person with double malice, to make him ridiculous, and you, +who lived in friendship with him, odious. By the authority that +employed itself to encourage this clamour, and by the industry used +to spread and support it, one would have thought that you had directed +your satire in that epistle to political subjects, and had inveighed +against those who impoverish, dishonour, and sell their country, instead +of making yourself inoffensively merry at the expense of men who ruin +none but themselves, and render none but themselves ridiculous. +What will the clamour be, and how will the same authority foment it, +when you proceed to lash, in other instances, our want of elegance even +in luxury, and our wild profusion, the source of insatiable rapacity, +and almost universal venality? My mind forebodes that the time +will come - and who knows how near it may be? - when other powers than +those of Grub Street may be drawn forth against you, and when vice and +folly may be avowedly sheltered behind a power instituted for better +and contrary purposes - for the punishment of one, and for the reformation +of both.<br> +<br> +But, however this may be, pursue your task undauntedly, and whilst so +many others convert the noblest employments of human society into sordid +trades, let the generous Muse resume her ancient dignity, re-assert +her ancient prerogative, and instruct and reform, as well as amuse the +world. Let her give a new turn to the thoughts of men, raise new +affections in their minds, and determine in another and better manner +the passions of their hearts. Poets, they say, were the first +philosophers and divines in every country, and in ours, perhaps, the +first institutions of religion and civil policy were owing to our bards. +Their task might be hard, their merit was certainly great. But +if they were to rise now from the dead they would find the second task, +if I mistake not, much harder than the first, and confess it more easy +to deal with ignorance than with error. When societies are once +established and Governments formed, men flatter themselves that they +proceed in cultivating the first rudiments of civility, policy, religion, +and learning. But they do not observe that the private interests +of many, the prejudices, affections, and passions of all, have a large +share in the work, and often the largest. These put a sort of +bias on the mind, which makes it decline from the straight course; and +the further these supposed improvements are carried, the greater this +declination grows, till men lose sight of primitive and real nature, +and have no other guide but custom, a second and a false nature. +The author of one is divine wisdom; of the other, human imagination; +and yet whenever the second stands in opposition to the first, as it +does most frequently, the second prevails. From hence it happens +that the most civilised nations are often guilty of injustice and cruelty +which the least civilised would abhor, and that many of the most absurd +opinions and doctrines which have been imposed in the Dark Ages of ignorance +continue to be the opinions and doctrines of ages enlightened by philosophy +and learning. “If I was a philosopher,” says Montaigne, +“I would naturalise art instead of artilising Nature.” +The expression is odd, but the sense is good, and what he recommends +would be done if the reasons that have been given did not stand in the +way; if the self-interest of some men, the madness of others, and the +universal pride of the human heart did not determine them to prefer +error to truth and authority to reason.<br> +<br> +Whilst your Muse is employed to lash the vicious into repentance, or +to laugh the fools of the age into shame, and whilst she rises sometimes +to the noblest subjects of philosophical meditation, I shall throw upon +paper, for your satisfaction and for my own, some part at least of what +I have thought and said formerly on the last of these subjects, as well +as the reflections that they may suggest to me further in writing on +them. The strange situation I am in, and the melancholy state +of public affairs, take up much of my time; divide, or even dissipate, +my thoughts; and, which is worse, drag the mind down by perpetual interruptions +from a philosophical tone or temper to the drudgery of private and public +business. The last lies nearest my heart; and since I am once +more engaged in the service of my country, disarmed, gagged, and almost +bound as I am, I will not abandon it as long as the integrity and perseverance +of those who are under none of these disadvantages, and with whom I +now co-operate, make it reasonable for me to act the same part. +Further than this no shadow of duty obliges me to go. Plato ceased +to act for the Commonwealth when he ceased to persuade, and Solon laid +down his arms before the public magazine when Pisistratus grew too strong +to be opposed any longer with hopes of success.<br> +<br> +Though my situation and my engagements are sufficiently known to you, +I choose to mention them on this occasion lest you should expect from +me anything more than I find myself able to perform whilst I am in them. +It has been said by many that they wanted time to make their discourses +shorter; and if this be a good excuse, as I think it may be often, I +lay in my claim to it. You must neither expect in what I am about +to write to you that brevity which might be expected in letters or essays, +nor that exactness of method, nor that fulness of the several parts +which they affect to observe who presume to write philosophical treatises. +The merit of brevity is relative to the manner and style in which any +subject is treated, as well as to the nature of it; for the same subject +may be sometimes treated very differently, and yet very properly, in +both these respects. Should the poet make syllogisms in verse, +or pursue a long process of reasoning in the didactic style, he would +be sure to tire his reader on the whole, like Lucretius, though he reasoned +better than the Roman, and put into some parts of his work the same +poetical fire. He may write, as you have begun to do, on philosophical +subjects, but he must write in his own character. He must contract, +he may shadow, he has a right to omit whatever will not be cast in the +poetic mould; and when he cannot instruct, he may hope to please. +But the philosopher has no such privileges. He may contract sometimes, +he must never shadow. He must be limited by his matter, lest he +should grow whimsical, and by the parts of it which he understands best, +lest he should grow obscure. But these parts he must develop fully, +and he has no right to omit anything that may serve the purpose of truth, +whether it please or not. As it would be disingenuous to sacrifice +truth to popularity, so it is trifling to appeal to the reason and experience +of mankind, as every philosophical writer does, or must be understood +to do, and then to talk, like Plato and his ancient and modern disciples, +to the imagination only. There is no need, however, to banish +eloquence out of philosophy, and truth and reason are no enemies to +the purity nor to the ornaments of language. But as the want of +an exact determination of ideas and of an exact precision in the use +of words is inexcusable in a philosopher, he must preserve them, even +at the expense of style. In short, it seems to me that the business +of the philosopher is to dilate, if I may borrow this word from Tully, +to press, to prove, to convince; and that of the poet to hint, to touch +his subject with short and spirited strokes, to warm the affections, +and to speak to the heart.<br> +<br> +Though I seem to prepare an apology for prolixity even in writing essays, +I will endeavour not to be tedious, and this endeavour may succeed the +better perhaps by declining any over-strict observation of method. +There are certain points of that which I esteem the first philosophy +whereof I shall never lose sight, but this will be very consistent with +a sort of epistolary licence. To digress and to ramble are different +things, and he who knows the country through which he travels may venture +out of the highroad, because he is sure of finding his way back to it +again. Thus the several matters that may arise even accidentally +before me will have some share in guiding my pen.<br> +<br> +I dare not promise that the sections or members of these essays will +bear that nice proportion to one another and to the whole which a severe +critic would require. All I dare promise you is that my thoughts, +in what order soever they flow, shall be communicated to you just as +they pass through my mind, just as they use to be when we converse together +on these or any other subjects when we saunter alone, or, as we have +often done with good Arbuthnot and the jocose Dean of St. Patrick’s, +among the multiplied scenes of your little garden. That theatre +is large enough for my ambition. I dare not pretend to instruct +mankind, and I am not humble enough to write to the public for any other +purpose. I mean by writing on such subjects as I intend here, +to make some trial of my progress in search of the most important truths, +and to make this trial before a friend in whom I think I may confide. +These epistolary essays, therefore, will be written with as little regard +to form and with as little reserve as I used to show in the conversations +which have given occasion to them, when I maintained the same opinions +and insisted on the same reasons in defence of them.<br> +<br> +It might seem strange to a man not well acquainted with the world, and +in particular with the philosophical and theological tribe, that so +much precaution should be necessary in the communication of our thoughts +on any subject of the first philosophy, which is of common concern to +the whole race of mankind, and wherein no one can have, according to +nature and truth, any separate interest. Yet so it is. The +separate interests we cannot have by God’s institutions, are created +by those of man; and there is no subject on which men deal more unfairly +with one another than this. There are separate interests, to mention +them in general only, of prejudice and of profession. By the first, +men set out in the search of truth under the conduct of error, and work +up their heated imaginations often to such a delirium that the more +genius, and the more learning they have, the madder they grow. +By the second, they are sworn, as it were, to follow all their lives +the authority of some particular school, to which “tanquam scopulo, +adhærescunt;” for the condition of their engagement is to +defend certain doctrines, and even mere forms of speech, without examination, +or to examine only in order to defend them. By both, they become +philosophers as men became Christians in the primitive Church, or as +they determined themselves about disputed doctrines; for says Hilarius, +writing to St. Austin, “Your holiness knows that the greatest +part of the faithful embrace, or refuse to embrace, a doctrine for no +reason but the impression which the name and authority of some body +or other makes on them.” What now can a man who seeks truth +for the sake of truth, and is indifferent where he finds it, expect +from any communication of his thoughts to such men as these? He +will be much deceived if he expects anything better than imposition +or altercation.<br> +<br> +Few men have, I believe, consulted others, both the living and the dead, +with less presumption, and in a greater spirit of docility, than I have +done: and the more I have consulted, the less have I found of that inward +conviction on which a mind that is not absolutely implicit can rest. +I thought for a time that this must be my fault. I distrusted +myself, not my teachers - men of the greatest name, ancient and modern. +But I found at last that it was safer to trust myself than them, and +to proceed by the light of my own understanding than to wander after +these <i>ignes fatui</i> of philosophy. If I am able therefore +to tell you easily, and at the same time so clearly and distinctly as +to be easily understood, and so strongly as not to be easily refuted, +how I have thought for myself, I shall be persuaded that I have thought +enough on these subjects. If I am not able to do this, it will +be evident that I have not thought on them enough. I must review +my opinions, discover and correct my errors.<br> +<br> +I have said that the subjects I mean, and which will be the principal +objects of these essays, are those of the first philosophy; and it is +fit, therefore, that I should explain what I understand by the first +philosophy. Do not imagine that I understand what has passed commonly +under that name - metaphysical pneumatics, for instance, or ontology. +The first are conversant about imaginary substances, such as may and +may not exist. That there is a God we can demonstrate; and although +we know nothing of His manner of being, yet we acknowledge Him to be +immaterial, because a thousand absurdities, and such as imply the strongest +contradiction, result from the supposition that the Supreme Being is +a system of matter. But of any other spirits we neither have nor +can have any knowledge: and no man will be inquisitive about spiritual +physiognomy, nor go about to inquire, I believe, at this time, as Evodius +inquired of St. Austin, whether our immaterial part, the soul, does +not remain united, when it forsakes this gross terrestrial body, to +some ethereal body more subtile and more fine; which was one of the +Pythagorean and Platonic whimsies: nor be under any concern to know, +if this be not the case of the dead, how souls can be distinguished +after their separation - that of Dives, for example, from that of Lazarus. +The second - that is, ontology - treats most scientifically of being +abstracted from all being (“de ente quatenus ens”). +It came in fashion whilst Aristotle was in fashion, and has been spun +into an immense web out of scholastic brains. But it should be, +and I think it is already, left to the acute disciples of Leibnitz, +who dug for gold in the ordure of the schools, and to other German wits. +Let them darken by tedious definitions what is too plain to need any; +or let them employ their vocabulary of barbarous terms to propagate +an unintelligible jargon, which is supposed to express such abstractions +as they cannot make, and according to which, however, they presume often +to control the particular and most evident truths of experimental knowledge. +Such reputed science deserves no rank in philosophy, not the last, and +much less the first.<br> +<br> +I desire you not to imagine neither that I understand by the first philosophy +even such a science as my Lord Bacon describes - a science of general +observations and axioms, such as do not belong properly to any particular +part of science, but are common to many, “and of an higher stage,” +as he expresses himself. He complains that philosophers have not +gone up to the “spring-head,” which would be of “general +and excellent use for the disclosing of Nature and the abridgment of +art,” though they “draw now and then a bucket of water out +of the well for some particular use.” I respect - no man +more - this great authority; but I respect no authority enough to subscribe +on the faith of it, to that which appears to me fantastical, as if it +were real. Now this spring-head of science is purely fantastical, +and the figure conveys a false notion to the mind, as figures employed +licentiously are apt to do. The great author himself calls these +axioms, which are to constitute his first philosophy, observations. +Such they are properly; for there are some uniform principles, or uniform +impressions of the same nature, to be observed in very different subjects, +“una eademque naturæ vestigia aut signacula diversis materiis +et subjectis impressa.” These observations, therefore, when +they are sufficiently verified and well established, may be properly +applied in discourse, or writing, from one subject to another. +But I apprehend that when they are so applied, they serve rather to +illustrate a proposition than to disclose Nature, or to abridge art. +They may have a better foundation than similitudes and comparisons more +loosely and more superficially made. They may compare realities, +not appearances; things that Nature has made alike, not things that +seem only to have some relation of this kind in our imaginations. +But still they are comparisons of things distinct and independent. +They do not lead us to things, but things that are lead us to make them. +He who possesses two sciences, and the same will be often true of arts, +may find in certain respects a similitude between them because he possesses +both. If he did not possess both, be would be led by neither to +the acquisition of the other. Such observations are effects, not +means of knowledge; and, therefore, to suppose that any collection of +them can constitute a science of an “higher stage,” from +whence we may reason <i>à priori</i> down to particulars, is, +I presume, to suppose something very groundless, and very useless at +best, to the advancement of knowledge. A pretended science of +this kind must be barren of knowledge, and may be fruitful of error, +as the Persian magic was, if it proceeded on the faint analogy that +may be discovered between physics and politics, and deduced the rules +of civil government from what the professors of it observed of the operations +and works of Nature in the material world. The very specimen of +their magic which my Lord Bacon has given would be sufficient to justify +what is here objected to his doctrine.<br> +<br> +Let us conclude this head by mentioning two examples among others which +he brings to explain the better what he means by his first philosophy. +The first is this axiom, “If to unequals you add equals, all will +be unequal.” This, he says, is an axiom of justice as well +as of mathematics; and he asks whether there is not a true coincidence +between commutative and distributive justice, and arithmetical and geometrical +proportion. But I would ask in my turn whether the certainty that +any arithmetician or geometrician has of the arithmetical or geometrical +truth will lead him to discover this coincidence. I ask whether +the most profound lawyer who never heard perhaps this axiom would be +led to it by his notions of commutative and distributive justice. +Certainly not. He who is well skilled in arithmetic or geometry, +and in jurisprudence, may observe perhaps this uniformity of natural +principle or impression because he is so skilled, though, to say the +truth, it be not very obvious; but he will not have derived his knowledge +of it from any spring-head of a first philosophy, from any science of +an “higher stage” than arithmetic, geometry, and jurisprudence.<br> +<br> +The second example is this axiom, “That the destruction of things +is prevented by the reduction of them to their first principles.” +This rule is said to hold in religion, in physics, and in politics; +and Machiavel is quoted for having established it in the last of these. +Now though this axiom be generally, it is not universally, true; and, +to say nothing of physics, it will not be hard to produce, in contradiction +to it, examples of religious and civil institutions that would have +perished if they had been kept strictly to their first principles, and +that have been supported by departing more or less from them. +It may seem justly matter of wonder that the author of the “Advancement +of Learning” should espouse this maxim in religion and politics, +as well as physics, so absolutely, and that he should place it as an +axiom of his first philosophy relatively to the three, since he could +not do it without falling into the abuse he condemns so much in his +“Organum Novum” - the abuse philosophers are guilty of when +they suffer the mind to rise too fast, as it is apt to do, from particulars +to remote and general axioms. That the author of the “Political +Discourses” should fall into this abuse is not at all strange. +The same abuse runs through all his writings, in which, among many wise +and many wicked reflections and precepts, he establishes frequently +general maxims or rules of conduct on a few particular examples, and +sometimes on a single example. Upon the whole matter, one of these +axioms communicates no knowledge but that which we must have before +we can know the axiom, and the other may betray us into great error +when we apply it to use and action. One is unprofitable, the other +dangerous; and the philosophy which admits them as principles of general +knowledge deserves ill to be reputed philosophy. It would have +been just as useful, and much more safe, to admit into this receptacle +of axioms those self-evident and necessary truths alone of which we +have an immediate perception, since they are not confined to any special +parts of science, but are common to several, or to all. Thus these +profitable axioms, “What is, is,” “The whole is bigger +than a part,” and divers others, might serve to enlarge the spring-head +of a first philosophy, and be of excellent use in arguing <i>ex prœcognitis +et prœconcessis.<br> +<br> +</i>If you ask me now what I understand then by a first philosophy, +my answer will be such as I suppose you already prepared to receive. +I understand by a first philosophy, that which deserves the first place +on account of the dignity and importance of its objects, natural theology +or theism, and natural religion or ethics. If we consider the +order of the sciences in their rise and progress, the first place belongs +to natural philosophy, the mother of them all, or the trunk, the tree +of knowledge, out of which, and in proportion to which, like so many +branches, they all grow. These branches spread wide, and bear +even fruits of different kinds. But the sap that made them shoot, +and makes them flourish, rises from the root through the trunk, and +their productions are varied according to the variety of strainers through +which it flows. In plain terms, I speak not here of supernatural, +or revealed science; and therefore I say that all science, if it be +real, must rise from below, and from our own level. It cannot +descend from above, nor from superior systems of being and knowledge. +Truth of existence is truth of knowledge, and therefore reason searches +after them in one of these scenes, where both are to be found together, +and are within our reach; whilst imagination hopes fondly to find them +in another, where both of them are to be found, but surely not by us. +The notices we receive from without concerning the beings that surround +us, and the inward consciousness we have of our own, are the foundations, +and the true criterions too, of all the knowledge we acquire of body +and of mind: and body and mind are objects alike of natural philosophy. +We assume commonly that they are two distinct substances. Be it +so. They are still united, and blended, as it were, together, +in one human nature: and all natures, united or not, fall within the +province of natural philosophy. On the hypothesis indeed that +body and soul are two distinct substances, one of which subsists after +the dissolution of the other, certain men, who have taken the whimsical +title of metaphysicians, as if they had science beyond the bounds of +Nature, or of Nature discoverable by others, have taken likewise to +themselves the doctrine of mind; and have left that of body, under the +name of physics, to a supposed inferior order of philosophers. +But the right of these stands good; for all the knowledge that can be +acquired about mind, or the unextended substance of the Cartesians, +must be acquired, like that about body, or the extended substance, within +the bounds of their province, and by the means they employ, particular +experiments and observations. Nothing can be true of mind, any +more than of body, that is repugnant to these; and an intellectual hypothesis +which is not supported by the intellectual phenomena is at least as +ridiculous as a corporeal hypothesis which is not supported by the corporeal +phenomena.<br> +<br> +If I have said thus much in this place concerning natural philosophy, +it has not been without good reason. I consider theology and ethics +as the first of sciences in pre-eminence of rank. But I consider +the constant contemplation of Nature - by which I mean the whole system +of God’s works as far as it lies open to us - as the common spring +of all sciences, and even of these. What has been said agreeably +to this notion seems to me evidently true; and yet metaphysical divines +and philosophers proceed in direct contradiction to it, and have thereby, +if I mistake not, bewildered themselves, and a great part of mankind, +in such inextricable labyrinths of hypothetical reasoning, that few +men can find their way back, and none can find it forward into the road +of truth. To dwell long, and on some points always, in particular +knowledge, tires the patience of these impetuous philosophers. +They fly to generals. To consider attentively even the minutest +phenomena of body and mind mortifies their pride. Rather than +creep up slowly, <i>à posteriori,</i> to a little general knowledge, +they soar at once as far and as high as imagination can carry them. +From thence they descend again, armed with systems and arguments <i>à +priori;</i> and, regardless how these agree or clash with the phenomena +of Nature, they impose them on mankind.<br> +<br> +It is this manner of philosophising, this preposterous method of beginning +our search after truth out of the bounds of human knowledge, or of continuing +it beyond them, that has corrupted natural theology and natural religion +in all ages. They have been corrupted to such a degree that it +is grown, and was so long since, as necessary to plead the cause of +God, if I may use this expression after Seneca, against the divine as +against the atheist; to assert his existence against the latter, to +defend his attributes against the former, and to justify his providence +against both. To both a sincere and humble theist might say very +properly, “I make no difference between you on many occasions, +because it is indifferent whether you deny or defame the Supreme Being.” +Nay, Plutarch, though little orthodox in theology, was not in the wrong +perhaps when he declared the last to be the worst.<br> +<br> +In treating the subjects about which I shall write to you in these letters +or essays, it will be therefore necessary to distinguish genuine and +pure theism from the unnatural and profane mixtures of human imagination +- what we can know of God from what we cannot know. This is the +more necessary, too, because, whilst true and false notions about God +and religion are blended together in our minds under one specious name +of science, the false are more likely to make men doubt of the true, +as it often happens, than to persuade men that they are true themselves. +Now, in order to this purpose, nothing can be more effectual than to +go to the root of error, of that primitive error which encourages our +curiosity, sustains our pride, fortifies our prejudices, and gives pretence +to delusion. This primitive error consists in the high opinion +we are apt to entertain of the human mind, though it holds, in truth, +a very low rank in the intellectual system. To cure this error +we need only turn our eyes inward, and contemplate impartially what +passes there from the infancy to the maturity of the mind. Thus +it will not be difficult, and thus alone it is possible, to discover +the true nature of human knowledge - how far it extends, how far it +is real, and where and how it begins to be fantastical.<br> +<br> +Such an inquiry, if it cannot check the presumption nor humble the pride +of metaphysicians, may serve to undeceive others. Locke pursued +it; he grounded all he taught on the phenomena of Nature; he appealed +to the experience and conscious knowledge of every one, and rendered +all he advanced intelligible. Leibnitz, one of the vainest and +most chimerical men that ever got a name in philosophy, and who is often +so unintelligible that no man ought to believe he understood himself, +censured Locke as a superficial philosopher. What has happened? +The philosophy of one has forced its way into general approbation, that +of the other has carried no conviction and scarce any information to +those who have misspent their time about it. To speak the truth, +though it may seem a paradox, our knowledge on many subjects, and particularly +on those which we intend here, must be superficial to be real. +This is the condition of humanity. We are placed, as it were, +in an intellectual twilight, where we discover but few things clearly, +and none entirely, and yet see just enough to tempt us with the hope +of making better and more discoveries. Thus flattered, men push +their inquiries on, and may be properly enough compared to Ixion, who +“imagined he had Juno in his arms whilst he embraced a cloud.”<br> +<br> +To be contented to know things as God has made us capable of knowing +them is, then, a first principle necessary to secure us from falling +into error; and if there is any subject upon which we should be most +on our guard against error, it is surely that which I have called here +the first philosophy. God is hid from us in the majesty of His +nature, and the little we discover of Him must be discovered by the +light that is reflected from His works. Out of this light, therefore, +we should never go in our inquiries and reasonings about His nature, +His attributes, and the order of His providence; and yet upon these +subjects men depart the furthest from it - nay, they who depart the +furthest are the best heard by the bulk of mankind. The less men +know, the more they believe that they know. Belief passes in their +minds for knowledge, and the very circumstances which should beget doubt +produce increase of faith. Every glittering apparition that is +pointed out to them in the vast wild of imagination passes for a reality; +and the more distant, the more confused, the more incomprehensible it +is, the more sublime it is esteemed. He who should attempt to +shift these scenes of airy vision for those of real knowledge might +expect to be treated with scorn and anger by the whole theological and +metaphysical tribe, the masters and the scholars; he would be despised +as a plebeian philosopher, and railed at as an infidel. It would +be sounded high that he debased human nature, which has a “cognation,” +so the reverend and learned Doctor Cudworth calls it, with the divine; +that the soul of man, immaterial and immortal by its nature, was made +to contemplate higher and nobler objects than this sensible world, and +even than itself, since it was made to contemplate God and to be united +to Him. In such clamour as this the voice of truth and of reason +would be drowned, and, with both of them on his side, he who opposed +it would make many enemies and few converts - nay, I am apt to think +that some of these, if he made any, would say to him, as soon as the +gaudy visions of error were dispelled, and till they were accustomed +to the simplicity of truth, “Pol me occidistis.” Prudence +forbids me, therefore, to write as I think to the world, whilst friendship +forbids me to write otherwise to you. I have been a martyr of +faction in politics, and have no vocation to be so in philosophy.<br> +<br> +But there is another consideration which deserves more regard, because +it is of a public nature, and because the common interests of society +may be affected by it. Truth and falsehood, knowledge and ignorance, +revelations of the Creator, inventions of the creature, dictates of +reason, sallies of enthusiasm, have been blended so long together in +our systems of theology that it may be thought dangerous to separate +them, lest by attacking some parts of these systems we should shake +the whole. It may be thought that error itself deserves to be +respected on this account, and that men who are deluded for their good +should be deluded on.<br> +<br> +Some such reflections as these it is probable that Erasmus made when +he observed, in one of his letters to Melancthon, that Plato, dreaming +of a philosophical commonwealth, saw the impossibility of governing +the multitude without deceiving them. “Let not Christians +lie,” says this great divine: “but let it not be thought +neither that every truth ought to be thrown out to the vulgar.” +(“Non expedit omnem veritatem prodere vulgo.”) Scævola +and Varro were more explicit than Erasmus, and more reasonable than +Plato. They held not only that many truths were to be concealed +from the vulgar, but that it was expedient the vulgar should believe +many things that were false. They distinguished at the same time, +very rightly, between the regard due to religions already established, +and the conduct to be held in the establishment of them. The Greek +assumed that men could not be governed by truth, and erected on this +principle a fabulous theology. The Romans were not of the same +opinion. Varro declared expressly that if he had been to frame +a new institution, he would have framed it “ex naturæ potius +formula.” But they both thought that things evidently false +might deserve an outward respect when they are interwoven into a system +of government. This outward respect every good citizen will show +them in such a case, and they can claim no more in any. He will +not propagate these errors, but he will be cautious how he propagates +even truth in opposition to them.<br> +<br> +There has been much noise made about free-thinking; and men have been +animated in the contest by a spirit that becomes neither the character +of divines nor that of good citizens, by an arbitrary tyrannical spirit +under the mask of religious zeal, and by a presumptuous factious spirit +under that of liberty. If the first could prevail, they would +establish implicit belief and blind obedience, and an Inquisition to +maintain this abject servitude. To assert antipodes might become +once more as heretical as Arianism or Pelagianism; and men might be +dragged to the jails of some Holy Office, like Galilei, for saying they +had seen what in fact they had seen, and what every one else that pleased +might see. If the second could prevail, they would destroy at +once the general influence of religion by shaking the foundations of +it which education had laid. These are wide extremes. Is +there no middle path in which a reasonable man and a good citizen may +direct his steps? I think there is.<br> +<br> +Every one has an undoubted right to think freely - nay, it is the duty +of every one to do so as far as he has the necessary means and opportunities. +This duty, too, is in no case so incumbent on him as in those that regard +what I call the first philosophy. They who have neither means +nor opportunities of this sort must submit their opinions to authority; +and to what authority can they resign themselves so properly and so +safely as to that of the laws and constitution of their country? +In general, nothing can be more absurd than to take opinions of the +greatest moment, and such as concern us the most intimately, on trust; +but there is no help against it in many particular cases. Things +the most absurd in speculation become necessary in practice. Such +is the human constitution, and reason excuses them on the account of +this necessity. Reason does even a little more, and it is all +she can do. She gives the best direction possible to the absurdity. +Thus she directs those who must believe because they cannot know, to +believe in the laws of their country, and conform their opinions and +practice to those of their ancestors, to those of Coruncanius, of Scipio, +of Scævola - not to those of Zeno, of Cleanthes, of Chrysippus.<br> +<br> +But now the same reason that gives this direction to such men as these +will give a very contrary direction to those who have the means and +opportunities the others want. Far from advising them to submit +to this mental bondage, she will advise them to employ their whole industry +to exert the utmost freedom of thought, and to rest on no authority +but hers - that is, their own. She will speak to them in the language +of the Soufys, a sect of philosophers in Persia that travellers have +mentioned. “Doubt,” say these wise and honest freethinkers, +“is the key of knowledge. He who never doubts, never examines. +He who never examines, discovers nothing. He who discovers nothing, +is blind and will remain so. If you find no reason to doubt concerning +the opinions of your fathers, keep to them; they will be sufficient +for you. If you find any reason to doubt concerning them, seek +the truth quietly, but take care not to disturb the minds of other men.”<br> +<br> +Let us proceed agreeably to these maxims. Let us seek truth, but +seek it quietly as well as freely. Let us not imagine, like some +who are called freethinkers, that every man, who can think and judge +for himself, as he has a right to do, has therefore a right of speaking, +any more than of acting, according to the full freedom of his thoughts. +The freedom belongs to him as a rational creature; he lies under the +restraint as a member of society.<br> +<br> +If the religion we profess contained nothing more than articles of faith +and points of doctrine clearly revealed to us in the Gospel, we might +be obliged to renounce our natural freedom of thought in favour of this +supernatural authority. But since it is notorious that a certain +order of men, who call themselves the Church, have been employed to +make and propagate a theological system of their own, which they call +Christianity, from the days of the Apostles, and even from these days +inclusively, it is our duty to examine and analyse the whole, that we +may distinguish what is divine from what is human; adhere to the first +implicitly, and ascribe to the last no more authority than the word +of man deserves.<br> +<br> +Such an examination is the more necessary to be undertaken by every +one who is concerned for the truth of his religion and for the honour +of Christianity, because the first preachers of it were not, and they +who preach it still are not, agreed about many of the most important +points of their system; because the controversies raised by these men +have banished union, peace, and charity out of the Christian world; +and because some parts of the system savour so much of superstition +and enthusiasm that all the prejudices of education and the whole weight +of civil and ecclesiastical power can hardly keep them in credit. +These considerations deserve the more attention because nothing can +be more true than what Plutarch said of old, and my Lord Bacon has said +since: one, that superstition, and the other, that vain controversies +are principal causes of atheism.<br> +<br> +I neither expect nor desire to see any public revision made of the present +system of Christianity. I should fear an attempt to alter the +established religion as much as they who have the most bigot attachment +to it, and for reasons as good as theirs, though not entirely the same. +I speak only of the duty of every private man to examine for himself, +which would have an immediate good effect relatively to himself, and +might have in time a good effect relatively to the public, since it +would dispose the minds of men to a greater indifference about theological +disputes, which are the disgrace of Christianity and have been the plagues +of the world.<br> +<br> +Will you tell me that private judgment must submit to the established +authority of Fathers and Councils? My answer shall be that the +Fathers, ancient and modern, in Councils and out of them, have raised +that immense system of artificial theology by which genuine Christianity +is perverted and in which it is lost. These Fathers are fathers +of the worst sort, such as contrive to keep their children in a perpetual +state of infancy, that they may exercise perpetual and absolute dominion +over them. “Quo magis regnum in illos exerceant pro sua +libidine.” I call their theology artificial, because it +is in a multitude of instances conformable neither to the religion of +Nature nor to Gospel Christianity, but often repugnant to both, though +said to be founded on them. I shall have occasion to mention several +such instances in the course of these little essays. Here I will +only observe that if it be hard to conceive how anything so absurd as +the pagan theology stands represented by the Fathers who wrote against +it, and as it really was, could ever gain credit among rational creatures, +it is full as hard to conceive how the artificial theology we speak +of could ever prevail, not only in ages of ignorance, but in the most +enlightened. There is a letter of St. Austin wherein he says that +he was ashamed of himself when he refuted the opinions of the former, +and that he was ashamed of mankind when he considered that such absurdities +were received and defended. The reflections might be retorted +on the saint, since he broached and defended doctrines as unworthy of +the Supreme All-Perfect Being as those which the heathens taught concerning +their fictitious and inferior gods. Is it necessary to quote any +other than that by which we are taught that God has created numbers +of men for no purpose but to damn them? “Quisquis prædestinationis +doctrinam invidia gravat,” says Calvin, “aperte maledicit +Deo.” Let us say, “Quisquis prædestinationis +doctrinam asserit, blasphemat”. Let us not impute such cruel +injustice to the all-perfect Being. Let Austin and Calvin and +all those who teach it be answerable for it alone. You may bring +Fathers and Councils as evidences in the cause of artificial theology, +but reason must be the judge; and all I contend for is, that she should +be so in the breast of every Christian that can appeal to her tribunal.<br> +<br> +Will you tell me that even such a private examination of the Christian +system as I propose that every man who is able to make it should make +for himself, is unlawful; and that, if any doubts arise in our minds +concerning religion, we must have recourse for the solution of them +to some of that holy order which was instituted, by God Himself, and +which has been continued by the imposition of hands in every Christian +society, from the Apostles down to the present clergy? My answer +shall be shortly this: it is repugnant to all the ideas of wisdom and +goodness to believe that the universal terms of salvation are knowable +by the means of one order of men alone, and that they continue to be +so even after they have been published to all nations. Some of +your directors will tell you that whilst Christ was on earth the Apostles +were the Church; that He was the Bishop of it; that afterwards the admission +of men into this order was approved, and confirmed by visions and other +divine manifestations; and that these wonderful proofs of God’s +interposition at the ordinations and consecrations of presbyters and +bishops lasted even in the time of St. Cyprian - that is, in the middle +of the third century. It is pity that they lasted no longer, for +the honour of the Church, and for the conviction of those who do not +sufficiently reverence the religious society. It were to be wished, +perhaps, that some of the secrets of electricity were improved enough +to be piously and usefully applied to this purpose. If we beheld +a shekinah, or divine presence, like the flame of a taper, on the heads +of those who receive the imposition of hands, we might believe that +they receive the Holy Ghost at the same time. But as we have no +reason to believe what superstitious, credulous, or lying men (such +as Cyprian himself was) reported formerly, that they might establish +the proud pretensions of the clergy, so we have no reason to believe +that five men of this order have any more of the Divine Spirit in our +time, after they are ordained, than they had before. It would +be a farce to provoke laughter, if there was no suspicion of profanation +in it, to see them gravely lay hands on one another, and bid one another +receive the Holy Ghost.<br> +<br> +Will you tell me finally, in opposition to what has been said, and that +you may anticipate what remains to be said, that laymen are not only +unauthorised, but quite unequal, without the assistance of divines, +to the task I propose? If you do, I shall make no scruple to tell +you, in return, that laymen may be, if they please, in every respect +as fit, and are in one important respect more fit than divines to go +through this examination, and to judge for themselves upon it. +We say that the Scriptures, concerning the divine authenticity of which +all the professors of Christianity agree, are the sole criterion of +Christianity. You add tradition, concerning which there may be, +and there is, much dispute. We have, then, a certain invariable +rule whenever the Scriptures speak plainly. Whenever they do not +speak so, we have this comfortable assurance - that doctrines which +nobody understands are revealed to nobody, and are therefore improper +objects of human inquiry. We know, too, that if we receive the +explanations and commentaries of these dark sayings from the clergy, +we take the greatest part of our religion from the word of man, not +from the Word of God. Tradition, indeed, however derived, is not +to be totally rejected; for if it was, how came the canon of the Scriptures, +even of the Gospels, to be fixed? How was it conveyed down to +us? Traditions of general facts, and general propositions plain +and uniform, may be of some authority and use. But particular +anecdotical traditions, whose original authority is unknown, or justly +suspicious, and that have acquired only an appearance of generality +and notoriety, because they have been frequently and boldly repeated +from age to age, deserve no more regard than doctrines evidently added +to the Scriptures, under pretence of explaining and commenting them, +by men as fallible as ourselves. We may receive the Scriptures, +and be persuaded of their authenticity, on the faith of ecclesiastical +tradition; but it seems to me that we may reject, at the same time, +all the artificial theology which has been raised on these Scriptures +by doctors of the Church, with as much right as they receive the Old +Testament on the authority of Jewish scribes and doctors whilst they +reject the oral law and all rabbinical literature.<br> +<br> +He who examines on such principles as these, which are conformable to +truth and reason, may lay aside at once the immense volumes of Fathers +and Councils, of schoolmen, casuists, and controversial writers, which +have perplexed the world so long. Natural religion will be to +such a man no longer intricate, revealed religion will be no longer +mysterious, nor the Word of God equivocal. Clearness and precision +are two great excellences of human laws. How much more should +we expect to find them in the law of God? They have been banished +from thence by artificial theology, and he who is desirous to find them +must banish the professors of it from his councils, instead of consulting +them. He must seek for genuine Christianity with that simplicity +of spirit with which it is taught in the Gospel by Christ Himself. +He must do the very reverse of what has been done by the persons you +advise him to consult.<br> +<br> +You see that I have said what has been said, on a supposition that, +however obscure theology may be, the Christian religion is extremely +plain, and requires no great learning nor deep meditation to develop +it. But if it was not so plain, if both these were necessary to +develop it, is great learning the monopoly of the clergy since the resurrection +of letters, as a little learning was before that era? Is deep +meditation and justness of reasoning confined to men of that order by +a peculiar and exclusive privilege? In short, and to ask a question +which experience will decide, have these men who boast that they are +appointed by God “to be the interpreters of His secret will, to +represent His person, and to answer in His name, as it were, out of +the sanctuary” - have these men, I say, been able in more than +seventeen centuries to establish an uniform system of revealed religion +- for natural religion never wanted their help among the civil societies +of Christians - or even in their own? They do not seem to have +aimed at this desirable end. Divided as they have always been, +they have always studied in order to believe, and to take upon trust, +or to find matter of discourse, or to contradict and confute, but never +to consider impartially nor to use a free judgment. On the contrary, +they who have attempted to use this freedom of judgment have been constantly +and cruelly persecuted by them.<br> +<br> +The first steps towards the establishment of artificial theology, which +has passed for Christianity ever since, were enthusiastical. They +were not heretics alone who delighted in wild allegories and the pompous +jargon of mystery; they were the orthodox Fathers of the first ages, +they were the disciples of the Apostles, or the scholars of their disciples; +for the truth of which I may appeal to the epistles and other writings +of these men that are extant - to those of Clemens, of Ignatius, or +of Irenæus, for instance - and to the visions of Hermes, that +have so near a resemblance to the productions of Bunyan.<br> +<br> +The next steps of the same kind were rhetorical. They were made +by men who declaimed much and reasoned ill, but who imposed on the imaginations +of others by the heat of their own, by their hyperboles, their exaggerations, +the acrimony of their style, and their violent invectives. Such +were the Chrysostoms, the Jeromes, an Hilarius, a Cyril, and most of +the Fathers.<br> +<br> +The last of the steps I shall mention were logical, and these were made +very opportunely and very advantageously for the Church and for artificial +theology. Absurdity in speculation and superstition in practice +had been cultivated so long, and were become so gross, that men began +to see through the veils that had been thrown over them, as ignorant +as those ages were. Then the schoolmen arose. I need not +display their character; it is enough known. This only I will +say - that having very few materials of knowledge and much subtilty +of wit they wrought up systems of fancy on the little they knew, and +invented an art, by the help of Aristotle, not of enlarging, but of +puzzling, knowledge with technical terms, with definitions, distinctions, +and syllogisms merely verbal. They taught what they could not +explain, evaded what they could not answer, and he who had the most +skill in this art might put to silence, when it came into general use, +the man who was consciously certain that he had truth and reason on +his side.<br> +<br> +The authority of the schools lasted till the resurrection of letters. +But as soon as real knowledge was enlarged, and the conduct of the understanding +better understood, it fell into contempt. The advocates of artificial +theology have had since that time a very hard task. They have +been obliged to defend in the light what was imposed in the dark, and +to acquire knowledge to justify ignorance. They were drawn to +it with reluctance. But learning, that grew up among the laity, +and controversies with one another, made this unavoidable, which was +not eligible on the principles of ecclesiastical policy. They +have done with these new arms all that great parts, great pains, and +great zeal could do under such disadvantages, and we may apply to this +order, on this occasion, “si Pergama dextra,” etc. +But their Troy cannot be defended; irreparable breaches have been made +in it. They have improved in learning and knowledge, but this +improvement has been general, and as remarkable at least among the laity +as among the clergy. Besides which it must be owned that the former +have had in this respect a sort of indirect obligation to the latter; +for whilst these men have searched into antiquity, have improved criticism, +and almost exhausted subtilty, they have furnished so many arms the +more to such of the others as do not submit implicitly to them, but +examine and judge for themselves. By refuting one another, when +they differ, they have made it no hard matter to refute them all when +they agree. And I believe there are few books written to propagate +or defend the received notions of artificial theology which may not +be refuted by the books themselves. I conclude, on the whole, +that laymen have, or need to have, no want of the clergy in examining +and analysing the religion they profess.<br> +<br> +But I said that they are in one important respect more fit to go through +this examination without the help of divines than with it. A layman +who seeks the truth may fall into error; but as he can have no interest +to deceive himself, so he has none of profession to bias his private +judgment, any more than to engage him to deceive others. Now, +the clergyman lies strongly under this influence in every communion. +How, indeed, should it be otherwise? Theology is become one of +those sciences which Seneca calls “scientiæ in lucrum exeuntes;” +and sciences, like arts whose object is gain, are, in good English, +trades. Such theology is, and men who could make no fortune, except +the lowest, in any other, make often the highest in this; for the proof +of which assertion I might produce some signal instances among my lords +the bishops. The consequence has been uniform; for how ready soever +the tradesmen of one Church are to expose the false wares - that is, +the errors and abuses - of another, they never admit that there are +any in their own; and he who admitted this in some particular instance +would be driven out of the ecclesiastical company as a false brother +and one who spoiled the trade.<br> +<br> +Thus it comes to pass that new Churches may be established by the dissensions, +but that old ones cannot be reformed by the concurrence, of the clergy. +There is no composition to be made with this order of men. He +who does not believe all they teach in every communion is reputed nearly +as criminal as he who believes no part of it. He who cannot assent +to the Athanasian Creed, of which Archbishop Tillotson said, as I have +heard, that he wished we were well rid, would receive no better quarter +than an atheist from the generality of the clergy. What recourse +now has a man who cannot be thus implicit? Some have run into +scepticism, some into atheism, and, for fear of being imposed on by +others, have imposed on themselves. The way to avoid these extremes +is that which has been chalked out in this introduction. We may +think freely without thinking as licentiously as divines do when they +raise a system of imagination on true foundations, or as sceptics do +when they renounce all knowledge, or as atheists do when they attempt +to demolish the foundations of all religion and reject demonstration. +As we think for ourselves, we may keep our thoughts to ourselves, or +communicate them with a due reserve and in such a manner only as it +may be done without offending the laws of our country and disturbing +the public peace.<br> +<br> +I cannot conclude my discourse on this occasion better than by putting +you in mind of a passage you quoted to me once, with great applause, +from a sermon of Foster, and to this effect: “Where mystery begins, +religion ends.” The apophthegm pleased me much, and I was +glad to hear such a truth from any pulpit, since it shows an inclination, +at least, to purify Christianity from the leaven of artificial theology, +which consists principally in making things that are very plain mysterious, +and in pretending to make things that are impenetrably mysterious very +plain. If you continue still of the same mind, I shall have no +excuse to make to you for what I have written and shall write. +Our opinions coincide. If you have changed your mind, think again +and examine further. You will find that it is the modest, not +the presumptuous, inquirer who makes a real and safe progress in the +discovery of divine truths. One follows Nature and Nature’s +God - that is, he follows God in His works and in His Word; nor presumes +to go further, by metaphysical and theological commentaries of his own +invention, than the two texts, if I may use this expression, carry him +very evidently. They who have done otherwise, and have affected +to discover, by a supposed science derived from tradition or taught +in the schools, more than they who have not such science can discover +concerning the nature, physical and moral, of the Supreme Being, and +concerning the secrets of His providence, have been either enthusiasts +or knaves, or else of that numerous tribe who reason well very often, +but reason always on some arbitrary supposition.<br> +<br> +Much of this character belonged to the heathen divines, and it is in +all its parts peculiarly that of the ancient Fathers and modern doctors +of the Christian Church. The former had reason, but no revelation, +to guide them; and though reason be always one, we cannot wonder that +different prejudices and different tempers of imagination warped it +in them on such subjects as these, and produced all the extravagances +of their theology. The latter had not the excuse of human frailty +to make in mitigation of their presumption. On the contrary, the +consideration of this frailty, inseparable from their nature, aggravated +their presumption. They had a much surer criterion than human +reason; they had divine reason and the Word of God to guide them and +to limit their inquiries. How came they to go beyond this criterion? +Many of the first preachers were led into it because they preached or +wrote before there was any such criterion established, in the acceptance +of which they all agreed, because they preached or wrote, in the meantime, +on the faith of tradition and on a confidence that they were persons +extraordinarily gifted. Other reasons succeeded these. Skill +in languages, not the gift of tongues, some knowledge of the Jewish +cabala and some of heathen philosophy, of Plato’s especially, +made them presume to comment, and under that pretence to enlarge the +system of Christianity with as much licence as they could have taken +if the word of man, instead of the Word of God, had been concerned, +and they had commented the civil, not the divine, law. They did +this so copiously that, to give one instance of it, the exposition of +St. Matthew’s Gospel took up ninety homilies, and that of St. +John’s eighty-seven, in the works of Chrysostom; which puts me +in mind of a Puritanical parson who, if I mistake not - for I have never +looked into the folio since I was a boy and condemned sometimes to read +in it - made one hundred and nineteen sermons on the hundred and nineteenth +Psalm.<br> +<br> +Now all these men, both heathens and Christians, appeared gigantic forms +through the false medium of imagination and habitual prejudice; but +were, in truth, as arrant dwarfs in the knowledge to which they pretended +as you and I and all the sons of Adam. The former, however, deserved +some excuse; the latter none. The former made a very ill use of +their reason, no doubt, when they presume to dogmatise about the divine +nature, but they deceived nobody. What they taught, they taught +on their own authority, which every other man was at liberty to receive +or reject as he approved or disapproved the doctrine. Christians, +on the other hand, made a very ill use of revelation and reason both. +Instead of employing the superior principle to direct and confine the +inferior, they employed it to sanctify all that wild imagination, the +passions, and the interests of the ecclesiastical order suggested. +This abuse of revelation was so scandalous that whilst they were building +up a system of religion under the name of Christianity, every one who +sought to signalise himself in the enterprise - and they were multitudes +- dragged the Scriptures to his opinion by different interpretations, +paraphrases, comments. Arius and Nestorius both pretended that +they had it on their sides; Athanasius and Cyril on theirs. They +rendered the Word of God so dubious that it ceased to be a criterion, +and they had recourse to another - to Councils and the decrees of Councils. +He must be very ignorant in ecclesiastical antiquity who does not know +by what intrigues of the contending factions - for such they were, and +of the worst kind - these decrees were obtained; and yet, an opinion +prevailing that the Holy Ghost, the same Divine Spirit who dictated +the Scriptures, presided in these assemblies and dictated their decrees, +their decrees passed for infallible decisions, and sanctified, little +by little, much of the superstition, the nonsense, and even the blasphemy +which the Fathers taught, and all the usurpations of the Church. +This opinion prevailed and influenced the minds of men so powerfully +and so long that Erasmus, who owns in one of his letters that the writings +of Œcolampadius against transubstantiation seemed sufficient to +seduce even the elect (“ut seduci posse videantur etiam electi”), +declares in another that nothing hindered him from embracing the doctrine +of Œcolampadius but the consent of the Church to the other doctrine +(“nisi obstaret consensus Ecclesiæ”). Thus artificial +theology rose on the demolitions, not on the foundations, of Christianity; +was incorporated into it; and became a principal part of it. How +much it becomes a good Christian to distinguish them, in his private +thoughts at least, and how unfit even the greatest, the most moderate, +and the least ambitious of the ecclesiastical order are to assist us +in making this distinction, I have endeavoured to show you by reason +and by example.<br> +<br> +It remains, then, that we apply ourselves to the study of the first +philosophy without any other guides than the works and the Word of God. +In natural religion the clergy are unnecessary; in revealed they are +dangerous guides.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, LETTERS BY BOLINGBROKE ***<br> +<pre> + +******This file should be named ltww10h.htm or ltww10h.zip****** +Corrected EDITIONS of our EBooks get a new NUMBER, ltww11h.htm +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, ltww10ah.htm + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we usually do not +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +We are now trying to release all our eBooks one year in advance +of the official release dates, leaving time for better editing. +Please be encouraged to tell us about any error or corrections, +even years after the official publication date. + +Please note neither this listing nor its contents are final til +midnight of the last day of the month of any such announcement. +The official release date of all Project Gutenberg eBooks is at +Midnight, Central Time, of the last day of the stated month. A +preliminary version may often be posted for suggestion, comment +and editing by those who wish to do so. + +Most people start at our Web sites at: +http://gutenberg.net or +http://promo.net/pg + +These Web sites include award-winning information about Project +Gutenberg, including how to donate, how to help produce our new +eBooks, and how to subscribe to our email newsletter (free!). + + +Those of you who want to download any eBook before announcement +can get to them as follows, and just download by date. This is +also a good way to get them instantly upon announcement, as the +indexes our cataloguers produce obviously take a while after an +announcement goes out in the Project Gutenberg Newsletter. + +http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/etext04 or +ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub/docs/books/gutenberg/etext04 + +Or /etext03, 02, 01, 00, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90 + +Just search by the first five letters of the filename you want, +as it appears in our Newsletters. + + +Information about Project Gutenberg (one page) + +We produce about two million dollars for each hour we work. The +time it takes us, a rather conservative estimate, is fifty hours +to get any eBook selected, entered, proofread, edited, copyright +searched and analyzed, the copyright letters written, etc. Our +projected audience is one hundred million readers. If the value +per text is nominally estimated at one dollar then we produce $2 +million dollars per hour in 2002 as we release over 100 new text +files per month: 1240 more eBooks in 2001 for a total of 4000+ +We are already on our way to trying for 2000 more eBooks in 2002 +If they reach just 1-2% of the world's population then the total +will reach over half a trillion eBooks given away by year's end. + +The Goal of Project Gutenberg is to Give Away 1 Trillion eBooks! +This is ten thousand titles each to one hundred million readers, +which is only about 4% of the present number of computer users. + +Here is the briefest record of our progress (* means estimated): + +eBooks Year Month + + 1 1971 July + 10 1991 January + 100 1994 January + 1000 1997 August + 1500 1998 October + 2000 1999 December + 2500 2000 December + 3000 2001 November + 4000 2001 October/November + 6000 2002 December* + 9000 2003 November* +10000 2004 January* + + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been created +to secure a future for Project Gutenberg into the next millennium. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +As of February, 2002, contributions are being solicited from people +and organizations in: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, +Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, +Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, +Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New +Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, +Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South +Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West +Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. + +We have filed in all 50 states now, but these are the only ones +that have responded. + +As the requirements for other states are met, additions to this list +will be made and fund raising will begin in the additional states. +Please feel free to ask to check the status of your state. + +In answer to various questions we have received on this: + +We are constantly working on finishing the paperwork to legally +request donations in all 50 states. If your state is not listed and +you would like to know if we have added it since the list you have, +just ask. + +While we cannot solicit donations from people in states where we are +not yet registered, we know of no prohibition against accepting +donations from donors in these states who approach us with an offer to +donate. + +International donations are accepted, but we don't know ANYTHING about +how to make them tax-deductible, or even if they CAN be made +deductible, and don't have the staff to handle it even if there are +ways. + +Donations by check or money order may be sent to: + +Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +PMB 113 +1739 University Ave. +Oxford, MS 38655-4109 + +Contact us if you want to arrange for a wire transfer or payment +method other than by check or money order. + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been approved by +the US Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) organization with EIN +[Employee Identification Number] 64-622154. Donations are +tax-deductible to the maximum extent permitted by law. As fund-raising +requirements for other states are met, additions to this list will be +made and fund-raising will begin in the additional states. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +You can get up to date donation information online at: + +http://www.gutenberg.net/donation.html + + +*** + +If you can't reach Project Gutenberg, +you can always email directly to: + +Michael S. Hart hart@pobox.com + +Prof. Hart will answer or forward your message. + +We would prefer to send you information by email. + + +**The Legal Small Print** + + +(Three Pages) + +***START**THE SMALL PRINT!**FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS**START*** +Why is this "Small Print!" statement here? You know: lawyers. +They tell us you might sue us if there is something wrong with +your copy of this eBook, even if you got it for free from +someone other than us, and even if what's wrong is not our +fault. So, among other things, this "Small Print!" statement +disclaims most of our liability to you. It also tells you how +you may distribute copies of this eBook if you want to. + +*BEFORE!* YOU USE OR READ THIS EBOOK +By using or reading any part of this PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +eBook, you indicate that you understand, agree to and accept +this "Small Print!" statement. If you do not, you can receive +a refund of the money (if any) you paid for this eBook by +sending a request within 30 days of receiving it to the person +you got it from. If you received this eBook on a physical +medium (such as a disk), you must return it with your request. + +ABOUT PROJECT GUTENBERG-TM EBOOKS +This PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook, like most PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBooks, +is a "public domain" work distributed by Professor Michael S. Hart +through the Project Gutenberg Association (the "Project"). +Among other things, this means that no one owns a United States copyright +on or for this work, so the Project (and you!) can copy and +distribute it in the United States without permission and +without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth +below, apply if you wish to copy and distribute this eBook +under the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark. + +Please do not use the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark to market +any commercial products without permission. + +To create these eBooks, the Project expends considerable +efforts to identify, transcribe and proofread public domain +works. Despite these efforts, the Project's eBooks and any +medium they may be on may contain "Defects". Among other +things, Defects may take the form of incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other +intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged +disk or other eBook medium, a computer virus, or computer +codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment. + +LIMITED WARRANTY; DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES +But for the "Right of Replacement or Refund" described below, +[1] Michael Hart and the Foundation (and any other party you may +receive this eBook from as a PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook) disclaims +all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including +legal fees, and [2] YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE OR +UNDER STRICT LIABILITY, OR FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT, +INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE +OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE +POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. + +If you discover a Defect in this eBook within 90 days of +receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) +you paid for it by sending an explanatory note within that +time to the person you received it from. If you received it +on a physical medium, you must return it with your note, and +such person may choose to alternatively give you a replacement +copy. If you received it electronically, such person may +choose to alternatively give you a second opportunity to +receive it electronically. + +THIS EBOOK IS OTHERWISE PROVIDED TO YOU "AS-IS". NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE TO YOU AS +TO THE EBOOK OR ANY MEDIUM IT MAY BE ON, INCLUDING BUT NOT +LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A +PARTICULAR PURPOSE. + +Some states do not allow disclaimers of implied warranties or +the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages, so the +above disclaimers and exclusions may not apply to you, and you +may have other legal rights. + +INDEMNITY +You will indemnify and hold Michael Hart, the Foundation, +and its trustees and agents, and any volunteers associated +with the production and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm +texts harmless, from all liability, cost and expense, including +legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the +following that you do or cause: [1] distribution of this eBook, +[2] alteration, modification, or addition to the eBook, +or [3] any Defect. + +DISTRIBUTION UNDER "PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm" +You may distribute copies of this eBook electronically, or by +disk, book or any other medium if you either delete this +"Small Print!" and all other references to Project Gutenberg, +or: + +[1] Only give exact copies of it. Among other things, this + requires that you do not remove, alter or modify the + eBook or this "small print!" statement. You may however, + if you wish, distribute this eBook in machine readable + binary, compressed, mark-up, or proprietary form, + including any form resulting from conversion by word + processing or hypertext software, but only so long as + *EITHER*: + + [*] The eBook, when displayed, is clearly readable, and + does *not* contain characters other than those + intended by the author of the work, although tilde + (~), asterisk (*) and underline (_) characters may + be used to convey punctuation intended by the + author, and additional characters may be used to + indicate hypertext links; OR + + [*] The eBook may be readily converted by the reader at + no expense into plain ASCII, EBCDIC or equivalent + form by the program that displays the eBook (as is + the case, for instance, with most word processors); + OR + + [*] You provide, or agree to also provide on request at + no additional cost, fee or expense, a copy of the + eBook in its original plain ASCII form (or in EBCDIC + or other equivalent proprietary form). + +[2] Honor the eBook refund and replacement provisions of this + "Small Print!" statement. + +[3] Pay a trademark license fee to the Foundation of 20% of the + gross profits you derive calculated using the method you + already use to calculate your applicable taxes. If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation" + the 60 days following each date you prepare (or were + legally required to prepare) your annual (or equivalent + periodic) tax return. Please contact us beforehand to + let us know your plans and to work out the details. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +Project Gutenberg is dedicated to increasing the number of +public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed +in machine readable form. + +The Project gratefully accepts contributions of money, time, +public domain materials, or royalty free copyright licenses. +Money should be paid to the: +"Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +If you are interested in contributing scanning equipment or +software or other items, please contact Michael Hart at: +hart@pobox.com + +[Portions of this eBook's header and trailer may be reprinted only +when distributed free of all fees. Copyright (C) 2001, 2002 by +Michael S. Hart. Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be +used in any sales of Project Gutenberg eBooks or other materials be +they hardware or software or any other related product without +express permission.] + +*END THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS*Ver.02/11/02*END* +</pre></body> +</html> diff --git a/old/ltww10h.zip b/old/ltww10h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..65df16f --- /dev/null +++ b/old/ltww10h.zip |
