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said in Newgate, because it was a particularity the reader might be curious to know, and accordingly it lies in a paragraph by itself, after my reflections; but I never meant to be answerable for what Guiscard said, or thought it of weight enough for me to draw conclusions thence, when I had the address of both Houses to direct me better; where it is expressly said, that Mr Harley's fidelity to her majesty, and zeal for her service, have drawn upon him the hatred of all the abettors of Popery and faction. This is what I believe, and what

I shall stick to.

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But, alas! these are not the passages which have raised so much fury against me. One or two mistakes in facts of no importance, or a single blunder, would not have provoked them; they are not so tender of my reputation as a writer. All their outrage is occasioned by those passages in that paper, which they do not in the least pretend to answer, and with the utmost reluctancy are forced to mention. They take abundance of pains to clear Guiscard from a design against Mr Harley's life:* but offer not one argument to clear their

* Harley, as a minister, reaped great advantage from Guiscard's attack on his person. Pity for the sufferer, and horror for the attempt, not only added to his general popularity, but even his professed opponents became ashamed of urging a predilection for France, against a statesman whose life was endangered by a wound from a French agent. What they did not venture to state in their graver publications, they took, however, other means to insinuate. It was suggested, that Guiscard's rage was awakened by finding that his life was to be sacrificed to the safety of an accomplice: and the Archbishop of Dublin, in particular, was charged with quoting the case of Fenius Rufus, and Scevinus, in the 15th book of Tacitus, accensis indicibus ad prodendum Fenium Rufum, quem eundem conscium et inquisitorem non tolerabunt. As another instance

other friends, who, in the business of Greg, were equally guilty of the same design against the same person; whose tongues were very swords, and whose penknives

were axes.

of the power of faction in perverting and ridiculing whatever makes against her cause, and as a justification of the charge brought by Swift against the Whigs, which we may in vain look for in their more formal publications, the following ballad is worth preserving: On Guiscard's stabbing Robin.

Attend, good people, give an ear,
Listen a while, and you shall hear
What strange account Guiscard's affair
Will make in future story:

How he was taken up and try'd,
And how he all the facts deny'd ;
How he was wounded, how he dy'd
To Britain's endless glory.

If fame be not mistaken, he

Taking a turn, one, two, or three,

By order of the ministry,

Was seized in the Park, sir;
And thence convey'd to a room of state,
Where privy councillors debate
The grand affairs of church and state,

As some make their remark, sir.

Young Cato first a letter shows
Of correspondence with our foes,
Which by experience he well knows
Will no small profit bring, sir:
In this the proverb true we see,
Two of a trade can ne'er agree,
For Guiscard was no more than he
A spy to the French king, sir.

The abbot saw himself betray'd
By those who all the scheme had laid,
Whose tool he all along was made,

To serve young Perkin's ends, sir;
And, therefore, boldly out he drew
A knife, whose metal prov'd untrue,
And at good Robin's breast he flew,
Resolved to fall with friends, sir.

No. XXXIV.

THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 1710-11.

-Sunt hic etiam sua præmia laudi;

Sunt lachrymæ rerum, et mentem mortalia tangunt.

-See

The palm that virtue yields! in scenes like these
We trace humanity, and man with man

Related by the kindred sense of woe.

I BEGIN to be heartily weary of my employment as Examiner; which I wish the ministry would consider

As soon as the noble Hay found
The knife in his breast had made a wound,
The council did to battle sound

Like claps of summer's thunder:
Chairs and standish, ink and pen,
To fly about the room were seen,
But valiant St J-n he stept in,
And made the count knock under.

In the article of danger he

Was so composed, that all agree,
For presence of mind and bravery,

He could be out-done by no man:

And by the greatness of his soul,
Which did the passsion of fear control,
And kept his spirit sound and whole,
He sure must be a Roman.

A noble and a valiant peer,
Prompted by reason more than fear,
Thought fit some time to disappear

Under the council board, sir:
And reason for his elopement gave,
That sure no person that was brave,
A hand in such a fray would have,
Or draw his rusty sword, sir.

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with half so much concern as I do, and assign me some other, with less pains, and a larger pension. There may soon be a vacancy either on the bench, in the revenue, or the army, and I am equally qualified for each; but this trade of examining, I apprehend, may at one time or other go near to sour my temper. I did lately propose, that some of those ingenious pens, which are engaged on the other side, might be employed to succeed me; and I undertook to bring them over for t'other crown; but it was answered, that those gentlemen do much better service in the stations where they are. It was added, that abundance of abuses yet remained to be laid open to the world, which I had often promised to do, but was too much diverted by other subjects that came into my head. On the other side, the advices of some friends, and the threats of many enemies, have put me upon considering, what would have become of me, if times should alter; this I have done very maturely, and the result is, that I am in no manner of pain. I grant that what I have said upon occasion, concerning the late men in power, may

Another duke, to see fair play,

Which he had never done, some say,
Thought it the most convenient way,
To mount upon the table :

And when their safeties he had seen,
Put up your swords, cry'd, gentlemen,
For what can one man do to ten?
To hurt you he's not able.

And now, my friends, I should do wrong,
Could I forget in this my song

To tell t'which side he did belong,

Before I end my story.

Some say he was a Whig, but I,

By's being bred in Popery,

And being call'd Monsieur L'Abbe,

Declare him a rank Tory.

be called satire by some unthinking people, as long as that faction is down; but if ever they come into play again, I must give them warning beforehand, that I shall expect to be a favourite, and that those pretended advocates of theirs will be pilloried for libellers. For, I appeal to any man, whether I ever charged that party, or its leaders, with one single action or design, which, (if we may judge by their former practices,) they will not openly profess, be proud of, and score up for merit when they come again to the head of affairs? I said, they were insolent to the queen; will they not value themselves upon that, as an argument to prove them bold assertors of the people's liberty? I affirmed, they were against a peace; will they be angry with me for setting forth the refinements of their politics, in pursuing the only method left to preserve them in power? I said, they had involved the nation in debts, and engrossed much of its money; they go beyond me, and boast they have got it all, and the credit too. I have urged the probability of their intending great alterations in religion and government; if they destroy both at their next coming, will they not reckon my foretelling it rather as a panegyric than an affront? I said, they had formerly a design against Mr Harley's life; if they were now in power, would they not immediately cut off his head, and thank me for justifying the sincerity of their intentions? short, there is nothing I ever said of those worthy patriots, which may not be as well excused; therefore, as soon as they resume their places, I positively design to put in my claim; and, I think, may do it with a much better grace than many of that party, who now make their court to the present ministry. I know two or three great men, at whose levees you may daily observe a score

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