IN this age of levity and ridicule, it is extremely difficult to procure a serious attention to any

proposal, however important, or however wifely calculated for the public benefit; but sure if there ever was a proposition deserving attention from every true Englishman, it is this for the establishment of a National Militia, now under the confideration of the legislature; on the fuccefs of which I fincerely think, that our glory abroad, our fecurity at home, and our very being as a nation, intirely depend.

So manifeft is the truth of this to the meaneft and most abfurd understandings, that I never met with one of that kind who has not been clearly convinced of it; to fuch therefore I shall not here address myself, but to the wise and sagacious only, many of whom, to my great furprize, I have

found

found of a very different opinion: to these then I shall endeavour to prove, in as few words as poffible, the truth of the following propositions :

ift, That fuch a militia may foon be rendered not at all inferior to our prefent regular forces.

2dly, That it will effectually fecure our liberties, properties, and religion.

3dly, That it will ftrengthen the hands of

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4thly, That it will reduce the price of our provisions, and manufactures, and extend our trade.

5thly, That it will increase the number of our people; and,

Laftly, That it may be carried into execution without any expence to the public,

FIRST, then, I fhall endeavour to prove that a militia may very foon be rendered not at all inferior to our prefent regular forces: and whoever will look back on the behaviour of these forces for fome years paft both by land and fea, will be convinced that this is no very arduous undertaking; nor be under any doubt, but that after a few days exercise they will behave as valiantly as our regiments at Falkirk, Prefton Pans, or Ofwego; or

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our fleets in the Mediterranean 2. Nor can I indeed comprehend from whence their inferiority fhould proceed; unless strong-beer fhould inspire lefs true courage than gin; or being trained in a country church-yard, produce a lefs familiarity with death than performing the fame exercise in the gay fcenes of Hyde-Park or St. James's. If it be objected that they will be deficient in military knowledge and experience; I anfwer, they will fight the better: the utility of these qualifications in the day of battle is a vulgar error, propagated like all others, for want of reasoning; for all fighting being in its own nature contradictory to common sense, it can never be promoted by knowledge: military knowledge therefore can never be that fort of knowledge which enables men to fight; but that which enables them to find out good reafons for not fighting; or if they should be bad, to call in the affiftance of councils of war and court-martials to make them better. Much lefs. fure will experience induce men to fight, unless we can believe that wounds and bruises, like coffee and tobacco, though difagreeable at first tafting, grow pleasant by frequent repetitions.

a Since the writing of this, the bravery and conduct of our regular forces, both by sea and land, in every quarter of the globe, have been fo unexampled, that, notwithstanding the author's partiality for the Militia, he is candid enough to acknowledge, that he begins to have fome small doubts, whether thofe corps may ever be able altogether to equal them.

SECONDLY,

SECONDLY, That such a militia will secure our liberties, properties, and religion. The liberties we so justly value in this country are these, that every one may think and write, and say and do whatever he pleases; our properties comprehend all things of which we are in poffeffion, by whatever means they have been acquired; these can certainly no way be fo effectually fecured to us as by the use of arms, by which we may at all times defend ourselves from the attacks of judges and juries, from writs and ejectments, from goals and pillories, with all the tyranny of justices, and impertinence of constables, grievances not to be endured in a free country. As to our religion, a scheme of this kind muft have moft falutary effects, fince a bill only for its establishment has already produced unanimity between our church divines and diffenters in one fenfible and pious opinion; an event perhaps not eafy to be remembered on any other occafion,

THIRDLY, That it will strengthen the hands of government, which in this nation being, by the confent of all true patriots, allowed to be the fole right of the lowest of the people, or mob, with whom fuch patriots wonderfully agree in their political fentiments, what can fo effectually secure to them the dominion they now exercife over us, as

In oppofing that part of it which enacted, that the Militia hould be exercised on Sundays.

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