The Craftimen, Jan. 27. No. 343. Proceedings of the Merchants defended. Otwithstanding what Osborne, and other Minifterial Writers have faid A backward and forward in behalf of the Excife Project, he can't be ignorant of Principiis obfta, venienti occurrite Morbo, the old School-Maxim. Inftead of this, He advises us to truft entirely to a good Conftitution, and let the Diftemper run on to a Crifis before we apply any Remedy. It is the undoubted Privilege of Englishmen to petition the Parliament, and apply to and even inftruct their Reprefenta rices, when they apprehend their Interefts, or Liberties are concern', B As therefore the mercantile Part of the Kingdom are thus warranted in their Conduct, I think, they have diftinguith'd C their Prudence in the Courte of this Op. pofition, which they began at the most proper Time, and have carried on in the moit dutiful and peaceable Manner, tho' with great Vigour, and without any Regard to Party-Confiderations. They had an Eye to the Example of the Druggifts, who waited till the Scheme of D the Tea Act was made publick, and then made their Objections; but neither got it laid ajide, nor obtain'd fuch Alterations as gave them Satisfaction. (See laft Lond. Fourn. p. 24.) Neither ought this to be deem'd encountring an imaginary Monster; it is E a real Beaft of Prey, which they oppofe. In plain Terms, the Nature of this Projeef is to alter the prefent Courfe of the Law with Regard to the Cuftoms, which the Merchants are defirous fhould remain in its antient Channel; and is built on a Suppolition, that fome extraordinary, additional Powers are requifite to prevent Frauds in the Revenue; and tho' the Projectors may qualify them with fome Refrictions, Thefe will foon be removed, if found to be a Clog upon it. liament propofed, That all the Taxes which affected the middling and lower People thould be quite taken off, and none be taxed but themfelves, and others of Perions in Civil Employments should be equal Litates. Others propofed, That all obliged to ferve without Perquifites or Salaries; faying, They ought to be content with the Honour. But the Plunders ers of the preceding Reign hinder'd this Propofal from taking Effect, knowing it would reflect on them as Beatts of Prey. in Holland and Venice no Man ever made a Fortune by a Civil Employment; in the latter a Fine is laid by Law on thofe who refufe to take one; and in the former the Revenues are collected with fcarce any Expence to the State: But if they had had a Swarm of Civil Vermin continually exhaufting the Strength and Spirits of the Commonwealth, they would never have been able, as they did, to bear the immenfe Charge of repairing their Dykes, and at the fame Time main tain a War 4 Years against the whole Power of Spain. In Countries where the Charge of Civil Offices lay heavy on the People, it has been cuftomary, for a Publick Supply, to purge the Men of Bulinefs as Phylicians do Leeches, that is by making them refund. But Card. Richlien, thought this look'd like compounding Felony, theres fore advised to hang them. In a certain Country, the Men in Of fice were to intoient as to tell the People, that they thould be able, by holding their Employments a confiderable Time, to purchate all the Lands in the Kingdom.-What a deplorabic State of Servi tude muit that Nation be in! See p. 713. F Applebee's Journal, Jan. 27. A GENERAL EXCISE is a TROJAN HORSE, and has an Army in its Belly. G Let us therefore keep a conftant Guard at our Gates; and if another impudent Sinon fhould endeavour to introduce fuch a Monster, under any specions Pretences whatever, let us reject his Offers with the utmoft Indignation. Fog's Journal, Jan. 27. No 221. Multitudes of Civil Officers a Grievance, N the Reign of Henry IV. of France, when a Sum was wanted to carry on the War, fome of the Counfellors of Par H NE of the rankeft Weeds, and the not that Sort of Fride which is tinctur'd with Ambition, and which thro' Care and Application may be reformed and made uteful, but modern Pride is rather a Swelling Sufficiency, than an Appetite towards acquiring Glory; 'tis a ftrutting Indolence of Mind, awake only to receive Refpe&t, and aileep to any Method which might deferve it. Mr Pope has drawn this Fice in the following Picture. Of all the Confes which conspire to blind Man erring Jade ment and mislead the Mind & What the weak Head with ftrongeft Byasrules, Is Pride the never failing Fice of Fools. What Whatever Nature has in worth deny'd, Pride, where Wit fails, fteps into our Defence, Let those who are infected with this A Relation of an Intrigue, the History of a Night's Ramble, or a Run of SelfRaillery on a battered Constitution, may force a Company to laugh while they are repeated, but can never give a Man a Place in our Efteem, or make him país for any thing better than a Debauchee, void alike of Virtue and Discretion. London Journal, Jan. 27. No 709. D THE Enemies of the prefent Adminiftration create Evils, and by falfe Reprefentatious, bafe Infinuations, E and wrong Calculations fill the Minds of the People with Spite and Malice against the Ministry, and then gravely fay, Was there ever a Miniftry to hated? Thus came we by a Noile of a General Excife, and Calculations of Government-Expences at about Nine Millions a Year, when F they might as well have reckoned up what it coft the Nation in Meat, Drink and Cloaths, and fo have made the Sum about 40 Millions more. The Government of England purfues the Good of the Publick, when it takes Care to keep off War, and preferve the G Peace of Europe. Our Foreign Affairs are perfectly right; and our Domeftick Affairs are carried on, at leaft as well, as we have Reason to apprehend any other Set of Men would carry them on. Our Liberties are untouch'd, Our Properties fecured; we have no Taxes but what the Neceffities of the H Government, and the Circumstances of the Kingdom demand; we make our own Laws; fo that if Things are not right, we have none to blame but ourfelves. There are no invidious or partial Things done to any Party; and, except ing one, there is not a Law in being, to exclude any of his Majesty's good Subject from the Privileges of the most favour'd. Dain Courant, Jan. 27. The Occafional Financer. No. I. The Expediency of an Inland Duty on Wines. This the Writer endeavours to maintain from what has been argued by the Oppofers of the Ministry; viz. That Taxes fhould be laid not on Manufactures and Neceffaries of Life, but on Things tending to Luxury only. He farther enforces this Argument by observing, that Wine itself is not only an Article of Luxury, but the Compofition fraudulently brewed by the Dealers, and fo called, is a great deal worte, even an Impofition on the Purfes, and a Poyfon to the Conftitutions of the Drinkers. On which last Confideration alone, Infpectors ought to be appointed (as well as for the Apothecary's Shops) were the Revenue not to be increased by it. Whereas it is probable the Increase may amount to 2 or 300,000l. per Ann. which Sum would operate to the speedy reducing the National Debt, or the taking off the Duties on Soap, Candles, Leather, and other real Neceflaries of Life. And this would be a great Eafe to our Manufacturers, and not in the leaft prejudice Trade, unless a Brewer of Wines can be called a Branch of our Trade and a Manufacturer. Concludes, that fuch a Tax in its Confequences would preferve our Health, increase our Exports, is perfectly agreeable to the Justice and Wifdom of Parliament, and feems to have ail the good Qualities fo lately recommended from the Throne. Weekly Miscellany, Jan. 27. No. 7. HERE is a Method of Argumen Tution much in Ufe among our great Reafoners, which faves the Writer a great deal of Trouble, and fecures him from being confuted. They allume a positive, overbearing Style; affert ftrongly and pallionately, and declare that none but Knaves and Bigots will contradict them. We are obliged to prove every thing, as often as they deny it, and to confute their Affertions, tho' they affign no Reasons, nor take any Notice of what has been written against them. Wilfully mittaking Facts, and miftaking the fame Fact after it has been contradicted, is likewife notorioully pretifed by Mr Osborne and his Confederates. ΤΟ ་ To give an Inftance: Mr Osborne lays It is as impoffible to fix any determinate Opinion upon his Letters of Government, or Religion, as it is to mifunderftand his real Meaning. In Politicks he is for a State of Nature (see p. 5. Vo. III.) tho' there never was fuch a State fince Mankind was in being. B In respect to Religion, his Reasoning always takes its Rife from Deifm, or ter- C minates in it. He afferts, there can be no Religion in obferving pofitive Duties, or in believing any fpeculative Doctrines; which Opinion is abfolutely inconfiftent with the Belief of Christianity that requireth both. He feems to make our natural Appetites and Inclinations the Rule of our Actions, under no other Restrictions than prefent Conveniency, and worldly Prudence; without any uneafy Reflections upon our paft Conduct, or Appre henfions concerning our future Condition, Dniversal Spectato2, Jan. 27. No. 225. OF ANTIQUITY. D E which strikes the Mind with a kind of aweful Reverence. One cannot behold an antient Ruin, Monument, or even the Place where a memorable Action has been perform'd, without an internal Satisfaction not easy to be describ'd. Akin to this is that exquifite Delight F which refults from the Study of the most ancient Writings. 'Tis a pleasure like what one finds amongst the Tombs of the renowned Dead in Westminster Cathedral. As every Epitaph there af fords a Piece of Hiftory, fo in the Writings of the Antients, every Leaf is as G it were the Epitaph of fome great Man, whom neither Virtue, Strength, Wisdom, nor Courage could exempt from Death. The oldeft Writings in the World are thofe of Mofes, the nobleft Treasure of Antiquity, containing the beft Account of the Creation, and of the first Age, they are written in a manner fo plain, yet with fo much Force, that even in the Tranflation, they retain a Grandeur and Subli nity, that pierces the Soul, as we experience in the Hiftory of Jofeph. The next molt antient valuable Wri ter is Homer, in whom we find the noble Sentiments of Antiquity. They (fays Mr Pope) lofe much of the Pleasure of Homer, who read him only as a Poet: He gives us an exact Image of antient Life, their Manners, Customs, Laws, and Politicks." In him we behold Mo. narchs without their Guards, Princes tending their Flocks, and Princesses drawing Water from the Springs.-This is the fame authentick Picture we find in Scripture, which in many Particulars he nearly resembles. But what deferves our prefent Regard are his Piety, his Beneficence, and strict Morality, peculiarly neceffary at this Time, when not only the Authority of Scripture, but even the Distinction of Good and Evil is denied by fome. In this, and fome fucceeding Papers, which this Writer promifes, he takes No tice of fuch Paffages in Homer as express the Omnipotence, Justice, Power, and o ther Attributes of the Deity; a Belief of, a Dependance on, or a Veneration for him; fuch as recommend Benevolence and Humanity, or regard the Happiness of ourfelves. 'Tis true, his Theology in many Cafes is grofs and imperfect, yet he ever recommends our Duty to the Gods by Prayers, Sacrifices, and all the Rites in that Age efteemed religious, and scarce ever makes thofe fuccefsful who omit them. Can any thing exprefs a greater Submiffion, Acknowledgement, and Veneration than the Lines following: O Father of Mankind! Superior Lord! Again; where he reprefents him as feated on the Throne of his Majefty, a rolling Cloud Involv'd theMount: The Thunder roar'd aloud; Th' affrighted Hills from their Foundations nod, And blaze beneath the Lightnings of the God. This bears a near Refemblance to Mofes's Defcription of the Lord Jehovah defcending upon Mount Sinai, Exod. xix. 16. The Sire of Gods his awful Silence broke; Nothing but the Sacred Writings can exceed the Grandeur of these Defcriptions. His His MAJESTY'S SPEECH to the Parliament, January 16, 1732-3, My Lords and Gentlemen, I prefent Situation if Affairs, both at llome Tis a great Satisfaction to M3, that the A and Abroad, make it unneceffary for Me to lay before you any other Reasons for my calling you together at this time, but the ordinary Difpatch of the Publick B finefs, and that I may have an Opportunity of receiving your Advice upon fuch Affairs, as may occur to you, and hall require the Care and Confidera of Parliament. Gentlemen of the House of Commons, I will order the proper Officers to lay before you the Eltimates for the Service of the current Year, and I make no doubt, but that you wish with the fame Cheartuinels, as I have always experienced in you, effectually raife fuch Supplies, as you thail judge neceffary for the Honour, Safety, and Defence of the Kingdom; and I cannot bat recommend it' to you, as a Confideration worthy the Commons of Great Britian, that in all your Deliberations, as well upon railing the annual Supplies, as the Diftribution of the Paback Revenues, you purfue fuch Me fures, as will mott conduce to the prefent and ruture Eafe of thofe you reprefent. My Lords and Gentlemen, You must be fenfible, that it is very defirable to give all poffible Difpatch to the Publick Belinef, and that nothing can give more Weight and Credit to all your Refolutions, than to avoid unreasonable Heats and Animofities and not to fuffer your feives to be diverted, by any fpecious Pretences, from ftedrally pursuing the true Interell of your Country, Let that be your firft and principal Care, and the People will be fenfible of the Benefits they hall receive, from your Wifdom and Kelolution, in preferring their Eafe and the Publick Good to all other Confiderations. Agreeable to this Speech, Bath Houses of Parliament made moft Loyal ADDRESSES To His Majefty, and received the following moft Gracious Anfwers. To the LORDS. My LORDS, B C D F will as effectully recommend you to the Good A Lift of the SHERIFFS for the Brf Ear Bedford, Edmd Morgan of Carrington Efq; Effex, William larvey of Chigwell Eq Kent, Sir Brook Bridges 'Bart. Norfolk, William Helwys of Morton Ef, Oxon, Edward Turner Eq; Salop, Charles Jones of Shrewsbury Elas Surry, Ralph Thrayle of Southwark Elg. Worcester, Edmund Lechmere Elg, SOUTH-WALES. Brecon, William Mathews of Graftone El Angielea, William Evans of Treveilyr E'q, Thank you for this Datiful and Loyal Address, G Flint, Richard Williains of Prubew'd Ejq.• As the Eife of my l'ep'e and the Publik Good have always been my chief Care and Cencern, the Zeal that you fhew for the promoting of them cannot but be very acceptable to me, and will mof: off dually recommend you to my Favour and Protection. To the COMMONS. Gentlemen, Return you my Thanks for thefe Dutiful Affurances of your Zex' and Affection for Me: And I make no doubt, but that your Refolutions to purine fuch Measures as will most conduce to the Eafe and crue Interest of all my Subjects, L Merioneth, Hugh Thomas of Hendre Lis N. B. The ODE on the Poet Laure‹t, and the Letter from Phil-Urbanus care Htoo late to be inferted. We are oblig'i ta our Correspondent in the North; be will perceive by p. 40. bow far his Fears are ill-grounded. We will oblige our other Pactical Friends as joen as we have Rom. ODE S ODE on NEW YEARS DAY, 1733. RECITATivo. Icilian fifters, tuneful nine, Affift our lays with founds divine, May every morn that gilds the skies, By Colly Cibber, Efq; Poet-Laureat. And funs on annual funs arife, As greatly glorious as the laft. AIR. 10 RECITATIVO. 20 25 Where, Britons, fhall thy froward fons have ease, ANNOTATIONS, from the GRUBSTREET JOURNAL. VER. 1. Sicilian Sifers, enneful vine of The Antients applied the Appellation of Sicilian only to the Mufes of the Paftoral Kind. The Invocation of thefe paftoral Mufes, at the compofing an Ode, and the giving to the whole nine the Title of Sicilian Sifters, is a double Improvement; and the Laureat has dignity'd the tuneful nine, in honour of his Imperial Majefty, with a Title they never had before. Ver. 2. Alfist our Lays with Sounds divine.] The Antients were wont to defire the Mufes to furnish the Matter, as well as the Mufic of their Songs: But our Laureat is more modeft, his Request is very reafonable: When he has provided the Senfe, they cannot furely refufe the Sound, he asks it fo prettily, Sicilian Sifters af-fift. Ver. 3. Melodious, foft and (wertly gay.] Since fofe and meet, when applied to Mufical Sounds, fignity the fame Thing with melodious, the Qualities defired in thefe Sounds are, that they fhould be divine, and Soft, and Soft, and garly Soft. So that, in this and the preceding Verfe, two beautiful Figures, are happily exemplified, the Anti-climax, and the Tautology. Ver. 5. To glorious George and Caroline] This is borrow'd from the 27th Verfe of the BirthDay Ode laft Odober. Ver. 6. Awake the grateful Song.] 'Twas difputed in the Society, whether this whole Air be a Continuation of the Poets Addrefs to the Sicilian Sifters, or a new one to the British Songfters. Tho' the next Verfe Infoire, &c. feemed to favour the former Opinion; yet the 8th and 11th determined for the latter. Which was likewife confirmed by the firft Verfe of the laft New-Tear's Ode. (See p. 586. Vol. II.) The Propriety of the Word aware, as applied to Songs, was much queftion'd. A mufical Infirument, when Silent, might be elegantly faid aileep; and confequently awakened when played upon. But a Song, fung to a Tune, is never in a fient State, for then it would ce fe to be a Song. Ver 7. Inpire the warbling String, It was ob ted to the Word infpire, that it could not be properly ufed in Relation to any Inftruments but thote of Wind Mufick as a Flute or Trumpet; but how a String can be infpir'd is in com prehenfible. Ver. 8. Let with the Heart the Tongue.] The furprizing Sublimity of this Verfe needs no Explanation to make it admir'd. Ver. 9. To Albion's Monarch Sing, Sing, Sing, &c.] In his Birth-Day Ode. Od. 1731, ver. 53. In October lat, ver. Sing, Sing the Morn &c. 42. Sing, joyous Britons, Sing. A most happy Ufe of the Figure Epizeuxis! Ver. 10. Sing, Sing to George's gentle Sway] The Second Sing fhould be changed into drink ; as it is more natural to Englishmen to drink than to Sing. Ver. 11. And Joy for Foys receiv'd repay.] 'Tis odd he thould advife the Repayment of Joys in the Plural by Joy in the Singular. Ver. 14. And Suns &c.] Tho' this is new and very Sublime, yet it flags by the Addition of as greatly glorious as the laft: Which is much exceeded by the Chorms in the New-Year's Ode, 1731. See p. 20. Vol. I. Like this, may every annual Sun Add brighter Glories to thy Crown. which appear only once a Year upon New- Ver. 20. Faction, &c.] The best way of explaining this poetical Prophecy, is from a parallel place in the New Year's Ode, 1732. ver. 43. (See p. 580.) Faction shall be pleas'd, or die. And then the meaning will be, Faction, &c. hall die by a fudden Death, properly defcribed by fuddenly finting to Reft. And tho' this may feem a Contradiction to Ver. 23. Unde erzing hail be bleft; yet is confiftent with it, becaufe a fudden Death is a Bleffing, if compar'd with a lingering, tormenting Death; and fuch a B'effing as Faction, &c. do not at all deferve, becaufe they do not join our Foys. Ver. 25. Scant of Happiness.] An Expreffion how poetical and happy! Ver. 26. If not enjoyed, &c.] This religious The Word that form'd the World [reign Almighty Wisdom had defign'd |