Thus I have taken the freedom to affert this nobleman's inactivity in the administration of affairs from a certain æra abfolutely and univerfally. I have, indeed, laid down this affertion much more largely than any purpose of his defence required; for I could give inftances where every body befides the late ministers would allow he might have interfered without cenfure, nor have I any reafon for taking my ground fo widely, but a full conviction that the truth is as I have stated it. The The contrary opinion which I am fenfible has prevailed with many, owed its commencement to the last oppofition, who gave out their doctrine of the E. of B.'s fupremacy behind the curtain with a party defign of throwing odium and contempt upon the late minifters, as his fubordinate tools and underlings; which the present advocates for those gentlemen not difcerning, they have, by vague, general, declamatory charges of a fecret influence, exercised by the fame nobleman, (as far as in them lay) confirmed the scandal caft upon their patrons in the blind pursuit of revenge against the E. of. B.

J. J.

A letter to the Earl of B-, upon the feveral changes of adminiftration.

A

T the time of your Lordship's open acceffion

to power, we were bleffed with a young and patriot King, who, born a Briton, had no attachment to foreign countries, or connections that were prejudicial to our national interefts. The helm was directed by a moft beloved and popular minister, who had conducted us through innumerable dangers and difficulties, and, by a series of victorious events, exalted this kingdom to the highest pitch of glory. How foon that able and upright ftatefman was driven, by your pernicious power and counsel,

F 3

counfel, from the ear of his S

and confequently from the aid of his country, needs very lit

tle recollection.

That your Lordfhip fhould contrive the difmiffion of this patriot minifter, and undertake yourfelf to give peace to Europe, will not appear at all furprising to thofe who are acquainted with the jealous and fordid turn of your mind. If Mr. Pitt had concluded a fafe and honourable peace, you were aware that he would, by that means, have fo endeared himself, not to the people only, but the King, as to have rendered himself a great and formidable rival: You was determined, therefore, to run all hazards to prevent it; and that you might rivet yourself more firmly to your mafter's heart, refolved to undertake the office yourself. But here, with a fagacity unusual to your Lordship, you justly forefaw that your fituation, with regard to your country, and the want of credit, as well as influence, with your fellow fubjects, would oblige you to call in fome powerful affiftance to compleat this falutary work. For this purpose you pointed out to your Prince a proper perfon as a coadjutor; a prudent, powerful, and (till your finifter arts prevailed) a popular nobleman; who, seeing the fituation of his Sovereign and his Country, readily obeyed the call, and gave to both that refpite they fo much required. You will pardon me if I here remind your Lordship of that bafe and ungenerous treatment which you fhewed towards that nobleman; how you embarraffed him in one of the most nice and difficult enterprizes that ever was undertaken; how you perplexed him with your abfurd and contradictory inftructions; and, for fear he fhould conclude too good a peace, and gain too much credit with his King and Country, ufed your utmost endeavours to make him for ever forfeit the esteem and approbation of both. Your wicked artifices moft

fortunately.

fortunately failed, and all the advantage you reaped from them was only to exafperate his Grace, and make him deservedly fufpicious of your Lordship.

After you had been hunted out of office by the public cry, what vows and proteftations did you make, that you would never again interfere in public bufinefs. These declarations were scarce made before they were broken. From the moment that you hung your tail and flunk out of office, you determined to govern in the fhade as abfolutely and as wifely as you had done during the little time your tender eyes could bear the light. Unhappily for you the nobility of England were too stubborn to fubmit to be your tools and creatures. This unexpected behaviour offended your pride, and excited your indignation: In a tranfport of courage never felt before, you boldly, boldly indeed, had recourfe to the Patriot Commoner, and fued to him for refuge. You rafhly introduced him to your mafter, and thus fubjected your P, your -, your benefactor, and your friend, to the mortification of that refufal, which, if you had not been blinded by passion and folly, you might easily have foreseen and prevented.

'Twas then, my Lord, you was indeed, forcedto a retreat, and obliged to withdraw, for a time, that influence over our councils, which it was but too apparent you ftill poffeffed. In this abdication of yours, you could not keep from meddling, and yet durft not act out, like a man; you lived, my Lord, a Lye, and was at perpetual variance with yourself; difowning, in a bafe and cowardly manner, those dark and underhand practices you was every day committing. All your emiffaries were fet to work, to obftruct the administration of those very gentlemen you yourself had fo lately recommended, as the ableft, the fitteft, nay the only proF 4

per

per and capable perfons to conduct your Royal Mafter's affairs.

The confidence which our able and active minifters began every day to acquire, alarmed you: You grew apprehensive that your power in the clofet would decline; you faw how unanimously bent they were, to reduce your exorbitant power. In fuch a defperate fituation, the remedy was defperate, and there seemed to be nothing left but to fly to the arms of that illuftrious perfon, whofe bulk you thought fufficient to fhield you from the impending danger. You did not, it must be confeffed, apply to him immediately yourself. You was confcious how little favour you deferved at his hands, having formerly taken every opportunity of manifefting your hatred and averfion to him, and fubjecting him to frequent mortifying proofs, that you had infufed the fame fentiments elsewhere. You was well acquainted with the ambitious and neceffitous ends of that person, whom you wanted to enlift into your service, and wifely made use of them to delude him to forget himself, to lay afide his wonted pride, hatred, and revenge; and, to the aftonishment of all England, to become neither more nor less than your courier to Hayes, where you was afhamed and afraid ever to appear again yourself. The refult of this negotiation did honour to the Great Patriot, and the few whom his judgement and public fpirit had connected with himself.

Even this stroke, this defperate ftroke of yours failed: You was unable to form fuch a miniftry as you fondly expected; and, for want of forefight, involved yourself in difficulties that you never dreamed of. Mr. Pitt most nobly and refolutely refufed to bear any share in an administration that was to be packed together and garbled by you.

And now, my Lord, fit down coolly, and reflect a little on your rafh, inconfiftent, paffionate

condu&t.

conduct. How muft it expofe us to the scorn and ridicule of our neighbours, to have it known that all the great offices of the kingdom, the care of our laws, our treafures, our naval and military powers, have been offered over and over again to various perfons; and for a long time none found hardy enough to accept them, upon fuch a plan, and under fuch a coadjutive dictatorship.

[Letters on behalf of the Administration, in answer to Anti-Sejanus, &c.]

I own myself extremely fhocked to fee a gentleman of Mr. Grenville's character made the sport of this mushroom upstart; a man of whom we may fay, with Shakespeare, "Take him for all in all, we never fball fee bis like again," of unblemished reputation, of known abilities, and unsullied integrity; a man who has conducted the affairs of the nation with the utmost refolution, wisdom, and prudence; one in whom all the monied men in the kingdom place the most perfect confidence, and all honeft men wish to fee continued in the adminiftration.

PUB. AD. July 2.

F the extraordinary paper in the Public Advertifer of Tuesday laft, figned ANTI-SEJANUS, is not already loft in the contempt which it deferves, the above most extraordinary sentences, which I have extracted from it, and chofen for my motto, will be readily remembered.

When those who would be thought great men, condefcend, without regard to decency or probability, to applaud themselves in the public papers; or, which is little less mean, and even more ridiculous, when they encourage others to make their panegyric for virtues and qualities the leaft allied to their known imperfections, it naturally excites a more rigorous enquiry into their real characters,