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CHAPTER IV.

De Foe publishes his "Shortest Way with the Dissenters.”—Occasion of his writing it.-Account of the Work.—Its favourable reception by the High Party-And Effect upon the Nation.-Temper of High Churchmen.— Misunderstood by the Dissenters.-He upbraids them for their Ill-usage.— His Motives for writing in the Language of Irony.-Its Effects upon his Fortunes. He is discovered to be the Author.-Complains of the dullness of his Enemies.-Is threatened with Vengeance.-Conceals himself for a time.-Proclamation for his Apprehension.-His work complained of in the House of Commons.-Ordered to be burnt.-Surrenders himself.— Publishes an Explanation of his Pamphlet.-He feels hurt at the Conduct of the Dissenters.-Brought to Trial at the Old Bailey.—Severely treated by the Attorney-General. De Foe's Reflections upon his Conduct.— Throws himself upon the Mercy of the Queen.-Which he afterwards regrets. Betrayed by his own Counsel.-His severe Sentence.-Tutchin's Reflections upon it.-He stands in the Pillory.-Which is a season of Triumph to him.-His Resolution of Mind.-Pope's ungenerous Treatment of him.-Reprehended by Cibber.-De Foe publishes "A Hymn to the Pillory."-Cibber's Remarks upon it.—Lampoons against him.—Ruin of his Circumstances.-Tampered with by the Ministers.-His Virtue in Adversity.-Notice of some Replies to the "Shortest Way."

1702-1703.

FROM the angry direction that was now given to the popular feeling, the tone of which had been received from the party in power, some incidents arose that had an important influence upon the circumstances of De Foe, the particulars of which will form the subject of the present chapter.

During the discussions in parliament upon Occasional Conformity, De Foe, who well knew the nature of the game that was playing by the high party, and the little impression that was to be made by sober argument, resolved now to

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50 DE FOE'S SHORTEST WAY WITH THE DISSENTERS. change his mode of attack. The course of his studies, no less than taste and inclination, led him to acquaint himself with the writings of his opponents, and seeing the absurd lengths to which their intemperate zeal urged them, it occurred to him, that by personating the character of a high churchman, and judiciously wielding the weapon of irony, he would have a fine opportunity for exposing their folly, and the wickedness of the cause they were so furious in promoting. Having collected together their arguments, and embodied them in suitable language, he submitted to the press one of the smartest political satires extant in the language. It is intitled, "The Shortest Way with the Dissenters: or, Proposals for the Establishment of the Church. London. Printed in the year 1702." 4to. pp. 29.

De Foe was prompted to this performance by the publications issued from the high-church party, of which the reader has had some specimens. He had particularly in view the sermon of Sacheverell, intitled, "The Political Union," in which the preacher had an expression to this purpose, "That he could not be a true son of the Church of England, who did not lift up the banner of the church against the Dissenters." Unlike the meek founder of Christianity, who commanded his disciples to put up the sword, this champion of a new dispensation, was for unsheathing and bathing it in the blood of innocent victims. His whole sermon, which is founded on Proverbs viii. 15, is a bitter invective against moderation, whether in Churchmen or Dissenters; but against the latter, he hangs out "the bloody flag, and banner of defiance." The trash uttered in the pulpit by this fanatic, would have been unworthy of notice, but for its threatening aspect. His bad divinity, and his absurd politics, poured forth with the most consummate insolence, might have passed for the ravings of a madman: but in stirring up the bad passions, for hostile purposes, the peace of society was endangered.

ARGUMENT OF THE WORK.

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Nothing but the violence of the man, and the patronage of his politics by the Court, could have gained him even temporary fame; these, however, procured him the distinction that here and there happens to a criminal of more than ordinary turpitude.

In the piece of exquisite irony produced by De Foe upon this occasion, he so artfully concealed his design, that all parties were at first imposed upon. He began with such bitter reflections upon the Dissenters, and their principles, that it was for some time taken to be the work of a violent churchman, and met with applause from some of that party in the two Universities. He tells his readers, "It is now near fourteen years that the glory and peace of the finest and most flourishing church in the world has been eclipsed, buffeted, and disturbed by a sort of men, whom God, in his Providence, has suffered to insult over her, and bring her down. These have been the days of her humiliation and tribulation. She has borne, with an invincible patience, the reproach of the wicked, and God has at last heard her prayers, and delivered her from the oppression of the stranger. And now they find their day is over, their power gone, and the throne of this nation possessed by a royal, English, true and ever constant member of, and friend to, the church. Now they find that they are in danger of the Church of England's just resentments, they cry out, peace, union, forbearance, and charity; as if the church had not too long harboured her enemies under her wing, and nourished the viperous brood, till they hiss and fly in the face of the mother that cherished them. No, gentlemen, the time of mercy is past; your day of grace is over; you should have practised peace, and moderation, and charity, if you expected any yourselves." In order to furnish arguments for proceeding against the Dissenters with the utmost severity, De Foe takes a review of their conduct in the preceding reigns, aggravating it in terms of the bitterest reproach; whilst he extols, in equally

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ARGUMENT OF THE WORK.

strong language, the lenity and forbearance of the church. The minds of men must have been strangely obtuse, not to perceive the irony of the following passage: "The first execution of the laws against Dissenters in England, was in the days of King James I. And what did it amount to? Truly, the worst they suffered was, at their own request, to let them go to New-England, and erect a colony, give them great privileges, defend them against invaders, and receive no taxes nor revenue from them. This was the cruelty of the Church of England. Fatal lenity! Had King James sent all the Puritans in England away to the West Indies, we had been a national, unmixed church. To requite the lenity of the father, they take up arms against the son; conquer, pursue, take, imprison, and at last put to death the anointed of God, and destroy the being of government! In the days of King Charles II. how did the church reward their bloody doings with lenity and mercy? King Charles came in all mercy and love, cherished them, preferred them, withheld the rigour of the law, and often-times, even against the advice of his parliament, gave them liberty of conscience. And how did they requite him with the villanous contrivance to depose and murder him, and his successor, at the Rye-plot? King James II., as if mercy was the inherent quality of the family, began his reign with unusual favour to them. Nor could their joining the Duke of Monmouth against him, move him to do himself justice upon them: But that mistaken prince thought to win them by gentleness and love. How they requited him all the world knows."

In examining the reasons urged in their favour, De Foe says, "They are very numerous, they say, and we cannot suppress them. To this may be answered; 1. They are not so numerous as the Protestants in France, and yet the French king effectually cleared the nation of them at once, and we don't find that he misses them at home. But I am not of opinion they are so numerous as is pretended.

ARGUMENT OF THE WORK.

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Those mistaken people of the church, who are misled and deluded by their wheedling artifices to join with them, make their party the greater. But these will open their eyes when the government shall set heartily about the work, and come off from them, as some animals, which they say always desert a house when 'tis likely to fall. 2. The more numerous, the more dangerous, and therefore the more need to suppress them. 3. If we are to allow them, only because we cannot suppress them, then it ought to be tried whether we can or no. But I am of opinion 'tis easy to be done, and could prescribe ways and means, if it were proper; but I doubt not the government will find effectual methods for rooting the contagion from the face of the land." He adds, "we can never enjoy a settled, uninterrupted union and tranquillity in this nation, till the spirit of Whiggism, faction, and schism is melted down, like the old money."

To quicken the work, De Foe tells his readers the time is come which all good men have wished for. "Here is the opportunity, and the only one, perhaps, that ever the church had to secure herself, and destroy her enemies. If ever you will establish the best Christian church in the world; if ever you will suppress the spirit of enthusiasm; if ever you will free the nation from the viperous brood that have so long sucked the blood of their mother; if you will leave your posterity free from faction and rebellion-this is the time. This is the time to pull up this heretical weed of sedition that has so long disturbed the peace of our church, and poisoned the good corn. But, says another hot and cold objecter, 'This is renewing the fire and faggot; this will be cruelty in its nature, and barbarous to all the world.' I answer, 'tis cruelty to kill a snake or a toad, in cold blood, but the poison of their nature makes it a charity to our neighbours to destroy those creatures, not for any personal injury received, but for prevention; not for the evil they have done, but the evil they may do. Serpents, toads, vipers, &c., are noxious to

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