Other Works attributed to him. He Defends himself against Leslie. He is attacked by Lockhart.-And Old- mixon. He makes many Friends in Scotland.-His Letter De Foe continues in Scotland.-The Third Volume of the "Review."-His Account of Himself, and his Concern in the Union. Subjects Discussed in this Volume.-His Remarks upon Projectors.-And upon Contracting Debts.-Further Remarks upon the Bill for Employing the Poor.-And upon Lord Haversham's Speech against the Union.-De Foe Threatened by the Swedish Ambassador.-His Account of that Affair.—He is Calumniated for his Share of the Union.- Is Attacked by Leslie.-His Defence of Himself.-Meeting CHAPTER I. Reflections upon the Reign of Queen Anne.-Her Accession to the Throne.— Debasement of Religion.-Political Changes.-Triumph of Toryism.— Intemperance of Churchmen.-De Foe's Account of the Opening of the Reign.-The Queen's Zeal for the Church.-Its Effect upon the Clergy.→ Revival of May-poles.-De Foe's Account of the Excesses of the Times.— Violence of Churchmen Repressed by the Queen.-Discontent thereupon. -Some of the Ministers Desert the High Party.-Bad Spirit of the Commons.-War Declared.-Unsuccessful Expedition to Cadiz.-De Foe's Poem upon the Spanish Descent.-Dissolution of Parliament.—Meeting of a new one.—Insult to the Memory of King William.—Satirized by Mr. Walsh.-Revival of the Royal Touch.-Origin of the Usage.-Anecdotes of its Practice in former Reigns.-De Foe's Solution of the Spell. 1702. THE succession of a new sovereign is always attended with important consequences to individuals, and not unfrequently to nations at large. This is more particularly the case when faction takes the lead, dividing a nation into parties with adverse interests and angry feelings, kept alive by the assistance of its governors: all that is noble and generous becomes sacrificed in the general calamity, which subverts friendships, is fatal to morals, and barbarizes a people. When party spirit forces asunder the restraints that hold. together the peace of society, it sets no bounds to its malignity; it breaks out into falsehood and detraction, pollutes the seat of justice, and extinguishes all the kind and generous feelings of our nature: good sense is superseded by the dominion of passion, and a savageness of disposition takes the place of humanity. 2 DEBASEMENT OF RELIGION. That the reign we are now entering upon was strongly marked with this character, is unfortunately too much a matter of history to admit of any controversy. Men of real merit, if of different principles, were like objects seen through false mediums, and each distorted by the prejudices of the beholder. Even knowledge and learning suffered in the contest, each party having its array of writers, who partook of the common appetite for slander and falsehood. Amidst the violence of faction, private character was often unjustly assailed, and a sordid selfishness stifled the voice of patriotism. ANNE, the second daughter of James II. by his first wife, Anne Hyde, daughter of the Earl of Clarendon, was thirty-seven years of age when she ascended the throne. Her education had been superintended by Compton, bishop of London, who instilled into her mind his own high-church notions, which were fostered by her early connexions; so that there was every reason to expect, when she became queen, that she would value herself upon her zeal for the church. Nor did she disappoint the expectations that had been formed of her; although, in some instances, she found it necessary to restrain the intemperance of the party she patronized. Throughout the whole of this reign, more or less, the teachers of religion carried into the pulpit the weapons of hostility: not to wield them against the abettors of vice and irreligion, but against their brethren and neighbours of the same or of a different faith. This overflow of the bad passions in themselves, kindled a like animosity in their hearers, until the tranquillity of the country became disturbed, and even the civil authorities were placed at defiance. In this game of politics, for it is undeserving the name of religion, the clergy were no better than the tools of aspiring statesmen, who made them the stepping-stone to their own ambition; but its tendency was to revive those |