1701.]

HIS RISING CIRCUMSTANCES.

33

To return from this digression.. The connection of Defoe with the eminent persons engaged under the Government "in raising money to supply the occasions of the War," is not further explained by himself; but it must have been one of considerable pecuniary profit, as it partly induced him to refuse the agency at Cadiz. It must also have brought him into immediate contact with members of the Government, able to appreciate his rising talent. The accountantship of the Glass Duties further improved his circumstances and position, as also did the income from the Tile-works at Tilbury. He was now rapidly paying off his old debts, and had reached that comparatively prosperous condition which continued until the death of the King. In his printed "Letter to Mr. Howe," in January, 1701, he says, "As to Personal Miscarriages and Misfortunes, God in His merciful Providence has healed the Last, and, I hope, has Pardoned the First." His strictly honourable conduct in business had raised him up numerous friends during the season of adversity; and his connections at Court, combined with his high intellectual powers, now procured him the notice of persons of rank and wealth. Among these was Dalby Thomas, Esq., one of the Commissioners of the Glass Duty, afterward knighted; and Sir John Fagg, Bart., M.P. for Steyning in Sussex, where he had a noble ancient seat, and hospitably entertained Defoe in the summer of 1697.

Though a little out of its proper place, I may state here that Defoe wrote some Pindaric Verses, at the request of John Dunton, in honour of the Athenian Society, whose labours were communicated to the world in 1691, and some following years. These verses were prefixed to Charles Gildon's History of the Society, and reprinted in the second volume of "The Athenian Oracle." Dunton was married to a daughter of the Rev. Dr. Annesley, and Mr. Wilson inclines to the opinion that Defoe married another daughter, and that thus he and Dunton were brothers-in-law. Many minute circumstanceswhich, however, would occupy too much space, and still leave the matter doubtful-induce me to agree with Mr. Wilson, as to the probability that Defoe's first wife was the daughter of

VOL. I.

D

Dr. Annesley. Early in 1697 Defoe composed for Dunton "The Character of the late Dr. Samuel Annesley, by way of Elegy." The poem is in heroic verse, and shows the writer's great love and reverence of his deceased pastor. It is reprinted in the first volume of his "Collected Works."

The subject that next employed the pen of Defoe was one of very considerable importance in a political point of view. The war between France and England had exhausted the resources of both, and made them anxious for peace. As King William's object had been in some measure attained, he listened to the proposals of the French King; who having consented to relinquish the cause of James, and to acknowledge William as King, a treaty of peace was concluded between them, and signed at Ryswick the 20th of September, 1697. The military habits of the King, and the station to which his character and talents had raised him, as the protector of the liberties of Europe, inclined him to retain, if possible, the veteran army who had contributed so much to his personal glory, and the security of his throne. With feelings of deep pain, therefore, he found classes and parties, usually opposed to each other, united in opposition to the existence of any standing army in time of peace. It is needless now to enter into the various motives urged by the opponents in Parliament, and through the press. One of the earliest pamphlets in the debate was written by John Trenchard, entitled, "An Argument, shewing that a Standing Army is inconsistent with a Free Government, and absolutely destructive to the Constitution of the English Monarchy. London. Printed in the Year 1697." This was an able pamphlet, but anonymous; and the dedication, "to all those whom it may concern," was subscribed A. B. C. D. E. F. G. Although this was the month of December, the year did not end before at least four pamphlets had appeared on one side and the other, followed by at least eight in 1698. Among the writers drawn into the controversy, one of the first was Defoe, who replied very

* Another daughter of Dr. Annesley married Samuel Wesley, and became the mother of John and Charles Wesley, the founders of the Wesleyan Methodists.

1701.]

CONTROVERSY ON STANDING ARMIES.

35

warmly against Trenchard, directly attacking his reasoning, and impeaching his motives. The pamphlet is entitled, "Some Reflections on a Pamphlet lately published, entituled an Argument shewing that a Standing Army is inconsistent with a Free Government, and Absolutely Destructive to the Constitution of the English Monarchy. London. London. Printed

for E. Whitlock, near Stationers' Hall. 1697." In this production Defoe proved himself a match for his opponent, and a powerful advocate for the King. Some asperity, however, is perceptible in his sarcasms; and probably his publisher had persuaded him to soften down the title-page, as the running title is, "Reflections on a late Scandalous Pamphlet, Entitled An Argument against a Standing Army." The first edition must have been sold off immediately, as the second also bears the date 1697. Seeking by all honourable means the favour of the court, there were now many reasons why Defoe should not conceal his authorship. The preface was, therefore, intended to be subscribed D. F., and so it stands in the second edition; but in the first it is misprinted D. T., and the T. afterwards altered, with a pen, to an F. The following year Defoe produced a second pamphlet on the same controversy, entitled, "An Argument shewing that a Standing Army, with consent of Parliament, is not inconsistent with a Free Government. 2 Chron. ix. 25. London. Printed for E. Whitlock, near Stationers' Hall, 1698." This is a most valuable constitutional Tract, of permanent interest, in which is calmly considered all that could be said upon the subject. He reprinted it, on this account probably, in the first volume of his works collected in 1703, at the same time omitting his previous pamphlet on the same subject, because, being a severe and direct controversial answer to Trenchard, its interest was but momentary.

It would be quite beyond the scope of this memoir to consider at large the disadvantages under which the Dissenters suffered by the Test Act and other oppressive and disqualifying laws. In no other part of the Kingdom were these grievances so evident as in London, where a large proportion of the merchant princes were Nonconformists. Several of these had been ennobled, and others attained the highest civic

/ dignities. The election of such men to the government of the City proves that Dissenting influence must also have been strong among the liverymen. The Romanising tendencies of James II. had induced him to raise many Dissenters to honour, in order that he might seem impartial in his favours to the Catholics, and thus doubly mortify those of the Church who dared to thwart his encroachments. The fall of the king revived the action of the Statutes he had illegally suspended; and thus, any person serving a public office, without first receiving the sacrament at church, was liable to a penalty of five hundred pounds. In the year of the Revolution, Sir John Shorter, a Nonconformist, filled the office of chief magistrate, but dying during his mayoralty, his place was supplied by Sir John Eyles, who was of the same religious persuasion. The practice of Occasional Conformity by Dissenters, on accepting official employments, began about that time, and continued, without giving much offence to either party, until the 29th September, 1697, when Sir Humphrey Edwin, a Presbyterian, was elected Lord Mayor. He was an Occasional Conformist, attending one part of the Sunday at church, and the other part at his usual place of worship among the Dissenters. This would probably have excited as little disapprobation as the conduct of his predecessors, had he not gone in procession to Pinner's Hall meeting-house, preceded by the City regalia. Considering that the existing laws merely tolerated dissent, the act was imprudent, and regretted by the more judicious of his own party, as tending to create further jealousy, when Dissenters were already obnoxious to religious bigotry. The consequences thus deprecated were soon apparent in a discussion of the whole practice of Occasional Conformity, which, after many years, and much agitation, was made illegal by Act of Parliament.

When religious principle was concerned Defoe could not tolerate expediency. The offence was one peculiar to that section of Christ's Church of which he had always been a sincere member. It was tacitly defended by many whom he loved and esteemed,-was practised chiefly by the most influential and honourable Dissenters,-and had not yet been openly discountenanced by ministers or people. As far as can be ascertained, Defoe was the first to protest against it publicly, and he did so in a pamphlet entitled, "An Enquiry into the

1701.] WRITES AGAINST OCCASIONAL CONFORMITY.

37

Occasional Conformity of Dissenters in Cases of Preferment. With a Preface to the Lord Mayor, occasioned by his carrying the Sword to a Conventicle. If the Lord be God, follow him ;

but if Baal, then follow him. 1697."*

London. Printed Anno Dom.

The genius of Defoe, as a controversialist, was now becoming fully developed; and his pen was that of a "ready writer." The work is a grave and clear piece of casuistry, the result of deep thought and strong conviction. The writer evidently feels that his arguments are unanswerable, and he urges them with a wise abnegation of all personal self-importance. Although he claimed the pamphlet three years later, when republishing it, yet in this, the first opening of the discussion, he would not that his effort should fail in consequence of the "meanness and imperfections of the author." He therefore withholds his name, and appends as a signature to the Preface, the words, "One, Two, Three, Four." I shall have again briefly to refer to this Tract; and, as the controversy would now have little interest for the general reader, make only one quotation to show, that thus early in his polemical career, and on so nice a topic, Defoe exhibits that charity which he always entertained toward the Church of England:-

"The Name of Protestant is now the common Title of an Englishman, and the Church of England extends her Protection to the Tender Consciences of her Weaker Brethren, knowing that all may be Christians, tho' not alike informed; and the Dissenter extends his Charity to the Church of England, believing that in his due time God shall reveal even this unto them. If this is not, I wish this were the Temper of both Parties; and I am sure it is already the Temper of some of each Side, and those few are of the Wisest, most Pious, and most Judicious." pp. 9-10.

I have now to notice the first work of Defoe that attained

* To avoid an apparent anachronism, as to this and some others of Defoe's Works, I may advert to the fact that the year was then most generally computed from the latter end of March. The first quarter of the eighteenth century might be called a transition period, some printers beginning the year at Lady-Day, and some on the first of January. The above pamphlet by Defoe was published on the 25th January, 1698.