headlong down into the abyfs of infamy. Could any thing degrade the dignity of government lower, than the abfurd behaviour of this abfurd junto, during the late famous negotiations? At a meeting in the country, where a bufy, bustling, felf-important OLD WOMAN fat in the chair, it was abfolutely put to the vote whether or no they should accept of the highest and most honourable offices in the state, which at that time went a begging. A few of them, who had more grace and modefty than their fellows, were totally against it; alledging their want of experience, ability, confequence, and several other ingredients, which are neceffary to the compofition of a perfect statesman. But it did not all fignify a farthing; it was carried in the affirmative by a confiderable majority of voices, and nothing remained but to fit down quietly, and have their feveral employments tried on. Some of them protested aloud. that they did not fit; but the old woman, who acted in this cafe as state-taylor, and cut them out for them, fwore very positively, that by G-they became them excellently well, and fat upon them with the greatest eafe and propriety imaginable. A fpare thin gentleman in particular, who was to be dreft up in one of the largeft fuits, full trimmed, and embroidered, begged for God's fake that he might be excufed, as it was fo much too big for him that he could not half fill it, and was afraid of being laughed at for his ridiculous and tawdry appearance. But the old woman insisted upon his wearing it; telling him that he would grow bigger every day; and as to the lace and embroidery, if he did not know what to do with it himself, fhe would readily take it off his hands. By this means the feveral employments were at laft difpofed of; but how fhamefully and improperly it was done, may be seen by the ridiculous and contemptible figure which the perfons make on whom they were bestowed. InVOL. II.

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deed they put me in mind of a high fheriff's retinue, when he fallies forth to meet my Lord Judge: A fet of fellows are picked up, from the highways and hedges, and put into cloaths, that have been made time out of mind: it does not fignify a button whether their liveries fit them or not, fo as they are all of one colour; for you may frequently fee a tall, raw-boned, lubberly fellow fqueezed into a coat, that was made for a young lad of thirteen ; and a little, flim, fpindle-fhanked creature almoft loft in one, that is big enough for the famous Mr. Bright. ANTI-SEJANUS.

LUCAN.

O Faciles dare fumma deos, eademq; tueri Difficiles! HOW deplorable is the fituation of this unhappy country, under the direction of the prefent ill-afforted minifters, who are distracted by fuch a variety of interefts, appetites, and connections? And yet-how little profpect is there that our fituation can be mended, while we are under the malignant influence of an all-directing Favourite; who in the fudden and furprizing revolutions that he effects has no other oracle to confult than his own deceitful and prepofterous WILL? I cannot fay that I feel myfelf elated with the hopes of happier days, though a multiplicity of reafons induces me to think another change of adminiftration at prefent on the tapis. The difagreement of our motley minifters among themselves; the prorogation of parliament, at a time when the whole nation is looking up to it for redress; the variety, and distraction of our councils; the uncertainty of the fyftem, if there is any, chalked out by our leaders; the fulfome flattery, which is paid to a pernicious and detefted Favourite-all thefe are fo many convincing proofs, that the miniftry can never ftand on its prefent ill-cemented, and tottering bafis. Whether from the rub

bifh, that may be gathered up when they fall, duly tempered together with other fresh materials, one more useful and permanent is likely to be formed, is a question that will not be very difficult to an fwer, if we can once find out who will be the architect, or master builder of the new fabric. Will the great commoner be called forward to draw out the plan, and overlook the operations? Will his upright kinfman, the generous and patriotic Earl Tema ple, whofe unfhaken firmness we have experienced for fuch a number of years, be the chief pillar and support of the new ftructure? Then may we expect a firm and well proportioned edifice, in which both use and ornament, ftrength and harmony, will be equally confulted. But, alas, there is no immediate profpect of fuch an event happening, though it is fo ardently, fo univerfally wished for by every one, who has the welfare of his country at heart. Í am forry to say that the reigning tafte is too gothic, too northern!-instead of this able master, a blundering Favourite will be employed, to put toge ther another BABEL administration, which will end like the prefent in confufion and uproar. The materials, he will make use of, are part of them old and rotten to the very core; and part of them fo warped and crooked, that it is as impoffible they fhould ever be firmly united, as that iron and clay fhould incorporate. He has no other cement to bind them, than that of intereft; and this will very foon crumble and moulder away into nothing. Is is easy to foretell that fuch an ill-compacted ftruc ture will not, cannot be durable; it is like the foolifh man's house, which the scripture tells us was built upon the fand; when the reign of discontent defcends, and the torrent of faction foams, and the wind of party beats against it, it must inevitábly fall, and bury the defpicable architect in its

Fuins!

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That what I have here laid down is not mere conjecture and fuppofition, must be evident to every one, who takes the trouble of confidering the temper and complexion of the times. How totally are they altered, within these laft two months, from their former difpofition and colour? Where is that virulent hatred, which the miniftry fo loudly expreffed against the detefted Sejanus? It is converted (proh pudor, inverfiq; mores!) into love and friendship. Convinced of the impoffibility of ceeding upon the plan, which the lefs experienced and lefs temporizing amongst them, hoped formerly to purfue, they have altered their ground, and fly for fhelter to the baleful power of the Favourite. The old and hackney'd politicians have already cry'd out peccavi, and are prepared to undergo any penance, that the lordly Thane may please to inflict. I would not wish the most inveterate enemy that I have, a more cruel and ignominious fate, than to be preffed into the fervice of Sejanus, and compelled to fight under his ufurping standard. Yet dreadful as the fituation is, the horrors of it may be shockingly aggravated, if we fuppofe an unweildly veteran engaged in the fame fyftem,, who is goaded by thofe turbulent paffions revenge and rancour, and grafps, with a rapacity unparallelled, at every preferment ecclefiaftical, civil, and military, to aggrandize a family, whom one would think he intends to overlay with riches and honours. Who can enumerate all the miferies that are in ftore for this devoted kingdom, if we are thus notoriously to be oppreffed with the load of favouritifm, and continue to be governed by the blind and erring fpirit of partial prejudice? Who can forefee all the confufion, uproar, and anarchy that awaits us, if men of the most faiming talents, and ftedfaft integrity, are to be wantonly thrown afide, because they have too much honeft pride and spirit to truckle, and bow

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the knee to Baal? I will venture' to affirm that it is impoffible, in the nature of things, there should be the least harmony, or stability in our councils, while a perverfe and fickle Favourite is the animating foul of the ill-digested fyftem. His altar will be for ever fmoaking with the facrifice of men and meafures: faith and honour, which are the bafis of government, as well as commerce, will every hour be fhamefully difregarded: perfons of ability and uprightness will keep aloof, unwilling to be refponfible for measures, which they have neither plan'd nor executed: There will be a conftant fucceffion of weak or wicked tools, to carry on his infamous purpofes: The welfare of the kingdom will be neglected, in the general struggle and scramble for felf: every change will leffen the dignity of the ftate, and the power of the magistracy, by begetting in the minds of the people a contempt for government, and an impatience of fubordination. It is not difficult to say where this confufion will end; but I muft beg leave to throw a veil over the melancholy profpect, which will be chequered, unless the hand of Providence interpofes, with ghaftly scenes of blood and horror. ANTI-SEJANUS.

About forty failors, eager to get on fhore, crouded all into one boat, which had no fooner boifted fail than it overfet and funk; whereby thirty of them were drowned. Lond. Gazette, Oct. 12. AFTER turning over several of the claffics, in search of a motto for this day's paper, which I meant to be defcriptive of the origin and fate of the new administration; an author, whom they must allow to belong to their party (though I fhould much doubt of his real attachment to them, as he has not yet, like their other writers, be-praised and beflattered the Favourite) has happily furnished me with the sentence above quoted, which exactly anfwers

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