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boafted fo much, has been fhaken. Stocks

never were lower. Our Debt never was fo great. Our Tars, of whom we were so proud, have made our hearts ake-And fo have our Fellow Subjects in Ireland.

I allow we have had great Success. We have taken many fine Iflands and Colonies from our Enemies. We have beat their Fleets, whenever we could find them; and taken or destroyed half their Navy. And what is very remarkable, fcarce a Ship of War of ours has been taken; and not one foot of British Land has been loft, in any part of the World!

I admit, alfo, that our Enemies are more diftreffed than we are. That the French are the moft wretched People under the Sun. Their King, their Queen, and all the Royal Family, have either been put to death, or driven into foreign Countries; and fo have their Nobility, and the greatest and best part of their Clergy. A vaft number of perfons of all ranks, Men, Women, and Children, have been beheaded, fhot, drowned, ftabbed, and poisoned. Many have fled, and dare not return; and of those who remain

femain, a great part have loft their Property, and all the comforts and conveniences of Life. Religion, Law, Order, and good Government, feem at an end amongst them.

In Spain, the cafe is not much better. Being divided into two Parties, one betrayed the other to the French, who compelled them to declare War against us; and the confequence is, they have been beat moft dreadfully, and, if they dare, would cut the throats of all the Frenchmen in their Country.

The Dutch are still worse off. Their Trade is destroyed; their Colonies are in our hands; the French have drained them of their Money. their Goods, and almost every thing they had. And by French Troops placed in all their strong Towns, they are forced to fit out Ships to fight against us, when they had rather by half fight

for us.

But what are we the better for all this? In fpite of the dreadful things that have happened to our Enemies; in fpite of all the Conquefts we have made, and the Ships we have taken; what

is our State at this hour? We are threatened with Invasions and Infurrections; we are loaded with Debts and Taxes; we are divided and weakened by Parties; we are funk in Gloom and Defpair. And yet, that French Fleet, which was intended to invade us, was difperfed, and the object of the expedition completely defeated. A Body of Troops, which actually landed, were inftantly taken Prifoners. The Acts paffed against Seditious Meetings, feemed to fupprefs them. The Merchants and Traders fupported our tottering Credit. A plentiful Harvest put an end to a want of Corn, which came very near to a Famine. And let any man travel from one end of the Ifland to the other, with his eyes open and his ears fhut, and he will fee every mark of Plenty and Profperity; every Village flourishing and improving; and every Field in a better ftate, and producing more than it ever did before. But let him take the fame journey with his eyes fhut and his ears open, and he will hear many Persons talk of nothing but Grievances and Oppreffions, War and Ruin.

Now

Now what is the meaning of all this ?-How comes it to pass, after all our wonderful Escapes, after all our glorious Victories; in the midst of fo much Plenty and feeming Profperity; that we not only think ourselves upon the brink of Ruin, but perhaps really are fo? The answer is plain and fhort-We are not reformed. A thorough Reform would fet all right, and restore us to Peace and Happiness. But what is that Reform which will do this great good? To answer this queftion is my object in writing.-Some think, a Reform in Parliament will alone be fufficient; and that Reform to confift only in the Members being chofen in a different manner.Some are for leffening the Power of the Crown.. --Some for abolishing Tythes.-Some for making an immediate Peace with France.-Some(though they have not courage to speak out) are for eftablishing a Republic on the French plan. All thefe, except the laft, are paltry, partial Reforms, which can do little good, and may do much mifchief.

If every Man in the Kingdom had a Vote for a Member of Parliament, what would

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be the consequence?-Why each Member would be chosen by a Mob. And whom would a Mob choofe? Why the man that made the loudest Speech, and the largest Promises. And who would this be?-Why he, that, having neither Property nor Character to lofe, was ready to fay any thing to get into the House, in hopes of being paid for breaking every Promise he had made.

As to leffening the Power of the Crown, we have tried that already, and therefore can judge what the effect would be. Every body knows, that no Man can govern Ten Millions of People, without fome Power. And if he has not lawful Power enough to govern them by; either he won't be able to govern them at all, and then there can be nothing but Confufion and Mischief; or else he must govern them by unlawful Means. And I appeal to any Man of common fenfe, whether it is not better, that a King should govern according to fixed and fettled Laws, which are known to all the Nation; than by undue Influence, Bribery, Corruption, and the like.

But