64 PROCEEDINGS of the POLITICAL CLUB, &c. minister so wicked as to aim at overturning Feb. magistrates of this very city, and appointing others in their room, yet he could not get a parliament to his mind, but on the contrary, was himself removed from the throne within lefs than a year after this tyrannical ufe of his power. This, Sir, fhews the improbability of the laft fuppofition I have mentioned, which was that the people fhould be fo ftupid as to fee fuch a direct attack made upon their liberties without taking the alarm, or making the leaft effort to defeat it. Confequently, as every one of thefe fuppofitions is not only improbable, but, I think, impoffible, the liberties of B the people of this nation in general cannot have the leaft concern in the queftion now before us, and I have already shewn, that the liberties of the people of Bristol in particular can be no way infringed, fhould "this bill as it now hands be paffed into a law. The only queftion now before us is, whether the peace and quiet of the city of Bristol, and the fecurity of its inhabitants, will be best preserved by our adopting the plan of the bill now before us, or by our rejecting it and adopting the plan propofed by the Hon. gentleman'; and this question cannot, I think, admit of any doubt. For as to the peace and quiet of the city, our adopting the plan now proposed would establish a perpetual contention and difcord between the magiftrates and the truftees to be chofen by the people, as well as annual difputes and animofities among the citizens in every ward about the election of thefe trustees. And fuppofing a contest (hould happen in any ward about the election of thefe truftees: Suppofing one party of the citizens fhould chufe one fet of trustees, and anoE ther party should chufe another: Surely you would not bring fuch a contested election before any of the courts in Weftminiter-hall, where it could not be determined before a new election would become neceffary: In my opinion, you could lodge the decifion of it no where but in the magiftrates, and their decifion F you would find neceffary to make final and conclufive; fo that even in this cafe you would be obliged to lodge the fupreme power in the hands of the magiftrates; and indeed it can in no cafe be lodged any where elfe, as they are by the city's charter appointed for the keeping of the peace, and for the ruling and governing of the people there. D Now, Sir, with regard to the third fuppofition which must be made, in order to thew that our liberties have any concern in the prefent question, I think it more improbable, or rather more impoffible, than either of the former; for granting that in every corporation of the kingdom where their form of government is, or fhall be put upon the fame model with that of Bristol, the inhabitants must be flaves to their magiftrates, and that their magiftrates must be flaves to the minister for the time being; yet it would be impoffible to get the government in most of our corporations put upon the fame model. It could no way be done but by getting them to refign their prefent charters; and what difficulties the execution of fuch a project would meet with we may judge from what happened towards the end of the reign of king Charles II. when I must allow that it met with furprifing fuccefs; but what was the confequence? Sudden and fatal was the confequence to the projectors, and directly G contrary to their expectation; for notwithstanding the great power which the crown thereby got over most of our cities and boroughs, which was manifefted by the next fucceffor's removing and difplacing at once no less than 28 of the 43 I Then, Sir, with regard to the fecurity of the inhabitants, it must in a great meafure depend upon this, that every conftable and watchman fhall not only diligently perform his duty, but take care not to make an improper use of the power with which 1756. MISCHIEF of too great GENTLENESS. which he is intrufted. For both thefe And from hence, Sir, it is likewife evident, that in the city of Bristol the power of appointing and regulating the watchmen, in every part within the liberties of that city, ought to be lodged in the magiftrates, unless fome very particular rea- E fon could be affigned for lodging it fome where elfe; for as to that of their being paid by a tax raifed upon the citizens, it can be no reafon at all. We might as well fay, that all the officers of our revenue, nay, and all the officers of our navy and army ought to be appointed and regulated by the people; for they are all paid by taxes raifed upon the people. To conclude, Sir, as I can fee no reafon for any material alteration in the bill now before us; as I think that every fuch alteration would render it worse, and might defeat the very end for which it is intended, I fhall be for agreeing to it as it now ftands, and hope it will be paffed into a law. [This JOURNAL to be continued in cur next.] The WORLD, No 161. SIR, Y a very tender letter, in one of your papers, (fee Vol. xxiv. p. 479.) from February, 1756. 65 an officer's wife, we have feen the diftreffes of a father and mother, and the mifconduct of a daughter, whofe meeknefs and gentleness of temper have drawn upon herfelf and family the utmoft mifery and diftrefs. Give me leave to lay betore you a chara&er of another kind; the too great gentleness and weakness of a fon. In the forty fecond year of my age, I was left a widower with an only fon of feven years old, who was fo exact a like. nefs of his mother, both in perfon and difpofition, that from that circumstance alone I could never prevail upon myself to marry again. The image of the excellent woman I had loft was perpetually before my eyes, and recalled to my memory the many endearing fccnes of love and affection that had paft between us. I heard her voice, I faw her mein, and I beheld her fmiles in my fon. I refolved therefore to cultivate this tender plant with more than common care; and I determined to take fuch proper advantages of his puerile age and hopeful temper," as might engage him to me, not more from moral duty, than from real inclination and attachment. My point was to make him my friend; and I fo far fuc-" ceeded in that point, that till he was fe-, venteen years old he constantly chofe my company preferable to any other. I hould have told you, that I placed him early at a very great fchool; and to avoid the mifchiefs that fometimes arife from boarding at a distance from parents, I took a houfe near the fchool, and kept him under my own eye, inviting conftantly fuch of his fchool fellows to amufe him, as were pointed out to me by the mafter, or were chofen by my own difcernment, in confequence of my fon's recommendation. All things went on in the most promifing train; but ftill I faw in him a certain eafinefs of temper, and an excess of what is faifely called goodnature, but is real weakness, which I feared muft prove of dreadful confequence to him, whenever he should tread the ftage of the great world. However, it' now grew time to advance him to the univerfity; and he went thither, I can with truth fay it, as free from vice, and as full of virtue, as the fondeft parent' could defire. What added farther to my hopes, was his ftrength of body, and the natural abhorrence which he had to wine, even almoft to a degree of loathGing. F When he was fettled at college, I infifted upon his writing to me once a week; and I conftantly answered his letters in the ftyle and manner which I' thought moft conducible to the improvement of his knowledge, and the extention I and 66 Too pliant Good-nature to be avoided. and freedom of his thoughts. During Not to trouble you with too many particulars, in fix months after he had been at the university I paid him a vifit; but I cannot find words to exprefs the aftonishment I felt, in difcovering my gentle, ealy, fweet-natured fon, not only turned into a Buck, but a Politician. Never was any young man lefs fitted for either of thofe characters: Never any young man entered deeper into both. He was a Buck without fpirit or ill-nature, and a Politician without the least knowledge of our laws, hiftory or conftitution. His B only pretence to buckism was his affected F To preferve his health, I withdrew him from the univerfity as expeditiously and with as little noife as I could, and brought him home, perfectly restored, as vainly imagined, to himself. But I was mif. taken. The laft perfon who was with him always commanded him. The companions of his midnight hours obliterated his duty to his father, and, notwithstanding his good fenfe, made him, like the fimple beaft in the fable, fancy himself a lion because he had put on the lion's kin. With the fame difpofition, had he been a G woman, I am perfuaded he must have been a profitute, not fo much from evil defires, as from the impoflibility of denying a requcft. He worthipped vice as the Indians adore the devil, not from incli Feb. nation but timidity. He bought intemperance at the price of his life; his health paid the intereft money during many months of a miferable decay; at length his death, little more than two years ago, difcharged the debt entirely, and left me with the fad confolation of having performed my duty to him, from the time I loft his mother till the time he expired in my arms. I have borne my lofs like a man; but I have often lamented the untowardness of my fate, which fnatched from me an only child, whofe difpofition was most amiable, but whofe virtues had not fufficient ftrength to fupport themselves. He was too modeft to be refolute; too fincere to be wary; too gentle to oppofe ; and too humble to keep up his dignity. This perhaps was the fingular part of his character; but he had other faults in common with his cotemporaries: He mistook prejudices for principles: He thought the retraction of an error a deviation from honour His averfions arofe rather from names than perfons: He called obftinacy steadiness; and he imagined that no friendfhip ought ever to be broken, which had begun, like the orgies of Bacchus, amidst the frantick revels of wine. Thus, Sir, I have fet before you, I hope without any acrimony, the fource and progrefs of my irreparable misfortune. It will be your part to warn the rifing generation in what manner to avoid the terrible rocks of mistaken honour and too pliant good-nature. In the last century the falfe notions of honour destroyed our youth by fashionable duels; and they were induced to murder each other by vifionary crowns of applaufe. The falfe notions of honour in the prefent age destroy our youth by the force of bumpers, and the mad confequences arifing from every kind of liquer that can intoxicate and overturn fenfe, reafon and reflection. Why are not healths to be eaten as well as drank? Why may not the fpells and magick arising from mouthfuls of beef and mutton, be as efficacious towards the accomplishments of our wishes, as gallons of port or overflowing bowls of punch? Certainly they might. I hope therefore, that by your publick admonition the young men of our days, who eat much less than they drink, may drink much less than they eat And I must farther add, that as it may be dangerous to abolish customs fo long established, I humbly advise that you permit them to eat as many healths as they please. I am, SIR, Your conftant reader, and most humble 1756. Reflexions on the Fate of LISBON. To the AUTHOR of the LONDON 67 mination, luxury and wantonnefs; thou grand corruptor of our manners, thou leader, thou fhameful example of all wickedness under the fun; thou art the mother and nurfe of all lewdness and debauchery, if not a Sodom. O Lord, in thy wrath reprove us not, and fuffer not fad Portugal's dreadful calamity to become the fate of England: And tho' thy Almighty arm may be at present even lifted up against our land, yet, Lord, for thy mercy's fake, avert the blow. O Lisbon, Lisbon, thou once the joyous city, whofe antiquity was of days remote, permit me to mourn and lament a moment over thee, whofe merchants were as princes, and thy traffickers the honourable of the earth; whose revenue was as the harvest of rivers, and thy exchange the mart of nations; who fat as a queen, ftretching out thy hand over the feas; but the is fallen, she is fallen, heaven has stained the pride of thy glory; thy king without fubjects, thy prince without money, and the great father of his country even without bread! What then, O London, art not thou pained for the report? And wilt thou fing as an harlot, and take the harp to make sweet melody, fing many fongs, and turn to thy hire (without either feeling or repenting) and commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world? Why will you, amidst all this general calamity, ruin, and diftrefs, put on a face of wanton gaiety, and fmiling affluence, and live too, even without God in the world? Are not these the figns of fad approach ing defolation, ruin, what not? Not figns only, but the very caufes too? O infolent profperity! O the foolish pride of life! What mifchiefs do you bring even upon private families, but much more upon a nation forgetting God! Plenty and abundance are, for the most part, more fatal and pernicious to the fons and daughters of fallen Adam, than poverty and want. Alas! were Lisbon's wealthy inhabitants, fporting in the maze of life, like Sodom's people, fair without, but full of ftench and rottennefs within; like the fruit, the apples of Sodom's country. What then, O London, are thy gay boafters of an hour? Why, nothing better, heaping up the measure of their iniquity yet more and more: Luxury in perfection, abounding in all manner of evil and wickedness, wanton in thy profperity, dealing out thy baleful poifon, fcattering round thee loathfome filthinefs, frantick madness, wild difordered folly, brimful of iniquity, thy meafure running over like the overflowing river, fpreading far and wide over our land luxury and dettruction, the bane of thousands. Alas! Sir, what are these national calamities, but the just and deserved judgments and corrections of an offended God, upon the finful inhabitants of a wicked land, or they would not have B fallen upon them? For, when the Lord God of heaven and earth is angry with a nation, what people, or what city, fhall be able to abide, or stand before the fury of his flaming vengeance, and fiery indignation? Tremble then ye nations, ye inhabitants of a fallen world, repent, and turn unto the Lord your God, in fackcloth, duft, and athes, that ye may be faved, faved from the wrath to come; for, doubtless there is a God, 'who will one day judge the earth in righteousness. The Lord Jehovah rides in the whirlwind, and directs the form; who is from everlafting to everlafting; whofe eyes, and providential care, are over all his works; beholding all the bufy ways of mortal D men, fearching out the very fecrets of their hearts, and troubled, as it were, for the fins and iniquities of all the nations upon earth. Thy ways, O Lord, are in the deep, and paft finding out, by the fhort line of human understanding! All just and equal. Let the careless, unthinking world, be never fo difquieted, in regard to thy providential protection. O Lord, "My flesh trembleth for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgment," faid a great, wife, and good king. And fhall our prefent gracious monarch upon the throne be fo fenfibly affected, and we his fubjects not tremble too? What are all the nations upon earth, but as a drop of the bucket to the Almighty! All a God! Shall his tremendous dealings with the children of men fly off like the morning cloud, and pa's away only as the ftory, or the news of the day, and be no longer remembered; or be refolved into the effects of fecond causes, when all nature is in the hands, and at the command, of the Lord Almighty? Methinks, I quake for fear of the many crying fins of this our land: O let us all repent, and believe the gofpel, nor turn infidels upon the occafion, but mourn for our mani. fold fins and iniquities: London in particular; thou mint, thou fink of all abo F G 14 68 ners. LONDON, a SINK of INIQUITY. Feb. diforder, all difcord, feeking nothing but the perishing, fading things of this prefent world, the bitter caufe of fore difpleafure and fad troubles. Let me perfuade thee Gallio to know and fee thyfelf a little, for Gallio you must one day die, and pafs into the invisible world of spirits: Why, what then? Why, then to judgment: And wert thou this night to quit the world, art theu fit to appear before the living God, juft even as thou now art, in the full career of fin, and forgetfulness of God? This world thy all, a glorious immortality not in all thy thoughts! Here paufe a tingle moment : What art thou then? Why, a worm, a nothing, the creature only of a day, the fport of fears and cares, the very drudge of forrow and trouble, for forrow and trouble will come upon thee in spight of infidelity? Thou art troubled about many things, thou art in the world, and in thy own mind toffed up and down like a wave upon the reflefs ocean, never at peace within thyfelf, perhaps a terror to thyfelf, fretting, fuming, and repining, at every crefs accident; thy whole life a bluftering torm, always uneafy, never happy; for thou art dead whilft thou liveft, if our Bible fpeaks the truth: "Man in his best estate is but as the flower of the field, which to day is, and tomorrow is not; treading his few and Duncertain hours upon the ftage of life, and then no more as to all things here below, walking in a vain fhadow, and difquieting himself in vain, heaping up riches, and knoweth not who fhall gather them." A wife man, or a fool, man's breath is in his noftrils, and when the Lord taketh it away, what, I pray, is man? His body a morie! for the worms, and his better part, the foul, either in eternal milery, or everlafting happiness. And why will you not think of this Gallio? The fomewhat unpoffeffed ever wanting with you, and thro' the fear of death you are in trouble all your days. Shake this fear off if you dare; you cannot, till Almighty overturning grace (which God will give you if you will fincerely feek it) fhall heal the wounds," which fin, and practical atheifm, have made upon your foul: Then all is peace in Chrift, and you happy, come life, come death. Coat not thyfelf, but blush at thy own nothingnets, "For all fleth is as grafs, and the glory of man as the flower of grass, the grafs withereth, and the flower fadeth away, but the word of the Lord endureth for ever." Live then. unto God, and not unto the world; for doubtless there is a God that judgeth the earth. thoufands. O London, the country feels |