THE Englift are bleft with fome which no other nation

now in the world enjoys in fo high a degree. One is, that they cannot be long deprived of their liberty upon fufpicion of any crime, not even of treafon itself, without being brought to a trial: another is, that they cannot be tortured, either to force a confeffion of what is laid to their charge, or a discovery of their accomplices. It is a wonderful thing, that even in many free states, thefe two effential rights of human nature have not been fecured: for can any thing be more repugnant to natural juftice, than to punish without proof of a crime? Or is there a greater punish ment than long imprisonment and the infliction of violent pain, either of which is worse than death to an innocent man? From both these evils the English are guarded by their excellent laws; which have alto provided, that none fhall undergo the vexation and flame of a trial in a criminal cause without the confent of twelve of their countrymen, who are called the grand jury; nor can sentence be paffed upon them, but by the unanimous voice of twelve more of their equals, with as strong provifions (in trials for treafon especially) against any influence of fear or corruption, as human laws are able to frame. To thefe glorious privileges is added the right of being taxed by none but their reprefen

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tatives, of advising the king in a parlia mentary manner upon all matters of government, of enquiring into the conduct of minifters, of arraigning the guilty, and taking them out of the fhelter of the throne, liberty of speech in parlia ment, and liberty of writing and pub. lifhing with all decent freedom what every man thinks upon publick affairs.

When I confider all these advantages, and reflect on the ftate I am in when in my own country, expofed upon the lighteft fufpicion to be thut up in a prifon, to be tortured there, and, if ever brought out from thence, to be tried by a partial judge, poffibly by my accufer himfelf, to have my eftate taken from me at the emperor's pleasure, having no means of redress against him or his mi nifters, and deprived of the power even to complain; when I reflect on all this, I cannot but look upon the lowest sub. ject of England with envy, and with refpect, as I fhould on a being of an order fuperior to mine.

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But, on the other hand, were there an Englishman wicked and foolish enough, to give up the leaft of thefe rights for any temptation of fortune or power, fhould look down upon him, however exalted by titles or wealth, with more contempt than upon the lowest flave in my feraglio: for, if unwilling flavery be the worst of misfortunes, voluntary fervitude is the balett of crimes.

ABOUT a fortnight ago, I went,

in company with one of my acquaintance, to fee a place in this city, called the Exchange, which is the gene, ral rendezvous of all the merchants, not only of England, but the whole trading world. I never yet came into an affembly with fo much refpect as into this. Thefe,' faid I to my friend, are the most useful, and therefore the most • bongurable, of mankind, They are

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met here to carry on the common happiness; their gains are the advantage of the publick; and their labour makes the ease of human life.'

I had scarce spoke these words, when he carried me out into a neighbouring alley, where I alfo saw some busy faces, but which looked, methought, very different from the others. Thefe, faid he, are a fort of traders, whose whole bufinefs is confined within the com • pas

pafs of this alley, where they create a • kind of ebb and flow, which they know how to turn to good account; but which is deftructive to all trade, except their own. Nay, they have fometimes raifed fuch violent tempefts here, that half the wealth of the nation has been funk by it.'

They are then a sort of magicians, anfwered I.

• A molt diabolical one truly,' replied he; and, what is most wonderful, the masters of the art have the fecret to render themselves invifible:

though hey are always virtually prefent here, they never appear to vulgar eyes; but fome of their imps are fre quently discovered, and by their motions the fkilful in this traffick fteer their courfe and regulate their ven"tures.'

While he was faying this to me, there came up to us an ill-looked fellow, and afked if we had any flock to fell.

My friend whispered me in the ear, that this was an imp: I started; called on Mahomet to protect me, and made the best of my way out of the alley.

THAT Abdallah, whom, Ismene

from England. Thou wilt be affected with the virtue of the man, when I tell thee the cause of his departure. He fent laft week to defire I would come to him. I came, and found him oppreffed with the deepest forrow. Ah, Selim,' faid he to me, I must leave thee: I must go, and difcharge my duty to the beft of fathers; I muft give my all for him · to whom I owe it. At these words, he put a letter into my hand, which he had just received the day before: I found by it, that his father, who was a merchant, in a voyage from Grand Cairo to Aleppo, was taken by a cruizer of the Isle of Malta; and, being unable himself to pay his ranfom, had written to his fon to do it for him.

• Thou

knoweft,' faid he to me, that I am not rich: to raife the fum demanded for my father's liberty, I must fell all my effects, and leave myself without the means of a fubfiftence, except • what my labour can procure me. But my own diftrefs is not what concerns me moft; the fear of poverty cannot fright me from my duty; I only grieve for the fate of my poor wife, whom the ruin of my fortune will expose to indigence and fhame. It is for her fake that I have fent for you; and I ⚫ conjure you, by all our friendship, by the prophet and the God whom we adore, not to refufe me the first favour I ever afked.' When he had faid this, he opened the door of another

defty peculiar to our eastern ladies, endeavoured to conceal herself from my regards. Come hither, Zelis,' faid my friend, and fee the man whom I have ⚫ chofen_to_protect you: see him who muft fhortly be your husband, in the room of the unfortunate Abdallah.* Then, turning to me, and weeping bitterly This,' cried he, O Selim! is the grace for which I am a fuppliant: permit me to give her to a man who I know will ufe her well; I am refolved to divorce her this very inftant, ac'cording to the power allowed me by our law, if you will confent to take her for your wife; nor could the sophi himfelf make you a prefent of greater value. If the charms of her perfon ⚫ are not fufficient to recommend her to " you, know that her mind is ftill fairer and more accomplished. I brought her with me into England three years ago, in all which time fhe has hardly Atirred out of my houfe, nor defired any company but mine. It is impoffible to be happier with a wife than I have been with her; nothing should ever have prevailed on me to part with her, but the defire to feparate her fronr my misfortunes, and to procure her a maintenance agreeable to her birth and merit, which I am no longer able to provide for her myself.'

He had fcarce ended, when the lady, tearing her hair, and beating the whiteft breaft I ever faw, implored him not to G& think

Quite the contrary, anfwered he; the whole merit and pride of their profeffion is to deceive: they are to lay falfe colours upon every thing; and the greater the impofition is, the greater their reputation. The orator who can only perfuade us to act against some of • our lesser interests, is but a genius of the fecond rate; but he who can compel us by his eloquence to violate the most effential, is an able man indeed, and will certainly rife very high. I fuppofe it ་ may be your cuftom in Perfia to bestow employments on fuch perfons as have particularly qualified themfelves for them you put the care of the army and the marine into the hands of foldiers and feamen; you make one man ⚫ fecretary of state, because he has been ⚫ bred in foreign courts, and understands the interests of your neighbouring princes; to another you truft the revenue, because he is skilful in ceconomy, and has proved himself above the tempta⚫tion of embezzling what paffes through

his hands. Yes,' replied I, this is furely the right method; and I con⚫clude it must be yours. No,' faid he; 'we are above thofe vulgar preju dices; fuch qualifications are not requifite among us: to be fit for any or all of thefe pofts, one must be a good Speaker in parliament:- How!' faid I; because I make a fine harangue

upon a treaty of peace, am I therefore fit to fuperintend an army?'-' We think fo,' answered he: And if I can plaufibly defend a minifter of ftate from a reasonable charge brought against him, have I thereby a title to be taken into the administration?"— Beyond difpute, in this country,' anfwered he. Why then, by Mahomet!* faid I, your government may well be fick what a diftempered body muff that be whofe members are fo mon'firoufly out of joint, that there is no one part in it's proper place! If my tongue should undertake to do the office of my head and arms, the abfurdity and the impotency would be 'just the fame.'

Yet thus,' faid he, we go on; lamely enough I must confefs; but still admiring our own wife policy, and laughing at the reft of the world.'

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'You may laugh,' replied I, as you think fit: but if the fultan my mafter had among his counsellors fuch an orator as you defcribe, a fellow that would prate away truth, equity, and common-fenfe; by the tomb of our holy prophet! he would make a mute of him, and fet him to watch over the feraglio instead of the fate.'

At thefe words I was obliged to take my leave, and our discourse was broke off till another meeting.

HE next day I faw my friend

Tagain, and he refumed the fubject

of eloquence, You cannot imagine,' faid he to me, of what fatal confequence this art of haranguing has been to all free ftates: good laws have been eftablished by wife men, who were far from being eloquent; and eloquent men, who were far from being wife, have every where deftroyed or corrupted them. Look into hiftory, you ◄ will find, that the fame period which carried eloquence to it's perfection, was almost always mortal to liberty. The republicks of Greece, and that of Rome, did not fee their most celebrat ⚫ed orators till the very moment that their conftitutions were overturned. And how indeed fhould it be other

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wife? When once it becomes a fa 'fhion to advance men to dignity and " power, not for the good counfel that " they give, but for an agreeable manner of recommending bad ones, it is impoffible that a government fo adminiftered can long fubfift. Is any thing complained of as amifs? Inftead of redress, they give you an oration. Have you propofed a good and needful law? In exchange for that you receive an oration. Has your natural • reafon determined you upon any point? Up gets an orator, and fo confounds you, that you are no longer able to reafon at all. Is any right measure " to be obftra&ed, or wrong one to be advanced? There is an orator always " ready, and it is moft charmingly per• formed

I do not know,' faid I, what pleafure you may find in being deceived; but I dare fay, thould thefe gentle" men undertake to inftruct a merchant in his bulineis, or a farmer in his ⚫ work, without understanding either trade or husbandry, they would only be laughed at for their pains; and yet when they attempt to perfuade a nation to commit a thousand fenfelefs fauits, they are liftened to with great attention, and come off with abund⚫ance of applaufe. But, for my part, I

think they deserve nothing but hatred ⚫ and contempt, for daring to play with fuch facred things as truth, juftice, and pubiick good, in fo wanten and • diffolute a manner.'

'Moft certainly,' anfwered he, they are very dangerous to all fociety; for what is it they profefs? Do not they make it their boaft that they have the power to foothe or enflame; that is, in proper terms, to make us partial or ⚫ to make us mad? Are either of thefe tempers of the mind agreeable to the duty of a judge, or of a counsellor of ftate? I maintain, that it would be • juft as proper for us to decide a quef⚫tion of right or wrong after a debauch

T

of wine or a dofe of opium, as after being heated or cooled, to the degree · we often are, by the addrefs of one of thefe fkilful fpeakers.

Wifely was it done by the Venetians, to banish a member of their fenate, (as I have read they did) only because they thought he had too much eloquence, and gained too great an af cendant in their councils by that bewitching talent. Without fuch a caution there is no fafety; for we are led, when we fancy that we act most freely; and the man who can master cur affections will have but little trouble with our reafon. But to fhew you the power of oratory in it's strongest light, let us fee what it does with religion: in itself it is simple and beneficent, full of charity and humility; and yet, let an eloquent Jefuit get up into a pulpit, what monftrous fyftems will he draw out of it! What pride, what tyranny, will he make it autho • rize! How much rancour and malignity will he graft upon it! It then the laws of God may be thus corrupted by the taint of eloquence, do we wonder that the laws of men cannot escape? 'No,' faid I; no mischiefs are to be wondered at, where the reafon of mankind is fo abufed.'

HE converfation I repeated to thee in my laft letter, was heard by a gentleman that fat near us, who, I have been told, has found his account fo much in eloquence, as to be interested in the defence of it. Accordingly, he attacked my friend, and told him, he was afraid he had forgot his hiftory, or he would have recollected that Demosthenes and Cicero, the two greatest orators that ever were, employed their rhetorick in the fervice of their country. I might, perhaps,' anfwered he, make fome objections to the integrity of both; but, allowing what you fay, it amounts • to no more than this, that elequence be of fervice to mankind in the poffeffion of very good men; and fo may arbitrary power, of the greatest ⚫fervice: but yet we fay in England, ⚫ that it is wiler not to trust to it; be

may

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caufe, as it is generally managed, it becomes a moft grievous oppreffion. And, I am fure, I can fhew you in hiftory as many orators that have abused their eloquence, as kings that have abufed their authority: for, befides the wickedness common to human nature, the vanity of making a bad cause appear a good one is in itself a dangerous temptation. When a man fees he is able to impofe on the judgments of others, he must be a very honest and very modeft one indeed, if he never does it wrongfully. Alas, Sir!' returned his antagonist, the generality of men are too weak to bear truth! They muit be cheated into happiness.'I am fure they are often cheated out of it,' replied my friend: nor can I wholly agree to your propofition in the fenfe you understand it. It may

! be