neither the Senfe of the Inhabitants, or of the Corporation; for no Court was call'd, but the Instructions were fign'd in a clandeftine Manner, by the Mayor and a few of his Brethren, after they had been drawn up by one of the Agents for the Craftsman, who infinuates among others Things, that our Poor, tho' Work was never more plenty, nor Provifions cheaper, are B tarving; Work fo plenty, and Provifions fo cheap, that in Bradford, a Cloath-working Town near the Bath, there was drank by the labouring People, from June 1731, to June 1732. above 7000 Pounds worth of ftrong Beer. But we have seen the People run into Frenzies, meeting in great Bodies, fwearing to oppofe, with their Lives and Fortunes, a buge Monster to be brought into the Nation by King, Lords A and Commons, on purpofe to devour us and our Children; and we have feen their Petitions from all Parts of the Kingdom, befeeching their Reprefentatives not to fuffer this Monfer to invade us The Substance and Senfe of which Petitions is this; "Gentlemen, We are informed by fome, who have 2 mortal Averfion to the Government, and by others who have an implacable Hatred to the Ministry, that there's a Defign to enact a Law which C will make Beggars and Slaves of us and our Pofterity for ever. We believe you are Vs enough to do this, only because your Enemies fay it, and for no other Reafon in the World. But for God's fake, confider; you will not D only make Beggers and Slaves of us, but of your Selves and Children too; Therefore, tho' you have no Regard to the Intereft of Liberty, and the Happinefs of Mankind, have Mercy upon us for your own Sakes. If you com- E ply with our Requeft, God Save you; if not, G Let every unprejudiced Man judge, whether this is not the genuine Senfe of all the late Petitions? And whether this be a Conduct worthy of a wife and free People under the belt Government, and adminiltred fo well, that had not fome out of Power fet up Incendiary Journals to deceive and inflame, not one Man in a Thoufand would have faid a Word against the Administration. But ambitious and crafty Men have put Words into their Mouths; like Parrots, they repeat, and then, like Sheep, follow their Leaders. What elle could have produced thofe Inftructions from St Albans ? We ought, however to do Juftice to the Inhabitants of that Borough, who have clear'd themselves of the bafe and villainous Infinuations contained in thofe Inftructions, which they have fhewn, are The Craftsman, Feb. 10. No. 343. When the People are generally ag grieved they fhew their Refentments in Satyrical Ballads, Allegories, By-Sayings, and Ironical Points of loro Wit, and in hieroglyphical Expreflions of their Anger, against the Projector of any Injury done or intended them; and these a prudent Minifter ought not for his own Safety to despise. The general Averfion to an Excife hath difcover'd itfelf in the fame manner. Mr D'Anvers gives Inftances of this gibing Wit from fome emblematical Cuts on Ballads and Tobacco Papers, reprefenting the Excife as a Monster, by a Dragon with many Heads; as tending to Slavery, by a Coat of Arms with 3 F wooden Shoes, Supporters an Excifeman and a Grenadier; not omitting to fignify the Downfal of the Projector, by a Man pictured as tumbling out of a Chariot, and beheaded, or Excijfed; which Word, adds D'anvers, is now applied by all forts of People to what feems moft grievous to them. Thus Robbing on the Highway is term'd Collecting or Excifing; being Beefted at Quadrille, Excifed; Spadille is the Projector, the other Mattadores Commiffioners: the Test Act is an Excife upon Confcience; the late Epidemical Diftemper, which cut off fo many, an Excife Plague; and an old Lady is introduced faying, It is no more than we might expect thi Year according to the Proverb G H When my LORD falls in my LADY's Lap, B C Thefe odd Ideas of Dragons, Chariots, Excifes, &c. caufed D'angers to A dream he was in a magnificent AntiChamber; at the upper End of which, he fays, fat a goodly fat Perfonage, not unlike the Figure I had obferved in the hieroglyphical Chariot. Several fhabby looking Fellows, crowded his Levee. I perceiv'd they were Projectors of various Schemes for railing Money. Upon the Labels of their Projects were written perpetual Mortgages, Capitations, Poll Taxes, &c. which the Man in the Chair receiv'd but told them with a fmile Not Yet. Next a whimfical plump Creature came bufting thro' the Room with the Term Excifor in Capitals on his Breaft, and the Words Coffee, Tea and Chocolate infcrib'd on his Forehead. He deliver'd a Paper, which the Perfon in Authority D read with a vifible Satisfaction, then call'd for Wine and Tobacco; and addreffing himself to his Clients-Gentlemen, faid he, I have a particular Efteem for you all, and out of meer Regard for your Health, I will take Care for the future that your Wine and Tobacco hall be anadulterated.-This Specious Declaration, however, gave Offence to feveral grave looking Perfons, who remonftrated against the Project, but he replied, It is refolved. E I was immediatley waked by loud F Conclamations of No Excifes, &c. and fell into the following Confiderations on the Subject: The Occafional Financer (fee p. 66.) infifts chiefly on two Points in hehalf of the Scheme, viz. that it will prevent the Adulteration of Wine, and increase the Public Revenue. Tho' I am far from being an Advocate for thefe Winecoiners, Wizzards and Anti-chymists,as Ire calls them, yet I do not take them to be fuch barbarous, bloody, and inbumane Murtherers as he reprefents them. I'm afraid there is too much Reafon for the common Complaints of Wine-brewing; yet do not apprehend the Ingre G H dients to be of fuch a pernicious and deadly Nature; tho' they are certainly Impofitions on the Publick. There is no great Harm in Water, Cyder, and other home-made Liquors, with which they are fuppofed to lengthen out their foreign Wines, and Profit feems the only Inducement to fuch Mixtures, fince the arranteft Wine-brewer can have no Intereft in poyfoning his Cuftomer. I do not conceive how this Practice can be prevented by the prefent Scheme; however, 'tis prefumed the Vintners will not be reftrained from mixing bad Wines with good; (which perhaps is the most pernicious Mixture of all) or prohibited the Ufe of fuch Ingredients, as are neceflary to fine the neatest Wines, and fit 'em for Sale. Neither do I think this Scheme will improve the Revenue; as the Price of Wines would be advanced, the Confumption will be diminished, which will leffen the Revenue; or the Importation be enlarged, which will affect the Balance of our Trade. But granting the Financer all thefe Points, the two principal Objections to his Scheme, with Regard to our Liberties, ftill remain in full Force; as it will deprive particular Perfons of the Privilege of being try'd by a fary, and endanger the Conflitution, by an Increafe of Crown Officers. Fog's Journal, Feb. 15. No. 223. Abbe Vertot, to prove that a few Portugal was at that Time fubject to the King of Spain, and was govern'd by a Vice Queen; but the whole Authority was lodged in the Hands of Vafconcellos, her Prime, Minifler, a Portuguese by Birth, by Inclination a Spaniard. What recommended him to the Spanish Government, was his Care to encrease the Roval Revenue. For this purpose he was continually invent ing new Ways of extorting Money from C of Confpirators, by the new Method of Taxation, forefaw the total Ruin of their Commerce, and chofe to die Sword in Hand, rather than to live Beggars and Slaves. 3. The Inflexibility of Vafconcellos Behaviour, when the ftrongeft Remonftrances were made to him, caufed many of his Enemies, as well as his Friends, to repute him a Man of great Fortitude of Mind, they were unde for when he saw his real Danger he had not the Presence of Mind to utter one Word. A late Accident at the Opera of Julius Cæfar, will explain this Part of Vafconcellos' Character. A Piece of the Machinery tumbled down from the Roof of the Theatre upon the Stage just as Senefino had chanted forth Tho' the People loudly complained,ceiv'd by his Conduct at his Death; yet were they fo aw'd by the Army, that for fome Years they patiently fubmitted to thefe Oppreffions. At length Pinto Ribeiro, a private Perfon, then Comptroller to the Duke of Braganza, fet on Foot a Confpiracy which took Effect, deliver'd his Country from Slavery, and rais'd his Mafter to the Crown of Portugal. Having concerted proper Meafures with the Nobility, Gentry, D and Tradeímen, the Death of Vafconcellos was unanimoufly refolv'd on. The first of December, 1640, Pinto at the Head of the Confpirators, having furpriz'd the Guard, forced his way into the Palace, and enter'd Vasconcellos' Apartment, where they found him hid under a heap of Papers in a Prefs. They fhot him thro' the Head, and threw him out of the Window, crying out Liberty! Liberty! The Tyrant is dead! Long live Don John King of Portugal. The People rufh'd upon the Carcass, each being eager to give it a Stab, as if they would prevent Tyranny from ever rifing again. From the Hiftory of this Revolution arife the following Reflections. E F 1. That the Portuguese endured their G Oppreffions much longer than they need have done, for want of a proper Concert among themselves. 2. Tho' fome of the Nobility might engage in this Enterprize out of Revenge, Difappointment, or other Views; yet the Love of Liberty, and the Hopes of fecuring the Remainder of their Properties was the Cement of this glorious Undertaking. The Citizens of Liban, who were the greater Number H Cæfare non feppe mai, che fia Timore, ODYS. 14. V. 494. Thele he decrees, and he but fuffers those; IL. 9. V. 31. So JOVE decrees, Almighty Lord of all! IL. 17. V. 197. now Strikes the fresh Garland from theVictor's Brow. A That happy Man whom Jove till honoursmost I know thy Force to mine fuperior far; Again: IL. 1. v. 228. If thou haft Strength, 'twasHeav'n that Strength For know, vain Man! thy Valour is from God. At one Regard of his All-feeing Eye, The righteous Pow'rs who tread the starry Skies So likewife, Odys. 16. v. 232, Without the Gods, how fhort a Period ftands, Which laft is exactly what the Pfalmift says, Except the Lord build the House, their Labour is but loft that build it. The Auditor, Feb. 13. No. 11. DEAR SIR, A New Character, I fuppofe, will make you prick up your Ears as briskly as a new Lover would mine. Open 'em wide then, while I draw a Picture half the young Fellows in Town may fit to. C Company he is a ridiculous Figure. As a Levity of Temper makes him eafily acquainted with one, fo a great Flow troublesome ; not having Sense enough of Spirits render him very noify and to entertain you in a rational way, his natural Fire fpends itself in Gefticulations and Monkey Tricks. Thus a FLAP Will ftruggle an hour with a Lady to get her Fan, and be admirably B entertain'd with it. But, if a FLAP happens to be a handfome Fellow, he is agrecable enough. He will fly from one Room to another after a Lady, and perhaps bruife an Eye with great Satisfaction. A FLAP is perfect Mafter of the Scotch Step, and knows Country Dances, as another does Authors, and generally carries a Book in his Pocket with the Names and Tunes of them, in cafe the Fidler fhould be ignorant. I fhall defer feveral other D Circumstances relating to him, particularly the Method of Address a FLAP ufes with our Sex, when he would make himself agreeable. Your Admirer COQUETILLA. P. S. The Scotch Step is vastly pretE ty; fo pretty, that without it Country Dances are good for nothing. F A FLAP (alluding to that Part of the Male Garment, which is more for Shew than Ufe) is a Creature with as little Senfe as can be conceived in a human Being. He is in every Refpect the Reverse of the fenfible Part of Mankind. As to his Drefs, he generally G wears a Pig-tail, or Bag and Solitaire, with a Tupee well plaifter'd; but never appears in a Tye Wig. His Cloaths are commonly better than he can afford, with fome particular in the Cut, either to hide a Defect or to fet off fome fan- H cied Beauty. His Sphere of Action feldom ftretches beyond the Boxes at the Playhouses, Affemblies, or the Mall when there's no Wind. In any other Dear Sir, Ince you exprefs your great Concern for the whole Sex in general, pray don't forget the Petticoat in particular. The Fashion of little Men wearing great Sticks is fo intolerable, that if you will not fupprefs it, I know not what we fhall do.. What can be Figure with a flick longe han himself, more provoking than to fee a little short which he trails thro' fpies fomething like a pretty Woman, Dirt, till he when with the utmost of his Strength, he raises it from the ground, and carries it in a Poife? By which Practice I have not got home with a clean Petticoat this Seafon, tho' I feldom walk more than a Street's length to visit my GrandMama. Pray why muft the little Men only affect thefe long Sticks? and the tall comely Men never ufe them? If you will regulate this, and ftate the Size of of the Stick according to that of the Wearer, you'll remove a publick Nufance, and oblige your attentive ELENESSA. A This Grievance I can fay nothing to, till I have confulted Frank Eafy. In the mean time I shall be obliged to my Correlpondent, if the will tell me Why fair Women like Men of dark Complexions, and black Men fair Women, B and of what Complexion fhe herself is. Grubstreet Journal, Feb. 15. No. 164. THE humble REMONSTRANCE of the Ladies of the Cities of London and Westminster, in behalf of themfelves, and all the female Bodies Cor- C pora: in Great Britain, laying open the greeat Inconveniencies, to which their Boroughs in particular will be Subject, from any extenfion of the Laws of Excife. 1. It will oblige us to make an En-D try of the House and Place, where our Commodities are kept; fo that our Chambers will be fubject to the Vifits of Officers, whenever they think fit to make a Rummage. 2. To keep Books of Account of all E Tranfactions is Impracticable, particularly to those who cannot write. 3. If we are obliged to take out Permits, whenever we have Occafion to remove our Commodities, it will be very troublesome, and hinder the Dif- F patch of Bufinefs, by Reason, that Chapmen must often go away unferved, Permits not being at all Times to be obtained. 4. That if our Veffels are to be gauged, and in a proper manner, it's G prefumed, there would not be found a fufficient Number of Perfons equal to fo great a Work, unless the Standing Army were disbanded. 5. We conceive that the Instruments now used in Gauging, would by no means be fuitable to our Veffels; fo that H the Government would be put to great Expence for new Tools. 6. We have good Reason to believe, that the Inftruments of the Officers would be often fo much damaged, if not entirely spoiled, that the Government'sExpence in repairing them, would amount to as much as the Money arifing from this new Impofition. 7. We apprehend with great Terror, that it may be in the Power of wicked Officers wilfully to ruin us, by having at the End of their dipping Rods, fomething that may very much hurt, if not entirely spoil our Veffels, and occafion continual Leakage, a Cafe that has happen'd to others, and may to us, as we cannot refufe an Entry. 8. The Statutes now in force against adulterating thefe Commodities, lay fuch heavy Penalties on the Adulterer, that fcarce any will be found hardy enough to break thro' fuch wholesome Laws; efpecially when they confider the terrible Examples that have happen'd of late years. 9. We conceive, the chief Defign of the intended Extenfion of Excife, is to prevent the Running of the Commodities aforefaid; which may be done by fuppre.ling the Hawkers, who infeft the Streets Night and Day, impudently offering their damag'd Ware to every one, to the great Detriment of the fair Trader. Therefore we humbly hope, as the Honour, Dignity, and Intereft of the Nation, depends on the Ufe of our Commodities, that every Member will vigorously and strongly oppofe any thing that may tend to our Difadvantage. IT Free Baiton, Feb. 15. No 168. Of Publick MONEY ill laid out. T hath been obferved these two Years paft of an illuftrious Patriot, that he opens the Seffions with fome Declaration of War against this unfortunate Paper. Such a Diftinction might gratify any Man's Pride. But when this is done by a Person who hath no other Way left to gratify the Bitternefs of a bafe Refentment, and who hath fled from the Argument of that Writer whom he rails at, it must raife the |