paradox in nature; and yet like other paradoxes, old as I am, I live in hope to see, before I die, those seeming contraries perfectly reconciled, and reduced into one happy certainty, the public good.

old

Whilst I stayed at Madrid, I made several visits to my acquaintance general Mahoni. I remember that he told me, when the Earl of Peterborow and he held a conference at Morvidro, his lordship used many arguments to induce him to leave the Spanish service. Mahoni made several excuses, especially that none of his religion was suffered to serve in the English army. My lord replied, that he would undertake to get him excepted by an act of parliament. I have often heard him speak with great respect of his lordship; and was strangely surprised, that after so many glorious successes, he should be sent away.

He was likewise pleased to inform me, that at the battle of Saragossa, it was his fortune to make some of our horse to give way, and he pursued them for a considerable time; but at his return he saw the Spanish army in great confusion: but it gave him the opportunity of attacking our battery of guns, which he performed with great slaughter, both of gunners and matrosses; he at the same time inquired who it was, that commanded there in chief. I informed him it was Colonel Bourguard, one that understood the economy of the train exceeding well. As for that, he knew nothing of; but that he would vouch, he behaved himself with extraordinary courage, and defended the battery to the utmost extremity, receiving several wounds, and deserved the post in which he acted. A gentleman who was a prisoner at Gualaxara, informed me, that he saw King Philip riding through that town, being only attended with one of his guards.

Saragossa, or Cæsar Augusta, lies upon the river Ebro, being the capital of Arragon; it is a very ancient city, and contains fourteen great churches and twelve convents. The church of the Lady of the Pillar is frequented by pilgrims, almost from all countries; it was anciently a Roman colony. Tibi laus, tibi honor, tibi sit gloria, O gloriosa Trinitas, quia tu dedisti mihi hanc opportunitatem, omnes has res gestas recordandi. Nomen tuum sit benedictum, per sæcula sæculorum. Amen.

END OF THE MEMOIRS OF CAPTAIN CARLETON.

THE

DUMB PHILOSOPHER,

OR

GREAT BRITAIN'S WONDER;

CONTAINING:

I. A faithful and very surprising Account how Dickory Cronke, a Tinner's son, in the County of Cornwall, was born Dumb, and continued so for Fifty-eight years; and how, some days before he died, he came to his Speech; with Memoirs of his Life, and the Manner of his Death.

II. A Declaration of his Faith and Principles in Religion; with a Collection of Select Meditations, composed in his Retirement.

III. His Prophetical Observations upon the Affairs of Europe, more particularly of Great Britain, from 1720 to 1729. The whole extracted from his Original Papers, and confirmed by unquestionable Authority.

PREFACE.

THE formality of a preface to this little book might have been very well omitted, if it were not to gratify the curiosity of some inquisitive people, who, I foresee, will be apt to make objections against the reality of the narrative.

Indeed the public has too often been imposed upon by fictitious stories, and some of a very late date, so that I think myself obliged by the usual respect which is paid to candid and impartial readers, to acquaint them, by way of introduction, with what they are to expect, and what they may depend upon, and yet with this caution too, that it is an indication of ill nature or ill manners, if not both, to pry into a secret that is industriously concealed.

However, that there may be nothing wanting on my part, I do hereby assure the reader, that the papers from whence the following sheets were extracted, are now in town, in the custody of a person of unquestionable reputation, who, I will be bold to say, will not only be ready, but proud, to produce them upon a good occasion, and that I think is as much satisfaction as the nature of this case requires.

As to the performance, it can signify little now to make an apology upon that account, any farther than this, that if the reader pleases he may take notice that what he has now before him was collected from a large bundle of papers, most of which were writ in shorthand, and very ill-digested. However, this may be relied upon, that though the language

is something altered, and now and then a word thrown in to help the expression, yet strict care has been taken to speak the author's mind, and keep as close as possible to the meaning of the original. For the design, I think there is nothing need be said in vindication of that. Here is a dumb philosopher introduced to a wicked and degenerate generation, as a proper emblem of virtue and morality; and if the world could be persuaded to look upon him with candour and impartiality, and then to copy after him, the editor has gained his end, and would think himself sufficiently recompensed for his present trouble.