Numb. 5.
[33]
A DIGRESSION to the READER.
IT is not for want of Matter wherewith to Entertain the World, that this Paper is thus reduc’d from a whole to half a Sheet, the vast Extent of the Subject we have Entred upon, rather gives us Cause to fear Life will hardly Extend to Finish the Undertaking, and at the slow Rate of now and then a Paper, this Age will hardly come to the End of the History.
But the Necessities of Trade, not Improperly call’d the Iniquity of the Times, compel us to this Alteration, the Publishers of this Paper honestly Declaring, that while they make it a whole Sheet they get nothing by it; and tho’ the Author is very Free to give the World his Labour for God’s sake, they don’t find it for their Convenience to give their Paper and Print away.
But this is not all, the common Sellers of News, from the unusual Size, and general Success of this Paper, took Occasion to Impose upon the World and Sell it for Two Pence; which; which as it was raising a Tax without a Legal Power was thought Scandalous by the Club, and accordingly is thus effectually suppress’d.
And to convince the World, these are the true Reasons, they will find, That we have by the help of a smaller Print, and a larger Page, taken Care to put as much into this half Sheet as was in the former, and so the whole of the Matter is only the Injury done to the Eye-sight, in obliging the Gentlemen to read it in a smaller Character; and if we find the Subject grow too fast upon us, we shall help it by bringing the Paper out twice a Week.At this point in the Review the print shrinks, the layout shifts from single column to two columns, and the move from printing a full sheet to a half sheet reduces the pages from eight to four. All of these moves, as Defoe mentions in the first paragraphs of this number, were in response to booksellers charging two pennies for the paper because of its larger than usual size.
IN our last we gave a short Description of the Threatning Power of France at Sea, and how they prepar’d to be strong in the Mediterranean, and their Wisdom and Readiness of Closing with all Opportunities of Action is very remarkable in this: [34] ’Tis allow’d, if the French are Weaker than the Confederates in any part, ’tis at Sea, and yet even in this Article, by their Exquisite Conduct, they so supply the Defect of Power, that we rather loose than gain by them.
In the Year 1691. the Naval Power of France threatned the United Fleets of the Confederates with the Empire of the Ocean, and bid fair to Rob us of the Dominion of the Four Seas, a useless Trophy we have much talk’d of, and but little Improv’d; At present we go back to this Circumstance only to draw a just Inference, That had the English and Dutch received two such Blows to their Naval Greatness, as the French did at la Hogue and at Vigo, we believe we do not lessen our Character, if we say, we doubt they would not have been able in one Year after, to have brought such a Fleet out as should have been a Match for the same Enemy.
And this is a further Demonstration of the French Power.
As to their Conduct, ’tis plain, They conclude from our Portuguese Expedition, that we shall not venture to part with a Fleet into the Streights great enough to do our Work there, because we will not suffer our New Ally the King of Portugal to believe himself Deserted, or really Expose him to any Insults of the French.
This the King of France takes as an Opportunity put into his Hands, to be Master of the Seas in the Levant; and whether it be an Opportunity or no, and what Advantages he will reap there by one Summers Government of the Mediterranean, let the Princes of Italy, let the Republick of Venice and Genoua, let the Duke of Savoy, let the Imperialists of Croatia, and the Gulph, tell the Word: ’tis needless to trouble this Paper with what the Calamities of Italy will soon Explain.
But if these remote Cases will not make us sensible of it, and Men cannot apprehend the Effects of Things till they feel them; let such difficult Gentlemen go to the Exchange, let them Search the Chamber of Commerce, and listen to the Voice of Trade; let them ask what our Turkey Company can say to it, and discourse with the Italian Merchants; let them Enquire at the Custom-House, and see how many Ships will next Summer Enter Outward for Genoua, Leghorne, Gallipoli, Zant, Cephalonia, Venice, and the Arches; let them Search the Books, and tell us how many Broad Cloths will be Entred there for Smirna, Scandaroon, Alexandria, and Constantinople; let them that think all will be well there, go to the Assurance Office, and Under-Write upon those Ships already in the Streights, and Warrant them Safe Home at 4 per Cent.
We hope we cannot be blam’d for laying these Matters open, and all the World will allow that this is no unjust Consequence, that while France rides Admiral in those Seas, our Trade must receive a Check, or our Merchants run unaccountable Risq’s.
’Tis not for us to tell our Superiours of the Absolute Necessity of sending an Equivalent Force into the Mediterranean, to Fight this rising Mischief, and give Check Mate to this Insulting Article of Power, it would reflect on the Wisdom of the Nation, not to suppose they are too sensible of the Consequence to Omit it.
We have never said, nor is there any ground for it, that this is not in our Power to do. It cannot be forgot, That when the Lord Orford, then Admiral Russel, was in the Mediterranean with an English Fleet too big for all the French Power to look him in the Face; the Lord Berkeley with another Squadron, Commanded the Ocean, Insulted the French Coast, and Bombarded their Towns.
Our worst Enemies will not pretend that we are Weaker at Sea now, or the French Stronger than at that time; the hint is only given to let the World know, ’tis easie for us to appear in the Streights Equal, if not Superiour, to the French Power, and yet Defend the Portugueze, and our Trade, from all manner of Insults.
This is a Digression, which the Nature of the thing has Extorted from us, and tho’ it may not be Useless, yet as it is something wide of the present Design, we shall carefully avoid the like.
[35]
Let us now look Northward, and see if the French Greatness has shown it self that way, so far is this French Power, which our News-Writers have represented to the World as good as reduc’d, from being in any Care for its own immediate Dominions, that there is not a Corner of the World in which we may not see the King of France Influencing the Publick Affairs, either by their Forces, or their Money.
And now we find them preparing to give a French King to Poland. We are told, the Prince of Conti is providing a Magnificent Equipage, and 18 Men of War are fitting out at Dunkirk in order to Convoy him to Dantzick.
’Tis certain, the Poles must be Mad, if they Accept any King which the Swede, who at present rides upon their Backs, shall not approve, for that would be to make Indentures Tripartite upon themselves, and have three Armies at once to Devour them.
But so much of this Story as relates to our Design, is to remark the prodigious Influence the French Interest has in the World, that they should, if such a thing be real, obtain so far upon the Swede, as to bring him to Consent to the Setting a French Man upon the Throne of Poland, a thing so contrary to his Interest as King of Swedeland, and contrary to his Religious Interest as a Protestant.
One would think there were more Sense in the Proposal of Prince Ragotsky, who is a Protestant, or himself, or indeed of any but the French; but such is, and such always has been, the Power of French Money, the Artifice of their Conduct, or the Terrour of their Arms, that they can bring the greatest Kings in Europe to promote their Interest, and Grandeur, at the Expence of their own; and to Weaken, Expose, and sometimes Sell their Interest and People to raise the Power of their Encroaching Neighbour.
We forbear Entring into Examples of these Things, least our own share in the Weaknesses of Europe shou’d come into the Scale, and Dunkirk should rise up in Judgment against the Discretion of this Nation.
Mercure Scandale:
O R,
ADVICE from the Scandalous CLUB:
B E I N G,
A Weekly History of Nonsense, Impertinence,
Vice and Debauchery.
THe Author of the Post-Man has taken up a great deal of time before the Society, and the Proceedings against him have been very long.
First, He was Charg’d with filling up his Papers with long Harangues of his own, and making News for us, when the Posts were not come in to supply.
This, he Answer’d, Was the general Practice of all the Tribe, and therefore he Claim’d to have Neighbour’s fare, and take his Fate with his Brethren.
Then he was Tax’d with Scandalum Magnatum, in making long Speeches for Foreign Ambassadors, and wise Answers [36] for the Swiss, who all Men know never pretended to the Gift of good Language.
To this he Answer’d, He would produce his Originals, but being a little puzzl’d to find some of them, he had time given him for that purpose.
He was then Charg’d with Petty Treason against the English Language; for that he, not having the Dictionary before his Eyes, did willfully Make, Forge, and Coin, in the Unlawful Mint of his own Brain, certain new unheard of barbarous and uncouth Words, not heretofore known or used in these Nations.
’Twas a hainous Crime, and he pleaded Not Guilty, and began to be quarrelsome; said he Wrote as good English as any Man, and demanded the Fact to be proved.
The Society had a great many Gallicisms and odd Expressions read to them, but they not amounting to a full Charge, two Words were fixt upon to make good the Matter.
[Dethronization of the King of Poland,] Post-Man, Sept. 11. 1673.
[Catholicity of the Duke of Savoy,] Post-Man, March 11. 1704.
Being demanded to tell the Society what Country Language these were, he very Angrily brought some Authorities for the first; but most of them being Foreigners — or, — like himself, the Word was Voted Exotick and Unpolite, and they proceeded to the second.
And here Monsieur had little to say for himself, but that he was a Frenchman, and he thought it had been good English, which trivial Excuse not availing him, he was Voted Guilty, and Recorded in the Register of Impertinence, Fol. 6.
The Examination of his News-Papers was too long to Enter upon, and they generally consisting of his own Abortive Conceptions rather than Matter of Fact, he was Ordered to put a more Magnificent Title to them, and call them, Mons. Fon—’s History of the Times, with Learned and Accurate Reflections on the Affairs of Europe.
But to give him a Taste of his News, the Post-Man, March 14. was produced, where he tells us, [The Imperial Army which joyn’d the Duke of Savoy’s Forces, raised great Contributions in the Milaneze and the Mantuan.]
The former part being very probable, was allow’d, but the latter being Impracticable, he was admonished, because he pretended to know better, to take more Care in his next.
Having told us, [That the Archbishop of Colotza, and some of his Canons, were in a fair way to make an Accommodation with the Rebels of Hungary,] He was call’d in again, and Charg’d with Imposing upon the World such an improbable Story, and reflecting upon the Emperor’s Conduct as if he should Employ the Priests in a Treaty with the Hungarians, who he knows hate them to that Degree, that they resolve not to suffer them in the Country.
He insisted upon it, That his News was True, and that he had good Authoritys for it; upon which he was ordered to stand Recorded in the Book of Contradiction till he prov’d it; and then to be struck out, upon Condition, That he Print a fair Summons for all those who Advis’d the Emperor to such a piece of Incongruity in Politicks, and to order them to appear before the Statue of Pasquin at Rome, who is the Patron of this Society, and there Answer for Abusing His Imperial Majesty.
ADvertisements are taken in at reasonable Rates, by J. Matthews, in Pilkington-Court in Little-Britain.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S.
UNion to the Church of England, freely Offer’d, and earnestly Recommended to the Dissenters from it, of all Perswasions; But particularly the Occasional Conformists. By a Minister of the Church of England. Printed for George Sawbridge in Little-Britain, and Sold by John Nutt near Stationers-Hall. 1704. Price Bound 2s.
ROyal Religion; Being some Enquiry after the Piety of Princes. With Remarks on a Book, Entitled, A Form of Prayers us’d by King William. London, Printed in the Year 1704.
MDCCIV.