Saturday, June 24. 1704.

Numb. 32.
[141]

THE French Power in America was the Subject of our last; and as this could not be maintain’d without their extraordinary Conduct, as well as Success at Sea, there needs no other Satyr upon the rest of the World.

I promis’d in this Article to take Notice of their Sea Affairs; but since Experience has confirm’d what has already been said upon that Point, I leave those Gentlemen to Reflect on themselves and their Judgment now, who have Censur’d what I have already said on that Head.

We are told by the News-Papers, that Sir G—R— is in the Streights, with 45 Sail of English and Dutch Men of War, and yet we are told, that Count de Tholouse, with 29 ventured to follow into the Mediterranean; Wiser Heads than mine, say Sir G— was strong enough to fight him, and most Men say, 45 is more than 29; and yet the Paris Gazette insultingly tells us, That the Count de Tholouse was arriv’d safe at Thoulon, after having in vain, endeavour’d to fight the Confederate Fleet.

’Tis true, most People take this for a French Bluster, and so do I; But what Country bluster must this pass for, that 29 Men of War should venture into the Streights, when 45 of the Enemy were just gone before them? and all Men that know that part of the World, must know there is no Port to have secur’d himself from the Confederates, if they had been too strong for him, and it was not probable he could reach Thoulon, before Sir G—, with his Confederate Fleet, should be upon him.

So that he must presume some of these things.

I. Either that the Confederate Fleet had no Intelligence, and consequently not looking behind them, would pursue their Design upon Nice and Villa Franka, without hearing him.

2. Or that if they had heard of him, they would with their 45 Sail, be afraid to look him in the Face with his 29—

Either of these Suppositions are so presumptive, and so scandalous upon us, that the French Admiral ought to be summon’d before our Club, for scandalizing the English Admiral.

But who must come there, if they are true, that I know not; for if the French presum’d the first of these things, it must follow, That he knew whither the Confederates were Bound, and consequently [142] somebody’s Councils must be well kept—But if it was really the second, the French have done a bold Action, and we are to blame we did not make them pay for it.

But, say some, if the Paris Gazett says, they lookt for Our Fleet, and could not make them Fight; it Remains a Question, Did they see our Fleet, and did we stand from them—but to this We unhappily answer; They did not see us, and therefore their Chaseing or Faceing us, must be a Fiction; but if the Question be ask’d, Why did we not see them, I leave them to Answer that, when they come Home.

I am resolv’d to avoid all Personal Reflections, but as far as Actions come thwart our Arguments there is no avoiding necessary Construction; when things Reflect upon themselves, ’tis none of our Fault that Write, but theirs that Act; and they that are Angry with me, that I do not call the French Fools and Cowards, as they do, should never let it be said, That 29 French Men of War should go into the Streights, and our 45 Sail never see their Faces before they got safe into Thoulon.

I confess I am not able to say how Winds, and Tides, and Coasts, and Weather may affect such things as these; but then they that take up the Cause, should allow the same things on their side, and the French have still the Advantage of us there too.

From this main Affair, ’tis natural to descend to the Affair of Portugal.

I am far from insulting our own Misfortunes there, and tho’ the whole Undertaking shocks my Judgment, both as to the Justice and Probability; yet I shall not say any thing here but this, That I wish I were permitted by Authority to undertake the Argument, tho’ it were on any Penalty, if I did not prove that some Articles in this Portuguese War, had neither Honesty nor Rational Prospect in them.

And on the other hand, as I cannot but believe, that they who contriv’d them, ow’d England a shame; so I think they ought to blush at their own Management, who first Reproach’d the Treaty of Partition, and then Embarrass’d the Nation in this Portugal War.

The first may have its Errors, but for this, let them Answer it that made it, I have nothing to say to it.

I remember in the beginning of this Paper, I wish’d this Portuguese War, were left to the Decision of the Spaniards and Portuguese; and Noted what a Comedy those blustering Nations were likely to make of it.

If any Man was to view the Armies of the King of Portugal, with the great Wooden Image of St. Anthonio de Padua, Elevated in the Front, who is call’d their General, and as I am told, has his Pay accordingly, which the Priests that attend him Receive; if they were to see their Battalions and Squadrons, pass the Review before this Hobgoblin Officer: What could Europe expect, but a Wooden General, a Wooden C—se, and Success accordingly?

Nothing can be expected from this War, but what is Perform’d by the English and Dutch Confederate Forces; and it has always been our Misfortune to under-man our Expeditions; had we sent 25000 Men on the Expedition to Cadiz, instead of 11000, the Spaniards could never have Resisted them, nor they had no Excuse to come Home insolvent; to send too few, is to ensure a Miscarriage. Our Forces to Portugal may indeed be Recruited; I might have said, must be Recruited, or else— Exit Ch. III. the Scene will be over, and another must begin.

To Attempt the Spanish Monarchy with 12000 Men, is like Landing 3500 Men at Barcelona—putting them on shoar, to go on board again, and ’tis well if they come off so—but here is an Army of Portuguese; An Army of Old Alms Women! we should say; we see Philip the Vth. appears in the Field with 20 Battalions of French, Irish, and Walloons; as for the Spaniards, he makes little use of them, because indeed, he sees they are fit for little; had there been 35 Battalions sent into Portugal, something might have been done; but as it is―Væ Vobis—

I am sorry to see so much Reason to boast of my being in the Right; the French Power is every where on the Offensive, and where it will end, God only knows; [143] I wish what I have Advanc’d, and what Experience has shown to Confirm it, would move the whole Confederacy to exert their Power; they ought this next Winter to Renew their Consultations, and to raise 100000 Men, more than ever yet appear’d in the Field.

And let not Our War Jobbers, our Men of Arms, who live by the Ruin of their Friends, and the Plunder of their Enemies; let them not be afraid the War will be over too soon, I am of the Opinion there is no Danger of it; I’ll venture to Buy the Reversion of their Commissions at 7 Years purchase; they won’t find France so easily reduc’d.

That Nation that has Bullyed Europe for 30 Years past, and now threatens the Gates of Vienna, will not be so easily brought down as they Imagine; they have 200 Impregnable Fortifications to be Besieg’d; 350000 Disciplin’d Soldiers to be beaten; above 30000 Experienc’d Officers to Command them; a Bottomless American Treasure to be Destroy’d, which they have now laid their hands on, and will not easily part with. They have 100 Sail of Men of War to be beaten, and near 40000 Seamen to Man them; they spread the Seas with Innumerable Privateers, and Enrich their Coasts with the Spoils of our Merchants.

Above all, they have a constant Supply of able Councellors, Stanch States-Men; profound Secrecy dwells upon all their Councils; they Insinuate into the Secrets of other Princes, but are never betray’d in their Own.

A Man may live 7 Years in Paris and be acquainted with nothing they do: ’tis as impossible to dive into their Affairs, as it is to Conceal our Own; ’tis as hard to find their Agents False, as ’tis to find ours True; they are Masters of their own Councils, and have been too much Masters of ours.

No Man is false to the French King, for it’s worth no Man’s while to betray him; he will give a Man more Money to keep him Honest, than any other Prince will give him to be a Knave; he over-pays all Mankind; he bribes his own People to be True, and others to be False, and none can out-bid him.

If ever such a Thing as a Traytor is found, he never fails of Exemplary Justice; Oliver Cromwell’s Rule, Hang well, and Pay well, never fails him, Witness the Miserable End of the Unhappy Gentleman, Mons…….., late Governour of Dunkirk.

And thus, Gentlemen, I have done with the French Greatness, I mean, the Description of it¬—¬I wish we were all rid of the Effects of it.

I promised some Description of their Coasts, but it will come in of Course under some following Heads, and I carefully avoid Repetition.

Our next Chapter is to answer this hard Question, How they came to be so Great? Of which hereafter.

ADVICE from the Scandalous CLUB.

AMong a great many Letters Received this Week by the Society, they thought fit to Adjourn all other Affairs, to satisfy one Mr. G. W. in Broadstreet, because this Gentleman in a Postscript Demands it Peremptorily thus, Your answer without fail.

This Importunate Gentleman presents us with 7 Queries, which since he is not ashamed to Write, we see no Reason we have to be ashamed to Publish.

I. Whether you so not mistake Preamble for History, pretending to write This, but making your Discourse consists as much of That?

Truly, Sir, ’Tis because of such Gentlemen as you, who will have the Author of this Paper to be to day a Whig, to Morrow a Jacobite; to Day an Englishman, to Morrow a Frenchman; that he is forc’d to make many Digressions, which otherwise should not have been there— but if you mean, Sir, that you would have nothing in it as a History, but Mat- [144] ter of Fact, and think that Observations and Reflections are not the End of History, and very proper in it; he Answers, That many, both Wise Men and Fools are of another, and among the latter, ’tis the Opinion of your Humble Servant the Author; and he Demands the Liberty of following his Judgment in the Particular, till your Reasons for it furnish him with more Wit.

2. Whether Abusiveness be a Proper means of Reformation of Manners?

This Question I crave leave to Answer with another Question, and when he pleases to Answer This, I oblige my self to Answer the Other.

Whether Truth, Matter of Fact, and plain Demonstration, can be Abusive?

The other Queries, the Printer, for want of Room, adjourns to the next Paper.

ADvertisements are taken in by J. Matthews, in Pilkington-Court in Little Britain.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S.

There is now Publish’d the following Books.

LEtters from Apollo, Historical and Political, directed to the most Eminent Princes, States-Men and Politicians, as well Antient as Modern; with Curious Remarks on the Classic Authors, and other Greek and Latin Historians. By the Famous Trajano Boccalini. Now first made English from the Original Italian. In 2 Vol. 8vo. Price 8s.

Exercitationes de Ætate Phalaridis, de Ætate Pythagora Philosphi, &c. ab Henrico Dodwello, A. M. pretium 4s. Both printed for R. Smith, at the Angel and Bible without Temple-Bar; where is to be had Advertisements from Parnassus. In 3 Vol. price 13 s.

LIves English and Foreign: Containing the History of the most Illustrious Persons of our own and other Nations from the Year 1550, to the Year 1690. By several hands; who have been assisted in the Work with many private Memoirs. In two Volumes in 8vo. The English Lives are, William Lord Burleigh, Sir Walter Raleigh, George Duke of Buckingham, Marquess of Montross, Oliver Cromwel, Duke of Hamilton, General Blake, Duke of Albemarle, Earl of Shaftsbury, Duke of Monmouth. Printed for B. Took, at the Middle-Temple-Gate in Fleet-Street, and W. Davis, at the Black-Bull in Cornhil; and sold by J. Nutt near Stationers-Hall. 1704.

THE Wisdom of God manifested in the Works of the Creation. In two Parts. The 4th Edition, corrected and much enlarged. By John Ray, Fellow of the Royal Society, in 8vo. The Plain Man’s Guide to Heaven. By Richard Lucas, D. D. 12o. The Temple of Sacred Poems and private Ejaculations. By George Herbert, late Orator of Cambridge, with his Life. The 12th Edition, Corrected, 12o. An Historical Didactical Treatise of the Two Covenants. By John Parker, formerly Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, 8o. The Augmentation of Poor Vicarages, with the Proposals thereunto, 4to. All 5 printed for Jeffery Wale at the Angel in St. Paul’s Church-yard.

THERE is now publish’d Tully’s two Essays Of old Age, and Friendship, with his Stoical Paradoxes, and Scipio’s Dream: Rendered into English by Samuel Parker, Gent. London. Printed for George Sawbridge, at the three Flower d’Luces in Little Britain. Price Is. 6d.

Just publish’d,

CAssandra: (but I hope not) Telling what will come of it. Part I. In Answer to the Occasional Letter: Numb. I. Wherein the New Associations, &c. are considered.

Just Publish’d.

A Letter from a Country Justice to an Alderman of the City of London, concerning the Bishop of Salisbury’s Speech in the House of Lords upon the Bill against Occassional Conformity. price 6d.

Speedily will be publish’d,

THe Famous Dispensary Poem, continued to this Time; with a large Commentary, fully Explaining the Characters of little Mirmil, Sowre Querpo, and all the other Physicians Graduate and not Graduate, who betray the Patients and their Profession to the Empiricks.

Lately publish’d,

More short ways with the Dissenters, price 6d.

SOme Critical and Political Remarks on a late Virulent Lampoon, call’d Faction Display’d. Sold by the Booksellers. Price 6d.

┼┼┼ A Doctor of Physick Cures all the Degrees and Indispositions in Venereal Persons, by a most easie, safe, and expeditious Method; and of whom any Person may have Advice, and a perfect Cure, let his or her Disease be of the longest Date: He likewise gives his Advice in all Diseases, and prescribes a Cure. Dr. HARBOROUGH, (a Graduate Physician) in Great Knight-Riders-street, near Doctors Commons.

MDCCIV.

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