Numb. 20
[93]
IF I was ask’d what is the true occasion why the French have so many happy Turns, and how they maintain a War with so much Advantage, against all the United Powers of Europe, I should Answer, ’tis because those Powers are United and not United; ’tis because the separate Interests of Nation’s, People and Parties, occasion such Confusion of Councils, such dilatory and unhappy Procedures, as never fail to give the Enemy continual and unusual advantages.
History is so full of Examples, where in all Cases, the Strife and Contention of Parties, have been the overthrow of the whole Undertaking, that it seems very unaccountable, all the Prudent Nations joyn’d in this vast Confederacy, should not have Eyes to see the Rock, on which so many great Undertakings have split, and so many Great Generals Miscarried.
’Twas the Dissention between the Roman Generals, Varro and – which gave Hannibal the occasion of overthrowing their Army at the Battle of Cannæ, where the Romans lost the Flower of their Citizens, and left 80000 Men dead on the Field of Battle.
How many times have the French Defeated the late King William in Flanders, because the Germans would not stay, as at the Siege of Oudenard; or because the Spaniards were not ready, as at the Siege of Mons; or because the Ammunition was not furnish’d, as at Charleroy; or that the Dutch would not venture their Army, as at Steenkirk and Namure, and the like.
’Twould be endless to repeat the Melancholy Instances of this in the Empire, and as this will come into Consideration in a more particular manner hereafter, ’tis only mentioned now, to put us in mind that ’tis this Confusion of Parties, that Renders the well Concerted Measures of the Confederates abortive and Insignificant.
Mutual Jealousies, needless Punctilio’s, and separate Treaties, are part of those Mischiefs that weaken Confederacies, and make the Enemies Progress easy.
The Croats in Hungary refusing to fight, and Deserting their General, is a fresh Instance of this in the first; and it lies before us all to consider the last.
If Dissentions are so Fatal to the Conduct of Princes, then ’tis as plain, they who endeavour to stir up Divisions, and who sow Seeds of Jealousy and Distrust among Nations, Confederated for their Common Defence, strike directly at the [94] Root of their general Safety, and are the known Enemies of both.
These have been Esteem’d in all Ages, as a sort of Men who deserve a Treatment different from the common sort of Enemies; these are Les Enfans Perdue, the forlorn hope of the Devil, and are generally Sacrificed on both sides without Mercy.
A Soldier fights us fairly in the Field, and ought to be Treated like a Man of Honour: If I have him at an Advantage, I give him his Life, not knowing but it may be my Fate another time to fall into the hands of my Enemy.
But such Men as these, who by Stratagem and Artifices, endeavour to Embarrass Friends, and set us a cutting one anothers Throats; Practice a Clandestine War, divest themselves of their Honour, and in all Nations are Treated accordingly.
I should have refer’d the Observation of what we are now upon, to the Scandalous Club, but ’tis a Matter too serious.
We find in our News-Papers two strange Accounts from Holland. I do not say News-Writers are any way Parties to the design of spreading such Reports, tho’ they are Cunningly made Parties to the Fact: For tho’ this Paper may reprove Errors and common Mistakes, it is not design’d to accuse any Man to the Government, the Author having a Particular Aversion to the Character of an Informer.
One of these Gentlemen told us of a Letter receiv’d by an Eminent Minister of State in Holland, from France, relating to a Proposal of Peace; which our Relator tells the World, the Dutchman put in his Pocket, and Reply’d, he would make such use of it as he thought fit, or to that effect.
Another since that tells us, The Dutch are going to enter on a Treaty to Renew their Correspondence with France, as a thing the Prohibition whereof has been more detrimental to them, for these last two Years, than to the Enemy.
As both these Accounts are notoriously False, and might be of Fatal Consequence if believ’d, our Authors, (especially the first,) will excuse themselves, I suppose in telling us they are but Translators, and the Stories possibly are found in the Foreign Prints, tho’ I do not say they are.
On this Account I have nothing to say to the Relators; but as to the Stories themselves, I think it not Foreign to the present purpose, to make the World sensible of the Matter of Fact.
The Dutch resident here found Cause to Complain to our Government of the first of these Accounts, as a Mischievous Insinuation, as if the Dutch were going about to make a separate Treaty with the Enemy, and being Inform’d that a Certain Learned Gentleman had read the very same thing upon the Exchange, in a Letter he receiv’d from Holland; That Gentleman was sent for, who produced the Letter, but had deleted the Persons Name, and the Town from whence it came; however, the Letter was sent over to Holland, by his Excellency the Dutch Ambassador, and the hand being found out, and the Person thereby discovered, he appeared to be a French Emissary, and I suppose was treated accordingly.
The last of these without doubt must be an Effect of the same sort of Engines, and both seem too plainly to be a design to promote a diffidence between the two Nations.
To bring this more Effectually to pass, it has industriously been spread abroad, in Holland, that the English carry on a Clandestine Trade with France, while at the same time they press the Dutch to a strict Prohibition.
I draw this General Inference from the whole of this Matter.
That if ever we pretend to Match the French Power, no use must be made, or heed given to such Suggestions on both sides, as tend to divide the Confederacy.
If any Man that understands the Trade on both sides, would Examine things by the Truth, he will find, no Nation can so severely bind their Subjects from Trade, but that some at all hazards will Attempt it: And this without doubt is done here, and our Situation may occasion it to be more done here than in Holland; but it can never be pretended, ’tis either approved or conniv’d at by the Government, and so cannot be a National Act.
They therefore, who fetch’d this Forgery from England, are very probably the [95] same Persons that made the return of those two from thence, that we might not be in their Debt, and are to be look’d on as Persons willing to make a Breach between the two Nations, a thing which all Men know must be Fatal to both.
And if this Person discover’d, prov’d a French Emissary, Mr. T—d, who received that Letter, and openly expos’d it on the Exchange, must excuse us in telling him ’tis plain from thence, What sort of People he Corresponds with.
This is a plain Proof of the Nice Conduct of the French, who as the Devil suits his Temptations to the Genius and Inclination of the Man, can adapt the several Branches of their Management, to the Humours and Tast of the Nations they deal with. Thus they wheedle the Swiss with fine Words, and amuse them with long Speeches; feed the Poor and Mercenary Princes, some with French Money, as the Duke of Wolfembuttel, the Duke of Mantua, and the Elector of Cologn; some with French Mistresses, as the Dukes of Savoy and Lorrain; some they Bully with their Numerous Forces, as the Dukes of Parma and Modena, and some they Divide and Embroil by their Emissaries and Spyes, as they plainly have done in Hungary and Poland, and now Attempt England and Holland.
I can’t say I blame the French for all this, but I blame the Confederates for not putting themselves in the same Posture to Embarrass the French, and for suffering the Artifices of this Politick Monarchy, to make such deep Impressions upon their Councils and Success.
I Confess ’tis a Panegyrick on the French Conduct, and by Consequence a Satyr on our own; but it is so much too true, and we feel the Effects of it so much, in every heavy part of this tedious War, that I think however unpleasant a Truth it may be, ’tis not the less a Truth, and I hope the Observation may be Useful.
The Reader is desired to Correct these Errors in N° 17. for Prince Alexander, read Constantine; for L’Amand Honourable, read L’Amende Honourable.
ADVICE from the Scandalous CLUB.
THe Society Voted Publick Thanks to be given to a Gentleman, who sent them an Obliging Letter in French, Informing them of an Error of the Press in a former Paper; assuring the World, that however Angry other People may be to hear of their Mistakes, the Author of this Paper shall always Gratefully acknowledge the kindness of being told when he falls into an Error.
The Ingenious Author of a Certain Paper, of whom his Father is pleas’d to wonder how he came by so much Wit, must bear with us in doing Justice to an unknown Gentleman, who desired the Society to Publish the following Letter.
And as the Author of the Courant claims to be esteem’d only a faithful Translator, so the Publishers of this, desire to be accounted only Relators, and let the Writer of the Letter stand the shock of the Gentleman’s Indignation.
‘Gentlemen of the Club,
YOur design of Reforming our News-Mongers, I confess is very Generous, but I am afraid your Endeavour will be fruitless and vain; since if you should bray those Fools in a Mortar, yet will they not learn Wisdom. When they make an Apology for their past Nonsence, they do then Torment us with more: and to convince you, that I do not speak without Book, I refer you to the London-Post, May 5, where the Author hath blest the Publick with the following Lines: Viz. I expect to be call’d to an Account, by the Author of the Review, for making merry with the Infallible Father; but I will POST-PONE that Gentleman, by begging his Pardon BEFORE-HAND. One cannot study a more Elaborate piece of Nonsence. ’Tis not every-body that can Post-pone a thing, and yet do it before-hand; but it’s a fine and [96] sweet word, therefore the World must be favour’d with it. Now least you shou’d call me to an Account for the trouble I give you; take Notice, Gentlemen, that I do first Post-pone you, and then beg your Pardon before-hand.
May the 6th. 1704.
Yours, &c.
E.S.
The Society was desired to cause a Letter to be writ to the Editor of our London Gazette, that for the Reputation of Publick Intelligence, and the better Information of Mankind, he would be pleased in his next, to resolve these following Difficulties which arise from his last Gazette.
Our Army on the Moselle continues in the same Camp—
Querie where that was? Since ’tis plain we have yet no Camp on the Moselle. And in his very next Paragraph, says, Our Troops are Marching with all possible diligence towards Coblentz, which is at the Mouth of the Moselle.
In the same Gazette, he tells from Dublin.
Letters from the County of Limrick say, That on the 26th past, three Raparees having attempted to burn two small Villages, in Revenge for the Death of one of their Comrades lately taken there, &c.
Querie how one of their Comrades could be taken in two Villages?
’Tis humbly Recommended by the Society to all the Gentlemen of Rhime and Jingle, to bestow a few of their spare hours, by way of Elogy, to the Memory of the Famous Structure of Audley End House.
N.B. This day Dr. Branthwayt reads his Third Anatomical Lecture in the College Theater, about Noon.
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.
Next Term will be publish’d,
THe Famous Dispensary Poem, continued to this Time; with a large Commentary, fully Explaining the Characters of little Mirmit, Sowre Querpo, and all the other Physicians Graduate and not Graduate, who betray the Patients and their Profession to the Empiricks.
Just publish’d,
AN Argument of a Learned Judge in the Exchequer Chamber, upon a Writ of Error out of the King’s Bench; in a Cause wherein Sir Samuel Barnadiston was Plantiff against Sir William Soame, Sheriff of the County of Suffolk, Defendant: Wherein the Priviledge of the House of Commons, in determining Matters relating to the Right of Elections of their own Members, is Justified; necessary for all, Persons that have any thing to do with Elections. From the Original M.S. Printed for George Sawbridge, and sold by John Nutt. price 6d.
A Discourse upon the Pharisee and the Publican: Wherein Several Great and Weighty Things are handled: As the Nature of Prayer, and of Obedience to the Law, with how far it obliges Christians, and wherein it consists: Wherein is also shewed equally the deplorable Condition of the Pharisee or Hypocritical and Self-righteous Man, and of the Publican, or Sinner that lives in Sin, and in open Violation of the Divine Laws: Together with the Way and Method of God’s Free-Grace in Pardoning Penitent Sinners; proving that he justifies them by imputing Christ’s Righteousness to them. By John Bunyan, Author of the Pilgrim’s Progress. The Third Edition. Printed for John Mareshal, at the Bible in Grace-church street. 1704.
AN Historical Didactical Treatise of the Two Covenants. Wherein are briefly laid down the Life of Christ, and that of Moses; and several obscure Passages of Holy Scripture open’d, many common Mistakes about this Matter corrected, and a good Life seriously pressed. By John Parker, now Rector of Colne-Engayne, in the County of Essex, and formerly Fellow of Emanuel College in Cambridge. Printed for Jeffery Wale, at the Angel in St. Paul’s Church-Yard. 1704.
Lately Publish’d,
SOme Critical and Political Remarks on a late Virulent Lampoon, call’d, Faction Display’d. Sold by the Booksellers. Price 6d.. A Speech for the Bill against Occasional Conformity. Printed for G. Sawbridge, and Sold by J. Nutt, near Stationers Hall.
+++ A Doctor in 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.