general Scene of Mirth; the Rejoicings of the Night being equal to the Bleflings of the Day. The Streets blazed with huge Piles of Faggots; and the Houses were illuminated with an infinite Profufion of Tapers, which difpell'd the Darkness of the Night, and made it appear like Noon-Day. Our Eyes were feafted, on every Side, with a numerous Affemblage of joyful Countenances, and our Ears with various Kinds; of Mufick. The Windows, and Balconies were throng'd with Perfons of higher Rank; and the Populace below. exprefs'd their Joy, in their ufual Manner, by burning. the Effigies of Thofe, whom They look'd upon as their Enemies. Yet notwithstanding the Height of their Provocation, as well as the ftrong Senfe of their Deliverance, the whole Scene appear'd to be conducted with great Decency, and as little Outrage as could poffibly be expected from an exasperated Multitude, on fo important an Occafion.

D.

N° 357:

SATURDAY, May 5, 1733.

Ineft fua Gratia parvis.

To CALEB D'ANVERS, Efq;

SIR,

HE English Language hath been often charged with an Objection, which, though fpecious enough, I cannot think juft. It is faid that we have too many. Monofyllables. Some of the greatest Criticks have, indeed, frequently indulged their Spleen against them; and it is grown a common Reproach in the Mouth of moft Foreigners. Nay,

Our

our own best Poets have not been filent on this Head; fo that I begin to fear a dangerous Confpiracy is form'd against this little Fraternity; and I know not how foon they may be doom'd to Banifhment, unless they meet with fome charitable and timely Vindication.

For my Part, I cannot help confidering thefe little Bodies as the nobleft and moft fenfible Part of our Language, which give us a material Advantage over moft other living Languages. Methinks, they breathe the very Genius of the British Nation; and however, like That, they may be too often infulted; yet I must obferve that they are not, like many other Words, blustering only and empty, pitiful and effeminate; but in Reality and on moft Occafions, like our own Nation, ftrong, bold, good and great.

I may, perhaps, fome Time or other, treat this Argument thoroughly; and demonttrate the Importance and Neceffity not only of retaining, but even of enlarging the Number. This only I fhall premise at prefent, as to my future Defign; that I propofe to write it (tho' it will be an Effay of no fmall Extent) wholly in Monofyllables; whereas, I believe, I may defy the most voluble, long-winded, long worded Orator to put together two or three tolerable Sentences without any Monojyllables at all.

Nay, if my Defign meets with a favourable Reception, I may be arrogant enough to make an humble Propofal, that all but true, ftaunch Monofyllables fhall be utterly discarded; and I flatter myfelf that in this Attempt I fhall have the Concurrence of moft People; fince I perceive that the Generality of our Writers, for near an Age paft, contract their Words as much as They can; and, as ftrange as it may feem, have been clipping the Coin, to make it the more current.

Of all the Writers, that Antiquity has left us, Saluft and Thucydides are the fhorteft; and as fuch, I own that I reverence Them. The latter of Thefe (as we have his Character by the most copious Orator in the

World)

World) feems to have more Sentences than Words. But future Writers, according to my Plan, may exceed Him a Bar's Length. They may have, perhaps, as many Sentences as Syllables.

Indeed, I am the more inclined to this Project, because the closer we follow all Languages to their Fountain-Head, the more we fhall find them fimple, clear and unmixt. The Languages of the Eaft, from whence all others flow, have the shortest Words. The Chinese is faid to be infinitely the moft copious; and yet we are inform'd that it confifts almost intirely of fingle Syllables. In Imitation of that great and virtuous People, I declare against all Sorts of unnatural Alliances; against all Sorts of compounding.

But to proceed to my Project.- I am fenfible that, in this Undertaking, I fhall raife many Enemies, and I fee new Objections starting up every Day. Yet, at the fame Time, I make no Doubt, that when my Scheme is fully open'd to the World, I fhall have Mul titudes to join Me by Degrees.

One great national Advantage will evidently arife from my Project; for which I may reasonably expect a publick Reward. We all know, by full Experience, that Treaties and Negotiations take up a great deal of Time in Transaction, and are too often inveighed against as tedious. Now, if Minifters would but introduce my foort Language into all Congreffes, Preliminaries, Memorials and Commiffions for adjufting Dif putes; what a Length of Time, what a Profufion of Words, and confequently of Expence, would be faved by it? This might be eafily brought about by the dexterous Management of Thofe, who are confeffedly Mafters of the most engaging Arts of Pacification, and have long fince rival'd the greatest Politicians in their happy Knack of perfuafive Inftructions.

It hath, indeed, been generally thought that a great Man ought to be Master of many Words; but I would leffen his Trouble, and am fully convinced that if He

hath

hath but two little, fnug Monofyllables intirely at Command, He may do his Bufinefs effectually. By the Help of Thefe, and a magick Wand, He may perhaps fee his Charm laft, till a noble Fortune is raifed. But it fometimes happens that He may over-exert Himfelf; and then, with all his Art, He will never be able to lay (what was raised at the fame Time) the Spirit of the People.

Í have already the Satisfaction to behold one of the most important Affemblies in the World giving a Sanction to my Scheme, and I glory in the Honour of it. We fee the whole Wisdom of the Nation frequently employ'd with the utmost Vehemence, and to the greatest Length of Debate, whether AYE, or NO fhall carry their Point. So little a Thing is it as two, or three Letters, that hath often engaged us in an honourable War, or a glorious Peace, and fometimes kept us, like Mahomet's Tomb, is an odd State of Sufpence between both. Old hath been the Enmity and frequent the Skirmishes between these two Particles; though it is obfervable that the AYE's have commonly got the better, being always fupported by a large Body of powerful and wealthy Auxiliaries. But, on the other Side, the NO's have frequently difcover'd an undaunted Spirit, amidst all their Difadvantages, and not long ago obtain'd a very figna! and compleat Victory. To Them it is intirely owing that a Scheme, for importing wooden Shoes into this Kingdom, hath been lately defeated; and the Publick hath Reason to expect fome farther Benefits from the honeft, vigilant and industrious SerIvice of these little Patriots.

All the Nations in the World are divided into two great Bodies of Monofyllables, of near Affinity to the AYE's and the N O's, who are ufually diftinguish'd by the Names of the INs and the Ours. The INS are always the richest and most confiderable Party; but, if I may fpeak my private Opinion, the OUTS are commonly the honestest Men, and pay the greatest Re

gard

gard to the Intereft of their Country. However, as I am one of the OUTS myfelf, and may be suspected of Partiality in this Cafe, I fhall fay no more upon it.

I am very glad to find that a certain great Assembly hath unanimously taken Exception more than once against the Word PENSIONS, as of too great Extent; and though the Time of its Annihilation hath been deferr'd from Year to Year by another pious Set of Men, the Day may come, when an honeft Impeachment of fuch an overgrown Word will fucceed, and destroy that formidable Engine of Power, which hath already incurr'd the just Resentment of the whole Nation.

We have the more Hopes of This, fince the fame Affembly hath already demolish'd one Word, very nearly ally'd to it; a Lofs, which I ought to lament as a Projector; but, as an Englishman, I rejoice with my Country that, in all future Elections for Members of Parliament, there can be no fuch Thing as a BRIBE.

And here I muft do myself the Justice to acquaint the World, that though I profefs myfelf an Admirer and Patron of Monofyllables, I would not be thought fo much prejudiced and bigotted in their Favour, as to defend them all, without Diftinction. There are many of thefe Laconick Expressions, which I fhould be highly pleased to fee expunged out of our Language. The Word FRAUDS, for Inftance, fhall never have any Quarter from Me; and to fhew you, Sir, that I am not a Man of anti-monarchical Principles, I heartily wish that the Committee, lately appointed to enquire into them, may not prove a Committee of SAFETY.

Since I have mention'd my political Principles, I must not forget to take Notice that there have been melancholy Times, when the Body of the Nation rofe in Arms against two of my greatest Favourites, and intirely abolish'd 'Them; I mean CHURCH and KING; but as They are now happily restored to us, I hope in God We fhall never be fuch Fools, or Madmen, as to enter into any Measures, which may de