beft Writers, without any Defign of excluding the King from his Share in it. But as I write in a very captious Age, I took Care to add the Word regal, in order to diftinguifh it from a fimple Commonwealth, and avoid all Misconstruction. A Monarchy is the absolute Rule of One; and as our Government is lodged in three different Eftates, it cannot be properly call'd a Monarchy any more than an Ariftocracy, or Democracy, because it partakes of all. What therefore fhall We call it, but a Sort of REGAL COMMONWEALTH, or a REPUBLICK, with a KING at the Head of it?"

In one of these Papers, I likewife afferted that the Late Oppofition had been carried on intirely on WHIG PRINCIPLES, the Principles of the REVOLUTION; upon which thefe Gentlemen obferve, with wonderful Acuteness, that Nobody can deny them to be Revolu tion-Principles, fince they are evidently made Ufe of to bring about another Revolution.-What can a Man fay, in his own Defence, against fo grievous and plaufible a Charge? For my Part, I can only declare that whenever I fpeak of Revolution-Principles, I mean thofe Principles, which brought about the late Revolution, in' Favour of King William, without intending, or thinking of any other. But I am fenfible this Plea will not ferve my Turn, though the Word Revolution hath been. long grown a technical Term in this Ifland, and is always understood to mean that great Change of Affairs, when used without any particular Distinction. Yet This, I fay, will not be fufficient to clear me from the Imputation of having fome finifter Design in making Ufe of fo equivocal a Word; for I am likewife charged with afferting, that an Alteration of Perfons is not the only Point, which hath been pursued in this Paper; and that I am determined not to lay it down, till my Readers are convinced Themselves that fomething farther was intended, and I hope will be happily ` effected. Here my Adverfaries feem to think They have me fure, and therefore lay about Them without

Mercy.

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N° 373. The CRAFTSMAN. 373• Mercy. Can any Body, fay They, be at a Lofs to guess what Mr. D'Anvers means by SOMETHING FARTHER? Does not He tell us, without auy Reserve, that an Alteration of Persons will not fatisfy Him; or can any Thing be plainer than that an Alteration of Government is the Point, which He hath so long pursued, and Still hopes to fee happily effected? Whether this bleed Change is to confift in a Commonwealth, or an arbitrary Government, under a Popish Pretender, is not fo evident; and perhaps Mr. D'Anvers himself may not have yet determined that Point in his own Breaft; but it cannot be doubted any longer that the Conftitution and prefent happy Establishment are mark'd out for Destruction, as well as the Minister.

It would be in vain for Me to affert, in Answer to this Charge, that when I exprefs'd my Hopes of feeing fomething farther effected than an Alteration of Perfons, my only Meaning was an Alteration of Measures; though That is the most obvious Meaning of my Words, and I believe nobody understood them in any other, except thefe ingenious Commentators; but it cannot be expected that Men, who are retain'd at a great Expence to cavil at thefe Papers, fhould confine Themfelves to the natural Import of the Words, when it will not answer their Purpofe; or, which is the fame Thing, the Purpose of their Patron. In fuch Cafes, They are obliged to mifrepresent the Author's Senfe, and endeavour to alarm well-meaning People with Apprehenfions of Designs against the Government itself, where Reformation of Abuses, and the Prefervation of our Conftitution are only intended.

Great Pains have been lately taken to poffefs the Proteftant Diffenters with fuch an Opinion, and to frighten Them into the Measures of Thofe, who have no great Reason to expect their Favour and Affiftance. For this End, They have been told that the Proteftant Succeffion is in Danger from the prefent Oppofition; and that if a certain Gentleman fhould happen to be removed, VOL. XI. They

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They have nothing to expect but immediate Perfecution. It is ridiculous to fuppofe that fo wise and wealthy a Body of Men will fuffer Themselves to be impofed upon in this Manner. They are too well acquainted with the prefent State of Affairs, as well as the Temper of the Nation, to entertain any fuch Apprehenfions, or to be terrify'd with fuch Bugbears. But as this Topick hath been long and ftrenuously infifted upon, it may be of Ufe to make fome Enquiries into the Force of it.

I fhould be glad to know what particular Reasons this Gentleman hath to take so much Merit to Himself, as a Friend and Patron of the Dissenters. We have been often told, indeed, that He voted and spoke against the SCHISM-BILL, at the latter End of Queen Anne's Reign; and fo did many other Gentlemen, who now think it their Duty to act in Oppofition to Him. But it is likewife known that He opposed the Repeal of that Act, in the last Reign, with equal Warmth and Vigour.

"For this Reason, fays a late Writer, I have often "wonder'd to hear his Advocates inveigh with so much "Acrimony against the Miniftry of the laft Years of ་་ Queen Anne, under whofe Influence that Bill pass'd into a Law; fince a little Reflection might have told Them, that their Argument on this Head carried the "feverest Cenfure on their Patron; it being full as unjust to oppose the Repeal of a bad Act, as to promote "the paffing it.

His Conduct, upon this Occafion, is taken Notice of as fomething very remarkable in the political Memoirs of thofe Times, and pretty broadly hinted at in a Pamphlet publifh'd fome Time after, entitled, the Character of an independent Whig; where the Author makes the following Reflection on the Merits and ill Treatement of the Diffenters.

"If the Diffenters, fays He, knew what Bargains "are driven, and with what Contempt They are <fpoken of, and what a mort. Antipathy there is in "fome People againft giving Them any fubftantial Ad

66 vantages,

vantages, They would not be fo very free in drinking "certain Healths, which are now, for good Causes, "omitted by their trueft Patrons in Town. But I am "told They themselves begin to be pretty well cured "of their wonted Fondness that Way. God knows "They have fufficient Reafon. Mr. W. was once "their great Favourite. They fee how HE ferved "Them. Have They found others much kinder? I wish "that even their profess'd Plenipo's, who lofe nothing "by being at the Head of their Affairs, do not now "and then drop their Zeal for Separation, in Con"fideration of a Bank-Bill, or a pretty Income. It is "certain They go every Length; whether confiftently with their Commiffion, let their Principals judge. Give me Leave to add that this Mr W. • (if I judge Him right) was a Country Gentleman, when He oppofed the Repeal of the Schifm-Act, as well as when He voted against paffing it. I will not infift, like his own Advocates upon other Occafions, that He voted for the Diffenters, in one Cafe, because the Miniftry were against Them; and that He voted against Them, in the other, because the Miniftry were for Them; but it is certain that, in both Cafes, He acted in Oppofition to the Gentlemen then in Power; and as the latter A hath intirely cancell'd all the Merit of the former, the Di fenters are under no Obligation to Him, on that Ac

count.

What therefore hath He done fince, to deserve fo much Favour from these Gentlemen, as his Advocates have lately claim'd for Him? It cannot furely be for his Services last Year, with Regard to the Sacramental Teft; for it is well known what Part He acted Himself, and order'd his Creatures to act in that Affair; though I am told that what the Dissenters ask'd and expected from Him was only in Pursuance of repeated Promifes. But, it feems, Matters of much greater Confequence were then in Embryo, which made it improper to perform them; and the Event hath fully fhewn how heartily

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heartily concern'd He was for their civil Intereft, in common with the reft of their Fellow-fubjects, though Reasons of State would not permit Him to make Them eafy in their religious Affairs.

Whilft this Bufinefs of the Teft was under Confideration, I declined giving my Opinion upon it, being at that Time engaged on another Subject of the utmost Importance to us all, as a free People; and I have the Pleafure to reflect that what I offer'd to the Publick had no fmall Effect. I declined it likewise on another Account, as I was willing to preferve that Neutrality in my Writings, which I formerly promised, between the eftablish'd Church and our Proteftant Brethren, who diffent from it; nor do I mention it at prefent with any other Design than to expose the Infolence of Thofe, who plead a Sort of Title to the Favour of the Diffenters, without any particular Merit to recommend Them to it, befides repeated Promises to ferve Them, and repeated Apologies for deceiving Them.

It is far from being improbable that the fame Game may be plaid over again at this Juncture, when the Affiftance of the Diffenters is become fo extremely neceffary to a certain Gentleman. Some of their Leaders in Town may be fent for, and cajoled with plausible Speeches, and new Promises. They may be told,., perhaps, that nobody hath their Intereft more at Heart than Himself; and though it hath not been yet in his Power to ferve Them, as He intended, They may depend on his utmost Affiftance, if They will only be fo kind as to concur with Him in the Choice of a new Parliament; that, in the mean Time, the Pulfe of the Nation fhall be try'd in their Favour; and, perhaps, fomething of the fame Kind attempted in Ireland, as the best Method of paving the Way for it here.

Such Speeches, I fay, may be made to Them at this Time, in order to secure their Interest at the approaching Election of Corporation Magiftrates, as well as Reprefentatives; but let Them remember what this Gentle

man