his people? As to the vote against those, who fhould affirm the church was in danI think it likewife referred to danger ger, from, or under, the queen's administration, (for I neither have it by me, nor can fuddenly have recourse to it;) but if it were otherwife, I know not how it can refer to any dangers, but what were paft, or at that time prefent; or how it could affect the future, unless the fenators were all infpired, or at least that majority, which voted it: neither do I fee it is any crime, farther than ill manners, to differ in opinion from a majority of either or both houses; and that ill manners, I must confefs, I have been often guilty of for fome years past, although I hope I never shall again.

Another topick of great ufe to these weekly inflamers is the young pretender in France, to whom their whole party is in a high measure indebted for all their greatnefs; and whenever it lies in their power, they may perhaps return their acknowledgments, as, out of their zeal for frequent revolutions, they were ready to do to his fuppofed father; which is a piece of fecret hiftory, that I hope will one day fee

the

the light; and I am fure it fhall, if ever I am mafter of it, without regarding whofe ears may tingle. But at present the word pretender is a term of art in their profeffion. A fecretary of state cannot defire leave to refign, but the pretender is at bottom; the queen cannot diffolve a parliament, but it is a plot to dethrone herself and bring in the pretender; half a fcore ftock-jobbers are playing the knave in Exchange-alley, and there goes the pretender with a Sponge. One would be apt to think, they bawl out the pretender so often to take off the terror; or tell fo many lyes about him to flacken our caution; that when he is really coming, by their connivance, we may not believe them; as the boy ferved the fhepherds about the coming of the wolf: or perhaps they scare us with the pretender, because they think he may be like some diseases, that come with a fright. Do they not believe, that the queen's prefent miniftry love her majefty, at least as well as fome others loved the church? And why is it not as great a mark of difaffection now, to say the queen is in danger, as it was fome months ago to affirm the fame of the church?

Suppofe

Suppose it be a falfe opinion, that the queen's right is hereditary and indefeafible; yet how is it poffible, that those who hold and believe fuch a doctrine, can be in the pretender's intereft? His title is weakened by every argument, that ftrengthens hers: it is as plain, as the words of an act of parliament can make it, That her prefent majesty is heir to the furvivor of the late king and queen her fifter: is not that an hereditary right? What need we explain it any farther? I have known an article of faith expounded in much loofer and more general terms, and that by an author, whofe opinions are very much followed by a certain party. Suppofe we go further, and examine the word indefeafible, with which fome writers of late have made themselves fo merry: I confess, it is hard to conceive how any law, which the fupreme power makes, may not by the fame power be repealed; fo that I fhall not determine, whether the queen's right be indefeafible, or no. But this I will maintain; that whoever affirms it fo, is not guilty of a crime; for in that fettlement of the crown after the revolution, where

her

her prefent majesty is named in remainder, there are (as near as I can remember) these remarkable words, to which we bind ourfelves and our pofterity for ever. Lawyers may explain this, or call them words of form as they please; and reasoners may argue, that fuch an obligation is against the very nature of government; but a plain reader, who takes the words in their natural meaning, may be excused in thinking a right fo confirmed is indefeasible; and if there be an abfurdity in fuch an opinion, he is not to anfwer for it.

P. S. When this paper was going to the prefs, the printer brought me two more Obfervators, wholly taken up in my Examiner upon lying, which I was at the pains to read; and they are just such an answer, as the two others I have mentioned. This is all I have to fay on that

matter.

D NUM

NUMBER XVI.

Thursday, November 23, 1710.

Qui funt boni cives? Qui belli, qui domi de patria bene merentes, nifi qui patriae beneficia meminerunt?

I

WILL employ this prefent paper upon a fubject, which of late hath very much affected me, which I have confidered with a good deal of application, and made feveral enquiries about among those persons, who, I thought, were beft able to inform me; and if I deliver my fentiments with fome freedom, I hope it will be forgiven, while I accompany it with that tenderness, which so nice a point requires.

I faid in a former paper (Number 13.) that one fpecious objection to the late removals at court was the fear of giving uneafinefs to a general, who hath been long fuccessful abroad; and accordingly, the common clamour of tongues and pens for fome months paft hath run against the baseness, the inconftancy, and ingratitude of the whole kingdom to the duke of Marlborough, in return of the most

eminent