friends would approve of, and he would be ready to accept their recommendations. Thus the earl proceeded in procuring employments for those, who deferved them by their honesty and abilities to execute them; which I confefs to have been a fingularity not very likely to be imitated. However the gentlemen of this club ftill continued uneafy that no quicker progrefs was made in removals, until those who were least violent began to soften a little, or by dividing them the whole affair dropped. During this difficulty we have been affured, that the following discourse was very seasonably published with great fuccefs, fhewing the difficulties that the earl of Oxford lay under, and his real defire, that all persons in employment should be true loyal churchmen, zealous for her majesty's honour and fafety, as well as for the fucceffion in the houfe of Hanover, if

of

the queen should happen to die without. iffue. This difcourfe having been published about the year 1711, and many the facts forgotten, would not have been generally understood without fome explaEe 2 nation,

nation, which we have now endeavoured to give, because it seems a point of history too material to be loft. We owe this piece of intelligence to an intimate of the suppofed author.

SOME

SOME

ADVICE

Humbly offered to the

MEMBERS

OF THE

OCTOBER CLUB.

GENTLEMEN,

SINCE the first inftitution of your focicty, I have always thought you capable of the greateft things. Such a number of perfons, members of parliament, true lovers of our conftitution in church and ftate, meeting at certain times, and mixing bufinefs and converfation together without the forms and constraint neceffary to be obferved in publick affemblies, muft very much improve each others understanding, correct and fix your judgment, and prepare yourselves against any defigns of the oppofite party. Upon the opening of this feffion an incident hath happened, to provide against the confequences whereof will require your utmost

Ee 3

vigi

vigilance and application. All this laft fummer the enemy was working under ground, and laying their train; they gradually became more frequent and bold in their pamphlets and papers, while thofe on our fide were dropped, as if we had no farther occafion for them. Some time before an opportunity fell into their hands, which they have cultivated ever fince; and thereby have endeavoured in fome fort to turn those arts against us, which had been so effectually employed to their ruin: a plain demonstration of their superior fkill at intrigue; to make a ftratagem fucceed a fecond time, and this even against those who first tried it upon them. I know not whether this opportunity I have mentioned could have been prevented by any care without ftraining a very tender point, which those chiefly concerned avoided by all means, because it might feem a counterpart of what they had fo much condemned in their predeceffors; although it is certain the two cases were widely different; and if policy had once

got the better of good nature, all had been fafe, for there was no other danger in

view but the confequences of this were foreseen from the beginning; and those who kept the watch had early warning of it. It would have been a mafter-piece of prudence in this cafe to have made a friend of an enemy. But whether that were poffible to be compaffed, or whether it were ever attempted, is now too late to enquire. All accommodation was rendered defperate by an unlucky proceeding fome months ago at Windfor, which was a declaration of war too frank and generous for that fituation of affairs; and I am told, was not approved by a certain great minifter. It was obvious to fuppofe, that in a particular, where the honour and intereft of a husband were fo clofely united with thofe of a wife, he might be fure of her utmost endeavours for his protection, although fhe neither loved nor esteemed him. The danger of lofing power, favour, profit, and a shelter from domeftick tyranny, were ftrong incitements to ftir up a working brain early practifed in all the arts of intriguing. Neither is it fafe to count upon the weaknefs of any man's understanding, who is thoroughly poffeffed E e 4 with