should be glad to hear them explain themfelves upon. They make no ceremony of exclaiming upon all occafions against a change of miniftry in fo critical and dangerous a conjuncture. What fhall we, who heartily approve and join in thofe proceedings, fay in defence of them? We own the juncture of affairs to be as they defcribe we are pufhed for an answer; and are forced at laft freely to confefs, that the corruptions and abuses in every branch of the adminiftration were fo numerous and intolerable, that all things must have ended in ruin without fome

:

speedy reformation. This I have already afferted in a former paper; and the replies I have read, or heard, have been in plain terms to affirm the direct contrary; and not only to defend and celebrate the late perfons and proceedings, but to threaten me with law and vengeance for cafting reflections on fo many great and honourable men, whose birth, virtue, and abilities, whofe morals and religion, whofe love of their country, and its conftitution in church and ftate, were fo univerfally allowed; and all this fet off with odious comparisons, reflecting

F

flecting on the prefent choice: is not this in plain and direct terms to tell all the world, that the queen hath in a most dangerous crifis turned out a whole fett of the beft minifters, that ever ferved a prince, without any manner of reason, but her royal pleasure, and brought in others of a character directly contrary? And how fo vile an opinion as this can confist with the leaft pretence to loyalty or good manners, let the world determine.

I confefs myself fo little a refiner in politicks, as not to be able to difcover what other motive, befides obedience to the QUEEN, a fenfe of publick danger, and a true love of their country, joined with invincible courage, could fpirit up those great men, who have now under her majefty's authority undertaken the direction of affairs. What can they expect, but the utmost efforts of malice, from a fett of enraged domeftick adverfaries perpetually watching over their conduct, croffing all their defigns, and using every art to foment divifions among them, in order to join with the weakeft, upon any rupture? The difficulties they muft encounter are

nine times more and greater than ever; and the prospects of intereft, after the reapings and gleanings of fo many years, nine times less. Every misfortune at home or abroad, although the neceffary confequence of former counfels, will be imputed to them; and all the good fuccefs given to the merit of former schemes. A fharper hath held your cards all the evening, played booty, and loft your money; and, when things are almoft defperate, you employ an honeft gentleman to retrieve your loffes.

I would afk, whether the QUEEN'S fpeech doth not contain her intentions in every particular relating to the publick, that a good fubject, a Briton, and a Proteftant can poffibly have at heart?"To

carry on the war in all its parts, parti"cularly in Spain, with the utmost vigour, in order to procure a fafe and "honourable peace for us and our allies; "to find fome ways of paying the debts "of the navy; to fupport and encourage "the church of England; to preferve the

British conftitution according to the union; to maintain the indulgence by F 2

"law

"law allowed to fcrupulous consciences ; " and to employ none but fuch, as are for "the Proteftant fucceffion in the house of "Hanover." It is known enough, that fpeeches on these occafions are ever digefted by the advice of those, who are in the chief confidence; and confequently, that these are the fentiments of her majefty's minifters, as well as her her own; and we fee, the two houses have unanimously agreed with her in every article. When the least counterpaces are made to any of these refolutions, it will then be time enough for our malecontents to bawl out popery, perfecution, arbitrary power, and the pretender. In the mean while, it is a little hard to think, that this island can hold but fix men of honesty and ability enough to ferve their prince and country; or that our safety should depend upon their credit, any more than it would upon the breath in their noftrils. Why fhould not a revolution in the miniftry be fometimes neceffary, as well as a revolution in the crown? It is to be prefumed, the former is at least as lawful in itself, and perhaps the experiment not quite fo dangerous. The revolution of

the

the fun about the earth was formerly thought a neceffary expedient to folve appearances, although it left many difficulties unanfwered; until philofophers contrived a better, which is that of the earth's revolution about the fun. This is found upon experience to fave much time and labour, to correct many irregular motions, and is better fuited to the refpect due from a planet to a fixed far.

NUMBER XIX.

Thursday, December 14, 1710.

Sunt quibus in fatyra videar nimis acer, et ultra

Legem tendere opus: fine nervis altera quicquid Compofui pars effe putat

WHE

HEN the printer came last week for his copy, he brought along with him a bundle of thofe papers, which, in the phrafe of Whig-coffee-houses, have fwinged off the Examiner; moft of which I had never feen or heard of before. I remember fome time ago in one of the Tatlers to F 3 have