ney into those funds, to great advantage : merchants, as well as other monied men, finding trade was dangerous, pursued the fame method. But the war continuing, and growing more expenfive, taxes were increased, and funds multiplied every year, till they have arrived at the monstrous height we now behold them; and that, which was at firft a corruption, is at last grown neceffary, and what every good fubject must now fall in with, although he may be allowed to wifh it might foon have an end; because it is with a kingdom as with a private fortune, where every new incumbrance adds a double weight. By this means the wealth of a nation, that ufed to be reckoned by the value of land, is now computed by the rife and fall of stocks: and, although the foundation of credit be ftill the fame, and upon a bottom that can never be fhaken, and although all intereft be duly paid by the publick; yet, through the contrivance and cunning of flock-jobbers, there hath been brought in fuch a complication of knavery and cozenage, such a mystery of iniquity, and fuch an unintelligible jargon of terms ta to involve it in, as were never known in any other age or country in the world. I have heard it affirmed, by perfons skilled in these calculations, that if the funds appropriated to the payment of interest and annuities were added to the yearly taxes, and the four-fhilling aid ftrictly exacted in all counties of the kingdom, it would very near, if not fully, fupply the occafions of the war, at least fuch a part as, in the opinion of very able persons, had been at that time prudent not to exceed. For I make it a question, Whether any wife prince or ftate, in the continuance of a war, which was not purely defenfive, or immediately at his own door, did ever propofe that his expence fhould perpetually exceed what he was able to impose annually upon his fubjects? Neither, if the war laft many years longer, do I fee how the next generation will be able to begin another; which, in the course of human affairs, and according to the various interefts and ambition of princes, may be as neceffary for them, as it hath been for us. And if our fathers had left us as deeply involved, as we are likely to leave our children, 2 children, I appeal to any man, what fort of figure we should have been able to make these twenty years paft. Besides, neither our enemies nor allies are upon the fame foot with us in this particular. France and Holland, our nearest neighbours, and the fartheft engaged, will much fooner recover themselves after a war: the firft by the abfolute power of the prince, who, being mafter of the lives and fortunes of his fubjects, will quickly find expedients to pay his debts; and fo will the other, by their prudent administration, the greatnefs of their trade, their wonderful parfimony, the willingness of their people to undergo all kind of taxes, and their justice in applying as well as collecting them. But above all we are to confider, that France and Holland fight on the continent, either upon or near their own territories, and the greatest part of the money circulates among themfelves; whereas ours croffes the fea, either to Flanders, Spain, or Portugal; and every penny of it, whether in fpecie or returns, is fo much loft to the nation for ever. Upon Upon these confiderations alone, it was the most prudent courfe imaginable in the QUEEN, to lay hold of the disposition of the people for changing the parliament and ministry at this juncture, and extricating herself as foon as poffible out of the pupillage of thofe, who found their accounts only in perpetuating the war. Neither have we the leaft reafon to doubt, but the ensuing parliament will affift her MAJESTY with the utmost vigour, until her enemies again be brought to sue for peace, and again offer fuch terms as will make it both honourable and lafting; only with this difference, that the ministry perhaps will not again refuse them. Audiet pugnas, vitio parentum THE NUMBER XIV. Thursday, November 9, 1710. E quibus bi vacuas implent fermonibus aures, Hi narrata ferunt alio: menfuraque ficti Crefcit, et auditis aliquid novus adjicit autor. Illic Credulitas, illic temerarius Error, Vanaque Laetitia eft, confternatique Timores, ·Seditioque recens, dubioque autore Sufurri. A M prevailed on, through the impor tunity of friends, to interrupt the scheme I had begun in my last paper, by an Effay upon the art of Political Lying. We are told the devil is the father of lyes, and was a lyar from the beginning; fo that beyond contradiction the invention is old: and, which is more, his firft Effay of it was purely political, employed in undermining the authority of his prince, and feducing a third part of the fubjects from their obedience; for which he was driven down from Heaven, where (as Milton expreffeth it) he had been VICEROY of a great western province; and forced to exercise his talent in inferior regions among other fallen |