In tranquil times, when fociety was in its na tural ftate, fuch tricks and fratagems might have been pardonable, because they were likely to be followed by no very ferious confequences. But now, when doctrines unknown to our fathers have put public peace and fafety in jeopardy, when political madnefs is juft as epidemic, and, where it rifes to its height, is juft as deftructive, as ever the peftilence was in the centuries that are paft, and even when amongst ourselves there are alarming fymptoms, which can only be fuppreff ed by the ftricteft union and steadieft co-operation of knowledge and talent, of wisdom and vir tue, at fuch a time, to fcatter ambiguous words amongst the vulgar, to feek for a little popular favour by appearing to flatter a false and dangerous mifconception, to leave room, by laxity of ftatement and vagueness of expreffion, for the enemies of the country to infer that their premifes are admitted, even by those who revolt from their practical conclufions, is a conduct which muft excite aftonishment in all who have understanding, and ought to raise the indignation of every man who has a heart.

But the extravagance of the folly lies in this, that all will be unavailing. The well-affected and judicious part of the community will fee through and reprobate the clumfy juggle, and the Democrats,

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Democrats, who have long shewn a fixed purpose not to be cajoled by any partial approximation, will despise it in their hearts. That these hate all who difagree with them, can scarcely be doubted; but the cream of their malice feems to be kept for the Oppofition. They abhor these in proportion to the closeness of resemblance, just as the fierceft antipathies fometimes reign between animals of the nearest species: and, most probably, were a Democratic Revolution now to be effected, those very gentlemen of the Whig Club would be amongst the first who would be promoted to the Guillotine or the Gibbet. It would not be amifs for them to keep this in mind, and to recollect that though they may not be quite as happy as if they were in power, and though this may lead them to fee things around them through fomewhat of a gloomy medium, (as a man who has the jaundice fees every thing tinged with yellow,) ftill, that it might be far worse with them than it is; that it is better to be without places, than to be without estates and without beads; and that (as SOLOMON fays) "A living Dog is better than a dead Lion."

ESSAY XIII.

ADDRESSED TO COUNTRY GENTLEMEN,

AND OTHER PERSONS OF PROPERTY

IN

THE NORTH OF IRELAND.

December 12, 1796.

GENTLEMEN! what are you doing? Your

country demands your ftrenuous and united exertions. A plan for preferving it, alike from invafion and infurrection, by affociating and arming the loyal Yeomanry, has been propofed, and has received the approbation of every honeft and fenfible man. Are you, in your feveral diftricts, ufing your best skill and influence to carry this scheme into immediate and effectual execution?

mies are.

Gentlemen, if you are not active your eneThe men who wish to overturn the conftitution, the defperate few who hope, by means of the mifled many, to fhare amongst themfelves the power and the property of the kingdom, are indefatigable, muftering their forces by night, diffeminating their principles by day, at fairs and markets, on the high road and in the hedge alehouse, in the tradefman's fhop and

the

the peafant's cottage. No expedient escapes them that fubtlety can fuggeft. To infpire awe and fecure fecrecy they have fealed their combination with the abufed religion of an OATH. To excite vulgar curiofity they affect profound myfteriousness, and affume fignificant words and figns, understood only by their fworn affociates. That they may pervert the timid as well as the vicious, they have recourse equally to threatenings and promises. And, to attach the idle and the indigent, they hold out the prospect, that if their defign was once accomplished, the wealth and comfort which they reprefent as now unjustly monopolized by a few, would flow down, even amongst the lowest of the people, in rich and ceaseless abundance,

Could any thing be contrived with more villainous ingenuity, both to attract the ignorant multitude in the first instance, and to infure their aid in every defperate measure, to which their leaders might wish to direct them? An enthufiafm fo congenial to every profligate and every foolish propenfity could not fail to fpread amongst the lower claffes; and a populace, actuated by fuch a fpirit, and combined by fuch principles, if once ftrong enough to burft forth, would, as certainly, deftroy all fafety, and make a wreck of all property, as a flood of Lava iffuing from a burning

a burning mountain would be fure to defolate the furrounding country. Form to yourselves the idea of fuch an event; and then afk your own understandings whether, in thefe circumftances, your most valuable acquifitions, the dearest comforts of your life, or even your life itfelf, would be worth a day's purchase?

Already has the mifchief fpread from an inconfiderable fociety to an unfummed multitude; it has gone on from parish to parish, and from county to counry, like the peftilence that walketh in darknefs;" and fresh numbers of the peafantry are every day catching the contagion. If no effectual check be provided, is it not felf-evident that it will advance incalculably; forming ftill a wider and wider circle, until the malignant principle fhall have diffused itfelf through all the lower ranks of the community?

Gentlemen, is it poffible that any individual amongst you should look with unconcern on fo alarming a profpect? Believe me, on you alone it depends to realize or defeat it. There is but one infallible expedient for coming at the root of the evil; and that is, by plainly proving to them, and to all whom they are labouring to feduce, that the people are against them as well as the government and the laws, that all that is rátional,