fay without injury to Mr. Bingham: For fure he may be intirely innocent, and yet a magiftrate under the immediate direction of the Lord Chief-Juftice who takes examinations against him: Examinations that do not even contain matter to form an indictment upon, may be innocent alfo.

It fhall fuffice therefore to fay, I went from Ireland loaded with the fevereft cenfures of the Houfe of Commons: Injured, as I thought, and oppreffed to the greatest degree imaginable, robbed of that character which was dearer to me than life itself; and all that by an overbearing, overpowering interest.

I fought, in England, for that peace and protection which was denied me at home. My public character followed me: My .countrymen avoided me. The nature of man is fociable: I was forced to herd with ftrangers. A Prime Minifter, engaged in the fuccefs of a scheme, wants no emiffaries to spy out all that makes for him, and to fly with what they have found to their employer. I was unfortunately fet by those fort of creatures: My fentiments on the state of our money-matters were induftriously fifted through me; and when

that

that was done, before I knew any thing of the matter, I was ferved with his Majefty's fummons: In a hurry I ran out of town, and ftaid in the country a while; but, on my return again, found another fummons at my lodgings; and, terrified by the difmal effects of power at home from risking a fecond fhipwreck abroad, I yielded to it, and appeared at the Cockpit.

It is true my appearance at the Cockpit, to those who knew me only by the votes of the House of Commons, must have looked like a defign of revenge; and I had many and powerful enemies, who gave all my actions the worst colour. But, to take the matter impartially, Sir, is there no allowance to be made for a mind already broken by the difmal effects of prevailing power, and filled with the apprehenfions of fecond dangers? Is there no allowance for a man, young in the knowledge of the world, under all these fears and misfortunes, if he has yielded to the repeated fummons. of the Council of England, in which his Majefty was prefent, and if he was there, after a long and ftrenuous oppofition, forced to tell his fentiments? Forced, Sir, to tell his fentiments, not in the manner reprefented to the world, but in a manner

the

the moft cautious of giving room for a pretence to oppofe the inclinations of our parliament.

But, alas, the confequence! You, Sir, the defender of Ireland, were foon engaged againft me on that account; and that fatal genius of yours, in an inftant, ruined my character; but even ruin-bearing as it was, I bleffed it: The caufe which you undertook was dear to me; and though fame is the last thing which one would facrifice even for his country, yet I parted with that with pleasure, whilft you thought it neceffary for the public good fo to do: But now the end is ferved, Dear Sir, may not the man have his mare again?

Plato being told that certain perfons af perfed his character, and reprefented him abroad as a very ill man; inftead of expof tulating with his enemies, and returning reproach for reproach, concealed himself, faying, No matter, my friends, the whole life of Plato fhall give his accufers the lie.

Could I fet before me a greater example? Under the general difpleafure of my country, under all the cenfures which the reftlefs malice of my enemies could devife, and under the keen edge of the Drapier's wit; the only revenge I indulged myself,

was

was by a fteady love for my country, and by manifeft acts of affection thereto, to be a filent reproach to the foul tongues of my enemies.

Permit then, Sir, permit me in peace to take his great example; and no longer give way to the power of my enemies, by continuing to opprefs me. They have al ready gained their caufe by you: But I muft fay, it was not the fword of Ajax, but the armour of Achilles which he put on, that won the day.

The caufe for which you undertook my ruin, was the cause of my country: It was a good cause, and you shall ever find me of that fide. You have carried it, and I know you will no longer be my enemy. But alas! Sir, as long as your works fubfift, where ever they be read, even unto the end of time, muft I be branded as a villain. It is a hard fentence; and yet unless the fpear of Achilles, the fame inftrument which gave the wound, adminifter the remedy, it must be fo.

In fhort, Sir, you must be a man of honour: It is not poffible that honour should be wanting where all the diftinguishing characteristics of it are found: I cannot VOL. XV.

$

doubt

doubt it; and therefore I will let you fully into a fecret which accident has given you a part of, and I am fure you will keep it.

The fource of all my misfortunes was the vote of the Houfe of Commons; but I have laboured however, as I always fhall, to ferve my country and make myself agreeable to them: And though the misfortune of a bad public character deprived me of the private converfation of my countrymen, which is the fureft and beft way to know our true intereft; yet I flatter myfelf that my little Effays may be ufeful, at least they may be no bad beginning: And you know it is cafy to add to a work once begun. But if the work is known to be mine, the very name will condemn it, and render it ufelefs to my country.

Whatever the faults may be, I have publicly applied to you to amend them, before the bearer's mistake made me determine this private application to you: And I muft fay, that I fhall reckon it no small degree of honour, if you take that trouble upon you.