ther they were ripe for further Discoveries, and a thorough Reformation; and that accordingly in a new Edition of the Liturgy, the feventh Commandment was printed thus, Thou shalt commit Adultery. But as the poor Devil happened to live in evil Days of Biggotry and Superftition, under a grave formal Prince, and an old, four, morofe Archbishop, who had no more Taste of Gallantry than Criticism, he was feverely fwinged, and the whole Impreffion called in, to the great Difcouragement of all Attempts of that kind for the future. Though in the merry Reign and Court of his most religious and gracious Son, the cle ver polite People of both Sexes feemed fo well fatisfied with the new Reading, that they thought it an excellent Emendation, and directed their Conduct accordingly. And I cannot but hope that confidering the great Encouragement that is now publicly given for free Debate and Inquiry into thefe and fuch-like fuperftitious Frauds, we fhall foon fee this dark Affair fet in a true Light, and perhaps it may be thought worth while to give public Encouragement to the Learned to bend their Thoughts this Way, by propofing a competent Reward to any that shall be able to make and publish a full Discovery of this Corruption: and Interpolation, as it would contribute to the Quiet ing of many Confciences, and promoting and eftablishing an unbounded Liberty in Thought, Word, and Deed. However, till fuch Discovery can be made, let us fuppofe the prefent Reading to be genuine, and then confider them in their natural Meaning, withe out thofe unreasonable Interpretations which Prejudice and Cuftom feem to have fixed upon them.

The Sixth Commandment could never be intended as an abfolute Prohibition not to take away the Life of another; it only forbids that clumfy butcherly way of Murdering, made ufe of by the vileft and meanest Part of Mankind: Whereas People of Rank and Diftinction, who kill in an honourable gentleman-like way, are no ways concerned in this Commandment, or affected by it. This is fo agreeable to the natural Senfe of Mankind, that the very fame Action fhall be criminal in one Man, and not in another. If one Scoundrel happen to kill another, it is truly and properly called Murder; but if a Man of Rank and Figure happen to kill a Domeftic or Inferior, with or without Provocation, or even an Equal, in an honourable way, it alters both the Name and Nature of the Crime, and becomes no more than Manflaughter: And the Gentlemen of the Sword, who happen to kill their Man in a genteel Way, are no more guilty of Murder, than an honest peaceable Citizen, that kills a Fly or a Spider, or swallows an Oyster alive.

The Seventh Commandment is moft certainly to be understood with the fame Reftrictions and Limitations as the Sixth, and could only be meant to reftrain little People within fuch Bounds as are abfolutely neceffary for their Rank and Station in Life. For if Tradesmen, Artificers, and Labourers fhould take it in their Heads to turn fine Gentlemen, and preg tend to mimic their Betters, fhould they neglect the Care of their Shops and Employments in quest of Gallantries, it must end in an abfolute Decay of Trade, Neglect of Bufinefs, and the Ruin of many. poor Families, and bring an unfupportable Burden

upon the Public. Befides, as Affairs of this kind are not to be tranfacted without very great Expence, Addrefs, and Application, it cannot be fuppofed that People of mean Birth, low Education, and small Fortunes, can ever manage them in so polite and genteel a way as to avoid Discovery and Scandal, or carry it off with that intrepid Affurance as is absolutely necessary for People in fuch delicate Circumftances. But then this cannot be supposed to affect People of fuperior Fortune and Quality, who have so much Time and Money upon their Hands, that they scarce know how to employ it otherwise. Now if a Man of Quality should condescend fo low as to bestow the Exuberancy of his Blood and Fortune in relieving the Neceffities of fome pretty Neighbour; should he beftow a Dash of this noble Blood upon a deferving plebean Family, and pay well into the Bargain, it ought to be confidered as an Honour, as well as an Advantage, to the above-faid Family, and as a way of mending the Blood and Fortune, if not the Morals, of the next Generation. And as People of Rank and Condition are exempt from the Obligation of this Precept, fo, by an Argument à fortiori, are Legislators and Governors of every fort and kind, who are prefumed of course to be the beft Judges of the Duty and Neceffity of their Subjects, and are accountable to nobody but themselves.

The Eighth Commandment is certainly to be underftood with the fame Reftrictions and Limitations which is directly employed in the very Letter of the Precept, Thou shalt not fleal. Stealing we all know is the most pitiful fcoundrel Act of Injuftice; it implies a mean, fneaking, cowardly way of defrauding one's Neigh

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Neighbour. Every Seffions-paper fhews you with what Contempt and Deteftation those poor Dogs are treated for ftealing three Silver Spoons, the Property of G. W. Inholder, Value one Pound ten Shillings; a Pair of Breeches, and two Shirts, the Property of L. C. Labourer, Value fix Shillings; four Sheep, the Property of M. C. Efq; Value three Pounds fixteen Shillings; not to mention the Heroes of this Clafs, the Horse-stealers, who are tucked up every Affizes without Mercy or Pity. But this can by no means be thought to extend to the numberless Arts and Branches of Industry and Policy, by which People of Rank and Diftinction increase their Fortunes, and fupport their State and Figure in the World; this would be an effectual way of cutting all the Nerves of Industry at one Stroke, a fatal Check to all the Myfteries of Trade and Commerce, and an abfolute Difcouragement to all forts of Jobbers, Gamefters, Fortune-hunters, and Jockeys, who are the Directors and Managers of all our Parties of Bufinefs and Diverfion; and would be an infufferable Reflection upon the Memory of fome of the greatest Men in all Ages, whose Names are tranfmitted to Pofterity under the glorious Titles of illuftrious Conquerors, able Minifters, cunning Statefmen, and confummate Politicians.

The Ninth Commandment. I think as little liable to Exception as any of them; but yet I cannot think it amifs if it were a little qualified by two or three Exceptions in favour of public Minifters, Courts of Juftice, and Tea-tables. There are many weighty and political Reasons for indulging public Ministers in certain Deviations from Truth, which however cri

minal they may appear in private Perfons, are, in those public Stations, expedient and neceffary? Sir Harry Wotton, who was himself a foreign Ambassador, has long ago declared, that lying dextrously and cunningly, and with a good Intention, is the chief Businefs of fuch Minifters: And therefore has given us the Definition of an Ambaffador in thefe Terms, Legatus eft vir bonus, peregrè miffus ad mentiendum reipublicæ caufâ, i. e. An Ambassador is an honeft Man, fent to lye abroad for the Good of his Country. And whatever Reasons can be offered in Vindication of Ambaf fadors for lying abroad, may, with equal Juftice, be pleaded for thofe Ministers who are lying at home for the fame good and laudable Purposes.

So alfo the tedious Delays of Juftice, especially in Chancery Suits, are fo notorious to the whole Nation, that it has often been found, that, by the long Continuance of the Suit, he that gets a Decree in his Favour, is often undone before he can obtain it. Now where would be the Hurt, if fome good-natured Perfon, in mere Compaffion to both the Suitors, fhould, by an officious Falfhood, determine the Iffue of the Caufe, and fhorten the Suit, to the manifeft Advantage of them both? Never tell me that the Action is in itself unjust and finful. I deny it. The Action is not malum in fe; any more than giving a Coup de grace to a dying Criminal, which puts him out of his Pain, And though the giving fuch a mortal Stroke to an innocent uncondemned Perfon would be highly cruel, barbarous, and wicked; yet it is an Act of Mercy and Charity to the expiring Malefactor.

And as to our Tea-tables, it is well known that Scandal, which is one Species of falfe Witness, is the

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Life