Cato's letters

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Lemuel Adams*

HART FOR DO

CAT

s

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ETTERS.

VOL. IV,

Z. 0 AT £> 0 2V:

Printed for W. WILKINS, T. WOODWARD,
J. WALTHOS, junr. and J. PEELE.

M DCC XXIV.

C A T O's
LETTERS

SIR,

HAVE often thought, that
moil of the Mifchiefs under
which Mankind fufTers, and al-
moft all their polemick Difputes
are owing to the Abufe of Words,
If Men would define what they mean by the
Sounds they make ufe of to exprefs their
Thoughts, and then keep to thofe Definitions,
that is, annex always the fame Ideas to the fame
Sounds, mort of the Difputes in the World
would be at an End 5 but this would not
anfwer the Purpofes of thofe who derive
Power and Wealth from impofing upon the
Ignorance and Credulity of others : And
therefore, till the World can agree to be ho-
nefr, and to buy and fell by the fame Mea-

A 2 lure,

4 Giro's LETTERS.

fure, (which they don't fecm in Hade to do)
1 doubt this Evil is likely to go on.

There are no Words in Language which
feem to me to be more mifapply'd than the
Word Self-lwterefli by Divines, Orators, Phi-
lofophers, or Poets : All have exerted them-
ielvt's with great Efforts of Exhortation, Rea-
ion, Eloquence, ar.d Wit, againfl this reign-
ing Vice , but, I conceive, they have all
miis'd the Mark. Indeed, in the larger Senfe
of the Word, I think it is impoffible for any
Man to ncl upon any other Motive than his
own Intereft : For every Purfuit we make,
mud have tor its End the Gratification of fome
Appetite, or the avoiding of fome Evil we
fear j and, in truth, when we fay that any
Man is felf-intercfted, we mean only that he
is not enough in his own Intereft.

A good humour'd Man, when he pities a-
nother, gratifies a natural Paffion, in having
a Fellow-feeling of the Calamities of others,
and a Defire to fee all Men out of Pain or
Trouble. A generous Man pleafes his Vani-
ty, Oftentation, or Temper, in doing good to
others, or intends to gain Friends or Depen-
dants. An indulgent Parent takes Pleafure to
fee that his Children (whom he efteems Parts
ofrrtmfelf) live happy, contented, and make
a Figure in the World, and derives Credit
and Reputation to himfelf from their doing fo.
And a beneficent Patron, or a Man in Love,
reaps great perfonal Satisfaction in obliging
the Objects of his Kindnefs, and by making
them more devoted to himfelf: And all thefe

pity or contemn one who wants thefe a^reea-

•• . 1.1

be

CAfo's LETTERS. y

ble Appetites, and moft reafonably judge, tha*
he wants many Pleafures which they them"
felves enjoy 5 as well knowing, that, next to
the Preiervation of their Beings by whole-
fome Food and warm Raiment, and the en-
joying the common NeceiTaries and ufual Di-
veriions of Life, all that can be added to
their Happinefs, is to obtain Reipect, Love,
and Edeem from others.

Even all the worit Padiors flow from the
fame Source. For what is Hatred, Malice,
and Revenge, but gratifying viticus Appetites?
And Fear and Cowardice are only Struggles in
Nature to avoid Evils to our {"elves. Of all
Men, the covetous Man is the moil unhappy:
For as every Pleaiure is the Gratification of
fome Appetite or Deilre, the Man who has
lead Deiires and Appetites, mud have the
lead Pleafures, and he mud lofe many agree-
able Senfations which other Men enjoy. I
laugh at the foolifh Philofophy of fome Seels
in old Greece, who plac'd the Summum 'Bonwn,.
or chief Happinefs, in the Abfence of all Paf-
iions or Defires j which can be only a State
of Death, or perfect. Stupidity, whilir. we are
alive. Men exceed Vegetables no otherwife
than as they think 5 and when they ceafe to
think, (if that can be) they. are in a tempora-
ry State of Death , and the Objects of all
Thinking muft be fomething we defire to at-
tain, or fear to lofe : And as Thought it felt'
is only a Motion of the Mind, fo one Motion
muft produce another, as every Thought muft
do, and be perpetually progreilive, till Death
puts an End to all Thoughts. Here Cove-

A 3 toufnefs

o- CAfO's LETTERS.

toufnefs therefore can only proceed from a
Poornefs and Dejeclion of Soul, which always
fears Want and Mifery, and mud ever be
bereft of all lively and fparkling Imaginations,
be in a confiant State of Diffidence and De-
fpondency, and lofe all the gay, chearful, and
generous Senfations which flow from a free,
ac'hve, happy, and beneficent Mind.

I muft take the Liberty therefore to think,
that the Word Self-Inter eft, in the ill Senfe of
the Word, ought to be new defin'd, and be
made applicable only to thofe who prefer a
fmall Interest to a great one, or to fuch who
take a wrong Way to attain that great one:
And in this latter Senfe the Bigot is the moft
ielf interefled Perfon in the World: His
whole Thoughts are fo wound up in himfelf,
and his own perfonal Views, that he is whol-
ly regardlefs of what becomes of the reft of
the World, unlefs he can find his own Bene-
fit in it. Indeed he will give fome loofe
Pence to Beggars, or Vagabonds, and per-
haps Sums to maintain Idlers and Cynicks,
not out of Humanity and generous Principles,
b,ut in order to put it out to large Intereft, I
do not mean for Five or Six pir Cent, but for
more than fixty Times fixty Thoufand j
though if a Nation is to be fared, or a great
People protected from Slavery, he is wholly
unconcern'd about the Event, as efteeming the
little Affairs of this World much below his
Notice and Confederation.

He is the fame in refpecr. of tlie other
World, as the covetous Man is in refpecT: of
this, and both their good Qualities proceed

from

CATo's LETTERS. 7

from the fame Principles and Appetites in
Nature. He is covetous for the good Things
in the Kingdom of Heaven, as the other is
for them here $ and both take much the fame
Way to get them. They both contemn
wife Men, becaufe wife Men contemn them :
Their defpifing the Vanities of the World
faves Money ; their condemning the modeft
Pleafures of Life gratifies their four and cen-
forious Tempers j their living cloifter'd, and
retir'd Lives, feed natural Melancholly 5 and
the former Hopes to carry Heaven (which the
other does not Trouble himfelf about) by
finging Songs upon Earth, by being perfectly
uieiefs to Society, and good for no one Thing
in the World.

This Sort of Creature is the Tool for
Knaves to work with, and made ufe of to
ferve their Interefts, whilft he intends only
to par foe his own. He is made to believe
that Kingdoms, infinitely preferable to thofe
of this World, are to be gain'd by the Man-
ner of cutting his Corns, or by Forms, Fa-
fhions. Habits, Podures, Cringes and Gri-
maces 5 by ufing a Rote of Words, or by
ufeleis Speculations, and dancing after idle
Harangue's, and always by being an implaca-
ble Enemy, and a furious Adveriary to all
who have generous and beneficent Affections
towards their own Species. He values Opini-
ons like rotten Cheefe, in proportion as they
are old, and is more concerned tor People's
believing Right, than for their doing Right.
He thinks the Way to fhew our Gratitude
to God, is to refufe his Gifts $ and believes

A 4. Truth

8 CATQ's LETTERS.

Truth the more facred the lefs 'tis underftood,
and nothing worthy to be call'd Faith but
what is abfurd to Reafon, and contradicts ail
the Principles of Science. He is a fa ft Friend
to every Thing that looks like a Myilery,
and thinks common Senfe too common, and
fublime Nonfenfe to be always a Proof of ln-
fpi ration. He meafures Virtue and Vice,
Right and Wrong, not by the Interefts of
Mankind, but by fcanty and partial Rules in-
vented by Pedants and Hypocrites, and cal-
culated chiefly for their own Benefit. He is a
Friend to no Man, and all his Thoughts and
Speculations are above Humanity and focial
Pieafures, and all the frail Thinas of thij

4

World , and fo he keeps all his Money to
Limfelf, and, at lafl, perhaps, ftarves his
Friends and Farnily> to leave it to fuch
Wretches as he is, not out of Kindnefs to
them, but to receive ample Payment again
where he is going.

I have often wonder'd how this ftupid A-
nimal could ever be in Repute ; how the moft
infignificant and worft Being in the Univerfc
could be thought the moft acceptable to the
beft, and how any one can be fuppos'd to me-
rit Heaven, by being ufelefs upon Earth. Ca-
Jlrucbio CaftraceiKt faid well, That he could ne-
ver believe that Friar Hieronomo had more In-
tereft above than he himfelf had ; and fure he
iudg'd right ; yet the World ever have run,
and, I doubt, ever will run, madding after
Hermits, Cynicks, Dreamers of Dreams, Bel-
chers of Prophecy, and reclufc and fequedred
Per ions, who are fuppos'd to knew heavenly

r^'ii ' *

Things

CAfO's LETTERS. 9

Things in Proportion as they know nothing
here. They call their folemn Folly, divine
"Wifdom j their Spleen and Melancholy,
godly Contemplation j their envious, fullen,
and morofe Tempers, {tricl and rigid Virtue,
and a Deteftation of Vice 5 and Covetoulhefs
is Frugality, and the Contempt of Things be-
lew. \Vhereas a truly virtuous and godly Man,
is the moit candid, amiable, and beft-natur'd
Creature upon Earth : He fpends his Life in
doing all the Good he can, and to all the
Men he can : He takes Pleafure in feeing all-
Men happy, and will endeavour to make them
all happy : He has large and comprehenfive
Notions of the Deity, and as he finds in him-
felf kind and beneficent ArYbclions towards
the whole Creation,, believes that the fupreme
Being has the fame, and, confequently, will
not make our Happinefs or Miiery t(* depend
upon what is out of our Power, or upon fuch
Speculations or Actions as can produce no
moral Good, but often deilroy it, and pro-
mote Evil.

God- wants- nothing, and if we have any
Gifts to beitow, his Creatures are our only
proper Objects: but thofe who crave in his
Name Largefies and Endowments,, which
they apply to their own Uie and Luxury, and
call their own Luxury and- IJ6mp the ferving.
of him, make the Almighty as greedy as they
are, and the Giver of all Things,. to want al-
rnoft every Thing; and confining all their
Bounty and Charity to their own dear Per-
ioncv think that he does fo too, and that
they are. as. dear to him as they are to thcm-

A ••-.

io CATO's LET T E R S.

felves 5 and fo hate and defpife, diitreis and
deftroy, in the Name of God, all whom they
hate for their own Sakes: So that, excepting a
very few Men, (the moil ridiculous and the
worrt of the whole) all the human Species
are efteem'd by them as Outcafts, whom the
wile Creator and Governor of the World has
fent into it only to abhor and to damn them j
and tho' his Favours are infinite, yet they
think that he bellows them all upon a little
liland, or a poor Deiart, or on a little and
contemptable Corner of the Earth, purely be-
caufe the Inhabitants wear blue, or black, or
broad Bonnets, quaint Doublets, or long Pet-
ticoats, and eat, or refufe to eat Fifh or Fle/h,
and other Food given for the general Ufe of
all Men 3 and make felflfh and partial Speeches
to him, and ufe crazy Diftinclions about him,
which he' commands not, and which wife Men
underiland not, and which the weakeft Men
alone are governed by.

W7ith the Bigots almoft every Thing that is
Truth is Blafphemy 5 and with them, a four
Face, and a bitter and implacable Heart are
()jjiaiiflcations fo acceptable to the wife, mer-
ciful, and forgiving God, that he hates all
who want them ; fo that in great Deteftation
of Blafphemy, they blnfphemoufly make the
God and Father of Mercies and of Man, a
Party- Mnn too, or, at belt, the Head of the
moil fenfelefs, ufelefs, inhuman, and miichie-
vous Parry in the Univerfe, the Party of Bi-

f")ts ; who being blindly and obftinatelv ad-

j j

dieted to their own incurable Follies, are fu-
riouiiy bent jg.iinft all the wife and fober Men

in

LETTERS. u

in the World : They improve the World by
defacing it, and their Way of building up, is
to deftroy and pull down ; This they call
Edification.

But Religion is another, and a contrary
Thing, and whoever would entertain a juit
Idea of the Divine Being nuift conceive of

<.j

him in direct Oppofition to the Bigot's Con-
ceptions, vJi. That the God of Truth is not
the Author of Contradictions $ That when he
fpeaks to Men, he fpeaks not above the Capa-
cities of Men, but to their Capacities, which
is the End of Speaking $ That he who makes
the Hearts of Men, is the bell and only Judge
of Mens Hearts, who cannot fee into one ano-
ther's, that being the only Province and
Privilege of Omnifcience; That his perfect
Goodnefs cannot punifh Men, whom he has
created naturally fubjeft to Errors, for invo-
luntary Errors , That having not made Man
perfect, he cannot be offended with him for
natural and inevitable Imperfections.

That we cannot provoke him when we in-
tend to adore him, That the beft Way to ferve
him, is to be ierviceable to one another, he
himfeif, who is Omnipotent, wanting none
of our impotent Affiftance and Benefits, which
rnuft come from him, but cannot go from us
to him 5 That t§ hurt Men, or betray them
for his Sake, is to mock him, and impioufly
to father upon the God of Wifdom and
Peace, our own Rage and Folly : That to him
neither Sounds, nor Geflures, nor Actions,
are good or bad, pleafing or difpleafing, but
as the Intentions from whence they fpring are

fincere

jta C.A TO*s LETTERS.

iincere or infincere, of which he alone can
Judge :

That he who made the World has not re-
ftrained. his Gifts, Favours, and Mercies, to
a Nook, of it,, nor picks out from among Men*
who are all his,, a few particular Minions and
Favourites, or gives them Authority to domi-
neer ov.er the reiJ, and to oppreis them in his-
Name, who is not the God of a Nation, or of a-
Seel, but of ail Nations,.. .Tongues, and Per-
fwafions,. and is heard of all that call upon
him and fear him $ That the only. \Yay to^
pieafe and refemble him,, is to, do,, as, he does,.
Good to All impartially, and to reftrain Men
from hurting- or perfecuting one another^
And, in fine, That Anger, Revenge, and Am-
bition, ar£ not Religion ^ not the Author
and Object of it an angry,, partial,. whimficaU
and crud Being ;. but that Religion is as dif-
ttire.nt from. B-fgottry,. and as far above it9
;T,S rlie. wife, great, and good God is above,
weak, lutle^.i]],. acd angry Men.

T.T is a comnton Obieilion- againfl- Free
•*( States,, th.it they are an grateful- : But I
think 1 ihall be able to fhew the contrary, and
.shat thev are. much, mora grateful, than A-cbi

CATO's LETTER S, 13

trary Princes, and are rarely ungrateful but to
thole who ufe them ungratefully, and forfeit
by it any Obligation they had laid upon

them.

It is the chief and firft Ambition of Free
Stares to preferve themielves 5 and fuch as
contribute mod to that End amongft them,
are generally placed by them in the firft Sta-
tions oh Figure and Power. But as Men ge-
nerally over-rate their own Merit, publick
Rewards, however great, are rarely fo great
as- are the Expectations and Pretenfions of
Men to thefe Rewards : So that fuch as are
prcferr'd for ferving, or for a Capacity of
ierving the Publick, are feldom preferr'd fo
high as they think they deferve; and being
neither pleas' d with the Meafure nor Durati-
on of their Power,, where it is not boundlefa
and perpetual,, they are apt to be ftruggling
to make it fo, tho' to the Ruin of thofe who
gave it for their own Prefervation j. and to thti
overthrowing of every Purpofe for which it
•was given. And whgn this is- the Aim, as
it too often is,- the People grow preie-ntly very
ungrateful,, becaufe they will not become
Slaves to their own- Servants.. And hsre is the
Source of- mod: of the Contentions in the
World between the Governors and the Co-
ver-near. The People provoke their Rulers by
a very heinous and ill-bred Crime, that of di-
itmguifhing between Protection and Qppref-
iion: For this the'/ are ungrateful. They are
ready enough almofl every where to give
tHeii? Governors too muck; but that will not
do.. J&rofc after: he. ^ut o-Sc', ihz. Hypocrite0,

i4 CATo's LETTERS.

never conferred any Office upon any Man, but
he always gave him thefe Ihort Inilru&ions :
You know what I have occafionfor : Let it be your
Care and mine that no Body elfe have any tbtng.
3Mor was Nero the laft" that made a Power to
protect Property, a Warrant for feizing it.

Gratitude is, doubtlefs, due from the obli-
ged to thofe who oblige them, as long as they
do not pretend to meaiure or force their own
Reward, nor to ufe the others ill upon the
pure Merit of having ufcd them well. There
is fuch a Thing as the cancelling an Obligati-
on in publick, as well as in private Life 5 as
when it is turn'd into an Injury, by be-
ing made the Means of Oppreffion, or a Pre-
tence for Contempt, or Calumny. I would
rather not be oblig'd, than abus'd for being
oblig'd 5 and I believe moft Men are of my
Mind.

A State may fbmetimes over-pay a Bene-
factor -j but fcarce any Subject can do more
for the State than he owes it. We owe all
Things to our Country, becaufe in our Coun-
try is contained every Thing that is dear to us,
our Relations, our Fortunes, and our felves :
And our Labours, our Studies, and our Lives
are all due, upon Occafion, to our Country,
which protects us in them all. But when we
have dedicated all thefe to the State, it is far

from being true, that the State oupht to facri-

•• i /•• * '

fice itielf, or venture any Part of its Security,

to make us recompenfe. To fave it from o-
thers, in order to feize it our felves, is fo far
from entitling us to any Reward but that of
Refentment and Death, that as it is adding

the

CA Ttfs LE T T E R S. ij

the bafe Crimes of Treachery and Ingratitude
to the cruel Crime of Usurpation, no foreign
Foe can be half io wicked and deteltable as
fuch an interline Tray tor, who calls himfelf a
Friend.

Sfur'iKs Mdius thought himfelf an unquefH-
onable Benefactor to the Roman People, for
having beftowed on them gratis a large Quan-
tity of Corn in a Time of Dearth $ by which
falfe Bounty he gain'd the Hearts of the many,
who law not into his Defign of bribing and
feeding them, in order to enflavethem. But
&rvilius jfbalay who kill'd him, was a much
greater and a real Benefactor, becaufe in M**-
Ihts he flew their moft dangerous Enemy. T.
Maulitcs defended the Capitol bravely and
generoufly $ but when, not content with the
many Honours that were done him for a wor-
thy Action, he would have unworthily oppref-
fed Rom£ itfelf for having faved Part of it, he
was juiHy thrown headlong from that very
Capitol.

Ciefiir and Marins were the mod ungrateful
Monfters that ever liv'd : They had done
brave Things, not for the State, as the Event
fhew'd, but for themfelves 5 and the State co-
ver'd them with Honours, adorn'd them with
Magi ftracies and Triumphs, loaded them with
Benefits, and purfued them, even to Profuiiou,
with all publick and fplendid Marks of Re-
Ipccl. But all this could not fatisfy thefe
/liamelefs Great Men, unleis they had a Power
granted them perpetual and enormous, a Pow-
er deihuclive of all Liberty, and of the

State

CATO's LETTERS.

State that gave it. And fo they barbaroufty
opprefs'd the State that exalted them.

On what Side, in this Inflance, did the In-
gratitude lie ? Is there a Pretence for char-
ging that generous People with this bafe Vice,,
or for acquitting thefe Parricides from the
blacked ? if the Prince of Orange,, having at
the Head of the Dutch Troops, driven the in-
vading French out of Seven Provinces, had
enilav'd the States with their own Forces, be-
eaufe, perhaps,, they had refufed to deliver
up their Government to his Will and Pleafure,
and to give him a Power to opprefs them, as
a Reward for having defended them : Who
would have been ungrateful in this Cafe ?
the Prince or the States ? They for refufing
to be Slaves, or he for making them Slaves ?

The People lofe much more by their Gene-
rality to their Benefactors, than the Bene-
factors lofe by the Ingratitude or Stinginefs of
the People, whofe Fault is almoft always on
the other Side. By giving them toomuchv
they often tempt, and enable them to take all 5
as in the Cafes of Marius, Sylla, Ctfar, Pifi-
dgatkacles, Oliver Cromwell , the late
Kings of D«M»rfr£.and Su'eelex, and many more.
But fuppofe it hadhappen'd fometimes (which
has rarely happen'd)thata worthy Man Should
not meet a proper Reward from his Country-
men, for publick Services done them -7 it is
fHll better that he has too little, or even nones
than too much , and a worthy Man will never
fselc Revenge upon his Country for a Miflake
in his Merit $ a Miilake which may be eafily.

. i& a r. \vorft pardonable,. But

LETTERS. 17

a Man who has ferv'd his Country, and then
turns it upfide down, becaufe it has not, or
he thinks it has not, given him Reward e-
nough, fnews that he deferv'd none.

Sometimes a Man's ill Deeds ballance his
good 5 and then he pays himfelf j or over-
oallance them, and then he is entitled more to
Punifhment than Reward , and both Rewards
and Pumfhments ought to be faithfully paid,
tho' there is generally more Crime and Iniecu-
rity in not punifhing well, than in not pay-
ing well, — a Fault too frequent in Free
States, who, dazzled with great Benefits, are
often blind to greater Offences, or overlook
them, and reward before they enquire.

The deareft and moft valuable Things, are
molt apt to create Jealoufies and Fears about
them j and the deareft of all being Liber-
ty, as that which produces and fecures all
the reft, the People's Zeal to preferve it has
been ever call'd Ingratitude, by fuch as had
Defigns againft it 5 and others, ignorant of its
Value, or indifferent about it, have promoted
and continued the falfe Charge, tibakffpear, in
the Tragedy of Timon of Athens^ makes Alcl-
liade!, who was banifh'd by that State, cry
out with Indignation, Ob the ungrateful Spirt*
of ft Commonwealth ! And I have feen a loud
and vehement Clap rais'd upon it by thofe
xvho were angry at the Word Commonwealth t
tho' they liv'd under a Free Government :
For every Free State is, in a large Senfe, a
Commonwealth ; and I think our own the
freeft in the World. In my Opinion, A\c\~
iitidefy tho' a brave Man, was juftly exil'd as

an

18 euro's LETTERS.

an ambitious and dangerous Man, who be-
hav'd himfelf turbulently in that City, and
was perpetually creating or inflaming Fa6*i-
ons in it, and againft it, and fhew'd too plain-
ly, that he aim'd at over-turning it for the
Sake of that uncontroulable Power, which he
could not have while its Government fubfift-
ed. The Citizens of Athens treated him with
great Diftinclions, and gave him great Autho-
rity and eminent Commands, and only ba-
niih'd him, out of Fear of him, for which
they had too much Ground.

States have been often defti^oy'd by being
too generous and too grateful; and where
they are really ungrateful, they are only fo
through Error 5 to which however they are
not fo fubjecl as abfolute Princes, who gene-
rally deftroy their greateft Men, and prefer
the vileft ; and in their Courts Pimps often
ruin Patriots. I think thofe, who moft dif-
like free Governments, do not pretend to
fhew above four or five Inftances of Ingrati-
tude in the P^oman People, from the Begin-
ning of their Commonwealth to the End of
it, for feveral hundred Years ; and Corlohwus
and Camillas are two of thofe Inftances.

As to CoriolawtSy he was juftly bani/h'd, as
a declar'd Enemy to the Equality of the Go-
vernment, and engaged in an open Defign to
opprefs the People 5 which Defign he exe-
cuted with all Fiercenefs and Contempt, and
even Outrage, furrounded like a Monarch,
with Guards of the young hot-headed No-
bility : And tho' the People did him no In-
juihce, yet to be reveng'd upon them, he in-

v.ided

CATO's LETTERS. 19

vaded his Country at the Head of a foreign
Enemy.

Owiillus was guilty of the fame Partiality,
tho' not in the fame Degree, towards trie
Nobles, and had broke his Word with the
People 5 for both which he was banifh'd :
But by faving his Country afterwards, he glo-
rioufly cancell'd all part Faults, and was grate-
fully ftyl'd the fecond Founder of Rome , and
highly honour'd, and even ador'd to the End
of his Life, by that grateful People in every
Inftance where they could fbew it. And, in-
deed, all the Ingratitude that can be charg'd
upon them, was, their oppofing in their own
Defence, the Encroachments of the Nobility 5
and the excellent Laws produc'd by that Op-
pofition, ftiew'd its Reafonablenefs and Ne-
ceffity.

Scifia Africans, is likewife mention'd as a-
nother-great Inftance of Ingratitude in the Ro-
wiins. He was a great and glorious Comman-
der : He had forc'd Hannibal, the moft dange-
rous foreign Foe the Romans ever had, out of
Italy > which he had ravag'd fuccefsfully many
Years 3 he had conquer'd the fame Hannibal in
Battle, and fubdued Carthage and Africa^ and
he had affifted his Brother s/Jlaticus in con-
quering the great King 4ntloc\:i'.s. For which
extraordinary Services and Merit, he , was the
Darling of the People, who were fo far from
being ungrateful to him, that they violated
the Laws of Rome, and of their own Security,
to do him Honour, and not only made a Youth
their chief Magiftrate, but renew'd the Dig-
nity fo often, that the Precedent prov'd per-
nicious

20 Giro's LETTERS.

nicious to them : And the extraordinary Steps
taken by him and them, and by them for his
Sake, were of dangerous Example and Con-
iequence, and, without his intending it, (hook
the Foundations of Rome, and made Way for
the violent Proceedings and Ufurpations of
Martin, and afterwards of Ctfar.

Scipio did likewife another Thing, which
ought by no Means to have been fuflrer'd in a
Free State. When he was cited to anfwer be-
fore the People, to the Crimes with which he
was charg'd, he refus'd to anfwer. Upon tins
very Day, my Countrymen^ fays he, 1 vanquijk'd
Hannibal 5 and tearing the Papers that con-
tain'd the Charge, walk'd haughtily out of
the Affembly. This was difovvning, or con-
temning the fupreme Authority of Rome 5 and
yet the People were fo perfonally fond of the
Man, that they would decree nothing fevere
againft him. He retir'd to his own Country*-
Houfe, where he liv'd peaceably all the reft
of his honourable Life.

J am, &c.

S I R,

NO People upon Earth were more grateful
to their good Citizens than the Grtely and
Romans were, or encourag'd Virtue more, or
rewarded it better : Nor did they fcarce ever
baniih any Man till he became terrible to

them 5

LETTERS. 21

them 5 and then it was Time. Nor is there
one great abfolute Monarchy in the World, or
ever was from the Beginning of it, but de-
ftroys more innocent Men in a Month, than
the Commonwealth of Rome did in a hundred
Years 5 befides that, a free State produces
more great Men in fifty Year?, than an abfo-
lute Monarchy does in a thouiand.

Thofe who had done any fignal good Ser-
vice to the State of Athens, were endow'd with
eminent Privileges, and diftingui/h'd with all
publick Marks of Honour : They had the firft
Seats at publick Entertainments and Aflem-
blies 5 they had publick Statues erected to
them ; they had Crowns conferred upon them $
they were exempted from Duties, Taxes, and
Contributions ; they were maintain'd at the
publick Charge, and fometimes their Families
after them : The Publick refented the Injuries
done them , buried them magnificently 5 made
publick Orations in their Praife $ portion'd
out their Daughters, and paid lading Honours
to their Name. And all this at a Time when
publick Honours were only the Rewards of
Merit, and parfimonioufly diflributed.

The Atbentatis had a particular Law agaJnft
Ingratitude : And as to the Ofiracifm, which
may feem to contradict it, and by which they
banifh'd for ten Years, fuch- great Men as they
judg'd formidable to their State, tho' they
had formerly ferv'd it 5 it ought to be con-
fider'd in its Behalf, that the Athenians, like
other Free States, had fuffer'd fo much from
their Firft-Rate Citizens, who fupprefs'd their
Liberty under Colour of advancing it, that

they

22 CA?03s L ET T E R S.

they had great Reafon to be jealous of them .
Whoever would live in a Free State, mull live
upon a Foot of Equality, which great Offi-
cers, accuftom'd to command, care not to do j
and if they do not, they arejuftly remov'd.
It is hetter that one Man, however innocent,
ihoukl fuffer, than a whole People be ruin'd,
or even hurt, if not by him, yet by his Ex-
ample: Nor ought they to ihew, in one In-
ftance that cannot harm them, an Indulgence,
which in other, and future Inftances, may be
their Overthrow. Befides, the Oflracifm took
nothing from any Man, but a Power of hurt-
ing every Man : It affected not their Goods,
nor their Perfons, nor even their good Name 5
and left them their full Pofleflions, and their
full Liberty every where but at sltkeus, whi-
ther after ten Years, they had a Right to re-
turn, and were often recall'd much fooner. It
was likewife made ufe of fometimes, only to
pacify the Fury of the Envious, and to pro-
tecT: the Innocent from it $ and when bafe Fel-
lows came at latt to be banilh'd by it, it was
laid afide.

The firft Purpofe of the Oflradfm was to
keep publick Benefactors from turning pub-
lick Parricides, great Men from being too
great, and Subjects from growing too power-
ful for the State $ — a reafonable Precaution,
and pra&is'd fome Way or other by every
State in the World : Nor can any State fub-
fift where it is not praclis'd. Even in Eng*
land, the hanging of two or three great Men
among the many guilty, once in a Reign or
two, would have prevented much Evil, and

many

CATO's LETTERS.

many Dangers and Oppreflions, and fav'd this
Nation many Millions.

If we now consider abfolute Monarchy, we
fliall find it grafted upon Ingratitude, which
is blended with the Root of it. Arbitrary
Princes cannot, dare not, be grateful to ele-
vated Merit, which by the Tenour of their
Tower they are oblig'd to dread. They only
confider their fingle Selves, and their fepa-
rate Interefts, and muft cutoff, for their own
Security, every Man whofe true Glory may
eclipfe their falfe, and who draws away, in
any Degree, the Thoughts and Eyes of the
People. If they have no Magnanimity of
their own, they hate or fear fuch as have $ or
if they are brave themfelves, they will be jea-
lous of thofe who are more fo, or as much.
The fame may be faid of every other Virtue.
They may heap Wealth upon Buffoons, and
confer Dignities upon Paralites$ but celebra-
ted Virtue, confpicuous Abilities, and iignal
Services, are their Eye-Sores, and certain A-
verfion. If they are hated, they will not bear
that any one fliall be efteem'd , and if they
are valued themfelves, they will hate Rivals. '

Under moft of the Roman Emperors, popu-
lar Virtue was certain Death, Ob virtues ar-
.rljjimwn cxitium 5 and thofe who ferv'd them
moft, were fureft of Destruction, Nee minus
Penculum ex magna Fania quam ex mala. Ger-
manicttfy who fav'd the Empire to Tiberius, his
Uncle and Father by Adoption, by reconciling
to him the mutinous and revolted Legions,
was the firft great Sacrifice to his Jealoufy,
being poifon'd in ^, whither he was fent

under

24 C A TO's LETTERS.

under pretence of Commanding it. And thus
Nero rewarded Cor/-«/o, and thus Demit tan re-
warded Agricolti j both the greateft Officers of
their Time, and the greateft Benefactors to
thefe unarateful Tyrants, who aim'd at cut*
ting up ;*M*tue by the Roots : Nor did typa-
Jian, th; ^ril Roman Emperor, that chang'd
for the Better, prove much more grateful to
stntonius Primus, who had fignally ferv'd him,
and pav'd his Way to the Imperial Diadem.

It were endlels to mention other abfolute
Monarchies. They are all animated by the
fame ungrateful, cruel and fufpicious Spirit,
and make Havock of every Thing that is
good, deftroying fafteft thofe whoferve them
mod. If they are ever grateful, they are on-
ly fo to the vileft Inftruments of their Ty-
ranny 3 but for fuch as ferve them againft their
foreign Foes with juft and popular Glory,
they are generally facrific'd to their endlefs
Jealoufy of every Thing that is Noble. 'Belli-
farius is an affe&ing Inftance of this, an illu-
•ftrious General, who, in the Decline of the
Roman Empire, did, as it were, new-conquer
the World for his Royal Mafter 5 and, for a
Reward, was ftripp'd of all that he had, and
turn'd off to beg his Bread with his Eyes put-
out.

It is a fine Obfervation of Tacitus, Negtte
NobHem, neque Ingenuum^ neque Lilertinum qui-
dcm preponere armis^ regia utilitas eft. <l It is
<c the Bufinefs and ipecial Intereft of an
" arbitrary Prince, that his Forces be com-
<c manded, neither by a Nobleman, nor by a
" Free Man, nor, indeed, by any Man who

" is

's LETTERS. Vj

<* is two Degrees remov'd from a Slave. Or,
if fuch Princes are obliged by the Neceffity of
their Affairs, to employ an illuftrious Perfon
in an important Command 5 they always em-
ploy him with Fear 5 and when their Turn is
ferv'd, and he has made them fjdtl-difrnifs
him into Obfcurity with Contenv'Jj if he
efcapes fo well; for all their Suf^ *ns gene-
rally end in Blood. 'Matcbiayel9 who knew
this well, fays, That a great and fuccefsful
General, under an Arbitrary Prince, has but
two Ways to efcape the certain Ruin which
his Glory, Services, and Renown, will elfe
bring upon him : He mull either quit the
Army, and, retiring from all Power, live like
a private Man , or depofe his Mafter, and let
up himfelf: Which laft is generally the fafer
Courfe.

It is well known how the Ottoman Monarchs
reward their braveft BaJJa's. The Succefsfu!
and Unfortunate have the fame Fate : As the
latter are facrinVd to Rage, the other are to
Jealoufy 5 and even their own Sons have b?en
recompenfed with Death, for deferving E-
fteem. Nor is that cruel Ingratitude peculiar
to one Race or Family of Princes, but eter-
nally attach'd to that Sort of Power wherever
it is found.

But far different is the Spirit of the Peo-
ple : They are prone to Gratitude, and lavilh
in their Affections and Returns for Benefits
receiv'd. Nothing is too much, nor too high
for their Benefactor, or for one whom they
think fo. They are apt to continue blind to
his Faults, even when he has forfeited their

VOL. IV. B Favour;

vt CATO'S LETTERS:

Favour , and to remain confhnt in their Zeal
#o his Name and Poftenty, in Inftances where
they ought to deteft both. This is abundant-
ly exemplified and confirmed by the lading
Refpe£l and Reverence paid by the Romans,
to thofe Plagues of Rome, and of the Earth,
the Family of the C*?fars 5 by the French, to
the ftupid and fanguinary Pofterity of Charle-
ma'w 5 by the Turks, to the bloody Family of
Ottoman ; by the JEgyftianr, to their luxurious
and contemptible Ptolomies 5 by the Jewr, to
the cruel Race of the JjfiwMigans, or Macca-
bees t, by the Parthlans, to the barbarous Line
of the Arf acid* s $ and by almoft every Infbnce
of every People in the World, I could men-
tion Inilances here at Home, but they will
occur faft enough to every Reader who knows
any thing of our Hiftory. The. People are,
indeed grateful and conftant, even to Super-
ftition, to Perfons and Names to which they
conceive themfelves once obliged. Nor do
they ever acl: ungratefully, but where they
,ai*e firil deceived by thofe whom they truit.
The People of Athens, deceiv'd by fome of
their Demagogues, put once to Death fome of
their Sea Officers, who did not deferve it 5
but they foon grew appriz'd of their Error,
and -were feverely reveng'd upon the traiterous
Calumniators who caus'd it.

Several Instances may, no doubt, be found
of the People's Ingratitude to their Friends,
and of the contrary Quality in fome Abfolute
Monarchs. But Exceptions do not weaken a
Ilule.

I am, &c.

LETTERS. 27

£ IR,

AS I have in former Papers treated of the
Abufe of Words j To 1 fhall in this, Dii-
eourfe about the Ufe of them. They are the
Signs of Ideas, as Figures are of Numbers,
and are intended to convey Mens Concepti-
ons to one another: They have no more
Meaning in themfelves, than inarticulate
Sounds, till Men have agreed to put a Mean-
ing upon them, which is wholly Arbitrary 9
and therefore unlefs they mean the fame Things
by the fame Words, that is, annex the fame
Conceptions to the fame Sounds, they cannoe
mideritand one another, or difcourfe together,
If one Man annexes more or lefs Ideas to the
fame Words, than another does whom he rea-
fons with, it is impoflible they fnould agree
in Conclusions 5 when their Premises are dif-
ferent, their Reafonmgs will be a Game at
Blindman's-Buff : And therefore it is abfo-
lutely neceffary in all Difputes, to fettle the
Meanings of the Terms made ufe of, before
any Thing can be afHrmed or denied on either
Side.

A Word not landing for any Idea, is only z
bnre Sound 5 and it is no more to one who
does not know what Idea it ftands for 5 and
confequently, the agreeing in Sounds, and
not agreeing in the Meaning of them, is no

B i Agree-

*$ Giro's LETTERS.

Agreement at all , and tho' this may be a good
'Teft of Orthodoxy amongft fome Sets of Ec-
cleiiafticks, yet I will prefume to fay, it is
none in common Senfe. It appears to me,
that moft of the Polemick Quarrels in the
World, have flow'd from this Inobfervance.
Men ufe the fame Sounds to exprefs different
Conceptions, either in Whole, or in Part 5 that
is, one Man comprehends more or lefs Ideas
in the Terms he makes ufe of than another,
and then makes ufe of other Words equally
uncertain, to explain that Meaning 5 and fo
in a few Proportions quite loofes his Argu-
ment, and the Combatants quarrel about what
they have been talking of: But tho' this Man-
ner of ScufHing in the Dark, is a great Ob-
itru&ion, and almoft an unfurmoun table Bar
to all forts of ufeful Knowledge, yet it highly
conduces to the Power and Credit of thofe
who derive Riches and Authority from the Ig-
norance and Credulity of others.

It gives them the Reputation of Learning,
for talking unintelligibly : It enables them to
Difcourfe upon all Subjects alike, and to fetch*
every thing out of every thing ; for by not ex-
plaining their Words, they make them fignify
what they pleafe, and vary them as often as
they have Occafion 5 fo that in the Courfe of
a Debate, they have fail'd in all the Points of
the Compafs. This Abufe is yet more ob-
lervable and mifchievous in Tranflationsfrom
one Language to another ^ for as few or no
Men underftand a dead Language, in many
Ref peels, in the Senfe it was fpoken in, fantj
indeed few Men of the fame Country, and

the

's LETTERS.

the fame Language, fpeak many Words in the
lame Senfe their Anceftors fpoke them, the
Meaning of Words, like all other Things, be-
ir.g in perpetual Rotation,) and as few Words
in" any Language which comprehend complex.
Ideas, are exactly anfwered by correfponden:
Words in any other, that is, they don't con-
tain juft the fame Number of Ideas : So it is
very "difficult, if not impoflible, in many In-
ftances, to make an exacl Tranflation -y and;
consequently, very eafy to make a falfe one £
and therefore it is very ridiculous, to call it by
no worfe a Name* in controverted Points,, to^
build an Hypothecs upon the Signification o
Single Words in a dead Language, ( which,,
perhaps, was tranflated from another Lan.-
guage,) when we neither know their Manner
of Speaking, the Philofophy and Speculati-
ons they were converfant witfi, nor the Cu-
ftoms to which they alluded, and are very
fure they are different from our own, and in
many Inftances, that they had not the fame
common Conceptions, or Images.

But it is not enough that we mud have
what are often call'd Ideas to our Words, but
they muft be adequate ones 5 for all inade-
quate Ideas are no Ideas $ that \s^ they muiT.
be adequate as far as they are Ideas : What
ftands for no Conception, ftands for nothing 5
and the Word ufed, can only ftand for the
Conception, fuch as it is, and as far as it
goes j and when the Conception goes no fur-
ther, no Word can ftand for that which is not,
It is certain, that there is no one Thing in the
LTniverfe, of which we can have an adequate

B 5 Concep-

•^ »

3o CATtfs LETTERS.

Conception in the ftriel Senfe of thofe Words,
but we convey by Words only fuch Concep-
tions as we have, which poffibly do not ex-
hauft the millionth Part of their Properties ^
but-then we are in the Dark as to all the reft,
and neither can affirm or deny any Thing
s bout them : And if one Man takes in more
or lefs Ideas in the Term he makes ufe of than
another, he does not talk with him ad idem.

One Man has no Conception of Gold but
by the Colour, and he will call Princes-Metal
Gold 5 another knows it by its Weight, Fine-
nefs, and Touch ; and if a new Metal fhould
be difcover'd, which anfwers all thefe Marks,
and fhould yet want fome Medicinal Quali-
ties, or, perhaps, the fame Solubility as Gold
lias, yet he will notwithftanding call it Gold,
according to the Properties his Imagination
has annexed to the \Vcrd Gold, and all thefe
three will be call'd by the fame Name, and
vet different Metals will be meant $ and every
one of thefe Conceptions, as far as they go,
iire adequate, tho* neither of them are fo to
the Subject, which has undoubtedly many
Properties which no one knows any thing of $
but* then we do not reafon 'upon thofe Pro-
perties, nor do the Sounds we ufe Hand for

them,

From what has been faid appears the Ab-
•furdity of being told, that we mull: believe
Things we do not underhand 5 or of believing
Things above Reafon, though not contrary
to Reafon. We muft have Ideas, or Images,
of all Objecls of Belief, or elfe we believe in
nothing, but that we hear a Sound, and it is

the

's LETTERS.

the fame Thing to us whether it fignifies any-
thing, or not, if we do not know what it
fignifies. If a Man makes a Proportion to
me in the Cbinefe Language, and tells me that
I muft believe it, nothing here can be the Ob-
ject of my Faith, but that the Man does not
tell me a Lye, which has nothing to do with'
the Propo/Ition it felf 5 and it would have been
the fame Thing to me, if he had told me that
I muft believe in his Thought, without tel-
ling me what that Thought was 5 and there
can be no Difference, it he ules Words in a
Language I am acquainted with,, if I do not
underftand the Meaning in which he ules thofe
Words.

From hence appears the Ridicule of a late
Seel in Holland^ and of many other vifionary
Madmen at home, who think the Scripture is-
to be for the moft Part underflood metapho-
rically, and who find Meanings in it which
the Words do not naturally import $ which- is
making the Almighty fpeak in Riddles to his
Creatures, and obliging them to pay largely
out of their Sub&mce, to thole who make
them yet greater Riddles. What can be more
abfurd and wicked, than to fuppofe, that the
great and good God, fhould fpeak to Mankind
with a Deiign not to be underftood 5 /houlci
give them a Rule to a& by, and yet exprefs
that Rule in Words which few can pretend to
apprehend, and thofe few differ about. Cer-
tainly, as has been faid, Words are of no uie
but to convey Ideas 5 and if they are not us'd
in their common Acceptation, and to fignify
thofe Conceptions which Cuftom has annex VI

B 4, to

32 CATQ's LETTERS.

to them, or fuch as Men /hall agree to put up-
on them, then they niuft be perfe&ly ufeleis,
will convey no Ideas at all, can give us no
Rule, nor can comraunickfe any Knowledge.

It is certain, as has been faid, that no Man's
Perceptions can exhauft the Properties of any
one Thing in the World : All that we know
of them is from a few obvious Qualities which
affect our Senfes 5 but without doubt they
have Thouiands of others, of which we know
nothing, much lefs can we know any thing of
their Svbftratum, or internal Effence, or Con-
texture $ but then we can believe nothing of
thofe hidden EfTences, or Qualities, nor do
we mean any thing about them when we talk
of any Being or Subftance 5 as in the Infhnce
before given : If a Man carries to a Goldfmith
a foli J Subfhmce, and asks him what he thinks
it is, and he looks upon the Colour, touches
it, weighs it, and melts it, and then tells him
Jhe believes it is Gold 5 it is certain the Gold-
imith neither believes nor affirms any thing
about it, but of its Colour, its Touch, its
Weight, and its Solubility, which are his Ideas
of Gold : But Gold has, without queflion,
many other Properties which he has never
Leard of $ but then he does not take in thofe
Properties in his Perception of Gold 5 and he
neither does, nor can believe any thing about
them, till he has formed fome Idea of thofe
hidden Qualities.

This leads me to confider what Men mean,
when they fay they believe in a Myftery. We
muft underttand the Meaning of the Words
connected, and of the Verb which connects

them,

's LETTERS.

them, and makes them a Proportion, or elfe-
we believe in nothing, that is, we muft have
a Perception of all thofe Ideas the Word#
ftand for in our Imaginations 5 and fo far it is
DO Myftery. But then we may be told, that
the Beings, to which we have annexed thofe
Ideas, and by which we diftinguifh. them front
other Beings, may, and undoubtedly have
many other Qualities, or Properties, that we
know nothing of5 which mull be granted to
be true of every Thing in Nature ; and irr
this Senfe every Thing is a Myftery, and every
Man will readily believe fuch a Myftery. But
then if we are told, that we muft believe in
the Properties, or Qualities, of which we
know nothing, or have any Idea of; I think
the Myftery will conn*ft in the Nonfenfe of
the Prcpofition j and 'tis the fame Thing to
tell us, that we rnuft believe in Fee-fa-fum $
for a Man cannot believe without believing
fomething 5 and he muft know what that
fomething is, that is, he muft know what he-
believes, or elfe his Belief is only an abftraclr
Word, without any Subject to believe in, ojf
any Thing of.

Thus when we fay, we believe there are
three Perfons in the Trinity, and but one God,
we muft have diftincl Ideas to the Words,
(v/t. ) ' Perfoti, Trinity, and God : For if Men
have no Meaning to thefe Words, they mean
nothing by the Proportion j and if they an-
nex different Perceptions to them, then they
have a different Creed, tho' they fancy they
fubfcribe the fame, No one ca» know
whether another is orthodox in his Senfe ,

B . till.

cfs LETTERS.

till the Terms are defined, and ftand for the
fame ideas in both their Minds. To fay that
they believe in three Perfons, without telling
what they mean by the Word Perfon, is the
fame as to fay, that they believe in three Some-
things, or in the Word T/;m>, which indeed is
a very myflerious Belief, and a pretty Center
of Unity j for no Man can believe any thing
elfe, till he has fix'd a Meaning to the Word
Perfon j and if another does not agree with
him in that Meaning, they will differ in Reli-
gion, though they agree in Sounds,, and per-
haps in falling foul upon every one who defires
them to explain themfelves$ which Behaviour^
amongft too many People, is the main Teft of
Orthodoxy.

They muft agree alfo .in what they mean by
ths Word God-y I do not mean they muft de-
fine his EfTence, have any adequate Notion of
bis Infinity, Eternity, or of the Senforium of
his Exigence , for of thefe Things we neither
IfenoWj. nor can know any thing : But we muft
&now what we mean by the Sound we make
ufe of, that is, we muft have a Perception of
thofe Images annex'd to the Word God, in
•our Minds,, and a Perception adequate to it
felf, tho' in no wife adequate and correfpon.-
dent to the Subjecl, which, in different Men,
I doubt,, are very various 3 and when they are
ib^ they plainly differ in the QbjecT: of their
'vVorJliipj, and are of a different Religion, tho3
they.- may think thenafelves to be of the fame i.
This /hall be the Subject of fome other Paper
'hereafter- j- in which 1 fhall fnew how abfurd,,
3& well as impious it i^.. for Men to fell together-

CATO's LETTERS. 35

by the Ears upon the Account of their Diffe-
rence in Trifles, when they fcarce agree in any
one Thing in the World, if they explain
themfelves, and not even in the Attributes an-
nex'd to the ObjecT: of all Worfhip, though
they can know nothing of him, but from his-
Attributes.

f am, &c»

SIR,

GOOD Breeding is the Art of /hewing-
Men, by external Signs, the internal Re-
gard we have for them, It arifes from good
Senfe, improv'd by converging with good'
Company. A well-bred Fool is impertinent 5
and an ill-bred wife Man, like a good Inftru-
ment is out of Tune, is awkard, harfh, and
difagreeable. A courteous Blockhead, is, how-
ever, a more acceptable Gueft almoft every
where, than a rude Sage. Men are naturally
fo fond of themfelves, that they will rather
mifpend their Time with a complaifant Ape,
than improve it _ with a furly and thwarting
Philofopher. Every Bow, or good Word5
,whencefoever it comes, is taken by us as a
Sign of our Importance, and a ConfeiTion of
our Merit 5 and the neglect of that Complai-
fance, as a Token that we are thought- of
none 3 a Reproach, which } however fileiit,
few. care to bear,

Good

Giro's LETTERS.

Good Breeding is never to be learn'd bj
Study j and therefore they -who ftudy it are
Coxcombs and Formalists, and ftiff Pedants.
The beft bred Men,, as they come to be fo by
Uie and Obfervation only, praclife it without
Affedlation. You fee Good Breeding in all
they do, without feeing the Art of it. It is a
Habit, and like all others, acquired by Prac-
tice. A weak and ignorant Man, who has
liv'd in good Company, fhall enter a Room,
with a better Grace, and fay, common Things
much more agreeably than a profound wife
Man, who lives by himfelf, or with only fuch
as himfelf, and is above the Forms of the
Worldv snd too important to- talk of indifferent
Things, and to be like other People. A Foot*
snan imploy'd in Hoiv D'yA, fhall addrefs him-
ielf to. a Ft rum of Figure with more D^corum^
and make a Speech with more Eafty than a
learned Serjeant, wholives wholly over Briefs^
or, the deep Head of a College, occupied on-
ly in momentous Science. I have known a
Mas, who?, with the Learning of a whoki
"Univerflty, had the Manners of a Clown, and
the Surlinels of a Porter 5 not from the Want
of Senfe, tho' that Want is very, confident
'with a. World of Learning,, but from living
long i-n a College, and diclating to Boys and
Pupils^ or with old Fellows, who had no more
Breeding than himfelf, and, like himfelf,.. were
fpoird by living rarely upon the. Square, wjth.
any o-ther Sort of People,

Good Breeding therefore is never to be.
in a College, where the Sphere of Con-
.is. fo narM>w3l where the Diftance be-

CATO's LETTERS. 57

Men is fo great, and where the Old
have none to teach the Young. Hence you
generally fee young Men come from the Uni-
verfities with a conceited Air, and a quaint
Manner, which often turns them into Fops :
They are generally either pert or prim : The
Tone of their Voice, and the Pofltion of their
Mufcles, fliew their Accomplishments before
they have fpoke two Words: Their Step, and
the Manner of ufing their Legs and Arms,
do the fame 3 and every Joint about them,
and every Action they do, declare the Place
and Way of their Education. As to the Se-
nior Fellows, and Heads of Houfes, they are
fuch ftarch'd Pedants, fuchfokmn Mamouches,
and fuch Kingly old. Fops, that from their
Mein you may know their Characters, and
read their Titles and Preferments in their Hats,
They carry the College about them wherever
they go, and. talk at a Table as they do at a
Leclure 5 or,, if fometirnes they break into
Gaiety, it is either, imperious or infipid, di£
refpeclful or awk.ard, and always ungrateful*.
They want a good Manner, lefs Conceit, and
the Appearance, at leaft, of more Humility $
all which are only to be ncquir'd by living
abroad in the World, and by converting with
all Sorts of Men. This acculioms one to
treat all Men as they expeft to be treated j
and fuch general good Treatment given to all,
is call'd Good Breeding.

Hence the Breeding of Courts is always,
the eaiieft and moft renVd. Caurtiers have
the condant Advantage of living daily with
the bell br.e.d Men.; BeSdes, having Occafioa

for.

'33 CATQ's LETTERSr

for all Sorts of People, they accuftom them-
felves to ufe all Sorts of People civilly. By
converflng with all Sorts, they can fall readily
into all Sorts of Styles, and pleafe every Body
by talking to him in his own Way. They find
too, by daily Experience and promifcuous
Converfation, that the Difference between
Men and Men is not fo great, as an Unac-
quaintednefs with Men would generally make
it : They are therefore under no Awe, nor
Shynefs, in fpeaking to the Greateft $ nor have
any general Contempt for the Meaneft $ a
Contempt, which too often rifes from a wrong
Judgment, grounded upon Pride, and contis-
nu'd by Inexperience. They coniider, that
as the Greateft can do them good, fo the
Mean eft can hurt them. They are therefore
refpeclful without Awe to thofe above them,
and complaifant without Difdain to thofe be-
low them. Courts therefore are the beft
Schools for Good Breeding 5 and to be well-
bred, we rnuft live not only with the beft
Sorts of Men, but be acquainted with all
Sorts.

The Want cf this general Converfation, may
be one Reafon why the Country Clergy are fo
often ' accus'd of Want of Breeding. They
come from the Univerfity full of an Opinion,
that all that is to be learned, is to be learn'd
there : and believing themfelves to have al-

' Cj

ready every Accomplishment, they often re-
main without any. In their Parilhes, they
can learn nothing but an additional Pride, from
feeing or fancying thernfelves the biggeft Men
there, if there is a Squire in. the Place, he

rarely

a's LETTERS.

rarely mends them. If he has a delicate Tafte, he
will not converfe with them : But it frequently
happens, that hisTafte is as crude as theirs, and
confifts in eating much, drinking more, and
talking loud. From this conceited Education,
and narrow Converfation, arifes their Impati-
ence of Contradiction, and. their Readinefs to
contradict. I own I am always cautious of rea-
foning with the Vicar. His firft Argument is ge-
nerally an Aflertion, and his next an Affront.

An engaging Manner and a genteel Addrefs
may be out of their Power 5 but it is in their
Power to be condefcending and affable-
When People are obliging, they are faid to be
well-bred, The Heart and Intention are
chiefly confider'd: When thefe are found
friendly and fincere, the Manner of fhewing
it, however awkard, willbekindly overlook'd*
Good Breeding is artificial Good Nature 5 and
Complaifance is underftood to be a Copy of
the invifible Heart. When People are fatisfied
with one another's Good-will and Sincerity^
the Forms that fhew them are generally laid
aiide. Between intimate Friends there is little
Ceremony y and lefs between Man and Wife>
Some, however, is -frill neceffary, becaufe by-
Signs and Aftions the Affe&ions are fhewn,
But a courteous Behaviour which is known to
mean nothing^ goes for nothing,. «ind is not ne-
eeffary when the Meaning is known to be
good. Expreffions of Kindnefs, when they
are not thought the Marks and Effects of Kind-
nefs, are empty Sounds : And yet thefe un-
meaning Expreffions are neceffary in Life*
We are not to declare to every Man whom we

diilike?.

4o CATO's LETTERS.

diflike, how much we diflike him, nor to fhew
it by dumb Signs. When a Man fays, That he
is my humble Servant, he obliges me 5 not by
the Words, which in common Speech fignify
fcarce any thing, but becaufeby thefe Words he
fhews, that he thinks me worth Notice. Breed-
ing therefore is then juft, when the Actions
which it produces are thought iincere: This is
its End and Succefs : It rauft £eern produced by
Kindnefs forthePerfonfor whom it is.fhewn.

Good Breeding is of fo great Importance in
the World, that an Accomplifhment this Way
goes often further, than much greater Accom-
plifhments without it can go. I have known
Gentlemen who with moderate Parts and
much good Breeding have been thought Great
Men, and have actually come to be fo. Great
Abilities alone make no Man's Perfon amiable,
and iome have been unpopular with the Great-
eft, and fome even ridiculous. But the gay,
the eafy, the complaifant Man, whofe chief
Abilities are in his Behaviour, pieafes and o-
bliges all, and is amiable to as many as he o-
bliges. To learn this Behaviour, People mud
begin early. One whofets out into the World
at Twenty, /hall make twice as much Progrefs
in Life, as one who with twice his Senfe fets
out at Forty, becaufe he is then lefs fufcepti-
ble of the Arts of Life. Habits are not to be
got in a Day, and after a certain Age never.
Forc'd Complaifance is Foppery, and affected
Eafinefs is a Monfter. I have feen a World of
Tradefmen?, and ^Imoft as many Gentlemen,
take* fuch Pains to be well-bred, that I have
been in Pain for them : Native Plainnefs is a
thoufand Times better,. Com-

• CAfO's LETTERS. 45

Complaifance is ingenious Flattery : It
makes thofe to whom it is paid flatter them-
felves, while they take every Acl of Complai-
fance in others, ^;s a Declaration of Merit in
themfelves : And beyond a certain Degree, it is
not innocent. Courtiers know its Efficacy io
well, that to it alone no fmall Part of their
Power is owing. Hence fo many People have
always been deceived by civil Words, and
kind Looks. To know ipeculatively the De-
lufions of this Art, is not lufficient to Put you
upon your Guard againft it. A fair and plau-
fihle Behaviour, with a ready Rote of kind
Expreflions, and all the Appearances of Sin-
cerity, will be apt to miilead you in Spight of
your Fore-knowledge. They will catch your
Senfes, and beat you off your Theory in Po-
liticks. You muft find thejr Infincerity fome
Time before you" will come ro diOruft it.
Their Art and your own Self-love will eonfpire
againftyou, drive away your Incredulity, and
beget Faith, as it is often begot, againft Evi-
dence and Reafon. You will ftill flatter your
felf, that you are an Exception to the Rule, tho'
there were never another Exception. The Cre-
dulity of fome is perfectly incurable, many have
continued fleady Believers in Spight of daily
Proofs and fatal Experience, for twenty Years
together. They were always perfuaded, that
every Promife was at leaft intended to be kept,
and always forgave the breaking it. The Great
Man fmil'd gracioufty, bow'd courteoufly, ex-
cu.s'd himfelf earneiUy 5 and vow'd to God,
you fhould have the next thing. .You mifcar-

ry'd >

euro's LETTERS. :

ry'd ; and then, with a concern'd Face, he
vow'd to God he could not help it, but pro-
rms'd again with the fame folemn Vow, and is
again believ'd, and always believ'd. This
wretched Credulity is the Fruit of Self-love, of
an Opinion that we are as considerable in the
Eyes of others, as we are in our own. Man-
kind^ are govern'd by their Weaknefles ; and
all that Statefmen have to do to keep expect-
ing Crowds about them, and attach'd to them,
is to prornife violently, to feem violently in
earneit, and never to be fo : That is, they muft
be extremely well-bred.

Good Breeding is indeed an amiable and per-
fuafive Thing: It beautifies the Actions, and
even the Looks of Men. But equally odious
is the Grimace of Good Breeding. In Com-
parifon with this, Bluntnefs is an Accompliffi-
ment. The Ape of a well- bred Man is juft
as offenfive as the well-bred Man is agreeable:
He is a Nuifance to his Acquaintance. 1 am
frighted at the affected Smile and the Apifh
Shrug. When thefe foul Copies of Courtiers
throw their civil Grin in one's Face, it is as
much as one can do to avoid {pitting in theirs.
A ftarch'd Rogue, forcing Smiles, is a more
hideous Sight than a Mummy. He is a Fugi-
tive from Nature; and it is notable Impu-
dence in fuch a Creature to pretend to be
courteous.

As to Ill-Breeding, or Rudenefs, there is
fomething flill worfe in it than its Deformity.
It is immoral 5 it is ufing others as you would
not be ufed.

lam, &c»

CATo's LETTERS. 43

s i R,

TH E Word Reverence has had the Fate of
many, indeed, almoft all good Words,
nnd done much Mifchief : Itfigmfies a folerrm
Regard paid to the Perfons of Men of Gravi-
ty, of Religion , and of Authority. By
thefe Qualifications Men are entitled to it.
But when the Pride and Craft of Men, who
have no real Gravity, and no real Religion, or
a fooli/h one, and only a pretended or an ab-
furd Authority, would annex Reverence only
to grave or groteique Names, it becomes as
ridiculous to Men of good Senfe, as it feems
awful to fuch as have none. Reverence be-
longs only to reverend Qualities and reverend
Aclions. As to Names and Habits, the more
grave they are, the more ludicrous they be-
come, when worn by Perfons who live loofe-
ly, and acl: ludicroufly.

Garments fignify nothing themfelvcs. They
grow firft folemn, by being firft worn by Men
of Character and Solemnity : But the mof!:
folemn Garment becomes contemptible and
diverting upon the Back of a Drole, a Buf-
foon, or upon a Cheat or Mountebank of any
kind. The graveft Man alive drefs'd up in
the Cap and Coat of a Harliquin, would look
like a Harliquin 5 and the graveft Speech he
could make, "would be laugh'd at : And yet a

Coat

•44 Core's LETTERS. J

Coat of many Colours was a Coat of Value in
the Eaft, in Jacobs Time, and his Favourite
Son Jofcph wore one. Nor do our own Ladies
lofe any Refpe£fc by wearing all the Colours of
the Peacock and the Rainbow. On the con-
trary, the graveft Clothes put upon burlefque
Animals, will look Burlefque. A monkey in
a deep Coat, and a broad Beaver, would be Ml
more a Monkey, and his Grimace would be
ftill more diverting Grimace j and a Hog in a
Pair of Jack-Boots, and a Coat of Mail,
would make no formidable Figure, notwith-
ftanding his warlike Equipment.

Thefe two Lift Inftances of the Monkey and
the Hog may be farther improved, to fhew the
Spirit of falfe Reverence. A Monkey in a red
Coat, and a Kog in Armour, would give no
Offence to a Soldier, becaufe his Character
confifts in Actions which thefe Creatures can-
not perform nor mimick j and consequently
thefe Animals, tho* accouter'd like a Soldier,
cannot ridicule a Soldier. But if you put a
Popifh Mitre, and the reft of that fort of Gear,
upon a Hog, the ufelefs and ftupid Solemnity
of the Animal gives you inftantly the Idea of a
Popifli Bifliop, and, if you are not a Papift,
will divert you : Or, if you drefs up a Baboon
in the fantaftical Habit of a Romifh Prieft,
that Animal which can chatter much and un-
intelligibly, and can, really do moft of the
Tricks which the Prieft himfelf can do, does
genuinely reprefent the Original, and there-
fore creates true Mirth, and fully /hews, that
there cannot be much Reverence in that which
a Baboon can perform as well, for ought I

know

CATo's LETTERS. 4?

know better, as be is naturally a Creature of
Grimace and Humour. And if the faid Bi-
ihop and Prieft could not with any Temper
bear the Sight, their Rage and Impatience
would be ftili farther Proofs, that the Monkey
did them Jufiice, that the Tryai was Succefl"-
ful, and the Mirth occaiion'd by it juft. Such
Sport would indeed be tragical in Popifh.
Countries 5 which is but another Confirmation,
that Falfe Reverence cannot bear Ridicule,
and that the true is not affecled by it.

Many of the ancient Greek Philofophers took
great Pride, and found mighty Reverence, in
the Length and Gravity of their Beards.
Now an old Goat, who had as much Gravity
and Beard as any of them, had he been placed
in one of their Chairs, would, doubtleis, have
provok'd the Philofopher, and diverted the
Aflembly. Pomp and Beard were therefore
ridiculous, fince they could be ridicul'd : But
nothing that continues a Philofopher, neither
Genius, nor Virtue, nor ufeful Learning, nor
any thing that is good for fomething, can be
•ridicul'd, at leaft juftly ridicul'd. The odd
Dance of Judges and Bifhops in the Rebearfal^
does neither ridicule Bifhops nor Judges, be-
caufe they never pradtife fuch odd Dances :
But if tnefe grave Men met and gambol'd
together, as they do there, the Ridicule would
be flrong upon them.

It is a Jeft to expect from all Men great
Reverence to that which every Man may do,
whether it conlifts in Reading, or Repeating,
•or Wearing, or Acting. Where is the Diffi-
culty or Merit of faying certain Words, or of

making

CA 7"0's LETTERS.

making Bows, or of fpreading the Arms, or
eroding them, or of wearing a long Coat, or
a fhort Cravat? It is Impudence and Impofture
to demand Singular and vaft Refpeft to fmall
and common "Things. Superior Virtue and
Capacity, publick Actions and Services done
to Mankind ; a generous and benevolent
Heart, and Greatnefs of Mind, are the true
Objects and Sources of Reverence. But to
claim Reverence to Prating, and to Cuts, and
Colours, and Poftures, is ftupid, ridiculous
and faucy. The Abe of a Tinker, is as good
as a Pope's Abet, and it is open Cheating and
Conjuring to pretend, that the fame Words
have not the fame Force out of the Mouth of
a Cobler as out of a Cardinal's Mouth. When
any one of thefe mighty Claimers (I had al-
moft faid Clamorers) of Reverence, from their
vifionary Empire of Words and Tricks, can
by the Magick of their Art remove a Mountain
or a Mole-hill, or raife a Houfe, or a dead In-
fe£t, or kill a Heretick, or a Grafhopper by a
Charm, I am ready to bow down before them :
But while I fee any of them living like other
Men, or worfe, and doing nothing but what
fo many Chimney-Sweepers (who can read)
may do as well $ I can confider fuch who do
fo only as folemn Lyers, and Seducers, and as
much worfe than Fortune-Tellers, as they
cheat People out of much more Money, and
fill their Minds with worfe Terrors.

The Roman Augurs made no fuch bafe U/e
of their Power, and of their ghoftly Trade,
which was inftituted, atleaft praclis'd, for the
Ends of good Policy 5 and, as far as I can find,

they

CAfo's LETTERS. 47

they had no Revenues : I would therefore have
refpefted them as they were great Officers of
the Roman State. But had an v&gwr, as an An-
g«r, demanded Reverence of me for his long
Staff, his Trick, and Divinations, I fliould
have done what Cato the elder wonder'd they
themfelves did not do as often as they met,
laugh'd in his Face, as I would in the Face of
any Man who pretended to be my Superior and
Director, becaufe his Coat was longer than
mine, or of a different Colour 5 or becaufe he
utter'd Words which I could utter as well, or
play Pranks which a Pofture-Mafter could play
better.

I will reverence a Man for the Good he does,
or is inclin'd to do , and for no other Reafon
ought I. But if under the Pretence of doing
me Good, which I neither fee nor feel, he
picks my Pocket, and does me fenfible Harm,
or would do it 5 how can I help hating and def-
pifing him ? If he turns Religion into Selfifh-
nefs, and a plain Trade, or by it deftroys Mo-
rality $ if he fets himfelf up in God's Stead,
and by pretending boldly to his Power, abufes
his holy Name, and opprefles his Creatures,
if he exclaims againft Covetoufnefs, and is go-
verned by it ; and praclifes every Vice which
he condemns , if he preaches againft the
World, and yet has never enough of it; and
againft the Fiefh, and yet is viiibly governed
by all its worft PaiTions aud Appetites $ if he
takes immenfe Wages for promoting the Wel-
fare of Society, and yet difturbs, impoverifhes,
and enilaves it 5 how can I reverence him, if I

would ?

's LETTERS.

would ? And is he not loft to all Modefty if he
defires it?

If Men would preferve themfelves from Su-
perftition, and Servitude, and Folly, they
muft beware of reverencing Names and Acci-
dents. A wife Man does not reverence
Rulers for their Infignia and great Titles 3
but as there is no Ufe of Rulers, but to do
Service to Mankind, he reverences them
for that Service done : If they do none, he
defpifes them : If they do Mifchief, he hates
them. What are Men reverenced for, but for
the good Talents which they poflefs, or for
ufeful Offices they bear. Now if a Man has
never a good Quality, or having fuch, abufes
them, or if he does no Good with the Office
he bears, but Harm, which he muft do, if he
does no Good, every Omiflion by which many
are hurt, being a Crime againft many ; how am
I to reverence him, for taking away by his
Conduct the only Caufe of Reverence ? If he
gives me Caufe to hate him, am I for all that
to love him? Either there is no fuch Paflioa
as Hatred, which none but a Madmen will
fay, or it muft be rais'd by the Caufes that raife
it 3 and what are thofe Caufes, but Mifchief
done, when Good is due, and expected , or
the Difappointment of a great Good 5 which
is a great Mifchief.

But when People are taught to reverence
Butchers, Robbers, and Tyrants, under the
reverenced Name of Rulers, and to adore the
Names and Perfons of Men, tho' their Acli-
ons be the Actions of Devils : Then here is;
a confirm'd and accomplifli'd Servitude, the

Servitude

LETTERS. 45

Servitude of the Body, fecur'd by the Servf-
tude of the Mind, and Oppreffton fortified by
Delufion. This is the Height of human Sla-
very. By this, the Twr/^and the Pope reign.
They hold their horrid and fanguinary Autho-
rity by falfe Reverence^ as much as by the
Sword. The Sultan is of the Family of Otto-
man, and the Pope St. Peter's Succerfor 5 they
are therefore reverenced, while they deftroy
human Race. The Chriftians hate the Tur^
and call him a Tyrant : And Proreftants dread
the Pope, and call him an Impoftor. And yet
I could name Chriitians who have Tyrants of
their own, as bad as the Sultan 5 and I could
name Proteftants who have had Impoftors of
their own, as cruel as the Pope, had their
Power been as great, and their Hands as loofe.
Men fee the Follies and Slavery of others 5
but their own Nonfenie is all facred, their
own Popes and Sultans are all of heavenly
Defcent, and their Authority juft and invio-
lable. But Truth and Falfhood, Wifdorn
and Folly, do not vary with the Conceptions
and Prepofleflions of Men. Happinefs and
Mifery, Oppreffion and Impofture, are as bad
in Chriftendom as in Turk}', in Holland as in
P^ome. Proteftant Rulers have no more Right
than the Sultan to opprefs Proteftants $ and the
Pope has as good a Title as a Proteflant Par-
fon to deceive Proteftants. God forbid that
all Religions fhould be alike 5 but all who
make the fame ill Ufe of every Religion, are
certainly alike 5 as are all Governors, TKTJ^,
Popifh, orProteftant, who make the fame ill
Ufe of Power.
VOL, IV, Q |f

50 Giro's LETTERS.

If therefore all Governors whatfoevfr, of
what Conducl foever, are to be reverenced 5
U'hy not the Twn^and old "Mttly, who are both
great Governors, and have as much a Divine
Authority to be Tyrants, as any Governor of
any Name or Religion ever had ? And if all
Clergy whatsoever are to be reverenced, why
not the Druids, and the Priefts of Baal, and
the Priefts of M*«7:wand of Rome ? But if only
the Good of both Sorts are to be reverenc'd,
why have we been told fo much of the migh-
ty Refpecl due in the Lump, to Priefts and
Rulers ? Is there any other Way in common
Senfeto gain Refpeft, but to deferve it ? Could
the Romans reverence their Governor Nero for
robbing them of their Lives and Eftates, for
burning their City, and for wantonly making
himfelf Sport with human Miferies ? Could
the firft Chriitians reverence him for dreffing
them up in the Skins of wild Beafts, and fet-
ting on wild Beafts to devour them 5 or for
larding them all over with Pitch and Tallow,
and lighting them up like Lamps to illumi-
nate the City? If we reverence Men for their
Power alone, why do we not reverence the
Devil, who has fo much more Power than
Men ? But if Reverence is due only to virtu-
ous Qualities and ufefui Actions, it is as ridi-
culous and fuperilitious to adore great mifche-
vious Men, or unholy Men with holy Names,
as it is to worfhip a falfe God, or Satan in the
Stead of God. Are we to be told, that tho'
we are to worfhip no God but the good and
true God, yet we are to pay Reverence, which
is human Wor/hip, to wic&ed Men, provide

they

CAfO's LETTERS. 51

they be great Men, and to honour the falfe
Servants of the true God, whom they difho-
nour ? Or, that any Sort of Men can be his Ser-
vants or Deputies in any Senfe, but a good and
fanftified Senfe ? And if they are not, are we
for the Sake of God, to reverence thofe who
belye him, and are our Enemies ? Or, am I to
reverence the Men, tho' I deteft their Actions
and Qualities, which conftitute the Characters
of Men? Can I love or hate Men, but for
what they are, and for what they do ? We
ought to reverence that which is good, and the
Men that are good : Are we therefore to rever-
ence Wickednefs and Folly, and thofe who
commit them ? Or, becaule they have good
Names and Offices, which are to be honoured,
are they to be honoured for abufing thofe
good Things, and for turning Good into

Evil?

We muft deferve Reverence before we claim
}t. If a Man occupies an honourable Office,
civil or facred, and a6h ridiculously or kna-
vifhly in it, do I dishonour that Office by con-
temning or expofing the Man who difhonours
it ? Or ought I not to fcorn him, as much
as I reverence his Office, which he does all he
can to bring into Scorn ? I have all pofllble
Efleem for Quality 5 but if a Man of Quality
afts like an Ape, or a Clown, or a Pick-pocket,
or a Profligate, I fhall heartily hate or difpife
his Lordfhip, notwithftanding my great Re-
verence for Lords, I honour Epifcopacy j but
if a Bifhop is an Hypocrite, a Time-ferver,
a Traytor, a Stock-jobber, or an Hunter af-
ter Power, I fliall take leave to fcorn the Pre-

C 2 late,

CATG's LETTERS.

kte, fer all my Regard for Prelacy. It is not
a Name, however awful, nor an Office, how-
ever important, that ought to bring, or can
-"bring, Reverence to the Man who pofTe£fe«
them, if he afts below them, or .unworthily of
them. Folly and Villany ought to have no
Afylum $ nor can Titles fanftiry Crimes, how-
ever, they may fometimes protect Criminals.
A Right Honourable or a Right Reverend
Rogue, is the moft dangerous Rogue, and
the mo£ deteftable.

animi vltium tanto confpettitts in

) quanta major yui peccat baletur.

Juveaal.

S I R,

WE have had a World of Talk both in
cur Pulpits and our Addrefles, about
Hereditary Right, and I think no one has yet
fully explained what it means , and therefore
I will try whether I can unfold or cut afundcr
the Gordian Knot. It is a divine, unaltera-
ble, indefeafible Right to Sovereignty, dic-
tated or modified by the pofitive Laws, and
"human Conftitutions of national Governments*
In France^ Turl'y^ and the large Eaftern Mo-
it defcends wholly upcm the Males.

In

euro's LETTERS,

Ih the Kingdom, or rather Queendom of
^icbeniy it falls only upon Females^ In-'Ruffta.
formerly it defcended upon all the Males. joints
ly, and it would not operate upon the Females
at all. In Poland the Nobility have an- hur
man Right to confer Part of this Divine Right?,
but not all of it, upon whom they pleafe 5.
and in Old Home the Soldiery often made bold',
to confer it : But in England and other Connv
tries, all of it falls upon the Male who chances;
to be born firft 5 and fo on to the next,- ac-
cording to Priority of Birth 5 and for want ef
Males to -the eldeft Female, contrary to other
Inheritances, which defcend upon Females e^
qually. However, though this fame Right is,
abfolute and unalterable,, yet it is often limi-
ted and circumfcribed by human Laws, which,
ought not to be tranfgreCfed, yet may be tnni-
greffed with Impunity, unlel's it interferes with.
another Divine Right, which is the Divine
Right of the High Clergy. In all other Cafes,,,
it is boundlefs and unconditional, though gi-
Ten and accepted upon Conditions.

There is one Circumftance particularly, re-
markable in the Exercife of this Divine Right 3
which is, that it may make as bold as it thinks
fit with other Divine Right fexcept as before,
excepted,) of which we have a late and very,
pregnant Inftance> approved by very goodi
Churchmen, and all our. able Divines,, who-
thank'd God publickly for thus exercifing it^
that is, when the Queen made that honoura-
ble Peace which executed it felf. Then the-
unalterable Divine Right of the Dauphin ta
the Kingdom of Spain was given to his voun-

C 3

54 CdTO's LETTERS.

ger Son, and the undefcafible Divine Right
of the prefent King of Spain, to the Monarchy
of France^ was affigned over to a younger
Branch of the Houfe of Bourbon 5 and fome-
time before the Divine Right of the laft Em-
peror to the Spantfl* Dominions, was given to
the prefent Emperor 5 and it feems that this
alienable, unalienable, indivifible Right, is
divisible too. The Divine Right to
is given to the Duke of Savoy , and of
Sicily, and Flanders, to the Emperor $ and of
Gibraltar and Port-Mabon to us, as long as we
can keep it 5 which I hope we are now in a
fair Way to do j and all the reft of this Di-
vine Right, befides what is thus difpos'd of»
remains where it was before, and where it
fhould be.

But there are certain human Ingredients,
Experiments, and Operations, which are ne-
refifary to attain to this Divine Right. In-moft
Countries, and particularly in our own, the
Priefts muft have a Finger in the Pye 5 and
it will not come down from above, and
iettle here below, unlefs they fay certain Words
over the married Couple, which they alone
have the Right to fay $ but in Turky, India,
and other Mahometan and Pagan Countries,
(beu Pbdor,) this fame Divine Right is to be
got without the Benefit of their Clergy, and
it will make its Conveyance through the
Channel of a Strumpet j yet in moft Nations all
Is not well, unlefs the Clergy fay Grace over
it 5 but then it is of no Confquence who gets
the Divine Babe, fo he is born in Wedlock 5
and in a late Inftance it appear 'd no ways ne-

ceflary

CAfO's LETTERS.

ceiTary whether he was born in \Vedlock, or
not, or of whom he was born, f:> he was but
bcrn at all. Now, Sir, you muft know, that
this is a Myilery, and like iome other Myfte-
rics, wholly inexplicable, yet may be explain-
ed by the Jacobite Clergy 5 but then you are
not to underhand the Explication, but are to
take their Words for it 5 and we all know
that they are Men of Probity, and will not
deceive you. From this Divine Right all ci-
ther Rights are deriv'd, except their own*
which comes down from above too 5 and if the
PofTt-flors of thefe two Divine Rights can agree
together, all is as it fliould be 5 otherwife>
you are to take Notice, that God is to be o-
beyed before Man, and the Regale is to bow
down, like the Sheaves in J&feptfs Dream, be-
fore the Pontificate.

But this is not all : There are fome Cir-
cumftances very particular and chicane in this
Divine Right ; though, as has been faid, it may
be conveyed away, yet nothing pafTes by the
Conveyance in many Cafes : Part of it may be
granted and conceded to its Subjects, and yet
they have no Righc to keep what is fo given,
always excepting the High Clergy, who may
take it without being given: I had alrnoft for-
got another Conveyance of this Right, which
is Conqueft, or, in other Words, the Divine
Right of Plunder, Rapine, Maflacre : Bui
the Right is never the worfe for the Wicked-
nefs of Men 5 for howfoever they get Pof •
feffion of Sovereign Power, eo inflame, the
Right is annexed to the PofTeflion, unlels in
fpecial Cafes, Hill preferving a Right to the

C 4, Jacobite

$6 CATO's LETTERS.

Jacobite Clergy, to give a Right to whomfo-
ever they elfe pleafe. This fame Right is of
fo odd and bizarre a Nature, that it receives
no Addition or Diminution from the Confent
of Men, or the Want of that Confent. It is
lawful to fwcar to it, when there is an Intereft
in doing fo 5 and yet it is no ways neceflary to
"believe what you fwear, or keep your Oath.
It is not to be refilled } and yet in particular
Cafes it may be oppofed. Lt is limited, and
yet unlimitable. You may make Laws to bind
it, and yet it is Treafon and Damnation to de-
fend thofe Laws, unlefs you have the Verlwn
Sacerdotis on your Side.

What Contradictions, Abfurdities, and
Wickednefs, are Men capable of! We have a
Set of abandoned Wretches amorigft our felves,
who feem to have a Defign to deftroy human
Race, as they would human Rcafon ! Every
Doclrine, every Opinion they advance, is \s-
vell'd againfl the Happinefs of all Mankind.
Nothing conduces to Virtue, to true Religi-
on, to the prefent or future Interefts of Men»
but is reprefented as deftruclive to Piety. We
are to be the Vaffals of Tyrants, the Dupes
of Impoftors, the Zanies of Mountebanks, or
elfe are in a State of Damnation. Men, for
whole Sakes Government was instituted, have
2ia Right to be protected ;by Government;1
Religion which was given by Almighty God
to make Men virtuous here, and happy here-
after 3 has been made ufe of to defiroy their
Happinefs both here, and hereafter. Scarce
any thing is difcover'd to be true in Nature
and Philofbphy, but is proved to be falfe in.,

Ortho-

CATO's LETTERS. 57

Orthodoxy : What is found to be beneficial to-
Mankind m their prefent State is reprefented
hurtful to their future 5 nay, fome are riieir
up amongft us, who are fuch implacable E-
nemies to their whole Species, that they,
make it Sin to take proper Precautions againft
the Danger of the Small-Pox, even when they
are advifed by the moft able Phyficians, and
when thefe Phyficians are moft difinteref-
ted.

What can be more cruel, wicked and de-
trimental to human Society, or. greater Blaf-
phemy againfl the good God , than to make.
Government, which was defign'd by him to
render Men numerous,, induftrious, ufeful to
one another, to improve Arts, Sciences,.,
Learning, Virtue, Magnanimity and true Re-
ligion, an unnatural Engine to deitroy. the
greateil Part of the World, to make the reft'
poor, ignorant, fuperflitious and wick ed ^ to.,
iiibjeft them like Cattle, to be the Property
of their Oppreffor.: : to be the tame Slaves o£
haughty and domineering Mailers., and . the.
low Homagers of gloomy. Pechut. to \vrrk^
for, to fight for, and to r.dore thole, wro
neither better nor wifer dan. themfelv: .
and to be wretched by Millions, to make •_>:
or a few proud and infr "-t ? And yet we
told this is the Cond .. God 'las plicecl u j
in, and that itjs Da. : :;on to drive to rr t
it better.

All thefe Mifchiefs. and many more, ,arr the
infeparable Gonfequences of an indefeaiti.
Hereditary. Right5. in any Maru ati Fiiri
whatfoever} which can never be ..-alipnared- ;..

G 5 forfeit-;

53 CATO's LETTERS:

forfeited : For if this be true^ theu the Pro-
perty of all Mankind may be taken away,
their Religion overturn 5d, and their Perfons
butcher'd by Thoufand.s, and no Remedy be
attempted : They muft not mutter and com-
plain , for Complaints are Sedition, and tend
to Rebellion : They muftnot£and upon their
Defence, for that is refifting the Lord's A-
nointed : They mufl not revile the Minifters
and Instruments of his Power , for Woe be to
the Man who fpeaketh ill of him whom the
King honoureth. And all this has been told
ras by thofe who have never fhewn any Regard
to Authority,, either human or divine, when
it interfered with their own Interefis. What
fhall I fay 5 what Words ufe to exprefs this
snonftrous Wickednefs, this utter Abfence of
ail Virtue, Religion,, or Tendernefs to the
human Species : What Colours can paint it,
what Pen defcribe it !

Certainly, if Government was defign'd by
God for the Good, Happinefs^ and Protection
ef Men, Men have a Right to be protected
by Government ^ and every Man muft have
a Right to defend what no Man has a Right to
sake away. There is not now a Government
fuMfh'ng ii> the World,, but took its Rife
from the fnftitution of Men $ and we know
from Hiftory when, and hoWj. it was inAitu-
tgd ? It was either owing to the exprefs or ta-
cit Confent of the People,, or the Soldiers^
who Sr{i erected it ^ and it could have no
more Power than wbnt they gave it $ and
what Ferfcrvs foever were invef . , with that
Fowera muft have accepted it upon the Con*

ditions.

LETTERS. 59

ditions upon which it was given 5 and when
they renounced thofe Conditions, they renoun-
ced their Government. In fome Countries it
was Hereditary , in others elective 5 in fome
difcretionary , in others limited : But in all>
the Governors muPc have deriv'd their Autho-
rity from the Con fen t of Men, and could ex-
ercife it no farther than that Confent gave
them Leave. Where pofitive Conditions were
annexed to their Power, they were certainly
bound by thofe Conditions $ and one Conditi-
on muft be annexed to all Governments, e-
ven the moft abfolute, That they a& for the
Good of the People j for whofe Sake alone
there is any Government in the World* In
this Regard there can be no Difference bet wee, A
hereditary and elective Monarchies 5 for the
Heir cannot inherit more than his Anceftor
enjoy'd, or had a Right to enjoy, any more
than a Succeflor can fucceed to it.

Then the wife Queflion will arife,. What if
any Man, who has no natural Right, nor any
Right over his Fellow Creatures, accepts great
Powers, immenfe Honours and Revenues, and
other perfonal Advantages to himfelf and hia
Pofterlty, upon Conditions either exprefs, as
in all limited Conftituficns, or implied as in
all Constitutions whatfoever, and either bv de-

j

liberate Declarations, or deliberate A6lions,
publickly proclaims, that he will no longer
be bound bv thofe Conditions, that he will
ro more abide by his legal Title, but will af-
fume another that was never given him, and
to which he can have no Right at all ^ that
lie will govern his People by defpotick Au-

CATQ's LETTERS.

thority ^ that inftead of pro teeing them, ht
v;ill deitroy them 5 that he will overturn their
Religion to introduce one o£ his own $ and
that inftead of being a Terror to evil Works,
he will be a Terror to good : I ask? in fuch a
Cafe, Whether his Subje&s will be bound by
the Conditions he has renounc'd ? Do the Ob*
ligations fubfift on their Parr,, when he has
dellroy'd them. on his? And are they not at
Liberty, to fave themfelves, and to. look out
fo-r Protection elfe where, when it is> denied
where they have a Right to expecl: and de*
ir,and.it, and to get it as they can, though . at
the Expence of him and his Family, when no
other Method ar Recourfe is left*

And now, O ye gloomy. Impofters ! O ye
jnercilefs Advocates for^ Superftition and Ty-
ranny !. Produce all your Texts, allyour knot-
ty. Diftinclions ! Here exert all your quaint E-
loquence, your Quiddities, your -.Aliquo modo Jir9
and-^%rto modo non • appear in folernn Dump.,
with your reverential Robes, andjyour hari-
aontaiHats^ with whole Legions of Phantoms
and Chimera's,, and Cart-loads of. Theology
broken ;Oaths, and feditious Harangues, and
try whether you. can maintain the Battle, and
defend the Field againft one fihgle- Adverfary,
who undertakes to put all your, numerous and
fairy Battalions to the Flight.

Let us hear, what you can fay for your ab-
dicated. IdoL. Diftinguifh, if you. can> his
Cafe- from that which I have reprefented ::
Shew that- Almighty God gave to him a Di-
vine Right to play ths Devil ; or, if he had
20 fuch Rightv that his Subjefb had, none t^

hinder

's LETTERS.

hinder him : Prove that Kings «re not i
ted for the Good of the People, but for their
own and the Clergy's Pride and Luxury : But
if they are inftituted for the Good of the Peo.-
ple, then fhew that they are left at Liberty to
a£l for their Deftru&ion, and that their Sub-
jects muft fubmit to inevitable Ruin, and yet
kifs the Iron Rod whenever his Majefty pleafes :
Shew that it was poflible for the Kingdom to
trull themfelves again to the Faith and Oaths
of a Popifh. Prince, who, during his whole
Reign, did nothing elfe but break his Faith
and his Oaths, and whofe Religion oblig'd
him to do fo 5 or. that- it was poflible Tor
them to place his Son upon the Throne he
had abdicated, (if they had believ'd him to
be his Son,) when he was in the PofTeffion of
the rnoft implacable Enemy of their Country,
or of Ettrofe, or of the Proteftant Religion $
and that it would not have been direct Mad-
nefs to have fent for him afterwards from
France, or Rome, inrag'd by, his Expulficm,
and educated, animated, and arm'd with
French and Popifli Principles : And fhew too,
that the poor opprefled People had any Re-
courfe, but to throw themfelves under the
Protection of their, great Deliverer, who was
the next Heir to their Crown.

If you can't do this, there is nothing left for
you to do, but to fhew,. That the late Kin%
James did not violate and break the funda-.
mental Laws and Statutes of this Realm, .which,
were the originak Contract between him and
his- People 5. and that he did not make, their:
Allegiance, to him incompatible with* theit

own

euro's LETTERS:

own Safety, for the Prefervation of which he
was entitled to their Allegiance: Shew that he
did not claim and exercife a Power to dif-
penfe with their Laws ; that he did not levy
the Cuiloms without the Authority of Parlia-
ment 5 or that he called Parliaments according
to the Constitution he had fworn to 5 and that
when he intended to call one, he did not re-
folve to pack it, and clofeted many of the
Gentlemen in England, and with Promifes and
Menaces cndeavour'd to make them practicable
to his Defigns: Shew that he did not difarm
Proteftants, and arm Papifts $ fet up exorbi-
tant and unlawful Courts $ caufe exceflive
Bail to be required, and exceffive Fines to be
impos'd, and exceflive Punifliments to be in-
flicted 5 that he did not profecute Members in
the Kings-Bench for what they did in Parlia-
ment 5 and difcharge others committed by Par-
liament 3 that he did not grant Fines and For-
feitures of Perfons to be try'd, before there
Conviction 5 that he did not erect an Eccleli-
aftical Commiffion directly againft" an Act of
Parliament, and fufpended, by Virtue of it,
Clergymen, for not reading in their Churches
a Proclamation, which he iffued by his own
Authority, to give Liberty of Confcience to Pa-
pifts and Proteftant Diflenters: Shew that he
did not imprifon and try feven Bifhops for
their humble Petition againft it, which Peti-
tion they were impower'd by Law to make j
that he did not combine with France and Rome-
to overthrow the eftablifh'd Church, which
he wa« bound to defend, and to introduce
another in the Room of ir? which was worfe

thaa

C Arc's LETTERS.

than none 5 and, in order to it, brought pro*
fefs'd Papifts into Offices, both Civil and Mi-
litary, fend and receive Ambaffadors to and
from Rome* who were guilty of High Treafon
by the Laws of the Land, and bring from
thence Swarms of Locufts, to devour and pol-
lute every Thing that it produced 5 turn out
the Matters and Fellows of Magdal en-College 9
againft Law, for not doing what they were
fworn not to do, and fubftitute in their room,
thofe who were not qualified by Law to be
there : And to make good all thefe Breaches
•upon our Liberties, that he did not raife a
Popifh Army mlnland^ and another in England,
which had many Papifts in it, without Au-
thority of Parliament.

Shew, if you can, that he ever difcovered
the lealt Inclination to reform thefe Abufes 5
but on the contrary, when he could continue
them no longer, that he did not defert his Peo-
ple; that he dared to truft himfelf to a free
Parliament, after he had called it, but difibl-
•ved it again, and foolifhly threw his great Sea!
into the Thames y that no other might be called j
and that when he refolved to leave his People,
that he would fuffer his Pretended Son to re-
main arnongft us. Shew that you your fclves
did not help to expel him ; that you have not
taken Oaths, repeated Oaths to this Govern-
ment.) and Abjiuratidng of any other $ and that
you have kept to either one or the other,,
"When you have done this, I will allow you to
be -what no. one at prefent thinks you to be,
fconeft Men» good Etigtijhmerti and true Pro*
teftants.

I rfW &c.

CATCfs LETTERS!

HORATIUS to CATO.

J

^

1 R, -

Have had a long Ambition to fay fomething
about you one Way or another 5 but i
doubted whether I had beft write to you, o£
againit you. That Doubt is now decided j
and, lol I, who might have been your Ad*
^erfary,, am become your. Correfpondent and
Advocate. I fend you your Apology, and
fhew you the Good you do.

You have, Sir, open'd a new Source of Pro-
vifion for the Poor, by finding Employment
for all the Wits Mendicant about Town ^
And tho' they ought to reverence your Name,
as that of another Suttw, by whofe Aims they
are fuftain'd, yet they vilely fly in your Face,
and pollute, by their matchlefs Ingratitude^.
the very Bread which you generoufly put in-
to their Mouths 5 like Maggots, who prey up-
on the Fie Hi they are bred in, till they turn
Flies, which are Vermin with Wings. Thus
Reprobates ferve Heaven ; they affront and
blafpheme it, and receive their Exigence from.
it. You fcarce had appe.-ur'd in the World,
but you recall'd fuperanuated Authors to Life
again 5 and Toothlefs, as they were, fet them
a. biting,, biting at the Hand that brought
them back from Oblivion, Obfolete and de-

fpairing

CATo's LETTERS.

fparing Authors once more violently grafp'd
their Pen : The lean and ill-fed Candidates*
for Weekly Work from the Bookfellers, brigh-
ten'd up, and began to be cloath'd 5 and puny
Poets, and the humble Compofers of Ditties,
left their Tags and Ballads to live upon Cato 5
even thofe, who had got fome Reputation,
thought they had now a lucky Opportunity to
improve it, by breaking a Lance with a Cham-
pion who drew all Eyes upon him, and was
1 yet invincible : And Cato became at once the
Butt of the Envious, the Mark of the Am-
bitious, and the Stay and Support of the
Needy.

It is the Lot of Grandeur: A great Man
muft have his poor and impertinent Depen-
dents, as well as is ufeful and agreeable :
They all ferve to make up his Train. A
Troop of Beggars befetting his Coach, or
follow-ng it in the Street, do, notwithftand-
ing their Rags, and ill-favour'd Looks, and
difmal Style, but add to the Luftre of his
Figure. Jefters and Buffoons, Cynicks and
Declaimers, are likewife of the fame Ufe, to
fwell his Pomp, and divert him, tho' they are
often too free with him. Your Retinue, Sir,
of this Kind is infinite: From the Cockfit to
"Moorfulds you maintain a Wag, an Orator, a
Critick, a Poet, or a Journalift, in every Street,
and whole Swarms in the Alleys : Nor would
I defire a furer Patent for Fame, than fuch a
Shoal of Calumniators. Their Scolding is
Compliment , and while they aim Blows at
you, they only cudgel themfelves on your Be-
half f

'66 CA To's LETTERS.

half; offMwt foliclo 5 you know rflie Fable of
the Viper biting the File.

Envy always praifes thofe it rails at. It is
indeed the only Way that foul Mouths can
make your Panegyrick, or that of any Man.
\Vere they to extol you in earneft, it would
be downright Scandal and Railing, a foul
Confpiracy againft your Reputation 5 like the
Fawning of a Whelp, who, to exprefs his
Fondnefs, piffes upon you. If therefore they
mean their Scurrilities and fatirical Nonfenfe
in Love, you would have ground for Provoca-
tion : But to mean them as they do, the con-
trary Way, is their only genuine Way of thank-
ing you for their Food. There are many Sorts
of Folks whofe Calumnies I would be proud
of, for the fame Reafon why I would be a-
fhamed of their Praife. A great Man at Athens^
was followed from a publick Affembly all the
"Way home, by a very competent Reviler, with
a World of Panegyrical ill Names, and accept-
able Abufes. That great Man took all thefe
kind Vollies of Defamation, for fo many Huz-
za's ; and calling to his Servant, Go, fays he,
take a JLigbt, and covdutt that worthy Gentleman^
*n/fco has honoured me with all tbofe civil Acclama-
tions, borne to bis Lodging,

Now if this ill-.tongu'd Athenian had not
been in earneft, his Courtefy would have been
half loft. I hope your numerous Anfwerers
and Revilers mean what they fay, elfe the
Obligation is but fmall 5 and the fmaller, be-
caufe thefe their Panegyricks upon you, are
not at all encouraged. The Town is frill pro-
foundly ignorant what a Swarm of Retailers,

what

CAfO's LETTERS. 6j

what loud and vehement Flatterers you have
in it. They have filled, and do Weekly fill,
mighty Reams of Paper in extolling you, ay
great a Secret as the World vould make of it, to
ufe the Words of a witty Author.

Love, they fay, is blind 3 and perhaps from
hence may be fetch'd a Proof, that thefe your
pretended Adverfaries are your real Friends,
fince in their Writings againft you, that is,
for you, (for it is all one) they are guided by
no other Rule of Right and Wrong, than,
whether Cato affirms" a Thing or denies it, and
are always fure to take the contrary Side:
Nay, fame of them contradic/fc Cato9 at the
Expence of their conftant and favourite Opi-
nions. Does not this look like playing Booty ?
By their Works, one would think that you
had the licencing of your Opponents, and9
but for their hideous Bulk, the overlooking
of them : At leafr, by your profound Silence*
and great Meeknefs towards them, you feem
well pleafed with their Labours. 1 dare fay,
you would not. change them for any Set of
Defamers that could be pick'd up for you.

A Lady of my Acquaintance is fond of
Dogs. She has at prefent two or three little
Curs, that are very noify at every Vifitant
who is taller than ordinary. The puny Ver-
min have a Spite at Elevation. They once,
particularly, made an incefTant and fland'rous
Clamour at a Noble Lord, well known for his
fine Perfon and graceful Mein 5 nor could
they be flilPd. The Lady was out of Coun-
tenance : She told him /he would have them
knock'd on the Head> or given away : By »»

CATo's LETTERS.

mews, 'Madam, fays his Lordfhip, fagely e
nough, I kjioiv you cannot be 'without Dogs> am
perhaps the next may bite me.

I think I have read you impartially, and caflJ
not fay I have found in you any knavi/h Reafon I
ing, any bafe or di/honeft Principles, Voi i
need not therefore be concerned who write1,
againA you. However, as I would truft n<;
body in any Circumftances, with any Sort o
abfolute Power, methinks I fhould jiot be dif
pleas'd to fee you check'd and watch'd a little
in that great Authority you have acquired oval
the Minds of Men. No Body has /hewn m '
better than your felf, that all difcretionaq *
Power is liable to be abus'd, and ought no-
to be trufted, or cautioufly trufted, to moita-
and firail Men. For this Reafon, tho' you arc
Monarch, of the Prefs, I would have you all
mited Monarch : As fuch it becomes you tc
bear with, and receive kindly the Admoniti-,
ons and Remonftrances ©f Men of Honour 1
and Senfe, when fuch differ with you, and ii i
is agreeable to your Senfe and Character, tc
laugh at the profane Contumelies of Slaves h
Your Calumniators do your Bufmefs. The:
Viper carries within it a Remedy for its own
Poifon. You are fecure by the Bafenefs of i
their Fears, againft the Bafenefs of their Ma-
lice j and their Malice is harmlefs by beingp
obvious.

Their is fomething diverting in the Num-
ber and Variety of your Adverfaries, and their
different Views. Some are old Stagers ; and
being us'd to fpill Ink for Pay in the Quarrel
of Parties, made an Offer of themfelves to siv

ten

C A fO's LETTERS. 6$

er the Lifts again, and fcold for Wages at
^fo. The Finances were not in Cato's Difpo-
al : This was a good and confdentious Rea-
bn for being againft him. But thefe Volun-
iers are not fuitably encourag'd. One of
hem has in two Years writ near a Dozen
Pamphlets againft you; but with ill Succefs
?very Way. The Town will not buy them $
he other End of the Town will not reward
he Author $ nor will you take any Notice of
-hem. A melancholy Cafe ! That learned
is at prefent in the Slough of Def-

Others, who had not been us'd to receive
Pay, and I doubt never will, thought them-
felves qualified to earn it-: For, alas ! what is
fo deceiving as Self-love? So upon Cato they
fell, and by way of Anfwer crack'd Jefts, and
call'd him Names. Fraught with this Merit,
away they footed it fweating to the Office,
where, after many Petitions, and much wait-
ing, they were admitted to the Audience of
one of the Clerks. They begg'd to becon-
fider'd as humble Auxiliaries, and to liave an
Acknowledgment, the fmalleft Acknowledg-
ment. Thefe Gentlemen had better Luck
than the above ancient Author : They were
fully rewarded, that is to fay, they were civil-
ly thank'd by the afore faid Clerk, and owu'd
to be well-meaning Perfons . And yet they are
ungrateful, and make heavy Complaints, as if
they had nothing. They {till hope for more
another Time.

A Bookfeller of my Acquaintance tells me,
that he has refas'd* within*this Year, five aud

fifty

~o CATo's LETTERS.

fifty Pamphlets writ againft you, and that the
Authors, one and all, offer'd to write for nim
by the Year. They were all of Opinion, that
they could carry through a Weekly Paper
with as much Reputation and Succeis as any
yet writ againft you : Which he did not deny 5
and yet dtfmifs'd them. He told me, it was
but this Winter, that a Man in a Livery came
to him, and asked him, What he would give
for a Sermon to be preach'd by his Mailer,
the Do&or, upon a publick Occasion ? He
anfwer'd, Nothing. 0/>, 6VV, fays the Valet, my
Mafter's will fell like Wildfire. You can't thinly
Sir, bow purely be claws off Cato 5 ^nd you II fee

lill foon be made a You fee, Sir, that you

are a ufeful Man to many, and even confider'd 1
as a Scale to great Preferment. This Sermon
is fince out, and it has neither hurt you, nor |
exalted the Preacher, tho' he has there la-
bour'd the Point very hard. The Doclor
wanted no good Will, whatever elfe he wants.
Unluckily for him, there is not an Argument
(I fhould have faid AfTertion) ufed by him
againft Writing, but what will bear fifty times
as ftrongly againft Preaching. I'll, however,
acquit him from meaning this Confequence,
or any other but that which his Man meant,
and which feems a Confequence at leaft ex-
treamly remote. The Doctor is, indeed, ad-
mirable: While he thought himfelf haran-
guing^ and fcattering Words againft Libelling,,
he was actually inveighing virulently againft
Mmfelf, and preaching an angry Libel againft
Preaching. May the Prefs and Liberty be ever
blefs'd with fuch Foes. The Doclor does not '

want

CAfO's LETTERS. 7V

want Words $ it is Pity but he knew the Ufe
of them.

Says Mr. Bayes, in the Rehearfal, I bring out
my Bull and my Bear $ and what do you thinly I
mak? them do, Mr. Johnfon ?

Johnfon. Do! wty, fight, I fitpfofe.

Bayes. See hoiv you are tniftal^en now ' I would
&> foon make them dance $ no9 igad, Sir^ I ma^e
them do no earthly Thing.

There is this Difference between the Doctor's
Bull, and Mr. Bayes's Bull j the Dolor's Bull
bellows y beiides this, he does no earthly
Thing neither.

Pray, Sir, be not fo proud and lazy, —
read fome of your Adverfaries, and their Bulls
will divert you.

Methinks, as great a Man as the World takes
you to be, and as you may think your felf,
you treat your intended Adversaries, but real
Friends, too fupercilioufly, and, I conceive,
with too much Contempt. I am told by fome
of your intimate Friends, that you have never
rea.l any of their Works, and yet, to my
Knowledge, feveral of them pleafe themfelves
with having mortified you, and do themfelves
no fmall Credit amongft their Acquaintance by
bragging of it. Give, Sir, your poor Re-
tainers, this Confolation, fince they are like
to have no other : Confider them as Brats of
your own begetting, and iince you have
brought them into the World, that you ought
to fupport them. Your taking -but the leaft
Notice of them, and their Performances, will
give them Food and Raiment : But I will beg
leave to fay, it is very unnatural, when you

have

7i CATtfs LETT E RS,

have given Birth to fo many innocent arid
harmlefs Creatures, to leave them afterwards
te ftarve. You fee, Sir, that they want no
Induftry or Application, and 'tis not their
Fault if they want Succefs. Take, generous
Cato, a little Notice of them, and I am fure
they will gratefully acknowledge your Indul-
gence, Read, O Cato! their Labours, and
condefcend to throw away a few leifure Hours
in contemplating the Imbecility of human
Nature. It becomes the greateft Men to know
the weak Sides of it as well as the ftrong 5 at
leaft you will learn this LefTon by it, That

"Man differs more from Man, than Man from Beaft,

Give me leave to conclude with a Story :
Once upon a Time, I faw a brave'large Bull,
of great Comlinefs and Dignity, brought out
upon a Green near a Country Village to be
baited. Among the Bull-Dogs fetch'd to bait
him, were feen feveral dirty, deform'd Currs,
call'd Houfe-Dogs, that vented all their Cho-
ler in filthy Noife. They bark'd aloud and
bitterly, and difturb'd every Body but the
Bull, who, at all their fnapping, fniveling,
and fnarling, never turned his Head, nor
mov'd a Foot or a Horn. At laft the Squire
of the Place, who prefided at the Entertain-
ment, fhew'd himfelf a Man of Tafte and
Equity. Takf away, fays he, with a Voice of
Authority, take away tbefe yelping Muttgrels ;
vot ttfe to bait Bulls with Turnfpits.
I am, <S IK,

Your Humble Servant,

H O R A T J U S.

C AlO's LET TERS. 73

I

SIR,

Intend to consider in this Paper, the Beha-
viour and Spirit of the Confpirators, and
to fhew what Enemies they are, even to fuch
as are favourable to them. But, before I pro-
ceed to enquire into the avowed Caufes OL all
this outragious DifafFeftion, I will freely own,
that many Things have been done which can-
not be juftified , fome, perhaps, ignorantly,
many ambitioufly, and others, it is to be fear-
ed, traiteroufly, to help the Confpirators, by
provoking the People, and by rendring the
Adminiftration odious. Sure I am, there are
many pregnant Appearances that look fadly
this Way, and can be conftrued no other Way j
and thefe Meafures gave much Sorrow and In-
dignation to the belt Friends of the Govern-
ment, as I doubt not but they did Pleafure
and Hopes to the difaffecled, who faw how
faft by fuch Steps their Views were advanced.
Treafon is moft fuccefsfully carried on by un-
fufpe&ed Tray tors, as Friends are eafieft be*
tray'd and undone by Friends. The Cry
therefore of the Confpirators againft unpopu-
lar Proceedings, was all Hypocrify, and falfe
Fire : They faw their mifchievous Influence,
and rejoiced in it : They thought they were
faved the Danger and Trouble of Plotting j
and that all they had to do, was to hold the
VOL. IV. D Match

74 CA'fO's LETTERS.

"."Match ready, while other People were laying
the Train -5 and to put their Sickle into a
Harveft not of their own fowing. How near
they were to reaping this Harveft, is now ap-
parent.

Every good Man will condemn unjuft Mea-
fures, let them come from what Quarter- they
will. But the Confpirators could not with a
good Grace condemn the worft, even fuppo-
img the Refentment fincere. The wildeft and
wickedeft Things done by their own Party,
have been conftantly and zealoufly defended
.and promoted by them : And they have fted-
<dity acled for or againft a Party from Paffion
or Faction. Nor has the Love of their Coun-
try, and the Good of the Whole, fepsrated
from Party, ever fway'd them in one publick
Aclion, that I remember. Neither is it any
Defence of them, that others, who profefs a
larger, and more human and publick Princi-
ples, have fallen too often into the fame Par-
tiality, and been too often govern'd by the
fame narrow, felfifh, and paffionate Spirit.
Who have ever fworn more blindly in Vejb*
Magiflrl than the Confpirators? Who have
ever more notorioufly fhewn, that they knew
no other Meafures of Right and Wrong, of
Religion and Impiety, than the Meafures
efpous'd or oppos'd by their own Leaders ?
"What Jobb has been fo vile, that they have not
blindly approv'd ? Or what Scheme fo juft,
that they have not fiercely condemned I Juft
as this Scheme, or that Jobb has taken its Rife

this or that Quarter.

•

Nor

's LETTERS. 7$

Nor was the Spirit of Faction ever more
man feft, than in the prefent Confpiracy;
What did the Confpirators want, but Plunder
and Places? But what Advantages was their
Country to reap from the violent Change,
which they were bringing upon it? Before
they could have accomplifh'd it, the Nation
and every Thing in it muft have been thrown
into Convulfions, find a Chaos. What Order
could they bring out of this Confufion ? What
Amends could they make for unfettled er plun-
dered Property, a Trade ftagnated or loft,
Harvefts deftroyed, contending Armies, Blood-
fhed, Slaughter and Battles, general Defla-
tion, univerfal Terror, every Man's Sword
againft his Neighbour, and the foreign Sword
againft all, and dyed with the Blood of Bri^
tons, and his Majefty depos'd, and perhaps
butcher'd ? For it could not' be poflibie, even
for them to fuppofe, that his Majefty and his-
Family, pofTefs'd of fo much Power in his Na-
tive Dominions, fupported by fuch Numbers,
fuch Wealth and Dependances in Great Britain.
and by fo many powerful Allies abroad, could
be effectually expelled by their bigotted Idol,,
and his Champions, but after a long and fatal
Civil War, fought within our Bowels : A War
in which mod of the contending Powers of
Europe would have been Parties, and which:
muft have ended in the utter Lofs of our
Liberties, which ever Side had prevailed.

In Anfwer to this black Catalogue of \Voesv
will they urge that England and Englijh Liber-
ty, and the IProteftant Religion, would have
been indeed deftroyed j but that they, the

D * Con-

7* CAfO's LETTERS.

Confpirators, would have had Places? And
yet what elfe can they urge? For this is the
Sum of their Reafoning, whatever Difguifes
they would put upen it. Such was their
Spirit 5 and I wifh it were as new as it is
Shocking and horrible. But alafs ! it is as old
as Men : And every Country upon Earth, that
has been undone, has been undone to fatiate
the Ambition of one, or a few, who aimed at
Feizing or extending Power.

The Complaints of Mifcarriages, of wrong
Steps, and Abufe of Power, came awkardly
and abfurdly from their Mouths, whatever
•Grounds there may have been for fuch Com-
plaints. What Security could the Confpira-
tors give us, that, contrary to the Nature of
Man, and of Power, and to their own Nature
and Conduct, they themfelves would be hum-
ble in Grandeur, and model! in Exaltation,
and occupy Power with Moderation, Self-de-
nial, and clean Hands ? They, who would
overturn the Constitution, and the Foundati-
ons of the Earth, and fill the Land with Vio-
lence, War and Blood, to come at that Pow-
er ! Can we conceive it poflible that any Re-
gard^to-Jtlve Publick Good, and to Publick
Property, would have the leaft Influence over
thofe Men, who would facrifice the Publick,
and annihilate all Property, for the Gratifica-
tion of perfonal Ambition and Rage ? Or how
fhould the Love of Liberty and Peace bind
thefe Men, whom neither the Laws of Hu-
manity, and of their Country, nor the Reli-
gion of an Oath, nor the awful Gofpel of Je-
fus Chrift, can in the leaft bind ?

They

CA ro's LETTERS. 77

They exclaim againft Armies and Taxes,
and are the Caufe of both, and rail at Grie-
vances of their own creating. Who make Ar-
mies neceffary, but they, who would invade,
and enflave, ordeftroy us by Armies, foreign
Popifh Armies ? Who make Taxes neceffary,
but they, who by daily confpiring againft our
Peace and our Property, and againft that E-
ftabliHiment which fecures both, force us to
give Part to fave all? And who, but they, can
give a Handle and Pretence to fuch as delight
in Taxes and Armies, and profper by them,
to continue and increafe them ? They are not
only the Authors of thofe great Grievances,
but of all the Evils and fubfequent Grievances
which proceed from them, Had the Confpi-
rators fucceeded, can we think, or will they
have the Face to fay, that they would have
rul'd without Armies? The Yoke of Ufurpa-
tion and Servitude is never to be kept on
without the Sword. They who make Armies
neceiTary now, would have found them ne-
ceflary then : Nor would they have redicu-
loufly and madly trufted to their Merit and
popular Conduct, when in this very In$ance
they fhew that no Means were too black, no
Pitch of Iniquity and.Cruelty too horrid, for
the Accompli/hment of their Treafon $ and
geneva"! Plunder and Deviation, Conflagrati-
ons and Murder, were the concerted Speci-
mens of their Spirit, and to be the hopeful
Beginnings of their Reign. Did King James,
whofe Misfortunes they caus'd and lament, did
he, or could he, pretend to fuppor thisReligion,
and his arbitrary Adminiftration, without the

D 3 Violence

78 C^TO's LETTERS.

Violence of the Sword, and without a great
and a Popi/li Army? Is the Pretender of a
different Religion, or more moderate in the
fame Religion? Or does he difavow his Father's
Government-, and propofe a better and a mil-
der of his own ? Does he pretend to come, or
to ft ay here without Armies? And are not
Governments continued, and muft be, by the
fame Means by which they were founded?
A Government begun by Armies and the Vio-
lation of Property, muft be continu'd by Ar-
mies, Opprefiion and Violence.

What is here faid of Taxes and Armies
may be faid of the Sufpenfion of the Habeas
Corpus Aft. They complain of the Sufpenfion
as a heavy Evil , and by their inceffant Plots
and Rebellions, make long and frequent Suf-
peniions inevitable. By their eternal Deiigns
and Attacks upon us, they force us upon the
pext Means of Self-prefervation 5 and then
complain of Oppreffion, becaufe we will not
fuffer them to opprefs and deftroy us. It is
therefore owing to them, that the Subject is
taken from under the Proteclion of the com-
mon Law, and left to the Discretion of the
Court. Who fays that this is deferable? But
who makes it neceffary, or gives a Pretence
for it?

We were all juftly fill'd with the Appre-
henilon of lofing Gibraltar^ and thought that
no Doom was too bad for theTraytor that had
agreed to give it up, (if there ever was fuch
a Tray tor in his Majefty's Service ,) and the
Confpirators exclaim'd as loudly as any. But
behold their Bafenefs and Iniincerity in this,

as

CATo's LETTER &

as 'mother Complaints, and their extenfive En-
mity to their Country in every Inilance ! By the
Confpiracy it appears, that they laboured with
foreign Powers to have Gibraltar taken from
Great Britain, on purpofe to enrage the Nati-
on to part with rhe=r Government and their
Religion, in Refentment for the Lofs of that

finale, tho' important Fortrefs.
t

The late Management of the S0#th-S$a was
another Topick of Refentment and Complaint,
and a jufl one, whatever unjuft Ufes the Con-
fpiratcrs made .of it. It is reafonable to be-
lieve, that in their Hearts they rejoyc'd in it,
flnce from the univerfal Difpleafure, Confu-
iion, and Lofles, occaiion'd by it, and from
the Bitternefs caus'd by thofe Loflf?s, they
drew Hopes and a good Omen to their Con-
fpiracy, which elfe mart have been impotent
and languishing. The tender and flow Pro-
fecution of the execrable Managers, the gen-
tle Punifhment infli&ed upon them, and the
obvious Difficulties thrown in the Way of any
Punifhment at all, were freih Provocations to
a plunder'd and abus'd Nation, and frefh Sti-
mulations to the Confpirators. They faw,
that great Numbers, who had always hated
them and their Pretender, were now, under
their heavy Misfortunes, and in the prefent
Agonies oF their Soul, brought to think not-
unkindly of him and his Gaufe, or to be en-
tirely indifferent about it. They faid they
were undone, and could not be worfe undone,
and that nothing in human Shape, or in any
Shape, could ufe them fo ill as the Directors
had $ the execrable, rich, and unhang'd Direc-
tors! D 4-.

So CATO\ LETTERS.

But of all Men, it leaft became the Con-
ipirarors to be rioify about the hellilh Ma-
nagement of the Sontk-Sea Scheme 5 flnce one
of the £r(l and moft certain Confequences of
the Confpiracy, would have been the utter
Ruin of the whole South-Sea Stock, and of all
the many Thoufands who have their Property
in it. The £<*»£, and all other publick Funds,
would have had the fame Fate $ nay, one of
the firft Steps would have been the plunder-
ing of the Ban^ and the Seizure of all the
Books of the great Companies.

This was fo much the Defign of the Confpi-
rators, that one Reafon given by themfelves
for delaying the Execution, of the Plot, was,
that a ^principal Confpirator, who had a great
deal of Stock, might have Time to fell out.
So that they who did fo virtuoufly and difin-
tereftedly exclaim againft the Abufe of pub-
ifck Credit, would have funk and deftroyed
for ever, not only the publick Funds, but
the Foundation of all publick Credit, and
publick Happinefs, publick and private Pro-
perty.

The .Ccnfpirarors likewife profefs a loud
Zeal and Concern for the Church 3 and Papifts,
Conjurors, and perjured Traytors, were to de-
liver a -Proteftant Church from a Proteftant
Government, which protected her, to be bet-
ter• proteaed by a Popifh Bigot, and his Po-
pifh Monks, who all think 'her damned. A
Zeal therefore for the Church, was tojuftify
tne moft hideous Impieties, a general Perjury,
toreign Invafions, and the final Overthrow of
ail Liberty, Virtue, and Religion : The re-
formed

's LETTERS. 81

formed Church of England was, for a protec-
ting Father, to be furrendred to a Nurfling
of the Pope's, who by his Religion* is, and
muft be, a determined Enemy to the whole
Reformation in general, and to the Church
of England in particular , and is under the Me-
naces and Horrors of Damnation, if he does
not exert his whole Policy and Power to ex-
tirpate the Proteftant Name, and introduce a
Religion which is worfe than none, as it pro-
feffedly tolerates no other, and perfecutes Con-
fcience, which is the Source and Seat of Re-
ligion, the only Source that any Religion can
have. While there are Men and Societies of
Men, there will be Religion j and where
Dread and Tyranny are taken away, different
Religions 5 and yet no Religion is prefera-
ble to a cruel Religion ; a Religion that curfes
and oppreffes Toleration, which is a Principle
inieparable from Chriftianity ; a Religion
which buries the Bible, or burns it, and
all that read it, and damns all Meeknefs and
Mercy j a Religion that defaces the Creation,
cheats, impoverishes, oppreffes, and exhaufts
human Race, and arms its Apoftles with Jails,
Tortures, Gibbets, Impoftures, and a bloody
Knife..

Every other Complaint of the Confpirator?,
might with the fame Facility and Truth be
turned upon them. But this Paper is already
too long. I will therefore conclude with ob-
ferving, that the Conspirators have by the Af-
iifrance of malicious Calumnies, blind Preju-
dices, grofs ignorance, and conitant Mifrepre-
fgnta.tions, mifled and abus'd their Party, and

D 5 g<>

CATors LETTERS.

governed them by abufing them.. That they
li?ve wickediy taught them to hate a Govern-
ment, \\hich, with all the Faults, true or falfe^
that :helr worfe Malice can charge it with, does
jui: as far excel that which they would intro-
due, as the Bleffings and Beauties of Liberty
tranfcend the horrid Deformities of Slavery,
and the implacable and destroying Spirit of
Popfe Tyranny. That they have5 wickedly
taught them to be weary of their prefent
free Condition ; which, with all its Difadvan-
tages, Debts, and Taxes, is eafy and happy,
greatly and confpicuoufly happy, in Compan-
ion of any Condition of any' People under
any Pcfifi Prince now upon Earth. That they
have, 1>y perpetual Delufion and Lies, work'd
them to^a Readinefs, nay, a PaiTioi), to ven-
ture and facrifice their whole Property, rather
than pay a Part to fecure the Whole 5 and to
wiih for a Revolution, a Ronifl Revolution,
which will neither leave them their Property,
their Ccnfcience, nor their Bible !

SIR,

J H A V E in my laft confidered the Spirit-
* of the Confpirators in general : I will in
th.;s addrefs my felf to thole of the Clergy,
who have joined with them, or are well affec-
ted to them, That there are fome fuch, no

CAfO's LETTERS. 8$

Body doubts 5 and our Enemies boaft, I
hope unjuiily, of a great Majority : But
let them be many, or few, none can be affec-
ted by what is hereafter faid, but thofe to
whom it is applicable.

I fhall not here urge the facred Ties you
are under , Ties fufficient fo bind any Confci-
ence, which is not paft all Tendernefs and
Senfe of Feeling } Ties awful and folemn e-
nough to reftrain Minds that any Religion can
reftrain 5 and Ties from which no lawlefs
Breach of the Coronation-Oath, nor any A 61:
of Tyranny, has difengag'd you 5 tho', accor-
ding to your own Doclrines, your peculiar
and favourite Doctrine, fo often thundered in
the Ears of En^iJlmen^.No AH nor Atts of Ty-
ranny can diffohe the Bonds of Allegiance, But I
would reafon with you upon the Point of
more Weight and Moment with you, your
fecuLir State and Intereft.

Pray what Violence has been offered to your
Dignities and Immunities ? What Breach made-'
upon your Livings and Revenues ? What Good
has been done to Religion at your Expence ?
What arbitrary Indulgences have been granted
to Diffenters, or legal ones, befides that of
worfhipping God ? Is it a Sin againit you, to
fuffer them to exercife Religion in a Way dif-
ferent from you, when every Man who wor-
fhips God, muft wor/hip him his own Way,
in the Way which he thinks God will accept,
dfe he cannot worfhip him at all? What o-
ther Worfhip will God accept, but that which
Gonfcience dictates ? Every other Worfhip. is
Hypccrify 5 which is worfe than a falfe Reli-
gion, :

84 Giro's LETTERS.

gion, proceeding from a good Confcience.
He who complies with a Religion, which he
condemns or defpifes, worfnips not God,
but the Pride of Priefts 5 and is therefore their
Friend and Favourite; while the upright
Man who adores his God in fpite of them,
and will not diiTemble in fo nice and facred
a Point, is a Capital Foe. The Religion of
one's Country, to any Man who diflikes it, is
Cant* and no more than the Religion of Lap-
<W. ^Befides, would your own °Pride fuffer
any of you to comply with the Religion of
Scotland, or Geneva , if you were there ? On
the contrary, do you not conftantly encourage
there, what you conftantly exclaim againft as
Schifm here, a Separation from the eftabli/h'd
Communion ?

The State which makes you what you are>
rind gives you what you have, may by the
lame Right and Power confer what Favours^
Privileges, and Bounties it pleafcs upon any
other different Bodies of Men : Nor could you-
in Mcxkftyyor Common Senfe, complain, that
;i Legiflature difpos'd of its Gifts and Graces
according to its own Wifdorn and Difcretion j
and yet you have not even had this No-pro-
vocation. What Diifenter, what Presbyterian,
lias been preferr'd to the Preferments of the
Church, or any other, unlefsall who are faith-
ful to the Government and to their Oaths, are
Diflenterc ? And will you pay DifTenters this
Compliment? None but Churchmen are pre-
err'd in the Church, or in the State. No
Preferments are continued vacant 5 the Church
Revenues are not IdTenedj nor impaired, but

LETTERS. 85

every Day increas'd. All the ufual and legal
Advantages of theChurch are fecure toChurch-
inen, and none but Churchmen poflefs them.
All their Honours, all their Emoluments are
in their Hands, and they are protected in
them 5 nor are any Hard/hips done them, or
fuffer'd to he done them, but that of retrain-
ing them from putting Hard/hips, Diflrefles
and Shackles upon others $ and that of con-
fining a Bifliop, and feme of his lower Bre-
thren, for Treafon againft their God and their
Oaths, their Religion and their King. And
the outrageous and brutal Refentments they
have fliewn for this necefTary, this legal Pro-
ceeding, fliew what Friends you are to that
Eftabiifhment, which maintains and fupports
you in fuch Enfe, Honours, and Plenty , and
which he, and fuch as he, would havedeftroy-
ed : You indeed, make it more and more raa-
nifeft that your greateft Quarrel to the Go-
vernment, is, that it will not put Swords in-
to your Hands to deftroy ir. Will you after
this, complain that the Government will not
particulary diftinguifh you, you only, and
your deluded Party, with Honour, Truft, and
Edeem, for this your declared Infidelity and
Enmity to the Government.

But the Convocation, you cry, does not fit.
This, you think a crying Evil : But before
we agree with you in this Thought, you,
ought to fhew us what Good their prefent Sit-
ting w7ould do. And if you would fhevv too,,
what Good their Sitting ever did, or ever can
do, you would inform many who are ia ut-
ter Ignorance as to this grg.u Affair. Do

GQCL-

g<5 C^TO's LETTERS,

Convocations always, or at .any Time promote •
Peace and Indulgence, and the tender Charity
of Christianity ? Have their furious Contenti-
ons for Ecclefiaftical Union ever increased
Chriftian Union ? Has their Fiercenefs for
Garments and Sounds, and the Religion of
the Body and the Breath, had any good Ef-
feft upon Humanity, Sincerity, Confcience7
and the Religion of the Soul ? Have not
fome of them, and fome not very late ones,
gone to open War with Moderation and
common Senfe $ and with fuchas only offended
by reconciling Religion with Moderation
and common Senfe ? And by proving that our
Saviour lyed not, when he declared that,
bis Kingdom was t?ot of this World ? How did
the late Convocation particularly, and their
Champions, agree with their Head and Sa-
Tiour, the great Bifhop of Souls, upon this
Article ? Will fuch as you fay, that for the In-
tereft of this Government, the Convocation
ought to fit ? And ought it to (it for any other
Intereft ? Be fo good to lay before us the Ser-
vices done, and the Instances of Zeal fhewn,
by the late Convocations, to this Proteftant
Eftahlifhrnent.

Another of your common- place Cries is.
That the Clergy are contemn'd. What Clergy,
Gentlemen ? Are any contemn'd but the Pro-
fane, the Forfworn, the Rebellious, the Lewd,
the Turbulent, the Infatiable, the Proud, and
the Perfecuting, fuch as will be anavoidably con-
temn'd, and ought to be contemn'd by all that
have Confcience, Virtue, Loyalty, and 'common ,
Honefty ? And will you fay that the Clergy, or

the

CATo's LETTERS. S7

the Body of the Clergy, feel, or ought to feel
this Contempt ? Why fhould the juft Doom
of the Tray tors of their Order affect the
Credit of the Clergy, or fill with Apprehen-
fions fuch as are not Traytors ? If they hate
their Crimes, what Credit or Refpecl: is due
to the Criminal ? And if any of them refpecl:
the Crime, what Refpect is due to them from
thofe who abhor Traytors and Treafon, which
all good Men abhor?

Your little Regard to Confcience, and your
wanton Contempt of Oaths, are fad Proofs
how fmall Power the Chriftian Religion, or
any Religion, has over you. What can
bind the Man whom Oaths cannot bind ?
Can Society have any Wronger Hold of him?
And are not they Enemies to Society, and to
Mankind; they who violate all the Bonda
by which Societies fubiiil, and by which
Mankind are diftinguifH'd from wild Beafts ?
You boaft of your Succeffion from the Apo-
flles. Do you do as the Apoftles did ? Or
would they have deferv'd that venerable
Name, or found Credit amongft Men, or made
one Convert from Heathenifm , if they
had been the ambitious Di&urbers of Go-
vernment $ and by profanely trampling upon
Oaths, had publifh'd to the World, by their
Practice, an atheiftical Contempt of all
Gonfcience and religious Reflraints ? The A-
poftles, rather than difown their Faith and
Opinion, and d:£fembie a lying Regard for
the Gentile Deities, for a Moment, were mi-
ferable in their Lives, and Martyrs in their
Death ; nor could Racks, Wheels^ Fire, and

all

CATO's LETTERS.

all the Engines of Torture and Cruelty,
extort from them one hypocritical Declara-
tion, one Profeffion that their Souls contra-
dicted. Neither they, nor their pious Fol-
lowers, needed to have been Martyrs, had
they been guided by a Spirit that taught Reli-
gion and Confcience toftoop to worldly Intereft
and Luxury.

You fay , I have heard fome of you fay,
That you are forc'd to fwear. How were you
forc'd? Can Confcience be forc'd? You may
as well fay, that Men may be forc'd to
like a Religion which they hate. Can any
Excufe be an Excufe for Perjury ? Were Ska-
drac^ "Mejbacl^ and ^eJl-nego^ forc'd to wor-
fhip Nebuchadnezzar's Golden Image ? Were
the firft Reformers forc'd to adore a Wafer
for a God? Was St. Paul to be forc'd to offer
Incenfe, and wor/hip Idols? Or, if he had,
would his Preaching been of any E£Fe6t, or
ought to have been ? Either the Gofpel con-
demns the ProfUtutipii of Confcience and Re-
ligion to Eafe and Intereftj or fuch Proftitu-
tion,if the Gcfpel allow'd it, would condemn
the Gcfpel. You muft therefore either re-
nounce the Gofpel, which in Practice you
do 5 or condemn your felves, which 1 do not
hear you do : And in Honour to the Chri-
flian Relig:on, the peaceable, the fincere,
the confcientious, and diilntereitcd Chriftian
Religion, all P/[en who are fincere Chrillians,
or only hcneft MoraMs, muff condemn you,
and abhor your Practices.

But how were you forc'd ? Either you muft
fwear Fidelity to a Governmje:ar which pro-.

CAfO's LETTERS. 89

tecls you, and takes nothing from you, or
you mutt quit the Advantages, and not eat the
Bread of the Government j (for that the Go-
vernment gives you all you have, I am ready
to prove whenever you pleafe.) Now if you
have really tender Coniciences, you would not
fwear : But if your Tithes and Rents are dear-
er to you than your » Confciences, then it is
plain your Confciences are not tender. It is a
very harden'd Confcience, that is not dearer
to a Man than his Belly. Your Perjury
therefore is pure Wantonnefs, and an utter
AbfenceofallHonefty, Confcience, and Shame,
Are thefe Qualifications proper to direcl: the
Lives and Confciences of others ? And to
promote in the Minds and Practices of others
the fcrupulous and upright Religion of our
BlefTed Saviour ?

Ceafe, for God's fake, to ufe that Holy
Name, or ufe it better. Can you bring Peo-
ple to him, by fhewing you felves daily Apo-
ftates from him ? Ceafe mentioning the holy
Martyrs, you who are a Difgrace and direcT:
Antipodes to the Martyrs, and the Spirit of
Martyrdom, and would make a Martyr of that
Religion for which they died. For fhame,
rail not at Atheifm, fpeak not of Atheiib,
you who give eflential Proofs of the blackeft
Atheifm/ What is "Atheifm, but an utter
Disbelief, or, which is really worfe, an utter
Contempt of the Deity ? And what is a ftron-
ger Demonftration of that Contempt, than a
daring, a practical Contempt of Confcience,
his Deputy within us, and a wanton and fo-
lemn Invocation of his awful Name to Hypp-

crify,

CATo's LETTERS.

crify, Deceit, and determin'd Fal/hood?
'his is making the Godhead a Parry to In-
fidelity, and Trcafon agarnft himfeif: It is
mocking God, and abufing Men, and making
Religion the Means of Damnation. What can
equal this horrible Crime, the Root and
Womb of ail Crimes ? Or what Words can
defcnbeit? This, Gentlemen, is your Ad-
vantage : No Language fuffices to paint out
vour Wickednefs: You are fecure that your
Piclure can never be fully drawn, or the
World fee it in half its Blacknefs and De-
formity.

Will you after this fcould at the Morals
and Impiety of the Age.? You who lay the
broadeft foundation for all Immorality and
"Wickednefs, by letting loofe the Minds of Men
from all the ftrongeft Bonds of Virtue and of
human Society, the inviolable Engagements of
Confcieiice, and the Awe of the fupreme Be-
ing ! After you have thus proclaim'd in the
moft effectual Manner, that 'you have no Re-
ligion, or that Religion has "no Power over
you, will you continue to fill the World and
weak Heads with canting Conjectures and
barren Speculations, as if Religion confined
in Whims, Dreams, and Non-entities ? And
when you have, as far as your Authority
and Example go, depriv'd Almighty God of
the eflential Worfhip arifing from focial Vir-
tue, Peace, Charity, and good Confcience to-
wards God and Man, will you be flill adding
further Indignities to the Deity, be reprefent-
ing him chiefly pleas'd with unmanly Grimaces,
Words without Meaning, the Nonfenfe of

Meta-

CAfO's LETTERS.

Metaphyficks, the Jargon of Logick, and the
Cant of Myftery ?

But this Subject is too long for one Paper :
I /hall therefore continue it in my next. In
fome following Letters I fhall fhew my
poor deluded Countrymen by what wretched
Guides in Church and State they are conduc-
ted, and whofe Job.bs they are doing, to their
own Undoing.

1 am tkc.

I Proceed in my Addrefs to the Difaffecled
Part of the Clergy.

Are not you the Men who profefs'd fuch
blind, fuch unconditional Subrniflion to Prin-
ces, the moft oppreflive and tyrannical Princes-,,
and damn'd all who would not go your mad»
your impious, and your impracticable Lengths?
And are not you the £rft to bring home
your own Damnation to your own Doors, by
fhewing that no Obligation, human or di-
vine, can withoid you from rebelling againR-
the moil: legal Government, and mildeft
Prince ? To aflert that the Government is not
a lawful Government, is to aflert your own
Perjury 5 and by difowning the Government,
you difown all Honefly and Confcience*
The Government is founded upon Reafon,
upon Laws, and Cqnfent, the only Founds

92 CATO's LETTERS.

tion of any Government ; and it is admini-
fter'd with Equity, and without the Blemifh of
Violence, or of difpenfing arbitrarily with
Laws : And yet this Government is to be re-
fifted, betrayed, and overturned ; while a Go-
vernment, founded upon the Chance of Blood,
and upon the hereditary Sufficiency of Men,
and fuccefiive Chaftity of Women 5 and
which ads by Difcretion, Cruelty, or Folly,
is of divine Appointment, and irrefiftable.
What can be more monftrous ? And what
capricious and hard - hearted Folly you
would fix upon the good and all-wife God ?
By which you only fhew that your hallowed
Nonfenfe, if you are in earneil, is as fignal
as your Wickednefs.

As to the Pretender's Right, I know not
what it is j unlefs it be, That becaufe his
fuppos'd Father violated his Coronation-Oath
and the Laws, ufurped a Tyrannical Power,
and opprefs'd and enflav'd thefe Nations
five and thirty Years ago, therefore his fup-
pos'd Son has a lawful Right to enflave them
now. And I defy you, with all your Diflinc-
tions, and Men of Diftinclions, to produce
a better Argument upon this Head of Right.
Befides, how can the Pretender think that
you have any the lead Regard to his Right,
when you have fo often and fo folemnly
fworn that he had none ? Difpoffels you felves,
if you can, of the Spirit of Faction, and of
groundlefs Difpleafure and Revenge 5 and
then try if you can find any divine, any
unalterable Right in the Pretender. He
has in truth no Right, but what your own

unruly

CAfCfs LETT E RS. 93

unruly and reftlefs Paflions give him. We
all know what would cure you of your
Opinion of his Title, of your Fondnefs of
his Perfon. The Constitution will not ftoop
to you 5 the Government will not be go-
vern'd by you 5 you have not the Power $
you have not the Revenues of the ancient
Ecclefiafticks before Henry VIII's Days 5 nor
would you, if the Pretender was here : And
if you had not, in three Months you would
be fierce for fending him abroad again, as
you did his fuppos'd Father; or ufing
him worfe. Of this I am certain, that if
he rul'd as his prefent Majefly does, you
would treat him, and obey him, and honour
him, juft as you do his prefent Majeily,
Plead no longer your Confciences, which
you have fo long, and fo often, and fo vilely
proftituted, and ftill proftitute ! No body
will receive the Plea.

Before you can pretend to naake your No-
tions and Authority pafs with others, you
mutt /hew that you your felves are guided by
any Notions of Right or Wrong. If you
would clear your felves from the Guilt, the
horrid Guilt of confirm and repeated Perju-
ry • fhew how faithfully, how religioufly
you have kept your Oaths. If you would not
be thought difaffe&ed, fhew by fome particular
Inftances your Faith and Attachment to the
Government, from the Revolution to this
Day. What have you done to prevent or reprefs
Plots, AiTafiinations, and Rebellions -, to ren-
der them odious in the Hearts of your Peo-
ple 5

CJTO's LETTERS.

pie 5 or to fatisfy the World that they ;vcre
odious in your own ? And is nor this
Duty of Chriftians and Preachers, and y-.,
fworn Duty ? In a ftupid Difpute about Gri-
mace and Forms, or about paltry Diftinc-
tions and empty Words, you are ail in Flame
and Uproar, and fill your Pulpits, and your
People, and the Nation with your important
Nonfenfe, and the Danger of Senfe : But
when Church and State were juft going to be
fwallowed up by Popery and Tyranny, what
Allarms have you rung ? What Refentment,
what Attachment to the Eftabli/hment and
your Oaths have you fhewn ? What honeft
Teftimony have you born ?

And what have you done, Gentlemen,
fince the Difcovery of this horrid Confpiracy ?
You that from your lofty Roftrums have feat-
ter'd Poifon and epidemical Difternpers over
the Land, as if out of Pandoras Box 5 what
Antidotes have you applied to the Venom you
have difpers'd ? What Satisfaction have you
made for all the Mifchiefs you have done,
and which glare you in the Face ? What Ser-
mons have you preach'd ? What Difcourfes
have you printed ? What Deteflation have
you fhewn againft this monftrous Deiign, le-
vell'd at the Life of the Prince who protects
you, againd the Religion you ought to fup-
port, and which fupports you, and againft
the Liberties and Eflates of your Contrymen,
from whofe miftaken Confidence you derive
all your Power and Wealth ?

What has been done by the Governors of
the Univerlities to promote Loyalty either in

Tutors

's L ET T E R S. 95

Tutors or Pupils, and to fupport the Prin-
ciples upon which the Revolution ftands ?
What Charges have been given by Archdea-
cons (to fay nothing of their Betters1) to en-
force Obedience ro this Government upon the
Foot of Liberty? How many feditious Priefts
have met with Punifhment or Difcou.nten<tnce
from their Superiors $ tho' we all know what
Refentment they would have found, if any
one had dared to have open'd his Mouth a-
gainft the Power and Pride of his Order ?

What Care has been taken in the licenfing
or approving of School-Maflers, who are al-
moft all Jacobites ! What a bitter and difaf-
fecied Spirit is there in the Charity-Schools,
and all Schools ! Is there a Conteft any where
between two Candidates, but the moft Bif-
airec~led has the Vote and Intereft of the Coun-
try-Clergy ? And is not the fame Partiality
praftis'd in mod of the Colleges of the Uni-
v-erflties ?

Reconcile, if you can, your wild Conduct
to any Semblance of Religion, or of com-
mon Senfe and common Honeily, If a Prc-
teftant Diffenrer is to be let into a Place by
the good Pleafure and Indulgence of the Law j
what Booke, Scolding, and Fury ! But
when the Pretender and Popery are to be let
.into England^ to the .utter Subverfion of Reli-
gion and Property, and again ft Law and
Oaths j what Refignation ! what Silence !
Tho' you are fworn to oppofe them, ftrongly
and folemnly fworn, and have no Provoca-
tion not to oppofe them, but that the Hap-
jpinefs and Eftates of the Laity, and the Ten-

96 CA To's LETTERS.

dernefs fhewn to Diflenters, by which our I
People and our Riches are increas'd, and our }
Chriftian Spirit is fhewn, difturb the Pride
of the narrow, perfecuting Ecclefiafticks, al- I
ways infatiable and difcontented, and always
plotting and railing, while the Wealth and Do-
minion of Mankind are not entirely theirs.

It would be endlefs to enter into all the late
and publick Inftances of your Perjury, your
Difaffeftions, and furious Spirit. I fiiali men-
tion but one, and one that is a Difgrace to :
our Nation 5 an Inftance of a mean Prieft, ;
deftitute of Name and Parts, try'd and con- 1
demn'd for Sedition, and yet almoft deify'd
for his Infolence and Crimes. Ignorant of
the Laws, and defpifing his own Oaths, he
publickly attacked the Conftitution, and ii-
bell'd it. He afferted the Irreflftiblenefs of
all Governments, good or bad, tho' our own
was founded upon Refinance. For this daring
Offence he was impeach Jd and try'd 5 try'd
by one Part of the Legiflature before the other,
and condemn'd by all three : So that the Bufi-
nefs of the Nation, and of £wro/>*, flood ftill
for many Weeks, till this groveling Offender
bad a Hearing, and his Sentence 5 a Sentence,
which would have come more properly for
him from the Chairman of a Petty-Seffions,
than from the Mouth of a Lord High Chan-
cellor of England I

What Reverence might not have been ex-
pected to fuch a Tryal as this, and what Ac-
quiefcence as to the Iflue of it, efpecially from
thofe who contended, daily and vehemently
contended, from the Pulpit and the Prefs,

for

C A TO's LETTERS. 97

for Submiffton, unlimited Submiffion, to Go-
vernors, tho* Tyrants and Oppreflors ! But
inftead of this, as if they intended to publifh
to the World, that the meaneft of the Or-
der, how vile and infolent foever, is not to
be touch'd for the moft enormous Crimes, even
in the moft legal, open, and honourable Man-
ner, even by the whole Legiilature, the moft
folemn and auguft Judicature upon Earth j
there was fuch a hideous Stir made 5 fuch a
horrible Outcry and Spirit were rais'd $ fuch
Infolences, Tumults and Infurreclions enfucd 5
fuch Contempt was fhewn of Power and Ma-
giftracy 5 and fuch Lies and Libels publi/h'd
againft thpfe who pofTefs'd them j fuch lying
Encomiums were beftow'd upon the fentenc'd
Criminal 5 fuch profane Complements were
made him 5 and fuch profound and infolent
Refpect was paid him , as if there had been
neither Religion nor Order in the Land, but
both had been banifh'd out of it by many of
the avow'd and hir'd Advocates for Religion
and Order 5 who, all the while they were
thus reviling and refitting Authority, had ftill
the Front to prefs and preach abfolute Non~
Refinance to Authority, and to reward what
they themfelves were doing with Damnation,
unlefs it were fafe and laudable to refift the
moft lawful Power, but iinful and damnable
to refift that which is lawlefs. For after fo
many Oaths to the Government, and fo many
Abjurations of the Pretender, they durft not
fay the Government was unlawful. But
the Rage and Uproar they were in even
before the Sentence, were as great as
VOL. IV, E

CATO's LETTERS.

if the Priefthood itfelf, nay, all Nature, was
to have been overturn'd by the apprehended
whipping of a profligate Prieft.

A fufficient Leflbn is this to all Govern-r
ments, how this fort of Men are to be trufted
with Power, who dare thus aft in fpite of all
Power! and a ftrong Proof to all Men how
little Regard is due to the Opinions and Doc-
trines of thefe Men, who do not regard their
own DocVmes ! who teach what no Man ought
to practice, and themfelves will not ! who are
perpetually contradicting themfelves, and one
another, and yet are never in the Wrong ! and
who would not fuffer the meaneft, or worft of
their Order, to be fubjecl: to the united and
original Power of one of the greateft States in

the World !

Sure this cannot be forgot whilft there is a
King, or Liberty, in Ifrael!

&c.

G E N T L E U E Nt

YO U are abus'd : You are blindly govern'd
by certain Chiefs, who can have no View
but to difpofe of you 5 to make Sale of you
for their own proper Advantage, By prating
Pedants, and difaflfefted Monks, and by Party-
Cries, and Party-Revelling, and Hog/heads
of OBober, you are brought to adore this Duke,
that Lord, and t'other Knight or Squire 5

and

CATO's LETTERS. 99

and to think that the Publick is undone, un-
lefs it be under the fole Management of thefe
your Idols, who would effectually undo it.
They once had Places: Had you then more
Money, more Trade, or more Land and Li-
berty, by any wife or virtuous Conduct of
theirs, than you have now ? And did they not
take that Opportunity of your generous Con-
fidence in them, to betray you bafely to France
and the Pretender ? And have they not ever
ilnce been labouring, by Plots and Rebellion,
to accomplish that, which from the Shortnefs
of their Reign, and the fudden Change, they
could not then accomplifh by Power?

Power and Places are flill their only Aim :
And to come at them, you fee they would
make War upon Heaven and Earth, and in-
volve you in Blood and Popery. But you can-
not have Places, Gentlemen : Your only Am-
bition ought to be the Security of your Pro-
perty, and to live like Freemen. And are you
not free ? Is not your Property fecure ? Or can
thefe Men accompli/h their Defigns and Con-
fpiracies, but at the Expence of your Eftates
and your Freedom ? They feek their Grandeur,
and all their Advantages, from your Ruin and
Servitude. You rnuft pay the whole and long
Reckoning at laft. You muft fill the empty
Coffers of new Shoals of Banditti t who rnuft
be rewarded out of your Pockets for their
villanous Merit and pretended Sufferings.
You will have a whole and black Flight of
Harpies to glut, who with ravenous and un-
hallowed Claws will devour your Subftance,

£ i and

lao CATO's LETTERS.

and your Children's Bread. All foreign Debts,
all the Demands of Spain and Rome, will be
brought upon you for Payment $ and all you
have will be too little to fatiate needy Tray-
tors, whom you madly want to fave your
All y which is not touch'd, nor can be hurt,
but by them, and but too little to defend you
from them.

Think you to be without Armies ? No :
Inftead of occafional Troops, which their
wicked Plots and Devices, and your own Dif-
affeclion, have brought upon you, you will
fee your Country and your Houfes fill'd with
Popifh Armies, perhaps foreign Popifli Ar-
mies. You will be told, that Proteftant and
Englifi ones, which already betray'd the Fa-
ther, will betray the Son, and -cannot be
trufted : That your frequent Rebellions ren-
der you unfit to be rely'd on ; and that if you
turn'd out a Proteftant Prince, whom you
your felves call'd in, you will be apt, upon
the leaft Difguft, or Caprice, to turn out your
hereditary King as you did his Father.

Think you that your prefent Debts will be
cancell'd, and your Taxes made eafy ? No 5
your Taxes and your Funds will be continued :
But inftead of being apply'd, as they are,
to pay off lawful Debts contracted for your
Security, they will be feiz'd by this new Go-
vernment, and call'd lawful Prize. It will be
faid, that they were given to keep out your
lawful King, and ought to be made ufe of to
keep him *in : That if you were fo prodigal
of your Wealth for the Support of Rebellion
and Faction, can you refufe thefe Reveres,

which

CATO's LETTERS. 101

which are now no longer your own, but in
PofTeflion of the Enemies of the Eftablifh-
ment, who chiefly gain'd them at firft by
Stock-jobbing and Extortion, and now keep
them as the Prizes of Di (loyalty and Treajon :
Can you refufe thefe Revenues (fo ill gof,
and as ill applied) to fecure your lineal Go-
vernment founded upon a long SuccefTion of
your natural Princes ? Thefe Revenues there-
tore, which are now your Property, and the
Property of your Neighbours and Relations,
will then be united to the Crown, £x an ab-
folute Power there, and entail lading and ir-
retrievable Slavery upon your felves and your
Pofterity, and deftroy at one EloW the whole
Property and Trade of three great King-
doms. At prefent, if prudent Methods be
taken, ( which furely Neceffity muft at latt
make us take, ) thefe great Debts may be paid
honeftly off, and we may again fee our felves
a happy and difengag'd People. But upon
fuch a dreadful Turn as the Confpirators in-
tended, they will be thrown into a free Gift,
and your Taxes will be made perpetual/ to
perpetuate your Slavery.

Do you expe£t any Redrefs of any kind
from fuch a Parliament as can then bechofen,
if any is chofen ? No ; hope it not. All that
would ferve you faithfully in ir, will be
call'd Enemies and Traytors to the new, and
Friends to the late Rebellious Eftablifhment,
Such therefore will not dare to offer them-
felves to your Choice 5 and, if they did,
would be mobb'd, or imprifon^d. You mufi
chufe only fuch as are recommended to you, the

E 3 ragged

102 CATO's LETTERS. <
ragged and fami/h'd Tribe that are brought
over, Men of defperate Fortunes, the beg-
garly Plotters againft your prefent Happinefs,
fiery and implacable Bigots, half Papifts, en-
rag'd Malecontents, or rapacious Vultures $ all
gaping for Prey, all determin'd to every Mea-
iure of OpprefTion, and to facriflce you and
your Country to their Ambition and Want.
You will then find time for Repentance, when
it is too late, when all the Grievances which
you now fo wantonly complain of will fall
upon you in earneft, and an hundred Fold,
without Hope of Remedy or End.

Nor can this blefled Condition be brought
;jpon you, but after the horrid Prelude of a
long and cruel Civil War. You will firft fee
your Country in Blood, your Cities burnt,
your Houfes plunder 'd, your Cattle taken
from you, your Stocks confum'd by Dragoons,
and your Sons, your Neighbours, and Rela-
tions, murder'd before your Faces. Flatter
not your felves, that his Majefty will eafily
quit the many^ Thoufands of his Subjects,
who will certainly and refolutely ftand by
him $ or that he will want the Affiftance of
all the foreign Powers who are interested in
his Eftabli/hment, or even in making this
great Kingdom wretched, impotent, and poor.
No, Gentlemen, you will have Armies of
Germans and of Dutch pour'd in upon you on
one Side, Spaniards and Ruffes on the other,
and perhaps French on both Sides. Jrlfi Papifls
will come over in Shoals j Hofts of Highlander*
will fall like Snow from the North, and all
the NeceOirous, the Dtbauck'd, the Ambitious,

the

CATO's LETTERS. 103

the Rapacious, the Extravagant, and the Re-
vengeful amongft your felves, will think thefe
your Calamities their Harveft : They will ban-
quet in your Plunder $ and for a Share of you,
will greedily join to devour you. Is this a
Condition like that which you now enjoy ?

How would you like to fee your Churches
drefs'd up like 'Toy (hops, and Vermin of va-
rious Fafhions, Shapes and Colours, crawling
about in them, antickly dreis'd up in an hun-
dred fantaftical Garments , and the fame Ver-
min, at other times, filling and polluting your
Streets, haunting your Houfes, debauching
and corrupting your Wives, perverting your
Children, devouring your Subltance, and
lording it over you ? You will hardly know,
thus tranfmogrify'd, the old Faces you have
been us'd to, the Faces of thefe impious
Wretches, who would bring all thefe fright-
ful Mifchiefs upon you. That they are ready
and prepared for this ungodly Change, is evi-
dent from their maintaining and afferting all
the vileft and moft formidable Tenets of
Popery 5 and by their uniting in all the trai-
terous Intrigues, and in all the bafeft and
bloodieft Counfels of Papifts. But that the
Papifls would protect or prefer them after-
wards, is more than doubtful : It is not like-
ly that they will trufr. thofe whom by Ex-
perience they know no Truft can bind. They
know that thofe who have betray 'd you, and
a King, who has protected and preferr'd them,
will betray alfo even Papifts. They know.,
that neither Religion, nor Confcience, nor
Honefty, nor Hard /hip, has any Share in

E 4 their

jo4 C Arc's LETTERS.

their prefent Difaffeclion, which has its whole
Root in Pride and Avarice, and the Lufl of
Rapine and Power, and that they will in a
Moment turn upon them as foon as the firft
Preferments go by them, or they cannot all
catch the Preferments and Wealth which they
ib immoderately thirft after.

Your prefent Deceivers, therefore, will not
then be trufted. All Eccleiiaftical Prizes will
be the Prizes of Foreign Ecclefiafticks, or of
thofe who have been ever ftaunch Catholicks
at Home. The others will be left to certain
Contempt, Beggary, and if poffible to Shame.
It will not be forgot what fervile Adoration
they paid, what hollow Complements they
made, to the late King James $ Adoration
that bordered upon Blafphemy, and Comple-
ments that interfered with the incommuni-
cable Attributes of God ! And how faithlefly,
how readily afterwards they betray'd him,
when all his Favours did not fall in their Lap,
and as foon as they found that for them alone
his Tyranny was not exerted. It will be re-
membred how chearfully, or rather how re-
vengefully, they run into the Revolution $ and

when they could not ennrofs the whole Ad-
* >

vantages of it, and could rot make King
William their Inflrument and fcu'ly, how they
were continually libelling King Wittiam and
the Revolution, continually prating, preach-
ing, and plotting againft both, notwithftand-
ing their conftant Oaths, their conftant Abju-
rations, and Imprecations.

For

CATO's LETTERS. to?

For God's fake, Gentlemen, think what
you are doing : Your Lives, your Eftates,
your Religion, your Confcience, your Trade,
your Country, your Honour, are all at flake,
and you are wantonly throwing them all away $
you are purfuing a falfe and miferable Shadow 5
and it would be happy for you, were it only
a Shadow : In reality, you are going to catch
in your Embraces, Superftition, Beggary, and
Servitude. I approve your Love and Purfuit
of Liberty, which ever was, and ever will be,
a grateful and charming Sound in my Ears $
and 1 will be always ready to lead you, or to
follow you in that virtuous and noble Purfuit,
This is Wifdom ! This is Honour! But Ho-
nour is to be acquired by honourable Means,
and not by Rapine, Perjury, and Murder,

I thank God, we have yet the Means left:
within our Constitution to fave our felves^
We have, in fpiteof Malice and Contumelies,,
an excellent,, meek, and benevolent Prince,,
who has in no one Inftance of his Reign at-
tempted to flrain his Prerogative above the
Laws j which we defy his bittereft Enemies
to fay of the beft of their favourite Kings,.
his Predeceflbrs, He has every Difpofiti^n
to make a People great and happy, and. will
be always ready to gratify them in every Thing
they can reafonably ask for their Security,
But if we would make cur i el yes fecure, we
muft make him fecure. It cannot be denied'
but there have been fome Excefles of Power,,
and' that we have fuffer'd under many pub-
lick Calamities r None of them are, how-

E. 5:

CAfO's LETTERS.

, irnputable to him , but to the Corrup-
tion and Intrigues of thofe who betrayed
him and us, and to the conilant Conspiracies
of Tray tors, wh'ch deterred honefter Men
from a ievere Animadverfion upon their
Crimes, when they faw thempurfued by thofe
who rejoiced in thofe Crimes, with no Defign
to reclify Abufes, but to inflame Difcontents.

To whom, Gentlemen, do we owe all our
prefcnt Debts and Misfortunes? Even to thofe
•jt'ho oosed all the Meafures for raitin ef-

ppo

te&ual Supplies in the firft War, and ended
tne iecond by a fcandalous Peace, which left
us in Iniecurity and Danger, and made more
Taxes and more Debts nece£fary to our Se-
curity. To whom, as I have obferv'd in a
former Paper, do we owe {landing Armies,
iuch frequent Sufpenfions of the Habeas Corpus
Bill, and fo many confuming Pennons? Even
to thofe, who by their conftant Plots, Con-
ipiracies, and Rebellions, ' have given Occa-
•hons, or Pretences, for thef* great Evils and
ExceflVs. And no-w that they have brought
,?U thefe Mifchiefs, and many more upon us^
:md forced the Government upon Meafurca
which perhaps would not have been thought
4-.f> and ccrtairl-y would not have been com-
plied with, they would impudently throw
ia pan his Majei'ty the Burdens and Imputa-
tions, which they alone ought to bear, and
impioufiy dethrone him, and undo their Coun-
try, for their own Crimes..

You are borru Gentlemen, to Liberty 5 and
from it you derive all the Bleilings you pofleis,,
Fray what AfFe£l;cn have thefe your Leaders

CATO's LETTERS. 107

ever fhewn to the Caufe of Liberty ? It is
plain they have never taken the facred Sound
into their Mourhs, but to profane it 5 nor pre-
tended to cherifh ir, but in order to deftroy
it, and make it an unnatural Ladder to Ty-
ranny. As often as Dominion has been in
their own Hands, Liberty became a Crime,
and a Sign of Sedition 5 and as often as they
wanted to deftroy Power, that is, as often as
they were out of it, they proflituted the Spi-
rit of Liberty to the Service of Treafon.
Hence their late Cries for Liberty, to ani-
mate you againft a Government that pro-
tected it, and under the Pretence of affecting
Liberty, to introduce a Tyranny that would
deftroy Soul, Body, and Property. They
could, however, have made no dangerous
Progrefs in this Mifchief and Hypocrify, if
thofe who have always profefs'd, and whcfe
Intereft it would have been always to have
fupported and praclis'd, free and beneficent
Principles, had not deferted thofe Principles,
and arm'd by that Defertion the Enemies to all
that is good and virtuous, with an Opportu-
nity of turning Liberty upon her felf, Let
the real Friends to the Government fupport
the Maxims upon which it ftands, and upon
which only it can ftand,. and they have no-
thing to fear from the well or ill-grounded
Popularity of its Enemies.

Such, Gentlemen, are your Leaders, ani
fuch are the Grievances which they caufe and
complain of , and to cure them, they would
introduce the compleateft and moft compre-
e cf all,, a total Overthrow of Church

anxl;

io8 euro's LETTERS.

and State.* They have, reduced us to unhap-
py Circumftances ; but let us not make them
infinitely worfe, and deftroy our felves for
Relief 5 let us not, like filly and peevifh
Children, throw away what we are in Pof-
feffion of, to attain what is out of our Power^
and which attain'd, would undo us : Let us
put on Refolutions fuitable to our prefent
Condition. Let all honeft Men join with the
greateft Unanimity in all Meafures to preferve
'his Majefty and our Eftablifhment ; and then
we may red aflur'd, that his Majefty will do
every Thing to preferve us. We may then
ask with Confidence, and he will give with
Pieafure. When the Kingdom is in this de-
Arable Calm and Security, we /hall not need1
io many Troops, nor will his Majefty defire
them. We may leflen the publick Expences,
pay off gradually the publick Debts, encreafe
the Trade, Wealth, and Power of the Na-
tion, and be again a rich, eafy, and flourish-
ing People.

I cannot help perfwading my felf, that the
Gentlemen at prefent in the Adminiftration,
who have obferv'd and condemn'd fo juftly,
the fatal and unfbccefsful Meafures taken By
fome of their Predeceflors, the terrible Con-
fequences that have fiow'd from them, and'
the dreadful Advantages they gave to the 'com-
mon Enemies of his Majefty, of themfelves,
and of us all, are already convinced, that
there is no Poffibiliiry of preferving our happy
Eftabli/liment long, but by gaining and' ca-
reffing People, making them eafy and happy,
letting- them find their Account in his Ma-

jefty's

C^TO's LETTERS,

jefty's Reign, and giving no Handles for juft
Reproach, or Pretences for Contumely, to
thofe who would make no other Ufe of them
but to deflroy us all.

lam, &c,

GENTLEMEN,

I HAVE already addrefs'd two of thefe
Letters to the difaffecled Clergy, and will
in this apply my felf to the difa&eded Laity,
their Followers.

I cannot help faying, Gentlemen, that it
argues your great Lownefs of Senfe, and De-
pravity of Manners, to be thus blindly in-
flam'd by fuch forfworn Apoftates, fuch lying
and difaffe&ed Monks, Men of fuch vile Mo-
rals : You fee their unruly Spirit, their unhal-
lowed Conduct, their daring and impious
Perjuries ; and yet will you be led by them
into Wickednefs as great, if poffible, as their
own, the Wiekednefs of unprovok'd Rebel-
lion 5 and of overthrowing a Government,,
which, in Spite of their Malice and Lies,
does really protect you in your Religion and
Property 5 and of facrificing a Proteftant
Church, that you think your felves fond of,
to a Popifh Pretender, who is bouud by- his
Religion to deflroy it?

And what i,s all thus Noife about? For whofe
Sakes* think you* Gentlemen^, all this Com-

no CATO's LETTERS.

buftion is made ? Do you bdieve they are fer-
ying your Interefts, or their own ? Have
they in any Inftance, or any Age, /hewn
any Regard, any Concern for your Perfons,
your Religion, or your Intere&s ? If they pre-
tend to have done fo,they fpeakas falfly as they
fwear. Remember all the Reigns fince
Queen Elizabeth's Time; thole Reigns that
opprefied you 5 and that Revolution that faved
you. Did they not make it the whole Bufi-
nefs of their Zeal, of their Addreflfes and
their Preachments, to give up your Perfons,
your Confciences, and your Fortunes, to the
Pleafure and Luft of the Prince, and damn'd
you if you defended either? Did they not
irnpioufly make our Saviour the Author of
their inhuman Nonfenfe, and Christianity a
Warrant of Indemnity for oppreffing, robbing,
chaining, and killing you ? And did they not
fill the Kingdom with Atheiftical Volumes
of Sermons, Books, and AddrefTes, and with
Compliments and Curfes upon this vile
Head ? And have they ever fince exprefly and
publickly renounced thefe deftroying Princi-
ples? When their own Intereft is concern'd,.
no Principles can bind them, as we all fee
and know 5 but as to the Power of Princes
over Laymen, over you, Gentlemen, have
they not always afferted it to be boundlefs
and difcretionary, and always left you at the
meer Mercy of Royal Luft and Madnefs ?
*Tis true, they- will not now fufifer you to bear
a Prince whom Laws can bind 5 nor would
they formerly fu£fer joa ta preferve your

CAfO's LETTERS, in

felves from Tyrants, which neither God, nor
Man, nor the Good of Mankind, could bind.

As foon as the great Queen Elizabeth was
dead, who was refolv'd to be truly what fhe
was call'd, Head of the Church, and in order
to be fo, kept her Priefts in a juft and becom-
ing Subordination, and would not fufifer them
to meddle with or prate about her Government,
(for which to this Day you have never heard
them fpare to her Memory one good Word,)
and a weak Prince fucceeded her, many of
the leading Clergy advanced all the vileft Te-
nets of Popery : They declar'd that the Church
of Row?, contrary to the exprefs Words of
the Homilies, was a true Church, (which they
might as juftly havefaidofthe Church of Hell,)
at the fame time that they denounced Damna-
tion againft foreign and domeftick Proteftants
for being no Churches at all : So much did
they prefer their own notional Power of Ordi-
nation before the Precepts of our Saviour,
and the Efientials of Religion. They per-
fuaded the King to appoint three Bifheps
to reordain the Scotch Presbyters, which put
that Kingdom in a Flame, as being in effect
told, that they were in a State of Damnation
before 5 and that their Ministers had no law-
ful Gall to ferve God without Epifccpal Dub-
bing. And fo he had like to have loft one.
of his Kingdom.?, to gratify the Pride of a few.
crack-brain'cl Ecclefiallicks.

Then profefs'd Papifts and Popi/h Princi-
ples grew in Rcguefl : Liberty of Gonfcienee
was once given to them by Proclamation,
and always couniv'd at and indulgVi, whilft

ii2 CATo's LETTERS.

Proteftant DifTenters, and the beft Church-
men too, under the odious Name of Puritans
were every where revil'd and perfected!
Then your Parents firft heard, in this Prote-

fifiS*^ °^the Power of the Key*> ^

Indelible Characler, the Uninterrupted Suc-
ceffion, the Real Prefence, the Giving the Ho-
iy Ghoft, the Divine Right of Kings^d Bi-

(hops 5 all tending to aggrandize the Clercy,
and : enflave the Laity : Then was invented that
nonfenfical Apothegm, No Bfi0p, *0 &W ..
which his Majefty ecchoing feveral times
upon Oath at the Conference at Hampton-Court,
the Archbifliop declared, That doubtlefs his
Majefly was infpiVd , and fpolce by the
%cial Affiftance of God's Spirit. Then the
Bifhops thougntit was their Time, with the
Archbi/hop at their Head, to prefenta Memo-
rial to the King, demanding an Exemption
of their Courts from the Civil Jurifdi&on,
and the Ecclefiaflical Power was every Day
fwellmg, and carried to fucb a Pitch in thi
High-Commiffior.-Court, as to draw the Par-
liament upon them. And to induce his Ma-
jetty to fupport them in their Nonfenfe and
Roguery, they made him a Prefent of all your
ferlons, Lands-, and Liberties. It became
current Doarine amongft the Prerogative
Clergy, and Books were publifti'd by°fome
of them, and approved and applauded by the
reft, to maintain that the King was So/utu:
ex %^5 that he need not call Parliaments,
but might make Laws without them ; and
that it was a Favour to- admit the Confent of
in giving

CAfO's LETTERS. 113

This weak Prince left one as weak behind
him, who having, as is faid, been once de-
ftin'd to the Priefthood, and being a Bigot
by Nature as well as Education, the Eccle-
iiafticks found in his Reign a proper Seafon,
and a proper Soil to fow their Tares in, with
a fair Profpeft of a plentiful Harveft. Po-
pery came into the Kingdom like a Tor-
rent, and arbitrary Power appear'd undifguis'd,
and in the moft glaring Colours : The
King, by pcfitive Order to the Chancellor,
forbids the Laws againft Papifts to be put in
Execution 5 and, notwithstanding the con-
ftant Protections of Parliaments, protects &o=
mips Priefts againft legal Profecutions : Popifh
Books were licens'd by LauAj and Prote-
ftant ones, which defended the Articles and
the Opinions of the eftabliih'd Church, were
forbidden, fupprefs'd, and punifh'd in the Star-
Chamber. Motwtague^ who wasimpeach'd by Par-
liament for his Attempts to introduce Popery,
was rot only protected, but made Bifliop of
Cbicbrfter. Laud iffu'd Injunctions, by his own
Authority, for reforming the Church, and
bringing it nearer to Popery : He had the Sau-
cinefs to declare publicity, That he hop'd to fee
the Time when no Jack Gentleman fhould dare
to keep on his Hat before the meanef! Curate.
The Bi/hops difciaim'd all Jurifdiftion from
the Crown in Baftu>ic"s Tryal, and the Inde-
pendance of the Church-upon the State was
openly affer ted. Then came in the Altar, and
the unbloody Sacrifice upon it, and the antick
and fopifh Confecration of Churches and
Church- Yards, with many other Monki/h

Fool-

ii4 CAT(f* LETTERS. I

Fooleries, to draw us to a nearer Conformity
with Rome.

And as Priefkraft and Tyranny are ever fn-
feparable, and go hand-in-hand, infinite other
Oppreffions were brought upon the poor Peo-
ple, and proved by the Priefts to be Jure
Divino, as, unlawful Imprifonments, various
Monopolies, extorted Loans, numerous Taxes $
all levied without Authority of Parliament.
$fylorp and Manivaring, two of Laud's Crea-
tures, were fet on to preach, that the King
was not bound by the Laws of the Land 5
and that the King's Royal Will, in impofing-
Loans and Taxes, did oblige the Subject's
Confcience on Pain of Damnation: And his
Majefty fent a fpecial Mandate to Archbifnop
j&boty to licence thofe Sermons $ and he was
fufpended for not doing it. And then it feems
it was lawful to fufpend the greateft Clergy-
man, and firft Subject of England, for doing
his Duty and preferving the Laws $ and now
it is a facrilegious Ufurpation of the Divine
Rights of the Clergy,, to deprive a Bifhop
for the moft traiterous Confpiracy againft his
King, his Country, and the Religion he him-
felf profefles. To make good all thefe In-
vafions upon publick Liberty, a German Army
was contracted for 5 and fome Time after, an
Irljh and Popifi one was actually rais'd by
Str afford in Ireland.

During thefe Reigns, all the High Clergy
were the profefs'd Trumpets, the Setting-
Dogs, and fpiritual Janizaries of Govern-
ments, which us'd you like Cattle, andfbrved
you, or flew you for Profit and Sport. They

made

CA fO's LETTERS. nj

made you confpire againft your felves, by a^
larming your Confciences, and filling them
with blind and unnatural Refignntion to all
the ExcefTes of Cruelty, Plunder, Oppreffion,
Killing, Servitude, and every Species of in-
human Barbarity 5 but now that you are pro-
tefted and iecure in ftanding Laws, which
the Adminiftration has never pretended to dif-
penfe with 5 when you have the full Enjoy-
.ment of your Confciences, which the Govern-
ment in no Infbnce re/trains ; when you are
fecure in your Elates and Property, whici>
the Government does not touch, nor pretends
any Right to touch 5 when you have as
muck Liberty as Mankind can under any Go-
vernment pofTefs, a Liberty which goes to
the very Borders of Licentioufnefs : I fay,
under all thefe Bleiilngs, Bleflings unknown
almoft to all Men, but En^lifl) Men , will
thefe implacable and fteady Impoftors let you
alone ? Are not their fpiritual Goads continual-
ly in your Sides, ftimulating you to renounce
your Undemanding, your Freedom, your
Safety, your Religion, your Honefty, your
Confcience 5 and to deftroy the Source of all
your Happinefs and Enjoyments, religious
and fecular 5 and to exchange a free Govern-
ment, and every Thing that is valuable upon
Earth, for the Cruelty, Madnefs, Chains, Mi-
fery, and Deformity of Popery, and of Po-
pifh Tyranny ?

Look back, Gentlemen, once more, to later
Reigns : What Teftimony did they bear a-
gainil the bare-faced Encouragement of Po-
pery, and the Perfecution of Proteftants in

Charles

n6 CATo's LETTERS.

Charles IPs Reign, againft his fatal Treaties I
and Leagues with francf.± his unjuft Wars]
with the United Provinces, an4 his treacherous
Seizure of their Smyrhz Fleet, to deftroy the
only State in the World that could be then
call'd the Bullwark of Liberty and the Pro-
teftant Religion ? What did they fay againft
the terrible Exceffes, the arbitrary Imprifon- |
ments, the legal Murders, and Violation of
Property, during his Reign ? Did they not en-
courage and fanaify all the Invafions and
Encroachments of the Court, and curfed all
who oppos'd them, or complained of them?
Can they have the Forehead to complain of
Armies, of Taxes, or any fort of Oppreflton,
(however juft fuch Complains may be in
others,) they who have never fhewn them*
felves for any Government, but what fubfifted
by Armies and Oppreffion? They have been I
always mortal Foes to popular Liberty,
which thwarts and fruftrates all their afpiring
infatiable Views, and in every favourite Reign
preach'd it as impioufly down, as they preach-
ed up every growing and heavy Opprefliom

Nor did they ever quarrel with Kins %mesy
but confecrate all his Ufurpations, "his Ar-
mies, and difpenfing Power, till he gave
Liberty of Confcience to Diffenters, and till
fome of their own ili-contriv'd Oppreflions
were brought Home to their own Doors 5
and then they curfed their King, and help'd to
fend him a begging. They reYifted him, and
upon their Principles were Rebels to him, and
animated others to be fo, and have been dam-
ning you and the Nation for that Refinance

ever

CAfO's LETTERS. 117

ever fince ? Which is a full Confefiion, That
when a Popifii Tyrant plunders and oppreffes
you, you neithe_r can or ought to have any
Remedy j but it' he touches but a Tythe-Pig
or Surplice of theirs, their Heel is ready to
be lifted up againft him, and their Hands to
throw the Crown from his Head, and to put it
upon another, with frefh Oaths of Allegiance
and Obedience $ and to pull it off again in
fpite of thofe Oaths, or without any Forfei-
ture, or any juft Provocation. Is not this in-
famous Conduct of theirs manifeft to
Sight ? Does it not ftare you and every "Bri-
ton in the Face ? And yet will you be implicitly
led by fuch Traytors to God, to Truth, and
to you?

How did they behave towards King IPil-
liam^ whom they themfelves invited over? As
foon as he gave Liberty of Confcience to
Proteftant Diflenters, and he let them fee
that he would not be a blind Tool to a priefl-
ly Faction, but would equally protect all
his Subjects who were faithful to him, and
had fet himfelf at the Head of the Proteftant
Intereft, and every Year hazarded his Perfcn
in dangerous Battles and Sieges for the Liber-
ty of England and of Europe, againft the
moft dreadful Scourge and OppreiTor of Man-
kind that ever plagued the Earth ; they
were perpetually preaching and ha ranging, al-
ways calumniating, reviling, diftrefling, and
plotting againft him, and endeavouring to ren-
der all his Meafures, all his generous Attempts
for their own Security, abortive and ineffec-
tual.

n8 CA TO's LETT E R S. I

tual. Nor did they ufe the late Queen, their ,
own favourite Queen, or even thofe of their
own Party, who ferved her faithfully, one Jot
better, till {he fell into the Hands of a few
defperate Traytors to herfelf and them ? who i
gave away all the Advantages of a long, expen-
five, and fuccefsful War , put France into a
Condition to again enflave Eurofe, and to
place a Popifli Traytor, and an attainted Fu-
gitive upon the Throne of thefe Kingdoms,
(which he had undoubtedly done, if un-
forefeen Accidents had not prevented it). And
then what Encomiums, what Panegyricks,
what fulfomeand blafphemous Flattery, did
they beftow upon her Perfon and Actions, and
have done fo ever fince ?

Is not this, Gentlemen, ufing you like
Slaves, and worfe than Spaniels, making you
the tame Vaflals of Tyrants, and reftlefs Re-
bels to lawful Governors ? Is not this ufing you
like infenfible Inftruments, void of Reafon,
and of Confcience, of Prudence, and of
Property? Is this Teaching! this the Price
of their Revenues and Eafe ! this the Function
of Minifters ! or can human Invention, anima-
ted and aided by human Malice, draw the
Character of more unlimited, mercilefs, and
ontrageous Enemies ?

J AM) ckc.

LETTERS, up

GENTLEMEN,

AS I have in my laft and former Papers
given you fome faint Images of the Hypo-
crify, Pride, Tyranny, Perjury, Atheifm, and
reftlefs Ambition of the Jacobite and Difaffec-
ted Clergy, who conftantly miflead you, and
conftantly abufe you 5 f o I fhall in this inform
you what are their Views, what is the Butt
and Mark, to which they direct all their
Actions , what the Idol to which they facri-
fice their Honour, their Confcience, their
Religion, and their God. It is, Gentlemen,
to their Ambition and Pride : It is to get
you into their Power 5 to have the Difppfal
of your Perfons, your Opinions, and your
Eftates 5 and to make you ignorant,
miferable and flaviih, whilft they riot up-
on your Fortunes, and prey upon your In-
duftry. They look abroad with envious and
wifhing Eyes at the Revenues, Grandeur, and
Power of the Romife Clergy 5 and remember
with Regret, how they loft all thofe fine
Things at the Reformation, and they have ne-
ver loft Sight of them fince, but have been con-
ftantly involving you in Factions, in Mifery,
and often in Blood, to recover them again.

Popery is the moft dreadful Machine, the
utmoft Stretch of human Politicks, that ever
was invented amongft Men to aggrandize

and

no CAfO's LETTERS.

and enrich the Clergy, and to opprefs and en* :
{lave the Laity. All its Do&rines, all its
Views, all its Artifices, are calculated for the i
fole Advantage of the Priefts, and the De- j
ftru&ion of the People, at the Expence of Vir- ;
tue, good Government, common Senfe, and
the Gofpel. It is an open Confpiracy of the
Ecclefiafticks, againft all the reft of Man-
kind, to rob them of their Eftates, of their Con- ,
fciences, and their Senfes $ and to make
them the Dupes and tame Vaflals of fwacy
and ambitious Pedants. Look, Gentlemen,
into their Doctrines and their Practices, and fee
whether you can find the leaft Appearance of
Honour , Morality , common Honefty , or
Religion in them, or any thing but Pride,
Hypocrify, Fraud, Tyranny, and Domination.
What do they mean by the Power of the
Keys, of Binding and Looilng, of Excommu-
nication, of their being Mediators and Inter-
ceflbrs between God and you, by their pardon^
ing Sins, and their having the fole Power of
giving the Sacraments, which they tell you
are neceffary to Salvation, and their Doc-
trines about Purgatory, but to perfuade you,
if you are foolifh enough to believe them,
that your future Happinefs and Mifery de-
pend upon them ? And then they well know
that you will give the moft you have in this
World, to be fecure in the next.

What do they intend by telling you that
Bifhops are Jure Divino, by the Power of Or-
dination 5 and that they can alone make one
another j the indeliable Character, their unin-
terrupted Succdfton from the Apoftlesj by

their

's LETTERS. 121

their being able to give the Holy Ghoft, and
having it themfelves j but to create Reverence
to their Perfons, Submiffion to their Authority,
and to render themfelves independent on the
Civil Government ? And then they know
the Civil Government will be dependent
on them. What Purpoles does it ferve, to
make you believe that Tythes (which they
hold by Laws of your making) are Jure Divino $
that it is Sacrilege to refume Lands or Do.
nations, once given to the Clergy ; and that
they can never afterwards be alienated 5 but
conitantly to encreafe their Riches, and con-
fequently their Power, and Dependance, till
by the natural Courfe of Things they come to
be poflefs'd of all ? What do they mean by
their Holy Water, their Extreme Undlion,
their Exorcifms , their Confecration of
Churches and Church- Yards, and their abfurd
Notion of Tranfubftantiation, but to gain A-
deration to the priefily Character, as if he was
able by a few canting Words to change the
Nature of Things, blefs dead Earth and Walls,
and make a God out of Meal ? Why fo many
Monafteries and Nunneries, fo many religi-
ous Orders of Men and Women, io many
Fraternities, Colleges, and Societies of dif-
ferent Kinds, but to engage great Numbers of
young People and potent Families in their In-
terefl ? Why fo many antick Garbs, fo many
rich Veftments, fo many gaudy Shrines, fo ma-
ny deck'd Images ufed in their Worfhip, and
fo much pompous Devotion ? Why Organs and
fo much Mufick, fo many Singing-Men and
Singing-Boys, but to attrad the Eyes and
VOL, IV. F Ears,

i-22 NATO's LETTERS.

'Ears, and to. amufe the Understandings of
•the gaping Herd, and to make them forget
tfheir Senfes, and the plain natural Religion of
the'Gofpel, and to engage Men and Ladies of
rieafure in the Interefis of fo agreeable a De-
motion ?

How comes it to be a Part of Religion,
not to confefs our Sins to God, but to the
•Pri-eft? It lets him into all the Secrets of Fa-
milies, the Power of impofing what fevere Pe-
nances he pleafes upon fuperftitious Penitents,
and of commuting for thofe Penances j ac-
quaints him with all Defigns to the Difad-
•vantage of his Order ; gives him Opportunities
•of debauching Women himfelf, and procu-
ring them for others $ and holds them devo-
ted to his Will, by the Knowledge of their
moft important Concerns. And laftly, what
«lo they mean by the terrible Engine of the
Inquifition, and by their hellifh Doctrine of
Peifecution for Opinions j but to keep all
Men in A we of them, and to terrify thofe whom
they cannot deceive? Thefe are the favourite
Do£lrines of Popery! Thefe the DocTrines
.they are concerned for ! If you are rich, or
powerful, you may be as wicked as you pleafe,
and no Body ihall moleft you , nay, the Priefls
ihall be r^ady to aflift you, to^pimp for you,
and to pardon you. The fame is true of
the fpeculative Opinions held by that Church,
that do not a fife ft their Power and Pride:
They fuffer their Orders to differ about them,
and <lo not trouble themfelves what the Peo-
ple believe concerning them j nor are any of
the People at all concerned I'D them. The

abfurd '

CAltfs LETTERS, 123

-

abfurd Notions and ridiculous Wor/hip of the
PapiMs are only foolifh Things 5 but the Pow-
er of Popery is a terrible Thing. If a Man
adores rotten Bones, and ufes antick Geftures
towards them, he makes a Fool of himfelf,
but hurts not me, but if he would fob me*
torture me, or burn me, for not playing the
Fool too, it is Time to keep him at a Di-
ilance, or to hold his Hands. It is the Power
of Popery, the cruel, the infatiable, the kil-
ling Spirit of Popery, that is to be dreaded.
This, Gentlemen, is the Power, this the ter-
rible Condition that many of your Proteftant
Inftru6K)rs would bring you under, and which
you are to guard againft.

Thefe wicked Doctrines, thefe abfurd Opi-
nions, were all aboli/h'd, all renounc'd by
the firft Reformers, but were kept alive by
the corrupt Part of the Clergy, and have been
growing upon you ever fince : They have
been conniv'd at by fome, openly afTerted by
others, and, I wifli I could fay, as openly
difcountenanc'd by the reft. It would fill a
Volume, inftead of a Paper, to enumerate all
the Clergymen, in the higheft Repute a-
mongft their own Order, who have abetted
moft, if not all of thefe monilrous Opinions $
and 1 have heard as yet of none of them who
have been cenfur'd by any publick A61 of their
Body. I do confefs, many of the Corrupt a-
mongft them have. renounc'd the Pope's Au-
thority, as believing they might find fairer
Quarter from a King they educated, and
hop'd to govern, than from a foreign Prelate,
and his needy Priefts, who would plunder

"F 2 therrij

CATO's LETTERS.

them, opprefs them, and give away their
Revenues to his Creatures, and to lazy Monks
and Fryars, and they hoped too, forae favour-
able Opportunities might happen to get away
the Regale from the Crown $ and we never
had a Prince whom they could intirely go-
vern, or who would not be govern'd at all
by them, but they have laid Claim to it, and
attempted it. But what flood always in
their Way, and made all thefe Deflgns im-
practicable, was the Power of Parliament, and
the Liberties of the People, who preferv'd
the Prerogative of the Crown to preferve
themfelves $ and therefore they levell'd all
their Batteries againft publick Liberty, and
to make the Prince abfolute, as finding it much
eafler to flatter, miflead, or bargain with one
Man, (and often a weak one,) than to de-
ceive a whole People, and make them con-
fpire againft themfelves $ and if Perfuaiion,
Bigottry, and Fear, would not make him
practicable to their Defrgns, they knew that
Poifon and the Dagger were at Hand.

But now two hundred Years Experience
has convinc'd them, that the People will
not fuffer the Crown to part with the Regale,
nor would they themfelves part with their
Liberty 5 and till they do fo, there is no
Pcffibility of fettling a pompous Hierachy,
and gaining the Domination they afpire to $
and therefore they are reduc'd to accept bare-
fac'd Popery, and throw themfelves under
the Protection of the Holy Father : And that
Is the Game they are now playing. What
elfe, Gentlemen, can they propofe by a Po-

pifli

CATo's LETTERS. 125

pifn Revolution, but to fhare in the Power
and Tyranny that attends it ? They have not
fufficient Stipends for the daily Miichiefs they
do : They want greater Revenues, and an
Ecclefiaftical Inquifition. Now, at whofe
Expence think you muft: this Accumulation
of Wealth which they thirft for be acquir'd ?
How muft this Babel of Authority which they
pant after be rais'd ? Not at the Expence of
the Pretender, by whofe AfTiftance they mull:
gain them : No, Gentlemen, from your Cof-
fers thefe Riches muft be drain'd : Over you
this Tyranny muft be exercis'd : The utter
Extinction of your Liberties muft conftitute
their Grandeur : The final Seizure of your
Lands and Properties muft fupport their Do-
mination : You muft be the poor harafs'd
Slaves of a monftrous two-headed Tyranny, and
be conftantly and inhumanly crufh'd between
the upper and the nether Miiftone of the
Regale and Pontificate, and, in any Difpute
betwixt them, be given to Satan on one Side,
and to the Executioner on both.

Many of you are in PoiTeflion of Impro-
priations, and of Abbey-Lands, and are pro-
tected by the Conftitution in thofcPoffeffions,
which thefe reverend Cheats would rob you
of , and only want an arbitrary and a Popifn
Government te enable them to commit that
Robbery, to ftrip you to the Skin, and to
reduce the Englifb Laity to be once more hum-
ble Cottagers and Vaflals to the Monks, Fry-
ars, and other Eeclefiaftical Gluttons, to
whom the whole Riches of a great Nation
will be no more than fufficient Wages for

F 3 cheat-

I2S CATO's LETTERS.

cheating and oppreffing it. I bring you*
Gentlemen,, no falfe Charge againft the Jaco-
bite Clerer : Do they not claim vour Eftates

J

publickly from the Prefs and the Pulpit 5 and
from the Pulpit and the Prefs charge you with
Sacrilege, and damn you for keeping them ?
Yes, Gentlemen, thefe reverend and (elf-deny-
ing Teachers damn you for keeping your
own legal j^cfTefftons, and for eating your own
Bread. Now I would leave you to reafon
upon this Conduct of theirs, to confider how
nearly it affects you, and whether it tends,
nnd what Sort of Proteflants thefe Doctors
are. If the Publick takes nothing from them
which they occupied flnce the Reformation,
why fhould they deftroy the Government, but
5n hopes of deflroying the Reformation, to
get PoffeiBon of Popifh Lands, and Popifh
Power j which, while the Reformation and the
Government fubfiff, they can never pofTefs.

That this, Gentlemen, is what they aim atv
\is impoffible to doubt. Lejlc}\ long their
^Favourite and Director, who knew their
Inclinations, knew their Views, and the beft
Way to apply to them, and to gain them,
in his Letter to the Clergy, (as I think it
was,) which was to ufher in the Rebellion at
the Beginning of his Majefty's Reign, promifes
them an Independance upon the Crown, and
that they fhould chufe their own Bifhops. It
is Dominion, it is Power, they court 5 it is
themfelves they adore ^ When have they con-
fider'd you, or your Interefts, when they
thought they could make a Bargain for them-
fdves ? When King James apply'd to the Bifhops.

upon

CAT&s LETTERS. 127

upon his Fears of an Invafion from your great
Deliverer, and defired them to propofe the
Nation's Grievances, what Grievances did
they reprefent but their own trifling Com-
plaints? They faid nothing of Sranding-Arrnies,
how much icever they complain of them now,
WTho are their Favourites ? Even Papifls
and Nonjurors, known Rebels,, or Men
of rebellious Principles, the moft ambitious
and wicked amongft the Clergy, and. the moil:
debauch'd and ftupid amongft the Laity,,
"What Sermons have they preach'd,. what Books-,
have they wrote, againft Popery,, though their.
Flocks are every Day decreasing ? What Ex-
hortations againft Popifh Principles, which
are conftantly growing upon us? Whom do.
they treat as their avow'd Enemies, but the
Friends to the Revolution, the moft fted-
dy Friends to the Eftabliftiment they have
fworn to, the ProteftantDiflenters, and fuch of
their own Body as regard their Oaths, and the
Principles of the Reformation? What have
you gained by all the Favours lately fhewn to
them ? Which of them have been oblig'cl,
by thefe Conceffions ? You have given them
the Firft Fruits: Yrou have in effecl: repeal'd
the Statute of Mortmain: You have given
them a fhorter Method to recover their Tithes s
You have encreas'd their Number and
FJches by building more Churches: Yoii*
have fate ftill, whilft they have been deftroying-
the Modus'* through England, buying up you?,
Advowfon?, and extorting upon their Te-
nants, and making thole Eftates more pre-
carious, which were always before elieem'd

F 4, ' ass

CATo's LETTERS.

as certain Interefts as any in Great 'Britain:
las all this obiig'd them? Has it taught
them Moderation? On the contrary, it en~
creafes their Demands upon you. Be afTur'd,
they will never be fatisfy'd, never think they
have enough whilfl you have a.Penny left 5
and-when they have got all your Lands, they
nuifl ride and enflave your Perfons.

Will you bear, Gentlemen, fuch conftant
and jmpudent Infults ? Will you ftill be go-
vern d by fuch abandon'd Deceivers ? Are
you Men, free Men, rational Men, and will
you bear this wild and prieftly War againft
human Nature, againft Freedom, and againft
Reafon? Will you indeed believe them,
when they pretend any Regard to you and your
Interest ? And is it upon your Score that they
pra.aice Perjury andRebellion themfelves, and
promote it in others ?

I ant) &c.

S I I?,

WHEN, in King William^ Reign, the
Queftion was in Debate, Whether En-
gland fhould be rul'd by Standing Armies ?
the Argument commonly us'd by fome who
had the Preemption to call themfelves Whigs,
and own'd in the Ballancing Letter, (fuppos'd
to be written by one who gave the World
to all the reft) was, That all Governments

mud

Carp's LETTERS. 129

muft have their Periods one Time or other s
and when that Time came, all Endeavours
to preferve Liberty were fruitless 5 and
fhrewd Hints were given in that Letter, that
England was reduced to fuch a Condition 5 that
our Corruptions were fo great, and the Difla •
tisfaftion of the People was fo general,
that the publick Safety could not be pre-
ferved, but by encreaiing the Power of the
Crown: And this Argument was us'd by
thofe fhamelefs Men, who had caus'd all that
Corruption, and all that DiflTatisfaclion.

But that Gentleman and his Followers
were foon taught to fpeak other Language:
They wereremov'd from the Capacity of per-
plexing publick Affairs any more : The Nati-
on fhew'd a Spirit that would not fubmit to
Slavery 5 and their unhappy and betray'd
Mafter, from being the moft popular Prince
who ever fat upon the Englijl Throne, became,
through the Treachery of his Servants, fuf-
, peeled by many of his beft Subjects, and
was render'd unable, by their Jealoufies, to
defend himfelf and them , and fo confidera-
ble a Faction was form'd agamft his Adminiftra-
tion, that no good Man can reflec't without
Concern and Horror, on the Difficulties which
that Great and Good King was reduced to
grapple with, during the Remainder of his
troublefome Reign.

I have lately met with fome Creatures and
Tools of Power, who fpeak the fame Lan-
guage now : They tell us, that Matters are
come to that Pafs, that we muft either receive
the Pretender, or keep him out with Bribes

•F ? and

- CAf'0% LETTERS.

and Standing Armies: That the Nation is
corrupt, that there is no governing it by any
other Means : And, in jhort, that we mult
fubmit to. this great Evil, to prevent a greater 5.
as if any Mifchief could be more terrible than
the higheft and moft terrible of all Mifchiefs,,
universal Corruption, and a military Govern-
ment. It is indeed impoffible for the Subtil-
t-y of Traitors, the Malice of Devils, or for
the Cunning and Cruelty of our moft implaca-
ble Enemies, to fuggefl- ftronger Motives for-
the undermining and Overthrow of our ex-
cellent Eflabli/hmenf, which is built upon
the Eteil ruction of Tyranny, and can fland
upon no. other Bottom. It is Madnefs in Ex-
tremity, to hope that a Government founded
upon Liberty, and the free Choice of the A£
fertors of it, can be fupported by other Prin-
ciples. 5 and whoever would maintain it by
Contrary ones,, intends to blow it up, let him
alledga what he will.. This gives me every
Bay new Reafons to believe what 1 have long*
fi'Jpecled 5 for if ever a Queftion Ihould a-
rife2.. Whether- a Nation fhall fijbmit to certain
R-uin, or ftruggle for a Remedy? thefe Gen-
•riemen well know which Side they will chufe9
and: certainly intend that which they muft
chufe..

I am willing to think, that- thefe impotent
Babblers fpeak not the Senfe of their Supe-
•riors, but woi;ld make fervile Court to them
from Topicks whi'ch they -abhor. Their Su-
periors muft know-, that it is Raving and
Phrenzy to affirm, that a free People can be
long governed by impotent Terrors 5 that Mil-.

lions

C'A-TO's LET TE R'S. 131;

lions will confent to be ruin'd by the Corrup-
tions of a few, or that thofe few will join in,
their Ruin any longer than the Corruption*
lails : That every Day new and greater De-
mands will rife upon the Corruptors j that
no Revenue, how great foever, will feed the
Voracioufnefs of the Corrupted 5 and that
every Difappointment will make them turn
upon the OpprefTors of their Country, and
fall into its true Intereft and their own :
That there is no Way in Nature to preferve a
Revolution in Government, but by making
the People eafy under it, and Shewing them
their Interefi in it 5 and that Corruption, Bri-
bery, and Terrors, will make no larting Friends;,,
but infinite and implacable Enemies 5 and
that the beft Security of a Prince amongft a
free People, is the. Affections of his People,,
which he can a] . .,ys gain by making- their/
Imereft his own, and by /hewing that all
his Views tend to their Good. They will
, then, as they love themfelves, love him, and
defend him who defends them. Upon thii
faithful Bafis, h:s Safety will be better efta-
blifh'd, th.m upon the ambitious and varia-
ble Leaders of a few Legions, who may be
corrupted, difoblig'd, or furpriz'd, and- ofti'ii-
have been fo 5 and hence great Revolution';
have been brought about, and great Nations
undone, only by the Revolt of fingle- Regi-
ments..

Shew a Nation their Intered, and they will,
certainly fall into it: A whole People can
have no Ambition but to be govern'd juitly •*•
and when they are, fo, v the Intrigues and

CA TO's LETTERS.

of Particulars will fall upon
their own Heads. What has any of o.ur for-
mer Courts ever got by Corruption, but to
difaffecT: the People, and weaken themfelves ?
Let us now think of other Methods, if it is
only for the Sake of the Experiment. The
Ways of Corruption have been tried long
enough in paft Administrations : Let us try
in this what publick Honefty will do ; and
not condemn it, before we have fully prov'd
it, and found -it ineffectual ; and it will be Time
enough to try other Methods, when this
foils,

That we muft either receive the Pretender,
or keep up great Armies to keep him out,
is frightful and unnatural Language to En-
llljh Ears : It is an odd Way of dealing with
us, that of offering us, or forcing upon us,
an Alternative, where the Side which they
would recommend, is full as formidable as
the Side from which they would terrify u-s.
If we are to be govern'd by Armies, it is
all one to us, whether they be Proteftant
or Popi/h Armies $ the DiftincTrion is ridiculous,
like that between a good and a bad Tyranny :
We fee, in Effect, thar it is the Power and
Arms of a Country, that forms and direfls
the Religion of a Country $ and I have be-
fore /hewn, that true Religion cannot fub-
M, where true Liberty does not. Jt was
chiefly, if not wholly King James's ufurp'd
Power, and his many Forces, and not his
being a Papift, that rendered him dreadful
to his People. Military Governments are all
alike 5 nor does the Liberty and Property

o.f

CATO's LETTERS. 133

of the Subject fare a bit the better or the
worfe, for the Faith and Opinion of the
Soldiery. Nor does an Arbitrary Proteftant
Prince ute his People better than an Arbitra-
ry Popifh Prince 3 and we have feen both
Sorts of them changing the Religion of their
Country, according to their Luft.

They are therefore ftupid Politicians, who
would derive Advantages from a Diftinclion
which is manifeflly without a Difference : It
is like, however, that they may improve in
their Subtilties, and come, in time, to diftin-
guifh between corrupt Corruption, and uncor-
rupt Corruption, between a good ill Admini-
ftration, and an ill good Adminiftration,
between oppreffive Oppreffion, and unop-
preflive Oppreffion, and between French Dra-
gooning and Enghjh Dragooning 5 for there
is fcarce any other new Pitch of Nonfenfe
and Con tradition left to fuch Men in their
Reafonings upon Publick Affairs, and in the
Part they acl: in them.

Of a Piece with the reft, is the fiupid Cun-
ning of fome Sort of Statefmen, and praclis'd
by moft Foreign Courts, to blame the poor
People for the Mifery they bring upon
them. They fay they are extremely corrupt,
and fo keep them fhrving and enflav'd by
Way of Protection. They corrupt them by
all manner of Ways and Inventions, and
then reproach them for being corrupt. A
whole Nation cannot be bribed, and if its Re-
prefentatives are, it is not the Fault, but the
Misfortune, of the Nation : And if the Cor-
rupt fave themfeives by corrupting others,

the

C^TO's LETTERS;

the People who fuffer by the Corruptions of
both, are to be pitied, -and not abus'd. Ko-
thing can be more fhamelefs and provoking,
than to bring a Nation by execrable Frauds
and Extortions, . againft its daily Protections
and Remonftrances, into a miferable pafs, and,
then father all thofe Villanies upon the Peo-
ple who would have gladly hang'd the Au-
thors of them. At Rome, the whole People
could be entertain'd, feafted, and bribed , but
it is not fo elfewhere, where the People are
too numerous, and too far fpread, to be de-
bauch'd, cajol'd, and purchas'd 5 and if any
of their Leaders are, it is without the Peo-
ple's Confent.

There is fcarcefuch a Thing under the Sun
as a corrupt People, where the Government
is uncorrupt : It is that, and that alone, which
makes them fo $ and to calumniate them for
what they do not feek, but fufter by, is as
great Impudence as it would be, to knock a
Man down, and then rail at him for hurting
himfelf. In what Inftances- do the People
of any Country in the World throw away
their Money by Millions, uiilefs by trufting
it to thofe who do fo ? Where do the People
iend great Fleets, at a great Charge, to be
frozen up in one Climate, or to be'eaten out
by Worms in another, unlefs for their Trade
and Advantage ? Where do the People enter
into mad Wars againft their Interefr, or,,
after vic~lorious ones, make Peace,, without
stipulating for one new Advantage for
themfelves ^ but, on the contrary, pay the.
Enemy for having beaten them?. Where.

do

LETTERS. 135

do the People plant Colonies or purchafe
Provinces, at a vaft Expence, without reap-
ing, or expecting to reap, one Farthing from
them, and yet iUll defend them at a further
Expence ? Where do the People make di-
{haded Bargains, to get imaginary Milli-
ons, and after having loit by fuch Bargains
almoft all the real Millions they had, yet give
more Millions to get rid of them? What wife
or dutiful People confents to be without the
Influence of the Prefence of their Prince,
and of his Venues, or of thofe of his Fami-
ly, who are to come after him ? No, .

thefe Things are never done by any People 5
but wherever they are done, they are done
w thout their Cv^-ntj and yet all thefe
Things have been «ione informer Ages, and in
neighbouring Kingdoms.

For fuch guilty and corrupt Men, there-
fore, to charge the People with Corruption,
whom either they have corrupted, or cannot
corrupt, and, having brought great Mifery
upon them, to threaten them with more 5 is,
in effect, to tell them plainly, " Gentlemen,
'* we have us'd you very ill, for which you.
" who are innocent of it, are to blarney
** we therefore find it neceffary, for your,
11 Good, to ufe you no better, or rather
" worfe : And if you will not accept of
«* this our Kindnefs, which, however, we will
<fr force upon you, if we can, we will give
" you up into the terrible Hands of raw Head
" and bloody Bones • who, being your Enemy,
" may do you as much M fchief as we,
*** who are your. Friends, have done you."

1

CATO's LETTERS.

I appeal to common Senfe, Whether this
be not the Sum of fuch Threats and Reafon-
ings in their native Colours.

The Partisans of Oliver Cromwell, when he
was meditating Tyranny over the Three Na-
tions, gave our, that it was the only Expe-
dient to ballance Factions, and to keep out
Cbaries Stuart :, and fo they did worfe Things
to keep him our, than he could have done
if they had let him in. And, after that
King's Restoration, when there was an At-
tempt made to make him abfolute, by enabling
him to raife Money without Parliament, (an
Attempt which every Courtier, except Lord
Clarendon, came into) it was alledg'd to be
the only Expedient to keep the Nation from
falling back into a Commonwealth 5 as if
any Commonwealth upon Earth was not
better than any Abfolute Monarchy. His
Courtiers forefaw, that by their mad and extra-
vagant Meafures, they Should make the
Nation mad, and were willing to fave them-
felves by the final Deftruclion of the Nation 3
they therefore employ 'd their Creatures to
whifper abroad flupid and villanous Reafons,
why People fhould be content to be finally
undone, left fomething not near fo bad,
fhould befall them.

Thofe who have, by abufing a Nation, for-
feited its Afreclione, will never be for trufting
a People, who, they know, do juftly deteft
them 5 but having procured their Averfion and
Enmity, will be for fortifying themfelves
againfV it by all proper Ways $ and the Ways
of Corruptions Depredation and Force,

being

CAfO's LETTERS. 137

being the only proper ones, they will not
fail to be praclis'd 5 and thofe who practice
them, when they can no longer deny them,
will be finding Reafons to juflify them 5 and,
becaufe they dare not avow the true Rea-
fons, they muft find fuch falfe ones as are
moft likely to amufe and terrify : And hence
fo much Nonfenfe and Improbability utter'd
in that Reign, and fometimes fince, to vindi-
cate guilty Men, and vilify an innocent Pec-
pie, who were fo extravagantly fond of that
Prince, that their Liberties were almoft gone,
before they would believe them in Dan-
ger.

It is as certain, that King James II. wan-
ted no Army to help him to preferve the Con-
ftitution, nor to reconcile the People to their
own Intereft : But, as he intended to invade
and deftroy both, nothing but Corruption
and a Standing Army could enable him to do
it 5 and (thank God) even his Army fail'd
him, when he brought in Irijb Troops to help
them. This therefore was his true De-
fign $ but his Pretences were very different :
He Pleaded the Neceffity of his Affairs, nay,
of Publick Affairs, and of keeping up a good
Standing Force to Preferve his Kingdoms,
forfooth, from Infults at home and from abroad.
This was the Bait 5 but his People, who had
no longer any Faith in him, and to whom the
Hook appear'd threatning and bare, would
not believe him, nor fwallowit; and if they
were jealous of him, reftlefs under him, and
ready to rife againft him, he gave them fuffici-
ent Gaufe. He, was under no Hardfhip nor

Necef-

CATo's LETTERS,

Neceffity but what he created to himfelf, nor
did his People withdraw their Affeftions from
him, till he had withdrawn his Right to thofe
Affeftions. ^Thofe who have usvd you ill,
will never forgive you 5 and it is no new
Thing wantonly to make an Enemy, and then
to calumniate and deftroy him for being fo.

When People, through continual ill^Uftge,

grow weary of their prefent ill Condition,

'they will be fo far from being frightened with

a Change, that they will wifh for one 5 and

inftead of terrifying them, by threatniiag them

with one, you do but pleafe them, even in

Inflances where they have no Reafon to be

pleas'd. Make them happy, and they will

dread any Change 5 but while they are ill us'd,

they will not fear the won't. The Authors of

publick Mifery and Plunder, may feek their

only Safety .in general Defolation 5 bur> to the

People, nothing can be worfe than Ruin,

from what Hand foever it comes : A Proteftant

Musket kills as fure as a Popi/h one 5 and an

Oppreflbr is an Oppreflbr, to whatever Church

he belongs : The Sword and the Gun are of

every Church, and fo are the Inflruments of

Oppreffion. The late Directors were all ftanch

Protetlants 5 and Cromwell had a violent Aver-

iion to Popery.

We are, doubtlefs, under great Neceffi-
ties in our prefent Circumftances 5 but to
increafe them, in order to cure them, would
be a prepofterous Remedy, worthy only of
them who brought them upon us 5 and who,,
if they had common Shame in them, would;
conceal, as far as they could, under Silence,

the,

CATo's LETT ERS. 139

the heavy Evils, which, tho' they lie upon
every Man's Shoulders, yet lie only at the
Doors of a few. The Plea of NecefRtv. if

-. . * -

it can betaken, will juftify any Mifchief, and
the worft Mifchiefs. Private Neceflity makes
Men Thieves and Robbers, but publick Ne-
cefiity requires that Robbers of all Sizes
fhould be hang'd. Publick NeceiUty there-
fore, and the Neceflity of fuch pedant Poli-
ticians, are different and cppofite Things,
There is no Doubt, but Men guilty of great
Crimes, would be glad of an enormous Power
to protect them in the greateft 5 and then
tell us there is a Keceifity, for it. Thofe
againft whom Juftice is arm VI, will ever talk
thus, and ever think it neceffary to difarm
her. But whatever fincere Services they may
mean to themfelves by if, they can mean none
to his Majefty, who would be undone with
his Subjects, by fuch treacherous and ruinous
Services: And therefore it is fit that Mankind
fhould know, and they themfelves fhould
know, that his Majefly can and will be de-
fended againft them and their Pretender,
without Standing Armies, which would make
him formidable only to his People, and con-
temptible to his Foes, who take juftly the
Meafure of his Power from his Credit with
his Subjecls.

But I fliall confider what pfefent Occafion
there is of keeping up more Troops than the
ufual Guards and Garrifons, and fhall a little
further animadvert upon the Arts and frivo-
lous Pretences made Ufe of, in former Reigns,
to reduce this Government to the Condition

and

i4o euro's LETTERS.

and Model of the pretended Jure-Divino- Mo-
narchies, where Millions muft be miferable
and undone, to make one and a few of his
Creatures Iawlefs3 rampant, and unfafe.

lam, &c.

S I R,

TT is certain, that Liberty is never fo much
••• in danger, as upon a Deliverance from Sla-
very. The remaining Dread of the Mifchiefs
efcaped, generally drives or decoys Men in-
to the fame or greater ; for then the Paffions
and Expectations of fome run high, and
the Fears of others make them fubmit to any
Misfortunes, to avoid an Evil that is over 5
and both Sorts concur in giving to a Deliverer,
all that they are delivered from : In the Tran-
fports of a Restoration, or Victory, or upon
a Plot difcover'd, or a Rebellion quelPd, no-
thing 13 thought too much for the Benefactor,
nor any Power too great to be left to his Dif-
cretion, tho' there can never be lefs Reafon
for giving it to him than at thofe Times 5 be-
caufe, for the moft part, the Danger is pair,
his Enemies are defeated and intimidated, and
confequently that is a proper Juncture for the
People to fettle themfelves, and fecure their
Liberties, fince no one is likely to difturb
them in doing fo.

However,

CAfO's LETTERS. 141

However, I confefs, that Cuftom, from
Time immemorial, is againft me, and the
fame Cuftom has made moft of Mankind
Slaves : dgatboehs faved the Syracufans^ and
afterwards deftroyed them. Pijtftr^ttts pre-
tending to be wounded for prote&ing the
People, prevailed with them to allow him a
Guard for the Defence of his Perfon, and by
the Help of that Guard ufurpM the Sove-
reignty : Cefar and Mart us deliver'd the Com-
mons of Rome, from the Tyranny of the No-
bles, and made themfelves Matters of both
Commons and Nobles : SyUa deliver'd the
Senate from the Infolence of the People, and
did them more Mifchiet than the Rabble
could have done in a Thoufand Years : Gu-
ftxvus Erlcfon delivered the Swedes from the
Oppreffion of the Danes, and made large Steps
towards enflaving them himfelf : The Ant-
•werpians call'd in the Duke of Aliencon^ to
defend them againft the Spaniards $ but he
was no fooner got, as he thought, in full
Poffeflion of their Town, but he fell upon
them himfelf with the Forces which he
brought for their Defence. But the Townf-
men happened to be too many for him, and
drove thefe their new Protectors home again :
Which Difappointment, and juft Difgrace,
broke that good Duke's Heart. Oliver Crom-
•well headed an Army which pretended to
fight for Liberty, and by that Army became
a bloody Tyrant j as I once faw a Hawk very
generoufly refcue a Turtle Dove from the Pcr-
fecution of two Crows, and then eat him up
himfelf.

Almoft

CA ro's LETTERS.

Alaioft all Men clefire Power, and few lofe
any Opportunity to get it, and all who are
like to fuffer under it, ought to be ftri&Iy
upon their Guard in fuch Conjunctures as are
irioft likely to encreafb, and make it uncon-
troulable. There are but two Ways in Nature
to enilave a People, and continue that Slavery
over them 5 the firft is Superftition, and the
Lfft is Force ; By the'one, we are perfWaded
that it is our Duty to be undone 5 and the-
other undoes us whether .we will or m . I
take it, that we are pretty much out of Dan-
ger of the firfl, at prefent 3 and, I think, we
cannot be too much upon our guard agamft
the other j for, though we have nothing to ,
fear from the bed Prince iu the World, yet j I
we have every thing to fear from thofe who
would give him a Power inconfiftent with
Liberty, and with a Conftitution which has
laOed aimoft a Thoufand Years without fuch
a Power, which will neverbe ask'd with an
Intention to make no Ufe of it.

The Nation was fo mad, upon the Reflo-
ration of King Charles II. that they gave to
him all that he ask'd, and more than heask'd":
They complemented' him with a vail Revenue
for Life, and almbit with our Liberties and-
Religion too , and if unforefeen Accidents
had not happeaM to prevent it, without doubt
we had loft both 5 and if his Succeffor could
have had a little Patience, and had ufed no
Rogues but his old Rogues, he might have
accomplifhed the Eunnefs, and Popery and
•Arbitrary Power had been Jtire Dhino at this
Day 5 but he made too much hafte to be

C A TV's LETT E R S. 143

at the End of his Journey 5 and his Priefls
were in too much hafle to be on Horfeback
too, and fo the Bead grew skittilh, and over-
threw them both.

Tnen a new Set of Deliverers arofe, who
had faved us from King James's Army, and
would hav€ given us a bigger in the Room of
it, and fome of them Foreigners 5 and told
us that the King longed for them, and it was
a. Pity that fo good a Prince fliould lofe his
Longing, and mifcarry $ but he did lofe if, ,
and mifcarried no otherwife than by loiing
a great Part of the Confidence which many
of his beil Subjects before had in his Mode-
ration 5 which Lofs made the Remainder of
his Reign uneafy to him, and to every good
Man who faw it. I remember, all Men then
declared againft a Standing Army, and the
Courtiers amongft the reir, who were only for
a Land-Force, to be kept up no longer than till
the King of France disbanded his, and till the
Kingdom was fettled, and the People better
fatis-fied with the Adminiftration $ and then
there w<is nothing left to do, in order to per-
petuate them, but to take care that the Peo-
ple fnould never be fatisfied : An Art often,
praclis'd with an amazing Succefs.

The Re^fons then given for keeping up an
Army were, the great Number of Jacobites,
tV>e Difaffeclion of the Clergy and Univer-
iuies, the Power and Enmity of France y and
theNeceility of preferving ib excellent a Body
of Troops to maintain the Treaty of Parti- ,
tion, which they had newly and wifely maae :
But notwithstanding the Army was disband-
ed 5

i44 euro's LETTERS.

ed ; no Plot, Confpiracy, or Rebellion, bap-
pen'd by their disbanding : The Partition-
Treaty was broke 5 a new Army was rais'd,
which won Ten times as many Victories as
the former, and Europe, at laft, is fettled upon
a much better Foot than it would have been
by the Partition-Treaty. The Emperor is as
ftrong as he ought to be. The Dutch have
a good Barrier. Another Power is rais'd in
Europe to keep the Baliance even, which nei-
ther can nor will be formidable to us without
our own Fault 5 France is undone, and the Re-
gent muft be our Friend, and have Depen-
dance upon our Protection 5 fo that fome few
of thefe Reafons are to do now, what altoge-
ther could not do then, tho' we are not the
tenth Part fo well able to maintain them as we
were then.

1 fhould be "lad to know in what Situation
of our Affairs it can be fafe, to reduce our
Troops to the ufual Guards and Garrifons,
if it cannot be done now : There is no Power
in Europe confiderable enough to threaten us,
who can have any Motives to do fo, if we
purfue the old Maxims and natural Intereft of
Great Britain:, which is, To meddle no farther
ivrtb Foreign Squabble^ than to 'keep the Baliance
even between France and Spain : And this islefs
neceflary too for us to do now, than formerly j
becaufe the Emperor and Holland are able to
do it, and muft and will do it without us, or
at leaft with but little of our Afiiftance 5 but
if we unneceflarily engage againft the Interefts
of either, we muft thanFoarfelves, if they

endeavour

CATO's LETTERS. i45

endeavour to prevent the Effects of it, by
finding us Work at Home.

When the Army was disbanded in King
William's Reign, a Prince was in Being who
was perfonally known to many of his former
Subjects, and had obliged great Numbers of
them 5 who was fupported by One of the moft
powerful Monarchs in the World, that had
won numerous Victories, and had almofl al-
ways defeated his Enemies, and who ftill pre-
ferved his Power and his Animofity : His pre-
tended Son was then an Infant, and for any
Thing that then appear'd, might have proved
an active and a dangerous Enemy, and it was
to be fear'd, that his Tutors might have edu-
cated him a half Proteftant, or at lead have
taught him to have drfguis'd his true Religi-
on : At that Time, the Revolution, and Re-
volution-Principles, were in their Infancy $
and moft of the Bifliops and dignified Clergy,
as well as many others in Employment, owed
their Preferments and Principles to the abdi-
cated Family, and the Reverie of this, is our

Cafe now.

France has been torn to Pieces by numerous
Defeats, its People and Manufactures deftroy'd
by War, Famine, the Plague, and their M/f-
ffpft Company 3 and they are fo divided at
Home, that they will find enough to do to
fave themfelves without troubling their Neigh-
bours, and efpecially a Neighbour from whom
the governing Powers there, hope for Pro-
tection. The Prince, who pretended to the
Thrones of thefe Kingdoms, is dead, and he
who calls himfelf hks Heir is a bigot ted Papii* ^

Vot.IV, G and

euro's LETTERS.

and has given but little Caufe to fear any
Thing from his Abilities or his Prowefs. The
Principles of Liberty are now well underftood,
and few People in this Age, are Romantick
enough to venture their Lives and Eilates for
the perfonal Interefts ofr one they know no-
thing of, or nothing to his Advantage 5 and
we ought to take Care that they fhall not find
their own Intereft in doing it ; and, 1 con-
ceive, nothing is neceiTary to effecT: this, but
to refoive upon it. Alrnoft all the dignified
Clergy, and all the Civil and Military Officers
in the Kingdom, owe their Preferments to the
Revolution^ and are as Loyal to his Majefty
as h-e himfelf can wifh. A very great Part of
the Property of the Kingdom ftands upon the
iame Bottom with the Revolution. Every
Day's Experience, (hews us how devoted the
Nobility are to gratify their King's juft De-
iires and Inclinations $ and nothing can be
more certain, than that the prefenf Houfe of
Commons, are mo ft dutifully and affeftionate-
ly inclin'd to the true Intereft of the Crown,
and to the Principles to which his Majefty
owes it. And befides all this Security, a new
Confpiracy has been difcovered and defeated 5
which gives full Occafion and Opportunity to
prevent any fuch Attempts for the future $
which can never be done, but by puniihing
the prefent Confpirators, and giving no Pro-
vocation to new ones 5 in both which, I hope,
^e fhall have the hearty Concurrence of thofe
who have the Honour to be employed by his
Majefty j by which they will fliew, that they
are as zealous to prevent the Neceffity of

Standing

CAfO's LETTERS. 147

Standing Armies, as I doubt not but the Par-
liament will be.

I prefume, no Man will be audacious enough
to propofe, that we fhould make a Standing
Army Part of our Constitution 5 and, if not,
When can we reduce them to a competent-
Number better than at this Time ? Shall we
wait till France has recover'd its prefent Di&-
culties 5 till it's King is grown to full Age
and Ripenefs of Judgment ; till he has diffi-
pated all Factions and Difcontents at Home,
and is fallen into the natural Interefts of his
Kingdom, or perhaps afpires to Empire again '•
Or Vhall we wait till the Emperor, and King
of Spain, have divided the Bear's Skin, and
poffibly become good Friends, as their Pre-
deceffors have been for the greateft Part of
two Centuries, and perhaps cement that
Friend/hip, by uniting for the common In
terefts of their Religion " Or till Madam
Sooiesky's Heir is of Age, who may have Wit
enough to think, that the Popifh Religion is
dearly bought at the Price of Three \ing-
doms ? Or are we never to Disband, till £«-
rope is fettled according to iome modern
Schemes ? Or till there are no Malecontents
in England, and no People out of Employ-
ments who delire to be in them.

Tus certain, that all Parts of Europe which
are enilaved, have been enflaved by Armies,
and 'tis abfolutely impoffible, that any Na-
tion which keeps them amongft themfelvps,
can long preferve their Liberties 5 nor can
any Nation perfectly lofe their Liberties, who
arc without fuch Guefts : And yet, though

G a all

i43 CAfo's LET TERS.

all Men fee this, and at Times confefs it, yet
all have join'd, in their Turns, to bring this
heavy Evil upon themfelves and their 'Coun-
try. Cbarles the Second, formed his Guards
into a little Army, and his SuccefTor encreafed
them to three -or four Times their Number,
and without doubt thefe Kingdoms had been
enflaved, if known Events had not prevented
it. We had no fooner efcaped thefe Dan-
gers, but King Williams Miniftry form'd De-
iigns for an Army again, and neglecled Ire-
land (which might have been reduced by a.
Meffage) till the Enemy was fo flrong, that
a great Army was neceflary to recover it ,
and when all was done abroad, that an Army
-was wanted for, they thought it convenient
to find fome Employment for them at Home.
However, the Nation happened not to be of
their Mind, and disbanded the greatell Part
of them, without finding any of thefe Dan-
gers they were threatned with from their Dif-
banding. A new Army was raifed again,
when it became neceffary, and disbanded a-
gain-, when there was no more Need of them 5
and his prefent Majefty came peaceably to his
Crowns, by the Laws alone, notwithstanding
all the Endeavours to keep him out, by long
Meafures concerted to that Purpofe.

It could not be expe<5led, from the Nature
•of human Affairs, that thofe who had for-
med a Defign for re'&oring the Pretender, had
taken fuch large Steps towards it, and were
lure to be fupported in it by fo powerful an
AHiftance as France was then capable of giving,
H;otdd immediately lofe Si^ht* of fo agreeable

or

A rrol-

.

's LETTERS. 149

a Profpea of Wealth and Power, as they Bad
before enjoyed in Imagination $ yet it feems
vpry Plain to me, that 'all the Difturbance
which afterwards happened, might have been
prevented by a few timely Remedies 5 and
when at laft it was defeated with a vaft
and Hazard, we had the Means in our Hands,
of rooting out all Seeds of Fadion and future
Rebellions, without doing any Thing to pro-
voke them 3 and 'tis certain, his Majefty was
ready to do every Thing on his Part to that
Purpofe, which others over and over promiied
us j and what they have done, befides obli-
ging the Nation with a Septennial Parliament,
encreafing the publick Debts a great many
Millions, and by the South-Sea Projea paying
them off, I leave to themfelves to declnre.

However, I cont'efs, an Army at laft be-
came neceflary, and an Army was rai fed Time
enough to beat all who oppofed it : Some ot
them have been knock'd on the Head, many
carried in Triumph, fome hang'd, and others
confifcated, as they well deferred $ and, I pre-
fume, the Nation would fcarce have been in
the Humour to have kept up an Army to fight
their Ghofts, if a terrible Invafion had not
threatned us from Sweden, which however,
was at laft frightned into a Fleet of Colliers*
or Naval Stores, indeed I have forgot which.
This Danger being over, another Tucceeded,
and had like to have ftole upon us from Caler,
notwithftanding all the Intelligence we could
poflibly get from Gibraltar, which lyes juft
it 5 and this fhews, by the way, the little Uie
of that Place: But we have miraculouily

G ! efcaped

ijo CATO's LETTERS.

efcaped that Danger too ; the greatefl Part
of their Fleet was difperfed in a Storm, and
our Troops have actually defeated in the Higb-
innds, iome Hundreds of the Enemy, before
many People would believe they were there.
Since this, we have been in great Fear of the
Ciar $ and laft Year, one Reafon given by
many for continuing the Army was, to pre-
ferve us again!! the Plague.

But now the King of Sweden is dean, the
OL&T ivS gone a Sophi-hunting, the Plague is
ceafed, and the King of Spain's beft Troops
have taken up their Quarters in Italy, where
(\i I guefs rightj they will have Employment
enough, and what are we to keep up the
Army now to do, unlefs to keep cut the
Small Pox? Oh! but there is a better Rea-
ion than that, namely, a Plot is difcpvetec!,
and we can't find out yet all who are concerned
in it, but we have pretty good AuuraB&f,
that ail the Jacobites are for the Pretender,
and therefore we ought to keep in ReacUnqs
:•? great Number of Troops, (who are to ilecp
on Horfeback, or lye in their Jack-Boots)
which may be fufrkient to beat them all to-
gether, if they had a Twelvemonth's Time
given them to beat up for Volunteers, to buy
Horfes and Arms, to form themfelves into
Regiments, and cxcrcife them $ left, infkad
of lurking in Corners, and prating in Taverns,
and at Cock-Matches, they fhould furprize
Ten or Twelve Thoufand armed Men in their
Quarters : I dare appeal to any unprejudiced
Perfon, whether this is not the Sum of fome
Mens Reatonings upon this Subjedl ?

But

CATo's LETTERS. 151

But I defire to know of thefe fugacious
Gentlemen, in what Refpeft /hall v/e be in
a worie State of Defence than we ?re now,
if the Army was reduced to the fame Num-
ber as in King William's Time, and in the
Litter End of the Queen's Re;gn, and that
it confined of the fame Proportion of H'orfe
and Foot, that every Regiment had its ccnf-
pleat Number of Troops and Companies, and
every Troop and Company had its Comple-
ment of private Men ? 'Tis certain, upon any
fudden Exigency, his Majcfly would have «s
many Men at command as he has new, and,
I prefume, more common Soldiers, who are
rnoft difficultly to be got upon fuch Occafiors^
for Officers will never be wanting, and all
that are now regimented will be in Half pay,
and ready at Call to beat up and raife new
Regiments, as faft as the others could be
jailed up, and they may change any of the old
Men into them, which reduces it to the fame
Thing: By this we fhali lave the Charge of
double or treble Officering our Troops, and
the Terror of keeping up the Corpfe of Thiny
or ferry thoufand Men, though they are cal-
led only Thirteen or Fourteen 5 and fure it
is high Time to fave all which can be laved,
and, by removing all Caufes of Jealoufy, to
unite all, who for the Caufe of Liberty, arc
zealous for the prefent Edablifhment, 'in or-
der to oppofe effectually thofewho would de-
ft roy it.

I will fuppofe, for once, what I will not
erant, that thofe call'd Whigs, are the only
Men amongft us who are heartily attached to

G 4 his

1)2 CA To's LETTERS.

his Majefty's Intereft 5 for I believe the great-
eft Part of the Tones, and the Clergy too,
would tremble at the Thought of Popery and
Arbitrary Power; which muft corne in with
the Pretender: But taking it to be otherwife,
'tis certain that the Body of the Whigs, and
indeed I may fay almott all, except the Pof-
ieiiors and Candidates, for Employments or
Pensions, have as terrible Appreheniions of a
6'tandmg Army, as the Tories themfelves ^
and dare any Man lay his Hand upon his
Heart and fay, That his Majefly will find
greater Security in a few Thouiand more Men '
already regirriented, than in the Steady At-
factions of fo many Hundred Thoufamls who
will be always ready to be regimented: When
the People are eafy and fuhsfied, the whole
Kingdom is h.',s Army 5 .and King James found
what Dependance there was upon his Troops,
when his People deferted him. Would not
any wife and honeft Minifter deiire, during
his Adminiftration, that the Publick Affairs
fhould run glibly, and find the hearty Con-
currence of the States of the Kingdom, ra-
ther than to carry their Meafures by perpe-
tual Struggles and Entrigues, to wafte the
Civil Lift by conftant and needlefs Penfions
and Gratuities, be always asking for new Sup-
plies, and rend'ring themfelves, and all who
aflift them, odious to their Country-men?

In fhorr, there can be but two Ways in
Nature to govern a Nation, one is by their
own Co n fen t, and the other by Force: One
gains their Hearts, and the other holds their
Hands; The firft is always chofen by thofe

who

» LETTERS. 1 5-5

who defign to govern the People for the
People's Intereft, and the other by thofe
who defign to opprefs them for iheir own ;
for whoever defires only to protect them, will
covet no ufelefs Power to injure them : There
is no fear of a People's acting againft their
own Intered, when they know what it is,
and when, through ill Conduct or unfortu-
nate Accidents, they become dirTatisfied with
their prefent Condition, the only effectual
Way to avoid the threatning Evil, is to re-
move their Grievances.

When Charles Duke of Burgundy, with moft
of the Princes of France, at the Head of an
Hundred Thoufand Men, took up Arms a-
gainft Lewis the Eleventh, that Prince fent an
EmbaiTy to Sfona Duke of Milan, defiring
that he would lend him fome of his Veteran
Troops 5 and the Duke returned him for An-
fwer, That he could not be content to have
them cut to Pieces, (as they would afluredly
have been) but told him at the fame Time,
That he would fend him fome Advice which
would be worth Ten times as many Troops
as he had j namely, That he fhould give Sa-
tisfaction to the Princes, and then they would
difperfe of Ccurfe $ and the King improv'd
fo well upon the Advice, that he diverted
the Storm, by giving but little Satisfaction
to the Princes, and none at all to thofe who
folio w'd them : The Body of the People in
all Countries are fo defirous to live in quiet,
that a few good Words, and a little good
Ufagefrom their Governors, will at any Time
pacify them, and make them very often turn

G 5 u--"<

i54 CATO's LETTERS.

upon thofe Benefa&ors, who by their Pains,
Expence, and Hazard, have obtained thofe
Advantages fox them 5 and indeed, when they
are not outragioufly opprefs'd and Oarved,
are almoft as ready to part with their Liber-
ties, as others are to ask for them.

By what I have before faid, I would not
be underftood, to declare abfolutely againft
continuing our prefent Forces, or increafing
them, if the Importance of the Occafion re-
quires either , and the Evils threaten'd, are
not yet diflipated : But I could wifh, that
if fuch an Occafion appears, thofe who think
them at this Time neceflary, would declare
effe&ually, and in the fulleft Manner, that
they defign to keep them no longer than du-
ring the prefent Emergency 5 and that, when
it is over, they will be as ready to break
them, as I believe the Nation will be to give
them, when juft Reafons offer thenafelves fur
doing fo.

I am, &c.

S I R>

THINGS of the greateft feeming Diffi-
culty, r.ppear the eafieft to us when
found out> There was no Wit neceiTary to
iet an Egg on one End, when Cptumlus had
Ihewn the \Vny. Jugglers do many Things
by flight of Hand, which to a gaping Be-
holder appear to be Witchcraft 5 and when he
knows how they are done, wonders at himfelf

for

LETTERS. 155

for wondring at them. A Ship as big as a
Caftle is failed by a Rudder and a Puff of
"Wind $ and a Weight, which a thoufan'd Men
can't move, may be eafily manag'd by one,
with the Help of Wheels and Pullies. The
fame is true in the Direction of Mankind,
who will be always caught by a skilful Ap-
plication to their Paffions and their Weaknef-
fes, and will be eafily drawn into what they
will be very difficultly driven. The fierceli
Horfes are fubdued by the right Management
of the Bit ; the moft furious wild Beads tamed
by gratifying their Appetites, or working up-
on their Fears 5 and the moft fa vage Tempers
are made traclable by foothing their Foibles,
or knowing how to manage their Panmcks.

This is what is call'd the Knowledge of
Mankind, which very few of them know any
thing of. Pedants hope to govern them by
Diftmclions and grave Faces $ Tyrants by
Force and Terror *$ and Philofophers by fo
lemn Lectures of Morality and Virtue. And
thefe have certainly a Share in influencing
their Minds, and determining their Aclicns :
but, altogether, not half fo much as applying
to their * reigning Appetires, appearing Inte-
refts, and predominant Foibles, and taking
artful Advantages of favourable Opportuni-
ties, and catching at lucky Conjunctures, to
effect at once what a long Series of wife
Councils, and the bed concerted Meafures,
canrot bring about.

Wife Statefmen well underftand this Foi-
ble in human Nature, and, often take Advan-
tage from a Plot difcover'd, or a Rebellion

*j 1 1 •> i

quell d j

CA fO's LETTERS.

quell'd 5 from the Tranfports of a Reftoration?
or a Victory obtain'd $ or, during the Terrors
of a peftilential Diftemper, or the Ra ge of a
prevailing Fa&ion, or the Fears of a defpon-
ding one, to accomplish what neither Threats
nor Armies could extorfr nor Bribes nor Al-
lurements perfuade.

The fame Advantages have been as luckily
taken by the Leaders of popular Parties, up-
on fudden Difcontents and unfuccefcful Afts
of Power, to obtain Conceptions and Privi-
leges which they durft not think of, much lefs
hqpe for, at other Times. My Lord Clarendon
furnifhes us with many In fiances of fuch Con-
ceflions, which neither the Crown would have
granted, nor the People been prevail'd upon
to ask, nor perhaps accept before^ or pofiibly
after. Whereas a prepollerous and iJl-tim'd
Attempt, on either Side, would have increased
the Power they defign'd to leflen, or take
away. The greateft Secret in Politicks is to
drive the Nail that will go.

If we hear a Southfayer, Poet, or Philofo-
pher, talk of the Dignity of human Nature,
Man is lifted up to a Refemblance with his
great Creator : He is Lord of the Univerfe ;
all Things are made for his Ufe, even fuch
as are of no Ufe to him, but do him Mifchief.
The Sun is placed in the Firmament to ripen
his Cabbage, and dry his Linnen 5 and infi-
nite Millions of Stars are {luck there, many
taoufand Times bigger than the Earth, to fup-
ply the want of Farthing Candles,, though
vadly many of them are not to be feen but by
Glafles, and, without doubt, infinite others

not

's LETTERS. 257

sot to be feen with them. He is made wife,
difcerning, form'd for Virtue, mutual Help
and Affiiiance , and probably it was all true
before the Fall : But as he is now degenerated,
I fear the Reverfe of all is true. It is plain
that he isfoolifh, helplefs, perfidious, impo-
tent, eafily mifled and trepann'd, and, for
the moft Part, caught by as thin Snares and
little Wiles as his Fellow Creatures, which,
we are told, are made for his Ufe j and his
boafted Faculty of Reafon betrays him to
fome, from which the others are exempt.

True Reafon has little to do in his Specula-
tions or his Actions. Enthufiafm or Pann'tc^
Fear often fupplies the Place of Religion in
him : Obftinacy is call'd Conftancy 5 and In-
difference Moderation : His Paflions, which
direct and govern all the Motions of his Mind,
feem to me to be purely mechanical, which
perhaps I may fhew more at Large hereafter ^
and whoever would govern him, and lead
him, muft apply to thofe Paffions, that is>
•pull the proper Ropes, and turn the Wheels
which will put the Machine in Motion. When
Cbrijyfpus was introduc'd into the Prefence of
DionyfmS) and, according to the Cuftom of
that Court, fell upon his Face, and kifs'd the
Oppreffor's Feet 5 he was ask'd by Pfato, How
he, who was a Greel^ a free Man, and a Philo-
fopher, could fall proftrate before a Tyrant,
and adore him ? He anfwer'd merrily,. That
he had Bufinefs with the Tyrant; and if his
Ears were in his Feet, he muft fpeak to him
where his Ears lay*

Now

i58 Core's LETTERS.

Now moft People's Ears lie in the wrong
Place, and whoever will be heard mutt apply
accordingly : We rarely fee a wife Man who
does not carry a Half-Fool about him 5 that
by foothing his Vanities, flattering his Paffions,
and taking Advantages of his other Weaknef-
fes, can do more with him than all the World
befides , and indeed moft Men are governed
by thofe who have lefs Wit than themfelves,
or by what ought leaft to influence them.
Men, like other Animals, are caught by
Springs, Wires, or Subtilties : Foxes are tra-
pann'd by Traces, Pheafants by a red Rag,
and other Birds by a Whittle j and the iame
is true of Mankind.

A lucky Thought, a Jeft, a fortunate Ac-
cident, or a jovial Debauch, fhall bring about
Defigns and Revolutions in human Affairs,
which twenty Legions in the Field could not
bring abouf. A filthy Strumpet made Akx-
ander^ for a Kifs, burn Perfepolis, the auguft
Seat of the Perfian Empire , and I have heard
fomewhere or other, of a great Prince, who
being prevail'd upon to fwear by his Miftrefs's
.Bum, That he would diffblve the States of
"his Kingdom, he religioufly kept that Oafh
againft his Intereft, tho' he never valu'd all
the reft he took upon the Evangelifts. How
often hath a merry Srcry in our Days turn'd a
Debate, when the moft giave and folemn Ar-
guments, and the moll obvious Reprefenta-
tions of publick Advantage, could not pre-
vail ? And how many a fair and accomplifh'd
Lady has been won by bribing her Chamber-
Maid, when perhaps all the Solicitations of

her

's LETTERS. 159

her Parents and Relations, and all the Mo-
tives of Self-Intereft would have prov'd

effectual. r

The lucky adjufling of Times and Sealons,
taTjins Advantage of prevailing Prejudices and
Pannicks, and knowing how to humour and
lay hold of the predominant Enthufiaims ot
human Nature, has given Birth to moft ot
the Revolutions in Religion and Politicks
which ever happen'd in the World. A Jug-
sler fwallowing Bibles and Hour-Glafles, hall
do more with a modern Mob than a Philofo-
pher ; and a Scarecrow Prater, with diftorted
Limbs and Undemanding, fhall make Thou-
fands of them weep and wring their iands,
when the Oratory of Demoflbenes, or the Kea-
fonings of Mr. Lock, fhall make them laugh
or hoot. There is a certain AfTirailation ot
Paffions and Faculties in Men, which attract
one another when they meet, and always ftrike
together, as when two Fiddles are tun d up
to the fame Pitch ; if you hit the one, the
other founds : So Men are eafieft operated up-
on by thofe of like Understandings with their
own, or thofe who the beft know how
dally and play with their Foibles, and can do
the fame Thing with Defign as the others do

naturally. , . r

I doubt not but I /hall be cenfur d for ma
king thus bold with this Lord of the Creation,
by thofe who make much more bold with him
OR other Occafions, and who would have
Monopoly of enjoying all the Scandal to them-
felves : But, by the leave of thofe iolemn
Gentlemen, I fhall take the Liberty of con-

fidenng

euro's LET T ERS,

£dering Man as he is, iince it is cut of out
Power to give a Model, to have him new
made by.

Since then by the Sins of our flrft Parents,
we are fallen into this unhappy and forlorn
Condition, all wife and hone!} Men are oblig'ct
in Prudence and Duty, not only by Leclurcs
of Philofophy, Religion, and Morals, to fa-
fhion this Sovereign of the Univcrfe into hisx
true Interef:-, but to make ufe of his Weak-
nefTes to render him happy, as wicked Men
do to make him miferable 5 in which I iliall
be more particular hereafter.

J amy ckc.

S I R,

MOR A L 1 TT? or moral Virtues, are cer-
tain Rules of mutual Convenience or
Indulgence, conducive or neceflary to the well-
being of Society. Moft of thefe are obvious ;
for every Man knows what he defires hirnfelf ;
which is to be free from Cppreflion, and the '
Infults of others, 2nd to enjoy the Fruits of his
own Acquiiitions, arifing from his Labour or
Invention. And fince he can have no R.eafon
to expecl this Indulgence to himfelf, unlefs he
allows it to others, who have equal Reafon to
expe6l it from him, it is the common fntereft
of all, who unite together in the fame Society,
to eftablifh fuch Rules and Maxims for their

mutual

CATo's LETTERS,

mutual Prefervation, that no Man can opprefs
or injure another, without differing by it hirn-
felf. " As far as thefe Rules are difcoverable by
the Light of Reafon, or that Portion of Un-
derftanding, which molt, or all Men have,
they are call'd Morality : But when they are
the Productions of deeper Thought, or the In-
ventions only of Men of greater Sagacity, they
are call'd Political Knowledge. But as Men
are often in fuch a Situation in refpecl of one
another, that the Stronger can opprefs the
Weaker, without any fear of having the In-
jury return'd ; and moft Men will purfue the^r
perfonal Advantage independent from all o-
thers j therefore Almighty God, in Cempaf-
fion to Mankind, has annex'd Rewards and
Punifhmems to the Obfervance or Non-obfer-
vance of thefe Rules : The Belief of which a
and a Practice purfuant to it, is call'd Reli-
gion.

I have often read> with Pleafure, pretty
fpeculative Difcourfes upon the intrinfick Ex-
cellence of Virtue, and of its having a real
Exiftence independent of human Confedera-
tions, or worldly Relations : But when I have
been able to forget, or lay afide the Dalliances
and .Amufements of Fancy, and the beautiful
Turns of Expreffion, I could confider it phi-
Lofophically, only as an empty Sound, when
detach'd and feparated from natural, national,,
or religious Politicks ; unlefs in fome few In-
{lances, where Conftitution, and innate Ten-
dernefs, engage Men to pity others in Eafe to
tbemfelves, which is call'd Humanity.

Alt

CATO's LETTERS.

All cardinal and private Virtues are Bran-
ches of theie general Politicks. Fortitude en-
ables us to defend our felves and others. Com-
.paflion is a Fellow feeling of Calamities which
we may fuffer ourfelves j and it is evident that
People feel them in proportion, as they are
likely to fuffer the fame or the like Calamities.
Charity obHg.es us to give that Relief to fa-
thers, which we, cur Friends, or Relations,
may want for ourfelves. And Temperance
«md Frugality are necfffary ro the rrefervation
of cur Bodies and Eib.tes, and being ufeful
Members of Society. I freely confefs, that
for my Part I can find out no other Motives in
my felf, or others, for thefe Affeclions or
Acliony, except Conftitution, Oftentation, or
temporal or religious Politicks, which are, in
other Words, our prefent or eternal Inrerefis ;
and I /hall own my felf beholden to any el it?
who can find out any other 5 for there cannot
be too many Motives fora virtuous Life.

How far the Systematical Gentlemen will
agree with me in this fpeculative Philofophy,
I do not know, nor /hall think mv felf much

' *'

conccrn'd to enquire $ but 'tis certain their
Practice, and many of the Doctrines they
teach, confirm what I have faid. I think all
Mankind, except the Brami»s, and the Tranf-
rnigrators of Souls in the £«/?, do agree, that
we may deftroy other Animals for Food and
Convenience, and fometimes for Pleafure, or,
to prevent but trifling Prejudice, to our felves,
tho' they have the fame, or very near the lame,
Organizations as we have, equal or greater

^-^ jfc. t-**1 M

Senfations of Pleafure and Pain, and many of

them

CAfO's LETT ERS.

•them Sagacity and Reafoning enough to over-
reach and circumvent us 5 nor are they guilty
of any other Crime, than that of acling ac-
cording to their Natures, and prefcrving their
Beings by fuch Food as is neceflfary to their

Exiflence.

Indeed, as Things ftand at prefent, tho' we
had not Revelation for ir, we may be very
fure that God Almighty has given us Domi-
nion over other Creatures, becaufe he has
actually given us the Power, in a good mea-
fure, to deftroy and prefer ve them, as far as
they may be hurtful or ufeful to us 5 and there-
fore we think them not Objects of moral Du-
ties, becaufe we can hurt them, and they ean-
not make Reprizals, or equal Reprizals, upon
us : But if Almighty God had thought fit to
have given to Lyons and Tygers theUfeof
Speech, Length of Life, to have gain'd more
Experience, and had form'd their Claws and
Hands to write and communicate that Expe-
rience, and by fuch Means had enabled them
to have form'd themfelves into Societies for
mutual Defence againft Mankind (whom they
could quickly have deftroyed, though only by
confining and ftarving them in Inclofures and
Fortifications.; I fay, in fuch a Circumftance
of Affairs, will any Man affirm, that it would
not have been our Intereft and Duty to have
treated them with Morality and focial Offices :
I doubt, in fuch a Cafe, they would have told
us, and have made us feel too, that they were
not made only for our Ufe.

I will fuppofe, for once, a Dialogue be-
tween his Holinefs and a Lyon, fince Poets

J* M* -3

CAfO's. LETTERS.

and fome others have informed us, that BcafLs
have fpoken formerly j and I am fare they
were never more concern'd to fpeak than upon
the prefent Occafion,

Pope. Thou art an ugly four footed Mon--
iler, and thou liveit upon the Dellrudion of
thy Fellow Animals.

Lyon. I am as Nature has made me, v. h!ch
has given me many Faculties beyond yourfelf.
I have more Courage, more Strength, more
Aflivity, and better Senfes of Seeing, Hear-
ing, &c. than you have : Nor do I deffroy
the hundredth Part of my Fellow- Animals iu
Companion with thofe you deflroy. I never
deftroy my own Species,, unlefsl am provok'd$
but you deftroy yours for Pride, Vanity, Lux-
ury, Envy, Covetoufnefs, and Ambition.

Pope. But thou art a great Gormandizer,
and eateft up all our Victuals, which was de-
fign'd for the Ufe of Men only $ and therefore
thou oughteft to be exterminated.

Lyon. Nature, which gave me Life, de-
£gn'd me the Means of Living 5 and /he has
given me Claws and Teeth for that Purpofe,
namely, to defend my felf againft fome Anf-
roals, and to kill and eat others for my Sufte-
nance , and, amongft the reft, your Reve-
rence, if I cannot get younger and better
Food. You Men, indeed, may eat and live
comfortably upon the Fruits of Trees, and the
Herbs and Corn of the Field 5 but we are fo
formed, as to receive Support and Nourifti-
Bnent only from the Fle/h of other Animals.
. Sirrah, thou haft no Soul.

Lvov. '

CA T'o's LETTER S.

Lyon. The greater is my Misfortune. How-
ever, I have a Mind and Body, and have the
more Reafon to take Care of them, having
nothing elfe to take Care of 3 and you ought
the lefs to deprive and rob me of the little
Advantages Nature has given me, you who
enjoy fo much greater yourielf.

Pope. The Earth was given to the Saints ;
for ( as St. .dtifttn very judicioufly obfetves )
the Wicked, have Right to nothing, and the GoMy to
rJl Things $ .and thou art certainly a very wic-
ked Animal, and no true Believer.

Lyon. I have heard indeed before, that
fuch Reafonings will pafs amongft you Men-,
who have Faculties to reafon yourfelves out of
Reafott 5 but we Beads know better Things :
For having nothing but our Senfes to truft to,

o o

and wanting the Capacities to diftinguifh our-
felves our of them, we cannot be periwaded
to believe, that thofe who have no more Ho-
nefty, and lefs Underilanding than their
Neighbours, have a Right to their Goods
and to ftarve them, by pretending to believe
what the others do not under ftand 5 therefore-,
Worthy Doctor, you fhall catch no Gudgeons
here : You may brew as you bake among!} one
another, but you will find no fuch Bubbles
amongil us.

Pope. In /hort? thou art a fniveling faucy
Jackanapes, and a great Rogue and Murtherer;
and I wifh thou haclft a Soul that I might
damn it, and fend thee to the Devil.

Lyon. Not half fo great a Rogue as your
felf, Good Doclor, nor fo great a Murrherer.
j.ou do more MiTcliietf in a Year than all the

l.y

166 CA ro's LETTERS.

Lyons in the World did fince the Creation-
We kill only with our Teeth and Claws 5 you
ufe a thoufand Inftruments of Death and De-
duction. We kill fingle Animals 5 you kill
by wholefale, and deftroy Hecatombs at once j
we kill for Food and Neceffity $ you kill for
Sport and Paftime, and out of Wantonnefs,
and to do your felves no Good. In fine, you
murder or opprefs all other Animals, and one
another too.

Pope. Rafcal, thou art made for my Ufe,
and I will make thee know it, and order thee
to be immediately knock'd on the Head for
thy Skin, thou Varlet, and Bead for Satan.

Lyon. Til try that prefently.

Pope, (crojfing bimfelf. ) Jefu ! Maria ! (£>;/>
in bttfte.')

Lyon. Farewell, thou Lord of the Crea-
tion, and Sovereign of the Univerfe.

I believe 1 may venture to fay, if Lyons
could fpeak, they would talk at this Rate, and
his Holinefs but little better. But to return
to my Subject.

I have faid, That all, or moft of Mankind
acT: upon the former Principles, and, without
the Motives of Religion, can find out no
Reafon to hope they fhould ever aft other-
wife , and I am forry to fay, that Religion it
fclf has yet wanted Power enough to influence
them (for the moll Part) to contrary Senti-
ments or Actions. What Nation or Society
does not opprefs another when they can do it
with Security, without Fear of Retaliation, or
being affe&ed by it in their own Interefts,

with

CAfo's LETTERS. 167

with Regard to their Correfpondence with
other States ? It is plain, all fbcial Duties are
here at an End j for what is calPd the Law of
Nations, are only Rules of mutual Intercourfe
with one another, without which they could
have no Intercourfe at all, but muft be in con-
frant Courfe of War and Depredation , and
therefore, whenever any State is in no Con-
dition to repel Injuries, nor can have Pro-
tection from any other, who are concern'd to
preferve them, conftant Experience fhews us,
That they become the Prey of a greater, who
think themfelves obliged to keep no Meafures
with them, nor want Pretences from Religion
or their own Interefls to opprefs them. Fa-
ther Anftins Diiiinclion is always at Hand
when they can get no better, and for the molt
part (if not always^ they Snd Men of Reve-
rence to thank God for their Roguery.

Since therefore Men ever have, and, I doubr,
ever will, aft uponthefe Motives, they ought
not to be amufed by the Play of Words, and
the Sallies of Imagination, whilft defigning
Men pick their Pockets 5 but ought to eitablifii
their Happinefs, by wife Precautions, and up-
on folid Maxims, and, by prudent and fix'd
Laws, make it all Mens Intereft to be honeft $
without which, I doubt, few Men will be fo.

I am, &c.

158 C^ro's LETTER S.

w

J R,

E have been long confounded about the
. . Origin of Good and Evil, or, in other
Words, of Virtue and Vice. The Opinion of
fome is, that Virtue is a fort of real Being,
and fubfifts in its own Nature. Others make
it to confiil in Rules or Cautions, given us by
the fupreme Being foi our Conduct here on
Earth, and either implanted in our Natures,
or conveyed to us by Revelation. A late Phi-
lofopher fetches it from the Will and Com-
mands of the civil Magiftrate; but, for my
own Part, I muft conceive it only as a Com-
pound of the two laft $ namely,. a Relation of
Mens Aclions to one another, either dictated
by Reafon, by the Precepts of Heaven, or
the Commands of the Sovereign, acting ac-
cording to his Duty.

It is the Misfortune of 'thofe publick-fpirited
and acute Gentlemen, who have oblig'd the
World with Syflcms, that they always make
common Senfe truckle to them , and when
they are bewildered, and entangled amongft
Briars and Thorns, they never go back the
Way they got in, but refolve to fcramble
through the Brake, leap over Hedge and
Ditch, to get into their old Road, and fo for
the mod part fcratch themfelves from Head
to Footj and fometimes break their Necks in-
to

's LETTERS. 169

to the Bargain. They never look backhand
examine whether their Syftem is true or falfe,
but fet themfelves to work to prove it at all
Adventures : They are determined to folve all
Contradictions, and grow very angry with all
who are not fo clear fighted as themfelves.

This feems to me to be the Cafe in the pre-
fent Queftion. The common Light of Rea-
fon has told all Mankind, that there cannot
be an Effect without a Caufe; and that every
Caufe muft be an Effect of fome fuperior
Caufe, till they come to the hft of all, which
can be no othervvife than felf- exigent, that is,
muft have exifted from all Eternity. Some
Seels of Philofophers have thought this firft
Caufe to be only pure Matter, not being able
to conceive that any thing can be made out 4>f
nothing, or can be annihilated again after-
wards •* and they fuppofe that Matter has been
in eternal Motion, and has the Seeds of Ani-
mals, Vegetables, and of every thing elfe
within itfelf, and by its confhnt Motion and
Revolutions, gives to them Life, Duration,,
and at laft Death 5 and throws them into the
Womb of Nature again to rife up in new
Shapes.

But others, by far the greateft part of Man-
kind, are not able by this dark Syftem to ac-
count for the exquifite Contrivance and con-
fummate Wifdom /hewn in the Formation of
Animals and Vegetables, in the regular and
ftupendious Structure and Circulation of the
heavenly Bodies, and of the Earth, no more
than for the Operations of our own Minds 5
and therefore muft reafonably judge? that when

V o L, IV. H fo

170 Giro's LETTERS, I

fo much Contrivance is neceflary to bring
about our own little Deiigns- the great Ma-
chine of Heaven and Earth, and the infinite
and admirable Syftems in it, could not be the
fpontaneous or neceffary Productions of blind
Matter ; and therefore determine, that the firft
Being muft have fuitable Wifdom to contrive
and execute thefe great and amazing Works.

But thefe latter are not fo well agreed a-
mongft themfelves about the Manner of Acting,
or the Operations of this Being. For fome
think that he muft act from the Neceffity of
his own Nature : For fince his Being is ne-
ceiTary, they think that his Will and Attri-
butes, (which are Parts of his Being, effen-
tial to it, and infeparable from it ) and confe-
quently his Actions, which are Refults of that
"Will, and of thofe Attributes, mull: be necef-
fary too. They cannot conceive how a Being,
who has the Principles and Caufes of all
Things within itfelf, could exift without ha-
ving ieen every thing intuitively from all E-
ternity 5 which muft have excluded Choice
and Preference in his Actions, which implies
Doubt and Deliberation.

They cannot apprehend how Reafon and
Wifdom can be analogous in him to what are
call'd by the fame Names in Men : For Judg-
ment in them, as far as it regards their own
voluntary Operations, is only the Ballance of
the Conveniences or Inconveniences which will
refult from their own or others Thoughts or |
Actions, as they have relation to Beings or
Events out of their Power, and which depend
upon other Caufes : But if a Being can have

no

C AlO's LETTERS.

no Caufes without itfelf, but produces every
Thing by its own Energy and Power, fees all
Things at once, and cannot err, as Men may,
nor confequently deliberate and debate with
itfelf 5 they think it mutt act fingly, and m
one Way only j and where there is no Choice,
or, which is the fame thing, but one Choice,
they conceive there is always NecefTity.

But the contrary is much the more orthodox
and religious Opinion, and has been held by
far the greateft and belt Part of Mankind in
all Ages before, and without Revelation ;
They have thought this laft Opinion border a
too much upon the material Syftem, as being
able to fee but little Difference in the Opera-
tions of a Being acting neceflarily, and the
Productions of blind Matter conftantly in
Action, and acting mechanically 5 fince the Ef-
fect is fuppofed to be the fame, tho3 Wifdorn
and Contrivance, or what we are forc'd to call
by rhofe Names for want of another, are the
firft Spring, or chief Wheel of the Machine,
or one Link of the Chain of Caufes: And
therefore Men have condemned this Opinion
as impious and atheiftical.

Indeed the other Speculations have been
only the wild and babling Notions of Fairy
Philofophers, or of enthufiaftick and viiionary
Madmen 5 for all prudent and modeft Men
pretend to know no more of this Being, with-
out Revelation, than that he is wife, good,
and powerful, and made all Things, and do
not prefume farther to enquire into the Modus
of his Exiftence and Operations. However,
their own Intereft and Curiofity were fo much

H 2 concern'd

172 CA^O's LETTERS.

concerned to guefs at his Defigns and Motives
in placing them here, that it was impoflible
they could be otherwife than felicitous and in-
quiiitive about it 5 and finding, or fancying
themfelves to be the mod valuable Part of the
Whole, it was very natural for them to be-
lieve that all was made for their Sakes, and
that their Happinefs was the only or chief
View of the fupreme Being.

With thefe Thoughts about him, every
Man knowing what he had a Mind to have
himfelf, and what he beli'ev'd would conftitute
his own Happinefs, and not being able to at-
tain it without making the fame Allowance to
other People 5 Men agreed upon equal Rules
of mutual Convenience and Protection, and
finding thefe Rules dictated to them by im-
partial Reafon, they juftly believ'd they were
implanted within them by the Deity $ and as
they expected themfelves Returns of Grati-
tude or Applaufe for Benefits conferred by
them upon others, they thought the fame
\\ere due to the original Being, who gave to
them Life, and every thing elfe they enjoy'd :
And this is call'd Natural Religion.

But as the Motive, which Men had to enter
into this equal Agreement, was their own
Pleafure and Security, which moil or all Men
prefer before the Advantage of others, fo they
often found themfelves in a Condition, by fu-
perior Power, Will, and Abilities, to circum-
vent thole who had Icfs than themielves, either
by artful Confederacies, Irnpoftures, or by
downright Force> to opprefs them $ and in
order to it, have invented Syftems or partial

Schemes

CATO's LETTERS. i?3

Schemes of feparate Advantage, and have an-
nex'd fuitable Promifes or Menaces to them :
All which they have pretended to receive from
this Divine JBeing: They affum'd to have
Communication with him, and to know his
Will, and denounced his Anger againft all
^ouid not take their Word, and let them do
by his Authority, what they would never have
been permitted to do by any other 3 and the
Herd not daring to oppofe them, or not know-
ing how, have^acquiefced in their Tales, and
come in Time to believe them. From hence
fprang all the Follies and Roguery of the
Heathen and Jewifli Priefts, and all the falle
Religions in the World ; with all the Perfecu-
tions, Devaftations, and Maflacres caufed by
them ; which were all heterogeneous Engraft-
ments upon Natural Religion.

Almighty God thought it proper therefore
at laft to communicate himfelf again to Man,
and by immediate Revelation to confirm what
he at firft implanted in all Mens Minds, and
what was eradicated thence by Delufion and
Impofture 5 but though he thought it not ne-
ceflary to tell us more than we were concern d
to know, namely, to do our Duty to himfeli
and to one another, yet we wiUftill be prying
into his Secrets, and lifting into the Caufes ot
his original and eternal Decrees, which are
certainly juft and reafonable, tho' we neither
know his Reafons, nor could judge of .them»

if we did.

From hence arifes this Difpute concerning
the Origin of Good and Evil, amongft athou-
fand others, for our Vanity inducing us to

H

i?4 CATO's LETTERS.

fancy our felves the fole Obje&s of his Provi-
dence, and being lure we receive our Beings
from him, and conftquently our Senfations,
AfFe&ions, and Appetites, which are Parrs of
them, and which evidently depend either me-
diately or immediately upon Caufes without
us, and feeing at the fame Time, that many
Things happen in the World feemingly a-
gamft his reveal'd Will, which he could pre-
vent if he thought fit i we either recur to the

v-/ **

Intrigues of a contrary Being, whofe Bufinefs
it is to thwart his Defigns, and disappoint his
Providence, or elfe account for it by a Malig-
nity in human Nature, more prone to do Evil
than Good, without considering from whence
we had that Nature , for if the Malignity in
it is greater than Precepts, Examples, or Ex-
hortations can remove, the heavier Scale rnuft
weigh down.

How much more modeft and reafonable
would it be to argue, That moral Good and
Evil in this World, are only Relations of our
Actions to the fupreme Being, and to one
another, and would be nothing here below,
if there were no Men ? That no Event can
happen in the Univerfe but what muft have
Caufes ftrong enourh to produce it ? That all
Caufes muft firft or laft center in the fupreme
Caufe, who, from the Exigence of his own
Nature, muft always do what is befl-, and all .
his Actions muft be inftantaneous Emanations
of himfelf ? He fees all Things at one View,
and nothing can happen without his Leave
and Permiffion, and without his giving Power
enough to have it effe&ed : Therefore when

we

LETTERS. i?5

we fee any thing which feems to contradict
the Images which we have prefum'd to form
about his Effence, or the Attributes we be*
flow upon him, (which Images and Attn-
bates are, for the moft Part, borrowed from
what we think moft valuable amongft our
felves,) we ought to fufpeft our own Igno-
rance, to know that we want Appetites to ta-
thom infinite Wifdoni, and to reft affur d that
aU Things conduce to the Ends and Defigns
of his Providence, who always chufes the belt
Means to bring them about.

J am &c.

s l R,

T HAVE already faid, that I could confider
1 Good and Evil only as in relation to Mens
Aaions to one another, or to the fupreme be-
ing 5 in which Aaions they can have for their
End their own Intereft alone, in Prefent or
Futurity. But when I confider thefe Ideas in
regard to God, I muft confider them as Ob-
iefts of his Will, which can alone conftitute
Rinht or Wrong, tho' they may fometime*
not quadrate with the -Notions that we form
of Juftice amongft one another, and which are
only prudent Rules for our own feparate Con-
venience, and take in no Part of the Creation
but our felves. We cannot enter into the Ra-
tionale of God's punifliing all Mankind for the

H 4 Sin

i76 CATtfs LETTERS.

Sin of their firft Parents, which they could
not help $ nor for his punifhing all Ifratl with
a Peflilence for the private Sin of DaviJ,
which, without doubt, many of them con-
derrm'd 5 nor for his bringing Plagues upon the
Egyptian*, becaufe he had harden'd Pharaoh's
Heart ; no -more than for his destroying all
Mankind at the Deluge, for Crimes which he
could have prevented 5 and Multitudes of the
like Inftances in holy Writ belides, which we
cannot account for by our weak Reafonings,
(which have for their Object only our own
Advantage,) but we are very fure thefe Things
were done, and rightly done 5 and all con-
duc'd to feme fuperior, wife, and juft End,
.Almighty God judges of the Wholeof Things,
and we only of them as they regard our felvest
The whole Syftem of the Univerfe is his Care f-
and all other inferior Beings mud be fubordi-
nate to the Interefts of this great One, and
nil contribute, in their feveral Stations and
Aclions, to bring about at laft the grand
Purpofes of his Providence. Infinite Millions
of Animals are born with the Morning Sun,
and probably fee old Age, and feel the Pangs
of Death before Noon : Great Numbers of
them by their Death preferve Life, or give
Convenience to others, who otherwife could
not live at all, or muft live upon very ill
Terms. Vegetables rife, grow, decay, die
again, and get a new Refurreclion in other
Shapes. All Nature is in perpetual Rotation,
and working through a thoufand Revolutions
to its laft Period, and the Confummation ©f
ail Things, when its great Author will know-
how

.

LETTERS. 177

how to make all Individuals recompenfe for the
Evils they have fuffer'd here, and perhaps
give us Faculties to know, admire, and glo-
rify his Conduct, in thofe Inftances which
may feem moft myfterious to our narrow Ca-
pacities in this frail State.

But this general and comprehensive Syftera
of the Univerfe, and this honourable Con-
ception of the Deity, and Acquiefcence in,
and Submiffion to his Will, will not fquarc
with the Interefts of particular Societies of
Men, who think themfelves concern'd to find
out a Syftem for themfelves alone , and there-
fore, to avoid thofe Confequences (which I
can fee no Purpofes of Religion ferv'd in a-
voiding) they compliment away his Power,
Frefcience and general Providence, to do Re-
fpect to the Notions they have phas'd to con-
ceive of his Juftice, which they have thought
fit to meafure by their own Interefts, or what
they think bell for themfelves. They firll
determine what they defire to have 5 then call
it juft, and immediately interest Heaven to
bring it about $ and finding that it contradicts
the Experience of Mankind, all the Notions
they can conceive of the Workings of Provi-
dence, and the Nature of Things themfelves,
(which always operate from Caufe to Effect)
they fet themfelves to work to form a new
Scheme at the Expence of denying all that
they fee, or can know.

In order to this, they have made Man the
Primwn Mobile, and his Mind the firft Princi-
ple or Spring of all his Actions, independent
of the Author of his Being, and of all the

H 5 fecond

i78 C Arc's LETTERS.

fecond Giufes, which evidently influence and
concur to determine his Refolutions and his
Actions. They fay, that Almighty God (who
has infinite Juftice and Power) having given
to Mankind a Rule to acl: by, and annex'd
Rewards or Menaces to the Obfervance or
ISfon-obfervance of this Rule, has given a free,
uncontroul'd, and impartial Liberty to him to
determine, without being coerced orreflrain'd
by any other Power to do, or not to do an
Aclion, or to chufe Good or Evil to himfelf:
His Juitice, they fay, obliges him to this Con-
duel, and his Power enables him to execute
and bring it to pafs , and fo by affecting to do
Right to one Attribute of his, which they
cannot underftand, and which they may pof-
fibly miftake, by fuppofing it to be different
from his Will, (which alone, as has been faid,
can constitute Right or Wrong) they take
away and rob him of all or moft of the reft.

His Prefcience or Knowledge (from all E-
ternity) of every Event which does or can
happen in the Univerfe, is denied at once 5
for whatever is contingent in its own Nature,
and may or may not happen, cannot be fore-
feen; for when any Being fees that a Thing
will be, it muft be, for it is impoffible to
&now that any Event will come to pafs, that
may not come to pafs; and 'tis equally im-
pouible to forefee an Effecl without knowing
the Caufes which produce it. 'Tis no Irre-
verence to the fupreme Being, to fay, That
he cannot do Impcffibilities, and know Things
which cannot be known $ and 'tis certain he

muft

CATO's LETTERS. 179

mud know all Things which can be known,
becaufe they all depend upon his Will.

It reflects upon his Wifdom or Power ;
Upon the firft, as fuppofing he defires or in-
tends to bring any Defigns or Purpofes to pafs,
and yet that he has not chofen the proper
Methods to attain them , or upon the latter,
that he cannot attain them if he would, it
intrenches upon his Providence and Govern-
ment of the Univerfe, by giving Part of his
Power out of his own Hands, and by leaving
it to theDifcretion of inferior and weak Be-
ings, to contradict himfelf and difappoint his
Intentions: And even his Juftice itfelf, to
which all the re&are fo freely fncrificed, is at-
tack'd upon fuch Reafonings, in charging Al-
mighty God with Severity in punifhing Crimes
committed through Weaknefs, Want, or pre-
dominant Appetites, and which he could have
prevented by giving others. 1 do not fee
what has been or can be faid to thefe Objec-
tions more, than that we are not to reafon up-
on the Proceedings of Providence, which a&s
upon Motives and Maxims far above us, and
which are not to be fcan'd by our little Rules
and fcanty Capacities $ and if thtfe Gentle-
men could but be perfwaded to reafon thus at
frrft, they would fave themfelves the Trouble
of folving perpetual Contradictions.

For what can be more evident, than that
the Aclions of Man, which ieern moft fpon-
taneous and free, depend upon his Will to do
them 5 and that that Will is directed by his
reafoning Faculties, which depend again upon
the good or ill Organization of his Body,

upon

i8o CAfffs LE TTERS.

upon his Complexion, the Nature of his E-
ducation, imbib'd Prejudices, State of Health,
predominant Paffions, Manner of Life, fortui-
tous Reafonings with others, different kinds
of Diet, and the Thoufands of Events, feem-
ing Accidents, and the perpetual Objecls
which encompafs him, and which every Day
vary and offer themfelves differently to him $
all or moft of which Caufes, and many more
which probably determine him, muft be con-
fefs'd to be out of his Power. Conflant Ex-
perience fhews us, that Men differently con-
itituted, or differently educated, will reafon
differently, and the lame Men in different
Circumftances. A Man will have different
Sentiments about the fame Things, in l^outh,
in middle Age, and in Dotage, in Sicknefs
and in Health, in Liquor and Sobriety, in
Wealth and in Poverty, in Power and out of
it, and the Faculties of the Mind are viiibly
altered by Phyfick, Exercife, or Diet.

The fame Reafon which is convincing to
one Man, appears ridiculous to another, and
to the fame Man at different Times 5 and con-
fequently, his or their Aclions, which are
Refults of thofe Reafonings, will be different:
And we not only all confefs this, by endea-
vouring to work upon one another by theie
Mediums, but Heaven thinks fit to choofe the
fame 5 for what elfe can be meant by offering
Rewards and denouncing Punifhments, but
as Caufes to produce the Effects defign'd, that
is, to fave thofe whom Almighty God in his
deep Wifdom has preordain'd to Blifs, and to
be influenced by thofe Motives, We all con-
fefs,

LETTERS. 181

fefs that no Man can do his Duty without
the' Grace of God, and whoever has the Grace
of God will do his Duty. It is undoubtedly
to be obtained by Prayer, but we rnuft have
Grace to pray for it $ and I am not fenfible
that Almighty God does any other way give
bis Grace but by offering to us, or by laying
in our Way fuffident Inducements to obey his
Will : I am lure I can find none elie in my
felf or difcover them in others, whatever the
Enthufiaftick and Vifionary Gentlemen may
do. 1 doubt much, that what they call Grace,
is what I call Enthufiafm, or a iirong Conceit
or Perfwafion of their own Godhnels and
Communication with the Deity.

What fort of Reafoning then is this, to lay,
that Heaven gives to every Man fufficient
Power and Motives to chufe the beft, which
vet prove inefficient 5 that he has made every
Man free to aft or not to aa by a Rule, and
vet has plac'd him in fuch a Situation as to find
a thouland Obftacles in his Way to that Free-
dom 5 and that he has given him a Judgment
capable to determine right, and Opportunities
rightly to exercife that Judgment 5 and yet by
mlkins ufe of that Judgment and thofe Op-
portunities, he often judges direaiy contrary:
And all this is to make good a Syftem, as yet
owned but by a very fmall Part of Mankind,
and for which I can find no Foundation in
Reafon and Scripture ?

I rr.uft beg leave to think it very audacious
in a fmall N umber of Men, to determine the
Workings of Providence by their own narrow
Schemes, at the Expence too of condemning

the

x8a CATtfs LETTERS.

the Opinions and Reafonings of the greateft
Part of the World in all Ages. All or moft
of the Seels of Philofophers in Greece and
Rome, held Fare or Neceffity as the feveral
Seels amongft the Jews did, except the Ejjenes,
a very fmall Sect indeed, not exceeding few
thoufands. The Mahometans , through the
"World, hold Predeftination : The Cnhinifts>
and fome other Proteftant Seels, hold it now j
and 1 do not underhand the Articles of the
Church of England) if it is not the orthodox
Opinion amongft us 5 and it certainly was held
to be fo, till a few Doctors in King James and
Charles 1's Time, advanc'd the contrary Syftem,
and who, in the Addrefles of Parliament,
were always, in thofe Reigns, rank'd with
the Papifts for doing fo j and it is yet undoubt-
edly the Opinion of the common People thro*
the World : However, I do not condemn any
one who may think that this is derogatory to
the Attributes of God, in a modefl Manner
to offer his Reafons againft any Dogma ever
fo well eftablifh'd, (which I think is the Right
of all Mankind,) yet I could wifh they would
fhew the fame Modefty, in giving other Peo-
ple their Liberty of defending tne contrary
Opinion wirh the lame good Intentions.

The mod pregnant and ufual Objection a-
gainft this Doctrine is, That if Men are pre-
deftinated to eternal Blifs or Mifery, their own
Endeavours are ufelefs, and they can have no
Motives to prefer Good before Evil j which,
I confefs, will always be the Reafonings of
Men who are predeftinated to the latter, (if
'tis poflible to fuppofe there can be any fuch ;)

but

OATO's LETTERS.

but thofe who are determined to the firft, will
always believe, that God takes proper Means
to attain his Ends, and that he defigns to fave
Men by the Medium of good Works, and of
obeying his Will, and this Conviction will
be an adequate Caufe to produce fuch Obe-
dience in thofe who are deftined to Happinefs.
If the End is predeftinated, the Means muft
be predeftinated too. If a Man is to die in
War, he muft meet an Enemy ; and if he is
to be drown'd, he muft come within the reach
of Water , or if he is to be ftarv'd, h^ muft
not know how to come at any Victuals, or
have no Mind to eat them, or Stomach to di-
geft them.

As for my own part, I dare not belie ve>
that the all-good, all-wife, and moft merciful
God, has determined any of his Creatures to
endlefs Mifery, by creating and forming them
with fuch Appetites and Paffions as naturally
and neceffarily produce it $ though I think it
to be fully confident with his Power, Good-
nefs, and Juftice, to give Inclinations which
may lead and entitle us to Happinefs 5 and,
as I conceive, there is nothing in the Holy
Scriptures which cxpreily decides this Diffi-
culty, as I may poflibly fhew hereafter 5 fo I
'fhall not prefume to fearch too narrowly into
the fecret Difpenfations of Providence, or to
pronounce any Thing dogmatically concerning
his Manner of governing the Univerff, more
than that he cannot make his Creatures mife-
rable without juft and adequate Reafons. And
therefore, fince we find in Fa£t, that many of
them are fo in this State, we muft account for

this

i84 euro's LETTERS.

this by Mediums agreeable to his indifpute<V
Attributes, or own that we cannot account for
it at all, though it is unquestionably .juft in
it felf. All Means will probably conduce in
the End to impartial and univerfal Good,
and whatever, or how many States foever of
Probation we may pafs through, yet I hope,
that the Mercies of God, and the Merits of
Jefus Chrift, will at la ft exceed, and prepon-
derate the Frailties, Mirtakes, and temporary
Tranfgreflions of weak and mortal Men ; all
which I fhall endeavour, in Time, to /hew
from Scripture and Reafon : The former of
which, in my Opinion, is too generally mi-
ilaken or perverted, to fignify what it does
not intend, by {training fome PafTages beyond
their literal and genuine Signification, and
explaining others too literally, and not making
due Allowances to the Manner of fpeakjng
ufed amongft the Eaftern Nations, which
was very often, if not moft commonly, in
Hyperboles and other Figures and Allegories.
But more of this hereafter, when I dare pro-
mife to deftrve the Pardon of every candid
Perfon, whom I cannot convince.

I rfw, ckc.

LETTERS. 18

S I R,

AS all the Ideas or Images of the Brain
muft be caus'd originally by Impreffions
of Objeds without us, ib we can reafon upc
no other. A Man born blind can have no
Imase of Light or Colours 5 nor one who has
been always deaf, of Sounds $ whatever Le-
fcriptions are given of them. There are many
Creatures in the World who want fome Or-
gans of Senfe which we have, and probably
there are others in the Univerfe which have
many that we want, and fucb Beings, if there
be any fucb, muil know many Things ot
which we have no Conception 5 and they
muft jurfge of other Things, of which we
have a more partial Conception, in diftere
Lights from what we are capable of judging.
It is not certain that any two Men fee <
lours in the fame Lights ; and it is molt cer-
tain, that the fame Men at different Times,
according to the good or ill Difpofition i of their
Organs, Yee them in various ones, and
quently their Ratiocinations upon them will
be different; which Experience Hiews us to
be true in diftemper'd enthufiaftick or melan-
choly Men. t

Our Senfes are evidently adapted to take in
only finite or limited Beings ; nor are we ca-
pable of conceiving their Exigence, otherwiie

i8<? Core's LETTERS.

than by the Mediums of Extention and Soli-
dity, The Mind finds that it fees, hears,
taftes, fmells, and feels, which is its Manner
of firft conceiving Things, or in other Words,
is the Modus in which Objects affect it , and
it can reafon no farther upon them, than ac-
cording to thofe Impreffions : So that it is
converfant only about the Film or Outfide of
Bodies, and knows nothing of their internal
Contexture, or how they perform their Ope-
rations, and confequently can affirm or deny
Toothing about them, but according to the
Perceptions it has 5 and when it goes further,
or attempts to go further, it rambles in the
Dark, and wades out of its Depth, and muft
rave about Non Entities, or, which is the fame
thing to us, about what we do or can know
nothing of, or nothing to the Purpofe 5 and
yet thefe Things, or thefe Nothings, have
employ'd the Leifure, Speculations, and Pens
of many very learned Men, as if true Wifdom
confifted in knowing what we want Faculties
to know.

All that we can know of Infinity, Eternity,
©Y. is, That we can know little or nothing
about them. We muft underftand what we
mean by the Terms, or elfe we could not ufe
them, or muft ufe them impertinently. We
perfectly apprehend what we mean by Dura-
tion, which is our Conception of the Continu-
ance of Things, and contains in it a terminus
a quo to a terminus ad quern, that is, it has cer-
tain Boundaries in our Imaginations, and we can
multiply this Conception backwards and for-
wards, without ever being able to come to the

End

CA'fO's LETTERS. 187

iEnd of it, and To may be fare that it is with-
out End* and then the Imagination is lott,
! and can 20 no further. We know that a,L ex-
tended Bodies are divifible, and can never he
I divided fo often, but they may be divided
further 5 and therefore fay juftly, they are m-
f finitely divifible * nor can any Body be

larse or Ion* as to come to the End of hxte
I Son. And ^ therefore we may fafely affirm,
That Extenfion or Space (which is our Con-
ception of the Exigence and Immenfity <
Bodies) is infinite 5 but then we know north*
1 Properties of Infinity or Eternity, but by the
Help of thefe Conceptions, which being 1
-. mited and finite, cannot meafure what is in-
finite and eternal 5 that is, we cannot compre-
hend what is incomprehenfible to any Being
which is not infinite and eternal too; and
whofe Exigence is not as immeasurable by
I Time and Place as thofe Images are.

All the Difputes, feeming Contradictions,
and Abfurdities, which offer themfelves when
we think or talk of Infinity or Eternity, anl<
from our applying our Thoughts, which are
confined to finite Beings, and our Words,
which are coined to convey finite Conception,
to Subjefts which are infinite, and of whi<
we can have no adequate Ideas that can be es
prefs'd by Sounds. Nothing is more true in
finite Beings, than that the Whole muft con-
fift of all its Parts ; but in Infinity, there
no Whole, nor confequently Parts. Whe
there is no Beginning nor any End, there can
be no Middle "; and^ where there .is no Whole,
there can be no Half, Time or

i88 euro's LETTERS.

Theory are not divifible, becaufe nothing but
Time or Space can divide them, and then
they are not divided j yet we know that Time
or Space, as they have relation to finite Beings,
and our Exigence or Duration, may be di-
vided, and arefo; and therefore the Riddles
made about them are owing to the Narrownefs
of our Capacities, and to our endeavouring to
apply fuch Conceptions as we have, to Ob-
jects of which we can have no Conception,
which is, in effect, to attempt to hear Sights
and iee Sounds.

It is the fame Thing to pretend to define
Eternity, or comprehend Infinity j which is
to put Limits and Ends to what has no Limits
and Ends, and to comprehend what is in-
comprehenfible 5 which Conceptions contra-
dict one another, and cannot itand together in
a Propofition. It is the fame to talk of infi-
nite Number, for all Number rouft be finite.

How vain therefore is it, to form any Pro-
pofitions or Reafonings beyond our Images,
or to make pofitive Deductions from Premises
wholly negative? From hence I conceive pro-
ceed all the Fairy Difputes about the Modus
of God's exifting ; what are his Attributes
and Manner of acting ; whether Space is a real
Beingy or only the Or^r of Things amonpft tbe;n-
fehes 5 whether it is the Scnforium of Go<J, or
what is the Meaning of the Word Senforium :
Which Controverfies have taken up great Part
of the Time of two very learned Men, that
has been fpent, as I think, moftly in /hewing
that they know nothing of the Matter, or
ju-xt to nothing. I am fure I have learn'd no-
thing

CATo's LETTERS.

:hing from their Elucidations, whatever others
may have done.

All that God Almighty has thought fit to
tell us about the Modus of his Exigence is, I
*m that I am. And this we fhould have known
if he had not told it to us $ and I believe it
is all we ever /hall know, till he gives us other
Faculties. We are very fure that God is $
that fome Being muft have exifted before any
Limitation of Time, and independent of every
other Being 3 and confequently muft have ex-
ifted neceffarily, or what we call eternally.
It is exceeding probable, and, I think, cer-
tain, that there cannot be two or more fuch
Beings as are neceflary and felf exifting ; and
if but one, then that muft be the Caufe of all
the reft, or, which is the fame thing, mufl
produce all the reft ; which mediately or im-
mediately muft derive their Exiftence, Facul-
ties, Senfations, Capacities, Powers of Aclion,
and confequently their Actions themfelves,
from him.

But by what Energy or Power he effects
this, we are wholly ignorant 5 and though the
Wits of learned Men have been employed in
folving this intricate Queftion for many thou-
fand Years, yet the World is now juft as wife
as when they firft fet out ; and therefore I
humbly think it is high Time to give over,
and to content our felves with knowing all that
we can know, that is, that we can know no-
thing about it -•) and confequently, ought not
to form Proportions about God's EfTence, his
Attributes, concerning his Eternity, his Infi-
nity, the Moduli or what is the Senforimu of

his

i9o Giro's LETTERS.

_

his Exigence, or of his Ways or Motives for
making or governing the Umverfe : For I j
conceive in thefe Quefiions we muft walk
wholly in the Dark $ like Travellers who are
out of their Way, the further they go, the
greater is their Journey home again.

However, I think we are left at liberty to
reafon about Things which we do know, and
therefore may with great Aflurance fay, That
God made all Things, and that every Thing
depends immediately, or, by fecond Caufes,
mediately upon him j and that it is abfolutely
impofllble they can dootherwife.

I do not fee how a greater Abfurdity -can be
put together in Words, than that one Being
fhall make another, create the Matter of which
it was made, give it all the Faculties it has,
all its Capacities of Reafoning, Powers of
Action, Means of Thinking, and prefent it
with all its Objeftsfor thinking, and yet leave
it at liberty to aft againft them all $ which I
conceive is a downright Impoflibility. A Fair |
of Scales perfectly pois'd cannot ponderate on I
either Side , and a Man who has no Motives ;
to aft, will not aft at all. Every thing muft
be at reft which has no Force to impel! it 5
but as the leaft Straw breaks the Horfe's Back,
or a fingle Sand will turn the Beam of Scales
which holds Weights as heavy as the World ;
fo, without doubt, as minute Caufes may de-
termine the Aftions of Men, which neither
others, nor they themfelves are fenfible of 5
but certainly fomething muft determine them,
or elfe they could not be determined , and it
is nothing to the purpofe to fay, that their

Choice

; LETT ERS. 191

Choice determines them, if fomething elfe
muft determine that Choice 5 for let it be what
it will, the EfFeft muft be neceffary. To fay
that a Man has a Power to aft without any
Motives or Impulfe to aft, feems to me to be
a direft Blunder : A Man can't have a Will,
to aft againft his Will, and if he has a Will
to do it, fomething muft determine that Will,
and whatever it is, muft be his Caufe of
Aftion, and will produce the Aftion $ and
that can only be the Appearance of Advantage
arifing from it $ and thofe Appearances muft
arife from the feeming Relations of Objefts
to one another, or to himfelf , which are not
in his Difpofal, nor confequently are his Ac-
tions in the Senfe contended for.

If a Man can do a voluntary Aftion with-
out a Defign to do it, and without any Reafon
or Motive for doing it, then Matter without
Undemanding has a felf-moving Power ; which
is Atheifm with a Witnefs, tho' I will not, ac-
cording to laudable Cuftom, call the AiTertors
of it Atheifts, becaufe they may^not fee the
Confequence ; for take away UndevftanMng^
and there can be nothing left but Matter :
And Undemanding is certainly taken away,
when a Being has no Reafon for afting ; but
when he has a Reafon, that Reafon is the
Caufe, or Cc-caufe of the Aftion.

The Queftion therefore is not whether a
Man can do what he has a Mind to do, but,
Whether he can do what he has no Mind to
do ? That is, if his Inclinations concur with
his Reafonings, his appearing Interefts, and
his predominant Paffions, whether altogether

vviU

C Arc's LETTERS.

will not form his Refolutions, and make him
act purfuant to them, whilft thofe Motives
continue. One may as well fay a Man can
avoid feeing, when an Object ftrikes the Eye,
or Hearing, when it hits the Ear, as to believe
that he can decline thinking, when the Motion
caufed by the Object reaches the Brain, or
wherever elfe the Seat of Thinking is, unlefs
fome other more powerful Object obstructs
or diverts it in its Journey, or afterwards, and
when he does think, he mutt think as he can,
that is, according as Objects from without are
reprefented by their Images to him within,
or, in other Words, as they act. upon the ani-
mal Spirits, or whatever elfe it is which fets
the Machine in Motion. A Man cannot avoid
feeling Pain or Sicknefs, which are Senfations
of the Mind, nor chufe whether he will feel
them or not 5 nor can he avoid defiring to get
rid of them, unlefs fome ftronger Motives de-
termine him, which promife him greater Ad-
vantages than he fuffers Inconveniencies.

But here the Metaphyfical Gentlemen di-
ftinguifh between the Motions of the Body
and thofe of the Mind: They own the Pulfe
will beat, the Nerves, Arteries, Mufcles, and
Blood, will move whether we will or not :
And is it not as evident, that, according as
they move or beat, the Mind receives Altera-
tion, is enlarg'd or leflen'd, improv'd or im-
pair'd, and determin'd in many of its Refo-
lutions. A Man fick, or in Pain, will fend
for or go to a Phyfician or Surgeon, which
draws after it a Train of other Refolutions or
Actions 5 and, according to tbe Succefs he

meets

CMTO's LETTERS,

meets with, may alter the whole Scheme of
his Life, and of his After- think ing, and very
often of hre Capacity of Thinking. As our
Bodies are healthy or diforder'd, we are cou-
rageous, jealous, fearful, enthufiaftick, or
melancholy, and reafon differently, and aft
differently : And is it not then choice Philofo-
phy, to fay, that the Contexture and Difpo-
fition of our Bodies (which were not of our
own making ) often direct or influence the Re
folutions of our Minds, and yet are not the
Caufes of thofe Reioiutions; and to go on to
fuppofe, that our Minds aft independently oi
them, as well as of all other Caufes : For 'tis
ridiculous to fay, that tho' the Mind rus a
Principle of Self-Motion, yet other Caufes
co-operate to produce the Aftion j for if any
other Caufe makes it do what it would not
otherwise do, that is the Caufe or Co-cauie
of the Action produc'd to all the Purpofes of
this Argument ; nor can I guefs at any one
Argument which can be made ufe of to fhew,
that fecond Caufes can produce Part of the
Aft ion, or co-operate in producing it, which
can prove them incapable to produce the
Whole. The moft that can be pretended is,
that there is a Poffibility that it may be fo $
but I conceive no Reafon can be afllgn'd why
it may not be otherwife $ but whether it is fo
or not, I think I have fhewn, that the Mind
of Man can be only a fecondary Caufe, muft
be afted upon by other Caufes, and that God
alone is the firft Caufe or Principle of all Mo-
tion 5 and that the A ft ions of all other Beings
are necdTarily dependent upon him,

VOL. IV. i A

CA TO's LETTERS.

A very great and juftly celebrated Author,
fuppofes that a Man has a fclf-moving
Power, and, I think, only fuppofes it, endea-
vours to determine the Queftion, by reducing
his Opponents to account for what no Man
yet has accounted for, and yet every Man fees
to be true : He fays, * // the Reafons find
Motives , upon which a Man zHs^ be the immediate
and efficient Caufe of the AftiQn^ then either abftraft
'Notions (as all Reafons and Motives are) are in
tbewf elves Sub/lancef, or elfe tbat which has no real
Subfiftence can put a Body in Motion.

Now the Force of this Reafoning confifls
in putting his Adverfary upon fhewing how
the Mind a&s upon the Body, or the Body
upon the Mind $ and he would have done
kindly to have let us into that Secret himfelf.
When he is fo obliging to inform the World
how the Eye fees, the Ear hears, or the Pa-
late taftes, I dare undertake to folve any other
Difficulty he propofes. We find by Expe-
rience, when an Object flrikes the Eye, it
caufes that Senfation which we call Seeing ;
and a Man cannot avoid feeing, no more than
in other Circumftances he can avoid feeling
Pain and Sicknefs, which are undoubtedly
Actions of the Mind 5 or if he chufes another
manner of Expreflion, we will call them Paf-
fions, (and indeed they are both, viz. the lat-
ter as they are impeli'd by other Caufes, and
the former as they produce future Events $ and

Dr. ClarkV Remarks upon a Phllgfopbical
concerning human Liberty, Page 43.

it

CAlO's LETTERS. 193

it feems very trifling to me, in fo great a Mam
to fpend fo many Pages about the Propriety
of # Word, when the Meaning intended to be
conveyed by it was fully underftood:J but^
certainly they are Species of Thinking, or, if
he pleafes, abftraft Notions, which often put
a Body in Motion, as all Thinking undoubt-
edly does : But how thefe Effects are produ
ced we are wholly in the dark.

We fee and feel, that Defires and Fears,
that abftra^l Notions or Images of the Brain,
alter the Difpofuion of the whole _Fabrick,
and often detfroy the Contexture of it. We
fee that the Longings of Women with Child,
will ftamp ImpreSions upon the Fetus, which
Longings are certainly abftraft Notions $ and
if thefe are not corporeal, then we muft con-
fefs, that what is not fo, will affecT: what is :
For as to his Words Subftance and MJiflence, I
ihall not pretend to underftand them, without
a farther Explanation, if he means any thing
by them beiides Body. Methinks this truly-
worth y and learned Author fhould not call up-
on another, to folve what no Man is more
capable of folving than himfelf. I freely own
my Ignorance , and iince, as I conceive, Re-
velation is filent in the Matter, am contented
to continue in that Ignorance.

His other Argument is as follows : If infin-
fible Matter, or any other Being or Sulftance con-
tinually afting upon a Jvlan, be the immediate and
efficient Caufe of bis ARions, then the Motion of
that fultle Matter or Subftance muft be caufcd by
fome ether Subftance, I would chufe to call it
fome other Being, and the Motion of that by

1 2, fome

196 CAo's LETTERS.

fane other, till at loft we arrive at aftee Bein?.
Now if inftead of the Words free Being, he
had faid a felf-exiftent Being, which 1 Call
God, his Conclufion had been inevitable •
nor do I oppofe it in the Words he ufe.s :
But as we may poflibly differ, and I doubt
fhall do, in the Meaning of the Words free
Being, fo I neither affent to, nor difient from
his Propofition. 1 mean, by a feee Being, one
who has nothing, without itfelf, to determine
or controul its Adlions , which God has not,
and I think Man has. His Conclufions, there-
fore from fuch Premises are nothing to
sne*

I am, &c.

SIR,

T is juftly obferv'd by Mr. Locke, and by
* Mr. Holbs, and others before him, that we
have no innate Ideas, nor can reflect upon
them before we have them, that is, we can-
not think before we have fomething to think
upon. All Objects and Materials for think-
ing mu$ be Let in upon the Mind thro* the
Organs of Senfe ; and when they are there,
we reflect or reafon upon them 3 or, to fpeak
philofophically, when the Aftion of exterior
Bodies itrike upon us, they muftcaufe a fecond
Ac/tion or Motion, and continue it in mfinit&it*
uniefs it meets Obftruftion. This firji Acli-

OB

's LETTERS. 197

on caufes Senfation, and the fecond Reflecl:i-
on, and the firft feems to me as neceffarily to
produce the latter, as the Wind fails a Ship,
or the winding up of a Clock fets it in Mo-
tion.

Every Syftem of Matter has peculiar Orga-
nizations, and can perform only peculiar Func-^
tions. A Cow cannot perform the Offices ot
a Horfe, nor a Man of a Monkey 5 nor indeed,
in many Inftances, can one Man perform thofe
of another. As fome Machines or Syftems of
Matter confift of vaftly finer and more nume-
rous Parts than others, fo they are capable
of more Operations. A Watch which points
to Minutes or Seconds has more Wheels,
than one which only Ihews Hours 5 and a fink-
ing or repeating Watch has more than both,
though all are wound up by the fame Key.
Animals who confift of infinite Tubes, Veins,
Arteries, Mufcles, and^ Juices, which alfo
confift of infinite globular, and other figur'ci
Particles of Matter, mufi have fuitable and
very furprizing Operations, though all their
Actions muft be confin'd within the Circle of
their Machine j but they will be multiply 'd in
equal or greater Degree than the Chances upon
Dies : Two Dies have fix times as many Chan-
ces as one, and three as two, and fo on in hifi-
nitum j and therefore there feems to be no Dif-
ficulty in accounting for the great Variety of
Actions in Animals more than in inferior Ma-
chines : And as Mankind never have, nor, I
prefume, ever will difcover all the Powers
of mechanical Experiments, fo with greater
Reafon one may venture to aflert, that no A-

I 3 niraarl

ip8 CATO's LETTERS.

nirnal ever yet has exerted all the Faculties
it was endu'd with : A thoufand Dies may
turn up all Sexes 3 but I believe this has ne-
ver happen'd, nor I believe ever will.

Vegetables feem to me to be Analogous in

c^* tj

many Refpecls to Animals : Their Generarfon
appears to be much alike: They both rife
from Seeds, or Eggs, and continue their Kinds
by the fame: Their Life is contfnu'd alike^
and their Nourishment conveyed through
Veins, or other Tubes ; and when that Nour-
ifnmcnt ceafes, they die, and as the Action
of the Sun, or other Bodies, fets the former
in Motion, and caufes that fort of Senfation
which we call Vegetation, fo the fame Power,
or fome other like it, feems to rouze animal
Life, and fets it in like Motion 3 and all Mo-
tion mud be progreflive in the fame Syftem
till it is deftroy'd, or that Syftem becomes a-
nother, or part of another $ which fliall be
more fully /hewn hereafter.

This Action is cail'd by different Names, as
ir affects the different Parts of the Machine.
When it affects the Eye, it is cail'd Seeing 3
the Ear, Hearing 5 the Palate, Taftingj the
Nofe Smelling 5 which indeed are but diffe-
rent Sorts of Feeling : But when the Motion
is continued farther, and gets to the Brain,
or other internal Parts of the Syftem, it caufes
that Effect which we call Thinking ; which
again operates within the Animal, and drives
it to farther Action, which is always analogous
to the Difpofition of the Fabrick, and regular,
or irregular,«according to the prefent Forrnaton
of the Machine, and of the Powers which

impel

CATo's LETTERS. 199

impel it. And here we cannot enough ad-
mire the exquifite Skill of the fupreme Ar-
chitect, who has form'd fuch ftupendious and
amazing Works of his Omnipotence; and m
many Inftances, I conceive we fliould judge
right if we only admir'd them, and not vain-
ly attempted to find out what we can never
know. We want Faculties to fearch the
Caufes of moft Things in Nature, and know
nothing of their internal Contexture, and but
little ot* the Modus of their Operations. We
fee only fome feniible Effects of the Adions
of Bodies upon one another j but how they
produce thefe Effe&s, we are utterly igno-
rant, and I believe ever fhall be whilft we
are in this State : We cannot tell why the
Fire burns, the Grafs grows, the Eye fees,
the Ear hears, or the Mind thinks, only we
find in faft, that they do £"05 and here is our
ne plus ultra.

It is exceedingly imprudent therefore for
Men to pretend to determine the Powers of
Matter and Motion, when they know not
what Matter is, of what Parts it confifts, or
indeed any thing about it, but by a few out-
ward Erre&s $ nor can we form any Notions
of it but from thofe Effects, which yet pro-
bably do not exhauft the Millionth Part of its
Powers: And it is ftill more ridiculous to
ufe the Word Spirit, (of which we have no
fort of Idea,) to account for other Things of
which we have very little or no Idea neither,,
and in many Inftances, deny what we fee,
to pretend to believe what we do not under-
{land. Words are only the Signs yof Images,

I 4 * ™

200 CA To's LET TERS,

as Figures are of Numbers; and what Life i»
there of a Sound, or Scrall, which fignifies
nothing, or, which is the fame Thing, which
{lands for what we know nothing of.

Now if a Man fhould ask a modern Philo-
fopher, what he meant by the Word Spirit ? he
poilibly will anfwer, that it is fornething which
wants Extenfion and Solidity. If it be ask'd
again, what Conception he has of any Thing
which has neither Exteniion or Solidity? and
he anfwers, that he has none at all, but that
there may be Beings in Nature of which he
neither has, nor can have any Idea : If then
he be ask'd, why he ufes a Word which has
r,o Conception annex'd to it, to explain ano-
ther Thing of which he is wholly in the dark ?
his Reply, I prefume will be, that he cannot
account for fome Operations of that Being by
the Images he had before conceiv'd of it, and
the Definitions about it which he had been
us'd to ; and therefore he was forc'd to recur
to negative Ideas. If he be ask'd again, how
he knows that his Definitions are right, and
take in all the Powers of that Being ? he muft
acknowledge, that he knows not the Thou-
iandth Part of its Powers 5 but yet perhaps
will fay, that he is very fure that it has not
Powers inconiiftent with the Nature of Body.
It will be ask'd of him, how he, who knows
little or nothing of the Nature of Body, can
know what is againft the Nature of Body ?
which Difficulty I /hall leave to wifer Men to
unriddle.

Now it appears to me, that there are many
mechanical Operations of the Minds and Bodies

of

's LETTERS. 201

of Animals, which refult only from their pe-
culiar Syftems of Matter, or, in other Words,
compounded Bodies peculiarly fyftematiz'dr
attain new Qualities and Powers which they
had not before, and which influence their
own Actions, and the Actions of other Bo-
dies, as neceflarily as the Loadftone draws
Iron, or the Root and Fibres of a Tree or
Plant attract the Juices of the Earth, and con-
vey them on, till they are tranfrauted into
Wood, Leaves,, and Fruit. A Chick, or a
young Fheafant, hatch'd in an Oven, as foon
as it is out of the Shell, will eat Bread, or
Emmet Eggs, and foon after fhew Signs of
Love or Fear, and /brink from Danger (like
the fenfitive Plant from the Touch) before it
has gain'd any Experience, has any Senfe of
Injuries, or can know how it can be hurt.
Birds hatch'd in a Cage will not only gene-
rate together, but will build their Neils in
the fame Manner, and of the fame Materials
with thofe of the frme Kind, if they can come
at them, without having feen any of the fame
Sort before. Infant Animals immediately feek
the Teats of their Dams, without being taught
to do fo $ and all Animals and Vegetables
feek or attract the peculiar Nourishment that
is proper to their Species, without any Direc-
tion but from Nature, and have the fame Affec-
tions and Pafftons, with but little Variation ;
whkh I think plainly fhews, that their par-
ticular Organizations, or Syflems of Matter,
by a natural Sort of Gravitation or Attrac-
tion direct their Operations $ and though eve-
ry Particular of the fame Species differs 4n

1 5 feme

=02 CATo's LETTERS.

lome Refpecls from another, and confequcnt-
ly their Aclions will vary, yet they are all
confin'd within the Limits prefcrib'd to the
whole Species. And this Obfervation runs
through all Nature.

Now I conceive this muft be accounted for
as above, or we muft recurr to conftant Mi-
racle, or elfe fuppofe that God Almighty has
given to every Species of Animals peculiar
Minds different from all other Kinds, and to
every Particular a Mind different from all the
reft of the fame Kind 5 which guides and di-
re 6ts all its Actions, and makes all the fpeci-
£ck as well as identical Differences we fee :
Por which Suppofition I can find no Founda-
tion in Reafon, or from Obfervation, nor can
I perceive what Ufe can be made of fuch a
Conccffion 5 for whether the Action of Ani-
mals are directed by the Difpofition of the
Materials which form them, or they were
originally tonftituted with fuch Appetites,
they muft a6l the fame Way 5 and this farther
raifes our Admiration of the Power and Pro-
vidence of God, who has form'd all his Crea-
tures in fuch a Manner as to anfuerhis Inten-
tions in creating them 3 and has fo difpos'd the
Mechanifm and Juices of every living Species)
as well as of every individual, as will beft
conduce to its Prefervation, and to perform
the Function intended.

But here a notable D.iftinftion arifes be-
tween the Operations of the Mind,- and thofe
in the Body, or in other Words, between Sen-
fations and Reflections, between Appetites and
ngs 3 which I rr,uft beg leave to think

n

CATO's LETTERS. 203

in this Regard, has no Foundation in Nature*
and only exifts in metaphyfical Brains. There
can be no Senfations, Inclinations, or Appe-
tites, without the Co-operation of that Facul-
ty, Capacity, Energy, or whatever elfe it is
that we call the Mind. Dead Men can no more
hear, fee, feel, &c. than a lump of Earth, be-
caufe their Organization is deftroy'd, or the
animal Spirits which fet them in Motion can
no longer continue that Motion, or the fepa-
rate Principle, call'd the Mind, can no longer
keep its Habitation 5 but whatever it be, or
by what Name foever call'd, it is certainly the
caufafme qua non of the Actions of the Animal,
and is one Link of the Chain of Caufes which
direct and govern his voluntary Motions.

'Tis the Mind which fees, hears, taftes*
fmells, feels, defires, or fears 5 and herein con-
fifts the Difference between Animals and Ve-
getables : They have both Life, and both
have Organizations proper to preferveand con-
tinue that Life by fuitable Nouri/hment con-
vey'd through Veins and Tubes : Both have
fur prizing Operations, and unfearchable by
our Capacities $ and both muft have a long
Train of Caufes from Nature to enable them
to produce thofe Operations : but befides
many other poilible Caufes link'd together in
thofe Chains, and many of them exiting with-
in Animals themfelves which we do not know,,
there is one which we do, namely3 the Will
or Defire to do a Thing 3 and this certainly,
in a thoufand Inftances, depends upon Caufes
without us, and which are undoubtedly out of
oar Power 5 which Caufes without, fet the

cthc-sr

204 euro's LE TT ERS.

other Caules within us at work, and produce
the Will, and confequently the Action.

A Chick, or young Pheafant, would no more
peck, or a Lamb fuck, than if it was dead,
if it did not intend to do it : It feels Unea-
finefs by Hunger, and {hives to help itfelf r
It certainly fliews Thought and Choice, in-
preferring one Sort of Food before another*
and in fhrinking or running away from Dan-
ger : And thefe are all Actions of the Mind.
It is true, as it grows older, and its Contex-
ture ftronger, its Experience encreafes, and
its Capacity grows with it 5 but the Faculty is
the fame, and for any thing which appears to
the contrary, refults from the Formation of
the 3 y it em $ nor can I conceive how all Birds,
Beafts, and Filhes of the fame Species, fhould
have the fame, or very near the fame Senfati-
ons, Defires, and Fears, and chufc the fame
Kinds of Food and Means of Prefervation,
and always ufe the fame, or very near the fame
Addrefs, Cunning, or Artifice, unlefs their
Contexture, the Difpoiition of Materials and
Juices, of which they are composed, by a na-
tural Mechanifm, produced thefe Effects, ei-
ther by conflicting or acting upon that Ener-
gy, call'd their Minds, and then directing and
coercing thofe Minds to exert the Faculty,
call'd the Will, which produces the Action,
if it may be lawful to diftinguifh an Opera-
tion of the fame Power from its felf.

I am not aware of any other Objection to
this Reafoning, but that we can have no Con-
ception how Matter can produce an Act or O-
peration of the Mind in Brute Animals, and

therefore

CATtfs LETTERS. 205

therefore other Syftems have been invented*,
equally unconceivable, to avoid this, and
which apparently contradict Fa&. It is plain,
that their Minds are affe&ed, altered, and
receive Addition and Diminution by Diet,.
Phyfick, and Exercife, and partake, in many
Refpecls, of the Fate of their material Sy-
ftem, and their Faculties are greater or
lefs, according to the Difpofition of that Sy-
ftem, a-s fhall be more fully fhewn in fu-
ture Papers. And fince the whole muft con-
fift of the feveral Parts, what Reafons can be
aflign'd to prove, that material Caufes may
create or produce the Parts and not the Whole,
I mean of their Minds 5 for as to the Soul of
Man, I ftiall confider it feparately thereafter.
For my own Part, I have had always fo un-
fortunate a Turn of Thinking, that I could
never fubfcribe to Opinions, becaufe others
held them before me , nor will I tend into
the Clouds for Solutions which lie under my
Nofe, orrefufe the Benefit of my Eyes to a-
mufe my Understanding, neither fhall I re-
gard the Calumnies and uncharitable Cenfures
of thofe who dare not peep out of their dark
Dungeons, and would meafure all Truth by
imbiVd Prejudices, but fhall ever think, that
I fhall do more Honour to Almighty God in-
believing that he has Co form'd at once the
whole Fabrick of Heaven and Earth, as to
produce all the Events he intended, than to
fuppofe he has often found Caufe to mend and
alter his firft Refolutions ; thoj I confefs it
may confift with his Wifdom, and conduce
to the Ends of his Providence, to fuffer Mat-
ters,

CATO's LETTERS.

ters, in fome Refpe&s, and at fome Times>
to appear to us in other Lights.

He certainly is a more skillful Artificer who
can make a Watch which fhall go fora thou-
fand Years, and then break to Pieces at a
ftated Time, than another who makes one
which muft be wound up every Day, and
mended every Month.

I am 6kc.

S I R,

TH E World has always run wot after one
Whimfey or another : Aftrology was
the Maclnefs of the laft Age 5 and pretended
Prophets, Fortune-tellers, Conjurers, Witches,.
Apparitions, and fuch like fuperftitious Fool-
eries, have been in requeft in all Ages : Drea-
mers of Dreams, led, mifled, and governed
Mankind for more than two Thoufand Years
together, and they are far from being out of
Fafhion yet : And it is no fmall Comfort, that
this Sort of Divination and Infraction is left
to us 5 for I do not find that any Society of
Men pretend to have any Jurisdiction over
fleeping Dreams, or to have the foie Conduct,
Regulation, or Interpretations of them, but e-
very Man when he is afleep, is left at liberty
to dream as he can, and interpret his Dreams
as he thinks fit 5 which Indulgence is not
allow'd to our waking Dreams. I ihall there-
lore

LETTERS. 207

fore take the Advantage of this prefent To-
leration of dreaming, to dream too ; and though
1 will not vouch and be anfwerable for the
Truth of my Dreams, yet I dare compare
them with thofe of the ancient and fome mo-
dern Philofophers. .
I conceive, that the Divines of all Religi-
ons have ever agreed, That the Soul of Man
is a Being feparate from the Body, and in its
own Nature capable of fubfiftmg independent
of it, and i alfo conceive, that all Chriftian
Divines hold, or ought to hold, that it is a
diftina Being from what we call the Mind,
and fuperadded to it by the divine Goodneis
to diftinguifh Mankind from the Brute Creation
to continue his Being after the Dilution or
the Body, and to make him an Object of
ture Rewards and Punifhments j for tis cer-
tain, that other Animals have Minds too,
and reafon and refolve, though in. an mferioi
Degree to our felves; and I think alfo, that it
is almoft univerfally agreed, that thofe Minds
take the Fate of their Bodies, and die

- The Phiiofophers of all Ages havefet them-
felves to work, and employed their Wits to
trace the Minds of Brutes to their firfl
ces or Principles, and fo to account for their
Operations, but have differed as widely as
they do in other Matters, about which they
know nothing : Some have fuppofed them ta
be Modifications of Matter and Motion, and
Operations refultinj* from the Organization:
and Mechanifm of the Body, like the taking
of a Clock, or Watch, or Mufick made by

blowing

CATO's LETTERS.

blowing into or ftriking upon an Infirument j
for as the Percuffion of one Body againft ano-
ther makes Sound, fo the Inflruments or Ve-
hicles upon which or through which it hits
or paffes, modify and determine the Species
of it.

Thefe endeavour to illuftrate the Power of
voluntary Motion (v;t. how a fudden Impuife
of the Will can fet a great Machine in Aftion)
by what they think is analogous to it in me-
chanical Obfervations , as for Instance, a little
Agitation of the Air will turn a Windmill, or
fail a great Ship 5 and 'tis demonilrable in Me-
chanicks, that a Hair of a Man's Head, or a
Puff of his Breath, by the Help of proper
Springs, Wheels, and Pullies, may have Force
enough to move a Body as big and as heavy
as the World j and then they realon, that if
the little Contrivance and trifling Experiment,
we can ma^e of the Powers of Matter and
Motion, can convince u-s of its Capacity to
produce fuch furprifing Effects and Operati-
ons, a Machine organized by the excellent
Skill, and moft wife Contrivance, of the fu-
preme Architect, and coniifling of fuch fub-
tle animal Spirits, and of fuch Infinite
Springs, Wheels, and Tubfs, muft have fui-
table Operations, and fome of them fuch as
are not perceivable by our Senfes, or penetra-
ble by our Capacities : They conceive there is
fomething in Vegitation analogous to ani-
mal Life, and that the Difference of the ap-
pearing Senfations between the highefl Vegi-
table and the lowed Animal (as for Example,
between the fenfatire Plant and a Worm or

Snail)

C A f09s LETTERS. 209

Snail) is fo very little that they can account
for them both by the fame Syftem of Reafon-
ing, or rather, they are both equally unac-
countable by our Reafon : And therefore, fince
the former is undoubtedly only a Modus or
Opention of Matter and Motion, they think
we cannot know but the other may be fo too.

Many Pretenders to Ph;lofophy have thought
the Mind of a Brute Annual to be Part of the
Body, originally formed with it, and differ-
ing only from the other Parts, as it has a
finer Contexture, and confifts of more fubtle
and volatile Particles of Matter, that cannot
keep together without their Cafe or Shell,,
and conlequently cannot exiil together in a fe-
parate State from the Body, but when the
Organization and Mechanifm of its Inclofure
is duTolved or broke to Pieces, it muft diffipate
into the Mafs of Matter again.

But the greater Number have thought, that
there is an Anima Mmd't^ or Univerfal Spirit,
that permeats and actuates all Matter, and is
the Source of vegitable and animal Life, which
receiving its Modification from, and affirm-
lating it felf to the Nature and Structure of
the Body through which it pafles, or in which
it ach, conftitutes all the fpecifick Effefts
and Operations which we daily fee, feel,
and admire j as in the Inflances before given,
the fame Wind, blown into different Inftru-
roents, makes different Kinds of Mufick.

Many of this latter Sort have fancied, that
all Nature is full of organized Bodies, with
each a particular and fufficient Portion of this
univerfal and vital Spirit annex 'd to or inhe-
rent

210 CATO's LETTERS.

rent in them, which Bodies being in conftant
Motion fall gradually into peculiar Matrixes
or Wombs, . which are neceiTary to bring
them to Perfeclion. They think thefirft Seeds
of all Vegetables and Animals (which are indeed
the Vegitables and Animals themfelves) muft
have been formed at the Creation of the World 5
that the Seeds of the former muft make
their Proareffion thro' the Veins and Tubes of

M

Vegitables of the iame Kind, to prepare them
to become Fruit, and to produce that gruf-
fer fort of Seed which more eafily, and by
another Motion, grows into the fame kind of
Plant or Tree again ; and thofe of the latter
mull pafs through the Body of the Male to
awaken their firft Life, who are fent to nurfe
mto the Eggs, of the Female for Encreafe and
Expantion j and they conceive, that Experi-
ence confirms this Opinion, for that an Egg will
not produce an Animal till the Male has thrown
one into it ; but afterwards, by the Aflifhnce
of that vital Warmth which it receives from a
living Body, (or that Heat which is equiva-
lent to it, and is necelTary to preferve the
tender Fibres and Juices of Infant Animals )
it continues Life, nourifhes and encreafes it,
till it fwells and breaks out of its firft Enclo-
fure, and is ftrong enough to receive grofler
Nourifhment.

It feems to me, that the Generation or Pro-
ducliori of Vegitables is analogous to, if not
the fame with that of Animals, and that they
both receive their firit Nourifhment and En-
creafe in Eggs 5 and what are vulgarly called the
Seeds of the former, are Eggs, that enclofe the

minute

CAfO's LETTERS. 211

minute Specks of Entity, which arejts origi-
nal Seeds or Principals, or rather th*e whole
Plants or Trees in Migniature, nourifh them for
fome Time, and defend them againft the Inju-
ries of exterior Bodies, when they fir ft expand
themfelves, and fwell our of their native. Beds,
and their tender Parts become fufceptible of
outward Violence. It is evident, that if we
breakup new or Maiden-Ground many Sorts
of Vegitables will fpontaneoufly arife, which
have undoubtedly their proper Seeds in the
Earth, and as undoubtedly none of thofe
grofs Seeds which produce the fame Plant
asain 5 and it is plain, that the latter are fub-
jecl to be deftroy'd by exterior Accidents,
and to decay and die, which the others are not,
but very probably have had an unmolefled
Exigence from the Beginning of Time, and
would have continu'd in their firft State, if
they had not received a Fermentation, and
found a proper Matrix, by the opening the
Fibres and Bowels of the Earth, and which muft
be a different Matrix from what multiplies the
fame Species afterwards.

There have been other Seels of Philofophers
(if Folly may be call'd by that Name) who
have diilinguifh'd themfelves by fuppofing the
Mind and Soul to be the fame Being, and
confequently enjoy 'd in common by other Ani-
mals, as wellas'Men $ and they have fuppos'd
this Being not only to be different too from the
Body, and capable in its own Nature, not on-
-ly of fubfifting independent of it, but believ'd
that it receiv'd Prejudice, and was reflrain'd
from the free Ufe of many of its Faculties

by

ii2 CAT&s LETTERS.

by its Imprifbnmentand Union with it $ and yet,
when it was difcharg'd from its Goal, was at Li-
berty, capable or oblig'd to enter into fome o-
tber organie'd Body, and animate it, and per-
form the Functions of it. This was the Opinion
of the Tranfmigrators of Souls formerly, but
juftly is rejected by very many Chriftians 5 is
contrary to Revelation, and would put Brute A-
iiimals upon a level with Mankind 5 for it cannot
be deny cl that other living Creatures haveMind^
and as certainly no Souls 5 nor are they capable
of juft or unjufl- Actions, or of receiving future
Rewards and Puiiifhments due to thofe Actions,
It is certain they have Minds, and consequent-
ly Thought, Reflection upon paft Actions, or
Memory j Senfations of Pleafure and Pain 5 and
in many Inftances they judge well of their own .
Interefts, and chufe proper Means to attain
them 5 and Mankind have not only the above
Qualities in common with them, but poflfefs
them in a greater Degree, and over and above en-
joy, by the Bounty of Heaven, immortal Souls*
capable of continuing their Duration to all E*
ternity ; of which fome Traces are difcoverable
in our Nature, and the reft are afcertain'd to us
by Revelation, which Man alone is capable of
receiving : But how this fuperadded Being ope-
rates upon, and controlls the Actions of the Mind
and Body, we feem to be wholly in the Dark ;
but 'tis certain in fome Refpects they are all
blended together, co-operate, and act as one Be*
ing, and therefore are anfwerable for their joint
Actions, and are to take the fame Fate at laft,
when they come to be united again. However,
in this Difcourfe it may be proper to confider

them.

fs LETTERS.

them feparately, and not to impute the mecha-
nical Operations of Matter and Motion imme-
diately to our immortal Part, efpecially in fuch
Inftancesasare the fame, or analogous to the
Actions of Brutes, who are wholly mortal.

Therefore, if we confider this Energy, of
Principle, called a M*W, asfeparare from an hu-
man Soul, we fliall find that it mingles with*
animates, and informs the Bodies of Men, and
of all Animals j and whether it is only a Modifi-
cation of Matter and Motion 5 whether fubtle,
volatile, and elaftick Particles of Matter, called
Animal Spirits j ifelementary Fire, or what the
Ancients call'd jfnimaMundlr or Divin* Particula
JM\C, that is, a Particle of the Soul of the Uni-
verfe, or a Spark orlmpulfe of the Divinity, or
whatever elfe it is, unknown to us, it is moft cer-
tain, that its Power and Adion over fome Sorts
of organiz'd Bodies is very furprizing, and not to
be accounted for by any other^Syftem of Mat-
ter and Motion which falls within ourCompre-
henfions ; nor can I conceive it poflible that it e-
ver fhould be : For how fliould any Being trace
its own Principles, and the Caufes, which gave
it Being, know what it was before it was, or be
able to think how it came to think, unlefs by
refolving all Thinking into the Power of its
Creator. To know the" Mo^of Creation, is the
next Step to Creation, and to a Creature's crea-
ting itfelf, or another Being like itfelf, andren-
dring the Op us Operation, or the Work perform'd»
equally, or near as valuable as the Artificer.

The Powers of this Principle are very
ftupendious. We feem to owe moft, if not all
ourSenfations, Appetites, Affections, and Paul-

on?

ai4 CATO's LETTERS.

ons to it, which obvioufly receive conftant
Alteration by the Addition of new and ad-
ventitious Particles of Matter, which muft
more or lefs be penetrated and infpir'd with
^this Spirit, which unites to what is call'd the
Mind, as the groffer Parts do to the Body, for
neither can grow but by Addition, or be lef-
fen'd, but by Subftra&ion, tho' their Actions
may be, and are often clogg'd by internal
and external Impediments : Our Defires and
Feats, which appear to direct, and indeed
comprehend all the Actions of the Mind, are
only Paflions, or Perturbations of it, made by
the Impreflions of external or internal
Caufes $ and what we call Judgment feems to
me to be no more than a Struggle of thofe
PafTions, or, in other Words, the Ballance of
the Conveniences or Inconveniences which
will refult from what we defire or fear, and
the heavier Scale muft weigh down.

When a proper Proportion of this active
Force is duly diffus'd through the whole Ma-
chine, it will equally receive or reiift the Im-
preflions of Objects 5 the Paffions will be alike
ballanc'd, and confequently our Thoughts
and Actions will be regular, and what we call
prudent : But if there is too little to animate
the Mafs, or if it meets fuch Obstructions
as hinders its Energy, it becomes Stupidity or
Folly $ but if it abounds, and over-informs
its Tenement, or if it is unequally difpers'd,
or is put or kept out of its proper Place by na-
tural or accidental Obstructions, it caufes In-
difcretion, Extravagance, and, in a greater
Degree, Madnefs $ of which feveral Manners

of

's LETTERS. 215

of Thinking, there are as many Kinds and
Degrees as there are Irregularities in Man's
Conduct , and I doubt there are few Men fo
equally tempered, but they have, at different
Times, more or lefs of all thefe Qualities by the
unequal Supplies of this vital Spirit, or the
cccaiional Obrtructions it meets with. When
we denominate a Man mad, or a Fool, wemean
only, that he is more fo than moft others of his
Species j for all Men at Times have a Mix-
ture of both j and no Man's Actions will al-
ways bear the Teft of juft Reafonings , and if
we could enter, and look into their private
Thoughts, I doubt they would much lefs dofo.
All fudden Paffions is temporary Madnefs, as
» continued Paffion is continued Madnefs, and
ail Want of Apprehension is Folly.

Madnefs too is undoubtedly to be learn'd
and acquired by Habit and Exercife, as well as
Covetoufnefs, Pride, Ambition, Love, Deiire
of Revenge, and other Qualities : All which,
carried beyond a certain Degree, become
Madnefs, as every thing elfe is, when Mens
Defires or Fears, or the Means chofen to
attain the one, or avoid the other, are ex-
travagant, and above human Power or
Prudence; Nor does Madnefs (as has been
faid) depend only upon wrong Organizatiors
at firfr, or upon the original ill Temperament
of the Juices by an undue Mixture or Super-
abundance of this active Spirit, but often up-
on the fortuitous Alterations which both re-
ceive afterwards by Diet, Phyfick, Action, or
Accidents , for when thofe volatile Particles
have been long diverted, and ufed to run in

wrong

CATo's LETTERS.

wrong and indirect Channels, proper ones
will be clofed up, and they will have no others
to go in, which muft over-load iome, and
ftarve the reit, and make their Operations as
heterogenous and irregular as their Caufes are 5
and daily Experience fhews, that Men who
have been long us'd to think, or aft only in
one Way, are very difficultly, if ever, put into
another.

But of all the feveral Species or Kinds of
Madnefs in the World, none is fo flagrant,
catching, and mifchievous as the Madnefs
of Enthufiafm, which is ftill the worfe, as it
adopts and puts on the Mask and Appearance
of Zeal, and often pafles for Sobriety and In-
fpiration, and confequently is incapable of a
Cure, becaufe it will not feek or accept a
Remedy. This /hall be the Subject of my
two next Papers 5 and then my Dream will
be out.

I am, &c.

S I R,

IH A V E fuppos'd, in my laft, that our
Defires and Fears are Pafiions or knprefii-
ons made upon us by the Actions of other
Beings, and tbat a due Ballance of thofe Paf-
iions, or equal Impreflions, made upon the ie-
veral Parts of the Machine, duly impregnated
with vital Spirit, makes it aft regularly, and

confti-

CA TO's LETTERS. 217

conftitutes what we call Prudence $ but when
it is over-inform'd, or irregularly informed, or
thofe Impreffions are too flrong for the Ma-
chine to grapple with, it becomes Madnefs
and Di draft ion , for the Truth of which, we
need only appeal to Experience. Men of
warm Constitutions are eafily animated into
Madnefs by fiery Liquors, and high Food,
or by occafional Strokes of good or bad For-
tune 5 whereas thofe, who have not a fuftlcient
Share of vital Spirit, are only elevated and
rais'd to a proper Pitch by the former, or whol-
ly deprefs'd by the latter, as wanting Vigour
to refill: their Power, whiHi Nature, in the o-
thers, by an unequal Struggle and Contention
with it, over- exerts itfelf, and diforders and
fhakes the whole Machine.

This Hypothefis receives farther Confirma-
tion from the Methods ufually taken to cure
Madnefs 3 namely, by Failing, Bleeding, or
Purging, which can operate only be remo-
ving, carrying off, or fuffering to exhale or
perfpire the fuperabundant Particles of fpiritu-
ous Matter, which over-charge and diibrder
the Fabrick, till it receives a frefti Fermen-
tation from the Addition of new Ones, when
the Diftemper again returns. Since there-
fore it is evident, that fome of our thinking
Faculties receive Addition and Diminwtion
from the Action of other Bodies, and from
many internal and external Caufes, it mutt be
equally evident that they muft be mortal, or
peri (liable in their own Nature , for what is
Mortality but a Being changing its Form,
Shape, or State} and what is Immortality, bur

VOL. IV. K us

2i8 euro's LETTER

its continuing always the fame 5 and every Al-
teration makes it a different Being in forae
Refpe£ls from what it was before.

It feems therefore plain to me, that all of
the Operations of our Minds do. not flow from
our immortal Souls j but many of them have
much lower Sources: For what can be more
abfurd, than to fuppofe that what is immor-
tal, and confequentiy not perifhable, can be
bleedcd, purged, or ftarved away in whole
or in part 5 or that a Being independent of
Matter, that pervades and permeets all Mat-
ter, and yet (as it is (aid) has no Extenfion,-
nor takes up or fills any Place, can be acled
upon by Matter, which we cannot conceive
to aft otherwife than by Contract or Impulfe,
and confequentiy cannot affecl what it cannot
touch mediately or immediately j that is to
fay, either by inftant Aclion, upon an ad-
joining Body, or by ftriking or gravitating
upon diftant Ones, by the Communication of
mod or all which are intermediate. 1 do not
pretend to defcribe the Modus of Gravitation,
or to define how material Subilances attraft
one another, whether by Lucntius's Syftem of
hook'd Atoms, or by an elaitick Principle that
God has given to every Particle of Matter,
which keeps it in conftant Motion, and impel-
ling all contiguous Parts 5 which Motion mull
force the more denfe Bodies together, the
more fubtle and thin Ones not being able to re-
iift their Power, and interrupt their Union.

It is highly probable, if not certain, that
every Part of Matter is affe&ed more or lefs
by all Parts of Matter 5 and therefore grea-
ter

's LETTERS. 219

ter the Quantity is that is united together,
the more it mutt impel fome Bodies, and refitt
others; and when any Part of Matter are
kept from having their full Influence and O-
peration upon a denfe and aggregate Subftance
by the Interposition of another, afted upon
by the Motion of Bodies encompaffing it $ then
it feems evident, that thofe two Subftances
muft meet together, unlefs fome other Power
hinders their Junction j for all circumambient
Bodies having their full Force upon them,
except in thofe Parts which look towards one
another j and they flill preferving their own
Force and intrinfick Motion, they muft ne-
cefifarily gravitate, and more where they meet
with the^leaft Oppoiition. But whether this
is the true Caufe of Gravitation, or whe-
ther we /hall ever know the Caufe of it whilft
we are in thefe frail Bodies 5 yet I conceive
we are under no Neceflity to recur immedi-
ately to the firft Caufe, when we cannot dive
into his Manner of governing the Univerfe;
nor, fince we want Faculties to conceive how
he has united the Soul to the Body, are we
to determine it to be done in a Manner which
apparently contradicls the Nature of both ;
but we ought to leave and fubmit thofe
Searches to the fecret Decrees of Providence,
and to the Time of the latt Refurre&ion,
when our Minds and Bodies will be as immor-
tal as our Souls, and when poffibly all thefe
Matters may be reveaFd to us.

I think therefore it is pretty evident, by
what 1 have faid in this Paper and the laft, as
well as from conftant Obfervation, that Mad-

K a nefs

220 CA'fO's LETTERS.

•nels is a Super-abundance of vital Spirits }
which muft burft their Veffel, if they do not
overflow, of are let out by Tapping 5 but
which Way foever they find their Evacuation,
they generally ferment firft, and make a terri-
ble Combuftion within. This is the Devil
which haunts us, and often carries away Part of
an empty Houfe, or blows it up. If he afcends
to our Garrets, or upper Regions, he diforders
the Brain, and (hews Visions, airy and roman-
tick Images and Appearances, carries the Hero
out of himfelf, and then fends him armed G^«-
•a-Pee in wild Expeditions to encounter Wind-
mills, and 'Giants of his own making 5 till at
lad he returns Home (if e\Ter he returns
Home) tranfported with his Victory, and in
bis own Opinion a moft confummate Knight-
Errant.

Whenever the Mind cannot be confined
within its Inclofure, but flies like Phaeton jnro
the great A by ft, and gives the full Reins to
Imagination, it will quickly be carried out
of its Knowledge, and will ramble about
\vherever Fancy, Defire, or Vifion, leads it.
It will quickly rife above Humanity, and be-
•come proper Converfation for the CelefHal
Beings 3 ami when once it can perfwade
itfelf into fuch Angelical Company, it will
certainly defpife all other, and the Owner
will think he has a Right to govern them. If
the EKcefs of any Pafllon is Madnefs, the Ex-
cefs of them altogether is exorbitant and out-
rageous Madnefs j and whoever can get it into
his Head, that he has lecret Communications
with the Deity, muft have all his Pa (lions

at

's LETTERS.

at Work together. The Awe of a divine
fence muftftrike him'ftrongly with Fear and
Reverence : The Indulgence and Condefcen-
fion fhewn to him, rnuft raife the higheii
Love, Adoration, and Tranfports of Joy : So
vifible a Partiality of the Deity to him beyond
other Men in a. weak Mind, muft create Pride,
and Contempt towards others: Such a Sup--
port and Afilftance muft infpire the higheft
Courage and Refolution to overcome all Op-
pofuion ^ and Hatred, and Revenge, to all
who don't believe him, will bring up the Rear ;
and at lad. the Jumble of all thefe Paffions, with
many more, will make an accomplifli'd Re-
former of Mankind.

Religious Enthufiafm therefore is a flaming
Conceit, that we have great perfonal Intereft
with the Deity,, and that the Deity is eminent-
ly employed about us, or in us 3 that he
warms and folaces our Hearts, guides our Un-
derftandings and our Steps, determines our
Will, and fets us far above thofe, who have
lefe Pride and more Senfe than our felves,
The Enthufiaft heats his own Head by extra-
vagant Imaginations, and then makes the All-
wife Spirit of God, the Author of his hot
Head j and having work'd u,p his Brains into
the Clouds, defpifes and hates all that are be-
low 5 and if he can, kills them, unlefs they
fubmit to be as Mad as himfelf; for, becaufe
he takes his own Phrenfy for hifpiralion,' you
muft be guided by his Phrenfy ; and if you
are not, you are a Rebel to God, and 'tis ten
to one but he has a Call to put you to Death,

K * I have

222 C.470's LETTERS.

I have but a bad Opinion of that Devotion
which is rais'd by a craz'd Head, and can be
improved by a Dram, and a hot Sun, or the
Affifhnce of Wine, or can be leflen'd by cold
Weather, or by letting of Blood. It is great
Madncfs, mix'd with Prefumption, to pretend
to have the Spirit of God, unlefs we can Hiew
it by doing Works, which only God's Spirit
can do 5 that Spirit which can do all Things,
but fooli/h. Things. Enthufiafm is doubtlefs
a Fever in the Head 5 and like other Fevers,
ipreading and infectious 5 and all the Zeal of
the Enthufiafr, is only an Ambition to propo-
gate his Fever.

You never knew a Madman of any Sort,
who was not wifer than all Mankind, and did
not defpife his whole Race, who were not
blefs'd with the fame Obliquity of Head.
Thofe in Bedlam, think they are all mad who
are out of it $ and the Madmen out of Bedlam^
pity the Madmen in it. The Finuofo, or
Dealer in Butterflies, who lays himfelf out in
the Science of blew and brown Beetles, thinks
all Science but his own to be ufelefs or trifling.

*_^

The Collectors of £>Id Books, are of Opinion,
that Learning, which is intended to improve
and enlighten the Understanding, is infepa-
rable from Duft, and Dirt, and Obfcurity, or
contemptible without them. The Pedant loads
his heavy Head with old Words, and fcorns
all thofe who are not accompli/h'd with the
fame Lumber.

Now all tbefe Madmen, and many more,
who might be added, areharmlefs Enthufiaftsj
and their Pride being part of their Madnefs,

is

CATO's LETTERS. 223

is only a Jeft. But your holy Enthufiaft, i^
often a mifchievious Madman, who out of
pure Zeal for God, deftroys his Creatures, and
plagues, and harafi.es, and kills them for their
Good. The Saracens, a barbarous, poor, and.
defart Nation, half-naked, without Arts, un-
skilled in War, and but half-armed, anima-
ted by a mad Prophet, and a new Religion,
which made them all mad 5 over-run and con-
quer'd almoft all 4/X moil part of Africa*
and a part of Europe. Such Courage, Fierce-
nefs, and Mifchief, did their Enthufiafm m-
fpire. It is amazing how much they fuffer'd,
and what great Things they did, without any
Capacity of doing them, but a Religion which
was ftrong in Proportion, as it wanted Chanty-,
Probability, and common Senfe.
i They faw rapturous Vifions in the Air, of
beautiful Damfels richly attired, holding forth
their Arms, and calling to them for their Em-
braces 5 and being animated by fuch powerful
Deities, no Enterprize was too hard for them ;
They fcarce ever departed from any Siege,
however inferior to it in military Arts or Num-
bers. Their conftant Rule, was to fight till
they had fubdued their Enemies, either to
their Relig;on, or to pay Tribute._ They had
God and 'his great Apoftle on their Side, and
were obrtinateiy determin'd to die, or to con-
quer 5 and therefore they always did conquer.
And their Succefs confirm'd their Delufion -y
for finding that they performed greater Actions
than any Bother Race of Mankind ever did, or
~could do, they believed themfelves affifted by
Heaven 5 and fo efteemed their Madnefs to be

K 4 JnfpU

224 CATCts LETTERS.

Infpiration. And then it was very natural to
believe that they were the fole Favourites of
the Almighty 5 Who interpofed fo nv'raculoufly
in their Behalf, that they were employed to
do his Work 5 and that all the good Things
of this World, were but juft Rewards of their
Obedience 3 and confequently it was their
Duty to plunder, difhefs, kill, and dellroy all
who refilled the Will of God, and denied to
give to them their undoubted Right.

Now what was able to withftand thefe in-
fpired Savages, who if they lived and con-
quer'd, had this World, or, which was bet-
ter if they were killed, had the next. They
were fure either of Empire or Paradife, and a
Paradife too, which gratified their brutifh Ap-
petites. There is no dealing with an armed
Enthufiaft 5 if you oppofe real Reafon to his
wild Revelations, you are curs'd $ and if you
refifthim, you arekill'd. It {lenities norhins

.'> O

to tell him, that you cannot fubmit to the Im-
pulfes of a Spirit, which you have not, and
do not believe 5 and that when you have the
iame Spirit, you will be of the fame Mind ;
No, perhaps, that very Spirit has told him
that he mufl kill you for not having it, though
you could no more have it, than you could be
what you were not.

Don Quixote was a more reafonable Mad-
man : He never beat, nor famifh'd, nor tor-
tur'd the unbelieving Savcho, for having a
cooler Head than his own, and for not feeing
the extraordinary Miracles and Vifions which
he himfelffaw. It a Man fees Battles in the
Air, cw Armies rifing out of the Sea, am I

to

LETTERS. 22*

to be perfecuted or ill ufed becaufe I cannot
fee them too, when they are not to be feen
Or ought not rather their dift rafted Seer, to
be {hut up in a dark Room, where no doubt
he will have the fame Sights, and be equal-
ly happy in his own Imaginations. As there
is noreafoning with an Enthufiaft, there is no
Way to be fecure againft him, but by keeping
him from all Power, with which he will be
fure to play the Devil in God's Name.
would not hurt him for his Ravings j but I
would keep him from hurting me for not ra-
ving too.

All Men who can get it into their own
Heads, that they are to fubdue others to their
Opinions, Reafonings, and Speculations, are
Enthufiafts or Irnpoiiors, Madmen or Knaves.
Almighty God has given no other Light to
Men to diftinguifli Truth from Falfhood, or
Impofture from Revelation, but their Rea-^
fon , and in all the Addreffes, he himfelf
makes to them, appeals to that Reafon. He
has formed us in fuch a Manner, as to be
capable of no other kind of Conviction $ and
confequently he can expeft no other from
us 5 therefore^ it muft be the laft Degree of
Impudence, Folly, and Madnefs, in impotent,
fallible, and faithlefs Men, to affume greater
Power over one another, than the Almighty
exercifes over us all.

The appointing Judges in Controverfy, is
like fetting People at Law about what they
are both in PoffeiTion of. A Man can have no
more than all he is contending for 5 and there-
fore I can compare the Quareiiing of two Mm

K 5- about

euro's LETTERS.

about their Religion, to nothing elfe in Na-
ture, but to the Battle between Prince

^

and Prince Prettyman, in the Rebearfal 5 becaufe
they were not both in Love with the fame
Miftrefs.

I am, &£.

S 1 R,

BESIDES the flaming Enthufiafm men-
tioned in our laft, which is there fup-
pos'd to be infpired by a Super-abundance
of Spirits, labouring for Evacuation, and
fhaking, difordering, and fometimes burfting
its Tenement to get ready Vent, (like Gun-
powder in a Granado or Mine 5 or, fubtcr-
raneous Fire enclofed in the Bowels of the
Earth :) There feems to me to be another
fort of religious Enthufiafm, not at all mif-
chevious, but rather beneficient to the World 5
and this has fhewn it felf in feveral Ages,
and under feveral Denominations. There is
much to be read of it in the mytlick Writers
in all Times. Hermits feem to be infpir'd
with it, and feveral Seels have built their in-
nocent Superftitions upon it 3 as the Alumbra-
tt in ty<:/», the Quietifls in Italy, the French
Prophets lately amongft usj and I doubt, a
very great Party in Eurofe, call'd Quakers^
o\ve their Rife and Jncreafe to it. And
bavins rnenrion'd this lafl Sec't. I think my

' felf

LETTERS. 227

felf obliged to declare, that I eileem them to
be great, induikious, modcrt, intelligent, and
virtuous People, and to be animated with
the moft beneficent Principles of any Seel-,
which ever yet appeared in the World. They
have a comprehenfive Charity to the whole
Race of Mankind, and deny the Mercies of
God to none. They publickly own, that an
univerfal Liberty is due to all, are againft
Impofitions of every Kind $ and yet patiently
fubmir to many themfelves, and perhaps are
the only Party amongft Men, whofe Pra&ifes*
as a Body, correfpond with their Principles.

I am not afhamed to own, that I have with
great Pleafure read over Mr. Barclay's Apology
torQuateifm, and do really think it to be the
moft mafterly, charitable, and reafonable Sy-
ftem that I have ever fecn. It folves the nu-
merous Difficulties raifed by other Seels ; and
by Turr.s, thrown at one another, fhews all
Parts of Scripture to be uniform and confident ;
and as Sir Ifaac Neii-ton, by allowing him Gra-
vitation, lias accounted for all the Phceno-
menaof Nature, ib if we allow to Mr. Barclay
thofe Operations of the Spirit, which the Qua-
kers pretend to feel, and which he fays e very-
Man in the World has and may feel, if he
watches its Motions, and does not fupprefsthem :
Then I think all the jangling vain Queftions,
numerous Superftitions, and various -Oppreiu-
cms, which have plagued the World froni
the Beginning,, would ceafe and be at an End*

But "this Pott-alarum will not be granted,
and I fear will never be prov'd, though fuch a
Difcovery is much to be wifhecl,. arid the

aa8 CA fO's LETTERS.

pinion of it alone, muft render thofe very
happy who can perfwade themfelves that
they have attained to it. Mr. 4fgH wrote and
pubiifti'd a Book to prove, that all true Belie-
vers, fthat is all who had attained a Spirit like
to this,j fhall be tranflated without pafling
through IJeath j and, as I doubt not, but he
believed his own Dream himfelf 5 fo if he
had publi/hed it before any Man had actually
died, I cannot fee how it could have been
anfwer'd, or how it can be anfwered now,
but by oppofing Fa6l to it, and by making the
Words Eternal Death, fignify Eternal Life in
Torments, which Liberty no Language will
bear in other Difputes 5 and yet his Doctrine
cannot be aflented to without fuppofing, that
no Man ever had Faith but Elias and Enoch j
which is a very wild Suppofition.

For the fame Reafon, I cannot concur with
Mr. Barclay, in believing that all Men who
cannot find this Spirit in themfelves, do or
have fupprefTed it , for 1 believe there are
many Thoufands in all Rcfpecls, equally
virtuous with himfelf, who have actually
tried all Experiments of Watching, internal
Prayer, outward and inward Resignation,
Separation from worldly Thoughts and Acli-
onf, and Acquiescence of Mind, and Subraif-
fion to the Operations of the Deity , and yet
have found themfelves, after all, juft where
they fet out ; nor could recollect any Thing
that happened to them in thofe Intervals, but
Ahfence of Thought 5 and therefore, till I
can feel fomething in my felf, or difcover
ibr.e Traces in others, which I cannot ac-
count

's LETTERS. 129

count for from lower Motives, I (hall take the
Liberty to call the Pretenders to it, Enthu-
fiafts, though, I muft confefs, that all or
moft religious Parties have laid Claim to this
Spirit upon certain Occaflons, and have be-
ftowed it upon their Founders, or particular
Men amongft them 5 and the Quakers only fay,
all Men have it, and may exert it, or rather
permit it to exert itfelf if they pleafe.

It is fuppofed that the Power fo claimed,
is Jefus Chrift operating within us 5 and as
it is allowed by all that the leaft Drop of his
natural Blood was enough to attone for the
Sins of the whole World $ fo one might
imagine that tfie leaft Portion of his Godhead,
working within us, might be too hard for
and overcome the Depravity tranfmitted to us
by our firft Parents, or at leaft be able to
engage our Attention or Acquiescence, which
is all that is fuppofed requifite to the farther
Progrefs and Effuiion of his Deity. It is ve-
ry hard to conceive, that we can ferve God by
fequeftring for a Time all the Faculties he has
given us; by fending our Wits out of Doors
to make Room for Grace, and by believing
that the Spirit of God will never exert it
felf but in an empty Head 3 and therefore I
/hall prefume to believe, till I am better
informed, that as the Almighty /hews and
exhibites to us the vifible World -by the Me-
dium of the outward Senfcs he had before gi-
ven to us, fo he difpenfes all that we do know
or can know of the invifible One, thro' the
Vehicles of our reafoning Faculties,

We

230 CATO's LETTERS.

We have not yet been able thoroughly to
difcover any Vacuum in Nature, but as Toon
as any Body gets out of a Place, another
leaps in $ therefore if a Man can once drive his-
\Vits out of Houte and Home, fome other Be-
ing of a different Kind will certainly get into
their Room, and Wind is always at Hand
crowding "for Preferment-,, which, in various
Shapes, has a great Share in human Tranf-
a&ions, and always has contributed much to
the great Revolutions in Empire and Super-
ftition, which have often overturned the
World. But to return to my Dream.

A Clock, or other Machine, made by a skill-
ful Artift, will have certain and regular Mo-
tions, whilfl it continues in th*at State , but
if it gathers filth, meets with Obttruclions,
or its Springs and Wheels decay and wear
out by Time,, or are hurt by Accidents, ir
moves irregularly, or not at all. Experience
proves the fame in the Mechanifm of Ani-
mals, who have infinitely finer Contextures,
as confining of Thoufands of Tubes, Veins?
Arteries, Nerves, and Mufcies, every one of
which, in a certain Degree, contributes to the
Operations of the living Engine ; and as all
thefe are more tender and delicate, and con-
fequem'y more fufceptible of Injuries, than
the Parts which conftitute and give Motion to
other organized Bodies, fo they are much more •
cafily put cut of Order 5 and we find in Fa fly
that a Cold winch flops Perfpiration, and hin-
ders the Evacuation of the fuper-abundant
Particles of Matter, diforders the whole Fa-
brick, clogs and interrupts its Action 5 and

thofo

LETTERS. 231

thofe Effluviums which cannot find their
•proper Vent through the Pores, over-fhadow
and opprefs the Brain, and render the Mind
una&ive, and incapable to perform its Func-
tions, till they are let out by larger Paffages,
as by bleeding, or vomiting, or forced out by
fweating, or other violent Aftion, or by faft-
ing, and taking in no new Supplies, there is
ifme given to them leifurely to expire , but
if they require quicker Vent than thefe Con-
duits can give, then Fevers, or other violent
Diftempers enfue, when the Brains of Men
are fo opprefs'd, that they fee Vifions, Ap-
pearances of Angels, Demons, and dead Men,
talk incoherently, and fometimes furprizing-
ly, and have obvioufly different Senfations*
Affeftions, and Reafonings, from what they
have at other Times.

The fame is true of Madmen, who through
wrong Organizations at firft, or the Indifpo-
fition of the Organs, afterwards perfwade
themfelves that they are Princes, Prophets,,
or Meffengers from Heaven -? and certainly
often utter Flights, and Sallies of Imagina-
tion, which are amazing, and that never fall
from them in their lucid Intervals, and which
have often paffed upon the World for Infpi-
ration ; infomuch, as in feveral Ages, and m
fcveral Countries in our Age, they have been,
and are thought to be. divinely infpire<L
Now Madnefs fliews itfelf in a thoufand
Shapes, and as has been faid in my former Pa-
per, there is fcarce a Man living, but at Times
has more or lefs of it, though we denominate
it from a Train of irregular Aftions,. and

many

23* CATo's LETTERS.

many kinds of it certainly do not fall within
common Obfervation, or fcarce within any
Obfervation.

When we fee Men in the main of their
Conduct feemingly aft with Prudence in fuch
Things as we underhand, we are apt to take
their Words in fuch Things as we do not un-
derftand, efpeciaUy if we fee them do fuch
Aclions, fhew fuch Emotions of Spirit, and
emit iuch Difcourfes as we cannot othervvife
account for, though w;e perceive the fame
done by Men in known Diftempers, and in
Sleep, and often feel it in our felves : For it is
incredible to thofe who have not feen or ob-
ferv'd ir, what Energy and Strength Men fhew
in Convulfive Diftempers, when too they of-
ten vent furprizing Difcourfes, without know-
ing what they fay $ and there are few Men,
who do not fome times ftrike out fudden and
extemporary Thoughts and Expreffions, with^
out being able to obferve by what Traces
they came into their Minds j and fanciful and
conceited Men eafily perfuade themfelves, or
are perfuaded by others, to believe that at
thofe Times they are infpir'd from Above.

But if we compare Things we do not know,,
with thofe we do, I think we may account for
them both by the fame Principles in Nature.
Men, as has been faid, in Sleep fee Vifions,
hold Difcourfes, mid fometimes very good
Ones, with Phantoms of their own Imagina-
tions, and can walk about, climb over Houfes
and Precipices, which no Man who is awake
durft venture to do. Men in Diiiempers fee
Spirits,, talk and reafoa with them, and often

fancy

CAfO's LETTERS. 233

fancy themielves to be what they are nor.
Melancholy Men have believ'd that they were
Glafs Bottles, Pitchers, Bundles of Hay, Pro-
phets, and fometimes, that they were dead j
and yer, in all other Actions of Life, have be-
hav'd themfelves with Diicretion , and as
thefe Things have happen'd often, few or
none are furpriz'd at them, artf therefore treat
them only as Subjects of Jeft or Merriment :
But if they had "happen'd but once, or fel-
dom, we fhould either not have believ'd
them, or have recurred to Miracle or Wftch-
craft for the Solution. No Man wonders at
the Sun's Rifing every Day, and yet all are
amaz'd and frighten'd by feeing a blazing Star
once in their Life-time, tho' that is certainly
the lefs Wonder of the two.

Now what Stretch will it be upon our ima-
gination, to believe that once in an Age, or
more, a catching Ditfemperof the Mind fhould
actuate a Man or two, and communicate itfelf
afterwards to others of the fame Complexion,
the fame Temperament of Juices, and confe-
quently the fame Difpofitions of Mind, which
certainly are as infectious as thofe of the Bo-
dy tho' not fo obfervably. We affi'milate
to 'the Paffions, Habits, and Opinions of
thofe we converfe with, and their Tempers
are catching. This indeed is not true in all
Inftances $ neither does a Plague infeft every
Body, but only thofe who have proper Juices,
and fui table Difpofitions of Body to receive
it. We fee often, that the yawning of one
Man, will make a whole Company yawn j
and the Sight of Men in convuliive Diftempers

will

-

234 Giro's LETTERS.

will throw others into the fame $ as many Peo-
ple were agitated with the fame Motions and
Spirit of Prating, who went to fee the French
Prophets fall into their Trances, with a De-
iign only to divert themfelves, which Trances
undoubtedly were an unufual Kind of Epilep-
tick Fits, which often actuate the Organs of
Speech without the Patient's knowing it. and

0 O '

have often been miftaken for divine Trances,
and their incoherent Rapfodies been efteem'd
Revelations.

If we may believe Mr. 'Barclay, and Mr.
George Ke';tv, in his Magic'^ of Quakerifi)?, (who
was once of that Seel, and afterwards took
Orders in the Church of Englar.d,') the fame
thing has happen'd to many others who went
to infult the Quakers, and were caught by
their Shakings, Groanings, and the Solemnity
of their fitlent Meetings, and became after-
wards fteady Converts. I think it is Tbucidi-
des, who tells us, That at Abdera, a City in
Greece, upon a hot Day, all the Spectators who
were prefent in the Theatre to fee Andromache
acled, were faddenly feiz'd with a Madnefsg
which made them pronounce lambicks 5 and
the whole Town was infecled with theDiitem-
p.er, which latted as long as that Weather con-
tinued. And he tells us too of another fort
of Madnefs, which fei-s'd the young Women
of Athens^ many of whom kill'd themfelves |
and the Magistrates could not flop the Con-
tagion, till they made a Decree, that thofe who
did fo fhould be expos'd, and hung up naked.
There feems to be no Difficulty, in conceiving
that the Effluviums, which fteam from the

Body

.

CA'fO's LETTERS. 235

Body of an Enthufiaft, fhould infecl others fui-
tably qualify'd with the fame Diftempers, as
Experience fhews us, that the minute Particles,
which are convey'd by the Bite of a mad Dog,
caufe Madncfs, and will make the Perfon
infected bark like the Dog who bit him $
and fuch Particles in other Inflances may
convey'd through the Pores, and in a common
Inftance undoubtedly are fo j for many People
will fwoon if a Cat is in the Room, tho
they do not fee her. And all infectious I
tempers muft be communicated by thofe

Paflagcs. ,

Some Diftcmpers, cr Difponuons ot body*
make Men rave 5 others make them melancho-
ly : Some give them Courage, Impetuofi-
ty, pro -us Energy of Mind, and raptu-
rous Thoughts and Expreflions 5 others fiiik
and deprefs their Spirits, give them pannick
Fears, jdifmal Apprehenfions, melancholy
Images, and fecrct Frights 5 and they will
all account for fuch Senfations from their
former imbib'd Prejudices by early Education,
and by long Ufe became familiar to them.. One
of thefe Diitempers will make a flaming falfe
Prophet, and the other a defpairing Penitent,
in fpite of the Mercies of God ; and after-
wards Phyfick, or Abitinence, (hall cure the
firft, and a Bottle of Wine, now and then mo-
derately and chearfully taken, in agreeable
Company, fhall make the other a Man of this

World again.

Opium in different Conftitutions will work
both thefe Extremes, and other Drugs will

give

2^6 CATo's LETTERS.

give temporary Madnefs. The Oricular Priefts
of old well understood this Secret of Nature.
The High Prieilefs of Delfbos fuck'd Infpira-,
tion from the Fumes of an intoxicating Well, •
which diforder'd her Brain, made her rave,
and utter incoherent Speeches, out of which
lomething was found out to anfwerthe devout
Querift, and tell the Meaning of the God :
And in the Temple, as I remember, of An-
pbiaraus, where Oracles were convey'd in
Dreams, the humble and fubmiffive Votary
was let clown into a deep Hole, that had feve-
ral fantaflical Apartments, where he faw Sights
and Apparitions, which his Mind was pre-
pnr'd to receive before by Phyfkk, fuitable
Diet, and fometime's by Fafting , and then
he was wrapp'd up in the Skins of Victims,
rubb'd and impregnated with intoxicating
Drugs, which made him Dream moil reve-
rendly ; and when he related his Vifions, it
was very hard Luck if the Priefts could find
nothing in them for their Purpofe } but if that
happen'd to be the Cafe, the fame Operation
was tried over again ; and if they had no bet-
ter Fortune then, the God was angry with the
impious Seeker for his Sins, and fo was be-
come iullen, and the poor Mifcreant was fent
away as an excommunicate Perfon, (if he had
the good Luck to efcape fo,) and perhaps
hang'd himfelf in his Way home.

We fee and feel, by conftant Experience*
that our Thoughts in Dreams are lafcivious,
frightful, or pleafing, according to the Tem-
perament of our Bodies, the Food we eat, or
as our Spirits are opprefs'd orcherifh'd by it.

We

LETTERS. 237

We fee too, that drunken or diftemperM Men
are overcome by Liquour, or Diieafe, and
made to talk, reafon, and aft differently from
what they do in Sobriety and in Health $ and
we all confefs fuch Difcourfes and Actions to
be the Indifpoiitions of their Organs, and the
Operations of external or internal material
Caufes, and will yet not account for other Sen-
fations equally extravagant from like Mediums,
though we cannot fhew any Difference be-
tween them : However, as it is not to be de-
ny'd, but Almighty God has fometimes com-
municated himfelf to particular Perfons by fe-
cret Impreffions upon their Senfes and Under-
flandings, fo I dare not affirm, that he may
not, and does not do fo flill 5 nor will I dog-
matically aflferr, that any one who pretends to
feel his divine Spirit, is a Lyaror Enthufiaftj
but I think I may fafely affirm, that no one is
concern'<l. in his Viiions or Revelations but
himfelf, unlefs the other feels them too, or he
can prove the Truth of them by Miracles.

Almighty God, as has been laid, has given
to us Reafon to diftinguifh Truth from Fai-
fiiood, Impofture from Revelation, Delufion
from Infpiration 5 and when we quit th.it
Light, we mult wander through end I efs Mazes
and dark Labyrinths, and ramble wherever
Fancy, Imagination, or Fraud, leads us. If
.Mr. Barclay had meant, only by theTeftimony
of the Spirit, that natural Faculty, or Princi-
ple, that the Deity has infpir'd into all Men
to regulate their Actions, and to acknowledge
his Divine Bounty, (which Principle I call
and could have reconciPd the Work-
ings

CATO's LETT E RS.

ings of his Light to the only one I can find
in my felf, I could readily have fubfcrib'd to
a very great Part of his Syftem , for I muft
confefs it ±0 be moft beneficent to the World,
in my Opinion, mod agreeable to the Scrip-
tures, and makes them, or rather /hews them,
to be moft confident with themfelves, and
comprehends every Thing which has been
fince faid by the beft Writers for Liberty of
Confcience, arid againft all Sorts of religious
Impofitions. And this he has done with as
much Wit, happy Turn, and Maftery of Ex-
prefiion, as is confident with the Plainneis
and Simplicity afYecled by thofe of his Seel,
and for the moft part ufed in the holy Wri-

tings.

I' am, Sic.

S I R,

KNOW well, that any one muft run a
great deal of Hazard, who fhall advance
any Opinions againft what is vulgarly call'd
Charity, though it be ever fo much miftaken
or mifcaU'd, as for the moft Part it is, and
ever has been. The giving loofe Money in
the Streets to canting and lazy Beggars, has
obtained the Name of Charity, though it is ge-
nerally a mifchievous Liberality to encourage
prefent Idlenefs, or to reward paft Extrava-
gancy, and is forbid by fevere Laws. The

Founding

's LETTERS. 239

pounding of Monafteries, Nunneries, and other
mifcall'd Religious Houfts, has pafs'd too up-
on the World in late Ages for Charity, though
they have ever prov'd Seminaries of Superfti-
tion and of Papal Tyranny, Difcouragements
of Matrimony, the Sources of Depopulation,
and have made Multitudes of People ufelefs
to the World, and to themfelves : The giving
Lands and Revenues to faucy, afpiring, and
lazy Ecclefiafticks, has been reputed merito-
rious Aftions 3 and yet they have ever de-
ftroy'd Religion, increased the Pride and
Domination of the Clergy, and deprefs'd, im-
poverifh'd, and enflav'd the Laity, for whofe
Sakes alone there ought to be any Ecclefi-
afticks at all. The Founding and Endowing
Universities, Colleges, and Free-Schools, car-
ries an Appearance of promoting Sciences,
Learning, and true Religion , and yet they
have been made ufe of to promote the King-
dom of Antichrift, to debauch the Principles
of the Nobility and Gentry 3 to deprave their
Understandings 3 advance learned Ignorance 5
load their Heads with airy Chimera's and
fairy Distinctions 3 fiil States with defperate
Beggars and Divines of Fortune, who mull
•{orce a Trade for Subfiftancc, and become the
Cudgels and Tools of Power or Faciiors. A
learned Author juflly compares thefe Efta-
blifhments to the Trojan Horfe, which carried
Hods of armed Men within its Bowels, to fend
them out afterwards to deitroy Kingdoms.

But there is another new-fangled Charity
rifen up amongft us, called Cbatity~Scbt)ols,
which, I think, threatens the Publick more

' than

i4o CATo's LETTERS.

than all which I have mentioned. I would
not be underftood to condemn every Thing
of that Nature $ for, under a proper Regula-
tion, Cometh ing like it may be commenda-
ble : But, as they are now employ'd and ma-
nag'd, I can fee no Good that can accrue to the
Publick from them, but apprehend a great
deal of Mifchief. Thefe Eltablifhments were
firft begun and encourag'd by pious Men, and
many of them Diffenters; and then our High
Clergy every where exclaim'd againft them
as dangerous Innovations, and Attempts to
fubvert the Church, and the National Religi-
on: But now that they have got them under
their own Management, and they really prove
what they foretold they would prove, they
make continual Harangues and Panegyrical Elo-
giums upon them, and upon the Perfons who
promote them : It is become Part of rtheir
Duty, (and much better executed than all the
reft,) to prate People out of their Money, to
decoy fuperftitious and factious Men out of
their Shops and their Bufmefs, and old doting
Women out of their Infirmaries, to hear too
often feditious Harangues upon the Power
of the Clergy, and of the Reverence due to
them, and upon the Merit of nurfing up Beg-
gars to be the blindTools of ambitious Pedants j
and Leisures and Instructions are there gi-
ven them, inconfiftent with our prefent Efta-
blifhment of Church and State j and we
have fcarce a News-Paper but gives Notice
of Sermons to be preach'd upon this Occafion.

It is certain there was almoft every where
a general Detection of Popery, and Po-

piPn

's LETTERS. 241

pifli Principles, and a noble Spirit for Liber-
ty, at or jull before thtf Revolution $ and the
Clergy feem'd then as zealous as the fore-
moft: But when the corrupt Part of them
found themfelves freed from the Dangers they
complainM of, and yet could not find their fe-
parate and fole Advantage in the Revolution,
they have been- continually attacking and un-
dermining it 3 and fince they faw it was im-
poflible to perfuade thofe who were Witnefles
and Sufferers under the OppreiTions of the
former Governments, wantonly, and with
their Eyes open, to throw away their De-
liverance, they went a furer and more arttui
Way to Work, though more tedious and dila-
tory 5 and therefore have, by infenfible De-
grees, corrupted all the Youth whofe Educa-
tion has been trufled to them, and who could
be corrupted ; fo that at the End of near for-
ty Years, the Revolution is worfe eflablifh'd
than when it began: New Generations are
rifen up, which know nothing of the Suffe-
rings of their Fathers, and are taught to be-
lieve, there were never any fuch : The Dread of
Popery is almoft loft amonpft us ; the vileft
Tenets of it are openly afTerted and main-
tain'dj Men are taught to play with Oaths;
and it is become fafhionable to revile Autho-
rity more for its commendable Actions,
than for itsExceffes: The Principles of our
Nobility and Gentry are debauch'd in our U-
niverfities, and of our common People in
oiir Charity-Schools, who are taught, as
foon as they can fpeak, to blabber out High
Church and Ormond j and fo are bred yp to
VOL. IV. L be

24* CA TO's LETTERS.

be Tray tors, before they know what Treafon
lignifies.

This has been long feen, and as long com-
plain'd of; and yet no Remedy has been ap-
ply'd, tho' often promis'd : Thofe, who fe Du-
ty and Bufinefs it ought to have been, have
had their Time and Thoughts /b wholly en-
gag'd in modelling Factions, and enriching
themfelves, that this great Evil has been fuf-
fer'd to go on, and ftill goes on 5 it has been
continually increafing, and yet increafes 5 but
I hope, at laft, that thofe in Authority will
take the Alarm, will think their own Safety,
and the Safety of his Majefly and his Peo-
ple, are highly concerned to remove a Mif-
chief which is levell'd at all their, and our,
Happineis, and that they will not, like their
Predeceflors, difoblige all their Friends to gra-
tify their Enemies, whom yet they cannot gra-
tify. If this is not done, any one, without much
Skill in Politicks, may fafely affirm, That our
prefent Eftablifhment cannot long fubfif}.
A free Government muil fubfift upon the
AfFeclions of the People, and if thofe Affec-
tions are perpetually debauch'd , if the Edu-
cation of Youth is all againft it, and it mull de-
pend only upon Converts, Penfions, or Armies,
its Duration cannot be long, without a con-
&ant Succefnon of Miracles : Armies will foon
find their own Strength, and will play their
own Game : Foreign Armies will neither be
thought on, nor born , and 'tis to be fear'd,
that domeftick One?, upon every Difguft, or
ProfpecT: of Advantage, may fall into the In-
trigues and Refentments of their Country*

men

CATO's LETTERS. 243

men when they grow to be general, and con-
fequently will be of leaft Ufe when moft
wanted : We cannot, fure, fo foon forget what
the Parliament- Army did formerly, and King
Jamefs lately, and what was expected from
our own in the late Confpiracy 5 and without
fuch Expectations, it had been direct Madnefs
to have form'd or engag'd in fuch an Attempt,
and the Criminals had been more properly
fent to Bedlam than to Tylum^ though they
tieferv'd both.

But to apply my felf more immediately to
the Charity-Schools, I fhall endeavour to
(hew, that under the falfe Pretence and Af-
feclation of Charity, they deftroy real Charity,
take away the ufual Support and Proviiion from
the Children of leffer Tradefmen, and often
of decay'd and unfortunate Merchants ana!
Gentlemen, and pervert the Benevolence,
which would be otherwife beftow'd upon
helplefs Widows, and poor Houfe -Keepers
who cannot by reafon of Poverty, maintain
their Families.

Every Country can maintain but a certain
Number of Shop-Keepers, or Retailers of
Commodities, which are raifed or manufac-
tured by others -, and the fewer they are, the
better ^ becaufe they add nothing to the pub-
Jick Wealth ; but only difperfe and accommo-
date it to the Convenience of Artificers, Ma-
nufacturers, and Husbandmen, or fuch who
live upon their Eftates and Profeflions 5 and
ierve the Publick only by direcling and go-
verning the reft; but as there muft be rna-
no Retailers of other Men's Induftry, and the

L a greateft

-44 CAfO's LETTERS.

.

greateft Part of them will be but juft able
to fupport themfelves 5 with great Pains, Fru-
gality, and Difficulty breed up their Families,
and be able to fpare fmall Sums out of their
little Subftance to teach their Children to
write and call Accompt, and to put them out
Apprentices to thofe of their Degree $ io
thofe Employments ought to fall to their Share 5
.but now are moilly anticipated, and engrofs'd
by the Managers of the Charity-Schools;
who out of other People's Pockets, give grea-
ter Sums than the others can afford, only to
take the lowcft Dregs of the People, frcm
the Plough and Labour, to make them Tradef-
men, and by Confequence drive the Children
of Tradcfmen to the Plough, to beg, to rob,
or to (larve.

The fame may be faid pf Servant*, who are
.generally the Children of the leffer Shop-
Keepers, though fometimes of decay'd Mer-
chants and Gentlemen, who have given them
an Education above the rower Rank of Peo-
j)le-, which has qualified them to earn a com*
Portable Subfiftence this Way, without mLch
Labour 5 to which they have never been ufed.
Now I have often heard, that one Advantage
propoftd by thefe Charity- Schools, is to
hreed up Children to Reading and Writing,
and a fober Behaviour, that they may be qua-
lified to be Servants : A Sort of idle and rio-
ting Vermin, by which the Kingdom is already
almoft devoured, and are become every where
a publick Nuifance, and Multitudes of
.them daily, for Want of Employment, betake
i-h-emfelves to the Highway, Houfe-breakmg,

others

CATO's LETTERS. 24?

others Robbing and Sharping, or to the Stews 5,
and muft do fo, if we ftudy new Methods
to encreafe their Numbers.

I have mentioned another Mifchief which
has flowed from this pretended Charity ; for
it has in ErTea, deilroyed all other Chan
ties, which were before given to the Aged,
Sick, and Impotent. I am told, there is more
collected at the Church-Doors in a Day, to
make thefe poor Boys and Girls appear in Cap
and Livery Coats, than for all other Poor in
a Year $ and there is Reafon to prefume,.
that lefs Hill is given to private Chanties,
where the Givers are almoft the only \Vitnc-fles
of their own Aaions $ fo that this Benevo-
lence is a Commutation or Compofition for
what was formerly given to Widows, Or-
phans, and to broken and unfortunate Houfe-
Keepers. And how fhould it be otherwife,
when the Clergymen in higheft Repute, ftrple
about from Church to Church, and print
publick Advertifements of Charity Sermons
to be preached, recommending the Merit of
this Sort of Liberality, the Service it does to
God and the Church 5 and but faintly, or per-
haps not at all, exhorting to any other, m-
fomuch, that the Colkaions made every Win-
ter, by Virtue of the King's Letter, for the
many Miferable in this great Town, vifibly
decreafe, though thefe Collections are made
from Houfe to Houfe, though the Names
of the Givers, and Sums given, are entered
down, and though all Minifters are direc-
ted by his Majefty and the Bi/hop of London,
in their Sermons, to prefs this Charity upon

F. 2 their

CATO's LETTERS.

their Congregations, which is notwithstanding,
feldom done, but in a faint Manner, perhaps,
at the End of a Sermon 5 whereas, on the
other Occaiion, the Ears of the Auditors
are deafned with the Cry of the Preacher,
and their Paflions are all inflamed to a profuie
Liberality j and thofe who do not give, . and
give largely too, muft incur Reproach and
Contumely.

Oh ! but fay fome pious, and many more
impious and hypocritical People, What would
you hinder poor Boys and Girls from being
well cloathed, from ferving God, and be-
ing bred Scholars? To which I anfwer, That
there are few Inftances, in which the Publick
has fuffer'd more, than in breeding up Beg-
gars to be what are called Scholars j from
the grave Pedant and the folemn Doctor,
down to the humble Writer and Cafter of
Accompts 5 to attain which Characlers does not
require the Pains and Acutenefs that are necef-'
fary to make a good Cobler , and yet they im-
mediately fancy themfelvesto be another Rank
of Mankind, think they are to be maintained
in Jdlenefs, and out of the Subftance of others,
for their fancied Accomplifhments , are above
Day-Labour, and by an idle Education, re-
quire a LiftlefTnefs to it $ and when they
can't find the Sort of Subfiftance they afpire to,
are always perplexing the World, and diftur-
bing other People 5 fo that no Education ought
to be more difcountenanc'd by a State than
putting Chimera's and airy Notions into the
Heads of thofe who ought to have Pickaxes
in their Hands 5 and teaching People to read,

write,

CATO's LETTERS. 247

write, and caft Accompt, who, if they are em-
ployed as they ought to be, can have no Oc-
caiion to make ufe of them, unlefs it be now
and then to read the Bible, which they feldom
or never do 5 and befides, are told by their
fpiritual Guides, that they muft not under-

ftand it.

What Benefit can accrue to the Pubhck,
By taking the Dregs of the People out of the
Kennels, and throwing their Betters into them '
By leffening the Numbers of Day-Labourers,
by whofe Induftry alone, Nations are Sup-
ported, and the publick Wealth encreafed
To multiply the Number of fuch who add
nothing to it, but muft =Uve out of the
Luxury of the reft? To take "Boys and Girls
from the low and neceflary Employments of
Life, make them impatient of the Conditi-
on they were born to, and in which they
would have thought themfelves happy, to be
Sempftreffes, Footmen, and Servant Maid**
and teach them to read Ballads? How much
more ufeful a Charity would it be, to give
the fame Sums to their Parents to help
them to raife their Families, and breed up
their Children to Spinning or Hard-Labour*
to help to maintain themfelves, and to de-
pend for the future upon their own Hands for
Subfiftance ? Whereas, this Sort of Charity is
of no Ufe, Benefit, or Eafe to their Parents,
who muft find them Meat, Drink, Wafhing,
and fome Clothes, the >hole Time they
fpend at School, and lofe, at the fame time>
the little they can otherwife earn, or what they
would earn themfelves, whilft they employ

L 4 their

248 CATo's LETTERS.

their Children in going on Errands, and doing
little Offices, which they can do as well?
And all this for the Pleafure of feeing them
a little better Cloathed, hearing them fing
Pfaims, and repeating by Rote a Catechifm
made for that Purpofe.

The Pretence that this Sort of Education
will render them more ufeful Members of Soci-
ety, and will make them more virtuous an.i re-
ligious, is a meer Chimera. How many are
hanged at Tyl-itrn that can write and read , or
rather how iew that cannot? And generally
they all die for High Church, and for the
Right Line! Who are greater Rogues than
Scholars, as they are called? And what Set of
People have fupplied the Town with more
Whores than our fpiritual Fathers, who all
have the Practice of Piety by them ? Nothing
)ceeps the Herd of Mankind fo honeft, as breed-
ing them up to Induftry, and keeping
them always employed in Hard-Labour, and
letting them have no Time or Inducements
from Neceffity to rob, cheat, or Superflui-
ties to debauch with. Who are the Perfons
who have the Conduct, and are at the Head
of thefe Charity-Schools? Are they Men of
the moft exemplary Piety and Morals? No,
J am told the quite contrary : They are, for
the moft Part, ftaunch Jacobites, or, in c-
ther Words, furious High-Church-Men, of-
ten Men of debauched Lives and Principles $
and the Maflers of thefe Schools are gene-
rally Enemies to the Eftablifliment. And
what Ufe do they make of their Power ?
Why ! they iupply the Children with what

they

LETTERS.

they want out of their own Shops ; get Credit
and Intereft amongft their Neighbours, for
their charitable Difpofition 5 make ufe of that
Credit to promote Difaffe&ion to the Go-
vernment 5 engige the Parents and Friends
of the Children in the Intereft of a Popifh
Pretender, and breed up the Children them-
felves to fight his Battels in due Time.

I have been very much diverted to fee, now
and then, one of thefe Poor Creatures skip
over a Kennel as nimble as a Greyhound,, to
get to the other Side of the Way, that it
may be ready to make a low Bow to a Par-
fon as he paffed by j which Order of Men
they are taught almoft to adore j and I have
been often told, (though I do not affirm, and
can fcarce believe it to be true,) that their Du-
ty to the Clergy is inferted in a Catechifm that
is or hns been taught them ; but whether fuch
a Catechifm is committed to Print or Wri-
ting, or not, it is certain their Duty to God is
not half fo much, I will not fay, inculcated
into them, but obferv'd by them, as the Re-
verence and Refpe6t which they are made to be-
lieve is due to thefe Holy Men. And what
Ufe will be made of this blind Adoration to
fuch Perfons and their Power, we may eafily
judge by what Ufe ever has been, made of it,
which I think is well worth the Time and
Thoughts of publick Authority, as of ail Men
who wifli Well to their King, their Country,
and Themfelves, to ferioufly reflect upon, and
to prov;de againft, before it is too late, and
the Mifchief is accomplifli'd.

I aw,

L 5

250 CATo's LETTERS.

SIR,

TT is furprizing what minute and contemprr-
•*• ble Cuufes create Difcontents, Diforders*
Violence, and Revolutions amongft Men 5
what a fmall Spring can actuate a mighty and
many-headed Multitude 5 and what mighty
Numbers one Man is capable of drawing inta
his DifguRs and Dcfigns. It is the Weaknefs
of the many 5 when they have taken a Fan-
cy to a Man, or to the Name of a Man, they
take a Fancy even to his Failings, adopt his-
Interest right or wrong, and refent every Mark
of Disfavour fhewn him, however juft and
tieceflary it be. Nor are their Refentments
and Fondnefs the kfs violent for being ill-
grounded : If a Man makes them Drunk once
or twice a Year, this Injury is a Kindnefs
which they never forget $ and he is fure of
their Hearts and their Hands for having fo
generoufly robb'd them of their Time, their
Innocence, and their Senfes. They are grate-
ful for the Mifchief done them $ and in Re-
turn, are ready to do any for him. He who
reftrains them from Drunkennefs, or even pu-
nifties them for it, is a greater and a real Bene-
faclor-} but fuch a Benefactor as they will
never forgive, and he is fure to lofe their good
, probably to purchafe their Hatred.

This

LETTERS, 251

This /hews how much their Senfes are
ilronger than their Underftandings. They
are govern'd not by Judgment, but by Senfa-
tions -7 and, one Guinea in Drink, obliges them
more than two in Clothes 5 or in any other
dry Way. L;quor warms their Hearts, and
fills them with the Man who is the Author
of To much Joy. So that to inftrud them,,
feed them, and employ them, are not fuch
fure Ways to win them> as to miflead and in-
flame them, and to wafte their Time. For
this Reafon, the fober, and the fenfible Cler-
gyman is never fo popular, as the loud, the
faftiousr and the hot-headed. Rational and
fober Infrru&ion is a cold Thing^ and goes no
farther than the Underftanding: But Noife
and Raving awaken and intoxicate the animal
Spirits, and fet the Blood on Fire, and have
all the Effeds of Wine.

So that in raifing Parties and Factions, Irc-
flaming goes a thoufand Times further than
Reafoning and Teaching. A foolifh Speech 3)
fupported with Vehemence and Brandy, will
conquer the beft Senfe, and the beft Caufe
in the World, without Anger or Liquor,
Sobriety and Capacity are not Talents that
recommend to the Crowd, who are always,
taken with fhallow Pomp and Sound, and with
Men of little Reftraints. The Debauch'd
and the Superfluous have great Hold of
them: Men who will fin with them, or Men,
who can give them Amulets againft the Vei>
gence due to Sinning. But Men who will
neither corrupt them, nor deceive them,.
are to them diftafleful Stoicks* or frighful Infi

2p CATO's LETT ERS.

dels, and fometimes us'd as fuch. One may
at any Time gain an Intereft in a Mob with
a Barrel of Beer, or without it, by the
Means of a few odd Sounds, that mean no-
thing, or fomething very wild or wicked.
Let any Superftition, though ever fo wild or
fooli/h, be advanced by one who has Credit e-
noughto deceive them 5 let any favourite Party
Watch- Word be invented, and pronounc'd in
fuch a Tone and fuch a Pofture, it foon be-
comes Sacred, and in the higheft Efteem 5
and woe be to him that fpeaks againft a
Myftery: Every Argument fhall be an Af-
front and a Sign of Unbelief 5 which is a Crime
always higheft, and moft hated when it is beft
grounded. The Managers of the Charm, on-
the contrary, are Men of vaft Reverence, Mo-
ment, and Popularity, and a Zeal for the
Charm creates Guards and Revenues to the
Charmers. If you go about to expofe the Im-
pofture, and unfold the Cheat, you are a Foe
to all Religion, and will believe nothing
without Evidence. The Superftiticn grows
in eftabli/h'd Repute, and 'tis dangerous to
oppofeit, till fome other, often more abfurd,
and confequently more prevailing, under-
mines and exterminates it: For there is that
Propenfity in moft Men to Delufion and
Grimace, that they feldom recur to the plain
and^aimable Precepts taught in the Scripture,
ant! to a Religion without Shew, Pagean-
try, and Ceremonies 5 but Superftition almcft
always fublifts in fome Shape or other, and
grows ftrong and reverenced in Proportion to
us Weaknefs> Nonfenfe, and Abfurdity : As it

is

s LETTERS. 253

is admired in Proportion as it is fooli/h or
wonderful, it is believed in Proportion as it
is incredible : So that the Credulity of the
People for the moft Part, follows the wife
Improvement of Nonfenfe : CufiMue tngenii
Iwnani libentius obfcura credi. Tacit.

Confidering the Weaknefs of Man's Na-
ture, prone to imaginary Fears, and to lean
upon imaginary Props, and to feek imaginary
Cures, limited Dekiders are often to be
born ^ but the worft is, they will not be limi-
ted, but extend their Guile to Inftances
where it is noj: wanted 5 and from managing
his Whims, affume a R*ght to direct his Pro-
perty, his Eating and Drinking, and every
Part of his Behaviour, and turn Canting, and
telling Dreams, into Authority and Ruling.

The JEgfft'mns have been always a moft fu-
perftitious Nation, always under the Domi-
nion of their Prieiis, and confequently prone
to Tumults and Insurrections. Their Priefls
were at one Time arriv'd to that monflrcus
Pitch of Power and Tyranny, that they
us'd to difpatch their Kings by a Meflage.
If they did but fignify their pious Plealure,
that his Majefly was to cut his Throat, he
durft not retuTe, but muft humbly take the
Razor, and be his own Executioner, But
the Power of the Priefls was weakened, and
the Danger of frequent Rebellions prevented
by the following Stratagem of one of the
Princes. He confider'd the Madnefs of the
Multitude after their Gods, and their Priefts }
and that their Unity in religious Phrenzy and
Nonfenfe difpos'd them to Unanimity in

their

254 CATO^s LETTERS.

their Civil Rage. He therefore divided
gy^r into feveral Diftri6h, and eadow'd every
Diftrift with its peculiar and feparate Deities.
He knew, that if they differ'd about their
Gods, or divine Cattle, and Vegetables of
Worfhip, and about the Rites paid them, they
would agree about nothing elfe, and confe-
quently never to confpire againft him. One
Divifion had for its Deity a Monkey* ano-
ther had a Cat, another a Crocodile, another
a Kite $ and fome ador'd Leeks and Garlick,,
Savoury Gods of their own planting.

0 Santtctsgente*, quilus h*ec nafcuntur in bortir

This Dividend of Deities had the defir'd
Effeft. The feveral Diftrifts abhorr'd all the
neighbouring celeftial Gentry as intenfiy and
madly as they doated on their own 5 and were
ready to fpill their Blood, either offenfively,
or defenfively, for the Honour and Intereit
of thefe their different Divinities. Hence the
religious and bloody War between two neigh-
bouring Towns, finely defcrib'd by Juvenal
with his ufual Force and Indignation*

Inter finitimos vetus atque anttqu(tfimuhasy
Immortals odium & nunqtiam Canabile vitlnus
jirdet adhucy Ombas OP Tentyra. Summusutrinque
In de furor vulgo, quod numina vicitiorum
Qdit uterque locus , cum Jolos credit balendos
Effe deos quos iffe cofo. — — Juv. Sat. 1 5.

When

CATO's LETTERS.

When People are once divided in their Af-
fe ft ions, every Thing, however innocent and
indifferent, if it be peculiar to the one, be-
comes a Mark of Iniquity, , and an Objecl of Ha-
tred to the other. A different Hat or Coat
becomes the Source of Refentment, when
perhaps a Cloak or a Ruff creates Friend-
fiiip and Efteem. A Judgment is made of the
Hearts of Men by their Habit, and particular
good or bad Qualities are annex'd to Cloth
and Colours. "There are Inftances of Mo-
narchs depos'd and murder'd by their People
for wearing a foreign Drefs, or for fpeakmg a
foreign Language : And there are Inftances
of Nations perfecuted, wafted, and laid
in Blood by their Princes, for uiing, or not
ufingy particular Geftures and Sounds, which
their Highnefles had taken a liking to j and
of Princes us'd the fame Way by their People
for the fame Reafon.

If they take an ASFe&ion to the Word A*>
Iracadabra, tho5 they join to it no certain
Idea, they think themfelves juftified in op-
preffing, and fometimes in butchering, all who
do not profefs the fame vehement Affection
to the fame fenflefs Sound. But the Man
who is loud and mutinous for Abracadabra is
their Darling : They grow fond of him for
being fond of their Word : His Fondnefs
is a Compliment to them j and they will
Denture Life and Limb for a Cheat, or a
Blockhead, who opens his Mouth juft as they
do others. Their Zeal is the fiercer, becaufe
it is blind* If they fall religioufly in love
with an Ape, oran Ox> or with thofe that tend

Giro's LETTERS.

him, as the JE^nans did, he is prefently a
Blafphemer, who does not debafe his Under-
flandmg, and forfeit his Sincerity, by facri-
ficing fhamefuiiy and devoutly to thefe brute
Creatures, and by reverencing and pampering
the folemn Merry Andrews that look after
them.

The great Ifland of Madagafcar is divided
into two great Parts and Parties, who are at
fierce Strife and everlail'ng War about a
fan&ify'd Elephant's Tooth, which both own
to have come down n-.i. aven, and both
pretend to have it j and I arn not fure whe-
ther it has not work'd Miracles on both Sides :
But as neither Side wi" 'How the other to have
it, they hate one anorher as much as they
love and hate the faid Tooth. Great is the
Elephant of Madagafcar, and the Tusl^ ubicb fell
dawn from Jupiter !

The Turks and the Per flans are equally the
devout, the blind, and bigctred Followers
of Mahomet, and differ in no Point of Doc-
trine. This Doclrinal Unanimity, one would
think, muft be a powerful Bond of Union,
at leaft of religious Union, between the two
Empires. But no fuch Matter. They treat
one another as execrable Hereticks and In-
fidels, and do not hate the Chriftians more,
though their only Difference in Opinion is,
that the Twr'</ hold Omar for the true Suc-
cefti r of Mahomet, and the Perflnns maintain
that All was. They tie their Religion, at
leaft the Efficacy thereof, to the Succeflion,
and deny that there can be any Salvation in
any Church where the uninterrupted Succeflion

is

CA'fO's LETTERS. 257

is not kept up : So that each Side is damn'd
jn the Opinion of each. This Hatred and
Diviiion is increas'd by another momentous
Difference, the Difference of the Colours and
Caps which they wear. The Tnr^s wear white
Turban ts, arid the Perjiam wear red Bon-
nets. Thefe are.fuch abominable Marks of
Herefy and Schifm, as deferves to be expia-
ted with Blood: And therefore that Herefy
has always been aflign'd as a principal Caufe
of their many mutual Invaiions, rnercilefs
Wars, and Deveftations.

I wifh I could not fay, that the wife and
grave Engbfe Nation have had aifo their
holy and outrageous Quarrels about V/ords
and Motions, Crape and Cloth, Bonnets and
Colours, and about the Eaftern and Weftern
Situation of Joint-Stools j Thank God it is
not quite fo bad at prefent, no Thanks to
our Education.

I would, for a ConcIuCon to this Letter,
only de fire it to be coniider'd, what Infamy
and Contempt it reflects upon the human
Underftanding, and indeed upon the human
Species, to be thus apt to run into Difcord and
Animofiti-es upon fuch wretched and unman-
ly Motives; and what Monfters and Impo-
ftors they muft be, who begin, or manage,
or highten thefe abfurd and impious Con-
tentions amongft any Part of the Race of Men,
already too unhappy by the Lot of Nature.

258 CATO's LETTERS.

S I R,

A

S I have lately given you the genuine
Meaning of two very Nonfenfical Words,
3s they are vulgarly understood, to wit, Heie~.
difary K^fcrj fo in this I /hall a little ani-
madvert upon tw& other Words in as
much Ufe, I mean the Words IndtHlle Cha-
ratfer$ which 1 chufe to do, becaufe no
fmail Number of Ecciefiafticks, and fome I
have heard of the hrghe.il Character, dare to
affert, that though the late Bi/hop of Rocbefter
is depriv'd of his Bifhoprick, and expellM the
Kingdom, yet that Hs remains a Bfoop of the
Univerfal Ckurcb, which are fome more non-
feniical Words : Indeed, there is fcarce a
Theological Syftem in the World, (legal Efta-
blifhmerits excepted,) but contains almoft
as many Falfhoods as Words, and as much
Nonfenfe as Matter. Give the corrupt
Priefis but fome odd, unintelligible, and iil-
favour'd Word, fuppofe bic btec boc, trim tram*
low wow, fee fa fumy or any other Sound
that is utterly void of any rational Meaning,
and they lhall inftantly find profound My~
fiery in it, and fetch ftubftantial Advantages
out of it 5 and when they are got in full Poffef-
iion of the (aid Word, you are damned if
you deny it to be Senfe, and damned if you
endeavour to make Senfe of it.

The

CA TO's LETTERS. 25?

The Indelible Chara&er, is one of their be-
loved Phrafes, from which they derive great
Importance and Authority, and yet is a pal-
pable Contradiction to all common Senfe ;
By it they mean a certain invifible Faculty,
that is peculiar to themfelves, of doing cer-
tain Duties, which they could have done as
well before they had it. It is a divine Com-
miffion, or Power, to do that every where,
which human Powers can hinder them from
doing any where : It neither conveys Vir-
tue, Holitiefs', nor Undemanding, and has no
vifible Operation, but authorizes thofe who
are poflefs'd of it to ufe certain Words, and
perform certain Actions and Ceremonies,
and ad certain Motions, which moft other
Men could pronounce, perform, and acl a*
well as they can, but they tell us not with
equal EffecT: 5 but then this EffecTt is no ways
vifible, nor comprehenfible, but through
Faith, and is far above all human Concep-
tion.

How then, and by what Marks, ftiall we
know that any one has attain'd to this Indeli-
ble Characler ? Not from Scripture, which i$
wholly fllent about the Matter ? Not by Suc-
cefllon from the Apoftles, who claimed no
fuch Power, as is unanswerably proved in.
the Infyevdant W^iv, No. VI. and VII. Not
from Reafon, the 'impoflibility of it being
there fully (hewn in No. XV. And the Wide*
ednefs of pretending to it being as fully /hewn
in No. XLVI. and XLVII. Not from the
Laws of England, which oblige all Clergy-
men to own, that they receive all Jurifdifti-

©n

Giro's LETTERS.

on and Authority whatsoever from the Crown?
as is demonftratively proved in No. XIII. and
XIV. and in No. XLVIII. and XLIX. It
is as undeniably proved by numerous Texts,
as well as the whole Bent of Scripture, that
no one Chriftian has more Power than ano-
ther, to perform all the Offices of Chriftiani-
ty 5 that the Holy Ghoft fell upon all Belie-
vers alike, and that they had all the Power
of doing Miracles, afrer they had received it j
and I think it is as evident, that none of
them have now the Power of doing Miracles,.
as this would be wirh a Witnefs, if a few
Words pronounced, and few Motions perfor-
med, fhould give to any one new Qualities
and Faculties which he had not before. I
am fure, ifthis is a Miracle, it is an invifible
One, and much like that of the Popifh Tran-
fubftantiation ; where though we are told, that
the Bread and Wine are changed into Flefh
and Blood, yet as to human Eyes, they ap-
pear to be Bread and Wine ftill. We are fa
far from being told in Holy Writ, that Elders,
Paftor?, and Teachers, (for all Priefthood is.
plainly aboli/h'd by our Saviour in any o-
ther Senfe than as all Chrifiians are Priefts,J are
always to chufe one another, that even an A-
poftle in the firft of the 4tts is chofen bv the

*

Congregation, and by the cafting of Lots.

But thefe Gentlemen are fometimes fo mo-
deit, as to confefs, that holy Orders do really
convey neither Piety, Morals, Learning, nor
encreafe the natural Faculties in any Re-
fpecl: : I dch re therefore to know of therrv
what they are good for. unlefs to declare, that

fuch

's LETTERS. 16 1

fiich a Man has undertaken to execute an
Uirice, and that he has natural or acquired
Qualifications fufficient to perform it ? And
this Trull is for the mod Part committed ro
Clergymen, who are prefumed beft to under-
Hand their own Trade 5 and the Ceremony
they ufe to fignify that Declaration, are laying
on of Hands, and a Form of Words, prefer i-
bed by Aft of Parliament ; which Ceremony
has obtained the Name of Confecration and Or-
dination. Now fuppofe the Law had ap-
pointed another Form to be executed only by
Laymen, as by throwing a Sword over his
Head, and by putting a Cap and long Gown
upon him 5 would not the fame Man, with
the lame Qualifications, be juft as good a Pa-
llor 5 or fuppofe the Bifhop, who ordained
him through feme Miftake, had not himfelf
gone through all the Operation, would the Per-
fon ordain'd been ever the worfe ? There is no
Appearance that our modern Operators have
any Difcernment of Spirits -5 if they had, I
prefume we fiiould not have had fo many Jn-
tobitis in Holy Orders; and 'tis evident in
Faft, whenever the Parifhes chufe their o\vn
Parfons, they are at leaft as good Ones as
thofe who are recommended to us by our f pi-
ritual Fathers. 'Tis certain our Laws know
nothing of this Gibbenfh, but declare Lay-
men capable of all Sorts of Ecclefiaftical Jurif-
diftion j and when the Bifhops confecrate
one another, or ordain Prieils, they doit mi*
nifterialty from the Crown, and formerly took
out a Commiflion from the Crown, to or-
dain Presbyters 5 and the King now confti-

tutes

CA TO's LETTE RS.

tutes Bifhops in Ireland by CommiiTIon, and
they will be good ones, and be able to per-
form ail the Epifcopal Office, though they were
nevtr confecrared, and formerly they were
granted by Patent in Sect/and, and only durante
bene flacito.

Now let us confider, What is the Meaning
of the Word Biftiop, and wherein his Office
confifts. It is a Power or Jurifdiclion given to
do certain Actions within a certain Diftric~r,
which Diitrift is limited by human Laws j
and he muft not execute his Power in any
other Bifhop's Diftricl, under the Penalty of
Schifm, and human Punishment , and what is
this Jurifdiclion ? It is a Power to name a Lay-
Chancellor if he pleafes, who is to enquire
after, and punifh certain carnal Crimes, with-
out confulting or taking any Notice of the
Bifhop himfelf, who conftituted him $ and
Excommunication is the legal Procefs he is to
ufe, and the Punifhment he is to inflicT:. The
Bifhop has, moreover, a Power to examine in-
to the Qualifications of thofe who defire to
be admitted into Orders, and to admit them,
or reject them, as he finds them capable, or
incapable , and after they are admitted, to
infpecl into their Behaviour, in fbme Refpedts,
and to punifh them according to flated Laws.
And what is this Prieftly Office? It is to read
Prayers, appointed by A61 of Parliament, pub-
lickly to the Congregation, to read aloud cer-
tain Chapters out of the Bible, appointed by
publick Authority to be read on particular
Days, to pick out a Text or two every Sunday ^
and harangue upon it to the People 5 to ad-

minifter

's LETTERS.

jninifter the Sacraments by a Form of Words
prefcnbed by Law, .to vilit the Sick, exhort
and rebuke, and to take the Tythes. The
Bifhop befides is to be a Lord of Parliament,
to have one or more Thoufands per Annum^
and to blefs People when they are upon their
Knees.

Now what Part of all this may not be as
well executed, by what Ceremony foever the
Perfon officiating is appointed, or if he is ap-
pointed without any Ceremony at all. May
not a Bifhop conftitute a Lay-Chancellor to
hear fmutty Caufes, and to excommunicate the
Guilty, till they buy themfelves out of Pur-
gatory again for a Sum of Money ? Cannot
he equally enquire into the Capacities of thofe
who are Candidates for the Prieiihood, as
they call it, and to deprive or otherwife pu-
nifh them as the Law direcls? Might not he
equally fit in the Houfe of Lords, and vote
for the juft Prerogative of the Crown, the
Good of the Church 5 make the moft of his
Revenues, only for the Sake of his SuccefTor,
and fay, God L-lefs you to any who will ask it
upon his Knees? Might not a private Man,
though a Bifhop's Hand had never touched
his Periwig, read aloud the publick Prayers
and the Chapters for the Day, when he can
read at all, without any new infpiration 5 talk
half an Hour or more about the Meaning of
a plain Text j exhort his Parishioners to be
good Churchmen , rail at and revile Diflen-
ters ; read the legal Form of Baptifm, and
fprinkie an Infant; carry about the Bread and
Wine to the Communicants $ repeat the

Words

2(54 CATo's LETTERS.

Words appointed in the Common -Prayer
Book to be faid on that Occafion $ gather
in Tythes very carefully , and put any
One into the Spiritual Court that does not
pay them.

Now, Sir, what is Deprivation, but by
publick Authority to hinder them from doing
thefe Things 3 that is, to take away the Pow-
er it has given them ? I think it is agreed by
them all, that fome of thefe Powers may be
taken away, namely, the Bifhops being
Members of the Upper Houfe, their Baronies
and Revenues, their Lordfhips, their Digni-
ties, their Spiritual Courts, their legal Jurif-
diction within their former Diftricls $ but ftill
they remain good Biftiops of the Univerfal
Church; which Character is Indelible, and can
never be taken away. But what they mean
by the Univerfal Church, I can't guefs, unlefs
they mean all Chriftian Countries, or all Coun-
tries wherein there are Chriftians $ and then
it feems that Bifliops may ordain Presbyters,
and Bifhops and Presbyters both may
preach and pray, give the Sacraments, and
excommun-'cate wherever there are any Chrif-
tians ; and if the Words Univerfal Church will
extend to thofe who are no Chriiiians,
then they may do thefe Things through the
whole World. But how will this agree with
another orthodox Opinion, I think held by
them all, that no Bifhop can execute his Of-
fice in another's Diocefe, and no Prieil in ano-
ther's Parifh, again!} their Confenr, without be-
ing guilty of Sch5fr>. And here alrnoft all
Chriftendom is cut off from their Ecclt?iiaftical

Jurif-

C AlO's LET T ERS.

Jurifdi&ion at once, and a good Part of
Turky too, the Chriftians there having all Bi-
fhops (fuch as they are :) So that they are
reduced to execute this Univerfal Power on-
ly in partibus injidelmm 5 and methinks ,
iince Sovereign Authority is every where the
fame, Mahometan or Pagan Princes fliould
have as much Power to hinder any one from
conferring Offices in his Dominions, as Chri-
ftian Princes have to confine him to a fmall
Limit, and hinder him every where elfe 5
for no more Power is neceffary to one than
to the other.

But to fhew that I am in Charity with thefe
Gentlemen, and am willing to agree with
them as far as I can, I do admit, that no
Government, either Chriftian, Mahometan, or
Pagan, has any Authority to hinder a good
Alan from doing his Duty to God j from fay-
ing his Prayers, and reading the Scriptures
publickly 5 from exhorting his Brethren from
giving or receiving the Sacraments, or avoid-
ing ill Company , which is all that is meant in
Scripture, by what we call Excommunication :
AH which Offices, or rather Duties, every Chri-
ftian is empower'd by the Go/pel to execute.
And as the Clergy have been called upon
oftner than once already to /hew from Scrip-
ture, or Reafon, that thefe Duties, or any
of them, are appointed by God, to be per-
form'd by any Set or Order of Men whatfoe-
ver, independent of other Chriftiansj fo I
caU upon them again to fhew it, and I expect
they will introduce plain and direct Texts, or*
at leaft, as much Evidence as they would pay

V o L. IV. M fir-

euro's LETTERS.

five Shillings upon on any other Occafion.
And if they cannot do this, as 1 /hall prefume
they cannot, till the contrary appears 5 then all
this artificial Cant is plain Juggling, Hypocri-
fy, and Priefkraft.

If we will take fome of their Words for it,
there are many Things very ftrange and extra-
ordinary in this Divine Truft : It may be gi-
ven here below, but cannot be taken away a-
gain '•) for then it would not be Indeliable. It
is a Power to execute Ecclefiaftical Jurifdiclion
or Duty through the whole Earth, and yet may
be confin'd to Diocefes, or Parifhes r No hu-
man Authority can hinder thofe who are pof-
fefs'd of it from executing it 5 and yet their
Perfons may be imprifon'd, or put to Death,
and fo be wholly difenabled to execute it :
They may be render'd incapable of performing
it by Difeafes, Drunkennefs, Gluttony, and
Lazinefs 5 but not by Murder, Robbery,
Treafon, Blafphemy, or Atheifm : Non-Exe-
cution, or wrong Execution, is no Forfeiture:
It is the moft tender and important of all
Trufts 5 and yet no Crimes, how heinous or
black foever, will difqualify a Man from hol-
ding and executing it : Whoever has once got
it, can never part with it, but carries it with
him to the Pillory and the Gallows 5 but whe-
ther it there leaves him, Authors are iilent,
or doubtful.

It can be given by one of them to another
only by the Motion of the Hand, but not
by Aft of Parliament, and the Confent of
the States of a great Kingdom, tho' the Head
of the Church is one of them 5 and vetitmuft

be

CAltfs LET T ERS.

be given according to the Command of that
one, and by a Form of Words enacted by all
three. Whoever has it, muft have a Call from
the Holy Ghoft, and yet muft be examin'd
whether he has common natural Qualificati-
ons j and when he has heard this Call, and
his Qualifications are found fufficient, he need
not execute what he is call'd to, but may hire
another to do it for him 3 who muft not exe-
cute it neither, unlefs he has an human Dio-
cefe, or an human Parifh, or is employed by
thofe who have. Is not this pretty Jargon, and
worthy to be made an Article of Faith ?
Though it has had the ill Luck not to get in
amongft the reft, and, what is worfe, fomeof
the reft direclly contradict it.

The fame invifible Faculty makes him, who
is poffefs'd of it, neither wifer nor better;
but yet he is to be much more refpecled,
and his Authority to be much more regard-
ed, provided he is zealous for the Notions
which are Orthodox for the Time being , o-
therwife you may abufe him as much as you
pleafe, whether he is Moft Reverend, Right
Reverend, or only Plain Reverend 5 and you
need not have any Reverence at all for him,
tho' the Indelible Character fticks juft where
it did before. You muft know this Inde-
lible Character came down by an uninterrup-
ted Succeflion from the Apoftles; but then it
being wholly invifible, and making no Al-
teration in the outward or inward Man, there
is fome. Difficulty, and we are often at a Lofs
to know who has it. The moft common out-
ward and vifible Signs are a broad-brim'd Hat, a

M z long

CA r0's LETTERS.

long black Gown, and a Band, tho' others
hold a Cloak, with a Cape to it, to be a bet-
ter Criterion. But what will become of us, if
fome Heretick has formerly ufurp'd thefe
Holy Garments, without having pafled through
ail the precedent Operation $ and if he /hould
have happen'd to have confccratcd and or-
dain'd a great many others, then, alas! the
whole Chain of SucceiTion may have been
broke, never to be pieced again by human
Skill 5 and we can never know who amongft us
are regular Chriftians, or in a regular Way of
Salvation. Some are fo wicked as to fay, That
this was the Cafe of many of our Proteftant
Bifhops at the Reformation 3 which God
forbid !

Nay, what is worfe, the Orthodox differ
amongft themfelves about what Requifites
#re neceffary to continue this Line of Suc-
*:eiTion. Many have affirm 'd, That the Holy
Ghoft would not inhabit a Heretick, aSchif-
matick, a Simoniack, or an Atheifl 5 and
fame have went fo far, as to a{Tert,That a Chri-
iiian Biihop ought to be a Chriftian. Now
it is certain, there have been many Bifhops
and Popes too, who did not believe one
Word about Jefus Chrift j and if this is Dif-
fcpali£caticn, then the Lord have Mercy upon
thofe who have pretended to receive Orders
from them, or under them, and upon fuch
who received the Sacraments only by Succef-
fion from them.

Others have ventur'd to affirm. That no
greater Power was neceflary to take away Or-
ders than to qive them 5 and if fo, the Pope and

Church

CATO's LET T E R S..

Church of Row* have taken away all our Or-
ders from us, and excommunicated us to a
Man 5 and then a Quedion will arife, Whe-
ther any one, who is wholly turn'd out of
the Church, can be a Bifhop of the Church ?
and if not, all our Bench of Bifhops are
gone at once , for we all know that the Church
of Rome is a true Church $ and if the Cler-
gy have any Authority from Scripture, alt
the Ecclefiaftical Authority in the World
wasagainft the firft Reformers, and they were
all excommunicated together. They had cer-
tainly no Power to feparate themfelves from
the Church or' Rome, but what every Man in
the World ever had, has now, and ever will
have, to feparate from any Church which
he thinks to be erroneous, and of difowning
all Ecclefiaftical Authority, which does not
take its Force from the Laws of the Coun-
try he lives under $ and then it is only Civil
Authority. I defire of the Gentlemen, who-
have always fhewn themfelves very happy at
Diftinclions, to clear up thofe Matters to us,
that we may know whether we are Chriftians
or not, and in the ordinary of Salvation.

I am,

LETTERS,

SIR,

T N my lad I endeavour'd to give you a true
•*• Anatomy of the Indelible Character, and of
the uninterrupted Succeffion, from whence
are deriv'd moft of the Abfurdities of the
TLomlfj Church, and all the fpiritual Equi-
page of their Popes, Patriarchs, Archbifhops,
Bifhops, Panfh-Prieits, &>c. as well as all the
Powers claim'd by them in the Church. In
this I /hall give you their Genealogy , as al-
fo the Genealogy of their Cathedrals, their
Altars, their lighted Candles upon them at
Noon-day j their worshipping God towards
the Eaft, and a great deal more of their religi-
ous Trumpery. I cannot., after the moft dili-
gent Inquiry, find out the lead Countenance
for moft, if any, of thefe fine Things, in the
Chriftian Religion '-, and the jk?r//£ is long fince
abolifh'd. Our Saviour plainly intended to re-
duce Men to natural Religion, which was
corrupted and defaced by the numerous Su-
perftitions of the jfeu-f, anc^ ^Y tne a^^"ur<l
Idolatries of the Gentiles. The Doclrine which
he taught, confifted only in Wor/hipping one
God, and in doing Good to Men 5 and there-
fore he inAituted a Religion without Priefts,
Sacrifices, and Ceremonies 5 a Religion which
was to reficie in the Heart, to confift in
Spirit, and in Truth 5 and to fhew itfelf out-
wardly

CATo's LETTERS. 271

wardly in virtuous Actions : But fuch a Re-
ligion would not gratify the Ambition and
Pride of thofe who defir'd to Domineer over
their Brethren, and to acquire from their Ig-
norance and Fears, Riches and Authority.

AS therefore the yevifi Priefts had, by their
Traditions, and their fabulous Legands, cor-
rupted the Law of Mofesj fo the Chriftian
Clergy did by Degrees blend the Gofpel, and
the plain and eafy Precepts of Chriftianity,
with the mo ft abfurd Parts of the Jeivifo Tra-
ditifcns, and with the ridiculous Foppery
of the Religion of the Gentiles $ infomuch,
than at the Reformation there was not left in
the World any Thing that look'd like Chri-
ftianity. The Pope and his Priefts had pick'd
out from all other Superftitions their moft ab-
furd, cruel, and wicked Parts and Principles ,
and having incorporated the fame with pecu-
liar Abfurdities of their own, made out of all
fuch a wild Jumble of Nonfenfe and Impie-
ties, as has driven Virtue, good Government,
and Humanity, almoft out of the World 5
given Rife to Mahometanifm $ and both toge-
ther have almoft extingui/h'd the human Race $
fince there is not in thofe Countries, where
thefe Religions entirely prevail, the Tenth
Part of the People they could boaft in the
Times of the old Romans, nor in Proportion to
the Numbers which China and Holland can
boaft 5 where the Priefts have no Power, and
but little Influence.

It would be endlefs to trace all the numerous
Abfurdities of the Romifi Church, and to
fearch the Sources from whence they are

M 4 taken

272 CATQ's LETTERS.

taken and ftolen. I fhall content my felf
here, to fhew, that their whole Machinery is
copied from the Religion of Zoroaftert and the
Perfi.m Magi, and fhall quote no other Autho-
rity than the excellent and learned Dr. Pri-
tlfiiux j but give an Account of that Impo-ftor
and his M-tg/, altogether in the Doctor's own
Words.

He tells us, That Zoroafter flourifh'd in the
Reign of Darius Hyflaffes^ (tho' others fay,
very long before, as he fays, the M«g/ dici,
who, without doubt, held many of the lame
Opinions, he having only revived their Seel
with forne Alterations ,) and he taught, that
there was one fupreme Being, independent
and felf-exiflent from all Eternity $ that
under him there were two Angels, one the
Angel of Light, and the Author and Direc-
tor of all Good 5 the other the Angel of
Darknefs, the Author and Director of all Evil $
that this Struggle fhould continue to the End
of the World, and then there fhould be a ge-
neral Refurreclion, and a Day of Judgment,
wherein juft Retribution fhould be rendered
to all according to their Works 5 and the
Angel of Darknefs and his Difciples fhould
go into a World of their own, where they
fhould fufFer in everlafting Darknefs, the Pu-
nifhment of their ill Deeds 5 and the Angel
of Light and his Difciples fhould go into
n World of their own, and receive in cver-
lafting Light, the Rewards due to their good
Deeds.

This Impofior pretended to have been ta-
ken up to Heaven, and there to have heard

God

CATO's LETTERS. 27$

God fpeak to him out of the Midft of the
Fire , and therefore he order'd Fire-Temples
to be built, and erected Altars in them, upon
which facred Fires were kept and preferved,
without being fuffer'd to go out 5 and all
the Parts of their publick Worfhip were per-
fbrnVd before thefe publick facred Fires, as
all their private Devotions were before private
Fires in their own Houfes : Not that they
worfhipped the Fire, but God in the Fire j
for God having fpoken out of the Fire, he
faid, That it was the fureft Sbednab of the
Divine Prefence , That the Sun being the per-
fected Fire that God had made, there was the
Throne of his Glory, and the Evidence of
his Divine Prefence, in a more efpecial Man-
ner than any where elfe ; for which Reafon
he order'd them to direct all their Worfhip
towards the Sun, and next towards their fa-
cred Fires j and therefore they always ap-
proached them from the Weft Side $ that having
their Faces towards them, and alfo towards the
Rifing Sun at the fame Time, they might di-
rect their Worfhip towards both ; for the
Kel>la of the "Mayans being the Rifing Sun,
they always worfhipped with their Faces to-
wards the Eafl.

To gain the greater Reputation to his Pre-
tenfions, he retir'd to a Cave, and there livM,
a Reclufe, pretending to be abstracted from
all worldly Confiderations, and to be whol-
ly given up to Prayer, and Divine Meditati-
ons. Whilfthe was in this Retirement, he-'
composed the Book wherein his pretended Re-
velations are contain'dj which confined; of

5 twelve

274 CAfO's LETTERS.

twelve Volumes. The firft contains the Li-
turgy of the Mrtg/, and the reft treat of the
other Parts of their Religion. In this Book
he commands the fame Obfervances about
Beafts, clean and unclean, which Mofes com-
mands ; gives the fame Law of paying Tythes
to the Sacerdotal Order j enjoins the fame
Care of avoiding all external and internal
Pollutions, the fame Way of cleanfing and
purifying themfelves by frequent Wafhings ,
the fame keeping the Priefthood always with-
in one Tribe 5 and feveral other Inftitutions
are alfo therein contain'd, of the fame Jewi/k
Extraction. The reft of its Contents are an
Hiftoricai Account of the Life, Actions,
and Prophecies of its Author ^ the feveral
Branches and Particulars of his new reformed
Superstition ; and Rules and Exhortations to
Holy Living j in which he is very preffin'g,
and fufficientiy exacl, faving only in one Par-
ticular, which is about Inceft, which the
Doftor fuppofes is allow'd by him out of Flat-
tery to the Rerjiav Kings, who were exceed-
ingly given to inceiluous Marriages. This
Book he pretends to have received from Hea-
ven , and according as the Aftions of his Seft
agree or difgrace with it, they are eheem'd
cither good or evil.

His Priefts, as is faid, are to be all of one
Tibe, and none but the Sen of a Prieft was
capable of being a Pried 5 and his Prieft-
hood he divklul into tlree Tribes. The low-
eft were the inferior Clergy, who fcrved in all
the commoi. Cilices of their divine Worfhip.
Next above thefe vvers the Superintendents,

who

C^TO's LETTERS. 275

who in their feveral Diftricls governed the
inferiour Clergy, as the Bifhops do amongti
us 5 and above all, was the Arcbtmagus^ or
Arch-Prieft, who was the fame as the High-
Prieil amongft the Jew, or the Pope now
amongft the Romanes, and is the Head of- the
whole Religion : And, according to the
Number of their Orders, the Temples and
Churches in which they officiated, were of three
Sorts. The loweft Sort, were there Parochial
Churches, or Oratories, which were ferved by
their inferior Clergy, as the Parochial Churches
are now with us 5 and the Duties they there
perform'd, were to read the daily Offices out of
their Liturgy, and at ftated and folemn Times
to read fome Part of their facred Writings
to the People. In thefe Churches there were
no Fire- Altars ; but the facred Fire before
which they worlhipp'd, was maintain'd only
with a Lamp. Next above thefe were the
Fire Temples, in which Fire was continually
kept burning on a facred Altar 3 and thefe were
in the fame Manner as Cathedrals with us,
the -Churches or Temples were the Super-
intendent reiided. 'In every one of thefe
were alfo feveral of the inferior Clergy en-
tertain'd, who, in the fame Manner as the
Choral Vicars with us, perform'd all the Di-
vine Offices under the Superintendent, and al-
fo took Care of the facred Fire, &V.

The higheft Church above all was the Fire-
Temple, where the Arcbimagus refided, which
was had in the fame Veneration with them,
as the Temple of Meccba among the Mi/:o-
to which every one -of that Seel

thought

CAfO's LETTERS.

thought themfelves oblig'd to make a Pilgri-
mage once in their Lives ^ Zoroafter fettled it at
Bd/ffc, and he and the ^rcbimagus his SuccefTors
had their Refidence there , but afterwards it
was remov'd to Herman. This Temple of the
jfrcbim&gttsi as alfo their other Fire-Temples,
were endow'd with large Revenues in Lands 3
but the Parochial Clergy depended only up-
on the Tythes and Offerings of the People.
The Doclor obferves afterwards, That this
Impoftor having wonderful Succefs in cau-
£ng his Impoflure to be received by the King,
the Great Men, and the Generality of the
whole Kingdom, he returned to Batch, where,
according to his Institution, he was oblig'd
to have his Refidence, as Jlrchimagus, or Head
of the Seel 5 and there he reigned with the
fame Authority in Spirituals over the whole
Empire, as the King did in Temporals.

The Doclor obferves, and perhaps with
Truth, That Zoroafler borrowed a great Part
of his new Religion from the jfeotf, efpeci-
aliy if he liv'd fo late as he fuppofes him to
have done, with foine Appearance of Rea-
fon. But if the Impoilor took his Doctrine
of the Immortality of the Soul, and of Re-
wards and Punishments from them too, (which
he alfo fuppofes,) it muft have been from the
Efftnes* a Seel: among the jf/oi^, not exceed-
ing four Thou fa nd : For I cannot find any
Mention made of that Doctrine in the Books of
JVfo/V.f, which contain their Laws, and pro-
mi fe only temporal B!eflings and Punifhments :
And the Doclor himfelf, in, another Place-,
tells us, That the iWd«w, who were the

Gentle-

LETTERS. 277

Gentlemen, and Men of Learning amongft
them, did wholly disbelieve the Refurreclion,
future Rewards and Punifhments, Angels and
Spirits, and rejected all the Scriptures but
the Law ? And that the Pbarifees, tho' they
believ'd the Refurreclion, yet thought it
only a Pytiagorean Refurre&ion, or Tranf-
migration of the fame Soul into another
Body 5 And I think it is plain from the New
Teftament, that the full Revealing of this
Truth was referved to our BlefTed Saviour, who
brought Life and Immortality to Light : Tho*
it is undoubtedly true, that fome of the Jews
held it as a Philofophical Opinion, pro-
bably taken from the Nations they convers'd
with : But it does not appear to me, that JVlofes
eftablifh'd it as a Sanction to the Religion
which he reveal'd, or that it was any Part of
the Jewifi Religion to believe it.

But admitting that Zoroafter took the beft
Parts of his Religion from the Jews, I think
it is much plainer that the Romantfts have
taken the worft Parts of theirs from him 5
or elfe they have very luckily or unluckily
jump'd in the fame Thoughts. Their Arcbl-
mAgus, High-Prieft, or Pope, they can have
no where elfe, unlefs they borrow'd him
from the Jews, which would be extremely
impudent, fince the Chriftian Religion is
built upon the Ruins of theirs. Their Super-
intendents, whom they call Archbifhops and
Biihops, and their Parochial Priefts, whom
they do not borrow from the Jeivs, and who,
they fay, are not derived from human Infti-
tution, cannot be derived, in my Opinion,

from

s78 CATO's LETTERS.

from any other Source than that of Zoroafler-.
Where elfe do they find the Division of their
Prieils into feverai Orders, which exadly re-
femble his, namely, the lower Order in Pa-
rochial Temples, to read Offices out of their
Liturgies, or Mafs-Books, and Portions of
their facred \Vritings at appointed Times ?
For the Jews had not that Oeconomy, nor
indeed any Synagogue- Wor/hip, till long af~
ter Zoroafler's Time. Where elfe do they
find Cathedrals with Altars in them, and
lighted Candles upon thefe Altars, in Imitation
of the facred Fire of the Magi , and thefe Al-
tars (landing to the Eaft, and the Wor/hip
in them performed with the Face towards
it? Where elfe the many inferior Prieils of-
ficiating in fuch Temples, fubordinate to the
Superintendent, and in Eafe to him? And
where elfe the endowing thefe Temples with
Lands and Revenues '<

Where do they find their uninterrupted
Succeffion, ©V. and in Confequence their J»-
4t li able CbaraHcr, but in the Succeffion of
Zoroafter's Priefis in one Tribe only, who.
without doubt were all Holy, had all a Divine
Right, were particularly Favourites of the
Divine Being, and cloathed with peculiar Pow-
ers and D'fpenfations? Where had they the
abiurd and blalphernous Opinion of God's
being more immediately at the Altar, or in
the Eaft, than in any other Pbce, uniefs
from the Notion and Dreams of the Mjg/,
that the Divine Prefence was in an efpecial
Manner in the Sun, or in the Fire ? Where
do they find that the Deity ispleas'd with Men's

retiring

5 L E T T E R S. 270

retiring into Caves, Corners, and Mona-
fieries 3 with their neglecting the Affairs of
the World, and of their Families ; with their
being ufelefs to Society 3 and with their dwel-
ling only upon Meditations and the Spleen $
but in the Example and Authority of Zoroa-
fter ? Where do they find any Command for
wild Jaunts in Pilgrimage to the Holy Land,
and for idle and enthufiaftick Devotions to
Shrines, Altars, and Chapels, unlels in the
Injunctions of this Impoftor to all his Votaries
to vifit the Temple of Balcb ? And where elfe
did they adopt the abfurd, monilrous, and
wicked Hypothefis, of the Church's having a
different Head from the State, and of the In-
dependence of the Priefts upon the Civil
Power ?

Molt of thefe Opinions and Practices are
Parts of the Religion of the ancient "Mavi 3 and
from thence it is reafonable to prefume the'
Romi/b Priefts have copied them, unlefs they
can fhew where elfe they had them, They
cannot, with the Appearance of common
Senfe, be deduced from the NewTeftament -7
and the Jewi/b Religion has been long iince
abolifh'd. They have therefore the Honour
of having reftored the old Superftition of
the Magi, with this material Difference, That
the latter had more Learning, and much more
Integrity 5 that they did not do, by the hun-
dreth Part, io much Mifchief, and treated
with more Humanity thofe who difteied from
them.

I aw, &c.

28o CATO's LETTERS.

S I R,

T N my 2tfth Paper, which treats about the
•*• Ufe of Words, I have promised to fhew
how abfurd and impious it is for Men to
fall together by the Ears upon the Account
of their Difference in Trifles, when they
fcarce agree in any one Thing in the World,
and not even in the Attributes annex'd to
the Object of all Worfhip, though they
know nothins of him but from his Attri-

O

butes 5 and I will now perform the Task I
have there undertaken.

There is no Proportion about which Man-
kind have agreed and difagreed fo much, as a-
bout the Meaning of the Word God. 1 think,
very few Inltances excepted, they have all
agreed there is fuch a Being , and yet I ap-
prehend, that no two Nations, two Se61s, or
fcarce two Men of the fame Seel, have ef-
fentially agreed in all the Ideas they have an-
nex'd to the Sound. All. have aflerted, That
he has exifted from all Eternity, and muffc
for ever exift, and that he has made or pro-
duced every Thing elfe : And thus far Heathens
and Jews, Mahometans and Chriftians, Pro-
teftants and Papifts, Dcifts and Free-thinkers,
Materialists and Immacerialiflft, Stoicks, Pe-
ripateticks, and Epicureans, are all Ortho-
dox 5 for the laft could not have doubted

but

CA'fO's LETTERS. 281

but fome Being muft have exifted before the
fortuitous Concourfe of Atoms , and in this
Senfe there are very few, if there is one Atheift
in the World : But when they go farther, and
explain what they mean by the Sound,
doubt molt, or many of them, are Atheifts
to one another, as not believing in the Being
which the one and the other call God,

Ail the Differences amongft Mankind, as
to their Belief of the Deity, are owing to
their different Conceptions of him $ and as
they difagree in his Attributes, and the Modes
of his Operations, and worlhip him under
various Images and Reprefentations. As to
his Subfbnce, Effence, the Manner or Stnfo-
rhtm of his Exigence, we neither know,
nor can know any thing, nor can have any
Conception about it, and confequently can be-
lieve nothing concerning it ; and therefore
all that we can believe (befides what I above
faid every Man agrees in) is concerning his At-
tributes, and the Medus wherein he has com-
municated or reprefented himfelf to us, that
is, we can only believe in the Ideas we have an-
nex'd in our Minds to the Word God j and
if we annex different Images to the Word,
we are of a different Religion, or rather
are Atheifts to one another, though we call
the Objeft of all our Worfhip by the fame
Name : For fince, as I have faid, we can on-
ly worfhip our own Conceptions or Images of
the Deity, or (by new placing the Words) the
Deity under our Conceptions and Images, if
thofe Images are falfe, we worfhip only an
Idol of our own Imaginations, and pay Divine

Homage

282 Giro's LETTERS.

Homage to nothing 5 for what is the Diffe-
rence to us in faying, that another Man be-
lieves in nothing, or believes in what we know
to be nothing, which is Atheifm. From hence
I think it appears, that no Man has a Right to
call another Atheiil, in any other Senfe, than
as I lhall make it appear, that moil Men have
a Right to call thofe, who differ from
themfelves in their Conception of the Deity,
Atheiils.

Now, Sir, to begin with the Heathens,
who worfhip'd Jtifiter, 'Mars, P'tutu, MtrcK-
r>', &.c. which were only bare Sounds and
Non-entities : Their paying Divine Honours to
nothing, was worfhiping nothing , and be-
lieving in nothing, is the fame thing in Sub-
fiance as having no Belief; and therefore they
were certainly Atheifts, though they did not
know themfel ves to be fo. For what is Atheifm,
but not believing in a God ? And can any
Man be faid to believe in a God, whofe whole
Belief is in an imaginary Being that is not God,
though I confefs fuch a fancied Belief may
influence his Actions, and anfwer many of
the Purpofes of Society ? It was ^the fame
thing when they believ'd in real Beings, as
Images, Stocks, Stones, Monkeys, Garlick,
&V. For they worfhipped them for Powers
which they fuppos'd were in them, and
which were^firot 3 and fo worfhipp'd thofe fup-
pofed Powers, and confequently worfliipp'd
nothing, and believ'd in nothing which was
God, and confequently were Atheifts in Facl,
though devout Religionifts in Shew, and in
their own Opinion too.

But

CA'To's LET T E R S. 283

But without annihilating the Heathen Dei-
ties, the Stoicks and Epicureans, (who dit-
fer'd much in the fame Manner, as fome of the
Deifts and Orthodox do amongft us,) were
Atheirb to one another, as not believing in
the Attributes that each annex'd to their dif-
ferent Divinities. The Stoicks annexed the
Attributes of Wifdom, Mercy, and Juftice, to
the Being of the Deity, who was fuppos'd by
them to difpence thofe Attributes occafional-
ly to the Actions and Neceffities of Men.
The Epicureans thought the Deity to be
fuiHcient in his own Felicity, and that he
did not concern himfelf with our Affairs here
below 5 but that ail Things depended upon
Fate, and an eternal Caufe, which controuled
and was fuperior to even Jupiter himfelf 5
which Fate mutt have been their eternal God,
which produceth all Things at fir(f.

They had no Notion of what was meant by
wife, merciful, and juft, when applied to the
Deity $ and thought they could not be
analogous to what was meant by the fame
Words in Men 5 for they faid, That Wifdom
in Men, was only ballancing the Motives of
doing or not doing an Action, and chufmg
which was beft j ' which Wifdom was a
Knowledge acquired by Habit and Experience,
and by obferving the Relations of Things
to one another, and was convey'd to them
through the Organs of Senfe 5 but they faid,
That the Deity had no Organs, but faw all
Things intuitively from all Eternity, and
could not err: So 'they faid, fhai Mercy in
Men was a Paifion caufed by the Feeling or

Appre-

284 CA To's LETTERS.

Apprehenfion of the Sufferings of others 5 but
they believ'd that the Divinity could have
no PafTions, becaufe no Agent could operate
upon him, he himfeif being eternal, and be-
fore all Things, and producing all Things 5
nor could fuffer temporary Anguifh and Un-
eafinefs, always produced by Companion.
In like Manner, they faid, that Juftice was an
Adherence to certain Rules, dictated by fu~
perior Powers, or agreed upon by Men for
their mutual Convenience 5 but no Rules could
be fet to the Divinity, who the Sto;cks con-
fdVd had made every Thin-', and had a Right
to do what he pleas'd with his uwn Crea-
tures. He that made the Relation of all
Things, might alter that Relation, and dif-
penfe with his own Laws, when and how he
thought fit.

Therefore they faid, when thofe Attributes
were applied to the Deity, nothing could be
meant by them, but to exprefs our Reve-
rence for him 5 our Admiration of his Power,
and to iacrifice to him our befl- Concepti-
ons y not that we pretend to define his Effence,
nor the Modus of his Actions, which are whol-
ly inccmprehenfible to us. They concluded
that he that had done all Things could do
all Things 5 but did not pretend to know
how he did them ; but thought themfelves ve-
ry fure that he did not do them as we do, v/'jc.
by weighing the Difficulties on each Side the
Queftion, becaufe nothing could be difficult
to him 3 nor could he ^deliberate, becaufe
Deliberation would imply Doubt $ and the
Deity could not doubt, being neceffitated by

the

LETTERS. 285

the Excellence of his Nature always to do the

beft.

They thought, that a Being that could ne-
ver have any Caufes before it, nor without it,
or after it, but what it produced, nor any
Ubjecls to work upon it, rnuft have been
always uniform and entire, that is, its Attri-
butes, its Will, and its Actions, muft have
been one with its EflTence. It muft have
beenconftantly moving, oracling, or, as late
Divines very elegantly exprefs themfelves,
eternally proceeding : For there could be no
Beginning of Action, without being at reft
before j and then they faid it muft have
been from all Eternity at reft, as finding it
difficult to conceive, that a Being that had
Self-Motion fhould never have exerted that
Principle till a particular Period of Time, and
in a particular Portion of Space, when E-
ternity and Infinity (its infeparable Attri-
butes) can have no Periods and Limits ; nor
can any Intervals of Time and Space mcafare
fuch a Being.

Hence Philofophers have called Eternity a
Nunc Stans, or an Inftant, or Punclum,
which cannot be divided even in Imaginati-
on 5 and though they could not convey any di-
ftinft Images "by that Way of (peaking, yet
they found themfelves reduc'd to it from the
Difficulties which would arife in dividing
the Operations of a Being in all Refpecls indi-
vifible. Now can any one fay that thefe
Sefts believe in God ? Certainly the Object
of the Belief of one of them was not God,
but only an Idol of their own Brains, and

confe-

CA TO's LETTE RS.

confequently that Seel: believ'd in nothing,
and were Atheifls.

The fame Obfervations runs through the
different Sefls of Religionifts in the World,
and great Numbers of particular Men in eve-
ry Seel of Religion. Some reprefent the Deity
as a capricious, angry, revengeful Being, fond
of Commendation and Flattery, prescribing
and dilating partial Rules to his Creatures,
laying ufelefs Burdens upon them, and
making their future Happinefs to depend
upon the Actions of others, and upon fuch
Performances, and believing fuch Speculations,
as are out of their Power $ others think the
Deity has Satiety of Happinefs within itfelf,
and muft be incapable of any Paflions to in-
terrupt that Happinefs 5 and therefore, as
we cannot do Good or Harm to him, <he only
Way to recommend our felves to him, is to
do Good to one another. Thefe cannot ap-
prehend, that any Man's future Felicity lies
in another's Power j or, that ufelefs Speculations
or Actions, as Bows, Cringes, Forms, Gri-
maces, Rotes of Words, or any Thing but
a good Confcience, and a virtuous Life, can
make us acceptable to the Deity. Now 'tis
certain there are great Numbers of Men in
the World of both thefe Opinions, and they
undoubtedly do not believe in the fame Be-
ing y but fome of them believe in a Non-enti-
ty, and confequently are Atheifls.

If this Argument was to be traced through
alt its Sub-divifions, it would fill a Volume
inftead of a Tingle Paper 5 and therefore
I fhall tire you no farther upon the Subject $

my

's LETTERS. 278

my Defign in entring upon it being to warn
my Countrymen how cautious they ought to
be in calling odious Names, which may
with equal Juftice be retorted uponthemfelves 5
and therefore let us leave fuch Appellations
to thofe who Scold for Hire, and reit fully
affured, that as mpft certainly there is a God,
fo he is the beft Being in the Univerfe 5 that
he expects no more from us than he has given
us Means to perform 5 and when we have
done all in our Power to pleafe him, that we
fhall pleafe him, however, or how much fo-
ever we miflake his Being or Attributes, and
then it will be of very little Confequence
whom elfe we pleafe.

I am> Sic.

S I R,

AS I have with a Succefs which no Man has
yet met with (if I regard the Number of my
Readers, and the Sale of thefe Papers; carried
on a Weekly Performance, under this and ano-
therTirle*, for near four Years ; in doing which,
it was impoflible 1 could have any other View
but the Good of my Country and of Mankind 5
by /hewing them the Advantage and the Beau-
ty of Civil and Ecclefiaftical Liberty, and the
odious Deformity of Prieftcraft and Tyran-
ny : As I have vindicated Almighty God,

and

* The Independent

CA TO's LETTERS.

and the Religion which he has taught us,
from the Superftition, Follies, and Wickednefs
of Men, who would proflitute it to Ambiti-
on and Avarice, and build a vifionary Empire
upon the plain and iirnple Precepts of Chri-
ilianity 5 and have endeavoured to remove all
the Rubbi/h, Grimace, and Pageantry, with
which it has been long {lifted and opprefVd,
by fhewing to the World, and I think pro-
ving, that true Piety confifts only in honour-
ing the Deity, and in doing good to Men,
and not in Poftures, Cringes, and canting
Terms, and in barren and ufelefs Speculati-
ons : As I think I have unanfwerably fhewn
that Civil Governments were instituted byMen,
and for the fake of Men, and not for the
Pride and Luft of Governors 5 and confe-
quently that Men have a Right to expect from
them Protection and Liberty, and to oppofe
Rapine and Tyranny wherever they are ex-
ercis'd, and have thereby vindicated our pre-
fent Ettablifhraent, which can pretend to no
other Title.

As I have done all this openly, and in the
Face of the World, and have defied and
call'd upon all the mercilefs and deteftable
Advocates for Superftittbri and Slavery, to
fhew that I have tranlgrefs'd the Rules of Mo-
rality or Religion, or the Peace and Happi-
nefs of Society in any Refpedl:; and no one has
yet dared to enter thcLiiis againftme 5 from
whence I may reafonably hope that I have
removed many of the Prejudices imbib'd
by Education and Cuftom, and fet many of

my Countrymen free from the wild, wicked,
* • i

and

's LETTERS. 289

and fervile Notions, flrongly infus'd and
planted in their Minds by Craft and Deluii-
on. I fhall now with Cheerfulnefs lay

down this Paper, which I am well informed
will be continued by an able Hand, under
another Name, and upon various Subjects 5
and it is probable that I may fo far join in
the Undertaking, as to give my Afiiftance
now and then, when proper Occafions re-
quire it $ at leafl-, I am not determined not
to do fo.

There are fome Papers, efpecially thofe
fignVl Diogene?, which have given an unde-
ligned Offence to fome, whofe Perfons I ho-
nour, and whofe Opinions I reverence. For
1 have no Regard to the Perfons, and narrow
Notions of Bigots, who will renounce any
Opinion as foon as it appears to be rational,
and would rather make Nonfenfe of it, than
not make it a Myftery. It is a Principle be-
come conftittitional to me, that God gave
us our Understandings to ufe them, and
that we cannot offend him in carrying them
as far as they will carry us. However, as the
principal Queilion handled in thofe Papers
is a Matter of meer Speculation, underftood
but by few, and to be underftood but by
few 5 the Belief or Disbelief of it, can no
Way affect human Society , and whether it be
true or not, the Actions of Men will be the
fame, and Men will be alike actuated by the
Motives that operate upon them, and equally
purfue what they take to be their Advantage
upon the whole, at the Time, and in the
Gircumftances they are then in, whether they

VOL. IV. N arc

's LETTERS.

are oblig'd to do fo, or chufe to cTo fo, with-
out being neceffitated to that Choice.

What led me into this Thought, is the Ob-
fervation which runs almoft through the
World, that the Bulk of Mankind in all Ages,
and in all Countries, are violently attached
to the Opinions, Cuftoms, and even Habits,
which they have been us'd to j that Sounds,
Shews, Prejudices, vain and idle Terrors,
Phantoms, Delufions, and fometimes Diet
and Phyfick, are more prevalent with them,
and operate more upon them than true
and ttrong Reafons , and that all Animals
of the fame Species acl in the fame Man-
ner, and have the fame Paffions, Senfations
and Affedions, with very little Alterations:
All which I could not account for, but by
fuppofing thofe Operations to be mechanical,
and the Refultsof their feveral Conftitutions,
as they were altered and modified by Hab't,
and by different Occafions or Motives of
making uie of them, which afted upon
them.

For the reft, I faw, with a fenfible Concern,,
the many Mifchiefs which the Leaders and
Deceivers of Parties and Factions in Reli-
gion did to the World, by throwing God's
Judgments at one another, and by impiouily
confining his Providence and Mercies to
themfelves, and by applying the common
Phenomena and Events of Nature to their
own Advantage, and interpreting the fame
as Denunciations of his Wrath againft their
Enemies j by which unhallowed Prefumption
they have r;iVd up and inflam'd implacable

Hatred,

CATo's LETTERS.

Hatred, Animofities and Uncharitablenefs a-
mongft Men of the fame Nation, who are all
Brethren. I have therefore /hewn, that the Al-
mighty difpenfes his Favours to all his Crea-
tures j that his Sun /nines upon the Juft, and
upon the Unjuil 5 and that it is the higheit
and mod daring Boldnefs in any fort of Men to
fearch into, and to pretend to unriddle the fe-
cret Difpenfations of his Providence 5 to know
his Mind before he unfolds it , to throw about
fuch Balls of Contention and Wrath 3 and to
make the Condition of Men, already too
miferable by the Lot of Nature, {till more
ffiiferable.

' I faw the many Evils and barbarous Confe-
quences arifing from the idle and foolifh Sto-
ries of Witches, Spirits, and Apparitions,
fird infilled into our tender Minds by Nurfes,
Chamber-Maids, and old Women, and after-
wards continu'd and improv'd by Tutors
and Priefts; which Impreffions and Stories
the wifeft and braveft Men often carry a-
boutthemto their Graves, and which make
them always uneafy till they go thither 5 in-
fomuch, that Numbers of People dare not
be alone, nor go about their necefTary Affairs
in the Night-time 5 but are kept in conftant
Dread of Phantoms and Non-entities 3 and
Multitudes of Innocents have been murdered
under the Appearance of JufHce upon Satan's
Confederates. I have therefore fhewn, that
there is no Foundation in Nature, in Reafon,
or in Religion, for thefe Fairy Tales 5 that
they are incontinent with the Mercies, ani
even with the Being, of the great and good

N 2 God ;

2pi CA ro's LETTERS.

God j and that the telling or believing of
thefe Tales, is endeavouring to give an
Empire to the Devil at the Expence of the
Almighty.

It is certain, that the Capacities of Men
would carry them much further than they are
fuffer'd to go, if they were not cramp'd by
Cuftom and narrow Education, and narrow
Principles taken from thofe who defign and
derive Advantages from their Ignorance. I
have therefore lamented to fee Men of large
and extenflve Genius, fuch as feem'd deiign'd
by Nature to carry human Knowledge ma-
ny Degrees further than it has yet gone,
and to manumit their Country and Mankind
from thefervile and wicked Notions infus'd in-
to them by prating Pedants and babling Im-
poftors ; I fay, I have lamented to fee fuch ex-
tenfive Capacities employ'd and converfant on-
ly about Whims, idle Speculations, empty No-
tions, Fairy-Dreams, and Party-Diftinclions,
all tending to contract and imbitter the Mind,
to fiifle and opprefs the Faculties, and to
render Men Dupes and Machines to the Am-
bition, Pride, and Avarice, of felfifh and
haughty Ecclefiafticks, or of corrupt Statef-
men. Nor can I fee how this great Evil can
ever be cured, till we change the Education
of our Youth $ and let Gentlemen be bred
by Gentlemen, and not by Monks and Pe-
dants, whom yet I would fuflfer to dream on
with their Bellies full of College- Ale, and their
Heads full of College-Diftin&ions $ but I
think they ought not to be trufted with the

Educa-

LETTERS. 2^3

Education of our Nobility and Gentry, till
they have feme themfelves.

And now I beg Leave again to repeat, that
it was impoffible I could engage in this Un-
dertaking fo troublefome to my felt, and
hope of feme Benefit to my Countrymen,
with any View to my own perfonal Advan-
tage. 1 hope no one will think io meanly
of my Undemanding, to believe that I inten-
ded to make my Court to any of the Powers
of this World, by attacking Vice, Corrupt!
and Folly, wherefoever and in whomlov
they were found. I knew that I was to wall
over burning Plough-Shares $ that 1 mutt .pro-
voke numerous and powerful Societies and
Parties 5 that I mult difturb Nefts of Hor-
nets, and fomerimes venture too near the
Lion's Den, and perhaps within the reach of
Jew's Thunder 3 that Men in Poffeffionot
verence would not bear being told, that they
aidnotdeferve it; that thofe who rioted in
Power, and upon" the- publicJt Misfortune,
would very unwillingly hear, that they were
trufted with that Power for the public!: Act
ta*e, and not for their own 5 that they
oWieM by all the Motives of Honour, Virtue*
and Religion, to ferve an 3 protect the People,
out of whofe Induftry and Wealth they were
fo hiphly Rewarded ; and that they deferred
the fevered Punifhment if they did othei'-
wife. 1 had all this before my Eyes: But
arm'd with Innocence, and animated by Lov
to God and Mankind, I refolved to bra'e
the Danger, and was prepared for the \v
that could happen to my felf, if I could

' -

euro's LETTERS.

ferve my Country. And I have brav'd the
Danger, and have now the Pleafure to fee
great Numbers of my Fellow-Subjects approve
my Endeavours, and embrace my Opinions.
I therefore here lay down this Paper, and
with it the moft virtuous and noble Subject:
that can employ the human Soul 5 the Subject
of Religion and Government. What re-
mains to be done, I leave to others, and wifli
them Succefs. I rejoice in the Aflurance I
have, that my * SucceiTor will give equal Satif-
fa&ion to the Town. I am, Sir, to you and
all my Readers,

A m&ft fine ere bumble Servant,

C A T O,

FINIS.

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