1792' political progrefs of Britain. 169 



of truth, tlae black volume of our enormities. As to 

 the Spanilh contract in question, were a lord chan- 

 cellor of England to claim the office of Jack Ketch, 

 he would make a lefs abrupt and disgraceful de- 

 scent from his proper dignity. He would certainlj 

 be sent to bedlam ; but, alas ! there is no bedlam 

 large- enougli to contain all the lunatics of a nation. 



After such a review, let us frankly sonfefs with 

 Dr Swift, that our modern history "contains nothing 

 " but the very worst effects which avarice *, fac- 

 " tion, hypocrisy, perfidiousnefs, cruelty, rage, mad- 

 " nefs, hatred, envy, lust, malice, or ambition can 

 "produce." 



I conclude for the present with an obsen'ation 

 which I once heard from the ever-me:norable father 

 of our village: "Our political and commercial sy- 

 " stems" said his lordfliip, " are evidently nonsense. 

 •♦ We pofstfs within this single island, every pro- 

 " -duction both of art and nature, which is nccefsary 

 " for the most comfortable enjoyment of domestic 

 " life ; yet, for the sake of tea, and sugar, and to- 

 " bacco, and a few otiier despicable luxuries, we 

 " have rufhed into an abyfs of blood and taxes. 

 •" TJie bodsted extent of our trade, and the quarrels 

 " and public debts which attend it, have raised tiie . 

 " natural price cf bread, and even of grafs, at le i.t 

 ''ftxty per cent. .'" I am, tic. 



Laur.rcey.rk, „ 



March 18. 1791. IIMOTHY 1 HUNDEKPilOOF. 



• 0,r^rwdukecf.M.ilkxo>6h,.'br such wc ccntinue to cull him, 

 w« tol J to h'.s face in the H .u.=e , f • -.r. , that ! c Sicrifi ei J.ir o,?.ce- 3 ia 

 l«;?rjte afsjult! (>r tht sah r.f , cling theW cmmjVr.r,. 



V.de Smol'ef! his:oiv 



vor. vlii. Y I 



