CHAP. XIV.] AND RELIGION. 407 



them or drive them at his pleasure, he may sell 

 them or keep them, he may lend them or breed 

 from them ; he may, as far as their nature 

 allows, do the same with regard to his dogs ; 

 he may employ his servants in his house, in his 

 stables, in his garden, or in his fields, just as 

 he pleases ; he may, if he be foolish enough, 

 have armorial bearings on his carriage, his 

 watch-seals, on his plate, and, if he likes, on 

 his very buckets and porridge pots ; he may 

 write his receipts, his bills, his leases, his bonds, 

 and deeds upon unstamped paper ; his wife and 

 daughters may wear French gloves and Lace 

 and French and India silks ; he may purchase 

 or sell lands and may sue at law for his rights : 

 and all these, and a hundred other things, with 

 out any dread of the interloping and insolent 

 interference of a tax-gatherer or spy of any de 

 scription. Lastly, when he dies, he can be 

 queath his money and goods and houses and 

 lands to whomsoever he pleases ; and he can 

 close his eyes without curses in his heart against 

 a rapacious band of placemen, pensioners, gran 

 tees, sinecure holders, staff-officers, borough- 

 jobbers, and blood-money spies, who stand 

 ready to take from his friends, his relations, his 

 widow, and his children, a large part of what 

 he leaves, under the name of a tax upon lega 

 cies. 



