LETTER XL 303 



tured to play their Tricks within the Liberties of 

 the good City of London^ I fuppofe fome wife 

 Grand Jury of MiddlcfeXy in thofe loyal times, 

 would have zealoufly prefented to the Court the 

 aforefaid Mafter, as one who being moved by the 

 Malice and Inftigation of the Devil, did excite 

 and caufe the faid Dog Fox^ to utter frequently 

 (in all forts of Company) certain Seditious and 

 Traiterous Words, tending to excite his Majefly's 

 Leige Subjects to Rebellion, in order to fabvert 

 our prefent happy Eftablifhment. I many years 

 ago read a Treatife that was intended to prove 

 the Rationality of Brutes, done by Monfieur 

 Charron^ who takes great pains, and indeed quotes 

 many grave Authors, in order to prove his affer- 

 tion. We all know what furprizing things have 

 been eiFedled by Elephants, Horfes, and Dogs, 

 who are trained up with that defign : And for 

 my own part, I am perfuaded that they all have 

 an inferior fort of Reafon, to which you are at 

 hberty to appropriate the plaufible Title of In- 

 ftinft, or any other fuch kind of Name as is now 

 in vogue with the Learned World. 



5. I fliould have informed you, in Letter the 

 2^ Paragraph the 2(f\ that the Spoon- Bill is a 

 very large dunnifh coloured Bird, and is fo called 

 becaufe its Bill refembles a Spoon; that Noddies 

 too are as large, and much of the fame Colour ; 

 that Boobies alfo are large as well as of a dunnifh 



Colour -y 



