^T. 26.] VOLUNTEERING PROJECT. 313 



militia system, except as subservient to the recruiting 

 of the only defence of any modern and civilised state 

 a regular army. On the contrary, I hold every 

 other means of defence to be barbarous in the extreme, 

 and utterly repugnant to the whole principles of poli- 

 tical science ; and as for balloting, I think it is not a 

 jot different from a poll-tax falling in the way of a 

 lottery, while the principle of volunteering is worse 

 than that of supporting the State or the poor by vol- 

 untary gifts. Therefore it is not as an advocate of 

 the system that I feel the bad consequences of the 

 above conduct, but as an enemy to gross inconsistency 

 in great State affairs, and as a friend to conciliatory 

 measures in great emergencies of the public fortunes. 

 I have drawn up this narrative to satisfy those who 

 did me the honour of putting themselves and their 

 zeal under my direction. It is a duty I owe them, 

 and they will be more than recompensed for the IN- 

 TOLERABLE insult which was formerly thrown upon 

 them, if their efforts are made known to those distin- 

 guished persons whom it is their first and best wish to 

 please. 



TO JOHN AECHIBALD MUEEAY. 



"21 CRAVEN STREET, April 2, 1805. 

 " MY DEAE MURRAY, I won't begin by a number 

 of excuses for not answering sooner your very agree- 

 able letter, but seize the present moment to tell you 

 how angry I am at your not coming up this spring. 

 I am almost afraid that fate, the enemy of all wise 

 and good men, may continue to make us miss one an- 



