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LETTER XII. 



Military incertitude not inferior to the glorious unceriaintf 

 of the lauu. Examples in proof of this » The UlyJJes defined 

 to make a running paffage^ with troops^ to Mariiniqi^e^ 

 Punifjinent of flogging a failor round the fleet, 



H.M.S. UIyfres,Nov.23. 

 T^HE uncertainty of the law has eftabliflied 

 itfelf into an adage : but I begin to fufped that, 

 proverbial as it is, it muft yield to the fuperior 

 incertitude of military fervice. Even the 

 fickle elements, with which this fo intimately 

 connefts, are out-rivalled by it ; for, uncertainty 

 is, equally, its principle and its purfuit. In 

 my laft letter I mentioned to you that we were 

 to proceed to Cove the moment the wind was 

 fair, and, in this idea, we had written to our 

 friends defirlng them nor to addrefs us, again, 

 at Spithead, but to fend their letters to Ireland, 

 that they might meet us at Cork. Now, we 

 find that our deftination is again chaioged, and 

 indeed, within the two laft days, it has been fo 

 rapidly altered and confirmed, fixed, reverfed, 

 varied, and changed, again and again, that we 



