Christmas Chat: or, Observations on the late change at court, on the different characters of the ins and outs; and on the present state of publick affairs.Anonymous
History
Christmas Chat: or, Observations on the late change at court, on the different characters of the ins and outs; and on the present state of publick affairs.
Anonymous
Dialogues; Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 18th century
Sir _John_. Of their Stupidity rather. I am bound to forgive an Enemy,
but know of no Injunction human or divine, that enjoins me to trust that
Enemy a second Time, and put the Snake in my Bosom.
_Broad_. Sir _John_, you shall never have Cause for making the
Application here. If I can’t serve with Honour, I am a free Agent, and
shall make use of the Freedom I was born to. I will fling up my P—— the
Moment I find I can’t keep it consistent with my Duty to my Country.
_Over_. There spoke the Genius of old _England_.
_Blunt_. Like that _noble_ Patriot, who flung up not long since, that he
might not share in the Guilt and Odium of the Company he kept.
_Broad_. And that noble Patriot is heartily with us in the present
Change. I hope you will think that his Presence should be enough to keep
us all in Countenance.
Sir _John_. There is not a Man alive has a better Opinion of that great
Man than myself; but shou’d he tell me of _Times_ and _Seasons_ for
redressing Grievances, I should alter my Opinion of him, and think him
infected by the Air of the C—t. But that Patriot _Englishman_ is
uncapable of so great Baseness and Folly. He knows that War Time is the
properest for enquiring into the Misconduct of the War; and I hope for
that Reason, he and all his Friends will encourage an Inquiry into the
Miscarriage at _Carthagena_, and into the more dishonourable Misconduct
last Year at the _Hieres_. I hope likewise he and you will promote a
strict Inspection into the Management of our Land War.
_Blunt_. You mean the _H—n_ War. I am sure we are no otherwise concerned
in it, than to have the Honour of defraying its Expence.
Sir _John_. Be our Concern what it will, it ought to have been managed
with some Decency, if not with Vigour and Prudence. But ever since the
Commencement, it has been carried on ingloriously for the Nation, and
scandalously for those who had the Conduct of it. And should such
wrong-headed or corrupt Agents go unpunish’d or unexamin’d at least, it
will be setting such an Example of national _Lenity_, as may prove fatal
in the Day of Necessity.
_Blunt_. National _Lenity_! Ah, Sir _John_, you were wont to call Things
by their right Names—— What shall we call the _Lenity_ shewn to the late
Arch-delinquent?
_Over_. The Duce! what would the Man have; was not there a S—t C—ee
appointed?
Sir _John_. Yes; and the very little which that C—ee was pleas’d to
publish concerning that Arch-spoiler of his Country, proves that they
ought to have proceeded further.
_Over_. Dear _Broadbottom_, let us have no C—ees at all, unless you have
the _Will_ and _Power_ to sift Things to the Bottom: For it is but
tantalizing a Nation to pretend doing them Justice, and never intend
any.
_Blunt_. ’tis encouraging public Venality and Corruption. But C—ees are
pretty _Tubs_, too often thrown out to amuse the People.
Sir _John_. What Pity ’tis to abuse the Credulity of the best natur’d
People in the World!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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