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
_Over_. No, Sir; I don’t forget that his Merit had endeared him to the
People, and render’d him hateful to—— Mi-Mi—Mi—Ministers.—’Sflesh! I
thought I could never keep down another _Word_ which would force itself
in the room of Ministers.—— But enough of that. No, Mr. _Smoothwell_, I
forget not that that gallant, honest Man has not been thought of in the
present Change, tho’ his Valour, Experience, Probity, and good Sense,
can’t be called in question.
Sir _John_. Truly I wonder’d when I saw not his Name among the List of
C—rs of a certain Board.
_Broad_. There are certain _Prejudices_, which, in Prudence, we were
obliged to overlook when we could not surmount them.
Sir _John_. I don’t at all question but there was a _Prejudice_ to you
_all_; but when you were able to conquer that which was always supposed
to be conceived against you personally, Mr. _Broadbottom_, I should not
wonder you could surmount all Prejudice whatever.
_Over_. Pr’ythee, _Bottom_, how came it practicable to ram one of your
_uncommon Size_, down the narrow squeamish Throat of ——? again, another
_Word_ would intrude on the Word Ministers.
_Blunt_. I’ll tell thee; to take away from us all our Props; to strip us
of our Leaders; in short, to leave no Speaker or Man of known Merit
behind—
Sir _John_. I fear that was Part of the Plan; and if so, we are undone,
unless we are saved by the Virtue and Steadiness of those whom the
People have confided in all along, and rais’d at last.
_Broad_. You need not fear them.
Sir _John_. I would not willingly suspect Men, who owe more to their
Constituents, than those they have all along opposed. On a Supposition
that these had purchas’d, no matter how infamously, they assum’d a Sort
of Right to reimburse themselves at the Expence of the Venders. But you
_Patriots_ have no such colourable Claim for disserving those who
spontaneously chose you their Attornies with no private Views in the
World, or any Views but such as tend to the Good of the Community in
general.
_Over_. Gad, my dear _Broady_, you ought to be doubly cursed, nay doubly
d—n’d, should you not earnestly and truly serve those that had
gratuitously vested you with ample Power over their Persons, Lands,
Goods, Chattels, Wives and Bairns.
_Rose_. And Hounds and Hunters; ha, ha!
_Blunt_. And Tythes and Dues, my laughing Vicar—Is the _Liberty_ of a
free People a fit Subject for Laughter? Is not our All at Stake at this
critical Juncture? Should those who have been always our reputed
Friends, _join_ with those who were always deem’d our Enemies, what
shall become of us? What shall we do?
_Over_. I’ll tell you; _unite_, and join against both.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account