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_. See how these Law-and-Gospel-Mongers would debar a Freeborn from
the Privilege of expostulating with the Man to whom he is going to
delegate his Life, Liberty and Fortune!—— Z—ds, _Broadbottom_, sure you
are not already become so rank a Courtier, as to have retained the Vicar
of your Parish, and the Steward of your Manors, to padlock the friendly
Lips of your plain and upright Neighbours?
_Broad_. Far be it from me to endeavour preventing the Expostulations of
my Friends. I have always asked the Opinion of my Constituents in all
Matters of Moment, since I have been in Parliament, and hope they will
admit that I have not misused the Trust committed to me.
Sir _John_. Sir, we believ’d you a true _Englishman_; at least, let me
speak for myself, I did so, or I had not given you so often my Vote and
Interest to represent your Country in Parliament: And I confess, that by
all that appears, you have honourably discharged the Trust reposed in
you. But, Sir, the good Opinion I have had of you, and even that which I
entertain of you at present, are no such Securities for your future
Conduct, considering the present State of Affairs, as should efface all
Traces of Doubt and Jealousy out of my Mind. You are a Man, and as such,
are not exempt from _Selfishness_, a Passion which Ministers never fail
to sooth and gratify. I may believe you mean well; but can’t help
dreading your suffering yourself to be _sweeten’d_ from your good
Intentions.
_Broad_. Sir _John_, your Concern for my future Conduct speaks the
Sincerity of your Friendship, and I am therefore the more oblig’d to
you. But methinks the known Probity and Honour of those Men we join in
the Administration might lay your Doubts and Jealousies concerning my
Behaviour for the Time to come.
Sir _John_. I have nothing to do with the private _Probity_ and _Honour_
of any Gentleman; but, Sir, if you expect I should think as favourably
of those that have lately invited you to associate with them, as you
seem to do, you are grossly mistaken. You differ in Opinion concerning
those Gentlemen, whom you now seem to applaud, not only with me, but
with yourself. What have those _most deserving Men_ done of late to
acquire your good Opinion? It was but just before you went up to the
first Meeting of the present Session, that you heartily joined Mr.
_Blunt_ and myself, in condemning the _Passiveness_ of all those whom
you now associate with and praise. What have they done for the Public
since, or ever before, that should endear them to you or any true
_Englishman_? Was Sir _R—— W——_’s whole Administration obnoxious to the
Majority of the Nation? was it injurious to all? did not those you now
are _grafted_ upon, concur with him in all his Measures? were they not
most of them, the Creatures of his Power? were not the chief of them his
Pupils, train’d up in all his Arts and Wiles? are they not of his
rearing? are they not distinguishable at this very Hour by his Stamp?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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