put these papers into their hands, that they may know how to argue for the preservation of their country. And give them notice to beware of those rascally Frenchmen, who attend in many of our schools and seminaries for the teaching of the French language, but are many of them spies and emissaries of republicans, who take the opportunity of recommending their pernicious politics to the young people with whom they are concerned. Marat who makes such a figure among the new tyrants of France, was a teacher of the French language at Oxford; and in his character but a pattern of many more. When Thomas Bull's first letter was shown to one of these, who teaches in a very respectable seminary, he fell into a violent rage, and pronounced it all to be Bétise! Sottise! stupidity and nonsense. And why so? Is it not because they, who wish to see this country ruined, hate the principles on which we hope to see it saved. Another of these gentlemen, for the notoriety of his principles, was imprisoned by the boys of a great school; and after he had cried out of the window for his liberty to the people in the street, they made him sing, as well as he could, God save the King, before they released him. All these, wherever they

are to be found, should now be well looked to: the times demand it: and masters and tutors should admit such only as are known to be of good principle as well as good ability. Let the gentry also be aware of their French servants : for many of them are spies.

We are also called upon to pay some regard to those laws made in support of religion; which the same right honourable gentleman would abolish, who in his printed speech (if it be genuine) objected high treason to the first innocent letter of Thomas Bull to his Brother John. When a piece is overcharged, it is apt to burst in the hand; which actually happened when the piece was levelled at Thomas Bull's letter. Such accidents should be avoided and it might be a blessing to themselves and their country, if certain gentlemen of high parts, and great popularity, would read more, and talk less; that they may know better what is true, and speak for it instead of speaking against it. There is a wild audacious spirit stirring; which presuming on a supposed fear in the government to do itself justice, mounts upon a table, to inflame the multitude with incendiary speeches. Blasphemous writings are published with the like audacity; not only breaking, but

even menacing the laws, and reflecting upon those who have neglected to put them in execution. Where can such things end, but in the ruin of religion? The loss of religion in France was the loss of their government, and the chief cause of all their late enormities.

Our nation, Sir, is now in a state of vigilance: but it must continue so. French anarchy was breaking in at the front door of the house. That door is now barred and guarded: but we are far from being sure that another attempt will not be made upon it and if not that, we are still to take care that it does not enter by stealth at the other door of reformation: a good thing in good times, but a frightful thing at this time: because no man can say, from its first step, what will be its last. The meeting of the notables in France, was the beginning: the bloody death of Louis their well-beloved, is the end! If it should please God that any like calamities should fall upon us; let all true men stand their ground: and I second my advice with a story. A worthy friend of Thomas Bull was observing to a French emigrant, the son of a nobleman, and of late an officer in the army, that in case of a revolution here, we should not be able to fly, as they had done, to any

place

place of refuge so much the better, said he; you will then be under the necessity of dying with your swords in your hands: and had we resolved to do the same, we might have saved ourselves and our country.

Believe me, sir, with all proper respect,

Your affectionate Relation,

and obedient humble Servant,

FABLE OF THE RATS.

TO THE ASSOCIATED FRIENDS OF LIBERTY AT THE FEATHERS TAVERN.

Gentlemen,

A LETTER of information with respect to a design of petitioning for relief in the matter of Subscription to the Thirty-nine Articles of the Church of England, having lately been dispersed among the members of the House of Commons, I sent my copy to a friend, requesting his opinion of it, which I received in the form of

A FABLE.

THERE was a certain house, into which the rats had made an entrance, by gnawing an hole in the bottom of the main door. It happened that the servants were grown careless, and the traps rusty with disuse; so that the rats were in a manner unmolested. Not satisfied with the scraps of the kitchen, they go into the library to nibble the books: they brought the old family-bible into a very tattered condition: they endangered the house, by burrowing deep into

the