which they were forced to follow him for their own fecurity. This introduced a number of new dextrous men into business and credit. It was argued, that the war could not last above two or three campaigns; and that it was easier for the fubjects to raise a fund for paying intereft, than to tax them annually. to the full expence of the war. Several perfons, who had finall or incumbered eftates, fold them, and turned their money into those funds, to great advantage: merchants, as well as other monied men, finding trade was dangerous, pursued the fame method. But the war continuing, and growing more expenfive, taxes were increafed, and. funds multiplied every year, till they have arrived at the monftruous height we now behold them; and that, which was at firft a corruption, is at last grown neceffary, and what every good subject must now fall-in with, although he may be allowed to wish it might foon have an end; because it is with a kingdom, as with a private fortune, where every new incumbrance adds a double weight. By this means the wealth of a nation, that used to be reckoned by the value of land, is now computed by the rife and fall of stocks: and although the founda tion of credit be still the fame, and upon a bottom that can never be shaken, and although all interest be duly paid by the publick; yet, through the contrivance and cunning of ftock-jobbers, there has been brought in fuch a complication of knavery and cozenage, fuch a mystery of iniquity, and fuch an unintelligible jargon of terms to in 1 volve it in, as were never known in any other age or country in the world. I have heard it affirmed, by perfons fkilled in these calculations, that if the funds appropriated to the payment of intereft and annuities, were added to the yearly taxes, and the four-fhilling aid ftrictly exacted in all counties of the kingdom, it would very near, if not fully, fupply the occafions of the war, at least fuch a part as, in the opinion of very able perfons, had been at that time prudent not to exceed. For I make it a question, Whether any wife prince or ftate, in the continuance of a war, which was not purely defenfive, or immediately at his own door, did ever propofe that his expence fhould perpetually exceed, what he was able to impose annually upon his fubjects? Neither, if the war laft many years longer, do I fee how the next generation will be able to begin another; which, in the course of human affairs, and according to the various interefts and ambition of princes, may be as neceffary. for them, as it hath been for us. And if our fathers had left us as deeply involved, as we are likely to leave our children, I appeal to any man, what fort of figure we fhould have been able to. make these twenty years paft. Belides, neither our enemies, nor allies, are upon the fame foot with us in this particular. France and Holland, our nearest neighbours, and the fartheft engaged, will much fooner recover themselves after a war: the first, by the abfolute power of the prince, who, being mafter of the lives and fortunes of his fubjects, will quickly find expedients to pay his debts; and and fo will the other, by their prudent adminiftration, the greatness of their trade, their wonderful parfimony, the willingness of their people to undergo all kind of taxes, and their justice in applying, as well as collecting them. But above all we are. to confider, that France and Holland fight on the continent, either upon or near their own territories, and the greatest part of the money circulates among themselves; whereas ours croffes the fea, either to Flanders, Spain, or Portugal; and every penny of it, whether in fpecie or returns, is fo much loft to the nation for ever... Upon these confiderations alone, it was the most prudent course imaginable in the QUEEN, to lay hold of the difpofition of the people for changing the parliament and ministry at this juncture, and extricating herself as foon as poffible out of the pupillage of those, who found their accounts only in perpetuating the war. Neither have we the leaft reason to doubt, but the ensuing parliament will affift her MAJESTY with the utmoft vigour, until her enemies again be brought to fue for peace, and again offer fuch terms as will make it both hou nourable and lasting; only with this difference, that the miniftry perhaps will not again refuse them. Audiet pugnas, vitio parentum NUMBER NUMBER XIV. Thursday, November 9, 1710. E quibus hi vacuas implent fermonibus aures, With idle tales this fills our empty ears; AM prevailed on, through the importunity of laft my paper, by an Effay upon the art of Political Lying. We are told the devil is the father of lies, and was a liar from the beginning; fo that beyond contradiction the invention is old and, which is more, his firft Effay of it was purely political, employed in undermining the authority of his prince, and feducing a third part of the fubjects from their obedience; for which he was driven down from Heaven, where (as Milton expreffes it) he had been VICEROY of a great western province; and forced to exercife his talent in in ferior ferior regions among other fallen spirits, poor or deluded men, whom he ftill daily tempts to his own fin, and will ever do fo, till he be, chained in the bottomless pit. But although the devil be the father of lies, he feems, like other great inventors, to have loft much of his reputation, by the continual improvements that have been made upon him. Who first reduced lying into an art, and adapted it to politicks, is not fo clear from hiftory; although I have made fome diligent enquiries. I fhall therefore confider it only according to the modern fyftem, as it has been cultivated thefe twenty years past in the southern part of our own ifland, The poets tell us, that after the giants were overthrown by the gods, the earth in revenge pro duced her last offspring, which was Fame. And the fable is thus interpreted: That when tumults and feditions are quieted, rumours and falfe reports are plentifully fpread through a nation. So that, by this account, lying is the laft relief of a routed, earth-born, rebellious party in à ftate. But here the moderns have made great additions, applying this art to the gaining of power and preferving it, as well as revenging themselves after they have loft it; as the fame inítruments are made use of by animals, to feed themselves when they are hungry, and to bite thofe that tread upon them. But the fame genealogy cannot always be admitted for political lying; I fhall therefore defire to refine upon it, by adding fome circumftances of its birth and parents. A political lie is fometimes born |