The emperor and the empire (fays Mr. Steele by way of admiration) continue the war! Is his Imperial majefty able to continue it or not? if he be, then Great Britain has been ftrangely used for ten years paft; then how came it to pafs, that of above thirty thousand men in his service in Italy at the time of the battle of Turin, there were not above four thousand paid by himself? if he be not able to continue it, why does he go on? The reasons are clear; because the war only affects the princes of the empire, whom he is willing enough to expose, but not his own dominions. Besides, the Imperial minifters are in daily expectation of the QUEEN's death; which they hope will give a new turn to affairs, and rekindle the war in Europe upon the old foot; and we know how the minifters of that court publicly affign it for a reafon of their obftinacy against peace, that they hope for a fudden revolution in England. In the mean time, this appearance of the emperor's being forfaken by his ally, will ferve to increase the clamour, both here and in Holland, against her majefty and those she employs.

Mr. Steele fays, there can be no crime in affirming (if it be truth) that the houfe of Bourbon is at this juncture become more formidable, and bids fairer for a univerfal monarchy, and to engrofs the whole trade of Europe, than it did before the

war.

No crime in affirming it, if it be truth. I will for once allow his propofition. But, if it be falfe,

then

then I affirm, that whoever advances fo feditious a falfhood, deferves to be hanged. Does he mean by the house of Bourbon, the two kings of France and Spain? If fo, I reject his meaning, which would infinuate, that the interefts and designs of both those princes will be the fame, whereas they are more oppofite than thofe of any two other monarchs in Chriftendom. This is the old foolish flander fo frequently flung upon the peace, and as frequently refuted. Thefe factious undertakers of the press write with great advantage; they ftrenuoufly affirm a thousand falfhoods, without fear, wit, confcience, or knowledge; and we, who anfwer them, must be at the expence of an argument for each; after which, in the very next pamphlet we fee the fame affertions produced again, without the leaft notice of what has been faid to difprove them. By the houfe of Bourbon, does he mean only the French king for the time being? If fo, and his affertion be true, then that prince muft either deal with the devil, or else the money and blood spent in our ten years victories against him, might as well have continued in the purfes and veins of her majesty's fubjects.

But the particular affertions of this author, are eafier* detected than his general ones; I fhall therefore proceed upon examining the former. For inftance: I defire him to afk the Dutch, who can best inform him, why they delivered

up Traerbach

* It should be-' are easier to be detected; or, are more easily de

tected, &c.'

to

to the Imperialifts? for, as to the QUEEN, her majefty was never once confulted in it; whatever his preceptors, the politicians of Button's coffeehoufe, may have informed him to the contrary.

Mr. Steele affirms, that the French have begun the demolition of Dunkirk contemptuously and arbitrarily their own way. The governor of the town, and thofe gentlemen intrufted with the infpection of this work, do affure me, that the fact is altogether otherwife; that the method prescribed by those whom her majesty employs, has been exactly followed, and that the works are already dếmolished. I will venture to tell him farther, that the demolition was fo long deferred, in order to remove thofe difficulties, which the barrier treaty has put us under; and the event has fhewn, that it was prudent to prooceed no fafter, until those difficulties were got over. The mole and harbour could not be deftroyed, until the fhips were got out; which, by reafon of fome profound fecrets of ftate, did not happen until the other day. Who gave him thofe juft fufpicions, that the mole and harbour will never be destroyed? What is it he would now infinuate? that the ministry is bribed to leave the most important part of the work undone; or, that the pretender is to invade us from thence; or, that the QUEEN has entered into a confpiracy with her fervants, to prevent the good effects of the peace,, for no other end but to lose the affections of her people, and endanger herTelf?

In

Inftead of any farther information, which I could easily give, but which no honest man can want, I venture to affirm that the mole and harbour of Dunkirk will in a fhort time be most effectually deftroyed; and at the fame time I venture to prophefy, that neither Mr. Steele, nor his faction, will ever confefs they believe it.

After all, it is a little hard that the QUEEN cannot be allowed to demolish this town, in whatever manner fhe pleases to fancy. Mr. Steele must have it done his own way, and is angry the French have pretended to do it theirs; and yet he wrongs them into the bargain. For my own part, I do seriously think the most Christian king to be a much better friend of her majefty's, than Mr. Steele, or any of his faction. Befides, it is to be confidered, that he is a monarch and a relation ; and therefore, if I were a privy counfellor, and my advice to be asked, which of those two * GENTLEMEN BORN, fhould have the direction in the demolition of Dunkirk, I would give it for the former; because I look upon Mr. Steele, in quality of a member of his party, to be much more skilful in demolishing at home than abroad.

There is a profpect of more danger to the balance of Europe, and to the trade of Britain, from the emperor over-running Italy, than from France + over-running the empire; that his impe

* Mr. Steele often styles himself fo.

It should be- from the Emperor's overrunning Italy, than from France's overrunning the empire.'

tial majesty entertains fuch thoughts, is visible to the world and although little can be faid to juftify many actions of the French king, yet the worst of them, have never equalled the emperor's afbitrary keeping the poffeffion of Milan, directly contrary to his oath, and to the exprefs words of the golden bull, which oblige him to deliver up every fief that falls, or else they muft all, in the courfe of time, lapse into his own hands.

I was at a lofs who it was that Mr. Steele hinted at some time ago, by "the powerful hand, that deals out crowns and kindoms all around us now plainly find he meant no other hand but his own. He has dealt out the crown of Spain tỏ France; to France he has given leave to invade the Empire next fpring, with two hundred thoufand men; and now at laft he deals to France the imperial dignity; and fo farewell liberty; Europe will be French. But, in order to bring all this about, the capital of Auftria, the refidence of his imperial majefty, muft continue to be vifited by the plague, of which the emperor must die, and fo the thing is done.

Why should not I venture to deal out one feeptre in my turn, as well as Mr. Steele? I therefore deal out the empire to the elector of Saxony, upon failure of iffue to this emperor at his death: provided the whigs will prevail on the fon to turn papift, to get an empire, as they did upon the father, to get a kingdom. Or, if this prince be not approved of, I deal it out in his stead to the

VOL. III.

Z

elector