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tion to out-trade him, would not have Juft Caufe of Complaint for fuch Ufage.

The main End of the Bargain is always to be the Measure of our Actions in the Obfervation of it.

France has ftipulated with us, that Dunkirk fhall be no more an Harbour: They have made another fort of Harbour than it was before, but not a Jot lefs Commodious to themfelves or lefs Terrible to us.

Your Eminence will obferve by the Map, that the Ships in the Bafin and Harbour of Dunkirk lie much fafer from Attacks from the Seafide, than before: You fee the little Scratchwork, which was the former way of Entrance, ending over against A, is not a fourth part fo long as from the Peer-head F, to the faid A. So that an Enemy would have fo much more to do to fight his way into the Harbour of Dunkirk now, than he had before the Demolition.

In measuring any Iniquity, we are to confider the Perfon who commits it, and the Perfon against whom it is committed.

His moft Chriftian Majefty lies under the strongest Obligations imaginable to the British Nation. In his utmoft Exigence and Distress, with an uncommon Generofity, we withdrew our Conquering Arms in his Favour: When he was reduced to be very near a Supplicant, we, according to outward Appearance, condefcended to make Advances towards a Peace with him; and it is notoriously known, that a Secre⚫ tary of State of Great Britain vifited his Court to further the Negotiation.

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If he can fhew that he has been any way overreached, or that the Addrefs and Dexterity of any Minister of ours has furprized him into the Grant of too great an Equivalent for Dunkirk, there might poffibly be fome face of Justice by way of Reprifal, to make this fallacious Demolition. But when all the World muft know, that we laid afide all Diffidence towards him, and in the midst of Conqueft made an Halt of all the Powers of Europe, and continued that Sufpenfion of all Hottilities 'till

have no manner of design to make this Confidence of ours odious, and mention it only as oppofing it to the Falfhood and Ingratitude which we meet with in return to it.

I cannot tell in what Words to represent the Fact strongly enough to your Eminence, but if you will give me leave to repeat an ad. mirable Simile or Illuftration which your E. minence has brought out against the Whigs, part of it will moft excellently express what the French have done. Your Words are in the above mentioned Number One of your Current Volume, fpeaking of those reftlefs filly Rogues the Whigs. They have made no Difcoveries; nor opened any new Sluices and Streams of Scandal; but yet like the Ingenious Winstanley, and other Mafters in Hydrostaticks, they have laid their Pipes fo well, and difpofed their Wheels and Machines in fuch Order, that the fame Mafs and Body of Water, with good Husbandry and Management, circulates and comes round again at proper Periods, as they direct it.

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If you would be fo good as to lead me, from the Words they have laid their Pipes, you will

will have the Mechanick part of this Affair in fublime Language, fit for expreffing the Iniquity of fo great a Prince.

But may it please your Eminence, whether we are Whigs, Tories, or Jacobites, we fhould, methinks, have one common Indignation against this Ufage, and I cannot have fo little Charity as not to fuppose, that how warmly foever any Party withes for their own Scheme, they ftill retain Love enough for their Country, to with it great and powerful under that Scheme. But in this Cafe the French have impofed upon us without Diffimulation, and in open Day-light are fruftrating the main Article of the Treaty. It was principally the Concern of England, that the Harbour of Dunkirk fhould be Demolished; but fo little Refpe&t have they for us, that they have Dismantled it as a Fortification, and made it, for a time, lefs ftrong against States on the fame Continent, but kept it in its full Power and Glory to infult us lflanders.

Your Eminence formerly faid, of Dunkirk undemolished, That it is a Bridle which the Queen has put into the Mouths of other Powers, befides the French, and is not therefore to be let go. What can your Eminence fay to it now? Our Garrison is marched, and they have left it a Bridle to no Nation in the World fo much as to their own.

I cannot tell what the French will do, but I am forry fo much is in their Power.

The French attacked a Minor King of Spain in Profound Peace, 1677.

Their Emiffaries made Medals for the Dutch against France, and made thofe Inventions cause

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of Quarrel. Who has not read the Barbarous Invalion of the Low Countries? The English ought particularly to remember the Treatment of the British Troops recalled from the French Service after the abandoning of Messina.

The Surprize of Luxemburgh in time of Peace, is a good thing to fet now before our Eyes. The Surprize of Strasburg.

The Christian King's March of his Armies to the Frontiers of Germany in favour of the Turk.

The French Failure to their Allies the Turks.

All these Circumftances might be added to what has paffed in our Days, to quicken our Apprehenfions from an Ally who has ever formed his Greatness upon what is, with honest and fober Minds, the Difgrace and Degeneracy of Human Life, the Affectation of extending Power, without regard to the Means of doing it.

I fear, from this laft Expreffion, I fhall not be thought to fpeak like a Man of the World to your Eminence; but believe me, Sir, nothing but Juftice can prevail for any duration of Time, and no State or Prince yet ever fell, but from the Practice of Injustice. To be Unjuft, good Mr. Examiner, is to be against the Law of Nature, and nothing can be a Man's Interest which is not Juft. But I will not go into abftracted Difcourfes, at a time when Men err against the Light of Reason, when Men confcionfly offend and are not ashamed of it.

I thall keep my Philofophy at this time to my felf, only profeffing that nothing is Good or Evil, with me, Honourable or Dif honourable (by what Ideas interefted Men pretend to affix to them) but as they stand

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in the Eye of Heaven, and before the Light of Nature.

For this. Reafon I addrefs my felf to you, Sir, under the Title of Eminence, because you Eminently are what you are, and what that is, will appear from your own Writings, not from mine; for which Reason I do not attempt to praise or blame you, but as the Fact it felf does it.

I only fay further, that it now plainly appears, we have been barbarously ufed with relation to Dunkirk; and I do not defend Mr. Steele's Writings against thofe of your Eminence, any further than it now is evident he had Reason to fear, and you no Reason to abufe him.

But now, Sir, I am to fhow what I hope from this Explanation of what is doing at Dunkirk; why, Sir, the Parliament is now fitting, and a Vote of theirs that we are Deceived and Affronted in the Demolition, and that the Continuation of that Port, or Erecting any other in the Channel, is an Infringement of the Article of the Demolition, would fright our new Friend into common Honesty.

I will be bold to fay, Sir, it is our Charity for him, to which he owes his prefent Figure; and whenever we show a Refentment of his Artifice, ten thousand Dormant Evils will arife in his own Dominions, Diffatisfactions for Tyrannical Methods of bringing Men over to his Faith, infulting their Ancient Laws and Liberties, throwing aw..y their Lives and Fortunes to purchase a vain Pomp and falfe Glory, will appear in an inftaut to distract a State which owes its Greatnefs to all the falfe Arts of Man,

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