is to be always a lyar. You must weigh every thing in your mind according to the dictates of reason, and never through prejudice or paffion. Seek out in every corner of your kingdom for men of integrity and abilities; hearken to their advice, and you and your fubjects will be happy."

"My dear friend, cried the Sultan, taking Pittham into his arms, you are furely the virtuous fage that fhall from henceforth teach me the happiness of those who breathe life under my laws." Pittham was going to bow on his knees in fign of obedience, but the Caliph ftill kept him embraced in his arms, and they did not quit that fituation but to go and concert the most effectual measures for accomplishing the happiness of the people, whofe hearts Al Thell ever after did gladden with bleffings.

For the POLITICAL REGISTER.

A NEC DO TE S.

OME years fince the fon of Booz de Paiba, a celebrated

SOM

re

Jew, was on the point of marrying a young chriftian lady. His father made no objection to the intended wife's. religion, but was greatly diffatisfied with the match on account of her small fortune, in confequence of which he refufed his confent. The fon, who was defperately in love, threatened the father that he would marry her without his confent; and the father, in his turn, threatened that he would not give him a fhilling. The young Jew answered, that he would force him to it, and that if he fufed to divide with him his fubftance, he should get himself baptized to enjoy the benefit of the English law, which affigns and gives to a Jew-child, becoming chriftian, the half of his father's wealth. Poor Booz was confounded at this answer; he went to confult the late Harry Fielding for his advice, and to know if fuch a law really exifted. Fielding told him, that it did exist, and was in full force; but, added he, if you have a mind to make me a present of ten guineas, I will put you in a way to fruftrate the hopes of your fon, and the ungrateful rafcal will not be able to fhew caufe to get a fingle farthing from you. These words fpread joy and confolation through Booz's heart, he instantly reckoned down the ten guineas, and begged our barrister not to keep him long in suspense. "No, no; this moment my advice fhall direct you what to do in the cafe, faid Fielding, putting

putting the guineas in his pocket, you need only become a Chriftian yourself, and the law will give nothing to your fon."

HERE was at Rome, in the reign of the Emperor Galba, a famous flute-player, by the name of Canus. That Prince having one day taken pleasure in hearing this mufician, took out of his purfe five denarii, as a gratification for his performance. This pitiful reward furprised Canus, and brings to mind a like behaviour of Nourfhirvan, King of Perfia, furnamed the Juft. When ftill but Prince of the province of Khorafan, he loved pleasures, and lived in fplendour, and diffused his wealth about him and afar. The moft excellent fingers, the moft able players on mufical inftruments came to requeft his giving them a hearing, and they were enriched when Nourfhirvan had heard them. He had fcarce afcended the throne, when they repaired to him from all parts of the earth. He took great pleasure in their concerts, but was much more sparing in his rewards than when he was only Prince of Khorafan, and a fubject of the King of Kings. One of the muficians having prefumed to complain to himfelf, he made him this answer: "Formerly I gave away my own money, now I give away that of my people."

URING the ufurpation of Oliver Cromwell, Sir John Hawkefworth, of Surry, one of the Protector's officers, and confequently ftrongly attached to his party, had an action brought against him by the parfon of his parifh, on account of tythes and other dues. The fuit ftill depending, Sir John imagined that the minifter pointed him out in his fermons every Sunday. He complained of it to the Protector, who gave orders for the minister's appearing before him to answer the charge. The parfon alledged in his defence, that he had only preached in general against extortioners, fornicators, drunkards, liars, thieves, and robbers. Cromwell difmiffing him, and turning to the officer, faid: "Sir John, go quietly home, and live for the future on more amicable terms with your parfon. The word of God, like a twoedged fword, pierces the very marrow of the bones, and probes about the inmoft recefles of the heart: it feeks after the finner, and unveils his iniquities; I am forry, for your fake, that it has found you out."

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HE celebrated Bifhop Burnet dined once by invitation with the Earl of Uxbridge. That Lord was a man of knowledge and excellent parts, but his lively and romantic imagination often hurt the truth of his narrative; he had a thousand facts to relate, and the moft probable among them appeared incredible in his mouth. The Prelate, in the course of the converfation, found an opportunity to obferve, that all men have their hobby-horfé, their predominant paffion; one loves wine, another play, a third women, a fourth money, and "for my part, added he, I cannot help faying that my inclination is for lying." "I really believe fo, replied the Earl, who found himself aimed at, and therefore you was the fittest man in the world to write the History of your Time."

To the Editor of the Political Register.
Letters from L-B, examined.

SIR,

MH

INE eye has run over two octavo volumes called, The Hiftory of England, in a Series of Letters from a Nobleman to his Son. For fome time I found it difficult to guefs at the spirit and defign of the author. But anon, fuch ftrictures were discovered in his giving the great character of James I. as were fufficient to determine him a Scotch Jacobite; and, in all probability, one of the family of Stuart, too well known by the title of E- of B--He has, it must be owned, concealed himself as much as he was able; yet we are favoured with veftigia, fufficient to learn what truly is his political complexion.

His ignorance of the diftinction of religious fects in SouthBritain, is very notorious; for when speaking of Prefbyterians and Independents, as to their difference from the church of England, he fays of the Independents, "that their chief difference lay in acknowledging no fubordination in fecular employments; and attempting to maintain an ideal equality, to which they justly obferved that every man was born." Now it is univerfally known that this is not the character of the Independents, but of the Levellers; a faction which arofe in the army, and of whom even Oliver Cromwell himself was afraid, whereas he was in high efteem with the Independents. Our Hiftorian might have been much better informed in this article, by a judicious note of Tindal's in Rapin, Vol. II. P. 514. folio edit.-altogether as grofs a mistake has he committed

mitted, with respect to a fact fo late, as in the reign of Queen Anne, year 1712; for he thus reports, under fallacious terms, the publication of Dr. Samuel Clarke's, viz. his Scripture doctrine of the Trinity," a book, fays he, written by Dr. Samuel Clarke in favour of Socinianism."-Which flagrant error convinces me, that the author of this hiftory is a Scot, very ignorant in English matters; who might have had much better information from any intelligent English Clergyman: for, in truth, Dr. Clarke had no more defign to favour of Socinianism by that book, than he had to favour Mahometanifm. So much for our author's glaring ignorance.

As to his high church or popifh principles, we may make a fhrewd guess at them by the great encomium he has bestowed upon Abp. Laud: and by the favourable representation made by him of that traitor, Dr. Atterbury, Bishop of Rochefter. Nor has he fcrupled exprefsly to tell us, "To declaim against popery, was THE VOICE OF FACTION in the reign of James I. and alfo in that of Charles I."-and when the glorious Ruffel and Sidney are mentioned by him, he says,

Ruffel and Sidney were condemned by L. Howard's evidence, and died with that intrepidity which was worthy a better caufe."-Had his pen been proteftant, or had he understood what love of civil and religious liberty could mean, he would have known, that, as true patriots, it was not poffible they could have died in a better cause; they fell the victims of the most diabolical popish rage.

The contempt he has thrown on our glorious deliverer William III, and upon the revolution, are a violent prefumptive evidence that this fhort history was written by the Earl of B-, for when he speaks of Father Peters, confeffor to James II. he moft flanderously fays, "fome hiftorians have even accused him of being the creature of the Prince of Orange, the King's fon in law, who had long fince conceived hopes of fiezing the crown.' This is a very curious fample of Jacobite impudence; and, for ought I know, may have been taken from the hiftory wrote by F. Orleans: our hiftory provided by L-d B-e for his royal pupil. He farther wickedly fays of that illuftrious prince, that all his actions were levelled at power, while his difcourfe never betrayed the wishes of his heart."-This is worthy of the Thane. Heaven grant due vengeance may follow this affaffin.

A further proof offers itfelf from the refpectable character which he gives to the Jacobite miniftry, as makers of the

*Whom he once calls, HUGH PETERS. p. 80.

peace

peace of UTRECHT. "Thus it appears, fays he, that the English miniftry DID JUSTICE TO ALL THE WORLD: but their country refufed it to them: they were branded with all the terms of infamy and reproach by the whig-party, and accufed of having given up the privileges and rights which England had to expect."

And the artful Scot finishes with the peace of Paris, which was wholly under his own direction; and of which he made his boaft in the Houfe of Lords. Nevertheless, though the director of the peace, here is not one fingle word dropt about him, in this fignal event, which must have been, had the history been written by any other pen, and not under his own eye. But how delufive is this forcerer, who manifeftly wrote his hiftory chiefly for the opportunity of thus declaiming behind the curtain, upon that infamous peace;-" The difcontents, fays he, which many have expreffed at the conclufion of the late peace, that we did not infift upon harder terms, and increase our poffeffions, were ill founded: fince it is probable we are already poffeffed of more than government can manage. There is ever a certain extent of empire, which politics are able to weild; beyond this, her magnificence is but empty pomp, and her fize but fickly corpulence."

But what has this to do, with a peace made under the umpirage of a prince claimant of the British crown+? what has it to do with delivering up Guadalope, Martinico, and the Havannah and with allowing a conquered enemy, to write his own terms?

There is reafon to believe this Jacobite-history is artfully and gratifly too put into families, and into private hands, in order to render the peftilential poifon epidemical. The execrable myrmidons of the Thane are every where bufily employed, in corrupting the minds of the people; and difpofing Britons for a fubmiffion to tyranny and oppreffiont-affuredly it muft become the fincere friends of liberty to be watchful against fo fubtle a fiend, and hellish an enemy, for, in proportion, as he is fuppofed to influence the king, (whofe eyes may the Lord open!) we can truly calculate the degree of danger we are in, of fubverfion.

Upon the whole, if the caufe of civil and religious liberty can be protected and nourished by Tories, or by Jacobites and papifts, we cannot poffibly have any idea of liberty that

+ The K. of Sardinia, who entered his proteft against the coronation of Geo. III.

It is impudently afcribed to Lord Littelton.

confifts