and will continue to be so, in spite of the malice of his enemies, or, which is yet more, the weakness of his advocates.  The nation only wished to see him taken out of ill hands, and put into better.  But, what is all this to the conduct of the late m[i]n[i]stry, the shameful mismanagements in Spain, or the wrong steps in the treaty of peace, the secret of which will not bear the light, and is consequently by this author very poorly defended?  These and many other things I would have shewn; but upon second thoughts determined to have done it in a discourse by itself,[7] rather than take up room here, and break into the design of this paper, from whence I have resolved to banish controversy as much as possible.  But the postscript to his third pamphlet was enough to disgust me from having any dealings at all with such a writer; unless that part was left to some footman[8] he had picked up among the boys who follow the camp, whose character it would suit much better than that of the supposed author.[9] At least, the foul language, the idle impotent menace, and the gross perverting of an innocent expression in the 4th “Examiner,"[10] joined to that respect I shall ever have for the function of a divine, would incline me to believe so.  But when he turns off his footman, and disclaims that postscript, I will tear it out, and see how far the rest deserves to be considered.

But, Sir, I labour under a much greater difficulty, upon which I should be glad to hear your advice.  I am worried on one side by the Whigs for being too severe, and by the Tories on the other for being too gentle.  I have formerly hinted a complaint of this; but having lately received two peculiar letters, among many others, I thought nothing could better represent my condition, or the opinion which the warm men of both sides have of my conduct, than to send you a transcript of each.  The former is exactly in these words.

“To the ’Examiner.’

“MR. EXAMINER,

“By your continual reflecting upon the conduct of the late m[i]n[i]stry, and by your encomiums on the present, it is as clear as the sun at noon-day, that your are a Jesuit or Nonjuror, employed by the friends of the Pretender, to endeavour to introduce Popery, and slavery, and arbitrary power, and to infringe the sacred Act of Toleration of Dissenters.  Now, Sir, since the most ingenious authors who write weekly against you, are not able to teach you better manners, I would have you to know, that those great and excellent men, as low as you think them at present, do not want friends that will take the first proper occasion to cut your throat, as all such enemies to moderation ought to be served.  It is well you have cleared another person[11] from being author of your cursed libels; though d—­mme, perhaps after all, that may be a bamboozle too.  However I hope we shall soon ferret you out.  Therefore I advise you as a friend, to let fall your pen, and retire betimes; for our patience is now at an end.  It is enough to lose our power and employments, without setting the whole nation against us.  Consider three years is the life of a party; and d—­mme, every dog has his day, and it will be our turn next; therefore take warning, and learn to sleep in a whole skin, or whenever we are uppermost, by G—­d you shall find no mercy.”