when they were placed in high and conspicuous Stations
of Life. He further added, That my Paper would
only serve to aggravate the Pains of Poverty, if it
chiefly expos’d those who are already depressed,
and in some measure turn’d into Ridicule, by
the Meanness of their Conditions and Circumstances.
He afterwards proceeded to take Notice of the great
Use this Paper might be of to the Publick, by reprehending
those Vices which are too trivial for the Chastisement
of the Law, and too fantastical for the Cognizance
of the Pulpit. He then advised me to prosecute
my Undertaking with Chearfulness; and assured me,
that whoever might be displeased with me, I should
be approved by all those whose Praises do Honour to
the Persons on whom they are bestowed.
The whole Club pays a particular Deference to the
Discourse of this Gentleman, and are drawn into what
he says as much by the candid and ingenuous Manner
with which he delivers himself, as by the Strength
of Argument and Force of Reason which he makes use
of. WILL. HONEYCOMB immediately agreed,
that what he had said was right; and that for his
Part, he would not insist upon the Quarter which he
had demanded for the Ladies. Sir ANDREW gave
up the City with the same Frankness. The TEMPLAR
would not stand out; and was followed by Sir ROGER
and the CAPTAIN: Who all agreed that I should
be at Liberty to carry the War into what Quarter I
pleased; provided I continued to combat with Criminals
in a Body, and to assault the Vice without hurting
the Person.
This Debate, which was held for the Good of Mankind,
put me in Mind of that which the Roman Triumvirate
were formerly engaged in, for their Destruction.
Every Man at first stood hard for his Friend, till
they found that by this Means they should spoil their
Proscription: And at length, making a Sacrifice
of all their Acquaintance and Relations, furnished
out a very decent Execution.
Having thus taken my Resolution to march on boldly
in the Cause of Virtue and good Sense, and to annoy
their Adversaries in whatever Degree or Rank of Men
they may be found: I shall be deaf for the future
to all the Remonstrances that shall be made to me
on this Account. If Punch grow extravagant,
I shall reprimand him very freely: If the Stage
becomes a Nursery of Folly and Impertinence, I shall
not be afraid to animadvert upon it. In short,
If I meet with any thing in City, Court, or Country,
that shocks Modesty or good Manners, I shall use my
utmost Endeavours to make an Example of it. I
must however intreat every particular Person, who
does me the Honour to be a Reader of this Paper, never
to think himself, or any one of his Friends or Enemies,
aimed at in what is said: For I promise him,
never to draw a faulty Character which does not fit
at least a Thousand People; or to publish a single
Paper, that is not written in the Spirit of Benevolence
and with a Love to Mankind.
