The reason for cancelling this article when these papers were republished in octavo, is obvious; for, being printed by Steele, it would naturally be applied to the circumstances in which the Duke of Marlborough was at that time:  “The Duke having his commission under the Great Seal, the order of the Queen was not sufficient to dissolve his power.  His friends advised him to assemble, by his authority as general, all the troops in London, in the different squares, and to take possession of St. James’s, and the person of the Queen.  Oxford, apprised of this design, suddenly called together the Cabinet Council.  Though he probably concealed his intelligence to prevent their fears, he told them of the necessity of superseding Marlborough under the Great Seal.  This business was soon despatched.  His dismission in form was sent to the Duke.  The Earl of Oxford, no stranger to the character of Marlborough, knew that he would not act against law, by assembling the troops.  The natural diffidence of his disposition had made him unfit for enterprises of danger, in a degree that furnished his enemies with insinuations against his personal courage.”—­(Macpherson’s “State Papers,” quoted by Nichols.)]

No. 38. [?STEELE.[377]

From Tuesday, July 5, to Thursday, July 7, 1709.

* * * * *

From my own Apartment, July 6.

I find among my brother’s papers the following letter verbatim, which I wonder how he could suppress so long as he has, since it was sent him for no other end, but to show the good effect his writings have already had upon the ill customs of the age.

“London, June 23.

“SIR,

“The end of all public papers ought to be the benefit and instruction, as well as the diversion of the readers:  to which I see none so truly conducive as your late performances; especially those tending to the rooting out from amongst us that unchristianlike and bloody custom of duelling; which, that you have already in some measure performed, will appear to the public in the following no less true than heroic story.

“A noble gentleman of this city, who has the honour of serving his country as major in the train-bands, being at that general mart of stockjobbers called Jonathan’s,[378] endeavouring to raise himself (as all men of honour ought) to the degree of colonel at least; it happened that he bought the ’bear’[379] of another officer, who, though not commissioned in the army, yet no less eminently serves the public than the other, in raising the credit of the kingdom, by raising that of the stocks.  However, having sold the ‘bear,’ and words arising about the delivery, the most noble major, no less scorning to be outwitted in the coffee-house, than to run into the field, according to method, abused the other with the titles of, ‘rogue,’ ‘villain,’ ‘bearskin-man,’ and the like.  Whereupon satisfaction was demanded, and accepted:  so, forth