exercised limbs, grow ftronger by exerting our natural ftrength against her.

LET the republic German Princes, for they are but one people, unite for their common fafety! They will certainly do so, if we do not moft officiously and ridiculously take off their attention to their greatest interest, by throwing boons amongst them to scramble for, which like boys they will run after and neglect their bufinefs; a little present profit or pleasure seduces all, whether boys or princes. And fhall we be fenfeless enough to maintain and support them in idleness, like a young spendthrift, who having married a beauty from a neceffitous family, blinded by his paffion he sees not half the ruin that lies before him, and is undone by feeding her hungry relations. I fay let them unite for their mutual defence: unite they must and will if we do not help to divide them by our miferable pufillanimous politics. United are they not an over-match for France; yet furely they could ftand long enough to give her time to undo herself, as he did in the last war by her victories. Nay, the Queen of Hungary could ftand alone against France. Did fhe not stand alone, not only against France, but the greatest part of Germany too, and abfolutely destroy two of the best armies that France ever fent into that country? but when we very foolishly took the war out of her hands, fhe very prudently fuffered us to do it, and employed the very money we gave her for other purposes,

(very much at her ease and leifure) in building and beautifying palaces and gardens. My little reading and information have furnished me with fufficient authorities to prove this, if it were neceffary to prove what is fo evident. The

confequence of this measure was what might naturally have been expected, like men meddling in affairs that did not concern them, and which they did not understand, we managed wretchedly; and the war that throve in her hands, became ruinous in ours; and disappointments, loffes and defeats made up the fum total of each campaign, till there was no longer any ground left to fight upon, on the other fide of the water, or scarce any thing untaxed on this to raise money. A debt of thirty millions added to fifty has remained to make us wifer for the future, one might imagine; but I am afraid that we are going on head-long as before, to rufh down the precipice, in fpite of woeful experience, with our eyes wide open in broad day-light; knowing, feeing, and feeling the ruin that lies before us.

I am, SIR,

Your bumble Servant,

C

AGRICOLA.

No. 145

No. 14. SATURDAY, November 8th, 1755.

Territa quæfitis oftendit terga Britannis.

JUVENAL.

HE Romans who deified Cæfar for his discovery of Britain, have left us another fubftantial reason for our security against invafions, befides its being separated from the continent by a dismal gulf:

Qui geminos interluit orbes.

THIS might have been an excefs of furprize on the people, or flattery to their general. But after long experience of their courage and fidelity, thofe lords of the univerfe, whofe power and pride could difcern no perfection in other people, were forced to acknowledge the Britons were invincible. The ftanding guard of the Prefect of Rome were Invicti juniores Britannitiani: and the life guard of the Proconful of Spain were stiled Invicti juniores Britones.

THEIR fidelity, as well as courage, was fo approved, that both the Greek and Western Emperors placed their lives in the power of British guards: and there was fcarce a governor of a province that did not follow their example. To which they were all induced by

the reputation of the British valour both at home and abroad. The very fight of a Briton was like the eye of a Bafilifk: it conveyed terror to the heart of the enemy, and conquered before they came to blows. They were never vanquifhed, when they trufted to their national ftrength; never forfeited their honour nor ftained their courage with cowardice, when engaged in the cause of their friends; and, if we trace from the earliest account of time to these days, they never fucceeded in any war, but have been frequently betrayed, when the iffue has depended on the ftrength and fidelity of fubfidiary forces.

THIS brave and bold fpirit of Britons, I hope, is not extinguished. A people, who in their infant ftate, did not only ftand alone, but de-. fended and conquered foreign nations. Their courage was invincible; their faith inviolable. In their weakest ftate they cut off two hundred thousand Saxons, at a moderate computation. And fhould we rehearse their wars after the Norman establishment, who can imagine that a people, who have been improving ever fince, both in riches and inhabitants, and conquered France without the doubtful aid of German fubfidiaries, are fo degenerate and debafed with pufillanimity and difaffection, as not to be able, or not to be trufted with the defence of their King and country against all invaders ?

IT is upon the bravery, not of a mercenary army, but, of the fubjects in general, ftimulated

by

by the glorious atchievements of their ancestors, and animated with the neceffity of defending all that is dear to them: it is upon the natural courage of Britons, and their affections for the Prince upon the throne, when he governs them according to the conftitution and laws of the realm, that we are principally to depend for the protection and safety of our country. By trufting to this we have continued for many years a happy and a free people: and I could fhew from history, that if ever we put our trust in any thing else, our happiness and our liberty muft yield to mifery and flavery. We have always been lofers upon the ballance of a war, though ever so successful in the field, when carried on by subsidiary forces.

WHAT has the British Empire got by the vaft fums of money paid in fubfidies to the Dutch, Saxons, Bavarians, Heffians, Hanoverians, Danes, Ruffians, Pruffians, Hungarians, the King of Sardinia, the Duke of Wolfenbuttle, &c. all of whom are, or have been in British pay within fixty years paft? have they enabled us to humble our enemies? No. Have they secured for us a firm, lafting, and equitable peace? No. Have we by their aid ftruck fuch terror into our enemies, that they dare not invade our property, plot against our liberty, or interrupt our trade? No. Have we recovered the ballance of Europe, or put our allies out of the power of the common enemy? No. Have we maintain