Transcriber's Note: This e-book, a pamphlet by Daniel Defoe, wasoriginally published in 1713, and was prepared from The Novels andMiscellaneous Works of Daniel De Foe, vol. 6 (London: Henry G. Bohn, 1855).Archaic spellings have been retained as they appear in the original,and obvious printer errors have been corrected without note.
LONDON:
Printed for J. Baker, at the Black-Boy in
Pater-Noster-Row. 1713. Price Six Pence.
That we are to have a peace, or that the peace is made, what sort ofpeace, or how it has been brought about; these are questions the worldbegins to have done with, they have been so much, so often, and to solittle purpose banded about, and tossed like a shuttlecock, from oneparty to another; the parties themselves begin to want breath to railand throw scandal. Roper and Ridpath, like two Tom T—men, have thrownnight-dirt at one another so long, and groped into so many Jakes's upto their elbows to find it, that they stink now in the nostrils oftheir own party. They are become perfectly nauseous to read; thenation is surfeited of them, and the people begin to be tired withill-using one another. Would any tolerable face appear upon things, wemight expect the people would be inclined to be easy; and were theeyes of some great men open, they may see this was the opportunitythey never had before, to make the nation easy, and themselves safe.The main thing which agitates the minds of men now, is the protestantsuccession and the pretender. Much pains have been taken on both sidesto amuse the world about this remaining dispute; one side to make usbelieve it is safe, and the other to convince us it is in danger.Neither side hath been able to expatiate upon the part they affirm.Those who say the protestant succession is secure, have not yet shownus any step taken, since these new transactions, for its particularsecurity. Those who say it is in danger, have not so clearlydetermined, even among themselves, from what particular head of publicmanagement that danger chiefly proceeds. Both these uncertaintiesserve to perplex us, and to leave the thing more undetermined thanconsists with the public ease of the people's minds. To contributesomething to that ease, and bring those whose place it is to considerof ways to make the people easy in this case, this work is madepublic. Possibly, the question propounded may not meet with acategorical answer. But this is certain, it shall show you moredirectly what is the chief question which the substance of thingsbefore us is like to turn upon; and to which all our questions seem totend. Were the great difficulty of the succession brought to a narrowcompass, though we might spend fewer words about it, we should soonercome to a direct answer. Before I come to the great and chief questionupon which this affair so much seems to turn, it seems needful to putthe previous question upon which so much debate has been among us, andlet that be examined. This previous question is this: Is there anyreal danger of the protestant succession? Is there any danger that thepretender shall be brought in upon us? Is there any danger of poperyand tyranny, by restoring the son, as they call him, of abdicated KingJames? This is the previous qu