Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T06:43:18.069Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The Publick Spirit of the Whigs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2021

Bertrand A. Goldgar
Affiliation:
Lawrence University, Wisconsin
Ian Gadd
Affiliation:
Bath Spa University
Get access

Summary

THE PUBLICK SPIRIT OF THE WHIGS, &c.

I cannot without some Envy, and a just Resentment against the opposite Conduct of others, reflect upon that Generosity andTenderness, wherewith the Heads and Principal Members of a struggling Faction treat those who will undertake to hold a Pen in their Defence. And the Behaviour of these Patrons is yet the more laudable, because the Benefits they confer are almost gratis: If any of their Labourers can scratch out a Pamphlet, they desire no more; There is noQuestion offered about theWit, the Style, the Argument. Let a Pamphlet come out upon demand in a proper Juncture, you shall be well and certainly paid; you shall be paid before-hand, every one of the Party who is able to read and can spare a Shilling shall be a Subscriber: Several Thousands of each Production shall be sent among their Friends through the Kingdom: The Work shall be reported admirable, sublime, unanswerable, shall serve to raise the sinking Clamours, and confirm the Scandal of introducing Popery and the Pretender upon the QUEEN and Her Ministers.

Among the present Writers on that Side, I can recollect but Three of any great Distinction, which are the Flying-Post, Mr. Dunton, and the Author of the Crisis: The first of these seems to have been much sunk in Reputation since the sudden Retreat of the only true genuine Original Author Mr. Ridpath, who is celebrated by the Dutch Gazeteer, as One of the best Pens of England. Mr.Dunton hath been longer and more conversant in Books than any of the Three, as well as more voluminous in his Productions: However, having employ’d his Studies in so great aVariety of other Subjects, he hath I think but lately turned his Genius to Politicks. His famous Tract, Intituled, Neck or Nothing, must be allowed to be the shrewdest Piece, and written with the most Spirit of any which hath appeared from that Side since the Change of the Ministry: It is indeed a most cutting Satire upon the Lord Treasurer and Lord Bolingbroke, and I wonder none of our Friends ever undertook to Answer it. I confess I was at first of the same Opinion with several good Judges, who from the Style and Manner supposed it to have issued from the sharp Pen of the E. of N-t-ng--m; and I amstill apt to think it might receive his L--dsh-p's last Hand.

Type
Chapter
Information
English Political Writings 1711–1714
'The Conduct of the Allies' and Other Works
, pp. 241 - 284
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×