keys, nor confequently play the bass and treble together, as other artists do; which was a great difadvantage to my performance. The king, who, as I before observed, was a prince of excellent understanding, would frequently order that I fhould be brought in my box, and fet upon the table in his closet: he would then command me to bring one of my chairs out of the box, and fit down within three yards distance upon the top of the cabinet, which brought me almost to a level with his face. In this manner I had feveral converfa-tions with him. I one day took the freedom to tell his majesty, that the contempt he difcovered towards Europe, and the rest of the world, did not feem anfwerable to those excellent qualities of mind, that he was master of: that reafon did not extend itself with the bulk of the body; on the contrary, we obferved in our country, that the tallest perfons were usually leaft provided with it: that among other animals, bees and ants had the reputation of more industry, art, and fagacity, than many of the larger kinds; and that, as inconfiderable as he took me to be, I hoped I might live to do his majesty fome fignal fervice. The king heard me with attention, and began to conceive a much better opinion of me than he had ever before. He defired I would give him as exact an account of the government of England, as I poffibly could; because, as fond as princes commonly are of their own customs (for fo he conjectured of other other monarchs by my former difcourfes) he should be glad to hear of any thing that might deferve imitation. Imagine with thyfelf, courteous reader, how often I then wifhed for the tongue of Demofthenes or Cicero, that might have enabled me to celebrate the praise of my own dear native country in a ftyle equal to its merits and felicity. I began my difcourfe by informing his majefty, that our dominions confifted of two iflands, which compofed three mighty kingdoms under one fovereign, befides our plantations in America. I dwelt long upon the fertility of our foil, and the temperature of our climate. I then spoke at large upon the conftitution of an English parliament, partly made up of an illustrious body called the house of peers, perfons of the nobleft blood, and of the most antient and ample patrimonies. I described that extraordinary care always taken of their education in arts and arms to qualify them for being counsellors both to the king and kingdom; to have a fhare in the legiflature; to be members of the highest court of judicature, from whence there could be no appeal; and to be champions always ready for the defence of their prince and country, by their valour, conduct, and fidelity. That thefe were the ornament and bulwark of the king.. dom, worthy followers of their most renowned ancestors, whofe honour had been the reward of their virtue, from which their poste M. 2 rity rity were never once known to degenerate. To these were joined feveral holy perfons as part of that affembly under the title of bithops, whofe peculiar bufinefs it is to take care of religion, and of those who inftruct the people therein. These were fearched and. fought out through the whole nation, by the prince and his wifeft counsellors among fuch of the priesthood, as were most deservedly diftinguished by the fanctity of their lives, and the depth of their erudition, who were indeed the fpiritual fathers of the clergy and the people. That the other part of the parliament confifted of an affembly called the house of commons, who were all principal gentlemen, freely picked and culled out by the people themfelves, for their great abilities and love of their country, to reprefent the wisdom of the whole nation. And that these two bodies made up the most auguft affembly in Europe, to whom in conjunction with the prince the whole legiflature is committed. I then defcended to the courts of justice, over which the judges, thofe venerable fages and interpreters of the law, prefided for determining the difputed rights and properties of men, as well as for the punishment of vice, and protection of innocence. I mentioned the prudent management of our treasury, the valour and atchievements of our forces by fea and land. I computed the number of our people, by reckoning how many millions there might be of each religious fect, or political party among us. I did not omit even our Iports and paftimes, or any other particular, which I thought might redound to the honour of my country. And I finished all with a brief hiftorical account of affairs and events in England for about an hundred years past. This converfation was not ended under five audiences, each of feveral hours; and the king heard the whole with great attention, frequently taking notes of what I fpoke, as well as memorandums of what questions he intended to ask me. When I had put an end to thefe long difcourses, his majesty in a fixth audience confulting his notes propofed many doubts, queries and objections upon every article. He afked what methods were used to cultivate the minds and bodies of our young nobility, and in what kind of bufinefs they commonly spent the first and teachable part of their lives. What course was taken to fupply that affembly when any noble family became extinct. What qualifications were neceffary in those, who are to be created new lords: whether the humour of the prince, a fum of money to a court lady or a prime minifter, or a defign of ftrengthening a party oppofite to the public intereft, ever happened to be motives in those advancements. What fhare of knowledge these lords had in the laws of their country, and how they came by it, fo as to enable them to decide the properties of their fellow-subjects in M 3 the the laft refort. Whether they were always fo free from avarice, partialities, or want, that a bribe or fome other finifter view could have no place among them. Whether those holy lords I spoke of were always promoted to that rank upon account of their knowledge in religious matters, and the fanctity of their lives; had never been compliers with the times while they were common priests, or flavish prostitute chaplains to fome nobleman, whofe opinions they continued fervilely to follow after they were admitted into that assembly, He then defired to know, what arts were practised in electing those whom I called commoners whether a stranger with a strong purse might not influence the vulgar voters to chuse him before their own landlord, or the most confiderable gentleman in the neighbourhood. How it came to pass, that people were so violently bent upon getting into this affembly, which I allowed to be a great trouble and expence, often to the ruin of their families, without any falary or penfion; because this appeared fuch an exalted ftrain of virtue and public fpirit, that his majefty feemed to doubt it might poffibly not be always fincere and he defired to know, whether fuch zealous gentlemen could have any views of refunding themfelves for the charges and trouble they were at, by facrificing the public good to the defigns of a weak and vicious prince in conjunction with a corrupted miniftry. He multiplied his questions, and fifted me thoroughly upon |