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A Walking Stick
Erudite
An Honor To Tipperary
Welsh Wig-ging
White Teeth
An East Indian Chaplaincy
Idolatry
A New Sign
Witty Coward
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Epigram
A Good Reason
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Black And White
Extremes Meet
Walpoliana
A Nice Distinction
Confidence
Measure For Measure
Good Advice
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Poor Law
A Neat Suggestion
Modern Acting
A Bad Shot
Foote And Lord Townsend
An Unanswerable Argument
A Reasonable Refusal
Epigram On The Duke Of 's Consistency
A Joint Concern
Having A Call
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Accommodating Principles
Jests Home
IN one of Sir Robert Walpole's letters, he gives a very instructive
picture of a skilful minister and a condescending Parliament. My dear
friend, writes Sir Robert, there is scarcely a member whose purse I do
not know to a sixpence, and whose very soul almost I could not purchase
at the offer. The reason former ministers have been deceived in this
matter is evident--they never considered the temper of the people they
had to deal with. I have known a minister so weak as to offer an
avaricious old rascal a star and garter, and attempt to bribe a young
rogue, who set no value upon money, with a lucrative employment. I
pursue methods as opposite as the poles, and therefore my
administration has been attended with a different effect.
Patriots, says Walpole, spring up like mushrooms. I could raise fifty
of them within four-and-twenty hours. I have raised many of them in one
night. It is but refusing to gratify an unreasonable or insolent demand,
and up starts a patriot.
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