that the total result should be fubftantial strength kind.

of

any

As a foundation of their scheme, the Cabal have established a fort of Rota in the Court. All forts of parties, by this means, have been brought into Administration, from whence few have had the good fortune to escape without difgrace; none at all without confiderable loffes. In the beginning of each arrangement no profeffions of confidence and fupport are wanting, to induce the leading men to engage. Butwhile the Ministers of the day appear in all the pomp and pride of power, while they have all their canvas fpread out to the wind, and every fail filled with the fair and profperous gale of Royal favour, in a fhort time they find, they know not how, a current, which fets directly against them; which prevents all progrefs; and even drives them backwards. They grow ashamed and mortified in a fituation, which, by its vicinity to power, only serves to remind them the more ftrongly of their infignificance. They are obliged either to execute the orders of their inferiors, or to fee themselves oppofed by the natural inftruments of their office. With the lofs of their dignity, they lofe their temper. In their turn they grow troublesome to that Cabal, which, whether it fupports or oppofes, equally difgraces and equally betrays them. It is foon found neceffary to get rid of the heads of Administration; but it is of the heads only. As there always are many rotten members belonging to the best connexions, it is not hard to per

fuade

fuade feveral to continue in office without their leaders. By this means the party goes out much thinner than it came in; and is only reduced in ftrength by its temporary poffeffion of power. Befides, if by accident, or in course of changes, that power should be recovered, the Junto have thrown up a retrenchment of these carcafes, which may serve to cover themfelves in a day of danger. They conclude, not unwifely, that fuch rotten members will become the first objects of disgust and resentment to their antient connex

ions.

They contrive to form in the outward Adminiftration two parties at the leaft; which, whilft they are tearing one another to pieces, are both competitors for the favour and protection of the Cabal; and, by their emulation, contribute to throw every thing more and more into the hands of the interior managers.

A Minister of State will fometimes keep himfelf totally eftranged from all his collegues; will differ from them in their councils, will privately traverfe, and publicly oppose, their measures. He will, however, continue in his employment. Inftead of fuffering any mark of displeasure, he will be diftinguished by an unbounded profufion of Court rewards and careffes; because he does what is expected, and all that is expected, from men in office. He helps to keep fome form of Adminiftration in being, and keeps it at the fame time as weak and divided as poffible.

However, we must take care not to be mistaken, or to imagine that fuch perfons have

any

any weight in their oppofition. When, by them, Administration is convinced of its infignificancy, they are foon to be convinced of their own. They never are fuffered to fucceed in their oppofition. They and the world are to be fatisfied, that, neither office, nor authority, nor property, nor ability, eloquence, council, fkill, or union, are of the leaft importance; but that the mere influence of the Court, naked of all fupport, and deftitute of all management, is abundantly sufficient for all its own purposes.

When any adverse connexion is to be deftroyed, the Cabal feldom appear in the work themfelves. They find out fome perfon of whom the party entertains an high opinion. Such a perfon they endeavour to delude with various pretences. They teach him first to diftruft, and then to quarrel with his friends; among whom, by the fame arts, they excite a fimilar diffidence of him; fo that, in this mutual fear and diftrust, he may suffer himself to be employed as the inftrument in the change which is brought about. Afterwards they are fure to deftroy him in his turn; by fetting up in his place fome perfon in whom he had himself repofed the greatest confidence, and who ferves to carry off a confiderable part of his adherents.

When fuch a perfon has broke in this mannet with his connexions, he is foon compelled to commit fome flagrant act of iniquitous perfonal hoftility against fome of them (fuch as attempt to trip a particular friend of his family eftate), by which the Cabal hope to

D

an

render

In

render the parties utterly irreconcilable. truth, they have fo contrived matters, that people have a greater hatred to the fubordinate inftruments than to the principal movers.

As in deftroying their enemies they make ufe of inftruments not immediately belonging to their corps, fo, in advancing their own friends, they pursue exactly the fame method. Το promote any of them to confiderable rank or emolument, they commonly take care that the recommendation fhall pafs through the hands of the oftenfible Ministry: fuch a recommendation might however appear to the world, as fome proof of the credit of Minifters, and fome means of increafing their ftrength. To prevent this, the perfons fo advanced are directed, in all companies, induftrioufly to declare, that they are under no obligations whatfoever to Adminiftration; that they have received their office from another quarter; that they are totally free and independent.

When the Faction has any job of lucre to obtain, or of vengeance to perpetrate, their way is, to felect; for the execution, thofe very perfons to whofe habits, friendships, principles, and declarations, fuch proceedings are publicly known to be the most adverse; at once to render the inftruments the more odious, and therefore the more dependent, and to prevent the people from ever repofing a confidence in any appearance of private friendship, or public principle.

If

If the Adminiftration feem now and then, from remiffnefs, or from fear of making themfelves disagreeable, to fuffer any popular exceffes to go unpunished, the Cabal immediately fets up fome creature of theirs to raise a clamour against the Ministers, as having shamefully betrayed the dignity of Government. Then they compel the Miniftry to become active in conferring rewards and honours on the perfons who have been the inftruments of their disgrace; and, after having first vilified them with the higher orders for fuffering the laws to fleep over the licentioufnefs of the populace, they drive them (in order to make amends for their former inactivity) to fome act of atrocious violence, which renders them completely abhorred by the people. They who remember the riots which attended the Middlesex Election; the opening of the present Parliament; and the tranfactions relative to Saint George's Fields, will not be at a lofs for an application of these

remarks.

That this body may be enabled to compafs all the ends of its inftitution, its members are scarcely ever to aim at the high and responsible offices of the State. They are diftributed with art and judgement through all the fecondary, but efficient, departments of office, and through the households of all the branches of the Royal Family: fo as on one hand to occupy all the avenues to the Throne; and on the other to forward or fruftrate the execution of any meafure, according to their own interefts. For

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with