so many injured, and by such treatment exasperated subjects to continue to commit the care of their interests to those from whom they must withdraw their confidence; to repose their invaluable privileges in the hands of those who have sacri ficed them; and their trust in those who have betrayed it.

"Your subjects look up with satisfaction to the powers which the constitution has vested in your Majesty-for it is upon them that they have placed their last dependance, and they trust, that the right of dissolving parliaments, which has, under former princes, so often answered the purposes of power, may under your Majesty prove an happy instrument of liberty.

"We find ourselves compelled to urge with the greater importunity, this our humble but earnest application to the throne, as every day seems to produce the confirmation of some old, or to threaten the introduction of some new injury. -We have the strongest reason to apprehend that the usurpation begun by the House of Commons upon the right of electing, may be extended to the right of petitioning; and that under the pretence of restraining the abuse of this right, it is meant to bring into disrepute, and to intimidate us from the exercise of the right itself.

"But whatever may be the purposes of others, your Majesty hath in your answer to the city of London, most graciously declared, that you are always ready to receive the requests, and to listen to the complaints of your subjects. Your Majesty condescends likewise to esteem it a duty to secure to them the free enjoyment of those rights which your family were called to defend.

"We rely, therefore, upon the Royal word thus given, that our grievances will meet with full redress, and our complaints with the most favourable interpretation-that your Majesty will never consider the arraignment of your ministers as a disrespect to your person, a charge confined, by the very terms of it, to this House of Commons, as injurious to Parliament at large (the constitution of which we admire, and the abuse of

N° 23.

(Private)

Friday Morn. Oct. 19, 1770.

By your affected silence', you encourage an idle opinion that I am the author of the Whig*, &c. though you very well know the contrary. I neither admire the writer nor his idol. I hope you will soon set this matter right.

C.

which is the very thing we lament); or a request for the dissolution of Parliament, which your subjects have a right to make, and your Majesty to grant, as irreconcileable to the principles of the constitution."

"The Printer really did not AFFECT a silence on a CERTAIN OCCASION, with a view of encouraging his readers or correspondents in an idle opinion: the motives for his conduct were, the fear of being thought impertinent by declaring (without direction) what he knew ; and the probability of rendering himself liable to incur the displeasure of either of those who were pleased to favour him with their correspondence."-Answer to Correspondents, Oct. 25, 1770.

2 This letter was printed in the Public Advertiser under the signature of a Whig and an Englishman, Oct. 11, 1770, and refers chiefly to the American Stamp Act, and the opinion of Lord Chatham, whom the author panegyrized in very warm The same writer had already published several other letters in the same name: and the Printer, in compliance with the request of JUNIUS, gave the following notice :

terms.

"October 20.

"The Printer thinks it his duty to declare, that the Letters which have appeared in this paper under the signature of a Whig and an Englishman, were not written by the author of those signed JUNIUS."

SIR,

N° 24.

Monday Evening, Nov. 12, 1770.

THE enclosed' though begun within these few days, has been greatly laboured. It is very correctly copied, and I beg you will take care that it be literally printed as it stands. I don't think you run the least risque. We have got the rascal down, let us strangle him if it be possible. This paper should properly have appeared to-morrow, but I could not compass it, so let it be announced to-morrow, and printed Wednesday. If you should have any fears, I entreat you send it early enough to Miller, to appear to-morrow night in the London Evening Post. In that case, you will oblige me by informing the Public to-morrow, in your own paper, that a real JUNIUS will appear at night in the London.Miller, I am sure, will have no scruples.

Lord Mansfield has thrown ministry into confusion, by suddenly resigning the office of Speaker of the House of Lords.

' Letter XLI. JUNIUS to the Right Hon. Lord Mansfield.

N° 25.

Wednesday Night, Nov. 21, 1770'.

I SHALL be very glad to hear from your friend at Guildhall.-You may, if you think proper, give my compliments to him, and tell him, if it be possible, I will make use of any materials he will give me. I will never rest till I have destroyed or expelled that wretch.—I wish you joy of yesterday.-The fellow truckles already".

C.

N° 26.

Friday, 1 o'clock, Dec. 7, 1770.

I WISH it were possible for you to print the enclosed to-morrow3, observe the Italics strictly where they are marked. Why don't I

On the outside of this note was written, "the enclosed strikes deeper than you may imagine. C." The Letter here referred to, is printed in the Miscellaneous Collection, No. LXXVIII. and is subscribed Testiculus.

2 In allusion to the unanimous judgment of the Court of King's Bench, on the verdict for printing the Letter to the King, given Nov. 20th, 1770; by which Lord Mansfield lost his object, and the Printer was granted a new Trial.

3 The paper here referred to, is Miscellaneous Letter, No. LXXIX. signed Domitian, and was printed as requested.

hear from Guildhall.-If he trifles with me, he

shall hear of it'.

SIR,

N° 27.

C.

January 2, 1771.

I HAVE received your mysterious epistle, I dare say a letter may safely be left at the same place; but you may change the direction to Mr. John Fretley. You need not advertise

it.

Yours,

N° 28.

C.

Jan. 16, 1771.

You may assure the Public that a squadron of four ships of the line is ordered to be got ready with all possible expedition for the East Indies. It is to be commanded by Commodore Spry. Without regarding the language of ignorant or interested people, depend upon the assurance I give you, that every man in administration looks upon war as inevitable*.

The allusion is to a communication between the writer and Mr. Wilkes, which had been promised by the latter, but had not been at this time received.

2 Inserted in the Public Advertiser, January 17, nearly in the same words. The predicted war, however, did not fol