Sense has divers acceptations; but that sense, that is required to capacitate a man for serving usefully within those walls, is not the learning of universities, but the knowledge of England. A sense of liberty, of what is meant by our rights and properties: A sense of our laws and interest, of the nature of our government, of our trade, of our natural strength and welfare. It cannot be denied, but that the comparing of the histories of other nations, the reading over the systems of policy, and the lives of the great and exemplary patriots of liberty in all countries, mightily enlarge their understandings, and adorn the great speakers in that assembly; but, if a man has not reduced all that to the use of this island, he has not the sense requisite for this post. If his head is never so full of the ideas of foreign constitutions, if he is not wise as to our home matters; if he has travelled never so far for experience; if he is a stranger to the isle of Britain; he may make a loquacious politician, a florid orator, a statesman in speculation, but he will never make a venerable member of our parliament. A man that understands but well our English manufactory, the natural products of our country, the balance of merchandizing, what importations and exportations are to be prohibited or encouraged, what are the grievances the people complain of, which of them are reasonable to be redressed, and what are the proper methods of doing it; he that knows how much we can give, what is fit to be given, and can examine how what we have given is laid out, is more fully qualified for our senate-house, than if he could discourse of government, better than all those learned men, who pretend so nicely to understand and distinguish the several sorts? If the countries and corporations have any thing particular, in relation to their counties and corporations to be represented, they ought to chuse one that understands the nature of what they would have represented, or that is at least capable of being throughly instructed in that matter. But at the same time that they chuse one for their particular pur. pose, they ought to consider that he votes for the whole commonwealth, and therefore they must not chuse any man that is addicted only to their interest, but should always deliberate whether he is of a publick and universal spirit, as well as a proper advocate for them. But this will come in more properly, when I speak concerning integrity.

The next qualification is courage. Although the word Parliament signifies to speak freely the mind, and though liberty of speech is always granted to all parliaments, yet courage is necessary upon many accounts; it is often necessary to withstand the frowns of a prince; it is necessary to bear a man above popular clamour; it is necessary when peace and war is debated. There has scarce been any reign wherein the princes have not hectored some of the members: There is scarce any sessions, but arts are used to stir up the people against their own interest; and, if a parliament house, upon the noise of a war, should be seized with a panick fear, the whole nation would soon be dispirited so that it is necessary to have courage to preserve his own integrity, and to uphold the hearts of those that he represents.

Again, whoever would discharge the office of a good senator, must

have integrity that is proof against gain, against fear and sollicitation. If he can be affrighted, or bribed, or over-ruled out of his own sense of things, he is not fit for that place. Preferments may be added to, but must not change the man. Threats must make him more watchful and resolute, and he must be sure to distinguish between insinuation and argument. He must consider himself as a publick man; he must not know his own interest, or the interest of the place from whence he comes. When the general good of England comes in competition, he must consider himself as well, and more the representative of England than of that county or town for which he serves: But, when he has considered the national interest, then in gratitude and duty he is to consider the interest of the body of the electors, more than his own private advantage; he is to strip himself of all relation, and to be a kin to the commonwealth. His soul must soar up into the exalted height of an heroical virtue, and he is to believe that it is a pleasureable and noble enjoyment even to sacrifice himself and all private considerations for his country; he is to lay aside all private capacities, and, as it were, to transmigrate into a publick alliance and affinity, Cum calculis suffragiorum sumeret magnanimitatem reipublicæ, as Demosthenes used to advise the people of Athens in great causes of estate: He used to advise, that, when they took into their hands the balls, whereby to give their voices (according to the manner then in practice at Athens) they should raise their thoughts, and lay aside those considerations, which their private vocations and degrees might minister and represent unto them; and should take upon them cogitations and minds agreeable to the dignity of the state: And there is good reason for this advice; for, certainly, if a man shall be only or chiefly sensible of those respects which his particular vocation or degree, or the state of the county or town which sends him, shall suggest and infuse into him, and not enter into true and worthy considerations of estate, he shall never be able aright to give or take counsel in parliamentary affairs, in the business of the scnate-house.

The notion of integrity has been too much mistaken of late. The being of a particular church or party has christened men honest; and in this last parliament pretending to be for king William, has gained those that epithet, who never understood a king as the father of his country; who make his political capacity above the laws of men, if I may not say the laws of God too. Integrity, in the monarchy of Eng. land, implies more of a national than slavish spirit, more of common care than personal adoration; and it is sad to think, that any knave can redintegrate his reputation, only by being a Williamite, without being converted to an Englishman. Those cannot be thought (let them be as much Williamites as they will) to preserve the integrity of a parliament-man, who change or stifle their principles for a place; nor can those be thought fit members for that house, who, either for their pleasure, or private business, neglect coming up to town, no more than those who have so many offices, that they can scarce peep within those doors, or who are so lazy and loitering, that they come not till it is too late to hinder them, and so suffer the nation to be

circumvented by the artifices and tricks of the court, who always set them on foot, when the house is empty. I would have my countrymen beware. (if ever they chuse again) of these self-interested and careless men. They ought, now their All is at stake, to examine how their members have behaved themselves, whether they have been tender of the liberty of our persons, frugal of our fortunes, bold against male administration, prosecutors of crimes, and not persecutors of men. Sense, courage, and integrity are necessary to make a man behave himself as he ought, in these important points. Let them chuse no MAN that has not sense, courage, and integrity, or that will not receive their instructions. There are no counties, and few towns, wherein they do not understand the interest of their country enough to give general instructions. Let me recommend those to them I have hinted at in this paper; order them to bring in bills to regulate the militia, to encourage the use of firelocks amongst the populace, to increase our navy, to reduce all our part of the war to that navy; to settle such salaries upon the judges as may make them impartial: And, above all things, order them to bring in a bill to secure annual parliaments, and the elections of members for the future. Advise them to ransack all our own records, and to consult all the several governments upon that head. Chuse but once wise and honest brave men, and they will find expedients to avoid the disputes, and baffle the arts which have rendered elections precarious and illegal. They will find methods to be too hard for court-tricks, and spendthrift competitors. Chuse no man that is not willing to be instructed, you have a right to instruct them: It was the custom formerly to instruct all the members; and the nature of the deputation shews, that that custom was well grounded.

To conclude. Thus have I given my thoughts freely, as to two material points; viz. the old English right of annual parliaments (for a more ample account of which, I must refer my reader to Mr. Johnson's essay on that subject) and the qualifications requisite in such as represent the good people of England in the lower house; which I have done, without regard to any party or interest but that of my country. If what I have said shall have any influence on my fellow subjects, in the present elections; and on those that represent them when they come together, in order to obtain an act for the chusing of parliaments yearly, I shall obtain my utmost sim.

A CATALOGUE OF PETITIONS,

Ordered to be drawn up and presented to the honourable House at the next Session.

Quarto, containing four pages.

A PETITION of the brewers and butchers, that the former may be

caries.

incorporated with the vintners, and the latter with the apothe

A petition of the bandbox-men and trunk-makers, that the Athenian Mercury, and all weekly papers of the like nature, be continued.

A petition of twenty-thousand tradesmen, that, if their wives offer to draw bills more than once a night upon them, they may be impowered honourably to reject them.

A petition of the quack-doctors, that the constables may not disturb the industrious night-walkers in the Strand, Flect-street, and Cheapside.

A petition of Dr. Salmon, and two more of the fraternity, that they may have the sole benefit of a new religion, by them lately invented; and that no other persons presume to interlope upon them.

be

A petition of the quakers, that their bare word may be equivalent to swearing, and nonsense to truc reasoning; and likewise, that it may lawful for them to fornicate out of their own tribe.

A petition of all the married women in the kingdom of England, dominion of Wales, and town of Berwick upon Tweede, that the Dog-days be immediately repealed.

A petition of the moderate divines, that the thirtieth of January and twenty-ninth of May be discarded out of the almanack, as being great eye-sores to the godly party.

A petition of the maids, that the Mosaical signs of virginity be declared void and unnecessary, and unfit to be required under the Christian dispensation.

A petition of the ribbon-weavers, that shoulder-knots and pantaloons of happy memory be revived.

A petition of the booksellers to declare, that licensing of books is popish and superstitious, and destructive of the liberty of the subject.

A petition of the inhabitants of White-Friars, that their bounds be enlarged, that they may have room enough to receive the broken merchants and tradesmen, that daily flock in to them.

A petition of the poets, for a speedy restoration of claret, and the utter banishment of little diminutive pagan bottles.

A petition of the midwives and highway-men, that Savin and Hemp may be rooted out of the commonwealth.

A petition of the glasiers and tallow-chandlers, that it may be lawful to break windows, on thanksgiving-days, where no lights are set

out.

A petition of Dr. Otes, that every evidence, for the future, shall be obliged to repair to him for a license.

A petition of the prisoners in Newgate, that their confessions and dying-speeches may not be printed before they are hanged.

A petition of Dr. Partridge, that no almanack-maker pretend to prophesy for the government, but himself.

A petition of the fiddlers, that kicking down stairs and broken heads be reckoned no scandal.

A petition of the players, that they may be allowed plurality of wives, in order to be sure of a maidenhead once in their lives..

A second petition of the booksellers, that, when a dull heavy book lies upon their hands, it may be publickly burnt, to promote the sale of it.

A petition of Bully Dawson, and the rest of his brethren, that swearing and roaring be adjudged as effectual a sign of valour, as fighting.

A petition of several young gentlemen of the inns of court, that a statue be erected to Dr. Wall, at the publick charge.

A petition of the northern attornies, for a speedy conclusion of the war, because, at present, the people cannot spare money to go to law.

A petition of the harlots, that pluralities be denied to all married. women, of what degree or quality soever.

A petition of the coffee-houses, that they may be privileged in forni cation up stairs, and for treason and false news below.

A petition of the country parsons, that, in favour of them, the house will be pleased to take off the additional duty upon tobacco.

A petition of the city clergymen's daughters, that increase and multiply be made the eleventh commandment.

A petition of the knights of the post, that all the pillories in the kingdom be burnt on the next thanksgiving-day.

A petition of the drawers, about the Temple and Covent-Garden, that they may be allowed to lie a-bed till eleven.

A petition of the Royal Society, that the comb-makers, mouse-trap men, and Athenians be suppressed, as interlopers upon them.

A petition of the chimney-sweepers, that they may have the scour

ing of all ecclesiastical consciences, every spring and fall.

A petition of the city, that none be suffered to talk treason, but such as are well-affected to the commonwealth.

A petition of the College of Physicians, that the importation of Dutch doctors be prohibited, as prejudicial to the manufacture of our own universities.

A petition of the taylors, that leave be given to bring in a long bill to promote new fashions.

A petition of the seamen, that the parsons may not meddle with politicks, but every one keep in his own element.