The Works of Dr. Jonathan Swift, Dean of St. Patrick's, Dublin (Volume 1); Accurately Revised, in Twelve Volumes. Adorned with Copper-Plates with Some Account of the Author's Life, and Notes Historical and Explanatory (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: LETTER Member of PARLIAMENT " In IRELAND, Upon chufing a new Speaker there. Written in the Year 1708. XTOU may eafily believe I am not at all . furprifed at what you tell me, fince it is but a confirmation of my own conjecture that I fent you laft week, and made you my reproaches upon at a venture. It looks exceedmg ftrange, yet I believe it to be a great truth, that, in order to carry a point in your houfe, the two following circumilances are of great advantage: firil, to have an ill caufe ) and, fecondly, to be a minority. For both thefe circumftances are extremely apt to invite men, to make them afllduous in their attendance, watchful of opportunities, zealous for gaining over profelytes, and often fuccefs- ul i which is not to be wondered at, when. favourfavour and intereft are on the fide of their opinion. Whereas, on the contrary, a majority with a good caufe are negligent and fu- pine. They think it fufficient to declare them- lelves upon opinion in favour of their party; but, failing againft the tide of favour and preferment, they are eafily fcattered and driven back. In mort, they want a common principie to cement, and motive to fpirit them. For the bare acting upon a principle from the dictates of a good cnnfcience, or profpe6V of ierving the public, will not go very far under the prefent difpofitions of mankind. This was amply verified laft feffion of parliament, upon occafion of the money-bill, the merits of which I mall not pretend to examine. It is enough that, upon the firft news of its tranfiniffion hither, in the form it afterwards appeared, the members, upon difcourfe with their friends, feemed unanimous againft iti I mean thofe of both parties, except a few, who were looked upon as perfons ready to go any lengths prefcribed them by the court. Yet, ...