n one man, or denying it to another.

The honourable gentleman, sir, has given us a bold specimen of this kind
of wit, by insinuating that it is the production of some one of the
members of this house; a conjecture of which I am not able to find the
foundation, and therefore imagine, that raillery rather than argument
was intended. But let the honourable gentleman recollect, that the chief
excellence of raillery is politeness, to which he has surely paid little
regard, in supposing that what has been unanimously condemned as a
libel, has one of those who censured it for its author.

If I am particularly hinted at in this sagacious conjecture, I take this
opportunity of declaring that I am equally ignorant of the whole affair
with any other gentleman in this house; that I never saw the paper till
it was delivered to me at the door, nor the author till he appeared at
the bar. Having thus cleared myself, sir, from this aspersion, I declare
it as my opinion, that every gentleman in the house can safely purge
himself in the same manner; for I cannot conceive that any of them can
have written a libel like this. There are, indeed, some passages which
would not disgrace the greatest abilities, and some maxims true in
themselves, though perhaps fallaciously applied, and at least such an
appearance of reasoning and knowledge, as sets the writer far above the
level of the contemptible scribblers of the ministerial vindications: a
herd of wretches whom neither information can enlighten, nor affluence
elevate; low drudges of scurrility, whose scandal is harmless for want
of wit, and whose opposition is only troublesome from the
pertinaciousness of stupidity.

Why such immense sums are distributed amongst these reptiles, it is
scarce possible not to inquire; for it cannot be imagined that those who
pay them expect any support from their abilities. If their patrons would
read their writings, their salaries would quickly be withdrawn; for a
few pages would convince them, that they can neither attack nor defend,
neither raise any man's reputation by their panegyrick, nor destroy it
by their defamation.

Sir Robert WALPOLE then spoke in the following manner:--I hope it is not
expected, that the heat with which one class of our political writers
have been attacked by the honourable gentleman, should engage me to
undertake their defence with the same earnestness. I have neither
interest enough in the question to awaken my passions, nor