reat many Things which ought to be
redress'd both in Church and State, if you my Friends will stand by
me, to aim at the setting both upright: For you must own, they are
basely trod awry. Trade is dead, Money is scarce, the Parsons are
proud, rich and lazy; War is necessary for the Circulation of Money;
and an honest Man may starve in these Times of Peace and Beggary.

"There are a great many Mysteries in Religion, which, as we don't
know what to make of them, are altogether unnecessary, and ought to
be laid aside, as well as a great many Ceremonies, which ought to be
lopp'd off for being chargeable."

The rest gave their assenting Nod, and seem'd to wonder at, and applaud
his Eloquency. In a Moment, I saw him preaching to a Mobb against the
Luxury of the Age, and telling them it shew'd a Meanness of Spirit to
want Necessaries, while the Gentry, by force of long Usurpations on
their Rights, rioted in all manner of Excess. That Providence brought
none into the World that he might starve; but that all on Earth had a
Right to what was necessary to their Support, which they ought to sieze,
since the Rich refus'd to share with them. From a Preacher I saw him a
Captain of a Rabble, plundering the Houses of the Nobility, was terrible
to all; and tho' he declared for levelling, would be serv'd with the
Pomp and Delicacy of a Prince; marries his Daughters to Lords, hoards
an immense Treasure, and wakes from his golden Dream.

Another Shade I saw suborning Witnesses, giving them Instructions what
to swear, packing Juries, banishing, hanging and beheading all his
Enemies, sending immense Sums to foreign Courts, to support his Power at
Home, bribing Senates, and carrying all before him without Controul,
when he vanish'd. My _English_ Friend told me, that Soul belong'd to the
Body of a Money-Scrivener, who almost crack'd his Brain with Politicks,
and thought of nothing less than being a prime Minister. I knew him
while I was in the World; his whole Discourse always ran on Liberty,
Trade, Free Elections, _&c._ and constantly inveigh'd against all
corrupt and self-interested Practices. I saw Persons descended from the
ancient Nobility fawning on Valets who were arrived to great Preferment
for Pimping; I beheld others contriving Schemes, to bring their Wives
and Daughters into the Company of Persons in Power, and aiming to
gain Preferment for themselves, at the Expence of the Vertue of their
Families; nor was there