TOTHE RIGHTHONORABLEROBERT WALPOLE, ESQ.,
First Commissiowr of 2% Majesty’s Treasury, and
SIR: It might, perhaps, be expected that thisaddress, to one in so high a station, should, asusual, consist of some pages of panegyric; butperformances of that kind being as much beyondmy capacity as you are above the receiving themfrom me, this presumption of mine will appear tobe of a quite different nature. ‘Tis not an authorwho wades through a sea of flattery to recom-mend himself to a patron, but the publisher who
humbly
acknowledges the protection you give himagainst the authors; those who would think thesacrifice of many thousands such little subjects asme, but an inconsiderable atonement for this re-exposing to public view the secret instructions oftheir society
;
if despair /as ma& some take a yeso-Zution o lazyviolent ucnu3on a sacred person, pro-tected by all laws divine and human, sure noatom of remorse can be left to restrain their ven-geance on one of an inferior rank of his people.This is what I hope will justify my offering to youone of the worst books that ever was writ, whichif it can become harmless, itis by being wellknown.Here is the originof those schools