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Digital Paxton: Digital Collection, Critical Edition, and Teaching Platform

A Humble Attempt at Scurrility - 22

past, by a considerable Majority of the most wealthy and independent Freeholders of the most wealthy County in the Province, without the least Sollicitation on his Part, and without Bribery, Corruption, Threats, Promises, or Perjury. — But is not Mr. A—n a C—f J—ce? True; but he is a Pr—ry C—f J—ce, during Pr—ry Will and Pleasure; and holds his Office on such Terms as make it much to be doubted, Whether there is more than one Man besides in the Province who would accept the Commission if it was vacant.

IS it on Account of Abilities?— Some of Mr. A—n’s Friends may perhaps say of him, as Sancho said of his Master Don Quixote, “in Speeching and Understanding he knows a Point more than the Devil himself.” It must be confessed, that when he shuts his Eyes, strains hard, and makes the Tobacco foam at his Mouth, he does sputter out some very extraordinary Sentiments indeed! But powerful as he is, even those very Friends acknowledge that he was no ways a Match for Mr. H—s, in the Debates at the last Sessions; on the contrary, that the latter answered and refuted every Thing that was advanced by the other, so that he could not succeed in any one Point he undertook to carry for the Pr—r, nor even make a single Convert to his Party.— Our Author, therefore, if he had understood his Business, would, instead of depreciating, have magnify’d Mr. H—s’s Abilities, that the Defeat his Patron and Employer suffered might appear the less disgraceful.

IS it on Account of Loyalty?— Mr. H—s has ever since he has been in the Assembly, constantly promoted the King’s Service, even when Pr—ry Power for Pr—ry Interest has opposed it: He has been generally one of the Commissioners appointed by G—r and Assembly for disposing of the Money granted to the Crown: He has, in order to free us from Pr—ry Bondage openly appeared in Behalf of a Royal Government: His Majesty’s Picture has a Place in his Parlour, and as the old Song has it,

He drinks the King’s Health as oft as he dines.

Contents of this annotation:

In reply to an attack on Benjamin Franklin by John Hughes. Attributed to Isaac Hunt in the Dictionary of American biography. Ascribed to the press of Anthony Armbruster by Evans. "Prologue to the coffee-house politician, or The justice caught in his own trap."--p. vii-viii. "Thirteen descriptions of the great A. drawn from the life by that celebrated master D---d J--s D-ve, poet laureat to the Pr---ry Party."--p. 38-42. Signatures: [A]? B-E? F_ (F2 verso blank). "Errata."--p. [43].