The Free Briton, March 18. No. 68.
Of Sedition.
SAys, 'tis the duty and Glory of a free spirit to vindicate the measures of just and faithful governours; that the errors, crimes and incapacity of any governor are never long secret; that vain-glorious men, who have the Spirit of Domination, are never satisfy'd without engrossing power, and rejoice in any misfortune that befalls the publick, and labour to make the multitude more easy under it; and that their vanity is often the strongest motive to all the uproars they raise; that they who have no injury to complain of, will, unprovok'd, do mischief only to be thought important; which he illustrates with an instance out of Tacitus, viz. "Sedition and discontent, having almost worked up the Roman legions to mutiny, a private centinel mounted on the shoulders of his fellow-soldiers resolved to try the power of his eloquence, and address'd himself to the army in all the Postures of an Orator. You have given Liberty to these miserable men, said he pointing to those criminals whom they had rescued; but which of you can restore life to my brother? he was murdered no longer ago than last night, by the Hands of those Ruffians who are entertain'd by the general, to butcher the poor soldiery. Tell me Blesus, (for that was the general's name who was then sitting on the tribunal) tell me where thou hast laid his dead body? An enemy does grudge the rites of burial; when I have tir'd myself with kissing his cold Corpse, and weeping over it, order me to be slain upon it. All I ask of my fellow soldiers, since we both die in their cause, is, that they would lay me in the same grave with my brother. The army blown up into rage by this Speech, resolv'd to do the speaker justice; but on enquiry they found, that he never had a brother in his life.———As groundless, adds he, are most of the complaints of these days.
Weekly Register, March 20. No. 49.
Of Coffee Grounds.
RElates some occurences he met with in a visit he lately paid a lady; says, he surpriz'd her and her company in close cabal over their coffee; the rest very intent upon one, who by her dress and intelligence, he guess'd was a tire-woman; to which she added the secret of divining by coffee grounds; that she was then in full inspiration, and with much solemnity observing the atoms round the cup; on one hand sat a widow, on the other a maiden lady, both attentive to the predictions to be given of their future fate; and that the lady (his acquaintance) tho' marry'd, was no less earnest in contemplating her cup than the other two. They assured him that every cast of the cup is a picture of all one's life to come; and every transaction and circumstance is delineated with the exactest certainty. If this be so (reply'd he) such an Art would be of service to a statesman; for instead of going to council he need only examine the coffee-grounds, and all the affairs of the whole nation would appear before Him at once, and he wou'd know all the plots, cabals and intriegues of his adversaries; but objected to the scheme, that in case he should see mischief and misfortune coming upon him, whether it would be in his power to prevent 'em; they reply'd, no. From which he takes occasion to dissuade them from such unwarrantable enquiries; to be content with what they enjoy; and be prepar'd to endure evil when it comes and to depend on providence for the rest.
The Register, in another part of his paper, represents the inconvenience that attend those who are oblig'd to make application to men in great offices; to whom there is no admittance without Feeing the servants.
