some defeats received, though not only his majesty gave the wisest
direction, but his officers executed them with the utmost diligence and
fidelity; how will it appear from our ill success, that our sovereign
does not deserve our gratitude? And if it shall appear to us that our
thanks are merited, who shall restrain us from offering them in the most
publick and solemn manner?

For my part, I think no consideration worthy of regard in competition
with truth and justice, and, therefore, shall never forbear any
expression of duty to my sovereign, for fear of the ridicule of our
secret, or the reproaches of our publick enemies.

With regard to the address under our consideration, if it be allowed
either that we have not been unsuccessful in any opprobrious degree, or
that ill success does not necessarily imply any defect in the conduct of
his majesty, or debar us from the right of acknowledging his goodness
and his wisdom, I think, sir, no objection can be made to the form of
expression now proposed, in which all sounding and pompous language, all
declamatory exaggeration, and studied figures of speech, all appearance
of exultation, and all the farce of rhetorick are carefully avoided, and
nothing inserted that may disgust the most delicate, or raise scruples
in the most sincere.

Yet, sir, that we may not waste our time upon trivial disputes, when the
nation expects relief from our counsels, that we may not suspend the
prosecution of the war by complaints of past defeats, or retard that
assistance and advice which our sovereign demands, by inquiring whether
it may be more proper to thank, or to counsel him, I am willing, for the
sake of unanimity, that this clause should be omitted; and hope that no
other part of the address can give any opportunity for criticism, or for