his purse for that purpose. This advice she rejected, and came to
a determined resolution, that no person should ever suffer on her
account. The general asked her, how she should like to be confined in
Newgate? to which she answered, that she would rather lye in a prison,
after having discharged her conference, than riot in a palace under
its reproaches. The general upon this replied, that these things
sounded very heroic, but there was a great difference between real and
imaginary sufferings, 'that she had chosen to declare herself for the
Tories, a party, who never could keep their own, nor other people's
secrets, and were ever forgetful of such as served them; that the most
severe critics upon the Tory writings, were the Tories themselves, who
never considering the design, or honest intention of the author, would
examine the performance only, and that too with as much severity,
as they would an enemy's, and at the same time value themselves
upon being impartial against their friends. Then as to gratitude,
or generosity, the Tories did not approach to the Whigs, who never
suffered any man to go unrewarded, however dull, or insignificant,
provided he declared himself to be for them; whereas the Tories had no
general interest, and consequently no particular, each person refusing
to contribute towards the benefit of the whole; and if it should
happen, that she should perish, through want, in a Jail, they would
sooner condemn her folly, than pity her sufferings.'

This did not deter our poetess from voluntarily preferring herself
before the Court of King's Bench, as the author of the Atalantis.

When she was examined before the secretary (then lord Sunderland)
he was assiduous to know from whom she had got information of some
particulars, which they imagined were above her own intelligence. Her
defence was with much humility and sorrow, at the same time denying