POSTSCRIPT BY THE TRANSLATOR.

THE author of this tract, having left his master on shipboard at Calais, had, it seems, no farther intelligence when he published it: neither am I able to supply it, but by what passes in common report; which, being in every body's mouth, but with no certainty, I think it needless to repeat.

SOME

ADVICE

HUMBLY OFFERED

TO THE MEMBERS

OF THE

OCTOBER CLUB.

IN A LETTER FROM A PERSON OF HONOUR.

WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1711-12.

THE October Club was a designation assumed by a society of about two hundred members of parliament, chiefly landed men and warm Tories. They met at the Bell Tavern in King Street, Westminster, and consulted chiefly upon the means of compelling ministers to make, what has been called in our days, a clean sweep of the Whigs from all places of post and power, and to bring some members of the late administration to public trial. The principal

members of the October Club were,

John Aislabie,
Francis Annesley,
William Bromley,
Robert Byerley,
Henry Campion,
Charles Cæsar,
Sir Robert Davers,
Charles Eversfield,
Ralph Freeman,
Sir Thomas Hanmer,
John Hungerford,

VOL. IV.

Sir Justinian Isham,
George Lockhart,
Sir Roger Mortyn,
Sir John Packington,
Francis Scobel,
William Shippen,
Sir Thomas Thorold,
John Trevannion,
Sir William Whitelock,
Sir William Windham.

F

The ministers beheld with great anxiety an association formed among those, who, on principle, ought to have supported them most warmly, for the purpose of thwarting, or, at least, dictating and precipitating their measures. Swift was accordingly employed to reclaim this seceding junto by the following Letter.

.

It was finished on the 14th January 1711-12, and Swift had the precaution to have it copied over by Ford, that he might not be discovered as the author. It did not at first produce the impression intended; for Swift writes to Stella, on the 28th, " The little twopenny letter of Advice to the October Club' does not sell: I know the reason; for it is finely written, I assure you; and, like a true author, I grow fond of it, because it does not sell you know that it is usual to writers to condemn the judgment of the world; if I had hinted it to be mine, every body would have bought it, but it is a great secret." The public, however, found out an author for it; for the " Person of Honour" in the title-page was construed to be Lord Harcourt. On 1st February, Swift's Journal informs us, "The pamphlet of Advice to the October Club' begins now to sell; but I believe its fame will hardly reach Ireland; 'tis finely written, I assure you."

The Letter is indeed finely written, and well calculated to answer the purpose of the author. The secrets of state, which could not be spoken out, are decently insinuated: he hints the queen's affection for the Duchess of Somerset, by means of which, many belonging to the routed party found support or protection; threatens them with the increasing power of the Whigs, the common enemy to them and the ministry; and cajoles them with the prospect of a gradual dismissal of the obnoxious office-holders, when their places should be filled up with the true friends of church and queen. In fine, the tract threw upon the state of parties and politics a sort of dubious twilight, particularly calculated for exercising the intellects of country gentlemen over their October ale; for, although these worthy members of the community cannot exist without news, the politics which are most clear and intelligible by no means afford them the greatest satisfaction.

THE

PUBLISHER'S PREFACE

TO THE SECOND EDITION.

ABOUT the year, when her late majesty, of blessed memory, thought proper to change her ministry, and brought in Mr Harley, Mr St John, Sir Simon Harcourt, and some others; the first of these being made an earl and lord-treasurer, he was soon after blamed by the friends for not making a general sweep of all the Whigs, as the latter did of their adversaries upon her majesty's death, when they came into power. At that time a great number of parliament men, amounting to above two hundred, grew so warm upon the slowness of the treasurer in this part, that they formed themselves into a body under the name of the October Club, and had many meetings to consult upon some methods that might spur on those in power, so that they might make a quicker dispatch in removing all of the Whig leaven from the employments they still possessed. To prevent the ill consequences of this discontent among so many worthy members, the rest of the ministry joined with the treasurer, partly to pacify, and partly divide those, who were in greater haste than moderate men thought convenient. It was well known, that the supposed author met a considerable number of this club in a public house, where he convinced them, very plainly, of the treasurer's sincerity, with many of those very reasons which are urged in the following Discourse, beside some others

which were not so proper to appear at that time in print.

The treasurer alleged, in his defence, that such a treatment would not consist with prudence, because there were many employments to be bestowed, which required skill and practice; that several gentlemen, who possessed them, had been long versed, very loyal to her majesty, had never been violent party men, and were ready to fall into all honest measures for the service of their queen and country. But, however, as offices became vacant, he would humbly recommend to her majesty such gentlemen, whose principles, with regard both to church and state, his friends would approve of, and he would be ready to accept their recommendations. Thus the earl proceeded in procuring employments for those who deserved them by their honesty, and abilities to execute them; which, I confess, to have been a singularity not very likely to be imitated. However, the gentlemen of this club still continued uneasy that no quicker progress was made in removals, until those who were least violent began to soften a little, or, by dividing them, the whole affair dropped. During this difficulty, we have been assured, that the following Dis course was very seasonably published with great success ; showing the difficulties that the Earl of Oxford lay under, and his real desire, that all persons in employment should be true loyal churchmen, zealous for her majesty's honour and safety, as well as for the succession in the House of Hanover, if the queen should happen to die without issue. This Discourse having been published about the year 1711, and many of the facts forgotten, would not have been generally understood without some explanation, which we have now endeavoured to