venture to say, if this act was well executed in England, the
revenue of it applied to the navy, would make the English fleet a terror
to all Europe.

It is computed by geographers, that there are two millions in this
kingdom, (of Ireland) of which number there may be said to be a million
of swearing souls.

It is thought there may be five thousand gentlemen; every gentleman,
taking one with another, may afford to swear an oath every day, which
will yearly produce one million, eight hundred, twenty-five thousand
oaths, which number of shillings makes the yearly sum of ninety-one
thousand, two hundred and fifty pounds.

The farmers of this kingdom, who are computed to be ten thousand, are
able to spend yearly five hundred thousand oaths, which gives
twenty-five thousand pounds; and it is conjectured, that from the bulk
of the people twenty, or five-and-twenty thousand pounds may be yearly
collected.

These computations are very modest, since it is evident that there is a
much greater consumption of oaths in this kingdom, and consequently a
much greater sum might be yearly raised.

That it may be collected with ease and regularity, it is proposed to
settle informers in great towns in proportion to the number of
inhabitants, and to have riding-officers in the country; and since
nothing brings a greater contempt on any profession than poverty, it is
determined to settle very handsome salaries on the gentlemen that are
employed by the bank, that they may, by a generosity of living,
reconcile men to an office, that has lain under so much scandal of late,
as to be undertaken by none but curates, clerks of meeting-houses, and
broken tradesmen.

It is resolved, that none shall be preferred to those employments, but
persons that are notorious for being constant churchmen, and frequent
communicants; whose piety will be a sufficient security for their honest
and industrious execution of their office.

It is very probable, that twenty thousand pounds will be necessary to
defray all expenses of servants salaries, &c. However, there will be the
clear yearly sum of one hundred thousand pounds, which may very justly
claim a million subscription.

It is determined to lay out the remaining unapplied profits, which will
be very considerable, towards the erecting and maintaining charity
schools; a design so beneficial to the public, and especially to the
Protestant interest of this kingdom, has met with so much encouragement
fro