ations to retaliate.[23] I might shew their
cheerful readiness in granting such vast supplies; their great unanimity,
not to be broken by all the arts of a malicious and cunning faction;
their unfeigned duty to the QUEEN; and lastly, that representation made
to her Majesty from the House of Commons, discovering such a spirit and
disposition in that noble assembly, to redress all those evils, which a
long mal-administration had brought upon us.[24]

It is probable, that trusting only to my memory, I may have omitted many
things of great importance; neither do I pretend further in the compass
of this paper, than to give the world some general, however imperfect
idea, how worthily this great assembly hath discharged the trust of those
who so freely chose them; and what we may reasonably hope and expect from
the piety, courage, wisdom, and loyalty of such excellent patriots, in a
time so fruitful of occasions to exert the greatest abilities.

And now I conceive the main design I had in writing these papers, is
fully executed. A great majority of the nation is at length thoroughly
convinced, that the Qu[een] proceeded with the highest wisdom, in
changing her ministry and Parliament. That under a former administration,
the greatest abuses of all kinds were committed, and the most dangerous
attempts against the constitution for some time intended. The whole
kingdom finds the present persons in power, directly and openly pursuing
the true service of their QUEEN and country; and to be such whom their
most bitter enemies cannot tax with bribery, covetousness, ambition,
pride, insolence, or any pernicious principles in religion or government.

For my own particular, those little barking pens which have so constantly
pursued me, I take to be of no further consequence to what I have writ,
than the scoffing slaves of old, placed behind the chariot, to put the
general in mind of his mortality;[25] which was but a thing of form, and
made no stop or disturbance in the shew. However, if those perpetual
snarlers against me, had the same design, I must own they have
effectually compassed it; since nothing can well be more mortifying, than
to reflect that I am of the same species with creatures capable of
uttering so much scurrility, dullness, falsehood and impertinence, to the
scandal and disgrace of human nature.

[Footnote 1: No. 44 in the reprint. [T.S.]]

[Footnote 2: To Stella, about this time, Swift wrote giving a decided
hint