rs. Distrustful
People could not tell but there might be a Snake in the Grass; and were
afraid the establishing this Society would be a new Support of his
Domination, that they were only his Pensioners, maintain'd by him to
justify all his Actions, and make Observations on those of others._
These were the Difficulties in France: But our New Society need fear no
such Opposition as the _Frenchmen_ found from their Parliament of
_Paris_. Our _Parl----t_ will most certainly be as forward to pass an
Act in Favour of them and their Protector, as they have been to do so
many great Things already for him and the Nation, and even to pass a
Vote in his Praise. Besides, there is no Body can pretend that _he has
ever carried the Royal Authority higher than any one had done before
him_; nor can it be imagin'd that he has a thousandth Part of the
Enemies that Cardinal _Richlieu_ had: And I am fully persuaded, that all
Things being consider'd, both at Home and Abroad, there is not a Man in
the World that _envies_ him. And tho he has been suspected to _maintain
Pensioners to justify his own Actions, and make Observations on those of
others_; yet, whoever will look carefully over the List of the Members,
must needs acquit him of that Calumny, and confess, that he who pick'd
out such a Set of _Wits_ and _Patrons_, could have no such base Thoughts
in his Head.

When the _French_ Academy had settled their Statutes, the next Thing
they did was to get a Seal. And what was the Impression? Why, only their
Protectors Picture; not engrav'd like a _Seneca_'s Head, but drawn at
length with a modest Word on the Reverse. _To Immortality._ Something
like this may be very easily done here. But I am not for putting on the
Reverse, _the Bill for the Protestant Succession_; tho it may be seen in
the Protector's Hand at Sir _G. Kneller_'s: For that is too gross, even
for a common Picture. But what think you of his own Head on one Side and
Twelve Lords on the Reverse? Or since all other Societies have taken
their _Motto's_ from the Old World, suppose he fetch'd one from the New;
and clapp'd his own Face upon the Frontispiece, with this Word on the
Reverse, written in Cyphers, _THE SOUTH-SEA_.

I have but one or two Objections to the Statutes in _France_, which I
cannot get over. One is, they must not meddle with Matters of Religion.
This might have very ill Consequences, and hinder their Top Wit from
shewing his Talents: I mean that Orthodox Divine, who i