ou are not ready to commit a murder in resentment of an affront; for good
sense, as well as religion, is so utterly banished the world, that men
glory in their very passions, and pursue trifles with the utmost
vengeance, so little do they know that to forgive is the most arduous
pitch human nature can arrive at. A coward has often fought, a coward has
often conquered; but a coward never forgave." Steele also published a
pamphlet, in which he gave a detailed account of the edict of Louis XIV.,
and the measures taken by that monarch to cure his subjects of their
murderous folly.

[66] See _Spectator_, Nos. 84, 97, and 99; and _Tatler_, Nos. 25,
26, 29, 31, 38, and 39; and _Guardian_, No. 20.

On the 8th of May, 1711, Sir Cholmely Deering, M.P. for the county of
Kent, was slain in a duel by Mr. Richard Thornhill, also a member of the
House of Commons. Three days afterwards, Sir Peter King brought the
subject under the notice of the legislature; and after dwelling at
considerable length on the alarming increase of the practice, obtained
leave to bring in a bill for the prevention and punishment of duelling. It
was read a first time that day, and ordered for a second reading in the
ensuing week.

About the same time, the attention of the Upper House of Parliament was
also drawn to the subject in the most painful manner. Two of its most
noted members would have fought had it not been that Queen Anne received
notice of their intention, and exacted a pledge that they would desist;
while a few months afterwards two other of its members lost their lives in
one of the most remarkable duels upon record. The first affair, which
happily terminated without a meeting, was between the Duke of Marlborough
and the Earl Pawlet; the latter and fatal encounter was between the Duke
of Hamilton and Lord Mohun.

The first arose out of a debate in the Lords upon the conduct of the Duke
of Ormond in refusing to hazard a general engagement with the enemy, in
which Earl Pawlet remarked that nobody could doubt the courage of the Duke
of Ormond. "He was not like a certain general, who led troops to the
slaughter, to cause great numbers of officers to be knocked on the head in
a battle, or against stone walls, in order to fill his pockets by
disposing of their commissions." Every one felt that the remark was aimed
at the Duke of Marlborough, but he remained silent, though evidently
suffering in mind. Soon after the House broke up, the