A
LETTER
TO
Lord Robert Bertie.
[Price One Shilling.]
A
LETTER
TO
Lord Robert Bertie,
Relating to his
Conduct in the Mediterranean,
AND HIS
Defence of Admiral BYNG.
| Hic unde vitam sumeret inscius Pacem duello miscuit. O pudor! O magna Carthago! probrosis Altior Italiæ ruinis! Hor. |
LONDON:
Printed for R. Griffiths, in Pater-noster
Row. MDCCLVII.
A
LETTER
TO
Lord Robert Bertie.
My Lord,
Characters like your’s, are regarded with impartial Attention by humanSociety, and the World will impatiently expect something in your Conductsuitable to your Rank and Dignity. Those who are intrusted with theCharter of our Liberties, or the Revenge of our Wrongs, are laid under thestrongest Obligations which Honour or Gratitude can impose, to maintain[Pg 2]the Rights and execute the Resentment of their Country; but if they failto exert themselves to the utmost for this Purpose, the People, naturallyfretful at their Losses, will not forbear reflecting on the supposedAuthors of their Misfortunes. And when they call to mind that indelibleDisgrace which has befallen them in the Mediterranean, it’s possiblethey may mingle too much Petulance and Severity in their Censures uponthose who were concerned in that unfortunate Expedition.
I am extremely sorry, my Lord, to find your Name in the Number of those towhose Misconduct that fatal Defeat is attributed. You have been marked outby the Indignation of the Publick, and maliciously charged with Principlesthe most remote from your Heart, and Designs. No Person, I can assure you,was more assiduous in vindicating your Fame, than the Author of thisAddress; and it was[Pg 3] not without the utmost Reluctance, that I eversuffered myself to entertain any Suspicion of the Wisdom or Activity ofyour Conduct: But since you have espoused the Cause of the Admiral, nowunder Condemnation, with so much Warmth and Solicitude, I fear yourSentiments are no longer a Doubt, nor your Behaviour altogether capable ofsuch an honourable Construction as your Friends could wish.
I shall therefore take that Liberty which, as one of your Constituents, Imay claim, of canvassing the Merits of that Transaction in which yourLordship had a considerable Share; and as I shall endeavour to preserve aninviolable Regard to Truth, without Partiality or Rancour, I hope you willesteem these Remonstrances as the Observations of a Friend, solicitous foryour Reputation; and not of an Enemy, exulting in your Adversity. Theseare the unanimous Sentiments of your Constituents, who[Pg 4] think themselvesso far interested in the Fate of their Representative