The causes of the discontents in relation to the plague, and the provisions against it, fairly stated and consider'd / [Anon].

  • Gibson, Edmund, 1669-1748.
Date:
1721
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The causes of the discontents in relation to the plague, and the provisions against it, fairly stated and consider'd / [Anon]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    State of the greateft Safety;) that makes us fo eafily milled in thefe Cafes of Extre¬ mity; and to inveigh again ft our Superi¬ ors (what Courfe foeverthey take for our Safety) as bringing Hardfhips and Perfecu- tions upon us; and, which is very natural, to dwell moft upon the Inconveniencies of the Scheme that is moft thought of and moft likely to be executed, and to think any other more eafy or tolerable. Thefe are the natural Produ&s of hu¬ man Frailty and Paffion, when they get the better of Reafon (as in fuch unufual Fvents, and dreadful Profpedls, they are very apt to do ;) and therefore thefe are Reproaches which the publick Legillature and Adminiftration in every Country mud expedl of courfe, be their Deliberations and Refolutions for the publick Safety, e- verfo wife and lincere; becaufe fomeone regular Expedient muft be finally pitch’d on, and whatever is pitch’d on, is fure to work mod terribly upon the Minds of the People. But it is not to be conceiv’d or imagin’d, that the Paflionsof Men could be blown up and fomented to fuch a Degree as we have feenof late, without a great Mixture of UneaimefTes of other kinds, preparing them to receive ill Impreffions; and with¬ out the Help of difaffe&ed or deiigning Men, who have taken the Advantage of thofe Uneadneffes, fome to run us into publick Confulion, and others to work their own private Revenge, bydifgracing Men whom they did not like. Particu¬ larly, without great Help from Mifrepre- fentations of Fa As, and Mifcondru&ions of the Dejigns, as well as AAions, of our Superiors, it feems impoffible that Man¬ kind fhould be fo far blinded, as to de¬ clare it bed to have thought of no Pro- viflon at all, and (1 may add) to reckon the Provision that has been thought of, more terrible than the Plague it felf; which yet has been our Cafe, and 1 doubt in fome meafure is fo dill. My Dedgn in this Paper, isnotdire&Iy to enter into the Merits of the Caufe by a nice Enquiry into the and Operation of thefeveralExpedients for pre¬ venting the Plague; for, God knows, *- very Expedient, when in our Thoughts we carry it. into Execution, is fo full of Terror, that it is enough to chill one’s Blood to think of chufing any of them if there were not a Neceflity of chu/ing forne one; But what I aim at, is to quiet the Minds of well meaning People, who have been mided by the Art and Knavery of others; and to let them fee, how they have been impos’d upon and blown up to this uncommon Degree of Difcontent and Uneafinefs, I. By grofs Lies, and Mifreprefentations of Facts. II. By unjud and uncharitable Suggedi- ons concerning the Designs of Per- fons. III. By very falfeand unjud Reasonings upon the Things themfelves. Audi doubt not in the lead, but I fhall attain my end, and free every impartial Mind trom all Terrors (except fuch as necef- farily and unavoidably attend fo dreadful a Vidtation, as the Plague is,) if they, on their part, will be fo fair, as not to mix with this Head, their Difcontents upon any other (which, how grievous foever in themfelves, have not the lead relation to this;) and, clearing their Minds from all foreign Prejudices, will prepare them to form a jud and impartial Judgment upon this one Point. I. As to the fird Head (the Lies and Mifreprefentaions, which have been fpread concerning this Matter ;) becaufe I will be very fure, while I am accudng others of Mifreprefentation, to dand clear of the fame Charge myself; I will give my Reader the three Claudes which have oc- calion’d fo much Clamour, word for word, as they dand in the A& lalety re¬ pealed.