of the towns, the Coloniſts will retire into the inland regions, and the gain of victory will be only empty houſes and a wide extent of waſte and deſolation. If we ſubdue them for the preſent, they will univerſally revolt in the next war, and reſign us without pity to ſubjection and deſtruction.
To all this it may be anſwered, that between loſing America and reſigning it, there is no great difference; that it is not very reaſonable to jump into the ſea, becauſe the ſhip is leaky. All thoſe evils may befal us, but we need not haſten them.
The Dean of Glouceſter has propoſed, and ſeems to propoſe it ſeriouſly, that we ſhould at once releaſe our claims, declare them maſters of themſelves, and whittle them down the wind. His opinion is, that our gain from them will be the ſame, and our expence leſs. What they can have
