and Sicily, perplexed and confounded by a headstrong youth[1]; one, who has lost so many kingdoms by pride and folly; and all these powerful nations at agaze, ignorant of their destiny; not capable of forming a scheme, which they can maintain, against a prince, who has neither ships, money, nor conduct. Some of the ministers assisted and supported with absolute power, others with a parliament at their disposal, and the most inconsiderable of them with the Indies at their tail.
And what do I see in the centre, as it were, of ignorance and bigotry? The first request of a parliament to their king is to employ effectual means against the increase of priests; the idle devourers of the fat of the land. We see churches, shut up by the order of the pope, set open by dragoons, to the general content of the people. To conclude, it fell out, that one of our acquaintance[2] found himself, at a great table the only excommunicated person by his holiness; the rest of the company eating and toasting, under anathemas, with the courage of a hardened heretick.
Look upon the prose I send you. See, nevertheless, what a sneaking figure he makes at the foot of the parson. Who could expect this from him? But he thinks, resolves, and executes.
If you can guess from whence this comes, address your letter to him. A messieurs Raffnel et Fretti Sacerdottï, Genoa.
- ↑ Charles the twelfth of Sweden.
- ↑ Probably the Rev. Mr. George Berkeley, fellow of Dublin college, who went chaplain and secretary to the earl of Peterborow to Sicily, at the recommendation of Dr. Swift.
