Blunt. I can’t say who was to be indulged by the War, but sure I am the Weight of it is grievously felt all over the Body politic.——Mr. Broadbottom, you have been lately at Court, pray what do they think there of the War? Are we like to get out of it with Honour? in short, are we like to get out of it at all?
Over. Out of it at all!——The D——l, you would not have us serve an Apprenticeship to the War, as we do to our P——ts?
Sir John. If it be no better manag’d than it has been hitherto, I don’t see why this War might not last much longer than seven Years.
Over. I’ll tell you why it can’t, because we shan’t be able to maintain it so long. By mortgaging the Sinking Fund we may hold out three or four Years pretty tolerably; but after that, souse we go to Mint or State-bills at 50 per Cent. Discount, as in France in old Lewis XIV. his Days.
Rose. Gentlemen, however, will consider, that we can’t get out of the War as easily as out of an Assembly Room in the Times of our Horse Races.
Sir John. I am sure it would be towering Madness to continue it on the same Footing it has been carried on hitherto. The Dutch should come in for a full equal Proportion of the Expence, or I would not have a Red-coat left in Flanders.
Blunt. Let the Cheesemongers look to their Barrier and be d——n’d, if they don’t come down Guinea for Guinea, and Shilling for Shilling with us towards preserving it.
Over. Blunt, if you would curse the Dutch effectually, you must wish them undamm’d.
Blunt. Damn’d or undamm’d let ’em be, before Old England wades out of her Depths to hold them up by the Chin.
Broad. Let us hope for the best. They may hear Reason, they may see their Interest when painted by so masterly a Hand as is now intrusted with the Pencil.