In a further number notice is again taken “of the most treacherous, base, selfish, mean, abject, low-lived, and dirty fellow, that ever wriggled himself into a secretaryship.”
In consequence of that paragraph, which Mr. Martin applied to himself, he made use of very insulting language in the House of Commons, when speaking of the North Briton, upon which Wilkes sent him the following letter;—
“Great George Street, Nov. 16, 1763.
“Sir,
“You complained yesterday before five hundred gentlemen, that you had been stabbed in the dark by the North Briton. But I believe you were not so much in the dark as you affected and chose to be. Was the complaint made before so many gentlemen on purpose that they might interpose? To cut off every pretence of this kind, as to the author, I whisper in your ear, that every passage of the North Briton in which you have been named or alluded to, was written by
“Your humble servant,
“John Wilkes.”
To this letter Mr. Martin returned the following answer:—
“Arlington Street, Nov. 16, 1763.
“Sir,