 degree, that the duty upon stamps and advertisements has
made a very considerable addition to the revenue.« Certain it is, a gentleman's
honour is a very delicate subject to be handled by a jury, composed of men, who
cannot be supposed remarkable either for sentiment or impartiality - In such a
case, indeed, the defendant is tried, not only by his peers, but also by his
party; and I really think, that of all patriots, he is the most resolute who
exposes himself to such detraction, for the sake of his country - If, from the
ignorance or partiality of juries, a gentleman can have no redress from law, for
being defamed in a pamphlet or newspaper, I know but one other method of
proceeding against the publisher, which is attended with some risque, but has
been practised successfully, more than once, in my remembrance - - A regiment of
horse was represented, in one of the news-papers, as having misbehaved at
Dettingen; a captain of that regiment broke the publisher's bones, telling him,
at the same time, if he went to law, he should certainly have the like
salutation from every officer of the corps. Governor -- took the same
satisfaction on the ribs of an author, who traduced him by name in a periodical
paper - I know a low fellow of the same class, who, being turned out of Venice
for his impudence and scurrility, retired to Lugano, a town of the Grisons, (a
free people, God wot) where he found a printing press, from whence he squirted
his filth at some respectable characters in the republic, which he had been
obliged to abandon. Some of these, finding him out of the reach of legal
chastisement, employed certain useful instruments, such as may be found in all
countries, to give him the bastinado; which, being repeated more than once,
effectually stopt the current of his abuse.
    As for the liberty of the press, like every other privilege, it must be
restrained within certain bounds; for if it is carried to a breach of law,
religion, and charity, it becomes one of the greatest evils that ever annoyed
the community. If the lowest ruffian may stab your good-name with impunity in
England, will you be so uncandid as to exclaim against Italy for the practice of
common assassination? To what purpose is our property secured, if our moral
character is left defenceless? People thus baited, grow desperate; and the
despair of being able to preserve one's character, untainted by such vermin,
produces
