1777] Essays / 
to enervate the rascals, since they will not take it of 
me; but for God’s sake don’t supply them with any 
arms! 
Holland. ’T is true you assisted me against Philip, 
my tyrant of Spain, but have I not assisted you 
against one of your tyrants *; and enabled you to 
expel him? Surely that account, as we merchants 
say, is balanced, and I am nothing in your debt. I 
have indeed some complaints against you, for en- 
deavoring to starve me by your Navigation Acts; 
but, being peaceably disposed, I do not quarrel with 
you for that. I shall only go on quietly with my 
own business. Trade is my profession; ’'tis all I 
have to subsist on. And, let me tell you, I shall 
make no scruple (on the prospect of a good market 
for that commodity) even to send my ships to Hell 
and supply the Devil with brimstone. For you 
must know, I can insure in London against the burn- 
ing of my sails. 
America to Britain. Why, you old bloodthirsty 
bully! You, who have been everywhere vaunting 
your own prowess, and defaming the Americans as 
poltroons! You, who have boasted of being able to 
march over all their bellies with a single regiment! 
You, who by fraud have possessed yourself of their 
strongest fortress, and all the arms they had stored 
up init! You, who have a disciplined army in their 
country, intrenched to the teeth, and provided with 
every thing! Do you run about begging all Europe 
not to supply those poor people with a little powder 
and shot? Do you mean, then, to fall upon them 
I James the Second. 
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