being utterly inconfiftent with his Wisdom and « Goodness to give us Appetites and Defires, for no "other End but that we fhould check and restrain "them." Now let us put the Cafe, that a Man has no Wife of his own, and can find no agreeable Female that he could like to make his Companion for Life, or fuppofe him to be already yoked to a four, difagreeable, ill-nature Creature, that has extinguished the very Sparks of conjugal Affection; and that he sees his Friend or his Neighbour happy in the Enjoyment of a beautiful, tender, fenfible, good-natured Spouse, is it not natural for fuch a Perfon to wifh at least that he could make an Exchange, or share in the Happiness of his Neighbour? Is it not natural for him to wish himself in his Neighbour's Condition? Is any thing more common, or more natural than to hear People wishing they had such a charming Woman, fuch a fine House, fuch a pretty Estate, such a beautiful Horfe, or Set of Horfes, Plate, or China, fo that nobody were the worfe for it. This is a righteous faving Claufe, and takes away all the Iniquity and Injuftice that can be supposed in the Act of coveting or defiring any kind or manner of Thing, that is the Poffeffion or Property of another. No manner of Question can be made, that, if I like any other Man's Eftate, Houfe, Goods, or Chattels, and he confent to part with them for a valuable Confideration; it is confiftent with the most rigid Notions of commutative Juftice, that I have a legal Interest, Right, and Title to the faid Eftate, House, Goods, and Chattels, fo conveyed to me by their true and lawful Owner. But in the Cafe of a Wife, the Right is ftill clearer, and

*Principles of Deifm fet in a true Light, p. 44.

the

you

the Title more unexceptionable; for if any one Man take it in his Head to covet or be in love with another Man's Wife, and the Hufband of the faid Wife think it reasonable, for certain valuable Confidera-tions, to transfer the Ufe at leaft, if not the Property, of his faid Wife, to the Perfon fo bargaining, covenanting, and purchasing the fame; and if the faid Wife be confidered as a Party willing and confenting to the faid Deed of Bargain, Sale, Loan, Gift, or Exchange, you have then clearly three Parties to the Deed; whereas, in the other Cafes above-mentioned, could have but two. Upon these Confiderations, Be it therefore enacted, That from and after the Day of next enfuing, no Perfon or Perfons, of what Rank, Quality, or Degree foever, fhall presume to attempt, by Fraud or Violence, to take, hold, or enjoy any Man's Wife, Houfe, Servants, Cattle, or any manner or kind of Property whatsoever, unless by mutual Contract, Agreement, Bargain, or Sale, the Ufe or Properry of the faid valuable Goods, Chattels, Eftates, or Commodities be fairly transferred from the one to the other; and that upon fuch Contract, fairly and legally made and executed, a Man fhall be deemed to have the fame Right and Title to the Use, Occupation, Enjoyment, or Poffeffion of the faid valuable Goods, Eftates, and Commodities as the former Owner or Poffeffor was ever conceived to have, or could poffibly convey to another.

And for the better and more effectual Publication and Obfervance of the feveral Articles and Matters enjoined and commanded by this Act, it is hereby further provided and enacted, That from and after the Day of next enfuing, This A&t. fhall

fhall be confidered and regarded as a legal and parliamentary Expofition of the faid Ten Commandments; and that all Parfons, Vicars, and Curates, in their Expofition of the Church Catechifm, commonly fo called, do, on every fuch Occafion, make the aforefaid Declaration with a diftinct and audible Voice, repeating the fame three several times. And forasmuch as People of Rank and Figure, who, by the Indulgence of this Act, are excufed from attending the Service of the Church, may poffibly, through Forgetfulnefs, or Prejudices of Education, relapfe into the old Superftition, it is further provided, that it be an Inftruction to the feveral Clerks of the Peace in every County in Great-Britain, that this Act be read by the Cryer of the Court at every Quarter-Seffions, that all Gentlemen there prefent may be duly apprised of the many Privileges and Exemptions to which they are intitled by the Benefit of this Act.

And, for the further Security and Enforcement of the feveral Articles and Matters contained in this Act, it is further provided and enjoined, That from and after the Day and Month above-faid, no Printer, Publisher, Bookfeller, Pamphletfeller, Hawker, or Pedlar, or any other Perfon or Perfons whatsoever, fhall prefume to print, publifh, vend, fell, or fet to fale any Edition of the faid Ten Commandments, in any Volume, Form, Shape, or Manner whatfoever, without hav ing this Act printed, and bound up together with them, under the Penalty of five Pounds for every fuch Offence.

You fee, by this rough Draught, the Nature and Defign of this Propofal, in which, if our Representatives fhall difcover nothing, but what is highly rea

fonable

fonable and expedient for the Welfare of the Public, I cannot but hope for their favourable Attention; and I cannot doubt but that there will be found proper Perfons enough, who shall be both willing and able to prepare and bring in the faid Bill.

I am, SIR,

Your faithful humble Servant.

THE