York has witnessed their shameful defeat as well as Philadelphia. At last, smarting all over with the lashes I had given them, and fearing a continuation, they have had recourse to the poor sneaking trick of a threatening letter. A trick of robbers, who have not courage enough to venture their necks. I have often been congratulated on my triumph over this once towering, but fallen and despicable faction, and I now possess undeniable proof that the triumph is complete.

It is in vain that the cut-throat would persuade us, that the democrats do not think my "mise

rable productions worthy of notice;" the very scrawl of this their stupid secretary proves that they have dreaded them, and that they yet dread them. If they despised my "miserable produc"tions," why not laugh at them, as I do at theirs? Why not suffer them to rot on the shelf, like the Political Progress, of Britain, or be kicked about the street like the Aurora? Threatening Mr. Oldden with the destruction of his house, unless he could prevail on me to cease publishing, is curious enough in itself; but it is much more curious, when accompanied with the observation, that my publications are miserable and unworthy of notice.

Of all the stupid inventions that ever entered the brains of this bungling clan, the cut-throat let-.. ter to Mr. Oldden is the most ridiculous. Had they studied for years, they could not have found out any thing that would have pleased me so well.

No man, either in a private or public capacity, ever called on me twice for payment of the same sum. The taxes for the property I now rent I have paid up to January next. I owe nobody, neither the State nor the people of the State, a farthing: let the members of the ci-devant democratic society say as much if they can.

It will for ever silence their clamours about the liberty of the press; it will prove to the people, most fully, the truth of what I have always told them; that is, that these "pretended patriots," these advocates for liberty and equality, would, if they had become masters, have been a divan of cruel and savage tyrants. That they know nothing of liberty but the name, and that they make use of that name merely to have the power of abolishing the thing. It will prove to all the world, that they have long dreaded me, that they still dread me, and that I despise them.

I shall conclude with this unequivocal declaration; that, as to the past, I would not retract a sentence, nor a single expression of what I have written, if the most bloody of the most bloody democrats had his foot upon my breast, and his long knife at my throat; and that, for the future, I will continue to publish and expose for sale whatever I please, and that I will never cease to oppose, in some way or other, the enemies of the country in which I live, so long as one of them shall have the impudence to shew his head. Hitherto I have given acids only, I will now drench them with vinegar mixed with gall.

FROM THE FREE PRESS
OF WILLIAM COBBETT,
JULY 22, 1796,

END OF THE SCARE-CROW,

C 3

THE

LIFE AND ADVENTURES

OF

PETER PORCUPINE,

WITH

A FULL AND FAIR ACCOUNT

OF

ALL HIS AUTHORING TRANSACTIONS;

BEING

SURE AND INFALLIBLE GUIDE FOR ALL ENTERPRISING YOUNG MEN WHO

WISH TO MAKE A FORTUNE

BY

WRITING PAMPHLETS.

"Now, you lying varlets, you shall see how a plain tale will put you

❝ down."

C 4

SHAKESPEARE.