Page:Letters of Junius, volume 1 (Woodfall, 1772).djvu/253

Rh it.—Junius had said, There are others who would assassinate. Modestus, knowing his man, will not suffer the insinuation to be divided, but fixes it all upon the Duke of Bedford.

determining upon what evidence Junius would choose to be condemned, I will venture to maintain, in opposition to Modestus, or to Mr. Rigby (who is certainly not Modestus) or any other of the Bloomsbury gang, that the evidence against the Duke of Bedford is as strong as any presumptive evidence can be. It depends upon a combination of facts and reasoning, which require no confirmation from the anecdote of the Duke of Marlborough. This anecdote was referred to merely to shew how ready a great man may be to receive a great bribe; and if Modestus could read the original, he would see that the expression, only not accepted, was probably, the only one in our language that exactly fitted the case. The bribe, offered to the Duke of Marlborough, was not refused.

conclude without taking notice of this honest gentleman's learning, and wishing