Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 10.djvu/279

 9 th 8. X. OCT. 4, 1902.]

NOTES AND QUERIES.

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countries to admit a more reasonable spirit into their tariffs. A curious instance occurred with reference to Holland, in 1826. M. Falck, the Dutch Minister, having made a one-sided proposition for the admission of English ships, by which a con- siderable advantage would have accrued to Holland, a long and tedious negotiation ensued. It was dragged on, month after month, without arriving one step nearer to a consummation, the Dutch still holding out for their own interests. At last Mr. Canning's patience was exhausted. Sir Charles Bagot, our Ambassador at the Hague, was one day attending at Court, when a despatch in cypher was hastily put into his hand. It was very short, and evidently very urgent ; but unfortunately Sir Charles, not expecting such a communication, had not the key of the cypher with him. An interval of intense anxiety followed, until he obtained the key ; when to his infinite astonishment he de- cyphered the following despatch from the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs : In matters of commerce, the fault of the Dutch Is giving too little and asking too much ; With equal advantage the French are content, So we '11 clap on Dutch bottoms a twenty per cent. Twenty per cent. Twenty per cent. - Nous frapperons Falck with twenty per cent.

GEORGE CANNING.

The minister kept his word. While this singular despatch was on its way to the Hague, an order in Council was issued to put into effect the intention it announced."

It is curious that neither Bulwer nor Bell

fot hold of the exact words of the dispatch, would urge all persons interested in the matter to read all the notes referred to by the Editor, containing the whole correspond- ence between Canning and Bagot, con- taining also some other versions in addition to those I have given, as they are really most amusing reading. Mistake after mistake appears to have been made, and some of them are grotesque. As 'N. & Q.' of 1868 may not be accessible to many, I may add that a set of ' N. & Q.' from 1849 to 1901 is kept at the British Museum quite handy for reference. The arrangements there, as well as the courtesy of the officials, are beyond all praise.

HARRY B. POLAND. Inner Temple.

"THE RELIGION OF ALL SENSIBLE MEN"

(9 th S. x. 209). The true origin of the storv of " The religion of all sensible men" (which the editor of Truth refers to Disraeli) is given us by John Toland (1720), who, as F. A. Lange rightly remarks in his ' History of Materialism,' was perhaps the first to con- ceive the notion of basing a new religious cultus upon a purely naturalistic, if not materialistic, doctrine. In his treatise 'Clido- phorus' that is, the "key-bearer" he refers to the practice of the ancient philosophers to set forth an exoteric and an esoteric teaching,

of which the former was intended for the general public, but the latter only for the circle of initiated disciples. Referring to this, he interjects, in the thirteenth chapter of the treatise, the following remarks :

" I have more than once hinted that the External and Internal Doctrine, are as much now in use as ever ; tho' the distinction is not so openly and pro- fessedly approved as among the Antients. This puts me in mind of what I was told by a near relation to the old. Lord Shaftesbury. The latter, conferring one day with Major Wildman about the many sects of Religion in the world, they came to this conclusion at last : that notwithstanding those infinite divisions caused by the interest of the priests and the ignorance of the people, All wise men are of the same religion; whereupon a Lady in the room, who seemed to mind her needle more than their discourse, demanded with some concern what that Religion was? To whom the Lord Shaftesbury strait reply'd, ' Madam, wise men never tell.' '

There can be little doubt that the story ascribed in Truth to Disraeli was borrowed from the above source, which undoubtedly is the correct origin pf this and similar adapta- tions. W. E. COGKSHOTT.

The sentiment, referred to .by POLITICIAN was put by Disraeli into the mouth of his Waldershare in ' Endymion.' But it was not original. Its true source if the true source of anything can ever be confidently pro- nounced is to be found in Burnet's ' History of my Own Times,' in a note by Speaker Onslow on the character of Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper, afterwards first Lord Shaftes- bury, which runs to the following effect : A person came to pay him a visit one day whilst he was sitting with a lady of his family, who thereupon retired with her work to another part or the room, and seemed inattentive to the conversation between the earl and his visitor. This shortly turned into some dis- cussion upon subjects of religion. After a good deal of that sort of talk, the earl said at last : " People differ in their discourse and profession about these matters, but men of sense are really but of one religion." There- upon the lady, coming forward, said : " Pray, my lord, what religion is that in which all men of sense are agreed ? " " Madam," says the earl, " men of sense never tell it."

PATRICK MAXWELL.

Bath.

Lord Shaftesbury's words, according to Wood's 'Diet, of Quotations,' were: "All wise men are of the same religion, and keep it to themselves." And Emerson wrote: "I see that sensible men and conscientious men all over the world are of the one religion of well-doing and daring." J. DORMER.