the ground, and making themselves nests under some of the main pillars of the fabric. Notwithstanding all these advantages, they were very discontented. There were a few plainspoken servants in the family, who were apt to cry out, a ral, a rat, if any of them were seen in the day-time, which gave them great offence; and they were now and then reminded of their rat-like nature by others, who showed them the marks of their teeth at the bottom of the door. It was therefore proposed among themselves, that the only way to spare their pride and imtheir character would be to persuade the prove heads of the house to take the main door off the hinges, that animals of all kinds might have free access; after which there would be no room for odious distinctions and reflections. This proposal, though started only by one or two of the forwardest, was readily approved by many others; and their discontent having attained its highest pitch just at a time when other creatures of the voracious kind were making petitions, they also agreed to make a petition. The difficulty was, how to put a good face upon the business. For as doors are affixed to houses, and porters are stationed on purpose to keep out ill-designing people, to take off the door by a deliberate act, would argue an intention of letting them in. This difficulty, however, did not stop their proceedings. They knew some would overlook it; and others, who were no friends to the family, would pay little regard to it so it was at length voted, that the following reasons for making a petition should be submitted to the consideration of the family. 1st, That they apprehend rats have an instinct proper to themselves, which no power can deprive them of; and, consequently, that they have a natural right to follow it as far as they are able, in opposition to the tyranny of man. Why else was it given? 2dly, That the door they wish to see removed is very ill made, very old fashioned, the work of an ignorant carpenter, who knew nothing of modern mechanics; and that if doors are necessary (as they are persuaded in their consciences they are not) they could make better themselves. That modest people, seeing the door shut, are shy of coming near the house-that the best friends of the family are thereby kept at a distance, and the interest of the master thereby very greatly hurt-That the nature of rats is now much better understood than formerlyThat men and rats are growing every day more and and more like one another-That there have been two or three men of very great fame, who are known to have kept the tail of a rat privately in their snuff-boxes, to smell to. That so long as the door keeps its place, they are under the necessity of eating their way through it, or of creeping through the hole made heretofore by their progenitors-That so long as they are obliged to act like vermin, they are liable to be reproached with the name of vermin by the most worthless members of the family, the proFessed adversaries of honesty and liberalityThat the hospitality of the house is every where ill-spoken of, on account of the destructive practice of keeping up the door, and setting a porter at it-That weasels, polecats, foxes, and other like useful creatures, who are now obliged to follow the disreputable practice of catching poultry in the out-houses, would be invited to become domestic animals, and tender their services to the family, according to their several persuasions. 3dly, That as the property of the family is already secured by the laws, and the penalties annexed to them, the door is superfluous; it being agreed in every well-ordered community, that it is better to punish an evil than to prevent it. That MM 3 That as there is no danger to be apprehended from any one species of animals, except cats; some of the servants of the house having been terribly scratched by them formerly, and the children bitten by a mad she-cat, who kept the whole family in fear for some time; they are ready to express their abhorrence of the teeth and claws of cats, and to give repeated assurance, as often as they shall be called upon, that they wish to see the whole generation of cats extinct. It may be objected to this application, that we ought to have waited for the concurrence of the servants who are our superiors in the house. To which we answer; that the grievance of being obliged to eat a way through the door, and subjected to the reproach of so doing, is no grievance of theirs, but peculiar to ourselves in our present unhappy condition. And we think proper to declare, that we have actually held no consultation with our friends in the out-houses; that we have not the least connection with them, and that we have no hope of assistance from any other class of discontented petitioners -That nothing has moved us to appear in this cause but a sense of duty, a love of liberty, and a strict regard to the honour of the family; in which we hope to remain with indulgence and reputation, |