12[?] May 1807

Letter V

 Omitt [?] Ellenborough

Conclusion

These were imperial rulers, and worthy Kings -

understand always such as King Belzebub, and King Moloch.

During a wearisome period of their existence, to beguile the time[?] of Satan and his fellows, if Milton were to be believed amused themselves with mooting points about free-will and predestination. My Lord, with respect be it spoken, Milton was but a poet, inspired but no otherwise than as poets are, and poets are not accurate. By disputes with one another, about invariable sequences and so forth, little grist would have been brought into the mill of Pandaemonium. They would have lost their temper; and they would have got nothing in the room of it. With submission my Lord, Satan and his fellows were no such simpletons: their time was disposed of to much better advantage. It was employed

1. In divisions, pretences for excluding parties from the presence of the Judge -

In planning Castles of Chicane in which stage should be heaped upon stage, like {Pelior upon Ossa, or} story upon story in the Tower of Babel:- in a word, in sketching out plans for Exchequer Chambers, and sham Courts of King's Bench, and Chambers of Review.

One humble advice more, my Lord, at parting. When again your Lordships learned Adviser attends Your Lorship, bringing in his hand the Plan of his Chamber of Review, look sharply at his foot, my Lord; make him pull off his stockings.