Journal of the Plague Year

continued, by a Gentleman

How can mere Humanity hope to penetrate the ſacred Veil, which ſeparates and ſhields from our worldly Apprehenſion all Knowledge of the Eternal Plan? Truly myſterious and enigmatick are the Ways of the Almighty, who hath beſtowed His moſt holy Permiſsion upon the heathen Woo Han Peſtilence to afflict none other than the Governor of our American Colonies, deſpite his Dedication to Liberty from the Tyranny of Maſques, and deſpite the noble and courageous Actions of that eſtimable manly Man in enforcing the Divine Puniſhment upon the ſexual Perverts, uppity Niggers and Baby-murdering Whores which infeſt that great and vacant Country. Yet to preſume an Inſight into the Will of our Creator were a moſt ſinful and blaſphemous Vanity, deſerving of ſevereſt Cenſure and conſiderable Penitence. Therefore it appeareth we muſt aſsume ſome private ſecret Sin which hath found the great Stateſman out through the All-ſeeing Empyrean Optick, although none but the moſt malicious and depraved Purveyors of Falſehood and Billingſgate will give Credence to the perſiſtent Rumour that he once payed Tax to the Sum of ſeven hundred and fifty Thalers, againſt all civiliſed Conceptions of fiſcal Reſponſibility.