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The final issue of the Englishman, No. 57 for February 15, ran to some length and was printed as a separate pamphlet, entitled The Englishman: Being the Close of the Paper So-called.

Steele's purpose is to present a general defense of his political writing and a resume of the themes which had occupied him in the Englishman ; ;

but there is much here also which bears directly on his personal quarrel with Swift.

Thus he complains, with considerable justice, that the Tory writers have resorted to libel instead of answering his arguments.

His birth, education, and fortune, he says, have all been ridiculed simply because he has spoken with the freedom of an Englishman, and he assures the reader that `` whoever talks with me, is speaking to a Gentleman born ''.

As notable examples of this abuse, he quotes passages from the Examiner, `` that Destroyer of all things '', and The Character of Richard Steele, which he here attributes to Swift.

Though put in rather maudlin terms, Steele's defense of himself has a reasonable basis.

His point is simply that the Tories have showered him with personal satire, despite the fact that as a private subject he has a right to speak on political matters without affronting the prerogative of the Sovereign.

He claims, too, that his political convictions are simply those which are called `` Revolution Principles '' and which are accepted by moderate men in both parties.