JU'NIUS, LETTERS oF. A fatuous series of seventy letters signed 'Junius.' which appeared in a, London newspaper. the Pubhe Advertiser, between January 21, 1769. and January 21. 1772.. The signature 'Junius' had appeared for the first time on November 21, 1768, when Grafton and Camden were assailed for their behavior toward \\ ihkes. Revised by the author. the Letters were reprinted March 3. 1772, by Henry S. Woodfall. editor and printer of the Adrer /ism In 1812 appeared a new edition. contain ing 113 additional letters variously signed, which were attributed to the author of Junius. The first letter in the first collected edition, which treats of the "State of the Nation." strikes the key-note of the subsequent correspondence. In it the author singles out several leading mem bers of the :Ministry, and boldly denounces their inefficiency. No sooner did the first letter ap pear than the Court party took the alarm. An invisible and dreaded censor was evidently mov ing among them—one who scented cognizant of all the proceedings of both Houses. who not only knew intimately the public career of Ministers, but was fully informed regarding the follies and the crimes of their private character. Sir XV. Draper, who enti•red into controversy with this unknown adversary, was in the end overmastered. The Duke of Bedford. Lord Mansfield. and. chief of all, the Duke of Orafton. writhed beneath his lash. The greatest sensation was created by the "Address to the King" (Deeemlwr 19, 1769), in which King (.coring was reminded of the fate of Charles I. Woodfall, as printer and publisher, was prosecuted. hut acquitted On a technicality. The style of these though somewhat stiff and formal. is remarkable for closeness of argu ment, felicity of illustration and illusion, and brilliant epigram. Whoever Junius was, lie had made too many enemies to be safe in acknowledg ing himself. The letters were ascribed in turn to Burke, Lord Shelburne, Colonel Barre, Lord George Sackville, Wilkes, Horne Tooke, Lord Lyt tleton, and several others; but the genera] opinion now is that Sir Philip Francis (q.v.) was the
author. The handwriting of Junius seems to he the handwriting of Francis slightly disguised, though experts are not in full agreement on this point. Junius, as is evident from his letters, knew the forms of the Secretary of State's office, was intimately acquainted with the business of the War Office, attended the House of Commons in 1770. and took notes of speeches. especially of those of the Earl of Chatham; denounced the promotion of Anthony Chamier in the War Office as unjust to Me. Francis, and was bound by some strong tie to the first Lord Holland. All these circumstances in the position of Junius correspond with the history of Francis. This and similar evidence, however, is wholly circumstan tial. That Francis wrote the Letters of Junius has never been proved beyond a reasonable doubt. Consult the Letters. edited by Wade. Bolm's Library (London. 1854) : Chabot and Twisleton, The Handwriting of Junius (ib., 1S70) ; Francis, Junius Revealed (ib., 1894).
JUNK (Ilialay along, jong, Chin. eltir'an, chu'en, tsWan, Cantonese jonk, ship). A Chi nese vessel, often of several hundred tons. The old type junks have but one large mast with or without one or more smaller ones. Many mod ern junks (and perhaps some old ones were also so fitted) have two masts of about equal size. The hull appears ungainly, the stern being high and the bow low, and the lines rather full above water; but the under-water body is often found to be very finely modeled, and the woodwork of the hull strongly and beautifully put together. The sails are made of coarse cloth or matting and bent to a yard. which is hoisted to the top of the mast: their height would render it difficult to make them set fiat with ropes only, so that they are stiffened by small bamboo poles placed in a nearly horizontal direction. Most large junks are good sea boats, riding out severe typhoons in safety.