Canary-Birds Naturaliz'd in Utopia. A Canto. Dulce est paternum solum
by ANONYMOUS.
London: Printed and Sold by the Booksellers of London and Westminster. Price 2 Pence, . . 8vo, disbound, showing evidence of previous pamphlet binding. One of several 1709 printings. This is ESTC 19866 and Foxon C19. No Priority established.This was also issued as part of: ÕA collection of the best English poetry, by several handsÕ, London, 1717.The poem objects to the passing of the Foreign Protestants Naturalization Act 1708 (7 Ann c 5), sometimes referred to as the Foreign and Protestants Naturalization Act 1708. It was an Act of the British Parliament and was passed to allow the naturalisation of French Protestants (Huguenots) who had fled to Britain after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. It was one of the British Subjects Acts passed in the years 1708 to 1772.The Whig majority in Parliament passed the Act with the support of both Houses of Parliament despite some opposition that a "conflux of aliens that would be invited over". The counter-argument is presented in the preamble of the bill "that the increase of people is a means of advancing the wealth and strength of a nation." (Inventory #: 2483)