ferved, that he was not fond of jokes, and proceeded to read the letter. It expressed an earnest wish that his late master would condefcend to pay him one vifit in his dark and doleful abode; as he wished to fay a few words to him, before the dreadful fentence of the law, which had already been pronounced, fhould be executed.

"Let us go and fee the poor fellow," faid Trueman; "it is but a morning's "ride. If he is really fo near his end it "would be cruel to refuse him."-" Not "I truly;" faid Fantom; "he deferves "nothing at my hands but the halter he is "likely to meet with.-Such port is not

to be had for money! and the fpoons,

part of my new dozen!"-" As to the "wine," faid Trueman, "I am afraid you must give that up, but the only

way to get any tidings of the fpoons is to go and hear what he has to fay; "I have no doubt but he will make fuch

a confeffion as may be very useful to "others,

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"others, which, you know, is one grand 66 advantage of punishments; and, befides, "we may afford him fome little comfort."

"As to comfort, he deferves none from "me," faid Fantom; "and as to his "confeffions, they can be of no use to me, "but as they give me a chance of getting my fpoons; fo I do not much care if I “do take a ride with you."

66

When they came to the prifon Mr. Trueman's tender heart funk within him. He deplored the corrupt nature of man, which makes fuch rigorous confinement indifpenfably needful, not merely for the punishment of the offender, but for the fafety of fociety. Fantom, from mere trick and habit, was juft preparing a speech on general benevolence, and the cruelty of imprisonment: for he had a fet of fentiments collected from the new philofophy which he always kept by him. The naming a man in power brought out the ready cut and dried phrases against oppreffion. The idea of rank included every vice,

5

vice, that of poverty every virtue; and he was furnished with all the invectives against the cruelty of laws, punishments, and prifons, which the new lexicon has produced. But his mechanical benevolence was fuddenly checked; the recol lection of his old port and his new spoons cooled his ardour, and he went on without faying a word.

When they reached the cell where the unhappy William was confined, they stopped at the door. The poor wretch had thrown himself on the ground, as well as his chains would permit. He groaned piteoufly; and was fo fwallowed up with a fenfe of his own miseries, that he neither heard the door open, nor faw the gentlemen. He was attempting to pray, but in an agony which made his words hardly intelligible. Thus much they could make out-" God be merciful "to me a finner, the chief of finners!" then, fuddenly attempting to start up, but prevented by his irons, he roared out, "O God!

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66 me,

"O God! thou canst not be merciful to for I have denied thee; I have ridi"culed my Saviour who died for me; I "have broken his laws; I have derided "his word; I have refifted his fpirit; I "have laughed at that heaven which is "fhut against me; I have denied the truth "of those torments which await me. To"morrow! to-morrow! O for a longer space for repentance! O for a fhort re"prieve from hell!"

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Mr. Trueman wept fo loud that it drew the attention of the criminal, who now lifted up his eyes, and caft on his late mafter a look fo dreadful, that Fantom wifhed for a moment that he had given up all hope of the spoons, rather than have expofed himself to fuch a scene. At length the poor wretch faid, in a voice that would have melted a heart of stone? “O, Sir, "are you there? I did indeed wish to "fee you before my dreadful fentence is

put in execution. Oh, Sir! to-morrow! "to-morrow!-But I have a confeffion to "make

13

"make to you." This revived Mr. Fantom, who again ventured to glance a hope at the spoons. "Sir," faid William,' "I could not die without making my con"feffion."-" Aye, and reftitution too, I "hope," replied Fantom. "where are "my spoons ?"—"Sir, they are gone with "the rest of my wretched booty. "oh, Sir! those spoons make so petty an "article in my black account, that I hardly "think of them. Murder! Sir, murder is "the crime for which I am justly doomed "to die. Oh, Sir! who can abide the

But

anger of an offended God? Who can "dwell with everlasting burnings?" As this was a question which even a philofopher could not answer, Mr. Fantom was going to steal off, especially as he now gave up all hope of the spoons; but William called him back: "Stay, Sir, ftay, "I conjure you, as you will anfwer it at "the bar of God. You must hear the "fins of which you have been the occa"fion. You are the cause of my being.