Mr. Flamborough's evidence, and I will send my son to him for that purpose the first opportunity; nor do I in the least doubt but he will comply with my request; and as to my own evidence, you need be under no uneasiness about that." "Well, sir," cried he, "all the return I can make shall be yours. You shall have more than half my bed-clothes to-night, and I'll take care to stand your friend in the prison, where I think I have some influence." I thanked him, and could not avoid beng surprised at the present youthful change in his aspect; for at the time I had seen him before, he appeared at least sixty. *Sir," answered he, "you are little acquainted with the world; I had, at that tre, false hair, and have learnt the art of counterfeiting every age from seventeen to seventy. Ah, sir! had I but bestowed had the pains in learning a trade that I have in learning to be a scoundrel, I might Lave been a rich man at this day. But, rage as I am, still I may be your friend, and that, perhaps, when you least expect L We were now prevented from further conversation by the arrival of the gaoler's servants, who came to call over the prisoners' names, and lock up for the night. A fellow also, with a bundle of straw for my bed, attended, who led me along a dark narrow passage, into a room paved like prison, and in one corner of this I spread my bed, and the clothes given me by my fellow-prisoner; which done, my conductor, who was civil enough, bade e a good night. After my usual meditaons, and having praised my Heavenly Corrector, I laid myself down, and slept with the utmost tranquillity till morning. the common CHAPTER XXVI. A Reformation in the Gaol: to make laws compite, they should reward as well as punish. THE next morning early, I was awakened by my family, whom I found in tears at my bedside. The gloomy strength of every thing about us, it seems, had daunted them. I gently rebuked their sorrow, assuring them I had never slept with greater tranquillity; and next inquired after my eldest daughter, who was not among them. They informed me that yesterday's uneasiness and fatigue had increased her fever, and it was judged proper to leave her behind. My next care was to send my son to procure a room or two to lodge the family in, as near the prison as conveniently could be found. He obeyed; but could only find one apartment, which was hired at a small expense for his mother and sisters, the gaoler, with humanity, consenting to let him and his two little brothers lie in the prison with me. A bed was therefore prepared for them in a corner of the room, which I thought answered very conveniently. I was willing, however, previously to know whether my little children chose to lie in a place which seemed to fright them upon entrance. 66 Well," cried I, "my good boys, how do you like your bed?" hope you are not afraid to lie in this room, dark as it appears?" No, papa," says Dick, "I am not afraid to lie anywhere, where you are.' "And I," says Bill, who was yet but four years old, "love every place best that my papa is in." After this I allotted to each of the family what they were to do. My daughter was particularly directed to watch her declining sister's health; my wife was to attend me; my little boys were to read to me: "And as for you, my son," continued I, “it is by the labour of your hands we must all hope to be supported. Your wages as a day-labourer will be fully sufficient, with proper frugality, to maintain us all, and comfortably too. Thou art now sixteen years old, and hast strength; and it was given thee, my son, for very useful purposes; for it must save from famine your helpless parents and family. Prepare then, this evening, to look out for work against to-morrow, and bring home every night what money you earn for our support.' Having thus instructed him, and settled the rest, I walked down to the common prison, where I could enjoy more air and room. But I was not long there when the execrations, lewdness, and brutality that invaded me on every side, drove me back to my apartment again. Here I sat for some time pondering upon the strange infatuation of wretches, who, finding l mankind in open arms against them, were labouring to make themselves a future and a tremendous enemy. Their insensibility excited my highest compassion, and blotted my own uneasiness from my mind. It even appeared a duty incumbent upon me to attempt to reclaim them. I resolved, therefore, once more to return, and, in spite of their contempt, to give them my advice, and conquer them by my perseverance. Going, therefore, among them again, I informed Mr. Jenkinson of my design, at which he laughed heartily, but communicated it to the rest. The proposal was received with the greatest good humour, as it promised to afford a new fund of entertainment to persons who had now no other resource for mirth but what could be derived from ridicule or debauchery. I therefore read them a portion of the service with a loud, unaffected voice, and found my audience perfectly merry upon the occasion. Lewd whispers, groans of contrition burlesqued, winking and coughing, alternately excited laughter. How ever, I continued with my natural solemnity to read on, sensible that what I did might mend some, but could itself receive no contamination from any. After reading, I entered upon my exhortation, which was rather calculated at first to amuse them than to reprove. I previously observed, that no other motive but their welfare could induce me to this; that I was their fellow-prisoner, and now got nothing by preaching. I was sorry, I said, to hear them so very profane; because they got nothing by it, but might lose a great deal: "For be assured, my friends," cried I,—“ for you are my friends, however the world may disclaim your friendship, though you swore twelve thousand oaths in a day, it would not put one penny in your purse. Then what signifies calling every moment upon the devil, and courting his friendship, since you find how scurvily he uses you? He has given you nothing here, you find, but a mouthful of oaths and an empty belly; and, by the best accounts I have of him, he will give you nothing that's good hereafter. "If used ill in our dealings with one man, we naturally go elsewhere. Were it not worth your while, then, just to try how you may like the usage of another master, who gives you fair promises at least to come to him? Surely, my friends, of all stupidity in the world, his must be the greatest, who, after robbing a house, rura to the thief-takers for protection. And yet, how are you more wise? You are all seeking comfort from one that has already betrayed you, applying to a more malicious being than any thief-taker of them all; for they only decoy and then hang you; but he decoys and hangs, and, what is worst of all, will not let you loose after the hangman has done." When I had concluded, I received the compliments of my audience, some of whom came and shook me by the hand, swearing that I was a very honest fellow, and that they desired my further acquaintance. I therefore promised to repeat my lecture next day, and actually conceived some hopes of making a reformation here; for it had ever been my opinion, that no man was past the hour of amendment, every heart lying open to the shafts of reproof, if the archer could but take a proper aim. When I had thus satisfied my mind, I went back to my apartment, where my wife prepared a frugal meal, while Mr. Jenkinson begged leave to add his dinner to ours, and partake of the pleasure, as he was kind enough to express it, of my conversation. He had not yet seen my family; for as they came to my apartment by a door in the narrow passage already described, by this means they avoided the common prison. Jenkinson at the first interview, therefore, seemed not a little struck with the beauty of my youngest daughter, which her pensive air contri buted to heighten; and my little ones did not pass unnoticed. "Alas, Doctor," cried he, "these children are too handsome and too good for such a place as this!" 66 Why, Mr. Jenkinson," replied I, "thank Heaven, my children are pretty tolerable in morals; and if they be good, it matters little for the rest." "I fancy, sir," returned my fellowprisoner, "that it must give you great comfort to have all this little family about you." 'A comfort, Mr. Jenkinson!" replied ; "yes, it is indeed a comfort, and I ould not be without them for all the orld; for they can make a dungeon seem palace. There is but one way in this e of wounding my happiness, and that by jaring them." "I am afraid then, sir," cried he, "that an in some measure culpable; for I ink I see here (looking at my son Loses one that I have injured, and by hom I wish to be forgiven.' My son immediately recollected his Oite and features, though he had before een him in disguise, and taking him by the hand, with a smile, forgave him. Vet," continued he, "I can't help wonJering at what you could see in my face, thick me a proper mark for deception." "My dear sir," returned the other, "it was not your face, but your white stockr and the black ribbon in your hair, that allered me. But, no disparagement to your parts, I have deceived wiser me than you in my time; and yet, with all my tricks, the blockheads have been too many for me at last." "I suppose," cried my son, that the arative of such a life as yours must be extremely instructive and amusing.", Nxt much of either," returned Mr. Jekinson. "Those relations which de the tricks and vices only of mankind, by increasing our suspicion in life, retard Our success. The traveller that distrusts every person he meets, and turns back upon the appearance of every man that looks like a robber, seldom arrives in time at his ney's end. Indeed, I think, from my own expeface, that the knowing one is the silliest fel under the sun. I was thought cuning from my very childhood: when but See years old, the ladies would say that I was a perfect little man; at fourteen, I knew the world, cocked my hat, and loved the ades; at twenty, though I was perfectly honest, yet every one thought me so ing, that not one would trust me. Thus I was at last obliged to turn sharper defence, and have lived ever since, my head throbbing with schemes to leceive, and my heart palpitating with fears of detection. I used often to laugh at your my own honest simple neighbour Flamborough, and, one way or another, generally cheated him once a year. Yet still the honest man went forward without suspicion, and grew rich, while I still continued tricksy and cunning, and was poor, without the consolation of being honest. However," continued he, "let me know your case, and what has brought you here; perhaps, though I have not skill to avoid a gaol myself, I may extricate my friends." In compliance with his curiosity, I informed him of the whole train of accidents and follies that had plunged me into my present troubles, and my utter inability to get free. After hearing my story, and pausing some minutes, he slapped his forehead, as if he had hit upon something material, and took his leave, saying, he would try what could be done. CHAPTER XXVII. The same subject continued. THE next morning I communicated to my wife and children the scheme I had planned of reforming the prisoners, which they received with universal disapprobation, alleging the impossibility and impropriety of it; adding that my endeavours would no way contribute to their amendment, but might probably disgrace my calling. Excuse me," returned I; "these people, however fallen, are still men ; and that is a very good title to my affections. Good counsel rejected, returns to enrich the giver's bosom ; and though the instruction I communicate may not mend them, yet it will assuredly mend myself. If these wretches, my children, were princes, there would be thousands ready to offer their ministry; but, in my opinion, the heart that is buried in a dungeon is as precious as that seated upon a throne. Yes, my treasures, if I can mend them, I will: perhaps they will not all despise me. Perhaps I may catch up even one from the gulf, and that will be great gain; for is there upon earth a gem so precious as the human soul?" Thus saying, I left them, and descended to the common prison, where I found the prisoners very merry, expecting my ar legislative power would thus direct the rather to reformation than severity; the it would seem convinced that the work eradicating crimes is not by making pur ments familiar, but formidable. Th instead of our present prisons, wh find or make men guilty, which encl wretches for the commission of one crim and return them, if returned alive, fitted the perpetration of thousands; we shou see, as in other parts of Europe, places penitence and solitude, where the accus might be attended by such as could g them repentance, if guilty, or new moti to virtue, if innocent. And this, but the increasing punishments, is the way mend a State. Nor can I avoid ev questioning the validity of that right wh social combinations have assumed, of ca tally punishing offences of a slight natu In cases of murder, their right is obvio as it is the duty of us all, from the law self-defence, to cut off that man who shown a disregard for the life of anoth Against such, all nature rises in arms; it is not so against him who steals my p perty. Natural law gives me no right take away his life, as, by that, the ho he steals is as much his property as m If, then, I have any right, it must be fr a compact made between us, that he w deprives the other of his horse shall But this is a false compact; because rival; and each prepared with some gaol trick to play upon the Doctor. Thus, as I was going to begin, one turned my wig awry, as if by accident, and then asked my pardon. A second, who stood at some distance, had a knack of spitting through his teeth, which fell in showers upon my book. A third would cry Amen in such an affected tone, as gave the rest great delight. A fourth had slyly picked my pocket of my spectacles. But there was one whose trick gave more universal pleasure than all the rest; for, observing the manner in which I had disposed my books on the table before me, he very dexterously displaced one of them, and put an obscene jest-book of his own in the place. However, I took no notice of all that this mischievous group of little beings could do, but went on, perfectly sensible that what was ridiculous in my attempt would excite mirth only the first or second time, while what was serious would be permanent. My design succeeded, and in less than six days some were penitent, and all attentive. It was now that I applauded my perseverance and address, at thus giving sensibility to wretches divested of every moral feeling, and now began to think of doing them temporal services also, by rendering their situation somewhat more comfortable. Their time had hitherto been divided between famine and excess, tumultuous riot and bitter repining. Their only employ-man has a right to barter his life any m ment was quarrelling among each other, playing at cribbage, and cutting tobaccostoppers. From this last mode of idle industry I took the hint of setting such as chose to work at cutting pegs for tobacconists and shoemakers, the proper wood being bought by a general subscription, and, when manufactured, sold by my appointment; so that each earned something every day—a trifle indeed, but sufficient to maintain him. I did not stop here, but instituted fines for the punishment of immorality, and rewards for peculiar industry. Thus, in less than a fortnight I had formed them into something social and humane, and had the pleasure of regarding myself as a legislator, who had brought men from their native ferocity into friendship and obedience. And it were highly to be wished, that than to take it away, as it is not his o And besides, the compact is inadequ and would be set aside, even in a cour modern equity, as there is a great pen for a very trifling convenience, since i far better that two men should live t that one man should ride. But a c pact that is false between two men equally so between a hundred, or a h dred thousand; for as ten millions circles can never make a square, so united voice of myriads cannot lend smallest foundation to falsehood. I thus that reason speaks, and untuto nature says the same thing. Savages, are directed by natural law alone, very tender of the lives of each oth they seldom shed blood but to retal former cruelty. Our Saxon ancestors, fierce as they war, had but few executions in times of sace; and, in all commencing governents that have the print of nature still rong upon them, scarce any crime is eld capital. It is among the citizens of a refined comAunity that penal laws, which are in the ands of the rich, are laid upon the poor. Government, while it grows older, seems acquire the moroseness of age; and, as four property were become dearer in proaron as it increased-as if the more normous our wealth the more extensive Our fears-all our possessions are paled p with new edicts every day, and hung round with gibbets to scare every invader. I cannot tell whether it is from the number of our penal laws, or the licentiousness of our people, that this country should show more convicts in a year than half the dominions of Europe united. Perhaps it is owing to both; for they mutually prodace each other. When, by indiscriminate peal laws, a nation beholds the same ptistment affixed to dissimilar degrees of gat, from perceiving no distinction in the pealy, the people are led to lose all sense of distinction in the crime, and this disfinction is the bulwark of all morality: thus the multitude of laws produce new Ees, and new vices call for fresh re It were to be wished, then, that power, stead of contriving new laws to punish vice; instead of drawing hard the cords of ciety till a convulsion come to burst ten; instead of cutting away wretches 23 useless before we have tried their utility; Instead of converting correction into vengece,-it were to be wished that we red the restrictive arts of government, made law the protector, but not the frant of the people. We should then find that creatures, whose souls are held as ds, only wanted the hand of a refiner: we should then find that creatures, now stick up for long tortures, lest luxury should feel a momentary pang, might, if properly treated, serve to sinew the state times of danger; that as their faces are ke ours, their hearts are so too; that few minds are so base as that perseverance anot amend; that a man may see his last crime without dying for it; and that very little blood will serve to cement our security. CHAPTER XXVIII. Happiness and Misery rather the result of Prudence than of Virtue in this life; temporalevils or felicities being regarded by Heaven as things merely in themselves trifling, and unworthy its care in the distribution. I HAD now been confined more than a fortnight, but had not since my arrival been visited by my dear Olivia, and I greatly longed to see her. Having communicated my wishes to my wife, the next morning the poor girl entered my apartment, leaning on her sister's arm. The change which I saw in her countenance struck me. The numberless graces that once resided there were now fled, and the hand of death seemed to have moulded every feature to alarm me. Her temples were sunk, her forehead was tense, and a fatal paleness sat upon her cheek. "I am glad to see thee, my dear," cried I; "but why this dejection, Livy? I hope, my love, you have too great a regard for me to permit disappointment thus to undermine a life which I prize as my own. Be cheerful, child, and we may yet see happier days." "You have ever, sir," replied she, "been kind to me, and it adds to my pain that I shall never have an opportunity of sharing that happiness you promise. Happiness, I fear, is no longer reserved for me here; and I long to be rid of a place where I have only found distress. Indeed, sir, I wish you would make a proper submission to Mr. Thornhill; it may in some measure induce him to pity you, and it will give me relief in dying.' 66 'Never, child," replied I; "never will I be brought to acknowledge my daughter a prostitute; for though the world may, look upon your offence with scorn, let it be mine to regard it as a mark of credulity, not of guilt. My dear, I am no way miserable in this place, however dismal it may seem; and be assured, that while you continue to bless me by living, he shall never have my consent to make you more wretched by marrying another." After the departure of my daughter, my fellow-prisoner, who was by at this interview, sensibly enough expostulated on my F |