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letter, which, when Mr. Thornhill had read, he faid that all fubmiffion was now too late and unneceffary; that he had heard of our application to his uncle, which met with the contempt it deferved; and as for the reft, that all future applications fhould be directed to his attorney, not to him. He obferved, however, that as he had a very good opinion of the difcretion of the two young ladies, they might have been the most agreeable interceffors.

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Well, Sir,' faid I to my fellow prifoner, you now difcover the temper of the man who oppreffes me. He can at once be facetious and cruel; but let him ufe me as he will, I fhall foon be free, in spite of all his bolts to restrain me. I am now drawing towards an abode that looks brighter " as I approach it: this expectation chears my afflictions, and though I leave an helpless family of orphans • behind me, yet they will not be utterly forfaken; fome friend, perhaps, will be found to affift them for the fake of their poor father, and fome may charitably relieve them for the fake of their Heavenly Father.'

Just as I spoke, my wife, whom I had not feen that day before, appeared with looks of terror, and making efforts, but unable to speak. Why, my love,' cried I, why will you thus increase

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my afflictions by your own? What though no fubmiffion can turn our fevere mafter, though he has doomed me to die in this place of wretchednefs, and though we have loft a darling child, yet ftill you will find comfort in your other children when I shall be no more. We have indeed loft,' returned the, a darling child. My Sophia, my deareft, is gone; fnatched from us, carried off by ruffians!'

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How, Madam,' cried my fellow prifoner, Mifs Sophia carried off by villains! Sure it cannot be ?'

She could only anfwer with a fixed look, and a flood of tears. But one of the prifoners wives, who was prefent, and came in with her, gave us a more diftinct account: fhe informed us that as my wife, my daughter, and herself, were taking a walk together on the great road, a little way out of the village, a poft-chaife and pair drove up to them, and inftantly stopt. Upon which a well dreft man, but not Mr. Thornhill, ftepping out, clafped my

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daughter round the waift, and forcing her in, bid the poftilion drive on, fo that they were out of fight in a moment.

Now, cried I, the fum of my miferies is made up, nor is it in the 'power of any thing on earth to give me another pang. What! not one left! not leave me one! the monster! the child that was next my heart! fhe had the beauty of an angel, and almoft the wifdom of an angel. But fupport that woman, nor let her fall. Not to leave me one!'- Alas, my husband,' faid my wife,

you feem to want comfort even more than I. Our diftreffes are great; but I could bear this and more, if I faw you but eafy. They may take away my chil‹ dren, and all the world, if they leave 'me but you.'

My fon, who was prefent, endeavoured to moderate our grief; he bade us take comfort, for he hoped that we might still have reason to be thankful. -My child,' cried I, look round

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the world, and fee if there be any hap" pinefs left me now. Is not every ray of comfort fhut out; while all our bright profpects only lie beyond the grave. My dear father,' returned he, I hope there is still fomething that will give you an interval of fatisfaction; for I have a letter from my brother George.'- What of him, child,' interrupted I, does he know our mifery? I hope my boy is exempt from any part of what his wretched family fuffers? Yes, Sir,' returned he, he is perfectly gay, chearful, and happy. His letter brings nothing but good news; he is the favourite of his colonel, who promifes to procure him the very next lieutenancy that becomes vacant!"

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are you fure, ftill repeated fhe, that the letter is from himself, and that he is really fo happy?'- Yes, Madam,' replied he, it is certainly his, and he will one day be the credit and the fupport of our family!'

Then I thank Providence,' cried he, that my last letter to him has mifcarried.-Yes, my dear,' continued

fhe,

fhe, turning to me, I will now confefs, that though the hand of Heaven is fore upon us in other inftances, it has been favourable here. By the laft letter I wrote my fon, which was in the bitternefs of anger, I defired him, upon his mother's blefling, and if he had the heart of a man, to fee juftice done his father and fifter, and avenge our caufe. But thanks be to Him who directs all things, it has mifcarried, and I am at reft.' "Woman,' cried I, thou haft done

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very ill, and at another time my reproaches might have been more fevere. Oh! what a tremendous gulph haft thou escaped, that would have buried both thee and him in endless ruin. Providence, indeed, has here been kindér to us than we to ourfelves. It has referved that fon to be the father and protector of my children when I fhall be away. How unjustly did I complain of being ftript of every comfort, when till I • hear that he is happy and infenfible • of our afflictions; still kept in reserve • to support his widowed mother, and to protect his brothers and fifters. But what fifters has he left! he has no fifters now, they are all gone, robbed from me, and I am undone!' -Father,' interrupted my fon, I beg you will give me leave to read his letter, I know it will please you.' Upon which, with my permiffion, he read as follows:

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HONOURED SIR,

Have called off my imagination a few moments from the pleafures that furround me, to fix it upon objects that are still more pleafing, the dear little fire-fide at home. My fancy draws that harmlets groupe as liftening to every line of this with great compofure. I view those faces with delight which never felt the deforming hand of ambition or distress! But whatever your happiness may be " at home, I am fure it will be fome addition to it, to hear that I am perfectly pleafed with my fituation, and every way happy here.

Our regiment is countermanded, and is not to leave the kingdom; the colonel, who profeffes himself my friend, takes me with him to all com

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panies where he is acquainted, and after my firft vifit, I generally find myfelf received with increafed refpect upon repeating it. I danced laft night with Lady G, and could I forget you know whom, I might be perhaps fuccefsful. But it is my fate ftill to remember others, while I am myself forgotten by most of my abfent friends; and in this number, I fear, Sir, that I must confider you, for I have long expected the pleasure of a letter from home to no purpose. Olivia and Sophia, too, promifed to write, but feem to have forgotten me. Tell them they are two arrant little baggages, and that I am this moment in a moft violent paffion with them: yet ftill, I know not how, though I want to blufter a little, my heart is refpondent only to fofter emotions. Then tell them, Sir, that after all, I love them affectionately; and be affured of my ever remaining your dutiful fon.'

In all our miseries,' cried I, 'what thanks have we not to return, that one at least of our family is exempted from what we fuffer. Heaven be his guard, and keep my boy thus happy to be the fupport of his widowed mother, and the father of these two babes, which is all the patrimony I can now bequeath him! May he keep their innocence from the temp<tations of want, and be their con

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ductor in the paths of honour!' I had fcarce faid thefe words, when a noife, like that of a tumult, feemed to proceed from the prifon below; it died away foon after, and a clanking of fetters was heard along the paffage that led to my apartment. keeper of the prifon entered, holding a man all bloody, wounded, and fettered with the heaviest irons. I looked with compaffion on the wretch as he approached me, but with horror when I found it was my own fon. My George! my George! and do I behold thee thus! Wounded! fettered! Is this thy happiness! Is this the manner you return to me? O that this fight could break my heart ' at once, and let me die!"

Where, Sir, is your fortitude?" returned my fon with an intrepid voice; I muft fuffer, my life is forfeited, and let them take it.'

I tried

I tried to reftrain my paffion for a few minutes in filence, but I thought I should have died with the effort.

my boy, my heart weeps to behold thee thus, and I cannot, cannot help it. In the moment that I thought thee bleft, and prayed for thy fafety, to behold thee thus again! chained, • wounded. And yet the death of the youthful is happy. But I am old, a very old man, and have lived to fee this day. To fee my children ⚫ all untimely falling about me, while I continue a wretched furvivor in the midft of ruin! May all the curfes that ever funk a foul fall heavy upon the murderer of my children. May he live, like me, to fee

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Hold, Sir,' replied my fon, I fhall blush for thee. How, Sir, forgetful of your age, your holy calling, thus to arrogate the juftice of Heaven, and fling thofe curfes up"ward that must foon defcend to crush thy own grey head with destruction! No, Sir, let it be your care now to 'fit me for that vile death I must short

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Mine, Sir,' returned my fon, is I fear, an unpardonable one. When I received my mother's letter from home, I immediately came down, determined to punish the betrayer of our honour, and fent him an order to meet me, which he answered, not in perfon, but by dispatching four of his domefticks to feize me. I wounded one who firft affaulted me, and I fear defperately: but the reft made me their prifoner. The coward is determined to put the law in execution against me; the proofs are undeniable; I have fent a challenge, and as I am the first tranfgreffor upon the ftatute, I fee no hopes of pardon. But you have often charmed me with your leffons of fortitude; let me now, Sir, find them in your example.'

And, my fon, you shall find them. I am now raifed above this world, and all the pleafures it can produce. From this moment I break from my

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heart all the ties that held it down to earth, and will prepare to fit us both for eternity. Yes, my fon, I will point out the way, and my foul shall guide yours in the afcent, for we will take our flight together. I now fee and am convinced you can expect no pardon here, and I can only exhort you to feek it at that greatest tribunal where we both shall shortly anfwer. But let us not be niggardly in our exhortation, but let all our fellow-prifoners have a share.-Good gaoler, let them be permitted to stand ‹ here, while I attempt to improve 'them.' Thus faying, I made an effort to to rife from my ftraw, but wanted ftrength, and was able only to recline against the wall. The prisoners affembled according to my directions, for they loved to hear my counfel; my fon and his mother fupported me on either fide; I looked, and faw that none were wanting, and then addreffed them with the following exhortation.

СНАР. Х,

THE EQUAL DEALINGS OF PROVIDENCE DEMONSTRATED WITH REGARD TO THE HAPPY AND THE MISERABLE HERE BELOW. THAT FROM THE NATURE OF PLEA-' SURE AND PAIN, THE WRETCHED MUST BE REPAID THE BALANCE OF THEIR SUFFERINGS IN THE LIFE HEREAFTER.

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MY

Y friends, my children, and 'fellow fufferers, when I reflect on the diftribution of good and evil here below, I find that much • has been given man to enjoy, yet still more to fuffer. Though we should examine the whole world, we shall not find one man fo happy as to have nothing left to wish for; but we daily fee thousands who by fuicide shew us they have nothing left to hope. In this life then it appears that we cannot be entirely bleft; but yet we may be compleatly miferable.

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Why man fhould thus feel pain, why our wretchednefs fhould be requifite in the formation of universal felicity, why, when all other fyftems are made perfect by the perfection of their fubordinate parts, the great fyftem fhould require for it's perfec

tion,

tion, parts that are not only fub• ordinate to others, but imper•fect in themselves? Thefe are quef⚫tions that never can be explained, and might be ufelefs if known. On this fubject Providence has thought fit to elude our curiofity, fatisfied with granting us motives to confo

•lation.

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In this fituation, man has called in the friendly affiftance of philofophy, and Heaven feeing the incapacity of that to confole him, has given him the aid of religion. The confolations of philofophy are very amufing, but often fallacious. It tells " us that life is filled with comforts, "if we will but enjoy them; and on the other hand, that though we un< avoidably have miferies here, life is fhort, and they will foon be over. Thus do thefe confolations deftroy each other; for if life is a place of comfort, it's fhortnefs must be mifery, and if it be long, our griefs are protracted. Thus philofophy is weak; but religion comforts in an higher ftrain. Man is here, it tells us, fitting up his mind, and preparing it for another abode. When the good man leaves the body, and is all a glorious mind, he will find he has ⚫ been making himself a heaven of happinefs here, while the wretch that has been maimed and contaminated by his vices, fhrinks from his body with terror, and finds that he has anticipated the vengeance of Heaven. To religion then we must hold in every circumftance of life for our truest comfort; for if already we are happy, it is a pleasure to think that we can • make that happinefs unending; and if we are miferable, it is very confoling to think that there is a place of reft. Thus, to the fortunate, religion holds out a continuance of blifs; to the wretched, a change from pain.

But though religion is very kind to all men, it has promifed peculiar rewards to the unhappy; the fick, ¶ the naked, the houfeleis, the heavyladen, and the prifoner, have ever most frequent promifes in our facred law. The Author of our religion every where profeffes himself the • wretch's friend; and, unlike the falfe ones of this world, beftows all his careffes upon the forlorn. The un

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thinking have cenfured this as partiality, as a preference without merit to deferve it. But they never reflect that it is not in the power even of Heaven itfelf to make the offer of unceafing felicity as great a gift to the happy as to the miferable. To the firft, eternity is but a fingle bleffing, fince at most it but increases what they already poffefs. To the latter, it is a double advantage; for it diminishes their pain here, and rewards them with heavenly bliss hereafter.

But Providence is in an other refpect kinder to the poor than the rich; for as it thus makes the life after ' death more defirable, fo it smooths the paffage there. The wretched have had a long familiarity with every face ' of terror. The man of forrows lays himself quietly down, with no poffeffions to regret, and but few ties to ftop his departure: he feels only nature's pang in the final feparation, and this is no way greater than he has ' often fainted under before; for after a certain degree of pain, every new breach that death opens in the conftitution, nature kindly covers with infenfibility.

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Thus Providence has given the wretched two advantages over the happy in this life, greater felicity in dying, and in heaven all that superiority of pleafure which arifes from contrafted enjoyment. And this fuperiority, my friends, is no finall advantage, and feems to be one of the pleafures of the poor man in the parable; for though he was already in heaven, and felt all the raptures it could give, yet it was mentioned as an addition to his happiness, that he had once been wretched and now was comforted; that he had known what it was to be miferable, and now felt what it was to be happy.

Thus, my friends, you fee, religion does what philofophy could never do: it fhews the equal dealings of Heaven to the happy and the unhappy, and levels all human enjoyments to nearly the fame ftandard. It gives to both rich and poor the fame happiness hereafter, and equal hopes to afpire after it; but if the rich have the advantage of enjoying pleasure here, the poor have the endlefs fatisfaction of knowing what it was once to be • miferable,

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miferable, when crowned with endless felicity hereafter; and even though it fhould be called a small advantage, yet being an eternal one, it must make up by duration what the temporal happinefs of the great may have exceeded by intenfenefs.

Thefe are therefore the confolations which the wretched have peculiar to themfelves, and in which they are above the rest of mankind; in other refpects they are below them. They 'who would know the miseries of the poor, muft fee life, and endure it. To declaim on the temporal advantages they enjoy, is only repeating what none either believe or practife. The men who have the neceffaries of living are not poor, and they who want them must be miferable. Yes, my friends, we must be miferable. No vain efforts of a refined imagination can footh the wants of nature, can give • elastic sweetness to the dank vapour of a dungeon, or eafe to the throbbings of a broken heart. Let the philofopher from his couch of foft nefs tell us we can refift all these. Alas! the effort by which we refift them is ftill the greatest pain! Death is flight, and any man may fuftain it ; but torments are dreadful, and these no man can endure.

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To us, then, my friends, the promifes of happiness in heaven fhould be peculiarly dear; for if our reward be in this life alone, we are indeed of all men the moft miferable. When I look round thefe gloomy walls, made to terrify, as well as to confine us; this light that only ferves to fhew the horrors of the place; thofe fhackles that tyranny has impofed, or crime ⚫ made neceffary; when I furvey these • emaciated looks, and hear those groans, O my friends, what a glorious exchange would heaven be for thefe! To fly through regions unconfined as air, to bask in the funfhine of eternal blifs, to carol over endless hymns of praife, to have no mafter to threaten or infult us, but the form of Goodness himself for ever in our eyes; when I think of thefe things, death becomes the merfenger of very glad tidings; when I think of these things, his fharpest arrow becomes the ftaff of my support; when I think of these things, what

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is there in life worth having? when I think of thefe things, what is there that fhould not be purned away? kings in their palaces thould groan for fuch advantages; but we, humbled as we are, should yearn for them. • And shall these things be ours? Ours they will certainly be if we but 6 try for them; and what is a comfort, we are fhut out from many temptations that would retard our pursuit. Only let us try for them, and they will certainly be ours; and, what is ftill a comfort, fhortly too; for if we look back on paft life, it appears but a very fhort fpan, and whatever we may think of the reft of life, it will yet be found of lefs duration; as we grow older, the days feem to grow horter, and our intimacy with time, ever leffons the perception of his stay. Then let us take comfort now, for " we shall foon be at our journey's end; we fhall foon lay down the heavy burden laid by Heaven upon us; and though death, the only friend of the wretched, for a little while mocks the weary traveller with the view, and like his horizon, ftill flies before him ; < yet the time will certainly and fhortly come, when we fhall ceafe from our toil; when the luxurious great ones of the world fhall no more tread us to the earth; when we fhall think with pleasure on our fufferings below; when we fhall be furrounded with all our friends, or fuch as deferved our friendship; when our blifs fhall be unutterable, and ftill, to ⚫ crown all, unending.'

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HAPPIER

CHA P. XI.

PROSPECTS BEGIN ΤΟ APPEAR. LET US BE INFLEXIBLE, AND FORTUNE WILL AT LAST CHANGE IN OUR FAVOUR.

WHEN I had thus finished, and

my audience was retired, the gaoler, who was one of the most humane of his profeffion, hoped I would not be difpleafed, as what he did was but his duty; obferving, that he muft be obliged to remove my fon into a stronger cell, but he fhould be permitted to visit me every morning. I thanked him for his clemency, and

grasping

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