perform this act of mercy towards these condemned criminals.

Mrs. Mer. Ah me!-I had such a husband once[She weeps, and retires out of the room.]

Loveg. [To Mrs. Worthy.] Oh Madam, I am sorry I touched upon that subject.

Mrs. Wor. Ah Sir, it cannot be helped.---Mr. Merryman is scarce ever out of my daughter's mind; and though we all loved him so much, yet we scarce ever mention his name, as at all times it so exceedingly revives her grief, she cannot bear to hear any body speak of him but herself.

Wor. But how did you next proceed?

Loveg. Why Sir, after a short prayer, Mr. Lovely immediately prepared for the journey, while it was determined that he should set off early on the next morning to overtake the judge, before he left the circuit, and present him with the petition; and that Mr. Henry Littleworth, the unhappy Mrs. Sparkish, and myself, should go and visit the condemned prisoners in the county gaol; but then we all agreed, that it would be highly improper to give them the most distant hint that application was making by Mr. Lovely to save thier lives, as it might buoy them up with false hopes, had he failed in his attempt. Wor. Certainly that was the most prudent. must have been a very affecting interview. Loveg. A very affecting one indeed.-After we had refreshed ourselves at the inn, we immediately repaired to the prison, but found we were too late to gain admittance till the next morning.-Poor Mrs. Sparkish was exceedingly affected at this refusal, who had frequently mentioned, during the journey, what her mind had felt from the example she had set before

her son.

This

Wor. Ah! that is the case with many, who never repent of an evil, till they see its bad consequences and effects.

Loveg. And no doubt, but it was, on this account, that the first interview which took place the next morning,

was so very affecting. There was nothing but sobbing and weeping between them for a considerable time at length she cried, "Oh my child, what would I give if I could but save your life! Oh that I had set you a better example; I fear my behaviour has been the cause of your ruin He then cried out,

"Oh mother, we must forgive each other, as I am now so soon to die!" Then he looked at me and cried, "Oh Mr. Lovegood! had I minded what you have preached, I never had worn these irons, or have been condemned to such a disgraceful end.

Wor. How such miserable sinners are led to reproach themselves, after they have accomplished their own ruin, by their extravagance and folly, and profane neglect of God.

Loveg. And such indeed, were the feelings of the unhappy youth; for first he began telling me such an history of his life, as was quite shocking till I was obliged to beg of him to desist, by advising him rather to confess the sins of his abominably profligate life before God, rather than before man. It seems that his connexion with common prostitutes, was the cause of his ruin, and that rendered his conscience the very sink of sin, and a very hell of guilt. He then pointed to Mr. Henry, who was retired to the further part of the room, with his Brother-in-law, William Frolic, crying, "Oh what fools! what devils Frolic and I have been, not to follow the example of Henry Littleworth! we have ruined ourselves, both soul and body, while he has nothing before him, though once so wild, and now so changed, but a prosperous and a happy life."

Wor. Such sort of expressions sound like genuine repentance.

Loveg. Oh Sir! there is no knowing under such circumstances.-There was one speech of his, which made me fear that all his repentance was more the effects of terror than of grace: he said that if Mr. Worthy or Lord Rakish, for that he had the honour to know his lordship, could but get him a pardon, he

would lead quite another life for the time to come. And his poor mother had almost said too much, as she knew the plan laid for the saving of his life; but I immediately checked her, by observing that false hopes, were sometimes attended with more fatal consequences, than downright despair.

Wor. But Mr. Henry, do let us hear how you succeeded with your unhappy Brother-in-law.

Hen. Oh Sir! I cannot but entertain a hope that as he has been saved from the gallows, so he will be saved from hell, but God only knows. A future day alone can prove the fact.

Mrs. Wor. Come then, I hope you will be able to tell us a more pleasing story; if so, I'll call in my daughter. Any thing which gives her comfort, greatly promotes ours. [It is done,-Mrs. Merryman attempts to attend to the utmost of her power.]

Mrs. Wor. My dear, I called you in to hear what Mr. Henry has to say about poor William Frolic, he hopes, that by the grace of God, this awful dispensation may have been over-ruled for the salvation of his soul.

Wor. Now Mr. Henry, we are quite prepared to hear what passed between you both.

Hen. Why Sir, I perceived he was remarkably struck at the unexpected visit from Mr. Lovegood and myself; and while Edward Sparkish, his Mother and Mr. Lovegood, were in conversation with each other, he and I retired into a corner of the room: he directly burst into tears, and cried, "Oh Henry! what could influence you to come to see such a horrid wretch as I have been, before I am given over to die for my crimes, when I once did all in my power to make you as bad as myself; and then I should have had to answer for the damnation of your soul, as well as my own.-Can you forgive me?" I directly cried, 66 yes, and Christ can forgive us both."--He answered, he has forgiven you: you have been a true penitent; but God only knows, what sort of repentance mine is, for on Saturday I am sure to die, and have

no time to prove the sincerity of my heart, by better ways." As I could not but help crying all the time I talked to him, I could only say to him, "Oh William ! remember the thief upon the cross."

Loveg. No wonder that you were so much affected, when you recollected the terrible attachment which subsisted between you, when you were both "living without God in the world."

Hen. Oh Sir! that was just the point. He directly cried out, "Oh that I might be yet permitted to live, that you might take me as your companion! I hope I should prove the sincerity of my repentance, both before God and man.-But it is now too late. We have been the partakers of the crimes of that har dened desperate fellow, Sam Blood; and though we always dissuaded him against murder, yet being linked in with him, we thought it necessary, at least in appearance, to act as he directed; and by that means we have forfeited our lives. And then he cried, "O good God, what a most wicked heart mine must be, or I could not have been so sinful and abominable all the days of my short life! I have ruined myself; I have ruined my wife: I have ruined the peace of your family by marrying your Sister; and I fear, I shall be ruined to all eternity."

Wor. All this sounds well.

66

Hen. He once said that he heard Mr. Merryman preach, soon after his conversion; curiosity having excited him to hear one that he had frequently been with, on his different hunting expeditions, how he would act as a serious preacher of the Gospel; and conviction, he says, though he continued so wicked, never ceased to follow him after that time.

Wor. [Sighs and says] Ah dear Mr. Merryman! [Here Mrs. Merryman's feelings were again revived, while the recollection of such a loss of one so useful as a Minister; so pleasant as a man; so devoted as a Christian, ran throughout the company, and created among them that sympathetic silent grief, as prevented the continuation of the conversation, till

Mr. Worthy rang the bell, and ordered a glass of wine for each of the parties: this, though an unusual custom after tea at Brookfield Hall, was now acceptable, especially to the travellers, who had but just finished their journey, and whose minds were so much agitated by those very impressive events which were now the subject of conversation: the writer also will take this opportunity to lay aside his pen, that his spirits and recollection, may be recruited, before he attempts the concluding narration of this tale of woe.

་