"HONOURED SIR,

"I have called off my imagination a few moments from the pleasures that surround me, to fix it upon objects that are still more pleasing, the dear little fireside at home. My fancy draws 5 that harmless group as listening to every line of this with great composure. 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 sure it will be 10 some addition to it, to hear that I am perfectly pleased with my situation, and every way happy here.

"Our regiment is countermanded, and is not to leave the kingdom. The colonel, who professes 15 himself my friend, takes me with him to all companies where he is acquainted; and, after my first visit, I generally find myself received with increased respect upon repeating it. I danced last night with Lady G--; and could I forget 20 you know whom, I might be perhaps successful. But it is my fate still to remember others, while I am myself forgotten by most of my absent friends; and in this number, I fear, Sir, that I must consider you; for I have long expected the pleasure 25 of a letter from home to no purpose. Olivia, and Sophia too, promised to write, but seem to have forgotten me. Tell them they are two arrant little baggages, and that I am this moment in a most violent passion with them; yet still, I know 30 not how, though I want to bluster a little, my

heart is respondent only to softer emotions. Then tell them, Sir, that after all, I love them affectionately; and be assured of my ever remaining "Your dutiful son."

5 "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 suffer. Heaven be his guard, and keep my boy thus happy, to be the supporter of his widowed mother, and the 10 father of these two babes, which is all the patrimony I can now bequeath him. May he keep their innocence from the temptations of want, and be their conductor in the paths of honour." I had scarce said these words, when a noise, like 15 that of a tumult, seemed to proceed from the prison below; it died away soon after, and a clanking of fetters was heard along the passage that led to my apartment. The keeper of the prison entered holding a man all bloody, wounded, and 20 fettered with the heaviest irons. I looked with compassion on the wretch as he approached me, but with horror when I found it was my own son. "My George! my George! and do I behold thee thus? Wounded! fettered! is this thy happiness! 25 is this the manner you return to me? O that this sight could break my heart at once, and let me die!"

"Where, Sir, is your fortitude," returned my son, with an intrepid voice. "I must suffer; my 30 life is forfeited, and let them take it; it is my

last happiness that I have committed no murder, though I have lost all hopes of pardon."

I tried to restrain my passion for a few minutes in silence: but I thought I should have died with the effort. "O, my boy, my heart weeps to be- 5 hold thee thus, and I cannot, cannot help it. In the moment that I thought thee blest, and prayed for thy safety, 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 10 lived to see this day: to see my children all untimely falling about me, while I continue a wretched survivor in the midst of ruin! May all the curses that ever sunk a soul fall heavy upon the murderer of my children. May he live, like me, to see" - 15 "Hold, Sir," replied my son, "or I shall blush for thee. How, Sir, forgetful of your age, your holy calling, thus to arrogate the justice of heaven, and fling those curses upward, that must soon descend to crush thy own grey head with destruc-20 tion! No, Sir, let it be your care now to fit me for that vile death I must shortly suffer, to arm me with hope and resolution, to give me courage to drink of that bitterness which must shortly be my portion."

"My child you must not die; I am sure no offence of thine can deserve so vile a punishment: my George could never be guilty of any crime to make his ancestors ashamed of him.”

25

"Mine, Sir," returned my son, "is, I fear, an 30 unpardonable one. When I received my mother's

letter from home, I immediately came down, determined to punish the betrayer of our honour, and sent him an order to meet me, which he answered not in person, but by despatching four of 5 his domestics to seize me. I wounded one, who first assaulted me, and, I fear, desperately; but the rest made me their prisoner. The coward is determined to put the law in execution against me; the proofs are undeniable; I have sent him a 10 challenge, and, as I am the first transgressor upon the statute, I see no hopes of pardon. But you have often charmed me with your lessons of fortitude; let me now, Sir, find them in your example." And, my son, you shall find them. I am now 15 raised above this world, and all the pleasures it can produce. From this moment I break from my heart all the ties that held it down to earth, and will prepare to fit us both for eternity. Yes, my son, I will point out the way, and my soul 20 shall guide yours in the ascent, for we will take our flight together. I now see, and am convinced, you can expect no pardon here, and I can only exhort you, to seek it at that greatest tribunal, where we both shall shortly answer. But let us 25 not be niggardly in our exhortations, but let all our fellow-prisoners have a share: good gaoler, let them be permitted to stand here, while I attempt to improve them." Thus saying, I made an effort to rise from my straw, but wanted 30 strength, and was able only to recline against the wall. The prisoners assembled according to my

directions, for they loved to hear my counsel; my son and his mother supported me on either side: I looked and saw that none were wanting, and then addressed them with the following exhortation.

5

THE

CHAPTER XXIX

EQUAL DEALINGS OF

PROVIDENCE DEMON

STRATED, WITH REGARD то THE HAPPY AND THE MISERABLE HERE BELOW: THAT, FROM THE NATURE OF PLEASURE AND PAIN, THE WRETCHED MUST BE REPAID THE BALANCE OF THEIR SUFFERINGS IN THE LIFE HEREAFTER

"My friends, my children, and fellow-sufferers: When I reflect on the distribution of good and evil here below, I find that much has been given man to enjoy, yet still more to suffer. Though we should examine the whole world, we shall not 10 find one man so happy as to have nothing left to wish for; but daily see thousands who by suicide, show us they have nothing left to hope. In this life, then, it appears that we cannot be entirely blest, but yet we may be completely miserable. 15 "Why man should thus feel pain; why our wretchedness should be requisite in the formation of universal felicity; why, when all other systems are made perfect by the perfection of their subordinate parts, the great system should 20 require for its perfection, parts that are not only