ám, still I may be your friend, and that per háps when you leaft expéct it."

We were now prevented from further co verfation, by the arrival of the gaoler's fervan who came to call over thé prífoners names, á lock up for the night. A fellow alfo, withy bundle of ftráw fór my béd atténted, who led mè alóng à dárk nárrow páffage ínto à rỏng paved like the common prifon, and in on córner of this 'I fpréad my bed, and the cloaths given me by my fellow prifoner; which done, my conductor, who was civil enough, bade mè à good-night. 'After my ùfual meditations, and having praised my heavenly corrector, I laid myfélf down and flépt with the utmost tránquillity till morning.

A reformation in the gaol. To make laws com plète, they should reward as well as punish. The next morning early 'I was awakened by my family, whom I found in tèars át mỳ bed fide. The gloomy ftrength of every thing about ús, ít feèms, hád dáunted them. 'I géntly rebuked their fórrow, affùring them I hád néver flept with greater tranquillity, and next enquired after my éldeft daughter, who was nút amóng thèm. They infóred mè thát vé. terday's unèafiness and fatigue hád increased hér féver, and it was judged proper to leave her behind. My next care was to fend mỳ fón tó procure à room or two to lodge the family in, ás near the prífon ás convéniently could be found. Hè obeyed; bút could only find one

apartment, which was hired át à fiáll expénce, for his mother and fifters, the gaoler with humánity confénting to let him and his twó ittle brothers lie in the prifon with me. A béd was therefore prepared for thém ín à córner f the room, which I thought answered very onveniently. I was willing however prèvioufly know whether my little children chofe tỏ le ín à plàce which feemed to frìght thém pón éntrance.

„Well," cried 'I,,,my good boys, how do you like your bed? I hope you are not afraid to lie in this room, dárk ás ít appears."

,,Nò, Papá," fays Dick, „,'I ám nót afràid, o lìe any where you áre."

66

„And I," fays Eíll, who was yet bút four years ald, gióve every place beft thát mỳ Pap

is ín."

'After this, I allotted to each of the family what they were to do. My daughter was parícularly directed to watch her declining filter's health; my wife was to attend me; my little boys were to read to me: „And as for you, my fón," continued 'I,,,it is by the labour of your hands wè múlt all hope to be fupported, Your wages, ás à dày làbourer, will be fúll fufficient, with proper frugálity, to maintain ús áll, and cómfortably too. Thóu árt nów fixteen years old, and hást strength, and it was given thee, my fón, fór very useful purposes; for it núft fàve fróm fámine your helpless parents ánd family. Prepare then this evening to look óut for work against to mórrow, and bring home every night what money you earn, fór our fupport."

66

Having thús inftrúcted hím, ánd settled thé réft, 'I walked down to the common prífon,

where I could enjoy more air and room. Bú I was not lóng there when the execràtions, lewdnefs, and brutálity that invaded mè ón évery fide, drove me back to my apártment agáin. Here I fate fór fóme time, póndering a upon the strange infatuation of wretches, wh finding all mankind ín ópen árms against them, were labouring to make themfélves à future ánd à tremendous enemy.

Their infenfibility excited my highest com paffion, and blótted my own unèaliness from b my mind. 'It even appeared à dùty incumbent a upón mě to attempt to reclaim them. I refól ved therefore ónce mòre to retúrn, and in fpite of their contémpt to give them my ad vice, and conquer them by perfeverance. Going P therefore among them again, I informed Mr. Jenkinson of my defign, át which he laughed heartily, but communicated ít tó thẻ réft. The propofal was received with the greatest goodhumour, ás ít prómifed to afford a new fund óf entertainment to perfons whỏ hád nów nò other refòurce fór mírth, bút what could be derived from rídicule ór debauchery.

I therefore réad thém à pòrtion of the férvice °) with à lóud unaffected voice, and found my audience perfectly mérry upón the occafion. Lewd whispers, groans of contrition, burlésqued, winking and coughing, alternately excited laughter. However, I contínued with mỳ nátural folemnity to read on, fénfible that

e) Aus dem common-prayer- book, einem Buche, in welchem alle Sprüche, Kollekten, Gebete, Epifteln, Evangelien, Pfalmen, und alles das steht, was beim Gottesdienste gelesen und gebetet wird, und nicht zur ordentlichen und eigentlichen Bibellektion gehört.

1

what I did might amend fóme, bút could it felf receive nò contamination from ány.

'After reading, I entered upon my exhortation, which was rather cálculated át first to amule them than to reprove. I previously ob. lérved, that no other motive but their welfare could induce me to this; that I was their

fellow prifoner, ánd now got nothing by preaching. I was forry, I faid, to hear them o very prophine; because they got nothing by it, but might lofe à great deal: „Fór be alfùred," ny friends, cried 'I, „for yoù áre my friends, however the world mày disclaim your friendship, though you fwòre twelve thousand oaths ín à dày, it would not put one pénny in your púrfe. Then what fignifies cálling every moment upón thé dévil, and courting his friendship, fince you find how fcúrvily hè ùfes you. He has given you nothing hère, you find, bút à mouthful of oaths and in empty belly; and by the best acounts 'I háve of him, he will give you nothing that's good hereafter."

,,If ùfed ill ín óur dealings with one mán, we náturally gò élfewhere. Were ít nút worth, your while P) thén, júft tỏ trỷ how you may ike the ufage of another málter, who gives you fair prómifes át least to come to him. Surely, my friends, óf áll ftupídity in thẻ world, his múlt be greatest, who, after rób ing án hóufe, rúns to the thief- takers for protection. And yet hów áre you more wife? You are all feeking comfort from óne thát hás already betrayed you, applying to à mòre ma

P) were it not worth your while, follte es fich nicht der Mühe verlohnen?

lícious being thán ány thief taker of them all; for they only decoy, and then háng you; bút he decoys and hángs, and what is wirft of all, will not let you loofe after the hángman hás dóne."

:

When I had concluded, 'I received the compliments of my audience, fóme of whom came and fhook me by the hand, fwearing thát I wás à véry hóneft féllow, and that they defired my further acquaintance. I therefore prómifed to repeat my lécture next day, and actually conceived fóme hopes of making reformation here; fór ít had ever been my opinion, thát nó mán was pát the hour of amendment, every heart lying open to the Tháfts of reproof, if the archer could bút take à próper aim. When I had thús fátisfied mý mind, I went back to my apartment, where my wife prepared à frugal meal, while Mr. Jénkinfon begged leave to add his dinner to Surs, and partake of the pléafure, ás he was kind enough to express ít, óf my converfation. He had not yet feen my family, fór ás they came to my apartment by a door in the nár row paffage, already defcribed, bỳ this means they avoided the common prífon. Jenkinson át the first interview therefore feèmed nót i little ftruck with the beauty of my youngest daughter, which hér pénfive air contributed heighten, and mỳ little ones did nót páls noticed.

un

Alás, Doctor," cried he,,, thèse children áre too handsome and too good fór fúcha plàce ás this!"

thank

„Whỳ, M'r. Jénkinfon," replied 'I, „ heaven my children áre prétty tolerable in

mórals,