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mórals, and if they be good, ít mátters little for the réft."

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I fancy, Sir," returned my féllow prífon r,, thát ít mút give you great cómfort to áve this little family about you."

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,'A comfort! M'r. Jenkinson," replied I, yes it is indeed à cómfort, and I would not é without them fór áll the world; for they an make à dungeon feem à pálace. There is út one way in this life of wounding mỳ hápinefs, and that is by injuring them."

,,I am afraid then, Sir," cried hè, ,,thát I am in fóme méafure culpable; for I think I fee hère;" (looking at my fón Moles), „óne hát I have injured, and by whom I wish to è forgiven.'

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My fón immédiately recollected his voice nd features, though he had before fèen hím in difguife, and taking him by the hand, with mile forgave hím. ,, Yét," contínued hè, I can't help wondering at what you could ee in my face, to thính mè à proper mark For deception."

My dear Sir," returned the other, vas not your face, bút your white stockings nd the black ríbband in your hair, thát allù. ed me. But no difpáragement to your párts, I have deceived wiler mén thán you in my me; and yet, with all my tricks, the blockeads have been too many fór mè át lást.“

I fuppofe," cried my fón," ", that the nár. ative of fúch à life ás yours múlt bé exemely inftrúctive ánd amùfing.

,,Nót múch óf either," returned M'r. Jéninfon.

,,Thòfe relations which defcribe thè icks and vices only of mankind, by increafg óur fufpicion in life, retárd óur fuccéfs.

The traveller that diftrúfts every perfon k meets, and turns back upón the appearance évery man that looks like à róbber, seldom arrives in time at his journey's end.

,,Indeed I think from my own expérienc that the knowing óne is the filliet feller únder the fún. I was thóught cúnning from my véry childhood; when but féven years the ladies would fày thát I was à pérfes little mán; át fourteen I knew the world cócked my hát ánd loved the ladies; át twe ty, though I was perfectly honeft, yet érent ống thought mè rò cúnning, thất nút ánh s would trúft mè. Thus I was át láft oblige to turn fhárper in my own defence, and have lived ever fince, my héad throbbing with fchemes to deceive, and my heart pálpita with fears of detection. 'I ùfed often to la át your honeft fimple neighbour Flámborough and one way or another generally cheated him once à year. Yet ftill the honeft mán we forward without fufpicion, ánd grew rich while I ftill contínued trickisk and cunning and was poor, without the confolation being honeft. However," contínued hè, „lét me know your cafe, and what has brought you hère; perhaps though I have not skill to avoid à gàol myfelf, I may extricate my friends."

'In compliance with his curiólity, I in formed him of the whole train óf áccidents and follies that had plúnged me into my préfent troubles, and my útter inability to get free:

'After hearing my ftory, and paufing fome mínutes, è flápt his forehead, ás if he hid hít upón fómething matèrial, ánd took his leave. faying he would try what could be done.

(

CHA P. XXVII.

The fame fúbject continued.

he next morning I communicated to my wife and children the fchème I hád plánned of reforming the prifoners, which they reeived with univerfal difapprobation, alledging the impoffibility and impropriety of ít; ádding, hát my endeavours would no way contribute to their amendement, bút might próbably difgrace my calling.

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Excufe me," retúrned 'I, thefe people, however fállen, áre ftill mén, and thát ís, à very good title to my affections. Good coun[el rejected returns to enrich the giver's bosom; and though the inftruction I communicate may not mend thein, yet it will affùredly ménd nyfélf. If thefe wretches, my children, were princes, there would be thoufands réady to ffer their miniftry; bút, in my opinion, the eárt that is búried ín à dúngeon ís ás précious ás that feated upón à throne. Yes, my reasures, if I cán mend them I will; perhaps they will nót áll defpìfe mè. Perhaps I may catch up even one from the gúlph, ánd hát will be great gain; fór ís there upón earth à gém fò précious as the human fòul?"

Thús faying, I left them, and defcended to the common prífon, where I found the prifoners véry merry, expecting my arrival; and each prepared with fome gaol trick to play upon the doctor. Thús, ás 'I was going to begin, óne túrned my wig awry, as if by áccident, and thén áfked my párdon. A féFond, who ftood át fóme diftance, hád à knáck

of Spitting through his teeth, which fell in fhowers upón my book. A third would cry 'Amen in fuch an affected tone ás gave the réft great delight. A fourth hád flyly picked my pocket of my fpectacles.

But there was

óne whofe trick gave more univérfal pleasure than all the réft; fór obférving the manner in which I had difpofed my books on the table before me, hè véry dextroufly difplàced óne of them, and put án obfcène jéft book óf his own in the place. However I took nò nòtic of all that this mifchievous group of little beings could do; bút went on, perfectly feni ble that what was ridiculous ín my attempt, would excite mírth only the firft ór fécond tìme, while what wás fèrious would be per manent. My defign fucceèded, ánd ín les thán fíx days fòme were pénitent, and all attentive.

It was nów that 'I applauded my perfe vérance and addréfs, át thús giving fenfibility to wretches divéfted óf every móral feeling, ánd now begán to think of doing them tén poral férvices alfo, by rendering their fituation Tómewhat more cómfortable. Their time hád hitherto been divided between fámine and excéls, tumúltuous rìot ánd bitter repìning. Their only employment was quarreling among each other, playing át cribbage 9), and cut ting tobacco ftoppers. From this láft mode of idle índustry 'I took the hint of fétting fúch as chofe to work át cutting pegs fór tobacconists ánd fhoemakers, the proper wood being bought by à general fubfcription, and when manufac tured, fold by my appointment; fò thát each

q) cribbage, eine Art Kartenspiel.

earned fomething every day: à trìfle indeed, bút fufficient to maintain hím.

I did not ftóp hère, bút ínftituted fines for the púnifhment of immorálity, and rewards for peculiar índustry. Thús ín less thán à fortnight I hád fórmed thém ínto fómething focial and humane, and had the pleasure of regárding myfélf ás à légiflator, who hád brought men from their native ferocity into friendship and obedience.

'And it were highly to be wifhed, thát légiflative power would thús direct thé láw rather to reformation thán feverity. Thát ít would fèem convinced that the work óf erádicating crimes is not by making punishments familiar, bút fórmidable. Then instead of our préfent prífons, which find ór make mén guíl

ty,

which enclose wretches for the commíllion

of one crime, and retúrn them, if retúrned alive, fitted for the perpetration of thoufands, we fhould feè, ás ín óther párts of Europe, places of pénitence and folitude, where the accùfed might be attended by fúch ás could give them repentance if guilty, ór new motives to virtue if innocent. And this, but not the increasing punishments, is the way to mend à state: nor cán 'I avoid even quéstioning the validity of thát right which focial combinations have affùmed of cápitally púnifhing offences of à flight nature. 'In cafes óf murder their right is óbvious, ás ít ís the duty óf ús áll, from the law of félf defence, to cút óf thát mán whỏ hás fhòwn a difregard for the life of annóther. Agáinft fúch, all nature arifes ín árms; bút ít ís nót fò agáinst him who fteals my property. Nátural law gíves mè no right to take away his life, ás

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