hè órdered them to fend in the beft dinner thát could be provided upón fúch short notice. Hè befpòke alfo a dozen a) óf their best wine; ánd fóme córdials fór mè. 'Adding, with a Imìle, that he would stretch à líttle for once b), ánd though ín à prífon, afférted hè wás néver better difpòfed to be mérry. The waiter foon made his appearance with preparations for dinner, à table was lént ús by the gaoler, who feèmed remárkably affiduous, the wine was difpofed in órder, and two very welldréffed dífhes were brought in.

My daughter had not yet heard of her poor brother's mélancholy fituation, ánd we áll feemed unwilling to damp her chearfulness by the relation. Bút ít was in vain thát 'I attempted to appear chearful, the círcumstances of my unfortunate fón broke through all efforts tá diffémble; fò that I was át láft obliged to dámp óur mirth by relating his misfortunes, ánd wifhing that he might be permitted to share with us in this little interval óf fatisfaction. After my guéfts were recovered from the conIternation my account hád produced, 'I requested alfo thát Mr. Jenkinfon, a fellow priloner, might be admitted, and the gaoler granted my requéft with án àir óf unùfual fubmifion. The clánking of my fón's irons was no fooner heard along the palfage, thán his filter rán impatiently to meet him; while M'r. Búrchell, in the mean time, ásked mè íf mỳ fón's name wére George; to which replying in the affir

a) a dozen, ein Dutzend, nämlich: Flaschen,

b) to ftretch a little for once, fich einmal ein wenig ausdehnen, d. h. einmal etwas darauf gehen laffen.

4

C

mative, hè ftill contínued filent. 'As foon ás my boy entered the room, I could perceive he regirded Mr. Burchell with à look of aftónif ment and réverence. ,,Cóme ón," cried I, my fon, though wè áre fallen véry low, yeta providence has been pleased to grant ús fóme Imall relaxation from pain. Thy fifter is re ftòred to ús, and there ís hér deliverer: ti thát brave mán ít is thát 'I ám indébted for yet háving à daughter; give hím, mỳ boy, the a hánd of friendship, hè deferves our warmest be grátitude."

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My fón feemed all this while regárdlefs fe of what I fáid, ánd ftíll contínued fixed átt refpectful distance. ,,My dear brother," cried at his fifter,,,why don't you thank my good deliverer? the brave fhould ever love each P other."

h

a

He ftill continued his filence and aftónish-m ment, till our guélt át láft perceived himself re to be known, and affùming áll his native dígnity, defìred my fón tó cóme forward. Never before hád 'I feen ány thing fò truly majestic as the air hè affùmed upón this occafion. The greatest óbject in the univerfe, fays à certain philofo pher, is a good mán struggling with adverfity; yet there is still a greater, which is the good mán thát cómes to relieve it. 'After he hád regarded my fún fór fóme time with à fupèrior air,,,I agáin fìnd," fáid hè, unthinking boy, that the fame crime. “ Bút hère hè ,,was interrupted by one of the gaoler's fervants, who came to infórm ús that à pérfon óf diftinction, whỏ hád driven into town with à cháriot ánd féveral attendants, fént his refpects to the gentleman that was with ús, begged to know when he should think proper

ánd

to

o be waited upón. ,,Bíd thé féllow wait," ried our guéft, „,tíll I fháll have leifure to eceive hím;" and then turning to my f'n, I again find, Sír," proceeded he, that you e guilty of the fame offence for which you ice had my reproof c), and for which the law nów preparing its jufteft púnifhments.

You

ágine, perhaps, thát à contempt for your vn life, gives you à rìght to take that of other; but where, Sir, is the difference tween à dùellift who házards à life of no lue, and the murderer who ácts with greater cùrity? Is it any diminution of the gamers fraud when hè alledges that hè hás staked counter?"

„Alás, Sír," crìed 'I,,,whoever you áre, ty y the poor mifguided creature; for what hás done was in obedience. tó à delùded other, who in the bitterness of hér reféntment quired him upón hér bléffing to avenge hér árrel. Hère, Sír, is the letter, which 11 férve to convince you of her imprudence, d diminifh his guilt."

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He took the letter, and haftily réad ít over. his," faid he, though not à perfect excùse, fuch a palliation of his fault, ás indùces to forgive him. 'And now, Sír," tc ued he, kindly taking my fón by the hand, fee you are furprised at finding mè hère; I have often vílited prífons upon occafions s interesting. I am now come to fèe júltice ne à worthy mán, for whom I have the ft fincère efteèm. I have long been à dis ifed fpectator of your father's benevolence. háve át hís little dwelling enjoyed respect

My

uncontaminated by flattery, and have received that happiness that courts could not give, fri the amuling fimplícity round his fìrefide. nephew has been apprifed of my intentions f coming hère, and I find ís árrived; it wo be wronging hím ánd you to condemn hi without examination: if there be injury, there fháll be redrefs; and this I may lay witho bòafting, that none have ever táxed the injúl ce of Sir William Thornhill.“

The

Wè nów found the perfonage whom we hád fò long entertained ás án hármlefs amuling compánion was no other than the célebrated Sír William Thornhill, to whofe virtues and fingulárities fcarce any were strangers. poor Mr. Burchell wás ín reality à mán f lárge fortune and great intereft, to who fénates liftened with applaufe, and whom party héard with conviction; who was the friend of hís country, bút loyal to his king. My poor wife recollecting hér fórmer familiarity, feemed to Thrink with apprehenfion; bút Sophia, who à few moments before thought him her own, nów perceiving the immenfe distance to which he was removed by fortune, was unable conceal hér tèars.

,,'Ah, Sir," cried my wife, with à pítens, álpect, how is it póffible that I cán éve have your forgiveness; the flights you receive from me thẻ láft tìme 'I had the honour feeing you át óur house, and the jokes whi 'I audacioufly threw out, thèse jokes, Sír, fèar cán néver be forgiven."

My dear good lady," retúrned he with Imile, if you had your joke, 'I hád mỳ ánfwer 'I'll leave it to all the company if mine were nót ás good as yours. To fay the truth, 'I know

ò body whom I ám difpòsed to be angry with t préfent but the fellow who fò frighted my ittle girl here. 'I had not even tìme to examine e ráfcal's perfon fò ás tó defcrìbe hím ín án dvertfement. Cán you tell mè, Sophia, mỳ ear, whether you fhould know him again?"

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„Indeed, Sír," replied fhè, „,'I can't be bfitive; yet now I recollect hè hád à lárge árk óver óne óf his eye brows. “ 'I álk irdon, Mádam," interrupted Jénkinfon, whỏ as by, bút be fò good ás to inform me if e fellow wore his own red hair?“ ,,Yės, think fo," cried Sophia.,,And did your nour," contínued hè, turning to Sir William, bférve the length of his legs?" -,,I can't fùre of their length," crìed the Báronet, út I am convinced of their swiftness; fór hè trán mè, which is what I thought few en in the kingdom could have done." Please your honour," cried Jenkinson, now the mán: ít is certainly the fame; the ft rúnner in England, hè hás beaten Pinire d) óf Newcastle e); Timothy Baxter is his ime. I know hím perfectly, and the very lace of his retreat this moment, 'If your nour will bid M'r. gàoler lét two of his men with me, I'll engage to produce him to ù ín án hòur át fartheft." Upón this the ioler was called, who inftantly appearing, Sír Villiam demanded if he knew him. ,, Yės, leafe your honour," replied the gaoler,,, I now Sir William Thornhill well, ánd évery

'I

d) Pinwire, vermuthlich ein zu feiner Zeit berühmter Fussgänger.

e) Newcastle, Hauptstadt von Northumberland; auch führet diefen Namen ein Marktflecken in Staffordshire.