converfation that fo pleafingly had led her on into a dilemma fo embarraffing; this fhe could do, and this fhe did." Fetch me my cloak," the cried; "it is time for me to take my walk."

Sir Roger Manstock, in the mean while, followed by Henry on horfeback, proceeded rapidly towards Crowbery; arrived there, he entered the caftle, whilft Henry ftruck off towards the cottage on the green, where Ezekiel Daw ftill fojourned in pious attendance on the dying juftice. The good man was at home when Henry rode to the door, and received him with the greeting of a father to his fon." Welcome, my dear child," cried Ezekiel, as he took him by the hand; "never truft me, but it maketh my heart glad to behold thee. Let it not be a wonder with thee, that I tarry here awhile, till it fhall please the Lord to difpofe of this wretched creature, languifhing on the bed of death, confcience ftricken, and wounded in the spirit no less than in the flesh. Thou may'ft well believe I have not fail'd to awaken him to a proper sense of his loft and defperate condition: as his returns of reafon are but short and rare, I have made the most of them, and set forth the heinousness

of

of his fins with all due horror, and in its blackest hue. As death hovers over him momentarily, I have prepar'd his ears for the awful found of the laft trump, and the dreadful warning of eternal condemnation. Fain wou'd he have fnatch'd at the vain hope of pardon and forgiveness; but I told him not to flatter himself with any such fallacious hopes; and that his offences against man must first be aton'd, before he thought of mercy from God: he appeal'd to his prefent fufferings, and demanded of me, if I did not think they were punishment fufficient for all the crimes he had meditated or committed. I forbid him to draw any comfort from fuch falfe perfuafions, reminding him, that mere pains and fickness cou'd not expiate offences; that he was indeed diverted from the perpetration of a murder by a fudden judgment, but it was the hand of Providence, and not his change of purpose, that had frustrated that horrid design; the crime remain'd with him, though the execution of it had been turn'd afide; I advis'd him, therefore, to folicit your forgiveness in the first place.". "He need not doubt of that," cried Henry, with eagerness; " I heartily and from my foul forgive him, and I beseech you fo to affure

K 2

him."

him."-" Thou fpeakeft, Henry, as it befitteth a Christian to speak; but I much question if these tidings can be imparted to him; by me at least they cannot, feeing I am interdicted from all further vifits to him, by one who hath the care of his body, but regardeth not the falvation of his foul. A certain eminent practitioner hath come down-from London, to infpect his wounds, and advise in the cafe. The man is a notable man in his profeffion, and no lefs fkill'd in pharmacy than furgery; but, alas! he lacketh the one thing needful; for he declaimeth vehemently against my spiritual admonitions, crying out amain, that they deprefs his pulfe, disturb his fpirits, and fink him into that defpondency, which defeats his efforts, and portendeth death. Thus doth this man of medicine fet his face against those wholesome terrors of the Lord, by which we perfuade men: but, in truth, this Mr. L

of whom fo much is faid for his fkill in the management of wounds, regardeth not the doctrine of a wounded confcience, which, probably, he hath no experience in."- Henry fmiled: Ezekiel made no ftop.-" However, I have taught the fick man that, which has funk deeper into his brain than the furgeon's

geon's probe can reach; I have fown thofe feeds in his heart, which the enemy cannot root out; and, I flatter myself, he hath a feeling foretafte of thofe torments, which are prepar'd for the impenitent finner in the world to

come."

"Alas! alas! my zealous friend,” cried Henry," cor'd you not, in pity to a dying wretch, ftrike out one fpark of comfort from the hope we have in God's all-gracious mercy? Cou'd you preach nothing fhort of abfolute defpair? How can a wretch repent, who has no hope of pardon? If you display all hell before his fight, how can he lift his dying eyes towards Heaven? Indeed, indeed, my pious friend, you have been too gloomy in your doctrine."

"And who fhall tell me that !" exclaimed Ezekiel," a boy! a child! a new born babe! Wilt thou reform, correct, reprove my doctrine! thou! Remember the fate of thofe faucy brats that mock'd at the prophet Elisha; a bear out of the foreft devour'd them; I don't fay it will be exactly thy fate, for there are no bears in England, I know that well enough; but have a care of a judgment no less; have a

care, I fay, young man, how you flout at my

doctrine."

"I flout not either at you or your doctrine,” replied Henry," but I compaffionate the fituation of this unhappy Blachford; and if he feels contrition for his faults, why fhou'd he not be cheer'd with hopes of being pardon'd for them?"-"I tell thee, Henry," quoth Ezekiel, his gust of anger being now pretty nearly blown off," there is not a more deceitful propenfity in the heart of man, than what is call'd pity; it is as unlike true charity as it is unlike ftrit justice; fome people have a soft heart, and a watery eye, at every body's command that chufes to apply to them, by which means they are dupes of every knave and impoftor, who can put on a crying countenance, and tell a canting tale; but a nature of this caft is only active, when it is fpur'd into motion by fome interesting spectacle; provoke it not, and it fleeps; mere pity never feeks for employment; it is a virtue of parade and popularity; it fearches not for diftrefs, nor follows the fequefler'd mourner into his melancholy haunts, to adminifter the fecret charities of confolation and relief; these offices demand a firmer fpi

rit,