killed several persons, and that nobody"— "Oh, Sir,” replied the the Colonel, " your friends do me too much honour; but there is a gentleman (pointing to a fierce looking black fellow that was sitting at one of the tables) who has killed half the regiment." So up goes the officer to him, and tells him he is well informed of his bravery, and that for that reason he must fight him. "Who, I, "Sir?" replied the gentleman: "Why, I am Peal, the Apothecary.”

If in defence of duelling it be said that the practice operates as a restraint against affronting behaviour and preserves decent order in Society, it should be mentioned at the same time, that well bred men require not such a bugbear, and those of a contrary description are seldom awed by it: for characters of this cast, are naturally most exposed to such rencounters, and by experience, are not only familiarized to them, but acquire at the same time superior skill and dexterity

in the execution of them; and hence this consideration denies very materially, what is often urged in favour of duelling, that it is to each, equally a fair mode of attack. The hoary lecher, who has assaulted the character or virtue of a beloved wife or an affectionate daughter is suffered to atone for that enormity, in taking away the life of one, who may be in the bloom of youth, honour, fortune and endearments. Is this honour? is this bravery? is this satisfaction? yes, the world calls it by such names! but tell us, ye seconds, who like executioners attend at the fatal spot to prepare for so foul a spectacle, tell us, by the perturbed feelings of your consciences, what name to give the infernal deed!

"Oh, it is monstrous! monstrous |

"Methought the billows spoke, and told me of it."

Let not the dignified name of Honour continue to be perverted in its use, let not

the basest metal pass for the purity of gold,strip from the imposing Ass the Lion's skin.

on.

"Well, 'tis no matter; says the duellist, Honour pricks me Yea, but how if Honour prick me off when I come on? how then? Can Honour set a leg? No. Or an arm? No. Or take away the grief of a wound? No. Honour hath no skill in surgery then? No. What is Honour? A word. What is that word Honour? Air: a trim reckoning!-Who hath it? He that died o' Wednesday. Doth he feel it? No. Doth he hear it? No. Is it insensible then? Yea, to the dead. But will it not live with the living: No. Why? Detraction will not suffer it therefore I'll none of it. Honour is a mere 'scutcheon; and so ends my catechism."

That cannot be the offspring of legitimate honour, which originates with injustice, is nursed by revenge, is perpetrated by stealth, which terminates in cruelty, violates the laws of society, and disdains the resentment of Almighty God!

Rescue the name of Honour from such impious degradation, nor suffer it to gloss

* Henry IV.

over

over the sanguinary act, by giving to it the

name of valour.

"As if they labour'd

To bring manslaughter into form, set quarrelling
Upon the head of Valour; which, indeed,

Is Valour misbegot, and came into the world
When sects and factions were but newly born:
He's truly valiant, that can wisely suffer

The worst that man can breathe, and make his wrongs
His outfides; to wear them like his raiment carelessly,
And ne'er prefer his injuries to his heart,

To bring it into danger.

If wrongs be evils, and enforce us kill,

What folly 'tis to hazard life for ill!"

On a subject of such baleful consequences as that of duelling, which leaves the deplorable vestiges of grief beyond the principals themselves; it may be of advantage to the design of this essay, to bring forward the arguments of the celebrated Dr. South, in his small tract " Of Duelling Considered." "He that dies in a duel, says this writer, so falls to the earth, that, it is to be feared, he falls

* Timon of Athens.

falls much lower; and that the iron enters deeper into his soul than into his body, and kills much farther than it reaches. And this introduces the other fatal consequence, which attends the person thus vanquished; and that is,"

"Death eternal, When two persons come into the field upon such an expedition, they defy one another, they defy the laws both of God and man, and they defy hell: their business is, which shall send the other to that place of misery first. For certainly whosoever quits the body with the marks of murder and revenge fresh upon his soul, and passes from his conquering adversary to his dreadful judge, shall in that world be condemned for a murderer, though it was his ill hap to be murdered in this.”

"Nay, there will lie a double charge of murder upon him: namely, for being both the unjust occasion of his own death, and

the