ufual meditations, and having praised my Heavenly Corrector, I laid myself down, and flept with the utmost tranquillity till morning.

CHA P. XXVI.

A reformation in the gaol. To make laws complete, they should reward, as well as punish.

THE next morning early, I was awakened by my family, whom I found in tears at my bed-fide. The gloomy ftrength of every thing about us, it seems, had daunted them. I gently rebuked their forrow, affuring them, I had never flept with greater tranquillity; and next enquired after my eldest daughter, who was not among them. They informed me, that yefterday's uneafiness and fatigue had increased her fever, and it was judged proper to leave her behind. My next care was to fend my fon to procure a room or two to lodge the family in, as near the prison as conveniently could be found. He obeyed; but could only find one apartment, which was hired, at a small expence, for his mother and fifters, the gaoler with humanity confenting to let him and his two little brothers ly in the prifon with me. A bed was therefore prepared for them in a corner of the room, which I thought anfwered very conveniently. I

was

was willing, however, previously to know whether my little children chose to ly in a place which feemed to fright them upon entrance.

"Well," cried I, " my good boys, how do you "like your bed? I hope you are not afraid to ❝ly in this room, dark as it appears ?"

"No, Papa," fays Dick, "I am not afraid to "ly any where, where you are."

"And I," fays Bill, who was yet but four years old, "love every place beft that my Papa " is in."

After this, I allotted to each of the family what they were to do. My daughter was particularly directed to watch her declining fifter's health; my wife was to attend me; my little boys were to read to me : "And as for you, my "fon," continued I," it is by the labour of your "hands we must all hope to be fupported. Your

wages, as a day-labourer, will be fully fufficient, "with proper frugality, to maintain us all, and "comfortably too. Thou art now fixteen years "old, and haft ftrength; and it was given thee,

my fon, for very useful purposes; for it must "fave from famine your helpless parents and fa"mily. Prepare, then, this evening to look out "for work against to-morrow, and bring home "every night what money you earn, for our fup"port."

Having thus inftructed him, and fettled the reft, I walked down to the common prifon, where I could enjoy more air and room. But I was not. I 3

long

long there, when the execrations, lewdnefs, and brutality that invaded me on every side, drove me back to my apartment again. Here I fat for fome time, pondering upon the strange infatuation of wretches, who, finding all mankind in open arms against them, were labouring to make themfelves a future and a tremendous enemy.

Their infenfibility excited my highest compaffion, and blotted my own uneasiness from my mind. It even appeared a duty incumbent upon me to attempt to reclaim them. I refolved, therefore, once more to return, and, in fpite of their contempt, to give them my advice, and conquer them by perfeverance. Going, therefore, among them again, I informed Mr. Jenkinfon of my defign; at which he laughed heartily, but communicated it to the reft. The proposal was received with the greatest good humour, as it promised to afford a new fund of entertainment to perfons who had now no other resource for mirth, but what could be derived from ridicule or debauchery.

I therefore read them a portion of the fervice with a loud unaffected voice, and found my audience perfectly merry upon the occafion. Lewd whispers, groans of contrition burlesqu'd, winking and coughing, alternately excited laughter. However, I continued with my natural folemnity to read on, fenfible that what I did might amend fome, but could itself receive no tontamination from any.

After

After reading, I entered upon my exhortation, which was rather calculated at first to amuse them, than to reprove. I previously obferved, that no other motive but their welfare could induce me to this; that I was their fellowprifoner, and now got nothing by preaching. I was forry, I faid, to hear them fo very profane; because they got nothing by it, but might lose a great deal: "For be affured, my friends," cried I, "for you are my friends, however the "world may disclaim your friendship, though "you fwore twelve thousand oaths in a day, it "would not put one penny in your purse. Then "what fignifies calling every moment upon the

devil, and courting his friendship, since you "find how fcurvily he uses you? He has given "you nothing here, you find, but a mouthful of "oaths and an empty belly; and, by the best ac"counts I have of him, he will give you nothing "that's good hereafter.

"If ufed ill in our dealings with one man, "we naturally go elsewhere. Were it not worth

your while, then, juft to try how you may like "the ufage of another mafter, who gives you fair "promises at least, to come to him? Surely, my "friends, of all stupidity in the world, his must "be greatest, who, after robbing an houfe, runs "to the thief-takers for protection. And yet, "how are you more wife? You are all feek"ing comfort from one that has already be-"trayed you, applying to a more malicious be"ing than any thief-taker of them all; for

1.4.

"they

"they only decoy, and then hang you; but he 66 decoys and hangs, and, what is worst of all, "will not let you loofe after the hangman has "done."

When I had concluded, I received the compliments of my audience, fome of whom came and shook me by the hand, fwearing that I was a very honest fellow, and that they defired my farther acquaintance. I therefore promised to repeat my lecture next day, and actually conceived fome hopes of making a reformation here; for it had ever been my opinion, that no man was past the hour of amendment, every heart lying open to the fhafts of reproof, if the archer could but take a proper aim. When I had thus fatisfied my mind, I went back to my apartment, where my wife prepared a frugal meal, while Mr. Jenkinson begged leave to add his dinner to ours, and partake of the pleafure, as he was kind enough to exprefs it, of my converfation. He had not yet feen my family; for, as they came to my apartment by a door in the narrow paffage already defcribed, by this means they avoided the common prifon. Jenkinson, at the firft interview, therefore, seemed not a little ftruck with the beauty of my youngest daughter, which her penfive air contributed to heighten; and my little ones did not pafs unnoticed.

"Alas, Doctor," cried he, "these children are too handfome and too good for fuch a "place as this!"

"Why