dead. These things were repeated to Lewis; but he too little regarded them. His capacity was better tuned to plan a robbery; which, if well applied, might have made him a general or an admiral.

Lewis owned he had read the Free Enquirer, that exalted author; but condemned him as an ignorant presuming blockhead, for attempting what he was not able to make out. It seems he had disappointed poor Lewis in the expected ease and satisfaction he wanted in his guilt and infidelity. Notwithstanding all this, one of Lewis's panegyrists, in the Gazetteer of May the 5th , has celebrated him as "a " person of good natural parts, who had a just " sense of the christian religion, and discerned clearly and sensibly concerning the scriptures, &c." Just as clearly and sensibly, as this panegyrist conceives and writes of poor Paul Lewis< no role > This name instance is in set 3638. , when he says, " That his motive (for suicide, for which he concealed a penknife about him) was to prevent the disgrace of his family, by an ignominious death." Whereas the court, every right thinking man, and the laws, have a contrary sense of it; that it must aggravate the disgrace of his death to his family, no less than his own guilt, and would have treated his remains (" not as those officers, some of distinction did, by whom he was in general respected, " and shewed their respect to him as he passed along") but by driving a stake through his carcass in a cross road. This is a rare salvo against an ignominious death and the disgrace of his family! to fear man and not God; moments worldly shame more than eternal judgment. This clear and sensible writer seems to be as closely connected with the penman of Lewis's letter to Mr. Recorder, published in the same news-paper, as Lewis's crimes were with a degree of madness.

But to silence all his cavils, two plain points of belief and practice were proposed to him. 1st, That humiliation and repentance were his part and duty in his present circumstances. 2d, That this and all he can do, will not prevail with God for mercy, but by the merits and blood of Jesus Christ; laying aside all foolish and ill-grounded objections of evil-minded men against the word of God. To this, and much more, he answered, that he must be guided by his own conscience. But can a seared conscience and obdurate spirit be a good guide?

He acknowledged, at the same time, the great propriety of the portions of scripture this day read and applied to them, viz. Levit. 26. and St. Luke 15. He went one step farther with us this day; express'd his abhorrence of suicide, (of which, he was conscious, he stood justly suspected, from the evidence of his own mouth) saying in a contrary strain, of true faith and patience, "What, don't I " know that my Saviour Jesus Christ, who was perfectly innocent, suffered and died for me? and " how can I refuse to follow his example?" And he gave me an instance of rejecting an opportunity, and resisting a temptation of this kind; when a near relation of his (as he said) brought him a vial of liquid laudanum to take, he dashed it against the ground and broke it. When I repeated this fact to the keeper quickly after, as I thought it my duty to do, in order to guard him from such visitors, he only said, "he did not believe him." Lewis was at this day in so complying a temper, that without any application or solicitation of mine directly or indirectly, he promised me of his own accord he would write a full and true account of his own life, desiring I would publish it as he wrote it.

By such prudent and temperate visits and applications to this rash, giddy youth, as we were this day blessed with, it is very probable from the effects, he would have daily become more tractable, pliant and penitent, till he should be gently led on to the Lord's table, with patience and satisfaction, with hope and comfort to himself and his minister, as many great criminals have been before him, (blessed be God!) and it is hoped, may be again.

When visited next day he still gave me an encouraging account of himself, that he had read over the companion to the altar which I had put into his hands a day or two before, when the usual notice for administration of the sacrament was given. And this subject was afterwards daily opened and explained to them.

The day following he told me he reads Sherlock upon death, commended him as an excellent writer and very proper for him.

Having a little private conversation with him, to set him right in some parts of his behaviour and way of thinking, he now varied his promise in a matter ever very indifferent to me with regard to myself, except as a proof of repentance in the criminals, that he would give a copy of his own account of himself to another clergyman, (whom doubtless he had seen in his cell) as well as to me; to which I answered, I hoped it would be such as would deter others from following his steps, and not allure them. He answered in these ever-memorable words, "If to tell " them, that after the first fact he committed, he " was ever in fear; and under apprehension that " every man he met, nay every bush he saw, was " a thief-taker - that should be the encouragement " he would give them; assuring them that since he " fell into this way, in which he had long reigned, he " never could be easy.

How powerful is truth! how forcible are right words! even from a man experienced in sin, who has felt the truth of them. Even scoffers while they scorn and would annull, do strongly confirm God's holy word - The wicked flee when no man pursueth,