My Lord, it is for my offences against heaven and the publick; it is for my family disgraced, for a helpless infant daughter, that my heart is weighed down with contrite anguish, and dares not with confidence apply to the great and good. - And yet, my Lord, permit me to implore so much mercy as will for ever remove me from being a disgrace to those who once knew me worthy of a better fate, and will enable me topass the remainder of my days in penitence and sorrowful obscurity.

The reader may observe mention here made of his brother, whose Letter hinted at on the trial, has so much christian charity, honesty, and humanity in it. that I can not deny it a place here, though it would have done Mr. Maclean no hurt if it had been kept more private.

A Letter from the Rev Mr. * * *to - upon receiving the news of James Maclean< no role > This name instance is in set 3540. 's being committed for robbery. &c.

Utrecht, Aug. 17, N.S. 1750 .

SIR,

I Received your melancholy letter, but the dismal news it contained had reached me here before it arrived, as I have been happily absent from the Hague some time.

I never thought any belonging to me would have loaded me with such heart-breaking affection, as the infamous crimes of him whom I will call brother no more, have brought upon me; how often, and how solemnly have I admonished him, of the miserable consequences of an idle life, and, alas! to no purpose!

However that be, I have made all the application possible for his life, filled with shame and confusion, that I have been obliged to make demands so contrary to justice, and hardly knowing with what face to do it, in the character I bear as a minister of truth and righteousness.

"It is the interest of some friends, I have

"made here, that can only save his life: They

"have lost no time in applying, and I hope their

"endeavours will be successful; but I still hope

"more, that if providence should so order events,

"as that he escapes the utmost rigour of the

"law, and has that life prolonged, he does not deserve

"to enjoy any longer, I hope, or rather

"with, that in such a case he may have a

"proper sense and feeling of his enormous crimes,

"which lay ample foundation for drawing out

"the wretched remainder of his days in sorrow

"and repentance.

"With respect to me, it would give me consolation,

"if I could hope that this would be the

"issue of his trials; it would comfort me on

"his account, as he is a man, because I will

"never acknowledge him in any nearer relation;

"and because, except such good offices as former

"ties, and present humanity demands from

"me in his behalf, I am never to have any further

"correspondence with him during this mortal

"life.

"I have given orders to look towards his

"confidence, and what is necessary for it.

"I am obliged to you. Sir for your attention

"in communicating to me this dismal

"news, and shall willingly embrance any Opportunity

"of shewing myself,

Sir, Your most, &c.

P. S.

"If you see this my unhappy brother,

"let him know my compassion for his misery,

"as well as my indignation against his crimes,

"and also that I shall omit nothing in my

"power to have his sufferings mitigated; - he

"has. I fear, broken my heart, and will make

"me draw on the rest of my days in sorrow."

He was soon disabused as to the Hopes of Life raised by this Letter, but not so soon of his Interest with his fair Friends; however, that did not intirely lay aside his Thoughts of Eternity, though it might distract his Thoughts and abate the Fervour of his Devotion, which ought to make every Man cautious how he gives Encouragement to such dangerous Expectations, without having it in his Power or Inclination to perform them, they my be a real Injury, where they mean only Mercy and Humanity.

Mr. Maclean attended constantly at Chapel, and shewed a very pious and resigned Deportment, he was assisted, being a Protestant Dissenter, in the the more particular Duty of Religion, by a Gentleman of that Persuasion. In the whole of his Department in Newgate , he shewed a very decent Behaviour, a Resignation to the Will of God, a quick Sense of the Wickedness of his past Life, and fortified by the Merit of out blessed Redeemer, looked upon Death as deprived of its Terror, yet could not divest himself of that Horror natural to a Man at the Thoughts of a last and final Dissolution. In short, he was not arrogant enough to brave Death, nor so much wedded to Life, as to dread it like a Coward.