:

The last words, confession, and dying speech of WILLIAM WILSON, who was executed at Chelmsford for murder.

the attention of the criminal, who now lifted | TRATION. You know I hate theories: this up his eyes, and cast on his late master a is realizing; this is PHILOSOPHY made easy look so dreadful that Fantom wished for a to the meanest capacity. This is the premoment that he had given up all hope of the cious fruit which grows on that darling tree, spoons, rather than have exposed himself to so many slips of which have been transplansuch a scene. At length the poor wretch ted from that land of liberty of which it is the said, in a low voice that would have melted native, but which, with all your digging, a heart of stone, O, sir are you there? I planting, watering, dunging, and dressing, did indeed wish to see you before my dread-will, I trust, never thrive in this blessed land ful sentence is put in execution. Oh, sir! of ours.' to-morrow! to-morrow! But I have a con- Mr. Fantom sneaked off to finish his work fession to make to you.' This revived Mr. at home; and Mr. Trueman staid to finish Fantom, who again ventured to glance a his in the prison. He passed the night with. hope at the spoons, Sir,' said William, I the wretched convict; he prayed with him could not die without making my confession. and for him, and read to him the penitential Ay, and restitution too, I hope,' replied psalms, and some portions of the Gospel.Fantom where are my spoons?' Sir, But he was too humble and too prudent a they are gone with the rest of my wretched man to venture out of his depth by argubooty. But oh, sir! those spoons make soments and consolations which he was not petty an article in my black account, that I warranted to use: this he left for the clergyhardly think of them. Murder! sir, mur-man-but he pressed on William the great der is the crime for which I am justly doom-duty of making the only amends now in his ed to die. Oh, sir, who can abide the anger power to those whom he had led astray.of an offended God? Who can dwell with They then drew up the following paper, everlasting burnings? As this was a ques-which Mr. Trueman got printed, and gave tion which even a philosopher could not an-away at the place of execution. swer, Mr. Fantom was going to steal off, especially as he now gave up all hope of the but William called him back: spoons; Stay, sir, stay, I conjure you, as you will answer it at the bar of God. You must 'I was bred up in the fear of God, and bear the sins of which you have been the lived with credit in many sober families, in occasion. You are the cause of my being which I was a faithful servant; but being about to suffer a shameful death.-Yes, sir, tempted by a little higher wages, I left a you made me a drunkard, a thief, and a mur- good place to go and live with Mr. Fantom, derer.' How dare you, William,' cried who, however, made good none of his fine Mr. Fantom, with great emotion, accuse promises, but proved a hard master. Full of me with being the cause of such horrid fine words and charitable speeches in favour crimes?' 'Sir,' answered the criminal, of the poor; but apt to oppress, overwork, ‘from you I learned the principles which and underpay them. In his service I was lead to those crimes. By the grace of God not allowed time to go to church. This I should never have fallen into sins deserving troubled me at first, till I overheard my masof the gallows, if I had not overheard you ter say, that going to church was a superstisay there was no hereafter, no judgment, no tious prejudice, and only meant for the vulfuture reckoning. O, sir! there is a hell, gar. Upon this I resolved to go no more; dreadful, inconceivable, eternal!' Here, for I thought there could not be two relithrough the excess of anguish, the poor fel-gions, one for the master, and one for the low fainted away. Mr. Fantom, who did servant. Finding my master never prayed, not at al! relish this scene, said to his friend, I too left off praying: this gave Satan great well, sir, we will go, if you please, for you power over me, so that I from that time fell sce there is nothing to be done.' into almost every sin. I was very uneasy at 'Sir,' replied Mr. Trueman, mournfully, first, and my conscience gave me no rest; you may go if you please, but I shall stay,but I was soon reconciled by overhearing for I see there is a great deal to be done.' my master and another gentleman say, that "What!' rejoined the other, do you think it possible his life can be saved. No, indeed,' said Trueman; but I hope it is possible his soul may be saved.' 'I do not understand these things,' said Fantom, making toward the door. Nor I neither,' said Trueman; 'but as a fellow-sinner, I am bound to do what I can for this poor man. Do you go home, Mr. Fantom, and finish your treatise on universal benevolence, and the blessed effects of philosophy; and hark ye, be sure you let the frontispiece of your book represent William on the gibbet; that will be what our minister calls a PRACTICAL ILLUS

death was only an eternal sleep, and hell and judgment were but an invention of priests to keep the poor in order. I mention this as a warning to all masters and mistresses to take care what they converse about while servants are waiting at table. They cannot tell how many souls they have sent to perdition by such loose talk. The crime for which I die is the natural consequence of the principles I learnt of my master. A rich man, indeed, who throws off religion, may escape the gallows, because want does not drive him to commit those crimes which lead to it; but what shall restrain a needy man,

penitent till he was launched into eternity, but attended him with the minister in the cart. This pious clergyman never cared to say what he thought of William's state.When Mr. Trueman ventured to mention his hope, that though his penitence was late, yet it was sincere, and spoke of the dying thief on the cross as a ground of encouragement, the minister, with a very serious look, madė this answer: Sir, that instance is too often brought forward on occasions to which it does not apply: I do not chuse to say any thing to your application of it in the present case, but I will answer you in the words of a good man speaking of the penitent thief: There is one such instance given that nobody might despair, and there is but one, that nobody might presume.'

Poor William was turned off just a quarter before eleven; and may the Lord have mercy on his soul !

THE TWO WEALTHY FARMERS;

OR, THE HISTORY OF MR. BRAGWELL.

IN SEVEN PARTS.

a man's own folly. As this opinion was first taken up by him from vanity and ignorance, so it was more and more confirmed by his own prosperity. He saw that he himself had succeeded greatly without either money or education to begin with; and he therefore now despised every man, however excellent his character or talents might be, who had not the same success in life. His natural disposition was not particularly bad, but prosperity had hardened his heart. He made his own progress in life the rule by which the conduct of all other men was to be judged, without any allowance for their peculiar disadvantages, or the visitations of Providence. He thought, for his part, that every man of sense could command success on his undertakings, and control and dispose the events of his own life.

But though he considered those who had had less success than himself as no better than fools, yet he did not extend this opinion to Mr. Worthy, whom he looked upon not only as a good but a wise man. They had been bred up when children in the same house; but with this difference, that Worthy was the nephew of the master, and Bragwell the son of the servant.

delight of Bragwell to eclipse, in his way of life, men of larger fortune. He did not see how much this vanity raised the envy of his inferiors, the ill-will of his equals, and the contempt of his betters.

His wife was a notable stirring woman, but vain, violent, and ambitious; very ignorant, and very high-minded. She had married Bragwell before he was worth a shilling, and as she had brought him a good deal of money, she thought herself the grand cause of his rising in the world; and thence took occasion to govern him most completely. Whenever he ventured to oppose her, she took care to put him in mind that he owed every thing to her; that had it not been for her, he might still have been stumping after a plough-tail, or serving hogs in old Worthy's farm-yard; but that it was she who had made a gentleman of him. In order to set about making him a gentleman, she had begun by teazing him till he had turned away all his poor relations who worked in the farm: she next drew him off from keeping company with his old acquaintance; and at last persuaded him to remove from the place where he had got his money. Poor woman! she had not sense and virtue enough to see how honourable it is for a man to raise himself in the world by fair means, and then to help forward his poor relations and friends; engaging their services by his kindness, and endeavouring to turn his own advancement in life to the best account, that of making it the instrument of assisting those who had a natural claim to his protection.

Bragwell's father had been ploughman in the family of Mr. Worthy's uncle, a sensible man, who farmed a small estate of his own, and who having no children, bred up young Worthy as his son, instructed him in the business of husbandry, and at his death left him his estate. The father of Worthy was a pious clergyman, who lived with his brother the farmer, in order to help out a narrow income. He had bestowed much pains Mrs. Bragwell was an excellent mistress, on the instruction of his son, and used fre- according to her own notions of excellence; quently to repeat to him a saying, which he for no one could say that she ever lost an had picked up in a book written by one of opportunity of scolding a servant, or was the greatest men this country ever produced ever guilty of the weakness of overlooking a -That there were two things with which fault. Towards her two daughters her beevery man ought to he acquainted, RELI- haviour was far otherwise. In them she GION AND HIS OWN BUSINESS.-While he therefore took care that his son should be made an excellent farmer, he filled up his leisure hours in improving his mind; so that young Worthy had read more good books, and understood them better, than most men in his station. His reading however had been chiefly confined to husbandry and divinity, the two subjects which were of the most immediate importance to him.

could see nothing but perfections; but her extravagant fondness for these girls was full as much owing to pride as to affection. She was bent on making a family, and having found out that she was too ignorant, and too much trained to the habits of getting money, ever to hope to make a figure herself, she looked to her daughters as the persons who were to raise the family of the Bragwell's; and in this hope she foolishly submitted to any drudgery for their sakes, and bore every kind of mpertinence from them.

The reader will see by this time that Mr. Bragwell and Mr. Worthy were as likely to be as opposite to each other as two men The first wish of her heart was to set them could well be, who were nearly of the same above their neighbours; for she used to say, age and condition, and who were neither of what was the use of having substance, if her them without credit in the world. Bragwell daughters might not carry themselves above indeed made far the greater figure; for he girls who had nothing? To do her justice, liked to cut a dash, as he called it. It was she herself would be about early and late to his delight to make the ancient gentry of the see that the business of the house was not neighbourhood stare, at seeing a grazier vie neglected. She had been bred to great inwith them in show, and exceed them in ex-dustry, and continued to work when it was pense. And while it was the study of Wor-no longer necessary, both from early habit, thy to conform to his station, and to set a and the desire of heaping up money for her good example to those about him, it was the daughters. Yet her whole notion of gentility

was, that it consisted in being rich and idle ; | despise and ridicule every girl who was net and, though she was willing to be a drudge as vainly dressed as themselves. herself, she resolved to make her daughters gentlewomen on this principle. To be well dressed, to eat elegantly, and to do nothing, or nothing of which is of any use, was what she fancied distinguished people in genteel life. And this is too common a notion of a fine education among a certain class; they do not esteem things by their use, but by their show. They estimate the value of their children's education by the money it Their father hoped, with far more judgcosts, and not by the knowledge and good-ment, that they would be a comfort to him ness it bestows. People of this stamp often both in sickness and in health. He had had take a pride in the expense of learning, in-no learning himself, and could write but stead of taking pleasure in the advantages of poorly, and owed what skill he had in figures it. And the silly vanity of letting others see to his natural turn of business. He reasonthat they can afford any thing, often sets ably hoped that his daughters, after all the parents on letting their daughters learn not money he had spent on them, would now only things of no use, but things which may write his letters and keep his accounts. be really hurtful in their situation : either by And as he was now and then laid up with a setting them above their proper duties, or fit of the gout, he was enjoying the prospect by taking up their time in a way inconsistent of having two affectionate children to nurse with them. him, as well as two skilful assistants to relieve him.

The mother had been comforting herself for the heavy expense of their bringing up. by looking forward to the pleasure of seeing them become fine ladies, and the pride of marrying them above their station; and to this hope she constantly referred in all her conversations with them; assuring them that all her happiness depended on their future elevation.

Mrs. Bragwell sent her daughters to a boarding-school, where she instructed them to hold up their heads as high as any body; to have more spirit than to be put upon by any one; never to be pitiful about money, but rather to show that they could afford to spend with the best; to keep company with the richest and most fashionable girls, in the school, and to make no acquaintance with farmers' daughters.

When they came home, however, he had the mortification to find, that though he had two smart showy ladies to visit him, he had neither dutiful daughters to nurse him, nor faithful stewards to keep his books, nor prudent children to manage his house. They neither soothed him by their kindness when he was sick, nor helped him by their industry when he was busy. They thought the They came home at the usual age of leav-maid might take care of him in the gout as ing school, with a large portion of vanity she did before; for they fancied that nursing grafted on their native ignorance. The va- was a coarse and servile employment: and nity was added, but the ignorance was not as to their skill in cyphering he soon found, taken away. Of religion they could not pos- to his cost, that though they knew how to sibly learn any thing, since none was taught, spend both pounds, shillings, and pence, yet for at that place Christianity was considered they did not know so well how to cast them as a part of education which belonged only up. Indeed it is to be regretted that woto charity schools. They went to church in- men in general, especially in the middle deed once a Sunday, yet effectually to coun-class, are so little grounded in so indispensateract any benefit such an attendance might ble, solid, and valuable an acquirement as produce, it was the rule of the school that arithmetic. they should use only French prayer-books; Mrs. Bragwell being one day very busy in of course, such superficial scholars as the preparing a great dinner for the neighbours, Miss Bragwells would always be literally ventured to request her daughters to assist praying in an unknown tongue; while girls in making the pastry. They asked her with of better capacity and more industry would a scornful smile, whether she had sent them infallibly be picking out the nominative case, to a boarding school to learn to cook; and the verb, and participle of a foreign lan- added, that they supposed she would exguage, in the solemn act of kneeling before pect them next to make hasty-puddings for the Father of Spirits, who searcheth the the hay-makers. So saying, they coolly heart and tryeth the reins.' During the re- marched off to their music. When the momainder of the Sunday they learnt their ther found her girls were too polite to be of worldly tasks, all except actual needle- any use, she would take comfort in observwork, which omission alone marked the dis-ing how her parlour was set out with their tinction of Sunday from other days; and the fillagree and flowers, their embroidery and governess being a French Roman Catholic, cut paper. They spent the morning in bed, it became a doubtful point with some people, the noon in dressing, the evening at the whether her zeal or her negligence in the harpsichord, and the night in reading noarticle of religion would be most to the ad- vels. vantage of her pupils. Of knowledge the With all these fine qualifications it is easy Miss Bragwells had got just enough to laugh to suppose, that as they despised their sober at their fond parents' rustic manners and duties, they no less despised their plain vulgar language, and just enough taste to neighbours. When they could not get to a VOL. I.

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horse-race, a petty-ball, or a strolling-play, beasts in your neighbourhood, I will take a with some company as idle and as smart as bed at your house, and we will pass the eyethemselves, they were driven for amuse-ning in debating as we used to do. You ment to the circulating library, Jack, the know I always loved a bit of an argument, ploughboy, on whom they had now put a livery jacket, was employed half his time in trotting backwards and forwards with the most wretched trash the little neighbouring bookshop could furnish. The choice was often left to Jack, who could not read, but who had general orders to bring all the new things, and a great many of them.

and am not reckoned not to make the worst figure at our club: I had not, to be sure, such good learning as you had, because your father was a parson, and you got it for nothing: but I can bear my part pretty well for all that. When any man talks to me about his learning, I ask if it has helped him to get a good estate; if he says no, then I would It was a misfortune, that at the school at not give him a rush for it; for of what use is which they had been bred, and at some all the learning in the world, if it does not others, there was no system of education make a man rich? But, as I was saying, I which had any immediate reference to the will come and see you to-morrow; but now station of life to which the girls chiefly be- don't let your wife put herself in a fuss for longed. As persons in the middle line, for me: don't alter your own plain way; for I want of that acquaintance with books, and am not proud, I assure you, nor above my with life and manners, which the great pos-old friends; though, I thank God, I am sess, do not always see the connexion be- pretty well in the world.' tween remote consequences and their causes, the evils of a corrupt and inappropriate system of education do not strike them so forcibly; and provided they can pay for it, which is made the grand criterion between the fit and the unfit, they are too little disposed to consider the value, or rather the worthlessness, of the thing which is paid for: but literally go on to give their money for that which is not bread.

To all this flourishing speech Mr. Worthy coolly answered, that certainly worldly prosperity ought never to make any man proud, since it is God who giveth strength to get riches, and without his blessing, 'tis in vain 10 rise up early, and to eat the bread of carefulness.

About the middle of the next day Mr. Bragwell reached Mr. Worthy's neat and pleasant dwelling. He found every thing in it the reverse of his own. It had not so many ornaments, but it had more comforts. And when he saw his friend's good old-fashioned arm-chair in a warm corner, he gave a sigh to think how his own had been banished to make room for his daughter's piano forte. Instead of made flowers in glass cases, and tea-chests and screens too fine to be used, which he saw at home, and about which he was cautioned, and scolded as often as he came near them; his daughters watching his motions with the same anxiety as they would have watched the motions of a cat in a china shop. Instead of this, I say, he saw some neat shelves of good books for the service of the family, and a small medicine chest for the benefit of the poor.

Their subsequent course of reading serves to establish all the errors of their education. | Instead of such books as might help to confirm and strengthen them in all the virtues of their station, in humility, economy, meekness, contentment, self-denial, and industry; the studies now adopted are, by a graft on the old stock, made to grow on the habits acquired at school. Of those novels and plays which are so eagerly devoured by persons of this description, there is perhaps scarce one which is not founded upon principles which would lead young women of the middle ranks to be discontented with their station. It is rank--it is elegance-it is beauty--it is sentimental feelings—it is sensibility-it is some needless, or some superficial, or some quality hurtful, even in that fashion- Mrs. Worthy and her daughters had preable person to whom the author ascribes it, pared a plain but neat and good dinner.which is the ruling principle. This quality | The tarts were so excellent, that Bragwell transferred into the heart and the conduct of felt a secret kind of regret that his own an illiterate woman in an inferior station be- daughters were too genteel to do any thing comes impropriety, becomes absurdity, be-so very useful. Indeed he had been always comes sinfulness. unwilling to believe that any thing which Things were in this state in the family we was very proper and very necessary, could are describing, or rather growing worse; be so extremely vulgar and unbecoming as for idleness and vanity are never at a stand; his daughters were always declaring it to be. when these two wealthy farmers, Bragwell And his late experience of the little con fort and Worthy, met at Weyhill fair, as was he found at home, inclined him now still said before. After many hearty salutations more strongly to suspect that things were had passed between them, it was agreed not so right there as he had been made to that Mr. Bragwell should spend the next suppose. But it was in vain to speak; for his day with his old friend, whose house was not daughters constantly stopped his mouth by many miles distant. Bragwell invited him-a favourite saying of theirs, which equally self in the following manner: We have not indicated affectation and vulgarity, that it had a comfortable day's chat for years,' said was better to be out of the world than out of he, and as I am to look at a drove of lean the fashion.