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of age; his testimony was delivered gravely and temperately, but to the great admiration of the auditory; whereupon, applying himself to the chief justice, he said, My lord, my brother here present, is minister of the parish adjacent, and, I am assured, saw all done that I have affirmed.' Therefore that person was sworn to give evidence, and deposed in every point, viz. the sweating of the brow, changing of its colour. opening of the eye, and the thrice motion of the finger, and drawing it in again; only the first witness added, that he himself dipped his finger in the blood which came from the dead body, to examine it, and he swore he believed it was blood. I conferred afterwards with Sir Edward Powel, barrister at law, and others, who all concurred in the observation; and for myself, if I were upon oath, I can depose, that these depositions, especially the first witness, are truly reported in substance. "The other evidence was given against the prisoners, viz. the grandmother of the plaintiff, and against Okerman and his wife, that they confessed they lay in the next room to the dead person that night, and that none came into the house till they found her dead the next morning. Therefore, if she did not murder herself, they must be the murderers; to that end further proof was made:

"First. That she lay in a composed manner in bed, the bed-clothes nothing at all disturbed, and her child by her in bed.

66 Secondly. Iler throat cut from ear to ear, and her neck broken; and if he first cut her throat, she could not break her neck in the bed, nor contra.

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Thirdly. There was no blood in the bed, saving there was a tincture of blood on the bolster where her head lay, but no substance of blood at all. "Fourthly. From the bed's-head there was a stream of blood on the floor, which ran along till it ponded in the bendings on the floor to a very great quantity; and there was also another stream of blood on the floor, at the bed's feet, which ponded also in the floor to a very great quantity, but no continuance or communication of either of these two places from one to the other, neither upon the bed, so that she bled in two places severally; and it was deposed, turning up the mats of the bed, there were clots of congealed blood in the straw of the mats underneath.

"Fifthly. The bloody knife was found in the morning, sticking in the floor, a good distance from the bed, but the point of the knife, as it stuck, was to the bed, and the haft from the bed.

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Sixthly. There was a print of a thumb and fore-finger of a left-hand. "Sir Nicholas Hyde, chief justice, said to the witness, How can you know the print of a left hand from the print of a right hand, in such a case?' -Witness. It is hard to describe; but if it please that honourable judge to put his left hand upon your left hand, you cannot possibly put your right hand in the same posture.' Which being done, and appearing so, the defendants had time to make their defence, but gave no evidence to any purpose. The jury departing from the bar, and returning, acquitted Okerman, and found the other three guilty, who being severally demanded what they could say, why judgment should not be pronounced, said no more than, I did not do it!' I did not do it!'

"Judgment was given, and the grandmother and the husband executed, but the aunt had the privilege to be spared execution, being with child.

"I enquired if they confessed any thing at their execution, but they did not, as I am told."

MIRACLE IN FAVOUR OF INNOCENCE.

In the Gazette Litteraire of Berling, of January, 1769, is the following extraordinary story:

A father and son of the town of Gand, were accused with having murdered the rector of the parish church, and stealing from it the plate, to a considerable value; for which supposed offence, they were hastily tried, and condemned to lose their heads on a certain fixed day. It happened, however, that the executioner was too ill to attend his duty, and as the sentence, by the law of the country, could not be deferred to another day, the magistrates offered the life of one, to become the executioner of the other. The father rejected the proposal with horror; but the son, without any hesitation, acquiesced. The father was accordingly led out to execution, but did not know by whose hands he was to suffer, till he saw his son armed with a naked sabre on the scaffold, where he embraced him, and poured out affliction like a flood. It is not, said he, the fear of death, but the unnatural hand by which I am to die, is what afflicts me; for being innocent of the crime laid to my charge, I have more to hope than fear. He then took a tender leave of his son, and laid his head on the billet to submit to the fatal blow; but to the astonishment of all present, when the son was lifting up the sabre, the blade without any violence broke in the middle; a circumstance so extraordinary, that the multitude, with one voice, called out for grace (pardon) and the civil magistrates conducted the father and son to their former confinement, and informed the prince with what had happened upon the scaffold, who, in consequence thereof, pardoned them both : soon after which, a criminal was executed, who confessed being the real murderer of the Cure, and the plunderer of the church,

In confirmation of this story, there is upon a little bridge near the fish-market, in the town of Gand, two statues in bronze, where one is represented in the very act of cutting off the head of the other, is very certain; and the same story seems to be represented in a picture still preserved in the Hotel de Ville of Gand.

SUPERSTITIONS OF THE HINDOOS.

The following are a few of the particulars, respecting the transmigration of souls, from one of the Hindoo writings:

"He who destroys a sacrifice will be punished in hell; he will afterwards be born again, and remain a fish for three years, and then ascend to human birth, but will be afflicted with a continual flux. He who kills an enemy subdued in war, will be cast into the hell Krukuchu; after which he will become a bull, a deer, a tiger, a bitch, a fish, a man; in the last state he will die of the palsy. He who eats excellent food without giving any to others, will be punished in hell 30,000 years, and then be born a musk-rat; then a deer; then a man whose body emits an offensive smell, and who prefers bad to excellent food. The man who refuses to his father and mother the food they desire, will be punished in hell, and afterwards be born a crow; then a man in the latter birth he will not relish any kind of food. The stealer of a water-pan will be born an alligator, and then a man of a monstrous size. The person who has lived with a woman of superior cast, will endure torments in hell during seventy-one yoogus of the gods: after this, in another hell, he will continue burning, like a blade of grass, for 100,000 years. He will next be born a worm, and after this ascend to human birth; but his body will be filled with

disease. The stealer of rice will sink into hell; will afterwards be born, and continue eighteen years, a crow; then a heron for twelve years; then a diseased man. He who kills an animal, not designing it for sacrifice, will, in the form of a turtle, be punished in hell; then be born a bull, and then a man afflicted with an incurable distemper. He who kills an animal by holding its breath, or laughs at a pooranu at the time of its recital, will, after enduring infernal torments, be born a snake; then a tiger, a cow, a white heron, a crow, and a man having an asthma. He who steals alms will sink into hell, and afterwards be born a blind man, afflicted with a consumption. A beautiful woman who despises her husband, will suffer in hell a variety of torments; she will then be born a female, and losing her husband very soon after marriage, will long endure the miseries of widowhood.

The Ugnee Pooranu says, that "a person who loses human birth, passes through 8,000,000 births among the inferior creatures before he can again obtain human birth: of which he remains 2,000,000 births among the immoveable parts of the creation, as stones, trees, &c.; 900,000 among the watery tribes; 1,000,000 among insects, worms, &c.; 1,000,000 among the bird; and 3,000,000 among the beasts. In the ascending scale, if his works be suitable, he continues 400,000 births among the lower casts of men ; during 100 births among bramhuns; and after he may obtain absorption. in Bramhu."

The opinion of the Hindoos respecting judgment of men after death is equally curious. Yumu, the judge of the dead, is believed to have his residence at the extremity of the earth, southwards floating on the water.

"Those who perform works of merit are led to Yumu's palace along the most excellent roads, in some parts of which the heavenly courtezans are seen dancing or singing; and gods, gundhurvus, &c. are heard chanting the praises of other gods; in others, showers of flowers are falling from heaven; in other parts are houses containing cooling water, and excellent food; pools of water, covered with nymphaeas; and trees, affording fragrance by their blossoms and shade by their leaves. The gods are seen to pass on horses or elephants, with white umbrellas carried over them; or in palanqueens or chariots, fanned with the chamurus of the gods, while the dévurshees are chanting their praises as they pass along. Some, by the glory issuing from their bodies, illumine the ten quarters of the world.

"Yumu receives the good with much affection, and, feasting them with excellent food, thus addresses them :- Ye are truly meritorious in your deeds; ye are wise; by the power of your merits ascend to an excellent heaven. He who, born in the world, performs meritorious actions, he is my father, brother, and friend.'

"The wicked have 688,000 miles to travel to the palace of Yumu, to receive judgment. In some places they pass over a pavement of fire; in others, the earth, in which their feet sink, is burning hot; or they pass over burning sands, or over stones with sharp edges, or burning hot; sometimes showers of sharp instrument, and, at others, showers of burning cinders, or scalding water, or stones fall upon them; burning winds scorch their bodies; every now and then they fall into concealed wells full of darkness, or pass through narrow passages, filled with stones, in which serpents lie concealed; sometimes the road is filled with thick darkness, at other times they pass through the branches of trees, the leaves of which are full of thorns; again they walk over broken pots, or over hard clods of earth, bones, putrifying flesh, thorns, or sharp spikes; they meet tigers, shackals,

rhinosceroses, elephants, terrible giants, &c.; and, in some parts, they are scorched in the sun without obtaining the least shade. They travel naked; their hair is in disorder; their throat, lips, &c. are parched; they are covered with blood or dirt; some wail and shriek as they pass along; others are weeping; others have horror depicted on their countenances; some are dragged along by leathern thongs tied round their necks, waists, or hands; others by cords passed through holes bored in their noses; others by the hair, the ears, the neck, or the heels; and others are carried, having their heads and legs tied together. On arriving at the palace, they behold Yumu clothed with terror, two hundred and forty miles in height; his eyes distended like a lake of water, of a purple colour: with rays of glory issuing from his body; his voice is loud as the thunders at the dissolution of the universe; the hairs of his body are each as long as a palm-tree; a flame of fire proceeds from his mouth; the noise of the drawing of his breath is greater than the roaring of a tempest; his teeth are exceedingly long, and his nails like the fan for winnowing corn. In his right hand he holds an iron club; his garment is an animal's skin; and he rides on a terrific buffalo. Chirtru-gooptu also appears as a terrible monster, and makes a noise like a warrior when about to rush to battle. Sounds terrible as thunder are heard, ordering punishment to be inflicted on the offenders. At length Yumu orders the criminals into his presence, and thus addresses them :- Did you not know that I am placed above all, to award happiness to the good, and punishment to the wicked? Knowing this, have you lived in sin? Have you never heard that there are different hells for the punishment of the wicked? Have you never given your minds to religion? To-day, with your own eyes, you shall see the punishment of the wicked.-From yoogu to yoogu stay in these hells!-You have pleased yourselves in sinful practices: endure now the torment due to these sins. What will weeping avail?' Yumu next directs Chirtru-gooptu to examine into the offence of the criminals, who now demand the names of the witnesses: let such, say they, appear, and give their evidence in our presence."

The witnesses called are all the elements and the divisions of time; as wind, fire, æther, earth, water, a lunar day, day, night, morning, evening; the evidence against them being conclusive, Yumu, gnashing his teeth, beats the prisoners with his iron club till they roar with anguish; after which he drives them to different hells.

THE BROKEN HEART.

Shenstone's pathetic and affecting ballad of Jemmy Dawson has drawn tears from every person of sensibility, or possessing the feelings of humanity; and it will continue to be admired as long as the English language shall exist. This ballad, which is founded in truth, was taken from a narrative first published in the Parrot of the 2nd of August, 1746, three days after the transaction it records. It is given in the form of a letter, and is as follows:

"A young lady of a good family and handsome fortune had for some time extremely loved, and was equally beloved by Mr. James Dawson, one of those unhappy gentlemen who suffered on Wednesday last, at Kennington Common, for high treason; and had he either been acquitted, or have found the royal mercy after condemnation, the day of his enlargement was to have been that of their marriage.

"I will not prolong the narrative by a repetition of what she suffered on

sentence being passed on him; none, excepting those utterly incapable of feeling any soft or generous emotions, but may easily conceive her agonies; beside, the sad catastrophe will convince you of their sincerity. Not all the persuasions of her kindred could prevent her from going to the place of execution: she was determined to see the last of a person so dear to her, and accordingly followed the sledges in a hackney-coach, accompanied by a gentleman nearly related to her, and one female friend. She got near enough to see the fire kindled which was to consume that heart she knew was so much devoted to her, and all the other dreadful preparations for his fate, without betraying any of those emotions her friends apprehended; but when all was over, and that she found he was no more, she threw her head back into the coach, and ejaculating, My dear, I follow thee! I follow thee! Lord Jesus! receive both our souls together," fell on the neck of her companion, and expired the very moment she had done speaking. That excessive grief which the force of her resolution had kept smothered within her breast, is thought to have put a stop to the vital motion, and suffocated at once all the animal spirits. In the Whitehall Evening Post, August 7th, this narrative is copied, with this remark, that' upon enquiry every circumstance was literally true.' A ballad was cried about the streets at the time, founded on this melancholy narrative, but it can scarcely be said to have aided Shenstone in his beautiful production.

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A BRAND FROM THE BURNING.

John Wesley's favourite phrase, that "he was a brand plucked out of the burning," had a literal as well as a figurative meaning. Mr. Wesley's father was rector of Ebworth, "a market-town in the Lindsay division of Lincolnshire, irregularly built, and containing at that time in its parish about two thousand persons. The inhabitants are chiefly employed in the culture and preparation of hemp and flax, in spinning these articles, and in the manufactory of sacking and bagging. Mr. Wesley found his parishioners in a profligate state; and the zeal with which he discharged his duty in admonishing them of their sins, excited a spirit of diabolical hatred in those whom it failed to reclaim. Some of these wretches twice attempted to set his house on fire, without success: they succeeded in a third attempt. At midnight some pieces of burning wood fell from the roof upon the bed in which one of the children lay, and burnt her feet. Before she could give the alarm, Mr. Wesley was roused by a cry of fire from the street: little imagining that it was his own house, he opened the door, and found it full of smoke, and that the roof was already burnt through: His wife being ill at the time, slept apart from him, and in a separate room. Bidding her and the two eldest girls rise and shift for their lives, he burst open the nursery-door, where the maid was sleeping with five children. He snatched up the youngest, and bade the others follow her; the three eldest did so, but John, who was then six years old, was not awakened by all this, and in the alarm and confusion he was forgotten. By the time they reached the hall, the flames had spread every where around them, and Mr. Wesley then found that the keys of the house-door were above stairs. He ran and recovered them, a minute before the staircase took fire. When the door was opened, a strong north-east wind drove in the flames with such violence from the side of the house, that it was impossible to stand against them. Some of the children got through the windows, and others through a