NEWGATE. such a personage, and on such an occasion. Now hear another deplorable statement of the cursed consequences of gindrinking. I will read it you as it appeared in the Times newspaper Of the innumerable modes adopted in London, to gain a livelihood, I know of a curious one, pursued by a respectable looking man, and that is, of going in the season, to all the auctioneers, and procuring 'MANSION HOUSE-Gin-Allen, the of catalogues from them; perhaps obtaining ficer, who is principally employed in clearof some of them, in the hurry of their Ing the streets of paupers, apprehended a business, two or three in a day, and, in the woman who had been begging with a evening, he sells them for waste paper.wretched emaciated child, about two years There are also sprung up some gentlemen and a half old, in her arms, a few days who levy pretty heavy contributions on ago. She had lavied contributions upon booksellers and publishers, by representing the public to the amount of three shillings, themselves as hawkers or canvassers, and and was sent to the usual place of confineprocuring from them their catalogues and ment after examination. The feeling exprospectuses, on purpose that they may cited by the appearance of the unfartunate sell them for waste paper. This, I am told, woman and child was one of commiserahas been to them, hitherto, a good specu- tion; so that she was sent to prison to be lation but I hope their swindling career protected rather than to be punished. As is nearly at an end, as the trade in general the officer was escorting her, she complainis acquainted with the trick.' ed of weakness, and begged that he would Such trickeries are almost incredible,' be so good as to pay out of her money for said Peregrine; and the mind is lost in a a drop of something that would comfort tiazement, while contemplating the vile her at the next public house. He immeuses man too often puts the talents which diately consented, and they entered a pubGod has endowed him with, to such bad lic house together, but he stood at the door purposes. Thinking of the wickedness of while she went to the bar for the drop of mankind, reminds me of the trial of the comfort. He was rather surprised at her man to-morrow for murder; pray, my delay, and upon turning round, he saw the friend,' continued Peregrine, 'will you in- child swallow a glass of gin, without hesi dulge my curiosity, and accompany me to tation or making faces' at it. Upon inhear his trial at the Sessions House, Old quiring how much was to pay, he found Bailey? You are mistaken,' replied Men- that the mother and child had taken betor; the trial took place yesterday; and Itween them no less than nine-pennyworth. am surprised you have not read the report. of it in the morning papers: This murder, like most are committed, was occasioned through drunkenness. The brief melancholy history of the affair is this: the perpetrator had been a faithful, honest, sober servant, for many years, to a soap-maker, Numerous other cases I could relate to entil, on Saturday night, he unfortunately you, of daily occurrence,' continued Menmet a countryman of his, whom he had tor, of the deplorable doings of drunkards: not seen for many years, and they retired but I hope I have stated enough to satisfy to gossip over days auld lang syne;' and, your mind on that point.' 'Indeed you have," before they parted, were both in a state of replied Peregrine, and I thank you kindly; inebriation, having been all the evening but I am going to ask you another favour; drinking that deadly damnable poisonous and that is, whether you will try to get me liquor-gin! This poor creature, while an admittance into Newgate on the mornlabouring under the maddening effects of ing of the execution of those miserable that execrable drink, in a state of fury, men who are to suffer on Monday next.' went home and beat his wife's brains out! I will try,' said Mentor, and as I have He was found guilty; and is to be executed the pleasure of knowing one of the sheriffs, "Allen mentioned that the child had breathed its last, and that the last cry from its throat was, gin, gin.' The poor little wretch could not be prevailed upon to take & drop of medicine, or gruel, or any thing else to its dying moments, but 'gin, gin." up Monday, together with another mur-in all probability I can procure you and derer. I wish the learned judge had ex-myself admittance. But I would advise patiated on this melancholy proof of the you to decline the sight: you, nor no one horrid effects of drunkenness: it might pro- else, can form any idea of the horror of bably have done great good. coming from the scene.' 'I do not wish,' answered Per 1 egrinë, 'to go there merely to gratify my || "Is seldom the friend of man!' may be almost taken for granted, that he is still capable of being, in some measure, if not wholly, reformed.' 'How grateful,' said Peregrine, 'we ought to be that we have escaped the snares that have brought those two wretched men we just now saw, to such an ignominious end. I have now more cause than ever to be grateful. It is indeed true, as Addison says in the Spectator, There is not a more pleasant exercise of the mind than gratitude. It is accompanied with such an inward satisfaction, that the duty is sufficiently rewarded by the performance. It is not like the practice of many other vir tues, difficult and painful, but attended with so much pleasure, that were there no possible command which enjoined it. nor any recompence laid up for it hereafter, a generous mind would indulge in it, for the natural gratification that accompanies it." MR. TIBBS. THOUGH naturally pensive, yet I am fond of gay company, and take every op portunity of thus dismissing the mind from duty. From this motive I am often found in the centre of a crowd; and wherever pleasure is to be sold, am always a purchaser. In those places, without being remarked by any, I join in whatever goes forward, work my passions into a similitude of frivolous earnestness, shout as they shout, and condemn as they happen to dis is absorbed in tears. I cannot remain;' and, taking hold of Mentor's arm, he rush ed from the dreadful scene, expressing his sorrow that he had ever witnessed it. It is proved beyond doubt,' said Mentor, 'that these executions fail in their intended purposes-that of awing the wicked. Hard labour, as Mr. Harmer observed, has a thousand times more terror to the thief than death; and, if executions were resorted to only in cases of murder, depend on it. we should not find an increase in any of those crimes, the committing of which is now punishable with death. But the re-approve. A mind thus sunk for a while formation of the criminal code is now engaging the best attention of our rulers, and when we reflect on the great good that enlightened man, Mr. Secretary Peel, has already done, we are sure it cannot be left in better hands. It cannot be denied,' observes Mr. Martens, 'that in these latter times some individuals, actuated by cordial zeal in the cause of their suffering fellow creatures, have attempted, and in part effected, improvement to their advantage; but how barron their exertions have on the whole been, is but too clearly shown. The greatest criminal, of whatever description he may be, still retains, even amidst the most licentious and wicked course of life, a spark of that noble feeling, which seems to cease only with the natural end of man.If this spark be but truly appreciated, and sedulously and constantly cherished, it below its natural standard, is qulified for stronger flights; as those first retire who would spring forward with greater vigour. Attracted by the serenity of the evening, a friend and I lately went to gaze upon the company in one of the public walks near the city. Here we sauntered togeth er for some time, either praising the beanty of such as were handsome, or the dresses of such as had nothing else to recom mend them. We had gone thus deliber ately forward for some time, when my friend stopping on a sudden, caught me by the elbow, and led me out of the public walk; I could perceive by the quickness of his pace, and by his frequently looking be hind, that he was attempting to avoid some body who followed; we now turned to the right, then to the left; as we went forward, he still went faster, but in vain; the person whom he attempted to escape, hunted us through every doubling, and gained up-||-His lordship took me down in his own on us each moment; so that, at last, we chariot yesterday, and we had a tete-afairly stood still, resolving to face what we tete dinner in the country, where we talkcould not avoid. ed of nothing else.' I fancy you forgot, Sir, cried I, 'you told us but this moment of your dining yesterday in town!' 'Did I say so?'-replied he coolly. To be sure if I said so-Dined in town: egad, now, I do remember I did dine in town: but I dined in the country too: for you must know, my boys, I eat two dinners. By the bye, I am grown as nice as the devil in my eating. I'll tell you a pleasant affair about that: we were a select party of us to dine at lady Grogram's, an affected piece, but let it go no farther; a secret: Well, says I, I'll hold a thousaud guineas, and say done first, that-But, dear Charles, you are an honest creature, lend me half-acrown for a minute or two, or so, just tillBut hark'e, ask me for it next time we meet, or it may be twenty to one but I forget to pay you. Our pursuer came up, and joined us with all the familiarity of an old acquaintance. 'My dear Charles, cries he, shaking my friend's hand, 'where have you been hiding this half a century? Positively I had fancied you were gone down to cultivate matrimony and your estate in the country. During the reply, I had an opportunity of surveying the appearance of our new companion. His hat was pinched up with peculiar sharpness; his looks were pale, thin, and sharp; round his neck he wore a broad ribbon, and in his bosom a buckle studded with glass; his coat was trimmed with tarnish twist; he wore by his side a sword with a black hilt; and his stockings of silk, though newly washed, were grown yellow by long service. I was so much engaged with the peculiarity of his dress, that I attended only to the lat- When he left us, our conversation nater part of my friend's reply; in which he turally turned upon so extraordinary a complimented Mr. Tibbs on the taste of character. 'His very dress,' cries my friend, his clothes, and the bloom of his counte- is not less extraordinary than his conduct. nance. 'psha, psha, Charles,' cried the If you meet him this day you find him in figure, 'no more of that if you love me; you rags; if the next, in embroidery: with those know I hate flattery, on my soul I do; and persons of distinction of whom he talks so yet to be sure an intimacy with the great familiarly, he has scarce a coffee-house will improve one's appearance, and a acquaintance. However, both for the incourse of venison will fatten; and yet, faith, terest of society, and perhaps for his own, I despise the great as much as you do; but Heaven has made him poor; and, while all there are a great many damned honest fel- the world perceives his wants, he fancies lows among them; and we must not quar- them concealed from every eye. An agreerel with one half because the other wants able companion because he understands breeding. If they were all such as my flattery; and all must be pleased with the Lord Mudler, one of the most good natur- first part of his conversation, though all ed creatures that ever squeezed a lemon, I are sure of its ending with a demand on should myself be among the number of their their purse, While his youth countenadmirers. I was yesterday to dine with ances the levity of his conduct, he may the Dutchess of Piccadilly's My lord thus earn a precarious subsistance; but, was there-Ned, says he, I'll hold gold to when age comes on, the gravity of which silver I can tell where you were poaching is incompatible with buffoonery, then will last night. Poaching, my lord, says 1; he find himself forsaken by all. Condemnfaith you have missed already; for I staid ed in the decline of life to hang upon some at home and let the girls poach for me.-rich family whom he once despised, there That's my way; I take a fine woman as to undergo all the ingenuity of studied consome animals do their prey; stand still,, tempt; to be employed only as a spy upon and swoop, they fall into my mouth.' the servants, or bug-bear to fright children into duty.' ‘Ah, Tibbs, thou art a happy fellow,' cried my companion with looks of infinite pity, 'I hope your fortune is as much im proved as your understanding in such company? Improved,' replied the other; 'you shall know, but let it go no farther, a great secret-five hundred a year to begin with-My lord's word of honour for it - There are some acquaintances whom it is no easy matter to shake off. My little beau yesterday overtook me again in one of the public walks, and slapping me on the shoulder, saluted me with an air of the most perfect familiarity. His dress was the same as usual, except that he had Thus saying, without wating for reply, more powder in his hair, wore a dirtier purposely to instruct her; but let that be a shirt, and had on a pair of temple specta- secret. cles, with his hat under his arm, As I knew him to be a harmless amuzing he took me by the arm, and hauled me a little thing, I could not return his smiles with any degree of severity; so we walked forward on terms of the utmost intimacy, and in a few minutes discussed all the usual topics of a general conversation, long. We passed through many dark alleys and winding ways. From some motives to me unknown, he seemed to have a particular aversion to every frequented street; but, at last we got to the door of a dismal looking house in the outlets of the town, where he informed me he chose to reside for the benefit of the air. We entered the lower door, which seemed ever to lie most hospitably open; and began to ascend an old and creaking staircase; when, as he mounted to show me the The oddities that marked his character, however, soon began to appear; he bowed to several well dressed persons who, by their manner of retuning the compliment, appeared perfect strangers. At intervals he drew out a pocketbook, seeming to take memorandums before all the compa-way, he demanded, whether delighted in py, with much importance and assiduity In this manner he led me through the whole Mall, fretting at his absurdities, and fancying myself laughed at as well as he by every spectator. When we were got to the end of our procession, 'Blast me,' cries he, with an air of vivacity, I never saw the Park so thin in all my life before; there's no company at all to-day. Not a single face to be seen.' No company! interrupted I, peevishly; No company,, where there is such a crowd! why, there is too much. What are the thousands that have been laughing at us but company!' 'Lord, my dear,' returned he, with the utmost good. 'humour, 'you seem immensely chagrined; but, blast me, when the world laughs at me, I laugh at the world, and so we are even. My Lord Trip, Bill Squash the Creolian, and I, sometimes make a party at being ridiculous. But I see you are grave: so if you are for a fine grave sentimental companion, you shall dine with my wife; I must insist on't; I'll introduce you to Mrs. Tibbs, a lady of as elegant qualifications as any in nature; she was bred, but that's between ourselves, under the inspection of the Countess of Shoreditch. A charming body of voice! But no more of that, she shall give us a song. You shall see my little girl too, Carolina Wilkelmina Amelia Tibbs, a sweet pretty creature! I design her for my Lord Drum stick's eldest son; but thats in friendship, let it go no farther; she's but six years old, and yet she walks a minuet and plays on the guitar immensely already. I intend she shall be as perfect as possible in every accomplishment, In the first place, I'll make her a scholar; I'll teach her Greek myself, and I intend to learn that language prospects; to which answering in the af you one of the most charming out of my firmative, Then,' says he, 'I shall show windows, for I live at the top of the house; we shall see the ships sailing, and the whole country twenty miles round, tip top, quite high, My Lord Swamp would give ten thousand guineas for such a one; but, as I sometimes pleasantly tell him, I al ways love to keep my prospects at home, that my friends may come to see me the oftener. By this time we were arrived as high as the stairs would permit us to ascend, till we came to what he was facetiously pleas ed to call the first floor down the chimney; and knocking at the door, a voice, with a Scotish accent, from within, demanded, Wha's there? My conductor answered, that it was him. But this not satisfying querist, the voice again repeated the demand; to which he answered louder than before; and now the door was opened by an old maid servant, with cautious relac tance. When we got in, he welcomed us to his house with great ceremony, and turning to the old woman, asked where her lady was. Good troth,' replied she in the northern dialect, she's washing your twa shirts at the next door, because they have taken an oath against lending out the tub any longer.' 'My two shirts!' cries he, in a tone that faltered with confusion, what does the idiot mean?' 'Iken what I mean enough,' replied the other. she's washing your twa shirts at the next door, be cause'-'Fire and fury, no more of thy stupid explanations,' cried he-Go and inform her we have got company. that Scotch hag,' continued he, turning to me, 'to be for ever in my family, she well Were |