mob, cried out, "If you are a bailiff, shew me your writ.-Gentlemen, he pretends to arrest me here without a writ."

Upon this one of the sturdiest and forwardest of the mob, and who, by a superior strength of body and of lungs, presided in this assembly, declared, he would suffer no such thing. "D-n me," says he, "away to the pump with the catchpole directly. Shew me your writ, or let the gentleman go-you shall not arrest a man contrary to law."

He then laid his hands on the Doctor, who still fast griping the attorney, cried out, " He is a villain-I am no bailiff, but a clergyman; and this lawyer is guilty of forgery, and hath ruined a poor family."

"How!" cries the spokesman-" a lawyer! -that alters the case."

"Yes, faith," cries another of the mob, "it is Lawyer Murphy. I know him very well." "And hath he ruined a poor family? like enough, faith, if he's a lawyer.-Away with him to the justice immediately."

The bailiff now came up, desiring to know what was the matter; to whom Doctor Harrison answered, that he had arrested that villain for forgery. "How can you arrest hiin," cries the bailiff," you are no officer, nor have any warrant? Mr Murphy is a gentleman, and he shall be used as such.'

"Nay, to be sure," cries the spokesman, "there ought to be a warrant, that's the truth on't."

"There needs no warrant," cries the Doctor. "I accuse him of felony; and I know so much of the law of England, that any man may arrest a felon without any warrant whatever. This villain hath undone a poor family, and I will die on the spot before I part with him."

"If the law be so," cries the orator, "that is another matter. And to be sure, to ruin a poor man is the greatest of sins. And being a lawyer too, makes it so much the worse. He shall go before the justice, d-n me if he shan't go before the justice. I says the word, he shall."

"I say he is a gentleman, and shall be used according to law," cries the bailiff. "And though you are a clergyman," said he to Dr Harrison," you don't shew yourself as one by your

actions."

"That's a bailiff," cries one of the mob ;"one lawyer will always stand by another; but I think the clergyman is a very good man, and acts becoming a clergyman to stand by the poor." At which words the mob all gave a great shout, and several cried out, " Bring him along-away with him to the justice."

And now a constable appeared, and with an authoritative voice declared what he was, produced his staff, and demanded the peace.

The Doctor then delivered his prisoner over to the officer, and charged him with felony; the

constable received him; the attorney submitted; the bailiff was hushed; and the waves of the mob immediately subsided.

The Doctor now balanced with himself how he should proceed; at last he determined to leave Booth a little longer in captivity, and not quit sight of Murphy, before he had lodged him safe with a magistrate. They then all moved forwards to the justice; the constable and his prisoner marching first, the Doctor and the bailiff following next, and about five thousand mob (for no less number were assembled in a very few minutes) following in the procession.

They found the magistrate just sitting down to his dinner; however, when he was acquainted with the Doctor's profession, he immediately admitted him, and heard his business; which he no sooner perfectly understood, with all its circumstances, than he resolved, though it was then very late, and he had been fatigued all the morning with public business, to postpone all refreshment till he had discharged his duty. He accordingly adjourned the prisoner and his cause to the bailiff's house, whither he himself, with the Doctor, immediately repaired, and whither the attorney was followed by a much larger number of attendants than he had been honoured with before.

CHAP. VII.

In which the History draws towards a conclusion.

NOTHING could exceed the astonishment of Booth at the behaviour of the Doctor, at the time when he sallied forth in pursuit of the attorney; for which it was so impossible for him to account in any manner whatever. He remain ed a long time in the utmost torture of mind, till at last the bailiff's wife came to him, and asked him if the Doctor was not a madman? and in truth he could hardly defend him from that imputation.

While he was in this perplexity, the maid of the house brought him a message from Robinson, desiring the favour of seeing him above stairs. With this he immediately complied.

When these two were alone together, and the key turned on them, (for the bailiff's wife was a most careful person, and never omitted that ceremony in the absence of her husband, having always at her tongue's end that excellent proverb of" safe bind, safe find,”) Robinson looking stedfastly upon Booth, said, " I believe, sir, you scarce remember me.'

Booth answered, that he thought he had seen his face somewhere before, but could not then recollect when or where.

"Indecd, sir," answered the man, “it was a place which no man can remember with plea sure. But do you not remember, a few weeks

ago, that you had the misfortune to be in a certain prison in this town, where you lost a trifling sum at cards to a fellow-prisoner?"

This hint sufficiently awakened Booth's memory, and he now recollected the features of his old friend Robinson. He answered him a little surlily, "I know you now very well; but I did not imagine you would ever have reminded me of that transaction."

"Alas, sir!" answered Robinson, "whatever happened then was very trifling, compared to the injuries I have done you; but if my life be spared long enough, I will undo it all! and as I have been one of your worst enemies, I will now be one of your best friends."

He was just entering upon his story, when a noise was heard below, which might be almost compared to what hath been heard in Holland, when the dykes have given way, and the ocean in an inundation breaks in upon the land. It seemed, indeed, as if the whole world was bursting into the house at once.

Booth was a man of great firmness of mind, and he had need of it all at this instant. As for poor Robinson, the usual concomitants of guilt attended him, and he began to tremble in a violent manner.

The first person who ascended the stairs was the Doctor, who no sooner saw Booth, than he ran to him, and embraced him, crying, "My child, I wish you joy with all my heart. Your sufferings are all at an end; and Providence hath done you the justice at last, which it will one day or other render to all men. You will hear all presently; but I can now only tell you, that your sister is discovered, and the estate is your own."

Booth was in such confusion, that he scarce made any answer; and now appeared the Justice and his clerk, and immediately afterwards the constable with his prisoner, the bailiff, and as many more as could possibly crowd up stairs. The Doctor now addressed himself to the sick man, and desired him to repeat the same information before the Justice which he had made already; to which Robinson readily consented.

While the clerk was taking down the information, the attorney expressed a very impatient desire to send instantly for his clerk; and expressed so much uneasiness at the confusion in which he had left his papers at home, that a thought suggested itself to the Doctor, that, if his house was searched, some lights and evidence, relating to this affair, would certainly be found; he therefore desired the Justice to grant a search warrant immediately, to search his house.

The Justice answered, that he had no such power; that if there was any suspicion of stolen goods, he could grant a warrant to search for them.

"How, sir!" said the Doctor, "can you grant a warrant to search a man's house for a silver tea

spoon, and not in a case like this, where a man is robbed of his whole estate?"

“Hold, sir!” says the sick man, " I believe I can answer that point; for I can swear he hath several title-deeds of the estate now in his possession, which I am sure were stolen from the right owner."

The Justice still hesitated. He said title-deeds savoured of the reality, and it was not felony to steal them. If, indeed, they were taken away in a box, then it would be felony to steal the box.

"Savour of the reality! savour of the fartality," said the Doctor. "I never heard such incomprehensible nonsense. This is impudent, as well as childish, trifling with the lives and properties of men."

"Well, sir," said Robinson, "I now am sure I can do his business; for I know he hath a silver cup in his possession, which is the property of this gentleman," meaning Booth; "and how he got it but by stealth, let him account if he can."

"That will do," cries the Justice, with great pleasure" that will do ; and if you will charge him on oath with that, I will instantly grant my warrant to search his house for it."-" And I will go and see it executed," cries the Doctor: for it was a maxim of his, that no man could descend below himself in doing any act which may contribute to protect an innocent person, or to bring a rogue to the gallows.

The oath was instantly taken, the warrant signed, and the Doctor attended the constable in the execution of it.

The clerk then proceeded in taking the information of Robinson, and had just finished it, when the Doctor returned with the utmost joy in his countenance, and declared that he had sufficient evidence of the fact in his possession. He had, indeed, two or three letters from Miss Harris, in answer to the attorney's frequent demands of money for secresy, that fully explained the whole villainy.

The Justice now asked the prisoner what he had to say for himself, or whether he chose to say anything in his own defence.

"Sir," said the attorney, with great confidence, "I am not to defend myself here. It will be of no service to me; for I know you neither can nor will discharge me. But I am extremely innocent of all this matter, as I doubt not but to make appear to the satisfaction of a court of justice."

The legal previous ceremonies were then gone through of binding over the prosecutor, &c. and then the attorney was committed to Newgate, whither he was escorted amidst the acclamations of the populace.

When Murphy was departed, and a little calm restored in the house, the Justice made his compliments of congratulation to Booth; who, as well as he could in his present tumult of joy,

returned his thanks both to the magistrate and the Doctor. They were now all preparing to depart, when Mr Bondum stepped up to Booth, and said, "Hold, sir, you have forgot one thing -you have not given bail yet.”

This occasioned some distress at this time; for the attorney's friend was departed; but when the Justice heard this, he immediately offered himself as the other bondsman; and thus ended the affair.

It was now past six o'clock, and none of the gentlemen had yet dined. They very readily, therefore, accepted the magistrate's invitation, and went all together to his house.

And now the very first thing that was done, even before they sat down to dinner, was to dispatch a messenger to one of the best surgeons in town, to take care of Robinson; and another messenger to Booth's lodgings, to prevent Amelia's concern at their staying so long.

The latter, however, was to little purpose; for Amelia's patience had been worn out before, and she had taken a hackney-coach, and driven to the bailiff's, where she arrived a little after the departure of her husband, and was thence directed to the Justice's.

Though there was no kind of reason for Amelia's fright at hearing that her husband and Doctor Harrison were gone before the Justice; and though she indeed imagined that they were there in the light of complainants, not of offenders; yet so tender were her fears for her husband, and so much had her gentle spirits been lately agitated, that she had a thousand apprehensions of she knew not what. When she arrived, therefore, at the house, she ran directly into the room, where all the company were at dinner, scarce knowing what she did, or whither she was going.

She found her husband in such a situation, and discovered such cheerfulness in his countenance, that so violent a turn was given to her spirits, that she was just able, with the assist ance of a glass of water, to support herself. She soon, however, recovered her calmness, and in a little time began to eat what might, indeed, be almost called her breakfast.

The Justice now wished her joy of what had happened that day; for which she kindly thanked him, apprehending he meant the liberty of her husband. His worship might perhaps have explained himself more largely, had not the Doctor given him a timely wink; for this good and wise man was fearful of making such a discovery all at once to Amelia, lest it should overpower her; and luckily the Justice's wife was not well enough acquainted with the matter to say anything more on it, than barely to assure the lady that she joined in her husband's congratulation.

Amelia was then in a clean white gown, which she had that day redeemed, and was, indeed, dressed all over with great neatness and exact

ness: with the glow, therefore, which arose in her features by finding her husband released from his captivity, she made so charming a figure, that she attracted the eyes of the magistrate and his wife; and they both agreed when they were alone, that they had never seen so charming a creature; nay, Booth himself afterwards told her, that he scarce ever remembered her to look so extremely beautiful as she did that evening.

Whether Amelia's beauty, or the reflection on the remarkable act of justice he had performed, or whatever motive filled the magistrate with extraordinary good humour, and opened his heart and cellars, I will not determine; but he gave them so hearty a welcome, and they were all so pleased with each other, that Amelia, for that one night, trusted the care of her children to the woman where they lodged, nor did the company rise from table till the clock struck eleven.

They then separated. Amelia and Booth, having been set down at their lodgings, retired into each other's arms; nor did Booth that evening, by the Doctor's advice, mention one word of the grand affair to his wife.

CHAP. VIII.

Thus this History draws nearer to a conclusion.

In the morning early, Amelia received the following letter from Mrs Atkinson.

"The surgeon of the regiment to which the Captain my husband lately belonged, and who came this evening to see the Captain, hath almost frightened me out of my wits, by a strange story of your husband being committed to prison by a justice of peace for forgery. For Heaven's sake, send me the truth. If my husband can be of any service, weak as he is, he will be carried in a chair to serve a brother officer, for whom he hath a regard which I need not mention. Or if the sum of twenty pound will be of any service to you, I will wait upon you with it the moment I can get my clothes on, the morning you receive this; for it is too late to send to-night. The Captain begs his hearty service and respects; and believe me,

"Dear Madam,

"Your ever affectionate friend, " and humble servant, "F. ATKINSON."

When Amelia read this letter to Booth, they were both equally surprised, she at the commitment for forgery, and he at seeing such a letter from Mrs Atkinson; for he was a stranger yet to the reconciliation that had happened.

Booth's doubts were first satisfied by Amelia, from which he received great pleasure; for he

really had a very great affection and fondness for Mr Atkinson, who, indeed, so well deserved it. "Well, my dear," said he to Amelia, smiling, "shall we accept this generous offer??""

"O fy! no certainly," answered she.

Why not?" cries Booth; "it is but a trifle; and yet it will be of great service to us." "But consider, my dear," said she, "how ill these poor people can spare it."

"They can spare it for a little while," said Booth; " and we shall soon pay it them again." "When, my dear?" said Amelia. "Do, my dear Will, consider our wretched circumstances. I beg you let us go into the country immediately, and live upon bread and water, till fortune pleases to smile upon us."

"I am convinced that day is not far off," said Booth.. "However, give me leave to send an answer to Mrs Atkinson, that we shall be glad of her company immediately to breakfast."

"You know Inever contradict you," said she; " but I assure you it is contrary to my inclinations to take this money."

"Well, suffer me," cries he, " to act this once contrary to your inclinations." He then writ a short note to Mrs Atkinson, and dispatched it away immediately; which when he had done, Amelia said, “I shall be glad of Mrs Atkinson's company to breakfast; but yet I wish you would oblige me in refusing this money. Take five guineas only. That is indeed such a sum, as, if we never should pay it, would sit light on my mind. The last persons in the world from whom I would receive favours of that sort, are the poor and generous."

"You can receive favours only from the generous," cries Booth; "and, to be plain with you, there are very few who are generous that are not poor."

"What think you," said she, " of Dr Harrison?"

"I do assure you," said Booth, "he is far from being rich. The Doctor hath an income of little more than six hundred pound a-year; and I am convinced he gives away four of it. Indeed, he is one of the best economists in the world; but yet I am positive he never was at any time possessed of five hundred pound since he hath been a man. Consider, dear Emily, the late obligations we have to this gentleman; it would be unreasonable to expect more, at least at present; my half-pay is mortgaged for a year to come. How then shall we live?"

"By our labour," answered she; "I am able to labour, and I am sure I am not ashamed of it."

"And do you really think you can support such a life?"

"I am sure I could be happy in it," answered Amelia. "And why not I, as well as a thousand others, who have not the happiness of such a husband to make life delicious? why should I complain of my hard fate, while so many, who are

much poorer than I, enjoy theirs? Am I of a superior rank of being to the wife of the honest labourer? am I not partaker of one common nature with her?"

"My angel," cries Booth, "it delights me to hear you talk thus, and for a reason you little guess; for I am assured that one who can so heroically endure adversity, will bear prosperity with equal greatness of soul; for the mind that cannot be dejected by the former, is not likely to be transported by the latter."

"If it had pleased Heaven," cried she, "to have tried me, I think, at least I hope, I should have preserved my humility."

"Then, my dear," said he, "I will relate you a dream I had last night. You know you lately mentioned a dream of yours."

"Do so," said she, "I am attentive." "I dream'd," said he, "this night, that we were in the most miserable situation imaginable. Indeed, in the situation we were yesterday morning, or rather worse; that I was laid in a prison for debt, and that you wanted a morsel of bread to feed the mouths of your hungry children. At length (for nothing you know is quicker than the transition in dreams) Dr Harrison, methought, came to me, with cheerfulness and joy in his countenance. The prison doors immediately flew open, and Dr Harrison introduced you, gayly, though not richly dressed. That you gently chid me for staying so long. All on a sudden appeared a coach with four horses to it, in which was a maid-servant with our two children. We both immediately went into the coach, and taking our leave of the Doctor, set out towards your country house; for yours I drcam'd it was.-I only ask you now, if this was real, and the transition almost as sudden, could you support it?"

Amelia was going to answer, when Mrs Atkinson came into the room, and after very little previous ceremony, presented Booth with a bank note, which he received of her, saying, he would very soon repay it; a promise that a little offended Amelia, as she thought he had no chance of keeping it.

The Doctor presently arrived, and the company sat down to breakfast, during which Mrs Atkinson entertained them with the history of the doctors that had attended her husband, by whose advice Atkinson was recovered from every thing but the weakness which his distemper had occasioned.

When the tea-table was removed, Booth told the Doctor that he had acquainted his wife with a dream he had last night. "I dream'd, Doctor," said he," that she was restored to her estate."

"Very well," said the Doctor; " and if I am to be the Oniropolis, I believe the dream will come to pass. To say the truth, I have rather a better opinion of dreams than Horace had. Old Homer says, they come from Jupiter; and as to your dream, I have often had it in my waking thoughts, that some time or other that roguery

(for so I was always convinced it was) would be brought to light; for the same Homer says, as you, madam, (meaning Mrs Atkinson), very well know.

* Εἴπερ γὰρ τε καὶ αὐτίκ· Ολύμπιος ἐκ ἐτέλεσσεν,
Εκ τε καὶ ὀψὲ τελεῖ· σύν τε μεγάλῳ ἀπέτισαν
Σὺν σφῃσιν κεφαλῆσι, γυναιξί τε και τεκέεσσιν. κα

"I have no Greek ears, sir," said Mrs Atkinson. "I believe I could understand it in the Delphin Homer."

"I wish," cries he, "my dear child, (to Amelia,) you would read a little in the Delphin Aristotle, or else in some Christian divine, to learn a doctrine which you will one day have a use for; I mean, to bear the hardest of all human conflicts, and to support with an even temper, and without any violent transports of mind, a sudden gust of prosperity."

"Indeed," cries Amelia," I should almost think my husband and you, Doctor, had some very good news to tell me, by your using, both of you, the same introduction. As far as I know myself, I think I can answer, I can support any degree of prosperity, and I think I yesterday shewed I could; for I do assure you it is not in the power of fortune to try me with such another transition from grief to joy, as I conceived from seeing my husband in prison and at liberty."

"Well, you are a good girl," cries the Doctor," and after I have put on my spectacles I will try you."

The Doctor then took out a newspaper, and read as follows:

"Yesterday one Murphy, an eminent attorney at law, was committed to Newgate, for the forgery of a will, under which an estate hath been for many years detained from the right

owner.

"Now, in this paragraph there is something very remarkable, and that is-that it is true: but opus est explanatum. In the Delphin edition of this newspaper, there is the following note upon the words right owner. The right owner of this estate is a young lady of the highest merit, whose maiden name was Harris, and who some time since was married to an idle fellow, one Lieutenant Booth. And the best historians assure us, that letters from the elder sister of this lady, which manifestly prove the forgery, and clear up the whole affair, are in the hands of an old parson, called Dr Harrison.""

"And is this really true?" cries Amelia.

Yes, really, and sincerely," cries the Doc

tor; "the whole estate: for your mother left it you all, and it is as surely yours as if you was already in possession."

"Gracious Heaven!" cries she, "falling on her knees, I thank you."-And then starting up, she ran to her husband, and embracing him, cried, “My dear love, I wish you joy; and I ought in gratitude to wish it you, for you are the cause of mine. It is upon yours and my children's account that I principally rejoice."

Mrs Atkinson rose from her chair, and jumped about the room for joy repeating,

Turne, quod optanti divûm promittere nemo Auderet, volvenda dies, en, attulit ultro. ↑

Amelia now threw herself into a chair, complained she was a little faint, and begged a glass of water. The Doctor advised her to be blooded; but she refused, saying, she required a vent of another kind-She then desired her children to be brought to her, whom she immediately caught in her arms, and having profusely cried over them for several minutes, declared she was easy. After which she soon regained her usual temper and complection.

That day they dined together, and in the afternoon they all, except the Doctor, visited Captain Atkinson; he repaired to the bailiff's house to visit the sick man, whom he found very cheerful, the surgeon having assured him that he was in no manner of danger.

The Doctor had a long spiritual discourse with Robinson, who assured him that he sincerely repented of his past life; that he was resolved to lead his future days in a different manner, and to make what amends he could for his sins to the society, by bringing one of the greatest rogues in it to justice. There was a circumstance which much pleased the Doctor, and made him conclude, that however Robinson had been corrupted by his old master, he had naturally a good disposition. This was, that Robinson declared he was chiefly induced to the discovery by what had happened at the pawn-broker's, and by the miseries which he there perceived he had been instrumental in bringing on Booth and his family.

The next day Booth and his wife, at the Doctor's instance, dined with Colonel James and his lady, where they were received with great civility, and all matters were accommodated, without Booth ever knowing a syllable of the challenge even to this day.

The Doctor insisted very strongly on having