persons in it are armed or not, or intend to make any resistance. Let even a woman be in the carriage, they pay no distinction to the delicacy of the female sex. The inhuman murder of that amiable young man, Mr. Mellish, strikes me with horror, when I reflect that an Englishman could be guilty of so cowardly an action. When they stopped him, and told him to throw his arms out of the window, he assured them that he had no arms; that he was returning from hunting, and that they might with safety advance and take his money. But after robbing him, without the smallest resistance on his part, the inhuman monsters fired into the chaise and killed him. One would hardly think, that, in a brave nation, such a cowardly miscreant could be found. I do not judge of the country at large from the instance of one ruffian, but I am in

clined to think, from many

circumstances

I could mention, that we are degenerating very fast.

Now I shall speak to the honour and honesty of this brave fellow, Hawkes. In fact, I took a particular liking to this man, made myself known to him, and used to go see him at least three times aweek, until he was executed. I assured him, that there was nothing in my power that I would not do to save his life; and actually entered into a plan with him for his safety, requesting he would point out any means by which he might be preserved. “There is nothing but money, Sir," said he, "can save me; but that I have not; and even if I had it, I fear it is now too late; for the person I robbed is bound over to prosecute me at the ensuing sessions. I immediately put

a fifty-pound note in his hand, asking him if that was sufficient for the purpose?

He threw himself on his knees, and blessed me an hundred times :-" Oh, dear Sir, had I known you when first confined, and before I was committed to take my trial, you could have saved my life; however, I will try what can be done, and be assured, Sir, I will not make an improper or dishonest use of your money. A few days afterwards, sitting at breakfast, my servant told me that a woman wanted to speak to me: I ordered her to be shewn up; and who should this be but the wife of Hawkes, who came with her husband's best gratitude and respects to me, and returned me the fifty-pound note, informing me that he had tried every means to no purpose, and thatdie he must.

Let those experienced gamesters who have made a young man of fortune drunk purposely to win his money, who have cogged a die, and packed the cards, to the utter ruin not only of the suffering individual, but to the beggary of his family, who stalk this town in all the pride of spoliating infamy; let them, I say, examine their own consciences, if they have any, and decide who merits the gallows most-they or Hawkes?

I went constantly to see this brave fellow in Newgate, till the day of his exccution; when I placed myself on horseback close to the tail of the cart. Just before he was turned off, prayers being ended, he fixed his eyes on me, smiled, nodded his head to me, and then looking up to heaven, I am confident from the signs he made to me that he prayed to

God, before whom he was shortly to ap pear, to bless me for my intended kindness; then, not waiting for the driving on of the cart, with a manly exertion, he sprang out of it, which launched him sooner into eternity!—Reader, what thinkest thou of this highwayman? I will tell my opinion of him: I would rather have had the prayers of this man, than of all the church-going hypocrites of the age, or any sanctified methodist who reads prayers in his own family twice a day*.

There are other two interesting stories of highwaymen, which I shall venture to re

*A methodist who kept a huxter's shop, when a great variety of articles were sold, was heard to say to his shopman," John, have you watered the rum ?” "Yes." "Have you sanded the brown sugar??'

σε

Yes." Have you wetted the tobacco?" Yes," "Then come in to prayers."