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to me by a gentleman who at the time resided in the house for the purpose of completing his medical edu cation, and on whose veracity I can confidently rely.

For several nights successively a noise had been heard in the lower part of the building, like the continual tapping against a window, which led the night nurses wisely to conclude, it must certainly be occasioned by the spirit of one of the bodies deposited in the dead-house endeavouring to escape; as the sound seemed to proceed from that particular quarter. The dread of these sagacious ladies at last became such as totally to prevent their going from ward to ward to do their duty, and determined my friend to attempt to lay this perturbed spirit; which however he apprehended would more speedily, as well as effectually, be performed by the assistance of a good cudgel, than by exorcisms: he therefore, instead of consulting the chaplain, gave orders the next night that as soon as the usual dreadful sound was heard, to give him notice. This you may suppose they did not neglect doing, though at the same time they were shocked at his temerity, and apprehensive for the consequences. Impressed with an idea of the alarm being occasioned by some servant or patient in the house, he immediately sallied forth with a candle in one hand, and a good tough twig in the other, accompanied by two of the men servants of the hospital, accoutred in the same manner, resolved that, if detected, the party should meet with an ample reward. The dead-house was passed; the noise continued; though it evidently proceeded from a window at some distance in the area. When the cavalcade came near the scene of action, the window suddenly and violently broke without anything being seen. This my friend confessed, for a moment occasioned his making a halt; but, as nothing visible had escaped through the area, it occurred to him something might have made an entrance that way, accordingly he proceeded to the internal part of the building, and on opening, the door

the apparition immediately not only appeared, but disappeared, and that so instantaneously as not to afford time to apply the remedy intended. And what think you was this dreadful spirit? That you may exercise your ingenuity at guessing, I will here conclude with,

I am, dear friend, yours.

"

LETTER V.

-Were thy education ne'er so mean,

Having thy limbs, a thousand fair courses

Offer themselves to thy election."

BEN JONSON'S Every Man in his Humour.

"Laugh if you are wise."

DEAR FRIEND,

MARTIAL.

A CAT.-An odd beginning of a letter, by the bye -but here highly important and proper, as tending to relieve you from the anxious thoughts which no doubt must have filled your mind on the subject of the concluding part of my former letter. I must give you a laughable instance or two more, which lately happened. Mr Higley the bookseller, famous for selling odd volumes, or broken sets of books, lived next door to a public-house in Russell court, Drury lane; this public-house was separated from his habitation only by a slight wainscot partition, through which Mr Higley caused a hole to be cut, and a slider put over it, so that when he wanted any beer he always drew back the slider, and had it handed to him through this convenient aperture.

The night after Mr Higley's death, which happened a few months since, the man who was left to take care of the corpse, about twelve o'clock, hearing the

landlord and his family going up stairs to their beds, on a sudden drew back the slider and hallowed through the hole, "Bring me a pint of beer." This order the landlord and his family heard and were terribly alarmed, as they really thought it had proceeded from the ghost of their neighbour Higley; the poor maid let fall the warming-pan, which came tumbling down the stairs, the landlady being within the reach of her husband's legs, caught fast hold of them, which in his fright he mistook for poor Higley. But the man bursting into a hearty laugh restored the spirits of our host and his family.

About the year 1781, six or seven mechanics having been drinking near the whole of the day at a public house in the Borough, they at night were at a loss how to procure more liquor, their money being all gone, when two of the company observed, that an old wire-drawer in the room was dead drunk, they proposed to put him into a sack, and to carry him to Longbottom, the resurrection-man. This motion met with the approbation of the whole, and the two that proposed it took him away to Longbottom's house, as a dead subject, and requested a guinea, saying that they would call for the remainder in the morning. Their request was complied with, and the old wire-drawer was left in the sack in a room amongst dead bodies. About midnight the old man awaked, and made a terrible noise which much alarmed Mr Longbottom and his wife, as they really supposed that one of their dead subjects was come to life again; they dared not approach the room but remained for a long time under a dreadful apprehension of what might be the consequences. The old fellow after a long struggle got out of the sack, and after tumbling about awhile over the dead bodies, he at last found his way down stairs, and off he set, leaving Mr Longbottom and his wife in the utmost consternation. The old wiredrawer related this story to my brother, Philip Lackington.

Having now, I dare say, had enough of ghostesses, I will proceed with my narration.

During the time that I lived with the baker, my name became so celebrated for selling a large number of pies, puddings, &c. that for several years following, application was made to my father, for him to permit me to sell almanacks a few market days before and after Christmas. In this employ I took great delight, the country people being highly pleased with me, and purchasing a great number of my almanacks, which excited envy in the itinerant venders of Moore, Wing, Poor Robin, &c. to such a degree, that my father often expressed his anxiety lest they should some way or other do me a mischief. But I had not the least concern, for possessing a light pair of heels, I always kept at a proper distance.

O, my friend, little did I imagine at that time, that I should ever excite the same poor mean spirit in many of the booksellers of London and other places! But,

:

"Envy at last crawls forth, from hell's dire throng,
Of all the direfull'st! Her black locks hung long,
Attir'd with curling serpents; her pale skin
Was almost dropp'd from her sharp bones within,
And at her breast stuck vipers, which did prey
Upon her panting heart both night and day,
Sucking black blood from thence which to repair,
Both day and night they left fresh poisons there.
Her garments were deep-stain'd with human gore,
And torn by her own hands, in which she bore
A knotted whip and bowl, which to the brim,
Did green gall, and the juice of wormwood swim;
With which when she was drunk, she furious grew,
And lash'd herself; thus from th' accursed crew
Envy, the worst of fiends, herself presents,
Envy, good only when she herself torments."

The true condition of Envy is,

Dolor alienæ felicitatis; to have

COWLEY.

Our eyes continually fix'd upon another
Man's prosperity, that is, his chief happiness,
And to grieve at that."

I was fourteen years and a half old when I went with my father to work at Taunton, seven miles from Wellington. We had been there about a fortnight, when my father informed our master, George Bowden, that he would return to Wellington again. Mr Bowden was then pleased to inform my father that he had taken a liking to me, and proposed taking me apprentice, I seconded Mr Bowden's motion (having a better prospect in continuing with Mr Bowden than in returning to Wellington with my father,) as he offered to take me without any premium, and to find me in everything. My father accepted his offer, and I was immediately bound apprentice for seven years to Mr George and Mrs Mary Bowden, as honest and worthy a couple as ever carried on a trade.

"

Religious, punctual, frugal, and so forth;

Their word would pass for more than they were worth.'

POPE.

They carefully attended to their shop six days in the week, and on the seventh went with their family twice to an Anabaptist meeting; where little attention was paid to speculative doctrines, but where sound morality was constantly inculcated.

"For modes of faith let graceless zealots fight,

His can't be wrong whose life is in the right."

But in this, as in many other places of worship, it was performed in a dull spiritless manner, so that the excellent morality taught there was not so much attended to as it would have been had it been enforced, or re-enforced by the captivating powers of oratory.

I well remember, that although I constantly attended this place, it was a year or two before I took the least notice of the sermon which was read; nor had I any idea that I had the least concern in what

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