a Brute and a Blockhead; but had reigned Con. queror in all the Athletic Trials of Skill he had been engaged in, fo that he was the Terror, and, at the fame Time, the May-game of all his Fellow-prifoners. Damn you, Sir, fays he, who made you a Reformer here? I will swear, Sir, and I am a Gentleman, that my Commiffion will declare. Captain, I replied, I meant nothing perfonal, but still muft infift on what I faid before, and am forry to see there is any body fo ftupid as to contradict me. Stupid-G-d d-n me, what do you mean by that? No more ftupid than yourself; I believe I have had as good Education too, and will read Greek with you, or any thing else, for what you dare; at this the whole Company fell into a Laugh, which encouraged me to lay him a Wager that he could not read English. A Book was brought, and he attempted to read, but the Wager was given against him; and, upon my saying fomewhat further, he took up a Glafs, and flung it full at me, which, by ducking my Head, I avoided, and challenged me out upon the Bare. I had no Mind for this porterly Exercife, but, as amongst School-Boys, fo here I was fenfible a Man would be reflected upon by every one that refused such a Challenge; fo, being heartened by all prefent, I ftripped, and went to the Field of Action, where my Antagonist was gone before me. Speculift, upon this Occafion, behaved exceeding well well, and infifted upon being my Second. A Ring was formed, and now, being ftripped in Buff, we ftood for fome Time lowring Defiance at each other, like two furious Bulls contending for the Mastership of the Pafture. At length we advance with more than mortal Fury, and the refounding Blows thunder upon our Breafts with repeated Force. My Antagonist I foon found was inferior to me in Strength, but fuperior in Skill; upon which I endeavoured to clofe with him, but all in vain; he baffled my every Attempt, and a Blow, I received over my Temples, fent me fenfeless to the Earth; but, foon recovered, I fought aloof till I had gained Breath, when, darting at once Head and Hands into the Pit of his Stomach, I laid him fprawling, and, to complete the Stroke, fell with all my Weight upon him. It was fome Time before he came to himself, but fo difmayed and weakened with his unlooked-for Fall, that now I clofed with him with Eafe, but did not at first put forth my utmoft Strength; and presently the fanguinary Streams ran from all Parts of our Bodies, and Victory feemed to hover in Sufpence to whom the should give the Day; when, fuddenly, grafping him closely in my Arms, I raised him up, as Hercules did Antæus, and dashed him with fuch Force to the Ground, that he lay without Senfe and Motion, nor could again refume the Fight. The Crouds around hailed my Conqueft with loud Shouts, and rung my Praises thro' the Bare; fome fhook me by the Hand, others clapped me upon the Back, and all expreffed the highest Satisfaction to behold the haughty Bully thus difcomfited, and Hockly in the Hole, and Tottenham-Court, yield the Day to invincible Yorkshire. My Bruifes were not very troublesome, and I foon recovered my priftine Vigour, and could now walk or talk without Moleftation, all my Fellow-prifoners allowing me a Cock of the Game. I fell foon from this Height into the moft dire ful Diftrefs; my Money was gone, and now I employed, for fome Time, one of the Runners to carry, from Time to Time, my Cloaths, Watch, and other valuable Things to the Pawn-brokers, to fupport Life. I had moft of my Things from my Lodgings, and a few Weeks ftripped me to one Coat, two Shirts, a Pair of Breeches, Stockings and Shoes; but I ftill kept up fome Appearances, and frequented the ufual Clubs. I was obliged to refrain even that in a few Days longer, and could go no more to the Ordinary, having already a Score at the Tap, of which the Landlord gave me many mortifying Items. I fhooled about, and picked up a Dinner here and there, in the Prifon; and more than a fcore Times have gone the whole Day without Nourishment; fo that I became a mere Skeleton. I once kept to my Room, and, for a whole Week, or ten Days, lived upon Bread and Water, Water, obftinately refolving not to impart my Distress to any one, but to wait with Patience till my Father's Arrival, which I now expected in a very little Time, the Plaintiff having declared against me, and refufing all Terms of Accommodation. And at this Time my former Griefs revived in my Mind, with redoubled Impetuofity; and my Louifa, fleeping or waking, haunted my Soul, and fwam before my Eyes, in all her torturing, lovely Charms; but Louisa loft and gone for ever! I had no Sports or Company to divert my cruel Reflections; and all my old Affociates, perceiving the Game was up with me, forfook me, without vouchsafing even to speak to me, when we met. Speculift, indeed, two or three Times invited me to Dinner; but I was not so far reconciled to Bafenefs, as to accept any further Favours of a Man, I could not but recollect fo many mortifying Occurrences of. Often a Bisket and a Dram of Geneva, together with the Water from the Pumps, made my Repaft for four and twenty Hours; and I wifhed earnestly for Death, to hide my Shame, and terminate my Grief and Miseries at once. CHAP. XXXIX. A Digreffion.-Speculift taken ill.-His Behaviour on his Death-bed.-Dies.-An unexpected Vifitor arrives, and enquires for Thompson.-The affecting Interview between them.-His Father and Diaper come to him.--He is fet at Liberty.-Takes Leave of bis Fellow prifoners. URE no Condition can be more calamitous, SURE more to be pitied, than that of an unfortunate Wretch under Confinement for Debt! His Friends, tired with his importunate Requests for Relief, forfake him, and abandon him to his Fate, with bitter Cenfures on his Indifcretions and Follies; his Enemies, knowing themselves fecure from his Resentments, load him with all the bitter Invectives that wanton Pride, and hellish Malice, can infpire; his incenfed Creditors, fired with their Injuries, are too apt to think his Punishment just, and, arrogantly affuming to themselves the Authority of Heaven, call down Vengeance, and inflict Tortures, unceafing Tortures, on his Head; not reflecting, that the Saviour of the World has most authoritatively recommended Charity and Kindness to the Prifoner, as one of those Virtues by which we merit Happiness hereafter:-I was fick, and in Prison, and he visited me.-What a pathetic Sentence! and [ how |