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Sir Launcelot Greaves, baron knaight, and pear in the cart with a nosegay in one hand, arrant knaight, who ran mad for a wench, and the Whole Duty of Man in the other. as your worship's conjuration well knoweth." But if in case it should be in the winter," The person below is Captain Crowe; and said the squire, "when a nosegay can't be we coom, by Margery Cook's recommenda- had?" Why, then," replied the conjuror, tion, to seek after my master, who is gone "an orange will do as well." away, or made away, the Lord knows how and where."

Here he was interrupted by the conjuror, who exhorted him to sit down and compose himself till he should cast a figure; then he scrawled the paper, and, waving his wand, repeated abundance of gibberish concerning the number, the names, the houses, and revolutions of the planets, with their conjunctions, oppositions, signs, circles, cycles, trines, and trigons. When he perceived that this artifice had its proper effect in disturbing the brain of Crabshaw, he proceeded to tell him from the stars that his name was Crabshaw, or Crabsclaw; that he was born in the East Riding of Yorkshire, of poor, yet honest parents, and had some skill in horses; and that he served a gentleman whose name began with the letter G-, which gentleman had run mad for love, and left his family, but whether he would return alive or dead, the stars had not yet determined.

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These material points being adjusted to the entire satisfaction of Timothy, he declared he would bestow another shilling to know the fortune of an old companion, who truly did not deserve so much at his hands, but he could not help loving him better than e'er a friend he had in the world. So saying he dropped a third offering in the coffin, and desired to know the fate of his horse Gilbert. The astrologer having again consulted his art, pronounced that Gilbert would die of the staggers, and his carcass be given to the hounds: a sentence which made a much deeper impression upon Crabshaw's mind, than did the prediction of his own untimely and disgraceful fate. He shed a plenteous shower of tears, and his grief broke forth in some passionate expressions of tenderness; at length he told the astrologer he would go and send up the captain, who wanted to consult him about Margery Cook, because as how she had informed him that Dr Grubble had described just such another man as the captain for her true love; and he had no great stomach to the match, if so be as the stars were not bent upon their coming to

prehension. Crabshaw making no return to this salute, he asked if the conjurer had taken an observation, and told him any thing. Then the other replied, he had told him more than he desired to know. "Why, an that be the case," said the seaman, “I have no occasion to go aloft this trip, brother."

Poor Timothy was thunderstruck to find the conjurer acquainted with all these circumstances, and begged to know if he mought be so bauld as to ax a question or two about his own fortune. The astrologer pointing together. the little coffin, our squire understood the Accordingly, the squire, being dismissed hint, and deposited another shilling. The by the conjurer, descended to the parlour sage had recourse to his book, erected an- with a rueful length of face, which being other scheme, performed once more his airy perceived by the captain, he demanded,― evolutions with the wand, and, having recited" What cheer, ho?" with some signs of apanother mystical preamble, expounded the book of fate in these words:"You shall neither die by war nor water, by hunger or by thirst, nor be brought to the grave by old age or distemper; but, let me see-ay, the stars will have it so—you shall be-exaltedhah!-ay, that is-hanged for horse-stealing." "O! good my lord conjurer!" roared This evasion would not serve his turn: the squire, "I'd as lief give forty shillings as old Tisiphone was at hand, and led him up be hanged." "Peace, sirrah!" cried the growling into the hall of audience, which he other, "would you contradict or reverse the did not examine without trepidation. Havimmutable decrees of fate? Hanging is your ing been directed to the coffin, where he destiny, and hanged you shall be-and com- presented half-a-crown, in hope of rendering fort yourself with the reflection, that as you the fates more propitious, the usual cereare not the first, so neither will you be the mony was performed, and the doctor adlast, to swing on Tyburn tree." This com- dressed him in these words:" Approach, fortable assurance composed the mind of raven." The captain advancing," You Timothy, and in a great measure reconciled an't much mistaken, brother," said he, him to the prediction. He now proceeded, "heave your eye into the binnacle, and box in a whining tone, to ask whether he should your compass, you'll find I'm a Crowe, not a suffer for the first fact? whether it would raven, tho'f indeed they be both fowls of a be for a horse or a mare? and of what co- feather, as the saying is." "I know it," cried lour that he might know when his hour the conjurer, "thou art a northern crow,-a was come. The conjurer gravely answered, sea crow; not a crow of prey, but a crow to that he would steal a dappled gelding on a be preyed upon;-a crow to be plucked,Wednesday, be cast at the Old Bailey on to be flayed,-to be basted,-to be broiled Thursday, and suffer on a Friday; and he by Margery upon the gridiron of matrimostrenuously recommended it to him to ap-ny."-The novice changing colour at this

the resentment, and in some measure mitigated the grief of Captain Crowe, who took his leave without much ceremony: and, being joined by Crabshaw, proceeded with a heavy heart to the house of Sir Launcelot, where they found the domestics at breakfast, without exhibiting the least symptom of con

As for the squire, he did nothing but ruminate in rueful silence upon the dappled gelding, the nosegay, and the predicted fate of Gilbert. Him he forthwith visited in the stable, and saluted with the kiss of peace; then he bemoaned his fortune with tears, and, by the sound of his own lamentation, was lulled asleep among the litter.

denunciation," I do understand your signals, brother," said he, "and if it be set down in the log-book of fate that we must grapple, why then 'ware timbers. But as I know how the land lies, d'ye see, and the current of my inclination sets me off, I shall haul up close to the wind, and mayhap we shall clear Cape Margery. But, howsom-cern for their absent master. Crowe had ever, we shall leave that reef in the fore been wise enough to conceal from Crabshaw top-sail-I was bound upon another voyage, what he had learned of the knight's fate. d'ye see-to look and to see, and to know This fatal intelligence he reserved for the if so be as how I could pick up any intelli-ear of his nephew Mr Clarke, who did not gence along shore concerning my friend Sir fail to attend him in the forenoon. Launcelot, who slipped his cable last night, and has lost company, d'ye see." "What!" exclaimed the cunning man, "art thou a crow, and canst not smell carrion? If thou would'st grieve for Greaves, behold his naked carcass lies unburied, to feed the kites, the crows, the gulls, the rooks, and ravens." "What! broach'd to?" "Dead as a boiled lobster." "Odds heart, friend, these are the heaviest tidings I have heard these seven long years-there must have been deadly odds when he lowered his topsails-Smite my eyes! I had rather the Mufti had foun- In which the clouds that cover the catastrodered at sea, with myself and all my generation on board. Well fare thy soul, flower of the world! Had honest Sam Crowe been within hail—but what signifies palavering." Here the tears of unaffected sorrow flowed plentifully down the furrows of the seaman's cheeks; then his grief giving way to his indignation," Hark ye, brother conjurer," said he, "you can spy foul weather before it comes, damn your eyes! why did not you give us warning of this here squall? Blast my limbs! I'll make you give an account of this here damned, horrid, confounded murder, d'ye see-mayhap you yourself was concerned, d'ye see. For my own part, brother, I put my trust in God, and steer by the compass, and I value not your paw-wawing and your conjuration of a rope's end, d'ye sce."

CHAPTER XXIII.

phe begin to disperse.

WE must now leave Captain Crowe and his nephew Mr Clarke, arguing with great vehemence about the fatal intelligence obtained from the conjurer, and penetrate at once the veil that concealed our hero. Know then, reader, that Sir Launcelot Greaves, repairing to the place described in the billet which he had received, was accosted by a person muffled in a cloak, who began to amuse him with a feigned story of Aurelia, to which while he listened with great attention, he found himself suddenly surrounded by armed men, who seized and pinioned down his arms, took away his sword, and conveyed him by force into a hackney-coach provided for the purpose. In vain he expostulated on this violence with three persons who accompanied him in the vehicle. He could not extort one word by way of reply; and, from their gloomy aspects, he began to be apprehensive of assassination. Had the carriage passed through any frequented place, he would have endeavoured to alarm the inhabitants; but it was already clear of the town, and his conductors took care to avoid all villages and inhabited houses.

The conjurer was by no means pleased either with the matter or the manner of this address. He therefore began to soothe the captain's choler, by representing that he did not pretend to omniscience, which was the attribute of God alone; that human art was fallible and imperfect; and all that it could perform, was to discover certain partial circumstances of any particular object to which its inquiries were directed. That being questioned by the other man concerning the After having travelled about two miles, cause of his master's disappearing, he had the coach stopped at a large iron gate, which exercised his skill upon the subject, and being opened, our adventurer was led in found reason to believe that Sir Launcelot silence through a spacious house into a tolewas assassinated: that he should think him-rably decent apartment, which he understood self happy in being the instrument of bringing the murderers to justice, though he foresaw they would of themselves save him that trouble for they would quarrel about dividing the spoil, and one would give information against the other.

The prospect of this satisfaction appeased

was intended for his bed-chamber. In a few minutes after his arrival, he was visited by a man of no very prepossessing appearance, who endeavoured to smooth his countenance, which was naturally stern, welcomed our adventurer to his house, exhorted him to be of good cheer, assuring him he should want

for nothing, and desired to know what he | which was a wicked work-but now I have would choose for supper.

Sir Launcelot, in answer to this civil address, begged he would explain the nature of his confinement, and the reasons for which his arms were tied like those of the worst malefactor. The other postponed till to-morrow the explanation he demanded, but in the mean time unbound his fetters, and, as he declined eating, left him alone to his repose. He took care, however, in retiring, to double lock the door of the room, whose windows were grated on the outside with iron.

got a glimpse of the new light-I feel the operations of grace-I am of the new birthI abhor good works-I detest all working but the working of the spirit-Avaunt, Satan -O! how I thirst for communication with our sister Jolly."

"The communication is already open with the Marche," said the first, "but as for thee, thou caitiff, who hast presumed to disparage my works, I'll have thee rammed into a mortar with a double charge of powder, and thrown into the enemy's quarters."

English, complained he was distorted in the moment of de proshection: a third, in the character of his holiness, denounced interdiction, excommunication, and anathemas; swore by St Peter's keys, they should howl ten thousand years in purgatory, without the benefit of a single mass: a fourth began to halloo in all the vociferations of a fox-hunter in the chase: and in an instant the whole house was in an uproar.

This dialogue operated like a train upon The knight, being thus abandoned to his many other inhabitants of the place; one own meditations, began to ruminate on the swore he was within three vibrations of findpresent adventure with equal surprise and ing the longitude, when this noise confoundconcern; but the more he revolved circum-ed his calculations: a second, in broken stances, the more was he perplexed in his conjectures. According to the state of the mind, a very subtile philosopher is often puzzled by a very plain proposition; and this was the case of our adventurer. What made the strongest impression upon his mind, was a notion that he was apprehended on suspicion of treasonable practices, by a warrant from the secretary of state, in consequence of some false malicious information; and that his prison was no other than the house of a messenger, set apart for the accommodation of suspected persons. In this opinion he comforted himself by recollecting his own conscious innocence, and reflecting that he should be entitled to the privilege of habeas corpus, as the act including that inestimable jewel was happily not suspended at this time.

Consoled by this self-assurance, he quietly resigned himself to slumber; but before he fell asleep he was very disagreeably undeceived in his conjecture. His ears were all at once saluted with a noise from the next room, conveyed in distinct bounces against the wainscot; then a hoarse voice exclaimed, "Bring up the artillery-let Brutandorf's brigade advance-detach my black hussars to ravage the country let them be new booted--take particular care of the spur-leathers-make a desert of Lusatia-bombard the suburbs of Pera-go, tell my brother Henry to pass the Elbe at Meissen with forty battalions and fifty squadrons-so ho, you Major-general Donder, why don't you finish your second parallel ?-send hither the engineer Shittenback-I'll lay all the shoes in my shop, the breach will be practicable in four-and-twenty hours don't tell me of your works-you and your works may be damn'd."

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The clamour, however, was of a short duration. The different chambers being opened successively, every individual was effectually silenced by the sound of one cabalistical word, which was no other than waistcoat: a charm which at once cowed the king of Prussia, dispossessed the fanatic, dumb-founded the mathematician, dismayed the alchemist, deposed the pope, and deprived the squire of all utterance.

Our adventurer was no longer in doubt concerning the place to which he had been conveyed; and the more he reflected on his situation, the more he was overwhelmed with the most perplexing chagrin. He could not conceive by whose means he had been immured in a mad-house; but he heartily repented of his knight-errantry, as a frolic which might have very serious consequences with respect to his future life and fortune. After mature deliberation, he resolved to demean himself with the utmost circumspection, well knowing that every violent transport would be interpreted into an undeniable symptom of insanity. He was not without hope of being able to move his jailor by a due administration of that which is generally more efficacious than all the flowers of elocution; but when he rose in the morning, he found his pockets had been carefully examined, and emptied of all his papers and cash.

Assuredly," cried another voice from a different quarter, "he that thinks to be saved The keeper entering, he inquired about by works is in a state of utter reprobation-these particulars, and was given to underI myself was a profane weaver, and trusted to stand, that they were all safely deposited for the rottenness of works-I kept my journey- his use, to be forthcoming at a proper seamen and 'prentices at constant work, and my son; but, at present, as he should want for heart was set upon the riches of this world, nothing, he had no occasion for money.

The knight acquiesced in this declaration, | most flagrant iniquities; that it contained and ate his breakfast in quiet.

fathers kidnapped by their children, wives About eleven, he received a visit from the confined by their husbands, gentlemen of physician, who contemplated his looks with fortune sequestered by their relations, and great solemnity; and having examined his innocent persons immured by the malice of pulse, shook his head, saying, "Well, sir, their adversaries. He affirmed this was his how d'ye do?-come, don't be dejected-own case; and asked if our hero had never every thing is for the best-you are in very heard of Dick Distich, the poet and satirist. good hands, sir, I assure you; and I dare" Ben Bullock and I," said he, "were consay will refuse nothing that may be thought conducive to the recovery of your health."

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fident against the world in arms-did you never see his ode to me beginning with,

Doctor," said our hero, "if it is not an Fair blooming youth." We were sworn improper question to ask, I should be glad brothers; admired and praised, and quoted to know your opinion of my disorder." "O! each other, sir: we denounced war against sir, as to that," replied the physician, "your all the world, actors, authors, and critics; disorder is a kind of a-sir, 'tis very com- and having drawn the sword, threw away mon in this country-a sort of a-" "Do the scabbard-we pushed through thick and you think my distemper is madness, doc-thin, hacked and hewed helter-skelter, and tor?" "O Lord, sir, not absolute madness- became as formidable to the writers of the no-not madness—you have heard, no doubt, age as the Baotian band of Thebes. My of what is called a weakness of the nerves, friend Bullock, indeed, was once rolled in sir, though that is a very inaccurate ex- the kennel; but soon pression; for this phrase, denoting a morbid excess of sensation, seems to imply that sensation itself is owing to the loose cohesion of those material particles which constitute the nervous substance, inasmuch as the quantity of every effect must be proportionable to its cause; now you'll please to take notice, sir, if the case were really what these words seem to import, all bodies whose particles do not cohere with too great a degree of proximity, would be nervous; that is, endowed with sensation-sir, I shall order some cooling things to keep you in due temperature; and you'll do very well-sir, your humble servant."

So saying, he retired, and our adventurer could not but think it was very hard that one man should not dare to ask the most ordinary question without being reputed mad, while another should talk nonsense by the hour, and yet be esteemed as an oracle.

He vigorous rose, and from the effluvia strong Imbibed new life, and scoured and stunk along. Here is a satire which I wrote in an alehouse when I was drunk-I can prove it by the evidence of the landlord and his wife: I fancy you'll own I have some right to say with my friend Horace,

'Qui me commorit, melius non tangere clamo; Flebit et insignis tota contabitur urbe――――"

The knight, having perused the papers, declared his opinion that the verses were tolerably good; but at the same time observed that the author had reviled as ignorant dunces several persons who had written with reputation, and were generally allowed to have genius; a circumstance that would detract more from his candour than could be allowed to his capacity.

"Damn their genius!" cried the satirist, The master of the house finding Sir "a pack of impertinent rascals! I will tell Launcelot so tame and tractable, indulged you, sir, Ben Bullock and I had determined to him after dinner with a walk in a little pri- crush all that were not of our own party-bevate garden, under the eye of a servant who sides, I said before, this piece was written in followed him at a distance. Here he was drink." "Was you drunk too when it was. saluted by a brother prisoner, a man seem- printed and published ?" "Yes, the printer ingly turned of thirty, tall and thin, with shall make affidavit that I was never otherstaring eyes, a hook-nose, and a face cov-wise than drunk or maudlin, till my enemies, ered with pimples.

The usual compliments having passed, the stranger, without further ceremony, asked if he would oblige him with a chew of tobacco, or could spare him a mouthful of any sort of cordial, declaring he had not tasted brandy since he came to the house. The knight assured him it was not in his power to comply with his request; and began to ask some questions relating to the character of their landlord, which the stranger represented in very unfavourable colours. He described him as a ruffian, capable of undertaking the darkest schemes of villainy. He said his house was a repository of the

on pretence that my brain was turned, conveyed me to this infernal mansion."

"They seem to have been your best friends," said the knight, "and have put the most tender interpretation on your conduct; for, waving the plea of insanity, your character must stand as that of a man who hath some small share of genius, without an atom of integrity. Of all those whom Pope lashed in his Dunciad, there was not one who did not richly deserve the imputation of dulness, and every one of them had provoked the satirist by a personal attack. In this respect the English poet was much more honest than his French patron Boileau,

who stigmatized several men of acknow- | be in reality so dangerous or dreadful as a ledged genius; such as Quinault, Perrault, private madhouse in England, under the diand the celebrated Lully: for which reason every man of a liberal turn must, in spite of all his poetical merit, despise him as a rancorous knave. If this disingenuous conduct cannot be forgiven in a writer of his superior genius, who will pardon it in you, whose name is not half-emerged from obscurity?"

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Hark ye, friend," replied the bard, "keep your pardon and your counsel for those who ask it; or, if you will force them upon people, take one piece of advice in return: if you don't like your present situation, apply for a committee without delay: they'll find you too much of a fool to have the least tincture of madness: and you'll be released without further scruple; in that case I shall rejoice in your deliverance; you will be freed from confinement, and I shall be happily deprived of your conversation."

So saying, he flew off at a tangent, and our knight could not help smiling at the peculiar virulence of his disposition. Sir Launcelot then endeavoured to enter into conversation with his attendant, by asking how long Mr Distich had resided in the house; but he might as well have addressed himself to a Turkish mute: the fellow either pretended ignorance, or refused an answer to every question that was proposed. He would not even disclose the name of his landlord, nor inform him whereabouts the house was situated.

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rection of a ruffian? The Bastile is a state prison, the Inquisition is a spiritual tribunal; but both are under the direction of government. It seldom, if ever, happens that a man entirely innocent is confined in either; or, if he should, he lays his account with a legal trial before established judges. But in England, the most innocent person upon earth is liable to be immured for life under the pretext of lunacy, sequestered from his wife, children, and friends, robbed of his fortune, deprived even of necessaries, and subjected to the most brutal treatment from a low-bred barbarian, who raises an ample fortune on the misery of his fellow-creatures, and may, during his whole life, practise this horrid oppression, without question or controul."

This uncomfortable reverie was interrupted by a very unexpected sound that seemed to issue from the other side of a thick partywall. It was a strain of vocal music, more plaintive than the widowed turtle's moan, more sweet and ravishing than Philomel's love-warbled song. Through his ear it instantly pierced into his heart: for at once he recognized it to be the voice of his adored Aurelia. Heavens ! what was the agi tation of his soul, when he made this discovery! how did every nerve quiver! how did his heart throb with the most violent emotion! He ran round the room in distraction, foaming like a lion in the toil-then he Finding himself agitated with impatience placed his ear close to the partition, and and indignation, he returned to his apart-listened as if his whole soul was exerted in ment, and the door being locked upon him, his sense of hearing. When the sound began to review, not without horror, the ceased to vibrate on his ear, he threw himparticulars of his fate. How little reason,' self on the bed; he groaned with anguish, said he to himself, "have we to boast of he exclaimed in broken accents; and in all the blessings enjoyed by the British subject, probability his heart would have burst, had if he holds them on such a precarious te- not the violence of his sorrow found vent in nure if a man of rank and property may be a flood of tears. thus kidnapped even in the capital; if he may be seized by ruffians, insulted, robbed, and conveyed to such a prison as this, from which there seems to be no possibility of escape; should I be indulged with pen, ink, and paper, and appeal to my relations, or to the magistrates of my country, my letters would be intercepted by those who superintend my confinement. Should I try to alarm the neighbourhood, my cries would be neglected as those of some unhappy lunatic under necessary correction. Should I employ the force which Heaven has lent me, I might imbrue my hands in blood, and after all find it impossible to escape through a number of successive doors, locks, bolts, and sentinels. Should I endeavour to tamper with the servant, he might discover my design, and then I should be abridged of the little comfort I enjoy. People may inveigh against the Bastile in France, and the Inquisition in Portugal; but I would ask, if either of these

These first transports were succeeded by a fit of impatience, which had well nigh deprived him of his senses in good earnest. His surprise at finding his lost Aurelia in such a place, the seeming impossibility of relieving her, and his unspeakable eagerness to contrive some scheme for profiting by the interesting discovery he had made, concurred in brewing up a second ecstasy, during which he acted a thousand extravagances, which it was well for him the attendants did not observe. Perhaps it was well for the servant that he did not enter while the paroxysm prevailed; had this been the case, he might have met with the fate of Lychas, whom Hercules in his frenzy destroyed.

Before the cloth was laid for supper, he was calm enough to conceal the disorder of his mind; but he complained of the headach, and desired he might be next day visited by the physician, to whom he resolved to explain himself in such a manner, as should make

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