ATTEND, ye young men, who are about to enter into trade, for to you I write my ſtory. I was bound apprentice to a reſpectable tradeſman in Cheapſide. My maſter, Mr. Vincent, had acquired a very fair character, whilſt he was making a comfortable fortune. His wife was a dreſſy, flaſhy woman, who liked viſiting and jaunting more than taking care of her family; whilſt my maſter was plodding late at night in the compting-houſe, Mrs. Vincent and her daughters were either making parties abroad, or giving entertainments at home. As we kept no footman. I was allowed, when ſhop was ſhut, to run from one public place to another to call a coach, to bring Mrs. Vincent and her daughters home. To lounging about the perleus of a Playhouſe I owe my ruin. I was generally allowed to be a handſome, well-made young man; this unfortunately drew upon me the notice of a ſet of thoſe wretched women, who nightly crowd the Theatres; I ſhould have been delighted with the notice they took of me, had not my vanity whiſpered me that Miſs Vincent was in love with me. This ſuſpicion was fully confirmed to me by one Potter, an elder apprentice, but for whoſe wicked advice, I might have lived happily, and died virtuouſly.

The idea that Miſs Vincent was in love with me, at once compleated me for the coxcomb; I now neglected my buſineſs, and to dreſs out my perſon became the only object of my thoughts; I began to commit little frauds on my maſter, in order to obtain money to dreſs out; for, ever ſince Potter had laughed me out of my religion, every principle of moral honeſty fat looſely upon me.

I am ſorry to ſay, the holy Sabbath in our family was only diſtinguiſhed from other days by the ſhutting of the ſhop; my maſter ſpent the greater part of it poſting his books, and my miſtreſs and her daughters were either dreſſing to go abroad, or elſe to receive company at home. We young men, indeed, were ſent to church, but as we had no examples ſet us by the heads of the family going thither themſelves, Potter and I generally hired a gig, and daſhed away from one tea-drinking place to another; theſe ſcenes ſoon made me loſe all reſpect for Virtue and Religion. It was at the Dog and Duck I firſt ſaw the infamous Miſs Weſt; ſhe was many years older than myſelf, her perſon was as lovely as her heart was wicked. She was no ſooner informed that I was to come into poſſeſſion of 3000l. the day I came of age, than ſhe made uſe of all her deceitful arts to enſnare both my ſoul and body, as ſhe often prompted me to defraud my maſter to ſupply her extravagance. My attachment to Miſs Vincent was now on the decline, for Miſs Weſt had ſo far wrought upon my vanity, as to make me believe that ſo handſome a young fellow as I was, ſhould look higher than a tradeſman's daughter. From that moment I treated Miſs Vincent with the moſt marked neglect, although I ſaw my conduct cut her to the heart; yet, at the ſame time I was baſe enough to borrow money of her, which I wantonly ſquandered away on Miſs Weſt.

When Potter's apprenticeſhip expired, inſtead of improving his fortune by throwing it into trade, he plunged at once into all the vices of the Town. He poſſeſſed a plauſible kind of prate, which cauſed him to be appointed Chairman to our Club, which was chiefly compoſed of clerks and apprentice boys. Potter's principal excellence conſiſted in ſinging a merry ſong, telling an indecent ſtory, and teaching his hearers to laugh at morality, and ſet all religion at defiance, for religion he maintained, was only an old woman's tale, invented, by cunning heads to keep children and fools in order.

There was an honeſt old Porter lived in our family, who for ſome time had ſet himſelf to watch my conduct, and at length he made ſuch a faithful report of it to my maſter, that he gave up my indentures, and turned, me out of doors.

I was too much delighted with my liberty, to feel the leaſt ſenſe of ſhame at the means by which I obtained it.

I was ſorry, however, to break off entirely with Miſs Vincent, for I ſtill had a lurking affection for her; I told Potter ſo; his inventive genius ſoon laid a plan whereby I might get her into my power, and take a compleat revenge on her whole family at the ſame time. This was by writing her a letter, ſetting forth the violence of my love, the unmerited diſgrace I had received from her family, and at the ſame time requeſting her to grant me a private meeting, in order that I might juſtify my conduct to her, as otherwiſe I feared the violence of my paſſion would drive me to a fit of deſpair.

This poor imprudent girl met me at the time, and place appointed. I will not here ſhock my readers with relating the vile ſtratagems I made uſe of to compleat the ruin of this young lady, nor the tremendous oaths I ſwore to repair her wrongs by marriage, as ſoon as I came of age, which would be in a very few months; this ſomewhat abated her ſorrow for the the very indiſcreet ſtep ſhe had taken.

The day I became of age, I went down into the country. My friends having been apprized of my profligate life, received me very coldly. I practiſed the deepeſt hypocricy on my good mother, to make her believe I was quite a reformed man, in order to wheedle her out of a ſum of money, telling her at the ſame time, I had an immediate proſpect of entering into a very profitable concern with a partner of great reſponſibility, if I could but increaſe my capital.

"Frank," ſaid ſhe, with firmneſs, "there is no truſting to your promiſes; as long as your conduct deſerved my love, you ever found me an indulgent mother, but you ſhall never have cauſe to ſay, I acted towards you like a weak woman, by robbing my virtuous children, to ſupply the wanton extravagance of a profligate ſon. Your wicked life, Frank, has nearly broken my heart, but it ſhall not ſhake my juſtice." The well known ſteadineſs of my mother's temper convinced me at once ſhe was not further to be impoſed upon by the fallacy of my arguments.

As ſoon as I had ſettled my buſineſs, I returned to London to Miſs Vincent, who had waited for me with the utmoſt patience, fully expecting I was come to fulfil my promiſe of marriage to her "I can ſtruggle with want, dear Frank," ſaid ſhe, "but I will never conſent to live in ſhame."

Nothing I am certain hardens the heart like vice, for although this poor young creature was brought into a very trying ſituation by the proſpect of ſoon becoming a mother, I ſwore I would never make her my wife, who had diſgraced herſelf by living with me as a mistress. On hearing this, in all the tender agonies of grief, ſhe urged me to repair the wrongs I had done her, reminding me at the ſame time of the wicked arts I had made uſe of to beguile her of her innocence, and then, with claſped hands and ſtreaming eyes, ſhe threw herſelf on her knees before me, beſeeching me to pity the agonies which rent her ſoul, yet my hardened nature was untouched by her ſorrow, again I ſolemnly ſwore I never would marry her.

Through exceſs of grief ſhe ſainted away, in which pitiable ſtate I left her to the care of a ſervant, went out and ſpent the reſt of the evening with Miſs Weſt, whoſe flinty heart turned into ridicule the ſorrowful tale I related to her.

On returning to my lodgings the next morning, I was informed Miſs Vincent had left them without leaving behind her the leaſt information where ſhe was to be found, and much did I rejoice when I heard it, that ſhe had taken herſelf off ſo quietly.

I now laviſhed my money as though it would never have an end. By all I was eſteemed the moſt noble ſpirited fellow in the world, and even little wits would be ſilent in my preſence, becauſe I was ſure to pay for the wine upon which they were to riot. My caſh at length beginning to run low, as I had been all along drawing from the principal, I adviſed with Potter how to get furniſhed with future ſupplies. He adviſed the gaming table as a never- • ailing friend, ſaying it had long ſince been the only reſource from whence he derived his ſubſiſtence.

I took his advice, and for ſome months was ſo ſucceſsful, that I began to daſh away in higher life at the Weſt end of the Town. I bought an elegant phaeton which I drove every Sunday in Hyde Park, with Miſs Weſt by my ſide. One day as I was driving furiouſly through Temple Bar, I had the misfortune to overturn a poor man with a heavy load on his back, and on his getting up I perceived him to be Mr. Vincent's old porter, to whom I formerly owed my diſgrace.

"Ah! ah! what is it you, young hopeful?" cried he, on ſeeing to whom he owed his misfortune, "well, he muſt needs go whom the devil drives; thy prancing nags may die a natural death, maſter Frank, but verily, I think 'tis more than thou wilt, boy, for if thou dieſt in thy ſhoes, the gallows will be robbed of it's due. What is become of poor Patty Vincent, thou profligate dog, haſt thou broken her heart, as thou haſt that of her poor afflicted parents?"

The ſudden recollection of that unfortunate girl cauſed ſuch a ſwimming in my heed, that the reins dropt from my hands, my horſes took fright, and it was almoſt a miracle that I got home alive. The porter's words had made ſuch an impreſſion on my mind, that I could not ſhake them off. Soon after Potter calling in upon me, I told him of my interview with the old porter, and alſo the effect it had on me. "Frank," ſaid he, if a fellow of thy ſpirit can be thus eaſily overcome by qualms of conſcience, let us inſtantly adjourn to the tavern, ſince good wine is the beſt remedy in the world to drown all uneaſy recollections in." I gladly accepted his propoſal, we called a coach, and off we went. He no ſooner ſaw my ſpirits inflamed with wine, than he drew me to the gaming table, where, before morning, I loſt every ſhilling I had in the world; I applied to Potter to lend me 50 guineas, as he had won more than 200 of me.

Laughing heartily he told me, it had ever been a maxim with him, never to lend his money to a man who had not prudence to keep his own; "but harkee, Frank," ſaid he, "I'll give thee my beſt advice gratis: ſuch a noble ſpirited young fellow as thou art, needs never be at a loſs for money, while he can ſnap a trigger, and the highway is leſt open for him to practiſe upon. Men who follow the ſame courſe of pleaſure, are the laſt people in the world to help each other in the hour of diſtreſs; virtuous men, Frank, only feel for the wants of their friends, and they alone find pleaſure in relieving them." He then whiſtled himſelf off.

When I got home, I ſat revolving in my mind how to get myſelf out of my preſent difficulties, when in a fatal moment, Satan whiſpered in my ears the word FORGERY. At firſt I ſtarted at the thought, but my poverty was clamorous, my pride ſtartled at diſgrace, although my conſcience did not ſhudder at the crime. I knew I could copy Mr. Vincent's hand exactly, I ſnatched up the pen to draw a bill upon him for 500l. but a cold ſhivering ſeizing me, it dropt from my ſingers, a ſtrong ſenſe of my guilt now overtook me, I tore what I had written to pieces, and exclaimed, I am a free man again; and for a moment felt thankful that I had been enabled to reſiſt the violence of temptation. I ſat pondering, however, how I ſhould maintain myſelf, again I was aſſaulted with the dread of poverty, and again I ſnatched up the pen, drew the fatal bill, and inſtantly went out and got it accepted.

But the moment I ſought to take reſt at night on my pillow, I felt as if all the horrors of Hell had ſeized me. I jumped out of bed in my ſleep, and was going to throw myſelf out of the window, having dreamt that I was apprehended, the people of the houſe, awakened by my cries, ran into the room, concluding ſome villains had broken in, and were going to murder me.

I never afterwards went into the ſtreet but my fears told me I was the ſubject of converſation of all the people I met. Once I happened to hear one man ſay to another, pointing to a third, "that's he, that's he," I took to my heels, concluding that I myſelf was meant, and ran from one ſtreet to another, without knowing whither, till my ſight failed me, and through loſs of breath, I dropped down in a fit. Some humane people, however recovered me, and put me into a hackney coach which carried me home.

One day, a ſudden guſt of wind blew open my chamber door, again I concluded the officers were coming to take me. Snatching up the poker to defend myſelf, I ſwore I would not be taken alive, when turning about ſuddenly. I caught a glimpſe of myſelf in the glaſs, my eyes looked wild, my lips quivered, my jaws dropped, my teeth ſhattered, and my body ſhook, as though the laſt agonies of death were upon me. On finding I was once more become the dupe of my fears, my ſpirits rallied again, I dreſſed and went to the play; there I met Sally Weſt, whom I had not ſeen for ſome weeks; for, to ſay the truth, I dreaded to meet an old acquaintance from the time I committed the forgery; after the play, we went off together to ſup at a tavern, we had not been there a quarter of an hour when ſhe made an excuſe for quitting the room in about ten minutes ſhe returned to me, expreſſing in the tendereſt terms the ſatisfaction ſhe had to ſee me again.

We were, as I believed, juſt going to ſit down to ſupper, when the waiters came in followed by two of Sir John Fielding's men. Immediately, with the greateſt coolneſs, Miſs Weſt aroſe, and and laying her hand on my ſhoulder exclaimed, 'the Philiſtines be upon thee, Samſon.' "Gentlemen," continued ſhe to the officers, "this is my good friend Mr. Francis H**** of whom you have been ſome time in ſearch. Perhaps Frank, continued ſhe, "you do not know that your forgery is diſcovered, and that 100l. reward is offered for taking you, when I left the room juſt now it was to write a note to theſe gentlemen, ſignifying to them where you were to be found; I ſee you are terrified, but hear me for the laſt time perhaps, and you will leſs wonder at my conduct. Early in life, Frank, I was betrayed to ruin, by a baſe deſigning man; my reputation once blaſted, I was deſerted by all the virtuous part of my own ſex; by having bad examples always before my eyes, I ſoon became hardened in ſin and abandoned to ſhame. I have lately contracted debts; if they are not immediately diſcharged I ſhall be ſent to a jail; this jail I know not how to avoid but by ſending you thither in my ſtead, as the reward offered for taking you will juſt ſet me free from my creditors."

I was ſtruck motionleſs with terror, and fainted away on the officers approaching to tie my hands behind me; not had I the leaſt recollection of what paſſed, till I found myſelf ſafe locked in my priſon. About a week after this, the keeper came to tell me, there was a priſoner lately brought in who was very deſirous of ſeeing me, and as ſhe appeared an object of great pity, he offered to conduct me to her. On entering the chamber, I ſaw a young woman very ſhabbily dreſſed, lying on a miſerable bed, in a very weak condition.

"Doſt thou not know me, Frank?" ſaid ſhe in a hollow broken voice? "Haſt thou loſt all remembrance of Patty Vincent." I felt inſtantly as if ſtruck with a thunderbolt. "Merciful heaven?" cried I, falling on my knees by the bedſide, "I am unable to bear the puniſhment my crimes have brought upon me! O God of mercy ſupport my troubled ſoul." She kindly urged me to be comforted, ſaid ſhe wiſhed not to ſee me to reproach me for the evils I had brought upon her, but only to tell me with her laſt breath that ſhe forgave me. "It is not an hour ſince, Frank," continued ſhe, "that I heard you were my fellow priſoner, and what is worſe at my father's ſuit. I will not reproach you, Frank, I tell you again, for all the miſeries you have brought upon me, becauſe you are a priſoner and in chains. If my breath will hold out, I will endeavour to give you a ſhort hiſtory of myſelf ſince we parted. On your refuſing to make me your lawful wife, I quitted your lodgings, reſolving by my labour to eat the bread of induſtry rather than follow a courſe of vice for a wretched ſubſiſtence. I hired a garret in Holborn, where I applied for needle-work, and ſoon obtained it. In about three months after our ſeparation, my infant came into the world, I ſold my clothes for my ſupport during my confinement, but that reſource ſoon failed me. My health and ſtrength declined, I was ſeized with a conſtant fever and cough, and quite unable to ſupply the ſcanty morſel of bread for the day, yet reſolved to die rather than afflict my dear parents with the knowledge of my miſery. At length being too weak to labour, I contracted ſeveral ſmall debts, for which I was ſeized and brought hither, I have however ſince been prevailed upon to ſend my poor hal • famiſhed baby to my parents, hoping they will afford her that bread which her dying mother dared not aſk for herſelf." Obſerving I was ſpeechleſs with agony, poor Patty went on, "I did not wiſh to ſee you, Frank, to afflict you, I wiſh only to warn you with my dying breath to repent the evil of your ways, and humble your ſoul before God. Repentance for ſin, Frank, though bitter for the moment, yet I have found healthful to the ſoul, and however the wicked who are at eaſe, may deride the God who made them, yet the ſighing and the ſorrowing heart will flee unto him, as the only preſent help in time of trouble; I ſhall very ſoon lay down my heavy burden of ſickneſs and ſorrow, and eſcape from a darkſome priſon, as I humbly truſt, to everlaſting reſt.—O Frank! Frank! it is far ſafer to die a penitent in a jail, than to live in a palace, with a heart untouched with God's grace."

Here ſhe was interrupted by the unexpected entrance of Mr. and Mrs. Vincent. O ye, who ſhall hereafter read my ſtory, drop a tear of pity at the agony I now endured! They no ſooner beheld their child, than each by turns tenderly embraced her, aſſured her of their forgiveneſs, and gently child her, for having concealed herſelf ſo long, adding, that as a penitent child they would moſt gladly have received her, though they would have ſhunned her, if they found her living in proſperous wickedneſs. She thanked them, and ſaid.

"Mourn not my death, my deareſt parents, but rather rejoice that I die penitent for my tranſgreſſion, and ſince I have received your bleſſing and forgiveneſs, I have but one more favour to aſk in life, which is, that you my kind father, will extend your pity towards that young man," pointing to me. "O ſave him, if poſſible from an ignominious death, and remember, that my child is alſo his. My buſineſs in life is done, and now, O heavenly Father! receive my ſpirit, and pardon my ſin through Jeſus Chriſt my Redeemer." Here her ſpeech failed her, and after a few convulſive ſtruggles ſhe expired.

Great Heaven! is there any puniſhment for me to ſuffer hereafter beyond what I endured at the moment? A dead ſilence ſucceeded for ſome time, my groans only were heard. As ſoon as Mr. Vincent had ſomewhat recovered the ſhock, he raiſed himſelf from the body of his child, and ſpoke to me as follows:

"Behold, O young man, the calamities which thy crimes have brought on my family! Behold, my departed child lying on the boſom of her fainting mother; yet I am not inſenſible to the agonies which rend thy ſoul, and ſorry am I to add to them, by telling thee, thy excellent mother went out of her ſenſes, on hearing thou had'ſt committed a crime, by which thou hadſt forfeited thy life to the laws of thy country. O Frank! Frank! what deep diſtreſs can one profligate child bring on whole families! Thy crimes, alas! have brought on thy own deſtruction, for I fear it will not be in my power to befriend thee on thy trial, much as I am diſpoſed to do it in conſideration of thy relations. Too late, Frank, thou muſt now ſee, how fatal an exceſſive love of pleaſure muſt prove to a young tradeſman. Honeſt induſtry is generally a ſure road to wealth: as a ſober religious life is to happineſs. To thy coſt thou muſt already have experienced, that the wicked can have no dependance upon each other, ſince thou art betrayed, and brought to ſhame, by thoſe very fr •• nds who firſt led thy youth aſtray."

"O, Sir," cried I, "few and evil have been my days, but the great God above, who knoweth the ſecrets of all hearts can alone judge of the ſorrows of mine it is not, Sir; the puniſhment of death which I fear, but the juſt vengeance of offended Heaven which muſt follow it; for though a very young man, I am a very old ſinner. Alas! my dear, and honoured mother, is it then true, that the crimes of your own child have robbed you of your ſenſes? And yet the merciful hand of God has hitherto with held his vengeance from ſtriking me dead. To whom ſhall I fly for mercy and pity in my diſtreſs? from the law I cannot expect it, and from the offended Majeſty of high Heaven I dare not hope it, ſince my preſent puniſhment is but the certain wages of my ſin." Here I am told I fell into ſtrong convulſion fits, and in that condition was conveyed to my cell.

A Man was taken up on ſuſpicion of Murder, but when brought to the Bar, the evidence appeared not ſtrong enough to convict him. He pretended to be quite eaſy about the matter, and behaved with great boldneſs, becauſe he knew there was no witneſs to the fact, for he had really committed the Murder, and had taken every caution to prevent a diſcovery; making uſe of all that care and prudence which are always much ſharpened by a ſenſe of guilt, though they have hardly ever been known to anſwer the end; ſome one circumſtance being generally overlooked, by the permiſſion of Divine Providence, in order to lead to a ſure, though perhaps diſtant diſcovery. Sooner or later all ſins come to light.

When he came upon his trial, the Judge obſerved in the Man's countenance an uneaſineſs, terror, and confuſion, which all his pretended boldneſs, and proteſtations of innocence could not hide. This much increaſed his ſuſpicion, and he therefore kept his eye ſteadily fixed on his face during the whole time. As ſoon as the laſt witneſs was diſmiſſed, the Man aſked, with pretended coolneſs, if they had any more evidence to produce againſt him. The Judge fixed his eyes ſternly upon his face, and in a very ſolemen manner aſked him this queſtion. Friend, do you not yourſelf know that one could appear againſt you, whoſe evidence would put the matter out of all doubt?—At this the Man ſtarted, looked extremely terrified, and eagerly cried out—"My Lord, he is not a legal witneſs, no Man can ſpeak in his own cauſe, nor was the wound I gave him half ſo large as what he ſhews againſt me."

The Judge, who had a very deep knowledge of human nature, preſently perceived by the Man's ſtarting, and the wildneſs and terror of his look, that he was the real Murderer, and that in the diſtraction of a guilty conſcience his imagination had raiſed up to his mind the Ghoſt of the Murdered man. The Judge therefore acting upon ſuch a reaſonable ſuppoſition, talked to the priſoner accordingly. By his farther examination, he ſoon brought him to confeſs that he had been guilty of the Murder for which he was now tried; though, as was ſaid above he had made ſure of being acquitted, becauſe he knew no human witneſs could be brought to appear againſt him. But the juſtice of God made his own conſcience his accuſer. After this full confeſſion of the fact, he was condemned, and hanged in chains at the very place where he declared the Murder had been committed. At his death he confeſſed that his guilty conſcience was ſo haunted with the crime, that upon his trial he verily believed that the Ghoſt of the Murdered Man had ſtood before him with a wound, twice as large as that which he had given him,