ever, my dearest angel! I must think of another world; ' and I heartily pray thou mayst meet comfort in this.' Barnabas thought he had heard enough; so down stairs he went, and told Tow-wouse he could do his guest no service; for that he was very light-headed, and had uttered nothing but a rhapsody of nonsense all the time he stayed in the room. The surgeon returned in the afternoon, and found his patient in a higher fever, as he said, than when he left him, though not delirious; for notwithstanding Mr. Barnabas's opinion, he had not been once out of his senses since his arrival at the inn. Mr. Barnabas was again sent for, and with much difficulty prevailed on to make another visit. As soon as he entered the room, he told Joseph, he was come to pray by him, and to prepare him for another world. In the first place, therefore, he hoped he had repented of all his sins. Joseph answered, he hoped he had; but there was one thing which he knew not whether he should call a sin; if it was, he feared he should die in the commission of it; and that was, the regret of parting with a young woman, whom he loved as tenderly as he did his heartstrings. Barnabas bade him be assured, that any repining at the divine will was one of the greatest sins he could commit; that he ought to forget all carnal affections, and think of better things. Joseph said, that neither in this world nor the next, he could forget his Fanny; and that the thought, however grievous, of parting from her for ever was not half so tormenting, as the fear of what she would suffer, when she knew his misfortune. Barnabas said, that such fears argued a diffidence and despondence very criminal; that he must divest himself of all human passions, and fix his heart above. Joseph answered, that was what he desired to do, and should be obliged to him if he would enable him to accomplish it. Barnabas re 6 plied, "That must be done by grace.' Joseph besought him to discover how he might attain it. Barnabas answered, By prayer and faith.' He then questioned him concerning his forgiveness of the thieves. Joseph answered, he feared that was more than he could do; for nothing would give him more pleasure than to hear they were taken.—That,' cries Barnabas, is for the sake of 'justice.'-'Yes,' said Joseph, but if I was to meet them again, I am afraid I should attack them, and kill 'them too, if I could.'-' Doubtless,' answered Barnabas, 'it is lawful to kill a thief; but can you say, you forgive 'them as a christian ought?' Joseph desired to know what that forgiveness was. That is,' answered Barnabas, to forgive them as-as-it is to forgive them as '—in short, it is to forgive them as a christian.' Joseph replied, he forgave them as much as he could. Well, well,' said Barnabas, that will do.' He then demanded of him, if he remembered any more sins unrepented of; and if he did, he desired him to make haste and repent of them as fast as he could; that they might repeat over a few prayers together. Joseph answered, he could not recollect any great crimes he had been guilty of, and that those he had committed he was sincerely sorry for. Barnabas said that was enough, and then proceeded to prayer with all the expedition he was master of; some company then waiting for him below in the parlour, where the ingredients for punch were all in readiness; but no one would till he came. squeeze the oranges Joseph complained he was dry, and desired a little tea; which Barnabas reported to Mrs. Tow-wouse, who answered, she had just done drinking it, and could not be slopping all day; but ordered Betty to carry him up some small beer. Betty obeyed her mistress's command; but Joseph, as soon as he had tasted it, said, he feared it would increase his fever, and that he longed very much for tea: to which the good-natured Betty answered, he should have tea, if there was any in the land; she accordingly went and bought him some herself, and attended him with it; where we will leave her and Joseph together for some time, to entertain the reader with other matters. CHAPTER XIV. Being very full of adventures, which succeeded each other at the inn. It was now the dusk of the evening, when a grave person rode into the inn, and committing his horse to the hostler, went directly into the kitchen, and having called for a pipe of tobacco, took his place by the fireside; where several other persons were likewise assembled. The discourse ran altogether on the robbery which was committed the night before, and on the poor wretch who lay above, in the dreadful condition in which we have already seen him. Mrs. Tow-wouse said, she wondered what the devil Tom Whipwell meant, by bringing such guests to her house, when there were so many alehouses on the road proper for their reception. But she assured him, if he died, the parish should be at the expense of the funeral. She added, Nothing would serve the fellow's turn but tea, she would assure him. Betty, who was just returned from her charitable office, answered, she believed he was a gentleman, for she never saw a finer skin in her life. 'Pox on his skin!' replied Mrs. Towwouse, 'I suppose that is all we are like to have for the ' reckoning. I desire no such gentlemen should ever 'call at the Dragon,' (which it seems was the sign of the inn). The gentleman, lately arrived, discovered a great deal of emotion at the distress of this poor creature, whom he observed to be fallen not into the most compassionate hands. And indeed, if Mrs. Tow-wouse had given no utterance to the sweetness of her temper, nature had taken such pains in her countenance, that Hogarth himself never gave more expression to a picture. Her person was short, thin, and crooked. Her forehead projected in the middle, and thence descended in a declivity to the top of her nose, which was sharp and red, and would have hung over her lips, had not nature turned up the end of it. Her lips were two bits of skin, which, whenever she spoke, she drew together in a purse. Her chin was peaked; and at the upper end of that skin, which composed her cheeks, stood two bones, that almost hid a pair of small red eyes. Add to this a voice most wonderfully adapted to the sentiments it was to convey, being both loud and hoarse. It is not easy to say, whether the gentleman had conceived a greater dislike for his landlady, or compassion for her unhappy guest. He inquired very earnestly of the surgeon, who was now come into the kitchen, whether he had any hopes of his recovery? He begged him to use all possible means towards it, telling him, It was the duty of men of all professions, to apply their skill gratis for the relief of the poor and necessitous. The surgeon answered, He should take proper care; but he defied all the surgeons in London to do him any good.-' Pray, Sir,' said the gentleman, 'what are his wounds?'-' Why, do you 'know any thing of wounds?' says the surgeon (winking upon Mrs. Tow-wouse). Sir, I have a small smattering ' in surgery,' answered the gentleman. A smattering,'ho, ho, ho!' said the surgeon, 'I believe it is a smattering indeed.' เ เ The company were all attentive, expecting to hear the doctor, who was what they call a dry fellow, expose the gentleman. He began therefore with an air of triumph: 'I suppose, Sir, you have travelled?'-'No' really, Sir,' said the gentleman. 'Ho! then you have practised in the hospitals, perhaps.'-'No, Sir.'-' Hum! not that neither? 'Whence, Sir, then, if I may be so bold to inquire, have you got your knowledge in surgery?'-'Sir,' answered the gentleman, 'I do not pretend to much; but the little I 'know I have from books.'-' Books!' cries the doctor. 'What, I suppose you have-you have read Galen and Hippocrates!'-'No, Sir,' said the gentleman. 'How! you understand surgery,' answers the doctor, and not 'read Galen and Hippocrates?'-'Sir,' cries the other, 'I believe there are many surgeons who have never read these authors.' I believe so too,' says the doctor, more shame for them; but thanks to my education, I ' have them by heart, and very seldom go without them both in my pocket.'-' They are pretty large books,' said the gentleman. 'Ay,' said the doctor, I believe I know 'how large they are, better than you.' (At which he fell a winking, and the whole company burst into a laugh.) เ เ เ The doctor pursuing his triumph, asked the gentleman, If he did not understand physic as well as surgery.— 'Rather better,' answered the gentleman. Ay, like 6 ' enough,' cries the doctor, with a wink. Why, I know a little of physic too,'-'I wish I knew half so much,' said Tow-wouse, 'I'd never wear an apron again.''Why, I believe, landlord,' cries the doctor, 'there are few men, though I say it, within twelve miles of the เ place, that handle a fever better.- Veniente accurrite morbo: that is my method. I suppose, brother, you ' understand Latin?' A little,' says the gentleman. 'Ay, and Greek now I'll warrant you: Ton dapomibo'minos poluflosboio thalasses. But I have almost forgot |