"the gratulations usual on such occasions. "The next day being Sunday, a profound si"lence was observed by all parties; and by

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Monday morning Robert had made the ser"vants acquainted with what he had done, " and his reasons for doing it. At the same time, he prepared a few lines, as from a "most noted woman of bad fame, addressed. "to the landlord, intimating to him his irre"gular conduct in coming to her house in a disorderly manner, leaving his goods, seem

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ingly incapable of taking care of himself; "and adding, that from his years, and the "character he ought to support, she was un"willing to expose him, and had returned his

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goods, with her friendly advice, That he would "be careful in future not to expose himself. Ro"bert watched the landlord's approach, put "the parcel of goods and note into his hands, "and as the note was unsealed, the landlord "naturally concluded, that all in the shop had

perused it. He stood amazed; and return"ing the note to Fergusson, declared his innocence, earnestly requesting that the matter might be concealed. Robert gravely perusing the note, seemed astonished at its con"tents, but would not listen to the landlord's

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plea of innocence. He told him, he had no “intention of injuring him, by publishing the

affair; and strongly recommended to him "to profit by the friendly advice which the "note contained; for he evidently saw, that " in his intoxication, he neither knew where "he had been, what he did, nor what was "done to him. Many similar tricks and fro"lics Mr Fergusson engaged in, with a view "to reclaim his landlord from the cup, but it "is believed without success. In other re

spects the landlord was a good sort of man, "and Mr Fergusson expressed a great regard "for him. What was very singular too, the "landlord was always giving Rabby (as he cal"led him) his best advice against wildness; seasoning his advice with religious injunctions.

"Mr Fergusson seemed so violent against "fanatics, and fanatical opinions and practices, “that he seldom missed an opportunity of ex

posing those who were in any degree of this "character. One Sunday, when passing by "a Glassite meeting-house, he heard the congregation praising the Lord with all their might; and knowing somewhat of their evening practice of love feasts, &c. he placed "himself on a stone adjoining the house, took "a slip of paper and pencil from his pocket, "and wrote some lines, in imitation of their canting jargon, which he carefully folded up, and threw in at an open window to those F

"assembled. During Mr Fergusson's expe"ditions to the country (of which he was very

fond), he was daily engaged in some harm"less frolic or humorous adventure. One day "he somehow procured a sailor's habit, of the "coarsest kind, in which he dressed himself; "and, with a huge stick in his hand, he vi"sited a great number of his acquaintances. "He was so effectually disguised, that few or "none of them knew him; and, by acquainting many of them with some of their former "transactions and conduct, he so much surprised them, that they imputed his knowledge to divination. By this means he pro"cured from many of them such a fund of in"formation, as enabled him to give them a greater surprise, when he resumed the ge"nuine character of Robby Fergusson. For "in the sailor's habit, he informed them of

many frailties and failings, that they imagined impossible for one of his appearance “to know; and in the habit of Robby Fergusson, he divulged many things which they " believed none but the ragged sailor was acquainted with."

These youthful frolics were not in themselves worthy of much disapprobation: some of them, on the contrary, give a favourable view of his character, and indicate a happy union of cheer

fulness and benevolence. They, however, were too often connected with circumstances of a nature inauspicious to the future welfare of youthful genius, and frequently the means of introducing him to scenes of the most pernicious influence. Whilst engaged in all the various gaieties of life to which he was exposed, he received from his brother Harry (who had changed a mercantile for a sea-faring life) a letter, which it cannot be improper to introduce into this memoir, as it illustrates at once the domestic attachments of Fergusson, and some particulars relative to a man connected to him by the ties of blood and affection. The letter is dated " Tartar, in Rapahannock River, Virginia, 8th of October, 1773.

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"Since the beginning of last month, when "I was favoured with yours of the 1st February, 1773, I have been in most rivers in this

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province and Maryland. Our business was "to look out after smugglers; and had we "been as active in that duty as others on the "American station, I might have been en"abled to make my appearance in a brilliant

manner; but, alas! only a sloop of eighty "tons, from the West Indies, loaden with cof"fee and sugar, fell to our lot. I had sixteen "dollars for my share, three of which I gave towards buying a tender, and every fore

mast-man paid one. The tender is now manned, armed, and cruizing Chesapeak bay, "and I am convinced cannot fail of taking prizes, if the officers appointed for that duty " are attentive.

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"We had the most severe winter at Hali" fax ever experienced in that country. The harbour, though three miles across, was "frozen over for three weeks. The ship's company walked aboard and ashore, nay, "all our provisions were got aboard on the “ice (which in many places was thirty-six feet "in thickness), notwithstanding the strong "north-west winds which blow most of the "winter.

"When we arrived at Boston, we were or"dered to this country, which has been as hot "this summer, as the former was cold in win"ter. Such a change of climate could not fail "to create sickness in the ship's company; "but, thank God, only three have died, one "a natural death, and the other two drown"ed.

"I had a very severe fit of sickness at our first coming here; but being so much given to sweating, it proved an effectual cure, although I am very weak through that means. I never lived so badly as aboard here, in point of provisions, every species. being the