“And every day, as sure as day arose, “Would these three spirits meet me ere the close; “To hear and mark them daily was my doom, " And "Come,' they said, with weak, sad voices, 'come.' "To row away with all my strength I try'd, "But there were they, hard by me in the tide, 6 "The three unbodied forms-and Come,' still come,' they cried. "Fathers should pity—but this old man shook "His hoary locks, and froze me by a look : “Thrice, when I struck them, through the water came "A hollow groan, that weaken'd all my frame: "Father! said I, have mercy :'-He replied, "I know not what-the angry spirit lied, “Didst thou not draw thy knife?' said he :-'Twas true, "But I had pity and my arm withdrew: “He cried for mercy which I kindly gave, "But he has no compassion in his grave. “There were three places, where they ever rose, "The whole long river has not such as those, "Places accursed, where, if a man remain, "He'll see the things which strike him to the brain; "And there they made me on my paddle lean, "And look at them for hours;-accursed scene! "When they would glide to that smooth eddy-space, "Then bid me leap and join them in the place; “And at my groans each little villain sprite 66 Enjoy'd my pains and vanish'd in delight. "In one fierce summer-day, when my poor brain "Was burning hot and cruel was my pain, "Then came this father-foe, and there he stood "With his two boys again upon the flood; "There was more mischief in their eyes, more glee "In their pale faces when they glared at me: "Still did they force me on the oar to rest, "And when they saw me fainting and oppress'd, "He, with his hand, the old man, scoop'd the flood, "And there came flame about him mix'd with blood; "He bade me stoop and look upon the place, “He "Then flung the hot-red liquor in my face; 66 Burning it blazed, and then I roar'd for pain, "I thought the demons would have turn'd my brain. "Still there they stood, and forced me to behold "A place of horrors-they cannot be told— "Where the flood open'd, there I heard the shriek "Of tortured guilt-no earthly tongue can speak : “All days alike! for ever!' did they say, ❝❝ And unremitted torments every day'— "Yes, so they said:"-But here he ceased and gazed On all around, affrighten'd and amazed ; And still he tried to speak, and look'd in dread Of frighten'd females gathering round his bed; Then dropp'd exhausted and appear'd at rest, Till the strong foe the vital powers possess'd; Then with an inward, broken voice he cried, 66 Again they come,” and mutter'd as he died. THE BOROUGH. LETTER XXIII. PRISONS. Pœna autem vehemens ac multò sævior illis, Juvenal. Sat. 13. 1. 197. Think my former state a happy dream, From which awaked, the truth of what we are Shows us but this,-I am sworn brother now To grim Necessity, and he and I Will keep a league till death. Richard II. The Mind of Man accommodates itself to all Situations; Prisons otherwise would be intolerable-Debtors: their different Kinds: three particularly described; others more briefly-An arrested Prisoner: his Account of his Feelings and his Situation-The Alleviations of a Prison -Prisoners for Crimes-Two condemned: a vindictive Female: a Highwayman-The Interval between Condemnation and Execution-His Feelings as the Time approaches His Dream. |