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Wor. [Interrupts.] Aye, and to a city congregation too, for not one in ten of them is wiser than ourselves.

Loveg. I quite agree with you, Sir. But I was going to observe, that half the skill of preaching is, to bring truth home to the lowest capacity of our hearers; and while we attempt to make them wise unto salvation, the world will certainly call it "the foolishness of preaching;" but still it will be widely different from foolish preaching. While we can preach with "simplicity, and godly sincerity, and not with fleshly wisdom," we may expect the same blessing which attended the ministry of St. Paul. He tells us plainly, how he went to work: “And I, brethren, when I came unto you, came not with excellency of speech, and of wisdom, declaring to you the testimony of God; for I was determined to know nothing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified; and my speech, and my preaching was not with the enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power;" and what a noble reason he adds to all this, "lest your faith should stand in the wisdom of man, and not in the power of God."

Wor. But, Sir, I think Mr. Deliberate does not aim at what some fulsome pretended orators suppose to be the excellency of speech or wisdom.

Loveg. I quite agree with you, Sir; and I did not quote that passage from scripture as immediately levelling its meaning against one of his description. Mr. Deliberate is a good man, and a man of learning and thought, and our natural dispositions all widely differ from one another.

Wor. Just so I conceive of matters. But I am so much interested to hear the result of your journey to Locksbury, that I must beg leave to interrupt the present conversation, and make some inquiries about that

event.

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Loveg. O Sir! the nearer the poor widow came towards Locksbury, the more her mind was agitated and distressed. I thought she would have lost her reason a second time.

Wor. I suppose that her feelings must have been keen indeed. I am almost afraid to ask, what was the result of their first interview.

Loveg. Sir, the people of the inn, when we alighted, immediately knew who she was, and there was an immediate buz about the house; I therefore requested, that she might be shewn into some back room, where she sat, more agitated, and affected, than I can well express; and there I left her while I went and apprized her father of her arrival. When I came into the house, and told him who I was, how he trembled, and wept, and in what strong terms of gratitude he expressed himself, for all the attention paid to his daughter! He wanted to go with me immediately, to conduct her to his house, but I objected to this plan, as I thought this first interview, which was likely to be a very affecting one, had better not take place in a public house. He immediately saw the propriety of my objection; it was therefore judged best that I should return and conduct her to her father's house in the shades of the evening.

Mrs. Wor. Oh! what a painful office this must have been! I wish Sir Charles had been there to have seen the consequences of his abominable and brutal conduct.

Loveg. Why, madam, it is supposed that miserable creature is now no more.

Mrs. Wor. What! is he dead?

Loveg. It is strongly reported about Locksbury that soon after Mrs. Chipman left him, he went over to Ireland, where he thought it might be more convenient to assume another name; and there, fighting a duel with

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11

DUEL BETWEEN SIR CHARLES DASH AND

CAPT. O'BLUNDER.

After Sir Charles Dash had worn out the credit of his own name in England, he went over to Ireland, where he assumed the name of M'Fury. There he met with a military wild Irishman, Captain O'Blunder, with whom he picked a quarrel about some of their vile intrigues. On this account they met, and according to the style of our modern polite barbarians (called, however, among themselves, men of honour), they fought a duel. The captain proved the best marksman, and shot Sir Charles nearly dead upon the spot: he had only time to utter two or three profane expressions, and spoke no more.

C. Whittingham, College House, Chiswick.

one of the same stamp with himself, he was killed upon the spot. But as for such monsters, they are quite callous to all the fine feelings of natural affection, while sunk in the gratification of their mere brutal appetites. However the scene between Mrs. Chipman and her father was so affecting that it almost overset me.

Wor. It will be well if the bare recital of matters, does not overset us all: but we must hear it.

Loveg. When I returned, I told her how affectionately her father designed to receive her. She cried, "Had he treated me with severity and contempt, that, I think I could have borne, for I know I have deserved it; but oh! what I feel at the thought that such a monster should be treated with so much affection and love, while I deserve to be abhorred by all!" It was some time before I could get her to move off her chair to attempt

* Report at present only says, that after Sir Charles had worn out the credit of his own name in England, he went over to Ireland, where he assumed the name of Mr. M'Fury. There he met with a military wild Irishman, with whom he picked a quarrel about some of their vile intrigues; on this account they met, and according to the style of our modern, polite barbarians, (called however, among themselves, men of honour,) they fought a duel; the Captain proved the better marksman, and shot Sir Charles nearly dead upon the spot. He had only time to utter two or three most profane expressions, and spoke no more.

Is it not, however, high time, that the magistracy of the nation should resume the dignity of their office; and no longer suffer these umpires of their own disputes to proceed, without afterwards conferring upon them the dignity of the halter? I question if this honour, twice or thrice conferred, would not prove an effectual remedy to so terrible a disease.

When the whole race of such Duellers, find they are liable to be hanged as intentional murderers, for presuming to settle their disputes, excited by the mere freaks of passion, and generally in a drunken frolic, when they ought to appeal to the wholesome laws of their country, it will be much to the credit of a civilized nation.

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