looked for an increase of happiness to their government*.

In our last number we gave it as our opinion, that the behaviour of Colonel Despard upon the scaffold, furnished an additional evidence of his criminality, as well as an instance of that total insensibility to moral considerations, which marks the true disciples of jacobinism. This inference appeared to us to be so obvious, that we should not have thought it necessary again to advert to it, had we not been assured that Despard's protestations of innocence have been employed, by the disaffected, to cast upon the government the odium of injustice and tyranny. But no meaning can be put upon the words he used, which does not prove his hostility to the existing constitution of his country, and his wish to overturn it. Even the incidental expression "Citizens" must be allowed, in this view, to have no small weight. It is true, that Colonel Despard protested his innocence even in the moment of death. But when the clear and unequivocal evidence, which substantiated his guilt beyond the possibility of a real doubt, is considered, what do these protestations prove except his utter disregard of every moral obligation, and of every religious sanction, and the general misery which must have followed even the partial triumph of such a character? Yet this man was the avowed champion of "freedom, humanity, and jus

*May we not trace the influence which the arts of jacobinical seducers have had, at times, upon the minds of the lower classes, to that want of moral and religious education of which Mr. Bernard complains. (See p. 178).

tice," whose aim, if we believe him, was uniformly directed to the overthrow of "falsehood, tyranny, and delusion!"

Some have ventured to attribute the seeming rashness of Colonel Despard's schemes to mental derangement, and have thus endeavoured to excite commiseration for his fate. The falsehood of this insinuation, which was made without the shadow of a foundation, will be more clearly evinced, if it appear that his plans were of that extensive nature which the recent trials at York give us reason to suppose. That Colonel Despard was an object of the greatest compassion we readily admit; for who that believes the Bible can view unmoved, a fellow-creature hardening his heart against God even upon the verge of eternity? But that he was not insane, except as every obstinate offender against the divine authority, and every contemner of the grace of the Gospel are insane, is sufficiently evident. The perfect command he seemed to possess over his feelings, as well as the judicious application which he made in his dying speech to the bad passions of the populace, by which he must have hoped to inflame their minds against the government, and thus to gratify that revenge which seemed to be his ruling passion, must for ever acquit him of this imputation. In some of our future numbers, we mean to exhibit in contrast to the dying scene of the infatuated Despard, an account, with which a correspondent has favoured us, of the manner in which some of those eminent characters, whom, in the civil wars, party rage and political rancour brought to the scaffold, met their unmerited fate.

FARTHER PARTICULARS RESPECTING

MR. FINLEY.

We are happy to be able to furnish our readers with some further particulars respecting Mr. Finley, of whose last days we gave a detailed account at the close of our number for February.

He was the son of a clergyman in Lincolnshire, who though much respected in his neighbourhood, is said to have indulged in a stile of living ill-suited to his station and circumstances. To this example of inconsiderate expenditure may, perhaps, be attributed much of that thoughtlessness and vanity which prepared the way for Mr. Finley's misfortunes in life.

His father purchased for him, when only fifteen years of age, a commission in the 11th regiment of foot, which he joined in Ireland. He accompanied the regiment

thence to Gibraltar, and after about six years, having come home on leave of absence, he married a lady of small independent fortune. He now retired from the army, and fixed his residence in the North of England. In 1795, his wife died in child-birth. In 1797, he married again; and the relations of his first wife having commenced a suit in chancery, which is still undecided, in order to recover her fortune, it became necessary for him to procure some employment. He accordingly obtained a lieutenancy in the Bucks Militia. He served with that regiment in Ireland during the rebellion, and being attached to a flank company was engaged in every action in which the regiment had any share. On his return to England, he was appointed barrack-master at Maker Heights, at which place he continued to discharge his duty, until com

pelled by his pecuniary difficulties, to solicit leave of absence. While Mr. Finley held this office, he is said to have performed its duties with fidelity, and both in that and his former situation, to have invariably conducted himself as a loyal subject, zealous in support of his Majesty's government. Being unable to effect an accommodation with his creditors antecedently to the expiration of his leave, he made known his case to the late Secretary at War, who had the kindness to permit a substitute to perform the duties of the office; while he was endeavouring to settle bis affairs. At this critical juncture a change took place in administration, and Mr. Finley being absent from his post was ordered to be superseded. He then applied to the Duke of York for an appointment to some regiment on foreign service, but before this object could be accomplished the preliminaries of peace were signed, and his prospects in the army were at an end. From this period may be more immediately dated Mr. Finley's ruin. Not having the smallest means of supporting himself and wife, they suffered the most extreme distress for several months. In May 1802, his wife was delivered of a son, and being unable to procure even bare pecessaries for his family, the growing pressure of his wants drove him to the desperate expedient of forgery; and in the course of a short time, it appears that he perpetrated that crime in no less than nineteen instances. Mr. Finley pleaded insanity on his trial in extenuation of his offence, but this plea could not be substantiated. It may not be improper to remark, that after his mind underwent the change related in our last number, he never pleaded this excuse, although he declared that the extreme distress which his family endured, rendered him regardless of the consequences of his conduct.

We shall now offer a few observations on the narrative which has been given, and our chief object will be to shew the predisposing causes of that criminal conduct for which Mr. Finley suffered death.

The example set before him in his youth has already been adverted to: its influence on his subsequent conduct was probably considerable. His introduction into the army, and his consequent exposure to temptation, at an age when the restraint of parental authority is peculiarly needed,must also have been highly unfavourable to him. Mr. Finley was naturally of a very social turn. Having a prepossessing exterior, a flow of spirits, much good humour, and considerable talents for conversation, his company was eagerly desired, even by his superiors in rank and fortune. Those attentions which he was, perhaps, ready to ascribe to exuberant kindness and affection, but which often arise from a selfish desire of being amused, served to nourish his vanity, till it became a governing

principle of his conduct. On this rock he may be considered as having made shipwreck; for he was thus exposed to peculiar temptations through the possession of gifts which, if subservient to religion, would have greatly contributed to his comfort and usefulness.

His vanity by leading him to affect the habits and imitate the profuse expenditure of his superiors in rank and fortune with whom he associated, was the cause, first of his pecuniary embarrassments, and then of dishonourable expedients for raising money. Unused to reflection, and accustomed to gratify the vanity of the moment, he scrupled not to incur almost certain though future disgrace for the sake of his present reputation, as a man of fashionable appearance. We here allude not to the crime for which he was tried, but to a previous practice of borrowing money on false pretences, and making solemn engagements to repay it, engagements which, as he well knew, were not likely to be fulfilled. By this habit of violating truth, was he gradually prepared for the perpetration of the crimes which brought him to the scaffold.

If the reader has lived much in the world, he must have been accustomed to hear vanity treated as a very slight and excuseable failing. The habits of polished society, and the system of modern education, are extremely favourable to the growth of this ruinous passion. We call it ruinous because when it governs the conduct, even though it should not lead to the consequences exhibited in the case of Finley, it indicates at least the absence of true religion.

It is observable, that Mr. Finley appeared to feel no remorse, and entertained no consciousness of his spiritual danger, until some time after he had been condemned. He professed, and no doubt sincerely, to believe the Bible; but he acted as if he believed it not. This is no uncommon case. Multitudes admit the Bible to be true: their understandings have, perhaps, been convinced of its authenticity, or the prejudices of education have secured them against professed infidelity, and yet they make no use of the truths of religion. They feel no lively sense of the evil of sin; no real dread of that anger of God which is denounced against it; no cordial desire of an interest in the promises of the Gospel; in short, no anxiety respecting their souls: this is a paradox which would scarcely be believed, if daily observation did not prove the fact.

But though Mr. Finley appears under the character of a believer of this description in one part of that relation which has been given, how different was the faith to which he afterwards attained. He seems to have become a new man: the strong figures of the New Testament are no more than adequate to describe the ex

tent of the change which passed upon his mind? And if this change were real, as we hope and trust it was, to what ought it to be ascribed? To what but to the power of divine grace blessing those means which were employed for his conversion. The perusal of Doddridge's Rise and Progress, and of Scott's Essay on Repentance, the conversation of the clergyman, prayer, meditation, and self-examination-all these were the means-means which were rendered efficacious by the free and unmerited grace of God-" By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God."

We shall add only one other observation. It has been the opinion of some, that they who have proceeded to the length of committing many and heinous crimes, are more likely to be converted than men of inferior guilt, and it may possibly occur to a few of our readers, that the case of Finley favours a supposition of this sort. The sentiment, in our conception, is both antiscriptural and dangerous, and is by no means warranted by facts. Is it to be assumed that, because the grace of God is free, it will ordinarily be granted to old and daring rebels against his authority, in preference to persons whose sins are less? Can this be the general rule of proceeding, which a God of holiness prescribes to himself? Is it safe to affirm such a doctrine without the plain warrant of scripture? We grant that instances are to be found of peculiarly atrocious offenders, who have repented at the eleventh hour.

We are

persuaded, however, that the examples are few, and that we may often find some distinguishing circumstances of a hopeful na ture in the case of penitents, who appear to be of this class. In general we may affirm of old offenders, in the language of Scripture-" Can the Ethiopian change his skin, and the leopard his spots?" We also adimit, that some persons of bad character among men are much nearer the kingdom of heaven than others, who have a fairer reputation. Thus the publicans were preferred to the pharisees by Jesus Christ, although the former were in worse credit with mankind. The pharisees, however, were probably far greater sinners: they had certainly more pride, and pride is, perhaps, the first of all crimes in the sight of God. We may, therefore, generally affirm, that the greater the sinner the farther from the kingdom of heaven. It ought to be added, that in proportion as a man's education has been irreligious, and his mind has become strengthened in unbelief, the probability of his repentance seems to be diminished. It has been observed of Mr. Finley, that he was the son of a clergyman, had uniformly believed in the general truth of the Scriptures, and was not without reverence for religion. These circumstances, though it is not in these that Christianity consists, were evidentinstru mental to his conversion. De

spard, a confirmed infidel, refused to communicate on religious subjects with the minister who attended him. He thus deprived himself of the very means of grace. It has been also intimated, that Mr. Finley was a loyal man. He had an atter detestation of revolutionary principles, and seems to have been strongly prejudiced against the atheism connected with them. We would by no means esti. mate too highly, either general respect for religion arising out of early prejudices of education, or that rectitude of political conduct which is consistent with an immoral life. We cannot, however, avoid observing, that these were points in the character of Mr. Finley, which serve greatly to distinguish him from many of those hardened criminals whose lives are forfeited to the justice of their country.

The following letter written five days before his death, to a lady who had pro mised to be a benefactress to his widow, . will, no doubt, be acceptable to our readers. It will, in some degree, shew the state of his mind at that period.

MADAM,

"WHILE time is yet allowed me, I beg leave to return you my most grateful thanks, for the kind interest you have been pleased to signify you shall take in the welfare of my unhappy disconsolate wife and unfortunate infant; and as the Almighty has already been pleased, in his great mercy, to raise up other unexpected kind and benevolent friends as well as yourself, who have promised to remember the widow and the fatherless, I bequeath them to God's providence and those worthy humane friends, in full confidence that they will meet with assistance and aid in the hour of need. I have very great reason, and am indeed most thankful, that the Almighty has been pleased to allow me an unexpected prolongation of life, to enable me to prepare for another and a better world; and I am well convinced it will give you satisfaction, Madam, to know, that I now look forward to the day which shall terminate my trials in this world, with a full trust and belief, that I shall be pardoned and accepted by the Almighty, through the merits and mediation of our blessed Redeemer Jesus Christ: I owe this happy state of mind, under divine agency, to the interest that excellent man, Mr. —, has taken in my eternal welfare, and the unremitting attention and instructions I have received from that truly pious and worthy divine Mr. , they surely will have their reward. That the Almighty may bless you, and have you in his holy keeping, is the carnest prayer of, MADAM, Your grateful, obliged,and obedient servant; F. FINLEY."

Saturday Evening, Feb. 5, 1803:

Then sickness and age

had deprived him of the remains of took place. strength his wounds had left him; his labour had been found deficient; he had been turned adrift; no fresh employment was to be obtained; and no prospect presented itself but that of perishing by hunger. He had then been nearly three days without food." I hope I need not say, that his pressing wants were relieved by those, whom his moans had called to his side, and that the evil day of famine was removed to a greater distance. But I wish I could describe the overflowings of thankfulness, with which the poor creature was affected at a relief so unforeseen.

I am, SIR,

Your very humble servant, EDWARD WARD, Late Chaplain of His Majesty's Ship Sans Pareil.

Lamb's Conduit-street, No. 40,

Feb. 24, 1803.

It was on Good Friday, in the year 1801, after performing divine service on board the Sans Pareil, then lying at anchor in Port Royal Harbour, Jamaica, I was returning to the Admiral's Penn by way of Greenwich. A sufficient number of carriages not having been provided for the party with whom I came on shore, I agreed, with a much valued friend, to go in quest of that which was usually stationed at some little distance from the landing-place. The man however, to whom it was entrusted, was, on that occasion, from home: the door of his apartment, which was on the first floor of a neighbouring building, was shut; and no answer being returned to repeated calls, we were about to leave the place, when a faint low moan caught our attention-we stopt-after an interval it was again heard, and evidently came from a quarter near us and beneath us. We soon traced it to its source; and in the back part of the building, on the ground floor, we found an elderly negro, very meagre and emaciated, stretched upon some boards. His appearance confirmed what he told us, that he was in the extreme state of wretchedness. The little history we collected from his broken, and often scarcely audible account, was to the following effect:-"He was a free man; and had been a soldier in the British service. He had fought our battles in America, in the course of which he had received two wounds, one in either leg, which had materially crippled his exertions. At the conclusion of the war his discharge had been granted, and since that period he had worked in various places as a labourer, till within three weeks of the time when this conversation CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 15.

While his heart was thus melted, the opportunity, I thought, of directing his views to the author and giver of all goodness was not to be lost. I begged him, in the plainest language I could use," to address his thanks to his real benefactor, to God Almighty, who had contrived this unexpected succour, and made us the instruments of his own gracious purpose. And I added, that if he had ever heard the name of the Saviour, it ought to make a

more affecting and lasting impres sion on his mind, that this relief was dealt out to him on the day when the Son of God suffered so much to relieve us all from that misery, with which no human woes could bear comparison."

While I spoke, he wept like a child; but they were not tears of bitterness, a ray of cheerfulness beamed through them; they were those tears which are apt to flow, when others speak kindly of those we love.

When I had finished my little exhortation, he took me affectionately by the hand, and pressed it to his lips, and said in his broken dialect"Tankee, my good massa, tankce more for this: Jesus is my Saviour and my God: him keep me in all my sickness; and Jesus make me no fear death."

In three days more this counterpart of Lazarus breathed his last; and I think we need not doubt, the same attendant spirits conveyed that part, which could not die, to the same blessed abode.

Prebendary of that Cathedral, and the pious mother of five children, two of whom only have survived her. Her constitution, naturally weak, sunk under the pressure of severe domestic trials, which she received with humble resignation, and sustained with unshaken fortitude of mind, neither suffering in herself, or in those around her, a syllable that indicated discontent with the allotments of the allwise and all-gracious Disposer of events. Of this lady it may be said, that she "walked in all the ordinances of the Lord blameless." Her death was calm and peaceful, and her last hours were spent in prayer, and in bless ing those around her. The domestic trials alluded to above, were these: After having mourned the loss of some near relations, her maternal tenderness was excited by the almost sudden death of an only son, whose life fell a sacrifice to his active exertions, (as lieutenant of the London and Westminster Light Horse Volunteers), in quelling the riots in the autumn of 1800: this heavy affliction was followed by another equally distressing, the death of an amiable daughter, whom grief for the death of her brother, brought to an early grave. But they are now, as we hope, united on that heavenly shore, where public tumults and private griefs can never disturb them more.

DEATHS.

Lately at Bath, JAMES CHAMNESS, Esq. of Twickenham, Middlesex, supposed to have been one of the richest Commoners in England.

Lately, at Great Oakley, Essex, the REV. JOHN TOWNSON, Vicar of Normanton, in Yorkshire.

At Homerton, in the 72d year of his age, CHARLES TOWNSEND, Esq.

In Salter's-Hall Court, Cannon Street, GILBERT THOMPSON, Physician, aged 76. At Canterbury, in her 91st year, Mrs. • MANTELL.

At Coundc Hall, Salop, at an advanced age, HENRY CREPETT PELHAM, Esq.

At Oporto, JOHN WHITEHEAD, Esq. in the 76th year of his age; 47 years his Majesty's Consul at that place.

Suddenly, Mrs. HAKE, Wife of the Rev. A. D. Hake, of Peterborough.

At Grenada, the Hon. GEORGE VERE HOBART, late Governor of that island.

At Droxford, suddenly, after a hearty supper, Mrs. ROGERS.

Lately, at Huntley Hall, Staffordshire, aged 81, PHILIP BULKELEY, Esq.

January 16. The Rev. HENRY HEATH

COTE, Rector of Walton, near Liverpool.

December 23. Aged 83, the Rev. BENJAMIN ROGERS, Vicar of Seagry, Wilts. Mrs. Malyne, Wife of

December 27.

December 31.

the Rev. Mr. Malyne, of Eye, Norfolk. PARKER, Bart. Vice-Admiral of the Red. At Ham, Sir WILLIAM January 1. In his 80th year, JoHN BAGNELL, Esq. of Earley Court, Berkshire.

Same day, at Beacon Hill, Mrs BILLINGSLEY, Relirt of the Rev. Philip Billingsley, Rector of Brewington, Oxfordshire.

January 2. At Twickenham, in his 81st year, Sir RICHARD PERRYN, Knt. late one of the Barons of the Exchequer.

Lately, while on a journey, the Rev ROBERT HEMINGTON, Rector of Thorp Arch, Yorkshire.

On Sunday forenoon, January 30, at the Presbyterian Chapel, in Leominster, when the Rev. WILLIAM LEWELLIN was about to conclude his discourse, he stooped forwards, and expired without a groan.

Lately, the Rev. Mr. BATHURST, Vicar

of St. Margaret's, Rochester, and Minor Canon of that Cathedral.

Lately, the Rev. JOHN TWELLS, Rector

of Caston and Rockland All Saints, in Nor

folk.

Lately, the Rev. TURNER EDWARDS,

Vicar of Oswestry and Llansilin, and one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the County of Salop.

January 17. At Ramsey, the Rev. THOMAS WHISTON, Rector of Stoke Ferry, in Norfolk.

January 21. At Clirow, Radnorshire, the Rev. EDWARD EDWARDS, Archdeacon of Brecon, Vicar of Clirow, and of Llanvaile, in Breconshire.

January 22. In Holles Street, Cavendish Square, aged 76, Mrs. BYDE, mother of Colonel Byde.

January 25. Suddenly, at Bristol, Lieutenant-Colonel HAWLEY, of the King's Dragoon Guards. January 28. At his Apartments in Greenwich Hospital, in his 82d year, Capt. THOMAS ALLWRIGHT.

January 29, At his Apartments in the British Museum, the Rev. RICHARD PENNECK, Rector of Abinger, in Surrey, and of St. John's, Bermondsey.

In the Night of the 18th of January. EDWARD GREATHEAD, Esq. of Udden's House, in Dorsetshire. He retired to bed with no symptoms of ill health, and was found by Mrs. Greathead lying by her a corpse.

Lately, the Rev. Mr. FAVELL, Vicar of Alconbury, Huntingdonshire.

January 17. At Huntingdon, in his 78th year, the Rev. ROBERT HODSON, M. A. Rector of All Saints, and Vicar of St. Mary's, Huntingdon; Rector of Offord Cluny,