bours; it was the universal custom along the coast, and more or less the practice of all ranks of people, from lords and ladies, ministers and magistrates, down to the cottager and labourer.

I cannot, while upon this subject, resist the republication of a letter of mine in October 1807

"To the Editor of the Independent Whig."

"Sir,

"If there are any characters more to be abhorred than others, it is those who inflict severe punishments against offenders and yet themselves commit the same crimes.

"If any characters more than others deserve execration, exposure, and to be driven from among mankind, it is those governors of the people who break the laws they themselves make, and punish others for breaking.

"Suffer me, Mr. Editor, thus to preface the following fact; fact I say, because I stand ready to prove it so.

"When Admiral Duncan rendezvoused in the Downs with his fleet on the 8th of January 1806, the Spider lugger, Daniel Falara, master, was sent to Guernsey to smuggle articles for the fleet, such as wine, spirits, hair powder, playing cards, tobacco, &c. for the supply of the different ships.

"At her arrival in the Downs, the ships' boats flocked round her to unload her and her contraband cargo. A custom-house extra boat commanded by William Wallace, seeing the lugger, followed and took her; in doing which he did his duty.

"On his inspecting the smuggled articles with which she was laden, he found a number of cases directed to Admiral Duncan, the Right Honble William Pitt, the heaven-born minister of England, and to the Right Honble Henry Dundas, Walmer Castle. In a few days, Wallace, the master of the custom-house cutter, received orders from government to give the lugger and her smuggled cargo up, on penalty of being dismissed the service, and these cases of smuggled goods were afterwards delivered

at the prime minister's, Mr. Pitt's, at Walmer Castle.

"Mr. Editor, read what follows, and repress your indignation if you can.

"There are now in Deal jail fourteen persons for trifling acts of smuggling compared to the above of the Right Honble William Pitt and the now Right Honble Lord Melville.

"The former were poor, and knew not how to live, the latter were most affluently and splendidly supported by the people; that is, they were paupers upon the generous public, towards whom they thus scandalously and infamously conducted themselves.

"I am, Sir,

"Your humble servant,

"CLIO RICKMAN."

As Mr. Paine's being dismissed the excise has been a favorite theme with his abusers it may be necessary here to relate the following fact.

At the time he was an exciseman at Lewes, he was so approved for doing his duty that Mr. Jenner, principal clerk in the Excise Office, London, had several times occasion to write letters from the Board of Excise thanking Mr. Paine for his assiduity in his profession, and for his information and calculations forwarded to the office.

In May following Mr. Paine and his wife. separated by mutual agreement; articles of which were finally settled on the 4th of June. Which of them was in this instance in the wrong, or whether either of them was so, must be left undetermined; as on this subject no knowledge or judgment can be formed. They are now both removed, where, as we are told, none are either married or given in marriage," and where, consequently, there can be no disagreements on this

score.

This I can assert, that Mr. Paine always spoke tenderly and respectfully of his wife; and sent her several times pecuniary aid, without her knowing even whence it came.

So much has however been said on Mr. Paine having never cohabited with Miss Ollive, whom he married at Lewes, that if I were entirely to omit any mention of it, I might be charged with doing so because afraid to meet the subjeet, which forms, indeed, a very sin gular part of Mr. Paine's history.

That he did not cohabit with her from the moment they left the altar till the day of their separation, a space of three years, although they lived in the same house together, is an indubitable truth. It is also true, that no physical defect, on the part of Mr. Paine, can be adduced as a reason for such conduct.

I have in my possession the letters and documents on this subject,- Mr. Francis Wheeler's letters from Lewes of April 16, 1774, to Mr. Philip Moore, proctor in the Commons, and his reply of April 18, 1774; and from Dr. Manning of Lewes I have frequently heard a candid detail of the circumstances.

Well, of this curious fact in Mr. Paine's life, what is to be said? To make use of it