"perhaps, have been happier, and I am fure I "could have been richer, had I been brought up "to my paternal awl and last. My poor father "died about two years ago, and I have reason to think, his difappointment and forrow for my ill "fuccefs haftened his diffolution."

"I now support myself tolerably well in the capacity of, what the world ludicrously calls, a Hackney Parfon. And though I do not get "quite fo much as a journeyman fhoemaker, I "make fhift to keep foul and body together; and "I thank God for that. If, Sir, you could re"commend me, here is my addrefs, up four pair "of ftairs."

He was proceeding, but he had too powerfully excited my fympathy; and after confoling him to the best of my power, I took my leave of him, not without fevere reflections on thofe parents, who, to indulge a childish vanity, bring up their offfpring to mifery and want.

AN

AN ANECDOTE

OF THE LATE

EARL

ОБ ROSS,

Of the Kingdom of Ireland.

HE late Earl of Rofs was, in character and

TH

difpofition, like the humorous Earl of Rochefter. He had an infinite fund of wit, great fpirits, and a liberal heart; was fond of all the vices which the beaumonde call pleafures, and by thofe means firft impaired his fortune as much as he poffibly could do, and, finally, his health, beyond repair. A nobleman could not, in fo cenforious a place as Dublin, lead a life of rackets, brawls, and midnight confufion, without being a general topic of reproach and having fifty thoufand faults invented to compleat the number of those he had: Nay, fome afferted that he dealt with the Devil; eftablished a Hell-fire club at the Eagle tavern on Cork hill, and that one W—, a mighty innocent facetious painter, who was, indeed, only the agent of his gallantry, was a party concerned: But what won't malicious folks fay? Be it as it will, his Lordship's character was torn to pieces every where, except at the Groom Porters, where he was a man of honour; and at the taverns, where none furpaffed him for generofity.

Having led this life till it brought him to Death's door, his neighbour, the Rev. Dean Mad

den

den, a man of exemplary piety and virtue, having heard his Lordfhip was given over, thought it his duty to write to him a very pathetic letter, to remind him of his past life; the particulars of which he mentioned, fuch as whoring, gaming, drinking, rioting, blafpheming his Maker, and, in short, all manner of wickednefs; exhorting him, in the tendere ft manner, to employ the few moments that remained to him in penitently confeffing his manifold tranfgreffions, and foliciting his pardon from an offended Deity, before whom he was shortly to appear.

It is neceffary to acquaint the reader, that the late Earl of Ke was one of the moft picus noblemen of the age, and, in every respect, a contraft, in character, to Lord Rofs. When the latter, who retained his fenfes to the laft moment, and died rather for want of breath than want of fpirits, read over the Dean's letter (which came to him under cover) he ordered it to be put in another paper, fealed up, and directed to the Earl of Ke. He likewife prevailed on the Dean's fervant to carry it, and to fay it came from his mafter, which he was encouraged to do by a couple of guineas, and his knowing nothing of its conLord Ke was an effeminate, puny, little man, extremely formal and delicate, info

tents.

much

much, that when he was married to Lady My O-n, one of the moft fhining beauties then in the world, he would not take his wedding gloves off when he went to bed. From this fingle inftance may be judged, with what furprize and indignation he read over the Dean's letter, containing fo many accufations for crimes he knew himself entirely innocent of.—He first ran to his lady, and informed her that Dean Madden was actually mad; to prove which, he delivered her the epiftle he had just received.-Her Ladyfhip was as much confounded and amazed at it, as he could poffibly be, but, withal, obferved that the letter was not written in the ftile of a madman, and advised him to go to the Archbishop of Dublin about it. Accordingly, his Lordfhip ordered his coach, and went to the epifcopal palace, where he found his Grace at home, and immediately accosted him in this manner; "Pray, my Lord, did you ever hear that I was a blafphemer, a whoremonger, a rioter, and every thing that is bafe and infamous?""You, my Lord!" faid the Bifhop, "every one knows you are the pattern of humility, godiinefs, and virtue." "Well, my Lord, what fatisfaction can I have of a learned and Reverend Divine, who, under his own hand, lays all this to my charge?" "Surely," anfwered his Grace, " no man in his right fepfes, that knew your Lordfhip,

would

would prefume to do it; and, if any clergyman. has been guilty of fuch an offence, your Lordship, will have fatisfaction from the Spiritual Court." Upon this, Lord Ke delivered to his Grace the letter, which he told him was that morning delivered by the Dean's fervant; and which both the Archbishop and the Earl knew to be Dean. Madden's hand-writing.

The Archbishop immediately fent for the Dean, who, happening to be at home, inftantly obeyed the fummons. Before he entered the room, his Grace advised Lord K-e to walk into another apartment, while he difcourfed the gentleman about it, which his Lordship accordingly did. When the Dean entered, his Grace, looking very fternly, demanded if he had wrote that letter: The Dean answered, “I did, my Lord."—" Mr. Dean,” returned the prelate, "I always thought you a man of fenfe and prudence; but this unguarded action muft leffen you in the esteem of all good men:To throw out fo many caufelefs invectives against the most unblemished nobleman in Europe, and accuse him of crimes to which he and his family have ever been ftrangers, muft certainly be the effect of a distempered brain: Befides, Sir, you have, by this means, laid yourself open to a profecution, which will either oblige you publicly to retract

K