n upon their spirits. Shrimpton, by
whose hands the man was killed, never appeared one whit more uneasy when
the sermon on murder was peculiarly preached on his account, but on the
contrary talked and jested with his companions as he was wont to do. In
a word more hardened, obstinate and impenitent wretches were never seen;
for as they were wanting in all principles of religion, so they were
void even of humanity and good nature. They valued blood no more than
they did water, but were ready to shed the first with as little concern
as they spilt the latter. Inured in wickedness and rapine, old in years
and covered in offences, they yielded their last breaths at Tyburn, with
very little sign of contrition or repentance, on the 17th of February,
1730, Drummond being about fifty, and Shrimpton about thirty years of
age.

The Life of WILLIAM NEWCOMB, a housebreaker

Though the many instances we have, of late years, had of amazing
wickednesses committed by lads one would scarce believe were capable of
executing, much less of contriving schemes so full of ginning and of
guilt, ought in a great measure to prevent our being surprised at
anything of the same kind, let it be committed by ever such a stripling,
yet I confess it was not without wonder that I perused the papers
relating to this unfortunate young man--so strong an instance of a great
capacity for mischief at the same time that he never once evidenced
either care or ability in succeeding in an honest way. On the contrary,
he was assidious only to attain as much money as might put him on the
road of debauchery, and then stupidly gave himself up to squandering it
in the gratification of his lusts, until indigence brought to rack his
inventions again, and his second attempt proving abortive, brought him
to the gallows.

He was born of honest parents, who took care enough in his education to
qualify him for the business of a shoemaker, for which they designed
him, and to which they put him apprentice. He had not served above three
years of his time, before he robbed his master of a very considerable
sum of money. The man having a respect for his family, put him away
without prosecuting him. His father took him home, but, however,
reproaching him very often for the villainous facts he had committed, he
went away from him and lay about the town, intending to take the first
opportunity that offered of stealing a good booty, and march off into
the country.

At las