she talks and looks like a tragedy
princess, who is suffering in the most virtuous blank verse. This is the
proper end of fiction, and one of the greatest triumphs that a novelist
can achieve: for to make people sympathise with virtue is a vulgar trick
that any common fellow can do; but it is not everybody who can take a
scoundrel, and cause us to weep and whimper over him as though he were
a very saint. Give a young lady of five years old a skein of silk and
a brace of netting-needles, and she will in a short time turn you out
a decent silk purse--anybody can; but try her with a sow's ear, and see
whether she can make a silk purse out of THAT. That is the work for your
real great artist; and pleasant it is to see how many have succeeded in
these latter days.

The subject is strictly historical, as anyone may see by referring to
the Daily Post of March 3, 1726, which contains the following paragraph:

"Yesterday morning, early, a man's head, that by the freshness of it
seemed to have been newly cut off from the body, having its own hair
on, was found by the river's side, near Millbank, Westminster, and was
afterwards exposed to public view in St. Margaret's churchyard, where
thousands of people have seen it; but none could tell who the unhappy
person was, much less who committed such a horrid and barbarous action.
There are various conjectures relating to the deceased; but there being
nothing certain, we omit them. The head was much hacked and mangled in
the cutting off."

The head which caused such an impression upon Monsieur de Galgenstein
was, indeed, once on the shoulders of Mr. John Hayes, who lost it under
the following circumstances. We have seen how Mr. Hayes was induced
to drink. Mr. Hayes having been encouraged in drinking the wine, and
growing very merry therewith, he sang and danced about the room; but his
wife, fearing the quantity he had drunk would not have the wished-for
effect on him, she sent away for another bottle, of which he drank
also. This effectually answered their expectations; and Mr. Hayes became
thereby intoxicated, and deprived of his understanding.

He, however, made shift to get into the other room, and, throwing
himself upon the bed, fell asleep; upon which Mrs. Hayes reminded them
of the affair in hand, and told them that was the most proper juncture
to finish the business. [*]

*****

* The description of the murder and the execution of the
culprit