not permit me to say one word. After their
curiosity was satisfied they desired me to sit down upon a chair in
the corner of the room. In the evening I was taken up stairs, and
confined in the family prison, called by them the library. Several
thousand prisoners were under the same sentence, standing in rows
around the room; they had their names written upon their foreheads,
but none of them were allowed to speak.

We all remained in this silent, inactive posture for some years. Now
and then a stranger was admitted to see us: these generally wondered
at our number, beauty, and the order in which we stood; but our young
jailor would never allow a person to touch us, or take us from our
cell.

A gentleman came in one morning and spoke in high commendation of some
Arabians and Turks who stood at my right side; he said they
would afford fine entertainment on a winter evening. Upon this
recommendation they were all discharged from prison, and taken down
stairs. After they had finished their fund of stories, and had not
a word more to say, they were remanded back to prison, and one, who
called himself Don Quixotte, was set at liberty. This man, being
extremely witty, afforded fine sport for William, (for that was our
proprietor's name.) Indeed, for more than a fortnight he kept the
whole house in what is called good humour. After Quixotte had
concluded his harangues, William chose a "Man of Feeling" for his
companion, who wrought upon his passions in a way which pleased him
vastly. William now began to put a higher value upon his prisoners,
and to use them much more politely. Almost daily he held a little
chit-chat with one prisoner or another. Mr. Hume related to him the
history of England down to the Revolution, which he interspersed with
a number of anecdotes about Germany, France, Italy, and various other
kingdoms. Dr. Robertson then described the state of South America when
first discovered, and related the horrid barbarities committed by the
Spaniards when they stole it from the natives. William wept when he heard
of their savage treatment of Montezuma. Rollin next spoke; he related to
him the rise and fall of ancient empires; he told him that God was supreme
governor among the nations; that he raises up one to great power and
splendour, and putteth down another. He told him, what he did not know
before, that God had often revealed to some men events which were to
happen hundreds of years afterwards, and directed him