t a flower, for warmer France
With all her vines._

COWPER.--_The Timepiece_.

XXVI. TWO EIGHTEENTH CENTURY SCENES.

WILLIAM COWPER.--1731-1800.

_From letters to the Rev. John Newton._

Nov. 17th, 1783.

... Since our conflagration here, we have sent two women and a boy to
the justice, for depredation; S. R. for stealing a piece of beef, which,
in her excuse, she said she intended to take care of. This lady, whom
you well remember, escaped for want of evidence; not that evidence was
wanting, but our men of Gotham judged it unnecessary to send it. With
her went the woman I mentioned before, who, it seems, has made some sort
of profession, but upon this occasion allowed herself a latitude of
conduct rather inconsistent with it, having filled her apron with
wearing-apparel, which she likewise intended to take care of. She would
have gone to the county gaol, had William Raban, the baker's son, who
prosecuted, insisted upon it; but he, good-naturedly, though I think
weakly, interposed in her favor, and begged her off. The young gentleman
who accompanied these fair ones is the junior son of Molly Boswell. He
had stolen some iron-work, the property of Griggs the butcher. Being
convicted, he was ordered to be whipped, which operation he underwent at
the cart's tail, from the stone-house to the high arch, and back again.
He seemed to show great fortitude, but it was all an imposition upon the
public. The beadle, who performed it, had filled his left hand with
yellow ochre, through which, after every stroke, he drew the lash of his
whip, leaving the appearance of a wound upon the skin, but in reality
not hurting him at all. This being perceived by Mr. Constable H., who
followed the beadle, he applied his cane, without any such management or
precaution, to the shoulders of the too merciful executioner. The scene
immediately became more interesting. The beadle could by no means be
prevailed upon to strike hard, which provoked the constable to strike
harder; and this double flogging continued, till a lass of Silver-End,
pitying the pitiful beadle thus suffering under the hands of the
pitiless constable, joined the procession, and placing herself
immediately behind the latter, seized him by his capillary club,
and pulling him backwards by the same, slapped his face with a most
Amazon fury. This concatenation of events has taken up more of my
paper than I intended it should, but I could not forbear to infor