but for his own parr, he thought proper to confine himself to what he could understand; and therefore, though he had a due respect for all the scripture, he acknowledged he gave a preference to the Revelation of St. John. This answer entirely satisfied the clergyman; he did not think it expedient to question him any farther; he took his leave, after having requested the people of the family with whom this person lived, to have a watchful eye on their relation. In the mean time, this poor man's terrors, with regard to the revival of popery and persecution, daily augmented; and nature in all probability would have sunk- under the weight of such accumulated anxiety, had not a thought occurred which relieved his mind in an instant, by suggesting an infallible method of preventing all the evils which his imagination had been brooding over for so long a time. The happy idea which afforded him so much comfort, was no other, than that he should immediately religion. The moment he hit on this fortunate expedient, he felt at once the strongest impulse to undertake the task, and the fullest conviction that his undertaking would be crowned with success; it is no wonder, therefore, that his countenance threw off its former gloom, and that all his features brightened with the heart-felt thrillings of happiness and felf-applause. While his relations congratulated each other on this agreeable change, the exulting visionary, without communicating his design to any mortal, set out for London, took his passage to Leghorn, and, in a short time after, arrived in perfect health of body, and in exalted spirits, at Rome.

He directly applied to an ecclesiastic of bis own country, of whose obliging temper he had previously heard, and whom he considered as a proper person to procure him an interview necessary for the accomplishment of his project. He informed that gentleman, that he earnestly wished to have a conference with the Pope, on a admitted of no delay. It was not difficult lo perceive the state of this poor man's mind; the good-natured ecclesiastic endeavoured to soothe and amuse him, putting off the conference till a distant day; in hopes that means might be fallen on, during the interval, to prevail on him to return to his own country. A few days after this, however, he happened to go to St. Peter's church at the very time when his Holiness was performing some religious ceremony. At this fight our impatient missionary felt all his passions inflamed with irresistible ardour; he could no longer wait for the expected conference, but bursting out with zealous indignation, he exclaimed, "O thou beast of nature, with seven "heads and ten horns! thou mother of ** harlots, arrayed in purple and scarier, w and decked with gold and precious "stones and pearls! throw away the golden ** cup of abominations, and the filthinefs of "thy fornication!"

You may easily imagine the astonishoccasion; he was immediately carried to prison by the Swiss halberdiers.

When it was known that he was a British subject, some who understood English were ordered to attend his examination. The first question asked of him was, " What "had brought him to Rome?" He answered, f* To anoint the eyes of the scarlet whore "with eye-salve, that she might see her ** wickedness." They asked, " Who he "meant by the scarlet whore?" He answered, "Who else could he mean, but her who "sitteth upon seven mountains, who hath "seduced the kings of the earth to com"mit fornication, and who hath gotten "drunk with the blood of the saints, and "the blood of the martyrs!" Many other questions were asked, and such provoking answers returned, that some suspected the man affected madness, that he might give vent to his rancour and petulance with impunity; and they were for condemning him to the gallies, that he might be taught good humour, " That he never had heard ** of any body whose understanding, or "politeness, had been much improved at ** that school; that although the poor "man's first address had been a little rough * * and abrupt, yet he could not help con"sidering himself as obliged to him for "his good intentions, and for his under"taking such a long journey with a view M to do good." He afterwards gave orders to treat the man with gentleness while he remained in confinement, and to put him on board the first ship bound from Civita Vecchia to England, defraying 'the expence of his passage. However humane and reasonable this conduct may be thought by many, there were people who condemned it as an injudicious piece of lenity, which might have a tendency to fink the dignity of the sacred office, and expose it to future insults. If such behaviour as this did not pass without blame, it may be easily supposed, that few of the late Pope's actions escaped uncensured;