"It is now about the time I promised payment to Mr. Brooks, which I have performed in the best manner I was able. I wish it had been done more to your satisfaction; but the thing was impossible. I here return you my hearty thanks for the favours which I have received; it being all the tribute I am able to pay. There is a certain anonymous person whom you have some knowledge of, who, I am informed, has taken some pains to make the world believe he has done me services: I wish that said person had never troubled his head about my affairs; I am sure he had no business with them; for it is entirely owing to his meddling that I came pennyless into this place; whereas, had I brought 20l. in with me, which I could easily have done, I could not then have missed getting my bread here, and in time have been able to come to terms with my plaintiff; whose lunacy, I believe, could not have lasted always. I must not here conclude, for my meddling friend's man Sancho Panca would perhaps take it ill, did I not make mention of him; therefore, if it lies in your way, let Sancho know that his impudence and insolence was not so much forgotten as despised. I shall now make an end of this epistle, desiring you to publish the inclosed; as to the manner how, I leave it entirely to your judgment.
"That all happiness may attend you and yours, is the prayer of, your affectionate kinsman even to death,
Richard Smith.
"If it lies in your way, let that good-natured man Mr. Duncome know that I remembered him with my latest breath."
"These actions, considered in all their circumstances, being somewhat uncommon, it may not be improper to give some account of the cause, and that it was an inveterate hatred we conceived against poverty and rags; evils that, through a train of unlucky accidents, were become inevitable; for we appeal to all that ever knew us, whether we were either idle or extravagant, whether or no we have not taken as much pains to our living as our neighbours, although not attended with the same success. We apprehend that the taking our child's life away, to be a circumstance for which we shall be generally condemned; but for our own parts, we are perfectly easy upon that head. We are satisfied it is less cruel to take the child with us, even supposing a state of annihilation (as some dream of) than to leave her friendless in the world, exposed to ignorance and misery. Now in order to obviate some censures, which may proceed either from ignorance or malice, we think it proper to inform the world, that we firmly believe the existence of Almighty God; that this belief of ours is not an implicit faith, but deduced from the
nature and reason of things. We believe the existence of an Almighty Being, from the consideration of his wonderful works; from a consideration of those innumerable celestial and glorious bodies, and from their wonderful order and harmony. We have also spent some time in viewing those wonders which are to be seen in the minute part of the world, and that with great pleasure and satisfaction; from all which particulars, we are satisfied that such amazing things could not possibly be without a first mover, without the existence of an Almighty Being; and as we know the wonderful God to be Almighty, so we cannot help believing but that he is also good, not implacable; not like such wretches as men are, not taking delight in the miseries of his creature; for which reason we resign up our breaths unto him without any terrible apprehensions, submitting ourselves to those ways, which in his goodness he shall please to appoint after death. We also believe the existence of unbodied creatures, and think we have reason for that belief; although we do not pretend to know their way of subsisting. We are not ignorant of those laws made in terrorem, but leave the disposal of our bodies to the wisdom of the Coroner and his Jury; the thing being indifferent to us where our bodies are laid; from whence it will appear how little anxious we are about a Hic jacet; we for our parts neither expect nor desire such
honours, but shall content ourselves with a borrowed epitaph, which we shall insert in this paper:
Without a name, for ever silent, dumb;