drop,' and dog-like agony of infliction upon the sufferers of the English
sentence. Two of these men behaved calmly enough, but the first of the
three died with great terror and reluctance. What was very horrible, he
would not lie down; then his neck was too large for the aperture, and the
priest was obliged to drown his exclamations by still louder exhortations.
The head was off before the eye could trace the blow; but from an attempt
to draw back the head, notwithstanding it was held forward by the hair,
the first head was cut off close to the ears: the other two were taken off
more cleanly. It is better than the oriental way, and (I should think)
than the axe of our ancestors. The pain seems little, and yet the effect
to the spectator, and the preparation to the criminal, is very striking
and chilling. The first turned me quite hot and thirsty, and made me shake
so that I could hardly hold the opera-glass, (I was close, but was
determined to see, as one should see every thing, once, with attention;)
the second and third (which shows how dreadfully soon things grow
indifferent,) I am ashamed to say, had no effect on me as a horror, though
I would have saved them if I could.

"Yours, &c."


PORSON.

"I remember to have seen Porson at Cambridge, in the hall of our college,
and in private parties, but not frequently; and I never can recollect him
except as drunk or brutal, and generally both: I mean in an evening, for
in the hall, he dined at the Dean's table, and I at the Vice-master's, so
that I was not near him; and he then and there appeared sober in his
demeanour, nor did I ever hear of excess or outrage on his part in
public,--commons, college, or chapel; but I have seen him in a private