I found; it was the only alternative I could adopt. But it is a great consolation for me to think, that, if I felt so sore under the unhappy alternative to which I was reduced,—I had soon many indications that others felt for me as well as myself.

My circular was issued on the 22d of December, and before the end of the year, I had deeds of accession handed me, not only agreeing to what measures might be proposed, at the meeting which was intimated to be held on the 5th of January, but really written in such a kind and condoling strain, that, notwithstanding the suspense, I must necessarily have remained in, at the time the old year passed away, must have done much to console me,-and to make the year, so far, depart in peace.

One of these letters, dated the 30th Jan. from a young representative of an old firm, with whom, I had been long acquainted in the way of business, is so much to the purpose, that I cannot forbear copying the greater part of,—indeed, I may say the whole, with the exception of the signature, &c. and with that pleasant little December flower, conclude my present chapter.

"DEAR SIR-It is with much regret we notice, that circumstances have again compelled you to stop payment.

"After a life of continued unwearied exertions-in honest industry-to such a mind as yours, it is a most severe blow :-the high opinion we have always had of your integrity, will induce us to concur in any arrangement you may propose, at the meeting, for the settlement of your affairs.

30th Dec. 1831.

"We remain, Dear Sir,

"Yours truly," &c.

CHAPTER XLV.-1832.

THREE FIRST days, in one.-Time, that cures many a wound, had not as yet, its desired effect on me.-Mournful cogitations attending a melancholy contrast. Still, some grounds of consolation and incentives to gratitude.—Sundry affecting considerations.—Again, a stricken deer.—An aged tree nearly torn up by the root-A blasted and withered shrub of long standing-at last falls before the blast.-A new claim to an old title.-Consolatory considerations, notwithstanding all these.-Melancholy Sunday, which ushered in an irksome and mournfully eventful week.-Meeting takes place.-Plain speaking statements,—Accompanying address-Short-comings, how again to be accounted for.-All our hard earned earnings again gone. This, still not the greatest matter of regret.-Immediate acquiescence in the measure proposed, by the parties present -Deeds of accession soon come in from absentees.A few anxious days of suspense.-Hear at last from a kind friend.—A precious gem worth preserving.-Timeous arrival to put me in spirits, and enable me to rise, as it were, to newness of life, on another Anniversary of my Birth. Wonderful changes produced in a very short time.-How I was affected by the contents of my kind friend's friendly letter-Idea suggested by that letter.-Resolution in consequence.-A most appropriate motto, at the commencement of my work." MANY UPS AND DOWNS," indeed, in my eventful pilgrimage.

THE first Sunday of 1832, arrived in the threefold capacity of-the first day of the year,—the first day, of course, of the month,—and the first day of the week ;—but it was not the first Sunday, since my recent overwhelming misfortune broke upon me; for two Sundays had intervened since that timesober enough, I dare say, although I have no note or recollection, of the circumstances attending them.

Indeed, it is very probable, that my thoughts would be so absorbed, in the sudden change that had befallen me, and the deplorable condition to which I had been so unexpectedly reduced, as to swallow up all other considerations, for the pre

sent.

The short time that had elapsed since the 17th, the day on which the fatal intelligence reached me, may, however, be supposed to have done something towards restoring me to composure, and bringing me somewhat to myself; and it must be confessed, that, in ordinary cases, the lapse of a few days sometimes, has a very wonderful effect.

But, alas! mine was not an ordinary case, and the wounds, which, in their green state, or when deadened, by the surprise, the suddenness of the event had occasioned, had now, the more I had had time to reflect, upon the unhappy circumstance, begun to fester, or to bleed afresh,—and the 1st of Ja- · nuary found me far, very far indeed, from being in possession of a mind at ease, or, in that state of calm composure, in which, in midst of all my toils and discouragements, I was found-on that day twelvemonth.

The contrast, indeed, could not fail to affect me much, as the several circumstances which induced comparison would flit across my perturbed mind. THEN, might I not thinkbut one short year since-I stood high in hope-big with expectation—and, already, as it were, indulging in the joyful anticipation, of having now arrived, or being on the point of arriving, at that more successful period, so confidently predicted by my friend ;-Now, I was deep sunk in the slough of despondency, if not of absolute despair!—my former expectations all passed away as a visionary representation—my fond anticipations dashed from my lips ere I had yet tasted them—and no friend now left, to cheer me up by his comfortable prognostications, and to assist me forward in the way of promoting their fulfilment, by a continuance of his own kind offices-for I must do that friend the justice to remark, that, up to the last moment, these were not withheld to the utmost of his power;—nay, by some of his more recent communications, that long-tried friend seemed still to be disposed to serve me, when, alas! that power was gone.

THEN, I might again think, I had left the shop on the Saturday night, only solicitous about having my exhausted powers restored by the rest of the Sabbath, in order that I might return on the Monday morning, with renovated vigour, to the pleasing toils of the week :-Now, I might have thought, what restorative can administer to a mind diseased,— and a body so broken, and a constitution so shaken, as mine had now become-and that in the short space of a few days! —and what cordial, I might have farther thought, sufficiently strengthening, to fit me for the approaching conflict—with all the other arduous and irksome duties of the week!

THEN, I might have concluded, I had been borne up by the delusions of brightening prospects, never, ah never! to be realized-and in the fond anticipation of, what turned out in the end, to have been deceitful joys, never to be come at:

Now, however, I saw through, in my unhappy experience, the delusions and deceptions, that HOPE, the last refuge of the wretched, had been practising upon me,—and which, might have made me afraid, to trust myself, to the suggestions of Hope for the future.

But, whatever I thought, or might have thought, in these respects, there were, nevertheless, some grounds of consolation, and motives for gratitude, which, in the solitude of that silent Sabbath, I trust, did not altogether escape me.

I was, indeed, again A STRICKEN DEER;—an AGED TREE, DREADFULLY SHAKEN, AND ALMOST TORN UP BY THE ROOTS ;

or, rather, may I not say, at my time of life, and in allusion to the humble sphere I had been accustomed to move in, in society—A BLASTED AND WITHERED SHRUB, of long standing, indeed, but which had now given way before the remorseless pelting of this new, and deeply aggravated storm;—and had again, a new claim, to the VERY Affecting title I had assumed, as so peculiarly adapted to my case, on a former occasion. But still, the consolation I had already derived from those numerous communications, which had contributed so effectually to pour in their respective balms into the wounds affliction had made, and of which I produced such a precious specimen, as a conclusion to my last chapter- the circumstance of my having yet one friend, who, in addition to the kind sympathy he had expressed for my sufferings, and the strenuous exertions, and forcible arguments, he made use of, to induce me to try and take sustenance, and such other matters as might be conducive to the restoration of my health,— manifested the strongest disposition to serve me, and render himself useful in the way of carrying me forward to the completion of my settlement ;-and the comfort I must have experienced, from the consideration, that, although the fearful dream, as I called it at the time, had been realized, in almost its literal sense, yet it had borne marks, by its effects, as having been rather sent to me as a messenger of kindness;—

for, I could not, at that time, have forgotten, as I now trust I never shall, the benignant service it rendered me, a few days after it happened, in breaking a stroke, which, as I have already observed, without such a preparation, might have been too much for me,-and so been the means of bearing too heavily on,-or pulling too hard at,-as the poet would express it

"My nerves, those tender strings of life:

Which, pluck'd a little more, will toll the bell, -
That calls my few friends to my funeral !"

must have acted, or ought to have acted, as so many incentives to gratitude.

But, whatever was my conduct, or however remiss in my duties I may have been on the occasion, that melancholy Sunday passed away,—and on the Monday morning, I commenced the labours and disagreeables of that eventful week, on which my meeting was to take place; and on that week, the meeting eventually did take place, but not until I had been fully prepared for it, after a most laborious task, in making up our minute inventories, &c. So that, I was able to lay before the gentlemen assembled, such a set of plain-speaking statements, as must have set all attempts at chicanery (had there been any) at defiance, accompanied by the following address, which will be allowed to speak for itself :—

TO SUCH OF MY CREDITORS AS MAY MEET THIS DAY, IN MR COSSAR'S INN, DUNBAR.

"GENTLEMEN,-There are few people, I believe, who have toiled more, and longer, AT THE OAR OF HUMAN LIFE, than I have done, to so little purpose to themselves. It is not, however, my present intention, to take up a por. tion of that time, which you are now called upon to devote to other purposes, by any detailed account of my grievances.

"My mind, indeed, is too much distressed for the task, by recent calamitous, and, to me, overwhelming events, to allow me, even had I more inclination to do so. I cannot, however, forbear, stating, that, the circumstance that weighs most heavily on my mind at the present moment, is, the harrowing consideration, that, so many of my old and kind friends should have suffered with, and through me.

"The several statements here exhibited, will shew, at a very slight glance, how my affairs stand with the world. The debts will be found to be pretty correctly stated, although, the general amount, for want of the proper returns of some of them, may be, a few pounds in or over.

"The Inventory from which the abstracts are made up, will be found to be taken with a minuteness of detail, which might surprise any one, who would have the patience to look it over, and that part of it, denominated, "Household Furniture, &c." will be found to comprehend, THE VERY BED I

LIE ON.

"Such as they are, however, every thing is at your service, and disposal, if you think that more can be made of them, for the general good, otherwise