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therefore was no longer to mount guard at the Star Fort. I bitterly now repented my folly and untimely vanity : melancholy seized my mind; when I had removed every impediment, the confidence I placed in the honour of man again plunged me nearly six months longer in affliction, doubled by despair. I had myself rendered my dungeon impenetrable. Death would have followed, but for the dependence I placed in the court of Vienna.

Peace had been concluded nine months. I was forgot

ten.

At last, however, when I supposed all hope lost, the 24th of December and the day of freedom came! At the hour of parade, count Schlieban, lieutenant of the guards, arrived and brought orders for my release!

The sub-governor supposed me weaker in intellect than I really was, and would not too suddenly tell me these happy tidings. He knew not the presence of mind, the fortitude, which the various dangers I had seen, had made habitual.

My doors for the LAST TIME resounded! Several people entered; their countenances were more than usually cheerful, and the sub-governor at their head at length said, "This time, my dear Trenck, I am the joyful messenger of good news. Prince Ferdinand has prevailed on the king to let your irons be taken off."-Accordingly to work went the smith. "I am free then," said I, "and you are afraid to tell me so too suddenly. Speak! fear not, I can moderate my transports."

For some weeks after I first obtained my freedom, I was generally absent in mind, and deep in thought. This was a habit I acquired in prison, and the objects of sight appeared but as the visions of sleep. I often stopped in the streets, stared around me, doubted my own existence, and bit my finger, in order to convince myself I was really awake and alive.

How trifling, how insignificant does the poor pageantry of greatness appear to me at this time? A thousand people, variously bedecked in all their finery, wait the appearance of some extraordinary personage! The doors are thrown open! An elderly matron enters! graciously smiles, and every body most humbly smiles also! She asks a few questions concerning the wind and weather, of an old priest in a red cap and stockings, then addres.

ses herself to an insignificant Esop, on whom all eagerly press forward to fawn! The good lady retires, and the hubbub of the synagogue ensues, and this is called a levee! Nor to this sublime honour may men of honest hearts, the friends of virtue, or their country, find admittance: they have not the proper key, or having it, hold it in contempt. Oh, man! what art thou when called great and honourable! What are thy thoughts, what thy dreams! Dost thou call thyself a man of reason, a philosopher? What dost thou then at courts? By me they have long been avoided.

Walking round the ramparts of Vienna, having recovered from my sickness, the vivifying spring, and the broad expanse of heaven inspired a consciousness of present freedom, and of pleasure indescribable. I heard the morning song of the lark My heart palpitated, my pulse quickened, the blood trickled through my veins with delight, for I felt I was a man, and recollected I was not in chains. Happen, said I, what may, I fear no futurity, so long as my feet, my will, and my heart are free, and like yonder lark, I can remove from land to land. My soul poured forth its thankfulness for this consciousness of freedom, and I determined to fly Vienna, and seek some corner of the world where virtue has nothing to fear from the tongues of slanderers, the com mands of courts, or the arbitrary will of monarchs.

An accident happened which furthered my project.Marshal Laudohn was going to Aix-la-Chapelle, to take the waters. I had always personally honoured and loved this general when he was no more than a captain of pandours in my cousin's regiment. He went to take his leave of the countess Parr; I was present: the empress entered the chamber, and the conversation turning on Landohn's journey said to me, "The baths are necessa ry to the re-establishment of your health, Trenck." I was ready, and followed him in two days, where we remained about three months.

The mode of life at Aix-la-Chapelle and Spa pleased me-where men of all nations meet, and where princes are obliged to mingle with persons of all ranks, if they wish to seek conversation, and would not renounce society. I returned again to Aix-la-Chapelle in December, 1765,

and married the youngest daughter of the former Burgomaster de Broe.

From the year 1774 to 1777 I chiefly spent my time in journeying through England and France. I was intimate with Dr. Franklin, the American minister; also with the counts St. Germain and Vergennes, who made me advantageous proposals to go to America; but I was prevented accepting them by my affection for my wife and children. Being in London I was defrauded of eighteen hundred guineas by a swindler. The relating of this story will do but little honour to the English nation. The fault was principally my brother-in-law's, a young man, who parted with the wine before he had received the money. In England there is no law against such deceivers. They bid you trust nobody, you will then not be wronged. I cannot give a circumstantial history of this affair, but it is necessary to narrate the abstract, our prejudices being so strong in favour of the great justice of the British nation.

Finding myself defrauded of my wine, Ihastened to Sir John Fielding. He was acquainted with me, told me he knew I had been swindled, and that his friendship would make him active in my behalf, that he also knew the houses where my wine was deposited. His pretended kindness was a snare; he was in partnership with rob bers, the stupid among whom he only hung, and preserv ed the most adroit for the promotion of trade.

He sent a constable and six runners with me, com. manding them to act under my orders. By good fortune I had a violent head-ache, and could not attend them my. self, but sent my brother-in-law, who spoke better English than I. Him they brought to the house of a Jew, who told him, "Your wine, sir, is here concealed."Though it was broad day, the door was locked, that he might be induced to act illegally. The constable desi red him to break the door open, which he accordingly did the Jews, in a pretended fright, came running, and asked, "What do you want, gentlemen?" "I want my wine," answered my brother. "Take what is your own," replied a Jew, "but beware of touching my property.I have bought the wine..

My brother attended the constable and runners into

the cellar, and there found a great part of my wine. He wrote to Sir John Fielding, that he had found the wine, and desired to know how he was to act. Fielding, by a verbal message answered, "It must be taken by the owner." My brother accordingly got a cart, and sent ine the wine.

"

Next day came a constable with a warrant, saying, "he wanted to speak with my brother, and that it was to go to my friend, Sir John Fielding When he was in the street he touched him with his staff, and told him“Sir, you are my prisoner."

I went to Sir John Fielding, and asked what all this meant. This upright justice answered in a magisterial tone, That my brother had been accused of felony. The Jews and swindlers had sworn the wine was a legal purchase; and he was charged with burglary and robbery. He desired me immediately to give bail in a thousand guineas for my brother's appearance at the court of king's bench, otherwise his trial would immediately come on, and in a few days he would be hanged.

I hastened to my wine merchants, who had stock in hand of mine worth upwards of a thousand guineas. They gave bail for my brother, and in four days he was released.

My brother returned to London in November, to defend his cause in the court of king's bench, but the swindlers had disappeared, and the lawyer required 1007 to proceed. Thus do the English treat the Germans, notwithstanding I had so many friends in London.

CONCLUSION.

I have at this moment occasion to add, now when this volume is completed, that I was received with esteem and honour in my country, superior to all that can be ima gined, by those who have not themselves been witness of their reception. Content and happy I journey back to Austria. The good king has done me justice, and heap ed favours on me; I have received my confiscated es tates, and am in hourly expectation of the rents of which I have been for years deprived.

The object of my journey is accomplished. I can now, in the decline of life, enjoy honour and ease as a good man should, and can meet death with a smile.

FINIS.

OF THE

LIFE AND DEATH

O F

JOHN WILMOT.

EARL OF ROCHESTER,
WHO DIED JULr 26, 1680.

Written by his own direction on his death-bed.

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