The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca

LETTERS, TRACTSj.-^r. 419EKprefTions, which, at the worft, were not more exceptionablethan his own.Chap. 40. The whole burden of the affair now layupon the four judges and the prefes *, and it was evidentthey could obtain no honour by the fentence"which they were going to pronounce. The fpedtatorswere vifibly prejudifed againil them, and theyfaw plainly that the game they had hoped to catchwas efcaping out of their fangs : It is not thereforeto be wondered at that tliey were difpleafed with thofewho had helped to render their fituation fo difagreeable,and to difappoint them of their aim. One of•them made a fpeech, reflecSling upon the defender'scounfel, and informing the crowd, that a year or twobefore, w^hen he was a ftudent at the college, he hadfor his ill behaviour been put in prifon : Another ofthem, after taking notice of the defender's merit, andthat he believed him to have imbibed no bad principlesin religion, faid feveral things which gave offence;'•he talked much about petulance and ill-breeding; and^as he had fe\'^ral times done before, put the fludentin mind that he enjoyed a burfary. He alleged, thatthe ftudent was an efprit fort, and that, by appearingto be fuch, he'had recommended himfelf to the gentlemenof Clutha, who had engaged to fupport himfor, faid he, though a man believe religion, there aremany people v/ho like him the better becaufe he dothnot feem to believe it, nor to be much in earned a-bout it. 'This fpeech, which was dry, tedious, andfeemed to have been ftudied, was all of a piece withthe few fentences of it which I have fet down. Itappeared to every perfon to be invidious, and to fprmgfrom ill temper, or malevolence, or fome defe£^ ofunderftanding. It occafioned an uproar upon i\:^bench, and tumult in the court-hall. One of thejudges, with great vehemence and emotion, faid. Thegentleman who fpoke laft talks of petulance and illbreedingj I leave liis breeding to his own ccnfcience,