MEMOIR OF THOMAS BEWICK. 79 



I also, at various periods of the time I remained 

 under Hatfield's roof, got into a knowledge of the 

 misguided ways which too many young fellows 

 pursued ; and I watched, and saw the wretched 

 consequences of the kind of life they led. I felt 

 grieved for them, and did all in my power to 

 dissuade them from pursuing such a course of life. 

 For this advice they laughed at me, and called 

 me "the old man." It was not very long, how- 

 ever, till' two of them sent for me to come and 

 see them on their death beds. The die was cast, 

 and I cannot forget their thanks to me, and the 

 bitterness with which they reproached themselves 

 for not listening to what I had so sincerely recom- 

 mended. Such conduct as I have been alluding 

 to appears to me to be of the very blackest 

 dye. It is amongst the most shocking of murders. 

 It is to be regretted that the seducer and the 

 seduced cannot be obliged to live together for life, 

 and, while they live, be allowed to herd only with 

 such as themselves ; for they ought to be banished 

 from the society of the modest and virtuous part 

 of the community. I think it a great omission 

 in parents and teachers not to make unguarded 

 youth fully apprized of the risks they run in towns 

 of getting acquainted with the lost and polluted 

 women of this stamp. Nothing can be so sure 

 a guard against this vice as that of making young 

 men see it in its true light to be disgusted at 

 it. Magistrates, no doubt, have it in their power, 

 in some degree, to lessen this great evil, by pre- 

 venting abandoned women from appearing in the 

 streets of a town ; but I have often felt for magis- 

 trates on account of the great and gratuitous 

 trouble they take, and the difficulties they must 



