5^0 THE SPORT OF FORTUNE. 



whofe na/ne I fupprefs with reluctance, thought he 

 could nowife better comply with his paftoral office, 

 than by turning now to the benefit of a poor unhappy 

 man, who was capable of affiftance by no other means. 



As he could not obtain from the commandant of the 

 fortrefs leave to vifit the prifoner, he fet out in per- 

 fon on the road to the capital, to prefent his requeft 

 directly to the prince. He made his genuflexion be- 

 fore him, and implored his compailion in behalf of a 

 miferable man, who was languifhing in utter deftitu- 

 tion of the benefits of chriliianity, from which even 

 criminals attainted of the blackeft enormities cannot 

 juftly be excluded, and perhaps verging on the hor- 

 rors of defpair. With all the intrepidity and dignity 

 which the fentiment of discharging our duty infpires, 

 he demanded free accefs to the prifoner, who belonged 

 to him as one of his rlock, and for whofe foul he was 

 anfwerable to heaven, The good caufe he was plead- 

 ing gave him an irrefiltible eloquence, and as the firfb 

 difpleafure of the prince was fomewhat abated by time, 

 he granted him his requeft to go and comfort the pri- 

 foner by a fpiritual vifit. 



The firlthuman countenance that the wretched Aloy- 

 iius had feen for a period of fixtcen months, was the 

 face of this ghoftly comforter. For the only friend he 

 had in the world, he was indebted to his mifery ; his 

 profperity had gained him none. The entrance of the 

 preacher was to him the apparition of an angel. I 

 make no attempt to defcribe his feelings. But, from 

 this day forth his tears flowed in lefs abundance, as he 

 law himfelf pitied by one human being. 



A ghaftly 



