Page:A Journal of the Plague Year (1722).djvu/74

 And this was in Part, the Reaſon of the general Notion, or ſcandal rather, which went about of the Temper of People infected; Namely, that they did not take the leaſt care, or make any Scruple of infecting others; tho' I cannot ſay, but there might be ſome Truth in it too, but not ſo general as was reported. What natural Reaſon could be given, for ſo wicked a Thing, at a Time, when they might conclude themſelves juſt going to appear at the Barr of Divine Juſtice, I know not: I am very weil ſatisfy'd, that it cannot be reconcil'd to Religion and Principle, any more than it can be to Generoſity and Humanity; but I may ſpeak of that again.

I am ſpeaking now of People made deſperate, by the Apprehenſions of their being ſhut up, and their breaking out by Stratagem or Force, either before or after they were ſhut up, whoſe Miſery was not leſſen'd, when they were out, but ſadly encreaſed: On the other Hand, many that thus got away, had Retreats to go to, and other Houſes, where they lock'd themſelves up, and kept hid till the Plague was over; and many Families foreſeeing the Approach of the Diſtemper, laid up Stores of Proviſions, ſufficient for their whole Families, and ſhut them ſelves up, and that ſo entirely, that they were neither ſeen or heard of, till the Infection was quite ceaſed, and then came abroad Sound and Well: I might recollect ſeveral ſuch as theſe, and give you the Particular of their Management; for doubtleſs, it was the moſt effectual ſecure Step that cou'd be taken for ſuch, who ſe Circumſtance would not admit them to remove, or who had not Retreats abroad proper for the Caſe; for in being thus ſhut up, they were as if they had been a hundred Miles off: Nor do I remember, that any one of tho ſe Families miſcary'd; among theſe, ſeveral Dutch Merchants were