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the Bill; explaining to them most justly and clearly that, in the event of their doing so, if any additional evidence should, at a future time, be discovered, the prisoner could again be apprehended and tried for the offense; whereas, if they found a true Bill, and, from deficiency of proof, he was now acquitted on his trial, he could never again be molested, even though the testi mony, against him should be morally as clear as light. The grand jury after, as was supposed, very considerable discussion among themselves, and, as was rumored, by a majority of only one, returned a true Bill. Never shall I forget the appearance of anxiety exhibited upon every countenance on the entrance of the judge into court. In an instant the most profound silence pre vailed; and interest, intense and impassioned, though subdued, seemed to wait upon every word and every look, as if divided between expectation and doubt, whether something might not even yet interfere to prevent the extraordinary trial from taking place. Nothing, however, occurred; and the still ness was broken by the mellow and silvery voice of Lord Mansfield — "Let John Smith be placed at the bar." The order was obeyed; and, as the prisoner entered the dock, he met on every side the eager and anxious eyes of a countless multitude bent in piercing scrutiny upon his face,— and well did he endure that scrutiny. A mo mentary suffusion covered his cheeks, but it was only momentary, and less than might have been expected from an indifferent per son, who found himself on a sudden "the observed of all observers." He bowed re spectfully to the court; and then folding his arms, seemed to wait until he should be called upon to commence his part in that drama in which he was to perform so con spicuous a character. I find it difficult to describe the effect produced on my mind by his personal appearance; yet his features were most remarkable, and are indelibly im

pressed on my memory. He was ap parently between forty and fifty years of age; his hair, grown gray, cither from toil or care or age, indicated an approach to the latter period; while the strength and up rightness of his figure, the haughty coldness of his look; and an eye that spoke of fire, and pride, and passion, ill concealed, would have led conjecture to fix on the former. His countenance at the first glance, ap peared to be that which we are accustomed to associate with deeds of high and noble daring; but a second and more attentive examination of the face and brow was less satisfactory. There was, indeed, strongly marked, the intellect to conceive and devise schemes of high import; but I fancy that I could trace, in addition to it, caution to con ceal the deep design, a power to penetrate the motives of others, and to personate a character at variance with his own, and a cunning that indicated constant watchful ness and circumspection. Firmness there was to persevere to the last; but that was equivocal; and I could not help persuad ing myself that it was not of that character which would prompt to deeds of virtuous enterprise, or to " seek the bubble reputa tion at the cannon's mouth"; but that it was rather allied to that quality which would "let no compunctious visitings of Nature shake his fell purpose," whatever it might be. The result of this investigation into his character, such as it was, was obvi ously unfavorable; and yet there were mo ments when I thought I had meted out to him a hard measure of justice, and when I was tempted to accuse myself of prejudice in the opinion I had formed of him; and particularly when he was asked by the clerk of the arraigns the usual question, "Are you guilty, or not guilty?" as he drew his form up to his fullest height, and the fetters clanked upon his legs, as he an swered with unfaltering tongue and unblenching cheek, " Not guilty," my heart smote me for having involuntarily interpreted