We have made a law for immediate execution on conviction of murder:  it will appear extraordinary to me if it has any effect;(311) for I can’t help believing that the terrible part of death must be the preparation for it.

(310) Miss Blandy was executed at Oxford, on the 6th of April, “I am perfectly innocent,” she exclaimed, “of any intention to destroy or even hurt my dear father; so help me God in these my last moments!"-E.

(311) Smollett, on the contrary, was of opinion that the expedient had been productive of very good effects.-E.

129 Letter 59 To George Montagu, Esq.  Strawberry Hill, June 6, 1752.

I have just been in London for two or three days, to fetch an adventure, and am returned to my hill and castle.  I can’t say I lost my labour, as you shall hear.  Last Sunday night, being as wet a night as you shall see in a summer’s day, about half an hour after twelve, I was just come home from White’s, and undressing to step into bed, I heard Harry, who you know lies forwards, roar out, “Stop thief!” and run down stairs.  I ran after him.  Don’t be frightened; I have not lost one enamel, nor bronze, nor have been shot through the head again.  A gentlewoman, who lives at Governor Pitt’s,(312) next door but one to me, and where Mr. Bentley used to live, was going to bed too, and heard people breaking into Mr. Freeman’s house, who, like some acquaintance of mine in Albemarle-street, goes out of town, locks up his doors, and leaves the community to watch his furniture.  N. B. It was broken open but two years ago, and all the chairmen vow they shall steal his house away another time, before we shall trouble our heads about it.  Well, madam called out “watch;” two men who were centinels, ran away, and Harry’s voice after them.  Down came I, and with a posse of chairmen and watchmen found the third fellow in the area of Mr. Freeman’s house.  Mayhap you have seen all this in the papers, little thinking who commanded the detachment.  Harry fetched a blunderbuss to invite the thief up.  One of the chairmen, who was drunk, cried, “Give me the blunderbuss, I’ll shoot him!” But as the general’s head was a little cooler, he prevented military execution, and took the prisoner without bloodshed, intending to make his triumphal entry into the metropolis of Twickenham with his captive tied to the wheels of his postchaise.  I find my style rises so much with the recollection of my victory, that I don’t know how to descend to tell you that the enemy was a carpenter, and had a leather apron on.  The next step was to share my glory with my friends.  I despatched a courier to White’s for George Selwyn, who you know, loves nothing upon earth so well as a criminal, except the execution of him.  It happened very luckily, that the drawer, who received my message, has very lately been robbed himself, and had the wound fresh in his memory.  He stalked up into the club-room, stopped short, and with a hollow trembling voice said, “Mr. Selwyn!  Mr.