after he had beaten me with his fist, and with a stick, called the drill-bow, that I should have no rest from him; that he would render my life so miserable that I should be fit to make away with myself each time that he punished me. In this manner I spent two years of my apprenticeship. I was little better than a skeleton. I was lodged in the foul and filthy workshop, where was a complication of vile odors. I was scarcely allowed time to wash myself. I ate my food as I stood at my workbench, for my tyrant tasked me so many dozen brushes per day; and when I had served two years, I did the work of a man upon the food of a child; but to accomplish it, I had to work from four o'clock in the morning till twelve o'clock at night, and always half the Sunday, and still I was called a lazy vagabond, not worth the salt put into my gruel.

On a Saturday evening, after the work of the day, which on that day terminated at ten o'clock at night, I had first the knives and forks, and shoes and boots of the whole family to clean. This done, I had the workshop to clean up, the tools to arrange, and the floor of the workshop to scour. I did this from choice as much as from necessity; for had I neglected it, what with the refuse from horse and cow hair, and hog's bristles, with which the brushes were filled, and what with the medullary substance from the bones, and the bone dust, etc., we should have been devoured with vermin. On the Sunday morning all the family indulged themselves by lying long in bed, and it was often eleven o'clock before I got my breakfast; but I was up at six, shaving and polishing to bring up the arrears of my task. When I had got my breakfast, and washed and cleaned myself, I then wandered out. I was usually invited to my brother's to dinner and tea, and these were the only full meals I had. I also frequently called as I went my errands, and my kind sister-in-law soon found that I was more than half starved, and she used to stay my craving appetite with food. Sunday (after the early part) was

adeed a happy day. I have mentioned that I had a good voice, and my brother introduced me into the choir at York Street Chapel, St. James's Square; at that time Mr. Proud was minister. I became acquainted with many of the singers, who admired me for my voice, and who treated me with kindness and attention. The music

I thought very fine. Some of the tunes by Barthelomon

and

I think the name was) remain with me to this day; but the doctrines preached I paid then but little attention to. The Liturgy then in use very nearly resembled that of the Church of England, and with the exception of the omission of the Litanies and Creeds, I did not perceive much difference. I thought Mr. Proud a beautiful preacher, many more thought so beside me. I used to attend chapel in the evening pretty regularly; I could not get out in the morning, and in the afternoon I often went to St. Margaret's church. I was always required to be home [alas, such a home !] by nine o'clock, and I never transgressed without punishment. My master was generally intoxicated twice a week. My duty was always to sit up and let him in. This was one of my most miserable duties, and deprived me of what little sleep I ought to have had. I used to sit behind the door, that the first motion of the knocker might be heard. If I failed opening the door on the instant, I was cruelly beaten. And this was frequently the case, for he never returned till two, often three o'clock in the morning, and was by that time so weary and overpowered with sleep, that I could not always hear the first stroke of the knocker. When he had beaten me, he would stagger to his bed. If there were not a light (and the light that was left burning for him frequently expended itself before he returned), he would make his wife get out of bed and light another candle, and if she demurred, he would immediately beat her most cruelly, and his oaths and imprecations, when intoxicated, were most frightful. Many a time have I dreaded lest he should murder either me or his wife. Both of us have often been left in a

I

state of insensibility; me, he frequently declared he would finish before my time was up, and I believe he would have done so had I stayed my time.

I recollect, on one occasion, when I had finished a heavy day's work, and my mistress wished me to go to bed, she sent me at about half-past eleven o'clock at night with the house-door key to my master, who was at a public house he was in the habit of frequenting. When I arrived he was singing a song, called Will Watch,' and I waited till it was concluded. He was loudly applauded by the companions by whom he was surrounded. When this applause had subsided, I went up to him and said, 'Please, sir, my mistress has sent the key of the street door, for fear you should be late.'

you,' said he, 'take it back, you lazy young vagabond, and sit up till I come home, and woe be to you if you keep me standing at the door.'

I

I returned home, afraid to sit in the kitchen, lest I should not hear the knocker. So I sat behind the door, and at half-past two in the morning he returned. opened the door immediately, but he no sooner entered than he commenced beating me in the most savage manner, knocking me down as frequently as I rose from one blow, until he left me half dead in the passage. Then he ascended to his bed room, and commenced cruelly beating his wife because she had dared to send me with the key of the street door. It was a full month ere I recovered from this dreadful beating, and his wife was even in a worse condition than myself.

I had served in this way nearly three years of my apprenticeship, when, on one of my journeys to the bone yard, who should I meet but my cousin Evan Evans, mentioned in a former part of this narrative. He knew me instantly, and began most kindly to inquire after my situation. Though approaching seventeen years of age, I was still but a child in appearance, and I answered him, crying bitterly all the time, and told him all. He went with me to the bone yard, and when I had got my load,

he took me to a breakfast house, and gave me a hearty breakfast, then he accompanied me as far as the park, and gave me his address, which was in Widegate Street, Bishopsgate, and I made an appointment with him for the next Sunday, to call at his house. This appointment I kept, when he made me tell him my story all over again. He was most indignant, and would have gone home with me, and threatened my master. But his wife thought it would be better for me to leave him, and try to get another place. After a while he fell in with this view, and it was arranged that on the next Sunday I should put up my articles of clothing in a bundle, as though it was dirty linen, and should proceed immediately to his house.

This

I did, and he was to me as a father. I remained with him about three weeks to gain strength. He completely recruited me, and furnished me with clothes, both for the working day and Sunday. He then went out with me to seek for a situation, and, after some time, I was engaged as errand boy to a Mr. Batley, a pocket book, and lady's work-box, and gentleman's dressing-case maker, in High Holborn. This was in the beginning of 1813, somewhere about March. I was then seventeen years of age. I was to receive six shillings a week, and was promised a basin of tea morning and evening. I thought this a fortune, and Mr. and Mrs. Batley were exceedingly kind to me. My cousin told them I was an orphan, which was the truth; but, of course, we concealed from them that I was a runaway apprentice.

I had been in this gentleman's employ for about four months, when I was sent with a gentleman's dressing case to have a shaving brush fitted in. The person to whom I was sent was an ivory turner of the name of Harris, residing on Great Saffron Hill. Now I had frequently been to this very shop before, on errands for my cruel master Fleming, and I was somewhat afraid I should be recognised; but there was no help for it. I went accordingly, and, while waiting for the shaving brush to be fitted to the case, as ill luck would have it-so I then thought—

the oldest son of Mr. Fleming came into the shop, for some turn-backs-shaving brushes similar to the one I was waiting for. He saw me and recognised me. 'Hollo, Dav.! is that you? Where do you live now?' 'Never you mind,' said I. And, having got my brush, and paid the money, he asked Mr. Harris, as I was afterwards told, where I lived; and Mr. H., instead of telling him at Mr. Batley's, Holborn, told him Batcourt, Holborn. He, of course, told his father, but no Batcourt was to be found in Holborn. Fleming, however, was resolved to recover me; and one morning, when I was opening shop, he saw me, collared me, and carried me off. I was dreadfully afraid, and cried bitterly; but when people asked what was the matter, he told them I was a lazy young rascal, and was his apprentice, and had run away from him, and he was going to a constable to take me before a magistrate. And to a constable he brought me. This man's name was Gilmour; he lived in a court at Wood Street, Westminster. Mr. Fleming gave him an account of me as a most depraved and lazy young rascal, more fond of reading play books, and such like stuff, than of making brushes, and concluded with requesting Mr. Gilmour to take me before a magistrate. Mr. Gilmour eyed me very closely, but seemed not so severe as my master wished.

'Well,' says the constable, 'I must take you to Queen Square, and the magistrate will soon tell you what you must do. Now, have you had your breakfast?' 'No, sir, not yet.' 'Then you shall get a breakfast before you go, any way,' said he; and he got me a breakfast, and made me eat it, too, much to the surprise of my master. When I had finished, he showed me a pocket pistol, and he loaded it before my eyes, and then said: 'Now, if you run away while under my charge, I will shoot you; but if you will walk quietly to the office, you shall go without being handcuffed, and nobody will know that you are in charge.' I told him I would walk quietly, and I did so. I was very much terrified; I had never