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Page 75
But she was resolved to commit no such error in this instance. Our
hero was too much and too deservedly her favourite to be neglected
by her in his last moments; accordingly all efforts for a reprieve
were vain, and the name of Wild stood at the head of those who
were ordered for execution.
From the time he gave over all hopes of life, his conduct was
truly great and admirable. Instead of shewing any marks of
dejection or contrition, he rather infused more confidence and
assurance into his looks. He spent most of his hours in drinking
with his friends and with the good man above commemorated. In one
of these compotations, being asked whether he was afraid to die,
he answered, "D--n me, it is only a dance without music." Another
time, when one expressed some sorrow for his misfortune, as he
termed it, he said with great fierceness--"A man can die but
once." Again, when one of his intimate acquaintance hinted his
hopes, that he would die like a man, he cocked his hat in
defiance, and cried out greatly--"Zounds! who's afraid?"
Happy would it have been for posterity, could we have retrieved
any entire conversation which passed at this season, especially
between our hero and his learned comforter; but we have searched
many pasteboard records in vain.
On the eve of his apotheosis, Wild's lady desired to see him, to
which he consented. This meeting was at first very tender on both
sides; but it could not continue so, for unluckily, some hints of
former miscarriages intervening, as particularly when she asked
him how he could have used her so barbarously once as calling her
b--, and whether such language became a man, much less a
gentleman, Wild flew into a violent passion, and swore she was the
vilest of b--s to upbraid him at such a season with an unguarded
word spoke long ago. She replied, with many tears, she was well
enough served for her folly in visiting such a brute; but she had
one comfort, however, that it would be the last time he could ever
treat her so; that indeed she had some obligation to him, for that
his cruelty to her would reconcile her to the fate he was to-
morrow to suffer; and, indeed, nothing but such brutality could
have made the consideration of his shameful death (so this weak
woman called hanging), which was now inevitable, to be borne even
without madness. She then proceeded to a recapitulation of his
faults in an exacter order, and with more perfect memory, than one
would have imagined her capable of; and it is probable would have
rehearsed a complete catalogue had not our hero's patience failed
him, so that with the utmost fury and violence he caught her by
the hair and kicked her, as heartily as his chains would suffer
him, out of the room.
At length the morning came which Fortune at his birth had
resolutely ordained for the consummation of our hero's GREATNESS:
he had himself indeed modestly declined the public honour she
intended him, and had taken a quantity of laudanum, in order to
retire quietly off the stage; but we have already observed, in the
course of our wonderful history, that to struggle against this
lady's decrees is vain and impotent; and whether she hath
determined you shall be hanged or be a prime minister, it is in
either case lost labour to resist. Laudanum, therefore, being
unable to stop the breath of our hero, which the fruit of hemp-
seed, and not the spirit of poppy-seed, was to overcome, he was at
the usual hour attended by the proper gentleman appointed for that
purpose, and acquainted that the cart was ready. On this occasion
he exerted that greatness of courage which hath been so much
celebrated in other heroes; and, knowing it was impossible to
resist, he gravely declared he would attend them. He then
descended to that room where the fetters of great men are knocked
off in a most solemn and ceremonious manner. Then shaking hands
with his friends (to wit, those who were conducting him to the
tree), and drinking their healths in a bumper of brandy, he
ascended the cart, where he was no sooner seated than he received
the acclamations of the multitude, who were highly ravished with
his GREATNESS.
The cart now moved slowly on, being preceded by a troop of horse-
guards bearing javelins in their hands, through streets lined with
crowds all admiring the great behaviour of our hero, who rode on,
sometimes sighing, sometimes swearing, sometimes singing or
whistling, as his humour varied.
When he came to the tree of glory, he was welcomed with an
universal shout of the people, who were there assembled in
prodigious numbers to behold a sight much more rare in populous
cities than one would reasonably imagine it should be, viz., the
proper catastrophe of a great man.
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