The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-06-14

SOME INES amufe I lcifure hour, in look
T! 'ns over the old Ensl!h Magazines: and in
deed, there are few books that afford more pro-
htable cleaning. / have extracted from one of
them, the enclofed Z" NsMorRs of EUCENE
dRAn, who was tried, condemned, and exc
cuted for murder. in England, in .75s, fourteen
years after the preparation ofthe crime.
Inc rory of this unhappy man, is equally
hneular and intereftng. Blu, it is the Speech
ne made in his defence, that chiefly deitrves at.
tentlon for clafiical purity and preciiion, for
ciearneis and ingenuity of argument, it NAV
fearieiSly compare with the ableit exer,ions of
profrfIional hil
This is the fame Eugene Aram, to whoE. fate
the virtuous robber in Godwiu's Caleb Will
ans adverts, when he reproaches the inexora-
Bis fpirit OF the law, whole vengeance, once pro-
ToSed, no time, no repentance, no merit car ap
peate. Smollett, alto, in his continuation ofthe
Hlftory OF England, mentions this cafe among
other 'nftances Of homicide; crime (he fays)
that prevails to degree alike deporable aud
iurprliing, e7-en IN nation rxNosvned far conn
paEon and piaea6iity." philosopher and
tine hiitorian, without doubt, entertained wide.
ly different opinions of the national character of
their country. The world will have no Difficult
ty to decide between them. Smollett fhines in
Notion, among beings of his own creation,
where there are no pafIious, no antipatbies or
partlaiities to miIlead but he is one of thoEe
Wretched hftorians, who can never emancipate
their minds from the ilavery Of nationality and
prejudice.
Execute this little Notwithstanding the pre-
lent dearth of political intelligence, have fup-
poied the Rory Of Eugene Aram, and Especially
MS Speech, worthy republication and if you
Joan IN that opinion, yCn will gratifv me hy Civ
ing it the fi.ss ipare place in g TIE Easmiytr.
d. w. L.
EUGENE ARAM, of comfortable erudti-
on which he acquired under great disadvantages, and
who was ALTO remarkable for his unhappy fate and
the angular circumstance, that occalioned and attend
ed was born at Ramgi,a little village, in Neither
dale, Yorkshire, in the year 1904 He was defend
ED from an ancient family but his father was in no
CHER faton than that Of gardener tho ofgrea, me
re IN that occupation.
!. re was removed, when very young, together with
MS mother, TO Sk.lton, near Newby and, when he
was tive or Fix years old, his father making little
Purchaie IN Bondgate near Rippon, his family went
thither. He was there fent to fchool where hit,
learned to read the New-Teitament in Enrliih which
was all he was ever taught except that ome con.ide-
rabe time after, he under the tuition of the Rev
NlT. Aicock, of Burnlal, for about a month
When he was about thirteen or fourteen wears bf
age, ne went TO his father at Newly, and attended
MN 10 the family theea, ill the death Of Sir Edward
hackett 1t was in the !,ouie Of this gentleman to
hom his father was gardiner, that his propeni,y to
literature trft appeared. He was, indeed, always of
iohtaTy difpoison, and uncommonly fond of retire
ment ana hooks; and here he enjoyed all the advanta-
yes OF ieiiure privacy He applied h;mfel at fri
chiefly to mathematical hudes, in which he made
eonideraale proficiency. AT about fixteen wears OF
age, ne was lent to London the houe of Mr. ChriC
topher Blacket whom he ierved for fane time in the
capacity of book keeper. After continuing here
year. or more he was taken with the falI-pox, and
iahered ieverely under that difenper. He after
wards returned into Yorkihire, in conequence of an
invitation from his father and there continued 10 pro-
iecnte his hudies but found in polite literature ucb
greater charms than in the mathematics; which oc
'di"ned HIM now chiefly to apply himfei to poetry,
rory, and antiquities. After this he was invited to
Netherdale, where he engaged in fchoo and mar
r'ed. But his marriage proved unhappy conneci-
On Tor to the miiconduf of lis wife he afterwards
a'tributedthe misfortunes that befel him. In the
meanwhile, having perceived his deficiency in tie
learned languages, he applied himf.f to the crarna
ucai uudy ot the Latin and Greek tongues; after
"h'ch ne read, with great avidity and diligence all
the Latin clailics, hiitorians and poets He then
went thro the Greek Teitament; and laltiy yentur-
ed upon I5eiIod, Homer. Theocritus Herodo,us. and
ihucydides, together with all the Greek trae.d;aps
IN 1874, William Norton, Efq a gentleman who
had friendhip for him, invited him to Knare1,o.
rough Here he acquired the knowledge of the He
brew, and read the Pentateuch in that language In
iIft, he returned TO London, and ferved the Rev
Mr. Painblanc, uiher in Lain and writing. IN Pic
oadily; and, with ths gentemau's ailiitance he ,c
CURED the knowledge of the French language. He
Was afterwards employed, AL utter and tutor I'm e.
VeTai different parts of England during which time
De became acquainted wild, heraldry and botany. He
Iio ventured upon ChaiIee and Arabic the former o
when ne oird eay from It's near come ion with the
hebrew. he then Investigated the Celtic as far as
Pahhle, 10 all its Dialects and having begun to form
ooecton.' ard made companions between the Celtic
the Enghlh, the Latin, the Greek, and the Hebrew
and found great affinity between them he refolved
TO proceed through all thefe languages and 10 form
comparative Lexicon. But in the MIDI Of tbeGe
learned labours and inquiries it appears. tina, Aram
eommHteda crime, which could not naturally have
peen expe SD iron, mau of 70 ftudious turn and
~heh IS The more extraordinary as the inducement
mat led him to il is faid to have been only Gain
tive. VI" i'''
On the SEA Of February, l744-5, he murdered
Daniel Clark, ihoefnaker in conjunction with whom
ana another perion he ieens before to have been CON
eeTned in Tome fraudulent practices The murder
however, was concealed near Id years. and then was
dieovered by 0<eleton being accidentally found
which was iupPofed to be that of Clark. THE wa.
mlltate but II led to dfcovery Of the whole tranf
action, which is thus related
a labourer was employed 10 Dig for Gone 70 fprr,v
nme-kIin, az place calico ThRe-Hill, near Kna-
Teiborough, aud having dug abou, two fee. desn N.