"These confederates, in conjunction with some other auxiliaries of
infamous character, being informed that Mr. M-- was on the point of
securing a considerable sum, to enable him to prosecute Mr. A--'s
right, and to bring it to a happy conclusion, contrived a deep-laid
scheme to disappoint him in it, and at once to ruin the cause.
And, previous measures being taken for that wicked purpose, they
imposed upon the young gentleman's inexperience and credulity by
insinuations equally false, plausible, and malicious; to which they
at length gained his belief, by the mention of some circumstances
that gave what they alleged an air of probability, and even of truth.
They swore that Mr. M-- had taken out an action against him for a
very large sum of money; that they had actually seen the writ; that
the intention of it was to throw him into prison for life, and ruin
his cause, in consequence of an agreement made by him with Lord
A--, and his other enemies, to retrieve the money that he had laid
out in the cause.
"This plausible tale was enforced with such an air of truth,
candour, and earnest concern for his safety, and was strengthened
by so many imprecations and corroborating circumstances of their
invention, as would have staggered one of much greater experience
and knowledge of mankind than Mr.
Pages:
1406
1407
1408
1409
1410
1411
1412
1413
1414
1415
1416
1417
1418
1419
1420
1421
1422
1423
1424
1425
1426
1427
1428
1429
1430