the manner in which duels are generally fought, the guilt of the offence is greatly increased; for when do these criminal encounters usually take place? Not when the fancied offence was given; not upon the impulse of the moment, when the blood was heated, the judgment perverted, and the passions excited; but after a lapse of time, when the solemn stillness of night must have awakened reflection; when reason has resumed her seat, passion has subsided, and when (generally speaking) no one feeling of malice, hatred, or revenge, remains in the heart of either combatant, to urge him to a deed so dreadful as murder. It is then that, in slavish compliance with the arbitrary law of honour, they have coolly, deliberately, with settled intent, and careful arrangement, met to take away each other's lives. The Bible says, "Let not the sun go down upon your wrath," (Eph. iv. 26;) but duellists rarely, if ever, meet, until one night at least has gone over their heads, and their seconds have settled every thing for them, as if determined that no aggravation should be wanting to increase the guilt of their sinful purpose.

And this part of the case brings me to the consideration of a very remarkable feature in duelling, which distinguishes it from all other crimes: I mean the facility with which persons can be

F

obtained to undertake the office of "Second," and deliberately plan the commission of murder, without having either feelings or interest in the original cause of quarrel-nothing either to forgive or to revenge. Other crimes are shared from some personal motive, or a view to personal gratification of some kind; but the duellist's Second is a perfect volunteer in guilt, without the possibility of any advantage, and yet under an awful weight of responsibility, which induces me to address a few words to Seconds exclusively.

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CHAPTER III.

THE man who of his own free will participates in the commission of crime, must, against his will, share all the consequences of it afterwards, whether he foresaw them or not. Hence the Second in a duel partakes, in a greater or in a less degree, in every part of the guilt of his principal; from the actual crime of murder, to the breach of the smallest moral obligation consequent on his act. This simple truth, however, is rarely considered by these persons; and on that account I venture to address this chapter to all those who so heedlessly undertake the heavy responsibility of being "Second" in a duel, and thus voluntarily assume a position of such aggravated and inexcusable guilt,―guilt that is condemned both by the law of God and the laws of the land.

God, in his holy word, has said, (Prov. xxii. 24) "Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man thou shalt not go." But the duellist, despising the commands of his Creator, not only "makes friends with," but readily

renders that assistance to, the " angry and furious man," without which, according to the practice of the laws of honour, he could not carry his malignant purposes into effect.

We are enjoined by St. Paul (1 Tim. v. 22) not to "be partakers of other men's sins;" and St. Peter also says, (1 Peter iv. 15,) "Let none of you suffer AS A MURDERER. . . . or as an evil doer, or AS A BUSY BODY IN OTHER MEN'S MATTERS." But the law of honour expressly requires, that indifferent persons, under the name of "Seconds," shall be partakers, and shall be busy bodies, in a quarrel, with the original cause of which they had no

concern.

It would be perfectly useless to adduce further proofs from Scripture upon this particular subject. In fact, I have introduced it merely for the purpose of addressing those persons who have been, or may be, tempted to act as friend" or second in a duel; and entreating their patient consideration of the very awful situation in which they must necessarily be placed.

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It is well said, and I speak it seriously, that "if it were not for the receivers, there would be few or no thieves;" and it may with much more truth be observed, that if it were not for the "Seconds," there would be few or no duels. Unhappily the "éclat" of fighting a duel is but

too strong an inducement to the commission of the crime; but if the principals could get no unthinking persons to accept the office of "friend" (as it is most falsely called), and to assist them in their evil intent, they would have to fight without a witness to see and report their prowess; a circumstance that would greatly damp the ardour of duelling; for stripped of its two chief inducements, the fear of censure and the hope of praise, I doubt not the system would soon fall into disrepute. Besides, if in these lonely encounters either party fell, the survivor, if discovered by any of those inscrutable means by which such secret crimes are often brought to light, would be less likely to escape being hanged for the murder; and if this were the never-failing result of a fatal duel, it is probable that very few would be fought, as may be fairly inferred by the precautions taken to evade the law, for fear the encounter should terminate fatally. So inconceivably strange, yet true, it is, that whilst men thus deliberately risk their lives, regardless of the law of God, they take every pains their foresight can suggest to save their lives from the laws of man: fearful of suffering death after a fatal duel, if they survive it; but showing no fear of eternal punishment after death, if they perish in it!

I cannot but believe that many persons think