A female of tolerable appearance, and between 30 and 40 years of age, was the cause of much alarm in 1731, by pretending to _hang herself_ in different parts of the town. Her method was thus: she found a convenient situation for the experiment, and suspended herself; an accomplice, always at hand for the purpose, immediately released her from the rope, and after rousing the neighbourhood absconded. Humanity induced the spectators sometimes to take her into houses, and always to relieve her, who were told, _when sufficiently recovered to articulate_, that she had possessed 1500_l._; but that, marrying an Irish Captain, he robbed her of every penny, and fled, which produced despair, and a determination to commit suicide. According to the Report of Thomas Railton, Esq. eldest Justice of the Peace, in April 1731, it appeared that a Committee appointed for the suppression of night-houses, night-cellars, and other disorderly houses, had bound over to the Quarter Sessions 58 persons charged with keeping houses of the above description, and committed 16 to prison for the same offence; besides 24 who were indicted, and their neighbours bound to prosecute them; 26 houses were utterly suppressed, and their landlords absconded. In addition to this laudable reformation, the Committee sent 127 vagabonds to the House of Correction, and convicted 11 persons for profane swearing. I have too frequently had occasion to notice the general depravity of the publick, which must have had its origin from the same indifference towards religion, observable in the Cathedral of St. Paul, where unthinking people walked and talked as much at their ease as if they trod the Mall in St. James's-park. One wretched family, neglecting those precepts which are aimed against despondency and suicide, _reasoned_ themselves into a contempt of death. Pernicious and detestable as the doctrine is, and contrary to every visible operation of nature placed in our view by the Divinity; too many, I am afraid, _still cherish_ an idea that the soul perishes with the body. As an antidote for such persons, let them read the horrid murders committed by Richard Smith and his wife in April 1732. This wretched pair were found in their lodgings, within the Liberties of the King's-bench, hanged, and their infant child shot to death in its cradle. The following letters will explain the opinions entertained by them, which, if adopted, would soon render the world a desert. It is the essence of cowardice to fly from misfortunes. "To Mr. BRIGHTRED. "SIR, "The necessity of my affairs has obliged me to give you this trouble; I hope I have left more than is sufficient for the money I owe you. I beg of you that you will be pleased to send these inclosed papers, as directed, immediately by some porter, and that without shewing them to any one, &c. RICHARD SMITH." * * * * *