E-text prepared by Andrea Ball, Christine Bell, & Marc D'Hooghe (http://www.freeliterature.org) from page images generously made available by the Google Books Library Project (http://books.google.com/) Note: Project Gutenberg also has the other two volumes of this book. Volume I: See https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/36289 Volume II: See https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/36290 Images of the original pages are available through the the Google Books Library Project. See http://books.google.com/books?id=aRgGAAAAQAAJ&oe=UTF-8 ORMOND; Or, The Secret Witness. by B. C. BROWN, Author of Wieland, or Transformation. In Three Volumes. VOL. III. "Sæpe intereunt aliis meditantes necem." PHÆDRUS "Those who plot the destruction of others, very often fall, themselves the victims." Philadelphia Printed, London, Re-Printed for Henry Colburn, English and Foreign Public Library, Conduit-Street, Bond-Street. 1811 * * * * * TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LADY CASTLEREAGH, THESE VOLUMES are respectfully inscribed, by her Ladyship's most obedient, and humble Servant, HENRY COLBURN. CHAPTER I. "My father, in proportion as he grew old and rich, became weary of Aleppo. His natal soil, had it been the haunt of Calmucks or Bedouins, his fancy would have transformed into Paradise. No wonder that the equitable aristocracy and the peaceful husbandmen of Ragusa should be endeared to his heart by comparison with Egyptian plagues and Turkish tyranny. Besides, he lived for his children as well as himself. Their education and future lot required him to seek a permanent home. "He embarked, with his wife and offspring, at Scanderoon. No immediate conveyance to Ragusa offering, the appearance of the plague in Syria induced him to hasten his departure. He entered a French vessel for Marseilles. After being three days at sea, one of the crew was seized by the fatal disease which had depopulated all the towns upon the coast. The voyage was made with more than usual despatch; but, before we reached our port, my mother and half the crew perished. My father died in the Lazaretto, more through grief than disease. "My brother and I were children and helpless. My father's fortune was on board this vessel, and was left by his death to the mercy of the captain. This man was honest, and consigned us and our property to the merchant with whom he dealt. Happily for us, our protector was childless and of scrupulous integrity. We henceforth became his adopted children. My brother's education and my own were conducted on the justest principles.