Henry Watson, _Haberdasher_. George Hancock, _Druggist_. John Lewis, _Dry-Salter._ William Jones, _Corn-Chandler._ Henry Theobald, _Watchmaker_. James Peters, _Draper_. Thomas Floyer, _Silver-Smith._ John Wells, _Brewer_. Samuel Greg, _Soap-Boiler_. William Cooley, _Fish-monger_. James Harper, _Hosier_. Robert Tucker, _Stationer_. George Ford, _Iron-monger_. Daniel Lynch, _Apothecary_. William Bennet, } David Somers, } Charles Lock, } _Apprentices_. Leonard Daval, } Henry Croft, } Mr. Whiston began by acquainting us, that (contrary to his advertisement) he thought himself in duty and conscience obliged to change the subject matter of his intended discourse. Here he paused, and seemed, for a short space, as it were, lost in devotion and mental prayer; after which, with great earnestness and vehemence, he spake as follows: "Friends and fellow-citizens, all speculative science is at an end: the period of all things is at hand; on Friday next this world shall be no more. Put not your confidence in me, brethren; for to-morrow morning, five minutes after five, the truth will be evident; in that instant the comet shall appear, of which I have heretofore warned you. As ye have heard, believe. Go hence, and prepare your wives, your families, and friends, for the universal change." At this solemn and dreadful prediction, the whole society appeared in the utmost astonishment: but it would be unjust not to remember, that Mr. Whiston himself was in so calm a temper, as to return a shilling a-piece to the youths, who had been disappointed of their lecture, which I thought, from a man of his integrity, a convincing proof of his own faith in the prediction. As we thought it a duty in charity to warn all men, in two or three hours the news had spread through the city. At first, indeed, our report met with but little credit; it being, by our greatest dealers in stocks, thought only a court artifice to sink them, that some choice favourites might purchase at a lower rate; for the South Sea, that very evening, fell five _per cent._, the India, eleven, and all the other funds in proportion. But, at the Court end of the town, our attestations were entirely disbelieved, or turned into ridicule; yet nevertheless the news spread everywhere, and was the subject matter of all conversation.