Masonic Notes And Queries.

Dodd before sentence ; but in vain—the forger was condemned to death . "Johnson's efforts in his behalf continued , and he Avrote more than one petition for the convict . These endeavours were seconded by an immense number of 'others ; charitable societies , benefited by him , petitioned for his life ; so did the Common Council and

the jury . One petition was signed by 23 , 000 persons and was thirty-seA-en yards long . The public services ¦ rendered by Dodd were clamorously urged in his favour . But the recent execution of the Perreaus for forgery left Dodd no chance , aud although his . partisans fell foul of the court and jury , it is not easy

. to see how , if he had been acquitted , the punishment of death for forgery could ever have been carried out . again . At this very time a AVO man bad been branded ¦ ani a man executed for washing a halfpenny so as to make it pass for a shilling , aud e \ 'ery session saw strings of men hung up for far lighter offences than

Dodd ' s . Dodd himself reckoned 150 capital offences ; twenty-three years later a more exact authority numbered above 160 different offences which subjected those found guilty to the penalty of death without benefit of clergy . The king Avas inflexible . Dodd meanwhile lay in his prison , living with great

temperance , and buoyed up with hopes Avhich some of his friends sustained to the last . His manner , in other respects , left much to be desired ; there Avas far too much assumption of the martyr . He wrote of himself as being 'conscious of the purity of his intention from any purpose to do injuryand happy

, in the full proof of that intention , by having done no injury to any man in respect to this unfortunate prosecution . ' In the Prison Thoughts , Avhich he was now writing , he parodied the appeal of Cassar : —• 'My Philip , my lov'd Stanhope—is it THOU ? Then let me die . '

The tawdry theatrical artifices Avhich had secured his popularity in the pulpit , clung to him still . He has a pain in his side , and when asked Avhat it is , replies , * Letlialis anendo . ' " In the preface to his Prison Thoughts he writes : * They are imperfect , hut the language of the heart ; and had I time and inclination , might be improved .

But—— ' Accepting Johnson ' s dictum , that a man ' s mind is wonderfully concentrated when he knows that he is to be hanged in a fortnight , it is difficult to believe on the evidence of tbe Prison Thoughts , that Dodd supposed he would be executed . They are on a level Avith the lines to Dr . Squire ; loose , hasty , and utterly unreal . We quote a few lines describing the scene in Avhich Dodd was soon to appear as chief actor : —

'Crowd then along with yonder revel-rout . To exemplary punishment ! and mark Tho language of the multitude , obscene , AVild , blasphemous , and cruel . ' tent their looks Of madding , drunken , thoughtless , ruthless gaze , Or giddy curiosity and vain ! Their deeds , still more emphatic , note ; and see By the sad spectacle unimpress'dthey dare

, , Even iu the eye of Death , what to their doom Brought their expiring fellows !' "This , too , is curious ; a prophecy Avhich some of us may live to see fulfilled : — -

' yes , the day—I joy in the idea—will arrive AVhen Britons philanthropic shall reject The cruel custom , to the sufferer cruel , Useless and baneful to tbe gaping crowd !'

" On the 6 th of June , Dodd delivered to his fellowprisoners all address , which had been written for him by Dr . Johnson . " The petitions for Dodd's life failing , other attempts to save him Avere made . 'He ( Johnson ) told us , ' says Boswell' that Dodd ' s citfriends stood by him

, y so , that a thousand pounds were ready to be given to the gaoler if he Avould let him escape . He added , that he kneAV a friend of Dodd's , who walked about NeAvgate for some time on the evening before the day of his execution , with £ 500 in his pocket , ready to be paid to any of the turnkeys who could get hiui

out ; but it Avas too late , for he was watched with much circumspection , He said , Dodd ' s Mends had an image of him made of Avax , which was to have been left in his place , and he believed it was carried into the prison . ' " On the fatal morningDodd appeared composed j

, ilid cart set out for Tyburn amid constant showers , rind Dodd appeared greatly affected as he approached his former house . Let us borrow from au eye-Avitness an account of the last scene . * "' The doctor , to all appearance , was rendered perfectly stupid from despair . ¦ His hat -was flapped all

round , and pulled over his eyes , which Avere never directed to any object around , nor even raised , except now and then lifted up iu the course of his prayers . He came in a coach , and a very heavy shower of rain fell just upon his entering the cart , and another just at his putting on his night-cap .

"' He was a considerable time in praying , which some people standing about seemed rather tired with ; they rather wished for some more interesting part of the tragedy . The wind , which was high , MBAV off his hat , which rather embarrassed him , and discovered to us his countenance , Avhich we could scarcely see before . His hathoAveverAvas soon restored to him

, , , and he went on Avith his prayers . There were two clergymen attending him , one of whom seemed very much affected ; the other , I suppose , Avas the ordinary of Newgate , as he Avas perfectly unfeeling in everything that he said and did . " ' The executioner took both the hat and Avig off

at the same time . Why he put ou his wig again I do not knoAV , but he did , ancl the doctor took off the AA ig a second time , and then tied on a nightcap which did not fit him ; but whether he stretched that , or took another , I could not perceive . He then put on his night-cap himself , and upon his taking it , he

certainly had a smile on his countenance ; very soon afterwards there Avas an end of all his hopes and fears on this side the grave . He never moved from the place he took iu the cart ; seemed absorbed in despair , ancl utterly dejected , without any other signs of animation but in praying . ' "According to a very general belief , the efforts of the doctor ' s friends did not cease with the execution .

It is said that the knot of the rope Avas placed in a particular manner under his ear , and that the hangman , who had been gained over hy Dodd ' s friends , Avhispered , as the cart dreAV off , ' Xou must not move an inch ! ' "When cut doAvn , the body was conveyed to a house in G-oodge-street , Avhere , under the direction of Pott , the celebrated surgeon , every attempt Avas made to restore animation . But the crowd had