ed State Note, and was sentenced to pay a fine of 40l. in 20
days; if not then paid, to be set in the pillory.--[_The penalty
of such an offence against the United States is_ DEATH.]

The same person was found guilty of a fraud, in stealing a
summons, after it had been left by an officer, by reason of which
he recovered a judgment by default, and was sentenced to pay a
fine of 15l. in 20 days; if not then paid, to be whipped.

_Salem Gazette_, June 25, 1793.

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In a paper of 1819 is mentioned the singular case of a man literally
condemned "to eat his own words."

_INCREDIBLE PUNISHMENT._

"A great book is a great evil," said an ancient writer,--an axiom
which an unfortunate Russian author felt to his cost. "Whilst I
was at Moscow," says a pleasant traveller, "a quarto volume was
published in favor of the liberties of the people,--a singular
subject when we consider the place where the book was printed. In
this work the iniquitous venality of the public functionaries,
and even the conduct of the sovereign, was scrutinized and
censured with great freedom. Such a book, and in such a country,
naturally attracted general notice, and the offender was taken
into custody. After being tried in a very summary way, his
production was determined to be a libel, and the writer was
condemned to _eat his own words_. The singularity of such a
sentence induced me to see it put into execution. A scaffold was
erected in one of the most public streets of the city; the
imperial provost, the magistrates, the physicians and surgeons of
the Czar attended; the book was separated from its binding, the
margin cut off, and every leaf rolled up like a lottery ticket
when taken out of the wheel at Guildhall. The author was then
served with them leaf by leaf by the provost, who put them into
his mouth, to the no small diversion of the spectators; he was
obliged to swallow this unpalatable food on pain of the
knout,--in Russia more dreadful than death. As soon as the
medical gentlemen were of opinion that he had received into his
stomach as much at the time as was consistent with his safety,
the transgressor was sent back to prison, and the business
resumed the two following days. After three very hearty but
unpleasant meals, I am convinced by ocular proof that every leaf