“He was, early in 1794, leaving his chambers in the Temple for the purpose of paying a visit in the Northern outskirts of London.  Upon crossing Fleet Street he had to traverse Bell Yard; and as he passed a watchmaker’s shop his attention was attracted by a placard in the window, of a very revolutionary character, convening a meeting of a certain society, that evening, at the watchmaker’s.  Many a man would have passed it unnoticed, or contented himself with a feeling of regret or indignation at the prevalence during that period of similar views:  not so was it with young Ward; he was fresh from all the horrors which the success of such principles in a neighboring country had entailed; he at once determined to enter the watchmaker’s shop and provoke a discussion with him.  For two hours did the young student contest with the Republican the justice of his sentiments; for two hours did he labor to impress upon him, not only by argument but by his own experience, the horrors to which success must lead; but at the end of that time he was obliged to leave him, apparently unmoved, or at all events unconvinced.  He paid his distant visit, and late in the evening returned homeward through the same alley.  Desparing of success, he paid no second visit to the disputant of the morning, though he did remark with pleasure that the revolutionary placard had been withdrawn.  Hardly, however, had he passed the shop twenty yards, when he heard some one running after and calling to him.  He looked back and beheld the Republican watchmaker.  The manner of the man was changed from the dogged imperturbability with which he had listened to Mr. Ward’s arguments in the morning to a frank and eager confidence.  ‘I have called you in,’ said he, ’to say I have done nothing but think over your words:  I feel their truth; I shudder at the precipice on which I stood, at the evil I was about to do; and am now as anxious to communicate and prevent as I was before to conceal all our schemes.’  He then communicated to him the existence of a most fearful plot against the Government, which, with his newly-awakened feelings, he longed to frustrate by immediately informing the authorities, if he who had convinced would also accompany and support him.

“They went to the Chief Magistrate, Sir Richard Ford; who attached so much importance to the communication, that the three were at once ushered into the presence of Pitt and his colleagues, assembled with Macdonald and Scott, the Attorney and Solicitor-General.  The singular history was duly narrated in detail; the arguments carried on by the young Mentor, the misgivings of the Republican, and then the details of the impending danger.  The countenance of Pitt was turned with interest on the young lawyer, who seemed not only to share that horror of revolutionary movements with which he was himself so strongly imbued, but who had so gallantly acted upon it.  ‘What was your motive, young gentleman,’ he inquired,