The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-01-14 00:00:00

riiiE BRITISH PRESS.

one morning at the White Horse, Kensington ; after breakfast it
occurred to him to see Cobbett ; t,obbett liven in a respectable
house, with an iron sort of grating before it ; he knocked at the
door ; it was opened by a young woman, his danghter he believed:
be asked for Mr. Cubbett ; she Said she would try if he were at
home; on which hr (Mr. Wells), told her to say the gentleman
who wanted to see Mr. (ohbett was brother to Mr. Samuel Wells,
the great radical lawyer. On this he was immediately introduced
to Mr. Cobbett, and found Dim a most geetlemanly man indeed.
At this time, gentlemen, said Mr. Wells, I was not lately shaved,
and looked most ghastly. I asked Mr. Cobbett if he knew any
thing of a Mr. Maxwell, who wits confined then in a private mad-
' house ; I asked thin because I thright that Mr. Cobbett, who had
written so much on er ry subject, in f:sct, on all manner of things,
on hers, straw-plait, Sr., might perhaps know something of mad-
houses. 1 must 'confess Mr. Cobbett looked a little astonished
he stared at me; he seemed to labour under considerable nervous
excitetnent. Awl I came. I strived at Hyde Park corner,
I recollected hew fidgety and nervous he looked, and I langhed
heartily. Gentlemen, I revert committed acts of insanity ; I in.
'cried in the Norwhis Chroniek an advertisement calling for plans
of a private madhouse.
Mr. EvAxcr.—Pray, Sir, did not yon go of ycur own wish
to Horton-bonsise?
Mr. Wells—Yes ; I went there to satisfy some weak-minded
friends ; I said I would go there fur three days, thane weeks, or three
months.

Mr. WING/ tv. to—Why did you hit on three
Mr. Webs—That is a sacred ranter With me. Mr. Wells
then proceeded to read various passages from the book of Genesis ;
among them were, " And the spirit of God moved on the waters,
acd God said let us make man after our own likeness." Now the last,
he cortecded, was a death-blow to the Unitarians, for if their doc-
trine were right, it would be written " let me." and not .• let or."
lif course, Gentlemen, there can be no &tabs as to sibs translation
from the Hebrew. Is it not plant ? Your of mirk know (raid
Mr. Wells, addressing his berther). • Now he considered the 'few.
unseat typical of the human frame. There were in one the letters,
words, sentences--in the.other the heart and other great organs.
Mr. Art wrair.s.D —That hypothesis is rather abstruse. Now
would you favour as with year theory on madness la women /

Mr. Wells—l think It is all nervousness, and would recommend
music as a specific • and let persons say whit they will, nervous-
ness is insanity. This was the case with regard to ladies, but was
not so as far as he wos concerned. Indeed it was idle to call any
thing insanity that did not break out into acts, such as sending a
threatening letter, or cutting a man with a knife. When a man
was really mad, the sensorium was eaten away by animalcule, red
ones. There was nothing so good aa port wine ; he once drank
largely of it; it ascentlzd to his brain, and served him very much.
Dr. Litterdale, examines! by Mr. Nictrois—ls a member of the
College of Physicians ; has had intertiews with 31r. Wells ; re-
members hearing from him that apple.pic was a cure for madness:
Ike said it was an aperient, and destroyed the animalcule that were
constantly timing in the stomach.

Mr. Wells—Yes, Sir, I did nay no. Yon told me most politely
you wanted information as to the remedies for madness, and I gave
all that I could commend. Now the manner in which I became
possessed of intuition was this ; or rather the manner in which I
became convinced of my having it was this: I read a speech of Mr.
Scurlett's ; 1 also read some of Lord Byron's works; he somewhere
in them says that he eels double ; how can that be but from reason
and something beyond ? I found I could write fluently, and there-
fore felt I must be possessed of intuition ; but, Gentlemen, tears
would flow from me if I were wont to cry, at the imputation cast on
me to-day.
The examination of Doctor Littentale was again th...eeded on.—
Remembers Mr. Wells saying he would like to establish a London
Lunatic Lazaretto ; he seemed particularly to admire the allitera-
tion, that In the use of the three l's ; he divided mental derange-
ment into three classes--m=ia, melancholy, and imbecility.
Mr. Wixorrtr.n —Do you consider Mr. Wells as unsound or
a lunatic?

The witness said he knew no distinction ; there was no such
thing as lunar —that is to say, no madness, the recurrence or
continuation of which depeatied on the changes of the moon, as the
word lunacy would imply. 'Witness further said, that he consi.
dered Mr. Wells as incapable of managing his strains since the 24th
of November last.

William Partridge examined by Mr. Nicstor.s—Wu shoprnan
to Ur. Wells. Considered him incapable of conducting his affairs.
While witness lived with him he carried on business in Tichfield-
street. His extraordinary behaviour made his customers leave him.
Has frequently told witness that his wife was insane.
John IVatson examined—ls brother-in-law to Mr. Wells. Con-
siders him insane, and incapable of managing his affairs.
Mr. Wells examined a Mr. Bird, from whom nothing material
was elicited. In continuation he said, true it was he frightened off I
some persons from his shop ; that was easily accounted for—he
wore an unfortunate wig ; " this identical wig, ' said Mr. Wells,
holding up one which he took "was the cause: you see, gentlemen,
the effect it has on me." (Ile here placed it on his head, and even
the melancholy nature of the investigation could not keep undis-
turbed the gravity of the Court.) " And as to the story of my wife,
the fact is this—she said to me • James, I wish to speak six words
with you.' Now, it occurred to me that the only six words she
could have to say were. ' We part to meet no more ;' or ' I live
no mere with you.' This could not fail to alarm me. The Jury
*weld end sash of tbeersentesesistoototesil-somesipsit sawsils,*
In conclusion, he said that only t* Moo wiry shard against
him, making madhouses and cut Insane pawns. Ile would
give up these; and he begged them not to believe Mr. Watson.
That gentleman gave fifty pounds for pickles ; he would therefore '
call his disease picklomania.
When Mr. N ells concluded, Mr. EVAXCE suggested to him the
propriety of withdrawing, that the Jury might consider the verdict.
The Jury found—" That Mr. Wells was insane since the 24th '1
November last, and that he is now, and has been since, incapable
of managing his affairs."

It is expected that Uttoxeter church will be shortly re-
built.
RAnA Avis.—lt is a fact that a gentleman while hunt-
ing with the Brighton Harriers yesterday, saw a yellow
butterfly on theiwing.—Brighton Gazette.
A young man of the name of Weaver, who died on the
preceding Thursday, was interred in the parish church-
yard, on Tuesday, the very day which had been fixed
upon for his wedding. —Cheltenham Paper.
On New-year's Etc, a large number of distinguished
guests, comprising the principal Nobility and Gentry of
the neighbourhood, were entertained at lilithfield, the seat
of Lord Begot, in a style of princely munificence. The re-
past, which was excessively sumptuous, was followed by a
ball, in which the company engaged with much spirit until
"the peep of day." The King's Own Stafford Militia
Band and a London Quadrille Band were in attendance.
On Monday evening, a young man, holding a confi-
dential situation in this town, under circumstances of
nervous excitement, cr temporary irritation. mixed up a
quantity of arsenic in a tumbler of water, and drank it off,
observing to a young friend who was present, it would be
" all over before morning :" the friend immediately gave
notice to his employers of what had occurred, who as
quickly sent for medical aid. Mr. Blaker and Mr. Roberts
were speedily on the spot, and by the prompt and judicious
use of Reed's Patent Syringe, successfully removed the
whole contents of the stomach, and effectually washed
out that organ, at first by simple warm water, and after by
the introduction of those remedies which are supposed to
act as antidotes; so successful indeed was the removal of
the poison, that enough cannot be said in praise of an in-
vention and instrument, which gives such immediate com-
mand over the most active and virulent poisons, whether
the patient be willing or not to submit to medical assist-
ance, as was the case in this instance, as it was not until a
large key was determinalely introduced and retained be-
tween the patient's teeth, that he would allow the introduc-
tion of the tube ; the poor fellow, we are happy to add,
passed a tranquil night, and appeared yesterday suffering
little from symptoms that could be specifically traced to
arsenical poison ; he has been able to retain the food al-
lowed him on the stomach, and in every respect appears to
be doing very well.—Brighton
TERRIBLE OLTRAGE.—On Friday, the 31st of Decem-
ber last, at two o'clock in the afternoon, about forty men,
with their hats chalked in front, and armed with bludgeons
and short sticks, with spikes in them. went to the village of
Breaston, in this county, and entered the shop of a stock-
ing-maker, named William Plackett, where they proceeded
to unscrew and carry away with them parts of frames. On
Plackett endeavouring to recover what they had taken, he
was cut on the head, and very severely beaten. The con-
stable also, who came to his assistance, was much hurt.
We understand several of the party arc known, and one of
them being sworn to, who resided at Sheepshead, a war-
rant was obtained against him, and a constable despatched
to execute it, who, on Tuesday night, with the assistance
of a Sheepshead constable, succeeded in securieg the man,
about twelve o'clock at night. However, before the pri-
soner could be got into a post-chaise, a large mob assem-
bled, who, in the most brutal and savage manner, at-
tacked and desperately wounded the two constables ; but
the latter, notwithstanding, resolutely brought off the pri-
soner, who wag lodged in Nottingham gaol, but has since
been removed to Derby. I f these misguided men (who are ,
no doubt goaded on by designing individuals) suppose they
can by violence succeed in their purposes, they will find
themselves mistaken. The law will certainly be too strong
for them. We are informed that the breaking or carrying
away any part of a stocking-frame is felony. James Kelly,
the person appre hentled, as stated above, was, on Friday
last, fully committed to our county gaol, to take his trial
at the ensuias assizes.—Derly Mercury.