The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-01-01 00:00:00

THE FoRTUNATE YOUTa

(Costariedfroon air Papa' qf poshorder)

In the course of IS Visit near Newmarket young
C. had situouncetl the expected arrival or some
Sicilian wines, from his estates on Mount Etna : *
hamper came, but he did cwt appear anxious to re-
vert to the subject. When it was mentioned, lie
affected pleasure at bring reininded of she circum-
stance.; ordered the sample bottles to be brought
I in, de‘m-.ted on the advantages he should derive
by the improved cultivation of the Sicilian grape.
and requested opinion as to She quality be should
encourage.—The Surchall, the halo, and the
ersea di Vim, especially, were approved.
Young C. promiPed to allow his frivol, to partake
at tlw quantity already imported by his agent, and
to 'beret abundant stores to be supplied in future
from his viaryaid.
One of the guests hail at the titne observed,
d' Edwards. Crotched-friars," writtesi un the cork
of the betties. To Edwards application was now
made, end it resulted from that inquiry, that the
eon-in-law of Mr. Edwards was sunned Cawston,
and had employed himself for some years in the
Sicilian vintage ; s' that. presuming ors lois name's-
sake, he had written to recommend his father's
Sicilian wines to young C. as doubtless be was
about to stock the cellars of his various itsassiosts."
No proposition could aver come more happily, and
an order was instantly given for samples to be sent ;
14 bottles, continuing seven different sorts, were
dispatched accordingly, and the memorandum re-
mains this day existing in Mr. Edwards's books,
ass evidence Bacchi decipientis.
All these discoveries were communicated the
ensuing day to Mr. W. who admitted that they
authorised a bad opinion of the young man ; but
still be had faith in him, sod as a proof, had paid
that morning a bill on his account of 40 odd
pounds. by bribe' message. and without any other
security ; for he reported again, as he had done the
preceding day, that he sever hod any reference
given hint, nor was any document ever sheacm him
to aathenticate the boy's story or prove his pos-
session of one shdling.
Never, indeed, was any cot.fidence more sincere
than Mr. W.'s, for he not only had been in treaty
fur Houghton with I-..--a•s! C. and for other estates,
but he "mil employe! Mr. H. and Sir S. R. to
make his client IA ward is. Chancery ; and its some
difficulty arose from thi youti!• roan's property
being personal, and conveyed by' deed of gift. it
was arranged that young C. should give his father
100,0Oul. and the father shook! make a settlement
on him to this amount, which would enable the
Chancellor to interfere—a process lea etuty as the
prescribed duty of a Coninittuttir Olio Indianian.
which commences, it is said, by the simple three.

tion, ‘, lint get u shit►."
Mr. W. Inn, himself mentioned, that lie hall

moreover directed his Banker. near Charing-cross,
to open two accounts in his name, representing the
account. No. as one that would lie of a greater
magnitude than any winch war ever brought into
the house.. On the luth December, however, on
reference {sting made to it. there appeared the so-
litary item of—No. I debtor to No. I, forty-secen
powads eleven shillings.
In consequence of rhitt had transpired, it wive
thought-is public duty to disconcert any further
machinations which this young man might have in
view. and therefore in The Morning COMnicle; on
the 6th of Decestilwr, a caution was inserted against
the " Fortunate Youth," who was desitviatrd an
impostor: hut the cautious was worik4l with as
much delicacy us possible for the fee-hugs of Isis
family and friend-, by omission of Isis 1. ly pow.
This caution produced a letter from the Solicitor
tavd confidential tend ti the Fortunate Youth ;
iii which the youth'. character vindicated from
the aspersion. and a threat of prosecution 'was
hazarded against the libeller.
An answer was published, in which the charge of
imposition was mentioned, and the pledge made of
proof being given to substantiate the charges before
the 'menaced Tribunal.

Instead of returning to London to investigate the
accusation, Mr. W. set off with the young mati's
father and brother to Hougiiimi, and at the same
time, in his own name, addressed a lever to the
public. in which lie stated, " he had no reason to
disbelieve the story tf the much abused youth ; but
if he ever dill discover him to be 1411 impostor, he
would give him no longer countenance."
This letter was considered by many not merely a
public defence against the charge, but at admission
that Mr. W. had no proof to offer that he was not
the dupe of his client.
Still the journey to Houghton. the correspon-
dence from thence with the Conveyancer. on the
subject of the purchase, the declaration that the
contract should be concluded, and that this act
would be the best answer to the caltsmniatars, mid
the high language held with regard to the prosecu-
tion of the Newspaper Editors, fortified many in
ow errors, and induced some at the ittiZTespoet.
ahlo persons, who had been made actinainted with
''.every particular. to confess they were Hgainowaver-
lag in their opinion—a confrioiois which certainly
does the highest honour to the character of Mr. W.
Nevertheless Mr. W.'s agents were not satisfied that
his confidence was justified, and at length they per-
suaded his return to town, whets a letter which
young C. had given to Mr. W. with orders that it
should not be opened until the first of January.
was under the urgent necessity of the case examined
(the father thereto consenting). and that letter being
found to contain only false references, Mr. W. suf-
fered the bandage to be drawn from his eyes. which
a generous. confidence had so perseveringly main-
tained.

A letter from Messrs. S. and E. of Liverpool. re•
moved the last lingeeing doubts, and Nlr. %V.
im-
mediately wrote and published the acknowledg.
meld of liis having been deceived by a lunatic or
depraved impostor.
The charm being broken, a letter written by
young C.. mid dated Paris, iu which he iodic'.
lasted Ilia discovery of his tale references, but yet
affirmed the general truth of his story, although
received the day preceding the publication of Mr.
%V.'s recantation, had no effect upon his decipiou.
but it was so far satisfactory as to remove soul, of
• Mr. %V 's uneasiness as to the coarse taken• by'
young C. after he reached Celtics, since it is said
he had letters of reconueudation, w.bich. if he' had
I gone direct into Germany, he might have es-ci to

IMO