The Sun.
London, England, 1863-10-29 00:00:00

Field Marshal Lord Clyde's Codicil.

" STRANGE T( SAN, ON CLUB PAPER."

Quoting from the Observer newspaper of the 27th
September (sth page, 4th column)—" The codicil
appended to the will of the late Lord Clyde, exe-
cuted at Chatham, and bearing the signature of
Clyde, F.M.,' is written, strai'ge to say, on a sheet
of paper bearing the Athenaeum Club nark"—Mr.
Thackeray, in the new number of the Cornhill
IWagazine, discourses thus charming'y, gravely,
humorously, pathetically, impressively
The will of Field-Marshal Lord Clyde signed at
Chatham, mind, where his lordship died—is Written,
strange to say, on a sheet of paper bearing the Athenserun
Club mark I
The inference is obvious. A man cannot get Athenmurn
paper except at the Athenaeum. Such paper is not sold at
Chatham, where the last codicil to his lordship's will is
dated. And so the painful belief is forced upon us, that a
Peer, a Field-Marshal,wealthy, respected, illustrious, could
pocket paper at his club, and carry it away with him to the •
country. One fancies the hall porter conscious of the old
lord's iniquity, and holding down his head as the marshal
passes the door. What is that roll which his lordship
carries? Is it his marshal's baton gloriously won? No;
it is a roll of foolscap conveyed from the club. What has
he on his breast, under his great-coat ? Is it his Star of
India ? No ; it is a bundle of envelopes, bearing the head
of Minerva, some sealing-wax, and a half-score of pens.
Lot us imagine how in the hall of one or other of these
clubs this strange anecdote will be discussed.
"Notorious screw," says Sneer. "The poor old fellow's
avarice has long been known."
" Suppose he wishes to imitate the Duke of Mtalborough,',
says Simper.

" Habit of looting contracted in India, you know; ain't
so easy to get over, you know," says Snigger.
" When officers dined with him in India," remarks
Solemn, "it was notorious that the spoons were all of a
different pattern."
"Perhaps it isn't true. Suppose he wrote his paper at
the club ?I' interposes Janes.

"It is dated at Chatham, my good man," says Brown.
"A man if he is in London, says he is in London. A man
if he is in Rochester, says he is in Rochester. This man
happens to forget that he is using the club paper : and he
happens to be found out : many men don't happen to be
found out. I've seen literary fellows at clubs writing their
rubbishing articles ; I have no doubt they take away reams
of paper. They crib thoughts : why shouldn't they crib
stationery ? One of your literary vagabonds who is capable
of stabbing a reputation, who is capable of telling any mon-
strous falsehood to support hie: party, is surely capable
of stealing a ream of paper."__

" Well, well, we have all our weaknesses," sighs
Robinson. " Seen that article, Thompson, in the Observer
about Lord Clyde and the club paper? You'll find it. up-
stairs. In the third column of the fifth page towards the
bottom of the page. I suppose he was so poor he couldn't
afford to buy a quire of paper. Hadn't fourpence in the
world. Oh, no I"
"And they want to get up a testimonial to this man's
memory—a statue or something I" mks Jawkins. " A
man who wallows in wealth and takes paper away from his
club I I don't say he is not brave. Brutal courage most
men have. I don't say he was not a good officer; a man
with such experience must have been a good officer, unless
he was born fool. But to think of this man loaded with
honours—though of a low origin—so lost to self-respect as

actually to take away the Athenasum paper I These, par-
venus, sir, betray their origin—betray their origin. I said
to my wife this very morning, ' Mrs. Jawkins,' I said,
'there is talk of a testimonial to this man. I will not give
one shilling. I have no idea of raising statues to fellows
who take away club paper. No, by George, I have not.
Why, they will be raising statues to men who take club
_ _

spoons next I Not one penny of my money shall they

have l' "

And now, if you please, we will tell the real story which
has furnished this scandal to a newspaper, this tattle to

club gossips and loungers. The field-marshal, wishing to
make a futher provision for a friend, informed his lawyer

what he desired to do. The lawyer, a member of the

Athenaauro Club, there wrote the draft of such a codicil as
he would advise, and sent the paper by post to Lord Clyde
at Chatham. Lord Clyde, finding the paper perfectly satis-
factory, signed it and sent it back : and hence we have tha

story of "the codioil bearing the signature of Clyde, F.M.
and written, strange to say, upon paper bearing the Athe

naum Club mark,"

Here I have been imagining a dialogue between a half.
dozen gossips such as congregate round a club fire••place o

an afternoon. I wonder how many people besides—whether

any chance reader of this very page, has read and believed
this story about the good old lord ? Have the country

papers copied the anecdote, and our "own correspondents"
made their remarks on it ? If, my good sir, or madam,

you have read it and credited it, don't you own to a little

feeling of shame and sorrow, now that the trumpery little

mystery is cleared ? To " the new inhabitant of light,"
passed away and out of reach of our censure, misrepresen-
tation, scandal, dulness, malice, a silly falsehood matters

nothing. Censure and praise are alike to him—" the music
warbling to the deafened ear, the incense wasted on the
funeral bier," the pompous eulogy pronounced over the

gravestone, or tho lie that slander spits on it. Faithfully
though this brave old chief did his duty,honest and upright

though his life was, glorious his renown—you see he could
write at Chatham cn London paper ; you see men can be

found to point out how " strange" his behaviour was.

MARKETS---This Day,

MARK-LANE.

IMPERIAL WEEKLY AVERAGES. —Wheat, 40$ Od ;
barley, 33s 11d ; oats, 18s 7d ; rye, 28s 9d ; beans, 36s bd ;
and peas, 35s Bd.
THE SIX WEEKS' AVERAGES. Wheat, 42s Od ;
barley, 34s 9(1 ; oats, 198 7d ; rye, 30s 8d; beans, 37s 7d ;
peas, 36s 3d.
ENGLISH GRAIN SOLD LIST WEEK.—Wheat, 104,742;
barley, 90,353 ; oats, 12,185; rye, 179; beans, 4,323; peas
1,787 quarters.