The Sun.
London, England, 1849-11-02 00:00:00

MR. PIPS HIS DIARY.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1849.—T0 the old House
in the Market, where I would fain have seen Macbeth,
for the Acting as well as the Divertisement ; but
this not the Night, so went Half-Price, and did
see the Unpolished Gem instead. Touchstone did
play Brother Dick, a Country Clown, and his
Figure, in a Coat short in the Waist, a huge
striped Waistcoat, Trousers too big for him tucked
up at the Ancles, Hob-Nail Boots, and a great ill-
shaped Hat, mighty droll, and did move the People
to clap their Hands and laugh the Moment he came
on the Stage. Then did he take off his Hat, and
show a red-cropped Head, and smooth down his Hair,
and make a Face upon the Audience, whereat they
did laugh again, and then turning round show them a
Back View of himself, which made the rn laugh the more.
Still greater Laughter the Moment he opened his
Mouth, and I did laugh too, as much as any, though I
heard not what he said ; but only for the Oddness of
his Voice, which is such that methinks I could not
keep my Countenance to hear him, even if he were
speaking Hamlet. Mighty droll to see him in a
fine House make himself at Home after the Fashion
of a Bumpkin, and hear him in his rustical
Drawl and Twang relate all the news and
Tattle of his Village. What with his clod-
hopping Gait, and Awkwarnness, and :In-
dependence, and Impudence, he did make,
methinks, the veriest Lout I did ever see, even in
Hampshire. His Politeness even droller than his
Rudeness, and his Ploughbow Courtesy of kissing his
Hand as comical as could be. But I know not well
whether I do more prefer his Cocknies or his Clowns;
for methinks I have seen him do a Snob as well as a
Clodpole, and he is very good in both, whether a rus-
tical Booby or a Whippersnapper Spark; and do use V
for W, and misuse or drop his H, and talk the
Flash and Cant of the Town mighty natural. But
to think how we English People do take Delight in
everything that is ridiculous; and how I have seen a
Theatre ringing with Merriment at the Sight of
Touchstone in a Paper Cap and Apron, with a Baker's
Tray and Bell, crying "Muffins!" or eating with his
Mouth full ; or even putting his Arms a Kimbo, or
pulling his Hat over his Eyes, and some of the Audi•
ence, and myself too, in Fits almost with Laughter.
Methinks that Foreigners are wrong to suppose that
we are a melancholy people, and would give up this
Notion if they could see us at a broad Farce, and
how easily we are pleased, and what Straws will
tickle us almost to Death. Home, my sides aching
by Reason of Touchstone's Drolleries, and truly he
do make a mighty excellent roguish Buffoon. So to
Bed mimicking Touchstone his Voice to my Wife,
which did divert her mightily.—Punch.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MANSION-HOUSE.

In the course of an examination of a woman, who
was charged with having committed a felony which
called for no peculiar remark, a man named William
Trafford, who was attending the justice-room upon
other business, gave a turn to the case by stating
that he had some time ago, when in the metropolitan
police, apprehended the prisoner and given evidence
against her.
Alderman CARDEN desired to be informed why the
witness, who appeared to be an ablebodied and vigor-
ous man, was not still a member of the metropolitan
police ?
Trafford said his connexion with the metropolitan
police was broken off in consequence of a special in-
jury whit he had sustained in his efforts to save
several persons from the flames of a burning house in
College•place, Camden-town, on the night of the 9,,h
ofJune, 1848. Upon that occasion two persons who
were screaming for help in the top story of the house
had at his desire dropped from the windows upon
him. They escaped without much injury, but thr
tremendous shock of such a weight falling from such
a height had inflicted an injury upon him which for
some time completely disabled him, and his retirement
from the duties of a policeman necessarily followed.
He had upon the same occasion saved fire other lives.
He felt high gratification at having been made the
instrument, providentially, of preventing the loss of
so many of his fellow-creatures, but his own strength
and constitution had been almost sacrificed in the
attempt.
Alde,rman CARDEN—You have of course a certifi
cate of good conduct during your service in VA,
police force ?
Trafford—l have, my Lord; and I received a do-
nation of 20/. as a reward for my exertions, and a
sovereign and a silver medal from the Royal Society
for the Protection of Life from Fire; but my long
illness, and the demands of a wife and two children,
and the debt contracted in consequence of my in
ability to go to any active employment, swallowed up
the whole amount in a short time, and I am now
without the mewls of support.
Alderman CARDEN—Your case is indeed a very
afflicting one, and I shall endeavour to assist a man
who so willingly hazarded his own life to save the
lives of others., and undertoook so desperate an expe-
'riinent as that which you have described, and by
which you received so serious a hurt. I have no
doubt that the Lord Mayor, for whom I sit, will
agree with me that the claims of such a man ought
not to be disregarded; and I dare say the circum-
stances of your case will meet the benevolent notice
of persons able to give you such employment as will
not tax your strength.
The ex-metropolitan policeman gratefully acknow-
ledged the interest taken in his case by the Alder-
man, and handed in his medal and the printed account
of the proceedings at the last anniversary of the in
stitution of the Royal Society for the Protection of
Life from Fire.

Alderman CARDEN read the inscription upon the
medal, which was as follows :
"Presented at the anniversary meeting of the Royal So-
ciety for the Protection of Life from Fire, May 14,1849, Sir
James Duke in the chair, to William Trafford, for h 6
heroic and praiseworthy conduct at a fire at 61, College-
place, Camden-town, June 9, 1848, where by his own
unaided and extraordinary exertions the lives of seven
persons were saved."
In the printed report of the proceedings, the fact of
Trafford's receiving the two persons who dropped
from the garret window was stated, and Mr. Frazer,
the churchwarden of St. Pancras, added his testimony
in the following certificate, which the Alderman like-
wise read :

" On June 9, 1848, William Trafford (constable in S
division of police) succeeded in saving the lives of several
individuals, but in his praiseworthy exertions he received
injuries which compelled him to resign his situation in
the police. He has since recovered his health, and is
now in want of a situation. It will therefore be an act
of justice in any gentleman or public company having
the power, to procure for him a situation at their dis-
posal."