The Sun.
London, England, 1824-01-19 00:00:00

JOHN THUItTELL.

(I'll6l THE NORWICH MERCURY.)
Letter from the nigh S'herf of HERTFORD to the FATHER of
JOHN THURTELE.

Hertford, Jan. 8; 1824.
SIR--By the earnest' solicitation .of your unfortunate son,
Mr. John Thurtell, I forward the 'enclosed letter from him,
which I- hope may be the means of communicating to you some
degree of consolation ; be assured that as a father I feel for you
most exquisitely; and•am desirous of administering, if I could,
comfort to your wounded spirit. I have the satiafaction to as-
sure you that in-my last interview with him this day I found
him in a happy frame of mind, quite fitted to'his unfortunate
situation ; he expressed himself as feeling much for all his fa-
mily, and hoped that every thing would be done to alleviate
their sufferings on his behalf—he declared that he forgave Pro-
ben and all the world, and desired that I would permit Hunt
to have an interview with him, which immediately ordered,
and soon after seeing them shake hands together, 1 left them
in the company of the Chaplain, who has been particularly at-
tentive to him, and feels much interested in his unhappy situa-
tion. He has informed me that your son and Hunt have fixed
to receive the Sacrament to-morrow morning. I now, Sir; beg
to commend you to the protection of that Almighty Being,
who will, I trust, support you through this weight of affliction'
here, and restive you hereafter in those mansions of bliss and
happiness, where sorrow and sighing have no place.
Believe me Sir, although a stranger,
Yoar afflicted servant,
• • ROBERT SUTTON,
High Sheriff of the County of Hertford.
To Mr. Alderman Tuu RT ELL.
• Lakenham, Jan. 11, 1824.
SIR—I am at a loss for words to express my gratitude for
your humane and obliging letter, and also for your kind atten-
tion and advice to my unfortunate son when under your care.

•
May I bug of you, when an opportunity offers, ,to requellf Mr.
Lloyd, the Magistrates of Hertford, the Chaplain and. Ur.
Wilson, to accept my warmest acknowledgments for their very
kind attention to him, and I trust Heaven, will reward .yOu all
foi the generous sympathy you, have .evinced on this melan-
choly-and
awful occasion.
1 remain, Sir, (in the deepest afili6tion),,
Your obliged servani.;
THOS. THURTTgzi.
To ROEEKT SUTTON' Esq., High Sheriff
of the County of Hertford.
The following Letter was addrmed.to.a Gentleman: 4i this
city, a friend of Alderman. Thurs'ell's •
Silt—The unhappy John Thurtell made me. protruse him
that I would write to you, for the information oi\his father, on
account of his conduct from his conviction to his last mornentF,.
In'discharging this melancholy.duty there is one great alle-
viation—that every thing in this last stage of his. existence
was highly praiSeworthy. His thoughts Were divided be-
tween his love and respect for his parents and .surviving
relatives, and the care of his Awn soul. I never.. witnessed
any human creature more 'devoid of all stAfisli feelingSl and
I balieye lie was sincerely petiit.ent. He read and
_prayed
aloud to me, while the tears flowed mast copiously down his
cheeks., and almost choked his UtterauCe.' He Feeeived 4lie sa-
crament very devoutly, and entreated me to preach to the pri-
soners on Sunday a sermon which he had read, .and which he
thought would be beneficial to them. In all .t,i)iltt of'Ciuis-
tian
duty after his conviction lie was most exaniplary, partieu-
larly in frankly forgiving all his enemies, and praying for the
favour of God on his parents and family. Tne Newspapers
detail all the particulars very minutely, but I can' tell you his
feelings from my own observation, as I was with him con-
stantly from his conviction to his death. • .
He desired his respects to you, and hoped, yo:: would com-
municate to his father in private my information.

servant, rrvat,
. •
I have
Yourt he honour toobe intit i
.. F. W. FHA NKLIN, Chaplain of the Gaol.
Hertford,"lllonday, Jan. 12.
In expressing last week-our sympathy for the family of the un-
happy culprit, we regarded only the natural impulses of the
mind under the first effects of affliction. But now.that the bit-
terness is somewhat allityed by time, we may hope our goOd and
respected fellow citizen will feel the full force et the maxim of
the ancient philosophy, that dignity in hearing calamity affords
the fittest occasion for conciliating the respect of mankind.-
I.t was held by sages that nothing affords so true and so fine an
object for sympathy and admiration, as a good man enduring
With composure, visitations which .he could neither see nor
avoid.. Thus it is that out of suffering itself may be draWn the
Means of honour, and thus impressed, the worthy Alderman
will not yield to fruitless.retrospection, but by his own firmness
Will teach the lesson of resignation, anti fortitude (the,noblest
that can be taught) to all, and especially to tho4e who look up
to him fur support in a crisis which, as it tries, will, we trust,
be found also to.exalt his character.—(Mid.)