The Sun.
London, England, 1823-07-25 00:00:00

A LUNATIC'S CUNNING.

A very laughable incident occurred at the Di.
natic Asylum at Lancaster, about ten days ago.
A parish officer from the neighbourhood of Mid-
dleton took a lunatic to the Asylum, pursuant to
an order signed by two Magistrates. As the man
was respectably connected, a gig was hired for
the purpose, and he was persuaded that it was
merely an excursion of pleasure on which he was
going. In, the course of the journey, however,
something occurred to arouse the suspicions of the
lunatic with respect to his real destination ; but
he said nothing on the subject, made no resist-
ance, and seemed to enjoy his jaunt. When they
arrived at Lancaster, it was too late in the even
ing to proceed to the Asylum, and they took up
their quarters for the night at an inn. Very early
in the morning the lunatic got up and searched'
the pockets of the officer, where he found the
Magistrate's order for his own detention, which
of course let him completely into the secret.
With that cunning which madmen not unfrequent-'
ly display, he made the best of his way to the'
Asylum, saw one of the keepers, and told him that
he had got a sad mad fellow down at ,Lancesterf
whom he should bring up in the course of did
day adding, ," He's a very queer fellow, and
has got very odd ways. For, instance, I should
not wonder if lie was to say I was the madmani
and that. he was bringing me; but you must take
care of him, and not believe a word that he says."
The. keeper of course promised compliance, and
the lunatic walked back to the inn, where
he found the overseer still 'fast asleep. Be.
awoke him, and they sat down to breakfast.to%
gether. " You're a very lazy fellow, to be ly%
. ing all day. I have had a good long walk this
unati cpaesrsheanpts assented,
you
and,
aliftegro beamorning." 66 Indeed," said the overseer, "I
should like .to have a walk myself after break-
fast;i they set
.out, the overseer leading the way towards the
wirwikthfas altr The
Asylum, intending to deliver his charge; but it
never occurred t_ him to examine whether big
order was safe. When they got within sight of
the Asylum, the lunatic exclaimed, " Wbat a
fine house that is!" " Yes,' said thaoverseer,
".1 should like to see the inside of it."-4-4.5e"
should I," observed die-lunatic. " Well," said
the other, " I dare say they will let 'us-10°k
through : however, ?flask." They went to the
door; the tetetseer rang the and the keeper,
Whom the lunatii had' OreViouily seen mad( hia'
appearance With .two or three assistants..: The
overseer the begun` to fumble in his pockets' foi•
the order,. which the lunatic produced and gave
fa the keeper,: saying " This is the man I spoke
to yottabouti.yoti take care orblin'; shay!
his head, and put a stela waistcoat on Wm."- ,Tbe
men immediately laid hands on the poor- over-
seer, who vociferated loudly that the other was
the madman, and he the keeper;- but as this only
seemed to contrm the story previously told •by
the lunatic, it did 'not at all tend to procure
Iris
liberation. - was taken away,and became so
very obstreperods, -that a' strait, waistcoat Was
speedily put upon him, and his head. was shaved
iecuncluin ortem. Meanwhile the lunatic walked
deliberately back to the inn, paid the reckoning,
and set out on his journey homeward. . The good
people in the -country were, ofcourse,
surprised on finding
the wrong man return ; they
•
not a little
were afraid that the lunatic in a .lit of,freniy%ba
murdered the overseer vend they aske<ltimlfwith,
great trepidation, what he had done with -----•"
Done with him ?"-said the madman, 66 why
left him at Lancaster Asylum, as mad as
which, indeed, was not very far from truth ; for
the wits of the poor overseer were well
oversef, by:his unexpected detention, and subse-
quent treatment. 'Further 'inquiry "was forthwith'made ; it was ascertained that the man was sc•
tually in the asylum. A Magistrate's order, was
procured for his liberation.; and he , returned
home on Wednesday last, with a handkerchief'
tied round his head, in liett-ofthacov.e.ring which.
nature had bestowed upon it. •.

When Lord.. Chief Justice presided in
the Court udrotwnofmKiitnhga'sgß4ocyhe,ratyp,oaonrddeienrifiprtiotyll,eriveatsuburreou;g.ST:ablley.
fore him, charged as a criminal, on whom the hill severityof
the law ought to be visited with exemplary effect; .TheterrOrs of
impartiality never set on any Judge's brow with more inipres-
sive dignity or threatening aspect than on that-of Judge Holt.
The trembling culprit was overwhelmed with her •fearc- The •
charges were i‘ opened. What is her crime ?" asked his Lord-
ship. " Witchcraft."—" How .isit . proved ? She has a.
powerful
i it app
spell."zred a small al
" Letmesebeii of t."..vTatirmieispmelly-
lwcoalosltrreti rags t
ndedtother
silk, bound with threads of as many different hues ; these
were unwound and unfolded,. until there appeared a serap.:of.
parchment, on which were written certain characters now nearly ;
illegible from much use. " Is this the spell ?"—The prose- -
cutors answered it was. The Judge, after looking at this pro-
tent charm a few moments, acldressed.himself to the terrified
prisoner. " Prisoner, how came- you by this ?".:.." A young
gentleman, my
.Lord, gave it to me to coming child's ligue."
—" How long since ?"—" Thirty years,' my Loid."— And
did it cure hear ?"—" Oh, yes, and many others."—" I am
glad of it." The Judge paused a few moments, and then ad.
dressed himself to the Jury. " Gentlemen of the Jury, thirty
years ago,i and some companions, as thoughtless as myself,
went to this woman's dwelling, theiva public house, and after
enjoying ourselves, found we had no means to discharge the
reckoning. I had recourse to a stratagem. Observing a child
ill of ass ague, I pretended I had a spell to .Cure her. I wrote
the classic-11ns you see on a scrap of parchment, and was disr".
charged of the demand an me by the gratitude of the poor wo-
man before us, for the supposed benefit; nature doubtless did
much for the patient,- the force of imagination the rest.
incident but ill suits my present_ character and the station in
which I sit, but to conceal it would be to aggravate the folly for
which it becomes me to.itone."

BIRTHS.
On Wednesday, the Mt] inst., the Lady of, Benjamin Cole,
Esq., of Frognal, Hampstead, of a daughter.
Yesterday, Mrs. J. R. Robins, of Gower-street, of n son.