The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-29 00:00:00

THE LATE MR. HAYDON.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE MORNING HERALD.
Sir,—Nearly 20 years ago (July 9th, 1827) your journal
published an appeal, or rather a complaint of poor Ilaydon's,
too plainly foreshowing the destiny of his helpless and hope-
less career. At this moment, when the dead man attracts a
notice which the living could never obtain, his sad letter may
not be inaptly reprinted.
" TO THE EDITOR OF THE MORNING HERALD.
- _

" Sir,—ln the Literary Gazette of Saturday week was pub-
lished a report of what had been spent by the directors of the
British Gallery in favour of British artists—viz., 75,0001. in
pictures sold, 14,0001. in pictures purchased by the directors,
and 5,0001. in premiums bestowed.
" Perhaps, in my present condition of bitter degradation,
it will not be considered ungrateful in me to state that I
never received one guinea of the 75,0001. laid out in pictures
sold at the British Gallery ; that of the 14,0001. bestowed by
the directors in purchases I have never had the honour of
receiving one shilling; and that of the 5,0001. spent in pre-
miums, only 1001. was voted as a premium. 100/. as a pre-
mium during 23 years ! That at this moment my 'Judgment
of Solomon' is rolled up in a winehouse in the Borough !
My' Entry into Jerusalem,' once graced by the enthusiasm
of the rank and beauty of the three kingdoms, is doubled up
in a back room in Holborn ! That my' Lazarus is in an
upholsterer's shop in Mount-street ! and my Crucifixion,'
in a hayloft in Lisson-grove !
" My being unable, therefore, to meet the just demands
on me at present is not, I hope, wholly unaccounted for.
" Sir, yours,
" B. R. HAYDON.

" King's Bench Prison, July 7."
One hundred pounds in 23 years 1 and not a penny during
the next 19! The utilitarians to whom we vote our hundreds
of thousands of pounds, in reward for their having made their
own fortunes by railroad schemes, will piously wonder •ver
the suicide, whom 42 years of neglect have driven into his
desperate grave.

Long before the date of his letter to the Herald, Haydon
had been liberated from gaol as an insolvent, under which
process one of his finest pictures (a debt contracted for its gilt
frame being, I believe, in his schedule ; and another, pro-
bably, for its canvas and colours), was sold to a tradesman for
less than the cost price of its materials! _ .

(I, TA A :q, .

June 25, 1846.

[Surely these facts only tend the more conspicuously to
evidence the necessity for some sweeping reformation in the
treatment which so many of our countrymen have received,
and are receiving, from the Legislature ! Delicacy alone
prevents us from mentioning individuals now living who
have acquired for themselves a claim upon the gratitude of
their country, but who are at this moment pining silently
and secretly, as poor Haydon pined during two -and-forty
weary years of disappointment and penury, their great claim
unrecognised, their sufferings unappeased by the balm of
sympathy l Delicacy, we say, though we acknowledge
it to be but a presumptive and hypothetical deli-
cacy, after all. For it arises from that morbid sensi-
tiveness, which is the usual accompaniment of
genius. We have already adduced the contumely awarded
to Chatterton, the starvation of Otway, and the deathful
labours of Hood ; we might, unhappily, extend the cata-
logue of intellectual agony threefold, but that what we have
already observed is of itself more than sufficient. When we
find an old man like Haydon, who has adorned his country
with such noble works, driven to death by a protracted
career of misery, is there not a proof that some radical
change is requisite ? When we find less than ten thousand
pounds annually appropriated to the solace of our illustrious
sufferers, shall we say that Government is acting
fairly, generously, nobly, justly ? Shall we say that
there is no cause for a reformation in this item
bofeckpounblictoexupssadifrtoumre?hislf do,nwegeleeted d
aneoatthher Burns may
couch ! An-
other Goldsmith may plead to us for a release from his em-
barrassments ! in vain ! Another Laman Blanchard_ may
be incited to a suicidal insanity, another Haydontdest rO7
himself in the midst of_ his unfinished creations= he vic-
tims of our shameful and deplorable parsimony! The swami
of these unfortunate and gifted men rebuke
us for our
indifference, they call in their solemn memories for a re-
formation of this national grievance I—ED• Sun.]

most unplea-
sant AT BELLEWSTOWN
eel:lsiDryhooniteao
ng,
M'Donagh,
Si
wr een
bcoenlitervee,toouokt polfacse.
reodnceotnahftec race-csicanscutzney,
tin yesterday,
wwhhoi,chit
,aam;atlitnasre3d:r,
Hamilton acted as the friend
has already been before
refusedbe
that remembered,
ge n
tbadle
m beenen
tal
i e?h publica meeting; e challenged et dhi
is
unnecessary
nallne Mr.
merely state t
to it further onhe tfheeete ae presentthey occasion. We
yeWsteerdwaiyll., therefore,
merely
Ha-
milton was standing near the line of carriages opposite the
when. Mr. M‘Donagh came up, and addressing
stand-house,
ndsjah;d°,u,r'llamilton you are one of the greatest scoundrels
and cowards I ever knew; and but that I fear you would
bring me in. to the Queens Bench, I would horsewhip you
within an inch o your life,"—at the same time brandishing
a small stick over his shoulders, and telling him "to
consider himself horsewhipped," adding, " The first time I
meet your blackguard companion, I will serve him the same
way." Mr. Hamilton turned round and said, " Your present
conduct shows you are just the scoundrel I always took you
for, and I want to have nothing to do with you." Mr.
M'Donagh again repeatel that but for fear of be,ps brought
into the Queen's Bench lie would thrash him, upo'n which
Mr. Hamilton said, " I pledge you my honour, sir, I will not
bring you into the Queen's Bench if you strike me." "Then
have at you and be d—d to you," said Mr. M'Donagh, ac-
companying the words with a blow of his stick, first across
Mr. Hamilton's shoulders, and afterwards his face, which
broke his stick. Mr. Hamilton immediately grappled with
and struck Mr. M'Donagh. Some one presen handed Mr.
Hamilton a stick, upon seeing which Mr. M'Donagh ran
away, followed by Mr. Hamilton, who struck him two or
three times, apparently severely, on the head. We were in-
formed that at a subsequent period of the day some very
offensive language was addressed by Mr. M'Donagh to Mr.
HOMiltOll.—Dublin Freeman.