The Sun.
London, England, 1829-11-24 00:00:00

UNION HALL

Yesterday soon after the arrival of the Magistrates
Mr. Wardel, the proprietor of the Equestrian Tavern
and Coffee-house, near the Surrey Theatre, accom-
panied by a gentleman, named Cummine, attended
for the purpoie of detailing the particulars relative
to an act of self-destruction, contemplated by a gen-
tleman named R. B. Watts, formerly box-keeper of
Drury-lane Theatre, and who was also founder of a
society called the " Philanthropic,'.' which, since
its formation, has contributed to the relief of the
sick and indigent. The uofortuuate gentleman
alluded to, it appears, was only within a few years
back in very easy circumstances, but owing to losses
he sustained, his circumstances of late have been so
excceedingly straightened, as to produce great de-
pression of spirits, which operated so strongly on
his mind as to render his life a burden to him, and
induced him to come to the determination of corn-
tnitting an act from which, as will be. seen in the
following statement, he was by a miracle preserved.
Mr. Wardel. elated, that offthe preceding night
Mr. Watts, whom he had knoWn before, came to his
+(else and took a seat in the corner of one of the
boxes in the coffee-room. There were two other
gentlemen there at the time, one of whom having
some knowledge of Mr. Watts' features, and seeing.
that he appeared very much agitated, asked *Whet her
he was not the founder of the Philanthropic, the in-
quirer himself being a member of the Institution.
Mr.W. having replied in the affirmative, the gentleman.
requested that he would make known to them his situa-
tion, adding that it was obvious he was in trouble, and
that they should feel pleasure in relieving his peseta
situation as far as their pecuniary assistance could
be available. He however concealed the cause of
his uneasiness of mind, until Mr. Wardel, on enter-
ing the room, and having been made acquainted
with the circumstance, at length prevailed en Mr.
Watts to walk into a private room, and he was
there urged to state the cause of his apparent dis-
tress of mind. He then, with considerable reluct-
ance, admitted that he was suffering from poverty
and misfortune, and drawing forth a small parcel
from his coat-pocket, sealed.. up and directed for
" Mr. Stevens, Duke's Head, Margate," placed it
in the hands of Mr. Wardel, with avrequest that he
would forward it to Margate,as soon as he could con-
veniently. The parcel was received into the hands
of Mr. -Wardel, who with two gentlemen present,
(Mr. Cummine and another), immediately presented
him with some money for his present necessities, at
the same time informing him that they sheuld take
an opportunity of mentioning the misfortunes under
which he laboured to some friends who had known
him under different circumstances, in order that
something might be .done to relieve him from his
embarrassments. For 'these kindly offers on the
part of Mr. Wardel and the other two gentlemen,
Mr. Watts returned the most heartfelt thanks, and
he then left the house, after having declared that if
he was alive he should call on the Tuesday (this
slay), for the purpose of ascertaining what his friends
had done for him in the interim. On quitting the
house, notwithstanding the kind and soothing con-
duct with which he was treated by the individuals
above named, it was evident to them that he mani-
fested great lowness and depression of spirits, and
fearing that he meditated self-destruction, they in-
stantly broke open the small parcel he had entrusted
into Mr. Warders hand, and found therein the fol-
lowing letter addressed to Mr. Stevens, Duke's
Head, Margate, from which will be gathered the
desperate resolution of the unfortunate writer
" Kind, kind Friends,—l have frequently attempted to
write to you, but up to this moment could not. That you
have concluded me ungrateful, I have no doubt ; but no,
indeed, indeed I have not. I have been deceived, and
wanted nerve to meet it. That you have been a father and
brother to me, I have ever said. The greatest misfortune
that can befal man is to be gifted with a heart to feel,
without the power to relieve. lam one of its victims;
and if I had a window in my breast, you would see a heart
that never intended wrong to any one. I should like to
shake your hands once more, but that cannot be. Believe
me, I feel the great kindness I have received; and finding
no chance of repaying it, I cannot live. Accept my
thanks : it is all I have to give. I send my tickets to
Susan : I hope she will take them out, and keep them for
my sake—the ring, &c. God bless you; good wishes to
Mrs. Stevens : they are the only acknowledgment I can
make. I would write to Mr. Salter, but cannct. Ask
him and all my friends to accept my best wishes. for their
good, not forgetting the kind intentions of Dr. Jarvis Wid-
dington, &c. Up to yesterday there was some hope : it
is now over. I have made free with friends, and increased
my own misery ; but before you receive this, I shall be no
more. God bless you! Should my body be found, give
it to some hospital ; it is the last good I can do mankind.
Forgive me—God forgive me !
"My boxes you will find at the office. Send for them,
and do with the few things as jou like. Look over my
papers: there are some worth keeping.
" Yours, " It. B. WATTS.

" N.B. 'gversfield is no man."
Tht, moment the intention of the writer was disco-
vered on the perysal of the above letter, Mr. War-
del and Mr. Cummine hurried, off in quest of the
unfortunate man, in order to prevent him from car-
rying his intentions into effect: They set out in
contrary directions, and one of them came up with
Mr. Watts in the Waterloo-road as he was hasten-
ing forward at a quick rate towards Waterloo-

bridge. Ple was conducted back to whence he 107:
out, and Mr. Wardel considering it unsafe that he
should be permitted to be left alone afterwards, As."_
him taken to a house in the neighbourhood or 0
office, where a person was engaged to sit up 1011
him the whole of the night to prevent him from Isr
ing violent hands upon himself. Amongst th°
papers sealed up in the packet were found, belichti
several duplicates of jewellery, the following pot!.
addressed to Mr. Watts.:—
" Mrs. Ceutts has been out of town, or.would bale
sent the enclosed sooner for Mr. Watts' benefit.--Aag•

" Mr. Watts,—With the Duke of Sussex's best wish.:
Mr. Wardel told the magistrates that Mr. Wade'
during the time he was box-keeper at Drury-leae'
was greatly respected by all who knew him. After
he had left that situation he proceeded to iVlargate,
where he had the arrangement of the aquatic fell'
vities at the time the Duke of Clarence visited that
town. Mr. Watts was also connected with the
theatre of that place, and his liberality and benefe'
fence of heart were well known to those who were
acquainted with him.
Mr. HouNit asked Mr. Wardel if he was aware
most of the unfortunate man's friends were ee'
quainted with his misfortunes ?—Mr. Wardel stated
that he was a man of such acute feeling that he Wa'
persuaded he would not make his 'situation known.
Mr. HONE said he was of opinion, if the present
condition of the unfortunate man was made know"
to the Society of which he Wab the founder, no
doubt the Governors, or persons in authority, would
call a meeting for the purpose of devising rotates
alleviating his misfortunes.
Mr. Wardel said, that Mr. Watts was known yid
respected by several of the higher classes, whom he.
was assured, if aware of his distresses, would render
that assistance which would relieve him faun Ws
present difficulties, and be the means of preventing
him from committing an act of self-destruction.
Mr. HONE—It appeArs that the unfortunate man
is a victim of his own sensibility. The Mafkatregtl
then eulogized the conduct pursued by Mr. -"—i6
and Mr. Cummine in the affair. They were the
means no doubt, of saving the life of a fellow-
creature ; and if the circumstances detailed by them
obtained insertion in the newspapers, he had veff
little doubt those who had known Mr. Watt sande
far different circumstances, would come forward ee,
the occasion.
Amongst the papers in the packet that was brae?.
•open, was also found a statement, drawn up in gr'.,
Watts's hand-writing, detailing the facts of his ha"
ing lent a Colonel in the Army 3001. a short tie'
ago, immediately after this the borrower 'took the,
benefit of the Act, and the result was the loss 01
the whole sum to Mr. Watts.. This circumstance
•
seems to have acted very strongly on the poor tune
mind, in addition to his other misfortunes.
• Previous to Mr. Wardel leaving the office, he
stated that Mr. Watts should remain at the
where he then was under the care of a person, until
something might be done for him.

The Earl of PEMBROKE, by his father,
death, inherits an ample fortune, resulting from vane'
entailed estates. His Lordship does not, we understaste
intend to make England his permanent residence, altbott
the " princely palace of Wilton," newly bUilt and dere;
rated, and the noble mansion in Privy Gardens, v4,413°1v cs f
to Lord GODERICH, are entirely his. The late j"--„ow,
PEMBROK2 becplejthed to his second son, SintafFtli
we believe, in his minority, a large portion of the
left to him by Viscount FITZWILLIAM, who founded t`—',
museum at Cambridge. As the present Earl has Wig'
been separated from his wife, whom he married at Piffle?: •
where she lives, should SIDNEY Helm= surs'ifejlt;
w
brother, he will succeed to the title and estates, w°—
when added to his own, will be immense.
ANTIQUARIAN DISCOVERY.—A few I 4
since, oi.e of the labourers employed in the improvemel
of the Oxford Canal, at Coombfields, near Brinklow, tout
a mourning ring of very fine gold, a few inches below r
soil, having in the inside the following engraved islalr
tiOn

" Sir Robt Driden Bar' ob 19th Aug '108"
This Sir ROBERT DRYDEN', it appears, was the eldest so
°
and heir of Sir Joarar DRXDKN, Bart., of Canons Ashbr
in the neighbouring county of Northampton, and uncite
J.OIIN DRYDEN, the poet. He died unmarried, isb,"'°ll.
the
„-
years of age, and was buried in the church of 1-41, -
Ashby, on the 30th of August, 170 S. The riug i'3ll'
possession of Mr. BLOXAM, solicitor, of Rugby.
FISHING EXTRAORDINARY.—Last Week'
as Lieutenant Nrcrioaas, of Fowey, was fishing at sonln
distance from the harbour, he observed a number of sea"
fowl hovering over his boat. Having thrown out his line,
baited by a sand-eel, one of the birds instantly seized it,
and was hauled alongside, but escaped before it could be
secured. Again the line was thrown out, and again the
bird (a mur), pounced On the bait, but it got free again.
-On the line being committed a third time to the Water, the
same bird eagerly darted at the bait, and so effectually
swallowed the hook, as to be taken. After this successful
haul, the bait was refitted and the line again thrown,
when a gull seized the tempting morsel, and was secured.
Both birds were brought alive to Fowey.— Cornwall Gal'
ANECDOTE OF DR. JOHNSON.—AMOng
the anecdotes of this great literary Leviathan we have
heard related, and which have not, so far as our rotate
tion is to be credited, before appeared in print, is the Pl'
lowing short but pithy one :—During the Doctor's teniii°l
rary residence in Edinburgh, one of the most influere
of the then Magistrates, distinguished alike far his sue
bility and proud spirit, called at the Inn in which the her
icographer " put up," for the purpose of paying his
spects to him. The Doctor happened at the time to be
one of his sullen morose fits, and did not deign to treat
the magisterial gentleman in a manner even approaching
to the cowman courtesies of life. The latter, alter re
peated ineffectual attempts to draw the Doctor into 1:
versation, at length rose and violently rang the be
vy
JOHN promptly appeared, upon which the functioonri
presented him with half-a-crown, adding in a tnrie.
ke
mingled indignation and sarcasm, " Here, waiter,
that for a sight of your southern bear.—Elgin COr':
of
When JAMES the First* arrived at the csPigbig
of his dominions, he observed that the head Ntia' t°„-atri
for the body ; and told the nobility that at their c°"„
seats they appeared like great ships in a river, but i° the
don like cock-boats on the ocean. When h.?
Bodleian library, he said, " If I was not a King, I:h,„°,d t
desire to be a Member of the University; and if I coy
eisitei
be a prisoner, I should wish to have that library far
prisan, and to be chained to so many good authors.
When the Great Seal was taken from Lord Bacot, J`l,3`l:
said, "Now, by my soul, Plun pained at the hear. -03
whom to bestow it ; for as for my lawyers I think the
all knaves." This King has been censured for suffering
such a Chancellor and so great a philcsipher to languishere I'l
poverty, while he preferred worthless parsons, who w s
fit for nothing but to disgrace their benefactor. J-o;st
used to compare Lord Chief Justice COKE to A cat, Os
whatever happened, would always light spon its lege, ,
with his great legal knowledge and abilities, be could l'c'f
avoid the prosecution of his enemies? Tie D,anery °
St. Paul's becoming vacant, the King sent for Dr. DO°
to attend bins at dinner the next day, when he said, "Pr;
DONNE though you sit not dcwn with me to dinner,
I will carve to you of a dish that I know you
and when I have dined take your favourite dish haute 1,1
your study, say grace to yourself, and much good 1113 Y
do you. I make you Dean of St. Paul's."

BIRTHS.
On the 22d inst. in Bedford-square, the lady of Virr
John Lysley, Esq. barrister-at-law, of a daughter.
On the 28th October, at Nice, the wife of the Big"
Hon. T. P. Courtenay, of a daughter.
On the 21st inst. in Nottingham-place, the lady of
Orme, Esq. of a daughter.

MARRIED.
:gf'
On the 13th inst. at Edlaston, R. G. Poles} ale, k r
Captain in the Hon. East India Company's 11Iadrasf,
finery, and eldest son of the Rev. R. Polwhele, of 1,71
whele, county of Cornwall, to Louisa Frances, °Pm
daughter of the Rev. R. Greville, of Wyastone-ffr°
Derbyshire.

DIED.
On the 22d inst. suddenly, at the Castle Inn, "'")root
Sir Richard Bedingfeld, Bart. of Oxburrh, Norfol/d'
the effects of g.n apoplectic seizure while. nu his re
London from Ditchlcy, the seat of Viscount Dillon. es
On the 21st inst. at Aylesbury, Bucks, Anne, Pull
daughter of Joseph Rose, Esq. to
On the 22d inst. Emma, daughter of Mr. Bulloelce
Holborn, in her 7th year. 31r1.
On the 23d inst. at Wentworth-place, HaHampstead'A,
.
Brawne, widow of the late Samuel Brawne, Esq

•
PUNTED AND PURL/DDSS DT MURDO YOVron
8v)1 Orrva, 119, Smarm) L0)(1°26