The Sun.
London, England, 1827-11-08 00:00:00

- •
ROBERT TAYLOR, THE BLASPHEMER.

_ TO THE EDITOR.
Bath, Nov. 3, 1827.
_ _

SlR—Although the speech delivered by Mr.
Taylor, in his defence, during his recent trial,
sufficiently indicates that he is suffering under the
greatest of all calamities, that of mental derange-
ment ; there are, I fear, many Weak and wicked
persons who will he disposed to give credit to his
assertions, and to believe the accusations he has it
brought against the Christian Church, its Mi-
nisters in general, and more particularly against
the Prelate, whoever he was, from whom he re-
ceived ordination.
However averse I feel to the publication of a
letter addressed to me in confidence, I consider
that I am bound in duty to the Church, to So-
ciety, and in pity to the unhappy writer, to assist
in removing any doubt that may exist as to his
insanity, and I hope that I may, at the same time,
be the means of averting the punishment which
he Would otherwise merit.
Mr. Taylor is naturally a mild, amiable, and
inoffensive character, but is evidently suffering
under that species of insanity unusually denomi-
nated hallucination of mind, a disease which
manifests itself in a derangement of the intellects
on one particularsubject, and yet leaves the patient
capable of reasoning correctly on other occasions.
I trust that this letter may avail in excusing
the errors of this 'Unfortun'ate young man, and
in undeceiving those unhappy persons who have.
been deluded by his wild and visionary discourses.
I AM, Sir, your' obedient Servant,
G. SODOR AND MANN.

To the LORD BISHOP of SODOR and MANN.
MY LORD—While irresistible feelings of gra-
titittle are my only inducement for obtruding myself
on your Lordship's recollection, I cannot do so, hut
under the contr'ul of some apprehensions lest this
I:berry should fall into other hands than those of the
individual whom alone I wish entirely to understand
its purport. Nor can even my conviction of his pe-
culiar liberality, subdue my sense of the great distance
in character, in ability, and station, from which an
nnpreferred Clergyman of the Church of England ad-
dresses one of its Bishops.
" I can only propose to myself, in this boldness,
the satisfaction of doing a duty; the pleasure of
which :rises from a consciousness of having given
expression, however inadequate, to grateful feelings:
Of relieving human nature in your Lordship's judg-
recut from the odium of seeming inaccessible to the
force of reason, and insensible to condescension.
31-y Lord, that poor Mr. Taylor, whose visit you so
graciously received at Bishop's Court a little more
than a year and a half agc, is solicitous to tell you
that he feels unapeakaOy obliged that your reason-
ings on the most important of all subjects, though
ilot at that time felt with their due weight, pranced
an indelible impression, and have, by time, by subse-
/lona reflection, and the Divine Blessing, wrought
xheme.elees into the most entire and comfortable con-
viction, and become, I trust, the last complexion and
eharacterof my mind. But more especially am I bound
to bless both God and you, that in the last conver-
sation with .which you honoured me at Douglas,
your mild remonstrances reclaimed me from the fatal
sway of a melancholy mind; that to your Lordship
i.lawe that I did not leave the Isle of Mann in the
;horrible character of an. avowed advocate and de-
fender of suicide; but itr the same public print in
which the effusion of my melancholy had appear-
ed, under the s:gnature of " ACASTO," I, within a
weeis or a fortnight, recorded my strongest protest
apinst it.
I hub, I hope in Clod, that my follies have not
produced an effect bey` lad what recantation and re-
pentance may retrieve. S. hope is a source of
cheerfulness and serenity for which I am bound,
again and again, to thank your Lordship's most ef-
tietual reproof. I perceive, indeed, what you so
kindly endeavoured to impress upon me, that even
in bur'reasenings we are wonderfully the creatures
o 1 our phys:_nial constitutions. In my present ease Of
circumstances,- awl kealth of body and mind, which
has continued now a long white, I wonder how I
mild have reasoned as I did, when I Will SO trOtible.
!Owe to you 11
Accept, my Lord, this poor expression of my
feelings, and condescend to believe him to whom
you have been so truly a benefactor, to be, with
the moat earnest and entire respect,
" Your Lordship's obliged servant,
" ROBERT TAYLOR."
Rathfarabam, Dublin, June 16, 1822."