Star.
London, England, 1825-08-15 00:00:00

WILMONT V. BRVFORD.

The defendant pleaded the general issue.
Mr. Serjeant PELL stated the case to the Jury. It
must be allowed that actions such as the present are
not very agreeable in their nature to either of the par-
ties interested in their event. The present action was
one of this description, which a,young Lady had been
obliged to commence against the defendant, in conse-
qaence of his refusing to make good an engagement
which lie had entered into to marry the plaintiff, a
young Lady now about 25 or 24 years of age, and of
considerable personal - attractions. The young Lady,
the plaintiff in this action, was the daughter of a highly
respeetabk Gentleman, and the defendant was a farmer
egyarriderable property, two or three years elder. It
appeared to be in every respect a suitable snatch, and,
all things considered, the defendant seemed to be a per-
ms) calculated, in the event of their union, to make the
plaantiff happy. At the very moment, however, when
the defendatt, after having raised the fondest expecte-

• ons of his elicit was feeding hei hopes frith die pros-
pect of the speedy fulfilment of his promises, he had
actually paid his addresses to another Lady, and was
larding this other individual to entertain hopes Whitt'
were, in their turn, also doomed to be disappointei.
He relied 'principally upon the defendant's letters to ex-
plain to the Jury the manner in which the acquaintance
between the parties hatoriginated, continued, and been
carried on. The brit was one dated 24d April, l 85111;
and in it the defendant announced the nature of his in-
tentions towards the plaintiff. It was as follows:
" Hill Farm April Mt,
" My Draft Fatexo—The pleasures of friendship are little known
by a greedy"—(Here, said the Learned Serjeant, the expression
seems somewhat odd, but as I And it in the letter I must read it
to you. I thought at first the word might have been 4.4 giddy,"
and the expression which immediately follows tended to confirm
me in my opinion. But on closer examination it seems to be spelled
"greedy," and I am bound to take that to be the word.)
Mr. C. F. WILLIAMS intimated that in his opinion
the word was intended for giddy, but the defendant,
who appeared
.to disregard the pedantic trammels of
orthography, spelled it guidg, which, from the careless-
ness of the penmanship, strongly .resembled greedy.
Mr. Serjeant PELL—The letters were all couched
in the language of passion—a language not very in-
telligible t 9 other than the parties more immediately
concerned. They might be supposed to be capable of
understanding it, simply because they were lovers, but
the greater part of those epistles must be nearly unin-
telligible to himself, o; even to his Learned Friend on
the other side (Mr. Islerewrather), although they too.
in their time, had been lovers. But he would not trifle
any lenger with the impatience of the Jury, who must
be quite on edge to hear the remainder of do epistle,
the commencement cif which promised so well.—
Well, then—
" The pleasures of friendship are little known by a greedy un-
thinking world. I receive more pleasure in writing to you than I
do any one else, for the pleasure I enjoy in your company both
corms to make me your sincerest friend. Nothing will give me so
much pleasure as to hear from yourself that you are well, and can
I say happy ? If you are not happy lam not so. Your beauty and
accomplishments have captivated my bean, whilst I avow myself
to become your true and sincere friend. 1 would not, my dear
Caroline, offer any direct address that should have the least incon.
sistency with your duty to your parents, and this rather emboldens
me to request the favour of an evening's conversation at your first
convenience, when I'll snore fully explain myself, as I earnestly
hope to your satisfaction.
" An answer to thik by the bearer, E. Burford, will infinite
oblige—then let me now conclude in hopes of meeting your appro-
bation. " Your affectionate and sincere friend,
" RICHARD BIWFORD."
From the tenour of this letter and the mystical word
"corona" in the commencement of it, which it was to
be supposed was a slight transformation for creams
(and very indifferent sense it would still make, if that
conjectural reading were true), it would seem as if this
love-sick shepherd felt the sentiment of the poet, when
be said that—

" Love was the top and crown of our affections r'

That was good ! and the request for an evening's
chat was still better! Evening was your only time for
love, particularly if it was moonlight ! Let the moon
be bright or clouded; if the latter it was all the better.
Well, there was a good deal of ground to be passed
over, so he most reluctantly leaves this epistolary gem
as other pearls of equal value remained to be disposed
of. The next he would read to the Jury was a diamond
of the first water. It was dated about four months after
the last, and from it it would appear that the lover and
his love had unfortunately disagreed about some trifling
affair or other—some of those light clouds that occa-
sionally overcast the amatory horizon—and the le.tet
appeased to be written for the purpose of effecting a re-
conciliation. Perhaps Mr. Bruford bad perpetrated
some sin of omission or commission, or uttered some
unconsidered trifle, for which be thought it necessary to
offer the following atonement. Here it was—
.. West Monkton, Aug.ls, 11144.
" DICARIST Ciactutis—l have taken my pen in basil to write to
my dear girl, to entreat on her friendship to pardon me for addres-
sing her as I did on Saturday last. But after hearing what I did,
m I informed you, I thought it prudent to know each otber's deter-
mination ;'but not finding you will comply with my request. I shall
not again question you on that subject. Certainly I shall not wish
yen to refrain from speaking to any young man. Had I not a par.
tkalar regard for you, I should not have paid you the respect and
attention I have at all times whenever I have bad the pleasure of
being with you. Although you may not believe it, I canoes help
saying I felt much hurt and disappointed in not having the pleasure
of your company or seeing you on Sunday. E. B. with myself
certainty bad promised ourselves a voids, but how could I have en-
yed it without you? We have now postponed the wide for Sunday
week next. In case it meet your approbation to join with us on
Sunday next, we shall expect to see you at our house, whete I hope
to meet you,my dear girl, in better spirits that when I saw you last.
Mrs. Hickman was at our house on Tuesday last, who informed me
that you were gone with some other person to Romer., to see the
grand performance which was to take place. I instantly took my
horse, and scrods down. I saw your brother James, who informed
me you was not there. I then was satisfied with the propriety of
your conduct towards me in not going without my knowledge, as I
should have been happy to have escorted you there. 1 must now
conclude, in hopes of receiving a letter from you by the bearer.
" I remain, dear Caroline, your ever true and sincere Friend,
" RICHARD BRUFORD."
The same kind of correspondence was kept up on
the part of the defendant for some months longer, and
he even went so far as to make inquiries as to the
amount of Miss Wilmoat's fortune, which he was given
to understand, by the young Lady's mother, was 5001.
Mr. Bruford approved of the sum, and expressed his
determination to accept it and her daughter's hand ;
however, on the 9th of August, he broke off the match.
The following witnesses were called for the plaintiff:
Mrs. Martha Wilmont—l am mother of the plaintiff,
and am acquainted with Mr. Bruford, the defendant.
He resided at our house in 1822. At the commence-
ment, the defendant's acquaintance with my daughter
did not receive my approbation. I recollect afterwards
having conversations with him respecting his intentions
towards my daughter. I remember the Sometset As-
sizes of 1823 ; about that time I had a particular con-
versation with the defendant on the same subject. The
conversation occurred at my own house. I had been
here on business, and defendant drove me home in his
gig. It was on that occasion he coke with me on the
subject of the marriage-settlements ; the conversation
took place after tea. We had previously talked together
about my daughter's fortune. Mr. Broford proposed to
settle 1,0001. on my daughter, and wished me to select
the attorney who was to draw up the marriage articles.
I mentioned my own solicitor, who lived at Ilchester,
and as defendant thought that too far for him, he pro-
posed to choose some attorney perfectly indifferent to
both parties, and who should know nothing of either
family. Defendant asked me what I intended to give
,my daughter? I replied 5001. on the day of her mar-
riage. He was aware of my intentions as to my daught
ter`s fortune before we spoke of the settlement. On
that occasion I repeated what I had previously said,l
and he approved of it. Defendant remarked, when
talking of the settlement he intended to make, that if l'
entertained any doubts as to his ability to make i., I
might go to his attorney, Mr. Kingley, who he said
was well acquainted with his affairs, and would satisfy
,me on • that point. I declined doing so, at the same