The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1822-03-06

WnlCA ne Contrr2d 10 hx IN handle OF
wood, and having sharpened it fer bis
purpose, he seized upon his victim, and
in the middle of the day, in the pres
ence of a crowd of spectators, laid him
PROSTATE at his feet with twenty mortal
gashes-" the least death to nature"
All the rest were at large, taking exer-
else in the courts, or roaming about the
galleries the windows Of which, with
a view to their amusement, were made
to command prospect of the adjacent
road. In the course of our round, we
approached the bed of an old man who
was languishing in the last stage of
palsy. lie addressed Mr.. d. as an old
acquaintance. g Why" said Mr.. d.
s. you don't know who am-do you ?''
Yes, to be sure do said the mailman,
you are Mr.. d. Upon inquiry, it was
discovered that this man had once seen
Mr.. d. about five and thirty years be-
fore, at the old Bedlam Hospital
Thus it. seems that the memory, at
least, may remain unimpaired amidst
the general wreck of the understand
ing.
There are certain wards set apart for
the reception of criminal lunaticks. In
one of these were assembled nine per-
sons, every one of whom had commit
ted murder-and it required no little
exertion of nerve to feel at ease in such
company. Among this class, old Peg
Nicholson was pointed out TO US, who
some time in the last century attempted
the life of King George LII. and whose
appearance, or rather apparition, after
the lapse of so many years, seemed
like resurrection from the dead
Here, too, is Hatfield, who made SINH
lar attempt at IA later period-and here,
also, are all those mischievous maniacks,
whose histories have from time to time
served to fill up column in the publick
prints--from the disappointed lover
who fired a pistol at Miss Kelly, to the
disappointed half-pay officer who took
a flying shot at Lord Palmerston.
We were continually assaiied with PEI
titions for few coppers for the purpose
of snuff ana tobacco; and many took US
aside with coherent well-told tales of
the treacherous devices by which they
had been trepanned into place of con-
fnement some Of which really sound
ed SO probable, that if this were not
known to be the commonest of delu-
sions that prevailed in these cases, it
would have been difficult to withhold
belief from such elrcumstantial details.
We had an example of the ruling pas
sion, strong in madness as in death, in,
the reply OF poor dancing master, of
whom we were inquiring whether he
had any thing to complain Of 6 Com
plain of! said he, look at my shoes ~
which were certainly not of that light
fantastick character to which he had
probably been accustomed in his dane
ing days. We were much struck, too,
with pretty interesting looking girl
who had gone mad for love. Her hair
was floating loosely about her shoulders,
and. she came tripping up to us, hum
ming an air, and suddenly addressed
us" Did you know Sam Williams p
All he was a sweet youth : But, then,
do you know they took him. away to
India, and there Warren Hastings killed
him-but made him pay guinea for
it--that's what did," And then, burst
ing out into wild hysterical laugh,
she turned away and ran off in another
direction. Amongst the iacurabIes, we
saw poor cracked creature, the miser-
able victim of nervosity. His fears had
at last driven him out of his wits, and
he was at this time prey to the strong.
est parexysms of apprehension. All
day long he was crouched down and
trembling under an idea that the sky
was about to fall and he cried out to
US" Take care, don't you see it shake 2
Now it is coming ~
1t would be endless TO recount all the
strange and ridiculous decisions which
we found possessing the distempered
brains of the Inhabitants Of Bedlam, and
ruling them with all the force of reality.
Having concluded our survey, we
were glad to escape from this melan-
choly scene. We had seen examples of
almost every variety of mental deran4e-
ment--religious political
projectors-despairing lovers-husbands
frantick for the loss of their wives
wives fer the loss of their husbands
parents for the loss of their children.
Only one modification of grief seemed
wanting; there were no filial instances