Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1831-01-19
MISCELLANY.
From the New-York Atlas.
TIE FORf.EIs.

Shct,itS ioHi tiic Dldi vi i-olluoi
Physician. That which follows, although
several of its exhibitions are of the re.
voting character which is inseparabl,
from the dclineations of crime, is ex.
tremcly affecting, and we believe of use
ful tendency. Its moral is not limited t.
the vices which caused the miserable
end of its subject; and he must be al
ready inscnsible to the calls Of virtue
who needs to be reminded of the com
prehensiyeness of ita warnings.
A groom, in plain livery, left card
at my house one afternoon during my
absence, on which was the name, 'MR.
GLOUCESTER, No., REGENT STREET.
and in pencil, the words,-'Will thank
Dr---to call this evening" As my
red-book was lying on the table at the
time looked i'll it, from mere casual Gu
riosity, to see whether the name of
Gloucester appeared thcrc--but it did
not. ! concluded therefore, that my new
patient must be recent comcr.-About
six O'Clock that evening, drove to Re-
gent Street, sent in my card, and was
presently ushurcd by the man-servant into
a spacious apartment, somewhat showily
furnished. The mild retiring sunlight of
"A July evening was dliluscd over the
room; and ample crimson window-cur-
tains, half drawn, mitigated the glare of
the gilded picture-lramcs which hung
in great numbers round the walls. There
was large round table in the middle OF
the room covered with papers, maya
zines, books, cards, sc; and, in word
the whole aspect ofthings indicated the
residence Of person OF some fashion &
fortune.-On side-tablc lay several
pairs of boxing-gloves, loils, sc. &c.
The object Of my visit, MIR. Glouccs-
ter, was seated on an elegant ottoman,
in pensve posture, with his head lean
ing OH his hand, which rested on the ta-
BILE. lie was engaged with the news
paper when was announced. lie rose as
| entered, politely handed me to u chair,
and then resumed his seat on the otto
man. His countcnance was rather
pleasing-ircsh colorcd, with regular
features, and very light auburn hair,
which was adjusted with sort of care
less fashionable negligence. | may per-
haps be laughed at by some for nothing
such an apparently insignificant circum-
stance; but the obscrvant humor of my
profession must sufficiently account for
my detecting the fact, that his hands
were not those of born and bred gen
tcman--of one who, as the phrase is,
'has never dome any hn&' in his life;
but they were coarse, large, and clum-
sy-looking. As for his dcmcanor also,
there was IA constrained and ovcr-anX-
ous display Of poltcness--an assumption
Of fashionable ease and Indifference, that
sat i'll on him, like court-dress fastened
on u vulgar fellow. lie spoke with Il
would be jaunty, iree-and-easy, small
swagger sort of air, s. changed at times
the tones of his voice to an offensive
cringing soltness, which | dare say, he
took to be monstrously lnsnuatlng. All
these little circumstances put together
prepossesscd me with sudden feeling of
dislike to the man. These sort of people
are a great nuisance to one; since there
is no knowing exactly how to treat them.
After some hurried expressions of civility
Mr.. Gloucester informed me that he had
sent for me on account of deep de-
preston of spirits, to which he was latter
ly subject. lie proceeded to detail
many of the symptoms of disordcrcd
nervous system. lie was tormentcd
with vague apprchcnsions of impending
calamity; could not divcst himself of an
unaccountable trepidatlon Of manner,
which, by attracting observation, scrl-
ousy Disconnected HIM on my occasions;
felt necessarily tempted to the comns-
sion of suicide; loathcd society; disrcli-
shed his former scenes of amusement; ;
had lost his appetite; passed restless
nights, and was disturbed with appalling
dreams. His pulse, tongue, countc-
nance, sc, corroboratcd the above state
mcnt of his symptoms. ! asked HIM
whether anything unpleasant had occur
red in his family! Nothing Of the kind.
Disappointed in an aGaue du crm'! Oh,
no. Unsuccessful at play! BY no means
he did not play. Wcll-had he amy
source of secret annoyance which could
account for his present depression! lie
colorcd, seemed embarrassed, and appa-
rcntly hesitat,ng whether or not he should
communicate to me what weighed on hls
spirits. lie, however, seemed dctcrmln-
ed to keep me III ignorance, and with
some alteration of manner, said, sudden
ly; that il was only constitutional ncr-
vousncss--his family were all so--and
he wished to know whether it was in the
power of medicine 10 relieve HIM ] re-
piled that would certainly do all that