628 



The Life of William Hutton, of Birmingham. 



Iiome to the Carthusian convent of Ma- 

 jorca. He then resolved to follow me in 

 my misfortunes, and he not only sponta- 

 neously accompanied me in ihat long 

 and uncertain banishment, but soothed 

 and consoled me in the deep solitudes of 

 the monastery. When I was liurried 

 from thence* to he transferred to il;e 

 castle of Bellver, he voluntarily suhmitted 

 to the same conHnenient as myself, and 

 buried himsell with me in a dungeon.— 

 There lie attended to all my concerns, 

 assisted me in all my sufTerings, bore his 

 own, wjiich were not slight, and endured 

 the same harsh and insolent treatment to 

 which I was exposed with a cheerful 

 countenance, a kind and tender fidelity 

 and affection. 



" At the dissolution of the Supreme 

 Junta, he was still with me; he was then 

 first Porter to the general's secretary's 

 office, and had fair prospects of retaining 

 that situation under the regency ; yet no 

 sooner had he ascertained my intention 

 of returning to the Asturias, than he de- 

 termined on following me thither. I 

 C'luld not a^ree to this new and generous 

 sacrifice, neither could he submit to so 

 painful a separation without tears of regret. 

 He could noi bear, that in my embar- 

 rassed circumstances, I should have re- 

 couise to that assistance from others 

 which lie could afford me. lie offered 

 me 12,000 reals, the whole savings, 

 most probably, of his thirteen years 

 faithful and excellent services. He most 

 earnestly insisted on my acceptance of 

 them. Touched by the sincerity of his 

 offer, I yielded to his importunity, giving 

 liim such securities as my circumstances 

 permitted. It is now but too probable 

 that the misfortunes which he shares 

 nvith me have rendered them of no value 

 whatever. But this »vas not enough. 

 On learning that I was detained here,f 

 and that the invasion of the Asturias had 

 reduced me to yet further distress, he 

 flew to my side; and at this moment my 

 honourable creditor is waiting upon me 

 with the same constancy and attaciiinent, 

 as it lie were animated with the prcspect 

 of the highest remuneratio!'. My readers, 

 you must not censure ih'S digression. It 

 is dictated by gratitude, and consecrated 

 to virtue. 1 am denied the means of 

 rewarrimg in any other way this honest 

 and excellent man; and take it not ill 

 then, that I should dwell on his merits, 

 and recommend him lo your good opi- 

 «)ion, a recompence which he has fairly 



• 5 May, 1802. 

 t Muros, ia Galicia. 



earned, rind which it will not be unbe* 

 coming of yoii to bestow." 



Soon after be had completed his ap> 

 peal, Jovellanos returned to his native 

 place, Gijon ; but on the 6th of Novem- 

 ber, 1811, the French, liy a sudden 

 incursion, again took possession of that 

 town, and he was compelled to hurry on 

 board a small vessel in the harbour. He 

 was exposed for eight days to a furious 

 storm ill the bay of Biscay, his body 

 worn out with age, sickness, and fatigue, 

 and his mind harrassed with the most 

 gloomy prospects for liimself and his 

 native province. He was at length landed 

 at Puerto de Bega, a small village at six 

 le-Tgues from Ilibadeo. But the powers 

 of hfe were exhausted ; he expired witli- 

 in forty-eight hours of his disembarka. 

 tion, ill the 68th year of his age. 



His loss was deeply deploretj, not only 

 by Spaniards, but by all who took any 

 interest in the literature, character, in. 

 dependence, or liberty of Spain. Yet 

 who will pronounce the period of his 

 death unfortunate? If lie did not see 

 tlie invaders actually expelled, he died at 

 least in the firm persuasion that Spain 

 would be ultimately successful in the 

 struggle, and in tlie natural and happy 

 illusion that success must ensure political 

 liberty as well as national independence 

 for the people, whose spirit and perseve- 

 rance had obtained it. Had his life been 

 prolonged, how bitterly would all inch 

 liopes have been disappointed ! He 

 would have found that all the sacrifices, 

 and even the triumphs of Spain, were to 

 be requited with the establishment of a 

 despotism more galling, and more bigot- 

 ted than that which preceded and occa- 

 sioned the dreadful contest in which she 

 was then engaged. 



THE LIFE 



OF 



WILLIAM HUTTON, F.A.S.S. 



INCLUDING 



A particular Account of 



€[)£ iXiot.^ at 2?irminof)am in 1791. 



TO WHICH IS SUBJOINED, 



THE IIISTOIIY OF UlS FAMILY; 



Written by Himself, 



AnJ published by tns Daughter, 



CATHERINE HUTTON. 



8vo. I2S. 



[This amusing vohime exhibits the triumph 

 of industry and virtue, and the happy 

 results of a well spent life. Its sim- 

 plicity, artlessness, and humility, may 

 perhaps offend the pedaot, or man of 

 liiiliioB, wlio »e«s uo gteatness but in the 

 beroei 



