APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. 



393 



to his invaluable life, such erro- 

 neous accounts liave been pub- 

 lished in the newspapers, that it 

 may not be improper to give an 

 accurate statement of that most 

 distressful event. An idle story- 

 has been propagated, that the hon. 

 Frederick North, on his last 

 going abroad, left his library and 

 MSS. in the care of Mr. Wind- 

 ham, and had requested him to 

 remove his books to Mr. Wind- 

 ham's house in Pall Mall ; that he 

 had neglected this charge, and 

 thence had the stronger induce- 

 ment to exert himself to save them. 

 In all this circumstantial detail 

 there is not one word of truth. 

 The fact is, that on the Sth of last 

 July, Mr. Windham, returning on 

 foot at twelve o'clock at night 

 from the house of a friend, as he 

 passed by the end of Conduit 

 Street, saw a house on fire, and, 

 with the same gallantry of spirit 

 which on a former occasion 

 induced him to exert himself to 

 save a part of the venerable 

 Abbey of Westminster from de- 

 struction, he instantly hastened to 

 the spot, with a view to assist the 

 sufferers ; and soon observed that 

 tile house of Mr. North was not 

 far distant from that which was 

 then on fire. He therefore imme- 

 diately undertook to save his 

 friend's library, which he knew to 

 be very valuable. With the most 

 strenuous activity he exerted him- 

 self for four hours, in the midst of 

 rain and the playing of the tire 

 engines, with such effect, that, 

 with the assistance of two or three 

 persons whom he had selected 

 from the crowd assembled on this 

 occasion, he saved four parts out 

 of five of the library ; and before 

 they could empty the fifth book 

 room the house took fire. The 

 books were immediately removed, 



not to Mr. Windham's house, but 

 to the houses of the opposite 

 neighbours, who took great care 

 of them. In removing some 

 heavy volumes he accidentally 

 fell, and suffered a slight contu- 

 sion on the hip ; but it made so 

 little impression on his mind, tiiat, 

 not being apt to complain of any 

 distress belonging to himself, in 

 giving an account of the transac- 

 tion the next day, he did not even 

 mention this circumstance, nor 

 for some months did he take 

 notice of it to any friend. When 

 he afterwards did mention it, it 

 was in so slight a manner that it 

 hardly attracted any attention 

 from those who loved himbrs! . 

 By this accident, however, au 

 indolent incysted tumour was 

 formed in the part afl'ected. For 

 several months it was attended with 

 no pain whatsoever ; yet even in 

 that state he had medical advice, 

 and some slight applications were 

 employed with no great effect. 

 At length about the beginning of 

 May, the tumour began to in- 

 crease, and in certain positions of 

 the body to give him some little 

 pain ; and on mentioning these 

 circumctances to a friend, he 

 strongly exhorted him to have the 

 best surgical advice. According- 

 ly, on the next day, the 6th of 

 May, Mr. Cline, who had been 

 consulted about two months be- 

 fore, was again called in, to view 

 the part affected ; and he then 

 pronounced the tumour to be of 

 such a nature, that Mr. Wind- 

 ham's life might be endangered if 

 it was not cut out. Inconsequence 

 of this decision, Mr. Windham 

 acted with the utmost prudence, 

 propriety, and fortitude. He first 

 consulted his own physician, Dr. 

 Blane, who coincided in opinion 

 with Mr. Cline. He then resolved, 



