WHITBREAD. 



indruAion of tLe poor, Mr. Wliilbread was afliduous 

 and indefatigable ; and whilft he was overwhelmed by a 

 multiplicity of occupations, he voluntarily undertook a more 

 Herculean labour than any other, which was the arrange- 

 ment of the perplexed concerns of Drury-lane theatre. 

 With every moment of his time thus occupied, and his 

 mental powers unremittingly exerted, it is no wonder that 

 his health (hoiild decline, and that his mind itfelf, though 

 naturally vigorous and ardent, fhould be impaired by excefs 

 and intenfenets of application. The confequence thav might 

 have been appreliended unhappily occurred, and the world 

 was prematurely deprived of the benefit of his valuable fer- 

 vices. " His countf-nance changed ; he became drowfy, 

 lethargic, and irritable ; and he even fuppofed himfclf to 

 have fallen into contempt." Thefe indications of corporeal 

 and mental decay were alas! too foon fucceeded by that fatal 

 cataftrophe, which occurred on Thurfday, ,Iuly 6, 1815. 

 " An inqiieit having been fummoned by Mr. Cell, the coro- 

 ner, met at eight o'clock the fame evening, a: the houfe of 

 the dcceafed. No. 35, Dovcr-dreet, Piccadilly, and having 

 entered his Ihidv, beheld Mr. Whitbread lying on his back, 

 his arms and legs extended, with a deep incifion on his throat 

 from ear to ear, a Imall part in the front of the throat ex- 

 cepted. A looking.glafs was oppofite to liim ; his apparel 

 and the floor wr-re covered with blood ; and the fatal razor 

 was found at ionie dillance !" 



1 The verdict of the jury was as follows : — " That the 

 'deceafed Samuel Whitbread, efq. died by his own hand ; 

 but that he was in a deranged (late of mind at the time the 

 fatal a£t was committef'." His principles and charafter 

 have been juftly delineated by one of his biographers, and 

 we (hall (fhA fuch particulars as are confiftent with our 

 Icontradled limits. " In politics he was a whig ; yet a whig 

 jof the old Ichool ; one who wiihed to balance the royal 

 'power, by means of a due influence of the popular branch : 

 !but at the fame time firmly and fledfaltly to uphold both. 

 Accordingly, he wai always a ftrenuous, conttaut, and uni- 

 form advoeate for a reform of the houfe of commons ; but 

 this great inealure WiS grounded on the ancient and acknow- 

 ledged bafes ; not mu the vifionary plans of annual ^arlia- 

 ,ments and univerfal fufFrage ! As a patriot, he wi(hed for 

 !the happinefs and prol^perity of his country ; but thefe, he 

 'deemed moll likely to be acquired, and mod permanently 

 lenjoyed by cultivating the arts of peace ; advancing the 

 commerce ; cherilhing the manufaftures ; and encouraging 

 |the agriculture of his native land. Wars might indeed be 

 'popular, fuccefsful, glorious ; but it was alio incumbent and 

 'imperative that they lh;)ul.l be both juil and necelTary. It 

 was his firm opinion, that economy was to the full as proper 

 for a (late as for a private family : he was always, therefore, 

 la decided friend of order, regularity, and good management. 

 He hated jobs; he viewed- placemen, courtiers, and con- 

 itraftors, wuh a jealous eye ; and he diflikid both unnecefTary 

 land exce(rive penfions, not only on account of the fums thu» 

 perverted from the public revenue ; but alfo from their ob- 

 vious tendency to produce meannefs, fycophancy, and 

 idependance. 



I " Mr. Whitbread was a ftrenuous advocate for national 

 |educatioii,or inttruAion on a great fcale. But finding him- 

 jfelf unable to obtain a national fanftion to this meafure, he 

 , contented himfelf with his alTiftance and fupport as a private 

 individual. 



I •' He was an encourager of the fine arts ; and always de- 

 ;6rous that they (hoiild enjoy protcftion and applaufe." — "To 

 |agriculture, as a fcience calculated to advance the bed in- 

 iterefts of the nation, he paid particular attention." — " Horti- 

 .:uUurc alfo engaged hie notice, and the gardens, and lawns, 



and groves of Southwell, might Lave all been exhibited 

 as fo many perfctt fpecimens of care, neatnefs, and pro- 

 priety. 



"Although always doubtful of the jnlliceof the late war, 

 he never htfitated for a fugle moment as to the propriety of 

 arming and defending his native country agaii.lt tl e menaces 

 and attacks of her enemies. He himlelt railed and com- 

 manded a body of flurdy yeomanry ; and while fe thus ex- 

 cited a martial ardour in his neighbourhood, he foigot not 

 to enforce his favourite plan of fitting men, by nieans of 

 education, for their refpiftive fituations in life. On this 

 occiifKr, he inflituted a fchool for the benefit of the non- 

 commilriunpd officers ; and contributed by all the means in 

 his power to rei.<ier it effidual. 



"An only for., boiri> and matured with the expeflations of 

 great opulerce ; it is but Vntle furprifing if he occafionally 

 difplayed a certain degree of hai.ghtineis in his demeanour. 

 Indeid it cannot be denied, that ai times he appeared 

 fomewhat harfh and overbearing; but on \he other hand, 

 he muft be allowed to have been admirably fitted for com- 

 mand ; and was feldom known to exceed the bounds of 

 moderation, but when he combated the injuilice of power, 

 affailed the infolence of office, or endeavoured to expofefuc- 

 cefsful guilt to fhame and to punifhment. 



" His heart conflantly glowed with all the focial afFeftiong. 

 He was zealous in his fnendfhips ; while his enmities were 

 tranfient and fhort-lived. His ear was ever rt ady to liftea 

 to the tale of the oppreffed : his purfe always open to fuc- 

 cour thofe who had been reduced to diflrefs by uiiexpefted 

 calamities. At length, after having lived and aflefl diuing 

 the Hormy pohtics of the French revolutionary contefl, he 

 was fuddenly cut off, at a period when his iervices might 

 have proved highly advantageous to his country ; when the de- 

 ceitful calm of peace leemed pregnant with greater and more 

 formidable dangers than thofe arifing out of a long, wide- 

 ipreading, expenfive, and deflruftivc warfare ! 



" On the I ith July, 1815, when the marquis of Taviftock, 

 on moving for a new writ for the borough of Bedford, de- 

 fcanted on the charafter, worth, and talents of the late 

 member, his encomium was liflened to amidft the loud 

 cheerings of both fides of the houfe of commons : 



" 'Accuftomed to defend his opinions with warmth and 

 earneftnefs,* faid he, ' the energies of his ample and com- 

 prehenfive mind, would never permit the leaft approach to 

 tamenefs or indifference. But no panicle of animofity ever 

 found a place in his breaft, and hg never carried his political 

 enmities beyond the threfhold of this houfe. It was hit 

 uniform praftice to do juflice to the motives of his politi- 

 cal opponents ; and I am happy to feel, that the fame jufticc 

 is done to his motives by them. To thofe who were more 

 immediately acquainted with his exalted charafter ; who 

 knew the direftiiefs of his mind, his zeal for truth, his un- 

 (hakeii love of his country, the ardour and holdnefs of a dif- 

 pofition incapable of difmay, his unafPefted humanity, and 

 his other various and excellent qualities, his lofs is irreparable. 

 But moll of all, will it be felt by the indigent in his neigh- 

 bourhood. Truly might he be called the poor man's friend. 

 Only thofe who, like myfelf, have had the opportunity of 

 obferving his conduft nearly can be aware of his unabated 

 zeal, in promoting the happinefs of all around him. His 

 eloquent appeals to the houfe in favour of the unfortunate, 

 will adorn the pages of the future hiftorian ; while at the 

 prefent moment, they afford a fubjeft of melancholy retro- 

 ipeft to thofe who have formerly dwelt with delight on tlie 

 benevolence of a heart that always beat, and on tne vigour 

 of an intelleft which was always employed for the benefit of 

 hig fellow-creatures !' " 



He 



