1797] 
“ Whofoever belongs to thefe premifes, 
‘¢ will forgive the fcribbler his trefpafs; he 
*¢ impatiently waits the rifing of the tide, to 
put an end to his earthly misfortunes. 
‘© N. Five o’clock, evening, 
6 Sept. arth, 1797.” 
“T made my bed upon the floor, with the 
“ ftraw for my pillow: the tempeftuoutnefs 
© of the night, with fome inclination to fleep, 
“has prolonged my life at leaft another tide. 
_ “N, Tuefday-morning, Sept, 12th, 1797.” 
“© O, heavenly Father, be pleafed to have 
¢ mercy upon me, a miferable finner, who 
“ turns to thee, weeping, fatting, and praying ; 
** and, O Lord Jefus Chrift, grant my repent- 
* ance, however atc, however imperfeét, may 
‘© not be in vain. .4¢ N. Sept. 12th, 1797.”” 
**O GOD give peace to all nations, and 
“ ftup the calamities of war. 
eCN, Sept. 12thy1797.’” 
*¢ Forgive all errors —Had I followed fuch 
€‘ things, it would have faved me from this 
*¢ unfortunate end. ‘* Sept. 12th, 1797.” 
“ GOD be merciful to me, a finner:” 
‘© My Lord Mountmorres, with an ample 
“ fortune, put an end to his exiftence: he did 
it with all the conveniences of this life 
“‘ around him, and with a dying declaration 
“that the Almighty would forgive him an a& 
*« compelled by oppreffors; hinting that fome 
“¢ perfon had ufed him ill, which wounded 
“ his teelings to fuch a degree that life became 
«¢ 4 burcen to him, notwithftanding his learn- 
“ ing-and high rank ‘in life. 
** T, poor foul, loaded with guilt, confcious 
* of an ill-fpent life, diftreffed in every point 
** that this life can afford (without throwing 
6 the leaft reflection on his Lordfhip). dare 
«* not preiume pofitively to join with his Li ‘in 
‘* fhip in that fentimenr, but, with tremb!i 
“‘ fear, muft wait the awful iffte at God's 
¢ tremendous bar. 
“God forbid I fhould caft any refle€ttons 
* on his Lordfhip, or his misfortunes. 
“The following is a copy of a note found 
fupon Lord Mourtmorres’s table, in the 
“* roum he fhot himfelf: WN. 
«© A wicked and unjuft confpiracy has 
“ been formed againft my honour, my fortune, 
** and my life; the Almighty will forgive an 
*¢ a& impelled by oppreffion.’ 
*¢ [ fincerely hope his Lordfhip found it fo. 
“To wound anuther man’s peace of mind 
** is an uncharitable a@. N.” 
“ Indeed I find myfelf invefted witha 
~ “& ftrong defire of life, and dreadful fear of 
ef approaching God’s bar, with my accumulat- 
“ed guilt; and [ ftedfaftly believe, that the 
* true way to be faved is by Jefus Chrift, who 
died to fave finners, of whom Iam the chief. 
GOD grant I may become an objeét of his 
mercy.” 
** J decline giving my name or profeffion; 
¢¢ my friends may iurmife that fome ill fate has 
«¢ befallen me ; if any of them, by any chance, 
*¢ fhould hear or my fate, it is not probable 
* they will ever fee thefe thoughts. I hope 
4 : 
Extraordinary Cafe of Suicide near Briftol. 
373 
*6 to God they will forgive me every injury 
és + have done them.” 
6 Jefus Chritt, deign to be the advocate 
** with God the Father for the redemption of 
** my foul.”” 
‘¢ The time is nearly arrived——May Jefus 
« pilot my. diftreffed foul to his heavenly 
@ kinedom, Amen.” 
** Another tide gone.——Sept. 12th, 1797.’* 
“* It muft be my tate-———{1 have no other 
y-clief,*’ 
The following ' was fcratched upon the wail 
with the point of anail: 
** Wednefday, 13th Sept. I have been here 
“ 2 days and 2 nights, fafting and praying. 
“This I hope will finifh it.” 
The following was again written with a 
black-lead pencil: 
 Thurfday, September 14th, 1797 ; the 
© laft day, I hope.”’ 
“¢ My lead is exhaufted.” 
“IT did not know, till furprized by the 
* Jittle girl coming into this diftreffed apart= 
‘* ment, whom thefe premifes telonged to, 
“ But Lord de Clifford will forgive me.” 
At the bottom of the ftair-cafe is written, 
on the wall, in front going down : 
‘© Redeem my foul from the water.” 
Thus ends the diary of this extraordinary 
ftranger. It is to be obferved, that moft of 
the fentences had the private mark of Ny 
either ar the top or bottom, generally at the © 
bottom, immediately before the day of the 
month. The uninhabited tenement is: about 
ten or twelve yards diftant ‘from the {pot 
where he faunched himfelf off, and is the 
property of Lord de Clifford. 
It is very evident that this ftranger had re- 
ceived a liberal education, or he poffeifed asd 
uncommon ftrong mind. It is conjectured by 
fome that hé was infane, but, when [ coafie 
der how well finithed moi of his fentences 
and perlods are, and that many of them were 
written from the impulfe of the moment, £ 
behold him as a man in fall poffeffion of bis 
intelle&tual faculties, and, with a collected 
mind, calmly refigned to his fate. He came 
there on the 11th, with ‘a determined refolu- 
tion of drowning himfeif at the evening tide, 
confequently all that he wrote on the s2th 
could not have been premeditated, bur were 
the thoughts of the moment, that arofe in hig 
mind on the prolonging of his exiftence. He 
certainly poffeffed anoble and generous mind 5 
for where he mentioned his acquaintance as he 
thought harfhly, a fentence immediately tol- 
lows to foften the rebuke. 
I thalf feel great fatisfaétion, Mr. Editor, to: 
hear that the diary, and ‘perfynal de‘eription 
of this ftranger, may mect the eye oF’tome 
one of his relatives or acquaintance, and E 
know of no piblication fo fikely to procure 
this object as the’ Monthly Magazine, 
T'remain; fir, 
Your mot obedient humble ferv to 
Stee JAMES 
Stoke Bifhop, near Briftol, 
October 23, F7Q7. GLOUCESTER- 
en TT 
cate 2 
ACTS CORE 
