Buthnot, in vain, at Glory's antient shrine- Scott, Wordsworth,Southey, Crabbe, nay,one and all. Thine every gift that lavish Nature gives- And thou, Anonymous! who dar'st arraign Thy native bards, as rugged and as vain, HISTORY OF A LUNATIC. From the Literary Gazette, Sept. 1818. CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SCIENCE OF CRIMINAL JURISPRUDENCE, &C. BY DR. SCHMID, OF JENA. THIS HIS remarkable and highly inter- an inclination which her masters peresting work, just published, has haps too much cherished in one of so excited a strong sensation in Germany. tender an age. From this it may have It paints in terrible colours the abuses proceeded that the approach of matuin the celebrated hospital at Berlin cal- rity brought on her a fever which soon led La Charité, illustrated by the affec- became mental alienation, at first showting history of a female lunatic; and ing itself in the fixed idea that she could confirms the melancholy truth, that not masticate, and could therefore eat learned, meritorious, and in many res- no solid food. Nothing was neglected, pects upright men, may be hurried by for years together, by the first physitheir passions into grave errors. It cians, to restore her to health, and it at proves by documents, that a tribunal, in last seemed probable that an entire regeneral highly esteemed, may some- covery might be expected. At this times be guilty of weakness, and that time her brother was drowned--and the even a minister who loves justice, is not much beloved Queen of Prussia died. always on his guard against inconsis- It certainly is a proof of her excellent, tencies in his conduct. but sorrowful heart, that both events It is hardly to be doubted but the had such an effect on her, that she minister of justice, and the chamber of seemed for a long time dead to all pleajustice at Berlin, will make some decla- sures, sought only retirement, and enration respecting the contents of this joyed no comfort except at church, and work, as far as they are concerned. We in reading religious books. extract, as the most attractive specimen, the HISTORY OF THE UNHAPPY LUNATIC. a Her father held a lucrative post, but lost it on account of the war, was obliged to live on what he had saved, and contract his expenses very much; Louisa Thiele was the daughter of his privations, his sorrows, increased man healthy in mind and body, and of the silent afflictions of the good daugha mother sometimes subject to hysterics, ter. Her mother at last became also and who, particularly during her preg- ill, though not dangerously; but Louinancy with this infant, could not divest sa's filial fears created dangers. She herself of a continual melancholy. wanted to administer to her beloved Louisa was, when a child, rather weak- sick parent remedies and nourishment ly,but soon shewed signs of understand- which were too dear for them in their ing and comprehension which gave her present narrow circumstances. The parents great pleasure. She was sent younger sisters sometimes reminded her to school in her seventh year, and cul- of this, perhaps not mildly enough; tivated with great eagerness every and this grief apparently occasioned the branch of instruction; religion in par- return of the mental alienation. ticular had the greatest charms for her; Several physicians again undertook VOL. 4.] German Discipline for Lunacy. 217 to attend her, but as her poor parents and if Caroline Bühler asked her why could not supply her with the requisite she wept so, she answered, “Ah! I remedies, they at last determined, after long to be at home with my friends and much persuasion, to trust their unhappy relations! I am treated here so very child to the Charité. cruelly !" Very much worn out, and with the At last, on the eleventh day of her deepest melancholy in her countenance, stay in this hell, she was again put into she entered the establishment, com- a strait waistcoat, then into a sack, and plaining that her inside was torn, and over this a second sack was drawn, and her heart driven into her head, &c. Her in the first there was, besides, over her continual screaming, and complaining face a piece of black waxed cloth, and of pain, was not, as it appears, taken for in this way the sacks were tied up, put the symptom of the disorder, but for on the ground beside the bed, and there the disorder itself, and the whole method fastened to the bed-post. In this state of cure chiefly directed to quieting her. did the unfortunate girl lie for several The means used for this, were, abun- hours, lamenting, crying, praying, dedance of cold water, poured 16 pailfuls spairing; during which Mrs. Voigt had at a time over the head; fetters; a strait a coffee party in the next room. Louiwaistcoat; quick turning in a kind of sa's cries changed gradually into panting machine; emetics; a hair rope; a and groaning, and this became gradusack, in which she was put, it was then ally lower, and at last she was quite still. tied, laid on the floor, and fastened to The coffee party now went into the the bed-post; and, lastly, a Megara of chamber, for further recreation; the an attendant, called Mrs. Voigt, who sacks were opened, pulled down, and when her crying incommoded her,scold- the poor Louisa was dead! Mrs. Voigt ed the unfortunate girl, boxed her ears, now screamed more than the patient had and forced her lips together with her done before: "I am undone! give hawk's claws, knocked her head against me a knife! I must kill myself!" But the wall, &c. All these harsh methods nobody had the politeness to rid the were made use of several times in the world of this monster; on the contrary, short space of eleven days, on a debili- ber female companions advised her to tated young girl, who had been very put the corpse in the bed, and say that weakly from her childhood. It is to Louisa had died there. This was done, be conceived that the patient could not Surgeons were called in, and every feel herself with this treatment, more means attempted to restore her to life; comfortable in the Charité than in her but happily the girl's sufferings were parents' house, and that her complaints terminated. increased daily. She often cried out Her father was absent; and her mo. with a voice which would have affected ther in despair, incapable of acting, the heart of any tiger, that of Mrs. more distant relations gave information Voigt excepted: "Ah! my God! my of this death which looked so much like Saviour! my good nurse! have pity a murder. The criminal tribunal exon me! my sister! my father!" &c. amined into the affair, and acquitted the It might be supposed that her illness Counsellor Horn, because he affirmed had so debased her, that it was become that Louisa was not suffocated, but had necessary to treat her as a mere brute died of an apoplexy. The sack, it was animal; but that was not the case. said, had been so coarse, that she might Whenever Caroline Bühler, one of the very easily have drawn breath; but witnesses, who visited her, spoke to her, that a piece of black waxed cloth had the language of the patient was sensible been put before it to hinder this easiness and coherent, she did not fly from one of respiration, was not mentioned; nor subject to another, answered every was it inquired whether corporal illquestion, and inquired herself respecting treatment is in all cases calculated to remany things; only she always sought store lunatics; whether the mode of to turn the conversation to religious treating such patients in the Charité subjects. She often wept and sobbed, does not require a thorough reform; 20 ATHENEUM. Vol. 4. 218 Sketches of Manners-The Hermit in London, No. 7. [VOL. 4 whether it is not necessary that the di- other necessary qualifications, feeling rector of the institution, as well as those hearts ? under him, should have, besides the From the Literary Gazette, Aug. 1818. THE HERMIT IN LONDON, No. VII. OR SKETCHES OF ENGLISH MANNERS. ON GUARD FOR THE FIRST TIME. "HOPE L'Estrange. get my boots dusty, and might be run against by some coal-porter or sweep, and have my French scarlet cloth soiled; besides, one looks heated and flustered after a long walk from Harley Street to TOPFMAN,* wake me at six the Parade, instead of coming cool into o'clock to-morrow morning, or the field;—and, I say, I'll wear the I shall never be in time for Guard twenty guinea gold chain round my neck, (pronounced affectedly, Gard ;)—and, with my quizzing glass; and you must I say (in a slow conceited tone,) but bring down my silk night-gown, and let me have the last boots which Hoby Turkish embroidered slippers, in order made me-not the Wellingtons, nor to astonish the weak minds of mes Camathe dress boots, nor any of the six pair rades; and I must have my backgamin the closet, nor the iron heeled ones, mon-board pour passer le tems, and my but the last ones with copper heels ;-poodle-dog to play with; and you may and, I say, be sure to use the blacking take a coach and bring my violoncello made after Lord R-'s receipt, which with you, and my writing-desk, that I comes to so much money, that which may write billet-doux, in order to soften has Marasquina in it, and oil of laven- the hardships of war; and, I say, I der, and about twenty other things, and must have the cedar-box of cigars, my has such a superior polish ;-and, I say, gold cigar tube, my German bag, some fetch home my regimental jacket from scented tobacco, and my ecume de mer Scott's; and, I say, see that it is well pipe; 'twill pass an hour, and it looks so padded on the breast, which gives a soldier-like to smoke on Gard;—and, I martial air, and well stuffed on the say, I must have a cambric chemise, with shoulders, so as to give me my natural the collar highly starched for dressing look of strength; and, I say, lay out time-one of those which look like winthe pantaloons which were made by kers; and you may bring another regithe German soldier under the patronage mental jacket-either the one made by of the Prince Vanstinkerstein,-not Scott so nicely pigeon-tailed, or that those made by the leather breeches made by Weston; and I must have my maker, nor any whatever made by my musical snuff-box for dinner; you'll put three English tailors; and, I say, put Prince's mixture in it, and high-dried in two handkerchiefs in my regimental the other; and you'll bring my light mojacket, one of cambric and one of my rocco boots for dinner, with soles as thin Barcelonas; and, I say, perfume them as a wafer; and, I say, I shall begin well; and let me have my gold snuff- to dress at five or half after, for it is too box with the sleeping beauty on it, for warm to hurry one-self; and I must which the Italian took me so d-ly in- have my hair brushes, and my razors not the gold embossed one, nor the gold (for which he had very little use,) and engine-turned, nor the gold antique box, nor the silver gilt, nor the one which I bought at the Palais Royale; and, I say, order my tilbury to take me down to the Gard, for I shall otherwise Hopfman, a German Valet de Chambre. damask napkins, and rose water for my eyes, and all my soaps, and some white wax for my nails, and all my paraphernalia set in gold, with my crest on each article in my best dressing case;and, I say-" (Servant) Meinheer?' Thus ended the colloquy betwixt a young Cousin of mine and his servant: and although he called being on Guard a bore," yet he was delighted with this debut, and quite captivated with "all and circumstance of war." pomp Thus mounted he his first Guard, and gave me the following account of the manner in which he spent his time. the 219 It will be unnecessary to comment on the useful life of this my young Cousin, nor on the active nature of his services. He is, however, very young, very good hearted, but, unfortunately for him, very vain and very handsome. I have often done every thing in my power to break him of being such a puppy; but it is all in vain. He holds the last generation very cheap indeed, and laughs at the old school, and at myself as much as any of them. enough to study when a man was going on actual service, and that he was as well pleased with his first Gard as if he had returned home covered with glory. I walked up and down St. James's I endeavoured to point out to him Street and Pall Mall forty-four times; how idle such a division of time was, sent my servant home for my stop- and that even on guard, a man might watch, and made a calculation of the do something useful and ornamental; time which it took to go from Hoby's that he might read improving books in corner to the St. James'; looked in at and out of his profession, draw,play on Parslow's, and lost some money at bil- some instrument, and learn languages liards; my hand shook like h-l; but I by study; and that tactics, histories of drank some Curaçoa, and took three ices campaigns, and mathematics, would be afterwards to cool myself, spoke to two most exemplary lessons for these occaand twenty pretty women, and bowed to sions. But my Exquisite cousin seemed fifty carriages, by which I got a stiff to think that all that" was impossible neck; hung on to Lady Mary's carriage in London,and far beneath a Gardsman; facing White's for just twenty minutes, adding, that the. Gard behaved as well and was envied by the whole street; in the field as any men, that it was time played a tune on my violoncello, and amused myself a whole hour, by my repeater, in teaching my poodle to do his exercise with a cane, and to smoke a pipe, thus fitting him for a military life; He considered himself as now comread the Racing Calendar, and a table of pletely launched in high life, and as odds at betting; looked into the Horse having received the last stamp of Guards, and found a rascal dunning my fashion by being an officer in the Guards. friend Bellamour; kicked the fellow He assured me that he was considered down stairs; and took a hit at back- as a very hopeful recruit-as a very gammon; treated my brother officers prime fellow, by his brother officers: ou Guard with some liqueurs ; dined, they said that he had nothing of the got half and half, looked in at some freshman-of the green-horn about him, gambling shops, came off minus ten and that he was as much the thing as if guineas-devilish lucky; for at one he had been a red coat for a twelvetime I was out a hundred; met Lord month. He furthermore informed me, Sommerfield and Dick Dandy in the that his liqueurs were very much adhands of the watchmen; drew my mired,--that he had been offered a sword like a man,and put the raggamuf- pony for his German pipe, which cost fins to flight; saw the sun rise in St. him sixty guineas from the famous Mr. James's Park,-beautiful, by Jove! Hudson, and was a splendid article,— wrote a dozen billet doux, and made as that he had had fifty guineas bid for many appointments, not half of which his musical snuff-box,-that he had I shall keep; bivouacked (very like bi- given a dozen receipts for his superior vouacking!) for an hour on three chairs; blacking-that his taste was generally smoked a pipe, which did not agree with admired-that Poodle was considered me; was relieved, (by the Guard, be it as very little inferior to le Chien Muunderstood;) came home, and slept nito,—and that he had received a score until dinner time. of invitations, and was to be proposed 220 Fracker's Narrative. VOL. 4 as a member of all the best Clubs in the high road to ruin. The peace is town. The plain English of all this is, an unlucky circumstance for him, that my poor Cousin is now enlisted since actual service and going abroad, under Fashion's banner, is a recruit of years and experience, would be the pleasure an aspirant of sensuality only cure for his fashion-fever—the only that he is about to become the dupe of check to his extravagance, for he pays gamblers, and the imitator of the great, no regard to the lectures of -that his moderate fortune is marked down for a finish,—and that he is on THE HERMIT IN LONDON, REMARKABLE ESCAPE. [We have departed, for once, from our regular line of selection, to give insertion to some extracts from a most interesting Journal of our fellow-townsman, Mr. George Fracker. We hope this little deviation will not be construed into a suspicion that the English Magazines are ever destitute of matter, in quality and quantity sufficient for our pages; but we think the following to be a most remarkable Preservation of Providence, and worthy of record. It was principally written during the lameness occasioned by the disas ters of the author, who is a young man of probity and respectability.] Ed. Ath. NARRATIVE OF THE SHIPWRECK AND PARTICULARS OF THE LOSS OF THE ENGLISH SHIP JANE, IN THE RIVER LA PLATA, SOUTH-AMERICA. BY GEORGE FRACKER, OF BOSTON, MASS. the river, with a fine wind, till towards sunset on that day, when the weather becoming foggy, the wind increasing, and the night approaching, it was deemed expedient to haul off shore, and gain an offing for anchorage. We accordingly came to anchor about fifteen miles from Monte Video, our first destined port, near the island of Flores, IN N the month of May, 1817, I enter ed at Buenos Ayres as second officer on board the English ship Jane, Capt. William Seaboth, bound on a voyage from that place to the Brazils. Our departure was sometime retarded (an illomened event,) owing to the carelessness of the pilot, by striking on the bar in going out, which materially damaged our rudder, and caused our detention or Flowers, that being to windward, nearly six weeks. Towards the mid- and the wind about S. E. The gale dle of June, however, we again set sail, increasing very fast, at eight o'clock and after a moderate passage of twen- more cable was payed out, and at ty days, anchored in the harbour of Rio nine, it blowing very hard, another anJaneiro. Waiting here two ms chor was let go. At half past nine we for freight, we at last succeeded t took supper, elated with the idea of our ting it, and on the third of September, being so near the end of our passage, in company with a large fleet for differ- and happy in the fair prospect of ent ports, sailed on our return, bound breakfasting next morning on shore. to the ports of Monte-Video and Bue- Little did they imagine that supper nos Ayres, with a cargo consisting of to be their last, and of being so near rum, sugar, tobacco, flour, butter, rice, the end of the voyage of lile. From and dry goods, having on board five this time the gale still continued to inpassengers, two of them Spaniards, in- crease, the ship pitching very heavihabitants of Buenos Ayres, a German, ly, and wetting from fore to aft by the an Englishman, and an American, the spray of the sea. At twelve, midnight, three last freighters of the vessel, and after passing an anxious watch below, owners of the principal part of the car- owing to the strange rolling and pitchgo; four blacks, their slaves; and ing of the ship, caused by a strong weafourteen of the ship's company, com- ther current, I came upon deck to reprising in all twenty-three persons. lieve the watch. I went forward to Our passage was agreeable, and very examine the state of the cables in the favourable, and in fifteen days we dis- hawse holes, and then returned to the covered Cape St. Mary, the northern quarter-deck, to the lead line, which entrance of the River la Plata; contin- we had kept over the side, and by its uing our course along the banks of feeling was fearful that the ship had |