Six north country diaries - The MAN & Other Families

266
1785. Nov. 1. The attorneys' tax of 3 guineas per annum took
place, and to have certificates for practicing.
1785. Nov. 1. Mrs. Stockdale, wife of the Rev. Mr. Stockdale,
unexpectedly came to Lesbury by shiping to Alemouth from London.
1785. Nov. 18. N[ichoh\s] B[rown] had a severe fit of the
rheumatism, an acute jDain for 16 liours.
With other issue she had four sons, Thomas, WilUam, Charles, a physician in
Newcastle, and Nicholas, D.D. , also three daughters, Barbara, who married her
kinsman Alexander Brown of Doxford, Jane and Martha, both of whom died
unmarried.
'
Percival Stockdale (1736-1811), vicar of Lesbury and Long Houghton,
after living apart from his wife was hoaxed by a communication announcing her
death.
The following letters, from the collection of Dr. C. C. Burman of Alnwick,
supplement the statement in the text :—
To 'Mr. Loggen, attorney at law. No. 83, Basinghall Street, London.'
My dear Sir. I am in great anguish of mind ; but am endeavouring, as much
as I can, not to forget my necessary interest. Distraction of grief is prejudicial
to the living and alas ! unavailing to tlie dead. I have lost my wife ; an excellent
woman of whom I was not worthy !
My reliance on j-our goodness and regard
for me makes me presume much on that goodness and that regard : Mill you be
pleased not to lose any time, after reading this letter which I am going to copy
for your perusal : will you repair to Gower Street, and if there should be any
impossibility of Mr. Kettle's acting for me agreeably to the tenour of the following
letter, will you generously fulfill it, and let me hear from you very soon,
and completely, on its contents. I ever am most affectionately and respectfully
&c. Percival Stockdale.
Lesbury near Alnwick, Northumberland, Oct. 28, 1785.
To the same.
My dear Sir. My sincere heart thanks you for your paequet of the 5th and
for all your generous attention to the most unfortunate of men. Mrs.
Stockdale 's most unexpected and violent and most unjustifiable invasion of me
has almost distracted me : in short it ruins me in my native country, and is
•almost equal to the depriving me of both the livings. She had repeatedh' proposed
to come hither and I wrote strongly, and perseveringly against the
proposal. I told her that I would rather sacrifice ten thousand existences than
live with her here. She had repeatedly promised, after I had made over to her
£50 a year (vested it in trust, it was all that I had, and I was totally un-
€stablished) she had repeatedly promised that she %^ould never molest me
:
— yet
I am
'
as sorry for her misery as for my own I Oh I Sensibility ! I now feel all
thy agonies.'
You may be assured my good friend that I am not at present in
a tone of mind to be an advocate for the good effects of extreme susceptibility of
cons' itution.
I have had great difficulties to surmount, and I had almost surmounted
them all. The qualifications necessary for the holding of my two livings, and
furniture and necessary repairs had cost me about £300. I was going to sit
down quietly here, for the sake of my literary fame and for the honour of my
integrity ; I had Ijegun to plan my tragedy ; I was planning in the verj^
moment when my wife entered my parlour, and when I was certain that she
was a corpse in London. But now all my laudable prospects and exertions are
dashed to pieces ; and I have not the least glimmering here of happiness but in
flying to some propitious spot where it will not be in the power of my evil geniiis
to reach me. I should deem the person my greatest enemy, who would insult
and torment my feelings by desiring me to live with her.
As soon as I can give order to confusion I shall set off for London. What
an unhappy romantick character am I I Though I am now on_ the very