I went on Monday evening to Mrs. Walker’s masquerade. I chatted pleasantly enough with some of my old acquaintances. Mr. Grey introduced Mrs. Grey to me,[112] as did Mr. Whitbread his wife, Grey’s sister. Mrs. Grey is pretty and gentle, without looking so; she is handsome Ponsonby’s sister. Mrs. W. has something pleasing in her appearance, but ill-health and the hereditary irritability of the Grey temper gives a certain fractious expression to her countenance: au reste, she is a very worthy, excellent woman.
THE KING SHOT AT
Sheridan entertained us with a circumstantial account of the whole affair at the theatre on the night of the assassination. He was in the Royal box when the pistol was fired, and saw most plainly the man take aim. Ld. Chesterfield advised His Majesty to retire to the back of the box, but the King said, ‘Not an inch, not an inch,’ and upon the Queen’s entrance he waved his hand to make her keep behind, upon the pretext of her fear of squibs. S., as soon as the poor wretch was dragged out of the orchestra, examined him. He declares his answers were collected and distinct, until Sr. Wm. Addington[113] questioned him, who was extremely drunk, and suggested to the man ye plea of insanity by his mode of examining—a plea the man craftily availed himself of.
When Sheridan went to Court, the King spoke to him upon indifferent subjects and seemed undecided whether or not he should notice the occurrence. At length he said how much he was struck with the behaviour of the audience, which gave S. an opportunity of saying they only followed His Majesty’s example. After a few such flourishes the King ended by saying he should despise himself if he had acted otherwise, for every man ought to feel his duty, and his was to stay quiet and not add to the alarm.
Mr. Abbot[114] has brought forward a Bill respecting Public Debtors, which alarmed us until it was explained, but it seems fair in principle, tho’ ultimately we may be affected to a degree. All who have balances in hand will hereafter pay interest upon such sums. The debt from this family now due to Government is 53,000l.; the assets are near 46, the odd thousands Ld. H. must supply. The difference of the Bill taking effect will be that the interest must go to Governt., instead of making an accumulating fund, which in a few years would pay off the whole. Mr. Moore is afraid from rumour that a clause is to be moved by Mr. Baker to make the operation of the Bill retrospective. In that case, to the last shilling of Ld. H.’s property must go, as the amount would be enormous, but it seems so unjust that the alarm is, I trust, groundless.
SIR G. WEBSTER’S DEATH
Early on Wednesday morning last, ye 4th of June, we were roused by a loud rapping at the bedroom door opening into the drawing-room. My mother cried out that she had brought great news, that Sir Godfrey Webster was dead; that he expired the evening before in a fit. He had been indisposed for some days, which made the event more natural. I could not hear of his death without emotion, and was for some time considerably agitated. But, my God! how was I overcome when Drew showed me a hasty note written to him by Hodges to apprise me of the manner of his death. He shot himself, he added, in consequence of heavy losses at play. With him dies all resentment, and, great as my injuries have been, willingly would I renounce all that may accrue to me from this dreadful event to restore him again to existence, with the certainty of his paying the natural debt of nature. Unhappy man! What must have been the agony of his mind, to rouse him to commit a deed of such horror. Peace to his soul, and may he find that mercy I would bestow.
His confidential servant gave the following details: that he had appeared frequently disordered in his mind in the course of the winter, and that latterly his spirits were gone, and a physician attended him for a slow fever. But the malady was deeper; it was on his mind. Twice within the last weeks he had attempted to destroy himself by laudanum, but each time his man interposed, once by wrenching the phial out of his hand, and the other by compelling him to swallow an emetic. On Saturday he despatched his relation, a Mr. Whistler, to fetch from Sussex titledeeds of some estates, merely a device to get him out of the way. On Tuesday he went out at nine o’clock, and purchased at Egg’s a brace of pistols, and after various devices and stratagems to get his servants out of the way, he but too fatally succeeded, and at half past four shot himself in his front drawing-room in Tenterden Street. Have mercy on him, Oh heaven!
Business compelled me to go to town, and my coachman drove me to the square; the shock of being almost within sight of those mangled remains was too much, of him, unhappy man, who now lies a melancholy proof of feelings too acute for existence. I would not have the self-reproach of having added one particle to the agony he endured, and am thankful that this sad catastrophe did not arise two years ago, altho’ I should have been as guiltless a cause as now; but the world and my own readiness to upbraid myself would have assigned my quitting him as the cause. Ld. Egremont,[115] with whom he had lately lived in habits of social intercourse, called at his door just after the perpetration of this dreadful act; he was excessively shocked, and went three times that night in great agitation to Ld. Ossory’s. He declared his intention of sending for the boys from school, and is now gone to Petworth with Webby. Henry is with my mother. The dear girl remains at school. Hitherto no will subsequent to that of ’86 has been found; perhaps upon a strict examination one may be discovered. The funeral went down this morning to Battle, very privately attended. Mr. Plummer was with me, and told me he was a creditor to the amount of seventeen thousand pounds.
8th June, 1800.—The average produced by my estates is estimated at seven thousand pr. anm. We shall not touch a stiver for these 18 months, and only till then incur trouble and expense. To recover the money to fulfil the complement dictated by my grandfather’s will, I must go to the seizure of his personal property. The sound is at first repugnant, seize the property to which my son is heir, but, in fact, it is only ascertaining my right, by which I shall prevent his coming upon the Holland estates after my death.[116]