The Sexagenarian once accompanied him on a fishing excursion, in a remote province, and he chose, in the kitchen of the village-alehouse, where they stopped for refreshment, to dress some of the fish that had been caught. A labouring man came in to enquire of the landlord how to get a letter to London at least expence. “Give me your letter,” said Mr. T. “and it shall cost nothing.” He accordingly asked for pen and ink, and franked it, to the great amazement of seven or eight peasants, who were standing about to see the novel spectacle of a Gemman dressing his own fish.
A great deal more might be said, and not without exciting interest, of this singular character, but it appears that our friend’s memorandums must be curtailed; they would otherwise extend to too great a length. With the exception of Lord Shelburne and Colonel Barré, Mr. T.’s political friends varied somewhat with times and circumstances. He was once very intimate with Lord Thurlow, with Horne Tooke, with Sawbridge, and Oliver, and Wilkes, and many similar characters of that day, but before his death, these connections ceased altogether.
His son, it seems, partook of his father’s enthusiasm, or what they mutually understood to be the cause of liberty, and attached himself to the flaming patriots of the day.
The London Aldermen of those days, at least it is true of many among them, were in some respects different from those of the present. There were not a few individuals of birth and fortune, but little connected with commerce, who used their influence to obtain the Aldermanic gown, entirely from political views and purposes; such was Mr. T. and such also was Sawbridge.
Mr. Sawbridge was a country gentleman, with no city connections, but ardent in his politics, and exasperated against government, for what he considered as a violation of the constitution, in not permitting Wilkes to sit as representative for Middlesex. He at that time sate in Parliament for one of the Cinque Ports, and so distinguished himself by the part he took in favour of Wilkes, that he became exceedingly popular with the citizens of London, who, before he was an Alderman, elected him with T, to the office of Sheriff. He was in due time both Alderman and Lord Mayor, and afterwards represented the city of London in three succeeding parliaments.
He was a violent and constant opposer of the American war, and a systematic advocate for parliamentary reform; and during the whole of the time that he had a seat in the house, he never failed to make an annual motion to shorten the duration of parliament.
He was a perfect gentleman in his manners, and very little calculated to assimilate with those, into whose intimate society, his political enmities and prejudices introduced him.
Another of this circle was Mr. Oliver; he was a West India merchant, and in his external manners, the perfect gentleman.
The circumstance which first introduced him to city honours and political importance, was alike whimsical and accidental. He had a brother, who, on some vacancy for the representation of London, had declared himself a candidate with much prospect of success. He was, however, seized with a violent and dangerous sickness, which prevented his appearing on the hustings on the day of nomination. On this day, however, Mr. Richard Oliver, the subject of the present sketch, presented himself to the citizens, and lamented that the condition of his brother’s health rendered it impossible for him to avail himself of the honours which probably awaited him; but that he who now addressed them, attached to the same party, governed by the same principles, and possessed of equal independence, begged them to transfer the kindness they meditated for his brother, to himself. He succeeded without opposition, and in the interval between the day of nomination and election, was chosen an Alderman, and was afterwards Lord Mayor.