Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 12.djvu/347

 10 s. xii. OCT. 9, 1909.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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Candians of the interior, and the Malays." He says (p. 158) :

"Besides the native Ceylonese who live under the dominion of the Europeans, and are dis- tinguished by the name of the Cinglese [sc], the coasts are chiefly inhabited by Dutch, Portuguese, and Malays."

In the " Advertisement " prefixed to the second edition Percival says :

"The history of its [Ceylon's] most conspicuous native princes, both previous and subsequent to the arrival ol the Europeans, has been inserted from an authentic document " ;

but he does not tell us that this " authentic document " was (as internal evidence proves) no other than the very faulty translation of Baldaeus's ' Ceylon ' in vol. iii. of Churchill's collection of voyages and travels. He also says :

"By the favour of several gentlemen connected with our civil and military establishments in Ceylon, the author has been able to embellish the present Edition with some Engravings," &c.

It would have been more honest to confess that almost the whole of the engravings have been copied from Dalrymple's collection of charts, the works of Baldseus and Knox, and the * Asiatic Researches.' In no case is there the least acknowledgment of the source. However, we can forgive Capt. Percival his faults for the sake of the infor- mation of real value that is to be found in his book. DONALD FERGUSON.

ROBERT CLUTTERBUCK ON THURTELL AND WEARE.

(For references to Thurtell's murder of Mr. Weare, see 8 S. iv. 146, 216, 256, 355, 434 ; v. 93 ; vi. 197.)

AMONGST the correspondence of Robert Clutterbuck (1772-1831), the historian of Hertfordshire, which I have acquired, are the following two letters, which throw a curious light upon the action of the pre- siding magistrate, after the trial and con viction of the murderer John Thurtell.

One can only suppose that the excite ment of so notorious a case must have affected the historian's usually sane judg ment, and caused him to violate the canons of good taste and propriety by giving hi? imprimatur to the confession of the lesse culprit in a sordid and revolting crime. I is almost as unpleasant a spectacle as tha of the Ordinary or Chaplain at Newgate a century earlier having an interest in th sale of the " Last Dying Speeches " o those just executed.

Watford, February 1st, 1824. !Y DEAR SIR,

I returned yesterday evening from Chichester, rhere I have been staying the last week, upon a isit to my eldest sister, who is going, when the r ind ceases, to the East with her family to join her usband Mr. Forbes in Jamaica. I have been mind- ul of Mr. Jones's pamphlet* during my absence, nd have spoken upon this subject to a bookseller here of the name of Jacques whom my sister mploys, who thinks that he can sell a good many opies for Mr. Jones, I having certified at the foot f one of the prospectuses "that I hare revived the ihole of it, and can certify that it is authentick." lunt's fate being now determined upon,t I will hank you to set all hands at work, that the amphlet may now be got out immediately.

I am in hopes that the delay which has arisen in he publication of this pamphlet may not hurt is sale materially, as this delay has enabled s to give a declaration or confession made y Hunt in writing of the guilt of Thurtell and Robert, which was delivered to Mr. Willson, the 'aoler, who lent it to me about ten days ago, and ms permitted me to make what use I please of it. I lave reason to think that nobody possesses a copy of t ; and, if so, it will do more for the sale of it in London than anything else which it may contain. T will thank you to let it be printed with all its 'alse spelling.

I will also thank you to let the work be prefixed )y an advertisement of \vhich a copy will be sent in ,he parcel in which this letter is enclosed.

It is my present intention to be in town either n Wednesday or Thursday next for a day or lave made out for me the account of what I am ndebted to you for sundry articles, including ^osbrook's ' Encyclopaedia of Antiquities.' Believe^ me to be, My dear Sir,
 * wo, when I shall see you, and I will thank you to-

Ever very truly yours,

ROBERT CLUTTERBUCK.

P.S. As I am collecting everything relating to
 * his murder pray procure for me, ivithout delay, the

following articles.

1. London Magazine for Feb., 1824, containing a- "pen-and-ink sketch of the late trial for murder in a letter from Hertford."

2. The Weekly Dispatch of Sunday, Feb. 1st, con- taining the confession of Hunt made to Mr. Homer his solicitor.

3. Blackwood'sEdinburghMagazine^v. LXXXIV. for January, 1824, containing among other things ' The Lament for Thurtell.'

Pray let me have the declaration of Hunt either to-morrow night or Tuesday at furthest, that I may bring it to town on Wednesday morning.

Watford, February 12, 1824. MY DEAR SIR,

Having now supplied my immediate neighbours with copies of Mr. Jones's book, I begin to turn my

Weare including the Circumstances which first led to the Discovery of the Murder, the Inquest, Trials of the Prisoners, Execution of J. Thurtell. By G. H. Jones." Portraits and plates, 8vo, 1824.
 * It was entitled " The Murder of William

f Joseph Hunt was found guilty of being an accessory before the murder, and sentenced to death. This was afterwards commuted to transportation.