Imatges de pàgina
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recommended by Gooch and Bromfield, is firft applied, for the support and defence of the foft parts.

After the removal of the limb, let each bleeding artery be gently drawn out with the tenaculum, and tied with a common ligature as naked as poffible. The whole furface of the wound is now to be well cleaned with a fponge and warm water, as, no doubt, any coagula remaining upon its furface, or about the interftices of the mufcles, would be a confiderable obftruction to that defired union, which we have always in view through the whole plan. Let the fkin and mufcles be gently brought forwards; then fix the flannel circular roller round the body, and carry it two or three times round the upper part of the thigh, where it will form a fufficient bafis, that will greatly add to the fupport of the fkin and mufcles; then carry it forwards in a circular direction till it arrives fufficiently near the extremity of the ftump, where it is to be faftened as ufual. You are now to place the fkin and muscles over the extremity of the bone, in fuch a direction, that the wound fhall appear only as a line, drawn down the face of the ftump, terminating with an angle, above and below, from the latter of which the ligatures are to be left out, it being the most convenient and dependent part. The skin is eafily fecured in this pofture, by long flips of linen, or lint, about two fingers breadth, fpread with cerate, or any foft cooling ointment: thefe are to be brought from fide to fide across the face of the ftump; then apply over them a little foft lint, with a tow pledget, and comprefs of linen, the whole to be retained with a light linen roller.'

Such is Mr. Alanfon's defcription of his method; the chief defign of which feems to be the procuring an union by the first intention between the preferved fkin and the extremity of the ftump: He affures us, that it has in fact proved as efficacious and fuccefsful as we could from reafoning fuppofe it; and in particular, that the application of the circular roller has not, as one might have apprehended, occafioned a return of hæmorrhage in any of his operations. In one respect only the propofed method feems to us fubject to criticifm. We do not well relifh the idea of digging out the flesh with the knife by means of the obJique upward direction of the incifion; a manceuvre, we conceive, troublefome to execute; confiderably augmenting the pain of the operation; and, from the writer's own account, unneceffary. For he tells us (p. 10.), that by a proper divifion of the inte guments, as much fkin may be faved as will fully cover the whole furface of the wound with perfect ease. What more need be wifhed?

A cafe of amputation of the arm at the fhoulder-joint is fubjoined, which proved remarkably fuccefsful, and will fuggeft many useful remarks to the intelligent practitioner.

ART.

ART. VIII. The Intrigues of a Nabob, or Bengal the fittest Soil for the Growth of Luft, Injustice, and Dishonesty. Dedicated to the Hon. the Court of Directors of the East India Company. By Henry Frederick Thomfon, Small 8vo. 4 s. Printed for the Author, near the Swan Inn, Bishopsgate Without. 1780.

WE

E learn from this Author's account of himself, that, inflamed with wine, and bent on a frolic, he one evening vifited the round-houfe, with a conftable of Covent Garden of the name of Farrell. This adventure (the effect of mere wanton curiofity) happened about October 1767. Trifling as it was in itself, yet it unfortunately proved of very serious confequence to our Author; for it was the fource of all the calamities and disappointments which his book records. It was at the round-houfe that he first beheld the woman, who having fecured him for her lover by the power of her charms, continued, for a long time, to make him her dupe, by the dexterity of her address. This wily and ungenerous female was called Bonner. Her beauty, as we are here informed, was her principal recommendation; for the few mental accomplishments with which she was endowed were chiefly confined to the line of intrigue.

Having fuffered from his connection with this Cyprian dame, he refolved to difmifs her with the infamy which her impofition on his confidence and generofity juftly merited. But the refolution of a momentary fit of refentment was foon loft in the foothing eloquence of love. He forgave the weeping penitent, who was equally skilled to "faint it" or to "finner it," as it might beft answer the purpose of her pleasure or her profit. Kindling with fresh ardour, his love gained a fecond birth from the afhes of her repentance. He again admitted the lovely Magdalene to his arms; and, in the moment of returning ardour, would have completed the laft refolution of folly by making her his wife, had not prudence very opportunely interpofed, and prevented a connection that he judged to be improper, not fo much from her want of virtue, as her want of education: for though pretty, fhe was not polifhed; and however formed to gratify a fenfual tafte, fhe was not calculated to prefide with elegance or decorum at Mr. Thomfon's table. Neverthelefs, though his pride forbade him to have fuch a girl for his wife in reality, yet it did not prevent him from bestowing on her the credit of the name. Mifs Sarah Bonner then, without afking leave of the priest, became all at once Mrs. Thomson; and under that very refpectable name and character fhe was introduced by her nominal husband to his own family. To give fomething of an appearance of education to a creature who had been hackneyed only in the manners of a low and licentious

life, he placed her under the tuition of a woman who kept a boarding-school, near London.

In the mean time the Author fet fail for Bengal, with many recommendations from fome gentlemen of the India Houfe to the patronage of Mr. Verelft and fome leading members of the Council. The fuccefs of these recommendations was not indeed answerable to the hopes of Mr. Themfon. From Calcutta he failed, as fecond officer on board a freight-fhip, to China (Feb. 1769), about eleven months after his departure from England. At his return from China (Feb. 1770) he was informed that his fuppofed wife' had been in Bengal near four months, and had been attended thither from Europe by his own fifter. Amidst the high pleasure which his fond heart flattered him with the enjoyment of, in the company of his beloved object, there was a fcheme laid to feduce her affections from him; -which scheme, artfully laid and fecretly conducted, effectually answered every purpose of the feducer, and, in the event, ruined the fortune as well as the repofe of Mr. Thomson. This infidious feducer was no lefs a person than Mr. R—d Ba-11, whofe name is not a little confpicuous in the annals of the Eaft. If we are allowed to pay any credit to Mr. Thomfon, this Mr. Ba-11 muft have foully betrayed the confidence which was reposed in him, and violated every law of friendship and hospitality, honour and juftice. It was owing merely to accident, we are informed, that the correfpondence between Mr. Ball and Mrs. Thomson was detected. One Cator, Ball's pimp, was not fo dexterous as pimps ought to be in flipping a letter into Mrs Thomfon's hands. Our Author perceived it. His jealousy was inftantly roufed: and the fears it excited were afterwards confirmed by a difcovery of a number of letters from the fame gentleman. Thofe letters are now presented to the public, in the order in which they were fent to Mrs. Thomson. They contain the most ardent expreffions of love, and frequently refer to an illicit gratification of it. We are also prefented with a fpecimen of Mr. Ball's poetical talents-viz.. a copy of verses, moft lusciously defcriptive of Mrs. Thomson's charms and Mr. Ball's trembling pulfes, mighty tranfports, rapturous agonies, and extatic palpitations, &c. &c.a prayer'-"A prayer ?"-Yes-a prayer, worthy of a licentious Nabob diffolved in the luxury of a Haram- a prayer to Love !'—and an apology'—for making himself fuch a fool! Through every period of this infamous amour, Mr. Ball thought that the lady was in truth the legal wife of the very man whofe intereft he was at the fame time profeffing to promote on the most difinterested plan of friendship. Frobably this very circumftance heightened the charms of feduction, and made his "ftolen waters more sweet." What is common is not valuable;

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valuable; and that which may be procured without fear, is fre quently enjoyed without fatisfaction.

From one of Mr. Ball's letters we may collect a striking outline of his morality. He hath alfo in a few unequivocal words delineated (though unwittingly) that fyftem of right and wrong which our Afiatic defpots have been very ready to adopt and act upon in more respects than in the matter of feduction. We will transcribe his own words, when declaiming on the ufe and intent of paffions. As our paffions do not depend upon ourfelves, we must be fenfible they were given us to answer some great end in nature: and as to human laws, whatsoever can hackle the affections of the mind when thofe impel us irrefiftibly, let us remember this truth" that whatever is, is for the best; and promotes imperceptibly either a general or a partial good."

Excellent cafuift! Who would have thought that love would have made a man a logician? But the good men who have adopted the maxim on which Mr. Bal lays fuch a stress, were not aware that an unprincipled villain would have employed it as an inftrument of seduction. But nothing is fecured from abuse. A depraved heart will lay hold of the pureft maxims of philofophy, and prostitute to the purposes of licentioufnefs the very grace of the Gofpel. The pofition-that "whatever is, is right," Mr. Ba- -11 turns to the worst account. He applies it by way of palliative to eafe the fores of Mrs. Thomfon's confcience.-Mrs. Thomfon's confcience!! Yes, verily, for it feems, even fhe had fome qualms !

The discovery of these letters produced a feparation between the supposed hufband and wife: and Mr. Ball was drawn in, under a prefumption of adultery, to fign an inftrument by which he bound himself in a penal fum of ten thousand pounds to provide for the maintenance of Sarah Thomfon, Wife of Henry Fred. Thomfon, for the great love and affection that he bears to the faid Sarah, &c.'. By another deed he bound himself to the payment of an annuity of 300l. to Mr. Thomson, for divers good caufes and confiderations him thereunto moving. For the Reader fhould know, that when Thomson found how matters had been conducted by Mr. Ball and the lady, he wifely confidered, when the paroxifm of his rage began to fubfide, that as the affair could not be rectified, it would be moft prudent to turn it, as much as poffible, to his own advantage: and not attempt to litigate in a court what the law could neither confirm to his honour or profit. Mrs. Thomfon indeed threatened him into filence, by declaring that he would divulge the nature of their connection, if he perfifted in interrupting her more profitable amour with Mr. Ba- 11. Alarmed by this menace, and in fome measure awed by the power and influence

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of Mr. Ball, he refigned the lady, and took the bond as a recompence for the loss.

The fale of what was regarded as a wife, drew on Thomfon much and deferved infamy. He was detefted and fhunned by all perfons of character, for condefcending to a traffic equally contemptible and wicked. With this odium on his conduct, he made a voyage to China, and from thence returned to England in Aug. 1773

Mr. Ball's living in open adultery gave great offence to the Gentlemen of the Council. They reprobated his conduct aloud, and infifted on a reformation of a plan of life fo difgraceful to a perfon in his high ftation. Stung by their reproofs, or influenced by fome little remains of modefty, he abfented himself, for fome time, from the Council: but prudence at length getting the better of paffion, he difmiffed the object of it, and Mrs. Thomson was fent to England. Before her arri val, our Author had received a letter from Mr. Ba—11, preffing him, in the most earnest terms, to repair immediately to India, to take care of his wife and children, promifing him every protection that friendship could afford. When Thomson arrived in India, he was furprised to find that his wife had failed for Europe fome time before: for it feems, the Gentlemen of the Council fo far and with fuch determination interested themfelves in the honour of their body, that they infifted on Mr. Ball's immediate difmiffion of the woman who had been the occafion of all the obloquy that had been brought on his character, and which in a certain degree affected the honour of the Council. They would not wait for Thomson's return to India. Mr. Bal adopted the most prudent alternative.

While Thomson was in Bengal, he was entertained at Mr. Ball's house. While he continued there, he was very folicitous with Mr. Ball to enter into a fresh bond for the fecu rity of the annuity before mentioned. He wanted to have a fund established for the payment of it. After many tedious de lays, and many shameful equivocations, Mr. Ball at length produced inftructions to his brother for this purpose. The terms specified in thefe inftructions were very fatisfactory to our Author; and when he arrived in England, he flattered himself that he should foon fee the period of his misfortunes. Alas! the greatest were yet to come. He found that the deed was informal; and that as he was not married, it could not operate in law.

Captain Ba-11, the brother of Richard, ftarted many objections to the execution of the inftructions that were sent to him from India: and on Mr. Thomfon's application to Pickering the attorney, he had the confummate mortification of hearing, that before the deeds could be properly drawn up, it would

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