Mr. Rickman afterwards acquired some celebrity. He became private
secretary to the prime minister, Mr. Perceval, and afterwards for many
years, was one of the clerks of the House of Commons. He published also,
in 4to, a creditable Life of Telford, the great engineer, and officially
conducted the first census, (1800) a most laborious undertaking. The
second census, (1810) was conducted in a very efficient way, by Mr.
Thomas Poole, whose name often appears in this work, appointed through
the influence of Mr. Rickman.
"London, Dec. 14, 1797.
My dear Cottle,
I found your parcel on my return from a library belonging to the
Dissenters, (Dr. Williams's Library) in Redcross-street, from which, by
permission of Dr. Towers, I brought back books of great importance for my
'Maid of Orleans.' A hackney coach horse turned into a field of grass,
falls not more eagerly to a breakfast which lasts the whole day, than I
attacked the old folios, so respectably covered with dust. I begin to
like dirty rotten binding, and whenever I get among books, pass by the
gilt coxcombs, and disturb the spiders. But you shall hear what I have
got. A latin poem in four long books; on 'Joan of Arc;' very bad, but it
gives me a quaint note or two, and Valerandus Valerius is a fine name for
a quotation. A small 4to, of the 'Life of the Maid', chiefly extracts
from forgotten authors, printed at Paris, 1712, with a print of her on
horseback. A sketch of her life by Jacobus Philippus Bergomensis,--bless
the length of his erudite name.
John May, and Carlisle, (surgeon) were with me last night, and we struck
out a plan, which, if we can effect it, will be of great use. It is to be
called the 'Convalescent Asylum'; and intended to receive persons who are
sent from the hospitals; as the immediate return to unwholesome air, bad
diet, and all the loathsomeness of poverty, destroys a very great number.
The plan is to employ them in a large garden, and it is supposed in about
three years, the institution would pay itself, on a small scale for forty
persons. The success of one, would give birth to many others. C. W. W.
Wynn enters heartily into it. We meet on Saturday again, and as soon as
the plan is at all digested, Carlisle means to send it to Dr. Beddoes,
for his inspection. We were led to this by the circumstance of finding a
poor woman, almost dying for want, who is now rapidly recovering in the
hospital, under Carlisle.
Yours affectionately,