From Lancashire, middle-aged, admitted August 6th 1818. This is a
sullen rancorous fellow; he has been a seaman, and formerly in Old
Bethlem, and in a mad-house at Hoxton. He never speaks to any one but
in a manner quite unintelligible. He sometimes writes with chalk on the
walls, in a sort of hieroglyphic quite as obscure as his conversation:
such as, “27th Lancashire, mind 1 No. 8. Old clothes. No. 3.--Alepass.
Ireland--his own--thro No. 1879. 4th Bridge.”
This man seems by nature savage, and is extremely furious and
dangerous. For the smallest imagined offence he will knock down a
fellow-patient, and beat and kick him most unmercifully. Indeed he
will sometimes do so without any cause, real or fanciful. He has been,
therefore, put under restraint; which renders him still worse, and more
vicious; and therefore he is sometimes locked up in his room, but has
now for a considerable time been under no strict restraint.
The most trivial quarrel or falling-out with another he will remember
for years: nay, he will never forget or forgive it. In his general
behaviour he is pretty regular, and cleanly in his person; but so
vicious and treacherous, that he cannot be trusted. In October 1822
he attacked one of the keepers, tore the waistcoat and shirt off
his back, and would have done him much personal mischief, had not
assistance immediately arrived. He is a powerful fellow, apparently in
robust health. He likes to be alone, and never takes his meals with
the other patients, but by himself. At one time he took a liking to
the privy as his favourite residence, and used to carry his meals to
that place or to the airing ground, if he could get there. While lord
of the privy, it was extremely unsafe for any one obnoxious to him to
approach it. He would fiercely spring out upon them, like a tiger;
and by furious blows or kicks drive them away. But after some time he
was induced to abandon this delicate dining-room, and transfer his
refectory to the airing-ground, except when the weather was rainy.