Aged twenty-six, from Feversham, in Kent, admitted 11th October
1821. This little fellow, consistently enough with his name, was a
postillion; and his disease was the result of excessive drinking: a
failing but too common with his fraternity.
He came to this hospital from a private mad-house, where he had been
confined some time. He could not believe that he laboured under any
derangement; his sole misfortune was his having lost such immense sums
of money, and being unlawfully kept out of his rights. He boasts that
he was the cleverest fellow in England in his profession, and would
not turn his back on the first whip on any road in the kingdom. His
ambition for excellence in this way seemed to be his ruling passion.
He would challenge all the whipsters in England to drive twenty horses
in harness against him; and alleges he could do more with them than any
other man he ever saw. He thought himself immensely rich, and that the
man who passed for his master at Feversham was only his servant: but
he himself chose to drive a post-chaise merely for his amusement. He
says his coming to this place was merely a hoax upon him: he however
soon found out the difference, and he began to make himself useful in
the gallery. He was a smart, active young fellow. Continued care and
temperance brought him to his rational notions, and he was discharged
well, on the 21st February 1822. Probably by a return to his old
practices, and the nature of his occupation, he again became deranged,
and was presented here for re-admission; but it was discovered that he
had become paralytic, of which he had formerly evinced some symptoms,
and he was rejected of course.