Broadside entitled 'An Account of the Life and Transactions of Mr Richardson, late Minister at Largs, how he committed Suicide, by cutting his own throat'

Transcription

An Account of the Life and
Transactions of Mr Richard-
son, late Minister at Largs,
how he committed Suicide,
by cutting his own throat.

IT is with regret that we announce to the public, and more so to
those who knew the above-described person. He was a young man
lately placed as Minister of the parish of Largs, well beloved by all
his hearers and all who knew him, promising in appearance, and
benevolent in all his ways. We do not wish to comment on such
a subject Farther than we have proper grounds, being of such a del-
icate nature, which we suppose prevented the Editors of the differ-
ent newspapers from commenting much upon it. We can only state
the caue, which is reported in this place; he being but lately mar-
ried, and before which period had formed a contract with another
young woman in terms of marriage to her also; but the latter find-
ing that she was slighted, as is commonly the case with many of
her sex in the same way, consequently took it very much to heart,
and finding she was pregnant by him, sent the following letter :

" False Lover,-It was more than I would have expected from
your hand, and more so from the calling you profess ; a wolf in
sheep's clothing indeed. God and your own conscience knows your
false vows and protestations to me, which will yet be required at
your hand, where self-denial will not clear the guilty. You may
shudder at the thought, were you to take a proper view of the situa-
tion in which you stand. But, alas, too late I am justly blameable
of myself to forfeit my reputation, for from that moment I also for-
feited all claim of respect to depend upon your false gratitude. But
still I must remind you my character is not all, yours is also at the
stake. The loss of a friend may be overcome, but the loss of a cha-
racter still remains a stain, by which man or woman may become
universally shunned, universally slighted. But perhaps you have a
ready remedy to use with policy, and so to guard all outward ap-
pearance, and never to want this negative testimony on your side,
that the world knows no evil of you. But rest assured they will
not be covered with a cloak of darkness neither here nor hereaf-
ter. Be not deceived, though perhaps from the inward workings
and dreams, with the impression strong on your brain, you may
think yourself a chosen vessel, sanctified within, and sealed up un-
to the perfect day. But an unjust seal will not stand when the
coat of arms upon it is a counterfeit, and a guilty conscience is a
strong evidence against itself. Had you but taken a view of my
parentage down to my own character, you would neither found spot
nor blemish, but as pure as this paper on which I discharge my
mind to you. Industrious as your own were, you have to thank
mine for a part of that education and the rank of a gentleman that
you now hold, in which office you are placed a teacher of the flock,
which I fear is not in a safe fold to be committed to such a shep-
herd ; and you have found out the art by a proper management of
light and shade to compound these vices together, so as to give
body and strength to the whole, whilst no one but a dicerning ar-
tist is able to discover the labours that join in finishing the pic-
ture ; and, indeed, like many other bad originals in the world, it
stands in need of all the disguise it has, for who could, be ena-
moured of a character made up of so loathsome a compound. Could
you behold it naked in its crooked and deformed shape, with all
its natural and detested infirmities laid open to public view, then
you might loath at your own false heart and deluding tongue. So I
conclude by leaving you to your own meditations. "

Such is an outline of the letter which the above Mr Richardson
received the evening in which he committed the horrid deed upon
the 12th of October last, which ever since has led to discord with
both parties of friends connected with the family. She produced
letters from his own hand, in consequence of what she had stated,
and one of which was sent to her only about a week before his
marriage to the other young lady, still declaring his constancy to
the latter.-There is nothing we can state to have been the cause
of this unhappy man's revenge of himself, by putting an end to his
existence, only what we have already said ; and in this case we see
that all mankind is fallible. He was much beloved in his ministe-
rial office, both for great talent and sound dcctrine, and by ap-
pearance attentive to his duty in every respect. But there is no-
thing in which the mind of man is more divided than in the ac-
count of his horrid nature; for when we consider man so fashioned
by his Maker's will, so full of the tenderest dispositions of heart,
yet it soon deviseth evil of itself, of which it is hard to account.
                                                                                                                            Printed for James Thomson.

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