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Letter to Editor
April 3, 1761
The New Hampshire Gazette
Portsmouth, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
What is this article about?
Mr. Stirne, imprisoned in Newgate for murdering surgeon Mr. Matthews, writes to the widow expressing profound remorse for his negligence and sins, blaming his crime on neglecting God in favor of reason, and seeks her pardon while cautioning others.
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LONDON, Oct. 3.
The following Letter is inserted in this Day's Paper
(Oct 2) at the Request of Mr. Stirne, now confined
in Newgate for the Murder of Mr. Matthews, Surgeon
in Brook Street, Holborn.
SIR,
BE so kind as to favour with a Place in your Paper.
this Letter: the Effects of which can be no other than
to move Compassion, to do Honour to God, to caution
Free-thinkers, and refute a Report of a late Correspondence between me and the Lady I write to.
I am, Sir, Yours, &c
Dear Madam!
From a fettered Captive.
Your Husband's unexpected, unprepared for Death:
your Terrors at this Death; the change of your Chil-
dren's future fate: the Patient's, Friend, Relations of
your Husband: - all these, these all reproaching, call
aloud for Restoration, for Satisfaction; which, to me
alas! I cannot give, far less to others.
O woful Negligence! too late, I see, too late. alas!
I feel: Facts are irrevocable. O woful Negligence!
the Opportunity of giving way I slipped; and what re-
mains? The bare, the firm Impossibility of escaping
Misery and public Death.
O Madam! Madam! Who brought me to this dismal
Labyrinth; You with your Conduct? No! Your
Husband's Foibles? No! What then at last? My Sins:
O Madam! My Presumption, Neglect of God, (tell
this to Youths) a barrenness of Duty, that lounging,
epidemic Sin. The Almighty propped the Measure of my
cool and frequent Trespasses, by suffering me to plunge
in this notorious Crime. His Vengeance roused, per-
mitted me free course, the greatest Punishment he could
inflict. The only Guide I trusted in was Reason.
The Grace of God interpreted, I thought was Reason.
A moral honest Life I strove to lead by Reason. But
oh! how blind, how weak, my erring tumbling Guide!
bemattered by the reigning Passion of my Mind, I fol-
lowed vain Ambition, resented when affronted; thought
this good Sense, good Conduct, so run, and rushed, and--
fell.
This Madam, is the Spring of my Offence to God.
to you, your Orphans, and your Nation. This is the
fatal Rock which splits my brittle Ship; the Edge
which cuts me off in the Flower of age,
O pardon, dearest! pardon then your Sorrow's In-
strument, who God I hope will pardon. Pray pity
him! he rues past Life, he rues the thoughtless Acts
and soon shall be......no more.
The following Letter is inserted in this Day's Paper
(Oct 2) at the Request of Mr. Stirne, now confined
in Newgate for the Murder of Mr. Matthews, Surgeon
in Brook Street, Holborn.
SIR,
BE so kind as to favour with a Place in your Paper.
this Letter: the Effects of which can be no other than
to move Compassion, to do Honour to God, to caution
Free-thinkers, and refute a Report of a late Correspondence between me and the Lady I write to.
I am, Sir, Yours, &c
Dear Madam!
From a fettered Captive.
Your Husband's unexpected, unprepared for Death:
your Terrors at this Death; the change of your Chil-
dren's future fate: the Patient's, Friend, Relations of
your Husband: - all these, these all reproaching, call
aloud for Restoration, for Satisfaction; which, to me
alas! I cannot give, far less to others.
O woful Negligence! too late, I see, too late. alas!
I feel: Facts are irrevocable. O woful Negligence!
the Opportunity of giving way I slipped; and what re-
mains? The bare, the firm Impossibility of escaping
Misery and public Death.
O Madam! Madam! Who brought me to this dismal
Labyrinth; You with your Conduct? No! Your
Husband's Foibles? No! What then at last? My Sins:
O Madam! My Presumption, Neglect of God, (tell
this to Youths) a barrenness of Duty, that lounging,
epidemic Sin. The Almighty propped the Measure of my
cool and frequent Trespasses, by suffering me to plunge
in this notorious Crime. His Vengeance roused, per-
mitted me free course, the greatest Punishment he could
inflict. The only Guide I trusted in was Reason.
The Grace of God interpreted, I thought was Reason.
A moral honest Life I strove to lead by Reason. But
oh! how blind, how weak, my erring tumbling Guide!
bemattered by the reigning Passion of my Mind, I fol-
lowed vain Ambition, resented when affronted; thought
this good Sense, good Conduct, so run, and rushed, and--
fell.
This Madam, is the Spring of my Offence to God.
to you, your Orphans, and your Nation. This is the
fatal Rock which splits my brittle Ship; the Edge
which cuts me off in the Flower of age,
O pardon, dearest! pardon then your Sorrow's In-
strument, who God I hope will pardon. Pray pity
him! he rues past Life, he rues the thoughtless Acts
and soon shall be......no more.
What sub-type of article is it?
Emotional
Reflective
Religious
What themes does it cover?
Crime Punishment
Religion
Morality
What keywords are associated?
Murder
Remorse
Negligence
Newgate Prison
Gods Grace
Reason Vs Faith
Pardon
What entities or persons were involved?
Mr. Stirne
Dear Madam
Letter to Editor Details
Author
Mr. Stirne
Recipient
Dear Madam
Main Argument
the writer expresses remorse for murdering mr. matthews due to negligence and neglect of god, relying instead on flawed reason, and seeks pardon from the widow while cautioning against similar sins.
Notable Details
Neglect Of God And Reliance On Reason As Cause Of Crime
Caution To Free Thinkers And Youths
Refutes Report Of Correspondence With The Lady