GAST. 177 “I beg leave to enclose a specimen of my engraving, of which I hum bly beg your acceptance. I die in the principles I have published—a sound Whig.” “Sir, “I present you with a brief memoir of myself. If you shall find it of no other use, it will, at least, serve to light your fire. “Your respectful humble servant, “May 9, 1814.” “ WILLIAM GARDINER.” The letter is dated May the 9th, but he committed the fatal act on the 8th. He had been married, it is said, to a very respectable and interesting young woman of the name of Seckerson, much against the wish of her friends. With her assistance he was enabled to open a bookseller's shop in Pall-Mall, when in a short time he gained a very considerable knowledge in old books; but his wife and child dying, he became utterly regardless of appearances; his dress, premises, and books, were equally in want of repair, and he was possessed of a happy contempt for a l l the forms o f civilized life. He never scrupled t o de liver his opinions (whether called for o r not) o n political men, a s they entered his shop, i n the most free and unequivocal terms, however i t might affect his interests. This, although many regarded a s a degree o f praise worthy eccentricity that ought t o b e encouraged and admired, the majority conceived a s a n unwarrantable insult, and Mr. Gardiner suffered i n consequence “a total decline of business.” He put a period t o his existence b y hanging himself o n the evening o f the 8th o f May, 1814; and the Coroner's inquest brought i n a verdict o f insanity. With a l l his eccentricities (natural o r acquired) h e maintained through life the character o f a strictly honest Inan. JOHN GAST, D.D. An eminent divine, was born a t Dublin, o n July 29th, 1715. His father, Mr. Daniel Gast, was a protestant o f Saintonge, i n Guyenne, where h e practised a s a physician WOL. I 1 . N
