button to main menu  Gents Mag 1793 p.1053
button introduction
button list, 4th qtr 18th century
button previous page
Gentleman's Magazine 1793 p.1053
which he carefully examined. "It might very likely have something valuable in it as it did not want to swim to the side," was his reply to a clergyman who afterwards joined him upon the road, and whose curiosity, from the odd circumstance, was not a little raised.
Wilson, schoolmaster of Patterdale,acted as his secretary; and ten pence was the price agreed upon for making his will. After the first, alterations, additions, and codicils, became so frequent, that Wilson was tired of the price, and for once got it raised to a shilling. He afterwards made a bolder attempt, he asked half-a-crown; this was too serious, and another person was employed.
Not many years ago, he was so ill that his recovery was doubtful. His son, the Prince, advised him to leave 200l. to the poor. "No, he had lost a great deal by the poor, but he never got any thing by them in his life. Why leave any thing to them?" But the amiable youth, reasoning with him on the aweful scene before him, he gave way. "Well," says he, to his only child, his heir, and executor, "I will leave one hundred, if you will be fifty of it." Whether ever in his life before he hit upon so curious a method of cheating himself is unknown to us. This was not the finishing of his reign: he recovered; and, in his 89th year, lamented the shortness of life: "Could we but," says he to his old friend Willon, "live to the age of Methuselah, we might then have some chance of getting rich: but, we no sooner find ourselves in the way of getting a little together, than death comes upon us and spoils all." -
He is succeeded in his title and estate by his only child John, who has a numerous family. This young man is almost adored in the place; and the writer of this can faithfully testify that, upon the spot, he had the pleasure of hearing the following remark. "that, if it was possible, he was too good." Mr. Gilpin (alluding to situation only, most likely) has said, that, "if he was inclined to envy any potentate in Europe, it would be the King of Patterdale." If this was the case during the life of the late King, how much more so now, when this Prince has for some time since been looked upon as the tutelar deity of the vale, whose chief study it has been to render the inhabitants more happy, easy, and contented.!
... ...
button to main menu Lakes Guides menu.