perpetrated by the prisoner, and secured him immediately on the discharge of the pistols. Mr. O'Bryen, the surgeon, was next examined as to the wound. He informed the coroner and jury, that he had been called in to the deceased immediately upon her being carried to the Shakspeare Tavern, and upon examining the wound, and feeling the vessels of pulsation, pronounced her dead. He had, in conjunction with two other surgeons, that day analyzed the condition of the head, and found the fracture of a very uncommon sort; a full half of the cranium had been separated from the other. The jury, after sitting several hours, brought in their verdict, wilful murder, against the said Hackman, who will accordingly take his trial for the horrible offence at the next session at the Old Bailey, which begins in the course of a few days. The body was removed to an undertaker's near Leicester Fields, about five o'clock, to be prepared for interment.

"When the news of the above misfortune was carried to the Admiralty,* it was received by her noble admirer with the utmost concern. He wept exceedingly, and lamented, with every other token of grief, the interruption of a connection which had lasted for seventeen years, with great and uninterrupted felicity on both sides. There was something in the person, manner, and figure of this unhappy young lady, which particularly attracted his atten

* Lord Sandwich was at this period First Lord of the Admiralty.

tion, and induced him to bestow the most liberal education upon her that the country could supply. There was scarce any polite art in which she was not an adept, nor any part of female literature with which she was not conversant. All the world are acquainted with the universal sweetness of her vocal powers, but it was the peculiar pleasure of a few only to know that her conversation, her feelings, and indeed her general deportment, all participated of an unparalleled delicacy, which had characterized her through life. She has had nine children by the noble lord, five of which are now living, who have been instructed by her with a strictness of motherly attention. Charity was eminently one of her virtues. In short, without any violation to the delicacy of the present question, we may pronounce Miss Ray to have been a very amiable and valuable character; for the susceptible, even among the most chaste, will scarce think one frailty an adequate counterpoise to so many good qualities, but, by placing that single failing to nature and her sex, must join in the general pity for the loss of so worthy and accomplished a woman."

It is rather curious, in one of the journals of the period, to find the name of George Selwyn connected as follows with that of Miss Ray. "A correspondent says that George Selwyn, with a humanity which did honour to his feelings, out of his great esteem and respect for that amiable

lady, who was so inhumanly murdered in coming out of the playhouse, attended at the Shakspeare whilst the body lay there, sitting as a mourner in the room, with a long black cloak on, which reached to his heels, and a large hat slouched over his face. This made a singular addition to a countenance naturally dark and rueful, and rendered him as complete a figure of woe as ever was exhibited at any funeral, or in any procession. It was his friend, the Duke of Q-y, who detected him in that garb; his Grace, by a similarity of feelings, being drawn to the same place." As Selwyn was at this period absent from London, the foregoing anecdote could of course have been only intended as a jeu d'esprit.

On the 14th of April, the remains of Miss Ray were interred near those of her mother, in the parish church of Elstree, in Hertfordshire, in a vault in the chancel, which had been prepared for their reception. For some years she had maintained her parents in this village; her father being still living, at the period of her death, and her mother having died about three years previously. The residence of Miss Ray was at the eastern corner of Tavistock Street, Covent Garden.

VOL. IV.

THE REV. DR. WARNER TO GEORGE SELWYN.

April 8th [1779].

DEAR SIR,

I HAVE been dining with a party at Harry Hoare's. All the talk was about Miss Ray and her murderer, but no clear account yet of the latter. There is an account of the former, which is supposed to be authentic, in the Whitehall Evening Post of to-night, and which you may see, I should suppose, at Dover. I called to-day, in coming from Coutts's at the Shakspeare Tavern, in order to see the corpse of Miss Ray, and to send you some account of it; but I had no interest with her keepers, and could not get admittance for money.

I really love the Doctor * exceedingly. He appears to me to be one of the most truly honest and estimable men I had ever the good fortune to meet withal, and I beseech you to take an early opportunity of letting him see that you understand and accede to his wish, that he may not think I have been wanting to him, which would pain me very much. I beseech you further to tell him that I love him, and I have vanity and amour propre enough to hope, all misanthrope as he is, that he would receive it without indignation. I am convinced that any man,

* Dr. Gem.

who has observed as much of mankind as he has, would have cause for as much misanthropy, and I even love him for hating my species.

I beg my compliments to Mrs. Webb.

THE REV. DR. WARNER TO GEORGE SELWYN.

April 13 [1779].

DEAR SIR,

It is utterly inexplicable, and equally distressing to me, that I have not heard from you from Dover. You were there on Friday at dinner, and stayed till Sunday morning, and yet not a single line.

The Baron is not angry with you for not returning his salute upon the sea, as he is not sure that you were sensible of the compliment. He does me the honour to say that I shall show him about town when he has done his business. My only hope is, to get rid of him by taking him to a city party, and stifling him with tobacco, or he will drive me out of

town.

The history of Hackman, Miss Ray's murderer, is this. He was recruiting at Huntingdon; appeared at the ball; was asked by Lord Sandwich to Hinchinbrooke; was introduced to Miss Ray; became violently enamoured of her; made proposals, and was sent into Ireland, where his regiment was. He sold out; came back on purpose to be near the object of his affection; took orders, but could not