kes
possession of Naples..... Battle of Parma..... The
Imperialists are again worsted at Gustalla..... An Edict in
France, compelling the British Subjects in that Kingdom to
enlist in the French Army..... New Parliament in Great
Britain..... Debate on a Subsidy to Denmark..... Petition of
some Scottish Noblemen to the House of Peers..... Bill
explaining an Act of the Scottish Parliament touching
wrongous Imprisonment..... Misunderstanding between the
Courts of Spain and Portugal..... Sir John Norris sails with
a strong Squadron to Lisbon..... Preliminaries signed by the
Emperor and the King of France..... Proceedings in
Parliament..... Bill for preventing the Retail of Spiritous
Liquors..... Another for the Relief of Quakers in the
Article of Tithes..... Mortmain Act..... Remarkable Riot at
Edinburgh..... Rupture between the Czarina and the Ottoman
Porte..... The Session of Parliament opened by
Commission..... Motion in both Houses for a Settlement on
the Prince of Wales..... Fierce Debate on this Subject.....
Scheme by Sir John Barnard for reducing the Interest of the
National Debt..... Bill against the City of Edinburgh.....
Play-house Bill._

{1732}

REMARKABLE INSTANCE OF SUICIDE.

The most remarkable incident that distinguished this year in England was
a very uncommon instance of suicide; an act of despair so frequent
among the English, that in other countries it is objected to them as
a national reproach. Though it may be generally termed the effect of
lunacy proceeding from natural causes operating on the human body,
in some few instances it seems to have been the result of cool
deliberation. Richard Smith, a bookbinder, and prisoner for debt within
the liberties of the king's bench, persuaded his wife to follow his
example in making away with herself, after they had murdered their
little infant. This wretched pair were, in the month of April, found
hanging in their bed-chamber, at about a yard's distance from each
other; and in a separate apartment the child lay dead in a cradle. They
left two papers enclosed in a short letter to their landlord, whose
kindness they implored in favour of their dog and cat. They even left
money to pay the porter who should carry the enclosed papers to the
person for whom they were addressed. In one of these the husband thanked
that person for the marks of friendship