Clowns -- Great Britain -- Biography; Grimaldi, Joseph, 1779-1837
After the night at Sadler's Wells, Grimaldi heard nothing more of
Bradbury for some time; but at length received a note from him,
dated, to his excessive surprise, from a private madhouse at Hoxton,
requesting him to visit him there without delay, as he was exceedingly
anxious to see him. He was much astonished at this request, as little
or no intimacy had previously existed between them, and the place
where the letter was dated was so very unexpected and startling. Not
knowing what to do, he showed the letter to his friend Lawrence, who
recommended him by all means to go, and volunteered to accompany him.
As he gladly availed himself of this offer, they went together to
Hoxton, and inquiring at the appointed place, were introduced to
Bradbury, who was a patient in the asylum, and had submitted to the
customary regulations: all his hair being shaved off, and his person
being kept under strict restraint. Concluding that he had a maniac to
deal with, Grimaldi spoke in a very gentle, quiet manner, which the
patient observing, burst into a roar of laughter.
"My dear fellow," said Bradbury, "don't look and speak to me in that
way!--for though you find me here, treated as a patient, and with my
head shaved, I am no more mad than you are."
Grimaldi rather doubted this assurance, knowing it to be a common one
with insane people, and therefore kept at a respectful distance. He was
not long in discovering, however, that what Bradbury said was perfectly
true. The circumstances which had led to his confinement in the lunatic
asylum were briefly these:
Bradbury was a very dashing person, keeping a tandem, and associating
with many gentlemen and men of title. Upon one occasion, when he had
been playing at Plymouth, a man-of-war was coming round from that
town to Portsmouth, on board of which he had several friends among
the officers, who took him on board with them. It was agreed that
they should sup together at Portsmouth. A splendid meal having been
prepared, they spent the night, or at least the larger portion of it,
in great hilarity. As morning approached, Bradbury rose to retire,
and then, with considerable surprise, discovered that a magnificent
gold snuff-box, with a gold chain attached, which he was accustomed
to wear in his fob, and which he had placed on the table for the use
of his friends, had disappeared. He mentioned the circumstance, and a
strict search was immediately instituted, but with no other effect than
that of proving that the valuable box was gone. When every possible
conjecture had been hazarded, and inquiry made without success, it was
recollected that one of their companions, a young gentleman already
writing "Honourable" before his name, and having a coronet in no very
remote perspective, had retired from the table almost immediately after
supper:--it was suggested that he might have taken it in jest, for the
purpose of alarming its owner.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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