“‘You seem to be very anxious concerning the life of the unfortunate stranger found drowned in Sea-Mill Dock. You have a right to know it, for the kindness you have shown to his unfortunate remains. James Doe was born at Lambeth, about two miles from London, of honest parents, who brought him up in as creditable a manner as their circumstances would admit. At the age of fourteen years, or thereabouts, he was put as an apprentice to Mr. Griffiths, at the delft pottery, High Street, Lambeth. When he was out of his time, he continued working at his business until he became slack; and the queen’s ware meeting with great encouragement, he went into Staffordshire for employment, where he remained upwards of twenty years, working for different masters, and then came up to London, in want of employ, and got work at China-gilding for a few months. He was then invited into Staffordshire again, where he remained but a short time: and from that time he has been considered the wanderer of the trade. He was the most charitable man I ever knew; and he was often known to neglect himself when misfortunes came on his friends and acquaintances, to whose relief he contributed both time and money, as much as lay in his power. Believe me, Sir, you have bestowed your trouble on the remains of a very good-hearted man. The acquaintance he alluded to in his diary, and another person, were going to France, about thirteen years ago, with a view of carrying over and establishing there the queen’s-ware manufactory; some of the master potters heard of it, and had them confined in prison. As soon as James Doe heard of it, he went through the trade to gather money to support his friend, and to preserve him from want; and he, poor soul, contributed all he had, for that purpose. To be denied assistance by that man whom he had relieved in distress, was too great for his tender heart to bear. Sir, I do not pretend to hold my friend up to perfection, the last action of his life is against him; but, I believe, the denial of relief by that man whom he had served and relieved in distress was the sole cause of his committing the rash act of suicide. The language of the manuscript writing is nearly the same as his last conversation with me, as far as this friend is mentioned. I perfectly agree with you, that he was in his senses as much as he ever was in his life, when he committed the act of suicide. He was acquainted with a Mr. Greenwood in Staffordshire for some years, a man remarkable for fine knowledge; to that man the unfortunate Doe owed a great deal of his knowledge; and although Mr. Greenwood was a very sensible man, yet he held it just for a man to destroy himself, and, like my friend, in his perfect senses, actually made away with himself the day before he was to have been married to a person of credit and property.