The History of Suicide in England, 1650–1850

‘What Cato did, and Addison approved, cannot be wrong’. Eustace Budgell’s famous suicide note of 1737 was written at a point when, it has been argued, older attitudes to suicide were being challenged. However, many commentators continued to view suicide as a crime against the laws of God and man, punishable by the forfeiture of property and a shameful burial, while some physicians viewed suicide as an act of lunacy, and thought that suicides could not be culpable. This two-part, eight-volume, reset edition draws together a range of sources from the early modern era through to the industrial age, to show the changes and continuities in responses to the social, political, legal and spiritual problems that self-murder posed, and to illustrate the nature of the lively and vibrant contemporary debates about and depictions of suicide.

In addition to general commentary on suicide, materials relate to selected high-profile cases, including Charles Blount, Robert Clive, George Hesse, Samuel Romilly and Lord Castlereagh. Sources are varied and include newspaper and magazine reports, sermons, pamphlets, legal and medical material, ballads, poetry, plays and novels. Much of this material has not been republished before.

New editorial material includes a general introduction, volume introductions, headnotes, endnotes and a consolidated index. This edition will be essential for scholars of Social History, Legal History, Religious Studies, History of Crime and Historical Sociology.

• Covers the crucial transition between early modern and modern attitudes to suicide in England
• Contains over 130 full texts and significant extracts
• New editorial material contextualises primary sources through discussion of key legal terms
• Editorial material includes a general introduction, volume introductions, headnotes, endnotes
• Consolidated index in the final volume

Contents

Volume 1: 1650–1699
Anon., The Faithful Lovers Downfal: or, The Death of Fair Phillis who Killed her self for Loss of her Philander (1644–1680); William Denny, Pelecanicidium, or the Christian Advisor against Self-Murder (1653); Anon., The Troubled Spirited Mans Departure: or a wonderful Relation of the Wilful; Murder committed by Thomas Mince...upon his own Person (1653); Anon., A Sad Caveat to all Quakers...Containing a True Narration of one William Pool an Apprentice...[who] by the Temptation and Impulsion of the Devil Drown Himself in the River (1657); Anon, The Divils Cruelty to Mankind. Being a True Relation of the Life and Death of George Gibbs (1662); [Owen Stockton], Counsel to the Afflicted...in the Discussing of which Questions; are handled several Profitable Cases of Conscience concerning Self-Murder (1667); John Milton, Sampson Agonistes (1671); Anon., The Dying Damsels Doleful Destiny: or, True love Requited with Evil (1671–1704); Anon., Loves Lamentable Tragedy (1671–1704); Anon., The London Damsels fate by Unjust Tyrany: or, The Rash Lover (1672–96); [J Shafe], The Great Law of Nature, or Self-Preservation Examined (1673); Anon., Sad and Deplorable News from Fleet Street (1674); Anon., Sad and Lamentable News from Rumford Being a True and Dreadful Relation of the Sad and Dreadful end of one William Stapeler....who after his Examination Hanged himself (1674); Anon., The Sad Effects of Cruelty Detected being an Impartial Account of the Poor Woman, near Temple-Barr, Lately Tempted in her Distraction to Make Away with Herself (1675); Anon., Loves Downfal (1678–80); Anon., A True Account of the Late, most Doleful and Lamentable Tragedy of Maddam Gwinn (1679); John Collinges, Defensative Armour against Four of Sathan’s most Fiery Darts (1680); Anon., The Damosels Tragedy: or, True love in Distress (1682–1703); Anon., The Sad and Dreadful Relation of a Bloody and Cruel Murther committed by Mr Thomas Low a Minister, in Heart-Street, Covent-Garden, upon his own Person (1684); Anon., Sad and Lamentable News from Brick-lane in the Hamlet of Spittle Fields, or, A Dreadful Warning to such as give way to the Temptation of the Devil, in the Deplorable Example of Mr John Child ...who Falling into Despair; Committed a Barbarous and Unnatural Murther upon his own Person (1684); Anon., An Account ...of how...a Prisoners Wife of Ludgate..Threw Herself into Blackfriars (1685); Anon., A Sad and Dreadful account of the Self-Murther of Robert Long, alias Baker some time a Captain under the late Duke of Monmouth (1685); Anon., Sad and Dreadful news from Dukes-place near Aldgate: or, a True Account of a Barborous and Unnatural Self-Murther committed by Dorcas Pinkney a Single Woman (1686); [Ezra Pierce], A Discourse of Self-Murder (1692); Charles Blount, ‘The Life of the Author and An Account and Vindication of His Death’, The Miscellaneous Works (1695); Anon., The Occasional Paper: Number II, Concerning the late Unfortunate Death of J H–en, Esq; Number X. Concerning Self-Murder. With some Reflexion upon the Verdicts often brought in of Non Compos Mentis, in a Letter to a Friend (1698); Nathaniel Whaley, ‘Of Murther particularly Duelling and Self-Murther’, Discourses on Several Subjects (1698); Selections from The Athenian Mercury and Quest

Volume 2: 1700–1750
John Adams, Essay concerning Self–Murther (1700); Anon., A Step to Oxford, or a Mad Essay on the Rev Mr Thomas Creech’s Hanging Himself (1700); John Jeffery, Felo de Se: or a Warning against the most Horrid and Unnatural Sin of Self–Murder in a Sermon (1702); J B, Apstophonia, or Self–Murther Arraigned and Condemned (1705); P S, A Help to Magistrates and Ministers of Justice (1705); Anon., A Full and True Account of a Horrid Barbarous Cruel Self–Murder (1706); John Dunton, ‘That the Self–Murder of the Pagans was Justifiable’, Athenian Sport (1707); Thomas Knaggs, A Sermon against Self–Murder (1708); John Prince, Self–murder Asserted to be a very Heinous Crime in Opposition to all Arguments brought by the Deists, to the Contrary (1709); W Withers, Some Thoughts Concerning Suicide, or Self–Killing (1711); Anon., The Covetous Old Mother or, The Terrible Overthrow of Two Loyal Lovers (1711–69); John Edwards, Theologica Reformata (1713); John Cockburn, A Discourse of Self–Murder (1716); William Fleetwood, Three Sermons upon the Case of Self–Murder in Relative Duties of Parents and Children, Husbands and Wives, Masters and Servants Considered in Sixteen Practical Discourses (1716); Sir George Mackenzie, ‘Self–Murder’, The Works (1716–22); Cato, Two Letters (1721); Anon., ‘Suicide: or Self–Murder’, Occasional Poems, very Seasonable and Proper for the Present Times (1726); Anon., Self–Murther and Duelling: The effects of Cowardice and Atheism (1728); John Henley, Cato Condemned, or the Case and History of Self–Murder (1730); Richard Gwinnett, Pylades and Corinna (1731–2); Anon., A Discourse upon Self–Murder,...in a Letter to a Free-Thinker, that Despised Life (1732); [Alberto Radicati, Conte de Passerano], A Philosophical Dissertation Upon Death (1732); Anon., The Fair Suicide: Being an Epistle from a Young Lady to the Person who was the Cause of her Death (1733); [Lydia Granger], Modern Amours: or a Secret History of the Adventures of some Persons of the First Rank (1733); Richard Gilpin, Demonologia Sacra or a Treatise of Satan’s Temptations (1735); Zachary Pearce, A Sermon on Self–Murder (1736); Anon., The Oxfordshire tragedy or, The death of Four Lovers (1736–63); Matthew Bacon, A New Abridgement of the Law (1736–66); Alexander Pope, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Thirty–Eight (1738); John Wesley, Works (1738); John Tillard, ‘Whether the Heathens encouraged or approved of Self Murder?’, A Reply to Mr Warburton’s (1742); John Trenchard and Thomas Gordon, Cato’s Letters (1721); James Foster, ‘Of Duels and Self–Murder’, Sermons on the Following Subjects (1744); James Mauclerc, ‘Concerning Self–Murder’, The Christian’s Magazine (1745); Cornelius Arnold, ‘Distress, A Poetical Essay’, Poems on Several Occasions (1757); Isaac Watts, ‘A Defence against the Temptation to Self–Murder’, Works (1800); Anon., The Unfortunate Couple or the Unkind Father (c.1700); Selections from Gentleman’s Magazine, Lady’s Weekly Magazine, London Journal, London Magazine, Mercurius Politicus, Present State of the Republick of Letters, Prompter, Read’s Weekly Journal, Review of the Affairs of France, The British Apollo, The Champion, The Comedian, The Daily Gazetteer, The Free–Thinker, The Humourist, The National Journal, The Old Whig, The Post Angel, Universal Spectator, Weekly Journal or British Gazette, Weekly Miscellany, Westminster Journal

Volume 3: 1750–1799
Robert Blair, The Grave (1753); Francis Ayscough, A Discourse against Self-Murder (1755); Anon., The Coroner’s Guide (1756); John Dreghorn, Lord Maclaurin, The Philosopher’s Opera (1757); Wellins Calcott, A Collection of Thoughts Moral and Divine (1759); Anon., Durham Tragedy (1760); The Life, Travels and Adventures of Christopher Wagstaff (1762); Charles Collington, ‘Of Suicide’, Medicina Politica (1765); Anon., Two Letters, one to John Wilkes...the Other, to a friend, on Suicide and Madness (1767); Anon., ‘Unreasonableness and Impiety of Suicide Considered’, Clergyman of the Church of England, Several Affecting Considerations Respecting the Unbeneficed Clergy (1769); William Auckland, Baron Eden, ‘Of Suicide’, Principles of Penal Law (1771) ; William Hawkins, A Treatise of the Pleas of the Crown (1771); ‘Suicide’, Connoisseur, Beauties of English Prose (1772); Jean Pierre Grosley, ‘Suicide’, A Tour to London (1772); [Mary Dawes Blackett], Suicide, a Poem (1773); Matthew Henry Cooke, ‘On Suicide or Self-Murder’, The Newest and Most Complete Whole Duty of Man (1773); Caleb Fleming, A Dissertation upon the Unnatural Crime of Self-Murder (1773); John Francis, ‘On Self-Murder’, Sermons Preached on Several Occasions (1773); R Graves, The Spiritual Quixote (1773); Anon, Suicide, a Poem (1773); John Herries, An Address to the Public on the Frequent and Enormous Crime of Suicide (1774); Anon., Rationalist, Duelling and Suicide Repugnant to Revelation, Reason and Common Sense (1774); Anon., Suicide, an Elegy (1775 ); Anon., Considerations on Some of the Laws relating to the Office of a Coroner (1776); Granville Sharp, A Tract on the Law of Nature and Principles of Action in Man (1777); George Colman, The Suicide (1778); John Marks Moffat, The Duty and Interest of Every Private Person (1778); [Sir Herbert Croft], Love and Madness (1780); Anon, ‘The Suicide’ Adventures of a Hackney Coach (1781); Anon, ‘Letter to a Gentleman who had attempted to Commit Suicide’, Literary Amusements (1782); Elizabeth Cobbold, Poems on Various Subjects (1783); Anon., A Collection of Letters...with some Thoughts on the Prevalent...Crimes of Duelling and Suicide (1784); Anon., Essay on the Immortality of the Soul (1784); Anon., An Asylum for Fugitive Pieces (1785 ); Mrs A M Bennet, Agnes, or Memoirs of a Welch Heiress (1785); Henry Headley, Fugitive Pieces (1785); Anon., A Dissertation or Discourse on Suicide (1785); George Gregory, ‘An Impartial Inquiry into the Reasonableness of Suicide’, Essays Historical and Moral (1785); Richard Hey, A Dissertation on Suicide (1785); Louis S Mercier, ‘Self Murder’, The Nightcap (1785); William Paley, ‘Suicide’, The Principles of Moral and Political Philosophy (1785); Anon., Friend to Mankind, A Caveat against Suicide (1786); Ann Yearsley, Poems on Various Subjects (1787); Anon., Reuben, or the Suicide (1787); James Dallaway, Stanzas on the Death of C (1788); Philip Thicknesse, Memoirs & Anecdotes (1788); William Rowley, A Treatise on Female... Diseases (1788); Camisis, ‘Ode to Chatterton’ (1789); Charles James, ‘Suicide’, Poems, (1789); Thomas Warton, ‘The Suicide’, Poems (1789); Edmund Burton, Suicide, a Dissertation (1790); G S, Short Expostulations and Thoughts on Suicide (1790); Charles Moore, A Full Inquiry into the Subject of Suicide (1790); Rev George Neal, Essays on Modern Manners (1790); Jane Timbury, ‘The Suicide’, The Philanthropic Rambler (1790); Mary Robinson, The Beauties of Mrs R (1791; John Rannie, Poems (1791); Herbert Croft, A Sermon 1791 preached at Prittlewell, in the county of Essex, on the 18th of September 1791, soon after the Riots at Birmingham and the Self-Murder of Mr Sutherland (1791); Charles James, Suicide Rejected (1791); John Coates, An Answer to the Justification of Suicide (1792); Rev John Garnons, ‘On Suicide’, Sermons on Various Subjects (1792); Vicesmus Knox, ‘Against Despair and Suicide’, Sermons (1792); Nathan Drake, Poems (1793); William Davy, A System of Divinity (1795-1805); P Courtier, Poems (1796); Charles Dibden, The Pedlar (1796); [Hannah More,] Robert and Richard; or, The ghost of poor Mary, who was drowned in Richard’s millpond (1796); Edward Barry, ‘Self-Murder’, Theological, Philosophical and Moral Essays (1797); George Beaver, A Sermon against Self-Murther (1797); Mr Addison, Interesting Anecdotes (1797); John Gorton, Tubal to Seba. The Negro Suicide (1797); George Gregory, A Sermon on Suicide (1797); Joseph James, Extraordinary Case of Suicide (1797); Perseval Adams, Elegant Anecdotes (1798); Clergyman of Kent, ‘On Suicide’, Crude Thoughts on Prevailing Subjects (1798); Rev George Heath, The New Bristol Guide (1799); The Meteors, ‘The Triumph of Genius’ (1800); The Pocket Remembrancer (1800); Anon., Egbert, or the Suicide (1800); Sydney Smith, Two Volumes of Sermons (1809); John Britton, An Historical and Architectural Essay (1813); Selected articles from Annual Register, Argus, Connoisseur, Diary, E Johnson’s Sunday Monitor, Evening Mail, Felix Farley’s Journal, Gazetteer and New Daily Advertiser, General Advertiser, General Evening Post, General Intelligencer, Gentleman’s Magazine, Gray’s Inn Journal, Hoey’s Dublin Mercury, Lady’s Magazine, London Chronicle, London Daily Advertiser, London Evening Post, London Magazine, London Recorder, Monthly Register of Literature, Monthly Review, Morning Chronicle, Morning Post, New London Magazine, Oracle, Public Advertiser, Read’s Weekly Journal, Scientific Magazine, Sentimental Magazine, St. James’s Chronicle, The Asylum or Weekly Miscellany, The Attic Miscellany, The Englishman, The Entertainer, The Oeconomist, The Quiz, The Times, The World, Town and Country Magazine, Universal Museum, Weekly Register, Westminster Journal, Westminster Magazine, Whitehall Evening Post, World

Volume 4: 1800–1849
Anon., Bateman’s Tragedy (1790–1840); Anon., Sequel to Maria (1790–1840); Anon., Fair Maria (1796–1853); Anon., Dreadful Occurrence; Murder and Suicide at Wigton (1800); John Impey, The Office and Duty of Coroners (1800); Anon., The Cruel Father, and Constant Lover (1802–19); Anon., The Rambling Boy (1802–19); Anon., Sequel to Poll of Plymouth (1802–19); Anon., The Watery Grave (1802–19); Edward H East, A Treatise of the Pleas of the Crown (1803); Gentleman of the Law, A New Conductor Generalis (1803); Anon., The Sailor and the Ghost (1805); Anthony Highmore, A Treatise on the Law of Idiocy and Lunacy (1807); George Custance, A Concise View of the Constitution of England (1808); William Hart, Anti-Suicide, A Poem (1809); Anna Seward, ‘Written in the Blank Page of the Sorrows of Werter’, The Poetical Works (1810); William Combe, ‘The Suicide’, The English Dance of Death (1815); Anon., A New Song called Maria (1815–55); Anon., The Unfaithful Lover (1816–43); Anon., A Remedy for Self-Murder (1819); Anon., William and Dinah (1819–44); Anon., An Account of Three Awful Instances of Self-Murder which has Occurred during this Week (1823); John Ayton Paris, Medical Jurisprudence (1823); J S Forsyth, A Synopsis of Modern Medical Jurisprudence (1829); Sir John Jervis, A Practical Treatise on the Offices and Duties of Coroners (1829); A P Perceval, A Clergyman’s Defence of Himself (1833); Henry Wood, A Few Leading Facts (1833); Forbes Winslow, The Anatomy of Suicide (1840); Anon., The Suicide Club (1845); Anon., Lines Occasioned by the Death of William Murdin of Little Oakley, who was found Drowned in a Pond (1847); Selected articles from Oracle and The Times

Related titles

• Asylum Writings in Nineteenth-Century Britain

Leaflets

• The History of Suicide: colour leaflet
• The History of Suicide: printable leaflet

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