Gentleman's Magazine Images
John Howard Obituary, Feb. 1790
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Transcription of the Report Obituary (Page 278)
Russia, Poland, Portugal and Spain. By this time his character for active benevolence had engaged the public attention: and a writer in our Magazine for May 1786, who signed himself ANGULAS, proposed that a subscription should be set on foot to erect a statue to his honour. This idea being taken up and zealously forwarded by Mr. Nichols our printer, was so well received, that, in 15 or 16 months 615 persons subscribed 1533l 13s 6d; but some of those who knew Mr. Howard best never concurred in the scheme, being well assured that he would never countenance, nor accede to it: and the event justified their conduct; for the language that he held upon the subject, when first advised of it, was, Have not I one friend in England, that would put a stop to such a proceeding?. In consequence of two letters from Mr. Howard himself to the Subscribers, the design was laid aside; and contributors were publicly invited, either to recall their money, or to leave it to the disposition of the Committee. In 1707 200l was applied towards alleviating the distresses of 5 prisoners in the metropolis, many of whom had large families and we learn, by the report of a meeting held March 15, 1790, that there still remains in hand 751l 6s for the disposal of a general committee to be held on the 19th of next month. In 1780 Mr. H. published An Account of the principal Lazarettos in Europe, with various Papers relative to the Plague, together with further Observations on some Foreign Prisons and Hospitals, and additional Remarks on the present State of those in Great Britain and Ireland, with a great number of curious plates. Before these, he publishes, in 1780, Historical Remarks and Anecdotes on the Castle of the Bastile, translated from the French, and last year the Grand Duke of Tuscanys new Code of Criminal Law, with an English Translation, and of all his publications he gave away a vast number of copies among his acquaintances in the most liberal manner. His laying open the horrors of despotism in a neighbouring county had very nearly exposed him to the sufferings of them; and had it not been for the timely notice of our Ambassador, he had ended his days in the Bastile.
Not satisfied, however, with what he had already done, he concluded his "Account of Lazarettos" with announcing his "intention again to quit his county, for the purpose of re-visiting Russia, Turkey, and some other counties, and extending his tour in the East. I am not insensible, says he, of the dangers that must attend such a journey. Trusting, however, in the protection of that kind of Providence which has hitherto preserved me, I calmly and cheerfully commit myself to the disposal of unerring Wisdom. Should it please God to cut off in the prosecution of this design, let not my conduct be uncandidly imputed to rashness or enthusiasm, but to a serious, deliberate conviction that I am pursuing the path of duty, and to a sincere desire of being made an instrument of more extensive usefulness to my fellow creatures than could be expected in the narrow circle of a retired life. To a man that holds such language, what else can be said, but that piety and benevolence of his heart deserves universal honour? What permanent good may arise from his unwearied , well intentioned labours, both in these kingdoms and the rest of Europe, Time can only shew. Certain it is that his plan has been adopted in many of our new built gaols, and will gradually extend to more. Although the advice of his friends could not posseis that influence to reserve his determination to encounter once more the contagion of the Plague, with all its dismal concomitants; yet surely that incerrupia fides, that nuda veritas, which actuated his undertaking, to elegantly displayed by himself in his last publication, will acquit him of temerity in the progress of his benevolent migration. His great abstemiousness was probably a mean of prolonging his life in the midst of his dangers: for a long time potatoes were almost his whole support; at another time they were succeeded by tea , and bread and butter; consequently it will not be thought wonderful that he never partook of the public or private repasts to which he was frequently invited. All that needs to be said upon the subject is, that in his second " tour in the East it did please God to cut off his life: for, having spent some time at Cherson, a new settlement of the Empress of Russia, in the mouth of the Dnieper or Borysthenes, towards the Northern extremity of the Black Sea, near Oczakow, he caught, in visiting the Russian hospital of that place, or as some say a young lady who was ill of the same complaint, a malignant fever, which carried him off on the 20th of January, N.S. after an illness of about twelve days; and after having been kept, according to his express directions to his servant five days, in the garden of a villa in the neighbourhood belonging to a French gentleman, from whom he had received great civilities by his servant who had attended him on his former journeyings, and whom he expressly enjoined not to return home till five weeks from his death. In his way the Cherson, his baggage was found to be missing from behind the carriage while he and his servant refreshed themselves with a nap. On the discovery of his loss, Mr. H. hastened back to the nearest town or village where he recollected to have seen a party of Russian recruits, whom he charged with taking his property. While he waited
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