I visited new Bedlam with Mr Chetwynd. The arrangements seemed admirable. Saw Margaret Nicholson who made an attempt on the Queen* and Hatfield who shot at him**. Hatfield to whom I talked much wished he had suffered at the time. The loss of liberty he said was worse than death. But he appeared clearly mad. Saw a very fine handsome fellow who said he was emperor of Russia and offered me immense sums from his imperial coffers if I would tell him of the arrival of his cossacks to release him. All the maniacs talked of the loss of their liberty but liked their present residence better than the old one “because they could see out of the windows”. Several said this. Saw two persons who had been chained down in old Bedlam for many years, at liberty though quite mad. All the medical attendants declared violent coercion of that description unnecessary. Only saw one person out of 180 in a straight waistcoat.

*Actually the king, an attempted stabbing in1786

**1800