DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70302#0178
154 LIFE OF LORD CAMELFORD.
represent himself to be greatly in want of money, and
to request the loan of one or two thousand pounds.
Some of those to whom he applied gave him the sum re-
quired, but which his lordship in a few days returned,
at the same time informing them, that he only wished to
ascertain on whom he could rely for assistance in case of
any emergency.
His irritable disposition which had involved him in num-
berless quarrels and disputes, at length paved the way to
the final and fatal catastrophe. Lord Camelford had for
some time been acquainted with a Mrs. S—m—s, who had
formerly been in the keeping of Mr. Best, a friend of his
lordship. It having been represented to him, that Best
had said something to this woman to his prejudice, he
was so much incensed, that on the 6th of March, meeting
with that gentleman at the Prince of Wales’ Coffee-
House, where his lordship usually dined, he went up to
him and said, loud enough to be heard by all who were
present: <{ I find, Sir, that you have spoken of me in the
most unwarrantable terms.” Mr. Best replied, that he
was quite unconscious of having deserved such a charge.
Lord Camelford replied, that he was not ignorant of what
he had reported to Mrs. S—m—s, and declared him to be
“a scoundrel, a liar, and a ruffian.” The employment
of epithets like these admitted but of one course, and a
meeting was immediately proposed for the following
morning; each having appointed his second, it was left
to them to fix the time and place.
In the course of the evening Mr. Best transmitted to
Lord Camelford the strongest assurances that the informa-
tion he had received was unfounded, and that as he had
acted under a false impression, he would be satisfied if he
would retract the expressions he had employed: but this
his lordship absolutely refused to do. Mr. Best then left
the coffee-house in considerable agitation, and a note was
soon
represent himself to be greatly in want of money, and
to request the loan of one or two thousand pounds.
Some of those to whom he applied gave him the sum re-
quired, but which his lordship in a few days returned,
at the same time informing them, that he only wished to
ascertain on whom he could rely for assistance in case of
any emergency.
His irritable disposition which had involved him in num-
berless quarrels and disputes, at length paved the way to
the final and fatal catastrophe. Lord Camelford had for
some time been acquainted with a Mrs. S—m—s, who had
formerly been in the keeping of Mr. Best, a friend of his
lordship. It having been represented to him, that Best
had said something to this woman to his prejudice, he
was so much incensed, that on the 6th of March, meeting
with that gentleman at the Prince of Wales’ Coffee-
House, where his lordship usually dined, he went up to
him and said, loud enough to be heard by all who were
present: <{ I find, Sir, that you have spoken of me in the
most unwarrantable terms.” Mr. Best replied, that he
was quite unconscious of having deserved such a charge.
Lord Camelford replied, that he was not ignorant of what
he had reported to Mrs. S—m—s, and declared him to be
“a scoundrel, a liar, and a ruffian.” The employment
of epithets like these admitted but of one course, and a
meeting was immediately proposed for the following
morning; each having appointed his second, it was left
to them to fix the time and place.
In the course of the evening Mr. Best transmitted to
Lord Camelford the strongest assurances that the informa-
tion he had received was unfounded, and that as he had
acted under a false impression, he would be satisfied if he
would retract the expressions he had employed: but this
his lordship absolutely refused to do. Mr. Best then left
the coffee-house in considerable agitation, and a note was
soon