Mr. James Fletcher, author of the History of Poland, shot
himself through the heart, on Friday night last Week, at his lodgings in Grove Terrace, Lisson Grove. The unfortunate young man, who had exhi- bited considerable promise of future eminence, was only twenty-two years of age. From the evidence of a gentleman named Atkins, who keeps a school at Abbey House, St. John's Wood, it appears that Fletcher was respectably connected, and that his friends were per- :sons of large property near Canterbury. He lived with Mr. At- kins as an assistant for two years, during which time he published his History of Poland, which met with great success : at Christmas last he left Mr. Atkins's, thinking that he would do better by devoting himself wholly to literary pursuits. Besides the Hisiory of Poland, Mr. -Fletcher published a poem, entitled The Siege of Damascus, The Gem, &c., and was a contributor to several of the periodicals. Mr. Atkins said he had seen him frequently of late ; and he complained to him that a bill of exchange, which he had received from his publisher, and which he had cashed, was likely to fall back into his hands. The bill was to fall due in a day or two, and lie was very dejected through apprehension of suffering from pecuniary embarrassments in conse- quence. Another friend spoke of Mr. Fletcher as exceedingly de- pressed on Friday night. It is not a little curious, that he had all his life spoken with great contempt of suicides ; ad the conversation on Friday turning on that subject, he particularly censured the conduct of the late Colonel Brereton, whose example he was so soon to follow.
On Saturday, the wife of William Skell, Union Street, White- chapel Road, died from severe inflammation, which attacked her shortly after the birth of an infant that also died in a few hours. The husband was much affected at the loss, and retired to rest about ten, having previously complained of pain in his chest. On Monday morning, his sister came to see him. After knocking repeatedly for admittance, the door was burst open, and the poor man was found lying on the bed un- dressed, quite dead and cold, near the coffin which contained the re- mains of his wife and child by his side.
About two o'clock on Sunday morning, a fire broke out in the back part of the house of Mr. Cording, a pawnbroker, 163, Ratcliffe High- way. Before three o'clock, the rear of the building was a pile of rains ; and the upper part of the house, in winch was deposited an immense quantity of pledges, presented an awful blaze. The shop, and the pro- perty it contained, and part of the first floor, escaped.
On Tuesday, the policemen's old great-coats were distributed, for the use of the poor, to the different Metropolitan parishes, by order of the Commissioners of Police. St. Luke's, Middlesex, received one hundred and fifty. Many of them were very decent, and they will be of great service to poor men who are exposed to the inclemency of the weather.
During the past month upwards of two hundred persons, of both . sexes, have been charged at the various police-offices with dealing in • counterfeit coin.
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