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‘TO THE EDITOR OF THE “STAR.” Sir.—Whilst Lady Bulwer Lytton remained under my care I did not consider myself at liberty to reply to the various injurious reports that have been circulated respect ing my share in the affairs of Sir Edward and ‘Lady Lytton, but now that her ladyship is no longer so, having left my house on Saturday last to travel with her son, I think it right, for the vindication of my own cha racter, to unequivocally contradict the assertion that Lady Lytton was ‘‘feloniously deprived of her liberty and consigned to a notorious madhouse at Brentford, the keeper of which is named Hill.” I not only received the necessary order for her reception into my house, but I received also two medical certificates, apes by legally qualified and experienced medicalmen. deny that her ladyship was ‘‘ forcibly removed by policemen, or that a policeman ever touched her. Her ladyship’s companion, the landlady of the Castle Hotel, Taunton, was asked to accompany Lady Lytton to my house, and she did accom pany her, and was with her ladyship at least half an hour after her arrival; she moreover came again the next day, by invitation. I deny that Lady Lytton was “consigned to a madhouse,” “ buried in the depths of a lunatic bastille,” or “left alone with individuals in a ghastly state of lunacy,” or that she was even restrained by bolts or bars. Her ladyship had the opportunity of going out whenever she thought proper, and there were no locks to prevent her. I had no other patient in the house, and Lady Lytton’s companions were my wife and eldest daughter, to both of whom, and to her friends, she frequently ex prgced hertitude for their kindness and attention. lf Lytton had, every comfort during the stay,with the use of a brougham ; indeed she might be seen almost every night at one of the neighbouring towns— Richmond, Acton, Hanwell, or Isleworth. . Being one of the proprietors of Wyke House, a lunatic asylum in this neighorhood, the mis-statements in our paper are calculated to do me great injury. Ow, I challenge anyone to say that that asylum is other wise than humanely and respectably conducted, or that it is the receptacle of persons ‘‘ supposed to be insane.” I have for the last twenty-three years laboured hard to ame liorate the condition of the lunatic, and would not, for any consideration, do an act such as has been imputed to me I shall feel much obliged by your giving insertion to this letter, and remain, sir, eos, c., ROBERT GARDINER HILL. Inverness Lodge, Brentford, July 19th, 1858.
Newspaper Details
Evening Star
London, Middlesex, GB
Thu, Jul 22, 1858
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Dawn S.
