Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Over the teacups / by Oliver Wendell Holmes. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.
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![remarks made by one of our company on the delicate and difficult but fascinating subject which it forces upon our attention. I will first copy the memorandum made at the time : — Eemarkable coincidence. On Monday, April 18th, being at table from 6.30 p. M. to 7.30, with and [the two ladies of my household], I told them of the case of i trial by battel' offered by Abraham Thornton in 1817. I mentioned his throwing down his glove, which was not taken up by the brother of his victim, and so he had to be let off, for the old law was still in force. I mentioned that Abraham Thorn- ton was said to have come to this country, ' and [I added] he may be living near us, for aught that 1 know.' I rose from the table, and found an English letter waiting for me, left while I sat at dinner. I copy the first portion of this letter: — 4 20 AiFKED Place, West (near Museum), South Kensington, London, S. W. April 7, 18S7. Dr. O. W. Holmes : Dear Sir, — In travelling, the other day, I met with a reprint of the very interesting case of Thorn- ton for murder, 1817. The prisoner pleaded success- fully the old Wager of Battel. I thought you would like to read the account, and send it with this. . . . Yours faithfully, Fred. Rathbone.' Mr. Eathbone is a well-known dealer in old Wedg- wood and eighteenth-century art. As a friend of my hospitable entertainer, Mr. Willett, he had shown me many attentions in England, but I was not expecting any communication from him; and when, fresh from](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21019708_0023.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
