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 Toronto Public Library. 
 
 Reference Depadmenl 
 
 THIS BOOK MOST NOT BE TAKEN OUT OF THE ROOM, 
 
 /._.y. p^^ M^6u 
 
 Tr<^'ji<M,. 9. /C Jt,/.. 
 
 7 
 
"•"T" " .iwmfmii^,:. 
 
 J imi'm>'m.n ■'.'■ J j ^n>ii-wp(B»"^wR[ 
 
 THE 
 
 M 
 
 ETJIIED MERCEAIT. 
 
 GRAVE DOINGS, 
 
 THE STATESMAN^ 
 
 THE TIMDIR-STBUCK, 
 
 AND 
 
 THE BOXER. 
 
 BY A LATE PHYSICIAN, 
 
 ■■ a 
 
 TORONTO: 
 
 SKEWER, McPHAi|,^& Co.. PUBLISHEatlS, 
 46, KiNa'S':rKEBT East. 
 
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CONTENTS, 
 
 G 
 
 Thi Ruined Meechant, » 
 
 BAVE Doings, 
 
 The Statesman, .... 
 
 The Thunder-struck, . . 
 The Boxer, ...... 
 
 The Parisian Road to Ruin 
 
 TAQt, 
 
 . 5 
 
 . 99 
 , 123 
 . 233 
 .301 
 . 313 
 
 
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»'»■ » ^m^^^mmmmmmmmmmmmmm 
 
 MUMim 
 
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 THE 
 
 •> 
 
 ,UINED MERCHANT. 
 
 
 
 . ♦^ ***' 
 
 .^<^' 
 
"^na^ 
 
 
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 aiij 
 
 vJ'rlAiiUaj.kiJu lulh'! 'Jji, 
 
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 1 i I 
 
 THE KUINED MERCHANT 
 
 1 
 
 . oqif 
 
 chaTOR I. 
 
 
 ?A 
 
 
 It is a common sayings that sc^rrows never 
 come alone — that " it never rains, but it 
 pours j"* and it has been verified by eic 
 perience, even from the days of that priho0 
 of the wretched— the man " whose name 
 ivas Job." Now-a-days, directly a siiddim 
 aiccumulation of ills befalls a man, he iM^ 
 ters some rash exclamation like the (^e m 
 question, and too often submits, to tl^' in- 
 flictions of Providence with sullen h^^ 
 
 ference — like a brute to a blo^-rr6if 
 
 .y-5 
 
 sorts, possibly, to suicide, l^^&ii 
 
 * And now behold, Gertnid^, Qe 
 
 When sorrows come, they come not si 
 
 But in battailioiS rVB!I;4KSPEARE. 
 
 
 t 
 
 ,^^, 
 
mm 
 
 mf 
 
 mimmm 
 
 mummmKmn 
 
 lsk 
 
 8 
 
 THE RUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 unobserving man, in such a case, cannot 
 conceive, l^w it pornt^ ip puSiB tlmf all the 
 evils under tHe sun are showered down 
 upon his head — at once! There is no 
 attempt to account for it on reasonable 
 grounds — no reference to probable, nay, 
 obvious caused, — ^his own misconduct, pos- 
 sibly, or imprudence. In a word, he fan- 
 cies that the only thing they resemble is 
 Epicurus's fortuitous concourse of atoms. 
 It^is, updoubt^dly true that people are 
 joqcaysiohally assa^ by misfortunes so 
 numerous, sudden, and simultaneous, as 
 Ts really unaccountable. In the maiority, 
 However, of what are reputed ^uch crises, 
 a jr^ady solution may be found, by any one 
 oToDservation. J, ake a simple illustration. 
 
 1(1, < ' ' • . M • 
 
 A passepger suddenly falls down in a 
 cr6w4eii/ thoroughfare ; apd when down 
 Ai^d*unat>Ie to i;i9e, the one fo}lo\s^ing st,um- 
 pfes over 'him-— 't|ie li^xt oveiv h and so 
 0ii--^,aIT upable ,fo resist the on-pres$ing 
 ' ^cr6w3 behind ; an^'sb the first-fallen lies 
 nearly crushed and smothered. Now^ 
 not'thi^ ftecjiiehtly ' the case wiih a^an 
 a«wM the careis and troubles of life ? One 
 solitary disaster-— one unexpected calfcim- 
 
Hi"P 
 
 mmm 
 
 mm 
 
 T. 
 
 ise, cannot 
 th4 all the 
 ered down 
 here is no 
 reasonable 
 )able, nay, 
 induct, pos- 
 rd, he fan- 
 resemble is 
 e of atoms, 
 people are 
 fortunes so 
 taneous, as 
 e majority, 
 uch crises, 
 by any one 
 llu3tratiorj. 
 down in a 
 ^^hen down 
 
 \im, and so 
 Dn-pressing 
 t- fallen lies 
 
 THE RUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 0» 
 
 riih a' man 
 
 life? One 
 
 jted calfcim. 
 
 ity-— befalls him ; the sudden shock stuns 
 him out of his self-possession, he is dispirit, 
 ed, confounded, paralysed — and down ho 
 falls, in the very throng of all the pressir^ 
 cares and troubles of life, one implioftting 
 and dragging after it another— till all is 
 uproar and consternation. Then it is timt 
 we hear passionate lamentations, and cries 
 of sorrows " never coming alone"— of ail 
 this " being against him ;" and he either 
 stupidly lies still, till he is crushed and 
 trampled on, or, it may be, succeeds in 
 scrambling to the first temporary resting- 
 place he can espy, when he resigns himself 
 to stupified inaction, staring vacantly at 
 the throng of mishaps following in the 
 wake of that one which bore him down. 
 Whereas the first thought of one in such a 
 situation should surely be, " Let me be 
 *up and doing,' and I may yet recover 
 myself." " Directly a man determines to 
 think,' ^ says an eminent writer, " he is 
 ^^U nigh sure of bettering his iJondition." 
 It is to the operation of such causes as these, 
 that is to be traced, in a great majority of 
 cases, the necessity for medical interfe- 
 rence. Within tiie sphere of my owti 
 
,St 
 
 TMI 
 
 lI * 
 
 10 THE RUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 ^•practice, I hare witnessed, in such cir- 
 cumstances, ihe display of heroism and 
 fortitude ennobling to human nature ; and 
 J hav3 also seen instances of the most 
 contemptible pusillanimity. I have mark- 
 ^d a brave spirit Bucceed in buffeting its 
 way out of its adversities ; and I have 
 ^een as brave a one overcome by them, 
 i-and falling vanquished, even with the 
 sword of resolution gleaming in grasp ;^for 
 there are combinations of evil against 
 which no human energies can make a 
 iStand. Of this I think the ensuing melan- 
 :x?holy narrative will afford an illustration. 
 What its effect on the mind of the reader 
 may be, I cannot presume to speculate. 
 Mips it has oppressed to recall the painful 
 scenes with which it abounds, and oonvin- 
 ^ed of the peculiar perils incident to 
 rapidly acquired fortune, which too often 
 lifts it possessor into an element for which 
 lie is totally unfitted, and from whicH he 
 falls exhausted lower far than the sphere 
 .he had left! 
 
 Mi Dudleigh's career afforded a striking 
 illustration of the splendid but fluctuating 
 detunes of a great English nierchant-— of 
 
TIIE RUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 II 
 
 the magnificent results ensured by perse- 
 vering industry, economy, prudence and 
 enterprise. Early in life he was oast 
 upon the World, to da as he would^ or 
 rather cduld, with himself; for his guar-* 
 dian proved a swindler, and robbed hi» 
 deceased friend's child of every penny 
 that Was left him. On hearing of the 
 disasttous event, young Dudleigh instantly: 
 ran away from school, in his sixteenth 
 year, and entered himself on board a vessel 
 trading to. the West Indies, as cabin-boy. 
 As soon as his relativlpjs, few in numbery 
 distant in degree, and colder in affection, 
 heard of this step, they told him, ^fter a 
 little languid expostulation, that as he had 
 made his bed, so he must lie upon it j'and 
 never came near him again, till he had 
 becbtne t^ times richer than all of them 
 pit together. > 
 
 The first there or four years of youn^f 
 jDudleigh's novitiate at sm weue years of 
 fearful, but not uiiusual hardship; I have 
 heard him state that he was frequently 
 flogged by the captain and mate till the 
 blood ran down his back like waterr ; anff 
 kiuked and cuffed about by the comtwli 
 
12 
 
 THE RUINED MERCHANTi 
 
 sailors with infamous impunity. One 
 cause of all this was obvious, his evident 
 superiority over every one on board in 
 learning and acquirements. To such an 
 extent did his tormentors carry their ty ran- 
 ny that poor Dudleigh's life became intoler- 
 able ; and one evening on leaving the ves- 
 sel after its arrival in port from the West 
 Indies, he ran to a public-house in Wapp- 
 mg, called for pen and ink, and wrote a 
 fetter to the chief owner of the vessel, 
 acquainting him with the cruel usage he 
 had suffered, and imploring his interfe- 
 rence ; adding, that if that application faiU 
 ed, hQ was determined to drown himself 
 when they next went to sea. This letter^ 
 which was signed " Henry Dudleigh 
 iabin^hoy,^' astonished and interested the 
 person to whom it was addressed; for it was 
 accurately, and even eloquently wordM^ 
 Young Dudieigh was sent for, and after a 
 thorough examination into the nature of 
 his pretensions, engaged as clerk in the 
 counting'-house of the ship-owners, at a 
 small salary. He conducted • himself 
 with so much ability and integrity, and 
 displayed such a zealous interest in his 
 
THE RUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 m 
 
 dty. One 
 [lis evident 
 1 board in 
 ro such an 
 heir tyran- 
 ime intoler- 
 tig the ves- 
 1 the West 
 ) in Wapp- 
 id wrote a 
 ;he vessel, 
 4 usage he 
 his interfe. 
 ication fail- 
 )wn himself 
 This letter, 
 
 Dudleighf 
 Crested the 
 i; foritivas 
 tly wordid, 
 
 and after a 
 e nature 6f 
 ;lerk in the 
 vr?ers, at a 
 3d • himself I 
 :egrity, and 
 erest in his 
 
 employers' concerns, that in a few years* 
 time he was raised to the head of their 
 large establishment, and received a salary 
 of 500/. a year, as their senior and confi. 
 dential clerk. The experience he gained 
 in this situation enabled him, on the 
 unexpected 'bankruptcy of his employers, 
 to dispose most successfully of the greater 
 proportion of what he had saved in their 
 service. He purchased shares in two 
 vessels, which made fortunate voyc^s ; 
 ^nd the result determined him henceforth 
 to conduct business on his own account, 
 notwithstanding the offer of most lucra- 
 tive situation similar to his last. In a 
 word, he went on conducting his specula- 
 tions with as much prudence, as he under.' 
 look them with energy and enterprise. 
 
 The period I am alluding to may be con- 
 sidered as the golden age of the shipping m. 
 terest ; and it will occasion surpise to no 
 one acquainted with the commercial histo- 
 ly of those days to hear, that in little more 
 than five years' time, Mr. Dudleigh could 
 >« write himself worth'' £20,000. He praow 
 tiseda parsimony of the most excruciating 
 kind. Though every one on 'Change 
 
THi; 
 
 14 THE RUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 «,«, familiar with his name", and cited him 
 Ts one of the most " rising young men 
 Th^re^' he never associated with any- one 
 If^hem but on occasions of strict busmess 
 He wt cogent withthe ^^^ 
 fudged cheerfully to and from the c ty to 
 
 Se which she had in his future fortunes 
 ^rralteme in pausing to describe her. 
 ZwrabouttweSty-seven or twenty^ght 
 years old,of passable person as for as figure 
 ISit for ber face was rather bloated and 
 vukar rsomewhat of a dowdy in drees ; m- 
 rlrakyvain, and ^nd of extravagant 
 display : a termagant ; with little or no in.] 
 2c? In fact, she was the perfect a«Upa^ 
 ^es of her husband. Mr. Dudleigh . as^an 
 
 bumble, unobtrusive, kind-hearted man, 
 'Always intent on busines3,beyond which he 
 
 aid not pretend to know or care for much. 
 
 How could such a man, it wall be asked, 
 
 «,arry«ucb a woman ?^Wa9 U the J^»^ 
 
 wl 
 bh 
 Be 
 ful 
 fri 
 m( 
 th( 
 pr( 
 an 
 up 
 en 
 
 di{ 
 iui 
 
THE RUINED MERCHANT- 
 
 m 
 
 cited Mm 
 ung men 
 h any* one 
 t business, 
 t fare; and 
 the city to 
 y, as if he 
 or on an in- 
 tter^ went 
 . his thirty- 
 the weal- 
 rhe Influ- 
 re fortunes 
 scribe her. 
 wenty eight 
 hr as figure 
 bloated and 
 n dress 5 itf- 
 extravagantl 
 ;tleor no in- 
 rfect antipo- 
 leigh ^ as anl 
 carted man, 
 )nd which he 
 re for much, 
 rill be asked, 
 -iie the firsA 
 
 whb had been dazzled and blinded ibyther 
 blaze of a large fortune? Suchwashis casc^t 
 Besides, a young widow is somewhat care- 
 ful of undue exposures^ which might 
 fright away promising suitors. So they 
 made a match of it ; and he resuscitated 
 the expiring businfess and connexion of his-, 
 predecessor, and conducted it with a skill, 
 and energy which in a short time opened^ 
 upon him the .flood-gates of fortune. Afliu*: 
 ence poured in from all quarters j and he ^ 
 wa;s erery where called by his panting, buti 
 distanced competitors in the city, the ** /or- 
 /Mwa^e^^ Mr. Dudleigh. 1. - <n 
 
 One memorable day, four of his vessels ^ 
 richly freighted came, almost together, into / 
 port ; and on the same day he made one of 
 the most fortunate speculations- in the funds 
 [whidh had been heard of for years, so that 
 e Was able to say to hisassembled family, f 
 he drank their healths after , d inner, 
 hat he would not take a quattentfa mWk 
 limt for what he was worth ripj^iid there,.; 
 lurely, he might have paused, nay, mader: 
 lis final stand, as the possessor of such i« I 
 riiicely fortune, acquired with unsuUiedi 
 notir to himself, and, latterly, spent w 
 
TMI 
 
 Ift THE KtnNED MEECHANT. 
 
 wwrantable splendour and ^^PJt^J^ ^ 
 no; as is a»d ever will be the case, me 
 mom he had the more he would have. 
 NTtamLion the incessant baiting of h^ 
 ambSous wife, the dazzling capabih^^^^^^^^ 
 indefinite increase to his wealth proved. 
 irreSle. What might not be done by a 
 mS of Mr. Dudleigh's celebrity, with a 
 Imtii capital of ie hundred ^ fif^ 
 CSid pounds, and as much credit as h^ 
 SZ accopt of? The regular course of> 
 KppW business brought bim in con. 
 ^.^malnificent returns, and he begaa 
 VnsSh after other collateral sources of 
 Son^g^mW; for why should «e^^^^^^^ 
 , one-half of his ^^st means he unproduc^ 
 five? He had not long to look, about at. 
 e7i once became known that he was 
 ready to employ his floating capital _in 
 pSaSe speculations. The brokers, for 
 Fn^nce, came about him, and he leagued 
 Sthem. By-and-by the world heard of 
 r monopoly of nutmegs. There was b^I 
 ascoreVbe had anywhere in Lond«^^ 
 botat a most axorbitant pHfT-pT-i™ 
 faot was, that Mr. Dudleigh had laid toi, 
 hands on them alU and by so doing dear. 
 
THE RUINED MB;RCIIAI«'I^. 
 
 w 
 
 ality. Bui 
 ! case, the 
 aid havei. 
 ting of his 
 }abilites of 
 [th proved' 
 don© by a 
 ty, with a 
 
 I and fifty 
 credit as he 
 tr course of 
 lim in con- 
 d he began 
 
 sources of 
 nid nearly 
 
 unproduci- 
 k' about afi 
 at he was 
 
 capital in 
 3rokers, for 
 Iheleagfied 
 )rld heard of j 
 ere was not 
 in Londoftyl 
 ce— -for the I 
 had laid hisi 
 
 doing clear- 
 
 ed a very large sum. Pjcesently ^i^.iyq^Hl^ 
 play similar. pranks with ,<Hto, of}, ^m'^. 
 and as soon as he hadquadrnpledi ttw^^ost 
 of that fashionable ^rrtijolie, hewoui4l€!til<)9^ft 
 his stores o^ the gapirjg i?fiarket— rl^jr w^cj^ 
 he gained as large a projit pis h^ ^a^ ^wk 
 with. the nutmegs^ Comm^roiaV P?9Jr1^ 
 will easily see how he did this, , The bi^'pt 
 kers, who wished to effect the monpp^);^, 
 would apply to hm for the u^ o^ {lif^pf^pg 
 ital, and give him ^n amplfj ^indenopfjjg 
 against whatever losis migJkit be tl^e fate .flf 
 the speculation ; i^nd, .o^ its pr<?yinajsuqt 
 cessful, awarded hin^ ^ yery largft proppRl 
 tioni of itbe profits, Thjs i» the ^qh^op^^^gs 
 whieh^many splended fortunes J^^c^^fl 
 raisjed, with a rapidity which, ha^^^^n^ 
 ed their gainers as rauqh as -^jf.cMS^^ 
 ^ls0 I i ,. Then, again, he negptiafed Wl^ Pfl 
 a large scale, and tremendous dj^qwip^tl 
 and, ir\ a word, by these ^nd.simgfjj 
 m^ans, amassed, in f^ fpw y^rs„:th€{ .^ift 
 i ormoas sum of h^Af a< milljon pf mcwriq^ ^^.f 
 I Jt is easy to guess a,t tl^i . ^oo^cpp^a^ 
 of such a fortune as this^ * AVthi^livi^^ 
 tion of hiss M^ifq— [for hQ .Wnaself re^fti^ 
 all bi^ old unobtrusive aa4 PPW^W^K 
 
|g Td« ftVlNEt) MEHCHANT-. 
 
 i*UhAmi6al habit^hd supported tA^^ 
 *SS establishment^the one nmf 
 ??^ttEn?' ofthe town, and Itheoth^ 
 — ,- » Rtfbmond. His wife— tor Mr. una- 
 ShSf seemed moreUlce the UreS 
 feigh mmsei possessor— 
 
 ,te««,ri *f nfJ°T^^^ b swarms of those 
 liuea uiuvAi^ fleeted into the 
 
 «|^Si S, ft«d ref«Bed her coron^* 
 
 • S dSf Whfle" yoang Harry Dud- 
 
 S^J^Ti- out.t(Wped the astonished 
 
 Siii4by:;e«Sga.c.thalfas^.^^ 
 
 iifein - a*- his noble ^ fTJ!!' i^! 
 Wt Badleieh frequently looked <«i all tms 
 ^ft f^S Joni^hrnent and when ;to 
 mmti ^*^W «**^g ^^^ shoulderr ind 
 IS^of the " drt^ul doings at tHe| 
 l^sit^" IsaTwhen, in the city,^ioir as I 
 l!!l a. he travelted westward, whe*i h«.| 
 
7HB Rl!riI!|SD MEECH^Mtn 
 
 M 
 
 one nearf 
 I the other 
 • Mr. Dud- 
 B the hired 
 )OSsessor — '■ 
 tis* of those 
 on blociied? 
 ted into the 
 fi'^s dinnersi. 
 
 chmvpetre^r 
 vn, through' 
 )us prints, 
 and really 
 was beginn- 
 able beauty,, 
 ber coronets^ 
 Jarry Dud- 
 astonished 
 lalf as much 
 ance. I^oor 
 jidonallthi^ 
 and whem iff 
 loulderr md 
 ings at/ tiie 
 city,^for'BS 
 krdy whdii hl^ 
 
 entered the sphere of hi^ wipe'3 influ0HO«> 
 his energies were benumbed & paraly25ed. 
 He had too long quietly succumbed to her 
 authority to call it in questioa : aow, ^(1 
 therefore he submitted to the. 9piendidi 
 appesurance he was compelled ta support. 
 He often said, however, th»t ^ he opuld 
 not understand what Mrs. Dudleigh iwwr 
 at ;^^ but beyond such a hint he nwer 
 presumed. He was seldom oir aever to 
 be seen amid the throng aod eni^ha of 
 fcompauy thai crowded hi^ houf^ 0wnii^| 
 jafter eyening. The first arnvfl ojt hit 
 wife's guests was his wsu^l ilignaj for 
 ^ei?;ingiiis hot and stick, dropping %*iiedy 
 ' from h«me, aad betaking hini^elif ^tber 
 io some sedate city friend, or te^biiif OQim- 
 try-house, where hie now took a kind of 
 Iffnprbid pleasure ia aeeertaining. that his 
 'gains were safe, and plai^ning greater, iQ 
 pake up if possible, he would say^ 7% 
 Mrs. Dudleigh's awful ext3P«v,ag||ni&e.'* 
 He did this so constwtly, tM Mrs; ]p!*4^ 
 leigh began at last to expect, ac^ pa^Q^]j^lj(^ 
 pn )m absence, as a ; mtrfter of Q<^Vi?^ 
 [whenever 4ho gave a party; ^i^i: hftf 
 ^ lodinatwred^ accon^modfUtbig :hM^p4; ^ 
 
 ...fcVi. --._ E^^ia-ii-u;* 
 
Ql «»B BtjmBt) MERCHANT. 
 
 S W>k care to give out, of his health * 
 ^■WiS t*te%o«rs and company. 
 
 Hmm ^arm and kind^a heart as ever 
 WH«P<*';i« the' breast of man. 1 nave 
 & t^*y a<'<io««*« *^f ^'^ systematic 
 S toffi ^ which he chiefly -m^^ 
 <*t6 effect at the periods of temporary 
 'Sy^- to the city., above spoken of. 
 fivlfV Sftturdaytevemng, for "stance, ne 
 Sd Z s4rt of -Mee numerously attended 
 Sf kSaW clerks atid coHimencing 
 X<teS, 'll<>f whom he assisted most 
 
 IftyrAliy 4ith both » cash anf c^f «^1' 
 i^rSbd'hatnburedly called it. Many a 
 
 Kt^^hewi 0W6S his establishment in 
 ^^^M-Dudleigh^whonev^^^ 
 
 « tehief she lived, the "^Of ^^^e^had 
 4f^iwbyrSie more frivolous and heartH 
 aai^ .bedoA«-the more despotic^ whs^ 
 S st^«y sb« eie«>ised over her husband 
 aWlieti64i''h¥'preslirned to " lecture her, 
 
tflfi tlTINED MERCHANT. 
 
 SI 
 
 fk^^ho ^«tled it, she Ivould stop lite «iodlh; 
 with deterring to the fortune she had 
 bi'aiight htm, and a^k him triumphantly, 
 "what he could have done without her caali 
 attd connexions !" Such being the fact, it 
 Was past all controversy that she ought tx> 
 bfe allowed " to have her png, now they 
 could so easily afford it !" The sums she 
 spbflt on her own and daughter's drefss 
 were absolutely incredible, and almoi^ 
 petrified her poor husband when the bills 
 W^re bmught to him. Both in articles of 
 dreds and party-giving, Mrs. Dudleigh 
 wiis actuated by a spirit of frantic rivalry 
 with her competitors ; and what she 
 I Wanted in elegance and refinement, ibhe 
 it. Many al'sbught to compensate for in extravagance 
 )lishment inlartd ostentation. It was to no purpose 
 er lost sightlthat her trembling husband, with tears ill 
 le had oftcelhis eyes, suggested to her recollection the 
 .ui^'lold saying, ^* that fools make feasts And 
 s. Diidlei^h MWise men eat them ;'' and that, if she gave 
 n'ore she hadwriftgiiificefnt dintiers and suppers, of course 
 and heartlessBgreat people woUld eome and ©at them fear 
 despotic wasKer; but would they thank her? H^ 
 her husband. Icotistant answer wasy that they *^ouglrt to 
 fecture her,"lsupport their station in society"— 4h^ 
 
 ind, as his 
 lis JtealtVs: 
 
 company* 
 m parsimo. 
 , Dudleigh 
 art as ever 
 1., 1 have 
 
 systematic 
 fly carried 
 
 temporary 
 
 spoken of* 
 instance, he 
 ly attended 
 commencing 
 Lssisted most 
 id cottncil," 
 
Lse 
 
 
 E!$»i 
 
 1 
 
 , t 
 
 i 
 
 THI 
 
 L'i' 
 
 iA 
 
 ».!» 
 
 THE RUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 *^the world would not believe tJiem rich, 
 unless they showed it that they were,'* 
 j&c. (fee. Then, again, she had a strong 
 plea for her euon lous expenditure in the 
 f^ bringing oat of Miss Diwlleigh," in the 
 array ment of whom panting milliners 
 ^^ toiled in vain." In order to bring about 
 this latter object, she induced, but with 
 great difieulty, Mr. Dudleigh to give his 
 bankers orders to accredit her separate 
 checks ; and so prudently did she avaij 
 herself of this privilege lor nwntbs that 
 fihe completely threw Mr. Dudleigh ofi*] 
 his guards and he allowed a very large I 
 balance to lie in his banker's hands, 
 «ubject to the unrestricted drafts of his 
 vufa. Did the reader never happen to 
 ^^e^.i i society that horrid harpy, an oldl 
 dowager, whose niggard jointure drivesj 
 her to cards ? Kvening after eveningj 
 dil several of these old creatures squj 
 toad-like, round Mrs. Dudleigh's . cari 
 table, and st^cceeded at last in inspirinj 
 hdr .with such a phriensy for " play,'' 
 ihemdst ample, ufortune must melt awaj 
 tinder^ more rapidly than snow beneatj 
 fiunhearns. The infatuated wom^n* 
 
INT. 
 
 i tliem rich, 
 they were," 
 had a strong 
 iditure in the 
 ;igh," in the 
 :ig milliners 
 ) bring about 
 3d, but with 
 1 to give his 
 her separate 
 lid she avail 
 months that 
 Dudleigh ofl'j 
 k very large 
 cer's hands, 
 Irafts of his 
 T happen tQi 
 irpy, an oldj 
 nture drivesl 
 fter evening 
 atures squ 
 sigh's . car 
 in inspiiioi 
 
 t^melt awa; 
 low beneat 
 .woraaA 
 
 THE EUINED MEEClrANT. 
 
 n 
 
 came Motoriously fKe first to .seflk,' »Rr 
 
 Ast to leave the fatal card-table; and^ 
 
 !< Ki M?''^^f readiness with which she' 
 
 bled at last brought her the honour of 
 
 an old countess, who condescended to win 
 
 £^n u -^ *''° '^"^"^''' ^^'y nearly 
 ^500. It IS not now difficult to account 
 
 gr the anxiety Mrs. Dudleigh manifested 
 ^banish her husband from her parties.. 
 'he had many ways of satisfactorilyr 
 accounting for her frequent dmfts on hL 
 'mkers. Miss Dudleigh h«d made a conu 
 uest of a young peer, who, as soon as h» 
 lad accurately ascertained the reality of 
 7thT^ Wct«tions, fell deeply in love 
 
 >^usTrpH.-fS^'"'' *° ^'^^ ^'"^ spontan- 
 eous credit for disinterested affection : but 
 
 ihe was so dunned on: the subject b^ her 
 roohsh mother, so petted and flattered bV' 
 
 tl I'! u '^'^^P^^^rished family th»V 
 nought her comiesion, and the foiHtlg. 
 lobleman ^himself a handsome man,^ 
 St 7"^, P«^««^«"ng in hib cburtsW' 
 llfJ • ^* ^^'' ''^^'■* y^>^«d> and she 
 teed in^society as the . h envied object" 
 ^f'im affect«»ns I Th^ laotion of iiuL 
 
SK 
 
 C 
 
 If' 
 
 m 
 
 TMI 
 
 Si 
 
 THfi RTJINED MERQj^ANT. 
 
 to 
 
 tfc 
 
 ki 
 di 
 
 r€ 
 e\ 
 et 
 
 CO 
 
 th 
 
 miiigUhg their blood; with nobiuty sa 
 dazzled the mm imagination of Mrs, Dud>^ 
 I-eigh, that it gave her eloquence enough 
 to succeed, at last, in stirring the phlegm- 
 atic temperament of her husband;. ^^ Haye? 
 a nobleman (oT my son-in-i.aw !" thought 
 the merchant, morning, noon, and uight; 
 at the Ea3t and at the West end— in tovfa 
 aad country ! What would the city peo- 
 pfe say to that ! He had a spice of ambi- Jth 
 tioh in* his composition beyond what could ids 
 be. contented with the achi^val of merel Jop 
 city eminence. He was tiring of it;^— he 
 had long been a kind of king oa 'Changaji 
 and, as it were, carried the stocks in h: i 
 pockets. He had long thought that it was 
 "possible to choke a dog with pudding,"^ 
 and he was growing heartily wearied o" 
 the turtle and venison eastward of Temple.. 
 Bar, which he was compelled to eat^ at 
 the public dinners of the great complies,' 
 and elsewhere, when his own tastes would 
 have led him, in every case to pitch upoa 
 ^.^jilprt, beefi-steaks, and the papers,'' m 
 fa^fit for! a king ! The dazzling topi0^ 
 ttera|)re, on which his wife held forth! 
 with iiHwearied eloquenee> was begirtrfi 
 
 oi 
 :al 
 
 101 
 
THE RtrmEI) MERCHANT. 
 
 3& 
 
 to produce convictbn m his mmd ; and 
 though he himself eschewed Ms wifes'^i 
 kind of life, and refused to share in it, he 
 did not lend a very unwilling ear tof 
 representations of the necessity for aft' 
 even increased rate of expenditure, to* 
 enable Miss Dudleigh to eclipse hep gay 
 competitors, and appear a worthy prizfe in- 
 jthe eyes of her noble suitor. A^are oi^* 
 jthe mlagnitude of the proposed object, ha 
 Would not but assent to Mrs. Dtidleigh's 
 Spinion, that extrp.ordiwary means must be 
 nade use of ; and was at last persuaded' 
 tfato placing nearly £20,000 in his newr 
 banker's hands, subject, as bejbre, to> 
 jMrs. Dudleigh's drafts, which she promis-: 
 Sd him should be as seldom and as moder•^ 
 ite as she could possibly contrive to, meet: 
 lecessary expences with. His many and> 
 leavy expenses, together with the great 
 jacrifice in prospect, when the time of hist 
 laughter's marriage ehould arrive, supplii^ 
 d him with new incentives^ to enter inta 
 5ommercial peculations. He tried seve^ 
 ral new schenaes, threw all tthe eapital her 
 5ould command into new 'mrJ even more 
 ^re'ductive quarters, and calculiate^.^oii 
 
p^ 
 
 11 
 
 THl I * 
 
 i- 
 
 26 
 
 THE KUINED MERCHANT* 
 
 making vast accessions of fortune at the 
 end of the year. 
 
 About a fortnight after Mr, Dudleigh 
 had informed Mrs. Dudleigh of the new 
 lodgment he had made at his banker's^ she 
 gave a Terylarge evening party at her house 
 in _a^; Square. She had been viery suc- 
 cessful in her guests on the occasion,having 
 dngaged the attendance of my Lords Thisy 
 aiwi my Ladies That, innumerable- Even; 
 the high and haughty Duke of — - hadi 
 deigi^d to look in for a few moments, on 
 his way to a party at Carlton House, for 
 th-e purpose of sneering at the '^ splendid 
 cit," an,d extracting topics of laughter for 
 
 hisroyal host. The whole of Square 
 
 and one or two of the adjoining streets were 
 absdutely choked with carriages--'the 
 carriskges of her guests ! When you enter- 
 ed her magnificent apartments, and hadl 
 made your way through the soft crush 
 and flutter of aristocracy, you might see 
 the lady of the hotise throbbing and panwJ 
 ting with excitement^-t-na perfect blaze of 
 jewy ry — 'flai^ked by her . kind friends, old| 
 
 Ladv ^,and the ^veil-known Miss — — - ' 
 
 engaged, as usual, at unlimited Iool The 
 
THE RUINED MERCHANT, 
 
 2:7 
 
 ;une at the 
 
 good-humour with which Mrs. Dudleigh 
 
 lostwas declared to be "quite charming" — 
 ^'deserving of better fortune ;" and, in- 
 flamed by the cozened compliments 
 they forced upon her, she was just uttering 
 some sneering and insolent allusion to 
 ^^ that odious e%,'' while old Lady 
 
 s 
 
 withered talons were extended to clutch 
 
 her winnings, when there was perceived 
 
 la sudden stir about the chief door— thdn 
 
 la general hush—rand in a momeat dr 
 
 ^wo) a gentleman, in dusty and disordered 
 
 iress, with hb hat on, rushed through the 
 
 istonished crowd, und made his way 
 
 (towards the card-tablo at whioh Mrs. Du<i- 
 
 leigh was seated, and stood oonfronting 
 
 her, extending towards her his right hand, 
 
 ■in which was a thin slip of paper. It was 
 
 Mr. Dudleigh ! " There-— there, madam,>\* 
 
 le gasped, ixx a hoarse voice,-^^" there, 
 
 ^oman !— -what have you done ?~Ruined 
 
 -ruined ^me, madam, you've ruined me\ 
 
 [y credit is destroyed , for ev^r!*~my 
 
 lame is tainted I—Here's the first^dishon. 
 
 mred bill that ever bore Henry Dud* 
 
 lelgh's name upon it !— Yes, madam, it is 
 
 '^OXT wlto have i done it," he oontinued, 
 
\st 
 
 ■■■■ * 
 
 wm 
 
 t^k 
 
 TM» 
 
 Qi' THe RUINED MEItCHANT. 
 
 w-iUi v^emeiit tone (md gesture, utterly 
 
 regardless of the breatliless throng around 
 
 *hini, and continuing to extend towards her 
 
 the protested bill of exchange. 
 
 4i*»My dear!— my dear— my— my— my 
 
 dfear Mr. Dudleigh," stammered his 
 
 wife, without rising from her chair, "what 
 
 ds the matter, love ?" , , . 
 
 ; <« MatUr, madam ?— why, by .— 
 
 «hat you've ruined me— that s all !— 
 * Where's the £20,000 I placed m 
 ^Messrs. >:— 's hands a few days,ago ?-- 
 Wher©— WHEBE is it, Mrs. Dudleigh t 
 he continued, almost shouting, and advan^ 
 ^me nearer to her, with his fiat clenched. 
 .. '?Hemry! dear Henry 5— mercy, mer. 
 icy '" murmured his wife faintly. 
 
 .♦* -Henry, indeed! Mercy ?—Sik,ti(H 
 ttiadam! How dare you deny me ati ani 
 war I How dare you swindle me out c 
 my fortune in this way?" he continue^ 
 fiercely, wiping the perspiration from hij 
 forehead, " Here's my bill for £4,OO0J 
 wade payable at Messrs.——, my ne^<| 
 bankers ; and when it was presented tjiii 
 
 OTioming, madam, ^y , the reply wa 
 
 * NO ErFECTS !' — and my bill has been aU 
 
THE RUINED MJEaCCIIANT. 
 
 a« 
 
 honoured ! — Wretch ! tahathB,V& youdoU^ 
 with my money ? Where'a it all goae ?r-Tr- 
 I'm the town's talk about this 
 |biU !— -Thei-e'll be a run upon rm ir 
 know there will-*^ay, Tm§j i& the way jny 
 lard earned wealth is squandered^you yile^ 
 /ou unprinciplQd apend^hi;ift !'V he ^^^ 
 tinuqd, tijlrning roUnd r ai)4 ppJnting tpi 
 [.he astonish^ guests^ none of whom, 
 tad uttered a^ syllable.. 'The musjc hficl 
 jeased — ^he dancers left thieil' pl^es-^r 
 le eard-tables were deserted ; m ;a wor4^ 
 lU was blank Consternation* Thetfafel 
 ^as that old Lady — r-^, wIkd wa3 that 
 moment seated trembling like an aspen^: 
 |eaf, at Mrs Budleigh's right^hoiad , wd^^ 
 lad won from her, dnring the Icist mpftth^ 
 series of sums amouting to a little' short 
 ►f £9,000, which Mrs. Dudl^igh ha4 paid 
 10 day before by a cheek on her banker; 
 pd that very morning she h^d di?awa 
 »4,000 odd, to pay her coachmake^rf% 
 mfectioner's, and milliner's bills, iwid 
 ipply herself with cash for the eM?ni»g'd 
 [poliation. The remaning £7,000 hftd 
 leen drawn out during the preceding fort* 
 light to pay her various Glaniorou.s erf- 
 
"%. 
 
 s\ 
 
 : 1 
 
 t* ? 
 
 t* * 
 
 THE ItUINED MKRCHANt^ 
 
 difoKsraftd kecji'her in readiness foi* the 
 gaming-table. Mr. Dudleighj an lieafin^j 
 of the dishonour of his bill-^the news of| 
 wKich was brought him bv a clerk, for he 
 was staying at a friend's house in th^ 
 country — came up instantly to town* 
 paid the bill, -and then hurried, half 
 beside himself, to his own house, in 
 ..-^— gqiiare- It is not at all wonderftrl^j 
 that thoagh Mr. Dudleigh^s name was 
 well known «^' ah eminent and responsi- 
 bte mercantile man, his bankers, with 
 whom He had but recently open(^d an ac 
 count, shonld decline payiaiff his bill, afte 
 86 large a sum, as £20,()00 had beeni 
 drawn out of their hands by Mrs. Dud. 
 leigh. It looked su^icious enough 
 
 truly! ■■'■'■'. «^'" ' ■' 
 ' ^* Mrs. Dudleighl'-w&ere— ^v^^r:^ is tn^ 
 £20^000' he showed, almost at the top o 
 his voice j but Mr^. Dudleigh heard hi 
 not J for she had fallen fainting into tl 
 arms of Lady - — -. Numbers rushe 
 forward to her assistance. The coniustoi 
 kni agitation that ensued it wowkl 
 impossible to describe ; and, in the mid? 
 of it Mrr Dudleii^h strode at a furioul^ 
 
ness foi* the 
 i on lieafing^l 
 "the news of! 
 clerk, for he 
 louse in th^ 
 y to town^ 
 lurried, half] 
 i'^ house, in 
 1 wonderftrlJ 
 5 nanie was! 
 ind responsi 
 inkers, with 
 )en^d an ac- 
 his bilK aftei 
 lO had been! 
 ' Mrs* Dud 
 ms enoughj 
 
 mittit. is hi; 
 
 at the top 6\ 
 h heard hh 
 ting into t1 
 ibers rushe( 
 ^he eorifu^oii 
 k wowk! 
 f in the midsj 
 
 at a furiou! 
 
 THE RUINED MERCHANT, ^f 
 
 pa^e^out of the room, md left the iiouBe 
 For the next three or four days he beCe^' 
 
 iitd%t r- "^^"PP^^^ensi^^^^^^^ 
 Jiifaed the temporary and very trimncr 
 
 E^/k- ""'r^' ^"^ sustained;. tSl hi 
 
 fancied bimself ^n the eve of becomirS 
 
 hanknupt. Arid,- indeed, where ?«K^ 
 
 her^antof any eminen;.e^ ^^1^^ 
 
 \4?Anfxr^ Vi *'^ ujsnonour of a bill fm 
 
 lys 
 
 Y^iiM ^4, — "»*^ ttuuounied ft 
 
 ould no exasperate? For several da 
 Ir. Dudleigh would not go near^ 
 
 Juaieigh. My professional services weiv 
 .ut into requisition on her behalf R^ 
 Jame, and agony at the, though oYX' 
 
 ne eyes ot all her assembled euest-? -of 
 
 nost exquisitely sensitive, had riearlv 
 nven her distracted. She' continued^ 
 i^^? " "''^■'^' ^«^ e'^bibited fueh 
 ompelled to resort to very active treat! 
 C I S!f /.'''■*'" ^^^«''- More tS 
 a iiKe tnern,— " be revenged on 
 
 ¥ . 
 
THE RUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 him yet!'^ but whether or not she was at 
 i|he time sensible of the import of what she 
 «aid, I did not know. 
 
 VII The incident above recorded — which J 
 hfeid from the lips of Mr. Dudleigh himself, 
 as well as from other»-^made a good deal 
 of noise in what are called "the fashion-, 
 able circles," and was obscurely hinted 
 «,t in one of the daily papers. 1 was much 
 amused at hearing, in the various circlesj 
 1 visited, the conflicting and exaggerated! 
 accounta^of it. One old lady told me shejo 
 " .had it on the best authority, that Mr^ 
 Dudleigh actually struck his wife an( 
 wrenched her p^ 'it of her hand ! 
 I recommended IV. ^/udleigh to with! 
 draw for a few weekb to a watering-plaoel 
 and islie followed my advice ; taking wil 
 her Miss Dudleigh, whose health an^ 
 spirits had suffered materially through tl 
 evfent which has been mentioned. Po( 
 girl ! she was of a very different mouli 
 from her mother, and suffered acutel; 
 though silently, at witnessing the utte 
 contempt in which she was held by tl 
 very people she made such prodigioi 
 efforts to court and conciliate. Can am 
 
THE KUINKD MEKCHANT. gg 
 
 her met invariably with a h?riH i 
 irue reception • nni-* i . ^ "*'^®" ^^^ 
 'elled to C her peace at T T ' 
 mortified silence Jier^oll'er's nh. """'^ ''' 
 
 Whey continued at --!r!K ^'''"^^ness. 
 
 md on their rPt.fmT": ^"^"^ « month ; 
 
 .affair quhe !< bW "ovS -''3 '°""'^;''« 
 
 M through the :zi^Ti:z 
 
 tech' SherC"t£-? ''^^^^ 
 «rs. Dudleich J J « ! ^^"^ "months 
 
 hfrom the ?5tir """JP^^y ^"d «««!« 
 
 N Witnessed or h^ard K. "" ^^' "'^'^ 
 N taken place it J .''''*'"* ^^'««^ 
 
 'ery thin/seeli? ^^'°"- ^" «h««, 
 ir,^ L ^ ^^enied going on wpU «,j«k 
 T iWerchant and his family Jt w„ c« 5 
 ^h« daughter wast^becomTS. 
 ^, as soon as younc. Lord I^^X 
 
 [ve returned frZ ti^Com^^ td'^ 
 izzhng dowry was ^nnh^n e \ ^^^ * 
 e day of hL Z ^^ ^'^ °^ as hers on 
 wm'ZrZuT"'^^^- Pleased with 
 ^'fe s good behaviour, Mr. Dudle^h's 
 
:34 
 
 THE aXTINED MERCITANT. 
 
 confidence and good.nature revived, and 
 
 ''he held the reins with a rapidly slacken- 
 
 JBg grasp. In proportion as he allowed 
 
 .her funds, her scared '^friends'' flocked 
 
 3gain around her ; and by-and-by she was 
 
 .seen .flouncing about in fashion as hereto- 
 
 ;fore, iwith small " let or hindrance'' from 
 
 llier 'husband . ; The world— the sagacious 
 
 world called Mr. Dudleigh a happy man ; 
 
 ,and the citv swelled at the mention of his 
 
 Iname and doings., The mercantile world 
 
 ialdits highest honours at his feet. The 
 
 imayoralty — a bank — an East Indian di- 
 
 irectorshipr— a seat for the city in parlia- 
 
 ,ment— all glittered within his grasp ; hut 
 
 he would not stretch forth his hand. He wasi 
 
 .content, he would say, to be '' plain Henry 
 
 .Dudleigh, vwhose word was as good as his 
 
 ,bond"— a leading man on 'Change— p.pd| 
 
 .above all, "^who could look every oue full 
 
 in the face with whom he had ever had to 
 
 .do.'* He wasiindeed a worthy man-rra,ric)ij 
 
 and raay specimen of one of those gloriesl 
 
 .of our nation — a true English merch^n{[ 
 
 The proudest rhoments of his life wew 
 
 ^hen an accompanying friend could e^i 
 
 ,;ixiate his consequence by witnessing tW 
 
fas BtriNED MEKCHANf. 35 
 
 mandarin movements thnt every where 
 met him--the obsequious obeisances of 
 even his cksest rivals-as he hurried- to 
 ana fro about the central regions^ of 
 Ghanp, his hands stuck into tie wom 
 
 Kfl' ^''L^"* P'^'" snuff-coloured cmt. 
 rhe meTe5st ghnce at Mr. Dudleigh— his 
 hurrmd, fidgety, anxious gfestures^ahd 
 keen, cairtJous expreasiwiof his glitterinir 
 gray eyfes—his mouth screwed up like a 
 shut ;purse--aM, all told of the "marrof 
 armlbon." There was, in a. manner, ft 
 
 twmkle of his eye. He could never be 
 said to breathe- freely-really to live-^hm 
 m his congenial atmosphere-his native 
 element-the city ! ., ...^ J 
 
 ■Once every year he gave a capital 
 d nner, at a tavern, to 111 his ageml ' 
 
 with hin, m business ; and none but him. 
 
 h! tfl^T- ^ ^"'^^ ecstasy with which 
 he took his seat at the head of them all 
 
 rd:tr/\? ''^iP^-^' echoed tlSr 
 S! [^^gjter, made speeches, and was 
 bespeechified in turn ! How be sat whil^ 
 great things were savinrr ^f i.;.,. -.. .a.' 
 
m 
 
 TilB RUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 txjoasion of his health's being drunk ! On| 
 ■one of these occasions his health had h^e\ 
 proposed by his sleek head-clerk, in 
 most neat and appropriate sp^eqh, mi 
 ilrunk with uproarious enthusiasm ; anf 
 good Mr. Dudleigh was on his legs, enerJ 
 getically making his annual avowal thfllj 
 IV that was the proudest moment of " ' 
 life,'' when one of the waiters q^me at)j 
 interrupted him, by saying tliat a gently] 
 man was without, waiting to speak ^o * * 
 on most important business. Mr. DudJ 
 leigh hurriedly whispered t^?lat he wonili 
 attend to the stranger in a few minutesi 
 and the waiter withdrew ; but i!eturn( 
 in a second or two, and put a card inl 
 his hand. Mr. Dudleigh was elQotrifiq(| 
 lit the name it bore- — that of the great loai 
 contractor — the city Croesus whose weajtll 
 was reported to be incalculably ! M 
 hastily called on some one to swpply bii 
 place ; and hardly passed the door beijbr^ 
 he was hastily shaken by the hand^ bj 
 ^ u M h , who told him at once th^t he h| 
 called to propose to Mr. Dudleigh, to taj 
 part with him in negotiating a very l^r) 
 loan on account of the goyexnn^.eatl 
 
 ^mm 
 
NTi 
 
 THE RUINED MEIICHANT. 
 
 3t 
 
 irunk I Onj 
 ,1th had bqei 
 -clerk, in 
 ippeqh, Wi 
 iHiasm ; an$ 
 slegs, enerj 
 avowal i\\^ 
 meint of 
 rs qanie api 
 lat a gently] 
 ijpeak tjo 
 
 Mr. DudJ 
 lat he wouU 
 3W minutej 
 mt returni 
 a card ini 
 3 elQotrifii 
 e gr<^at Ipai 
 fhose weajti 
 liable! Mi 
 
 sypply fei 
 door beHbr^ 
 
 he hand^ b| 
 
 t;h^t he hi 
 
 Bigh, to taj 
 
 1 very l^rj 
 ^yexnni.ent] 
 
 fter a flurried pause, Mr. Dudleigh, 
 carce knowing what he was sayings 
 ssented. In a day or two the transaction 
 
 as duly blazoned in the leading papers 
 f the day ; and every one in the city 
 poke of him as one likely to double or 
 ven treble his already ample fortune. 
 
 gain he was praised — again censured-ii 
 gain envied ! It was considered advil 
 able that he should repair to the Continent, 
 uring the course of the negotiation, in 
 rder that he might personally superintend 
 lome important collateral transactions^ 
 nd when there, he was most unexpectedly 
 etained nearly two months. Alas ! that 
 e ever left JEngland ! During his ab- 
 lence, his infatuated wife betook herself— 
 
 like the dog to his vomit, like a sow to 
 
 er wallowing in the mire" — to her ruin- 
 
 )us courses of extravagance and dissipa- 
 
 ■'on, but on a fearfully larger scale. Her 
 
 ouse was more like an hotel than a 
 
 rivate dwelling ; and blazed away, night 
 
 fter night, with light and company, till 
 
 ^e whole neighbourhood complained (rf 
 
 ihe incessant uproar occasioned by the 
 
 '-eie arrival and departure of her aneM. 
 
 B 
 
 ^h 
 
88 
 
 THE RUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 TK 
 
 To her other dreadful besetments MrJ 
 
 Dudleigh now added the odious and vulgal 
 
 vice of-r-intoxication ! She complaine] 
 
 of the deficiency of her animal epirital 
 
 and said she took liquor as a medicine I 
 
 fehe required stimulus and excitemenl 
 
 she said, to sustain her mind under thi 
 
 perpetual run of ill luck she had at cards! 
 
 It was m vain that her poor dauehtj 
 
 remonstrated, and almost cried hersel 
 
 into fits, on seeing her mother return howl 
 
 frequently in the dull stupor of absolu J 
 
 intoxication !— « Mother, mother, my hear" 
 
 IS breaking I" said she one evening! 
 
 "So— so is mine," hiccoughed h4 
 parent ; « so get me the decanter !" 
 . Young Harry Dudleigh trod emubush 
 in the footsteps of his mother ; and rJ 
 Ji°l *°. an extent that was unknown fl 
 Oxford .'—The sons of very few of tj 
 highest nobility had handsomer allowancJ 
 than he ; yet was he constantly over he J 
 and ears in debt. He was backer of tJ 
 
 •?'^«''k?''"'' " ^'^^^ «"«" at cock J 
 dog fights ; a racer : in short, a blackguaJ 
 of the first water. During the recess, hi 
 had come up to town, and taken up hi 
 
JHANT. 
 
 )esetments Mri 
 ious and vulgaj 
 fie complaine 
 animal spirits 
 as a medicine 
 d excitemen 
 lind under thi 
 5 had at cards 
 3oor daughtej 
 cried hersei 
 5r return hom 
 3rof absolute 
 ther, my hear 
 evening. 
 
 coughed hei 
 inter V^ 
 
 od emulous! 
 ter ; and ra 
 
 unknown 
 r few of thi 
 Jr allowanc 
 'ly over he 
 backer of th 
 
 at cock an 
 1 blaekgua 
 le recess, h 
 taken up h 
 
 THE RUINED MERCHANT. 39 
 
 [uarters, not at his father's house, but at 
 one of the distant hotels, where he might 
 pursue his profligate courses without fear 
 bf interruption. He had repeatedly bul- 
 llied his motner put of large sums of money 
 ppiy riis infamous extravagances • 
 
 .0 supp.y riis infamous extravagances"; 
 tnd at length became so insolent and ex! 
 Tbitant in his demands, that they quarrel- 
 ed. One evening, about nine o'clock 
 Wrs. and Miss Dudleigh happened to be 
 ^ittmg in the drawing-room, alone— and 
 ihe latter was pale with the agitation con- 
 sequent on some recent quarrel with her 
 nother ; for the poor girl had been passion, 
 tely reproaching her mother for her in 
 reasing attachment to liquor, under th^ 
 nfluence of which she evidently was ^ 
 hat moment Suddenly a voice was 
 ^eard m the hall, and on the stairs, sing. 
 mg,^or rather bawling, snatches of some 
 ^omic song or other ; the drawinxr.room 
 loor was presently pushed opel, and 
 _^oung Dudleigh, more than halfit^xic^ 
 ed, made his appearance, in a slovenly 
 evening dress. ^vcmy 
 
 jMadanie ma mere!- said he, stagger, 
 ing towards the sofa where hi; mXr 
 
mmm. 
 
 40 
 
 THE RXJINEI) MERCHANT. 
 
 tl 
 
 Em* 
 
 and sister were sitting, '' I — I must be 
 supplied — I must, mother !'^ — he hiccough^ 
 ed, stretching towards her his right handl 
 and tapping the palm of it significant^ 
 with his left fingers. 
 
 " Pho— nonsense ! — off to — to bed, yound 
 
 scape-grace !" replied his mother drowsiljl 
 
 — for the stupor of wine lay heavily oiJ 
 
 her. 1 
 
 " Tis useless, madam — quite, I assurJ 
 
 you! — money — money — money I niusj 
 
 and will have V said her son, striving tJ 
 
 steady himself against a chair. I 
 
 "Why, Harry, dear ;— where 's thi 
 
 fifty pounds I gave you a check for onl J 
 
 a day or two ago ?'^ I 
 
 " Gone ! gone 1 the way of all moneyl 
 
 madam — as you know pretty well ! I M 
 
 must have £300 by to-morrow — " I 
 
 " Three hundred pounds, Henry !" exi 
 claimed his mother, angrily. i 
 
 "Yes, ma^am! Sir Charles won't bJ 
 put off any longer, he says. Has my-J 
 my word — ^ good as my bond,' as the olfl 
 governor says ! — Mother,'' he continue* 
 in a louder tone, flinging his hat violentlj 
 oil the floor, "I must and will havg 
 money !" ■ 
 
THE RUINED MERCHANT.- 
 
 il 
 
 Henry- 
 
 it's disgraceful— infamous-— 
 mous!" exclaimed Miss Dud- 
 dgh, with a shocked air! and raising 
 er handkerchief to her eyes, she rose 
 rom the sofa, and walked hurriedly to the 
 ipposite end of the room, and sat down in 
 bars. Poor girl ! what a mother ! what a 
 pher !— The young man took the place 
 ^e had occupied by her mother's side, and 
 a wheedling, coaxingway threw his arms 
 und Mrs. Dudleigh, hiccoughing, ^^Moth- 
 ', give me a check ! do, please !— 'tis the 
 St time I'll ask you— for a twelvemonth 
 come !— and I owe £500 that mtist be 
 id in a day or two !" 
 "How can I, Harry ?— dear Harry^ 
 in't be unreasonable ! recollect I'm a kind 
 lother to you," kissing him, " and don't 
 stress me ; for I owe three or four times 
 • much myself, and cannot pay it." 
 " Eh !— eh !— cannot pay it ?— stuff, 
 a am !— why— is the bank run dry «" 
 3 contmued, with an apprehensive stare. 
 I' Yes love— long ago!" replied his mother, 
 itha sigh. . 
 
 ^^ Whoo— whoo !" he exclaimed; and 
 smg, he walked, or rather staggered a 
 
■n 
 
 THE RUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 lY ..« 
 
 few steps to and fro, ks if attempting 
 collect his^ faculties — and think ! 
 
 "Ah — ah, ah ! — eureka, ma'am!'' , 
 exclaimed suddenly, after a pause, sna 
 ping his fingers ; " I've got it— I have U 
 the ^ PLATE, mother, — the plate ! — heni 
 raising the wind — you understand me V] 
 "Oh ! shocking, shocking !" sobbed Mi 
 Dudleigh, hurrying towards them, wrin 
 ing her hands bitterly ; "oh mother ! ( 
 Henry, Henry ! would you ruin my po 
 father, and break his heart ?" 
 
 " Ah, the plate, mother!— the plate !^ 
 he continued, addressing his mother ; thq 
 turning to his sister, " away, you littli 
 puss— puss !— what do you understa 
 about business, eh ?" and he attempted 
 kiss her ; but she thrust him away wi 
 indignation and horror in her gesture. 
 " Come, mother !— will it do? 
 
 lucky thought ! the plate !— Mr is 
 
 l-are hand at this kind of thing!— a thousai 
 or two would set you and me to rights in 
 twinkling !— come, what say you !" 
 
 "Impossible, Harry!" replied h 
 mother, turning pale ; " 'tis quite— 'tis 
 "'tis out of the question !" 
 
 1 
 
THE RUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 43 
 
 > ma'am !'' 
 
 1 
 Pho! no such thing!— It must be 
 5 .'—why cannot it, ma'am V inquired 
 e young man earnestly. 
 "Why, because— if you must know, 
 rrah J — because it is already pawned '" 
 -replied his mother, in a loud voice 
 lakmg her hand at him with passion.' 
 •leir attention was attracted at that 
 )ment towards the door, which had been 
 idmg ajar— for there was the sound of 
 le one suddenly fallen down. After an 
 stant's pause, they all three walked to 
 ' door, and stood gazing horrorstruck at 
 prostrate figure of Mr. Dudleigh ! 
 ie had been standing unperceived in 
 doorway— having entered the house 
 
 ly a moment or two after his son 
 
 bing the whole of the disgraceful scene 
 St described, almost petrified with grief 
 lazement, and horror— till he could 
 far It no longer, and fell down in an ap- 
 Hectic fit. He had but that eveninff 
 turned from abroad, exhausted with 
 ysical fatigue, and dispirited in mind : 
 •, while abroad, he had made a most 
 ^5astrous move in the foreign funds, by 
 Hich he lost upwards of sixty or seventy- 
 
44 
 
 TMK HUINED MEUCHANT. 
 1 
 
 thousand pounds ; and his negotiation 
 •^f^u^.xp^ also turned out very unfortunate* 
 
 , and left him minus nearly as much 
 more. He had hurried home, half-dead 
 with vexation and anxiety, to make instant 
 arrangements for meeting the most press- 
 ing of his pecuniary engagements in 
 England^ apprehensive, from the gloomy 
 tenor of his agent's letters to him while 
 abroad, that his affairs were falling into 
 tx)nfusion. Oh ! what d heart-breaking 
 scene had he to encounter*— instead of the 
 comforts and welcome of home ! 
 
 This accident brought me again into 
 contact with this devoted family ; for I 
 was summoned by the distracted daughter 
 to her father's bedside, which I lound sur-j 
 rounded by his wife and children. The 
 sjiock of his presence had completelysober- 
 €id both mother and son, who hung horror 
 ^ricken over him, on eagh side of the bed, 
 endieavouring in vain to recall him to sen- 
 sibility. I had scarce entered the room 
 before Mrs. Dudleigh was carried away 
 swooning in the arms of a servant. Mr. 
 Dudleigh v^as in a fit of apoplexy. He 
 ley in a state of profound stupor — breath* 
 
THE RUmED MERCHANT. 
 
 43 
 
 .1- 
 
 ^ stentoriously — ^more like snorting. I 
 had him r,a,ised into nearly an upright 
 position, and immediately bled him large- 
 ly from the jugular vein. While the 
 blood was flowing, my attention was 
 arrested by the appearance of young Dud- 
 leigh ; who was kneeling down by the 
 bed-side, his hands clasped convulsively 
 together, and his swollen blood-shot eyes 
 fixed on his father. " Father ! father! 
 father !" were the only words he uttered, 
 and these fell quivering from his lips 
 unconsciously. Miss Dudleigh, who had 
 stood leaning against the bedpost in stupi- 
 fied silence, and pale as a statue, was at 
 length too faint to continue any longer iti 
 an upright posture, and was led out of the 
 room. 
 
 Here was misery ! Here was remorse ! 
 
 I continued with my patient more than 
 an hour, and was gratified at finding that 
 there was every appearance of the attack 
 proving a mild and manageable one. I 
 prescribed suitable remedies, andleft,-^ 
 enjoining young Dudleigh not to quit his 
 father for a moment, but to watch every 
 breath he drew. He hardly seemed to 
 
¥' 1 
 
 46 
 
 THE RUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 hear me, and gazed in my face vacantly 
 while I addressed him. I shook him 
 gently, and repeated my injunctions ; but 
 all he could reply was, "Oh — doctor — we 
 have killed him V 
 
 t Before leaving the house I repaired to 
 
 Ihe chamber where Mrs. Dudleigh lay, 
 
 jiist recovering from strong hystencs. I 
 
 was filled with astonishment, on reflecting 
 
 upon the whole scene of that evening; 
 
 and, in particular, on the appearance and 
 
 remorseful expressions of young Dudleioh. 
 
 What could have happened ? — A day^or 
 
 two afterward, Miss Dudleigh, with shame 
 
 and reluctance, communicated to me the 
 
 <5hief facts above stated. Her own health 
 
 'And spirits were manifestly suffering from 
 
 the distressing scenes she had to endure. 
 
 :She told me with energy, that' she could 
 
 :sink into the earth, on reflecting that she i 
 
 iwas the daughter of such a mother, the j 
 
 skier of such a brother ! 
 
 / ^ [The Diary passes hastily over a fort- 1 
 
 night— saying merely that Mr. Dudleigh 
 
 recovered more rapidly than could have 
 
 been expected— and proceeds :] i 
 
 Monday, June>^ 18— . While I we^i 
 
THE RUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 if 
 
 sitting beside poor Mr. Dudleigh, this after, 
 noon, feeling his pulse, and putting ques- 
 tions to him, which he was able to answer 
 with tolerable distinctness, Miss Dudleigh 
 
 came and whispered that her mother 
 
 who, though she had seen her husband 
 frequently, had not spoken to him or been 
 recognised by hin> since his illness — was 
 anxious then to come in, as she h^ard that 
 he was perfectly sensible. I asked him 
 if he had any objection to see her; and he 
 replied, with a sigh, "No: let her oome 
 in, and see what she has brought me to!" 
 In a few miniates' time she \vm in the 
 room. 1 observed Mr. Dudleigh's eyes 
 directed anxiously to the door before she 
 entered- and the instant ho saw her pallid 
 features^, and the languid exhausted air 
 with which she advanced towards the bed, 
 he lifted up his shakinjor hands, and beck- 
 oned towards her. His eyes filled with 
 tears to overflowing, and be attempted ta 
 speak — but in vain. She tottered to his; 
 side, and fell down on her knees ; while 
 he clasped her hands in his, kissed her 
 affectionately, and both of them wept like 
 children; as did young Dudleigh and hi^ 
 
48 
 
 THE KUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 sister. That was the hour of full forgive. 
 
 nes8 and reconciliation ! It was indeed a 
 
 touching scene. There lay the deeply 
 
 injured father and husband, his gray hair 
 
 grown long during his absence on the 
 
 Continent and his illness, combed back! 
 
 trom his temples; his pale and fallen fea-l 
 
 tures exhibiting deep traces of the anguish I 
 
 he had borne. He gave one hand to hisl 
 
 son and daughter, while the other continu-l 
 
 ed grasped by Mrs. Dudleigh. I 
 
 ^ "Oh, dear, dear husband!— Can you I 
 
 forgive us, who have so nearly broken! 
 
 your heart ?" she sobbed, kissed his fore J 
 
 head. He strove to reply, but burst intol 
 
 tears without being able to utter a word.! 
 
 !• earful thu? the prolonged excitement of I 
 
 'such an interview might prove injurious,! 
 
 1 gave Mrs. Dudleigh a hint to withdraw! 
 and left the room with her. She had! 
 
 scarcely descended the staircase, when she! 
 
 suddenly seized my arm, stared me full! 
 
 m the face, and burst into a fit of loud and! 
 
 wild laughter. I carried her into the first! 
 
 *ooml could find, and gave her all the! 
 
 assistance in my power. It was long,! 
 
 however, before she recovered. She con' ! 
 
THE RUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 4a 
 
 tinualiy exclaimed, «0h, what a wretcH 
 Tve been! What a vile wretch I've 
 been ! — and he so kind and forgiving 
 too!'' 
 
 As soon as Mr. Dudleigh was sufficient, 
 ly recovered to leave his bedroom—con- 
 trary to my vehemently expressed opinion 
 —he entered at once on the active 
 management of his affairs. It is easy to 
 conceive how business of such an exten- 
 sive and complicated character as his must 
 have suffered from so long an intermission' 
 of his personal superintendency-especial- 
 ly at such a critical conjuncture. Though 
 his head-clerk was an able and faithlil 
 man, he was not at all equal to the 
 overwhelming task which devolved upon 
 him J and when Mr. Dudleigh, the first 
 day of his coming down stairs, sent for 
 him, in order to learn the general aspect 
 of his affairs, he wrung his hands despair-j 
 ingly, to find the lamentable confusion 
 into which they had fallen. The first step 
 to be taken was the discovery of funds 
 wherewith to meet some heavy demands 
 which had been for some time clamorously 
 asserted. What, however, was tai^ 
 
ao 
 
 THE RUINBP, MERCHANT. 
 
 dbne ? His unfortunate speculations in 
 the foreign funds had made sad havoc of 
 his floating capital, and further fluctuations 
 in the English funds during his illness had- 
 added to his losses. As far as ready money 
 wentr therefore, he was comparatively 
 penniless. All his resources were so. 
 locked up as to be promptly available only 
 at ruinous sacrifices, and yet he must 
 procure many thousands within a few 
 days— or he trembled to- contemplate the 
 corisequencesr 
 
 "Call in my money I advanced on 
 
 mortgage of my Lord ,s property," 
 
 said Jie. 
 
 J' We shall lose a third sir, of what we 
 advanced, if we do,'' replied the clerk. • 
 
 ' « Can't help it, sir," must have money, 
 and that instantly : call it in, sir." The 
 clerk, with a sigh, entered his orders 
 accordingly. 
 
 ^ "Ah— let me see. Sell my shares 
 m ." 
 
 " Allow me to suggest, sir, that if you 
 will but wait two months, or even six 
 wfeeks longer, they will be worth twenty 
 times what you cave for them. • whArpp.o 
 
THE RUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 61 
 
 if you part with them at present, it must 
 be at a heavy discount.'^ 
 
 " Must have money, sir ! — must ! — write 
 it down too," replied Mr. Dudleigh, stern- 
 ly. In this manner he " ticked out his 
 property for ruin," as his clerk said, 
 throughout the interview. His demean- 
 our and spirit were altogether changed j 
 the first was become stern and imperative^ 
 the latter rash and inconsiderate, to a de- 
 gree which none would credit who had 
 known his former mode of conducting 
 business. All the prudence and energy 
 which had secured him such splendid 
 results seemed now lost, irrevocably lost. 
 Whether or not this change was to be ac# 
 counted for by mental imbecility conse- 
 quent on his recent apoplectic seizure, or 
 the disgust he felt at toiling in the adcu- 
 mulation of wealth which had been and 
 might yet be so profligately squandered, I 
 know not ; but his conduct now consisted 
 of alternations between the extremes of 
 rashness and timorous indecision. He 
 would waver and hesitate about the outlay 
 of hundreds, when every one else, even 
 
 ihose most nroverbiallv iTiMident and sob 
 
 Ol* 
 
6^ 
 
 THE RUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 / 
 
 >vould venture their thoysands with an 
 almost absolute certainty of tenfold profits 
 and again would fling away thousands 
 w .r^'y yawning jaws of villany. 
 
 He would not tolerate remonstrance or 
 expostulation ; and when any one ventured 
 to hmt surprise or dissatisfaction at the 
 conduct he was pursuing, he would say 
 tartly, -that he had reasons of his own for 
 What he was doing." His brother mer. 
 chants were for a length of time puzzled 
 to account for his conduct. At first thev 
 gave him credit for playing some deep and 
 Jesperat^e game, and trembled at his hardi- 
 hmd; but after waiting a while, and 
 perceiving no 
 
 V , "wondrous issue 
 
 ■ l^y ^°*n their gaping throats, to recompense 
 . ..Long hours of patient hope," "'P^nse 
 
 Ji^y came to the conclusion, that as he 
 had been latterly unfortunate, and was 
 growing old, and indisposed to prolong the 
 doubtful cares of money-making, he had 
 determined to draw his affairs into as nar- 
 
 riJl^^'^P^'',^" ^'''^^^' ^ith a view to 
 iWrthdrawmg altogether from active life 
 on ahandsome independence. Every one 
 
THE RUINED MERCHANT^ 
 
 58 
 
 commended his prudence in so acting in 
 
 '' letting well alone.'' '' Easy come, easy 
 go/' is an old saw, but signallj. character, 
 istic of rapidly acquired commercial for- 
 tunes ; and by these and similar prudential 
 considerations did they consider Mr. Dud, 
 leigh to be actuated. This latter sup- 
 position was strengthened by observing 
 the other parts of his conduct. His do. 
 mestic arrangements indicated a spirit of 
 rigorous retrenchment. His house near 
 Richmond was advertised for sale, and 
 bought '^ out and out" by a man vho had 
 grown rich in Mr. Dudleigh's service. 
 Mrs. Dudleigh gave, received, and accept, 
 ed fe:wer and fewer in vitatio^s; was less 
 seen at public places ; and drove only one 
 plam chariot. Young Dudleigh's allow- 
 ance at Oxford was curtailed, and narrow- 
 ed down to £300 a-year; and he was 
 forbidden to go abroad, that he might stay 
 at home to prepare for— orders ! There 
 was nothing questionable or alarming in 
 all this, even to the most forward quid, 
 nuncs of the city. The world that had 
 blazoned and lauded his— or rather his 
 /am273^ ^extravagance, now commended 
 
 B^ 
 
 M: 
 
54 
 
 THE RtriNED MERCHANT. 
 
 t 1 
 
 his judicious economy. As for himself 
 personally, he had resumed his pristine 
 clock-work punctuality of movements- 
 and the only difference to be perceived in 
 his behaviour was an air of unceasing 
 thoughtfulness and reserve. This was 
 accounted for by the rumoured unha'ppi. 
 ness he endured in his family—for which 
 Mrs. Dudleigh was given ample credit. 
 And then his favourite— his idolized child 
 —Miss Dudleigh— was exhibiting alarm- 
 mg symptoms of ill health. She was 
 notoriously neglected by her young and 
 noble suitor, who continued abroad much i 
 longer than the period he had himself 
 hxed on. She was of too delicate and 
 sensitive a character to bear with indiffer- 
 ence the impertinent and cruel specula, 
 tions which this occasioned in « society » 
 When I looked at her— her beauty, her 
 amiable and fascinating manners— her 
 high accomplishments— and in many con- 
 yersations, perceived the superior feelings 
 ot her soul— it was with difficulty "l 
 t>rought myself to believe that she was the 
 offspring of such a miserable inferior 
 woman as her mother ! To return, how. 
 
THE EUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 55 
 
 ever, to Mr. Dudleigh. He who has once 
 experienced an attack of apoplexy ought 
 never to be entirely from medical surveiU. 
 lance. I was in the habit of calling upon, 
 him once or twice a-week to ascertain, 
 how he was going on. I observed a great 
 change in him. Though never distinguish. " 
 ed by high animal spirits, he seemed now 
 under the influence of a permanent and 
 increasing melancholy. When I would 
 put to him some such matter-of-fact ques- 
 tion as, " How goes the world with you 
 now Mr. Dudleigh ?" he would reply, with 
 an air of lassitude, "Oh— as it oueht! 
 as It ought !" He ceased to speak of his 
 mercantile transactions with spirit or 
 energy ; and it was only by a visible- 
 effon that he dragged himself into the 
 city. 
 
 When a man is once on the inclined, 
 plam of life— once fairly « going down 
 mil, one push will do as much as fifty • 
 and such a one poor Mr. Dudleigh was not 
 long m receiving. Rumours were already, 
 flying about that his credit had no more 
 substantial support than paper props : iii 
 other words, that he was nhlifrorl tr. ,.»e«^» 
 
56 
 
 THE RUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 to accommodation-bills to meet his engage- 
 ments. When once such reports are cur- 
 rent and accredited, I need hardly say that 
 it is « all up" with a man in the city 
 And ought it not to be so ? I observed, a 
 httle while ago, that Mr. Dudleigh, since 
 his Illness, conducted his affairs very differ- 
 ently from what he had formerly. He 
 would freight his vessels with unmarketa- 
 ble cargoes— in spite of all the represen- 
 tations of his servants and friends ; and 
 when his advices confirmed the truth ot 
 their surmises, he would order the goods 
 to te sold off— frequently at a fifth ©r 
 eighth ot their value. These and many 
 similarfreaks becoming generally known, 
 soon alienated from, him the confidence 
 even ol his oldest connexions ; credit was 
 given him reluctantly, and then only to a 
 small extent— and sometimes even point- 
 blank refused I He bore all this with 
 aj^arent calmness, observing simply that 
 'nimes were altered!" Still he had a 
 corps de raserve in his favourite investiture 
 --niort^ges: a species of security in 
 Tj^^*' ^^ had long had locked up iome 
 fcrtyor fifty thousand pounds. Anxious 
 
 
THE RUINED MERCHANT, 
 
 bt 
 
 to assign a mortgage for 15,000/., he had 
 at last succeeded in finding an assignee 
 on advantageous terms, whose solicitor, 
 after carefully inspecting the deed, pro- 
 nounced it so much waste paper, owing to 
 some great technical flaw, or informality, 
 which vitiated the whole ! Poor Mr. Dud- 
 leigh hurried with consternation to his 
 attorney ; who, after a long show of incred- 
 ulity, at last acknowledged the existence 
 of the defect ! Under his advice, Mr. 
 Dudleigh instantly wrote to the party, 
 whose property was mortgaged, frankly 
 informing him of the circumstances, and 
 appealing to his " honour and good feeling." 
 He might as well have appealed to the 
 winds ! for he received a reply from the 
 mortgager's attorney, stating simply, that 
 *' his client was prepared to stand or fall 
 by the deed, and so, of course, must the 
 mortgagee!'' Wh^t was Mr. Dudleigh's 
 further dismay at finding, on further ex- 
 amination, that every mortgage transaction, 
 except one for 1500Z., which had been 
 intrusted to the management of the same 
 attorney, was equally, or even more invalicf 
 than the one above-mentioned !— TwoM 
 
58 
 
 THE RUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 the heaviest proved to be worthless, as 
 second mortgages of the same property, 
 and all the remainder were invalid on ac- 
 count of divers defects and informalities. 
 It turned out that Mr. Dudleigh had been 
 in the hands of a swindler, who had inten- 
 tionally committed the draft error, and 
 colluded with his principal, to outwit his 
 unsuspecting client Mr. Dudleigh, in the 
 matter of the double mortgages! Mr 
 Dudleigh instantly commenced actions 
 .against the first mortgager, to recover the 
 money he had advanced, in spite of the 
 flaw in the mortgage-deed, and against the 
 attorney through whose villany he had 
 suffered so severely. In the former, which 
 of course decided the fate of the remain- 
 ing mortgages similarly situated, he failed ; 
 in the latter he succeeded — as far as the 
 bare gaining of a verdict could be so con- 
 sidered ; but the attorney, exasperated at 
 being brought before the court and exposed 
 by his client, defended the action in such 
 a manner as did himself no good, at the 
 same time that it nearly ruined the poor 
 plantiff; for he raked up every circum- 
 stance that had come to his knowledge 
 
THE RUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 &9 
 
 professionally during the course of sever- 
 al years' confidential connexion with Mr. 
 Dudleigh — and which could possibly be 
 tortured into a disreputable shape j and 
 gave his foul brief into the hands of an 
 ambitious young counsel, who, faithful to 
 his instructions, and eager to make the 
 most of so rich an opportunity of vituper- 
 ative declamation, contrived so to blacken 
 poor Mr. Dudleigh's character, by cun- 
 ning innuendoes, asserting nothing, but 
 suggesting every thing vile and atrocious 
 
 that poor Mr. Dudleigh, who was in 
 
 *court at the time, began to think himself, 
 in spite of himself, one of the most execra- 
 ble scoundrels in existence — and hurried 
 home in a paroxysm of rage, agony^ and 
 despair, which, but for my being oppor- 
 tunely sent for by Mrs. Dudleigh, and 
 bleeding him at once, must in all probabil- 
 ity have induced a second and fatal apo- 
 plectic seizure. His energies, for weeks 
 afterward, lay in a state of complete stag- 
 nation ; and I found ^ he was sinking into 
 the condition of an irrecoverable hypoch- 
 ondriac. Every thing, from that time, 
 went wrong with him. , He niade no 
 
Jf 
 
 THE RUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 . provision for the payment of his regular 
 
 debts ; creditors precipitated their claims 
 
 from all quarters ; and he had no resourc- 
 
 esto fall back upon at a moment's exigency. 
 
 &Qme of the more forbearing of his credi' 
 
 tors kindly consented to give him time, but 
 
 the small fry pestered him to distraction; 
 
 and at last one of the latter class, a rude, 
 
 hard-hearted fellow, cousin to the attorney 
 
 whom Mr. Dudleigh had recently prose. 
 
 cuted, on receiving the requisite " deniel,'' 
 
 instantly went and struck the docket 
 
 against his unfortunate debtor, and Mr 
 
 Dudleigh^the celebrated Mr. Dudleigh 
 
 became a— bankrupt ! 
 
 For some hours after he had received 
 an, official notification of the event he 
 .gfeemed completely stunned. He did not 
 iutter a syllable when first informed of it ; 
 but his face assumed a ghastly paleness! 
 Me walked to and fro about the room— now 
 pausmg-^then hurrying on—then pausing 
 agam, striking his hands ( n his forehead, 
 and exclaiming, with an abstracted and 
 Jncredulous air, ^^ A bankrupt ! a bank, 
 ru|rt ! jH^iry Vudkigh a bankrupt f What ■ 
 fftre they saying on^Change !^'— In subse, | 
 
THE ftUINJCD MEHCilANT* 
 
 61 
 
 quently describing to me his feelings at 
 this period, he said he felt as though he had 
 " fallen into his gravefor ati hour or two^ 
 and come out again cold and stupified.'^ ■ 
 
 While he was in this state of mind, his 
 daughter entered the room, wan and trem- 
 bling. with agitation. 
 
 " My dear little love, what's wrong ? 
 What's wrong, eh? What has dashed 
 jrou, my sweet flower, eh ?" said he, fold- 
 mg her in his arms, and hugging her to 
 his breast. He led her to a seat, and 
 placed her on his knee. He passed his 
 hand over her pale forehead. " What 
 have you been about to-day, Agnes ? 
 You've forgotten to dress your hair to-day,'' 
 taking her raven tresses in his fingers J^ 
 " come^ these must be curled ! They are 
 all damp, loVe ! What makes you cry ?"^ 
 
 ^* My dear, dear, dear, darling father !'^^ 
 sobbed the agonized girl, almost choked 
 with hei* emotions — clasping her arms 
 convulsively round his neck, " I love you 
 dearer — a thousand times — than I evei' 
 loved you in my life !" 
 
 " My sweet love !" he exclaimed, bui^t- 
 ing into tears. Neither of them spoke Bp 
 several minutes. 
 
 It 
 
m 
 
 THE RUINED MERCHANT, 
 
 " You are young, Agnes, and may be 
 happy — but as for me, I am an old tree, 
 whose roots are rotten ! The blasts have 
 beaten me down, my darling !" She clung 
 closer to him, but spoke not. " Agnes, 
 will you stay with me, now that Tm made 
 a — a beggar? Will you? I can love 
 you yet — but that's all !" said he, staring 
 vacantly at her. After a pause, he sud- 
 denly released her from his knee, rose 
 from his seat, and walked hurriedly about 
 the room. 
 
 " Agnes, love ! Why, is it true — is it 
 
 really true than Vm made a hankrupt of, 
 
 after all ? And is it come to that ?" He 
 
 resumed his seat, covered his face with his 
 
 hands, and wept like a child. " 'Tis for 
 
 youy my darling — for my family — my 
 
 children, that I grieve ! What is to become 
 
 of you V Again he paused. " Well ! it 
 
 cannot be helped — it is more my misfor- 
 
 tune than my fault i God knows, I've 
 
 tried to pay my way as I went on — and — 
 
 and— no, no ! it doesn't follow that every 
 
 man is a villain that^s a bankrupt !'' 
 
 "No, no, no, father !" replied hisdaught- 
 er, again flinging her arms round his neck, 
 
THE RUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 €8 
 
 and kissing him with passionate fondness ; 
 <* your honour is untouched — it is — " 
 
 " Ay, love — but to make the world think 
 SQ — There^s the rub ! What has been 
 said on 'Change to-day, Agnes ? That's 
 what hurts me to my soul !" * * * 
 "Come, father, be calm ! We shall yet 
 be happy and quiet, after this little breeze 
 has blown over ! Oh yes, yes, father ! 
 We will remove to a nice little comfortable 
 house, and live among ourselves !" 
 
 "But, Agnes, can you do all this? 
 Can you make up your mind to live in a 
 lower rank — to — to — to be, in a manner, 
 your own servant ?" 
 
 " Yes, God knows I can ! Father, Pd 
 rather be your servant-girl, than wife of 
 the king!'' replied the poor girl, with 
 enthusiasm. 
 
 " Oh, my daughter ! — Come, come, let 
 us go into the next room, and do you play 
 me my old favourite — ' O Nanny, wiU 
 ihougangwi' me.' You'll feel it, Agnes !" 
 He led her into the adjoining room, and 
 set her down at the instrument, and stood 
 •by her side. ) ;: 
 
 ..;j,i< We must not part with this piano, niy 
 
f 
 
 s ,1 ' 
 
 64 
 
 THE RUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 V said he, 
 
 ■must we r' saia ne, putting his 
 arms round her neck, '' we'll try and have 
 it saved from the wreck of our furniture !" 
 She commenced playing the tune he had 
 requested, and went through it. 
 
 '* Sing, love — sing !" said her father. 
 " I love the words as much as the music ! 
 Would you cheat me, you little rogue ?" 
 She made him no rrply, but went on play- 
 ing, very irregularly, however. 
 " Come ! you must sing, Agnes.', 
 " I can't !" she murmered. " My heart 
 is breaking ! My — my — bro — " and fell 
 fainting into the arms of her father. He 
 rung instantly for assistance* In carrying 
 her from the music-stool to the sofa, an 
 open letter dropped from her bosom. Mr. 
 Dudleigh hastily picked it up, and saw 
 that the direction was in the, handwriting 
 of his son, and bore the " Wapping" post- 
 mark. The stunning conteiits were as 
 follows , — " My dear, dear, dear Agnes, 
 farewell ! it may be for ever ! I fly from 
 my country. While you are reading this 
 note. I am on my way to America. Do 
 not call me cruel, my sweet sister, for my 
 •heart is broken ! broken ! Yesterday, near 
 
THE RUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 06 
 
 Oxford, I fought with a man who dared to 
 insult mp about our family troubles. I 
 am afraid — God forgive me — ^that I have 
 killed him ! Agnes, Agnes, the blood- 
 hounds are after me ! Even were they 
 not, I could not bear to look on my poor 
 father, whom I have helped to ruin, under 
 the encouragement of one who might have 
 bred me better ! I cannot stay in England, 
 for I have lost my station in society ; I 
 owe thousands I can never repay ; besides 
 Agnes, Agnes ! the bloodhounds are after 
 me ! I scarce know what I am saying ! 
 Break all this to my father — my wretched 
 father — as gradually as you can. Do not 
 let him know of it for d, fortnight^ at least. 
 May God be your friend, my dear Agnes ! 
 Pray for me ! pray for me, my darling 
 Agnes, yes, for me, your wretched, guilty, 
 heart-broken brother. H. D.'^ 
 
 *' Ah ! he might have done worse ! lie 
 might have done worse,^' exclaimed the 
 stupified father. " Well, I must think 
 about it !" and he calmly folded up the 
 letter, to put it into his pocket-book, when 
 his daughter's eye caught sight of it, for 
 she had recovered from her swoon while 
 
66 
 
 THE RUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 he was reading it ; and with a faint shrielc, 
 and' a frantic effort to snatch it from him, 
 she fell back, and swooned again. Even 
 all this did not rouse Mr. Dudleigh, He 
 ■sat still, gazing on bis daughter with al 
 vacant stare, and did not make the sligbt- 
 est effort to assist her recovery. I was 
 summoned in to attend her, for she was so 
 ill that they carried her up to bed. 
 
 Poor girl, poor Agnes Dudleigh ! alrea- 
 dy had CONSUBIPTION marked her for his 
 'Own ! The reader may possibly recollect, 
 that in a previous part of this narrative 
 Miss Dudleigh was represented to be 
 affianced to a young nobleman. I need 
 hardly, I suppose, inform him that the 
 " affair^^ was '' all off," as soon as ever 
 
 Lord heard of her fallen fortunes. 
 
 To do him justice, he behaved in^the busi- 
 ness with perfect politeness and condescen- 
 «ion ; wrote to her from Italy, carefully 
 returning her all her letters ; spoke of her 
 admirable qualities in the handsomest 
 strain ; and, in choice and feeling language, 
 i-egretted the altered state of his affections, 
 and that the " fates had ordained their 
 •separation." A few months afterward, 
 
THE RUINED MERCHANT- 
 
 67 
 
 the estranged couple met casually in Hyde 
 
 Park, and Lord passed Miss Dudleigh 
 
 I with a strange stare of irrecognition, that 
 showed the advances he had made in the 
 I command of manner ! She had been 
 really attached to him, for he was a young 
 man of handsome appearance, and elegant, 
 winning manners. The only things he 
 wanted were a head and a heart ! This 
 circumstance, added to the perpetual 
 hara^ssment of domestic sorrows, had com- 
 pletely undermine^, her delicate constitu- 
 tion ; and her bi^Qther's conduct prostrated 
 the few remaining energies that were left 
 
 her. 
 
 But Mrs. Dudleigh has latterly slipped 
 from our observation. I have little more 
 to say about her. Aware that her own 
 infamous conduct had conduced to her 
 husband's ruin, she had resigned herself 
 to the incessant lashings of remorse, and 
 was wasting away daily. Her excesses 
 had long before sapped her constitution ; 
 and she was now little else than a walking 
 skeleton. She sat moping in her bedroom 
 for hours together, taking little or no notice 
 of what happened about her, and manifest-* 
 
 / 
 
68 
 
 Tllfi RtJIxNfiD MfiRCHANT* 
 
 ing no interest in life. When^ howevef, 
 she heard of her son's fate — the only pen 
 son on earth she really loved — the intelli. 
 gence smote her finally down. She never 
 recovered from the stroke. The only 
 Words she uttered, after hearing of his 
 departure for America, Were, " wretched 
 Woman! guilty mother! I have done it 
 all!" The serious illness of her poor 
 daughter affected her scarce at all. She 
 Would sit at her bedside, and pay her every 
 attention in her power, but it was rather in 
 the spirit and manner of a hired nurse 
 than a mother. ^i, 
 
 . To return, however, to the "chiel* 
 mourner"— Mr. Dudleigh. The attorney 
 Whom he had sued for his villany in the 
 mortgage transactions, contrived to get 
 appomted solicitor to the commission of 
 bankruptcy sued out against Mr. Dudleigh ; 
 and he enhanced the bitterness and agony 
 ineident to the judical proceedings he was 
 erhployed to conduct, by the cruelty and 
 insolence of his demeanour. He would 
 not allow the slightest indulgence to the 
 poor bankrupt whom he was selling out of 
 house and home ; but remorselessly seized 
 
irn if 
 
 tilE HUlNfiB MERCHANT. 
 
 d¥ 
 
 btf ^eVery atom of goods and furniture the 
 |law aljowed him, and put the heart-broken, 
 helpless family to all the inconvenience 
 his ttialice could suggest. His conduct 
 was, throughout, mean, tyrannical-— even 
 diabolical— in its contemptuous disregard 
 6f the best feelings of human nature. Mr. 
 Dudleigh's energies were too much q^- 
 haust^d to admit o^ remonstrance or resis- 
 tance. The only evidence he gave of 
 smarting under the man's Insolence, was, 
 after enduring an outrageous violation of 
 his domestic privd-cy — a cruel interference 
 wit^i the few cDnVenietices of his dying 
 daughter, and sick wife— When he sudden- 
 ly totiched the attorney's arm, and in a low, 
 broken tbne of Voice, said, " Mr. — — -, I 
 am a poor heart-broken man, and have no 
 one to avenge me, or you would not dare td 
 do this'^^'— and he turned away in tears !-* 
 The house and furniture in---^---Sqtitare, 
 
 with every ether item of property iWt 
 was available, being disposed of, on wind- 
 irig tip the aftairs it j)roved that the cred|. 
 tot's fcouid obtate^-^^ dii/idend of a^j^ut 
 fiftefeniHfflnj^ in the ptitid. -So iSbii^r^ 
 
 cd'w^fe they of -the unimpeached*-*fhi 
 
IP 
 
 ipaJB KUmED MESCHAjNT, 
 
 unimpeachable integrity of the poor 
 bankrupt, that they not only spontane. 
 ously released him from all future 
 claims, but they entered into a subscrip. 
 tion amounting to 2000/., which they putj 
 into his hands, for the purpose of enabling 
 liim to rpcommence housekeeping, on a 
 small scale, and obtain some permanent 
 means of livelihood. Under their advice 
 •—or rather direction, for he was passive 
 as an infant — he removed to a small house 
 in Chelsea, and commenced business as a 
 coal-merchant, or agent for the sale of] 
 coals, in a small and poor way, it may be 
 supposed. His new house was very 
 small, but neat, convenient, and situated 
 in a quiet and creditable street. Yes, 
 in a little one-storied house, with about 
 ^eight square feet of garden frontage, resi- 
 iJ^d the once wealthy and celebrated Mr, 
 Dudleigh! 
 
 The very first morning after Mrs. Dud- 
 kigb had been removed to her neW quar^ 
 tmfy she was found dead in her bed : for 
 &tigueap(f changing her residence, 
 
 iM^jBf^ Ipng p;reyed upon her miiid, hi^. 
 
TH£ BVINED MERCHANXt 
 
 n 
 
 $iness as a 
 
 extinguished the last spark ofheryj 
 energies. When I saw her, which was 
 not till the evening of the second day after 
 her decease, she was lying in her coffin'^ 
 and I shall not soon forget the train of 
 instructive reflections elicited by the specr 
 tacle. Poor creature—her features looked 
 indeed haggard and griefworn !— Mr.' 
 Dudleigh wept over her remains like a 
 child, and kissed the cold lips and hands; 
 with the liveliest transports of regret. 
 At length came the day of the funeral, as 
 plain and unpretending a one as could be: 
 At the pressing solicitations of Mr, Dud- 
 leigh, I attended her remains to the gravel 
 It was an affecting thought that the daugh- 
 ter was left dying in the house from, whrcti 
 her mother was carried out to budai? 
 Mr. Dudleigh went through the whole of 
 the melancholy ceremony with a calmness 
 — and even cheerfulness-— which surpris- 
 ed me. He did not betray any emotion 
 when leaving the ground, except turning 
 to look into the grave and exclaiming 
 rather faintly— " Well — here we leaV6 
 you, poor wife V On our return hptM; 
 about three o'clock in the afternodn, h^ 
 
7? 
 
 THE RUINJ^P MEilClUlH^i;- 
 
 begged to be left alone for a few minutes, 
 
 with pen, ink, and paper, as he h^d some 
 
 important letter^ to writq — and T^questect 
 
 xne to wait for him, in Miss Dudleigh'i^ 
 
 room, wheve he would rejoin me, ^^i4 
 
 aocompany me part of my way up to tow^^ 
 
 r repaired, therefore, p Miss Dudleigh'a 
 
 chamber. She waa sitting up, and dresse^l 
 
 in mourning. The mai-ble paleness of 
 
 her even then beautiful features was great. 
 
 ly e^ihanced by contrast with the deep 
 
 black drapery she wore, 3he reminded 
 
 me of the snowdrop she had an hour or 
 
 two before laid oxi the pall of her mother's 
 
 coffin! Her beauty was fast withering 
 
 away under the blighting influence of 
 
 ^rrow and disease ! 3he reclined in an 
 
 easy-chair, her head leaning on her smaH 
 
 6nowy hand, the tape^ fingers of which 
 
 were half-concealed beneath her dark plus- 
 
 lering uncurled tresses, 
 
 *' Like a ^vliite rose glistening *mid 
 evf nmg gloom." 
 
 f' How did ho bear it ?" she whispered, 
 with a profound sigh, as soon as I had 
 taken my pit: re beside her. I told her 
 Ihat ha had gope through the whole wit|| 
 
THf. RUINKD MERCHANT, 
 
 78 
 
 more calmness and fortitude than obuld" 
 have been expected. "- Ah f 'tis unnatural t 
 He's grown strangely altered within tfiese 
 last few days, doctor ! He never seems to 
 feel any thing ! His troubles have stunned 
 his heart, Fm afraid ! JDon't you think he 
 looks altered ?" 
 " Yes, my love, he is thinner, certainly 
 
 "Ah— his hair is white !— He is old — 
 he won't be lo^ig behind us !" 
 
 " I hope that now he is freed from the 
 cares aud distractions of business — " 
 
 " Doctor, is the grave deep enough for 
 THREK ?" inquired the jxjor girl, abruptly,; 
 —as if she had not heard me speaking. • 
 " Our family has been strangely desolated/] 
 doctor-r-has not it ? — My mother gone ; the 
 daughter on her death-bed; the father 
 wretched, and ruined ; the son flown from 
 his country — perhaps dead, or dying !— . 
 But it has all been our own fault — " 
 
 " You have nothing to accuse yourself 
 of. Miss Dudleigh,'*' said I. She shook 
 her head, and burst into tears. This wag 
 the melancholy vein of our conversation^ 
 when Mr. Dudjjigh made his appearancei. 
 
74 
 
 THE RUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 in his black gloves, and crape-covered hat, 
 holdjng tW6 letters in his hand. 
 
 " Gome doctor," said he, rather briskly 
 — ^"you've a long walk before you ! — I'll 
 accompany you part of the way, as I haVe 
 some letters to put into the post." ' 
 
 " Oh, don't trouble yourself about that 
 Mr. Dudleigh ! — /'//put them into the post, 
 as I go by." 
 
 " No, no, thank you — ^thank you," he 
 interrupted me, with rather an embarrass- 
 ed air, I thought ; " I've several other little 
 matters to do — and we had better be start- 
 ing.'^ I rose, ar;d took my leave of Miss 
 Dudleigh. Her father put his arms round 
 her neck, and kissed her very fondly. 
 Keep up. your spirits, Agnes! — and see 
 and get into bed as soon as possible—^for 
 you are quite exhausted !"— He walked 
 towards the door. "Oh, bless your little 
 heart, my love !" said he, suddenly return- 
 ing to her, and kissing her more fondly, if 
 possible, than before. " We shall not be 
 apart long, I dare say!*' 
 
 'We set off on our walk towards town j 
 aiid Mr. Dudleigh conversed with great 
 caLtnttess, speaking of his affairs even in 
 
TS© EUINED MEROHAJrT. 
 
 T» 
 
 an encouraging tone. At length we sepa^c 
 rated. *> Remember me kindly to Mrs,f 
 
 '," said he, mentioning rpy wife's, 
 
 name, and shaking me warmly by the 
 hand. 
 
 The next morning as I sat at breakfast, 
 making out my daily list, my wife, who* 
 had one of the morning papers in her 
 hand, suddenly let it fall, and looking 
 palely at me, exclaimed, " Eh, surely--.^ 
 surely, my dear, this can never be-rr^MrJ 
 Dudleigh ?" — 1 inquired what she meant, 
 —and she pointed out the following para^ 
 graph: — 
 
 " Attempted Suicide. — Yesterday even-, 
 ivig, an elderly gentleman, dressed in deepi 
 ijaourning, was observed walking for son^er 
 time near the water-side, q little abowi 
 Chelsea. Reach, and presently stepped Qifc 
 board one of the barges, and threw hiDf^^^f 
 from the outer one into the river. Mosti 
 providentially, this latter movemeat yfm 
 seen by a boatman who was I'owing past, 
 and who succeeded, after some minutes^ In 
 seizing hold of ^e uiifortu0ate. pe?:30li#i 
 and lifting bim< iilo the bQat-rbut nofctiH? 
 the vit^l spark seeped extinct. ; H<^ W«r 
 
>6 
 
 THE RUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 Ill 
 
 immediately carried to the public-house 
 by the v^ater-side, where prompt and judi- 
 cious tneans Were made use of — -and with 
 success. He k now lying at the—- 
 public-house, — but as there were no pa- 
 pers or cards about him, his name is at 
 present unknown. The unfortunate gentle- 
 man is of midling stature, i*ather full make 
 -i-of adVaticed years^— ^his hair very grey, 
 —and he wears a mourning ring on his 
 left hand.'' 
 
 I rung the bell, ordered a coach, dl'e\V 
 on my boots, and put on my walking-dress ; 
 and in a little more than three or foui* 
 minute' I was hurrying on my way to the 
 house mentioned in the newspaper. A 
 twopenny postman had the knocker iii hh 
 hand at the moment of my openiilg the 
 doorj and put into my hand a paid letter, 
 which I tore open as I drove alongi 
 Good God I it was from— Mr. Dudleigh. 
 It afforded Unequivocal evidf»nce of the 
 insanity which had led him to attempt his 
 life. It was written in a most extravagant 
 and incongruous strain, |nd acquainted tnt 
 xWth the writer's intentidn to "bid fare- 
 well to his troubles Jjiat evening.'^ It 
 
THE JlUJNi?D )WF,RrHANT. 
 
 77 
 
 epded with informing me, that I was left a 
 legacy in his will for £5000^ancl hoping^ 
 that when his poor daughter died, "I 
 would see her magnificently buried.'' By 
 the time I had arived at the house where he 
 lay, I was almost fainting with agitation : 
 and I was compelled to wait some minutes 
 below, before I oould sufficiently recover 
 my self-possession. On entering the bed,* 
 room where he lay, I found him undressed^ 
 and fast asleep. There was no appear* 
 ance whatever of discomposure in the 
 featqres. His hands were clapped closely 
 tpgether-r-and in that position he had 
 continued for several hours. The med^ 
 ical man who had been summoaed in over- 
 night, sat at his bedside, and informed me^ 
 that l)is patient was gqing on ^S; well as 
 could be expected. The treatment he had ' 
 adopted hqid been very judicious and sue 
 cessful ; and I had no doubt, that when 
 next Mr. Dudleigh awoke, he would feel 
 little if ^ny the worse for what he had 
 suffered , All my thoughts were now dU 
 rected to Miss Dudleigh; for I felt sura 
 that if the intelligence had found its way 
 tp her, it njust have destroved her, T r-,^ 
 
78 
 
 fms RTTJNi^D Merchant. 
 
 : 4 
 
 every inch of the distance between the 
 two houses, and knocked gently at the 
 4oor with my knuckles, that I might not 
 4isturb MissDudleigh. The servant-girl, 
 ^teeing my discomposed appearance, would 
 have created a disturbance, by shrieking, 
 or making some other noise, had I not 
 placed my fingers on her mouth, and ih a 
 whisper, asked how her mistress was. 
 <* Master went home with you, sir, did not 
 he?" she inquired with an alarmed air. 
 '-^^ Yes, yes ;" I replied hastily. . 
 
 <♦ Oh, I told Miss so ! I told her so V 
 replied the girl, clasping her hands, and 
 breathing freer. v 
 
 " Oh, she has been uneasy about his not 
 coming home last night-^eh ? — Ah — I 
 thotight so, this morning,' and that is what 
 has brought me here in such a hurry," 
 said I, as calmly as I ciould. After wait- 
 . ing down stairs to recover my breath a 
 little, I repaired to Miss Dudleigh's room. 
 She was awak6. The moment I entef^,^ 
 she started up in bed,— her eyes strainifig^ 
 and her arms stretched towards me^*!-^^^-'^ 
 
 « My— my father !''— -she gasped ; and 
 
 1 1 
 
 i.-iL^^ _ ^_- - ^ _^ __ _ _ .._^ 
 
 ii^'%%jk'^ i tXiUiU upeii iriy iip», ur even rtJttUii 
 
»HB RUINED MERCHANT, 
 
 (m 
 
 ber side, she had fallen back in bed, ^and 
 . — as f thought — expired. She had swoon- 
 ed : and during the whole course of my 
 experience, I never saw a swoon so long 
 and closely resemble death. For niore 
 than an hour, the nurse, servant-girl, and 
 I hung over her in agonizing and breath- 
 less suspense, striving to detect her breath 
 — which made no impression whatever oa 
 the glass I from time to time held over her 
 mouth. Her pulse fluttered and fluttered 
 — feebler and feebler, till I could not per- 
 ceive that it beat at all. <' Well !" thought 
 I, at last removing my fingers, — *' you are 
 gone, sweet Agnes Dudleigh, from a world 
 that has bpt fe^i? as fair and good ;" when 
 a slight undulation of the breast, accom^ 
 panied by a faint sigh, indicated slowly 
 returning consciousness. Her breath eanae 
 again, short and faint — but she did not 
 open her eyes for some time after. * * 
 *'Well, my sweet girl," said I, presently 
 pb6.erving her eyes fixed steadfastly on 
 ine ; *^vhy all this ? What has happened?' 
 Whatistiie matter with you ?" and I clas* 
 ped her cold fingers iti myhand. By placing 
 |iiy ear so close to her ii^>f* that it toucheti 
 
%0 
 
 THE RUINED MERCHANf . 
 
 Ihem, I distinguished the sound, " ]V%r fa-^ 
 father!" 
 
 <<WelI, andwhatofyour father? He is just 
 as usual, and sends his love to yoUi" Her 
 eyes, as it were, dilated on me — her breath 
 came quicker and stronger — and her frame 
 vibrated with emotion. '^ He is coming 
 home shortly, by — ■hy-—four o'clock this 
 afternoon— yes, four o'clock at the latest. 
 Thinking that a change of scene might 
 revive his spirits, I prevailed on him last 
 night to walk on with me home — and — -and 
 he slept at my house. '^ She did not attetnpt 
 to speak, but her eye continued fixed oil me 
 with an unwavering look that searched my 
 very soul ! " My wife arid Mr. Dudleigh 
 will drive down together," I continued, 
 firmly, though my heart sunk within me at 
 the thought of the improbability of such 
 being the case;" and I shall return here 
 by the time they arrive, and meet them. 
 Come, come. Miss Dudleigh-^this i? 
 weak--*-absurd !" said I, obsei'ving that 
 \<{hat I said seemed to make no impression 
 on her. I ordered some port wine and water 
 Xo be brought, and forced a few teaspoon, 
 fuls into her mouth. They revived her, and 
 
fflE RUINED JMEltCkANt. 
 
 St 
 
 1 gavf h<=ir more. In a word, she I'apidI/ 
 recovered from the state of utteiTilo^t ex* 
 haustion into which she had falleri; and be* 
 fore I leit, she said solemnly to me, 
 ^^Doctor ! li— -IF you have deceived mel 
 If any thing dreadful has ideally, really-*' 
 I left, half-distracted to think of the im- 
 possibility of fulftUino; the promise I had 
 made her, as well as of accounting satisfac- 
 torily for not doing so. What could I do ? 
 I drove rapidly homewards, and requested 
 my wife to hurry down immediately to 
 Miss Dudleigh, and pacify her with saying 
 that her father was riding round with 
 me, for the sake of exetcise, arid that we 
 should come to her together ; I then hurried 
 through my few professional calls, and re* 
 paired to Mr. Dudleigh. To my unutter- 
 able joy and astonishment, I found him 
 up, dressed — for his clothes had been 
 di'ying all night — and sitting quietly by 
 the fire, in company with the medical maa» 
 His appearance exhibited no traces what- 
 ever qf the accident which had befallen 
 him. But alas ! on looking closely at him-* 
 on examining his features — Oh, that eye ! 
 That smile ! they told of departed reason ! 
 
^<i 
 
 THE RUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 rrJi was gazing or\ on idiot! Oh. God! 
 iVhat was to become of Miss Dudreigh ? 
 How was I to bring father and daughter 
 face to face ? My knees smote together 
 while I sat beside him ! But it must be 
 don.e, or Miss Dudleigh's life would be the 
 forfeit ! The only project I could hit up- 
 on for disguising the frightful state of the 
 C.ase was to hint to Miss Dudleigh, if she 
 perceived any thing wild, or unusual in his 
 demeanour, that he was a little flustered 
 with wine ! But what a circumstance to 
 communicate to the dying girl ! And even 
 it It succeeded, what would ensue on the 
 iiext morning ? Would it be safe to leave ^ 
 him with her ? I was perplexed and con» 
 founded between all these painful conjec- 
 tures and difficulties ! He put on his hat 
 ai]id great-coat, and we got into my chariot 
 together. He was perfectly quiet and gen- 
 tle, qonversed on indifferent subjects, and 
 spoke of having had *' a cold bath" last 
 mght, vvihich had done him much good! 
 'My heart grew heavier and heavier as we 
 neared the house where I was to bring her 
 idiot father to Miss Dudleigh ! I felt sick 
 wilth agit^ition as we descended the carriage 
 
THE KUINED MERCHANT. 
 
 83 
 
 steps. But I was for some time happilV 
 disappointed. He entered her room with 
 eagerness, ran up to her and kissed herwith 
 his usual affectionate energy. She held 
 him in her arms for some time, exclaiming 
 
 « Oh father, father ! How glad I am to 
 
 see you ! — I thought some accident had 
 happened to you ! Why did you not tell me 
 that you were going home with Dr. — ?" 
 My wife and I trembled, and looked at 
 each other despairingly. "Why," replied 
 her father, sitting down beside her, " you 
 see, my love, Dr. — recommended me a 
 cold bath." 
 
 "A cold lath at this time of the year!" 
 exclaimed Miss Dudleigh, looking at me 
 with astonishment. I smiled with ill- 
 assumed nonchalance. 
 
 ''It is very advantageous at-at even this 
 season of the year," I stammered, for I ob- 
 served Miss Dudleigh's eye fixed on 
 me like a ray of lightning. 
 
 " Yes — but they ought to have taken off 
 my clothes first/ ^ said Mi\ Dudleigh, vyith 
 a shuddering motion. His daughter sud- 
 denly laid her hand on hir ., uttered ,a 
 faint shriek, and fell back in her bed irf a 
 
 tflSA 
 
84 
 
 THE RUINED IVIEKCHAI^I, 
 
 pwoon. The dreadful scene of the morn- 
 ing was all acted over again. 1 think I 
 should have rejoiced to see her expire on 
 the spot ; but, no ! Providence had allotted 
 heir a further space, that she might draiii 
 the cup of sorrow to the dregs ! 
 
 )ic * * * * 
 
 Ttiesday, 18th July^ 18- — . — I am still 
 in attendance on poor unfortunate Miss 
 Pudleigh. The scenes I have to encoun- 
 ter are often apguishing, and even heart- 
 breaking. She lingers on day after day 
 and week after week in increasing pain ! — - 
 by the bedside of the dying girl sits the 
 figure of an elderly gray haired man, 
 dressed in neat and simple mourning — now 
 gazing into vacancy with '* lack-lustre 
 eye"— and then suddenly kissing her hand 
 ivith childish eagerness, and c^hattering 
 mere gibberish to her ! It is her idiot fath • 
 ^r ! Yes, he proves an irrecoverable idiot 
 —but is uniformly quiet and inoffensive* 
 We at first intended to have sent him to a 
 neighbouring private institution for the re- 
 ception of the iiisane ; but poor Miss Dud- 
 leigh would not le^r of it, and threatened 
 \q (Jestrpv herself if her father was re- 
 
THE RUINED MERCHANT, 
 
 89 
 
 moved. She insisted on his being allowed 
 to continue with her, and consented that a 
 proper person should be in ponstant attend- 
 ance on him. She herself could manage 
 him, s. 3 aid ! and so it proved, He is a 
 mere child in her hands. If ever he is 
 inclined to be mischievous or obstreperous 
 —which is very seldom — if she do but say 
 " hush !" or lift up her trembling finger, 
 or fix her eye upon him reprovingW, he is 
 instantly cowed, and runs up to her to '■' kiss 
 and be friends." He often falls down on 
 his knees, when he thinks he has offended 
 her, and cries like a child. She will not 
 trust him out of her sight for more than p 
 few moments together — except when hp 
 retires with his guardian to rest ; — ^and in- 
 deed he shows as little inclination to leayp 
 her. The nurse's situation isi almost a 
 sort of sinecure ; for the anxious officious- 
 ness pi Mr. Dudl^igh leaves her little to 
 do. He alone gives his daughter her me* 
 dicine and tood, ^nd does so with requisite 
 gentleness and tenderness. He has no no- 
 tion of her real state— that she is dyings 
 and finding that she could not succeed in 
 her efforts gradually to apprize hirp of the 
 
f#^' 
 
 86 
 
 THE KUINED MERCHANT, 
 
 event, Which he always turned off with a 
 smile of incredulity, she gives in to his 
 humour, and tells him — poor girl ! — that 
 she is getting better ! He has taken it into 
 his head that she is to be married to Lord 
 
 r-as soon as she recovers, and talks 
 
 with high glee of the magnificent repairs 
 
 going on at his former house in Square. 
 
 He always accompanies me to the door; 
 and sometimes writes me checks for 50Z. 
 — which of course is a delusion only; as 
 Jie has no banker, and few funds to put in 
 hid hands; and at other times slips a shil- 
 ling or a six-pence into my hand at leav- 
 ing — thinking, doubtless, that he has given 
 me a guinea. 
 
 Friday.~The idea of Miss Dudleigh's 
 rapidly approaching marriage continues 
 still uppermost in her father's head; and he 
 is incessantly pestering her to make pre- 
 parations for the event. To-day he ap. 
 pealed to me, and complained that she 
 would not order her wedding-dress. 
 
 /^Father, dear father!" said Miss Dud- 
 leigh, faintly, laying her wasted hand on 
 his arm,— «' only be quiet a little, and ril 
 begin to make it !~ril really set about it 
 
TKJ5 RUINED MEECHANT. 
 
 8T 
 
 to-morrow !" He kissed her fondly, ancl 
 then eagerly emptied his pockets of all th^ 
 loose silver that was in them, telling her 
 to take it, and order the materials. I saw 
 that there was something or other peculiar 
 in the expression of* Miss Dudleigh's eye, 
 in saying what she did — as if sorpe sudden 
 scheme had suggested itself to her. In- 
 deed, the looks with which she constantly 
 regards him are such as I can find no ^4-? 
 equate terms of description ion They 
 bespeak blended anguish-rapprehensionr— 
 
 pity — love— in short, an expres^ip^ihat 
 
 haunts me wherever I go. Oh what .a 
 
 scene of buffering humanity— a daughter'^ 
 
 death-bed watched by an idiot father! ^ ^ 
 
 Monday ^ — I now know what w^ Miss 
 
 Dudleigh's meaning in assenting to hej^ 
 
 father's proposal last Friday* I found, this 
 
 morning, the poor dear girl engaged on 
 
 her shroud ! — It is of fine muslin^ and she 
 
 is attempting to sew and embroider it. 
 
 The people about her did all they could to 
 
 dissuade her ; but there was at last no re- 
 
 sisting her importunities. Yes — ^there q^^ 
 
 sits, poor thing, propped up by pillows, 
 
 %king frequent but feeble effprts to draw 
 
68 
 
 tttE HVtiiED DtERCHANt. 
 
 f ■ 
 
 her needle through her gloomy work, » 
 
 hei* father, the While, holding one end of 
 the muslin, and watching her Work with 
 childish eagerness. Sometimes a tear will 
 fall from her eyes while thus engaged. It 
 did this morning. Mr. Dudleigh observed 
 it, and, turning to me, said, with an arch 
 smile, " Ah, ha !— how is it that young la- 
 dies always cry about being married V^ 
 Oh the look Miss Dudleigh gave me, as 
 she suddenly dropped her work, and turn. 
 fed her head aside ! 
 
 Saturday, — Mr. Dudleigh is hard at 
 Work making hi^ daughter a cowslip 
 Wreath, out of some flowers given him by 
 his keeper ! 
 
 When I took my leave to-day, he ac. 
 companied me, as usual, down stair's, and 
 led the way into the little parlour. He 
 then shut the door, and told me, in a low 
 Whisper, that he wished me to bring him 
 " an honest lawyer,''— to make his will ; 
 for that he was going to settle 300,000/. 
 lipon his daughter !— of course 1 put him 
 off with promises to look out for what he 
 asked. It is rather remarkable, I think, 
 that he has never once, in my hearing, 
 
tH6 RUINED MERtHANT. 
 
 9fe 
 
 made any allusion to his deceased wife* 
 As I shook his hand at parting, he stared 
 suddenly at me, and said, « Doctor, doctor ! 
 my daughter is rery slow in getting well — 
 
 isn't she?" 
 
 Monday. July, 24.— The suffering an- 
 gel will soon leave us and all her sotrorws ! 
 —She is dying fast: She is very much al- 
 tered in appearance, and has riot poWer 
 enough to speak ini more than a Whisfter--.^ 
 and that but seldom. Her father sits ga- 
 zing at her with a puzzled air, as if he did 
 not know what to make of her untisaal si- 
 lence. He was a good deal vexed when 
 she laid aside her " wedding dress,"---and 
 tried to tempt her to resume it, by showing 
 her a shilling !— While I Was sitting beside 
 her. Miss Dudleigh, without opening her 
 eyes, exclaimed, scarcely audible, "Oh ! 
 be kind to him ! be kind to him ! He 
 won't be long here ! He is very gentle !" ^ 
 
 -*— Evening. Happening to be sum- 
 moned to the neighbourhood, I called a se- 
 cond time during the day on Miss Dud- 
 leigh. All was quiet when I enterecj the 
 room. The nurse was sitting at the wbi- 
 dow, reading ; and Mr. Dudleigh occujried 
 
' -jfw-. 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 »HB BtriNED MERCHANT. 
 
 -^; 
 
 hjs usual place at the beds'de, leaning rver 
 his daughter, wnose arms were claspea to- 
 g^the^' round his neck. 
 _.:^f Hush ! hush !" said Mr. Dudleigh, in 
 a low whisper, as I approached; don't 
 jiiakc a noise— she's asleep !" Yes, she 
 
 ny as ASLEEP — and to wake no more! 
 
 „Her snow-cold arms, her features, which 
 •on parting the dishevelled hair that hid 
 ihem, I perceived to be fallen— told me 
 -^|t.#i^.KPs dead ! 
 
 : She was buried in the same grave as 
 her mother.. Her wretched father, contra- 
 ry to our apprehensions,. made no disturb. 
 ance whatever while she lay dead. They 
 tpld him that she was no more — but he 
 did not seem to comprehend what was 
 meant. He would take hold of her pas, 
 sive hand, gently shake it, and let it fall 
 again, with a melancholy wandering stare 
 that was pitiable !— He sat at her coffin 
 s^deall day long, and laid fresh flowers up- 
 on her every morning. Dreading lest some 
 sudden paroxysm might occur, ^if he wa.? 
 ^uffered to ^ee the lid screwed down, and 
 "f^lF^ains removed, we gave him a tole. 
 
THE BUINfib MERGHANT. 
 
 01 
 
 ; rably. strong opiate in some Wine, on thfe 
 •motning of the funeral ; and as soon as he 
 'Wm fast asleep, we proceeded with the 
 'last sad rites, and committed to the cold 
 and quiet grave another broken heart ! ^^ 
 . Mr. Dudleigh suffered himself to be 
 goon after conveyed to a private asylurn, 
 where he had every comfort and attention 
 requisite to his circumstances. He had 
 fallen into profound melancholy, and sel- 
 dom or never spoke to any one. He would 
 shake me by the hand languidly when I 
 called to see him — but hung down his l^ad 
 in silence, without answering any of nfiV 
 
 questions. -^ f^-^^ ^^^ 
 
 His favourite seat was a rustic bench 
 beneath an ample sycamore-tree, in the 
 garden behind the house. Here he would 
 sit for hours together, gazing fixedly in 
 one direction, towards a rustic church-stee- 
 ple, and uttering deep sighs. No one in- 
 terfered with him ; and he took no notice 
 of any one. — One afternoon a gentleman 
 of foreign appearance called at thf asy- 
 lum, and in a hurried, faltering v^He, asfef^ 
 ed if he could see Mr. Dudleigh ^^' 
 
 vant but nowly engaged on theg^Wisfct* 
 
 -H- 
 
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92 
 
 THE nvmsp WmCHAJiTi 
 
 ment imprudentjy answered, " certainly 
 sir. Yonder he is, sitting under the syca» 
 more. He never notices anv one, sir " 
 The stranger— young Dudleigh, who had 
 but^that morning arrived from America-- 
 rushed past the servant into the garden • 
 and flinging down his hat, fell on his knee 
 before 1)15 father, clasping his hands over 
 hi9 bijeast. Finding hjs father did not 
 seem mcUned to notice him, he gently 
 touched him on the knee, and whispered, 
 i" Fathee !" Mr. Dudleigh started at the 
 sound, turned suddenly towards his son. 
 teQked him ftll in the face— fell back in 
 flis seat, and instantly expired ! 
 
 •K 
 
^ certainly, 
 f the syoa,^ 
 one, sir.'' 
 >, who had 
 ^mericar-r- 
 e garden ; 
 n his knee 
 lands over 
 r did not 
 he gently 
 whispered, 
 'ted at the 
 s his son, 
 11 back \n 
 
 GEAYE DOINGS 
 
 ii 
 
Ij f\ rjr- 
 
 "w.* i 
 
 'a TO (I aVAj! 
 
 iM': 
 
 'm 
 
 Mi 
 
 J.!,. 11 
 
 M 
 that 
 
 TION 
 
 hum 
 fane 
 and 
 cian' 
 hear 
 myf 
 preji 
 drive 
 drea( 
 Qom 
 reasc 
 —an 
 pctx 
 |he < 
 
 and< 
 
 ,>»•'■ 
 
 w 
 
 i.-^*' 
 
 * 
 
M. rf 
 
 n A V "- 
 
 m 
 
 &RAVB rOlNGS. <^^*^ 
 
 ■■-■ n^A7i,i;v'io htm ^^mfM ^ntp^ouml u 
 
 My gemld r^BM,^^$mii rmm learhtof 
 
 that I have been, ift ttiy time, aRBsraKBH!;J 
 
 TioNiST. Let not this appallii^^ w6r(J^^tfei# 
 
 humiiiatiflg confessibrt conjtti^e >u^ k j^^i* 
 
 fancy a throng of vampir^like^^MA^6S> 
 
 and associations, or earn yoji? *^*§fi\^a[i.' 
 
 cian's'^ dismissal from yotil* hekrti'fiM^ 
 
 hearths. It is your (i^A gtoiipdless fear^; 
 
 my fair trembler !-— ymir oWns6pferstiti&li^ 
 
 prejudices that have dnvetf irne^ and will^ 
 
 drive many others of my br^hteM tb'su<jh> 
 
 dreadful doings as those het^afli^r (fetfeifed.^ 
 
 Come, come-^let us haye ^om^y^&i^ 
 
 reason between Us on the 'ab^radt ^u^sifel^ 
 
 —and then for my tale. » Ybti ' expe<Jt^ ik^ 
 
 p cure you of dij^ipt^ey aiid^y^t.^^ ^p^ 
 
 the only means of learning ^Adtb t"' Yi4 
 
 Svduld havAus bring you thd>dtfe'ttf%Ifflll 
 
 aM experince, y6t forbid uS>tlcj)f^ttfei||fe£ 
 
 ^ili^^#;«ink a s*8ift ! fe" tliW^ftlii, ^^b^ 
 
 '''" '^ U ihU reasonable'? '^^l, t f; vl 
 I am now going to 
 
96 
 
 OBAVE oomas. 
 
 rny first and last exploit in the way of 
 
 body-stealing, It was a grotesque, if not 
 
 a ludicrous scene, and occurred during 
 
 the period of my " walking the hospitals,'' 
 
 as It IS called, which occupied the two 
 
 seasons immediately after my leaving 
 
 y^Wndge. A young and rather intercut. 
 
 Mig female was admitted a patient at the 
 
 hospital J attended; her case baffled all 
 
 our skill, and her symptoms even defied 
 
 our nosology. Now it seemed an enlarge, 
 
 ment of the heart— now an ossification-- 
 
 now this, that, and the other; and at last 
 
 It was plam we knew nothing at all about 
 
 the matter— no, not even whether her dis, 
 
 order was organic or functional, primary 
 
 or symptomatic— or whether it was real. 
 
 iy the heart that was at fault. She 
 
 receivedjio benefit at all qnder the fluctu- 
 
 wpg schemes of treatment we pursued 
 
 and at length fell into dying circumstances'; , 
 
 M Boon as her friends were apprized oi 
 
 her situation, and had aq inking of our'! 
 
 intention of opening the body, ftey instst, 
 
 eel on BBRioving her imnjediately from the 
 
 hospital, that she might « die at ho»W". 
 
 io vain dj4 Sir — ,-^^^4 in? dressere ex. 
 
CiKAVE DOINGS. 
 
 &;s 
 
 postulate vehemently wjth them, and rep. 
 resent m exaggerated terms the imminent 
 peril attending such a step. Her twp hro, 
 thers avowed their apprehension of pur 
 designs, and were inflexible in exercisinc 
 their right of removing their sister, J used 
 all mj rhetoric on the occasion-*but in 
 vain ;^ and »t last said to the young meq, 
 "Well, if you are afraid only of our 4is' 
 seeimg her, we pan get hold of her, if we 
 are so disposed, as easily if she died with ' 
 you, as with us." . 
 
 " Well-we'll try that, master," r^jjel 
 the elder, while his Herculear. fist oscil. 
 lated somewhat significantly before ray 
 eyes. The poor girl was renioved accord^ 
 ingly to her father's hquse, which was at 
 a certain village about five miles -from 
 London, and survived her arrival scarcely 
 ten minutes ! We soon contrived to re. 
 ^eiye^intelligence of the event ; ^nd ?is"l 
 
 nd ^ir 's two dressers/h'ad. t^en; 
 
 freat interfst in the case throughout, and 
 felt intens* curiosity about the real nature 
 ol the disease, wamet together a#:enter- 
 ^d into a solemn compact, that (»n[fe;|iilt; 
 Wight, we would have, hpr body out cMo 
 
 
m 
 
 6EAVE DOINGS. 
 
 ^\y 
 
 ground. A trusty spy informed us of tha 
 limp and exact plade of the girl's burial • 
 and on expresising to Sir — ~ our d6ter! 
 ihiii^tibn about the matter, he patted me on 
 fhe? b^'ck, saying, *^ Ah, my fine fellow— 
 tryoii have spirit enough— dangerous,'' 
 &c.,^&c. Was it not skilfully said ^ 
 1 he baronet further told us he felt himself 
 so curious about the matter, that if fifty 
 |>OUnds were of use to us, they were at 
 Ojir service. It needed not this, nor a 
 glance at the eclat with which the success- 
 ful issue of the affair would be attended 
 amon^ dur fellow-students, to spur our 
 teiSolves. ^ 
 
 ^^he 'notable scheme was finally adjust- 
 ^ ^t my rooms in the Borough. M . 
 
 ^'Jj ^T~-^ ^^^ '^ dressers, and my. 
 
 sell, with an experienced " grab,'' that is 
 to sky, a professional resurrectionist— were 
 tb set c^ff from the Borough about liini^ 
 
 1?'2^\H'^^^ evening— which would bl 
 tfife tiiird day after the burial-i-in a glas? 
 coadh, pipvid^d with all « appiances dhd 
 
 f^.^ ,^,^^t- I>irrinfthe day, however; 
 <^titfnend the grab luffered so ^evei^^ 
 
 an overinightV excess, as to -^--^ 
 
GKAVE DOINGS, 89 
 
 point us of his invaluable assistance. Tbift 
 unexpected contretemps nearly put an en(l 
 to our project ; for the few other grabs we 
 knew were absent on prof essional tours / 
 Luckily, however, I bethought me of J^^ 
 poor Irish porter — a sort of " ne*or-dq- 
 weel" hanger-on at the hospital, whpm t 
 liad several times hired to go on errands.; 
 This man I sent for to my rooms, and lo" 
 the presence of my two coadji^tors, p^^.; 
 suaded, threatened, and bothere4 into acn 
 quiescence, promising hini half .a guii^j^^" 
 for his evening's work-^-anSfr ;as^ mi|^h' 
 whiskey as he could drink prudeiriily? . As 
 Mr. Tipr— that was the nanie he iverit,l)y 
 —had some personal acqiiaiiit^hc^ withC 
 the sick grab, he succeeded in borrawmg 
 his chiet took ; with whlcb^;m ' ^ ^p^ 
 large enough to contain our ex^ectetfUizei' 
 he repaired tor my rooms about n|nep^clk^ 
 
 -^m^ 
 
 addition to the hire of himself a&H ^c, ., 
 As soon ak we had exhibited sii|idry:|6;5^ 
 
 ' S'*f/ 
 
 •^W, 
 
 ■*. 
 

 GKAVfi boiNos. 
 
 to tike a, prominent part in__<.i,j ■ • . 
 ourselves in our wSll^ ""^ T'PP^^ 
 top-coats, we enterS'tthS /"^^ ^Wte| 
 number— and drove off %u^°'"' ^ 
 ftad been evft^pS • '^® weather 
 
 .veninglro :a>^^2"r^^ '"^^ 
 thjUfir tve werp «hv;..,, ««'"ife. iiie only 
 
 «^ssf to shTeid r&r L""k1'^^ ^^• 
 
 vatibn. . I must own tT ! • ^ ''^i^^^ °^ser. 
 ** ^few^ai*" r" °'«'= r^ wien 
 
 I 
 
 c 
 
 t 
 
 e 
 
 ti 
 
 P 
 tl 
 
 ti 
 
 w 
 
 P^ 
 al 
 
 A 
 ta 
 
GllAVfi DOINGS. 
 
 101 
 
 ■-■and equippec^ 
 hes, and whit^ 
 hide- — four in 
 The Weather 
 cious all the 
 thunder and 
 >• The only 
 ^as the dark, 
 ossible obser. 
 analyzing the 
 o undertake 
 ^^^9 the mere 
 3 powerfully 
 'e of an atom, 
 edition to the 
 imazingly ; 
 
 ' hint about 
 
 • 
 
 'd us With 
 -rattle, rat- 
 soon as W(i 
 E*oad where 
 Mof . 
 
 •ay-gli^ten, 
 5 though ii 
 
 he graves 
 
 ^ goitig sd 
 
 rudely to violate, Tip's spirits began to fal. 
 ter a little. He said little— and that at 
 intervals. To be very candid with the 
 reader, none of us felt over-much at our 
 ease. Our expedition began to wear a 
 somewhat hair-brained aspect, and to be 
 environed with formidable contingencies 
 which we had not taken sufRcientlylmto 
 our calculations. What, for instance, if 
 the two stout fellows, the brothers,, should 
 
 be out watching their sister's grave ? 
 
 They were not ^likely to stand on much 
 ceremony with us. A nd then the manual 
 
 difficulties ! E was the only one o/ 
 
 us that had ever assisted at the exhumation 
 of a body ; and the rest of us were lifeejy 
 to prove but bungling workmen. Ho^»^s 
 ever, we hud gone too far to think of re- 
 treating. We none -of us spoke onr sm- 
 picions, but the silence that reigned within 
 the coach was significant. In contempla- 
 tion, however, of some such contingency, 
 we had put a bottle of brandy in the coach 
 pocket; and before we drew up, we bad 
 all four of us drunk pretty deeply of it. 
 At length the coach turned down a by Jane 
 tathe left, which led directly to the church. 
 
 ;^i 
 
 Hi 
 
 
 
t 
 
 f 
 
 n 
 
 loe 
 
 GRAVB DOINGS. 
 
 9' ' 
 
 yard wall ; and after moving a few'afe, 
 down It, m order to shelter our vehiole fl 
 the observation of highway passengers t J 
 coach stopped, and the driver opened' t? 
 
 .1 will—Out ! to be sure I will." But the 
 was small show of alacrity in his movl 
 jnents as he descended the st^; for wj 
 ij^f^S, I was interrupted bytP 
 
 : tl^ 5'^^T °^ '^' ^'^"rch clock a 
 * i^nowCtoj^ . the hour of midnight T 
 
 mamM$^ed to warn us against what 
 '^6116 goittg to do. ■ 
 
 m 'i^^ ''°?'^ "'^^'' yer honours," s J 
 .SSh V° ""'^^'•-t°ne' as we succe^iveU 
 
 ,5°i*^^? *he dark lane, to see if anythij 
 ■ S :7 but ourselves. « 'Tisa cbS 
 ..**f*~,^°d-and-and,» he stammered 
 
 f ^^^y^ what';th;it£^era 
 
 ^^^^ '"/""^ ^^''"'d^^' direetlyS 
 ^^Xt '?5' "^^^ *be lane." ^'^\ 
 »*5^0fch, but yer,:honours-oQlif!|^lid 
 
 X 
 
ORAVB DOINGS, 
 
 Mjl 
 
 mother that bore me, but 'tja a murtherou, 
 cruel thing, I'm thinking, to wake the poor 
 cratur from her last sleep." • Hesaid^ 
 so querulous y, that I began to entertain 
 venous apprehensions, after all, of his de, 
 fection ; 80 I insisted on his taking a little 
 more brandy, by way of bringing him up 
 to par. It was of no use, however. Hib 
 reluctance increased every moment, and k 
 even dispirited us. I verily believ« tho 
 turning of a straw would have de^i^ed.ufl 
 all on jumping into the coach agaJn; ««d 
 returning home without accompIifhiniJur 
 errand. Too many of the studentp„Ii©w. 
 ever, were apprized of our expediaoB^'for 
 us to think Of terminating it so ridictibSl 
 lyl As It were by mutual conseot, Mte 
 stood and paused a few moments, "about 
 ha f-way down the lane. M—^ wljistied 
 with infinite success and distinctness 5 
 
 5~T/!™^''^^"^ ^^ ™^ ^^^^ "always 
 Jought that a churchyard at midnight waj 
 ..he gloomiest object imaginable i"and':l 
 talked about business—" soon be oyer';'-I 
 « shallow gr^ve," &C.&Q. ; :"Gok>uad 
 a^what if tIjOfiQfiwp Ijrother? of hemIS«HW i 
 be the^e ?» ,««! M™—, abrui^Iyj^S^ . 
 
 ik} 
 
104 
 
 GRAVE DOINGS. 
 
 — whenTJn ■ ]^^;^®='«P^d our marc 
 wnen lip, our sdvanee'd aaarfi--n Hfil 
 
 itds fn^T/"' «^«"Wers-eJev'a,.d bo 
 
 t^o, ."^"'stl whist — by mv sonl «.a^ 
 
 Z^li \ , ^® "'^ P^»ised in silence 
 Joaking palejy at one another-but 3 
 hear nothing except the drowsy flutter ofl 
 
 ^ '/ Pho—stuff, you idiot !" I exclaims. 
 |«ing my temper. "Come, M™^ 
 
 SiT""' ^'?'^'' *™® ^e had done with a 
 this cowardly nonsense, and if ITZt 
 
 ^L^ i ;«l-e-day breaks aboutS 
 ¥ among uie leaves and branches; 
 
 %'' 
 
 >i'j> 
 
GEAVE DOINGS. 
 
 105 
 
 Cer ZTt' ^^ »»^»n«'ng a coming 
 hower and the air was sultry enough" tf 
 
 lo the cMn r„S""'/P °'" g'-^^t-coat, 
 E 3 w?I 'A .'"'■'''''^ °" *«the church. 
 
 Kane ' S"'^ T ''?'' '^' ^^^'om of 
 he lane. This wall we had to climb over 
 
 get into the churchyard,, and it wasToI 
 
 team. I told him to lay down his bae 
 bunt the wall, and look o'ver into the yS 
 see whether all was clear before^ u^^ 
 
 t f"' f. *^' ^'^^ ^^^J'' enable him ^' 
 b ook about for a new;made grave. Ven' 
 eluctantly he complied, and contrived to 
 
 X tL'e t' ^'^P"' ^^^ ^^^"- He had 
 lardly time, however, to peer over into the 
 
 gad or two by a loud burst -of thunder! 
 flip te 1 m an mstant to the ground like a ■ 
 fock-chaffer shaken from an elm tr^e and 
 ay crossing himself, and muttedngP^ter- 
 osters. We could scarce help laVb ing 
 it the manner m which he tumLd dowa! 
 «multaneously with the flash ofChtel ' 
 ^< Now, look ye, g^ntleben," said1he,rj 
 
106 
 
 GRAVE DOINGS. 
 
 i' 
 
 .*quatted on the ground, " do ye mane w 
 give the poorcratur Christian burial, wheai 
 ye ve done wid her ? 'Case, if you wont' 
 blood an oons — " , 
 
 /: Now, look ye, Tip," said I, sternly, 
 takuig out one of a brace of empty pistols 
 1 had put into my great-coat pocket, and 
 presenting it to his head ; « we have hired 
 you on this business for the want of a bet 
 ter, you wretched fellow J and if you giv« 
 
 us any more of this nonsense, by Pij 
 
 send a bullet through your brain ! Do you 
 hear me. Tip?" ^ 
 
 ■'^.Och, aisy, aisy wid ye ! don't murthei 
 me. JBad luck to me, that I ever cam wid 
 ye ! Och, and if iver I live to die, won't 
 sf and burymyould body out o'the 
 rache of all the docthers in the world ? j[f 
 1 don t divil burn me !" We all laughed 
 tokttn ^'^'' *'"^^ Hibernian elpos. 
 
 .'^ Gome, sir, mount! over with you "' 
 said we, helping to push him upwards. 
 Wow, drop this bag on the other side," 
 we continued, giving him the sack that col 
 tained our implements. We all three of us 
 then followed, and alighted safeiy inthe 
 
 en 
 [tin 
 
 ed 
 \en\ 
 
 \the 
 
 \en 
 
 shi 
 
 [err 
 
 liv( 
 
 'pur 
 
 the 
 
 bre 
 
 sha 
 
 I 
 
 left 
 
 to s 
 
 kst: 
 
 pitc 
 
 Ire 
 
 ^iati 
 
 ihm 
 
 grea 
 
 the, 
 
 good 
 
 mi 
 
Grave doings. 
 
 lot 
 
 Uurchyard. It poured with rain: andtd- 
 lenhance the dreariness and horrors of the 
 time and place, flashes of lightning follow, 
 ed in quick succession, shedding a transit 
 ent awful glare over the scene, revealing- 
 the white tomb-stones, the ivy-grown yen. 
 erable church, and our own figuresri 
 shivering group, come on an unhalW«f 
 errand ! I perfectly well recollect the 
 Ihvely feelings of apprehension— the "com- 
 functions visitings of remorse" — which 
 the circumstances called forth in my own 
 breast, and which I had no doubt were 
 shared by my companions. 
 
 As no time, however, was to be lost, I 
 left the group for an instant under the walh 
 to search out the grave. Tha accurate 
 iiistructions I had received enabled me to 
 pitch on the spot with little difficulty ; aaii 
 I returned to my companions, who im^ 
 ^lately fol owed me to the scene of opi* ' 
 tons. We had no umbrellas, and ^Jr 
 great-coats were saturated with wet; -but >= 
 the hr,andy we had feeently taken did «S ' 
 good service by exhilaratiAg Pur spirits, 
 m ^specially those of Tip.. ;He untied 
 mimk m a twinkling, and shqpk o«t the 
 
4 
 
 108 
 
 GRAVE DOINCJS* 
 
 hoes and spades, &c. ; and taking one „ 
 the latter himself, he commenced digginj 
 with such energy, that we had hardly pre 
 pared ourselves for work before he ha, 
 cleared away nearly the whole of thj 
 mound. The rain soon abated, and tl 
 lightning ceased for a considerable intervL 
 though thunder was heard occasional! 
 rumbling sullenly in the distance, as if e/ 
 pressing anger at our unholy doings — a 
 least I felt it so. The pitchy darkness coil 
 tinned, so that we could scarce see on 
 another's figures. We worked on ins. 
 lence, as fast as our spades could be gd 
 into the ground ; taking it in turns, twoh 
 two, as the grave would not admit of mori 
 On — on — on we worked, till we had hd 
 lowed out about three feet of earth. TJ 
 then hastily joined a long iron screw, o 
 borer, which he thrust into the ground i\ 
 the purpose of ascertaining the depth \ 
 which the coffin yet lay from us. Tom 
 vexation, we found a distance of three fe 
 had yet to be got through. '' Sure, ai 
 by the soul of St. Patrick, but we'll not 
 down by the morning V said Tip, as L 
 threw down the instrument and resume 
 
GHAVE DOINGS. 
 
 109 
 
 lis spade. We were all discouraged } 
 Ih, how greatly I wished myself at home,> 
 ^n my snug little bed in the Borough ! 
 Tow I cursed the Quixotism that had led 
 le into such an undertaking ! I had no 
 [time, however, for reflection, as it was my 
 turn to relieve one of the diggers ; so into 
 the grave I jumped, and worked away as 
 lustily as before. While I was thus en- 
 Igaged, a sudden noise, close to cur ears, 
 Istartled me so, that I protest I thought I 
 should dropdown dead in the grave I was 
 Jrobbing. I and my fellow-digger dropped 
 lour spades, and all four stood still for a 
 second or two, in an ecstacy of fearful ap- 
 prehension. We could not see more than 
 a few inches around us, but heard the grass 
 trodden^by approaching feet ! They pro- 
 ved to be those of an ass, that was turned 
 [at night into the churchyard, and had gone 
 on eaJ }g his way towards us ; and while 
 we were standing in mute expectation of ^ 
 what was to come next, opened on us with 
 an astonishing hee-haw ! hee-haw ! hee- - 
 haw ! Even after we had discovered the 
 ludicrous nature of the interruption, we 
 mere too agitated to laugh! The brute 
 
MO 
 
 GRAVE DOINGS. 
 
 '(' 
 
 was actually close upon us, and hB^givenl 
 tongue from under poor Tip's elbow, Iw' 
 ing approached him from behind as he 
 
 rrfll?"K^,''" ^!^ "P"^^- Tip started 
 suddenly backward against the animal's 
 head, and fell down. Away sprung the 
 jackass, as much confounded as Tip kick 
 mg and scampering like a mad creature' 
 among the tomb-stones, and hee-hawing 
 Mcessantly asif a hundred devils hadgl 
 *to It for the purpose of discomfiting Is. 
 
 Ih^^r^ ""T^ ^"'5^' ^"^ ^^^^ I^«t the noise 
 Should ead to our discovery, that I could 
 
 have killed the brute, if it had been witht 
 affirighted whisper-" Och, the baste. J 
 
 bas?e rf ' • ?" ^'S •''^^^ *^" of » 
 oasie ! 1 he murtherous murtherine"— 
 
 ^J^d a great many epithets of the lame 
 
 Stinn ! 1,^'^'^u- "^ recovered from the 
 ^nation which this provoking interruption 
 had occasioned ; and Tip, under the V 
 
 wrarrivp7 ^T' "i ^^^^^^^ '' ^'^ «« 
 ^Iwf^t^ '^^^ ?^ ^^'"^ ^itJ^ our prize, 
 
 Inerli^r ''^''''°"^' ^"^ ^"g ^^^h sncb 
 energy that we soon cleared away the re. 
 
 ««nderaf the superincumbent e^aS 
 
GRAVE DOINGS. 
 
 Ill 
 
 bow, hav. I 
 ^d as he I 
 p started 
 
 animal's 
 ►I'ung the 
 rip, kick, 
 
 creature 
 3-hawing 
 s had got 
 fiting us, 
 the noise 
 1 1 could 
 n withiu' 
 id in aa 
 baste J 
 livil of a 
 ring^^-^ 
 le sanw 
 rom the 
 rruptie® 
 the pro- 
 soon as 
 r priz% 
 th such 
 the re* 
 th| and 
 
 stood upon the bare lid of the coffin. The 
 grapplers, with ropes attached to them, 
 were then fixed in the sides and extremi- 
 ties, and we were in the act of raising the 
 coffin, when the sound of a human voice, 
 accompanied with footsteps, fell on our 
 startled ears. We heard both distinctly, 
 and crouched down close over the brink of 
 the grave, awaiting in breathless suspense 
 a corroboration of our fears. After a pause 
 of five or six minutes, however, finding 
 that the sounds were not renewed, we began 
 to breathe more freely, persuaded that our 
 ears must have deceived us. Once more We 
 resumed our work, succeeded in hoisting 
 up the coffin — not without a slip, however, 
 which nearly precipitated it down again to 
 the bottom, with all four of us upon it--^ 
 and depositing it on the grave-side. Bei 
 fore proceeding to use our screws or wren* 
 cers, we once more looked and listened, 
 and listened and looked ; but neither see- 
 ing nor hearing any thing, we set to woik, 
 «nd pried off* the lid in a twinkling, and a 
 'transient glimpse of moonlight ofsblosed 
 to us the shrouded inmate — ^^all* whi^ tod 
 
 I damd> I rennnvAri ihci fnnA.rklnfK anA iv«%: 
 
lid 
 
 GRAVE DOINGS. 
 
 pinned the cap, while M loosed the 
 
 sleeves from the wrists. Thus were we 
 
 engaged, when E , who had hold of 
 
 he feet, ready to hft them out, suddenly 
 
 et them go— j^aspcd— " Oh, my God ' 
 
 there they are !'' and placed his hand on 
 
 jny arm He shook like an aspen leaf 
 
 , 1 looked towards the quarter vvhere hio' 
 
 eyes were directed, and, sure enough, saw 
 
 ? fe'" °^ " "^""-^^ "ot two-movini 
 stealthily towards us. « Well, we're df, 
 
 covered, that's clear," I whisper d.^ 
 calmly as I could. « We shall be mur 
 
 then; f r"'^ u • " Lend me one of 
 
 the pistols you have with you," said M_-_ 
 
 resolutely. « Rv T'li u , ' 
 
 for mv lik u ^ ^7' ' "^^^ ^ *^o< 
 x^i Jir '^P^'ever !" As for poor Tip 
 
 preaching fagures, he looked at me in si. 
 lence the image of blank horror J I could 
 have laughed even then, to see his staS 
 black eyes-his little cocked rub/S 
 
 M-!-i hS 1 ^' ''^'^"'S rny pistol, while 
 wTTk ^T® ' ^°'' "°n« but myself 
 
 knew they were unloaded. To add to our 
 
GRAVE DOINGS* 
 
 113 
 
 oosed the! 
 were we 
 d hold ofl 
 suddenly 
 IV God! I 
 hand on 
 ^en leaf, 
 here his 
 Jgh, saw 
 -nnoving 
 e're dis- 
 ered, as 
 be mur. 
 e one of 
 M— , 
 
 ■ a shot 
 3or Tip, 
 lis start, 
 the ap. 
 le in si- 
 I could 
 staring 
 r-tinted 
 iush—- 
 •awhile 
 myself 
 tooujr 
 
 consternation, the malignant moon with- 
 drew the small scantling of light she had 
 been doing out to us, and sunk beneath a 
 vast cloud, *' black as Erebus," but not 
 before we had caught a glimpse of two 
 more figures moving towards us in an op- 
 posite direction. *' Surrounded !" two of 
 us muttered in the same breath. We all 
 rose to our feet, and stood together, not 
 knowing what to do-— unable in the dark- 
 ness to see one another distinctly. Pre- 
 sently we heard a voice say, " Where are 
 they ? where ? Sure I saw them ! Oh, 
 there they are ! Halloa-— halloa !" 
 
 That was enough — the signal for our 
 flight. Without an instant's pause, or ut- 
 tering another syllable, off we sprung like 
 smill shot from a gun's mouth, all of us 
 in different directions, we knew not whith- 
 er. I heard the report of a gun — mercy 
 on me ! and pelted away scarce knowing 
 what I was about, dodging among the 
 graves. — now coming full-butt against a 
 plaguy tombstone, then stumbling on the 
 slippery grass — while some one followed 
 close at my heels, panting and puffing, 
 but whether friend or foe I knew not. At 
 
"i r " ' UM pw m ^M jm -' o 
 
 
 GRAVE DOINGS. 
 
 tefigth I Stumbled against a large tomb, 
 stone ; and finding it open at the two ends: 
 crept under it, resolved there to abide the 
 issue. At the moment of my ensconcing 
 myself, the sound of the person's footsteps 
 who had followed me suddenly ceased. I 
 heard a splashing sound, then a kicking 
 and scrambling, a faint stifled cry of "Ugh 
 —oh— ugh!'' and all was still. Doubt- 
 less it must be one of my companions, who 
 had been wounded. What could I do, 
 however ? I did not know in what direc- 
 
 tfotf he lay— the night was pitch-dark 
 
 and if I crept from my hiding-place, for 
 all I knew, I might be shot myself. I shall 
 never forget that hour — no never ! There 
 Was I, squatting like a toad on the wet 
 grass and weeds, not daring to do more 
 than breathe ! Here was a predicament! 
 I could not conjecture how the affair would 
 terminate. Was I to lie were I was till 
 daylight ? What was become of my com- 
 panions ? — While I was turning these 
 thdughts in my mind, and wondering that 
 all was so quiet, my ear caught the sound 
 01 the splashing of water, apparently at 
 kut ayard or two's distance^ mingled with 
 
GRAVE DOINGS. 
 
 nsi 
 
 the souds of a half-smothered human voice 
 — <* Ugh ! ugh ! och, murther ! murther !> 
 murther!'^— -another splash — " and isn't it 
 drowned and kilt I am ?" ^ 
 
 " Whew ! Tip in trouble," thought ly 
 not daring to speak. Yes — it was poor 
 Tip, I afterward found — who had followed 
 at my heels, scampering after me as fast 
 as fright could drive him, till his career 
 was unexpectedly ended by his tumbling 
 — souse— head over heels, into a newly 
 opened grave in his path, with more than a 
 foot of water in it. There the poor fellow 
 remained, after recovering from the first 
 shock of his fall, not daring to utter a. 
 word for some time, lest he should be dis- 
 covered — straddling over the water with 
 his toes and elbows stuck into the loos^ 
 soil on each side, to support him. This 
 was his interesting position, as he subse-! 
 quently informed me, nt the time of utter-? 
 ing the sounds which first attracted my. 
 attention. Though not aware of his situa^ 
 tion at the time, I was almost choked with 
 laughter as he went on with his solitoqi^y,' 
 somewhat in this strain :r-^ ''<> . 
 
 i:^" Gob/ Tip, Ve^ ould divil! DcwAii 
 
no 
 
 GRAVK DOINGS. 
 
 iM 
 
 s 
 
 sarve ye right, ye fool ? Ye villanous ould 
 coffin-robber ! Won't ye burn ibr this 
 hereafter, ye sinner ? Ulaloo! When ye 
 are dead yourself, may ye oe treated like 
 that poor cratur— and yourself alive to see 
 n ! Uch, hubbaboo ! hubbaboo ! Isn't it 
 m'iV^rl ^'" ^^ '^'•o^ned, an' then it's kilt 
 1 11 be ! —a loud splash, and a pause for 
 a lew moments, as if he was readiustinff 
 his footing-" Och, an' I'm catching my 
 dith of could ! Fait, an' it's a divil a drop 
 of the two bottles o'whiskey I'll ever see 
 Uch, och, och !" another splash—" Och 
 an isn't this uncomfortable ? Och, an' 
 J ever } come out of this— sha'n't I be 
 dead before I dc ?" 
 
 , "?P~'^Jfi: ^'P-" I whispered, in a 
 low tone. There was a dead silence — 
 
 IZ?' '^'J'i,7^^^ ^"^ y°" • What's the 
 rnatter, eh 2';^No answer ; but he muter- 
 
 ed m a low tone to himself— " Where am 
 
 /, by my soul ! Isn't it dead, and kilt, and 
 
 drowned, and murthered I am— that's all !» 
 
 lo Jde?.^^'^'^^P •" ^ ''^''''^' ' "«'« 
 
 \u!!Jl^' '""^^^^ V ^'■^' y^ ™«y ^aii, bad 
 
 luck to ye — whoever you are— but it,, 
 flivii a word I'll be after'spakingtoye." ""' 
 
 }> 
 
GRAVIS DOINGS. 
 
 in 
 
 " Tip, you simpleton ? It^s I — M^ 
 
 • ■ 
 
 In an instant there was a sound of jump* 
 ing and splashing, as if surprise had made 
 him slip from his standing again, and he 
 called out ^' Whoo ! Whoo! an' is't you, 
 
 sweet Mr. ? What is the matter 
 
 wid ye ? Are ye kilt ? Where are they 
 all ? Have they taken ye away, every 
 mother's son of you V he asked eagerly, 
 in a breath. 
 
 *' Why, what are you doing, Tip ?:ti5 
 Where are you ?" 
 
 *' Fait, an' it's being washed I am, in the 
 feet, and in the queerest tub your honour 
 ever saw !" — A noise of scuffling not many 
 yards off silenced us both in an instant. 
 Presently I distinguished the voice of E—^, 
 
 calling out, " Help M !" — my name 
 
 — ** Where are you ?" The noise increas* 
 ed, and seemed nearer than before. I crept 
 from my lurking-place, and^ided at Tip's 
 resurrection, and both of us hurried toward^ 
 the spot where the sound came from. , .Bj^ 
 the faint moonlight, I could just see Ih© 
 outlines of two figures violently struggling 
 
 ii# 
 
 
 XX^fr. 
 
 •w*rx 
 
 
118 
 
 aRAVR DOINGS. 
 
 m 
 
 j%. 
 
 come up to them, both fell down locked iii 
 each other's arms, rolling over each other, 
 grasping one another's collars, gasping and 
 panting as if in mortal struggle. The moon 
 suddenly emerged, and who do you think, 
 
 reader, was E 's antagonist ? Why, 
 
 the person whose appearance had discom- 
 fited and affrighted us all — our coachman. 
 — That worthy individual, alarmed at our 
 protracted «3tay, had, contrary to our injunc 
 tions, left his coach to come and search 
 after us. He it was whom we had seen 
 stealing towards us ; his steps — his voice 
 had alarmed us, for he could not see us 
 distinctly enough to discover whether we 
 were his fare or not. He was on the point 
 of whispering my name, when we should 
 all have undei*stood one another — when lo, 
 we all started off in the manner which has 
 been described ; and he himself, not know. 
 ing that he was the reason of it, had taken 
 to his heels, and fled for his life ! He sup. 
 posed that we had fallen into a sort of am- 
 buscade. He happened to hide himself 
 behind the tc^nbstone next but one to that 
 
 which sheltered E . Finding all 
 
 iiuiet, he and E--— , as if by mutual con- 
 
GRAVE DOINGS. 
 
 sent, were groping from their hiding-platses^ 
 when they unexpectedly fell foul of one 
 another — each too affrighted to speak — and 
 hence the scuffle. 
 
 After this satisfactory denouement, we 
 all repaired to the grave's mouth, and found 
 the corpse and coffin precisely as we had 
 left them. We were not many moments 
 in taking out the body, stripping it, and 
 thrusting it into the sack we had brought. 
 We then tied the top of xhe sack, carefully 
 deposited the shroud, &c., in the coSm^ 
 rescrewed down the lid — fearful, impious 
 mockery ! and consigned it once more ta 
 its resting-place — Tip scattering a handful 
 of earth on the lid, and exclaiming reve- 
 rently, " An' may the Lord forgive us for 
 what we have done to ye P' The coach- 
 man and I then took the body between us 
 
 to the coach, leaving M , and E ,< 
 
 and Tip to fill up the grave. 
 
 Our troubles were not yet ended, how- 
 ever. Truly it seemed as though Provi- 
 dence was throwing every obstacle in our 
 way. Nothing went right. On reaching 
 the spot where we had left the coach^ be^ 
 hold, it lay several yards ferther in ther 
 
\w 
 
 GRAVE DOINGS. 
 
 / 
 
 lane, 'tilted into the ditch — for the horses, 
 being hungry, and left to themselves, in 
 their anxiety to graze on the verdant bank 
 of the hedge, had contrived to overturn the 
 vehicle in the ditch — and one of the horses 
 was kicking vigorously when we came up 
 his whole body off the ground, and resting 
 on that of his companion. We had con- 
 siderable difficulty in righting the coach, 
 as the horses were inclined to be obstreper- 
 ous. ; We succeeded, however — deposited 
 our unholy spoils within, turned the horses' 
 heads towards the high-road,and then, after 
 enjoining Jehu to keep his place on the 
 box,' I went to see how my companions 
 were getting on. They had nearly com- 
 pleted their task, and told me that ^'shov- 
 elling m was surprisingly easier than shov- 
 elling out r We took great pains to leave 
 every thing as neat, and as nearly resem* 
 bling what we found il, as possible,^*n order 
 that our visit might not be suspected. We 
 then carried each our own tools, and hur- 
 ried as fast as possible to our coach, for the 
 dim twilight had already stolen a march 
 upon us, devoutly thankful that, after so 
 naany interruptions, we had succeeded in 
 effecting our obiect. 
 
GKAVE DOINGS. 
 
 121 
 
 It was broad daylight before we reached 
 iQ^n — and a wretched coach-company we 
 looked — all wearied and dirty — Tip espe- 
 cially, who snored in the corner as coni- 
 fortably as if he had been warm in his bed. 
 I heartily resolved, with him, on leaving 
 the coach, that it should be " the divil's 
 own dear self only that should timpt me 
 out again body -snatching /"* 
 
 *^* The Editor of these papers begs to 
 inform all those who are so good as to 
 transmit to him, " Subjects for Passages" 
 — to be " worked up in his peculiar way'' 
 — that they have totally mistaken the char- 
 acter of this series of papers, in imagining 
 them to he anything else than what they 
 
 * On examining the body, we found that Sir 
 'S suspicions were fully verifiied. It was dis- 
 
 ease of the heart — but of too complicated a nature 
 to be made intelligible to general readers. I never 
 heard that the girl' friends discovered our doings ; 
 and for all they know, she is now mouldering away 
 
 in churchyard ; whereas, in point of fact, her 
 
 bleached skeleton adorns ^'s surgery ; and a 
 
 preparation of her heart enricheg — — '» museum ! 
 
i: 
 
 12S 
 
 GS.ATS DOrnGS. 
 
 profess to be—the bona fde results of the 
 mtwidual s experience. Neither the Ed- 
 itor of these " Passages," nor their oriffi- 
 nal^nter, is any " gatherer of other men's 
 
 
 
Jsults of the 
 
 her the Ed- 
 
 their origi. 
 
 other men's 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 I 
 
 fl***.. 
 
 
 »*•»»' 
 
 
 ";■»««*** 
 
 t 
 
 .,.^j(«-*«>*t^. 
 
/ 
 
 r 
 
THE STATESMAN* 
 
 Ambition !— Its sweets and bitters— ita 
 splendid miseries— its wrinkling cares- 
 its wasting agonies — its triumphs and, 
 downfalls— who has not, in some degree, 
 known and felt them ? Moralists, histori- 
 ans, and novelists have filled libraries m 
 picturing their dreary and dazzling details; 
 and yet Ambitious votaries, or rather_ vic- 
 tims, are as numerous, as enthusiastic as 
 ever 1— Such is the mounting quality ex- 
 isting in almost every one's breast, that no 
 " PeTion upon Ossa" heapings, and accu- 
 mulations of facts and lessons, can keep it 
 down. Though I fully feel the truM 
 this remark, vain and futile though! t^. 
 attempt may prove, I cannot resist the,'|tt- 
 clination to contribute my mite towafds the 
 vast memorials of Ambition's martyrs! 
 My specific purpose, in first making the 
 
126 
 
 TUB STATESMAN. 
 
 notes from which the ensuing narrative k 
 taken, and m now presenting it to the pub. 
 lic—in thus pointing to the spectacle of a 
 sun suddenly and disastrously eclipsed 
 while blazing at its zenith^is this : To show 
 the steps by which a really great mind- 
 
 tarHv^l' 7^ ^Petuous spirit-was volun- 
 tarily sacrificed at the shrine of political 
 - amb tion : foregoing, nay, despisiL, the 
 substantiarjoys and comforts of elegan? 
 
 ^nlTl'^f P^^'^^S' ^^^" to destruction, 
 IJ , ^"-'u ^^""' *° ^^^^ »P against and 
 o? £ ""f ""'"' too mighty for the mind 
 on mv ; '' • '°'^'"" '''^^ ' '^orinted 
 
 ac^l Tfi^^T' ""^ S- ^ char, 
 acters ; and if I do but succeec oring- 
 
 «g a few of them before the reader, they 
 
 may at least serve to check extravaeant 
 
 ejpecnations, bydisclosing the misery wS 
 
 ltl '', ''^"'^^""g behind the moslsplen- 
 ■M popularity. If I should be found fnac- 
 
 ZShT^ T °^ Pf ^^^^' technicalities 
 
 ovefS n'nlh' ''^^''r^^ be pleased to 
 
 tT? n ' 1^ ^^^ ^^''^ ^^ "^y profession. 
 
 ovLf • "^^ "^^^^ ^ ^^« ^t Cambridge, 
 overhearing some men of my col We till 
 
 ^hmtXke "splendid talents of youSf^at 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 13? 
 
 ford,"* who had lately become a member 
 of — r- hall ; and they said so much about 
 the "great /w7" he had made in his reoenj 
 debut ^t one of the debating societiesr— 
 which then flourished in considerable num* 
 bers — that I resolved to take the earliest 
 opportunity of goipg to hear and judge fqr 
 myself. That was soon afforded me. 
 Though not a member of the society, I 
 gained admission through a friend. The 
 room was crammed to the very door ; and 
 I was not long in discovering the " star of 
 the evening" in the person of a young fel- 
 low-commoner, of careless and even slov- 
 enly appearance. The first glimpse of hi^ 
 features disposed me to believe all I had 
 heard in his favour. There was no sitting 
 for effect ; nothing artificial about his de- 
 meanqur — no careful carelessness of atti- 
 tude — no knitting of the brows, or painfiil 
 straining of the eyes, to look brilliant or 
 acute !• — The mere absence of all these 
 little conceits and fooleries, so often disfig- 
 
 * It can hardly be necessary, I presume, to rei- 
 terate, that whatever names individutk are indi- 
 cated by in these :papers,ure fictitioug. . i) 
 
i2d 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 uring « talented young speakers," went In 
 nriy estimation to the account of his supe. 
 nonty. His face was " sicklied o'er with 
 the pale cast of thought," and its linamenta 
 very deeply and strongly marked. There 
 was a wondrous power and fire in the eves 
 Which gleamed with restless energv which 
 ever way he looked. They werfneither 
 large nor prominent— but all soul— all ex 
 pression. It was startling to find their 
 glance suddenly settled on one. His fore 
 head, as much as I saw of it, was knotted 
 and expansive. There was a prevailing 
 air of anxiety about his worn features-! 
 young as he was, about twenty-one— as if 
 his mind was every instant hard at work 
 Which an inaccurate observer might have 
 set down to the score of ill-nature, especi- 
 ally when coupled with the matter-of-fact 
 unsmiling nods of recognition with which 
 
 whon "'A''' P°S" inclinations of those 
 who passed him. To me, sitting watching 
 him, it seemed as though his mind were of 
 too intense and energetic a character to 
 have any sympathies with the small mat- 
 ters transpiring around him. I knew his 
 demeanour was simple, unaffected, genu- 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 12» 
 
 tne, and it was refreshing to see it. It 
 predisposed me to like him, if onlyfor being 
 free from the ridiculous airs assumed by- 
 some with whom I associated. He allowed 
 five or six speakers to address the society, 
 without making notes, o*- joining in the 
 noisy exclamations and interruptions of 
 those around him. At length ho arose 
 amid perfect silence — the silence of expec- 
 tant criticism whetted by rival ry* He 
 seemed at first a little flustered, and fot 
 about five minutes spoke hesitatingly and 
 somewhat unconnectedly — with the air of 
 a man who does not know exactly how to 
 get at his subject, which yet he is conscious 
 of having thoroughly mastered. At length, 
 however, the current ran smooth, and 
 gradually widened and swelled into such a 
 stream — a torrent of real eloquence — as I 
 never before or since heard poured from 
 the lips of a young speaker ^ — or possibly 
 any speaker whatsoever, except himself 
 in after-life. He seemed long disinclined 
 to enhance the effect of what he was ut^ 
 taring by oratorical gesture. His hands 
 both grasped his cap, Which ere. loiig ^as 
 compressed, twisted, and crushed <!njt of tiMl 
 
 !l 
 
7 
 
 ' 
 
 U» 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 phape ; but as he warmed, he laid it downjt 
 and used his arms, the levers of eloquencejn 
 with the grace and energy of a natures 
 orator. The effect he produced was proT 
 digious. We were all carried away witM 
 him, as if by whirlwind force. As foif 
 ttiyself, I felt for the first time convinced 
 that oratory such as that could persuade-. 
 iW;to anything. As might have beealt 
 -expected, his speech was fraught with thel i 
 iaults incident to youth and inexperience 
 and was pervaded with a glaring hue oJ 
 extravagance and exaggeration. Some ol 
 his " facts'' were preposterously incorrec* 
 ^nd hi%, inferences false ; but there wau 
 5uch a prodigious power of language--] 
 ^uch a blaze of fancy— such a stretch and 
 ^rasp of thought— and such casuistical 
 dexterity evinced throughout, as indicated 
 ithe presence of first-rate capabilities. He 
 concluded amid a storm of applause ; and 
 ■before his enthusiastic auditors, whisper- 
 ing together their surprise and admiration, 
 .UQuld observe his motions, he had slipped 
 #way and left the room. 
 
 The excitement into which this young 
 mm^^ first appearance'' had thrown me, 
 
 "C-* 
 
tut STATESMAN.- 
 
 131' 
 
 Icept me awake the greater part of the 
 night ; and I well recollect feeling a tran- 
 sient fit of disinclination f9r the dull and 
 sombre profession of medicine, for which I 
 was destined. That evening's display 
 warranted my indulging large and high ex- 
 pectations of the future eminence of young' 
 Stafford ; but I hardly went so far as to- 
 think of once seeing him secretary of state, 
 and leader of the British House af Com-' 
 mens. Accident soon afterward introduc- 
 ed me to him, at the supper-table of a mu-- 
 tual friend. I found him distinguished as 
 well by that simplicity and frankness ever 
 attending the consciousness of real great- 
 ness, as by the recklessness, irritability, 
 and impetuosity of one aware that he la 
 far superior to those around him, and in; 
 possession of that species of talent which 
 is appreciable by all — -of those rare powers 
 which ensure a man the command over 
 his fellows — ^keen and bitter sarcasm — and 
 extragr^dinary readiness of repartee. Then, 
 .again, all his predilections were political. 
 He utterly disregarded the popular pursuit 
 at college. Whatever he said, ;>ead, o^ 
 thought, had reference to his ^^xi" 
 
 
133 
 
 THE STATESMAN* 
 
 passion,"— and that not by fits and slarts,j 
 under the arbitrary impulses of rivalry or 
 enthusiasm, but steadily and systematical. 
 ly. I knew from himself, that, before his 
 twenty-third year, *ha had read over and 
 made notes of the whole of the parliament^ 
 ary debates, and have seen a table which i 
 he constructed for reference on a most ad* 
 niirable and useful plan. The minute 
 accuracy of his acquaintance with the 
 whole course of political affairs, obtained 
 by such laborious methods as this, may be 
 easily conceived. His powers of memory 
 were remarkable — as well for their capa. 
 city as tenacity ; and the presence of mind 
 and judgment with which he availed him- 
 self of his acquisitions convinced his op- 
 ponent that he had undertaken an arduous, 
 if not hopeless, task, in rising to reply to 
 him. It was impossible not to see, even 
 ifi a few minutes' interview with him, that 
 AMBITION had '* marked him for her own." 
 Alas, what a stormy career is before this 
 young man ! — I have often thought, while 
 listening to his impassioned harangues and 
 conversations, and witnessing the twin 
 fires of intellect and passion flashing from 
 
THE STATESMAN- 
 
 133 
 
 his eyes. One large ingredient in his 
 composition was a most morbid sensibility ; 
 and then he devoted himself to every pur- 
 suit with a headlong, undistinguishing 
 enthusiasm and energy, which inspired me 
 with lively apprehensioas, lest he should' 
 weary himself out and fall by the way, 
 before he could actually enter on the great 
 arena of public life. His forehead was 
 already furrowed with premature wrin- 
 )^les ! — His application was incessant. He 
 rose every morning at five, and retired 
 pretty regularly by eleven. 
 
 Our acquaintance gradually ripened 
 into friendship, and we visited each other 
 with mutual frequency and cordiality. 
 When he left college, he entreated me to 
 accompany him to the Continent, but finan- 
 cial reasons forbade it. He was possessed 
 of a tolerably ample fortune ; and, at th^ 
 time of quitting England, was actually ih' 
 
 treaty with Sir — for a borough. 
 
 1 left Cambridge a few months after Mr. 
 Stafford; and as we were mutually en- 
 gaged with the arduous and absorbing 
 duties df our respective pi*ofessi6nfe, >a 
 law a:r^d heard IMe df rtWiidg df burf. 
 
 i 
 
 1 
 
 /O^ii..^ 
 
134 
 
 THE STATESMAN* 
 
 another for several years. In the very 
 depth of my distress— during the first four 
 years of my establishment in London-^I 
 recollect once calhng at the hotel which 
 he generally made his town-quarters, for 
 the purpose of soliciting his assistance in 
 the way of introductions ; when, to my an. 
 guish and mortification, I heard that on that 
 very morning he had quitted the hotel for 
 Calais, on his return to the Continent ! 
 
 At length Mr. Stafford, who had iong 
 stood contemplating on the brink, dashed 
 into the tempestuous waters of public life ' 
 and emerged— a member of parliament for 
 
 the borough of . I happened to see! 
 
 the gazette which announced the event, 
 about two years after the occurence of the 
 accident which elevated me into foi:tune. 
 X did not then require any one's interfer. 
 ence on my behalf, being content with the 
 independent exercise of my profession ; 
 and even if I had been unfortunate, too long 
 an interval had elapsed, I thought, to wart 
 rant my renewing a mere college acquain- 
 tance with suck a man as Mr. Stafford. 
 1 was content, therefore, to keep barely 
 withm the extreme rays of this rising sun 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 135 
 
 in the political hemisphere. I shall not 
 easily forget the feelings of intense interest 
 with which I saw, in one of the morning 
 papers, the name of my quondum college 
 friend, " Mr. Stafford,' standing at the 
 head of a speech of two columns' length — 
 or the delight with which I paused over 
 the frequent interruptions of "Hear, hear!'^ 
 — " Hear, hear, hear .'"— •" Cheers .'"— 
 " Loud cheers /" — which marked the 
 speaker's progress in the favour of the 
 House. " We regret," said the reporter, 
 in a note at the end, " that the noise in the 
 gallery prevented our giving at greater 
 length the eloquent and effective maiden 
 speech of Mr. Stafford, which was cheered 
 perpetually throughout, and excited^ a 
 strong sensation in the House." ^ In my 
 enthusiasm I purchased that copy of the 
 newspaper, and have it now in my poss- 
 ession. It needed not the inquiries which 
 every where met me, "Have you read 
 Mr. Stafford's maiden-speech ?" to con- 
 vince me of his splendid prospects, the 
 reward of his early and honourable toils. 
 His " maiden-speech" formed the sole 
 engrossing topic of conversation to* my 
 
136 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 f.i'' 
 
 
 *k 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 I 
 
 wife aiid me as we sat at supper that 
 
 evening; and she was asking me some 
 
 snch question as is generally uppermost in 
 
 ladies' minds on the mention of a popular 
 
 character, " What sort of a looking man 
 
 he was when I saw him at Cambridge ?" 
 
 —when a forcible appeal to the knocker 
 
 and bell^ followed by the servant's announ- 
 
 <jing, that, *^ A gentleman wished to speak 
 
 with me directly," brought me into my 
 
 patients' room. The candles, which were 
 
 only just lit, did not enable me to ^ee the 
 
 perspn of my visiter very distinctly ; but 
 
 the instant he spoke to me, removing a 
 
 handkerchief which he held to his mouth, 
 
 I recognised — could it be possible ? — the 
 
 very Mr. Stafford we had been speaking 
 
 of! I shook him affectionately by the 
 
 ha,nd, and should have proceeded to com. 
 
 pUmenthim warmly on his last evening's 
 
 success in the House, but that his dreadful 
 
 .paleness of features and discomposure of 
 
 manner disconcerted me. 
 
 :' My dear Mr. Stafford, what is the mat- 
 ter ? Are you ill ? Has any thing hap- 
 pened ?" 1 inquired anxiously. 
 
 '^Y^s, doctor— perhaps fatally i|lr he 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 13T 
 
 replied, with great agitation. " I thought 
 I would call on you on my way from the 
 House, which I have just left. It is not 
 my fault that we haVe not ma:inta|fl0$il our 
 college acquaintanqe— but of thSt 'Blore 
 hereafter. I wi^h your advice — your hon- 
 est opiniojQ 6n my case. For God's sake 
 don't dQ6eive me ! Last evening I spoke 
 for the first time in the House, at some 
 length, and with all the energy I could 
 command. You may guess the consequent 
 exhaustion I have suffered during the 
 whole of this day ; and this evening, though 
 much indisposed with fever and a cough, 
 I inrprudeqtly went down to the House, 
 
 when Sir — so shamefully xais- 
 
 represented certain portions of the speech 
 I had delivered the preceding nighty that I 
 felt bound to rise and vindicate myself. I 
 was betrayed into greater length and ve- 
 hemence than I had anticipated ; and on 
 sitting down, was sei;5ed with such an ir- 
 repressible fit of coughing, as at last forced 
 me to leave the House. Hoping it would 
 abate, I walked for some time about the 
 lobby^— and at length thought it better to 
 >return home than re-enter the House.*-*- 
 
 
138 
 
 THE STATfiSMAN. 
 
 |J 
 
 Wbilr hunting after my carriage, the vi,|oi 
 
 ol- of the cough subsided into a small, 
 
 hacking, iiritating one, accompanied tvith 
 
 spitting. After driving about as far as 
 
 Whitehall, the vivid glare of one of the 
 
 •street lamps happened to fall suddenly on 
 
 my white pocket-handkerchief, and, oh 
 
 God !" continued Mr. StaiTord, almost 
 
 'gasping for breath, " this horrid sight met 
 
 my eye !" He spread out a pocket-hand. 
 
 kerchief all spotted and dabbled with blood ! 
 
 It was with the utmost difiiculty he com. 
 
 municated to me what is gone before*—. 
 
 " Oh ! its all ovei* with me— the chapter's 
 
 .ended, I'm afraid " he murmured, almost 
 
 inarticulately — ^and while I was feeling 
 
 'his pulse 'he fainted. I placed him instant. 
 
 ly in a recumbent position— loosened his 
 
 neckerchief and shiit-collar--^dashed some 
 
 •cold water in his face, and he presently 
 
 ^recovered. He shook his head in silence, 
 
 very mournfully — his features expressed 
 
 utter hopelessness. I sat down close be- 
 
 .side him, and, grasping his hand in mine, 
 
 endeavoured to reassure him. The ans^ 
 
 wers he returned to the few questions I 
 
 asked him convinced me that the spitting 
 
 b>^ 
 
THE STATESMAN 
 
 189' 
 
 of blood was unattended with danger, pro^ 
 vided he could be kept quiet in body and 
 mind. There was not the slightest symp*- 
 torn of radical mischief in the lungs. A 
 glance at his stout build of body, especially 
 at his ample sonorous chest,forbade the sup- 
 position. I explained to him, with even 
 professional minuteness of detail, the true 
 nature of the accident — its effects — and 
 method of cure. He listened to me with 
 deep attention, and at last seemed conyin^ 
 ced. He clasped his hands, exclaiming, 
 *' Thank God ! thank God!" and entreat- 
 ed me to do on the spot what I had directed 
 to De done by the apothecary — to bleed 
 him. I complied, and from a large orifice 
 took a considerable quantity of blood. ^ 1 
 then accompanied him home — saw him 
 consigned' to bed — prescribed the usual 
 lowering remedies — absolutely forbade 
 him to open his lips, except in the slightest 
 whisper possible — and left him calm, and 
 restored to a tolerable measure of self-pos* ^ 
 session, ©ne of the most exquisite sources 
 of gratification arising from the discharge , 
 of our professional duties is the disabusing ' 
 our patients of their harrowing and ground*i: 
 
1 / 
 
 w 
 
 if 
 
 |1 •!■ 
 
 I : 
 
 140^ 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 less apprehensions of danger. One such 
 instance as is related above is to me an 
 ample recompense for months of miscel. 
 laneous, and often thankless toil, in the 
 exercise of my profession. Is it not, in a 
 manner, plucking a patient from the very- 
 brink of the grave, to which he had de- 
 spairingly consigned himself, and placing 
 him once more in the busy throng of life 
 —the very heart of society ? I have seen 
 men of the strongest intellect and nerve, 
 whom the detection of a novel aad start 
 ling symptom has terrified into giving 
 themselves up for lost, in an instant dispos- 
 sessed of their apprehensions, by explain, 
 ing to therh the real nature of what has 
 alarmed tTiem.?** The alarm, however, oc- 
 
 * One instance presses so strongly on my recol- 
 lection that I cannot help adverting to it : — ^I was 
 one day summoned in haste to an eminent mer- 
 chant in the city, who thought he had grounds for 
 apprehending occasion for one of the most appal-' 
 ling operations known in sm-gery. When I arrived,, 
 on finding the case not exactly within my province^ 
 I was going to leave him in the hands of a surgeon; 
 but seeing that his alarm had positively half niadr 
 ^€nedhiiii^f resolved to %vi^. hirji whut^^ismilce' 
 I «omd. I soon found* that his fears were ^atjeri- 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 141 
 
 casioned by the rupture of a blood-vessel 
 in or near the lungs, is seldom unwarrant- 
 ed, although it may be excessive ; and 
 though we can soon determine whether or 
 not the accident is in the nature of a pri- 
 mary disease, or symptomatic of some in- 
 curable pulmonary affection, and dissipate 
 or corroborate our patient's apprehensions 
 accordingly, it is no more than prudent to 
 warn one who has once experienced this 
 injury, against any exertions or excesses 
 which have a tendency to interfere with 
 the action of the lungs, by keeping in sight 
 the possibility of a fatal relapse. — To re- 
 turn, however, to Mr. Stafford. . 
 
 His recovery was tardier than I could 
 have expected. His extraordinary excita- 
 bility completely neutralized the effect of 
 my lowering and calming system of treat- 
 
 cal, but he would not believe me. When, however,. 
 I succeeeded in convincing him that " all was yet 
 right with him," — by referring the sensations which 
 had alarmed him to an unperceived derangement 
 of his dress, tongue cannot utter, nor I ever forget,, 
 the estacy with which he at last " gRve to the winda 
 his fears." He insisted on my ace epting one of the 
 largest fees that had ever been tendered me. 
 
% 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 HjH ' 
 
 
 ^H ' 
 
 
 S" ' 
 
 
 '■ffi'' ' 
 
 
 vKt ^ 
 
 
 i'^Hl i 
 
 
 4HI. e 
 
 142 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 ment. I could not persuade him to giu\ 
 his mind rest ; and the mere glimpse of a 
 newspaper occasioned such a flutter and 
 agitation of spirits, that I forbade them 
 aftogether for a fortnight. I was in the 
 habit of writing my prescriptions in his presJ 
 ence, and pausing long over them for the 
 purpose of unsuspectedly observing him; 
 and though he would tell me that his "mind 
 was still as a stagnant pool," — his intense 
 air, his corrugated brow? and fixed eyes, 
 evinced the most active exercise of thought 
 When in a sort of half-dozing state he 
 would often mutter about the subjects 
 nearest his heart. "Ah! must go omX-A 
 
 the bill, their touch-stone — ay — though 
 
 , and his Beiid tongue" * * *. 
 
 " 'Tis cruel—- 'tis tantalizing, doctor," he 
 said one morning, " to find one's self held] 
 by the foot in this way — like a chained 
 eagle ! — fl'he world forgets every one 
 that slips for a moment from public view! 
 Alas, alas ! my plans — my projects — are 
 all unravelling !"— "Thy sun, young man, 
 may go down at noon !" I often thought, 
 when reflectieg on his restless, fierce, and 
 ardfint spirit. He wanted case-hardening 
 
THET STATESMAN. 
 
 143 
 
 —long physical training, to fit him for the 
 harassing and exhausting campaign on 
 which he had entered. Truly, truly, 
 your politician should have a frame of ad- 
 arnant, and a mind " thereto conforming 
 strictly." 
 
 I found Mr Stafford one day in high 
 chafe about a sarcastic allusion in the de- 
 bate to a sentiment which he had express- 
 ed in parliament— "Oh — one might wither 
 that fellow with a word or two, the stilted 
 noodle !" said he, pointing to the passage, 
 while his eye glanced like lightning. — 
 " You'll more likely wither your own pros- 
 oects of ever making the trial, if you do'nt 
 moderate your exertions," I replied. He 
 smiled incredulously, and made me no 
 answer ; but continued twisting about his 
 pencil-case with a rapidity and energy 
 which showed the high excitement under 
 which he was labouring. His hard, jerk- 
 ing^ irregular pulse, beating on the aver- 
 age a hundred per minute, excited my 
 lively apprehensions, lest the increased 
 action of the heart should bring on a se- 
 cond fit of blood-spitting. I saw clearly 
 that it would be in vain for him to court 
 
144 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 
 ;;»■ 'ft 
 
 the repose essential to his convalescence, 
 so long as he continued in town ; and with 
 infinite difficulty, prevailed on him to 
 betake himself to the country. We wrung 
 a promise from him that he would set about 
 " unbending," " unharnessing/' as he 
 called it — that he would give **hisconstitu. 
 tion fair play." He acknowledged that to 
 gain the objects he had proposed to himself 
 it was necessary for him to " husband his 
 resources;" and briskly echoed my quo- 
 tation — '' neque semper arcuin, iendit Apol 
 lo.^^ In short, we dismissed him in the 
 confident expectation of seeing him return, 
 after a requisite interval, with recruited 
 energies of body and mind. He had 
 scarcely, however, been gone a fortnight, 
 before a paragraph ran the round of the 
 daily papers, announcing, as nearly ready 
 for publication, a political pamphlet " by 
 Charles Stafford, Esq., M. P. ;" — and in 
 less than three weeks — sure enough — a 
 packet was forwaa*ded to my residence, 
 from the publisher, containing my rebelli- 
 ous patient's pamphlet, accompanied with 
 the following hasty note : — " * * — ^Even 
 
 • n 
 
 Willi you : — yuu uiu not, you wiii recoiieci, 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 145 
 
 recoueci, 
 
 interdict writing, and I have contrived to 
 amuse myself with the accompanying trifle. 
 
 —Please look at page , and see the 
 
 kind things I have said of poor Lord **, 
 
 the worthy who attacked me the other 
 evening in the House, behind my back." 
 This <* trifle" was in the form of a pam- 
 phlet of sixty-four pages, full of masterly 
 argumentation and impetuous eloquence ; 
 but unfortunately, owing to the publisher's 
 dilatoriness, it came " a day behind the 
 fair," and attracted but little attention. 
 
 His temporary rustication, however, was 
 attended with at least two beneficial results 
 —recruited health, and — the heart of Lady 
 
 gmma , the beautiful daughter of a 
 
 nobleman remotely connected with Mr. 
 Stafford's family. This attachment proved 
 powerful enough to alienate him a whife 
 from the turmoils of political life ; for not 
 only did the* beauty, wealth, and accom- 
 plishments of Lady Emma render 
 
 her a noble prize, worthy of great effort to 
 obtain, but a powerful military rival had 
 taken the field before Mr. Stafford made 
 his appearance, and seemed disposed to 
 move neaven unu tjuiui lu Kian^f n-^^ w*** 
 
46 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 It is needless to say how such a considera- 
 tion was calculated to rouse and absorb all 
 the energies of the young senator, and 
 keep him incessantly on the qui vive. It 
 is said that the lady wavered for some 
 time, uncertain to which of her brilliant 
 suitors she should give the nod of prefer, 
 ence. Chance decided the matter. • It 
 came to pass that a contested election 
 arose in the county; and Mr. Stafford 
 made a very animated and successful 
 speech from the hustings — not far from 
 which, at a window, was standing Lady 
 Emma — in favour of her ladyship's bro- 
 ther,one of the candidates. lo triurrvphe! 
 That happy evening the enemy " surren. 
 dered at discretion :'' and ere long it was 
 known far and wide, that — in newspaper 
 slang — " an affair was on the tapisj'^ be- 
 tween Mr. Stafford and the " beautiful and 
 accomplished Lady Emma — "-,'^ &c. 
 &c. &c. 
 
 It is my firm persuasion, that the diver- 
 sion in his pursuits effected bythis "affair," 
 by withdrawing Mr. Stafford for a consid- 
 erable interval from cares and anxieties 
 which he was physically unable to cope 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 147 
 
 with, lengthened his life for many years j 
 giving England a splendid statesman, and 
 this my Diary the sad records which are 
 now to be laid before the reader. 
 
 One characteristic of our profession, 
 standing, as it were, in such sad and high 
 relief as to scare many a sensitive mind 
 from entering into its service, is, that it is 
 concerned almost exclusively with th» dark 
 side of humanity. As carnage and carrion 
 guide the gloomy flight of the vulture, 
 BO MISERY is the signal for a medical man 8 
 presence. We have to do daily with bro- 
 ken hearts, blighted hopes, pain, sorrow, 
 death ! and though the satisfaction arising 
 from the due discharge of our duties, be 
 that of the good Samaritan— a rich return 
 —we cannot help counting the heavy cost, 
 aching hearts, weary limbs, privations, in. 
 gratitude. Dark array ! It may be con- 
 sidered placing the matter in a whimsical 
 point of view, yet I have often thought that 
 the two great professions of Law and 
 Medicine are but foul carrion birds— the 
 one preying on the moral, as the other on 
 the physical, rottenness of mankind. 
 
us 
 
 THE STATESMAN* 
 
 " They who are well need not a physiJ 
 dan/' say the Scriptures ; and on thisl tl 
 ground, it is easy to explain the mela^cho.! fc 
 ly' hue pervading these papers. They ar«f 
 gptiirrors reflecting the dark colours which 
 are exposed to them. It is true, that some 
 remote relations, arising out of the particJ 
 ular comtinations of circumstances first 
 requiring our professional interference, 
 may afford, as it were, a passing gleam of 
 distant sunshine, in the development of 
 some trait of beautiful character, some 
 wondrous "good, from seeming ill educed;" 
 but these are incidental only, and evanes. 
 cent — enhancing, not relieving, the gloom 
 and sorrow amid which we move. Al 
 glimpse of Heaven would but aggravate 
 the horrors of Hell. These chilling re- 
 flections force themselves on my mind, 
 when surveying the very many entries in 
 my Diary concerning the eminent Individ- 
 ual whose case I am now narrating — con- 
 cerning one who seemed born to bask in 
 the brightness of life — ^to reap the full har- 
 vest of its joys and comforts, and yet 
 "walked in darkness!'' Why should it 
 have been so ? Answer — Ambition. 
 
 \\ 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 The reader must hurry on with me 
 through the next ten years of Mr. Staf- 
 ford's life, during which period he rose with 
 almost unprecedented rapidity. He had 
 hardly time, as it were, to get warm in his 
 nest, before he was called to lodge in the 
 one above him, and then the one above tha.t, 
 and so on upwards, till people began to 
 view his progress with their hands shading 
 their dazzled eyes, while they exclaimed 
 — " Fast for the top of the tree!'' He was 
 formed for political popularity. He had a 
 most winning, captivating, commanding 
 style of delivery, which was always em- 
 ployed in the steady consistent advocacy 
 of one line of principles. The splendour 
 of his talents — his tact and skill in debate 
 — the immense extent and accuracy of his 
 political information — early attracted the 
 notice of ministers, and he was not suffered 
 to wait long before they secured his servi- 
 ces, by giving him a popular and influen- 
 tial office. During all this time, he main- 
 tained a very friendly intimacy with me, 
 and often put into requisition my profess, 
 ional services. 
 
 ^ 
 
^^ 
 
 It 
 
 \ » 
 
 ;■:. 
 
 150 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 About eight o'clock one Saturday evening! 
 I received the following note from Mr It ' 
 Stafford:— '■•^^ 
 
 "Dear , excuse excessive haste. 
 
 Let me entreat you (I will hereafter ac, 
 count for the suddeness of this application) 
 to make instant arrangement for spending 
 with me ihe whole of to-morrow ^Sunday), 
 
 ^t , and to set off in time tor break. | 
 
 fasting with Lady Emma and myself. 
 Sfour presence is required by most urgent 
 and special business ; but allow me to beg 
 you will appear at breakfast with an un. 
 concerned air — as a chance visiter. 
 Yours always, faithfully, 
 
 " C. Stafford.'^ 
 The words ''tolioW and " speciar were 
 thrice underscored ; and this, added to the 
 very unusual illegibility of the writing,' 
 betrayed an urgency, and even agitation, 
 which a little disconcerted me. The 
 abruptness of the application o ccasioned 
 me some trouble in making the requisite ar- 
 xangements. As, however, it was not a 
 busy time with me, I contrived to find a 
 substitute for the morrow in my friend Dr. 
 x) 
 
 
iay evening, 
 te from Mr. 
 
 ssive haste, 
 lereafter ac- 
 application) 
 for spending 
 iv ^Sunday), 
 e tor break, 
 tnd myself^ 
 most urgent 
 w me to beg 
 with an un. 
 isiter. 
 
 hpford/^ 
 ^eciaP' were 
 idded to the 
 
 4 
 
 he writing, 
 sn agitation, 
 me. The 
 o ecasioned 
 equisite ar- 
 ; was not a 
 3d to find a 
 friend Dr. 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 151 
 
 It was a lovely Sabbath morning, in 
 jyjv^ 18 — , that, in obedience to the above 
 hurried summons, I set off on horseback 
 from the murky metropolis ; and after 
 rather more than a two hours' ride, found 
 myself entering the grounds of Mr. Staf- 
 ford, who had recently purchased a beau- 
 tiful villa on the banks of the Thames. It 
 was about nine o'clock, and nature seemed 
 but freshly awakened from the depth of 
 her overnight's slumbers— her tresses all 
 uncurled, as it were— and her perfumed 
 robes glistening with the pearls of morning 
 dew. A deep and rich repose brooded 
 over the scene, subduing every feeling of 
 my soul into sympathy. A groom took my 
 horse ; and finding that neither Mr. Staf. 
 ford nor Lady Emma were stirring, I re- 
 solved to walk about and enjoy the scene- 
 ry. In front of the house stretched a fine 
 lawn, studded here and there v/ith laurel 
 bushes, and other elegant snrubs, and 
 sloping down the river's edge ; and on 
 each side of the villa, and behind, were 
 trees disposed with the most beautiful and 
 picturesque effect imaginable . Birds were 
 carolling cheerfully and loudly on all side* 
 
 
152 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 :i»nW: 
 
 of me as though they were intoxicatedlstE 
 
 with their own "woodland melody" Jus 
 
 walked about as amid enchantment, breaJsU 
 
 thing the balminess and fragrance of thel ro 
 
 atmosphere, as the wild horse snufFs thel ar 
 
 scent of the desert. How keenly are! de 
 
 JNatures beauties appreciable when butr 
 
 rarely seen by her unfortunjite admirer 
 
 who IS condemned to a town-life ! I stood 
 
 on the lawn by the river's edge, watching 
 
 the ripple of the retiring tide, pondering 
 
 withm myself whether it was possible for 
 
 such scenes as these to have lost all charm' 
 
 lor their restless owner. Did he relish or i 
 
 tolerate them? Could the pursuits of 
 
 ambition have blunted, deadened his sen. 
 
 sibrlities to the beauty of nature, the de- 
 
 lights of _ home ? These thoughts were 
 
 passing through my mind, when I was 
 
 startled by the tapping of a loose glove 
 
 rr,TL^^°"''^^'' ' ^"'^ on turning round 
 beheld Mr. Stafford, in his flowered morn- 
 lag gown, and his face partially shaded 
 trom the glare of the morning sun. "Good 
 morning, doctor-^good morning," said he; 
 a thousand thanks for your attention to 
 my note of last night ; but see r yonder 
 
THE STATESMAPlV 
 
 15^ 
 
 tands Lady Emma, waiting br 
 I us," pointing to her ladyship, who ^as 
 standing at the window of the breakfast- 
 room. °Mr. Stafford put his arm into mine, 
 and we walked up to the house. " My 
 dear sir, what can be the meaning of your 
 , " said I, with an anxious look. 
 
 " Not a word — not a breath — if you 
 please, till we are alone after breakfast." - 
 
 a Well — ^you are bent on tantilizing !— 
 What can be the matter? What is this 
 mountain-mystery ?" ^^ 
 
 <' It may prove a mole hill, perhaps, 
 said he, carelessly ; " but^ we'll see after 
 
 breakfast." . 
 
 '' What an enchanting spot you have of . 
 it!" I exclaimed, pausing, and looking 
 
 around me. ^^ 
 
 "Oh, perfectly paradisaical, I dare say, ' 
 he replied, with an air of indifference that 
 was quite laughable. '' By-the-way," he 
 added hurriedly, '' did you hear any ru- 
 
 mour about Lord 's resignation late 
 
 last night?" — ''Yes,"— *^ And his sue. 
 cesser, is /t« talked of?" he inquired^j 
 
 eagerly. " Mr. C ."—" Mr. C— t 
 
 Is it possible ? Ah, ha—" he muttered, 
 
154 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 thoughtfully downwards. ^ 
 
 turn, do drop these eternal politics for i 
 few moments, I beg.»_«Ay, ay, 'sdll 
 harpmg on my daughter,' I'll sink the shm 
 tor a while, as our town friends say. But 
 I really beg pardon, 'tis rude, very. But 
 here we are. Lady Emma, Drf » 
 
 T u' u^^ "^^ approached her ladyship 
 through the opened staioed-glass doorway^ 
 She sat before the breakfast urn, looking 
 tLZ7f\^' bloomingly beautiful as at 
 the time of her marriage, though ten sum 
 n^ers had waved their^siiken ptons ovTr' 
 
 Jr fad? ' ^? r ""^'^y ^ '"^^'^^ *« flutter 
 or fade a feature in passing. Yes, thus 
 
 she sat m her native lovelinesf and dLfty 
 the airiness of girlhood passed awa? into 
 the mellowed maturity of womanhood r 
 She looked the beau4deal of simple ele' 
 ganoe m her long snowymoming-di Iss her 
 dustenng auburn hair%urmou?ted Sth [ 
 slight gossamer network of blonde : not 
 an ornament about her r I have her figure 
 
 t>etore me, a« she sat on that memorable 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 155 
 
 and looking 
 
 ^tis now my 
 Politics for a 
 S ay, * still 
 ink the shop 
 3 say. But 
 ^ery. But 
 
 Dr ^/' 
 
 er ladyship 
 5s doorway, 
 rn, looking 
 utiful as at 
 [htensum- 
 inions over 
 Je to flutter 
 Yes, thus 
 id dignity, 
 away into 
 manhood ! 
 iimple ele, 
 •di»)ss, her 
 ted with a 
 >nde; not: 
 ler figure, 
 st vividly 
 emorable 
 
 morning, unconscious that the errand 
 which made me her guest, involved — ^but 
 I will not anticipate. She adored, nay, 
 idolized, her husband — ^little as she saw of 
 him — and he was in turn as fondly attach- 
 ed to her as a man could be whose whole 
 soul was swallowed up in ambition. Yes, 
 he was not the first to whom political pur* 
 suits have proved a very disease, shedding 
 blight and mildew over the heart ! 
 
 I thought I detected an appearance of 
 restraint in the manner of each. Lady 
 Emma often cast a furtive glance of anxi- 
 ety at her husband — and with reason — for 
 his features wore an air of repressed un- 
 easiness. He was now and then ab- 
 sent, and, when addressed by either of 
 us, would reply with a momentary stern- 
 ness of manner — passing, however, in- 
 stantly away — which showed that his mind 
 was occupied with unpleasant or troubled 
 thoughts. He seemed at last aware that 
 his demeanour attracted our observation, 
 and took to acting. All traces of anxiety 
 or uneasiness disappeared, and gave place 
 to his usual perfect urbanity and cheerful, 
 ness. Ladv Emma's manner towards me, 
 

 156 
 
 too, 
 
 THB STATESMAN. 
 
 /as cooler than usual, which I nf. 
 ing been sufficiently accounted for. Mv 
 
 A T ,"^l,a delicious niornine !" exolajm 
 f ^^^dy Emma, looking through the wk" 
 dow at the fresh blue skv and the rfhl 
 prospect beneath. We Jchocd her smf 
 ZllcC ^ '^'"y '^"^ I, "that could 
 would ni'tJ'"'' r'^^''' '^^ this mine, 
 don fori" r-'' T^ ^^"'^ "r^ ^^ Lon! 
 
 a siah i.T~' P '^'^ h^" ladyship with 
 " wt'i^^ ''^'^H^y -t her husband 
 
 thoughU'' 1 wTor "^^^ ''' ^-^"« 
 
 and solitude, my Lord Rotommo„°f ^^^^ 
 * Hail, sacred solitudp ' frrxrr^ *l • ■^ , 
 
 tnl ^ wise pride despise 
 All those senseless vanities : 
 With pity moved for others, cast awav 
 
 g-e the preSCLt ^oVth^ *:r ^"^ -• 
 Unhappy men, or adverse fate. ^V 
 
THE STATESMAIT. 
 
 157 
 
 ^h I attri.i 
 e not hav, 
 for. Mjr 
 iceived. 
 
 ' exclaim. 
 1 the win- 
 le cheery 
 her senti. 
 tt could I 
 is mine, I 
 •of Lon. 
 ight with 
 ship with 
 liusband. 
 tranquil 
 
 Sunk deep into the gulfs- of an afflicted state • 
 But more, far raore, a numberless prodigious train. 
 WJiile virtue courts them, but, alas ! in vain. 
 Fly from her kind embracing arms 
 
 I '""^charms ^""""^^'^ ""^"^ ^^""^ ^"^ ^^' ^^""^^"^ 
 And, sunk in pleasures and in brutish ease, 
 They, in their shipwrecked state, themselves 
 obdurate please. , ^ 
 
 ' Here may I always on this downy grass, 
 Unknoven, unseen, my easy moments pass, 
 Till, with a genile force, victorious Death 
 My solitude invade, 
 And>, stopping for awhile my breath. 
 With ease convey me to a better shade !' 
 
 " There's for you, my lady ! Well 
 a'ag, ray Lord Roscommon ! Beautiful. 
 as true ! exclaimed Mr. Stafford, gayly, as 
 Stafford, |soon as he had concluded repeating the 
 "peace |above ode, in his own distinct and beauti- 
 ful elocution, with real pathos ot manner ; 
 but his moutli. a&d eye betrayed that his 
 own nfiind sympathized not with the emo- 
 tions of the poet, but rather despised the 
 m of inglorious repose they breathed. 
 The tears were in Lady Emma's eyes, as 
 she listened to him ! Presently one of h'S 
 daughters, ai[«e little giri about ^x yeai^' 
 rf^e, came sidiirrf^ndiimmrirt^^^ ^^ 
 
 of 
 n. 
 
 ay 
 
 oss'd 
 lost ; 
 
158 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 room, and made her way to her mother! 
 She was a lively, rosy, arch-eyed little 
 creature — and her father looked fondly at 
 her for a moment, exclaiming, " Well 
 Eleanor !" and his thoughts had evidently 
 soon passed far away. The conversation 
 turned on Mr. Stafford's reckless, absorb, 
 ing pursuit of politics— vhich Lady Stall 
 ford and I deplored — and entreated him to 
 give more of his time and affections to do. 
 mestic concerns. * * * "You talk to 
 me as if I were dying," said he, rather 
 petulantly, " why should I not pursue my 
 profession — my legitimate profession ?-l 
 As for your still waters — your pastoral 
 simplicities — your Arcadian bliss — pray 
 what inducements have [ to run counter to 
 my own inclinations to cruise what you 
 are pleased to call the stormy sea of poM- 
 tics?"—" What inducements ?— Charles,-,^ 
 Charles — can't you find them here V said Icoi 
 bis lady, pointing to herself and daughter. I at 
 Mr. Stafford's eyes filled with tears, even 
 to oYerflowing, and he grasped her hand Iqui 
 with affectionate energy, took his smiling jab 
 unconscious daughter on his knee, and IDr. 
 kissed her with passionate fervour. &- Ithe 
 
 n 
 
 
 
 n 
 
 1( 
 fc 
 c: 
 ci 
 \\ 
 w 
 in 
 al 
 tu 
 so 
 inj 
 
 0V( 
 
 an< 
 qu 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 i5d 
 
 ) hcrmothef! 
 ;h.eyed little 
 ked fondly at 
 ling, "Well 
 lad evidently 
 
 conversation 
 tless, absorb. 
 h Lady Stall 
 •eated him to 
 3Ctions to do. 
 " You talk to 
 d he, rather 
 't pursue my 
 rofession ?-l 
 our pastoral 
 
 bliss — pray 
 in counter to 
 je what you 
 
 sea of poll- 
 
 ? — Charlesy 
 here V said 
 id daughter. 
 
 tears, even 
 ed her hand 
 
 his smiling 
 
 knee, and 
 rvour. jSe- 
 
 imX insanavimus omnes,'' he muttered to 
 T/k ^/^"^ "^ow^ents after, as if ashamM 
 of the display he had recently made. For 
 my own part I saw that he occasionally 
 lost the control over feelings which were, 
 for some reasons or other, disturbed and 
 
 Zrr!A\ t^ ^^"'^ possibly have oc. 
 T t \ ^^^^^"g^ as it may seem, a 
 thought of the real state of matters, as thev 
 will presently be disclosed, never for an 
 instant crossed my mind. I longed— I 
 almost sickened— for the promised oppor- 
 tumty of being alone with him. It was 
 soon afforded me by the servants appear. 
 ing at the door, and announcing the car- 
 fiage. 
 
 " «!* ^^^^ • positively prayers will be 
 over! exclaimed Lady Emma, risinff, 
 and looking hurriedly at her watch, "we've 
 quite forgotten church hours ! do you ac 
 company us, doctor?" said she, looking 
 at me. ® 
 
 "No, Emma," replied Mr. StafTord, 
 quickly, « you and the family must go ' 
 alone this morning_I shall stop and keip 
 fj company, and take a walk over 
 
 tne COUntrv fnr nnro " To/^Trl?.. —.VL 
 
160 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 an unsatisfied glance at both of us, with, 
 drew. Mr. Stafford immediately proposed 
 a walk ; and we were soon on our way to 
 a small Gothic alcove near the water side. 
 . t'^Now, doctor, to the point," said he, 
 abruptly, as soon as we were seated. <^CaD 
 I reckon on a real friend in you V scrui 
 tinizing my features closely. 
 ^ " Most certainly you may,'' I replied, 
 with astonishment. " What can I do for) 
 you?— Something or other is wrong, ] 
 fear ! can I do any thing for you m any 
 way ?'' 
 
 ^.,<iYeSj'' said >he^ deliberately, and look. 
 ing fixedly at me, as if to mark the effect 
 of his words ; " I shall require a proof o( 
 your friendship soon; I must have your 
 services this evening— at seven o'clock." 
 
 " Grapious heaven, Mr. Stafford ! — why 
 why^^ — \^ it possible that---do I guees 
 aright ?" I stammered almost breathless, 
 and rising from my seat. 
 
 " Oh, doctor— doja't be foolish-^exeuse 
 me— but don't— don't, I beg. Pray give 
 me^yo^^ answer! I'm sure you und^rJ 
 stand my question. Agitation deprived 
 ^me for a while of utterance. 
 
us, with, 
 proposed 
 ir way to 
 ater side, 
 said he, 
 d. *^CaD 
 scru. 
 
 V 
 
 replied, 
 
 I do fori 
 
 i^rong, Ij 
 
 u m any 
 
 ^nd look. I 
 he effect 
 proof o(| 
 YB your 
 'clock." 
 ! — why 
 I guees 
 sathless, 
 
 -excuse 
 ^ay give 
 
 lepriy^d 
 
 TH|i STATESMAN. 
 
 " I beg an answer, Dr ," he resum- 
 
 d, coldly « as, if you refuse, I shall be 
 
 ;eiy much inconvenienced. 'Tis but a 
 
 kttle affair~a silly business, that cir<;um. 
 
 stances have made inevitable—I'm sure 
 
 'ou must have seen a hint at it in the last 
 
 light s papers. Doii't misunderstand me " 
 
 le proceeded, seeing me continue silent • 
 
 don t Wish you to take an active part in 
 
 the business— but to be on the spot— and 
 
 to, the event of any thing unfortunate hao: 
 
 lenmg to me— to hurry home here, and 
 
 irepare Lady Emma and the family— that 
 
 iall. Mr. G ,» naming a well-known 
 
 innysurgeon, "will attend professionally » 
 
 v&s so confounded by the suddenness of 
 
 le application, that I could do no more 
 
 fan utter indistinctly my regret at what 
 
 too happened. 
 
 « W«ll Doctor . .," he continued, in 
 
 haughty tone, " I find, that, after all, I 
 ive been mistaken in my man. I own I 
 Id not expect that this— the first favour I 
 m ever asked at your hands, and, possi- 
 i.r, the last— would . have been refused, 
 'M I must insist on an answer one way 
 
 bother; you fl^ust be aware I have no 
 iffle to lose." 
 
THE STATESMAI{. 
 
 ** Mr. StafTord*— pardon me — ^you mis.|«^to n 
 take me ! Allow me a word ; you cannotl House 
 have committed yourself rashly in thwlhit up 
 affair ! Consider Lady Emma-*-your|annoyi 
 children—" L^^^. 
 
 ^ "I have— I have," he answered, gfasp-lridof i 
 ing my hand, while his voice faltered,! he con 
 *^ and I need hardly inform you thatitijiig to r 
 that consideration only which occasiomlmy chi 
 the little disturbance of manner you maylnotorio 
 have noticed. But you are a man of thelcountn 
 world enou^t^h to be aware that I MtiST goldaimec 
 through with the business. 1 am not thelhand i 
 challenger." |(lejecte( 
 
 I asked him for the particulars of thelsome ti 
 affair. It originated in a biting sarcasmluever b 
 which he had uttered, with reference to aiLady I 
 young noblemanvin the House of Common8,|feair ! 
 on Friday evening, which had been oonJlife woi 
 strued into a personal affront, and for whichleven to 
 an apology had been demanded ; — menJ " So 
 tioning the alternative in terms almost apjeveninc 
 .preaching to insolence, evidently for thelful busi; 
 purpose of provoking him into a refusal to| « Exi 
 retract or apologize. 
 
 " It's my firm persuasion that there is a 
 plot among a certain party to deistroy m compan^ 
 
THB STATESMAN. 
 
 163 
 
 ou caSl Ju '^ "'"''^ T f!»?^'°"s "nember from the 
 Iv in n?r^1"^ *^ '' '^^ ^^^""^ they have 
 na^vo I""* "P°"' K^ ^^""^ succeeded, I find, in 
 na— youtjjnnoying the .interest bevond mea- 
 
 P,1 .Tr«»lT/ *" , ? *^®y '""^t ^* alfevents get 
 f«l?3l!:"^^^ "^"^ • ■^y' t'^'^ '=«'• 0^ a lordling it il," 
 
 1 haH<1;|!"T*T^'^' ""'^^ ^'^^' emphasis, « who 
 1 vnatit«|B to make my sweet wife a widow, and 
 
 occasioalmy children orpban^for Lord -__"s 
 Jn"nf"!IIl'""°"°"l'y ^"® °^ ^^^ best shots in the 
 
 m nnM?!?"?^.'* ^^J'^ * ^Sb, thrusting his 
 m not the! and into his bosom,%nd looking down 
 
 r« nftJi^''^^-^^' "^f "^^**»«'' of "s spoke for 
 r «™l'°"' I!™'- " ^°"'d to Heaven we had 
 Inl rlf? ' ^''° ""^'"^'^ •'" ''^ resumed. "Poor 
 \fmZl.l^ T ^^""^ '^^^^ ^ wretched life of it, I 
 
 fi!! ^Sl '^ '''°";'^ ^^ "trewn with thorny cares, 
 for «vhicli|e¥en to the grave's brink '" 
 
 iS^ulO"* ^''« ^T ''*^"y P'tched upon iAw 
 
 k fo £fc^~^"."?7. """"'"«' fo^ this dread- 
 l> tor thelful busmess ?» I inquired. 
 
 refusaltol "Exactly. We must be on the spot bv 
 seven precisely. I say we, doctor," lay. 
 ing his hand on mine. I consented to ac- 
 
 there is i 
 
 stroy m company him. « Come now, that^rki^l J 
 
 j«J 
 
 
m 
 
 TAe STATBgMAN. 
 
 I'll remember you for it. * * * jj j,| year! 
 now nearly half past twelve," lookint^ atl"""'^ 
 ftis watch, •' and by one, my Lord A— 1 "I for ^' 
 ■mentioning a well-known nobleman, « ist(J'^'''i 
 be here ; who is to stand by me on theocj''^^"" 
 casion. I wish he were here; — for I'vJ^'''^^' 
 added a codicil to my will, and want'yojan'' 
 Both to witness my signature. * * * jlprese 
 look a little fagged— don't I ?» heasked|-*»' 
 with a smile. I told him he certainly lookl ^iiis 
 ed rather sallow and worn." " How doej|"*y' 1 
 our friend walk his paces ?" he inquired I «''"°^ 
 baring his wrist for me to feel his pulge!|'""<^'^ 
 The circulation was little, if at all disturli.|'^''^P^s 
 ed, and I told him so. « It vvould not hawl "-^P 
 been very wonderful if it had, I think • hV^ ^ia 
 I ve been up half the night-till nearlyl, ''^ 
 five this morning, correcting the Idst tmi ^^^^ 
 
 proot-sheets of my speech on the bfl! *" "" 
 
 which -— - is pubHsMng. I think it will 
 read well ; at loast I Hope it will, in com- 
 mon justice to myself, for it was most vile- 
 ly curtailed and misrepresented by there- 
 porters. By-the. way— would you believe 
 
 LVL u"~T'*^P^®'"^ t'^a^ night 'W*( 
 nothidg but a hundreth hash of mine M'hieiJ 
 I deUvemd! in the Hbuse-more than eight 
 
 to rec 
 bitter 
 and ta 
 up. ] 
 a few 
 side, 
 chagri 
 ly— « 
 would 
 
THE STATESMANi 
 
 166 
 
 * *.ItB 
 
 looking at 
 
 d A— 1," 
 
 3 on the oc. 
 :— for Fve, 
 I want 'you 
 
 he asked 
 ainly look. 
 How does 
 '' inquired, 
 
 his pulse, 
 ill disturb. 
 A not have 
 think; for 
 ill nearly 
 le last two 
 
 bill, 
 
 ink it will 
 I, in com- 
 most vile- 
 by there. 
 )u believe 
 ight'Wai 
 ineM^hieft 
 ban ei'gfrti 
 
 jrears ago !" said he, with an eager and 
 contemptuous air. I made him no reply; 
 for my thoughts were too sadly occupied 
 with the dreadful communication he had 
 recently made me. I abhorred, and do 
 abhor and despise duelling, both in theory 
 and practice ; and now, to have to be 
 present at one, and one in which my friend 
 -^such a friend !— was to be a principal. 
 This thought, and a glance atthepossiblej 
 nay, probable desolation and broken-heart- 
 edness which might follow, was almost too 
 much for me. But I knew Mr. Staff )rd's 
 disposition too well to attempt expostulation 
 — espacially in the evidently morbid state 
 of his feelincrs. 
 
 " Come, come, dector, let's walk a little ! 
 Your feelings flag !— You might be going 
 to receive satisfaction yourself," with a 
 bitter sneer, " instead of seeing it given 
 and taken by others I-^Come, cheer, cheer 
 up. He put his arm in mine, and led me 
 a few steps across the lawn, by the water 
 side. " Dear, dear me V said he, with a 
 chagrined air, pulling out his watch hasti^ 
 ly— " I wish to heaven, my Lord A- — • 
 would make his appearance! I protest 
 
 / 
 
166 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 hei" ladyship will have returned from 
 church before we have settled our few 
 imatters, unless, by-the-way, she drive 
 
 round by Admiral 's, as she talked ofl 
 
 last night. Ah, my God, think of my 
 leaving her and the girls, with a gay air, 
 as if we parted but for an hour, when it I 
 may be foi* ever ! And yet what can one! 
 do ?" While he was speaking, my eye] 
 .caught sight of a servant making his wayj 
 towards us rapidly through the shrubbery, 
 ^bearing in his hand a letter, which he put| 
 into Mr. Stafford's hands, saying, a couri, 
 ®r had brought it that moment, and was^ 
 waiting to take an answer back to town. 
 " Ah— verygood — let him wait till I come," 
 isaid Mr; Stafford. "Excuse me. Doctor 
 - — -," bursting open the envelope with a 
 little trepidation, and putting it into my 
 hands, while he read the enclosed note. 
 The envelope bore in one corner the name 
 of the premie ., and in the other the words^ 
 " private and confidential,'' and was sealed 
 with the private crest and coronet of the 
 earl. .^^ 
 
 " Great God— read it !" exclainled-Mr. 
 
 ^Stafford, thrusting the note before me, and 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 167 
 
 d from 
 3ur few 
 le drive 
 alked of 
 
 : of nay 
 gay air, 
 when it 
 can one! 
 my eye: 
 his way] 
 rubbery, 
 ihhe put 
 a courl 
 and Was I 
 to town. 
 [ come," 
 !, Doctor 
 •6 with a 
 into my 
 sed note, 
 he name 
 3 words, 
 as sealed 
 ^t of the 
 
 elevating his hands and eyes despairingly. 
 Much agitated myself, at witnessing the 
 effect of the communication on my friencj,, 
 I took it and read nearly as toUows : — 
 
 "My dear Stafford, — I had late last- 
 night his majesty's commands to offer you 
 
 the seals of the oflice, accompanied 
 
 with the most gracious expressions of con- 
 sideration for yourself personally, and hju$ 
 conviction that you will discharge the inji- 
 portant duties henceforth devolving upoa 
 you with honour to yourself and advanti 
 to your majesty's councils. In all whic^ 
 I need hardly assure you, I most heartily 
 concur. I beg to add, that I shall feel 
 great pride and pleasure in having you for 
 a colleague — and it has not been my fauljii 
 that such was not the case earlier. May 
 I entreat your answer by the bearer's re- 
 turn ? as the state of public affairs \yill 
 not admit of delay in filling up so imppr- 
 tant an office. I beg you will believe mOy 
 ever yours, most faithfully, 
 
 " WhUehall) Sunday noon, 12 o^clock.^^ > 
 
 rried-Mr J After hurriedly r .iding the above, -| 
 
 oontinued holding the letter in my toi^Mfei 
 
 me, and 
 
 
J«8 
 
 THE STATESMAIf. 
 
 speechlessly gazing at Mr. Stafford. Well 
 might such a bitter balk excite the tumul- 
 tuous conflict of passions which the vary, 
 ing features of Mr. Stafford — now flushed, 
 now pale — too truly evidenced. This 
 dazzling proffer made him only a few hours 
 bef6re his standing the fatal fire of an ac- 
 complished duellist !— I watched him in 
 silent agony. At length he clasped his 
 hands with passionate energy, and exclaim. 
 ed — " Oh, madness — madness — madness! 
 —Just within reach of the prize I have 
 run for all my life !" At that instant a 
 wherryful of bedizened Londoners passed 
 close before us on their way towards Rich- 
 mond , and I saw by their whispers they 
 had recognized Mr. Stafford. He also saw 
 them, and exclaimed to me, in a tone I 
 shall never forget, " Happy, happy fools!,*' 
 and turned away towards the house. He 
 removed his arm from mine, and stood 
 pondering a few moments with his eyes 
 fixed on the grass. 
 
 *' Doctor, what's to be done ?" — he al- 
 most shouted, turning suddenly to me, 
 grasping my arm, and staring vacantly 
 into my face. I began to fear lest he should 
 tptaiiv lose the command of himseifj 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 lea 
 
 " For God's sake Mr. Stafford, be calm ! 
 —Recollect yourself! — or madness — ruirt* 
 —I know not what — is before you !" I said 
 in an earnest, imploring tone, seeing his 
 eye still glaring . fixedly upon me. At 
 length he succeeded in overmastering his 
 feelings. — " Oh — folly, folly, this ! — Ine- 
 vitable !" he exclaimed, in a calmer tone. 
 '< But the letter must be answered. What 
 can I say, doctor ?" putting his arm in 
 mine, and walking up to the house rapidly. 
 We made our way to the library, and Mri* 
 Stafford sat down before his desk. He 
 opened his portfueille slowly and thought- 
 fully. " Of course — decline ?" said he, 
 with a profound sigh, turning to me with 
 his pen in his hand. 
 
 "No — assuredly, it would be precipitate. 
 Wait for the issue of this sad business. 
 You MAY escape." — " No — no — no ! My 
 Lord is singularly prompt and deci- 
 sive in all he does, especially in dispo 
 sing of his places. I must — I must-— ay 
 ^-beginning to write — '' I must respect^; 
 fully decline — altogether. But on what 
 grounds ? Oh, God ! even should I escape 
 to-day, I am ruined for ever in parliaraertt ! 
 
 j> 
 
170 
 
 THI STATESMAN. 
 
 >>j 
 
 He 
 
 —-What w^'ll become of m( 
 
 down the pen, and moved his hand rapidly 
 
 over his face. 
 
 " Why — perhaps it v/ould be better.— 
 Tell his lordship frankly how you are 
 circumstanced." 
 
 ** Tut !" he exclaimed, impetuously, 
 " ask him for peace-officers ! a likely 
 thing !" He pressed both his hands on his 
 forehead, leaning on his elbows over the 
 desk. A servant that moment appeared, 
 and said — '^Please, sir, the man says he 
 had orders not to wait more than five mi. 
 nutes — " 
 
 " Begone ! — Let him wait, sir !" thun- 
 
 red Mr. Stafford — and resumed his pen. 
 
 " Can't you throv yourself on his lord- 
 ship's personal good feeling towards you, 
 and say that such an offer requires coiisi- 
 deration— that it must interfere with, and 
 derange on the instant many of your poli- 
 tical engagements — and that your answer 
 shall be at Whitehall by — say nine o'clock 
 this evening ? So you will gain time, at 
 lieast !" 
 
 ^VGood* 'Twill do — -a fair plea for 
 .tim^ ; — but I'm afraid !" said he, mourn- 
 
 de 
 
 fully ; 
 answer 
 folded 
 usual I 
 the sei 
 Isaw th< 
 
 "Nc 
 den m 
 said he 
 gloriou 
 speck- 
 lessnes 
 lined o] 
 there u 
 ly thro 
 ring do 
 He soo: 
 be hel] 
 Medea 
 he said 
 froom, 
 lomen 
 
 ire wi 
 md hi{ 
 md m 
 
 •good 
 
 _,*.^ ^u 
 
 ■MtiU ail 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 171' 
 
 He laid 
 . rapidly 
 
 setter. — 
 you are 
 
 jtuously, 
 L likely 
 ds on his 
 over the 
 ppeared, 
 says he 
 five nii, 
 
 !" thun. 
 
 his pen. 
 his lord- 
 rds you, 
 es coiisi- 
 k^ith, and 
 our poli- 
 r answer 
 e o'clock 
 
 time, at 
 
 plea for 
 , mourn- 
 
 fully ; and taking his pen, he wrote off an 
 answer to that effect. He read it to me— 
 folded it up — sealed it — directed it in his 
 usual bold and flowing hand — I rung for 
 the servant — and in a few moments we 
 saw the courier galloping past the window. 
 j " Now, doctor, isn't this enough to mad- 
 den me? Oh, God! it's intolerable!'' 
 said he, rising and approaching me, — " my 
 glorious prospects to be darkened by this 
 speck — this atom of puppyism — of worth- 
 
 lessness, 
 
 -nammg 
 
 Lord 
 
 his des- 
 
 lined opponent. — " Oh, — //"there were — ^if 
 there were — "he resumed, speaking fierce- 
 ly through his closed teeth, his eyes gla- 
 ring downwards, and his hands clenched. 
 He soon relaxed. '^ Well, well ! it can't 
 be helped ; 'tis inevitable * * * * * — as 
 Medea says ! Ah — Lord A— — at last," 
 he said, as a gentleman, followed by his 
 pom, rode past the window. In a few 
 oments he entered the library. His sta- 
 re was lofty, his features commanding, 
 md his bearing fraught with composure 
 lid military hauteur. " Ah, — Stafford, 
 good morning!" said he, approaching 
 
 1— U— xl- _ T .J . 
 
 VVciiiiiiy uy iiiU liaiili.^ 
 
 *iiU oUaKiil^ 
 
 u: 
 
 lliiii 
 
172 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 Vi' 
 
 Jit" 
 
 
 " Upon my soul I'm sorry for the business 
 I'm come about."— "I can sympathise 
 with you, I think," replied Mr. Stafford, 
 
 calmly ; " My Lord, allow me— Dr. " 
 
 I bowed* " Fully in my confidence— an 
 old friend," he whispered Lord A— inl 
 consequence of his lordship's inquisitive 
 suspicious glance. ** ^^ Well, you must 
 teach the presumptuous puppy better man. 
 ners this evening," said his lordship, ad. 
 justing his black stock with an indifferent 
 
 air ! 
 
 u Xy — nothing like a leaden lesson, 
 
 replied Mr. Stafford, with a cold smile. 
 
 " For a leaden head, too, by !" re.l 
 
 joined his lordship quickly. " We shall 
 
 run you pretty fair through, I think ; for 
 
 we've determined on putting you up at six 
 
 paces—" 
 
 " Six paces ! — why we shall blow one 
 
 another to !" echoed Mr. Stafford, 
 
 with consternation. "'Twouldhe rather 
 hard to go there in such bad company, I 
 own. Six paces!" continued Mr. Staf- 
 ford ; "how could you be so absurd !— It 
 will be deliberate murder r ^ ^ ^ 
 
 " Poh, poh ! — never a bit of it, my uos' 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 173 
 
 fellow — never a bit of it ! — I've put many 
 up at that distance — and, believe me, the 
 chances are ten to two that both miss." 
 
 *^Both miss at six paces?'' inquired Mr. 
 j Stafford, with an incredulous sn^ile. 
 
 ** Ay ! both miss, I say ; and no won- 
 der either ! Such contiguity ! — Egad, 
 'twould make a statue nervous !" 
 
 " But A — — ! have you really deter- 
 mined on putting us up at six paces !" , 
 again inquired Mr. Stafford, earnestly. 
 
 " Most unquestionably," replied hislord^ 
 ship, briskly ; adding, rather coldly^ " I 
 flatter myself, Staff'ord, that when' a man's 
 hnour is at stake, six or sixty paces are 
 matters equally indiflferent." 
 
 " Ay, ay. A-—, I dare say," replied 
 Mr. Stafford, with a melancholy air ; " but 
 'tis hard to die by the hands of a puppy, 
 and under such circumstances !— Did you 
 not meet a man on horseback ?" 
 
 " Ay, ay," replied his lordship, eager- 
 
 ly, " I did — a courier of my Lord 's, 
 
 and thundering townward at a prodigious 
 rate — any doings there between you and 
 the premier ?" 
 
 ^^Read!" said Mr, StafTord, putting 
 
 I 
 
!i 
 
 174 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 
 Lord 's letter into his hand. Before 
 
 his lordship had more than half read it, he 
 let it fall on the table, exclaiming, "Good 
 God ! was there ever such an unfortunate 
 thing in the world before ! — Ha'n't it reaL_ 
 ly driven you mad, Stafford V^ 
 
 " No," he replied, with a sigh ; " the 
 
 thing must be borne !" Lord A walk. 
 
 ed a few steps about the room, thought, 
 fully, with energetic gestures. "If— if 
 I could but find a pretext — if I could but 
 come across the puppy, in the interval-. 
 I'd give my life to have a shot preparatory 
 with him!" he muttered. Mr. Stafford 
 smiled. " While I think of it," said he, 
 opening his desk, "here's m)5 will. I 
 wish you and Dr. '- 
 
 We did — and affixed our names. 
 
 * * * * ^< * 
 
 "'By-the-way," said his lordship, sud. 
 denly, addressing Mr. Stafford, who with 
 his chin resting on his hands, and his fea- 
 tures wearing an air of intense thought, 
 had been silent for some minutes ; how do 
 you put off Lady Emma to-day ? How 
 do you account for your absence ?" 
 
 " Why, I've told her we three were 
 
 to see me sign. 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 3. Before 
 read it, he 
 
 ig,^ " Good 
 infortunate 
 'n't it real 
 
 iigh; "the 
 
 walk. 
 
 I, thought. 
 . " If—if 
 could but 
 interval-. 
 reparatory 
 r. Stafford 
 " said he, 
 S will. I 
 me sign." 
 • 
 
 ship, sud. 
 who with 
 nd his fea- 
 thought, 
 s ; how do 
 y ? How 
 
 iree were 
 
 engaged to dinner at Sir 
 
 1^5 
 
 's, ilaniinff 
 a neighbouring baronet — Pm afraid it wiU 
 kill Lady Emma if I fall," he faltered, 
 while the tears rushed to his eyes. He 
 stepped towards the decanters, which had, 
 a little while before, been brought in by 
 the servant ; and after asking us to do the 
 same, poured out a glass, and drank it 
 hastily — and another — and another. 
 
 " Well, this is one of the saddest affairs, 
 altogether, that I ever knew !" exclaimed 
 his Lordship. " Stafford — I feel for you 
 from my heart's core I do !" he continued, 
 grasping him affectionately by the hand ; 
 " here's to your success to-night, and God's 
 blessing to Lady Emma !" Mr. Stafford 
 started suddenly from him, and walked to 
 the window, where Ik' stood for a few 
 minutes in jsilence. " Lady Emma is 
 returning, I see," said he, approaching us. 
 His features exhibited little or no traces of 
 agitation. He poured out another glass 
 of wine, and drank it off at a draught, and 
 had hardly set down the glass before the 
 carriage-steps were heard letting down at 
 the door. Mr. Stafford turned to them 
 with an eye of agony, as his lady and one 
 of her little girls descended. 
 
176 
 
 THE STATESMAN* 
 
 " I think we'd perhaps better not join 
 her ladyship belbre our setting off," said 
 
 Lord A , looking anxiously at poor 
 
 Mr. Stafford. 
 
 " Oh, but we will,'^ said he, leading to 
 the door. He had perfectly recovered his 
 self-possession. I never knew a man that 
 had such remarkable command of face 
 and manner as Mr. Stafford. I was amaz. 
 ed at the gay — almost nonchalant air witk 
 which he walked up to Lady Emma- 
 asked her about the sermon — whether she 
 
 had called at Admiral 's — and several 
 
 other such questions. 
 
 ^' Ah — and how is it with you, my little 
 Hebe — eh ?" said he, taking the laughing 
 girl into his arms, laughing, tickling, and 
 kissing her, with all a father's fondness. 
 I saw his heart was swelling within him; 
 and the touching sight brought, with pow. 
 erful force, to my recollection, a similar 
 scene in the Medea of Euripides, ^vhere 
 the mother is bewailing over the *' last 
 smile" of her children. He succeeded in 
 betraying no painful emotion in his lady's 
 
 presence — and Lord A took good care 
 
 %o enga^jo her in ince<ssant conversation* 
 
sr not join 
 
 off," said 
 
 ly at poor 
 
 leading to 
 covered his 
 a man that 
 id of face 
 was amaz. 
 mt air witk 
 Emma— 
 whether she 
 md several 
 
 a, my little 
 e laughing 
 ;k]ing, and 
 fondness, 
 ithin him; 
 
 with pow. 
 , a similar 
 les, where 
 
 the ^Mast 
 eceeded in 
 
 his lady'8 
 L good care 
 ersation* 
 
 THE jlTATESMAN; 
 
 177 
 
 *' What does your ladyship say to a 
 Walk through the grounds ?" said he, 
 proffering his arm — which she accepted, 
 and we all walked out together. The day 
 was beautiful, but oppressively sultry, and 
 we turned our steps towards the planta- 
 tions. Mr. Stafford and I Walked together, 
 and slipped a little behind for the purpose 
 of conversation. '- 1 won't have much 
 opportunity of speaking with you^ doctor,'^ 
 said he, " so I'll say what is uppermost 
 now. Be sure, my dear doctor, to hurry 
 from the field — which is about four miles 
 from my house — to Lady Emma — 'in the 
 event of my being either killed orwoimd^ 
 ed — and do what you think best, to pre- 
 pare my wife for the event. I cannot trust 
 her to better — -gentler hands than yours-—* 
 my old — my tried frieiid ! — 'You know 
 where my will is-*-and I've given direc- 
 tions for my funeral." 
 
 " Oh dear, dear Stafford," I interrupted 
 him, moved almost to tears, " don't speak 
 so hopelessly !" 
 
 " Oh, doctor — nonsense — ^there's Ho 
 disguising matters from one's self. Is 
 there a chance for me ? No — ^Fm a mur- 
 
178 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 dered man — and can you doubt it ? Lord 
 
 ■ can do only one thing well in the 
 
 world, and that is, hit his man at any dis- 
 tance ; and then six paces off each other ! 
 
 Lord A may say what he likes ; but 
 
 I call it murder. However, the absurd 
 customs of society rnust be complied with ! 
 -—I hope," he added, after a pause, " that 
 when the nine-days'-wonder of the affair 
 shall have passed off— if I fall — when the 
 press shall cease its lying about it — that 
 my friends will do justice to my memory. 
 God knows, I really love my country, and 
 would have served it — it was my ambition 
 to do so — but it's useless talking now !— . 
 I am excessively vexed that this affair 
 
 should have occurred before the 
 
 question comes on, in preparation for which 
 I have been toiling incessantly, night and 
 day, for this month past. I know that 
 great expectations—" At that instant, 
 Lord A — — and Lady Emma met us, 
 and we had no further opportunity of con^ 
 versing. We returned to lunch after a 
 few minutes' longer walk. 
 
 "God bless you, Emma!" said Mr. 
 Stafford, nodding, with an affectionate smile 
 
 a 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 179 
 
 t? Lord 
 ^11 in the 
 
 any dis- 
 ch other ! 
 kes; but 
 3 absurd 
 ied with ! 
 se, '' that 
 the affair 
 ^hen the 
 
 it — that 
 memory, 
 itrjr, and 
 
 ambition 
 ; now ! — 
 
 us affair 
 
 or which 
 light and 
 low that 
 instant, 
 met us, 
 'f of con^ 
 1 after a 
 
 aid Mr. 
 ite smile 
 
 as he took wine with his lady. He betray-^ 
 ed no emotion throughout the time we sat 
 together — bu+ conversed long— -and often 
 iQ a lively bt.dln — on the popular topics of 
 t le day. He rung for his valet, and di- 
 rected him to have his toilet ready — and 
 to order the carriage for four o'clock. He 
 then withdrew — and in about a quarter of 
 an hour's time, returned, dressed'in a blue 
 surtout and white trousers. He was a 
 very handsome, well-made man, and seem- 
 ed dressed • with particular elegance, I 
 thought. 
 
 " Upon my honour, Charles^^you are 
 in a pretty dinner-trim,'' said Lady Emma, 
 " and all o^ you, I protest !" she continued, 
 looking round with surprise at our walk- 
 ing-dress. Mr. Stafford told her, with a 
 ' 'igh, that we were going to meet none 
 uut bachelors. 
 
 " What !— why, where will lae Miss 
 s be r 
 
 " Ordered out, my lady, for the day,^* 
 replied Lord A , with a smile, prompt- 
 ly, lest his friend should hesitate : " 'tis to 
 be a miodclof a divan, I understand !" 
 
 ^* Don't be late, love V^ said Lady Emmti 
 
 ;J-v| 
 
i 
 
 180 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 to her husband, as he was drawing on his 
 gloves ; ** you know I've little enough of 
 you at. all times — don't — don't be late!'' 
 
 *( No — no later than I can help, certain, 
 ly !" said he, moving to the door. 
 
 " Say eleven — will you U — come, for 
 
 once 
 
 /" 
 
 " Well— -yes. I will return by eleven," 
 he replied, pointedly, and I detected a 
 little tremulousness in his tone. 
 
 "Papa! papa !'^ exclaimed his little 
 daughter, running across the hall, as her 
 father was on the carriage-steps ; " Papa ! 
 Papa ! ma^ I sit up to-night till you come 
 home ?" He made no reply, but beckon, 
 ed us in, hurriedly—sat back in his seat- 
 thundered, ^' Drive on, sir V^ and burst into 
 tears. 
 
 " Oh^ my dear fellow— Stafford — Staf^ 
 ford ! This will never do. What will 
 our friends on the ground say ?" inquired 
 Lord A . 
 
 )nly 
 
 ind be 
 
 act of 
 
 "01 
 
 3ointin 
 vou'll 
 ar on c 
 ay, an 
 )r clip 
 im.'' 
 
 "My 
 mice ? 
 Dquire( 
 
 "Ipr 
 aid Lo 
 le wim 
 don't 1 
 ly pisto 
 ontinue 
 e excia: 
 ding at 
 
 " What they like V replied Mr. Stafford, 
 sternly, still in tears. He soon recovered lertake 
 himself. I 
 
 * * After driving sometime, *' Now, 
 let me give you a bit of advice,'' said Lor4 
 
 e pistol 
 
 afford 
 efully 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 181 
 
 ig on his 
 lough of 
 be late!'' 
 , certain, 
 
 Dme, for 
 
 eleven," 
 tected a 
 
 his little 
 I, as her 
 "Papa! 
 ou come 
 beckon- 
 is seat — 
 ►urst into 
 
 d~Staf. 
 hat will 
 inquired 
 
 Stafford, 
 covered 
 
 " Now, 
 lid Lor4 
 
 \- , in an earnest tone, " we shall say 
 
 )nly one word, by way of sio-nal * Fire '^^ 
 
 ind be sure to fire while you are in the 
 act ot raising your pistol.'' 
 1 0}^' yt^s— yes— ves— I understand-^" 
 ; Well, but be sure; don't think ' of 
 
 30inting first, and then firing— or, by - . 
 
 vou'll assuredly fire over his head, or fire 
 
 ar on one side. Only recollect to do as I 
 
 lay, and you will take him full in the ribs 
 
 )r clip him in the neck, or at least wing 
 
 im. 
 
 "My dear fellow, do you take me for a 
 
 dvice 7 Do you Turget my affair with V^ 
 
 oquired Mr, Stafford, impatiently. 
 
 ;a promised to meet G — ^ about here,'' 
 
 aid Lord A , putting his head out of 
 
 b vv^ndow. - Egad, if he is not punctual, 
 don t know what we shall do, for he's got 
 ^y pistol-case. W here-^where is he ?" he 
 ontinued," looking up the road. ^'There'" 
 e exclaimed, catching sight of a horseman 
 ding at a very slow pace.— After we had 
 
 ^ertaken him, and Lord k^ had taken 
 
 le pistol-case into the carriage, and Mr 
 afford had himself examined the pistols 
 '•etully, we rode side by side till we cam© 
 
 : 
 
 ■#,.1 
 
 
182 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 neajr the scene of action. During that tim^l jowe 
 w:e spoke but little, and that little consisted ^^affc 
 of the most bitter and sarcastic expression!j|rji.Q_ 
 of Mr. Stafford's contempt for his opponentlye C( 
 and regret at the occurrence which had sdl u j. 
 
 tantalized him, alluding to Lord 's ofFelpiied 
 
 of the office. About ten minutes tcfQod'j 
 
 seven we alighted, and gave the coachma: 
 orders to remain there till we returned 
 The evening was lovely — the glare of da 
 " mellowed to that tender light'' whic 
 characterizes a beautiful summer eve; 
 ing in the country. As we walkeljQ^n- 
 across the fields towards the ap.| ug 
 pointed spot, I felt sick and faint with irre|tionin 
 
 pressible agitation, and Mr. G , th 
 
 surgeon, with whom 1 walked, joked witl 
 me at my " squeamishness," much in tlii 
 
 this s 
 
 then- 
 A.tou 
 
 so wil 
 
 handi 
 me ! 
 forgot 
 
 style of tars with sea-sick passengers||juj.i.ig 
 '' There's nothing in it — nothing," said iie|affair 
 <' they'll take care not to hurt one anotherlall q 
 ^Tis a pity, too, that such a man as Mr|Lord 
 Stafford should run the risk. What a noii 
 it will make ?" I let him talk on, for 
 could not answer, till we approached 
 fatal field, which we entered by a gaM^ jjjg* 
 Lord A— got through first, ": ipunctual Jockh 
 
 lere, t 
 ust I 
 oved 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 183 
 
 g that tim J lowever," said he, looking round at Mr. 
 
 .xpressionj are— just getting over the style. Inimita- 
 s opponent J Me coxcomb ?" ^ 
 
 nch^had s| « Ay, there they are, sure enough," re- 
 sonejpiied he, shading his eyes. "A , for 
 
 minutes tJ God's sake take care not to put me aeainst 
 : coachmtuithig sunshine— it will dazzle.—" 
 ; returnedi « Qh, never fear ; it will go down before 
 laie 01 aa||tiien— 'tis but just above the horizon now." 
 rht wmc|A touching image, I thought ! It might be 
 mer ever|so with Mr. StaiTord— /«5 sun " might go 
 ve walkefljown— a< noon .'" ^ ^ 
 
 the ai| « Stop, my Lord," said Mr. Stafford, mo- 
 -_ ^7>j''°"^"g Lord A— back, and pressing his 
 ■^. , ,' 'Ijihand to his forehead. " A moment— allow 
 
 jokea wit|jje | Lg^ me see— is there any thing I've 
 luch in tkJforgot ?-0h, I thought there was !» He 
 passengersjhurriedly requested Lord A—, after the 
 r, saia iieiaffair, in the event of its proving bloody, to 
 «e anotheilali on the minister, and explain it all. 
 nan as MiM^ord A— promised to do so. " Ah,— 
 Vhatanoistere, too," unbuttoning his surtout, "this 
 
 °"i' ^Iir"®* "°* ^® ^®''®' ^ suppose;" and he re- 
 roacliea ujioved a small gold snuff-box from his right 
 by a ga«3 hjg left waistcoat pocket. « Let the 
 • ^"actual ilockhead have his full chance." 
 
 ',;',- ^ m 
 
 'a 
 
 -'m^ 
 
184 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 "Stuff, Stuff, Stafford! That's qui d 
 tic !" muttered Lord A— -^. He was muci 
 paler and more thoughtful than I had seerj 
 him all along. All this occurred in mucl 
 less time than I have taken to tell it- Wi 
 all passed into the field ; and as we api 
 preached, saw Lord -r— and his secom" 
 who were waiting our arrival. The aj 
 pearance of the former was that of a hand! 
 some fashionable young man, with vei 
 light hair, and lightly dressed altogether: 
 and he walked to aind.fro, switching aboul 
 a little riding-cane. Mr, Stafford released 
 .Lord A — , who joined the other second, 
 :-and commenced the preliminary arrange. 
 ments. 
 
 I never saw a greater contrast than therel 
 was between the demeanour of Mr. Stafford 
 and his opponent. There stood the former) 
 • his hat shading his eyes, his arms folded! 
 eying the motions of his antagonist with 
 look of supreme, of utter contempt ; for 
 saw his compressed and curled upper lipj 
 
 Lord betrayed an anxiety — a visibl( 
 
 effort to appear unconcerned. He "over 
 did it." He was evidently as uneasy il 
 the contiguity of Mr, Stafford, as the rabn 
 
THE STATESMAN* 
 
 185 
 
 shivering under the baleful glare of the 
 j rattlesnake's eye. One little circumstance 
 was full of charac'er at that agitating mo- 
 ment. Lord , anxious to manifest eve- 
 ry appearance of coolness and indifference, 
 seemed bent on demolishing a nettle, or 
 some other prominent weed, and was ma- 
 king repeated strokes at it with the little 
 whip he held. Tkls^ a ie'w seconds before 
 his life was to be jeopardised ! Mr. Stafford 
 stood watching this puerile feat in the posi- 
 tion I have formerly mentioned, and a whi- 
 thering smile stole over his features, while 
 he muttered — if I heard correctly — '< Poor 
 boy ! Poor boy !" 
 
 At length the work of loading being com- 
 pleted, and the distance — six paces — duly 
 stepped out, the duellists walked uptoiheir 
 respective stations. Their proximity was 
 perfectly frightful. The pistols were then 
 placed in their hands, and we stepped to a 
 little distance from them. 
 
 '^Fire!" said Lord A ; and the 
 
 word had hardly passed his lips before Lord 
 
 's ball whizzed close past the eaf of 
 
 Mr. Stafford. The latter, who had not 
 even elevated his pistol at the word of com- 
 
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 IMAGE EVALUATION 
 TEST TARGET (MT-S) 
 
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 IIIIM 
 
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 Corporation 
 
 23 WE3i mAir-l 3IKCCI 
 
 WEBSTER; N.Y. 14580 
 (716) e72-4S03 
 
 
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 & 
 
 U.x 
 
186 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 niand, after eying his antagonist for an 
 instant with a scowl of contempt, fired in 
 the air, and then jerked the pistol away 
 
 "towards Lord , with the distinctly aii- 
 
 dible words, "Kennel, sir! Kennel!" 
 He then walked towards the spot where Mr. 
 
 .Q. and I were standing. Would to 
 
 Heaven he had never uttered the words in 
 
 question ! Lord had heard them, 
 
 and followed him, furiously exclaiming, 
 •^* Do you call this satisfaction, sir ?" and, 
 through his second, insisted on a second in- 
 terohange of shots ; in vain did Lord A — ^ 
 vehemently protest that it was contrary to 
 all the laws of duelling, and that he would 
 leave the ground — they were inflexible. 
 Mr. Stafford approached Lord A — , and 
 whispered, " For God's sake, A — , don't 
 hesitate. Load — load again ! the fool 
 WILL rush on his fate. Put us up again, 
 and see if I fire a second time in the air !" 
 His second slowly and reluctantly assented, 
 and reloaded. Again the hostile couple 
 stood at the »same ulst^nce from each other, 
 palb with fury ; and at the word of com- 
 mand both fired, and both fell. At one 
 -bound I sprung towards Mr. Stafford, ri- 
 
 
 %^.^- 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 187 
 
 t for an 
 fired in 
 tol away 
 nctly aij- 
 iennel !" 
 ^here Mr. 
 Vould to 
 words in 
 ,rd them, 
 claiming, 
 r ?" and, 
 econd in- 
 rdA— 
 ntrary to 
 he would 
 nflexible. 
 Sl — 5 and 
 — , don't 
 the fool 
 ip again, 
 the air!" 
 assented, 
 e couple 
 ich other, 
 of com- 
 At one 
 afford, al- 
 
 p 
 
 most blind with agitation. Lord A 
 
 had him propped against his knee, and with 
 his white pocket-handkerchief was endea- 
 vouring to staunch a woun^d in the right 
 side., Mr. Stafford's fire had done terrible 
 execution, for his ball had completely- 
 shattered the lower jaw of his opponent, who 
 was borne off* the field instantly. Mr. Staf- 
 ford swooned, and was some minutes before 
 he recovered, when he exclaimed feebly, 
 " God forgive me, and be with my poor 
 wife !'^— We attempted to move him, when 
 he swooned a second time, and we were 
 afraid it was all over with him. Again, 
 however, he recovered ; and, opening his 
 eyes, he saw me with my fingers at his 
 pulse. " Oh, doctor, doctor, what did you 
 promise? Remember Lady Staf—- '^ he 
 could not get out the word. I waited till 
 the surgeon had ascertained generally the 
 nature of -the wound, which he presently 
 pronounced not fatal, and assisted in bind^ 
 ing it up, and conveying him to the car- 
 riage. I then mounted Mr. G-— 's horse^ 
 and hurried on to commrnicate the dread- 
 ful intelligence to Lady Emma. I gal- 
 loped qvejy step of the way, and found, on 
 
188 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 my arrival, that her ladyship had but a 
 few moments before adjourned to the draw, 
 ing-room, where she was sitting at coffee. 
 Thither I followed the servant, who an- 
 nounced me. Lady Emma was sitting by 
 the tea-table, and rose on hearing my name. 
 When she saw my agitated manner, the 
 colour suddenly faded from her cheeks. 
 She elevated her arms, as if deprecating 
 my intelligence ; and before I could reach 
 her, had fallen fainting on the floor. 
 
 :fc * * * * * 
 
 I cannot undertake to describe what took 
 place on that dreadful night. All was con. 
 fusion*— agony -— despair. Mr. Stafford 
 was in a state'of insensibility when he ar- 
 rived at home, and was immediately car- 
 ried up to bed. The surgeon succeeded 
 in extracting the ball, which had seriouly, 
 injured the fifth and sixth ribs, but had not 
 penetrated to the lungs. Though the 
 wound was serious, and would require 
 careful and vigilant treatment, there was 
 no ground for apprehending a mortal issue. 
 As for Lord .— , I may anticipate his fate. 
 The wound he had received brought on a 
 lockjaw, of which be died in less than a 
 
THE f^TATfiSMANi 
 
 189 
 
 W6ek. And this is what is called satis- 
 
 FACTION. 
 
 To return. All my attention was deVot* 
 ed to poor Lady Emma. She did not even 
 ask to see her husband, or move to leave 
 the drawing-room, after recovering from 
 her swoon. She listened with apparent 
 calmness to my accountof the transaction^ 
 which^ the reader may imagine, was as 
 mild and mitigated in its details as possible* 
 As I went on, she became more and more 
 thoughtful^ and continued, with her eyes 
 fixed on the floor, motionless and silent. 
 In vain did I attempt to rouse her> by south- 
 ings — threats-^surprise. She would gaze 
 full at me, and relapse into her former 
 abstracted mood. At length the draw* 
 ing-room door was opened by some one-*— 
 who proved to be Lord A — ^, come to 
 take his leave. Lady Emma sprung from 
 the sofa, burst from my grasp, uttered a 
 long, loud, and frightful peal of laughter, 
 and then came fit after fit of the strongest 
 hysterics I think I ever saw. * * * 
 About midnight, Dr. Baillie and Sir -i-*.*^ 
 arrived, and found their patients each 
 insensible, and each in difTerent apartments* 
 
iM 
 
 f 
 
 
 ido 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 Alas ! alas ! what a dreadful contrast be- 
 tween that hour and the hour of my arrival 
 in the morning ! Oh, ambition! Oh, poli- 
 tical happiness — mockery ! 
 
 Towards morning Lady Emma became 
 calmer, and, under the influence of a pret- 
 ty powerful dose of laudanum, fell into a 
 sound sleep. < I repaired to the bedside of 
 
 Mr. Stafford. He lay asleep, Mr. Gr 
 
 the surgeon sitting on one side of the bed^ 
 and a nurse on the other. Yes, there lay 
 the STATESMAN ! his noble features, though 
 overspread with a pallid, a cadaverous hue, 
 still bearing the ineffaceable impress of 
 intellect. There was a loftiness about 
 the ample expanded forehead, and a stern 
 commanding expression about the parti* 
 ally-knit eyebrows, and pallid compressed 
 lips, which, even in the absence of the 
 flashing eye, bespoke ^ 
 
 " the great soul 
 
 Like an imprison'd eagle, pent within, 
 That fain would fly r n 
 
 " On what a slender thread hangs every 
 thing in life !" thought I, as I stood silently 
 iat the foot of the bed, gazing on Mr. Staf- 
 ford. To think of a man like Stafford, 
 
THE STATESMAN, 
 
 191 
 
 falling by the^hand of an insignificant lad 
 of a lordling— a titled bully ! Oh, shoekr. 
 ing and execrable custom of duelling !-^ 
 blot on the escutcheon of a civilized peo- 
 ple, which places greatness of every des- 
 cription at the mercy of the mean and 
 worthless ; vv^hich lyingly pretends to assert 
 a man's honour, and atone for insult, by 
 turning the tears of outraged feeling into 
 —blood ! 
 
 About eight o'clock in the morning 
 [Monday], I set off for town, leaving my 
 friend in the skilful hands of Mr. G — r-, 
 and promising to return, if possible, in the 
 evening. About noon, what was my 
 astonishment to hear street-criers yelling 
 every where a " full, true, and particular 
 account of the bloody duel fought last 
 
 night between Mr. Stafford and Lord !' 
 
 [Curiosity prompted me to purchase the 
 ,trash. I need hardly say that it was pre- 
 posterous nonsense. The " duellists," it 
 seemed, "fired six shots apiece ;" — and 
 what will the reader imagine were th^ 
 ;' dying" words of Mr. Stafibrd— aocordi. 
 ing to these precious manufacturers of the 
 marvellous ?~" Mr. Stafford then raised 
 
/ 
 
 193 
 
 THE STATESMAN, 
 
 himself on his second's knee and with a 
 loud and solemn voice, said, * I leave my 
 
 everlasting hatred to Lord , my duty 
 
 to my king and country, my love to my 
 fSamiiy, and my precious soul to God ! ! !' '^ 
 The papers of the day, however, gave 
 a tolerably accurate account of the affair, 
 and unanimously stigmatized the " pre. 
 sumption" of Lord — — in calling out 
 such a man as Mr. Stafford — and on such 
 frivolous grounds. My name was, most 
 fortunately, not even alluded to. 1 was 
 , glancing through the columns of the even. 
 ing ministerial paper, while the servant 
 was saddling the horses for my return to 
 tbe^ountry, when my eye lit on the foi*; 
 lowing paragraph : *' Latest news. Lord 
 
 . ' -;:: ^ is appointed ^ Secratary. We 
 
 understand that Mr. Stafford had the refit. 
 
 sal of it." Poor Stafford ! Lord A— - 
 
 f hid calledj^^ihe minister, late on Sunday 
 
 "* iiequainted him^ with the 
 
 "Sdcry — very," said the^ 
 
 i^ Rising man that, but we couW 
 
 __^^_^ " >Edr-i^ is>/to be the man!^ 
 
 Ij^^lii^j^t Mr. Stafford's about n| 
 
 hi^^. ftad made my way imme^K^'^'^ 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 103 
 
 to his bedroom. Lady Emma, pale and 
 exhausted, sat by his bedside, her eyes 
 swollen with weeping. At my request, 
 she presently withdrew, and 1 took her 
 place at my patient's side. He was not 
 sensible of my presence for some time, 
 but lay with his eyes half-open, and in a 
 state of low muttering delirium. An un-: 
 fortunate cough of mine close to his ear: 
 awoke him, and after gazing steadily at 
 me for nearly a minute, he recognised me 
 and nodded. He seemed going to speak; 
 to me— but I laid my finger on my lipa tO) 
 warn him against making the effort. 
 
 <*One word-H3ne only, doctor," he 
 whispered hastily, — *' who is the .. , , 
 
 Secretary ?"—.'* Lord r-/' I replied. 
 
 I On hearing the name, he turned his head 
 
 away from me with an air of intense 
 
 chagrin, and lay silent for some time. He 
 
 presently uttered something like the words. 
 
 |-" Too hot to hold him/'— ^< unseat hinr," 
 
 *and apparently fell asleep. I foua# 
 
 jfrom, the attendant that all was going on i 
 
 well— and that Mr. Stafford bade fair for 
 
 mjrapid recovery, if he would butkeqi^fiisi 
 
 land calm and easjjr. Fearful lest niy; 
 
mmmmm 
 
 194 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 presence, in the event of his waking again, 
 might excite him into a talking mood, I 
 slipped silently from the room, and betook 
 myself to Lady Emma, who sat awaiting 
 me in her boudoir. I found her in a flood 
 of tears. I did all in my powtr to sooth 
 her, by reiterating my solemn assurances 
 that Mr. Stafford was beyond all danger, 
 and wanted only quiet to recover , rapidly. 
 
 " Oh, Doctor -— ! How could you de- 
 ceive me so yesterday ? You knew all 
 ahout it ! How could you look at my little 
 children, and—-" Sobs choked her utter. 
 ance. " Well— -1 suppose you could not 
 help it ! I don't blame you-— but my heart 
 is nearly broken about it ! Oh, this honm 
 -n^-this honour/ I always thought Mi. 
 Staflford above the foolery of such things^ 
 She paused— -I replied not— for I had not 
 a word to say against what she uttered. I 
 thought and felt with her. 
 
 "I Would to Heaven that Mr. Stafford 
 would forsake parliament for ever Jij IBfaw 
 hateful politics ! He has no peace ^Oi? X# 
 day or night!" continued rL9.dyA|SmB$i^ 
 passionately, i" His nights ;aiWao<lrigtfa^^^ 
 tum^ into day *.-.and his day fin eyet "" 
 
THE STATEI^MAN. 
 
 Ids 
 
 ng agaitt, 
 mood, I 
 id betodc 
 awaiting 
 in a flood 
 • to sooth 
 ssuranceg 
 1 danger, 
 ^rapidly. 
 I you ^ 
 knew all 
 t my little 
 her utter. 
 
 of hurry and trouble! Heaven knowc i 
 would consent to be banished from society 
 ...to work for my daily bread-— I would 
 submit to any thing, if { could but prevail 
 on Mr. Stafford to return to the bosom of 
 his family ! — Doctor, my heart's happiness 
 is cankered and gone I Mr. Stafford does 
 
 not tolerate me—- his heart is not mine it 
 
 isn't — " So again she burst into tears. 
 "What can your ladyship mean V 1 in- 
 quired, with surprise. 
 
 " What I say, doctor," she replied, sob- 
 bing, " he is wedded to ambition ! ambition 
 could notialone ! Oh, I am often tempted to wish I 
 my heart iiiad never seen or known him ! For the 
 ^^\'^^^^|tore, I shall live trembling from day to 
 Jght »|day, fearful of the occurrence of such fright- 
 i things! iful gcenes as yesterday ! his reason will be 
 1 had not failing him--his reason r she repeated, 
 with a shudder, " and then r Her emo- 
 tions once deprived her of utterance. I 
 fdtfor her from my very soulf I was 
 addressing some consolatory remark to 
 l^r, when a gentle tapping was hfej^^a at 
 the door. V Come in," said Lady E mmH, 
 ^d Mr. Stafford's valet m^e his ap^^Ht'. 
 toce, saying, with hurried gestured attd 
 
 tared. I 
 
 i, Stafford 
 
 la Wm 
 je^lorjl^ 
 
 .&.' 
 
 -.«'• 
 
196 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 grimaces—" Ah, Docteur ! Mons. derai 
 Sonne— il est fou ! 11 veut absolument voir 
 jVlilord ! Je ne puis lui faire passeij 
 
 cette idee la." 
 
 «' What can be the matter!" exclaimed 
 Lady Emma, looking at him with alarm. 
 
 « Oh, only some little wandering, I dare 
 say;' but I'll soon return and report pro. 
 gressi" said I, prevailing on her to wait 
 my return, and hurrying to the sick cham. 
 ber. To my surprise and alarm, I found 
 Mr. Stafford sitting nearly bolt upright in 
 bed, his eyes directed anxiously to the dooL 
 
 "Doctor ^," said he, as soon as 1 
 
 had taken my seat beside him, " I insist on 
 
 seeing Lord ," naming the prime mi. 
 
 nister; "I positively insist upon it ! Let 
 his lordship be shown up instantly." I iin^ 
 plored him to lie down, at the peril of his 
 life, and be calm ; but he insisted on see- 
 
 ing Lord '' He is gone, and left word 
 
 that he would call at this time to-morrow," 
 said I, hoping to quiet him. 
 
 « Indeed f Good of him ! What can he 
 want? Th^ office is disposed of. There! 
 there ! he i^fstepped back again ! SM 
 him up-.-show him up ! What, insult the 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 197 
 
 D-morrow, 
 
 lung's prime minister? Show him up, 
 jljouis," addressing his valet, adding, draw. 
 sily, in a fainter tone, " and the members 
 L— the members— -the-— the— -who paired 
 off-— who pair-—" he sunk gradually down 
 on the pillow, the perspiration burst forth, 
 and he fell asleep. Finding he slept on 
 tranquilly and soundly, I once more left 
 him, and having explained it to Lady Em- 
 ma, bade her good evening, and returned 
 Ito town. The surgeon who was in con^ 
 stance attendant on him called at my 
 house during the afternoon of the follow- 
 ing day, and gave me so good an account 
 of him, that I did not think it necessary to 
 go down till the day after, as I had seriously 
 broken in upon my own practice. When 
 I next saw him he was mending rapidly. 
 He even persuaded me into allowing him 
 to have the daily papers read to him — -a 
 circumstance I much regretted after I left 
 him, and suddenly recollected how often 
 the public prints made allusions to him-— 
 some of them not very kindly or compli- 
 mentary. But there was no resisting hi« 
 importunity. He had a wonderful weedling 
 way with him. Two days aft^r, he got irti 
 
 H 
 
« I r 
 
 
 
 im 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 tp qonsept to bis receiving the visits of his 
 r^itical friends; and really the renewal 
 of his accustomed stimulus conduced ma- 
 terially to hasten his recovery. . 
 
 Scarce six weeks from the day of the 
 duel was this indefatigable and ardent spi. 
 rit, Mr. Stafford, on his legs in the House 
 of Gomniors, electrifying it and the nation 
 at large, by a speech of the most over, 
 whelming power and splendour!^ He 
 flung his scorching sarcasms mercilessly 
 at the astounded Opposition, especially at 
 those who had contrived to render them- 
 selves in any way prominent in their op. 
 position to his policy during Ms absence! 
 %j an artful mancBUvre of rhetoric— a sU- 
 ful allusion to " recent unhappy circum- 
 stances,'' he carried the House with him 
 l^pm the very commencement enthusiastic 
 qally to^the end, and was at la^t obliged to 
 pause almost every other minute, that the 
 cheering might subside. The unfortunate 
 nobleman who had stepped iato the shoes 
 M^hich had been first placed at Mr. ^Sta^ 
 ^rd's feet...-so to speak-.-came ir for the 
 ofe^m of the whole ! A ridiculous figure^ 
 l^Et ! Jokesj even lampoons, feil upon 
 
 i' 
 
 r': > •/•;',», 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 m 
 
 iim like a shower of missiles on a man in 
 the pillory ! He was a fat man, and sat 
 perspiring under it! The instant Mr. 
 Stafford sat down, this unlucky personage 
 arose to reply. His odd and angry gesti- 
 culations, as he vainly attempted to make 
 himself lieard amid incessant shouts of 
 laughter, served to clinch the nail which 
 had been fixed by Mr. Stafford ; and the 
 indignant senator presently left the Hous^t,^ 
 Another- — and another— and another of the 
 singed ones, arose and " followed on the 
 same side," but to no purpose. It was M 
 vain to buffet against the spring-tide of fa^- 
 vour which had set in to Mr. Stafford! 
 That night will not be forgotten by either 
 his friends or his foes. He gained his 
 
 Eoint ! within a fortnight he had ousted 
 is rival, and was gazetted Secretary ? 
 
 The effort he made, however, on the occa-i 
 sion last alluded to, brought him agaih 
 under my hands for several days. In^ 
 deed, I never had such an intractai 
 ble patient! He could not be prevail^^J 
 oh t6 show any merdy to his conkitutfc^ 
 "-he wduld not give nature' fair pWfi 
 l^ight and day, morning, noon, eveiiing-i'i 
 
r 
 
 i. 
 
 ,i I' 
 
 3QQ 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 $pringv i^ummer, autumn, winte^r-.-fouiKj 
 him toiling on the tempestuous ocean of 
 politics, his mind ever laden with the most 
 harassing and exhausting cares. The emir 
 nent situation he filled brought him, pf 
 course, an immehse accession of cares and 
 anxieties. He was virtually the leader of 
 the House of Commons ; and, though his 
 exquisite tact and talent secured to him. 
 self personally the applause and admira. 
 tion of all parties, the government to wliich 
 he belonged was beginning to disclose 
 symptoms of disunion and disorganization 
 at a time when public affairs were becom- 
 ing every hour more and more involved—. 
 pur domestic and foreign policy perplexed 
 •4.4he latter almost inextricably — every 
 duy assuming a new and different aspect, 
 through the operation of the great event? 
 incessantly transpiring on the Continent. 
 5Phe national confidence began rapidly lo 
 ebb away from the ministers, and symp* 
 toms of a most startling character appear- 
 $A in different parts of the country. The 
 l^ouse of Commons — the pulse of pppufejf 
 ftjeUng...i.begaii}4o beat irregu]iarly-^pn6|r 
 interinitting--..now with feverish strengfe 
 
er-— fouihi 
 } ocean of 
 h the most 
 
 The emir 
 ht him, pf 
 f cares and 
 e leader of 
 though his 
 ed to him. 
 id admira- 
 nt to w!hicli 
 to disclose 
 pganization 
 ere becom- 
 involved--.. 
 ' perplexed 
 ly -—every 
 'ent aspect, 
 reat eventij 
 
 Continent. 
 I rapidly to 
 and syrnp* 
 ter appear, 
 itry. Tie 
 
 lof pppill^f 
 arly-.pndfir 
 
 $h streng^ 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 SQt 
 
 itfid rapidity-...clearly indicating th^t the 
 circulation was disordered. Nearly tjia 
 whole of the newspapers turned against thq 
 ministry, and assailed them with the bitteJV- 
 est and foulest obloquy. Night after ixighi 
 poor Mr. Stafford talked himselMioarse. 
 feeling that he was the acknpvif^ledgea 
 mouthpiece of the ministry, but ' in vaint. 
 Ministers were perpetually left in "misera- 
 ble minorities ; they were beaten at every 
 point. Their ranks represented the apl 
 pearance of a straggling disbanded army j 
 those of the Opposition hung togeihei* liko 
 a shipwrecked crew clinging to the la^t 
 fragments of their wreck. Caix the cons^i^- 
 quence be wondered at? /*'^ 
 
 At length came the budget, word of aw- 
 ful omen to many a quaking ministry I Iii 
 vain were the splendid powers of Mr. Staft 
 ford put into requisition. In vain did his 
 masterly mind fling light and order over 
 his sombrous chaotic subject, and simplify 
 and. make clear to the whole country^ thp 
 till then, dreary jargon and mysticism of 
 fipa^cial technicalities. In vain, in irain 
 did Jie display the sweetness of Cicexa, the 
 thunder of Demosthenes. The leader ((jil* 
 
 '^ymm 
 
SOS 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 9fm Opposition ro^e, and coolly turned dl 
 fi8 had said intd ridicule ; one of his squad 
 then started to his feet, and made out poor 
 Mrl' Stafford to be a sort of ministerial 
 sWittdler J and the rest cunningly gave the 
 Ctie to the country, and raised up in every 
 qUai'ter clamorous dissatisfaction. Poor 
 Stkiford began to look haggard and wasted ; 
 anti' the papers said he stalked into the 
 EfoWsfe^ night after night, like a spectra! 
 The hour of the ministry was come. They 
 were beaten on the first item, in the com. 
 iilHtee of supply. Mr. Stafford resighed 
 in disgust arid indignation ; and that br6k^ 
 
 up the government. * ^ 
 
 I;saw him the morning after he had for- 
 tf^\if tendered his resignation, and given 
 i(p the papers, &b. of office. He was piti- 
 fully etriaciated. The fire of his eye wa^ 
 qtietiched, his sonorous voice broken. I 
 could scarce repress a tear as I gazed at 
 his sallow haggard features, and his laii- 
 guid limbs drawn together on his library 
 
 s<)fa. 
 
 ^'^f^D6ctbr-.:.my friend! This frightful 
 
 l^lsiim has yUed me, I'm afraid f' said 
 
 ft 
 
 e. "I feel equally wasted in body aSd 
 mind. I loathe life—every thing !" 
 
 "I do 
 
 with! :^ 
 " Yes. 
 colleagu 
 bitternes 
 mindedn 
 centratec 
 As for n 
 purpose, 
 for I am 
 ^hered I" 
 '^Be p 
 gently, ' 
 recruit." 
 
 .. . j • / 
 as pos3ib] 
 
 pity the., 
 
 times. , ''. 
 
 heaven \ 
 
 rave. F 
 
 nay, alm( 
 
 at every ] 
 
 credit of 
 
 — trampl 
 
 tut, tut, ti 
 
 *VHave 
 
 Mr.Staff 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 303 
 
 "I don t thmk you've been fa% dealt 
 with ! You've been crippled— shackled— " 
 
 " Yes^cursed— cursed— cursed in my 
 colleagues," he interrupted me, with eaffer 
 bitterness; "it is. their execrable little- 
 mindedness and bigotry that have con- 
 centrated on us the hatred of the nation. 
 As for myself, I am sacrificed, and to ^o 
 purpose. I feel I cannot long survive it ; 
 for I am withered, root and branch— whi' 
 TheredJ" . ,^ ; -V 
 
 '^ Be persuaded, Mr.' Stafford," said I, 
 gently, "to withdraw for a while, and 
 recruijt." 
 
 ,,^,'^.Oh, ay, ay— any whither-.-as far oflf 
 aspos3ible from London— that's all. VQod 
 pity the man that holds office ia these 
 times. The talents of half the angels in 
 heaven would'nt avail, him! Doctor, I 
 rave. Forgive me— I'm in a morbid- 
 nay, almost rabid mood of mind. Foiled 
 at every point— others robbing me of the 
 credit of my labours— sneered at by fools 
 —trampled, on by the aristocracy— -oh 
 tut, tut, tut—. fie on it all !" * * , 
 
 *^ Have you seen the morning paWrs. 
 Mr. Stafford ??' ^ H H*^^sj 
 
204 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 « Not r, indeed. Sick of their cant--, 
 lies— tergiversation— scurrility. I've laid 
 an etnbargo on them all. I won't let one 
 come to my house for a fortnight, fig 
 adding fuel to the fire that is consuming 
 
 "Ah, but they represent the nation as 
 tailing 'loudly for your reinstatement in 
 
 office.'^ „ • T . .1. V 
 
 "Faugh let it call ! Let them Iiq^ 
 
 on ! Tm done with them — for the pre. 
 
 The servant brought up the cards of se- 
 veral of his late colleagues. " Not at 
 home, sirrah !..-Harkee— ill-ill," thun. 
 dered his master. I sat with him nearly 
 an hour longer. Oh, what gall and bitter, 
 ness tinctured every word he uttered! 
 How his chafed and fretted spirit spurted 
 at sympathy, and -idespised-even acquis^ 
 ' cence 1 He complained heavily of perfidjr 
 and ingratitude on the part of many mem- 
 bersofthe House of Commons ; and ex- 
 ptesSfed his. solemn determination-should 
 he ever return to power— -to visit them 
 with his signal vengeance. His eyw 
 flashed fire as he recounted the instance <f 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 30& 
 
 one well-known individual, whom he hjad 
 paid heavily beforehand for his vote, by. a 
 sinecure, and by whom he was after all 
 unWushingly "jockeyed," on the score of 
 the salary being a few pounds per ^nnuna 
 less than had been calculated on ! " Oh, 
 believe me," he continued, " of all kna- 
 vish trafficing, there is none like your 
 political trafficing ; of all swindlers, your 
 political swindler is the vilest." Before I 
 next saw him, the new ministry had been 
 named, some of the leading members of 
 which were among Mr. Stafford's bitterest 
 and most contemptuous enemies, and had 
 spontaneously pledged themselves to act 
 diametrically opposite to the policy he had 
 adopted. This news was too much for 
 him ; and, full of unutterable fury and 
 chagrin, he hastily left town, and, witl^ 
 all his family, betook himself, for an inde- 
 finite period, to a distant part of England. 
 I devoutly hoped that he had now had. hf » 
 surfeit of politics, and would henceforth 
 seek repose in the domestic circle. t#dy 
 Emma participated anxiously in that wish ; 
 she doted on her husband more fondly tjian 
 ^ver; and her faded beauty touchingly told 
 
!366 
 
 THE STATESIWBAN. 
 
 X^itli What deep devotion she had identified 
 herself with her husband's interests. 
 .•*' As' I am not writing a life of Mr. Staf- 
 ford, I must leap over a further interval (5f 
 twelve anxious and agitating years. H^ 
 returned to parliament, and for several 
 sessions shone brilliantly as the leader of 
 the Opposition. Being freed from the 
 triammels of office, his spirits assumed their 
 wonted elasticity, and his health became fir. 
 mer than it had been for years; so th&t thelre 
 Was little necessity for my visiting him oh 
 iiny other footing than that of frrendshl]f>. 
 A close observer could not fail to detect 
 the system of Mr. Stafford's parlianlentai^y 
 tadidS. He subordinated every thing to 
 accomplish the great purpose of his life. 
 JJe took every possible opportunity, in elo. 
 quent and brilliant speeches, of familiar. 
 izing parliament, and the country at large, 
 With his own principles ; dexterously: con. 
 tracing them with the narrow and incon. 
 sjstent policy of his opponents. He felt 
 tftat *he was daily increasing the number 
 of his partisans both in and out of thfe 
 House,-.-and securing a prospect of his 
 speedy return to permanent power. T one 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 m 
 
 ^ay mentioned this feature, and told hinn^I 
 admired the way in which he gradupJly 
 insinuated himself into the confidence qf 
 the country. . ':* 
 
 " Aha, doctor !" he replied briskly ; "to 
 borrow one of your own terms—I'm vaccU 
 na^iw^ the nation !" ;', 
 
 July ^-^^ 18 The star, of Stafford 
 
 again lord of the ascendant! This 4ay 
 
 have the seals of the — office b^ew 
 
 intrusted to my gifted friend Stafford, amid 
 the thunders of the Commons, and the uni- 
 versal gratulations of the country. He is 
 virtually the leader of the cabinet, and has^ 
 it *' all his own way" with the House. 
 Every appearance he makes there is the 
 signal for a perfect tempest of applause— 
 with, however, a few lightning-gleams of 
 inveterate hostility. His course is full of 
 dazzling dangers. There are breakers 
 ahead — he must tack about incessantly 
 amid shoals and qi jksands. God help 
 him, and give him calmness and self-pos* 
 session— or he is lost ! 
 
 I suppose there wjU be no getting neaf 
 him, at least to such an insignificant per. 
 
sod 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 ^on as myself— unless he should unhappi- 
 ly require my professional services. JHtow 
 xhy heart beats when I hear it said iri so. 
 ciety, that he seems to feel most acutely 
 the attacks incessantly made on him — and 
 appears ill every day ! Poor Stafford ! I 
 wonder how Lady Emma bears all this ! 
 I hear every where that a tremendous 
 opposition is organizing, countenanced in 
 very high quarters, and that he will have 
 hard work to maintain his ground. He is 
 J5ai"amount at present, and laughs his ene- 
 mies to scorn! His name, coupled with 
 almost idolatrous expressions of homage, 
 is in every one's mouth of the variiim et 
 mutahile semper race. His pictures are 
 in every shop- window ; dinners are given 
 him every week ; addresses forwarded 
 from all parts of the country ; the freedom 
 of large cities and corporations voted him ; 
 ii^ short, there is scarce any thing said or 
 ddhe in public but what Mr. Stafford's 
 hame is coupled with it. * * * 
 y March -., 18.i.i;--Poor Stafford, baited 
 incessantly in the House, night after night, 
 ^pari he stand? everybody is asking. He 
 has commenced the session swimmingly-'. 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 209 
 
 as the phrase is. Lady Emma, whom I 
 accidentlaly met to-day at the house of a 
 patient— herself full of feverish excite- 
 ment— gives me a sad account of Mr. Staf- 
 ford. Restless nights — incessant sleep- 
 talking— continual indisposition — loss of 
 appetite ! Oh, the pleasures of politics, 
 the sweets of ambition ! 
 
 Saturday, — A strange hint in one of the 
 papers to-day about Mr. Stafford's unac- 
 countable freaks in the House, and treat- 
 ment of various members. What can it 
 mean ? A fearful suspicion glanced across 
 my mind— Heaven grant it may be ground- 
 less—on coupling with this dark newspa- 
 per hint an occurrence which took place 
 some short time ago. It was this. Lady 
 
 Amelia was suddenly taken ill at 
 
 a ball given by the Duke of , and 
 
 I was called in to attend her. {3he had 
 swooned in the midst of the dance, and 
 continued hysterical for some time after 
 her removal home. I asked her what had 
 occasioned it all— and she told me that *he 
 happened to be passing, in the dance, ^ a 
 part of the room where Mr. Stafford stood, 
 who had looked in for a few minutes \o 
 
2M) 
 
 THE statesmajn;. 
 
 "'• -/• 
 
 speak to the Marquis of . *J Ho 
 
 wtis standing in a thoughtful attitude,'* she 
 continued, " and somehow or an(5ther I at- 
 tracted his attention in passing, and he 
 gave me one of the most fiendish scowls, 
 
 ' accompanied with a frightful glare of the 
 eye,, I ever encountered. It passed froni 
 his face in an instant, and was succeeded 
 "by a smile,as he nodded repeatedly toper, 
 sons who saluted him. The look he gave 
 me. haunted me, and, added to the exhaus- 
 
 4ion I felt from the heat of the room, occa- 
 sioned my swooning." Though I felt fairjt 
 at heart while listening to her, I laughed 
 it off, and said it must ha, o been fancy. 
 
 , <^ No, no, doctor, it was notj' fe^^.e replied, 
 " for the Marchioness of saw it 
 
 , too, and no later than this very morning, 
 v/iien she called, asked me if I had affront. 
 
 ^.m Mr. Stafford." 
 , Could it be so ? Was this " look" real- 
 
 .^ J|y a transcient ghastly out-flashing of in- 
 
 's5^nity? Was his great mind beginning 
 
 , to stagger under the mighty burden it 
 
 bore^? The thought agitated me beyond 
 
 measure. When I coupled the incident 
 
 -in Guestion with the mvsterious hint in thd 
 
 flaily ] 
 
 robora 
 
 Staffoi 
 
 house 
 
 had le 
 
 The a 
 
 servar 
 
 would 
 
 ten o'( 
 
 Thi 
 
 past e 
 
 privat 
 
 <;ondu 
 
 spacic 
 
 ues St 
 
 of Br 
 
 The 
 
 filled 
 
 alar^ 
 
 wasc 
 
 and 
 
 large 
 
 ceilin 
 
 mellc 
 
 allyt 
 
 long 
 
 S7 U> 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 daily print, my fears were awfully cor- 
 roborated. I resolved to call upon Mt'. 
 Stafford that very evening. I was at his 
 house about eight o'clock, but found he 
 had left a little while before, for Windsor. 
 The next morning, however— Sunday— his 
 servant brought me word that Mr. Stafford 
 would be glad to see me between eight and 
 ten o'clock in the evening. "^^ 
 
 Thither, therefore, I repaired, about half- 
 past eight. On sending up my name, his 
 private secretary came down stairs, and 
 conducted me to the minisiter's library-^ 
 spacious and richly furnished room. Stat- 
 ues stood in the window- place, and bu^ 
 of British statesmen in the four corners. 
 The sides were lined with book-shelves, 
 filled with elegantly bound volumes ; arid 
 a large table in the middle of the roorn, 
 was covered with tape-tied packets, opened 
 and unopened letters, &c. &c. &c.'' ^A. 
 large bronze lamp was suspended from the 
 ceifing, and threw a peculiarly rich and 
 mellow light over the whole — ^and espebi- 
 ally the figure of Mr. Stafford, Who, irt his 
 long crimson silk dressing-gowny wfe 
 I ivoiL-inrr ranidlv to arid frb. with his arriis 
 
 
• H< 
 
 •' ; ■it 
 
 -, :.\^ ''Hi 
 
 212 
 
 THE STATESMAN, 
 
 folded on his breast. The first glance 
 showed me that he was labouring under 
 high excitement. His face was pale, and 
 his brilliant eyes glanced restlessly from 
 beneath his intensely knit brows. 
 
 *' My dear doctor — an age since I saw 
 you ! — Here 1 am — overwhelmed, you see, 
 as usual !" said he, cordially taking me by 
 the hand, and leading me to a seat. — " My 
 dear sir, you give yourself no rest— you 
 are actually — you are rapidly destroying 
 yourself r^ said I, after he had, in his own 
 brief, energetic, and pointed language, 
 described a train of symptoms bordering 
 on those of brain-fever. He had, unknown 
 to any one, latterly taken to opium, which 
 he swallowed by stealth, in large quantities, 
 on retiring to bed ; and I need hardly say 
 how that of itself was sufficient to derange 
 the functions both of body and mind. He 
 had lost his appetite, and felt consciously 
 sinking every day into ^^.fejate of the ut. 
 most languor and exhaustion'^so much so, 
 that he was reluctant -^ften to rise and 
 dress, or go out. His temper, he said, be- 
 gan to fail him, and he grew fretful anfi' 
 irritable with everybody, a^d on overy 
 
 <•■(, 
 

 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 213 
 
 occasion. " Doctor, doctor, I donH know 
 whether you'll understand me or not — but 
 every thing glares at me !" said be. 
 a Every object grows suddenly invested 
 with personality — animation— I can't bear 
 to look at^them !— I am oppressed— I breathe 
 a rarified atmosphere !" — " Your nervous 
 system is disturbed, Mr. StafTord."— " I 
 live in a dim dream — with only occasional 
 intervals of real consciousness. Every 
 thing is false and exaggerated about me. 
 I see, feel, think, through a magnifying 
 medium — in a word, I'm in a strange, 
 unaccountable state." 
 
 "Can you wonder at it — even if it were 
 worse ?" said I, expostulating vehemently 
 with him on his incessant, unmitigating 
 application to public business. ^' Believe 
 me," I concluded, with energy, "you 
 must lie by, or be laid by."—" Ah — good, 
 that — ^tease ! But what's to be done ? 
 Must I resign ? Must public business 
 stand still in the middle of the session ? 
 I've made my bed, and must lie on it.'* . 
 
 i really was at a loss what to say. He 
 eould not hear "preaching" or "prosing^* 
 or any thing approaching to it." .1 suf- 
 
214 
 
 THE' STATESMANl 
 
 fered him to go on as he would, detaiillng 
 more and morie symptoms like those above 
 mentioned — clearly enough disclosing to 
 my reluctant eyes, reason holding her 
 rfeins loosely, unsteadily!; 
 
 "I can't account for it, doctor — but I 
 feel sudden fits of wildness sometimes— 
 Tbiit for a moment — a second ! — Oh, my 
 Creator ! I hope all is yet sound here^ 
 here /" said he, pressing his hand against 
 his forehead. He rose and walked rapidly 
 to and fro. '' Excuse me, doctor, I can- 
 not sit still !" said he. * * * " Have 
 I not enough to upset me ? — Only listen to 
 a tithe of my troubles now ! After paying 
 almost servile court to^ a parcel of parlia. 
 mentary puppies ever since the commence- 
 ment.of the session, to secure their votes 
 on the bill — having the boobies here 
 
 to dine with me, and then dining with 
 them, week after week, sitting down gay. 
 ly with fellows whom I utterly, unuttera. 
 })ly despise—every one of the pack sui 
 denly turned tail on me — stole, stole, stole 
 jaway — every onfe— and left me in a ridi* 
 fjulous minority of 43 !''— I said it was a 
 pajnpla of the annoyances inseparabla 
 
• !• ' 
 
 se above 
 osing to 
 ling her 
 
 r— but I 
 3times— 
 -Oh, my 
 nd here^ 
 I against 
 i rapidly 
 r, I can- 
 " Have 
 ^ listen to 
 r paying 
 •f parlia. 
 nmence- 
 eir votes 
 bies here 
 ng with 
 )wn gay. 
 anuttera. 
 ick sui 
 ole, stole 
 n a ridi* 
 it was a 
 sepai'abid 
 
 THE STATES1\|AN* 315 
 
 V 
 
 from office, " Ay, ay, ay !'' he replied, 
 with impetuous bitterness, increasing the 
 pace at which he was walking. '' Why— 
 yjjiy is it, that public men have no princi- 
 ple — no feeling — no gratitude — no sympa- 
 thy ?" he paused. I said, mildly, that I 
 hoped the throng of the session was near- 
 ly got through, that this embarrassment 
 would diminish, and he would have some 
 leisure on his hands. 
 
 " Oh no, no, no ! — my diffiqulties and 
 perplexities increase and thicken on every 
 side ! — Great heavens ! how are we to get 
 on ? — AH the motions of government are 
 impeded — we are hemmed in — blocked up 
 —on every side — the state-vessel is sur- 
 rounded with closing, crashing icebergs ! 
 —I think I must quit the helm ! — Look 
 here, for instance. After ransacking all 
 the arts and resources of diplomacy, I 
 had, with infinite difficulty, succeeded in 
 
 devising a scheme for adjusting our 
 
 differencas. Several of the continental 
 powers have acquiesced — all was going 
 on well — when this very morning come* 
 a courier to Downing-street, bearing a ci- 
 vil hint from the Austrian cabinet, that, if 
 
 ^ 
 
216 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 I persevered with my project, such a pn?. 
 cedure will be considered equivalent to aj 
 declaration of war ! — So there we are at a 
 dead stand! — 'Tis all that execrable Met. 
 ternich ! Subtle devil ! He^s at the bot-| 
 torn of all the disturbances in Europe !-.. 
 Again, here at home, we are all on our| 
 
 backs ! — I stand pledged to the . 
 
 bill. I will, and must go through with it 
 .My consistency, popularity, place — all are 
 *at stake ! Frp hound to carry it— and only 
 yesterday the — , and — , and — families 
 ^liL-^gad ! — half the Upper House — have 
 given me to understand I niust give up| 
 
 Siem, or the bill ! — And then we 
 
 ,are all at daggers-drawn among ourselves 
 v'''^' ' a cabinet-council like a cock-pit, — I 
 jind — — eternally bickering! — And again! 
 -.-last ■ night his majesty behaved with 
 marked coolness and hauteur ; and while 
 ^isipping his claret, told me, with stern sang- 
 froid, that HIS consent to the bill 
 
 was ^' utterly out of the question." Must | 
 
 throw overboard the — , a measure that 
 
 I have mor^ at heart than any other f Jtisi 
 
 , whispered that — is determined to draw me 
 
 'into a duel; and, as if all this were not I 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 217 
 
 enough, I am perpetually receiving threats 
 of assassination ; and, in fact, a bullet hiss- 
 |ed close past my hat the other day while 
 on horseback, on my way to — ! I can't 
 make the thing public— 'tis impossible, and 
 perhaps the very next hour I move out, I 
 may be shot through the heart !— Oh God, 
 what is to become of me ? Would to hea- 
 ven I had refused the seals of the — — of- 
 fice !— doctor, do you think— the nonsense 
 of medicine apart— do you think you can 
 do any thing for me ? Any thing to quiet 
 the system— to cool the brain ? Would 
 bleeding do? Bathing? What?— But 
 mind— I've not much time for physic--- 
 Vm to open the - — question to-morrow 
 night ; and then every hour to dictate fif- 
 teen or twenty letters ! In a word— ^' ' 
 
 '' Colonel Lord , sir," said the ser- 
 
 vaut, appearing at the door. 
 
 ^' Ah, execrable coxcomb !" he mutter- 
 ed to me, '' I know what he has come 
 about — he has badgered me incessantly 
 for the last six weeks ! — I won't see him 
 —not at home !" to the servant. He 
 paused. " Stay, Sirrah ! — beg the colo- 
 nel to walk up stairs." Then to me, "The 
 
218 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 
 r 
 
 man can command his two brothers' v 
 
 — I must have them to-morrow night. 
 
 Doctor, we must part," hearing approack] 
 
 ing footsteps. ^-Tve been raving like j 
 
 madman, I fear — not a word to any one 
 
 breathing ! — Ah, colonel, good evening-. 
 
 good evening !" said he, with a gaiety and, 
 
 briskness of tone and manner that utterly] 
 
 confounded me — walking and meeting hij 
 
 visiter half-way, and shaking him by the 
 
 hands. ^ Poor Stafford ! I returned to ray 
 
 own quiet home, and devoutly thanked 
 
 God, who had shut me out from such splenJ 
 
 did misery, as I witnessed in the Right 
 
 Honourable Charles Stafford ! , 
 
 •.,^ Tuesday. — Poor Stafford spoke splen. 
 
 didly in the House last night, for upwardJ 
 
 of three hours ; and at the bottom ot the 
 
 reported speech, a note was added, inform. 
 
 ing the reader,..that "Mr. Stafford was 
 
 looking better than they had seen him for 
 
 some months, and seemed to enjoy excel. 
 
 lent spirits.'' How little did he who pen. 
 
 ned that note suspect the true state of 
 
 matters — that Mr. Stafford owned hisl 
 
 " better looks" and " excellent spirits" to 
 
 an intoxicating draught of raw brandyj 
 
 X 
 
THE STATESMAN, 
 
 219 
 
 which alone enabled him to face the Hotlsef! 
 I read his speech with agonising interest ; 
 it was full of flashing fancy, and powerful 
 argumentative eloquence, and breathed 
 throughout a buoyant elastic spirit, which 
 nothing seemed capable of overpoweririg 
 or depressing. But Mr. Stafford might 
 have saved his trouble and anxiety — for he 
 was worsted — and his bill lost by an over- 
 whelming majority I Oh ! could his re- 
 lentless opponents have seen but a glimpse 
 of what I have seen, they would have 
 [spared their noble victim the sneers and 
 railleries with which they pelted him 
 I throughout the evening. ■ 
 
 Friday, — I this afternoon had an oppor- 
 tunity of conversing confidentially with 
 Mr. Stafford's private secretary, who corro- 
 borated my worst fears, by communicating 
 his own, and their reasons, amounting to 
 infallible evidence, that Mr. Stafford was 
 beginning to ^ive forth scintillations of 
 madness. He would sometimes totally 
 lose his recollection of what he had done 
 during the day, and dictate three answers 
 fo the same letter. He would, at the piib- 
 
 lie nflfinft. snmp.timfis >ntfir into a stirain r\f 
 
220 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 conversation with his astounded underlings, 
 so absurd and imprudent, disclosing the 
 profoundest secrets of state, as must havei 
 inevitably and instantly ruined him, had 
 he not been surrounded with those wkol 
 were personally attached to him. Mr. I 
 
 communicated various cither little! 
 
 symptoms of the same kind. Mr. Stafford 
 was once on his way down to the House 
 in his dressing-gown, and could be per. 
 suaded with the utmost difficulty only to 
 return and change it. He would some. 
 times go down to his country-house, a^i. 
 receive his lady and children with suck 
 an extravagant — such a frantic display of 
 spirit and gayety, as at first delighted, 
 then surprised, and finally alarmed Lady 
 Emma into a horrid suspicion of the real 
 state of her husband's mind. 
 , I was surprised early one morning by his 
 coachman's calling at my house, and de. 
 siring to see me alone ; and when he was 
 shown into my presence, with a flurried 
 manner, manyapologies for his "boldness," 
 and entreaties — somewhat Hibernian, to 
 be sure, in the wording — that I '^ would 
 take no notice whatever of what he said"— 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 221 
 
 Jerlings, 
 5ing the 
 ust have] 
 im, had 
 ose wkol 
 ». Mr.l 
 er little 
 Stafford I 
 House, 
 be per. 
 only to 
 i some. I 
 use, m 
 ith suck 
 splay of 
 flighted, 
 id Lady 
 the real 
 
 g by his 
 and de. 
 he was 
 flurried 
 Idness," 
 nian^ to 
 " would 
 said"— 
 
 he told me that his master's conduct had 
 latterly been " very odd and queer-like.'* 
 That on getting into his carriage, on hig 
 return from the House, Mr. Stafford would 
 direct Tiim to drive five or six miles into 
 the country, at the top of his speed — then 
 back again — then to some distant part of 
 London, without once alighting, and with 
 no apparent object ; so that it was some- 
 times five or six, or even seven o'clock in 
 the morning before they got home ! "Last 
 I night, sir," he added, " master did som'mut 
 -^mmon 'straordinary — he told me to 
 ^ to Greenwich — and when I gets 
 
 tL^- rf, he bids me pull up at the , and 
 
 get him a draught of ale — and then he 
 drinks a sup, and tells me and John to 
 finish it — and then turn the horses heads 
 back again for town ?" — I gave the man 
 half a guinea, and solemnly enjoined him 
 to keep what he had told me a profound 
 secret. 
 
 What was to be done ? What steps 
 could we take ? How deal with such a. 
 public man as Mr. Stafford ? I felt myself 
 m a fearful dilemma. Should I communis 
 Gate candidly with Lady Emma ? I 
 
^2. 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 thought it better,on the whole,to wait a little 
 longer — and was delighted to find, that as 
 public business slackened a little, and Mr. 
 Stafford carried several favorite measures 
 very successfully, and with comparatively 
 little effort, he intermitted his attention to 
 bi^siness, and was persuaded into spending 
 the recess at the house of one of his rela- 
 tives, a ^score or two miles from town— 
 whose enchanting house and grounds, and 
 magnificent hospitalities, served to occupy 
 Mr. Stafford's mind with bustling and 
 pleasurable thoughts. Such a fortnight's 
 interval did wonders for him. Lady Em. 
 ma, whom I reques'ted to write frequently 
 to me about him, represented things more 
 ^nd more cheerfully in every succeeding 
 letter— saying, th^tthe " distressing flighU 
 iness/' which Mr. Stafford occasionally 
 evinced in town, had totally disappeared ; 
 
 that every body at House was aston- 
 
 ished at the elasticity and joyousness of 
 M^f Stafford's spirits, and the energy, al- 
 most amounting to enthusiasm, with which 
 he entered into the glittering gayeties and 
 festivities that were going on around hin. 
 ^^ He, was the life and soul of the party." 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 S^S 
 
 He seemed determined to banish business 
 from his thoughts, at l6ast for a while ; and 
 when a chance allusion was made to it, 
 would put it off gay ly with " sufficient for 
 the day is the evil thereof/' AJl this fillevl 
 me with consolation. I dismissed the ap- 
 prehensions which had latterly harassed 
 
 hny mind concerning him, and heartily 
 thanked God that Mr. Stafford's splendid 
 powers seemed likely to be yet long spared 
 to the country — that the hovering jfietid 
 was beaten off from his victim — might it 
 
 |be for ever ! . « , 
 
 The House at length resumed ; Mr.' 
 IStafFord returned to town,and all his weigh- 
 ty cares again gathered around him.— - 
 Hardly a few days had elapsed, before he 
 delivered one of the longest, calmest, most 
 largumentative speeches which had ever 
 fallen from him. Indeed it began to be 
 commonly remarked, that all he said in 
 the House wore a matter-of-fact business- 
 like air, which nobody could have expect- 
 ed from him. All this was encouraging. 
 The measure which he brought forward in 
 the speech last alluded to was hotly coijti 
 tested, inch by inch, in the House: and at 
 
 Fkj 
 
224 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 last, contrary even to his own expectation!, 
 carried, though by an inconsiderable m 
 jority. All his friends congratulated hi 
 on his triumph. 
 
 " Yes, I HAVE triumphed at last,'^ .., 
 said emphatically as he left the House 
 He went home, late at night, and alarrnedl 
 -7" confounded his domestics by callini 
 them all up, and — it is lamentable to havi 
 to record such things of such a man — ^ii 
 sisting on their illuminating the hous 
 candles in every window— in front and 
 behind ! It was fortunate that Lady Em.! 
 ma and her family had not yet returned 
 
 from House, to witness this unequivi 
 
 cal indication of returning insanity, fi, 
 himself personally assisted at the ridicu 
 lous task of lighting the candles, and putJ 
 ting them in the windows ; and when i 
 was completed, actually harangued the 
 assembled servants on the signal triumph 
 he and the country had obtained that night 
 in the House of Commons, and concluded 
 by ordering them to extinguish the lights. 
 and adjourn to the kitchen to supper, when 
 he would presently join them, and give 
 them a dozen of wine ! He was as good 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 825 
 
 jfts his word ; yes, Mr. Stafford sat at the 
 lead of his confounded servants— few in 
 luraber on account of the family's absence, 
 and engaged in the most uproarious hilari- 
 ty! Fortunately, most fortunately, his 
 conduct was unhesitatingly attributed to 
 [intoxication— in which condition he was 
 really carried to bed at an advanced hour 
 in the morning, by those whom nothing but 
 their bashful fears had saved from being 
 Isimilarly overcome by the wine they had 
 jbeen drinking. All this was told me by 
 ihe coachman,who had commurficated with 
 Ime formerly— and with tears, for he was 
 an old and faithful servant. He assidu- 
 ously kept up among his fellow-servants 
 the notion that their master's drunkenness 
 was the cause of his extraordinary beha- 
 viour. 
 
 I called on him the day after, and found 
 him sitting in his library, dictating to his 
 secretary, whom he directed to withdraw 
 as soon as I entered. He then drew his 
 chair close to mine, and burst into tears. 
 
 "Doctor, would you believe it," said he,, 
 I* I was horridly drunk last night— I canH 
 imagine how— and am sure I did spm^ 
 
flf 
 
 PmI 
 
 on 
 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 thing 6r other very absurd among the 
 aiervants. I dare hot, of course, ask^^ 
 df them— and am positively ashamed, to 
 look even my valet in the face !" 
 
 "*' Poh, poh— 5e?m^? insanivimus omnes^^^ 
 I stammered, attempting to smile.-scarce 
 knowing what to say. 
 
 '" Don't— don't desert me, doctor !"— he 
 sobbed, clasping my hand, and looking 
 sorrowfully in my face ; ''don't you de. 
 sert me, my tried friend. Everybody is 
 foi'saking i^e !— the king hates me— the 
 Commons despise me—the people wpuM 
 have my blood, if they dared !— Apd yet 
 why ?— What have T done ?— God knows, 
 r have done everything for the best— in. 
 deed, indeed I have !"— I continued grasp. 
 iti^ his hand in silence. 
 j' ^'There's a terrible plot hatching agalrisi 
 me!— Hush!" He rose, and bolted the 
 door. " Did you see that fellow whom I 
 ordered out on your entrance ?"— naming 
 hi^ private secretary. " Well, that infa- 
 mous fellow thinks he is to succeed me in 
 my office, aiid has actually gained oyer 
 the king and several of the aristocracy to 
 ^*f interest !'^ ^ • 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 227 
 
 «' Nonsensfe— nonsense — stuff I— You 
 jhavez^me in your head, Mr. Stafford/^ said 
 L angrily, trying to choke down my emo- 
 Itions. 
 
 "No, sir— sober enough now. Doctor. 
 ril tell you what (albeit unused to the 
 jnielting , mood) has thus overcorne me,— 
 
 Lady fimma favours the scoundrel ! 
 
 rhey correspond ! My children even are- 
 gained over !— But Emma, my wife, my 
 love, who could have thought it !" * * 
 r * I succeeded in calming him, and he 
 began to converse on different subjects, 
 although the fiend was manifest again! 
 
 |<' Doctor , ril intrust you with a se- 
 
 cret— a. state secret ! You must know that. 
 I have long entertained the idea of uniting 
 all the European states into one vast re- 
 public, and have at last arranged a scheme 
 which will, I think, be unhesitatingly' 
 
 adopted. I have written to Prince 
 
 on the subject, and expect his answer soon. 
 Isn't it a grand thought V I assented, of 
 course. " It will emblazon my name in 
 the annals of eternity, beyond all Roman 
 and all Grecian fame,'' he continued, wa- 
 ving his hand oratorically; « but I've been, 
 
y ■;#' 
 
 228 
 
 —yes, yes 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 safe with 
 Oh 
 
 (( 
 
 premature 
 
 Doctor ~ 
 
 certainly, 
 
 U 
 
 My secret is 
 
 v 
 
 replied, with a me. I ^. 
 
 lancholy air, uttering a deep sigh. 
 
 " But now to business. I'll tell you 
 why I've sent for you." I had called un. 
 asked, as the reader will recollect. " ri[ 
 tell you," he continued, taking my hand 
 
 affectionately ; " Doctor , I have 
 
 known you now for many years, ever since 
 
 we were at Cambridge together," (my 
 
 heait ached at the recollection,) " and we 
 
 have been good friends ever since. I have 
 
 noticed that you have never asked a favor 
 
 from me since I knew you. Everyone 
 
 else has teased me— but I have never hsfd 
 
 a request preferred me from you, my dear 
 
 friend." He burst into tears, mine very 
 
 nearly overflowing. There was no longer 
 
 any doubt that Mr. Stafford— the great, the 
 
 gifted Mr. Stafford, was sitting before me 
 
 in a state of idiotcy !— of madness ! I 
 
 felt faint and sick as he proceeded.-.. 
 
 " Well ! I thank God I have it now in my 
 
 power to reward you— to offer you some- 
 
 thing that will fully show the love I bear 
 
 you, and my^unlimited confidence in your 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 229 
 
 talents and integrity. I have determined 
 to recall our ambassador at the court of 
 — -, and shall supply his place" -. he 
 looked at me with a good-natured smile-- 
 
 '^ by my friend Doctor !" He leaned 
 
 back in his chair, and eyed me with a tri- 
 umphant, a gratified air, evidently prepar- 
 ing himself to be overwhelmed with my 
 thanks. In one instant, however, <« a 
 change came o'er the aspect of his dream." 
 His features grew suddenly disturbed, now 
 flushed, now pale ; his manner grew rest- 
 less and embarassed, and I felt convinced 
 that a lucid interval had occurred, that a 
 consciousness of his having been either 
 saying or doing something very absurd 
 had at that instant flashed across his mind. 
 I' Ah, I see, Doctor — !" he resumed, 
 in an altered tone, speaking hesitatingly, 
 while a vivid glance shot from his eyeTnto 
 my very soul, as though he would see 
 whether I had detected the process of 
 thought which had passed through his 
 mind; "you look surprised— ha, ha !— 
 and well you may ! But now I'll explain 
 the riddle. You must know that L6rd 
 * is expecting to be our new ambafesa- 
 
f/- -fi 
 
 230 
 
 THE STATESMAN. 
 
 dor, and in fact I must offer it him : biid 
 --but-I wish to pique him into declinii. 
 U, when I'll take offence-by-by tellii, 
 him-hinting carelessly, that one of J 
 Iriends had the prior refusal of it !" 
 
 Did not the promptitude and plausibiliJ 
 ot this pretext savour of madness ? He 
 J)mfed soon after that he had' much busi 
 ness m hand, and { withdrew. I fell baci 
 m my carriage, and resigned myself to 
 bitter and agonizing reflections on the 
 scene 1 had just quitted. What was to 
 be done ? Uv. Stafford, by some extrava. 
 
 gant act, might commit himself frightfullv 
 with public affairs. ^ ^ 
 
 Lady Emma, painful as the task was 
 must be written to. Measures must now 
 be had recourse to. The case admittea ofl 
 no further doubt. Yes-this great inaB 
 must be put into constraint, and thatimJ 
 mediately. In the tumult of my thoughts 
 '1 scarce knew what to decide on ; but alj 
 Mst I ordered the man to drive to the 
 
 houses of Sir , and Dr , to con. 
 
 ?ult with them on the proper course tok 
 rgursued. ,, 
 
 «• ■^ ^- J 4? a^ m.- Jfc.= « _. 
 
THE STATESMAN. 
 
 231 
 
 Hark— What do 
 
 »™ ; bii(| Oh, God !-.0h, horror !..-0h, my un- 
 ieclinii]j|]jappy soul [—Despair ! Ha] 
 y tellinjlf hear ?.-.Do I hear aright— 
 of mjl ****** 
 
 Have I SEEN aright— or is it all a dream ? 
 -Shall I wake to-morrow, and find it 
 false ? 
 
 e 
 
 usibility 
 iS ? He 
 ich busi. 
 fell bad 
 lyself to 
 on the 
 t was to 
 extrava. 
 ghtfully 
 
 sk was, 
 JST now! 
 aitte^ of 
 3at man 
 thatim.| 
 loughts, 
 but at I 
 to the 
 to con- 
 se to Jbe 
 
 ♦^i;.:i '^ 
 
 i: 
 
J ( 
 
 TH 
 
THE 
 THOTDER-STEUCK 
 
i^' 
 
 .'! M 
 
 .Xailiri''. .,:,.;,, 
 
 lit 
 
 Tl 
 
 In th 
 
 thunder, 
 this clii 
 some of 
 this cha 
 the latej 
 Ther< 
 still sur 
 Tuesda^ 
 
 • 
 
 nature \ 
 neath t 
 exquisit 
 atists (^ 
 
 Before 
 
 Lays t] 
 
 ' Forthi 
 
 Prom 8 
 wore a^ 
 awp^4xUi< 
 led fani 
 
CM', 
 
 THE THUNBER-STKIJCL 
 
 In the sam'rtler of IS—* , Lodcfotl wa^ 
 visited by one of the most tremetidous 
 thunder-stdrms that have been known irtf 
 this climate* Its character and effects^, 
 some of which latter form the subject'dP 
 this chapti^r, will make me remember it td 
 the latest hour of my life- ' "^'^^^ "^^'^^ 
 
 There was something portentoirs ^-:^' a* 
 still surcharged air*,— -^about the wholfe of 
 Tuesday the 10th of July, 18—, as though 
 nature Were trembling and cowering ;be-' 
 neath the coming shock/ To 'us6" the* 
 exquisite language of one of our dlddram-'' 
 atists (Marlow), there seemed : 
 
 tn _ oui 
 
 "A calm 
 
 Beiofe a tempest, when the gemle air 
 Lays her soft ear close to the earth, to listenr ' 
 ' For that she fears steals on to ravish her*" X 
 
 ".■'■■ ■■'''■ f 'i*i£'i IS- 
 
 t^rom about 11 o'clock at noon^ the'sKy^ 
 wore a lurid, threatening aspect tha|;,shp^ 
 awe.4nto the beholder j suggesting tq^sta;i$- 
 led'lancy the notion that witbin^he difigr 
 
336 
 
 THE tHUHDER-STRUCK. 
 
 
 ^confines of the /^ labouring air" mischief 
 Was working to the world. 
 
 The heat was intolerable, keeping almost 
 
 everybody within doors. The very dogs, 
 
 ^nd cattle in the streets, stood everywhere 
 
 panting and loath to nnove. There was a 
 
 prodigious excitenaent, or rather agitation, 
 
 diffused throughout the country, especially 
 
 liondon ; for, strange to say (and thousands 
 
 will reccliectthe circumstance), it had been 
 
 for some time confidently foretold by cer. 
 
 tain enthusiasts, religious as well asphilos. 
 
 ophiC) that the earth was to be destroyed 
 
 that very day 5 in short, that the awful 
 
 JUDGMENT was at hand ! Though not my. 
 
 self over credulous, or given to supersti. 
 
 tious fears, I own that on coupiing these 
 
 fearful predictions with the unusual, or 
 
 rather unnatural aspect of the day, I more 
 
 than onqe experienced sudden qualms of 
 
 apprehensipn as I rode along on my daily 
 
 rounds, t did not so much communicate 
 
 alarm to the various circles I entered, as 
 
 qatch it fVom them. Then, again, I would 
 
 occasionally pass a silent group of passen- 
 
 gfeVs' clustering round a street prea^her^ 
 
 who- true to his vocation. " rftdp.fimincr thft 
 
 tir«e/:' 
 
 disturb 
 fc retell 
 0^ exci 
 was fu 
 OD the 
 course 
 ed po€ 
 what fe 
 ities; 1 
 he thro 
 topic c( 
 He tall 
 fancy r 
 «Gr 
 bis hai 
 Wack e 
 *< think 
 j«ent ^ 
 whose 1 
 never 
 known, 
 fiery w 
 lightnir 
 it at thl 
 mighty 
 
 thfin n 
 
THJB THUNDJim-STRUCK. 
 
 237 
 
 rischief 
 
 : almost 
 Y dogs, 
 ^ where 
 ! was a 
 itation, 
 ecially 
 
 inlands 
 id been 
 by cer- 
 philos. 
 stroved 
 
 4/ 
 
 awful 
 lot my. 
 ipersti. 
 J these 
 lal, or 
 I more 
 1ms of 
 r daily 
 inicate 
 red, as 
 wotild 
 )assen. 
 ja^her^ 
 
 nor thft 
 
 tir«e/^ seemed by his gestures, and the 
 disturbed countenances around him, to be 
 fc retelling all that was frightful. The tone 
 0^ excitement which pervaded my feelings 
 was further heightened by a conversation 
 GO the prevailing topic which I had in the 
 cQurse of the morning with the distinguish, 
 ed poet and scholar Mr. •> With 
 
 what fearful force did he suggest probabU- 
 ities ; what vivid, startling colouring did 
 he throw over them! It was, iadefed, a 
 topic congenial to his g'loomjr imagination. 
 He talked to me, in short, till Iny .disturbed 
 fancy realized the wildest chimeras.. 
 
 " Great God, Dr. ~..^!" said he^ laying 
 bis hand suddenly on my arm, his great 
 Wack eyes gleaming with mysterioiAS awe, 
 *< think, only think I What if, at ihe mo- 
 j«ent we are talking together, a comet, 
 j^'hose track the peering eye of science has 
 never traced — whose ^y^ery exl^nce is 
 known to none but God, is winging its 
 fiery way towards our earth, swift as the 
 lightning, and with force inevitable! Is 
 it at this instant dashing to fragiwewtBsome 
 mighty orb that obstructed it progress, asid 
 
 iLen Dass?infr nti tnwarHfl ii«. rJi^iirhiryir 
 
 nassinor 
 
 
WJ 
 
 238 
 
 THE THUNDERSTRUCK. 
 
 fiyfetem after system in its way ? How-- 
 when will the frightful crash be felt ! la 
 its heat now blighting our atmosphere ? 
 Will combustion first commence, or shall 
 we be at once split asunder intoinnumera. 
 ble fragments, and sent drifting through 
 infinite space? Whither — whither shall we 
 fly ! What must become of our species? 
 Is the Scriptural Judgment then coming ? 
 Oh, doctor, what if all these things an 
 really at hand?'' 
 
 Was this imaginative raving calculated 
 4o calm one's feelings ! By the time I 
 reached home, late in the afternoon, 1 felt 
 in a fever of excitement. I found anair of 
 apprehension througlhmt the whole house. 
 My wife, children, and a yonng visiter, 
 •who were all together in the parlour^ look. 
 itig out for me, through the window, anxi- 
 ously, and wil'h paler ifacesthan they might 
 choose to own. The visiter just alluded 
 
 t6, by.the-way, was a Miss Agnes P , 
 
 a girl of about twenty-one, the daughter 
 of an old friend and patient of mine. Her 
 mother, a widow (with no other child than 
 this), resided in a village about fifty miles 
 
 from ±nwr\. fnnm wliinh oh 
 
 
 
 in a f 
 back J 
 was V 
 younj 
 The 
 shado 
 and t 
 There 
 ness c 
 to me 
 liighes 
 liness, 
 spoke 
 you, r 
 seen t 
 anee i 
 dark 1 
 thusia 
 was 01 
 white 
 tressej 
 heart 
 has, a 
 ed, in 
 sex!" 
 and vj 
 demea 
 
THE THUNDERSTRUCK. 
 
 289 
 
 Is 
 1 
 
 How. 
 
 felt! 
 )sphere 
 
 or shall 
 n urn era. 
 
 through 
 shall we 
 species ? 
 3oming? 
 
 ngs are 
 
 ilcuiated 
 time I 
 )n, 1 felt 
 an air of 
 B house. 
 ? visiter, 
 ur^ look- 
 w, anxi- 
 3y might 
 alluded 
 
 p — , 
 
 laughter 
 3. Her 
 lild than 
 ty miles 
 
 in a few days' time, to take her daughter 
 back again into, the country. Miss P 
 was without exception the most charming 
 young woman I think I ever met with. 
 The beauty of her person but faintly 
 shadowed forth the loveliness of her mind 
 and the amiability of her character. 
 There was a rich languor, or rather soft- 
 ness of expression, about her features that 
 to me is enchanting, and constitutes the 
 highest and rarest style of feminine love- 
 liness. Her dark, pensive, searching eyes 
 spoke a soul full of feeling and fancy. If 
 you, reader, had but felt their gaze, had 
 seen themy now glistening in liquid radi- 
 anee upon you, from beneath their long 
 dark lashes, and then sparkling with en- 
 thusiasm, while the flush af CAcitement 
 was on her beautiful features, and her 
 white hands hastily folded back her auburn 
 tressess from her alabaster brow, your 
 heart would have thrilled as niiine often 
 has, and you would with me have exclaim* 
 ed, in a sort of eastasy, "Star of yoiip 
 sex !" The tones of ber voice, so mellow 
 and various, and her whole carriage and 
 uemeanour, were m accordance with \Jm 
 
240 
 
 THE THONDEE-STRTCir. 
 
 expression' of her features. In person she 
 was a little under the average height, but 
 most exquisitely moulded and proportioned^ 
 and there was a Hebe-like ease and grace 
 about all her features. She excelled in 
 almost all feminine accomplisments ; but 
 the "things wherein her soul delighted," ' 
 were miisic and romance, A more imag. 
 inative, etherealized creature was surely 
 never known. It required all the fond 
 and anxious serveillartce of her friends to 
 prevent her carrying her tastes to exc»ess^ 
 and becoming, in a manner, unfilted for 
 the "dull commerce of dull earth !" No 
 sooner had this fair being made her appear- 
 ance in my house, and given token of 
 something like a prolonged stay, than I 
 became the most popular man in the circle 
 of my acquaintance. Such assiduous 
 calls to inquire after 7ny health, and that 
 of my family I Such a multitude of men 
 ♦^young ones to boot — and so embarrass. 
 ed with a^ eonseiousness of the poorness 
 of the pretence that drew them to« my 
 house! Such matronly inquiries from 
 mothers and elderly female relatives^ into 
 the hature and extent of " sweet Mis» 
 
 stay at 
 the pe 
 
 delight 
 xelatiVi 
 nrorthi( 
 then p] 
 er, sun 
 tween 
 all feel 
 rene, 
 wasmi 
 sional 
 mto pli 
 ties; t 
 was in 
 er's es 
 most o 
 N— 
 greate- 
 st my 
 and h 
 keenl) 
 —the 
 Jf she 
 prophe 
 
THE THUNDER-STRUCK. 
 
 241! 
 
 son she 
 ht, but 
 tioned^ 
 I grace 
 lied in 
 s ; but 
 jhted," 
 5 imag. 
 surely 
 e fond 
 gnds to 
 ex^ess^ 
 ted for 
 ." No 
 ippear- 
 Dken of 
 than I 
 e circle 
 siduous 
 nd that 
 of men 
 )arrass- 
 oorness 
 to^ my 
 s from 
 =5Sj intc 
 if Mm. 
 
 p. ^'s expectations !" During a forme? 
 
 stay at my house, about six months before 
 the period of which I am writing, Miss 
 
 p. surrendered^ her affections (to the 
 
 delighted surprise of all her friends and 
 Tclatives) to the quietest and perhaps 
 worthiest of her claimants— a young man 
 then preparing for orders at Oxford. Nev- 
 er, sure, was there a greater contrast b^i 
 ttvreen the tastes of a pledged couple : she 
 all feeling, romance, enthusiasm^ ; he se- 
 rene, thoughtful, and matter-of-fact. It 
 was most amusing to witness their occa- 
 sional collisions on subjects which brought 
 into play their respective tastes and quali- 
 ties ; and interesting to note that the effect 
 was invariably to rais3 the one in tne oth^ 
 er's estimation, as if they mutually prised 
 most of the qualities of the other. Young 
 
 JJ I — had spent two days in London, the 
 
 greater portion of them> I need hardly say, 
 at my house, about a week before ; and he 
 and his fair mistress had-disputed rather 
 keenly on the topic of general discussion 
 —the predicted event of the 10th of July. 
 Jf she did not repose implicit faith irt the 
 prophecy, her belief had, somehow or oth- 
 
 ^n 
 
 i 
 
242 
 
 THL THUNDER-STRUGK. 
 
 r 
 
 
 eTy acquired a most disturbing strength, 
 He laboured hard to disabuse her of her 
 awful apprehensions, and she as hard to 
 overcome his obstinate incredulity. Each 
 was a little too eager about the matter* 
 and for the first time since they hadjknown 
 each other, they parted with a little eoli 
 nes^, yes, although he was to set off the 
 next morning for Oxford ! In short, scarce, 
 ly any thing was talked of^ by Agnes but 
 the coming 10th of July ; and if she did 
 not anticipate, the actual destruction of the 
 globe, and the final judgment of mankind, 
 she at least looked forward, to some event 
 mysterious and tremendous. Xhe eloquent 
 enthusiastic creature .almost brought .ovqr 
 my placid wife to her way of thinking. 
 
 To return Ji'om this long digi-ession, 
 which, however, will be presently found 
 to have been not unnecessary : After stay. 
 ing a few minutes in the parlour,,! retired 
 to my library, for the purpose, amopg othey 
 things, of making those entries in my dL 
 ary, from which these " Passages'' are 
 taken; but the pen lay useless in my 
 hand. With my chin resting oi? the palm 
 of my left hand, I sat at my desk, lost in a 
 
 mg 
 ring 
 
 reverjr 
 grew ii 
 windo\^ 
 every 
 unnatu 
 cheerei 
 of wini 
 thr 
 th 
 untied 
 shirt-cc 
 heat, 
 sound 
 presen 
 three c 
 After 
 two on 
 once 1 
 was d 
 when 
 lightni 
 splend 
 like wl 
 pse of 
 for it 
 conds. 
 staijt^s 
 
THE THUNDER-STRUCK. 
 
 243 
 
 length. 
 
 • of her 
 
 hard to 
 
 Each 
 natter; 
 
 linown 
 le cold- 
 off the 
 scarce, 
 nps but 
 she did 
 I of the 
 ankind, 
 e event 
 loquei|t 
 ht .ovqr 
 king, ^ 
 iCssion., 
 found 
 3rsta)r. 
 
 retired 
 g othey 
 ny Di. 
 s'^ are 
 in my 
 e palm 
 )St in a 
 
 revery ; my eyes fixed on the tree which 
 grew in the yard and overshadowed my 
 windows. How still, how motionless was 
 every leaf! What sultry^ oppressive, 
 unnatural repose ! How it would have 
 cheered me to hear the famtest " sough'* 
 of wind, to see the breeze sweep freshen-, 
 ing through the leaves, rustling and stir-, 
 ring them into life ! I opened my window, 
 untied my neckerchief, and loosened rriy 
 shirt-collar, for I felt suffocated with the 
 heat. I heard at length a faint patterir^g 
 sound among the leaves of the tree, and 
 presently there fell on the window-frame 
 three or four large ominous drops of rain. 
 After gazing upwards for a moment or 
 two on the gloomy aspect of the sky, I 
 once more settled down to writing ; and 
 was dipping my pen into the inkstand^ 
 when there blazed about me a flash of 
 lightning, with such ^a ghastly, blinding 
 splendour, as defies all description. It was 
 like what one might conceive to be a glim- 
 pse of hell ; and yet not di glimpse merely, 
 for it continued, I think, six or seven se- 
 conds. It was followed at scarce an in- 
 staijt^s interval with a crash of thunder as 
 
m 
 
 THE THUNDERSTRUCK. 
 
 if the. world h^d been smitten out of it$ 
 sphere and was rending asunder ! I hope 
 the^e expressions will not he considered 
 hyperbolical. No one, I am sure, who 
 yecoUects the occurrence I am describing, 
 will require the appeal ! May I never see 
 or hear the like again ! The sudden shock 
 almost drove me out of my senses, I 
 leaped from my chair with ^consternation ; 
 ^nd could think of nothing, at the moment, 
 but closing my eyes, ai\d shutting out from 
 my ears the stunning sound of the thunder, 
 For a moment 1 stood literally stupified. 
 On recovering myself, my first impulse 
 was to spring tp the door, smd rush down 
 stairs in search of my wife and children. 
 I heard, on my way, the sound of shriek- 
 ing -proceed from tiie parlour in which I 
 had left them. In a moment I had my 
 •.^'ife folded in -my arms, and my children 
 clinging with j^crejims round my knees^ 
 My wife had fainted. While I was ^n* 
 deavouring to restore her, there came a 
 second flash of lightning, equally terrible 
 with the first, and a second exiplosion of 
 thunder, loud as one could imagine the 
 discharge .of .a thousand papks of 4r;tillery 
 
THE XHUNDERSTRUCK. 
 
 345 
 
 directly •ovei'head. The windows, in fact 
 the whole house, qaivered with the shock. 
 The noise helped to recover .my wife from 
 her swoon. 
 
 "Kneel down, love! husband !'^ she 
 gasped, endeavouring to drop upon her 
 knees ; " kneel down ! Pray, pray for us ! 
 We are undone !" After shouting till I 
 was hoarse, and pulling the bcill repeatedly 
 and violently, one of the servants made 
 her appearance, but in a state not far re- 
 moved from that of her mistress. Both qf 
 them, howevei:, recovered themselves in a 
 few minutes, roused by the cries of the 
 children. Wait a moment, love," said I, 
 " and I will fetch you a few reviving drops." 
 I stepped into the back room, where I gen- 
 erally kept some phials of drugs, and pour- 
 ed out a few drops of sal volatile. The 
 thought then for the first time struck me 
 
 that Miss P- was not in the parlour I 
 
 had just (juitted. Where was she ? What 
 would she say to all this ? .God bless me, 
 where is she ? I thought, with increasing 
 
 trepidation. 
 
 ** Edward, Edward," I exclaimed to a 
 ser;vant vW.ho happened to pass the 4oor of 
 
246 
 
 THE THUNDER-STRUCK. 
 
 the room where I was standing, " where is 
 
 Miss p.— ?" 
 
 " Miss P , sir ! why, I don't — Oh, 
 
 yes!" he replied, suddenly recollecting 
 himself, " about five minutes ago I saw 
 her running veryswift up stairs,and havii'l 
 seen her since, sir." — ^'What!" I ex- 
 claimed, with increasing trepidation, " was^ 
 it about the time the first flash of lightning 
 came?" "Yes, it was, sir!"— "Take 
 this into your mistress, and say I will be 
 with her immediately," said I, giving him 
 what I had mixed. I rushed up stairi?, 
 calling out as I went, "Agnes! Agnes! 
 where are you?" I received no answer. 
 At length I reached the floor where her 
 bed-room lay. The door was closed, but 
 
 a0t shut. 
 
 ''Agnes! where are you ?" I Inquired 
 very agitatedly, at the same time knock, 
 ing at the door. I received no answer. 
 • "Agnes! Agnes! For God's sake 
 speak ! Speak, or I shall come into your 
 room !" No reply was made, and 1 thrust 
 open the door. Heavens ! can I describe 
 W^hat I ^aw. ^ 
 
 ' Withia Jess thm a yarfl'bf me stood the 
 
 most fj 
 beheld 
 
 ■\-' -^t 
 
 arms e 
 Her h 
 face s( 
 she wc 
 Her e 
 pern at 
 
 fying 
 me, u 
 since 1 
 felt as 
 within 
 stir. . 
 ter a 
 those ] 
 mare f 
 
 closed 
 
 for a ] 
 
 ness. 
 
 thing 
 
 Thouf 
 
 thougl 
 
 mendc 
 
 gleam 
 
 came 
 
vhere is 
 
 I't— Oh, 
 )llecting 
 I saw 
 d havii'l 
 " I ex, 
 n, ^' WES' 
 ightniug 
 -"Tafc? 
 
 will be 
 dng him 
 p stairiBf, 
 
 Agnes! 
 
 answer. 
 
 lere her 
 
 )sedj but 
 
 inquired 
 3 knock, 
 swer. 
 d's sake 
 into your 
 i 1 thrust 
 describe 
 
 THE THUNDER-STRUCK. 
 
 247 
 
 most frightful figure my eyes have ever 
 beheld. It was Agnes ! She was in the 
 attitude of stepping to the door, with both 
 arms extended as if in a nnenacing mood. 
 Her hair was partially dishevelled. Her 
 face seemed whiter than the white dress 
 she wore. Her lips were of a livid htie. 
 Her eyes, full of ^awful expression, of su- 
 pernatural lustre, were fixed with a petri* 
 fying stare on me. Oh, language fails 
 me, utterly ! Those eyes have never 
 since been absent from me when alone ! . ^ Jf 
 felt as though they were blighting the life 
 within me. I could not breathe, much less 
 stir. I strove to speak, but cauld not ut- 
 ter a sound. My lips, seemed rigid a^ 
 those I looked at. The horrors of night- 
 mare were upon me. My eyes at lengtK 
 closed, my head seemed turned round, and 
 for a moment or two I lost all conscious- 
 ness. I revived. There was the frightful 
 thing still before me--nay, close to me ! 
 Though I looked at her, I never once 
 thought of Agnes P-— . It was the tip- 
 mendous appearance, the. ineffable terror 
 gleaming from her eyes that thi^ over* 
 stood the I came me. I protest I cannot ponceiye 
 
) 
 
 248 
 
 THE THUNDER-STKUCK. 
 
 any thing more dreadful ! Miss P—con;^ 
 tinned standing perfectly motionless ; and 
 while I was gazing at her in the manner I 
 have been describing, a peal of thunder 
 lOU^ed me to my self-possession. I step. 
 ped towards her, took hold of her handj 
 exclaiming, "Agnes, Agnes!" and car. 
 ried her to the bed, where I laid her down. 
 It required some little force to press down 
 her arms; and I drew the eyelids over 
 hei". staring eyes mechanically. While in 
 the act of doing so, a flash of lightning 
 flickered luridly over her, but her eye nei. 
 ther quivered nor blinked; She seemed 
 to have been suddenly deprived of all 
 sense and motion ; in fact, nothing but her 
 pulse, if pulse it should be called, and faint 
 breathing, showed that she lived. My eye 
 wandered over her whole figure, dreading 
 to meet some scorching trace of light- 
 ning, but there was nothing of the kind. 
 What had happened her ? Was she fright- 
 ened— -to death ? I spoke to her; I call- 
 ed her by her name, loudly ; I shook her, 
 rather violently : I might have acted it all 
 to a statue ! 1 rang the chamber-bell with 
 
 tUi>*-mA\J£3*t i,i.Vi,i.Xi,S^\J V'i.\Jl\^XA\^W/ •< V«i«VA ^A f^*J\JI,Afta.J SS.SJ- 
 
 wife ai 
 
 pearan 
 
 embarr 
 
 sence. 
 
 former 
 
 and the 
 
 the ligl 
 
 1 W( 
 
 from h' 
 joining 
 attend 
 less pa 
 dical n 
 tient in 
 norant 
 not ej 
 swoon- 
 The n 
 and w! 
 ture of 
 pened 
 her lii 
 their I 
 moved 
 the sit 
 gradiiJ 
 
 1* A « joi* ^\ irl 
 
P- — con;^ 
 ss ; and 
 manner I 
 
 thunder 
 I stejf. 
 3r hand; 
 nd car. 
 er down. 
 I9S down 
 ids over 
 iVhile in 
 ightning 
 eye nei. 
 seemed 
 I of all 
 r but her 
 md faint 
 My eye 
 Ireading 
 f light- 
 le kind, 
 e fright. 
 ; I call- 
 ook her, 
 ied it al! 
 bell with 
 
 nflv Wiv 
 
 THE THUNDER-STRUCK. 
 
 549 
 
 wife and a female servant made their ap- 
 pearance in the room ; but I was far more 
 embarrassed than assisted by their pre- 
 sence. *' Is she killed ?" murmured the 
 former, as she staggered towards the bed, 
 and then clung convulsively to me. " Has 
 the lightning struck her V 
 
 1 was compelled to disengage myself 
 from her grasp, and hurry her into the adi. 
 joining room, whither I called a servant to 
 attend her, and then returned to my hap- 
 less patient. But what was I to do ? Me- 
 dical man as I was, I never had seen a pa- 
 tient in such circumstances, and' felt as ig- 
 norant on the subject as agitated. It was 
 not epilepsy — it was not apoplexy — a 
 swoon-nor any known species of hysteria. 
 The most remarkable feature of her case, 
 and what enabled me to ascertain the na-< 
 ture of her disease, was this : that if I hap- 
 pened accidentally to alter the position of 
 her lim«bs, they retained, for a short time^ 
 their new position. If, for instance, I 
 moved her arm, it remained for a while iii 
 the situation in which I had placed it, and 
 gradually resumed its former one. If I 
 
 1* A « joi* ^\ ir€ 
 
 
 
 ah A 
 
7 
 
 ■ 
 
 f 
 
 iH 
 
 250 
 
 THE THUNDER-STRUCK. 
 
 continued sitting so without the support erf 
 pillows, or other assistance, as exactly as 
 if she had heard me express a wish to that 
 effect, and assented to it ; — but the horrid 
 vacancy of her aspect ! If I elevated one 
 eyelid for a moment to examine the state 
 of the eye, it was sometime in closing, 
 unless I drew it over myself. AH these 
 circumstances, which terrified the servant 
 who stood shaking at my elbow, and mut 
 tering, " She's possessed ! she's possess, 
 ed ! Satan has her !■ • convinced me that 
 the unfortunate youg lady was seized with 
 catalepsy; that rare mysterious affec. 
 tion, so fearfully blending the conditions of 
 life and death — presenting, so to speak, 
 life in the aspect of death, and death in 
 that of life ! I felt no doubt that the eX- 
 treme terror, operating suddenly on; a met. 
 vous system most highly excited, and a vi. 
 vid, active fancy, had produced the effects 
 I saw. Doubdess the first terrible out- 
 break of the thunder-storm, especially the 
 fierce splendour of that first flash of* light- 
 ning which so alarmed myself, apparently 
 corroborating and realizing all her awful 
 ij-i^yiciic^iar 'iio \ji Liiu pifcjuiuifcju eveni, ovei? 
 
 powered 
 fearful i 
 that of ( 
 flight to 
 But aga- 
 she rec6 
 lightning 
 be so ; i 
 the pup 
 startle tl 
 little mo 
 I coni 
 circums 
 ordinary 
 distracte 
 promptl] 
 read of, 
 No time, 
 miaed t( 
 modic tr 
 freely, 
 immerse 
 her han( 
 ter,and e 
 a little ■ 
 vantswe 
 
 nnrtnnnr 
 
3port cyf 
 ictly as 
 
 to that 
 
 horrid 
 ted one 
 le state 
 closing, 
 1 these 
 servant 
 id mut. 
 possess. 
 ne that 
 9d with 
 afFec. 
 tions of 
 
 speak, 
 )ath in 
 be ex- 
 :: a ner- 
 id a vi. 
 
 effects 
 le out- 
 lly the 
 i light, 
 arently 
 • awful 
 [, over? 
 
 THE THUNDER-STRUCK, 
 
 251 
 
 powered her at once, and flung her into the 
 fearful situation in which 1 found her — 
 that of one arrested in her terror-struck 
 flight towards the door of her chamber* 
 But again : the thought struck me. Had 
 she received any direct injury from the 
 lightning ? Had it blinded her ? It might 
 be so ; for 1 could make no impression on 
 the pupils of her eyes. Nothing could 
 startle them into action. They seemed a 
 litde more dilated than usual, and fixed. 
 
 I confess that, besides the other agitating 
 circumstances of the moment, this extra- 
 ordinary, this unprecdented case, too much 
 distracted my self-possession to enable me 
 promptly to deal with it. 1 had heard and 
 read of, but never before seen, such a case. 
 No time, however, was to be lost. I deter- 
 mined to resort at once to strong antispas- 
 modic treatment. I bled her from the arnri 
 freely, applied blisters behind the ears, 
 immersed her feet, which, together with 
 her hands, were cold as marble, in hot wa- 
 ter,and endeavoured to force into her mouth 
 a little opium and ether. While the ser-. 
 vantswere busied about undressing her,and 
 
 -wvv* -: y a. £3;;^ 
 
 X jjfcT^ par 
 
?513 I THE THUNDER-STRUCK^ 
 
 ped for a moment into the adjoining room 
 where I found my wife just recovering 
 from a violent fit of hysterics. Her loud 
 laughter, though so near me, I had not 
 once heard, so absorbed was I with the 
 
 mournful ease of Miss P . After 
 
 continuing with her till she recovered suf, 
 ficiently to accompany me down stairs, I 
 
 returned to Miss P 's bedroom. She 
 
 continued exactly in the condition in which 
 I had left her. Though the water was hot 
 enough almost to parboil her tender feet, 
 it produced no sensible effect on the cir! 
 culation or the state of the skin ; and find, 
 ing a strong determination of Wood towards 
 the regions of the head and neck, I deter, 
 mined to have her cupped between the 
 shoulders. I went down stairs to drop a 
 line to the apothecary, requesting him to 
 come immediately with his cupping in. 
 struments. As I was delivering the note 
 into the hands of a servant, a man rushed 
 up to the open door where I was standing; 
 and, breathless with haste, begged my in. 
 stant attendance on a patient close by, who 
 had just met with a severe accident. Re. 
 lying on the iimmediate arrival of Mr. =. 
 
 the a] 
 I coat, 
 man ^ 
 ed in 
 [twent 
 again 
 Ider ai 
 
 [Thf 
 proved 
 thrown 
 being i 
 the inji 
 of liqu< 
 
 I hi 
 scene 
 I7 ap 
 which 
 lovely 
 sensibl 
 tive rrt 
 lay irt' 
 parent 
 Her e 
 pale, 
 Were i 
 
 hung 
 
 
 
THE THUNDER-STRUCK. 
 
 253 
 
 the apothecary, I put on my hat and great. 
 coat, took my umbrella, and followed the 
 man who had summoned me out. It rain- 
 ed in torrents, for the storm, after about 
 twenty minutes' intermission, bu*-st forth 
 again with unabated violence. The thun- 
 der and lightning were really awful ! 
 
 [The patient to which the writer was called 
 proved to be a notorious boxer, who had been 
 thrown from his gig, in consequence of his horse 
 being frightened by the lightning, and who, from 
 the injury received, and the effect of a too free use 
 j of liquor, was raving like a madman.] 
 
 I hurried home, full of agitation at the 
 scene I had just quitted, and melancho- 
 I7 apprehensions concerning the one to 
 which I was returning. On reaching my 
 lovely patient's room, I found, alas! no 
 sensible effects produced by the very ac 
 tive means which had been adopted. She 
 lay irt bed, the aspect of her features ap- 
 larently the same as when I last saw her. 
 tier eyes were closed, her cheeks very 
 pale, and mouth rather open, as if she 
 were on the point of speaking. The hair 
 I hung in a little disorder on each side of 
 j'vi ia.\yx^f iiiiviiig est^iipea irom oeneath 
 
 11 
 
 
K; 
 
 854 
 
 THE THUNDEB-STRUCX. 
 
 her cap. My wife sat beside her, grasp- 
 ing her right hand, weeping, and almost 
 stupified ; and the servant that tvas in the 
 room when I entered seemed so bewilder. 
 ed as to be worse than useless. As it was 
 now nearly nine o'clock, and getting 
 dark, I ordered candles. I took one of 
 thenl in my hand, opened her eyelids, and 
 passed and repassed the candle seVefal 
 times before her eyes, but it produced .no 
 apparent effect. Neither the eyelids bhnk. 
 ed, nor the pupils contracted. I then took 
 out my penknife, and made a thrust With 
 the open blade, as though I intended to 
 plunae it into her right eye ; it seemed ^8 
 if I might have buried the blade xn the 
 socket for the shock or resistance called 
 forth by the attempt. I took her hand ui 
 mine, having for a moment displaced my 
 wife, and found it damp cold ; but when I 
 suddenly left it suspended, it continued so 
 for a few moments, and only gradually 
 resumed its former situation. I pressed 
 the back of the blade of my penknife upoH 
 the flesh at the root of the nail (one of the 
 tenderesfparts, perhaps, of the whole bo- 
 dy,) but she evinced not the slightest sen- 
 
THE THtJNbER-StRUCK. 
 
 255 
 
 rasp- 
 Imost 
 n the 
 ilder- 
 t was 
 siting 
 ne of 
 3, and 
 
 edno 
 blink. 
 Q took 
 ,t witE 
 led to 
 aei as 
 in the 
 called 
 and in 
 ed my 
 vhen I 
 lU^dso 
 .dually 
 )ress6d 
 h upon 
 ) of the 
 ole bp- 
 )si sen- 
 
 ^tion of pain. I shouted suddenly and 
 loudly in her ears, but with similar ill sue-- 
 cess, r felt at an extremity. Completely 
 jbaffled at all points, discouraged and agi- 
 tated beyond expression, I left Miss P— 
 
 in the care of a nurse, whom I had sent 
 for to attend upon her, at the instance of 
 my wife, and hastened to my study, to see' 
 jifmy books could throw any, light upon 
 Ithe nature of this, to me, new and inscru- 
 liable disorder. After hunting about for 
 isome time, and finding but little to the pur-- 
 Lose, I prepared for bed, determining in 
 ihe morning to send off for Miss P 's 
 
 mother, and Mr. N from Oxford, 
 
 and also io call upon my eminent friend 
 
 Pr. D' -, and hear what his superior 
 
 and experience might be able to sug- 
 
 gest. In passing Miss P 's room, I 
 
 ppped in to take my farewell for the 
 pening. "Beautiful, unfortunate crea- 
 ire !'' thought I, as I stood gazing mourn-* 
 fully on her, with my candle in my hand, 
 eaning against the bedpost. " What my s- 
 lery is upon thee ? What awful change 
 pas come over thee ? the gloom *qf the 
 krave and the light of life, both lying upoa 
 
 -^^-^ 
 
25ft 
 
 THE THUNDER-STETJCK- 
 
 thee at once ! Is thy mtad palsied as thy 
 body « How long is this strange state to 
 lasf^ How long art them doomed to lingerJ 
 thus* on the confines of both worlds, so thud 
 those, in either, who love thee may m 
 claim thee ? Heaven guide our thought 
 to discover a remedy for thy fearful disor. 
 der ' I could not bear to look upon^het 
 anv'longer ; and hurried wp to bed, cbarJ 
 sins the nurse to summon me the motami 
 that any change whatever was perceptiWe 
 
 in Miss P' — — • ' ,, , ,. 
 
 I dare say I sbail be easily believf 
 
 When I apprize tbe.tredder of the. troubk 
 
 niaht that followed such a troubled d»jj 
 
 The thujider-storm itself, coupled with Ihel 
 
 predbtions of the day, and apart from, rt 
 
 attendant incidents that have .been rtm 
 
 tioned, was calculated to leave an awhi 
 
 and permanent impression m one s mine 
 
 « If I were to live a century hence, 
 
 could not forget it," says a distingUiBb 
 
 writer " The thunder and lightning wei 
 
 more appalling than I ever witnessed, eve 
 
 in the West Indies— that region of stor« 
 
 and hurricanes. The air had been 1( 
 
 surcharged with electricity ; aad i perdie 
 
IS thy 
 ite to 
 linger, 
 so thai 
 
 y not 
 
 disor. 
 )a her 
 
 \ \' V 
 
 THE THUNDEE-STRUCK. 
 
 257 
 
 ed several days beforehand, that we should 
 have a storm of very unusual , vi^plence. 
 But when with this we couple the strange 
 prophecy that gained credit with a prodi- 
 gious number of those one would have ex^ 
 
 )ught8 pected to be above such things, neither 
 
 eptiUe 
 
 jliev 
 rouh 
 
 more nor less than that the world was to 
 come to an end on that;very day, and the 
 ebsirJ judgment of mankind to follow,; — 2 say, 
 lomentlthe coincidence of the events was not a 
 little singular, and calculated to 'inspire 
 common folk with . wonder and fear, I 
 |dare say, if one could but find them out,^ 
 at there was instances of people being 
 d d&y Iffightened out of their wits on the occa- 
 dth IMsion. I own to you candidly that I, for 
 irom.itAne, felt a little squeamish, and not a little 
 n niealdifficuky in bolstering up my courage with 
 I dLy^imNiTgiVs Felix qui potuii rerum cognoscere 
 ^rmmmms. &c. 
 
 ence, I I did not so much sleep as doz^ inter- 
 gui&h«|uptedly for the first three pi; four hours 
 ifter getting into bed. I, as well as my 
 ilarmed Emily, would start up occasion- 
 1y, and sit listening, under the apprehend 
 ion that we heard a shriek, or some other 
 mch sound, proceed fprn Miss P '^ s 
 
 ig we 
 2d, m 
 fsto 
 
 en 1 
 perdi 
 
 I 
 
258 
 
 THE THUNDER-STRUCK, 
 
 M ; -t 
 
 rtt- 
 
 room. The 'image of the blinded boxer 
 flitted in fearful forms tihont me, and my 
 ears seemed to wring with his curses. It 
 must have been, I should think, between 
 two and three o'clock, when I dreamed 
 ths.t I leaped out ot bed, under an impulse 
 sudden a^ irresistible, slipped on my dresg. 
 ingugown, and hurried down stairs to the 
 back drawing-room. On opening the door, 
 I found the room lit up with funeral ta- 
 pers, and the apparel of a dead-room spread 
 about. At the further end lay a coffin on 
 tressels, covered with a long sheet, with 
 the figure of an old woman sitting beside 
 it, With Icng streaming white hair, and her 
 eyes, bright as the lightning, directed to- 
 wards me with a fiendish stare of exulta- 
 tion; Suddenly, she rose up, pulled offthe 
 ^^tthat had covered the coffin, pushed 
 s^ide the lid, plucked out the body of Missl 
 p-_, dashed it on the floor, and trampled 
 upon it With apparent triunqph ! This hor- 
 rid dream woke me, and haunted my wak- 
 ing thoughts . May I never pass such a 
 dismal night again ! ."" ^ 
 
 I rose from the bed in the morning fe 
 verish and un refreshed ; and in ¥ few m 
 
THE THUNDER-STRUCK. 
 
 259 
 
 nutes' time hurried to Miss P 's room. 
 
 The mustard applications to the soles of 
 the feet, together with the blisters behind 
 the ears, had produced the local effects 
 without affecting the complaint. Both her 
 pulse and breathing continued calm. The 
 only change perceptible in the colour of 
 her countenance was a slight pallor about 
 the upper part of the cheeks : and I fan- 
 cied there was an expression about her 
 mouth approaching to a smile. She had, 
 1 found, continued, throughout the night 
 motionless and silent as a corpse. With 
 a profound sigh I took my seat beside her, 
 and examined the eyes narrowly, but per- 
 ceived no change in thertn. What was to 
 be done ? How was she to be aroused 
 from this fearful, if not fatal lethargy ? 
 
 While I was gazing intently on her 
 features, I fancied that I perceived a slight 
 muscular twitching about the nostrils. I 
 stepped hastily down stairs (just as a 
 drowning man, they say, catches at a 
 straw,) and returned with a phial of the 
 strongest solution of ammonia, which I 
 applied freely with a feather to the inte- 
 rior of.jhe nostrils. This attempt al^p 
 
 m 
 
 
i 
 
 r ' 
 
 260 
 
 THE THUNDER-STRUCK. 
 
 was unsuccessful as the former ones. I 
 cannot describe the feelings with which I 
 witnessed these repeated failures to stimu. 
 late her torpid sensibilities into action ; and 
 not knowing what to say or do, I returned 
 to dress, with feelings of unutterable de. 
 spondency. While dressing, it struck me 
 that a blister might be applied with suc- 
 cess along the whole course of the spine. 
 The more I thought of this expedient the 
 more feasible it appeared : it would be 
 such a direct and powerful appeal to the 
 nervous system — in all probability the 
 very seat and source of this disorder! 
 ordered one to be sent for instantly, an 
 myself applied it, before I went downt 
 breakfast. As soon as I had despatche 
 the few morning patients that called, 
 
 wrote imperatively to Mr. N. at Ox 
 
 ford, and to Miss P 's mother, entreat 
 
 ing them by all the love they bore Agne 
 to come to her instantly . I then set ouj 
 
 for Dr. D. 's, whom i found just stai 
 
 ing on his daily visits. 1 communicate 
 th^ whole case to him. lie listened wit 
 interest to my statement, and told me 
 had once a similar case in his own pn 
 
^hich I 
 stimu. 
 n; and 
 Jturned 
 ible de- 
 iickme 
 ith sue 
 ! spine, 
 lent the 
 uid be 
 [ to the 
 ity the 
 der! I 
 ly, and 
 
 THBJ >tlBHJKM:R-3TRUCr^ 
 
 96t 
 
 tibe^ which, lalps I -terminated? fetally m 
 ^ite> of the* most bnxious i audi c^aribined 
 dSbrts sdf the >elite ofitlke fticuhjr in London^ 
 He aipproved of the course I had adopte4 
 ly.nflm'e especially the blister' on ithe ispcne?^'; 
 and earnestly recommended 'ihe. to resort 
 lo'galvdnism^ if Miss P-^*^-^shpaldi* hot 
 be jreilieved from the fit before the evemflg, 
 «heh he promised tofcall,andabsist'inoai?* 
 11^1% irk to. effect; what hei reoomraend^^j(| 
 m^ils it that beautiful girl: lisaiw in..yDur 
 jjfew last Sunday, at chorxjhi V^ ; lie iti^ 
 i|uired^ suddenly. . ^••^•^rp '^tuKi'u j;>^)rnfn 
 i B^^iThe same-M-the same W I xeplieti^ witK 
 oasfgh. . ViJ^rurKT)"; ' ^i>iuoio?oa ^:, ••-•,. ^.laqa o?- 
 down to i'lDr* D^--i-T^ continued silent fori a; ino^ 
 
 patched 
 lalled, 
 -at Ox 
 entreat 
 5 Agnei 
 
 ist stall 
 [inica 
 led wit 
 i meh 
 
 mentoi'two.^oi-THrroo tBih <'t n c3'u.<qmry^ 
 lo'^ Pooa? creature P^ ha ie2calaime4il with 
 Ifli i kir {of odeep' boncbrh ;) '** loiie isb bebutij. 
 ful! Do you know I thoughlj >IfinQMJiigid 
 then perceived a very 3iieniai!k94)le expres- ♦ 
 
 set ou limin, hQiT' eye, especially wtiiilei^,tl;jat^TOl* 
 
 ssne 4h eptnusi'aSt 
 icatei about music? . 
 
 ., *^,Passionately----,devote(;llyJ ' ' r t # 
 >'K^?lUry!)t jj'i.jie replieSr^r^' iyiq^XJJiti 
 vn prac a confident air : " we'll tty it ! . B'ifstplet 
 
 
i 
 
 262 
 
 THE THI7in)Kl.OTRUCK; 
 
 las disturb the inexvoufi torpcwr with a slight 4iftMf^a|y 
 fchocfc of galvanism^ and then try the effect ^^?^^?^^ 
 aS ymn argan^^^. I listened to the «ij|i»g ift JHi 
 ^s^ibn: with interest, but was not quite J^P^TSf A 
 
 pangpine in my expectations as nay £iim 
 deemed to be. i ''niiuetinr 
 
 In th^ whole range of disorderi that 
 affeet the human frame, there is not one 
 go extraordinary, so mylsterious,; so linci. 
 paSlel of managemeht, as that which aiflicrt^ 
 ed. the truly; uhforturiate young, lady whose 
 caise II am: narrating. It has given rise-li| 
 almost infinite speculation, and is admiterfc 
 i heiifevii^i od all hands to be— if I 'may 
 so speak — a nosological anomaly, .r Vim 
 Sweten vividly and. picturesquely enough 
 compares it to that condition.of :the body 
 ffcrhicbj; accdrding^ to anciedat fictioiy was — r^^,^^, 
 jilodtiied in the beholder by the appallinJtipS^t^l'SsI 
 Wght^afiMedusa^s head : - v ( l [ f. jsw? of Ji 
 •aofCjxo «iSiixifki Mediate vultU8/?^o*f'^^^ rf vllpilp^ssipn 
 
 i^i^^i^Writm of antiquity hav.y "^^ 
 
 tiaosjatip; 
 
 cies,of,ap( 
 tb^jlie ha 
 
 bp^Such^tp 
 sci^S^h 
 
 66 of the existeiioe of thi^d diseak iii 
 
 (itLHi-^**' ^^ iipnie (being niyAe'lt ^ lover 
 'iWcm^ Tiot 'H ' •eeientific one, of music) ^ a veri 
 
 a remark? 
 
 es^tibj^ej^ 
 
 f Onj?§tt 
 
 %■ 
 
THR.;?SFIf^^-§S5l^€t^:< 
 
 2»lb 
 
 i»g4ft jn.|[]E^^i^jr, ]p^ta«oesj \ritk pthpr .^iftti 
 
 8f?#e» fgch, paJtieiH9;|a»,^hfese iii;,^ 
 
 translatip^i o^f ; |h^ title I b^ ve pr^Ji^A td , , 
 tlM«? 1^*6^:;; whiles Pi Q^P iP^v^ndayy thtf 
 
 cie&^of, apQpiexy^ at \lfie s^met ti«n^ 3tj||iftg)i 
 tl#ii0 ha4; j^^^ief se^H. a g(e^^iQa,i^sta^Qfr:> 
 of;;<?^feiJ§psjr. lie. ;ha4 jal^waya ife^|i4f Jl«b 
 s9f ^^ lipHe eases: whipb^ w^e f^pppM^ td^^t 
 bp^such,tp be feigqeci qiie^ , M<?l&frw4eWr 
 
 dispi^S^^i^ one ; pecj^Uftr m^iMm^^^t 1 1 
 
 palling|%^}>lfeO?t?es of ^^^egsji 'r#cci?4^di ^(i 
 \ I. js?!^ p>f ,tiie mc^t eiHin^tvme]R^|)Qr#op|tte 
 p#^ssipa., Iff ;.Jebb, lift pW^b^iarjuitef 
 the.app^n^i^tqji}^ f' Se\m,:Qm^MP^Mt 
 
 a remarkable and affecting instaneet>r$)if ii^ : 
 
 . ^ Oft .^§tijr,njii^^^^ pay, 4«% ^*i^«»ft ^» 
 •la; w%h^ my J^ecte^ air . wfMib;i:effi§i-l(:ed5ii; 
 
 i sligllit 
 & effect 
 
 tuheid 
 
 ri that 
 Lot one 
 > iinca^ 
 affliot 
 
 whose 
 rise.ii} 
 Imiterlj 
 
 r.i'niay 
 
 sbJm 
 
 e body 
 
 ly wai 
 
 :yelef 
 ^aiite in 
 
 lover 
 a ven 
 
im^ 
 
 'i 
 
 ittrftjfeHf-afttluc*. 
 
 liy'ftll' Uhe pati^d 1 had Visltfed, l'l6m(^ 
 
 rm^e Md tailfedf^iri forcing ^veh^ krtom 
 robt ' ^owr^ Ae^i mqtithrirind, fihdiug that' it' 
 wa« n6t ^affowfed, ^ias. 6biri{)eiled toi^P 
 si« fo# iftttr'^f cht!>ki% her.f' Sh6' Wa8« 
 thiBr^foi^^ dMiged f o resort % 6ther tn^arijf' 
 of i (iorit^vingvfecjp^ort t6 ' her' exliafUsterf 
 frartie. Thfe^Wist^r oft tlie sf)ihd, ^awd tW^ 
 reili^M^^d^ii^a]fferns ta th6'^^^^^^ 
 ta^ittdke t^ny Impressioh f ' Thus was dvery> 
 sQddessive^ filtterrt^t an titter failure f ' Tfel^ 
 disird€frfeontiftti6!d'ab6lutyy inacces^ihW 
 to thi^ ^ftppr(*idhe* of medicine. The hm 
 fled atC^ndMrt^ could b at look ^t h^r/ ^an*' 
 kment. ©odd God/WasAgnestodomii^tie^ 
 irt tfeis di'd^^dftiii^btidhidrl tUl her ^h6Mi# 
 sawk Jtt dkthfA' What ^iild bebonie dP 
 heJ^ levfe»i^f hfelf tether ? Thfesb' coil.'' 
 sid^atioft%' Mally destipoyed tny pe6cfeW 
 todftd: f^tild iifeirfi^r^thiiik, r4!;%<Vl 
 not r^maitf any wliei^ but* in the '^dhartihefli^^ 
 whei*e;alas?'rny'=^ was ^ iinii'^ 
 
 ■Tailingtnjijc^n. ^;aiit.)t:ilii$ bun oidi^iij^msi i; 
 
 • .^^^- ^TT" '^^^^ '^^'^ appeaTfeiiif*l*^ft 
 at t#!<dinftel^>) and ^ We pit^ceed^' at oned to I 
 the room where oti'r patient lay. "" * 
 
 :.l '1< 
 
TttX tmJNMtt-St AU<!;K. 
 
 26» 
 
 '4%^ 
 
 i^Jrttk jialfer than before, fie? featuf^s ^ef6 
 
 Jllicid ad .those of the chiselled marbleW 
 lot^vithstan ding all she had* suffered',' ttric! 
 th^feairftil situation in which she lay at 
 thuit mbttfient, she 'still looked very beauti:^ 
 flih! H^r cap wfesoff, artd her ri^hauburrt 
 liai^; lay neglig^htly on^6ath side bf 'W/ 
 ilpo*! the pillow. Her forehead wtts'w^hiftf 
 ail alabaster. She lay with tier hfeiiil 
 flirwed a little on ' one^ side,' and het tw^ 
 sTOall white hands Were clasped togfetlief 
 iver h'dr bifiom'. This '\vaa thd' ffuri^i^ 
 itfringemei^t*: for ^* Poot^ ' swefet yoiiny 
 lady,^^ she said^ ^* I coiildn't^ b^r* to nm 
 tor laid straight along, with her ai^tos'cfes^ 
 bdsttde hei- like a corpse ;i soi lUriedttt itiftk^ 
 tef ' look ^ tniich asleep ' las » ^ possibte.^^ 
 Tke ifnpfessiob of beautyj' IhoWevei*, coni 
 ^eyfed by hei" symmetridai 'and ^^<iliqti# 
 featured, ' was diteturbed as- <feo<!>b &!;< Itftirtg 
 up th€5' eyelids; we^aw the fi3^ed> mare^ of 
 the e^es. - They Weire ndt glassy ot cotpsQi 
 IHie, but bright as thos^ of lifei with ^ llttfe 
 of the dreadifiil . expression of epilepi^^j 
 We raised h6r in bed, and she, as^^befol^f 
 sat upright, but with a blank abseht aspect 
 tbat was lamentable audi unnatural. Her 
 
 
Wl* 
 
 THE T|itJ^i^EH-s,Ttiu<?ICr 
 
 V*n^> wl^p UAe(J m^ l^ft ^Uspcincledi djd j ^,j^| ^ff^ 
 i)ot : <Wlj but mflfc down I agaii>t :grftdi|0,%,j 
 Wci mMrn^d h^T gQHtly to hftr r^cuiiiifjh^ 
 ppstpp, Qnd d^tjBi^rrwed ftt ODP^ » to tryi tb^ 
 
 €flS^tQ.fgftlvwi^(]p0n'hQr^ ,My ww)hw* 
 
 , WW» i^oQW brpiight into the iwm i ^^^ wh«t 
 ^e,bad;(iuly arranged matters) we dii!eete<l| 
 tbei!om?9<B'7 to qiinit the ebatDb^i! fpr ^ghQ^rfc 
 tfixmi ae the. effect jc(f gftlvani^m i^ g^Deit. 
 ^kjjjj CoMnii t90 startU©g» to b^ wftnes^diJ^ 
 Q. j^rnale $pecWtor. I' wish I h^d not' n^ 
 fijftiC ! fii^n it ift /the case ojf Mi*s iPrf-T^/l 
 H#|;i eplow .went and^ oia«ne > ; Jt^^ ^y^lkfci; 
 10^4 iwutjiir started op^n: ^ttd she st^dl 
 wildly ^hoxkt h^r mih the iasp^Qt loif loofti 
 iftftrtipg QUt ^f ! bqd; ki f i fright,; i i I tholij^tl 
 at.^pB-WDment(that th0 )hQ¥ridn s|:jell!\wi 
 h^^kej^j hn 9J1P m\ Mp Biiddmlyv \^^^^A' 
 fefiWiM^tdWiaircte me, and her mouthl opejf^ed 
 
 ^^)%A&fm^ A^gOesJ -dewp Aglie^I SfJ^al^j; 
 sp^k^b^t 8|r wpfd J Sa(y ywiliS^e !!;^..:rj'««ij 
 
 i^him^i rushtog foiiwg-Jid, Ai*i» foWing ,my i 
 
 ^1^1 Iftpuiid her^ •AJias, ! ; $hQ hfea^4 i P^( ) 
 
 f€^«wri*tfll0l .When «he galtVwte: sfjoofe 
 WiM cofljr^yedi tQi hmMxtkb^^ it prod^joed th^^ 
 
 but Agon; 
 
 «eeni the 
 th^ pres( 
 executed 
 
 r # Aw6l 
 
 enter(?(l th 
 take f^ac( 
 
 beidg irelm 
 the ^gofli 
 icriraejpue.l 
 brawny, 
 his clothes 
 
 the galvar 
 I dare ^aj 
 all shi-iiiik 
 momenta] 
 
 into a sitt 
 colour ru{ 
 apart, so 
 glared at: 
 t'meBics 
 
.mUtTHUISriXBR^STKUCK 
 
 nm 
 
 st^dl 
 
 XisuafeffectSy dread fbl tofeehoM m aWci«ei^ 
 but Agonizing tame') iA the ©a^© of Mias 
 P**— HTki »'The!la»t mibject on whidW I had 
 
 aeen the 'effects of galvanism, previous tb 
 thie preeent instance, Was the body of ah 
 executed malefactor ^"^ amd the associfvtioias 
 
 ff n f i 
 
 )(> 
 
 <; 'I 
 
 .tqniT'ltij 
 
 # A' w6rd about th^t) ica^ii rij'^tii!eii^i^,1ji^i|j^ 
 l9gK ATlie , epectacl© ! >im3 truly horrific. Wheu/I 
 entercjcl the rpoip where t\\^ QXperime^tfe, ^ y(|eT^ i^ 
 take jjace, the body of a n^an i^iamert /pfti[i^> 
 'jfjiich tijl.d bec^n cut 'doVsai frc|rri ttie, gallows scajr^ 
 Half J^if 'hoUr, wa-^ lyin^'ttt' th^ tkble'; afi'd th6 icf«^ 
 beirlg irelmoVed, hlafrightfiiil feaiifi'es, diifetdFted'twith 
 the agonies jOf,|Bafi*ocat^bnr, M^ere vistLble; /Tte 
 icrirae Jpie h^d beea hanged.for Aya» ln^rc^^^5 ao^ja 
 brawny, desperate ruman he looked : XNone ot 
 his clothes we're removed. He wore a fustiaa jack- 
 et, ^M> ;flrftb i knee^neeKJhffiL // The first tiTtKe^Jbat 
 the galvanic shockj^^$iqo,Bj^ey€|d'f(i hirji ^tfl my^p 
 I dare say, be forgotten ^by ifny one pre^eiat^ ^JWe 
 all sMiHik frotn the tablfe iii (ion^ernatibn, witn tl^ 
 momentary belief that->v^ti htd pdsicivdy tyrbNo^gdit I 
 ^pi,i]^ t^apfcvtQ' life ; f(p|r he? rswcldmly ! «pirkng up 
 into a sitting posture, Kis arms*wav^d;>filf|iy[if^hje 
 colour rushed into his cheeks, his lips wert drawn 
 apart, so as to show all his teeth, and his eyes 
 glared at. iw with' aJ3pareiit fury. Ofle^ro^hfli^, 
 I'me'dicainatudtint, shiiekdd violetitiy,*'*^ha -^8 
 eaimediout in a ^swroon. i€)»e gentli^riciatt :i^r^S*j^, 
 
 I 
 
 ^05 
 
 •-r« 
 
 * A 
 
aes 
 
 T!HE TnuNmmi-srKvm. 
 
 
 ^nevivdd on !t&e:piiestefafi occasioh >lrem ij. 
 ririfcfet too painfdl to bear.' t' begged iifiy 
 ifrierid ltd , desist, for I saw the dltempt w& 
 (hopeless, cind L woiildribt allo^ her: tender 
 (frame to be agitated to no purpose; My 
 vmindi misgave me for ever making the 
 attempt. What, thought I, if we -have 
 latally dii^turbed^ the nervous ■ sy stemi^ ftnd 
 Iprostyated the small remains of sti-englh 
 i^he had left! While I was torturing 
 ;i^If With such iear^ 
 
 :]lpj('d6wri the rod, ^ilh a melancfely m, 
 ijeixclaiming,^ ff Well, what ii to -be done 
 ffidw ? I cannot tell yoii hbw sangiiin^'l 
 ^^ about the success fef this eipeririient!! 
 
 jj Do you know whether she ever lisid a fit 
 »ijf epilepsy ?^'%6Hiqmredi-/' *^ ^' ; ■; 
 
 ^^^ «f,No,,pdt that t ^m, awai^ pi; .J.n^vpr 
 
 f jl^ni of it^ if she ha»dvvr ,^i ^ ?.; n^iM<im 
 
 qi/iff Had she generally a hortor of thtitid^if 
 
 e^n^rrrn ..> !.: -:* i^f ^1« •;^,--:-:^--;-- ^.v.::".'ir; 
 
 jftlftJ)ody, WII& almost knocked down with thcvio- 
 ^^t Wpw, he receiviid from the left arm. It* wis 
 
 f^«p«?>jtin^e before an5r of u»€ould recover plresedioe 
 lffipjp4««|ficiciitto proceed with the exp^iinenUi. 
 
 of ricsi 
 writt^i 
 oontsni 
 hour'io 
 
 ■yJ^ B 
 
 affecte 
 destrb^ 
 
 the in 
 blindh 
 
 helots 
 
 think V 
 
 day?' 
 
 it;: bu 
 awful 
 ful dej 
 
 was St 
 denee; 
 ftYer s 
 yester 
 was q 
 <*It 
 
fged ittir 
 ;mpt wfe 
 et tender 
 )s&. My 
 king the 
 we 4mve 
 ^ten^f and 
 sii-ength 
 
 My Buj?, 
 ibe done 
 
 lemiient!! 
 
 .■"■"; //.!■ ji 
 
 held a. fit 
 
 Tia THtTNDEE.flTatJOIC. 
 
 » ( 
 
 ( thunder 
 
 •,t 'T 'J ')lu:> 
 
 ith thcTlo- 
 erptesemct 
 
 *^iGh; quite th^^ cohti^y^! shefelt ^ Sbit? 
 rf dcstasy on : such occasiohsy ;^ik1 Ihad" 
 written aomie beau tiM v^tse^ diiiriiig thj^ir' 
 oont«.ntianbe. " SiicK seetneii rather ^hw 
 hour i of vinfepiration than otherwise P'^*^' <^^ 
 ■y}^ Do y6u think the lightning itself ^has 
 affected her ? Do you think her sight^ id 
 
 destroyed-?^' n ^/'H !- i:-Sv' ■ *':-:.^:i>;' 
 li i'i have'ho rtieans of knowing wheihe^l 
 the immobility of the pupils arises* ^#0*11^ 
 blindhessi or is only one of the temporaiy^ 
 
 ^fiekrtstof catalepsy ;'^-^"/>-^'' ^--^'^J^ ^ ** 
 , ^^ Then she believed the prophecy, yoil^ 
 thinks <)f the AvorM's destruction on Tues- 
 day ?" "! -rhuoil ih' :. .. r*) uv; . Ihu> 
 
 ''^ «No^ I don't think she exactly I)eMt'ed 
 it; but I am sure that day ibrbugbtwM'ilP 
 awful lapprehensions^-^^r^ at least, a fearu.^ 
 ful degree of uncertainty." .l>i>ii 1 
 
 v/<f fWell^ between onrselves,'5 
 
 
 was. i3(iymiething very strange in the tJlun^Il^* 
 denee; was not there ? ' iNothing in M^^ 
 earer shook my' firmness as it was shg^kisn 
 yesterday ! I- almost fancied the dailifc 
 was quivering in its sphere !" 
 M^vltiit/?a5 a dreadful day! o»e I Bhaih 
 Mvpc Iforget ! Thcd is the image of iii-*3 
 
 
lyj* 
 
 ■Ttm .TSV[»nBR<-STIIttKCm.T 
 
 M 
 
 ii^iasHiVe I But ithe iwonsfet fc^ peorhaps^ 
 
 yet ; toi h^ tpl d y^u 2 Mt . N: r-, her loyer^^ 
 
 to whoijisfcie' wlEts vei^y sooai itc)i havfe been! 
 n^ftjfrted, &e tviH-be herb, shortly Id i»ee 
 
 " Alas !'' exclaimed Dr. D— ^^ classp;, 
 iligbis'bandsi a^d! eyeing Miss(P*-n^--H- Iwith 
 ipleSsse; commiserationit M what a fearful: 
 feri^^ribrifcimll 'twill driw him ir^ad Hfi iki 
 " I (iread his coming j I know iiot whfe 
 M'le shaill do f i And th«n there's her ?^Wfter 
 TrpcMt \9\d letdyJ'-nher I »haA^e writteii tbji 
 and expect almost hourly !'' "V vuii 
 
 S,<^^r W'lty^'M^h^t) an acemtio^ulatitin bf sbbeks 
 aaji^i^eHe^^Iiit^wiillbe upsetting p9>A!f% 
 said my frieOd, ^eei»g nae pailei ajEid i agi- 
 tated, • "''. ■ u\'. .h-rti'u ' ^' '^'i'[)Y)\'' hil 
 
 ^> .<1i W.ell,'-'' he continued,)' .^.f I cajlhot/now 
 st^y here longerrM^yoU'r laiiscry £s catching 5. 
 mif besides, iaj* mbstprefssinglyeiagagied]; 
 but I you may rely on my services, if you 
 should require them in any \^ay;'V i 
 
 My friend took his dieparturej. leaving 
 mo^ tnoite discd.n$;Qlate than ev«r. , Befee 
 ifeiirii^ to bed, .1 riabbe^ in rhustaifd «tpon 
 
 aid^cHii 
 IhOT^h' 
 cffScit-it 
 
 IjrW&ylE 
 
 frsmtht 
 elfidtfest 
 ed her ]c 
 found m 
 
 in nowi^ 
 
 t&r liolr^ 
 ny .^f n 
 
 eind' bo{] 
 .Wihil 
 i heard 
 ^pdi iask 
 i9kiiittlel 
 
 papee^ia 
 1^ ^ovi^ »s 
 
 ©ailed 
 ^ance 
 him on 
 fttjf if h^ 
 face wi 
 
 
^ been! 
 ' Id. isee 
 
 r&HE TDKUNBfillJStlll/OK^ 
 
 STl 
 
 fr Hvhh 
 fearful 
 
 Mther 
 LteM toj! 
 
 stocks 
 
 fed; agi- 
 
 lof/nbw 
 
 igagedji 
 i£ yott 
 
 flM .- 1 '• .ft I 
 r i I f <■ . ; 
 
 teaviiag 
 
 JHd ^ cHieC 6c*^c^* of the fedy ^ IwjpIAg; 
 Ihpu^h ftlintlff, that it- wrtjght^ have fidriSi 
 cffSd ' itt I'^iasiipig the. sy sibe'm .j »I ktie^ledl 
 d^iwh'vbefiii^'^tebpMg Irito K^d,;and etimesU 
 IjT'priiybdijithat si^iail •human: efforts seemed 
 te&d,'the AilmigHtyi Vi^ouid^elliher^fre© 
 from the mottal thraldom in \vihi'eh'«HelJij^ 
 flbd testoire her to life, and to thbse who \m^ 
 edhet biore than life ! Mbrriing c4n4e---ii 
 found me by her bedside as usUalv and hei* 
 in nowise aitered-Happar^ntly nieither Ijet- 
 to Hotr ivQ«*3e ! If the i*niyarymg moinotQ4 
 ny f f my descriptior^ should fatigue ther 
 tmA^Xf.^ !vNfhat mutst th^ aet*i*aS . mdnotoi^y 
 and' bo})ele39ne^ have /J^eemtDitn^ev! ojtt ^it 
 
 . Wihite I was sittingibem^Je'Mi^s.'PWrH 
 I heard wy youngest toy <30mie dhwn^tair^ 
 ^pdnask t0 he letaatxjitberQanai fje W9{$ 
 j9k itittle : &ir^haijr0(l ; yow ngsti^ : ajbolrir thme 
 ye^r$. of ag^, aiad (kiad ^ ai^i^^ays bp^a tfttt 
 |3»pe€>ial favourite of -M)i^&.'iB^--w^V"T^bef 
 1^^QVi^i$iweet pet,^' asthe poot giri/heradf 
 eaHed him> • Determirted t^ , ftk'cjw ik> 
 #ianoe ^awiay^ I beokoned ;hiii:i. in, ^4 took 
 him on my knee. He called tQ> Miss P«— , 
 a{$ if he . thought heir asl^^^p^ ,patti^g iher 
 face with his little hwds, aind kissed hefi 
 
 1 f 
 
Mm 
 
 878 
 
 THE THUNDEE-iSTRUCK. 
 
 ff . Wake, yfeke I C&min Aggy, get up !" 
 he, cried ; •" papa says 'tis tithe tb gettupj] 
 Do you! sleep witK eyes Gpei3i?*-frEhi?;4H 
 Gousin Aggyi ? <i * iHe tooked at hjerijitenl. 
 ly for some: moments^ and seemed friehtt 
 mtdv. 'He turned pale, atid struggled to 
 gGit 'ofF «ly knee. I allowed him ta g0i 
 and he ranto his mother, who was stan^ 
 iftg at the foot; of the bedj aild hid his face 
 •behind bei\.; 1 i • ! ? 
 
 "t'lf pa^^ed ' bi^^akfestrtinje in great apprei 
 hension', e5ipecling the* two arrivals I ha^ 
 metitioubd. 'I»knew not how to^ prepatig 
 ^jfth^i^ the niother orthe betrothed hUfsftand 
 for the scenethatawaitt^d them, and trhidh 
 Utad ii6t particularly desortbed to tHem. 
 R%4s with no little trepidation that I hif^ard 
 the'star^ling knock of the general-postman | 
 tind^ with infinite astonishment and dditbfc, 
 that I took out of the eervant*g hands 4 
 ietier from IVTr/N-ir-tmr, for poor Agnes! 
 For a while I knew not what to tnakeof 
 it; Med he received the 'dlarming etpi'fe^ 
 I hid^f^^r warded to him,-aiid did he write 
 
 fk-mmmftimiitUhmi^ 
 
 
l» 
 
 .•^HK : THUiJi Wa-S|TRIiCfir. 
 
 m% 
 
 get up!*^ 
 tc) getiupi! 
 
 her'inteial- 
 
 [Died frights 
 
 truggl0dt6 
 him ta gp; 
 
 was stan^ 
 hid his face 
 
 reat appm 
 vdis I ha^i^ 
 tO' prepati^ 
 edhufsfeand 
 ,an4t^hioh 
 ed to tKem. 
 thatlhsf^ard 
 il.postmcin'i 
 and ddttbfc, 
 t*g hands 4 
 K>r Agnc^sl 
 to tnafce of 
 Ing ej^ptfe^ 
 lid >he write 
 i im ' 
 
 to Miss P-TTT-;! Or wa$!hetullaxpec>t©dly 
 lp,lj>5e^t< froipa Oiicfbrd wJaen! ^ it ^arrivefi ?-ir 
 The letter supposition wat corroborated by 
 l^e p<^s^rn5irk> w^hichvl o^bs^rvediwa^ L^iar 
 ooiw. ;4 feH it mydutyitoQ'^^n th^ lettei^. 
 j/vias 1 1 it, wa& ii^ t g£^y straiia-T-uiiiusu al]iy 
 g^yrfpr N---i--TT ; iOiformlog Agnes that;hb 
 
 ^ ^4: J^^^ft ' ^udd'ei^ly ^umn>pnad ; iiiito ; Ifi^r 
 ^Inshire to hi9 CQiwft'a .^eidding, whw 
 hA M^fis very happy ,.,i)Qth.ortja0c^i4nt<;^ -hi* 
 lel^a^yea^ happiness,: and th^ anticipation 
 ^{;,$ i$i«^ila,r 3ceTO be^pg in ptore forhim- 
 fjelf i} Bl^ery. jiipe was tocjiy ^t \<rith (hope 
 fin^. jf^nilA^tion J but the pc^fesu3Kpt post 
 
 —my Aggy !— Is it all over with us^#w^(^ 
 PytlUonissa, } Are you und J) .at tl|^ ¥10- 
 m^ft^ an separate fra,gments (d, the gtob^rf 
 t,^aU;se^l wvii ;onqu88t ^overyou w^iS 
 kb$^ when , jt i$Bo. ^ you.i * | K^emefnber , . ^m 
 p^yled; f ronii me iaiaMp3t, naughty on6|jrr- 
 ^ kipsed me xath^r oolilly ! But=^ tl^^t 
 
 is t^p^'^^^y tnat^FQu.j^i^Q'is:^ ^imy^ "f^^^^w^ 
 
 iperit^iwliei^ y^Br^are van(|i#^dy' h^/r 
 I read theSeHUW«i>fif^#i&^P^.; W^ Wife 
 
 *< 
 * 
 
 .'f . 
 
«^4 
 
 tsm TitilNi«Ba^*tRt^^«l 
 
 t ecoter^ft fi^M the eHWtioh occailiofiytf ]fe^ 
 •a f tii*4i^al i^f tfe(^ fettet; 1 htet^Wcil f<i's€*a 
 
 "Without cxpiaiirting thfe ptleeii^e nature' ^ 
 jltig^ t^-ii-j-. 'i s^4zmre, I gave feim #ft4*mft^ 
 that he^riiust feiii^l-y up to toWn ifii&tantil^r^ 
 attd that even theft it \Va$tc>^e last degree 
 <diJiiMftil wbetlMBr hiB watjld see her alitel 
 Aftel-: this little oieturreii^Je,' 1 couW Mt^Hf 
 trufct itly^elf id go tip itaisrifefegaii) and look 
 iApm ' tfe tofei-tiinate girL .^ Uf ti^ttH 
 fluttereii felt tht ^or, ahd^ tviieft I etttelt^d 
 I burst into tears, I could titt^¥ R^ tt^drte 
 iRefr the Word^j^ ">o^i^--poor Aghsi^ !' — 
 ^tld'Wlthdrew. ;vo liJiJi : i"l,v^<!A \ni--^ 
 
 rCil Was i^hdcfced, and indeed enraged, t4 
 Sfiftti iia^ one of 1;lie hlbrning paj^fers a pi^rfei 
 ^rAjph fetatlng, though feacctiratelyf^^the 
 f^tu fh of Miss' P— -^^s ill » e^s . W ho 
 could halite befell so unfeelhag ^3 to mak^ 
 ih«e pocfl^ girl an objefet of publte ^ond^ 
 lifid |)it^ ? 1 never aseertained, !ht)tigh I 
 n;ade every iiiquiry^ iVoi^ \vh'€)kn the^'itt^ 
 f*hfgeii*e^w&S iioiotihunieclt^^^^^ - I 
 
 ^Jlilii W yy ^ati^ntsAhat A^f ikppti^i 
 
'^the 
 
 THE TH:UNDEIl-<3TlltJCK- 
 
 9T6 
 
 tff fbe a ateee of the v0ner^Ute and hwour^^ 
 flible ;Deainof-r-tr^^.at iwhoae bcma^ ^h« 
 resiited. Her wig ia the room wh^n I 
 called ; Ead. to ^ explaia what, he ciail#d 
 '>ithe)gloo(n?i of- «fty ihjajoner,'' I gaMehiioi 
 afiill recount of the melaacholyi «vjBli» 
 ^ych had occurred. He . listei!iad |0: fmi 
 iilLtheJieiBtrs rati down hisifa<je. ; nti^^rl lou 
 L,i/.*>;^wt you have not trieidi the ^ffeoliOf 
 mski > of which you say she\ 1 is so fowi I 
 Royou not intendito resort Iq it?" ;! t<alft 
 bim it was out intention ; and-thslt iOW 
 igitatioh was the only reason tvhy w^^di* 
 0ot try »the effect of it; imjuodiately aft^r^ 
 the' galvanism. ' '-.joa via •,; '^<^ in ■ •' ! 'jiI 
 I f^ fNow, dpctoi^, excuse aji old) clergy i5nWii 
 will ^ym ? '' said the v^nerabte and piou^ 
 dean, laying his hand on myi aWf ^' Wid 
 let me suggest that the experiment may! 
 not! be the. less successfui with the hl^ssing 
 <i£iG*d^ if it be intfdd4<^ed ,;ini the <xuxj:^ 
 cfa i^^ligious service. C(3mfc,id^tf»^{ Mohair 
 mf you;?Ki I paused* ■■ i \xy)iyr^h 'XiBii 
 v'f Haive^ you my <9ibjectioalt<a nay/ aaUipii. 
 at y^urihouse this e^^mng/and K^^iflg.th^ 
 
 service appointed by 0iiri,ch«»oh &«• tfe^ 
 visitation. of thi^i sick 3/;^ It >vill a<rf be difiSt; 
 
 
 %! 
 
 ■:f 
 
dT6 
 
 Tl«8> Jt^rtJNBER-'STllUCr. 
 
 eult lofi Uiivc^tiM the oinost solemn find 
 affecting^ litmins 6f hiu«e,'or toJletilt pi^a 
 ^edo'Oi' follow/' Still Ihesiiaifed, dndytt 
 
 fctfdiw J'^ iam no enthusiast**^! am wot genbr.' 
 affly considered a fanatic. Strrely, when 
 man hafi done! his tiest^i and fails, he! shouM 
 not hesitate to turn to God !" The gobd 
 iid hian*s W)rds da6k into my $6viU (xni 
 dMifiled in' it a- cheerftil and humble hop© 
 t'hat 'the hlessihg 6f Pmvideifice ^would 
 ^ttfend themeatissiiggested. I acquiesced 
 feithe' dejib^s pi-oposil ; with deldghty ^i^td 
 dVi^' eHgeirn^Bss ; i^d it was arranged that 
 he should be at my house between seven 
 and e'Mtii o'clock that ^VBtiing. - I tfcln'k I 
 httvciffli^eady obseiy^ed that I hadaiiibifi 
 ^%h, very fine and^'powerfbl oncy 1 iftrciy 
 back drawing.lt)oniii; arid this instrument 
 vfas'theeifninen* delight of poot* Miw 
 pg . tifif'> ti!Sh& would sit down at it for hbiiia' 
 t^ethe^iS-^«dtb0r performanoe woiild aJk 
 have disgraced a professors, i I hoped th^at 
 di^ Ihb i^v^tfiil occasion that was appibach. 
 kri^j^b^t^iies of her favourite musicy wjth 
 t\^ blessing ifef Heaven, mighj; rouse » a 
 sliimbering rie^nonsive chord in her b6$bm^ 
 
 ftild aid.] 
 tteitdeadi 
 i30t laist 1( 
 noiW ky< 
 ooiild ido 
 the 'evei) 
 hope'^^fa] 
 iog hearts 
 a&d/rei^ig 
 forwafdiJ 
 j^ate hope 
 the eveni 
 ©nreti 
 Lfiiund'j 
 town^ inii 
 heairt^bre 
 interview 
 her- dati^ 
 whole ho 
 tibaof ih 
 tibns, Cha 
 la^y absei 
 without a 
 of Miss F 
 it:<isiasv.tl 
 ah0e,4&n4 
 Qperat^ « 
 
THfir asnrNDRSsTfttrcK. 
 
 
 ftild aid in dispdlingi the> oriidi Hchlinii 
 tteit deadenied n^r/6 Ski ^iertainly jooiiki 
 n0t laistlong in the cdnditionjin which she* 
 nOiW kyui'i Every, thing l that : fnedicine 
 oocildidQ had been tried-^-f-in vain ; andiF 
 thei /.evening^a experiment-n-p^iii fodoiti; 
 liope^^failed^l we mast, though with bleed/ 
 iog hearts, submit to the will of Providence/ 
 aBd/reiaign her to the grave. - 1 locA:ecl 
 forwAtd with intense anxiiety— *with alt«jnJ 
 j^ate hope and fear — ^to the engcigen^nt 6f 
 
 the-evening^ ^ 'i ,<'iih .'vxn^^^'tq viii m 
 
 On returning home, ^ate in the^afternboQ^ 
 Lfiund « poor Mrs. PU-^. had arrived: ill' 
 town^ in obedience to my summons j-aad 
 heart-breaking, \j Ij leairnedy was her firsts 
 intexyieW): if such itHma5f be /called, with' 
 her datightdt. Her shrieks alarmed the ^ 
 whole housev £Utid even arrested the atten- 
 tibaof the neighboiirs.i i J. had left in^rue- 
 tibns, that in caiae of h^r (Arrival during' 
 Kiy absence^ she idiouM baishown at once, 
 without any ^recautioAs, into the presence 
 of Miss P*^*^— ; Withthc^feope, faint thougb 
 
 it wrasi that the abriiptnesa of her aj 
 ah0e,.and th© violence 'of her griefj niigb^ 
 operate as a salutjiry shock upon th(0 stag* 
 
aw 
 
 THE : tmmnEE^smRtriOK . 
 
 Bftnt i erieifgies ^ of! r hw i ) iic^(^htear. 1 ^V Mjr 
 
 ed;^ Tikshiog tip to iHe bed ivithj frantlcliasj^ 
 and iblasping ^ ith^ 'insensible' form of het 
 daiiighter'ia ber Qrrins^ wher(^ shd bdldibei) 
 tiJL khi^ Mhiakifitingiintq/ti\oBe)Df..my iwvU: 
 Wba^ ; a dveaH' icoihinai^ .was/ thbce be^w^ 
 tjfie ,i)iwnXiti ^dsiuresy « t^*^ passionatei ^ 
 ikiBiitatiohs ofthe^motiiiervBiidtihQ jalDnyi>nj! 
 leaefiiajiid motionlessaesa ol the daughter j^! 
 Chifedjtttle.buti afiecting incident oqoiiritefl 
 
 in my presence. Mrs. P (aaiyet uiftaii 
 
 qitainted with t&t^ . pe©KiiiaIr» imiaturB iof^her 
 daiughteirf'sii sfeiadiT^)- h<ad/. Iiihatchpd .MDsj 
 FfHt^s handito Im* li{)s^ ki«sed<itixepeab; 
 ^Aiyi and auddebljrrletlitigo tdlpressiiheii 
 Qim'bbndmpod bert Jidad'^ as If t^ repreaa 
 a) arisbig^ihykteiical feeHi^. Mk^'Sf*h^-^i 
 arfi^i ms uiisiialv remained &t' ^ nK)dietiil)i6v 
 two ! misq)Bnded^ ' dnd . only ^mdualty ; ^aidb 
 <||iwaitip6nvtheibedu! It looked as ifih^rvoliif 
 Uiatlairibjr contihued St[Jn;ftha/i ppsitiontj/widi 
 arQaAU'i(H|in^i aird Melhiaks^jl se® lat dliiff 
 lslqmetit^d)i.afH^htedli&rtare-wkti mMdb 
 
 Mmkfl#--4-^Hjjajr4ffd4be<icmtstrertabed , B^ 
 hdp;b04^i^aiUhgfromdb«7hfi«^ da thpugb 
 
 &}^ explCQte^ * 'her dnwghtai .were^akmt tp 
 
 do di^' '^i^kfi(k..mih\h 
 
 gtttttdriicltheir <>f Agtt 
 kvfe »beeii ti^idb «rffebi 
 riery ^thc^tigb a^paren 
 (jati»^ f so thai theri 
 iBce an heifedltiity '^t 
 e^t^Ei thought Mmi^ P-^ 
 efiiperriettded ttttyi tfcirt: 
 i' i44 thd m^iiiorgi^Me ^ 
 jigitatidttbf SU xufbOi 
 ^iitit^r^fel^ttiri th6 ft] 
 
 #*ii«sSi^ b I Afe(!)bt balfj] 
 JE)f i i ijl)'-^;-^ I iatt ved:^ 
 
 fc^ W^nifet^ ^f ; a « ^n'fei, 
 k <^^ ' ^utli^tand^/ 
 «tattt^ visitor at niyb 
 ef jpeirfot^miftg^' ia^'* g 
 ib^4)igaftw^iiii-Xetiues 
 playit^ Mhrte littilii 
 lile^ 01^ ^ 4^ ^Affn^^s 
 be^^bWUgM^Mlar^th^^ 
 
3 leacclkiiDi4 
 
 Imy )Wif«(j 
 
 ionalel jp^ 
 a Btonyi ittj: 
 aughteriS 
 opoiintedi 
 'yet ujiaiBii 
 
 I <iti repeat; 
 pressiihefi 
 t^ repreig 
 
 Bodieiili^dr 
 hallyisanfc 
 
 itioiKJiwitli 
 ea lat dbiff 
 kti, miM6b 
 abed'Eumi^ 
 dHthpugb 
 eiakmttp 
 
 ^»&i ttQi;imi>Dii^il^udM^ 
 
 ttTtI 
 
 do ^t '^tsp^kr Ik ii^hihg* drectcfftllf^ f|»14dVn. 
 
 kvte %eeit tWidb ^afifettteirt^iii'-afsiwilai^ %>toi 
 fier> thotigb a|>paverjtly 'from"4'^diffe'r»t 
 oaU»ef so thai ibet^j seemed 'boinelhto^ 
 like; in -beitellkttiy 'teiideney ItoWct^^ 
 6Y^n tbou.g<fe Mmi^ P-^^i-^-HetseJf b^<i ipjieVH* 
 
 cfipeTriended tttty< tiling (^'theiiifiy.qi* l^^^q 
 
 >i'mbra0ed fbe pf ^cm^lav^iJi i ihabkftil e§k 
 
 «iato visiW ' at nay H(^'lfig^, fort -the T^tr^M 
 
 
 .</ 
 
 
,%. 
 
 
 
 IMAGE EVALUATION 
 TEST TARGET (MT-3) 
 
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 Sciences 
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 23 we%! MAiH STkeeT 
 
 WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 
 
 (716) 873-4503 
 
 
 6^ 
 
4^ 
 
9^9 
 
 WMi :^mvmm^^^mK* 
 
 \(rfh JNac^i J« ta this ibdwaei «iid t(^ (^ ih 
 
 ^fltfe^#4,. . I led *i!39 rPB /stwr »,; mi mkh 
 
 ptf^^lfor jhim> ibeforer ft taWe; oia*, livljiel 
 
 Ji}oi|«wl'<# pa^a^y h^ dii^^tefl ithe^ siok p^J 
 «€iQ< t9 't>6 teai^gbt iato it be f 6oi!ri< i I? ait^fH 
 ped upjatairs).i)^be?^ 'i hmdrmyvmi^^^^ 
 
 ^j^-^y-^ , .J,}iipugbt-her ipftl&r; thqiu ^a«at j 
 ^ll4rlttot>b€«f obeH^ki9f<se^^3S^dtb<>l^^^ 
 
 ' tlinB^-j k^^t isympftthstK / ; Witb a aighi.(I 
 gUtiei'^cl i tePi rfigbt ibri»] feta ; Wy v^Tjmi ( ft 
 
 l^omf jwjfe 10^4 th%invime,i¥rhpi8i>pp#t«d 
 
 |nd;*|ilft^!b«i iniAfiieaSy reo^m 
 
 umA fe^twfiiWc tliQ^ orgftii f fi^ ithe 4ew?8( 
 
 h^i#pp>%rWiCQ Jr 1 rvHeicluxttiriaigrt^Wf rfwaa 
 f alb^CBd/z^j^bwab^bi^^ o*p^ the :»#jhiti»iiWa 
 pf which was equalled by.ithirtiaCbiwri0j*ah 
 
 nee 
 
 ■f per 
 veloped 
 
 Dr. D- 
 
 i)H4e^f 
 
 i^tb^i' 
 
 ciateJ 
 
 ilbtei m 
 npon 
 
 ;tber pe 
 tues 
 
 gWel 
 aud 
 
THE THUJ^DER+WJRWKi 
 
 s»x 
 
 art pte- 
 
 ok p^ 
 «g Miss 
 
 h}l9AQte 
 
 Lsanoe.' Heir eyefe were cl©8*d.}.-ittid 
 
 |veo?^luc*ng white «Qr^^^ 
 
 '"B^i which eppearednotunUk* ft *^^^ 
 
 SrSe thai: a. living, b^ing^li! As sqod^w 
 l§r%---and I hS t»ten.«feat9.oft!W«h 
 |,a4Uf«»r,>.«.patientv}hfe^l«^n^^^ 
 
 ioS,^ffe^t^ppn thef acid:8U^r^th«l 
 
 th»peftU«g:btf en abbey orgf »« ^;^ 
 .WW 1 **'»,, Ti. iieart began tQMonft- 
 tues around! My t^eart J ^ ^^.^^^ 
 
 tues arouna: i";' i f ivn«.aipnt 
 
 tod '. When ! the mUwQ «e<»«d,' we ^ 
 ' Ckd dQwn..9*id the.dea»y.M,ft8oUw» 
 
 Sf rather tremulous ^^n? of Y^^^ 
 i,feiK.ed.readiog;«tpp«Mr"«^iP!S*ffS^ 
 
 bf ftppw>a4hed.the'ifihaw df .MMS »'-'**» 
 
mti 
 
 ^m^ mtimtim^isi^TRm^ 
 
 -miOti^n^ i^A^khe foHi^wiftg efft^^iri v v!e»s«i 
 him rWhite' Hd y ^t 'Spafc^' tjftpr^i ci(Dirffetfc ^rii 
 
 ^ayiiig «^hib;!QPfeyM daughter fe d^adj 
 4w«Wfe'n€*»1beiMiwfet€iP.!i 1 b(i,'i-^ — (f M\ 
 H n ftfiBtit ^hen J^i^us^ ih^ard $tv lj6 iin^ei^< 
 Wttjf^ ^saying, ! Feilr a^t ; ^ believe 6i*lyj^ laM 
 %h^^yhallU^ ifyjiide whole- Hi' ^h n a iK>ii :i> 
 
 mS^^^^f^i^ iff, sa'^^ i'^terjtttiid 
 
 ^\ii^M'hidt ;: biiih^^id; W^p ri6t j'-ah^l 
 4g^ ^t^d^aH; bdti gleeipet^k ^ Aftid thet iatigfcc, 
 -^B |$i^ I© i^cBorfti -^a^iflg that i^he; wife 
 
 taiM^:tkt^^h&pikt thfem ailibut; and took hbt 
 
 rniW^hitetm ^^ai* rbae*!*^^ Ih^^pass^^ wWcfc 
 Jh*V0- liiaHted in ititftes, ^thy h^tte* fan^y 
 
THB'THUNDBRrSTCB'COBff 
 
 aeFS" 
 
 ^ Head to foot ;) bUt, *l«»4^»^aaM de. 
 sixinun I'ui ! i.i'.'io ^«1 yJis^ b /.oiom no 1 
 , The deanv much afibctedyiwas procteB*/. 
 tg witbjthe'fiifity-fifth Tets^rwiitni'aulehiiis 
 remendous uhd long-continued iqibokiftgt 
 ■Wiheard at ili&e streetidoortls seem^liRe^ 
 W '. to'teeak! it open. L i EveiHT one . staitedt 
 ,n .fJom. tWiF -kaefts.^ ad < i f .felettrifiBd-H^ 
 naveii;;biit urihappy Agam 8*»*^f«»^?J 
 ilent K^taiion ahd ! krtonishmeAt. .J^ 
 lie , knocking was; oontiiwled; ateteb .TOStaD 
 ,ut intermission. My heaiiisuddBatyiiMsU 
 
 :a»e me astoitiife (iaxi^J-f «*' ''• ^•'''''^^* 
 I ,«,Go4*.go^-se8afr-^'^stap«l|Brdd'rfl(f rtolBfi 
 
 Itflte a^ i8she&-rMa^av6lii»iia#.'1©^'Pft^P' 
 (he d»oo^: rtiothleiS of >oUB paiieirtLnqlfate 
 ibre' ariylon^i badstiri?e(iJroite*he'H!»t,lBl 
 
 Lhicii flia «a» atandin^ii the! ^Of'"^"^''™** 
 oprin, and in rushed -Mr .iNH**4^.!WfildbMj 
 ihiTaspect, fmniioiatthib^gestUM^i fadicibij> 
 dress ooveWd. with dustv&bra iheadrito/ioghi 
 We ptoodi gazing at hihi; as-thopi^Wa apo 
 peftFitooei had.lpetrified .u».><1b «';" "'l^*^''^^ 
 Vi«f Agnes-tmy Agaea !'?ihe'exdlaii«tett) tut. 
 if ehoked fop want of hreaHbiiinl »»>' «fina 
 
 laM^h .iffp«»red ,(i*nliis.fat»iit!!tot ckidtsw 
 gleam of madness in it. 
 
im 
 
 TSS TRUNOBDEt'^flrrRTTOC;! 
 
 . jfi Mfv N4i-4-HH^ what ari yda .alkiut A^ 
 For mercy's sake be calm ! Let me JeaA^ Music 
 you 'for ^ mom^t into another : robm^ 'dhcflat "the t 
 all ishall li^ve^^plained^^^ isaidi I^ • appmac^^lfrom hit 
 ipgiandigraspingihim^rmiy by the aarm;i .loiigahist 
 • 'j5f i Afgnes !-l -Jie cdntiaufed, m Ja tone thatlwife sef 
 ihfide^os tremble/ ..He moved tdwards thelthd nup 
 cbftir >mLiriiich Miss P-T^r^-^ilay.u. Iiieqilsceiieoi 
 
 deatjoured to interpose, Jipt he tho^ust melwitf|'e.S3 
 alsid^. . fThe Venerable dean' istteieopted tolsoioims |b 
 dittsuade faMi, But xniet with no jbettbr rebep* ishut tm 
 tleiiitbflin'iiayselfui.oil vM .riui^^irrrfoliH jj.!»lly exp< 
 "Agnes !" he reiterated, in a hoarse,«Be%ilhpwey( 
 ptdbhml[>iihisper^i^ why^ won't you speak Itiiit th( 
 to m^ % ' wJijat; Aiie they doing -to you V^ Ko ISea de( 
 s^pedtwithia afoot of the chair fwheresh^: 
 Isy^^^'Ofklmimdi imiboviaH death! i Wei 
 £ltoodiby., watohing;hist nlovermentfi, iili (ieafrir«/ 
 fied i iippi:eh6nfir6a 46d uncertaiibityi ,iH0 
 (kc^^ch his hat, iwjijbh ihe had been grasp^i 
 ii]^ IwithfjicoivfulsivBibroe^ aridbefore any 
 o9m Cj^uld>!{Nr^v.ent(xhihii,. or iev^i scmpe^t 
 what he was about, heisnatcfhbd MissP^+^-^i 
 ouptpftiae.dhair^.drid c^om^pltessed her ki his 
 arms with frantlci>ibrb6,> whik: al dellribudi 
 lau^Qmr^ %>E)% hisilip^. . : iWerui^d for. 
 nam Id extficatehe^r} from bisigrqi^* i {lis 
 
 3i ^li! ' 
 
 i\\ lie 
 tarisyctrt 
 fore hi 
 whieh 
 
 the "w 
 ciiiiPed 
 ter M 
 whicl 
 iniagi 
 in-ti t 
 
VEm iXHUNWBKi'HTRXJeiK. 
 
 ^9SS 
 
 neJe 
 roj ilhdi 
 
 aiirm;i / 
 ne ;t 
 iirdsthe 
 
 ukt me 
 pted to 
 ' rebep 
 
 ^(iiiu tiu. 
 
 I speak 
 ere- shA: 
 
 ■hi; Wei 
 
 grasp*: 
 re any 
 scmpe^t 
 
 xkihis 
 
 i^A fdr. 
 
 J ilil' ii > 
 
 rff Music! nlusic! a dance !?fiiind"ilrao8t 
 Ltr.the morrient we removed' Mire V-^ 
 from fbim, f^U senseless into the dtms.ot !Uie 
 loifeaiiist. Mrs. p.-^^ lidd ifaintedi; inv 
 wifeseetnedon the Verge of hy6ttenai,i>Bn<l 
 W nurse wisi foiling, vidlently.^ ^JiiT'* 
 Bceneefittoubie and terror4 h&*e.*ldDih 
 kitnessed. < iihtoried wi* the pctoiuncoii- 
 fcidasgtrl upstaiip^ laid her upon tn^^, 
 Uut atid bolted thfe door after mfe, arad featd- 
 W expected! to find her aliVei; her pulM, 
 
 however, wab cairn, as it had been.th^oufeh- 
 Lut the seiwkite.i The calm ^tht- Ueiaifl 
 
 Sea kerned opon her ! / , 'j-?i f l>ti«mii inu! 
 
 Li I feeli howevfer, that i ;9houia>,natjprt- 
 tract-theBe bainfulscenes juandisRalttbWW- 
 
 'fore hurry toitheitelose: ' Th^:firjt better 
 [whleh iad0*|)at6hfcdi tot Oxford- JifteK iMr- 
 
 Ut-^MS happeneditolbear.-en tWi) outBitte 
 W -words ;" speHAl haste,!'^^ Wiioh |«^ 
 
 oui?ed its> being fqrwarded ' by eatress t* 
 Iter Mr..N>-.^-^,'t ^-pe bonsterdatioh .iwm 
 
 which he received aiid.yqiwiritJbwr .to 
 
 imagiiiedi ! Ke setoff foir to?™ tJ^^J^J 
 
'SHB 
 
 .IBB .' iTHUnaXBRfBTRUGlK'. 
 
 (bp^iinsuffioient) he [took ttf thdrse^baak 
 iAnsr^ [faaskajfifl^ ^ miles, anQ; j r<ode at Ira* mXi 
 'Whicft ?B£Mrl^ .destroyed both i horse ant 
 (idd'ito.rai}iefl«^iBrhi8 istiddea ai^)piaajraiiQe al 
 'tny fHoUsevfarid Iihe-^i^nsyl6f his b^a 
 Iviour; ' . ? ASysi i Miss B 'fl; n h did been carl 
 iricU'ii^ stairs^ fit AVfis i t^hougiht' mrprudofaj 
 r&ii^)Mr.oM444-4-4orcQintii!niie Mmy ;bmia&yi 
 •^heoeuhadBitpdii^vleiry feyimptdii at incipieai 
 (bsfllin.fevEX]!a]adiinbight^roV0jwM:afid im^ 
 -inmeigmiAei Hie wais theiieiore reiatiov^ 
 ta;tfuD(ijicfe)lb p-holuse Iv^Jthito arffcw doca^ 
 <ii^riokitv!as)<M ouli in iftiinrisbed iodgia^^j 
 Udiil Bi1j 'lo if , acccmiji^nied! ihim j and 
 him immediately, v6ny{fc(apipaily4 Ih^^ 
 
 no doifbt that Mr. N^ dived hfs life t( 
 
 «tfafl[t itimd]|riairieaiur^.r /H« was! pfliaded ii 
 •bcd^tdixdlhputiat once uhder the mdst vig^j 
 tMfiais toitf pWfc^istio tifealmeilitu v; i :1 1. 1 
 ,1 l/!rteJ*he3ft (etching bleb^M Dr; JDl-^i jlhel 
 ^DmAxkD (rfij-H4<^/:iand( lil}rselri J aioHnd'-flte 
 rb«^sidei ibf A^nes. I !A.ll p£ us ! expresea^d 
 4berainq9t» glibofaa^fiapprebehsibiidk The 
 (flevn ilmd beelat ofrex!if]i^ up-a^-devontt andj 
 ariSioalfaffdctiBj^jpriyer J^ •■) v i aoei o r i r i o i ii '^^-r 
 in^liSyjfed^* mi^Dt fijiehd/- siM hb'ita;jm8, 
 iferfi^wiiiiitlte fhsandsr lof Godr!. AH ithat 
 
rselves to the will of Providj^oe* li?^ dmi^ 
 
 my.ii fea^l" 'Replied JQn. ^Dr-rrrrt^qB ni5 
 ji<1?JIoWiMtoafeila^gWr,datMoU^tl;i}«itert 
 ' ^,^amll«(^3t ap^Wngiithfttlria^^^^^^^ 
 ^. n QOny^w^' iK> . thiar /^tQ> ;^Q! w»/'tO| gii^ 
 
 i9p^ ci:;(Ul»wrtMfti.ti^0MeryJo » Mi^ir^i 
 
 'e dean. ^'! -loil jnodf; honiq 
 
 ^,f^.ilcw»ot[BftyJ^.l.?J^pH^w ^th^ftW^ 
 lot received; 'Mn^ j^he 5Vfi9#[ §r.*t sft j^fl^AWi 
 
 |j,jt jl; hft y^* M i<rlpr-9ft^QP] tb%tf flhfi^^^aj iift> 
 
 tdde«ly<,'?r s^iddBlrt vnir««-7l} 'Ig^fflilfl*! 
 
 ^frPfjpr#mfttUt*MltbltoK>a«ei^^^^ 
 aid the dean. " I hope in Heaventhat 
 ou will not think of committing hef re- 
 
 made no reply ; my emotions nearly (^mvn 
 
k«i wie ^ I fcould' ttbtJ betfr to 'ccifit6«»pl«ift 
 such ari^t^dnU ''<*■!'' ^'» Hi^/ ^'ji .,j h\>7i:n.'iuij| 
 
 'i^Do^ you kiibwj''^ sAiidI Dr. !l>^:i-^,/wfth 
 an apprchensiVie Air, i** 1 have teen thirifcilj 
 iflgqlteferijficff tb(3^aMrflil p^fisibilfty i thit, 
 rfd^ljtetanain^ ' ihB stagnattow ^bf h^- « phyiilj 
 arteri- pdw^fspher M^rND riiay b^Ji^tifld^' aft#) 
 p«^rfe^tl|)^ conscious df all that 'haft tt^m^ 
 pired about her!'* .iir.)! oi|]j 
 
 .r!i«;why^Mrhy,^''; ^tabmej^ed ' the^ y!b&, 
 timling ; pale-^<* wbai- tf r she hais^-^^^^ I 
 lEiA'jai) all thathaia be^in sadd I'-'^' 'i' '>tn ju/fj 
 
 iUf^'Af' ti&^iiRii I>t. D— ^y«6nfebn^ibU^i 
 ly sinking his voice to a whisper^ ** I kfedw^ 
 cff a 6a8fe,'^in' fact a friend of iinin^ has'jUst 
 pttliifelhed' it, — in whiiih a woirianii^^ 
 Ttei^ liras a ^ feint Iknbckin^ at th«e ^ ddbF 
 ttl»(t I ste^^d to fty'fbi' tWe pafpb^ ' of te' 
 quiring wfeat waS' watttedj:* W wto^ 
 
 in the act of closing it againy rovefi^l^eard 
 BmDi 'i" i - ^ ^^voic^^ ex^iaifti!, ift arf af- 
 trighted tone* ^^* Oreat God !- and on turiii^ 
 
 thM. 
 
 i ;moi!.-n • Yi^( ;, ^i^yrt en ir^^iH 
 
THE tHtrNt)!BR-j|«U(?lf. 
 
 r 
 
 iW 
 
 irawn sdgh,' which setltne^ t6' rdieve 'A«i* 
 
 m, «s Ikce "iHiite a*' ishtor *W'hy 
 
 it *yef* telps^cP.:.if They ^i/itobViri'W|aii 
 ,i»ta, 'tthd ^ftMittg Wjiwarda, 'M>itli' Ah 'Mi* 
 ressloh 1 hdvlB iib lataguafed: lo cfesdribiii' 
 IreriiiAded ihfe ^dfWhrt I hM^s^tti wh^ri'l' 
 bt di^bVfepfed litir in -(he fit; fild<kf,''tdbi^ 
 W^ strttteihg ftoift hfe*" hbitrils and W8iii^ 
 W ihidrt," a tttorefrf^htriil sp^ctadfe f 
 iVtif. Wftfi^ssfeAJ Ih ' a' moiheiit 'bofli mti^ 
 a-^^ «ihd I Tdstt'^teijiOwer' of* ttdtidtfi' 
 to^, then; «OttS' the' afilV irokett f ^^ 
 ttfiitteoTbir. JI imf>li*ed Ih.jy^^iJti—loil:' 
 >Bect himself; fefedcondbdt the diai frdlH-^ 
 18' WkjM, while I attettddl t6 Miss P-^^uiA-i' 
 Tiie niirte #as'i6s*tefatl3f^;a't'4ny.'gid«/, md 
 
 ftgilike an'aSpM4eaf.' 'I^heqiickly Ipro. 
 illW|d; wai-m Aiater; ipdnffesj' cl^thsj '«a.'i> 
 •iiJi which' she i^tt on'ceJ wijjfed Away'ttfld' 
 Mfod^b^ed'theblefediiifr.' 'Thfe fif8t'8i*ii# 
 i»fcred%3^ Miss' pi^^-^wias a lorig,^afe»ir 
 
ffice. Again she sighed, agaim ppf n^V f^gj,, 
 hpri^^SjijqKj, t3 ipy .^yghj,4h^ip ,e«f5ft8l}ie.re< 
 
 >BiWa>fl«Ui4ly ajbftjif heir,4)rr * won? 
 ¥fti»rfy/ »P4v.M^j3n ftWl/«ftye,p)>effj^J^H}q,uptQ,!bft( 
 
 
 
 
 
 whiter 
 
 suddei 
 
IMS TmmjmK^srtRvcTt. 
 
 beir ia.;g»nlle oojmjKwin^ drtawghti railJ left 
 iCff.iii ib^icarei qI the Burse,. promising lo 
 b4uT«(^)b)^.bod-by,;fto.8C« howlmyf )>atfiont 
 WWt Wi. tfj/ibundftheit the deaiii' had left. 
 After 8W«tJlowing a littl^. wine and ivaten^ 
 Ji^ireoQvered sufficiently from the shock be 
 *#d^ XQceiveld to be aWp; with Dr. D-^-.w'b 
 WstftRoe^itQ itepJnto iist <Jeifiiage,7ieaW 
 jing^ W*,.st(Ier)fin benedictiou^for Jljrss *^^^^ 
 4^.;it ;i1v^«e gr*o*iogHate;)Ij$ent my wift 
 ifh -iQ»5b»^>'andi todeced coffeej ii^i.my itiidyv 
 
 •W^»WI ^Wheu jf retirfid, iandsfttlost mdorijeotorfe 
 ''^"' «4 mvQr3^:,till war Qndo^dlbk.i i. tiiffii 
 «epatreMitjto jaay .. phtieatfs xoom ; /but my 
 
 ^wnf^i! Startled Jbeitiifrom 00 sleteptbift 
 
 m r JAad' isafiatfe.'f »',tejr feer, i shenoperied Jier 
 ^y^i.««iid. my .heaiftlebp^ .^itk joy to sefe 
 ^\im ifiqre^^gicalmness^ thbir eKpressiiin 
 r^^mfejifigr wfeatibaidiioften dclighled me 
 wfeite, ^0 was Jb health . After eyeiirg^me 
 ^t^4d% f^ ifti few moment^^ she ^em^d 
 suddetoljTr 146 1 .recogniaer m^. . *f fiiss lue i? 
 sfei^jY ,>y^p^e<t^ tin the faiiitesti jkoifesShte 
 Wfti^r^ \fhiybiA smilfe^dtole oY^hesr 1^ 
 gWdiofe^urtellid^iitMe*^^ Jlep^dondrift 
 ^0itigi!fiOii»yi)t^ftrs rfell upon- her eh^elhits 
 
QiS 
 
 T©B -irRVf^rmntmivmi 
 
 tmved her. hand ioto^ min^J and I c toed 
 
 tiie! ti^embling lilfed fingers WJth Ah' bfncL 
 
 Hon i emmot express. M&tiotlbed ikf 
 
 •a^itotidn ;? land thd tears cam« into '^he. 
 
 <«>€)»r'^hili her lip'quivei^ed as tboiigfe 
 
 ^p ft/eremjingto ipclak.i :l ithplor^d her 
 
 iK>wfelveri,i4ot to uttei^ a iff^iij^tin j^ ^4 
 
 fietteir^able to! do! it ' without exhaustion; 
 
 ta'rtd testmyi presence should tempt^'h^i 
 
 ttejronjijier strength^ iiJbnc^ i^^ 
 
 ieri good. 4^t^ her poor slender fing^ 
 
 i?nce 'more oompressdd mine, and 1 feft 
 
 iieir tq tlite oare of the nurse, with ft' whi^ 
 
 fiered /cautioii ^ to ' sitep to me * in^antly, it 
 
 •anyi change should take place in^Agnm. 
 
 dmnUnpi ^leep j , I fdt a i)mdi^l<^s%un 
 
 fdea repioved from* my riiindj tod WdKi 
 
 •my Iwrife-thit she niight. share in W?y joy. 
 
 oni^jBceived no eumiteonis during thb night ; 
 
 tod oajenteringheriTOom about n^^^^ 
 
 l&'tim-Tx^ningyl found that^MissPw^ 
 
 UMia^en ;a little ai^row-^root to tb^ coui^fe 
 ofijtho.night,^ alndslepd cafely, with but 
 le#>intervalfe. ' i^elp^d iighedfr^^ei^i'ly; 
 andftji^ ior twipe con versed: for ^a^fhoit 
 
 lime wit 
 understG 
 I had ex 
 and she 
 that surj 
 ness. 
 
 ^"Is t 
 lookinor : 
 
 '^Oh 
 
 seeing ai 
 consciou 
 elapsed. 
 .'' And 
 (my wlf( 
 
 " The 
 - ■ "Not 
 ' " How 
 
 "Pho, 
 it !" 
 
 "Thei 
 no — is al 
 mured, e 
 
 */The 
 mean V^ 
 '' Oh, no, 
 storm. '\ 
 
 ■«'«; 
 
 s 
 
THE THUNDERSTRUCK, 
 
 293 
 
 time With the nurse nhonl heav^n.^as I 
 
 understood. She was much stronger than 
 
 I bad expected to find her. .1 kissed her, 
 
 and she asked me howl was— m atone 
 
 that surprised me by its strength and firm- 
 ness. 
 
 ^"Is the storm over?" she inquired 
 looking towards the window. . ' 
 
 '! Oh yes— long, long ago !" I replied, 
 seemg at once that she seemed to have no 
 consciousness of the interval that had 
 elapsed. . 
 
 • fu*' And are you all well ? Mrs. J ' 
 (my wife), " how is she V ' , , 
 ' ^' You shall see her shortly." , - 
 
 " Then no one was hurt ?" 
 - " Not a hair of our heads !" 
 
 " How frightened I must have been V 
 
 • f"^*^^' ^^^' Agnes! nonsense ! forget 
 
 "Then the world is not— there has been 
 no — is all the same as it was?" she mur- 
 mured, eyeing me apprehensively. 
 
 '' The world come to an end, do you 
 mean ?" She nodded with a disturbed air. 
 *^ 0h, no, no ! It was merely a thunde^^ 
 storm^'* 
 
 \ 
 
•, . »» 
 
 804 
 
 THB THUNDER-STKUCK^' 
 
 ' « And is it quite oyer, and gone ?^ 
 
 <* Long ago! Do you feel hungry ?'^ 
 I inquired, hoping to direct her thoughts 
 from a topic I saw agitated her, ^ ^^ 
 
 « Did you ever see such lightning ?" 
 she asked, without regarding my question. 
 . " Why, certainly it was very alarmmg^^ 
 
 <* Yes, it was ! Do you know, doctor," 
 she continued, with a mysterious air, '' I 
 
 I saw yes — there were terrible faces 
 
 in the lightning— " ^^ 
 
 *« Come, child, you rave. 
 '-"They seemed coming towards the 
 
 world-^ — '^ '. 
 
 Her voice trembled, the colour of her 
 
 face changed. ^ 
 
 " Well, if you will talk such nonsense, 
 Agnes, I must leave you. I will go and 
 fetch my wife. Would you like to see 
 
 her?" 
 
 << Tell JV*—- — ' to come to me to-day — I 
 must see him. I have a message for him !^' 
 She said this with a sudden energy that 
 surprised me, while her eye brightened as 
 it settled on me. I kissed her, and retired. ^ 
 The' last words surprised and disturbed 
 me. Were her intellects affected ? How 
 
THE THUNDER.-STRTTCK. 
 
 295 
 
 did she know, how could she conjecture 
 that he was within reach ? I look an 
 opportunity of asking the nurse whether 
 
 she had mentioned Mr. N 's name to 
 
 her, but not a syllable had been interchange 
 ed upon the subject. _ 
 
 Before setting out on my daily visits, 1 
 stepped into her room, to take my leave. 
 I had kissed her, and was quitting the room, 
 when, happening to look baek, I saw her 
 beckoning to me. I returned. _ 
 
 " I MUST see N this evening ! said 
 
 she whh a solemn emphasis that startled 
 me; and as soon as she had uttered the 
 words, she turned her head from me, as it 
 she wished no more to be said. -^ ' • 
 
 My first visit was to Mr. N -, whorn 
 
 I found in a very weak state, but so much 
 recovered from his illness, as to, be sitting 
 up, and partially dressed. He was per* 
 fectly calm and collected ; and, in answer 
 to his sarnest inquiries, I gave hjm a tuU 
 - account of the nature of Mlss.rp'f^t- s 
 illness. He received the , j1at|llfe#|fe- of 
 the favourable change that ha^ lo«?<?t]frred 
 with evident, though silent ecstasy. ;Aft?| 
 
 
 much inward doubt and- J h^sitatioii, 
 
 >-* V 
 
296 
 
 TKE THUNDERSTRirCK, 
 
 thought I might venture to tell him of the 
 parting — the twice repeated request she 
 had made. The intelligence blanched his 
 already pallid checks to a whiter hue, and 
 he trembled violently. _ _ 
 
 " Did you tell her I was in town ? Did 
 ihe recollect me?" 
 
 . " No one has breathed your name to 
 her!" 1 replied, -i' * * * 
 • « Well, doctor— if, on the whole, you 
 thihk so— that it would be safe," said 
 N^ — , after we had talked much on the 
 matter, ** I will step over and see her ; but, 
 it Iboks very — ^^very strange !" 
 y M Whatever whim my actuate her, I 
 think it better, on the whole, to gratify her. 
 Your refusal may be attended with infin- 
 itely worse effects than an interview. 
 However, you shall hear from me agam. 
 I will see if she continues in Ae same 
 mind ; and, if so, I will step over and tell 
 you." I took my leave. 
 
 A few minutes before stepping down to 
 dinner, I sat beside Miss P— , rnaking 
 toy usuaf inquiries ; and was gratified to 
 find that her progress, though slow, seem^ 
 ed m^: 1 was going to kiss her, before 
 
THE THUNDEK-STUUCKi 
 
 2«T 
 
 leaving, v/ten, with a similar emf^asis \m 
 that she had previously displayed, ^ha 
 
 again said, - ^^ 
 
 "Remember ! N must be here to* 
 
 night r ■ ', 
 
 I was confounded. What could be ther 
 meaning of this mysterious pertinacity I 
 I felt distracted with doubt, and dissatisfied 
 with myself for what I had told to N-^-^. 
 I felt answerable for whatever ill effects- 
 might ensue ; and yet, what could I dolr. 
 It was evening— a mild, though lustrous, 
 July evening. The skies were all bhie 
 and white, save where the retiring sun- 
 light produced a mellqw mixture of ooU 
 ours towards the west. Not a bre^of 
 air disturbed the serene complacency. My 
 wife and I. sat on each side of the laed 
 where lay our lovely invalid, looking, deifci 
 pite of her recent illness, beaut^ul, and in 
 comparative health. Her hair wa^ parted 
 with neo'llf^ent simplicity over her pale 
 forehead'. Her eyes were brilliant, and 
 her cheeks occasionally flushed with col* 
 our. She spoke scarce a word to us, M 
 we sat beside her. I gazed at her with 
 doubt and apprehension. I was awa?e 
 
398 
 
 THE THUNDER-STRUCK* 
 
 that health could not possibly produce the 
 colour and vivacity of her complexion and 
 eyes j and felt at a loss to what I should 
 
 refer it. 
 
 "Agnes, love! How beautiful is the 
 setting sun !" exclaimed my wife, drawing 
 aside the curtains. 
 
 " Raise me ! Let me look at it !'^ re- 
 plied Miss P , faintly. She gazed 
 
 earnestly at the magnificent object for 
 gome minutes, and then abruptly said to 
 
 i^^He will be here soon V 
 : " In a few moments 1 expect him . But, 
 Agnes, why do you wish to see him ?'' 
 
 She sighed, and shook her head. 
 
 It had been arranged that Dr. D — 
 
 sliould accompany Mr, N to my house, 
 
 and conduct him up stairs, after strongly 
 enjoining pn him the necessity there was 
 for controlling his feelings, and displaying 
 as little emotion as possible. My heart 
 leaped into my mouth, as the saying is, 
 when I heard the expected knock at the 
 door*i 
 
 ^^N is come at last!" said I, in a 
 
 gentle tone looking earnestly at her, to see 
 
 }f fShe wt 
 She sigh( 
 ,fVShal 
 quired* 
 
 " No ; 
 the extre 
 thought 
 she excl 
 herself 
 sion, to 
 
 D- — ^M 
 As tl] 
 the rooi 
 and ke] 
 was nol 
 At len^ 
 
 D 
 
 his arn 
 figure 
 smile] 
 Miss I? 
 linessj 
 he pre 
 word. 
 My 
 Miss 
 or I sj 
 
 % 
 
THK JHTJNDBIl-STKUCK. 
 
 909. 
 
 if ghe was agitated. It was not the case. 
 She sighed, but evinced no trepidation. 
 
 "Shall he be shown in at once ? I in- 
 quired. ' ,t T A 
 
 " No ; wait a few moments, repliea 
 the extraordinary girl, and seemed lost m 
 thought for about a minute. « JNow ! 
 she exclaimed ; and I sent down the nurse,, 
 herself pale and trembling with apprehen- 
 sion, to request the attendance of Dr. 
 
 D.^ . and Mr. N ■• 
 
 ,.As they were heard slowly approaching 
 the room, I looked anxiously at my patient, 
 and kept my fingers at her pulse. There 
 was not a symptom of flutter or agitation. 
 At length the door was opened, and Di. 
 
 D slowly entered, with N— '— upon 
 
 his arm. As soon as his pale, trembling 
 figure was visible, a calm and heavenly 
 smile beamed upon the countenance ot 
 
 Migg p -. It was full of ineffable love:- 
 
 liness ! She 9tretche4 out her right arm ; • 
 he pressed it to his lips, without ultefing* 
 
 Mv eyes were rivetted on the features of 
 
 ]ytigg pi .. Either they deceived me, 
 
 or I saw a strange alteration, as if a cloud 
 
8oa 
 
 TftE THUNDER-STRUCKi 
 
 were stealing over her face. I wad right f 
 We all observed her colour fading rapidly. 
 
 • I rose from my chair ; Dr. D > ■ also 
 came nearer, thinking she was on tho 
 verge of fainting. Her eye was fixed 
 upon the flushed features of her lover, and 
 gleamed with radiance. She gently ele* 
 vated both her arms towards him, and he 
 leaned ov^r her. ■ ^^ 
 
 • "Prepare!" she exclaimed, in a Ibw, 
 thrilling tone ; her featurcvS became paler 
 and paier-^her arm fell. She had spoken, 
 she had breathed her last. She was dead! 
 "Within twelve months, poor N ' ' ' 
 foiteWed her ; and to the period of his deaths 
 BO other word or thought seemed to occupy 
 bis; mmd- but the momentous warning 
 >i^Meh issued from the expiring lips of Ag- 
 
 t^P—j PREPARE ! 
 
 "^ >^<have no mystery to solve, no denoue* 
 ml^to makd. I tell the facts as they 
 
 * aoMired, and hope they may not be told 
 
 TH 
 
 >v.'-. 
 
 jiVj-i ■■ 
 
 'i[Vlf 3' 
 
 r. 
 
 ' kM.i-<ii 
 
THE BOXER 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
::l j 
 
 / 
 
 / 
 
 / 
 
 %■ j^ 
 
 ij 
 
 / 
 
 A 
 
 / 
 
 The pat 
 Icircumstai 
 services ( 
 
 Bill -, 
 
 turning th 
 fight, had 
 horse bei 
 and the ri 
 liquor, ha 
 iHe had be 
 and convi 
 own resi 
 minutes' 
 moment '. 
 had to pi 
 heard his 
 head, 
 added t( 
 accident 
 Vy mad. 
 volting 
 He dai 
 
THE BOIEB. 
 
 I The patient who so abruptly, and under 
 circumstances inopportunely required my 
 services (see p. 253), proved to be one 
 \q[\\ , a notorious boxer, who, m re- 
 turning that evening from a great prize- 
 fiwht, had been thrown out of his gig, the 
 horse being frightened by the lightmng,^ 
 'and the rider, besides, much the worse tor 
 liquor, had his ancle dreadfully dislocated. 
 He had been taken up by some passengers, 
 and conveyed with great difficulty to his ' 
 own residence, a publichouse, not three 
 minutes' walk from where I lived. Ihe 
 moment I entered the tap-room, which 1 
 had to pass on my way to the staircase, 1 
 heard his groans, or rather howls, over- 
 head. The excitement of intoxicatioit^ 
 added to the agonies occasioned^ bjrhM 
 accident, had driven him, I was told, near, 
 Vv mad. He was uttering the most^re- 
 voUing execrations as I entered thw r^* 
 He damned himself— his ill-luck (^ it 
 
 %1 
 
304 
 
 THE BOXER, 
 
 seemed he had lost considerable sums ont 
 the fight) — the combatants — the horse that 
 threw him — the thunder and lij^htning — 
 every thing, in short, and everybody aoout 
 him. The sound of the thunder was su- 
 blime music to me, and the more welcome, 
 because it drowned the blasphemous bel- 
 lowing of the monster 1 was visiting. Yes 
 — ^there lay the burly boxer, stretched 
 upon the bed, with none of his dress re- 
 moved, except the boot from the limb that 
 was injured — his new blue coat, with 
 glaring yellow buttons, and drab knee- 
 breeches, soiled with the street mud into 
 which he had been precipitated-— his huge 
 limbs, writhing in restless agony- over the 
 bed- — his- fists clenched, and his flat, iron- 
 featured *' face swollen .vn.^ distortGd with 
 baili and rage. ^ Hta. 
 
 1 '^ But, my good woman,'' said I, paus- 
 ing at the door, addressing myself to the 
 boxer's wife, who, wringing her hands, had 
 conducted me up stairs ; " I assure you, I 
 am not the person you should have sent 
 to. IVb a surgeon's, not a physician's 
 cade ; I fdar I can't do much for him--^ 
 quite out of my way. '^^''. ki.Wiiiiiii 
 
THE BOXKR 
 
 809 
 
 ims on! 
 •se that 
 fling-- 
 
 piDOUt 
 
 ^as su- 
 Icome, 
 us bel- 
 . Yes 
 retched 
 ess re- 
 nb that 
 ^, with 
 ) knee- 
 ud into 
 is huge 
 ver the 
 t, iron- 
 )d with 
 
 , paus- 
 • to the 
 ds, had 
 
 you, I 
 ve sent 
 sician's 
 
 him--^ 
 
 i'li fe?i;1. ■ 
 
 ^' Oh, for God's sake — for the love of 
 rod, don't say so!" gasped the poor crea- 
 ire, with afirighted emphasis — " oh, do 
 omething for him, or he'll drive us all out 
 f our senses — he'll be killing us !" 
 <* Do something !" roared my patient, 
 Iwho had overheard the last words of his 
 vvife, turning his bloated face towards me 
 — '^do something, indeed? ay, and be 
 — to you ! Here, here — 'look ye, doc- 
 „_' — look ye here /" he continued, pointing 
 to the wounded foot, which, all crushed 
 and displaced, and the stocking soaked 
 With blood, presented a shocking appear. 
 
 ance — '^' look here, indeed ! — ah, that ^ 
 
 horse ! that horse !" his teeth gnash# 
 
 ed, and his right hand was lifted up, clench- 
 ed, with fury— ^' If I don't br^ak every 
 
 bone in his body, as so6n as eve^ I 
 
 can stir this cursed leg agaih !" i 
 
 I felt, for a moment, as though I had 
 entered the vefy pit and presence of Satan, 
 for the lightning was gleaming over hi^ 
 ruffianly figure incessantly, and the thun^ 
 der rolling close overhead w.hile he was 
 speaking, v ■ 
 
 1 ; if< Hu«h ! hush ! you'll drive thte db(^»>r 
 
806 
 
 THE BOXER. 
 
 I- 
 
 r 
 
 Leave it=^--] 
 |ye ! doctor, 
 
 *' Mercy, 
 wife, in a 
 mentary pa 
 husband at 
 Oh, go on— 
 know ! N 
 only a litth 
 
 -then the 
 thank you 
 
 "Wife! 
 The wonia 
 
 away ! For pity's sake, hold your tongue, 
 
 or Doctor 'vonft come into the rooi 
 
 to you !" gasped his wife, dropping on her 
 knees beside him. 
 
 " Ha, ha ! Let him go ! ' Only let him 
 
 stir a step, and lame as I am, me 
 
 ■if I don't jump out of bed, and teach him 
 
 civility ! Here, you doctor, as you call 
 
 yourself! what's to be done ?" Really I 
 
 was too much shocked, at the moment, to 
 
 know. I was haJf inclined to leave the 
 
 room immediately — and had a fair plea 
 
 for doing so, in the surgical nature of the 
 
 case ; but the agony of the fellow's wifelHe stretch 
 
 induced me to do violence to my own feel-lg^^sped he 
 
 ings, and stay. After directing a person ^o — y 
 
 to be sent off, in my^ame, for the nearest 
 
 surgeon, I addressed myself to my task, 
 
 and proceeded to remove the stocking. 
 
 His| whole body quivered with the anguish 
 
 ft occasioned ; and I saw such fury gath- 
 
 ^ring in his features, that I began to dread 
 
 4est he might rise up in a sudden phrensy, 
 
 and strike me. 
 
 < " Oh ! oh ! oh ! — Curse your clumsy 
 
 hands ! You don't know no morfe ridr a 
 
 child," he groaned, ^' what you'are about ! 
 
 Yxn drtmic, 
 claimed, ai 
 right acrosi 
 the poor c 
 rose, cryin 
 l^Geta\ 
 — if you d 
 same agair 
 With frap 
 down stair 
 husband. 
 
THE BOXERi 
 
 80T 
 
 doctor 
 
 leave it alone ! Give over with 
 I say-^be off!'' 
 
 her 
 
 him 
 me 
 him 
 call 
 lly I 
 t, to 
 J the 
 plea 
 ;the 
 vi^ife 
 feel- 
 rson 
 irest 
 task, 
 :ing. 
 uish 
 
 |ye 
 
 doctor/' sobbed his 
 wife, in a whisper, fearing from my mc^ 
 mentary pause that I w^as going to take heir 
 husband at his word ; " don't go away ! 
 Oh, go on — ^^go on ! It must be done, you 
 know ! Never mind what be savs ! He's 
 only a little the worse for liquor now — and 
 
 then the pam/ Goon, doctor! He'll 
 thank you the more for it to-morrow !'' 
 
 "Wife! here!" shouted her husband* 
 The woman instantly stepped up to him. 
 He stretched out his Herculean arm, and 
 grasped hor by the shoulder, 
 
 " So — you —■ — ! I'm drunk, ai(]pt I ? 
 Ym drimic, eh—'you lyings !" hfi:>ex^ 
 
 claimed, and jerked her violently away, 
 right across the room, to the door, where 
 the poor creature fell down, but presently- 
 rath, rose, crying bitterly, 
 read I ^J.Get away ! Get off—get down stairs 
 nsy I — if you don't want me to serve you the 
 ' Isame again ! Say I'm drunk j'ou beast ?" 
 imsylWith frantic gestures she obeyed, rushed 
 idr a |4own «tairQ, and I was left alone with h^t 
 ►out ! Ibusband. I was disposed tO foUoKoiiS3? 
 
 Ll 
 
 ii^ 
 
 
 ¥7] 
 
 
 ^■,.-' 
 
ance ' 
 ness. 
 dow, 
 lightn 
 " P 
 again, 
 D'yei 
 like 1 
 again" 
 
 I The 
 
 Abruptly, but the positive di*fead[ of my life! ^^^^^ j. 
 
 (for he might leap out 6f bed and kill niej thunde 
 with a blow) kept me to my task. M 
 flesh crept with disgust at touching his 
 I examined the wound, which undoubted! 
 must have given him torture enough t 
 drive him mad, and bathed it in warm wa- 
 ter ; resolved to pay no attention to hi 
 abuse, and quit the instant that the surge _ 
 on who had been sent for made his appear, jjj^^ , 
 ance. At length he came. I breathed 
 dnore freely, resigned the case into his j^j^j 
 hands'^ apd was going to take up my hat, lotion 
 iwherl he begged me to continue in the j^^ ^ i 
 room, with s\ach an earnest apprehensive too-etl 
 
 fiery i 
 ed ri] 
 Curse 
 ened 
 ous 
 horril 
 "I 
 both] 
 is in 
 Forb 
 upon 
 
 lobky thai! rductantly remained. I saw 
 he dreaded as-tiuch being left alone with 
 his patient as I. ' It lieed hardly be said 
 that every step that was taken in dressing 
 the woupd was attended with the vilest 
 execrations of the patient. Such a foul 
 mouthed ruffian I never encountered any- 
 where. It seemed as though he was 
 possessed of a devil. What a contrast to 
 the sweet speechless sufferer, whom I had 
 left at home, and io whotn my heftrt yeani- 
 «dtoretutn! ^^^ 
 
THE BOXER- 
 
 ,80.9 
 
 The storm still continued raging. The 
 tUin had comparatively ceetsed, but the 
 thunder and lightning made their appear- 
 ance with fearful frequency atid fierce- 
 ness. I drew down the blind of the win- 
 dow, observing to the surgeon that the 
 lightning seemed to startle our patient. 
 
 "Put it up again ! Put up that blind 
 again, I say !'^ he cried impati6htiy.~ 
 D'ye think Fm afear'd of the lightniilg, 
 
 u^??fuYj1 liJ^® my — horse to-day? Pttt it up 
 again — or I'll get out and do it myself?'' 
 I did as he wished. Reproof or expostu- 
 lation was useless. " Ha !" h6 exclaimed, 
 in a low tone of fury, rubbing his hanS:: 
 together, in a manner bathing them in, the 
 fiery stream, as a flash of lightning gleam- 
 ed ruddily over him. ^ There it is!— 
 Curse it— just the sort of flash that fright- 
 ened my horse, d— — it 1''— and the iifhpi- 
 ous wretch shook his fist; and " grinned 
 horribly a ghastly smile !" , , , 
 
 " Be silent, sir ! be silent ! oi^ We wiil 
 both leave you instantly. Your behavioUy 
 is impious! It is frightful to A^itness! 
 Forbear-^lest the vengeance of Gael deac^lui 
 upon youP' , "? ^ 
 
 my life 
 kill me 
 jk. My 
 ing his 
 oubtedly 
 nough to 
 arm wa- 
 n to hi 
 le surge 
 
 breathed 
 
 into his 
 
 my hat, 
 
 5 in the 
 
 •ehensiv€ 
 
 . I saw 
 
 one with 
 
 be said 
 
 dressing 
 
 he vilest 
 
 h a foul- 
 
 jred any. 
 
 he was 
 
 ontrast to 
 
 lorti I had 
 
 irt yeani 
 
810 
 
 THE BOXER. 
 
 ."Ccyme," come— -none of your— — me- 
 ■^Hoclism here! Go on..withyour business ! 
 'Stick to your shop,'' interrupted the 
 
 tude of 
 should 
 beyond 
 operati 
 
 'Js"I)oes not that rebuke your blasphe. patient 
 "rnies?'' I inquired, suddenly shading my their u 
 
 eyes froi^ the vivid stream of lightning asked 
 'that burst into the room, while the thunder ed not 
 
 rattled overhead, apparently in fearful groan 
 ' proximity. When I removed my hands combii 
 
 from my eyes, and opened them, the first som ; 
 
 object that they fell upon was the figure of 
 Hhe boxer, sitting upright in bed with both 
 'hands stretched out, just as those of Ely- 
 "mas the sorcerer, in the picture of Raphael 
 
 rrr-t^is face the colour of a corpse — and his' 
 'eyes, almost starting out of their sockets, 
 
 directed with a horrid stare towards the 
 'window. His lips moved not — nor did he 
 f utter a.soy^d. It was clear what had 
 
 occurlred. ^Ate, wrathful fire of Heaven, 
 
 V 
 
 gave 
 on his 
 the 
 presse 
 sive f( 
 ceedei 
 betwe 
 our f 
 him 
 
 iuttere 
 toms 
 howe 
 any I 
 of M 
 Mrs. 
 hadh 
 sn^nf 
 
me- 
 usiness 
 ited the 
 
 blasphe 
 
 THE BOXER. 
 
 811 
 
 tude of despair. But for that motion, we 
 should have thought him dead. Shocked 
 
 beyond expression, Mr. paused in his 
 
 operations. I examined the eyes of the 
 patient. The pupils were both dilated to 
 ling myltheir utmost extent, and immoveable. I 
 lightning asked him many questions, but he answer- 
 ) thunder ed not a word. Occasionally, however, a 
 L fearful groan of horror — remorse — agony (or all 
 y hand! combined) — would burst from his pent bo- 
 the first som ; and this was the only evidence he 
 figure oi gave of consciousness. He moved over 
 on his right side — his '' pale face turned to 
 the wall" — and unclasping his hands, 
 pressed the forefinger of each with convul- 
 sive force upon the eyes. Mr. pro- 
 
 vith both 
 ; of Ely. 
 ' Raphael 
 —and his 
 ' sockets, 
 i^ards the 
 or did he 
 v^hat had 
 
 ceeded with his task. What a contrast 
 between the present and past behaviour of 
 our patient! Do what we would — put 
 him to ever such great pain — he neither 
 Heaven,! uttered a syllable, nor expressed any symp- 
 3und us,|toms of passion, as before. There was, 
 f es — the! however, no necessity for my continuing 
 t^hUe we I any longer ; so I left the case in the hands 
 
 ^^ fell| of Mr. , who undertook to acquaint 
 
 ^sped hid I Mrs. with the frightful accident that 
 
 in an attu I had happened to her husband. What two 
 I scenes had I witnessed that evening ! 
 
■■■■,'■ j'fy^m 
 
 i'. /4. .' 
 
 •■» 
 
 ■- » ■-, . 
 
 
 «' ( : 
 
 EOi 
 
 
 j5*iiiin'. / •■ :?/^!iW' 
 
 /S.r. t 
 
 > • I 
 
 4/ f 
 
 ':-.H'ilf';>M 'Ofi-- 
 
 
 if*; 
 
<,«i»?!i(i*st^*"" 
 
 THE PARISIAN 
 
 EOAD TO ETJO. 
 

 r I ' 
 
 
 •' t''\ 
 
 ' ; \\T 
 
 .t i>^ M U J. 11. i 
 
 
 In the 
 
 Ied away i 
 loom of 1 
 ment rea] 
 her citize 
 y r . and of m 
 { } I j there was 
 of world! 
 i InsdHOtiv 
 firmnead 
 the table 
 where th 
 the £iir t 
 out f^elii 
 presence 
 experien 
 dallying 
 apendtht 
 W!^ first 
 entered^ 
 broad st 
 
. .ia^Sifcrn-^**"*'"*-"**' 
 
 Jl 
 
 
 At 
 
 .Hj 
 
 i^hiivnm ><l iv 
 
 iUibfiKtoi. 
 
 
 <•"•;. 
 
 ,....'? > 
 
 :'•»' 
 
 ^Hl' 
 
 I 
 
 »•( 
 
 o 
 
 TJffi PARISIAN ROAD TO RUiW;'"^'^^;:!! 
 
 i ■■:';.'■.■'■•:.;. ^ ; ^ ■ *i07n«:>!i Lb 
 tn the course of curiosity hunting, I jiasft^ 
 ed away many an evening in the gdrgeous sai- 
 loons of the Hue Richelieu, where the gavMi<» 
 ment reaps a princdy income frwn the roin of 
 her citizens; and I cannot think, thougll ddei^ 
 and of more quiet temper, that the time I spent 
 there was entirely lost. Indeed, many a lessor 
 of worldly prudence may be learned,' aalt wer#^ 
 9 JnsdnctiVely ; and one who has but coiMmdH 
 firmness to resist the ekeessive enticemetfuis of 
 Uie table, may linger in these Psiii'siah halls j 
 where the briight lights flash over the jewds of 
 the £iir and thewritiklesof the gambler^ with* 
 out feeling that character suffers by his meref 
 presence in such a place,' and gather sufficieiit 
 experience to free his life from that wantdii 
 dallying with principle, which is apt toffll tt 
 spendthrift's days with misery and' crimed' 1 
 W!^ first tempiea to Frascati?sby a fmftd* Wi? 
 entered an ei^ttensive courtyaid^-^sce^ftded 'if 
 broad stairway^-^the door of an 
 
 'tis* , 
 
316 
 
 ADDENDA* 
 
 was thrown open by servants in rich liveriea— 
 our hats, canes, and gloves, were taken (tickets 
 being given to redaina them), and we were 
 ushered with all the etiquette of a palace, into 
 a large room brilliant with light, thronged with 
 welWressed men, and rendered still more 
 attractive by the elegapt tmrnureai the women. 
 This was the roulette cnamber — the haunt of 
 small gamblers, and in fact the room for gener- 
 al conversation ; but as we wished to see the 
 chief attraction of the house, we passed on to 
 the adjoining apartment, and there found ;the 
 business of the evening coi^duct^ with mc»re 
 ceremony and resolve. Fom croupiers, pale 
 from late watching, with lips as cold and ex- 
 pressionless as if cut from steel, and eyes as 
 dead as a statue's, were seated about the middle 
 of a large oblong table, which was covered with 
 green clothe bearing certain signs in yellow and 
 red unknown to the uninitiated^; and on the cen* 
 tre of the table, bright and fresh from the mint, 
 lay heaps of gold and silver. The stricteat 
 silence was ordered while the players "made 
 tl^ir gamoj" and the very fall of the cards on 
 the soft green cldth was heard. Then : came 
 the announcement of the winning colour, in a 
 yoice little above a whisper; and the next mo- 
 llient. the long ratiene or rake was hauling in 
 th^f'wiiiningfi of the bank, whDe one of tha 
 sitt^dants oistribttted the gains to the fortunate* 
 AM thi» isi ROuoE ET NOiR at Frascatia ! 
 
 Among t 
 are so nui 
 coldness or 
 into an exf 
 ful in gaiiij 
 Spaniard, \ 
 their sang 
 sums and 
 classes, all 
 are repres 
 
 On our 
 that is still 
 lamp with 
 die ceiling 
 mans. It 
 of the lur 
 are given ; 
 and fearf u 
 
 About I] 
 is at its ex 
 has beconi 
 doors are 
 handed r( 
 Again, all 
 until the i 
 brightens 
 pale and f 
 the same 
 wrinkled 
 ly that a 
 
<f*imitmt0mtM 
 
 ADDENDA. 
 
 317 
 
 Among the frequenteifa of this table, none 
 are so numerous as the English, who, from 
 coldness or long habit, have their faces seamed 
 into an expression of tranquil cupidity — peace- 
 ful in gaining, and silent in reverse ; while the 
 Spaniard, Frenchman, and Italian, excited by 
 their sanguine temperaments, venture large 
 sums and lose them witji deep oauis. AH 
 classes, all ages, except extreme youth and age, 
 are represented. 
 
 On our left is the " dice hall," and beyond 
 that is still another room, lighted by one dim 
 lamp with a ground glass shade suspended from 
 the ceiling, and surrounded by low soft otto- 
 mans. It Is a dark and silent place — the nest 
 of the lure birds— and there exciting drinks 
 are given ; and many a man has left that dark 
 and fearful room, a ruined or a wiser man. 
 
 About midnight the playing at rouge et noir 
 is at its extreme. The atmosphere of the room 
 has become almost tropical— the windows and 
 doors are thrown open —refreshments are 
 handed round, and the gamestors respited. 
 Again, all return to the cards. And there again, 
 until the first cold reproaching streak oi light 
 brightens the east^ will you see the same faces 
 pale and fiendish, as if moulded by a demon-i ; 
 the same scared foreheads— knotted brows— ^ 
 wrinkled cheeks — mouths compressed so close- 
 ly that a mere line is visible, when the lipij 
 iibould swell in natural grace— and eyes fixed 
 
MB 
 
 ADDENDA* 
 
 the last doUar 
 
 t' 
 M 
 
 in hoart-broken gaze upc 
 
 p^^es into the l^nk, le&ving in exchange but 
 
 misery and despair ! * 
 
 " I remember well" — ^said my friend tome 
 ae we descended the stairs, waking the drowpy 
 porter-r-" I remember well my first night in 
 these saloons. I played, and went away a los- 
 et.' My blood boiled in my veins from mentc^l 
 excitement. I tossed on my bed, and played 
 over in fancy all the games of the evening. I 
 corrected my stakes, and made plans— how 
 affective I deemed them !-— for to-morrow. I 
 slept ; but my dreams were haunted by the 
 sights and sounds of that hateful room, I 
 awoke with fever. The second night I wjas 
 cooler; I was ending my novitiate. I played 
 again, and put my schemes into operation; yet 
 they did not avail me. I lost again and again ; 
 yet there, forsaking all society, I came night 
 after night. My health and fortune were sink- 
 ing rapidly, when, coming home one morning, 
 I caught a glance at my face in tlie glass — and 
 oh, heavens ! shall I ever forget the expression 
 of despair that was frozen there ip the short 
 time that I had devoted myself to these practi- 
 <:es ! The agony of yearis had been compress- 
 ed into that brief space of time. Worn and 
 tired, I sank down — and accident oh ! that I 
 should confess it, brought me on my knees ! It 
 ^emed as if heaven had been pleased thus to 
 
 xirsm ma /\f mxt oirrn.r nnA T Tnaa with a VAUr toi 
 
 brsake i 
 hat vow 
 ati's, th 
 K)cket." 
 "And 
 " Nev 
 Is it n 
 —no, I 
 shed, a 
 n any i 
 )rayer, ^ 
 nan and 
 )egin8, * 
 
 n ^ 
 
ar a» it 
 3ge but 
 
 1 to me 
 drowpy 
 light in 
 ly a los- 
 mentc^l 
 played 
 ing. I 
 s— how 
 row. I 
 by the 
 Dom, I 
 t I wjas 
 [ played 
 on; yet 
 I again ; 
 \e night 
 jre sink- 
 (lorning, 
 ss — and 
 pression 
 he short 
 e practi- 
 impress- 
 om and 
 ! that I 
 ee$ ! It 
 tbua to 
 
 I VAur ta 
 
 ADDKNDA. 819 
 
 brsake it- Unlike mostygamblers, I have kept 
 hat vow ; and although I frequently visit Fras- 
 ati's, the table has never won a sou from my 
 K)cket." 
 
 "And never will 7" inquired I." 
 
 " Never 1" 
 
 Is it necessary to tell the reader that he died 
 —no, I should not use that word — that he per- 
 shed, a gambler ! If there is more eloquence 
 n any one line than another of that blessed 
 )rayer, which at once teaches us our duty ta 
 nan and our language to God, it is that which 
 )egin8, " Lead us not into temptation !" 
 
 ®. 
 
 iffi 
 
 TldE £ND« 
 
 W-i«. if . • ' 
 
 iini 
 
 ■ ^- 
 
- '- ■'■■'»'»— ^)ii » l td ! "nw I » ' «a i 
 
 k. 
 
 '^ 
 
 FOg;SALE,. T / 
 WHOLESALE AUK) RETAIL^ )^ 
 
 BREWER, McPHAIL, ^ GOl 
 
 46, King Street East, 
 
 ' TORONTO. 
 
 . " ■ ■ .■ ■ * , * . 
 
 SERIES of National School Books, viZ.r-^Firsj 
 Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Bobks 
 Lessons, an English Grammar, and an Arithmetil 
 
 ; f ,, ALSO, ^ 
 
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 Canada, Mavofs, Carpenter's, Cobb's, and Web< 
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 A large assortment of Works on. Rhetoric 
 Logic, Philosophy, Chemistry, Botany, Phisiologj| 
 Phrenology, and Mechanics. 
 
 A Liberal Discount for Cash Purchaser 
 TASTEFULLY EXECUTED. 
 
 English, Frencb, & American FapeifiOfiiij 
 
 v CASH FOR RAGS. 
 
 1849. 
 
 
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