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034 The Saturday Analyst mid Leader. [Ju...
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MEMORIALS OF THOMAS HOOD.* T HE son and ...
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* MvworUihof Thorna* Hood, Colhirtvtl, A...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Prize Temperance Tale* It Appears From O...
realize to ourselves how large a proportion of our yearly crimes and offences are perpetrated under the influence of stimulants , and which most likely would never have occurred had the delinquent at ihe time been in . possession of his natural faculties . The incomes squandered , the families ruined , and the noble energies wasted and perverted by the universal prevalence p f this ruinous habit , we are led to believe , are incredible . This lamentable state of affairs lias given birth to numerous large associations , having for their object the entire repudiation of spirituous liquors . In order to prevent the possibility of a moderate and beneficial use of such things growing into a rank and positive abuse , they prohibit them altogether , not allowing of their consumption under any pretext however specious . These associations have , at different periods , offered liberal rewards for the best tales constructed on the principle of exhibiting to the public , in their most vivid aspects , the evils of iiitemperance and self-indulgence . And it cannot be denied that when such stories are conceived in the spirit of tolerance ,
and with an earnest desire not to overstep the boundary of nature , but to keep within the limits of fact and probability , they are productive of considerable good , and tend greatly towards the furtherance of the cause they are designed to advocate . But when , on the contrary , our temperance writers only seek to exaggerate and caricature , under the mistaken notion that they will thereby more effectually deter their readers from falling into the dangers of excess , the effect produced is exactly opposite to that for which they have striven . In such instances they usually—nay , we may jay , always—overreach , and , consequently , defeat themselves . The present prize tale , entitled " Danesbury House , * ' and which is issued under the superintendence of the Directors of the Scottish Tern-T > erance League , must be classed under the former of these two
divisions of temperance productions . The authoress has taken a liberal and-enlightened view of her subject , aud treated it in a mariner which not only devolves the greatest credit upon herself , but will , doubtless , induce many who have hitherto looked coldly on the great teetotal movement , to take it into immediate and serious consideration . She describes with much emphasis and perspicuity how out of c & mparatively unimportant beginnings gradually arise such disastrous results ; she evidences how , even in childhood , the natural tastes are forced out ^ of their legitimate channel , and constrained and educated into a predilection for artificial and unwholesome enjoyments- ; she does not hesitate to expatiate upon the perversity or igfalse
liorance of parents who rear up their offspring under such a system of moral and physical culture , and she proves , inoreover * how much easier it would be for the former to proceed upon the sounder and entirely opposite principle . ! The authoress also holds up to universal opprobrium those glaring plague-spots to the public morality—the giii-piilaces / iii which crime arid debauchery are decked out in such glowing and enticing habiliments as render it almost impossible tor the young and inexperienced , falling accidentally under the shadow of their influence , to withdraw themselves from the invidious fascination . The authoress touches somewhat lengthily upon this source of mischief , and enumerates the obstacles opposed to the carrying out of any efficient
remedy . ' * Mrs . Wood is no advocate of forcible and violent measures for the correction of the " national error , " wisely ~( ron ^ deTrng ^ hair-thre-coTrversion must originate in men ' s own hearts , if any permanent results are to be expected to accrue therefrom . Unless their minds are awakened to the impiety of their present courses , and the necessity of placing themselves under an entire system of restraint , tijl the spirit shall become purified arid released from its subserviency to the unlawful doings of the flesh—unless * in short , they can be thoroughly aroused into a consciousness of their own degradation , and an utter abhorrence and contempt of themselves , in the condition to which they have been reduced by vice and intemperance , so that they shall " be induced to enter . ' voluntarily and enthusilittle h be
astically into the work of their own deliverance , ope can entertained of their ultimate redemption- Throughout the whole of " Danesbury House , " this opinion is emphatically asserted . The evil with which we have to contend is not a subject lor legislation , but for education , education and gradual development ; and , consequently , must be allowed to go through its several progressive stages , befure it can arrive at the wished-fur goal . Let us hope with the talented authoress of this work , that the goal will be eventually gained , and that a final stop will-be put to the career" of one ol the greatest enemies of mankind . Certain it is ,, that at the present time groat aud almost Superhuman efforts are being made by large bodies of humnue ami philanthropic individuals , who spare neither labour nor expense in the attainment of this object , and whp deserve all tho pruiscs and encomiums which a grateful mid benefited nation can bestow upon
them . Whether successful or otherwise , we owe them universal thanks for their laudable endeavours . Without doubt " , Danesbury House " deserves the compliment paid it by the directors of tho Scottish-Timiperunce ^ Leugue ,. being . decidedly , one oOJie ^ busLprP : ductions of its class we have met with for some time . The story i . s interesting , and nil the characters are brought artistically on the sceno , and gradually and consistently developed . The languago possesses much breadth of'stylo and considerable poetic feeling , and is , moreover , well adapted to -illustrate the argument of the , book . The two brothers , ltobert and Lionel Dunesbury , are both powerfully drawn' specimens df the destructive results of , habitual selfindulgence . We can heartily recommend our renders who are not already ' acquainted with the contents of this volume , . to-vender themselves conversant of tho same as speedily as possible .
034 The Saturday Analyst Mid Leader. [Ju...
034 The Saturday Analyst mid Leader . [ July 7 , 1860 .
Memorials Of Thomas Hood.* T He Son And ...
MEMORIALS OF THOMAS HOOD . * T HE son and daughter of the late Mr . Thomas Hood , both of whom have shown literary and poetic tastes of their own , have rendered good service to biography by collecting their father's correspondence and memoranda into two goodly volumes , well adorned with sketches from the humorist ' s own pencil , and which how lie before us for such notice as they merit . The autograph of Mr . Hood , consisting of a page of the Song of the Shirt , also ornaments the first volume . Perhaps we have but little to learn , even from these authenticated documents , of the life of the poet and punster who delighted to make the world merry while himself suffering from the infirmities of nature and the malice of fortune . In a running way , however , we may pick up some particulars that may interest some of our readers . _
We had not to learn that Hood ' s life was " a hand-to-hand struggle with straitened means and adverse circumstances ; " iii his own words , that he was one of the " master minds at journey work ; moral magistrates greatly underpaid ; immortals without a living ; menders ot the human heart breaking their own ; mighty intellects without their mite . " He was the son of a publisher , Mr . Thomas Hood , of the firm of Vernor and Hood , in the Poultry , so that he grew up among books . Our poet was apprenticed to Sands the engraver , whose sister his father had married . Subsequently he became connected with " The London Magazine , " under the editorship of Mr . John Scott . The amusing notices and answers to correspondents in the "Lion's Head" were his doing ; the ' idea of which he carried into his own magazine years afterwards under the title of " The Echo . ' * He was indebted for his literary
acquaintances to his connexion with " The London Magazine , " one ot whom was Mr . John Hamilton Reynolds , whose sister he married ; another , Mr . Dilke , whose friendship he retained to the last . A separate publication , under the title of " Odes arid Addresses to Great People , " Was mistaken by Coleridge for the production of Charles Lamb , and there was certainly great similarity between the genius of the two men . They soon became intimate . Mr . Hood ' s marriage was a happy one . His wife had a cultivated taste , and he had such confidence in her judgment that he _ read and re-read arid cbrrected with her all he wrote . Many of his articles were first dictated to her , and her . ready riiemory supplied him with his references and quotations . In . his latest years , her time and thoughts were ~ entirely devoted to him , and he becamei restless , arid almost seemed unable to write unless she were near .
With the success of his " Whims and Oddities , " which appeared in 1856 and 1857 , our readers ale faiailiar , as-alsojvith the " Comic Annual , " which appeared in 1 S 3 Q . Two volumes of " National Tales " ( after the mariner of Boccaccio ) , are less known . " The Plea of the Midsummer Fairies" is a beautiful poem , that .. would not sell ; but the " Eugene ; Aram's Dream" wasmore successful . Hood was much attached to the sea > and incurred some perils in consequence . He was nearly drowned at Hastings from his love of swimming in the open sea . He perfectly understood the management of a boat , arid would often take the helm .
In 1831 ; the Duke of Devonshire became a patron of Tnomas Hood . Having" occasion to construct a door of sham hooka for the entrance of a library staircase at Chatsworth , he applied to Hood to give him inscriptions for those unreal folios , quartos , and 12 mos . ~ Hoou l-e 7 TCTmTn ^^ — both humorous and curious . A few examples will amuse : — "On the Lung Arno in Consumption . By 1 ) . Cline . " " The lacing Calewdar , with the Eclipses of 1831 . " "On Cutting off Heirs with a Shillimy . By Barber Beaumont . " " Percy Vere . In 40 vols . " ••' Tadpoles ; or , Tales out of my own Head . " '"" Matin--. ' tosh , Macculloch , and Macauluy on Alniaek ' s . " "On the Site of Tally ' s Offices . " " Ou Sore Throats and the Migration of the Swallow . By T . Abernethy . " " Life of Jack Ketch ; with Cuts of his own Execution . " & c . & c
. . Such are some of the furinimen ' ts . The duke was much pleased with them , and had reason to be so . He subsequently assisted Hood with a volunteered friendly loan . Hood was but slightly connected with the stage . He wrote , however ; a libretto " for a little English opera , produced at the Surrey . " Its name is lost now , although it had a good run at the time .. ' - ' "Perhaps-it may be ' recognised by " some old . play-goer by the fu ' ct that its dramatis personal weve all bees . My father also assisted my uncle Reynolds in the dramatising of Gil Bias , which , if my impression be right , waa produced at Drury Lane . One scene Was very cleverly managed , considering that stage ^ machinery ( which now-a-days is almost engineering ) was then in its infancy-It was a sceno divided into two , horizontally , displaying at once the robber's caveand the country beneath which it was excavated .
, •? It is much to be regretted that we have been unable to discover any truces of an entertainment which was written , somewhere iiboufe this time , by my father for the well-known inimitable Charles Mathews tho elder , who was heard by a friend most characteristically to remark , that he liked the entertainment very much , and Mrv Hood too * - — but that -all-the -. time he . was reading it ,. Mrj ; , jAood would keep snuffing the cmidles . This little fidgetty observation very much shocked my mother , and of course delighted my fntlicr . ' Ho also wrote a pantomime for Mr . Frederick Yates , ot the old Adelphi Theatre , and on that occasion received tho following quaint epistle , tho writer being Mr . Yates's , /«^ o / KW , and moreover machinist of all those wonderful Adelphi pieces that made that tiny
* Mvworuihof Thorna* Hood, Colhirtvtl, A...
* MvworUihof Thorna * Hood , Colhirtvtl , Amufftul , - hiuI Mltml ' > , ' / his DAUGHTER , with a 1 ' rtfate and Kates , by h i * SioN . HtmtnUed with Lo / utfi from / tin own fSL-vte / ica . Two vote . Euwtu-d Jloxon and Go .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), July 7, 1860, page 10, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_07071860/page/10/
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