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Cjie M%.
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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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instead of dying lonely and wretched amid his money-bags , dies like any otner man fromTan infection ! It is doubtless true that in life a nuser is a iS to the Plague as any one else ; butin Art which because it is lr is a selection of typical elements , that is not the end of a miser . The author has not only evaded tbe real , though difficult denouement , but by the introduction of the actress with whom Silas falls madly in love , it seems as if some such idea had been in his mind , and subsequently a WittTairdraw ^ backs , however , Silas BdrnstarJce is a readable story , sometimes remarkable , and always displaying a strength in the writer greater than is put forth . As a specimen , we extract the scene where Silas murders his cousin : —
" The sky was covered by gray clouds : not a star was visible . A light fresh wind blew in the travellers' faces and whistled through the hedges above them . " The bridle road now led them up a gentle rise , at the top of which spread out a large , sweet-amelling , healthy common ; desolate , little frequented , and not having a house within two miles of it . " The spot was well-known to Barnstarke , as , indeed , was every inch of that road so often passed over by him from his youth upwards . "As they left the biidle road , he leant his hand on the crupper , and , turning his head , looked with piercing glance down the hill . « t jyf y friend David Waller in doublet white , Without any arms either dusky or bright , Charged through them twice like a little sprite , Which nobody can deny !'
" Thus sang Francis Lovell in his melodious bass voice , continuing the ditty as he went . . " Barnstarke ' s heart gave one dull , heavy bound ; he raised himself up m his stirrups ; drew forth one of his pistols ; leant over the horse ' s head ; stretched out his arm ; and , pointing the muzzle between Lovell ' s shoulders , fired . " * Help , Silas , help ! ' cried Francis Lovell , and fell dying from his borse . " The merchant dismounted , catching his cousin ' 3 horse by the rein ; then with his remaining pistol he shot his own through the head . " The fine creature , with a rear , fell dead at his feet . . . " Barnstarke stooped beside his cousin . " Torrents of blood were flowing from Lovell ' s mouth . He feebly lifted his hand / made an effort to raise himself and to speak , and then fell back suffocated by his blood .
" Barnstarke , avoiding the crimson stream , proceeded , with trembling hands , to rifle the dead man ; turning his pockets wrongside out , and concealing the money he found therein on his own person . He then took the valises off the horses and scattered their contents about . He next discharged his and Lovell's pistols , reloading one of his own and one of his cousin ' s ; which last he placed beside the still warm body , whilst he returned his own to the holster . He then let Lovell's horse go free ; and disarranging his own garments , to make them appear as though robbers had maltreated him , he laid himself down beside his horse to await the
event . "As he lay with head to earth , Barnstarke could hear the heath on the common rustling in the night breeze , as also the heavy beating of his own heart . " The excitement of his murderous deed was still upon him . He tried to calm his hurried thoughts and to compose his trembling body , -which shook as the body of a man tired and worn out by an over-long and over-rapid race . His teeth chattered , and the sweat broke out at every pore , whilst he felt the mute presence of his victim , although he beheld him not . " Tush ! tush ! ' quoth the murderer to himself . ' I have been strong to act , and the deed hath been well thoughl over and carefully planned . Shall I lose all , through quaking and terror ? Shall I find but the gallows for the lands I have won ?'
" By degrees the trembling passed away , and Barnstarke remained stretched on the ground as one stunned . Faint and sick was he , but well prepared to act the part he had cut out for himself . " Like unto one who , receiving a shot in hot blood , feels not the pain at once , so Barnstarke ' s soul , wounded by sin in hot blood , felt not as yet the agony of crime . His thoughts were intent on so comporting himself that no suspicion should fasten upon him j and , that such might be tho case , he felt that coolness and firmness of heart were above all things necessary . He therefore removed his thoughts from the deed he had done , to fix them on probable contingencies , and the manner
in which such contingencies were to be met , reviewing them over and over again in all their vnrious bearings , and fixing on the words and acts they might necessitate on his part . He had planned the murder before he loft his homo , had chosen the very spot on which to commit it , having intended to delay on tho road that they might arrive on the common at night-lhll . Poor Lovell ' s lato rising had saved tho merchant all trouble in that respect . As Barnstarko lay pondering , yet listening , tho moon had arisen , and , shining through a thin cloud without being visible , gave light enough to distinguish objects near at hand . " Tho merchant , raining his head , looked towards LovcII'b body .
" There it lay in the dark pool of murderously-spilt blood , one leg drawn up , and tho arms spread abroad . Tho face shone out in marble whiteness , and tho rising , Btormy wind , blowing a fold of Lovoll ' s heavy cloak , the moonlight at the moment bursting through the clouds , caused tho body to look aa though moving to arise . " Burn&tnrkc , leaning on his bund , remained as one turned to stone ; hia mouth open and hi « staring eyes fixed upon tho corpae . " A thick mass of bluck clouds was driven by tho wind over tho moon , and darkness overspread tho enrth . 1
" A few drops of rain fell upon Bnrnstarkc ' s flushing face , coolingnnd refreshing to his beating temples . He had been iibovo two hours on the desolate common , nlone with tho victim of his covetous pus » ions . It seemed to him days nnd dnys since ho had fired , nn < l had Been his cousin full : ho recollected Lovoll ' s song broken ofT , and his cry to him for help ; he thought of tho struggling , distressed , expression of Francis ' s fncu an ho had stooped at his side , and a chill sensation of horror crept over him . " Presently , in tho distance , ho beheld lights drawing near . He composed his thoug hts , and stretched himself out on his fuco . Two rough Bhcep-doga ran up to him , mrifling him and loudly barking ; thon darted awuy , again to return and bark beside him . " Voices Bounded , borno to Bnrn « tarkc * » car by tho rushing wind . Anon tho
speakers were on the spot to be marked for years to come as the scene of ma * The merchant could hear the voice of Joyce , his servant , who , having \) een ZT ?" uneasy by the non-arrival of his master at the appointed sleeping . place , had out , with the landlord and other » , in quest of him . ' Mfc " The common was looked on as a bad place at night , on account ; of foot pads and highwaymen , a fact well known to BarnBtarke . 4 " The first object that met the eyes of Joyce and his party , on arriving at « v place singled out by the barking dogs , was the merchant ' s horse lying dead and stark . They threw the light of their lanterns full upon him . . " "Tis master ' s horse !' " * Here be one lying dead in his own blood / said the landlord , kneeling down by Lovell and raising his arm , which had already begun to stiffen , "faint Master Barnstarke , however / he added , as he held his lantern full in the ghastly face of Sir Francis . " "Tis Sir Francis Lovell ! He hath been murdered of thieves : look here how they have thrown things about / cried Joyce .
"' Here be another lying dead too / 8 aid the hostler who bad accompanied hia master the landlord , and who now raised Barnstarke , turning him over , and calling for a light . ^ " The merchant let his head fall back , and uttered a moan . " Joyce held the light in his face , calling out that it was his master , and telling the hostler to support his head . ' *• Barnstarke slowly opened his eyes , and fixing them on his servant , said in a voice so husky , tremulous , and unnatural , as even to strike himself with horror : " Is that you , Joyce ? methinks I have been stunned !' " Were you set on of roguei , sir ? ' inquired Joyce , wrapping his master ' s cloak close around him to keep off the rain . "' Ay / replied the merchant , turning away his looks , as he said : ' take your lantern away , it doth hurt and scorch my eyes /
" There was a silence : the men , not knowing whether Barnstarke was aware of his cousin ' s death , were doubtful what to say , and he , being afraid of compromising himself , held his peace , still lying supported by the hostler . " The merchant shut his eyes and hung his head , affecting to be but half sensible of what was going on a , round him . " Joyce and the landlord whispered together . After awhile , Joyce said to Barnstarke : . "' Sir Francis Lovell hath not been at the ' Three Kings / sir !' "' Where is he ? What time is it ? ' returned Barnstarke , muttering : ' Carry me to the inn , I am sick and shaken !' " More whispering here took place , which ended in the hostler being sent with others to the nearest house for a cart .
" During his abgence , Joyce by degrees informed his master of Sir Francis Lovell ' s death . " On hearing of it , Barnstarke , pretending to be aroused by the tidings , asked where his cousin ' s body was , and if they had taken the murderer . Joyce replied that the body was there ; the murderer untaken . " The lanterns were held to Lovell's face , leaving Barnstarke in darkness to gaze on the sad work of his own murderous hand . " No man can know , until he has committed it , the effect the commission of a crime may have on him . " On seeing Loveil's blood-stained , ashy-pale foce , with the long wet hair clinging about it—nought beside that face of death being visible in the darkness of night—Barnstarke's hardened heart felt a beginning of gnawing remorse . For a few minutes , he felt that he would * give all his wealth to bring Lovell back
to life again . John at Some is apparently a first work , and has serious deficiencies betokening want of practice in this department . But it has some cap ital sense , and many lively passages . John Smith , the money-prizing , money-getting city man , to whom business is at once the end and aim . of existence , to , whom being ' * worth a plum , " appears the goal of human perfection ; John ' s place of business , and his suburban home , his weakheaded wife Annie , his commanding mother-in-law , Mrs , Brown , his highly valued son , his little regarded daughter , his convenient friend , Jack Thompson , and his maiden , but monied cousin , Miss Jobson , with other sundries , including a French refugee , and a low , but kindred family , make up the scenes and persons of the Btory . It is with the John
lessons , rather than romance , the author deals . We are told how Smith prospered in commerce , how he married—how first a daug hter , and then a son , were born to him ; how tho latter being his heir , his future partner , and the transmitter of his name , was spoiled by father , mother , and most of his other relatives , till a weak intellect and downward tendencies fulfilled their destiny in early vice and a disgraceful end ; how the sins of John's youth came back upon him in tho shape 01 an illegitimate neglected son , who , under the tuition of his vindictive grandmother , helps the merchant ' s hoir into all kinds of mischief , and how the despised daughter Jane , eventually rises above circumstances , and turns out tho only respectable person , saving the aforesaid Miss Jobson , in her family .
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GERMAN PLAYS : OTHELLO . To-night tho short season of German Plays is brought to a close . •" was short , but , aa Dr . Johnson said to the unhappy preacher , ( who congratulated himself on tho Doctor ' s not having found his sermon hng , ) "I feared lost I might bo tedious , "— " Sir , you were not long , butyouw ^ tedious . " For a few nights I suffered myself to bo dragged to the St . James ' s , W a compound of gallantry and duty—gallantry to fair friends , insanely dosirous of seeing that mild mediocrity , Emil Deyrient , and duty to k m £ l and curious readers , wanting to know " what was going on . at tljo theatres . " But not ovon Julia ' s violet eyes , nor Jane ' s porsuaaivo snub , not even tho fear of insatiublo correspondents , nor demands for " copy » could induce me to sit oul ; tho final performances of JFicsco , Jpon Carlos , and tho Itraut von Messina ; so that all I can , this week , write about , & Othello , which was played la ^ t Friday , in a quiet dreary style .
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740 THE LEADER . CS-Mpp rpay . 1
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), July 30, 1853, page 740, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1997/page/20/
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