On this page
- Departments (1)
-
Text (4)
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
-
MEMORIALS OF THOMAS HOOD.*
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.
-
-
Transcript
-
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.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Untitled Article
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 the 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 of . 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 intemperance 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 say , 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 Temperance 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 , and treated it in a manner which not only devolves the greatest credit upon herself , but will , doubtless , " induce many who have hitherto looked cpldlv on the great teetotal movement , to take it into immediate" and serious consideration . She describes with much emphasis and perspicuity how out of comparatively 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 preelection for artificial and unwholesome enjoyments ; she does not hesitate to expatiate upon the perversity or
ignorance - ' of ' parents , who rear -. up their , offspring under such a false svstem of '' moral and physical " culture , and she proves , moreover , how much easier it woutd be for the former to proceed upon the sounder and-entirely opposite principle . The authoress also holds up to universal opprobrium those glariuir plague-spots to the public morality—the gin-palaces , in which crime and debauchery are decked out in such " glowing and enticing habiliments as render it almost impossible for 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
rcufiGtlv * ¦ - ^ WrY * 0 ud 4 sTi ( rat ^ correction-of thei " national error , " wisely considering that the conversion 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 , till the * spirit shall become purified and released from its subserviency to the unlawful , doings of the flesh—unless , in short , they can bo 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
enthusiastically into the work of their own deliverance , little hope can be entertained of their ultimate redemption . Throughout the whole of " Dan . esbury House / ' this opinion is emphatically asserted . The evil with ' which we have to contend is not a subject / or legislation , but for education , education and gradual development ; mid , consequently , must be allowed to go through its several progressive stages , before it can arrive at the wished-tbr goal . Let us hope ' with the talented authoress of this work , thttt the goal will be eventually gained , and that u Unalstop will be put to the career of one ol the greatest enemies of mankind . Certain it is , that at the present time great and almost superhuman efforts are being made by large bodies of humane and philanthropic individuals , who spare neither labour nor expense in the attainment of this object , and who deserve all tho praises and encomiums which a grateful and benefited nation can bewtow upon
them . Whether successful or otherwise , wo owe them universal thanks for their laudable endeavours . Without doubt " Danesbury JloUbO " de ^ orves tjio complhnent paid it by the directors of tho Scottish Teuiperance Ee ^ ductionfl of its clues wo huvo met with far some time . The story is interesting , and nil tho characters are brought artistically on tho sceno , and gradually and consistently developed . The language possesses ' much breadth of stylo and considerable poctie leeling , and is moreover , well adapted to illustrate tho argument of the book . Tho two brothers , Kobert nnd Lionel Danesbury , are both powerfully drawn specimens of the destructive results of habitual selfindulgence . We can heartily recommend our renders who nro not already nequuinted with tho contents of this volume , to render themselves conversant of tho same as speedily us possible .
Untitled Article
* Manorial * ofT / iomtn llutul , Cuitvotvil , Arnmyvtt , and 1-JiiHnt l \ v his Daughter , with a Prrflwo ami j \ r o (? it , l > jr /« Son . Itlvstmtwl with t \> i > i <* from Itia own titod'hea , Two vola . liilwurd Moxon and Co .
Untitled Article
634 The Saturday Analyst and Leader . [ July 7 , I 860 .
Untitled Article
THE 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 cor-; respondence and memoranda into two goodly volumes , well adorned | with sketches from the humorist's own pencil , and which now 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 ; " in his own words , that he was one of the " master minds at journey work ; moral magistrates greatly underpaid ; immortals without a living ; menders of the human heart breaking their own ; mighty intellects without their mite . " He was the son of a publisher , Mr . Thomas Hood , ^> f 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 friend .-hip lie retained to the last . A separate publication , under the title of " Odes and Addresses to Great People , " was mistaken by Coleridge for the production of Charles Lamb , and ' there was certainly great similarity between the arenius of the two men . They soon became intimate . ' cultivated
Mr . Hood ' s marriage was a happy one . His wife had a taste , and he" had such confidence in her judgment that he read and re-read and corrected with her all he wrote . Many of his articles were first dictated to her , and her ready memory supplied him with his references and quotations . In his latest years , her time and thoughts were entirely devoted to him , and he became restless , and 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 are familiar , Tis also with the- ^ Comic Annual / ' which appeared in 1830 . Two volumes of " National Tales" ( after the manner 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" was more successful .
Hood was much attached to the sea , and incurred some penis in consequence . He was nearly drowned at Hastings from his love of swimming in the opeu sea . He perfectly understood the manag-ement of a boat , and would often take the helm . In 1831 , the Duke of Devonshire became a patron of Thomas Hood . Having occasion to construct a door of sham books for the entrance of a library staircase at Chatsworth , he applied to Hood " ^^§ pvTrhim 4 ttscriptiont *~ fo ^ — Hood sent him several lists of such names . Some of the titles are
both humorous and curious . A few examples will amuse : — " On the Lung Arno in Consumption . By 1 ) . Cline . " " The liaeing Calendar , with the Eclipses of 1831 . " . "On Cutting off Heirs with a Shilling . By Barber Beaumont . " "Percy Vere . In 40 vols . " ' Tadpoles ; or , Tales out of my own Head . " " Macintosh , Macculloch , and Macaulay on Almack ' s . " " On the Site of Tully ' s Offices . " "OnSore Throats and the Migration of the Swallow . By T . Abernethy . " " Life of Jack Ketch , with Cuts of his own Execution , " < £ e . « &c .
Such are some of the funniments . 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 slightl y ¦ connected with tho stage . He wrote , however , a libretto for \ i little English opera , produced at the Surrey , lt Its name is lost now , although it had a good run Jit the time . Perhaps it may be recognised by some old play-goer by the fact that its dramatis pcrsoncc were all bees . . My father also assisted riiy uncle Reynolds in tho dramatising of Gil Bias , which , if my impression be right , was 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 scene divided into two , horizontally , displaying at once the robber ' s cave , and the country beneath which it was excavated .
"It is much to be regretted that wo have been unable to discover any traces of an entertainment which wafi written , somewhere about this time , by my father for the well-known inimitable Charles Mathewa tho elder , who was heard by a friend most characteristicallyto rqumrk , that he liked the entertainment very much , and Mr . Hood too , —but tlint all the tiiiie ^ would keep snuffing the candles . This little Jidgetty observation very much shocked my mother , and of course delighted my father . ' He also wrote n pantomime for Mr . Frederick Yates , ot the old Adelphi . Tbeatro , and on . that occasion received tho following , quaint epistle , tho writer being Mr . Yixtan '» fiu-tolum , and moreover machinist of all those 1 wonderful Adelphi pieces that made that tiny
Memorials Of Thomas Hood.*
MEMORIALS OF THOMAS HOOD *
-
-
Citation
-
Leader (1850-1860), July 7, 1860, page 634, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2355/page/10/
-