DE QUINCEY'S WORKS.

VOLUME IV.

I It l

~<.!

l<.,11 \\,\11, L<'\Lll

,
'

THE ENGLISH niAlL COACH

AND O'fHER WRITINGS

BY

TH011AS DE QUINCEY
'

'

EDINBURGH
A DA~i AND CHARLES BLACK
'.MDCCCLXlII

[The right of Translalzon is reserved]

, .EXPLANATORY NOTICES.

THE series of papen:, published in tbi~ and the precedmg vol11me,

were onginally \Vritten under one set of di&<tdvantages, and aie
now revised 11nder another. They were 'vritten generally 11nder
great pre&>"'Ul'e as to time, m order to c.'ttch the crit1c.'ll penocll,
of monthly journals; written oftentimes at a chstance from the
pre:;s' (so as to have no opportunity for correction); and always
written at a cbstapce from hbraries so i:hat very many statements, references, and citations, were made on the authonty of
my unai:.:;1sted memory. Under Sl1ch circ11mstances were most
of the papers composed ; and they are no"r re-issued in a corrected form, sometunes e>en paii1ally rcc.'lSt, 11nder the d1sLraction of a ner>ous misery wluch embar1asses my efforts ma mode
and in a degree me..\:})ress1ble by words. Such, mdeed, IS the
distress produced by this malady, that, if the present act of repubhcahon had in any respect worn the character of an expenment, I should ha>e shrt1nk from it in despondency But the
experiment, so far as there was any, had been already tried for
me ncar1ously amongst the Americans j a people so nearly repeahng our o" 11 in style of mtellect, and m the compo<;1t1on of
their reading class, that a Sl1ccess amongst them counts for a
,
.
success amongst ourselves. For some few of the separr.te papers
in the past and coming volumes, and for one paper m this present yol11me nz, ''The English Mail-Coach'' I make pretensions of a higher cast. These pretensions I will explam hereafter.
1\Jl the rest I resign to the reader's llD biassed judgment, adding
only, with re<:i"Jlect to fotrr of them, a few p1efat-0ry words not
of propitiation or deprecation, but simply in explanation as ti;

po1nts that would otherwise be open to m1,:construction.

'

VI-

E'.\..PLANATORY NOTICES.

1 The paper on ''Murder as one of the Fine 1trl:s '' scen1ed to

exact from me some account of Wtlhams, the dreadful Loncl1>1i
1

murderer of the last generation; not onl:1 becallSC tl1e amatetttii

l1ad. so roucl1 insISted on lus merit :is the supreme of arhsts for
grandeur of design ancl breadtl1 of style, and becatISe, apa1 t
from thIS momentary connection i\'lth my paper, the man hin1"'elf mei'lted a iecord for his n1n.tchless audacity, combined" ith
so much of snaky subtlety, and even insllltlating am1Libleness in
l1is demeanour but also 1'ecause, apart from the man hun&elf,
the u:orl"s of the man (tliose t1,-o of tl1em especiall:1 \\ lucli so
profoundly impressed tlie nation ill 1812) \\'Cle ill themsel\ es,
for dramatic effect, t11e most nnpress1ve on record 1 Southey
pronolmced their p1e-effilnence, 1vl1en lie &'Utl to me, that they
ranked amongst t11e few clomeshc e1ents i\lucl1, by the dcptl1
and the expansion of horror attending tl1em, had risen to t11e
digmty of a national intere.;;t I may acld, t11at this intcre-.,,t
benefited also by the mysteI'J' 1>luch in1ested the m1rrders,
m; stery as 1;o variot1s points, but especially as respectecl onti
important question, Had tl1e murderer ai1y accomphce '1 *
There was, therefore, reason enot1gh, both i11 the m'l1i's hell1i:l1
character, and in the ni;stery \\'hich sunotmded lum, for this
. Postscript to the or1gi11al paper 1 since, ill a lapse of forty-t110
'ecirs, both the man and lus deeds l1ad f,1decl a1\a:1 fro1n tl1e
kno1vledge of tl1e present generat1011 , b11t still I n111 sens1b1o
that my record IS far too diffuse Feeling tlllS at tl1e ,cry tlll1e
1

" Upo a large o;e1 bnla11cc of 1irobali1l1t1cs, it 'vas, bo,;e1er, dtfin1t11ely. greed amongst amateurs that '\'\T1ll1ams must l1a,e bec11
alone 1n tl ese atroc1t1cs l\reant1me, amongst the colourable prcs11mpt1ons n the otl1e1 side, 1'a~ tl11s -Some l1011rs aftc1 the labt
1n11rde1 a an 1;as apprel1en<lcd at Bn1net (the first stage fron1
I,011do11 on a: pr1nc1pal no1 tl1 road), encumbered "1th n quant1t;r of
plate. How e came by it, or '' l11ther he ''as going, he stedf.1stl)
refused to say In the da1lj J011rnnls, 'vh1ch lie'' as allo\ved to bee,
he read w1tl1 c,\geiness the poi1ce exam1nat1ons of '\Y1ll1ams, J.nd
on tl1e snme day1 'vl1icli anno11nced tlie catastropl1e of W1ll1ams, lie
1!.lso committed s111r1rle Jil his cPll.
,
\

'

EXPLANATORY !-ZOTICES

\'JI

of 1v1itrng, I was ;}-e~ unable to correct 1t, so little self-control

'"us I able to exercise undih- the affi1cting agitations, and tlie
unconquerable impatience of my nervous malady.
2. With respect to' The Templars' Dialogues,'' it may po::.s1bly be complmned, that this paper is m some measure a frag111ent. My.answer is, that, although frat,rrnentary 111 relation to
the entne systcnz of R1ca1do, and that prenous system will.ch he
opposed, it is no fragment in ie1'1.tion to the radical principle
concerned m those systems The confuchng systems are brougl1t
under rene"\\ simply at the loczts of collision JUSt as the I~der

ma) ha>e seen the chen1ical theory of Dr Priestley, and t11e

cot1nter-theo1-y of his antiphlogistic opponents, staterl within
the 111n1ts of a smgle page If the pnnciple relied 011 by either
party can be shown t-0 leacl mto ii1extncable self-contradiction,
tl1at is enol1gh
So much is accomphsl1ed in that case, as w,ts
})roposed from the beginning :viz., not to exl1aust,the postliie
eiements of thi::. system or that, bttt simply to settle tl1e central
logic of their se,eral polelll.lcs ; to settle, ill fact, not the mattr
of ,,hat is evolved, but SJmply the prrnc1ple of evolution
3 ''War.'' In this paper, f1om haVIDg faultily ac1Justed its
<I
propo1tions m tl1e or1grnal outline, I .ncl t11ftt I have d>\elt too
br1efly and too feebly upon the capit.'11 interest at staI~e To
.'.1.pp1y a co1Tect1on to some popular misreathngs of illstoIJr, to
Ehow that the cr1m1na1 (be<'ause trivial) occasions of wru are not
I
alw-ays its true Cc'luse.;;, or to suggest that wa1 (if 1es1gneJ to iis'
0"\"\'11 nattiral mo\ement of progTess) IS cleansing itself and en11obhng itself constantly and inevitably, were it only througl1
its connechon with science ever more and more exq111c:1te, and
tlirough its a11gmented costlilless all this may have its ~e in

offenng some restramt upon the le\'lty of action or of declamation in Peace Sociehes But all this L'> belo'v the occasion I

feel that far grander intere~ts are at stake ill flu5 contest Tl1e
Pe.'lce Sociehes are falsely appreciated, "hen they are described
as merely clefil to tbe lessons of C"'-'}Jerience, and as too'' romantic''
L"l tl1eir, expectations The Tery opposite is to my tb1nk111g t11c1r


VJll

BXPLANATORY NOTICES.

criminal reproach. lie that IS romantic, eirs ust1nlly by too muc11

elevation. He violates the standard of reasonable expectation,

by drawing too violently upon the nobilities of human nature.
But, on the contrary, the Peace Societies would, rl their po,vcr
kept pace with their gtulty purposes, work degradation for man
by drawing upon his most effeminate and luxurious cravmgs for
OOSL>. llfost heartily, and '\'\'1th my profoundest sympathy, do I
go along with Wordsworth m lus grand l)Tical proclamation of

a truth not less dtvme than it is mystenous, not less tn11mphant

tlian it IS sorrowful-viz , that amongst God's holiest instruments
for the elevation of h11man nature, is ''mutual slaughter''
amongst men, yes, that 11 Carnage IS God's daughter.'' Not
denvmg my O\Vll views m this matter from Wordsworth, not
kno11wg even 11hether I hold tl1em on the"Same grounds, Since
Wordsworth has left l11s grounds unexplaJned nevertheless I
cite thetn m honour, as capable of the holiest JUStrucat1on. The
1nstr11ments rlSe m grandeur, ca1nage and mutual sla11ghter nsc
in holiness, exactly as the motives ancl the interests nse on behalf of which such awful po,vers are invoked. F1ght1ng for
truth m its last recesses of sanctity, for human dignity sJ'Stematically outraged, or for h11man rigl1ts mercilessly trodden
under foot. champions of such mterests, men first of all descry,
as from a summit sudrlenly revealed, the poSSible grandeur of
bloodshed suffe.ied or 1nfucted Judas and Sllllon llfaccabreus
in days of old, Gustavus Adolphus~ m modern daJs, fighting

The Tl11rty Yeari,' War, from 1618 to the Peace of \Vcstphal1n

in 1648, was noto11ously the last, and the dec1s1ve, conflict between
Popery and Protestantism; the result of tl1at war 1t ''as '' l11ch
finally enlightened all the Pop1sl1 p11nces of Ch11stendom, as to tl1e
imposs1l11l1ty of e' e1 supp1ess1ng the antagonist party by mere force
of arms I am not meaning, 110,,e,er, to utter any opinion ,,J1atever on tl1e rel1g1ous }Jos1t1on of tl1e t\\ o great pa1 ties. It is suffi
L1ent for ent11e SJmr:ithy 'v1th tl1e rojal
cde, tl1at he fougl1t for
tl1e freedom of con&c1ence. Many an enl1gl1te11ed Roman Cathol1r1
&uppos1ng only tl1at he 'vere not a P ap1st, '''ould ha1e gt> en lus
11ope& and hJs confidence to the P1otestant king.

s,,

,
tXPL..\XA'.J:ORY SOl"IOER.

f c;r the Tiobted rights of con..<::eience against perfidious despots

and murdering oppressors. exhibit to us the incarnations of
1\ords,vortli's principle. Such wars are of rare occurrence.
Fort11nately they are so; since, under the poSSible contmgencies
of human strength and weakness, it mjght else happen that the

grandeur of the principle should sunm- di~bonour through the

mcommensurate means for maintaining it. But such cases,
though emerging rarely, are always to be reserved in men's

minds a.s nltimat~ appeals to what is most divine in man. Happy

it is for human welfare. that the blind heart of man is a thou...o::and
times "\\ j:;er than 1u.;; understanding. .An arnere pensee should

he hidden in all minds-a holy.reserre as to cases "'hlch may

arL"El similar to such as ru:n; arisen. where a merciful bloodshed*
'' Jferciful bloodshed :''-In reading e1tber the later religions
r.ars of the J emsh people under the :tliaccabees, or the earlier under
Joshua, e;ery philosophic reader mll hare felt the true nnd transcendent spirit of mercy wluch resides nrtually in such wars. as
maintaining the unity of God aga1nst Polytheism, and by trampling
on crnel idolatries. as indirectly opening the channels for benign
principles of morality through endless generations of men. Here
especially he \\ill ha>e read one justification of Wordsworth's bold
doctrine upon war. Thus 'far he will descry a wisdom working
from afar; bnt, as regards the lillmediate present, he wtl1 be apt to
adopt the ordinary new-r-nz, that in the Old Testament serenty
prerails approaching to cruelty. Yet, on consideration, he will be
disposed to qualify this opinion. He >rill ha\e obser>ed many
indications of a. relenting kindness and a. tenderness of lore in
the :l\Iosaicfil ordinances. And recently there has. been suggested

another argument tending to the same conclu..c:ion. In the last

\\ ork of l\fr Layard ('' Dzscoenes in the Rn1ns of Nine;eh and
Babylon, 1853 ''), are published some atrocious monuments of the
Assyrian cruelty in the trentment of military captz>es. In one of
" the plates of Chap. X."( 1 at page 456, is exhibited some unknonn
torture applied to the head; and in another, at page 458, is exhibited the abonnnable process, applied to two captr>!'!S, of fiaytnf;
them alire. One snch case had been prenously recorded in buman
literature, and illustrated by a plate. It occurs in a. Dntch ;oyage
to the islands of tbe E'lst Th~ subject of the torment in that ca<-e
tt"a.~ a woman wl10 had lieen charged mtl1 some act of infidclitr to

2 b

hXI>J,AN,\TORY NOTlCFS.

has been aut1101ISed by t11e exp1ess >01ee of God. Sucl1 v. rc1-erve cannot be dispensed with It belongs to t110 p11nc11)le o!
r)rogress m n1an, that lie sho1tld for ever keep open a secret
commerce m tl1e last resort mth the sp111t of ma1 tJclom on
behalf of man's most samtly interests In proportion as tho
instrurn'.ents for upholchng or retnevmg st1ch samtly mterests
sl1oulcl co1ne to be di<Shonot1Ied or less honoured, "oulcl tl1e Inference be ''ahd that tl1ose interests were sl1al;:mg In tl1eir fo1111clations And any confederation or con1pact of nations fr1r
abohshing 'var, 'vo1tld be the ma11gurat1on of a do,vn,,a1d p1Ltl1
'
for man.
A battle IS by possibility ,the grande,,t, and also tl1e inec'lne:,t
of h11man eJ\.plo1ts It IS tl1e grandest whe111t is fougl1tfor gocll1ke truth, for huma11 dignit), 01 for h11man IIghts, it is tl1e
meanest "'lien it is fottght for petty advantages (as, b) way of
e;:ample, for accession of t.err1tory '''mch adds notlung to the
sec1mty of a f1 ont1er), ancl still mo1 e ''hen it Is fougl1t s11n1Jl~
l's a gladiatur's tnal of nat1on,il Jlro"'ess. Tlns is the p11nc11Jlo
upon which ve17 nattirally our Bi1tish schoolbo) s ,alue a b.1ttle
'

her l1usband And the local go1 er11mcnt, being ind1gnar1tly sum1nonerl to 1nterfe1e lJy some Chnst1nn strangers, had declined to do
so-o tlie plea tl1at tl1e man "ns muster '' 1th1n his O\\ n 11ouse
Bt1t tie Ass3r1an case \\as 1\01i,e '.rl11s to1tu1c \\US tl1cre applied,
i1ot up n a s11<l<len \Ind1ct1\ c 11npul5e, but in cold blood, to a s11nplc
case a pn1ently of ci11l d1sobed1ence oi re\olt No'' 1vl1cn ''e
<.onside 11ow intimate, and lio\v ancient, "::is tl1c connection bct1veen A. 'yna and Palest111e, 110" many things (1n "ur es1iec1nllj)
\1ere t1ans ired mcdi'ltClj thro11gh the 1nte1\cn1ng tribes (all l1'1l11tuallj eru ), from the people on t11e T1gr1s to those on the J 01 clun
I feel con\'ln d that l\Ioses must huve 1nte1fered most perempto11ly
n11d dcterm1n. ely, nnd not merely hj' 'e1 bal ordinances, lint b)
C'<tabhsh1ng co nter usages agu1r1st tli1s sp1r1t of barba11ty, otl1er'' 1se it \) ould h 'e 1nc1 cased contag1ou~lj '' hc1 eas 'vc meet 1i-itl1
no such l1ellish t1oc1t1es amongst tlic cl11Jdren of Israel !11 the
4-!lse of one me ruble outrage by a Hcbre1v ti1be, t11e nnt1onul
;enge'lnce, wli1ch \eitook it, was complete and fcarf11l be;>ond all
tnat h1sto1 y has re rded.


1--xrL.\.~A.TOI~\-

X1_)Tl('}..S.

!ainfitl it is to altl. tbnt this is tlie pi,nci111c upon l\'llich on!'

~1.ulr; neighbour~ t11e french 811Cffi to YaltlC 3. battle.
'
To :iriy man \\ho. ll!~c my:o.:lf, aclmires tl1e high-toner], mnrn<l1
plllanf!j of the fr.:ncl1, and pays n cheerf1tl tribute of l e.,--pect. to
tlieir mnny intellectt ,1l ir'ltllilrhs, it is :painful to \\itness t11e
ch,I:i1::b. state of ieelmg '\\luch tlie Ftencl1 11eop!e manue;;t on
every IY.:~ble qnc-Et1on tl1at co11nects it:>.ili n.t any point mth
rri:-l1 ttal pr-~tc:is:io!'.s. .r.\. bJ.tlle is >nlueJ by them on the san1e
ir inc.p1es, not better n.nd not \\01-se, as go;e1u our O\". n school1~0,:-::. >er: b.ttlo is -ieweJ. by the boj-s as a te.;;t a:pphe..'1 to
tl1c J-t:rE'Jnal pro';\e.ss of e::i.cl1 iud1\iclu::.l soldier; nntl 1 natm-.illy
,1r.J~r1i;,;t bo:;s, it \\Otlld. be the me1e:;t h:i11oc~7 to t.:i1:e any
P!6UCl' gl'Olllltt. 11ttt umong,,t adt11 ts, ::tITl\eJ. at t11e fO\\er of
i~.:('t111g ::.nd comp.trit1f;, v.-c look for something noblc1. \\e
r:i:1gli::h estimate '\Y!'ter1oo, not by its rimount. of killeJ and
>;our1ded. bnt as tI1e battle ''!11ch tenninai:c.d a series of h::i.ttlc'S

l,'.J.,ing one co:n1nou obJ~"t nz , tl1e O\ertl1row of a f1i;htft1l '

r:;rnnn:-. ,,.\.. grc..:.t sepulclu-al illa{10\> rolled a,,;ay from the face
of Clrit;;tcndom ns that clri,-s sttu' -rrent do\\ n to 1us lest: f1)1,
bJ.d the ~ucce;::;; b~eu le;::; nb~olute, ::tll Olll)Ol'l:tllllty \\ould h..1.\"C
one.red ft)l' ncgot1:.i.t1on, and comequent1:- for n.n infin1t) of intrigue:; througl1 tl1e feu<.!.s al,.,.,,~:; gathcru1g t1po11 national
jealotmes amonfrrt allied nr1ruc-s. the <lrngo11 ,,oulu soon hai.e
lt'.:!..'l.lcJ Iris wouncls: afte1 wl11ch. the prosperitJ of the de:,--poti.::-m
'' ould h:i.\e been gre.'ltcr thn.n bclo1e. But, -without refereu,,e
t() Trate1 loo i11 Jl3.rb.cular. zrc, on Oltr part, find it 1mpos:!1hle
<o contemplate any memorable b:lttle other1rae t11an accordi11g to its tencler1cy tO\\ar<ls some coinmensurate obJect. To
the French tliis ma:,"i be im1XJSib1e, scemg tl1at no lofty (that
i;; no dJSinfe1e.:;teJ) rurpo;;e l1n.s e\e:r been EO much as COtlllterfeited for a French wru-, nor tlierefore for a. Fi-eneh battle,
.\ggression, cloa.J:e:l at tl1e >ery utmost in the grub of retaliation

rorcounteraggress1ons on the p.:u t of the enem:;', standsfo1wa.rd

nnuonnly In tJ1e \1111 of such mob.\e.s w;; it IS thought \\"'Orth while
to p1e.'ld. But in F1-ench c.a;,-uisey, it is not helcl ncces&1.ryto ple:\u
1

XJl

EXPJ,,\.NATORY Nonc:cs.

anythmg: war Justifies itself To fight for the experunental

purpose of trying the proportions of martial merit, bl1t (to spe;tlt
frankly) for the purpose of pubhslung and reneWlllg to Europe
' the proclamation of French superiority tl1at IS tlie obJcct of
French wars Like the Spartan of old, the F'renchman would
hold that a state of peace, and not a state of war, is tl1e state
which calls for apology ; and that already from the fust such an
apology must wear a very suspicious aspect of paradox.
4 ''The English Mau-Coach'' Tlus httle paper, according
t-0 my origmal mtention, fonned part of the '' Suspir1a de Profundis, ''from which, for a momentary purpose, I did not scruple
to detach it, and to pubhsl1 it apart, as sufficiently intelligible
even 'vhen dislocated from its place m a larger whole To my
surpr.se, however, one or two cntics, not carelessly in conversation, but dehberately m pnnt, professed their inab1hty t-0 apprehend the meanmg of the whole, or to follo'v the hnks of the connection between its several parts I am myself as httle able t-0
'
understand 1\here the difficulty hes, or to detect any lurking
obseunty, as those cntics found themsel,es to unravel my logic.
Possibly I may not be an indllferent and neutral Judge m such a.
case I will therefore sketch a bnef abstract of the httle paper
according to my 01vn ongmal design, and then leave the reader
to Judge how far tills design IS kept m sight through the actu,tl
'
e;;:ecution
Th1rLy-seven yea.""S ago, or rather more, accident made me, m
the dead of mght, and of a night memorably solemn, the soht.1ry
'vitness to an appallmg scene, which threatened instant death in
a shape the most ternfic to two young people, whom I had no
means of assisting, except in so far as I was able to give them a
most hurned warning of their danger ; but even tl1at not until
they stood mth1n the very shadow of the catastrophe, bemg
chvided from the most frightful of deaths by scarcely more, Jf
more at all, than seventy seconds
Such was the scene, such in its outlme, from which the whole
of this paper radiates as a natural expanSion Tlus scene ts
\

EXPLANATORY NOTICFS.

XIII

circumstantially narrated in Section the Second, entitled, 11 The

Vision of Sudden Death.''
But a movement of horror, and of spontaneous recoil from tlus
dreadful scene, naturally ca1ned the whole of that scene, raJsed
and idealised, into my dreams, and very soon into a rolling succc.."Slon of dreams The actual scene, as looked do\vn upon from
i:he box of the mail, ,\as transformed into a dream, as tumultuous
and changing as a n1usical fugue. This troubled dream IS circumstantially reported m Section the Tlnrd, entitled, 11 DreamFugue upon i:he Theme of Sudden Death.'' 1'1bat I had beheld
from my seat upon the mail , the scenic.'tl stnfe of action and
paFsion, of anguish and fear, as I had there witnessed them
movmg in ghostly silence ; thIS duel between hfe and def.Ith
narrowing itself to a point of such exquISite evanescence as the

colhSion neared; all these elements of the scene blended, under .

the law of association, with the previous and permanent features
of dIStu1ction mvesting the matl itSe1 : "\\ruch features at that
tune lay 1st, in velocity unprecedented ; 2dly, in the power
and beauty of the horses; 3dly, in the official connection mth
the govern!llent of a great nation; and, 4thly, in the function,
almost a consecrated function, of publishrng andchff11sing tlirough
the land the great political events, and especially the great
battles during a confuct of unparalleled grandeur. These honorary d1sbnctions are all descnbPd circumstantially in the FrnsT '
or introductory section (' 1 The Glory of Motion''). The three
first were dIStinctions maintained at all times , but the fourtl1
and grandest belonged exclusr\'ely to the war with Napoleon;
and thIS it was willch most naturally introduced Waterloo into
the dream. Waterloo, I lmderstood, was the particular feature
of the ''Dream-Fugue'' which my censors were least able t-0
account ior. Yet surely "\Vaterloo, willch, in common with
every 9ther great battle, it had been our special pri,'llege to
publish over all the land, most naturally entered the Dream
under the license of our privilege. If not il there be anythrng
nmif.'S let the Dream be responroble. The Dre:1.ip is a }aw to

\lV

11J,e tf

EXPJ,ANATORY NOTICES.

and as well quaITel with a ra1hbow for shomng, or for

not showing, a secondary arcl1 So fill' 'as I know, every elcrueitt
1n tl1e slufting movements of the Dream denved itself either.
pnmanly from the incidents of t11e actual scene, or from secondary features associated with the mail For example, the cathedral
'aisle denved'1tself from the m1m1c combination of features which
grouped themselves together at the pomt of approaclll.ng coll1s1on-viz., an aITow-hke section of the road, six l1undred yards
long, under the solemn lights descnbed, with lofty trees meeting
overhead in arches The guard's horn, agam-a h11mblemstrument m itself was yet glorified as the organ of pubhcat1on for
so many great national events And the mc1dent of the Dying
Trumpeter, wl10 nses from a marble bas-relief, and carries .1
marble ,trumpet to Ins marble lips for the purpose of warni11g
, the female mfant, 'vas doubtless secretly suggested by my o,,.n
imperfect effort to seize the guard's horn, and to blow a warmng
])]a.st But the Dream knows best , and the Dream, I say agru11
1& the respollSlble party

CONTENTS.
f

ON ?lfunDER, CoN!IPERED .AS osn

OF TB E F1~-r: ARTS

. ....

Paga

REVOLT OF nJl} TARTARS; OR, FLIGHT OF THE 1tA:ti.\lUCK

J.Uus A.h1l ms

PEOPLn rno:u THE RussllN TEn.Rrtom:cs

TO Tai: FRONTIERS OF CmxA

Ill

DrALOGUEs OF THREE Tfilll'LARS ON PoLIT!c.u, EcoNO'.l.rr,

CHIEFLY !S RELATION

RICARDO,,.

ON WAR.

TO

Tiii: l'RCTCIPLES o'J!'

?llR

. ......

176
25S
'

Tm.: ENGLISH J'Luu-CoAcn SECTION I.-Tee GLORY oF 1\iono:s

SEcnoN rr-Tae V1s10N oF sunnEN DE.Ant

287
a20

SEC'I'ION III-DREA..].tFUGUE .. .... 342

ON MURDER,
CONSIDERED .AS ON.E OF THE FINE ARTS
'

'

,\DVERTIS:C:r.IID.'T OF A J.\fAN MORBIDLY VIRTUOUS

~IosT

of us, who read books, have probably heard of n

Society for the Prpmotion of Vice, of the IIell-Fire Club,
founded in the last century by Sir Francis Dashwood, &c.
At B1ighton I think it was, that a Society was formed for
tl1e Suppression of Virtue. That society was itself suppressed ; but I am sorry to say that another exists in
London, of a character still more atrocious. In tendency1
it may be clenominated a Society fo1 the Encouragemer,t
of l\Iurder , but, according to their own. delicate di<flTJp.trrp.os;
it is stylecl, The Society of Connoisseurs in Murde1.
They p1ofess to be curious in homicide; amateurs and
d1lettanti in the various modes of carnage ; and, in t::.hort,
.Murder-Fanciers. Every fresh atrocity of that class
wl1ich the police aiinals of Europe bring i1p, they meet
. and criticise as they would a picture, statue, or other work
of art._ But I need not trouble myself with a11y attem1>t
.A-TV.

?i'lURDBR

to describe the sp111t of tl1e1r pioceed1ngs, as t11c i eadcr

collect tlzat much better fiom one of tl1e i\Ionthlv
Le<
tures iead before the society last year. This has fallen
into my hands accidentally, in spite of all the vigilance
exercised to keep their transactions f1om the public eye
The publication of it will alarm them, and my puq)OSe is,
that it should. For I would much ratl1er l)Ut them down
quietly, by an appeal to public opinion, tbJ.n by such a.11
exposure of names as would follow an appeal to Bow

Street-, wl11ch last appeal, however, if this should fail, l

must really iesort to For my intense v11tue "ill 11ot put
up with.such thmgs in a Oh11stian land. Even in a heathen
lantl, the tole1at1on of murder viz , in the d1eadful shows
of the ampl11theatre was felt by a Ch11stian 'vr1te1 to lJe
the most c1ying reproach of the public mo1als This wr1te1
was Lactant1us; and with his 'vorcls, as singulu1ly applicable to the present occasion, I shall conclude: ''Quid
tam hor11btle,'' says he, '' tam tetrum, quam homi111s tr ucidat10? Ideo sever1ss1m1s leg1bus vita nostrn. munitt1r
ideo bella execrab1l1a sunt. In1enit tamen consuetudo
quatenus homicidiuin sine bello ac s111e legibus fuciat: et
hoc sil)i vol11ptas quod scclus vrnd1ca11t Qt1od si interesse
homic1clio sceler1s consc1entia est, et eidem facinori spec
'
tator obst11ctus est c11i et admisso1; ergo ct in his glad10.to1
cred1bus non minus cruore i)roft111d1tt1r qui spectat,
qua 1 ille qui fac1t : nee po test esse immun1s ?t sang11ine
qui volu1t effunfu, aut v1deri non interfec1sse, q11i interfecto1i ct fav1t et prren1ium postulav1t.'' ''"\\That iR so
\
drealtful,'' says Lactant1us, ''what so dismal uncl ievolting,
as the, inurde1 of a human crcat11re? Tlie1efo1e it is, that
hfe for ns is })rotected b) la,vs t11e most rigorous: therefore
it is, th '.l.t wa1s are obJects of execration And yet tl1e
tro.cl1t1on 1l 11sage of Rome l1a'> devised a mode of a.11thoi -

,nu

?.rURD:ER.

1s1ng n1urcler apnrt from '' a1, and i11 defiance of law; nnd
t11e demanc1c; of taste (volnptac;) nre DO\\ becon1e t11e same
nc; those of a1Jnnt1011ed guilt.'' Let tl1e Society of Gentlemen
.Amntetirs conc;ider t11is ; nnd let me call il1ei1 es11ee1al atte11tion to the last se11t1>nce, 'vl1icl1 is so "eigl1ty, t110.t I
sl1all attempt to convey it in English: '' N O\V, if mc1ely to
be present at a m11rder fas tens on a man tl1e cl1aracter of
an accomplice; 1f barely to be a spectator involves us i11
one common guilt "ith the per1)etrator, it follo\\'S, of necessity, that, in these m11rcle1s of the am1)h1tl1ealre, the
l1n11d v;l1ich inflicts the fatal blow is not more deeply
imbrued in bloocl tl1an his ''ho passively looks on; neitl1er
can lie be clear of blood 'vho l1as countenanced its sl1edding;

nor t11at man seem other tl1an a pa1t1ci1)ator in n1urder,

wl10 gives his applause to t11e mu1derc1, a11d calls f01 prizes
on l1is lJehalf.'' The '' prw1iia post11lai:1t'' I 11a,e not yet
heard cl111rged upon tl1e Ge11tlcn1cn ..1\.1nateurs of London,
though undoubted!)~ tl1eir proceedings tend to t11nt; 1Jut
the '' inteifectori fi1v1t'' is i111plied i11 t11e ve1y title of t11is
association, and expressed m every line of the lecture "11icl1
follows.
X. Y. Z.
LECTURE.
Gt:}.-rr.E-..11:~,

I have 11ad the 11onour to be appointed

by )011r committee to the tr)ing tnsk of rend111g tl1c \Yilliams' Lecture on :i\lt1rder, consicle1ed us 011e of t11c Fine
Arts; n task which might be enc:y eno11gl1 tl1rcc or four
centuries ago, "lien tl1c nrt ,,ns little n11clcrstood. n11d fc,1
great 1nodels hncl been c~l11lJited ; but i11 tl11s ngc, wl1en
mn-;terilicces of excclle11cc hn1c been cxec11tccl llj' professional men, it m11i.-t be evident, t11nt in il1e st,;lc of criti
r.isru n1)pl1cd to them, tl1c pttblic '\'ill look fo1 son1cll1i11f; of

l\tUJtUJ~K

a cor1esponding improvement. Practice at1d t11eory n1ust

advance pa1 i 11assu. People 1Jeg1n to see that someth111g
n1ore go~s to the composition of a fine m11rder than t\\ o
blockheads to kill and be 1(1lled a l(nife a purse and a
dark lane. Design, gentlemen, gionping, 11gl1t and sl1ade,
poetry, sentiment, are no\v deemed indispensable to attempts
of this nature ]\,f1 Williams has exalted the ideal of
murder to all of us; and to me, tl1e~ef01e, in particular,
bas deepened the a1duousness of my task. Lil\e 1Eschylus
or 1\f1lton i11 poetry, like 1\ficl1ael Angelo in painti11g, he
bas carried 11is art to a point of colossal subl1m1ty, and, as
Mr W ords,vorth observes, has in a manner '' created t11e
taste by which lie is to be enJoyed.'' To skctcl1 tl1c history
of the ait, and to examine its princi1Jles critically, now remains as a duty for the cor1noisse11r, and for judges of quite
another stamp from his J\fajesty's Judges of Assize.
Before I begin, let me say a word or t,,.o to certuin
prigs, who affect to speak of Oli1 society as if it \Vere m
some degree immoral in its tendency. Imn1oial t Jupiter
protect me, ge11tlemen, what is it that people mean? I
, am for morality, and always shall lJe, a11d fo1 virtue, and
all that, and I do affirm, and al,vays shall (let '''hat '\\'Ill
come of it), t11at murder
is an improper line of conduct,
,
higl1ly impio1Jer; and I do not stick to asse1t, that any
man "ho deals in murder, must have very incorrect '\\"ays
of th111king, and truly Inaccurate principles; and so far
from a1d1ng and abetting him by pointing out 11is victim's
h1cling-place, as a' great mo1alist"' of Germany declared it
to be every good man's duty to do, I '\\'ould subscribe one
'

" Kr..nt-'l'rho carried his demands of uncond1t1onal 'crac1ty to so

cJ..travagant a length a~ to affirm, tl1at, if 11 n1an '\ere to see an r1111ot ent person escape from a murderer, it" ould be his duty, en
be111g questioned b:v the 1nu1dercr, to tell t11e truth, and to point
I

0"'

:.runnEn.

shilling and sixpence to have him apprehended, wl11cl1 is

more by eighteenpence than the most eminent moralists hn.ve
hitherto subscribed for that purpose. But what tl1en?
Everything in this world has two handles Mu1der, fo1 instance, may be laid hold of by its moral handle(as it generally
is in the pulpit, and at the Old Bailey); and tliat, I confess,
is its weak side; or it may also be treated mstltet1cally. as
the Germans call it that is, in relation to good taste.
To illustrate this, I will urge the authoiity of three
eminent persons ; viz ? S. T. Coleridge, .Aristotle, and Mr
Ho'Yship the1Surgeon. To begin with S T. C. One night,
ma11y ~ea1s ago, I was drinking tea with him in Berners
Street (v>'hich, by the way, for a short street, ha~ been uncommonly fruitful in men of genius). Otl1ers were theie
besides myself, and, amidst some ca1nal co11side1ations of
tea and toast, we "rere all imbibing a d1sseitation on Plotinus from the .Attic lips of
T.
Su'ddenly a cry al'OSe
of, '' Fire -:fire!'' upon which all of us, master and d1sci1Jles.
Plato and. ot 7rEpl rov IIAarc.>va, rusheel out, eager for the
spectacle The fire was in Oxford St1eet, at a pianofortemaker's; and, as it promised to be a conflagration of me11t,
I was sorry that my engagements forced me away fiom
Mr Coleridge's party, before matters had come to a c1isis.
Some days after, meeting with my Platonic host, I reminded
him of the case, and begged to kno'v how that ve1y promising exhibition had terminated. '' Oh, sir,'' said he, ''it , .
turned out so ill that we damned it unanimously.'' Now,
does any man suppose that Mr Coleridge 'vho, for a11 lie
is too fat to be a person of active virtue, is undoubteclly a

s.

c.

out the retreat of the innocent person, under any ce1 ta1nty of causing murder. Lest this doctrine should be s11ppc1sed to have escnpeu
him in any heat of dispute, on being taxed w>th it by a cel~brnte.d
French writer, lie solemnly r'-0'-uffirmed it, '' ith his l eas':>n.."l.

6
~ortl1y 0111 if;lin11 t11ni t l1is goorl S. T. C., I ~nj, '\\'n~ ni 1
inccncJ1111j, or cn11nl)lc of \\ ic::l1i111r
n11y ill to tl1c })Oor ti1n 11
!::>
nnd 11is pin11ot'o1t cc; (111n11)' of tl1e111, clo11 l1t le1:<.., ''it 11 1lic ncl<lit io11nl l\C) s)'l On tl10 co11t1n1j, I 1\110,, l1in1 to J)c tl1nt
i:ort. of 111n11. 1l1ni I dt1I :,,i ~t11l,c n1) life t1pon It. l1r \\ 011Jcl
l1n\ C \\'Orkctl fill <'Ilg"illC ill n cnc::c of TIC'PC'~01it\', n}tl1c111gJ1.
;ntl1cr of tl1c fattest for i;111l1 ficr) ti inls of l1is, 11111c. J311t
l10''' ~too(l tl1e cnsc? '\r 11 t11e '' ns 111 110 i cq11cc;t 011 tl1c
1tr1i,nl of tl1c fiI'C e11gincf::, 11101nl1t) 11n(l clC\Ol\cd ,,J1ollj'
011 t lie 111s1Irn11cc office. 'l11s 1Jc111g t lie cnsc, lie 11n<l n
r1gl1t to gratify l1is taste. 11c 111lll left l1is ten. 1'7 ns lie
to 11n.,e 11otl1ing In ict11111 'l
I co11tc11cl t11nt tl1c n1ost ,irtno11s nlnn, 1111clcr tl1c pre111iscs stated, \\'its c11t1tlocl to 111nl,c n ltt\.tlt) of tl10 fite, nnd
to 11iss it, ns lie '' 011lcl n11y otl1c1 pcrfot 1nn11cc tl111t 1n1scd
cxpcclntio11s i11 t11c pltblic 11ii11cl '' l11cl1 nftc1''' n1c1s it (ltsnp1)oi11tccl. Agni11, to cite n11otl1c1 g1cnt n11tl1011t), ''lint SU)"S
the Stngi11te '2 Ile (1n tl1c F1ftl1 Uool,, I tl1111l\: it 1s, of 11is
l\fetnpl1j's1es) desc1ibcs "lint lie c11lls K"Acr.r1jv TiA.ciov 2.c, a
7>cifcct tl11r:f; nI1d, ns to :i\1r I-Jo,, sl1111, i11 n ,,orl\: of l1is on
Incligcstio11, lie n1ukcci no sc1111lic to tall' '' 1tl1 ndmi1atio11
of a certain ttlC'er '' 11icl1 lie l111cl seen, n11d '' li1cl1 110 styles
a beautiful ulco1.'' No\v, '' 1II any 1nan p1ctcnd, tl1nt, nb-:.t1nctedly considered, n tl1ief co1il(l n11penr to A11stotlc a
perfect cha1ncte1, 01 tl1nt :i\Ir Ilo\\ sl111J co11lcl be c11n1nou1cd
of nn 11lcc1 'l Aristotle, it IS ''ell lno\\11, "us l11n1sclf so
very mo1nl n cl1nrnctcr, tlint, 11ot. contc11t '\\ itli ''1itir1g his
Nicl1omncbt{n11 Etl1ics, i11 011c Yolt1111c octavo, he nlso ,,1ote
1nothc1 syslL"n1, cnllccl J.1fa[111a J.fo1alia, or Big Etl1ics.
No,v, it IS i1n1) ossible tl1nt a n1nn '' 110 com1)oses any ctli1cs
at all, big or Iittlc, sl1oulcl nd1111re n t.111ef 11c1 sc; nnd ns to
Mr B:o,,sl1ip, 1t ~\S ,,ell l\tl0\\'11 ilto.t lie mnk<'S ,,0.1 11pon nll
.ilcers and, \V1tl1ok~t, sttffei 111 g lii 111i,elf to be sed11ced by th(tr
~

1'1Ul{DER,

'1

charms, endea\ours to banish them from the Co11nty of

.Jiiddlesex. But the t1uth is, that, howe\er obJectionalile
per se, yet, relatively to others of their class, both ' a thief
and an ulcer may have infinite degrees of me1it. The)' are
both impe1fect1ons, it is true; but, to lJe imperfect being,
their essence, the very greatness of the11 1mpe1fect1on becomes their perfection. Spa1 tam nactltS es, lzanc exo1 na. .A.
thief 11l~e Autolycus or the once famo11s Geo1ge Bar1mgton,
and a g11m phagedrenic ulcer, supel.,bly defined, and run11ing
regl1larly through all its natu1al stages, may no less Justly
lJe regarded as ideals after tl1ez1 kind, than the most faultless moss-1ose amongst fiowe1s, in its p1og1e:.:s from lJud to
''bright consummate fio,,e1 ;'' or, amongst 11uman flowers,
the most magnificent young female, appa1elled rn the pomp
of womanhood. And thus not only the ideal of an inkstand
may be imaginecl (as nir Coleridge illustrated m his celeb1ated correspondence with :fi'[r Blackwood), i11 ,,}1icl1, bythe
way, tl1ere is not so much, beca11se an inkstand is a laudable
so1t of thing, and a valuable member of society; but e'en
imperfection itself may have its ideal or pe1fect state.
Really, gentlemen, I beg parclon for so much }Jh1losophy
at one tIIDe; and now let me apply it. When a mu1der is
in the paulo-post-futurum tense not clone, not even (according to modern pm1sm) being done, but only going to
Le done and a iumour of it comes to ou1 ea1s, by all
means let us treat it morally, But suppose it 01er and
done, and that you can say of it, TeTA.eurai, It is fi111sbed, or '
(in that adamantine moloss us of niedea) EtpyauTa1, Done it is:
- it 13 a fazt accompl.i; suppose the poor murdered man to be
out of his pain, and the rascal that did it off like a shot,
nobolly knows whither; suppose, lastly, that we have done
om best, by puttmg out our legs, to trip up t11e fell ow m
his flight, but n.11 to no purpose-'' abiit. e1asit. excessit.

'

MURDER.

rup1t,'' &c
why,
then,
I
say,
what's
the
use
of
any
mo1e

virtue '2 Enough has been given to morality; no'v comes

the turn of Taste and the Fine .A.its. A sad tl1ing it 'vas,
no doubt, very sad; but we can't mend it. Theief01e let
us make the best of a bad matter ; ai1d, as it is impossible
to hammer anything out of it fo1 moral purposes, let Ufl
treat 1t. resthetically, and see 1f it '''111 tuin to account in
that way. Such is the logic of a sensible mai1, and \\'l1at

follo\vs 'l We dry up our teais, and l1ave the satisfaction,

perl1aps, to discove1 that a transaction, which, morally considered, was shocking, and i,vithout a leg to stand upon,
when tiied by principles of Taste, tuins out to be a very
mei1tor1ous peiformance. Thus all the 'vo1ld is pleased;
the old proverb is Justified, that it' is an ill '''1nd 'vhich
blows nobody good; the amateur, f1om looking bilious and
sulky, by too close an attentioi1 to virtue, begins to pick
up his c1umbs; and geneial'h1la11ty p1eva1ls. V1itue lias
had her day; and henceforward, Vzitz!, so nearly the same
thing as to differ only by a single letter (\vl1ich surely is
not wortl1 l1aggling or h1ggling about) Vz1 tu, I iepeat,
and Connoisseuisl1ip, have leave to provide for themselves.
Upon this principle, gent.lemen, I propose to guide your
studies, from Cain to J\fr Thurtell. Tl1iough this great
gall~ry of murder, theiefore, togetl1er let us wander hand
in hand, in delighted admi1ation; "'111le I endeavou1 to }Joint

your attention to the obJects of p1ofitable criticism .

11

The first murder is fa miliar to you all. As the inventor

'
of murder, and the fathe1 of the art, Cain must 11ave been
a man of first-1ate genius. All the Cains weie men of
genius. Tubal Cain :invented tubes, I think, or so1ne such
thing. But, whatever might be tl1e originality and genius of
the artist. eveiy art was tl1en in its infaucv. arid the works

1\IURDER.

turned out from each several stuclio, must lJe critic1sed mth
a recollectio11 of the-~ fuct ET"en T11bal's work would
probably be little a1.1proved at this day in Sheffield; and
therefore of Cain (Cain senior, I mean) it is no clisparagement to say, that his performance was but so-so. Milton,
however, is supposed to haT"e thought diffeiently. By hifl
"ay of ielatmg the case, it should seem to haT"e been rathe1
a pet muider with l1im, for he retouches it "-ith an appa1ent
enxiety 'for its picturesque effect:'' \Vnereat be inly raged , hnd, as they talk'd,
Smote b1m into the m1dr1ff '' itb a stone
That beat out life he fell; and, deadly pale,
Groan'd out his soul u,1tl1 gushing blood effused''
Par. Lost, B

xi.

Upon this, Richardso11 the painter, who had un eye for

effect, remarks as follows, in his ''Notes on Paradise Lont,''
p. 497 : ''It has been thought,'' says he, ''that Cain beat
(as the common saying is) the'breath out of his b1other's
body with a great stone; Milton gives in to this, "ith the
addition, however, of a large wound.'' In this place it "'as
a judicious acldit1on; for the rudeness of the weapon, unless
ra1~ed and enriched by a warm, sangu111ary colou1ing, has
too much of the naked air of the savage school; as if the
deed were lJerpetrated by a Polypheme without science,
premeditation, or anything but a mutton bone. Ho,,eve1, I
am chiefly pleased "ith the improvement, as it Implies that
Milton "as an amateur. .A.s to Shakspere, there never was
a better; witness his desc11ption of the murde1ed Duncan,
Banquo, &c.; ai1d above all, witness his incomparable miniature, in ''Henry VI.," of the murdered Gloucester. -i:

----__::.'------------------*

The passage occurs 1n the second pnrt (net 3) of ''Henry VI,.,

nnd is do1ibl,: remarkable-first, for its critical fidelity to natu1e,
were t11e descr1pt1on meant only for poetic effect; but, secondlJ, for
tha 1udic1al value impressed upon it \\'l1en offered (a'> here it zs of-

10

.l\lURD:Cl?

'rho foundutio11 of the n1 t 11u,ing been once ln1d, it is

'
piti.1ble to see ho\\' it slt11nbc1ed '' itl1011t 1n1p10,e1nc11t for
ages. In fact, I sl1all 110\v be obliged to lenp ovc1 nll
mu1clc1s, snc1ed and }Jrofune, as utte11)' u11\\0l t11y of i1ot1cc,
until long uftc1 the Cl11ist1n11 era G1ccce, eve11 in tl1e ngo
of Pe11cles, }JI'oduced no mu1dcr, or at lenst 11one is iecorded, of tl1c sl1gl1test merit, anc1 Ron1e 11ntl too l1ttlo
fcrcd) 'n silent co11obo1at10n legallj of 11 clrcadf111 '\l11s1icr, nil nt
once u1,s1ng, tl1at fo11l pl.tj' l1nd bce11 denl111g '\ 1tl1 n g1c'lt i1r1nee,
clotl1cd \\ 1t!1 an oflic1nl st11te cl1a1ncte1. It 1s the D111.c of Glo11ecqtcr, fn1tl1f11l g11arcl1nn u11d lo\ 1ng 11nclc of tl1c s11111ilc :111\l 1mbec1lc
.ki11g, '' 110 !ins bec11 fo1111d clcad 111 l11s bed Ilo\\ sl1all tl11s C\ c11t be
intc1p1cted? Ifacl l1e died 11ndcr some nnt11rnl \1~1tnt1011 of P10\1denee, or by' 1olence f1om I11s enemies? Tl1c t\\ o co11rt f11ct1ons
rend t!1c c1rcum~tnnt111l 1nd1catlOllS of tile case llltO Op!lO'ltC COil
struct1ons Tl1c nffcct1onnte n11cl 11ffi1cted J 011ng l.111g, 11l1osc11os1t1011
almost plcclges l111n to nel1trnl1tj, cn1i11ot, nc' c1 tl1eless, Ll1,g111sc 111s
o'c1 \vl1el1111ng s11spic1ons of 11cll1sl1 eonsp1racy 111 tl1e bneJ,.g1011nd.
Upon tl11s, '1. lender of tl1c opposite faction e11clcn\ oti1:, to b1enl;: tl1c
force of tl11s ro.} al fra11lness, co11ntcrs1g11c\l n11cl CLl1occl n1ost 1nip1cs~1' el)' li) Loi~
a1\\1cl '''''lint t11~ta11cc,' lie nsl,s-n1e11n1ng
b) instance 11ot e:xai11ple or ill11strat1on, as tl1011gl1tless co1nme11tntors
hn,e constnntl) sup1ioscd, b11t in tlie eo1n1non scl1olnstic se11se\\ lint 1nstant1a, \\lint p1ess11rc of nrg11me1it, ''lint ui ge11t 11lcn, cn11
Lord ''raf\\Ick put for\\ aid in s11pport of his ''d1cnrll11l oatl1 ''-nn
oath namcl.}, tl1at, as s11rcly as 11c l1opes for tl1c life etcr11nl, so s11rcl.}
''I do believe tl1at 1olent bands'' ere 111id
Upon tl1e life of tl1is tl111co famed d11l;:c ''
' Ostensibly t11e challenge is to ,,-nr\' 1ck, but substnnt111llj 1t I~ 1ncnnt
for the k111g And the reply ofWnf\>1ck, tl1e nrg11ment on \\l11cl1
he b111lds, lies' in n solemn nrra) of nll tl1e el1nnges '' 01 kcd 1n tl10
duke's features by death, ns ir1cconc1lcable '' 1tl1 any otl1cr ll)lJO
thesis tl1an tl1at this dentl1 h11d bce11 n ''1olent oue "\Vl1at ,1igun1c1it
have I that Glo11ccstcr died i1ndc1 tl1e bands of i1111i dcrcrs? ''rl1y
the following roll-call of n\\ ful cl1anges, nflect1ng 11ead, face, no~t11ls,
C)'Cs, l1nnds, &e, '';h1ch do not belong ind1lferc11tly to any n1ode of
d~nth, b11t exclusively to n death by '1olence '\ ''But ~cc, 111s face is black nnd fttll of blood;
His C) cbnlls fartl1er out tlinn "lic11 l1e li' ed
~tn1 ,nJ.! fttll gl1a~tlv. 111..e u ~tranc:Icd tn!lll

''r

1110ltDFill.

11

1)t'iginality of genius in any of the arts to st1cceed v. here

her model failed her."" In fact, tbe Latin language sinks

under the very idea of murder. ''The man was murclered;''
-how "tll this sound in Latin? Inteljecttts est, t''nte1 e1J1jJlt1s
est which sim1)ly exp1esscs a homic1c1e; and hence t11e
Cl1r1stian Latin1ty of the middle ages '''as ob1Igec1 to i11trodt1ce a new word, i;uch as the feelJleness of classic conceptions never ascended to. J.liu1dratus est, says the sulJl1mer
d1nlect of Gothic ages. Meantime, the Je\\isl1 school of

His l1a1r nprcar'd, 111s nostrils strctcl1'<l "'1tl1 struggling;

His hands abroad displa;'d, as one tl1at wasp'd
And tugg'd for life, and ''as b; strength subdued.
Look on the sl1eet" .-l11s 11rur, ::. ou see, is st1ck1ng;
Il1s '' e11-proport1on'd beard malle 1ottg11 flnd i t1ggcd,
Like to tl1c s11mmer's corn b.; tempest lodged.
It cannot be but lie was mu1der'd here;
The least of all these signs ,,ere probable.''
As the logic of tl1c case, let us not for a moment forget, tbat, to be
.:>f nn3 'altte, tl1e signs and inchcat1ons pleaded. must be sternly
d1a9nostic Tl1e d1scr1minntion souglit fo1 is bet\\een dentl1 t11nt is
n.1tural, and deat}1 tl1at is ''iolent. All 1nd1cnt1ons, tl1erefo1 c, th.it belong equnllJ and 1nd1ffercntl.; to e1tl1er, are eq111,ocnl, tisclcss, nnd
alien from the' e17purpose oftbe signs here regii,tc1cd b) Sl1a1.sperc.
* ~\.t tl1e ttme of ,,11t1ng this, I held the con1mon op1n1on 11pon
tl1at subJeet .i\fcrc 1nconbiderat1on it nas tlzat"led to so e1ro11eot1s
a Jndgme11t. S111ce then, on closer reffect1on, I l1n' e seen nmple
reason to retract it satisfied I no'\\ arn, tl1nt tl1e Romans, in e\ ccy
nrt ''l11ch nllo\\ed to tl1en1 an3 pa11ty of nd\antnges, ltud merits ns
rncj, nat1\ e, and cl1ar.1cter1st1c, as tl1c best of the Greets. Elsewhere I sl1all 1ilend tl11s cause c1rc111nstant1nlly, '\ 1tl1 the l1ope of
co11,ert111g tl1e render. In tlte meantime, I ''as an::-..ious to lodge
mj protc,,t ngn111st tl11s ancic11t erroz ; an error '\ 111c.l1 co111mc11ced
in tl1e ttme-scr\ 1ng S) cophanc3 of V11g1l tl1e COlll t-poet. \\'itl1 tl1e
base pt1rpose of grnt1fjing .t\..t1gustl1s 111 his '111d1ct1\e s1)1tc ni::itnst
C1,.cro, n11d by '' a3 of 1ntrorlucing, tl1ercforc, the l1ttlc cl11usc, ora,"lo.unt Cau~as 111el111b ns n1111t)1ng to nll ~\.tl1ctttnn nga111st nll I\0111un
(Jtat<Jrs, Y11g1l cl1d 11ot i.-c1 ttj>lc to sr~lt
1!1t>\! 11.) ,,l1oles,\lc tlic ju~t

t>"ten~101is of hi& eo1npntrict-; <ollcc.tt cl).

12

:'ltURDElt.

murder kept alive whatever '\\as )et l~nO\\'n in the nrt. and
gradually transferred it to tl1e Western W 011\]. Indeed,
the J e\\'1Sh school 'ras al 'l'rays 1cspectnble, even in its medieval stages, as the case of Hugh 9f Lincoln sho'l'rs, '' l1ich
was honoured \v1th the approbation of Chat1cer, on occasion
of anotl1er performance f1 om tl1e same scl1001, '1l1icl1, in l1is
Cantc1 bury Tales, be puts 1ntotl1c moutboftl1e Lally 1\.bbess.
Recurring, ho\\ C\'e1, fo1 one n1ome11t. to cla"s1cal antiq11ity, I cannot but think tl1at Cat1lii1e, Clodius, and ~ome
of that cot:e1ie, would have made fi1st-rnte artists; nnd it is

on all accounts to be regretted, tl1at t11e priggism of Cicero

iol)bed bis country of the only cl1a11ce sl1e 11ad fo1 d1<;t1nct1on
in tl11s line As the s11b;ect of a m11rder, no person co11Id
have ans'\\ered better tl1an l1imself. 011 Gc1ni111 t 110''' he
would have howled witl1 panic, jf lie 11acl heard Cctl1eg11s
n11der his bed. It would ha>e been t1t1ly d1ve1ti11g to 11a>e
listenecl to 11im; and satisfied I am, gentle1nen, tl1nt he \\"Ottld
have p1eferred the 11t1le of cree1Jir1g i11to a closet, or e>en
into a cloaca, to the ,/1onestum of facing tl1e lJold artist
To come now to the dark ages (lJy whicl1 'vc that s1Jeak
with p1 ec1s1on mean, par excelle1zce, tl1e tcntl1 cent111y as n
mer1d1an hue, and the two centu1ies immecl1ately before a11d
after, full midnight being from AD. 888 to ~\. D l l l l ) tl1ese ages ought natu1ally to be favourable to the art of
murder, as tl1ey were to church arcl11tectui e, to stainccl
glas'l, &c.; and, acc;ord1ngly, about the latter end of 1hiR
period, there arose a great character in our art, I mean
the Old }tfan of the Mountains He was a shUI111g l1gl1t,'

indeed, and I need not tell you, that the ve1y 'vord
'' assassin'' is deduced from hinl. So keen nn amateu1 was
he, that on one occasion, when his own 11fc was attempted
by a favou11tc assass1n, he was so mucl1 pleased \v1th t11e
t~lent shown, tl11it. iiot\vitbstandiI1g the failu1 c of tl1e n1 tlhi,

MU'RDER.

13

be created him a duke upon the spot, with remainder to

tl1e female line, and settled a pension on him for three hres.
Assassination is a branch of the art which demands a
separate notice; and it is possible that I may devote an
entire lectu1e to it. Meantime, I shall only observe ho"
odd it is, that this branch of the art has flourished by intermitting fits It never rains, but it pours. Our own
age can boa.st of some fine specimens, such, for instance,
as Bellingham's affair "rith the prime minister Percival, the
Due de Berri's case at the Parl.fian Opera Honse, the
l\fa1echal Bessieres' case at Avignon; and about two and
a half centuries ago, there was a most b1illiant constellation of murders in this class. I need hardly say, that I
allude especially to those seven splendid works the assas
sinations of Wilham I., of Orange ; of the three French
Henries) viz. Henri, Duke of Guise, that had a fancy for
the throneof France; of Henri ill., last p1ince in the line
of \T alo1s, who then occupied that throne; ancl finally of
Henri IV., his brother-in-law, who succeeded to that th1one
as first prince in the line of Bourbon; not eighteen years
later came tl1e 5th on the ioll1 viz., that of our Duke of
Bucl~ingl1am (''hich you will find excellently described in the
letters pl1blisl1ecl by Sir I-Ienry Ellis, of the British l\Iuseum),
Gtbl)r of Gustavus Adolphus, and 7thly of \\r allenstein.
\Vl1at a glorious Pleiad of murders ! And it increases
one's admiration that this bright constellation of a1t1stic
displays, comprehendmg 3 l\fajesties, 3 Serene IIigbnesses,
and 1 Excellency, all lay within so narrow !'1 field of time as
11et"een A.D. 1588 and 1635. The King of s"eden's assassination, by the by, is doubted by many \Vrite1s, I-Iarte
amongst others; but they are \\ rong. He was mnrllered:
a11d I consider his murder unique in its excellence ; f'or be
"as mnrderea at noon-day, aT:.d on the field of battle a

14

l\IURD:CR.

featn1e of origi11al conception, "'h1cl1 occurs in no otl1er

worl;: of art that I remember. To co11ceive tl1e iclcn of a
secret mt11<ler on private acco11nt, as enclosed "'1tl1in a
little parenthesis on a vast stage of public battle-carnage,
is like Hamlet's subtle dc,rice of a tragedy "itl1111 a trngccl)'
Indeed, all of these nssassmntion<; may be st11died '''1tl1 profit
l)y the advanced connoisseur. Tl1cy are all of tl1cm c:re1nplaria model murders, pattern murders, of 'vl11cl1 one may
say,
''Nocturnil. ;crsatc mnnu, vcrsatc churn:\,''

especially nocturna.
In these assassinations of princes and statesmen, there is
notlung to excite our wonder; important cl1nnges ofte11
depend on t11eir cleatl1s ; and, from the cmme11ce on '' h1cl1
they stand, the)' a1e peculiarly exposed to tl1e niin of every
artist "'ho happer1s to be possessed by tl1e era' 111g for
E>cen1ral effect. But tl1ere is another class of assnss111ntior1s,
which has p1evailed from an early period of the seventeenth
century, that really does sur1)rise me, I mean the assassination of pl1ilosophers. Fo1, gentlemen, it is a fact, tl1at
every philosopher of eminence for tl1e t\vo last cent111ies
has eitl1er been murdeied, or, at tl1e least, been very near
it; insomuel1, tl1at if a man calls 111mself a philosopl1e1, a1id
never had his hfe attempted, rest assured tl1ere is nothing
in him; and against Locl~e's ph1losopl1y in })Urticula1, I
think it an unanswerable olJ.Jection (if',,e needed any), tl1at,
although he car1 ied his tl1roat about \\ith him in this world
for seventy-two.years, no man ever condescended to cut it
As these cases of pl1ilosopheis are not much lmo\\'11, and
are generall) good and "'ell composed in their ciictimstances,
I shall here read an excursus on that subJect, chiefly by
way of showing my O\vn learning.
'T'J1e first great philosopher ot the seventeentl1 centu1y (1f
1

15

llmRDER

~e

except Bacon and Galileo) was Des Ca1ies, and if ever

one could say of a man that he was all but murtiered mmdered within an inch one mt1st sa;r
it of him. The case

was this, as 1eported lJy Baillet in his ''Vie De M. Des

Cartes,'' tom. I ll 102-3. In the year 1621, when Des
Ca1ies might be about twenty-sL""r years old, he -nras tour~
ing about as us11al (for he was as restless as a hyena); and.
coming to the Elbe, either at Glt1ckstac1t or at Hamburgh,
he tooksl1ipp1ng for East Friezland. 1'Tbat he could want
in East Friezland no man has ever discovered; and perhaps he took this into consideration himself; for, on reaching EmlJden, he resolved to sail instantly for West FiiezIand; and being very impatient of delay, he 11ired a bark,
with a few marine1s to navigate it. No sooner had he got
out to sea, than he made a pleasing discovery, viz., that he
bad shut himself up in a den of mt1rderers. His crew, says
M. Baillet, he soon found out to be '' des scele1ats '' not
amateztrs, gentlemen, as we are, but i1rofessional men the
height of whose amlJit1on at that moment was to cut bis
indiric1ual throat But the story is too pleasing to be
abiidged; I shall give it, therefore, accurately, from tQ.e
French of his lJiographer: '' M. Des Cartes had no company lJut that of his servant, with whom he was conversing in French. 'l'l1e sailors, who took him for a foreig11
merchant, rather than a cavalier, concluded that he mui::t
have money about him. Accordingly, they came to a resolution by no means ac1vantageous to his purse. Ther(
is this difference, however, between sea-robbers and the
roblJers in forests, tl1at the latter may, without hazard,
spare the lives of their victims ; whereas the others cannot,
put a passenger on sl101e in such a case without running the
risk of being aJJprehended. The crew of M. Des/ Carte<;
n1-ra.uged their measurec; with a view to evade any danger cit
~

J
'

16

J\TUitDLlt

that sort. T11ey ollse1vr<l t11rtt J1e wu& a stranger 1rom n

distance, 'ritho11t acquaintance 111 tl1e country, ai1d tl1at nobody would talt.e any troullle to 111q1111e about 111m, 11i cnc;e
lie should 11eve1 come to hand (q1la11cl 2l vzcndroit amc111q1tcr).''
Thinlr, gentlcmc1i, of tl1csc Friczln11d dogs d1sc11so111g a }ll11loso1)her as if lie ,,c1c a }Juncl1con of run1 co11signcd to so1ne
sl1ip-broli:cr. ''Bis tc1npcr, they icmarlced, ,,as ,cry niild
and patient; and, JUdgi1ig f1 om the gcntle1icsc; of 11is dcportmc11t, and the co11rtcsy '\\1th ,,J11ch lie t1catcd t11c1nsclvcs, tl1at lie could lJc notl11ng mo1c than some green young
mun, without statio11 or ioot 1n the "orld, tl1cy co11cl11ded
that tl1cy sl1ould have all tl1c easier tnc;k in d1G}Jos111g of l1is
Life. They made 110 scrtt}Jlc to dic;cuss tl1e "l1olc matter in
his }Jrcse11cc, as not SU}Jpos1ng that lie u1idcrstood a1iy otl1cr
language than tl1at in \\l11cl1 be con,cr&cd mtl1 hie; sci"l'll'lt;
and tl1e amount of tl1c1r' dcl1lJcrat1on '''as to murder
h1m, then to tl110\v l11n1 into tl1c sen, nnd to di,idc l1is SJJOils ''
Excuse my laugl11ng, ge11tlc1nc11; but tlic fact is, I always do laugh 'vhcn I t11111Is of t11is case t,,.o tl1i11gs about
it &ccm so d1oll. One is, t11c 11orrid }Janic or '' fu:ilt'' (as
the men of Eton call 1t) in \Vl11ch Des Ca11tcs must 11ave
found 1111nsclf, upon 11ca1111g t111s 1cg11lar ll1nma c;l\etehcd
for 11is o\vn death func1al succession ~11d acl111111istiation
to l11i, effects. But u1iotl1cr tl1111g '''h1cl1 scci11s to n1c still
more fu11ny about t111s affair is, tl1at if these F11czln1id
ho11nds had been ''game,'' '''e sl1ould 11a1c no Cu1tesinn
pl11losopl1y; and how we could l1avc clone '' 1tl1011t that,
cons1der1ng the 'vo1lcl of bool\'.s it l1ns p1 oduced, I leave
to apy respectable trunl{-mul,cr to declai c
R 'wever, to go on: spite of l1is cno1mous funlr, Des
Caites sl1owed fight, and by t11at means a\1ccl t11cse Ant1Cartesi '1n rascals. '' F1nd1ng,'' SU)'S l\{. Baillet, '' t11at t11e
matter vas no 1ol{e, 1\f. l)pc; C11,1 tes lcapccl upo11 11is fcct in
\

17

a trice, assrrmed a stern countenance that these cravens l1:id

never looked for, and, addressing tl1em in tl1eir own Ian~
gnage, threatened to run them through on the spot if they
1
dared to give him any insult ' Certainly, gentlemen, this
would have been an honour far a}1ove the merits of such
inconsiderable "l'asca1s to be spitted bke la1'1is upon ~
Cartesian sword; and therefore I am glad 1.I. Des Cartes
did not rob the gallows by executing I1is tl1rcat, especially
as he could not possibly have brought his vessel to port,
after he had murdered his crew; so that he must ha:re
continued to cruise for ever in the Zuyder Zee, a11d would
probably have been mistaken by sailors for tJ1e Flying
Dutchman, homeward bound. '' The spirit; nhich l\I. Des
Cartes manifested,'' suys his biographer, ''had the effect of
magic on these wretches. The suc1denness of thei1 consternation struck their minds with a conf11sion which blinded
them to their advantage, and they conveyed him to 11is
1
destination as peaceably as he could deSI1e.'
Possibly, gentlemen, you may fancy that, on the model
of Cresar's address to his poor fer1ymfill '' C<Sarem veltis
etfortunas f'jus'' M. Des Cartes needed only to have said,
''Dogs, you cannot cut m) throat, for you carry Des Cartes
and his philosophy,'' and migl1t safely have defied them to
do their worst A Getman emperor had the same notion,
when, being cautioned to keep out of the way of a cannonading, he replied, '' Tut! man. Did you ever hear of a
cannon-ball that killed an emperor? ''~ .As to an emperor
"'This same argument l1as been employed at least once too often
.some centunes back a dauphin of France, 'vhen admon1s11cd of 11is
risk from small-pox, macle the same demand ns the emperor-'' Hnd
.1ny gentleman heard of n dauphin killed by smnll-11ox?'' Ko, not
nny gentleman had heard of s11ch a case. And yet, for all t11.\t, tl1-~
tl:ittpl1in died of that snme i.m:i.11-pox.

:\ 2

'

18

l'lURDER,

I cannot sny, but a less tl1ing l1ns s11fficed to smash n p111iosopl1er, and the next great })1111osop11er of Eu1ope un~
doubtedly ivas murdered. Tlus '''as Spinosa.
I kno\v very well the common opi11ion abo11t l1im is, tl1nt
he c1ied in his bed. Perl1a1ls he did, bt1t l1e was murdcrc<]
for all that; and this I shall prove l)y a boolc published at
Brussels in the year 1731, e11t1tled ''La Vie de Spinoc:a,
llar 1\1. Jean Colerus,'' "'1th man;>' additions, f1om a 1\IS
life, by ot1e of his friends S1)1nosa died on tl1e 21st February, 1677, being then little more than fo1ty-fou1 years
old. This, of itself, lool{s suspicious; an(l 1\I. Jenn ad1nits,
that a certain expression in the l\18. life of l11m wot1ld
warranL the concl11sion, '' que sa mort n' a pas etc to11t-afait naturelle.'' Living in a dan1p country, and a sailo1's
country, 11Ice Holland, 11e may be tl1ougl1t to have indt1lged
a good deal in grog, especially i11 p11ncl1,;:.. "11ich 'Y\'as then
newly discovered Undoubtedly he n1ight have done so;
but the fact is, that be did not. l\f. Jean calls him ''extr~mement sobre en son boire ct en son manger.'' And
, though some wild stories were aflon,t about his using the
Jnice of mand1agora (p 140) and opium (p. 144), yet ne1tl1er
of these a1't1cles is fou11d in his cl1t1ggist's bill. L1v1ng,
therefore, 'v1th such sob1iety, how was it possible tl1at he
should die a natural death at fo1ty-four ~ Hear his bio, rapher's account: ''Sunday mo1111ng, the 21st of Febr11-

* ''June I, 1675 -Dnnke pnrt of tl1ree boules of puncl1(n11q11or

v ry strn111ge to me),'' snys the Rev 11'.lr I:le1117 Teonge, in his D1nry
p bl1sl1ed by C Kn1gl1t. In a note on this pnssnge, a reference
rs nde to Fryer's Travels to the Enst Indies, 1672, wl10 spenks
of 'that enervating liquor called pa11ncl1 (which is H1ndostnnee
for ve), from five 1ngrcd1ents '' 1.Inde tl111s, it seems tl1e med1cnl
men culled it diapente, if with four only, d10.tessaron No doubt,
1t wns this evangelical name that recommended 1t to tl1e Rev. 1\11'
Toonge.

!llURDER.

b.ry, befo1e it was ch11rcb time, Spinosa came down stairs,

and conversed with the maste1 and mistress of the house.''
At tb1s time, the1efore, perhaps ten o'clock on Sunday
morning, yol1 see that Spinosa was alive, and p1etty well.
But it seems ''he had summoned fron1 Amsterdam a ce1tain
physician, whom,'' says the biographer, ''I shall not other~
\vise point out to notice tl1an by these two letters, L. 2.f.''
'fhis L. M. had directed the people of the house to purchase
''an ancient cock,'' and to have him boiled forthwith, in
order that Spinosa might take some broth about noon;
'
which in fact he did ; and ate some of the old cock with a
good appetite, after the landlord and his wife had returned
from church.
'' In the afternoon, L. 1\i. staid alone with Spinosa, the
people of the house having returned to churcl1; on coming
out from which, they learned, with much su1prise, that
Spinosa l1ad died about three o'clock, in the presence of
L. M., who took his departure for Amsterdam that same
'
evening, by the night~boat, without paying the least attention to the deceased,'' and probably without paying very
much attention to the payment of his own little account
'' No doubt he was the readier to dis1Jense with these duties
-a.s he had possessed himself of a ducatoon, and a small
quantity of silver, together with a silver-hafted kmfe, and
had absconded with ills pil}.age.'' Here you see, gentlemen, the murder is plain, aud the manner of it. It was L. ~f.
who murdered Spinosa for his money. Poor Spinosa was
an invalid, meagre and weak: as no blood was observed,
L. M. no doubt threw him down, and smothered him with
pillows the poor man being already half suffocated by 11is
mfernal dinner. After masticating that ''ancient cock,''
which I take to mean a cock of the p1eceding century, in
what condition could tile noor invnlid find himself for n

20

MURDElt.

stand-l1p fight with L. M.? But 'vl10 1''as L !1. 7 It

surely never could be Lindley Mui ray, for I sn\\' l111n tit
York in 1825 ; and, besides, I do not think lie \VOt1ld do
such o. th1i1g at least, not to a biother grammnrinn : for
)011 know, gentlemen, that Spu1osa ,,1ote a very iespcctablo
Hebrew grammar
Hobbes but why, or on 'vhat principle, I never co11ld
understand was not mu1dered. This '''as a ca1)1tnl over~igl1t of the professional men in the scvcntcentl1 cc11tury;
because in every light he was a fine sul)JCCt for 1n11rdc1,
except, indeed, that he was Iea11 and skinny ; for I can
prove that he had money, and ('''lint is vci'.)' funny) lie had
no right to make the least resistance, since, acco1d111g to
l1imself, irresistible po,ver creates the ve1y highest species
of right, so that it is rebellion of the blackest cl.)e to ieft1se
to be murdered, when a competent force appears to m11rder
you However, gentlemen., though he1'as not muidered, I
am happy to assure you that (by his own account) he '''as
three times very near being muideied, which is consolatoiy.
The first time was in the spring of 1 G4.0, 'vhe1i he pretends to
have crrcula,ted a httle l\IS. on the king's behalf against the
Parliament; he never could produce this l\IS., by the by;
but he says, that, '' Had not His 1'1aJesty dissolved the
Parliament'' (1n May), ''it had brought him into danger
of his bfe.'' Dissoltlng the Pailiament, however, was of
no use~ for in November of the same yea1 the Long Parliament ssembled, and Hobbes, a second tune fearing he
should be urdered, ran away to France. This looks hkc
the madnes. of John Dennis, who thought that Louis XIV
'
would neve make peace with Queen Anne, unless he
(Den1Iis to w1~) 'vere given up to French vengeance; and
actually ian away f1om the sea-coast under that belief
' In France, I-Io~bes managed to take ca1c of Ins thro'!.t

21
pretty "ell for ten years; but at tl1e end of that time, by
wny of pa;ing cou1t to C1omwoll, he 1Jublis11cd l1is ''Lerlathan '' The old cov. ard nov. began to ''funk'' 11orribly
for t11e tb1rd time; 11e fancied t11e s'' ords of the cavaliers
were constantly at his tl11oat, 1ccollecting how they hacl
se1 "Ved the Parliament ambassadors at the Hague and
Madrid. '' 1-'um,'' says he, i11 his dog-Latin life of himself,
''Tum en1t in mentcm m1l11 Dorislnus ct Aschnm;
Tanqunm proscr1pto terror ub1que ndernt ''

And ace'ordingly lie ran home to England. Nov., certain!),

it is very true tl1at a in an deserred a cudgelli11g for'' 11ting
'' Le,iathan ;'' and two or three cudgellings for ''riling a
pcntamete1 endmg so "Vtllanously ns ''ter1or ubique adcrat!''
But no mun ever thought 11im v.01tl1y of, unytl1ing be;o11d
c11dgelling. And, in fact, tl1e v.hole story is a bo1111ce of
his own. Fo1, in a most abusi,e lette1 ,,l1ich he 1\-iote ''to
a learned pc1 son'' (meaning Wallis tl1e matl1en1aiician), he
gi"Ves quite another account of the matter, and sa;s (p. 8),
he ran 11ome '' because lie ivould not trust his safety ,,ith
the French clergy;'' insin11at1ng that he was likely to be
murdered fo1 his religion, whicl1 v.011ld hn'i"e been a liigh
joke indeed Tom's being 1Jroug11t to the stake for religion.
Bounce 01 not 1Jounce, hov.ever, certain it is that HolJbes,
to the end of his life, fea1ed that somebody v. oulc1 mu1der
hiin. This is i)101cd by the story I nm going to tell )'OU:
it 1s not from a manusc1i1)t, but (ns Mr Coleridge SO.) s) it
is ns good ns manuscri1>t; for it comes from a bool;.: no,, e11t1rely forgotten, 1iz., ''The Creed of 1'Ir Ilobbes Examined:
tn n Conference lJetv.een l1in1 n11d n Student in Di' in it'''

{p11bl1shec1 about ten yea1s before Iloubcs's dcntl1). '!'lie

bool;.: is anonyn1ous, but it 'vns w1ilten lly Ter111i.-:011. tl1e
snn1e ''ho, nbo11t tl1irly )cars nftcr, s11ccccdct1 T1llotso11 ns
..~rcl1bisho1l of Cnntc1 bury. Tl1e i11troll11ctory u11cc1lotc 13

22

!JUitDER

ns follows: ''A certain d1vi11e'' (no do11bt Ten111son himself) ''took an a11nual tou1 of one montl1 to d11Tcrent parts
of the island.'' In one of these excursions (1670), lie visited
the Peak in Derb)'Shi1e, partly i11 consequence of IIobbcs's
desc1 ipt1on of it. Being in that neighbourl1ood, he could
not but pay a visit to Buxton; and at tl1e Yery moment of
his ar1i val, he was f 01 tunnte enough to find a paity of
gentlemen dismounting nt the mn-door, amongst wl1om
was a long thin fello'\\', who turned out to be no less a person than ~Ir Hobbes, who probably 11ad iidden O\Cr from
Chatsworth. t Meeting so great a hon, a tourist, in searcl1
of the picturesque, could do no less than present himself
in the cl1aracter of bore. And luckily for this sel1eme,
t'\\ o of Mr Hobbes's companions were suddenly summoned
a'\\'ay by express ; so that, for the rest of bis stay at Buxton, he haq Leviatb.:i.n entirely to himself, and 11ad the
honour of bowsing with him m the evening I-Iobbes, it
c;eems. at first showed a good deal of stiffness, for he "as
-<>hy of divines, but thlS wore off, and he became very
sociable and funny, and they agreed to go mto the batl1
together. How Tennison could venture to gambol m
the same water with Leviathan, I cannot explam ; bt1t so
1t was : they frolicked about like two dolphins, though
Hobbes must have been as old as the hills ; and ''in those
mtervals 'vhere1n they abstained f1om S'\\'llllming and
plkg111g themselves'' (i.e., fuvmg), ''they 'discoursed of
I
ma~y things relating to the baths of the Ancients, and

* Chatsworth 'vns then, as now, tl1e superb sent of the Cn,endishes

in th~ir highest brnnch-In those days En1l, at present D11ke, of.
Devonshire It IS to the honour of this family tl1nt, tl11011gl1 t" o
'
generations,
they gave an asylum to Hobbes. It 1s noticeable that
Hobbes'\'~'ns born in the yeat of the Spanish Armada, t e, in I ~SS:
such, at ~east, is my belief And, therefore, at this meeting w1th
'!'cnnison ID 1670, he must have been about S2 yea1s old
'

"

)TUR.DER

the Origi11e of Spnngs. When they hall in this manner

passed away an hour, they stepped out of the bath; anc1,

ha-ring dried and cloathed themselves, they sate clown in

expectation of such a supper as the place afforded; designing to refresh themselves like the De1JJnosoplz1stro, and rathe1
to reason than to drink profonndly. But in this innocent
intention they i'tere interrupted by the disturbance arising
from a little quarrel, in which,some of the ruder people in
the house were for a short time engaged. At this M1
Hobbes seemed much concer11ed, though he was at some
distance from the persons.'' And 1''hy was he conce1ned,
gentlemen 'l No doubt, you fancy, from some benign ancl
clisinterested love of peace, worthy of an old man and n.
. philosopher. But listen ''For a1'hile he was not composed, but related it once or twice as to himself, 1'1th a
low and careful, i.e., anxious, tone, how Sextus Rosciuq
'
was murthered after supper by the Balnere Palatinre. Of
such gene1al extent is that iemark of Cicero, in relation to
Epicurus the Atheist, of whom he observed, that he of all
. men dreaded most those things which he contemned, Death and the Gods.'' Merely because it was supper time,
and in tte neighbourhood of a bath, Mr Hobbes ml1st l1ave
the fate of Sextus Roscius. He must be murthered, lJecause
Sextus Roscius was murtlzer"ed. What logic was there in
this, unless to a man who was always dreammg of murder?
Here was Leviathan, no longer afraid of the daggers of
English cavahers or F1encl1 clergy, but '' f11.;htened from
his propriety'' by a row in an alehouse between some honest
clod-hoppers of Derbyshire, whom his o\vn gaunt scarecrow
of a person, that belonged to quite another century, wonld
1
have frightened out of their wits.
1
Malebranche, it will give you pleas~re to hear, 1'as
n1urdered. The man who murdered 11im is well kno1'n:
,'
'

!!ORDER.

'

it was Bishop Berkeley. The story is fam1l1ar, thougl1

' hitherto not put in a proper l1ght. Berkeley, when a
young man, went to Paris, and called on Pe1e Malebranche.
If e found him in his cell cool{1ng Cooks have ever been
a genus irritabile; autho1s still more so : 1\Ialebranche was
both: a dispute arose; the old father, warm already, became "armer; culii1ary and metaphysical i111tatior1s united
to derange lus hver. he took to his bed, and died. Sucl1
is the common version of the story . '' So the 'vhole ea1 'Jf
Denma1k is abused." The fact is, tl1at the matte1 "as
hushed up, out of consideration for ,Be1keley, ''ho (as Pope
justly observes) had ''every vrrtue under heaven:'' else it
was well known that Berlteley, feeling himself nettled by
'
the \vasp1sbness of the old F1enchman, squa1ed at him; a
turn-up ''as the consequence . ~1alebranche '''as floored in
the first round,; the conceit was wholly taken out of hin1 ,
'
and he would perhaps have given in, but Berlteley's blood
was now up, and he insisted on the old Fiencl1mai1's retracting his doctrine of Occasional Causes The vanity of
the man was too great for this, and he fell a sacrifice to
the impetuosity of Irish youth, combmed with 11is o'vn absurd obstinacy.
Leibnitz, being every way superior to J\1alebranche, one
, might, ort1ori, have counted on his being murdered; which,
however, was not the case. I believe he was nettled at
this negle t, and felt himself insulted by the secu1ity in
\vh1ch he pa sed his days. In no other way can I explain
l1is conduct
the latter end of Ins 11fe, when he chose to
grow very av ricious, and to hoard up large sums of' gold,
\vhich he kept in his own house. Th1s was tLt Vienna,
where he died; nd letters are still in existence, desci1b1ng
the imm'eo.surabl anxiety which he entertainedfo1 his tl110.it.
Still l1is ambition, for being atte?npt"A, at least, was so great~

'

25

MOJ?DER.

t11at lie would not forego the danger. A late English

nedagogue? 'of Birmingham manl!facture viz., D1 Pa11took a more selfish course u11der the same circumstance
He had amassed a considerable quantity of gold and s1lT'er
.
p1atc, which was for so1ue time deposited in bis bedroom al
his par~onage hon~e. Hatton. But gro\ving eT'ery day more
afraid of being mn1dered, "hi~h lie knew that he could not
- stand (ancl to which, i1ideed, he 11ever had the slightest pre, tensions), he transferred the whole to the Hatton blachsmitl1; conceiT'ing, no doubt, that the murc1er of a blacksmith would fall more lightly on the salus re11J1tblicre, than
that of a pedagogue. But I have heard this greatly
disputed; and it seems now generally agreec1, that one
good horse-shoe is worth about two and a quarter Spital
se11nons. *'
As J_,ezlJnitz, though not murdered, may be said to J1ave
died, pa1ily of the fear that he should be mu1dered, and
partly of vexation that he v:as not, Kant, on the othe1
hand who manifested no amlJition in that way bad a
narro"er escape f1om a murderer than any ,man.we read
of, except Des Cartes So absurdly does fortune thro" '
al)out her fa,'ours ! The case is told, I think, in an anonymous life of this very great man. For health's sake,
Ka1it i1nposcd upon himself, at one time, a wa1k of sLx
miles eT'erJ day along a high-road. This fact becoming
known to. a man ''ho had his private reasons for comrn1tting mi1rder, at the third ~ilestone from Konigsberg,
-

"''' :Spital Sermons. ''-Dr Parr's chief public appearances ns nn

at1thor, after his original appearance in the fu1nou-; Latin p1 efuce to
1lellendt11us (don't SU}' Bellendenus) occnrred,1n certain Sermons
at periodic 111tcnals, del1,ered on behalf of sdrne bosp1tul (I reall.1
forget'\"\l1at),,hich retained for.its official designation the old \\OIL
S11ital, and thus It happened that the Setmons themsel' cs ''er<
J:Cnerall~ kno\rn b7 the Title of Spital Si:rmons.
B-I"\'

26

llIUltDbR.

lie ;vaited for bis ''intended,'' "110 ca1ne t1p to timl' n'>
1iuly as a ma1l-concl1.
.
But for an ucc1dent, Kn11t "as n dead man. T111s nccide11t lay in the sc111p11lo11s, or "hat l\I1s Q11icl(ly ,,oul<l
11n.ve called tl1e peciisl1, morality of t11e murclcrer. .A.11 old
professor, he fancied, m1gl1t be la cl en '' 1tl1 sins. Not sc n.
young cl11Id. 011 this cor1siclerat1on, he turned n'vny from
Kant at t11e cr1t1cal mo1ne11t, and soon after murderccl a
cl11Id of five yea1s old Sucl1 is the German acco11nt of
tl1e matter, b11t my OJJinion is, _tl1at tlie m111 derer "as n11
amateur, '''110 felt 110"' little \vould be gained to the ca11c::e
of good taste by inu1de1111g- nr1 old, arid, andacl11st n1etn.phys1cian ; there ''us no room for c11s1)l11y, as the man co111d
not possibly look mo1e like a mtimmy "hen dead, tlitin !1e
11nd done alive.
'
Thus, ge11tle1nen, I lia,e traced tl1e con11ection bct"'CC'n
pl11loso1Jhy and 011r art, u11til insensib1y I find t11at I l1a,c
\''antlered into our o"n era. Tl1is I sl1n11 not tnl~e any
l)a1os to cha1acte11sc apart f1om that '''l1ich preceded it,
'
for, in fact, tl1ey have no d1st1nct cl1aracter. Tl1e i::cvcnteenth and eighteenth centuries, togetl1cr '''itl1 so m11rl1 of
the nmeteenth as we l1ave .}'Ct seen, jointly con1posc tlie
.
Augustan age f rourde1. The finest work of tl1e sevc11tce11tL cent11ry is, unquestionably, t11e m111der of Sir
Eclmondbury Godfrey, "'l11ch has my ent11e UJJprobation
111 the granc1 fc, t111e of mystery, '' l11cl1 111 some slinpe or
otl1er ought to c lour eve1y j11d1rious atten1pt at murder,
it is excellent; ~ \r t11e mystery is not yet dispe1sed. '!'lie
attempt to fastet\ the murcler upon the Pa1J1sts, "11i !l1
would inju1e it
mucl1 as some well-Ir11on'Il Oorrcgg1os
l1ave been 111ju1ed by the p1ofes<;ional pictu1c-clen11er1', 01
uroold even rum it y translat111g 1t i11to the suu11nt1<; clas"

n\

''

27

l\IORDEI{

Jf mere politirn.l or partisan murde1s, tho1oughly wanting

in tl1e mu1derous animus, I exhort tl1e society to d.iscot1ntenance In fact, this notion is a.ltogetber baseless, .

'

and arose in pu1e Protesta11t fanaticis.m. Sir Edmonclbury 11ad not d.istingmshed 11imself amongst the Londqn
magi:;trates by any seve1ity against the Papists, or in
'
favounng tl1e attempts of zealots to enfo1ce the penal la\\s
ngainst individuals. He had not armed against him~elf
tl1e animosities of any religions sect "hateve1. A11d as
to the dro1Jpings of "ax lights upon the dress of the corpse
"hen first discovered in a ditch, from which it "as inferred
at the time that the priests attached to the Pop1sh Queen's
'
Chapel had been co11cerned in the murder, either these were
mere fraudulent artifices de\rised lJy those 'vho wished to
fiA. the suspicion upon the Papists, or else tbe whole allegation 'vnx-d1oppings, ancl the suggested cause of the
(1101Jpings might be a bom1ce or fib of Bishop Bu1net ;
who, as the Duchess of Portsmouth used to say, was tl1e
one great master of fibbing and romancing in the seventeenth
century. At tl1e same time,,it must be observed that the
quantity of murde1 was not great in Sir Edmondbury's
century, at least amongst our onrn a1tists; '\hich, perhaps,
is att11l1utable to the want of enl1ghte11ed patronage. Sznt
J.llrece11r1tes, non llee1u1it, Flacce, J.1Iarone.Y. Consulting Grant's
'
'' Obserf'ations on the Bills of, .l\'fortality'' (4th edition,
O.~ford, 1665), I find, that, out of 229,250, who died in
I,ondon di11ing one period of t'renty years in the seven~enth centm-y, not mo1e than eighty-six were murdered;
thnt i.::, about 'four three-tenths per annum. A sn1all
11i1mber this, gentlemen, to found an academy ~pon; and
certainly, where tl1e quantity is so small, v:e have a right
to expect that the quality sho11ld be first-rate. Perhaps

t was ; yet still I am of opinion that the best artist in this

'

.28

?>flJRDER.

century was not equal to the best j11 that wl1ich follo'\\ecl.
},or instance, 11owever pia1se\>01tl1y the case of Sir Edmondbury Goclfrey may be (a1id nobody can be more sensible of
its me1its than I am), still, I cannot consent to place it on
:: level ;vith that of ~frs R11scomlJe of Diistol, either as to
originality of design, or boldness and breadth of st)'le. This
good lady's mui dei took place early i11 the reign of George
III. a ieign which "'as notoriously favourable to the arts
generally. She lived in College Green, '''Ith a sn1gle ma1dservar1t, neither of t11em having any pretension to the notice
of history but \vhat they derived from the great artist \vl1ose
workmansl1ip I am recording. One fine mo1n1ng, ;vhen all
B1istol "'as alive and in motion, some suspicion a11s1ng, tl1e
neighbours forced an entrance into the house, a11d found
Mis R11scombe murdered iii her bedroom, a11d tl1e ser>ant
murde1ed on the stairs: this was at noon; and, not m0ie
tha11 t"'O hours before, both mistress and servant had been
seen alive. To the best of my remembrance, this "as in
1764; U}J\vards of sixty years, therefore, ha>e now elapsed,
and yet tl1e artist is still undiscovered. The susp1c1ons of
'
posterity
have settled upon t;vo pretender~ a baker and
'
a ch~mney-sweeper
But posterity is wro11g, no unpract1sed\ art1st could have conceived so bold an idea as that of
a noonday murder in the hea1 t of a great city. It "as 110
obscut'e bali:er, gentlemen, or anonymous cl11m11ey-s"ee1ler,
be assuied, that executed
tl1is woik 1 l\:11ow "'110 it "'as.
,
(He1 e tl1tre was a gene1 al buzz, wl1zclz at le11gth b1 ol~e 011t into
\
open apJ?Za11se; upon 1vhzclz tlze lectztrer blusl1ed, and went 011
wz?h m1~1 earnestness) For beave11's sake, gentlemen, do
aot mista 'e me; it "'as not I that did it. I have not the
vanity to ink myself equal to any such achievement, be
:L~sured th t you greatly overrate my poor talents; l\f 1s
l: usco1nbe's hffair 'vas far beyo11d iny slender abilities. })ut

'

'

'

!tlURD:CR.

2!l

I came to h-now who the artist was, from a celebrated surgeon who assisted at his dic:section. Tl1is gentleman had
a JJril'ate muse11m i11 the "l\ay of his profession, one corner
of which was occupied by a cast from a man of rema1kably
fine proportions.
'
'' That,'' saicl the surgeon,,'' is a cast from the celebrated
Lancashire higl1wayman. who concealed his profession for
some time from his neighbours, by d1a'\\ing woollen stockii1gs Ol'er his hoi se's legs, and in that "l\ay muffling the
clatter, '\\hich he must else 11a\e made in riding up a flagged
alley that led to his stable. At the time of his execution
for highway robbery, I \l'as studying under C1u1c.kshanl :
and the man's figure was so uncommonly fine, that no
money or exertion was spared to get into possession of him
\nth the least possible delay. By tl1e conni\ance of the
11nder-she11ff, he was cut down within the legal time, and
instantly put into a chaise-and-four; so that, when 11e
reached Cruickshank's, he was pos1ti\ely not dead. nI1
- - , a young student at that time, had tl1e honour of gir-ing him the coup de g1 ace, and finishing the sentence of the
law.'' This iemarkable anecdote, which seemed to imply
that all the gentlemen in the dissecting-1oom ,,-e1e amatems
of our class, struck me a good deal; and I was repeat1ng
it one day to a Lancashire lady, who thereupon informed
me, that she had herself lied in the neighbourhood of that
'
highwayman, and well remembered two circumstances.

"l\hich combined, in the op1uion of all his neighbours, to

fix upon him the credit of Mrs Ruscombe's affair. One
"\\as, the fact of his absence for a whole fortnight at the
period of tl1at murder; the other, that1 within a very little
time after, the neighbon1bood of this highwayman -was
deluged filth dollais: now, l\lrs Ruscombe was known to
ba>e hoarded about two thousand of that coin. Be the

'

JU

MLnDFI!.

artist, l10,,e"re1, 'vl10 he m1gl1t., the nffui1 iemni11s n c1ttrnlJle

monl1ment of I1is ge11ius; fo1 sucl1 "'ns tl1c in1r>1csc;io11 of
awe, ancl t11e sense of powc1 left bcl1i11c1, lJy tl1e strength of
co11cept1on ma111fcsted in tl11s murder, t11nt no tenn11t (as 1
was told in 1810) hnd been fol1nd 11p to tl1nt time fo1 l\Irs
ltuscombc's 11011se
But, wl11lst I thus eulogise tl1e Ruscombinn cn~e. let me
not be supposed to ovcrloolr t11e ninny otl1er spcci1ncns of
extrao1dmnry n1er1t sp1ead over the fl.tee of tl11s cent11ry.
Such cases, indeed, as t11at of l\ItbS Bln11d, or of Cn1>tn1r1
Donnellan, and 811 Thcopl1il11s Bougl1ton, sl1nll ne\cr have
.lny counte11nnce front n1e1 Fie 011 tl1ese dealers in poison,
say I: can tl1ey not lrecp to tl1e old l1011est "'ny of c11tti11g
throats, "'1tl1011t introducing such abominable mno,at1ons
f1om Italy'"' I consider all t11esc poisoning cases, co1npurcd
mth the leg1t1mate style, as no lJctter t11n11 "'n'\.-"'ork lJy
tl1e side of sculptu1c, or a l1tl1ogrnpl11c pr111t by t11e side of
a fine Volpnto. But, d1sm1ss1ng \l1cse, t11ere ren1n111 n1u11y
excelle11t \vorks of a1 t In n Jlt1re st)le, s11cl1 as nobocly need
be asl1nmed to own ; and this every candid connoisseur 'v1ll
admit. Cand1cl, observe, I say ; for g1ent n1lowa11ccs n1ust
be made in tl1ese cases , 110 n1tist can ever be sure of
ca11ying t11rougl1 11is own 'fine p1econceptio11. A"'kwnrd
d1stu1bances "111 a11se; peo1Jle ,viJl i1ot sulJm1t to 11ave

their tl1ronts cut quietly ; t11ey "'11 run, they ''111 };:1ck,
tl1ey "'111 bite; and '''h1lst the po1trn.1t painter often 11ns to
, complain Of too IDllCh torpOl' ID 1118 SllbJeCt, tbe artist in
'our line is gene!ally embar1ac:;sed by too much ammatio11
At the same time, 11owever disag1eeable to tl1c artist, this
tendency in murder to excite and ir1itate tl1e subject is
certa1nly one of its advantages to the world in gene1nl,
wl11ch we ought not to overlook, since 1t favours the de,
velopment of latent talent. Je1emy Taylor notices witl1

31

llt'"TIDI:R.

ar1miratio11 the e:xtraorl1i11ary Jenps 1rbic11 peo1)1e "ill tttl\e

u11der the influence of fear. Tl1ere "as a st1il.;:1ng 1n$\ance

of this in the recent cac;e of tl1e i\I'Kcans : tl1e boy clea1ed

a l1eight, sucl1 :ls lie ,viii nc1er clear again to l1is dying day.
Talentsnlso of tl1e most b1illia11t ciec:cnption for thumping,
1:111c1, indeed. fo1 all t11e g3-n111ac;t1c cxerc1scs: liavc sometimes
been developed b) tbe pa111c 11l1ich accon1pa11ies ou1 artists;
talents else bu1ied and 11id u11der a bt1sl1cl, to the po::sessors,
as much as to their f1iends. I ren1ember an interesting illustration of this fact, in a case '\\l1ich I learned in Gcrmany.
Riding 011c cln)- in the neigl1bon1 l1oocl of .;\fun1cJ1, I overtook a disti11gnished amate111 of our society, whose nan1e,

for obno11s reasons, I sl1all conceal. Tl1is gent1ema11

informed me tl1at, findi11g 11i1nself wearied \\'Ith t11e f11g1d
' pleas11res (such lie esteemecl tl1en1) of mere nmate111shi11,
J1e had quitted England fo1 the Continent meaning to
practise a little profcss1onally. For this p111po"e lie reso1 ted to German), conceiving tl1e police in that part of
Europe to lJe more heai"y and c1rO\\'FY than e1se,v11ere
IIis deb11t as a i)ract1tio11cr took place at 1'Ia1111l1eim; and.
knowing me to 1Je a brother an1atenr, 11e f1eely commu11i, catec1 tl1e whole of his maide11 ad>ent111 e. ''Opposite to
my lodging,'' saicl l1e, ''lived a baker: be 1-ras someTI hat ,,f
a miser. and live cl quite alone \\rhether \it were his gica t
expanse of c11alk)' face. 01 wl1at else, I know iiot, but tl1e
fact was, I 'fancied' him, and resolved to commence business upon bis th1 oat, TIli1ch, by the way, he alTIays carrie0
ba1 e a fashiou- ~bich is \ery ir1itating to my desi1es .
. P1ecisely at eight o'clock in t11e eT"en1ng, I obser1ed that
lie regularly shut up bis i''indows. One nigl1t I watchecl ,
11im when th11s engaged bolted in after him locked tlic
door and, addressing him with great suavity, ucqu,11nt01l
birn \\ith the nature of my errand at tl1e same time ad1

82

'

vising l1im to malee no Iesistnnce, wl1icl1 '' 011ld be mutnn lly

a11pleasant. So saying, I drew 011t my tools; nnrl 'rns proceeding to operate. Bt1t nt tl1is spectacle tl1c bnl;:cr, ,, 110
seemed to 11a,c l)ce11 st111cl~ l)y catalepsy at my first nnnounce1ne11t, awol;:e i11to tremcn(1onci ngitntion. 'I \rill
not be murdered l' 11e sl1r1el;:ed aloud ; ' \vl1nt for "ill I'
(mea11i11g sl1all I) 'lose n1y precious tl11oat?' '\\TJ1at
for 7' said I ; ' if for no otl1er reason, for tl1ii:: tl1nt yo11
put alum into )'Our ])rend. But no matter, nlt1m or no
nlun1 (for I was resolved to fDrec;tall nny argt1mcnt 011 that
point), kno\v tl1at I nm 11 virtuoc;o in tl1e nrt of m11rcleram desiro11c; of 11npro1ing Dlj'self in its details n11d nm
ennmo111 ec1 of )'our vast surface of throat, to '' l1icl1 I nm
determined to be a customer,, 'Is it so 'l' i:nt(1 he, 'but
I'll fi11d you a cuc;tomer i11another11110 ;' n11d so saying, he
tl1rcw himself i11to a boxing nttituclc Tl1e 'Very idcn. of
l11s lloAing struclc me as 111d1cro11s. It is t1 tie, n London
bal;:e1 had distingtished himself i11 tl1c ring, nnd 1Jccnme
k110'\\n to fame un<ler t11e title of tl1e l\fnstcr of tl10 l{olls;
but l1e "'na you11g n11c1 unspoiled : "'bc1 eas, this n1an "'as a
monst1011s fcntlier-1Jcd in person, fifLy years olc1, n11d totnll3
out1 of condition. Spite of all tl1is, ho1\'e\er, nncl conte11cling agair1st me, "'110 nm a master i11 tl1e art, he made so
desperate a defence, tbn.t runny times I f cnrecl 110 m1gl1t
tu1n tl1e tables upo11 me ; and tl1at I, nn nmnte111, m1gl1t
!Jc murcle1ed by a rascally lJnlrer. '\Yhnt a s1t11nt1011 1
1\frnds of sensibility \Y\11 sympatl11sc 1\itl1 n1y nn:xiety. !Io\\'
severe it wns, you may unde1stnncl lJy t\1is, tl1nt fo1 the fi1st
tl1i1tcen rounds t\1e baker pos1t1,ely hntl the advn11tng".
Round the l4.tl1, I recq1vcd o. blow on tl1e 1igl1t eye, 1vh1cl1
closed it ttp; in the end, I bel1c\e, this '''as my snl,ation; for
tl1e ange1 it ro11sed 1n rneI \vas so grent, tl1at, 1n tl1e 11c::<i..t, a11d
11..-c1v one of tl1e three f ollo\\'ing 1ounds, I floored the bah.er.

MURD:CR.

33

''Round I 9th. The baker came ll}J i)!J_Jing. n11r1 111a1ufestly

the wo1se f 01 "'ea1. Bis geomet1ical exploits in the fol1r
last ioands l1acl clone 11im no good. Howe\er, he showed
some sh.'111 in stopping a message which I was sencl1ng to
lus cadave1ol1s mug; in del1\er1ng which, my foot slipped,
and I went down.
'' llound 20th. Surve)ing the baker, I became ashamed
'of ha\i11g been so muc)1 bothered by a shapeless mass of
dough; and I "ent in fiercely, and adm1n1ste1ed some serere ,
punishment. A rally took place both went do\vn baker
unde1most ten to tl1ree on an1ateur.
''Round 21st. The baker jumped up with surprising
agility; indeed, he managed his pins capitally, and fougl1t
v.-onde1fully, considering that he was d1encJ1ed in pe1sp1rat1on; but the sl1i11e was no\\' taken out of him, and his
game \\as the mere effect of pa11ic. It was now clear that
'
he could not la<st m11ch longe1. In the course of t11is ro11ncl
we tried the weaving system, in which I had greatly the
advantttge, and hit h1m repeatedly on the conk. J\Iy I eason _
for this "as, that his conk was covered with carb11ncles;
and I thought I shoultl vex him by taking such 11bert1es
'ntl1 his conk, "1uch in fact I did.
''The three next rounds, the master of the rolls staggered about like a cow on the ice. Seeing how matters
stood, m round 24th I whispered something into his ear,
\\'h1ch sent him down like a sl1ot. It was nothing more
than my prirate opinion of the value of his throat at an
annuity office. This little confidential whisper affected
him greatly; the very perspiration was frozen on his face,
and for the next two rounds I 11ad it all my o\vn way.
.And when I called tz111e for the 27th round, he lay like n.
logonfuefioo~''
After which, said 1 to the amateur, ''It may be pre-
'

'

S1

'rrc;rtnt:n.

1iumcd tlinf, )'Ott nccor111)Jic.,l1rcl yo111 p111po"c.'' '' 1p tt1 nrl

right,'' sn1(l he, n1il<ll)', ''I <1rcl, 1111<1 n g1 <'nf ~nt1<:f1i<'fio11,
you k110,v, it 'l\ns tom) i11incl, fox J))' 1111s mc:111s J J,111<'<1 t\\ o
b1rcls '''1tl1 011c sto11c ;'' 111ci111i11g tl1nt lie l1n<l }Jotl1 111t11ny1c(J
tl1c l1al~cr un<l 1nt11 <le1ccl 11in1 No'', for tl1c life of tt\c, I
co11l<l 11ot sec t/1(tl; for, 011 tl1c co11t1 nrJ, to 111) 1ni11cl it n1lpcn1ecl tl1nt lie hucl tnl\c11 f\\'O sto11cc; to liill 0110 l)ircl, 1111,lng bcc11 obJ1gccl to t11l{c tlic cor1ccit 011t of 11in1 fi1 <,{ 'I\ it 11
l11s fist, unrl tl1c11 '' 1tl1 J11c, tool<;. Il11t no 1nnttcr for 111~
logic. Tl1c 1no111l of l11q sto1y '' n'l goocl, fo1 it 5J1owc1l
,,-lint n11 nsto111i:;l1111g fiti11111l11:i to lntc11t tnlc11t ii, co11tni11cd
1n n11y rcnso11n\>lc })ro~1)cct of l>c111g n1\1r11crct1. . .\. }ltll ")
Ull\\ielclj', 1111lf c:1t11le1>l 1c l>11l\c1 of :i\Innnl1ci111 l1nll t11Jsol11t clj
fougl1t scrcn-nnll-t'' cnty I oun<lc; "itl1 nr1 nccon111li<-l1c1l
l~11gl1sh \Jo::>. er, 1nc1 ely t1po11 tl1is inspiration , f;O gre11t 1)
'''rte; i1nturnl gc11ius ex:nltcd n11tl s11lJl1mcd l>j" tl1c gc11inl
i1rcfic11cc of l11s 111111 <let er.
Ren!!)', ge11tlc1ucn, \\lien 011c 11cnrs of s11cl1 t11ing<; n<i
t11cc;c, it bcco1ncs n d11t), perl1n1)s, n, little to softc11 t11nt
'
ext1cu1e nspcrity ,\1tl1 '' hic.11 most mc11 spcnl of m11rdcr.
ro 11car pco1>le tall, )'Ott '''ould s111,pose tl111t nil tlic c11"nt1nntnges n11<l i11co11> c11ic11ccc; '\\'ere 011 tl1c s1clc of l>c111g
. 1urdc1crl, nr1d t11nt 111crc ''ere none nt 1111 i11 z1ot l>ci11g
1nurdcrcc1 Bt1t co11sirl<'rntc 1nc11 tl1111h.. ot l1c1 "isc. '' Ccr1tn111lj1,'' says Jc1c1h)' 'r:tj 101, it is n. lcsq tc111porr1l c\tl to
fall l>y tl1c r11dcncss of :1 ~\\'Ol t1 t11nn tl1c violc11rc of n fc\'Cl':
nhd the nxe '' (to \\h1cl1 lie migl1t bnre nclclcc1 tl1e i:l1i1>Cn1' 's mallet :tnc1 tl1c cro\,bnr), '' n rr1t1cl1 lcc:s 11fllicl1on
}}Crl~c1
t11nn'\n. strn11gu1y '' \Tc1y trnc; the bi~l1op tallc; l1l~e n
'vif':e man nncl nn n1nntc11r, ns I um su10 lie '' r1s; 1111d nt1
other g\:cat pl11loc;opl1cr, l\fnrct1s A11rcli11s, ''ns cq11nlly nbo;e
the v11lg~1 pr0Jud1ccs on tl1ic; s11bJcct. I-Tc declares 1t to
be one of~'tl1c nol>lc~t functions of icason to 1c110,, ,,hctl1rr
1

'

35
it is ti1ne to wa1lc 011t of t11e world or not.'' (Book 11i.,
Colle1s' T1ans1ation.) No sort of kno"leclge being rarer
t11an this, surely tl1at man must be a most philanthropic
character, ~tho undertakes to ir1st1uct people in this brancl1
of knowledge g1atis, and at no little 11azard to himself.
All this, however, I throw out only i11 the way of spect1lat1on to :.'.'1ture moralists; declaiing in the meantime my
o''rn })l'ivate conviction, that very fe,, men commit murder
upon philanthropic/ or pat1iotic principles, and repeating
wl1at I 11ave already said 011ce at least that, as to tl1e
ma.Jority of mu1de1ers. they are ve1y incorrect cl1aracters.
With respect to the \'\r1lliams' mu1cle1s, the sublimest anc1
most entire in their excellence that e'\'er ''e1e committed, I
shall not allow myself to speak incidentally. Nothing less
than an entire lecture, or e1en an e11t1re course of lectu1es,
would suffice to expound t11e1r merits ,_ But one cu1ious fact
connected with his case I shall mentio11, because it seems to
' imply that the blaze of bis genius absolutely dazzlecl the eye
of c11minal justice. You all ie1nember, I doubt not, that
the instruments ''ith wluch be exec11ted 11is fi1st g1 cat work
(the murder of the Marrs) were a sl11p-carpente1's mallet and
a knife. Now, the mallet belonged to an old Swede, one John
Peterson, and bore his initials. This inst1 ument Williams
left behmd him in ~farr's house, and it fell into the hands
of the magistrates. But, gentlemen, it is a fact that the
publication of this circ11mstance of the initials led immediately to the apprehension of Williams, and, lf made earlier,
''ould have p1 e1ented lus second great "ork (the murder
of the W1lliamsons), "l1ieh took place precisely twel,e dnys
after. Yet the magistrates kept buck t11is fact from tlie
_ public for the entire tTIelve days, and until that second
I

'

See the

Postscrzp~ ?.t

tli.e end of tl11s paper.

'

86

i\ITIBDI~l"t.
(

wo1k was accon1plisl1ed. Tl1nt fir1ishec1, t11ey IJUblished it,

appa1ently feeling tl1at '7\T1ll1nn1s 11ac1 now done c11011gl1 for
his fame, and tl1at l11s glory "'as at length placed beyond

tl1e reach of acciclent.

As to J\f1 'l'J111itell's case, I know i1ot "lint to say.
Naturally, I have every disposition to tl1111]{ h1gl1ly of my
'
predecessor in tlie
chair of tl1is society; and I acl~110\\'ledge
that his lectu1es ,,ere u11exce1Jt1onalJle. But, s1Jeaking ingenuo11sly, I do 1eally tl1ink that l1is p1incipal }Je1fo1mnnce,
as,an ~rtist, has been mucl1 overratecl. I adn11t, tl1at at first
I was myself ca1r1ed away by the general enthu~iasm. Oi1
tl1e morning \\"hen the murder was made 1~11o"'n iii Lonclon,
there was the fullest meeting of amateurs tl1at I ha,'e e\er
kno1vn since tlie days of 1'71lliams; old bec111dden connoisseurs, "ho 11acl got into a }Jeevish way of snee1ing n11rl
complaining ''that there was nothing doing,'' now hobbled
r1o'vn to our club-1oom such hilarity, s11ch benign cxp1ession of general satisfaction, I 11avc ra1ely 'vitncsscd. On
every side you saw }Jeople shaking bands, congratulating
each other, and forming d111ner }Ja1t1es fo1 tl1e evcni11g; a11d
noth111g il"us to be hea1 d but triumphant challenges of'' Well ' mil tl1zs do?'' ''Is this the rigl1t tl1ing 'l '' '' A1 e
you satisfied at Inst 'l'' But, in the 1niddle of the ro", I
remember, we all grew silent, on hearing tl1e old cynical
stumping along with his wooden leg;
amateur L. S
he cnteied the room 'vith his usual scowl; ai1d, us he advanced, he continued to growl and stutter the wl1ole way
-'' li!ere plagiarism base plagiaiism from hints that I
tl11cw out! Besides, his style is as ha1sl1 as .AJbe1 t D11rer,

f'.ud as coarse as Fusel1.'' lifany t11ought tl1at this TI'as

'lllere jealousy, and gene1al waspishness; but I confess that,
'vhen the first glow of enthusiasm had subsided, I have
fo11nd most judicious c1itics to agree that the1e was some-

}[ffi{DER

37
,

thing fillsetto in the style of Thurtell. The fact is, he was

a member of our society, which naturally gave a frienclly
lJias to our juclgments ; and his i)erson was universally
familiar to the ''fancy,'' which gave l11m, with tl1e whole
1
London pubhc, a tempo1ary popularity, that his preten;;1ons a1e not capable of suppo1ting; for opinion1tm comme11ta
delet clz"es, natu1ce ;ud1c1a confi1-mat There was, however, a11
unfinished design of Thurtell's for the murder of a n1an ,
mth a pair of dumb-bells, which I admi1ed greatly; it 1\as
s mere outline, that he never .filled in; b11t to my mi11d it _
teemed every way superior to bis chief work I remembez
that there 1ras great regret exp1essed by some amate11rs
that this sketch should ha1e been left in an unfinished state:
but the1e I cannot agree with t11em; for tl1e f1agments a11d
fi1st bold outlines of 01iginal artists ha\e often a felicit)
'
about them \\bich is apt to \anish in the management of
the
details
.

The case of _the M'Keans >t- I cohsider far bey oncl the
Yaunted performance of Tbu1tell i11deecl, abo\e all praise;
and bea1ing that relation. in fact, to the immortal 1rorl~s
of Williams, 1';hich the '' 1Ene1d '' bears to the '' Ihad ''
But it is no1v time that I should say a fe1v words about
t11e p1inciples of murde1, not "ith a view to iegu1ate your
practice, bnt your judgment : as to olcl "\i"on1en, and the
n1ob of ne1,spaper reade1s,t11ey are pleased "\i-itl1 aJ1ytl1ing,
pro1ided it is bloody enough. Bt1t the mind of SbJ.sib1l1ty
requires something 1no1e. Fir st, then, let us speak of the
kincl of per1;on who is aclapted to the purpose of the murderer; secondly, of the place "here; th11 dly, of the ti1ne
"Ii hen, and othe1 little circumstances.
As to the pe1son, I suppose it is ende11t t11at be ougl1t .
.. Sec tl1c Posts:;rivt.

39
everybody looked scornfully 'at me, as though I had pretended to ha"\"'e playecl at b1llin1ds with Prester John, or to
l1a>e bad an affair of honour with tl1e Pope. And, l)y the
way, tl1e Pope would l)e a \ery 1mproper person to m':rder:
for he bas such a Tirtual ubiquity as t11e father of Ch1istendom. and, like tbe c11ckoo, is so often heard but ne\er seen,
that I suspect most peo1lle regard liim also as an abstract

idea. Where, indeed, a public man is in the habit of gi,inz din11ers, ' "ith e\e1y clelicacy of the season,'' the casr;
is \erydifferent: e\err person i~ satisfied that lze is no ab
stract 1c1ea; and, theref01e, there can be no imp1opr1et): in
mu1d.ering l1im ; only that b1s murder will fall ir1to the c1ass
of assassillations, wl1ich I ba"\"'e not yet treatec1.
Tl1i1 dl!J. The subject chosen ought to be in good healt11 : '
for it is absolutely ba1barous to murder a sick.,person, wl10 ,
i<> usually q11ite unable to l)ear it. On this p1inciple, Po
tailor 011gl1t to be chosen 1vl10 is above t'venty-:fi:re, for after
that age he is sure to be clyspephc. Or at least, if a man
'I\ ill l111nt in that warren, he ''ill of course think it bis duty,
on tl1e old established equation, to murder some n1ultiple
of 9 say 18, 27, or 36. Ancl he1e, in this llenign attention to' the comfort of sick people, you will obser\e the
usual effect of a fine art to soften .and refine the feelings.
Tl1e world in general, gentlemen, are Yery l)Ioocly-minded;
nnd all they want in a murder is a copious effusion of
lllood, gaudy displayi11 this point is enough fo1 tl1em. Bt1t
the enlightened connoisseur is more refined 1n bis taste;
and fron1 Otlr art. as from all the other libc1al arts "'hen
thoroughly mastered, the result is, to humanise t11e hea1 t
so true is it., that
u

'' Jngenuns did1c1sse fideliter n!tes.

Emoll1t mores, nee si1t1t cssc feros ''

A philosophic friend, "ell l~11own for 11is f1n1lanthr1'PY

4t

~URDI:R.

and genc1al benignity, Sltggcc;ts that the s11bjcct cl101:en

vnght a1so to' haYe a f.1n1ily of )our1g childre11 '\ 11011) clependent on l1is exertions, by ,,ay of dccpe11ing tl1e putl1os.
And, nndoubtedl), tl1is IS a' Jt1d1cious caution. Yct I" oulcl
not i11c;1st too keenly on s11ch a co11dition. ScY-cre gooc.l
taste unq11estionab1y suggests it, but still, wl1ere the i11a11
,,as otl1e1 'l\1se' unobjechonable in point of n1orals a11cl
health, I wo11ld not look "ith too curio1is a jcnlo11s) to a
rest1 ict1on '' hich might 11ay-e tl1c effect of narro'' ing the
a1tist's spl1c1e.
So much fo1 the person. As to tl1e time, t11e J>ln.cc, nnd
the tools, I ha,e mnny t11ings to sny, '' 111cl1 ut i>1ec;cnt I
have no room for. 'l'he good se11se of tl1e i)ractit1011er 11us
usually clirected him to 11ight and priY-acy. Yet tl1erc
have not been ,,a11t111g cases ,,here this i 11lc '' o.<> depa1 tecl
fron1 '''ith excellent effect. In rcs1)ect to ti111e, :\Irs R tIScombe's case is a beautiful except1011, '' 111ch I 11a\e already
11oticed, and in respect l)otl1 to ti1ne and plac~, there 1s
a fi1,1e exception In the annals of Edinburgh ()car 181)3 ),
familiar to e>ery child in E<li11l)11rgl1, but 'I\ 111ch l1as t1nnccountal)ly bee11 defraucle<l of its due portion of ft1n1c a1no11g!>t
English an1ate111s. The case I t11ean is tl1nt of a poitor
to one of the bnnhs, 1.-ho ,,as n111rclered, "111lst cn.rrying n.
bag Of money, Ill 1Jrond dU)'ligl1t, Oll tur11ing out Of t}1e

H1gl1 Stieet, one of the most public streets iI1 Eu101)e; uud
\\ the murderer is to tl1is hour undisco,'eied
\

''Scd fug1t 1ntcrca1 f11git 1rrcpnrnu1lc tcmpus,

' S1nguln du1n cupt1 c1rcu1n\ ccta1nur amorc ''
'

.And now, gentlen1en, in co11clusion, let me again solemnly

ti1scluim all pretensions on my 0''11 pa1 t to tl1e character
'
of a professional mun. I ne>er attetU}lted any murder In
n1y life, exce1lt in the )'ea1 1801, _upo11 the bod) of a ton1~
1a~, and t/1at turned out d1[e1 e11tly f1 om my inteut1ou.

MURDE;fl_

41

My purpose, I O\rn, was downright murder.

''Semper
ego auditor tan~nm ?'' said I, '' nunquamne reponam ?''
Ancl I went down-stairs in search of Tom at one o'clock
on a dark night, with the '' animus,'' and no doubt with
the fienclish looks, of a murderer. But when I found him,
he was in the act of plundering the pantry of bread and
other thmgs. Now this gave a new turn to the affair; for
the time being one of general scarcity, when ev~n Christiane;
were reduced to the use of potato-bread, rice-bread, and
. all sorts of things, it was downright treason in a tom-cat
to be wasting good wheaten-bread in the way Le was doing.
It instantly became a patriotic duty to put him to death ;
and, as I raised aloft and shook the glittering steel, I fancied
myself rising, hke B1utus, effulgent from a crowd of patriots, and, as I stabbed him, I
'' Call'd aloud on -Tully's name,
And bade the father of his country hail!''

Since then, what wandering thoughts I may have had of

attempting the hfe of an ancient ewe, of a superannuated
hen, and such '' small deer,'' are locked up in the secrets of
my own breast; but, for the higher departments of the .art,
I confess myself to be utterly unfit. My ambition does not
rise so high. No, gentlemen, in the words of Ho1ace,
'' Fnngar '"lee cons, acntnm
Beddere qnre fe1111m ,-alet, exsors ipsa secandi.''

B2

.lfURDER.

41

1\fy put'Pose, I own, was downright murder. ''Semper

ego auditor tantum '1'' said I,, '' 11unquamne reponam ?''
.And' I \vent do\vn-staus in search of Tom at one o'clock
on a c1ark night, with the '' animus,'' and no doubt 'vith
the fiendish looks, of a murde1e1. Ilut when I found him,
'
he was in the act of plundering the pantry of bread and
othe1 things. Now this gave a new tu1n to the affa11; for
the time being one of general scarcity, when ev~n Christians
were reduced to the use of potato-bread, rice-b1ead, and
, all so1'ts of things, it was downright treason in a tom-cat
to be wasting good wheaten-bi ead in the way he was doing.
It instantly became a patriotic duty to put him to death ;
arid, as I 1aised aloft and shook the glittering steel, I fancied
myself rising, like B,rutus, effulgent f1om a crowd of patriots, and, as I stabbed him, I
'' Call'd aloud on 'Tully's name,
.And bade the father of his count1y hail!''

Since then, wl1at wande1ing thoughts I may have had of

attemptmg the life of an ancient ewe, of a superannuated
hen, and such ''small dee1,'' are locked up in the secrets of
my own breast; but, for the higher depa1tments of the art,
I confess myself to be utterly unfit. My ambition does not
rise so high. No, gentlemen, in the words of Ho1ace,
'' Fungar vice cotis, ac11t11m
'
Reddere qu::e fer1um \alet, exsors ip~a secandi.''

SUPPLEMENTARY PAPER ON MURDER,

CONSIBERED AS ONE OF THE FINE ARTS.'
'

A GOOD many years ago, the reader may remembe1 that I

came for\vard in t11e character of a dilettante in murde1
Perhaps dilettante is too strong a word. Co1212oisseur is
better suited to the sci uples and infirilllty of public taste
I suppose there is no ha1m in t11at, at least A man 1s not
bound to put 111s eyes, ears, and understanding mto his
'
breeches-pocket when he meets mth a murder. If he is
not in a down1ight comatose state, I suppose he must see
that one murder is better 01 wo1se than another, Ill point
of good taste. Murde1s have their little diffe1ences and
shades of merit, as well as statues, IJictUies, oratorios,
cameos, intaglios, or what not. Yon may be angry with
the man for talking too much, or too publicly (as to the
too much, that I , deny a man can never cultivate his taste
too highly); but you must allow hrm to thmk. at any rate
Well, would you believe it? all my neighbou1s came to
hear of tl1at little rosthetic essay ,vluch I had published;
and, unfo1 tunately, hea1ing at the very same time of a
club that I was connected with, ancl a dinner at which I
p ci~ded-both tending to the same little object as the ec;say,
v a I,he d1ffus1on of a just taste among Rei' l\faJesty's
- fe,
"
MaJesty -In the lecture, l1av1ng occasion to refer to the
anc. ovcre1gn, I said 'Ht~ il[,i3esty , for at that time W1ll11111
tc1g

43

M.l.JRDER.

'

'

><ubjects, they got np the most barbarous calumnies against

me. In particula1, tl1ey said that I, or that the clt1lJ (which
con1es to the same thing), had offered bounties on \vell-conuucted homicides with a scale of drawbaclcs, in case of
any one defect 01 flaw, according to a table issued to private friends. 1\o,v, let me tell the whole truth abont the
dinner and the club, and it \VIll be seen how malicious tl1e
world is. But fi1st, co11fidentially, allow me to say what
n1y real principles are upon the matter m question.
As to mu1cle1, I neve1 committed one in my life It'::,
a well-known tlung amongst all ID)' friends. I can get a
pape1 to ce1tify as much, signed by lots of people. !11-, deed, if you come to that, I doubt ,,hether ~any people
could produce as sttong a certrficate. })'fm.e \VOnld be a(;i
big as a bieakfast tablecloth. There is indeed one member
of the club, who pretends to say he caught me once mak.ingtoo f1ee with his throat on a club night, after everybody
else had retired. But, observe, he shufiles in his sto1y
according to his state of c1VIlation When not far gone,
he contents himself with say111g that he caugl1t me ogling
11is throat; and that I \Vas melancholy foi some weeks
at'ter, and that my voice sounded m a way exp1ess1ng, to
the nice eai of a connoisseur, the sense ef oppo1 tu1iztzes lost;
but the club all kno1v that he is a disappointed man himself, and that he speal{s c1uerulously at times about the
fatal neglect of a man's cocimg abroad without his tools.
Besides, all this is un affa11 between two amateurs, and
everybody makes allowances for little aspe11ties and fibs
in such a case ''But,'' say you, ''if no murderer, you may
have encouraged, or even have bespoken a mu1de1.'' No,
upon my honour no. And that was the very point
.
'
IV. '\\us on the throne. but between the lecture and tlus snpplem,ent
bad occurrerl the accession or our present Queen
1
-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~,i-

'

'

44

MURDER.

wished to argue for your satisfaction. The truth 1s, l am

a ve1y }Jart1cular man in eve1yth1ng ielating to rnu1de1 ,

and perhaps I carry my delicacy too fa1. The Stag11it~
most justly, a11d possibly with a vie'v to my case, placed
vn tue in the ro .iCTov, 01 m1cldle point bet,veen t'vo extremes.
.A. golden mean is ce1ta1nly what every n1a11 shoulcl aim at.
But it is easier tall~ing than doing ; and, my infi1mity being
notoriously too much m1llaness of hea1 t, I fi11d 1t difficult
to maintain that steady equator1nl l1r1e bet,veen the two
poles of too much murde1 on the one 11and, and too little
on the othe1. I am too soft a11d }Jeople get excused
through me nay, go through life \\ithout an attempt made
upon them, that ought not to be excused. I bel1eve, 1f l
had the management of things, tl1ere ~voald hardly be a
1nu1de1 f1om yea1 's end to yea1's e11d. 111 facti I'm f 01
peace, and ql11et11ess, and fa\vn1ngness, and \Vhat may be
styled knoc!..z11g-itnde111ess. .A. man came to me as a can
&date for the place of iny se1vant, jt1st then vacant. He
had the ieputat1on of having dabbled a little in ou1 art,
some said, not mthout n1er1t. What sta1 tled ine, ho\\'eve1,
was,_ that he s11pposec1 tl1is a1 t to be part of h1$ iegular
duties 1n my sei vice, and talkecl of havii1p, it co11sldered in
his wages. Now, that was a thing I would not allo\v; so
I saicl at once, '' R1cba.1cl (01 Jan1es, as tl1e case m1gl1t be),
you m1sunc1erstand my cba1actei. If a n1an 'vill a11tl must
practise this difficult (ancl allow me to add, d:1nge1ous)
branch of ait if he has an ove11 ul1ng ge111us for 1t, \vhy,
1n that case, all I say 1s, that lie in1gl1t as \VQll 1)11i st1e his
studies 'vbilst living i11 my se1vice :1s i11 a11otl1e1 's. And
also, I may obseive, that it can do no l1aru1 eitbe1 to hims lf 01 to tl1e subject on '''born be 01Jeiates, tl1at l1e sl1ould
be O'u1c1ec1 by men of mo1 e taste tl1an !1i1uself Ge11ius
e
'
ma do m11ch. but long study of tl1e a1t 1t1t1st al1rays en-

MURDER.

45

title a man to offer advice. So far I will go gene1.-1.l

p11nciples I mll suggest But as to any po.rt1cular case,
once fo1 all I \Vill have nothmg to do \\1th it Ne-re1 tell
me of any special wo1k of a1t you a1e meditating I set
my fa~ against it 21i toto. Fo1, If once a man indulgi;s
liimsel\. in mlllde1, ve1y soon he comes to thmk little of
r Jbb1ng; and from iobbing he comes next to d1il1king and

Sabbath-brpaking, ancl f1om that to incivility anu proc1ast1nat1on. Once begin upon this downi,.a1d patl1, you
never lmow _whe1e you are to stop. Many a man has
dated h1s ruin f1om some murder or othe1 thn.t pe1haps he
tl1ought httle of at the time. P11nczpz1s obsta that's my
tule.'' Such was my srieech) and I have al\Yays acted uri
to it; so, if tl1at is not being vutuous, I should be glad to
kitO\V 1vl1at is. But now about the dinne1 and the club.
The club was not pa1ticularly of my c1eat1on; it arose
pretty n1uch as othe1 similar associations, f01 the propagation of truth and tl1e commuuicat1on of new ideas;' iather
f1om the necessities of tl1111gs, than upoi1 any 011e man's
st1ggest1on As to the din11e1, if any man wo1e than t1nother could be held responsible fo1 that, it was a membe1
known amongst us by the name of Toad-z1i-tl1e-lzole. Ile

was so called f1om his gloomy m1santh1opicnl dispositio1i,

which led him into constant d1spa1agements of all modern
murders as vicious abo1tions, belonging to no autl1e11tic
school of a1t. The finest pe1f01mances of our o'vn age lie
sna1led at cynically; and at lengtl1 this qt1errtlous humour
grew D})Oll him so much, a11d he became so noto1ious as a.

la1tdato1 te1111101zs acti, tl1at fe,\' people cared to seek 111s

society This made him still more fierce a!ld trt1culent.
He went about mt1tte11ng a11cl g10'\\l1ng; whelevc1 you
met b11n, lie \Vas sol1loquis1ng, nncl sayi11g, '' des1>ical)le
prete11de1 '' ithout 0"'l'Oupin<r
without two icle~1s upon
....
1

48

llIUilD:Cil.
'

'

criticism might be, 11e often saill tl111t ''olt1mes migl1t lie
written 011 cuch cuse for itself, a11cl he even proposed to
'
publish in qt1111to on tl1e subJcct.
l\Ieant1me, ho\v had 'road-i11-tl1e-l1olo ht1p1>cncd to hear
of this great work of a1 t so early i11 tl1e 1Uor11i11g 'l Ile
, had icccived a11 accou11t by e:x1)rcss, clcspatcbecl by a corrcs1Jonde11t in Lont1on, 'vl10 \\ atcl1ccl tl1e 111 ogress of itrt on
Toad's b,ehalf, \\'1th a gc11erul com1niss1011 to send ofr' a s1>ec1al ex1)rcss, at \vl1atcve1 coc;t, iI1 tl1e eve11t of a11y cst11uuble
wo1l;:s U}J}Jea1 i11g. 'l'he ex111css a1 l ivetl 1u the 11igl1t-ti111e,
Toad-ii1-the-l1ole '''11s tl1c11 go110 to bed; 110 l1nu been
mutte1i11g ancl gt 11111bl111g fo1 hot11s, bt1t of course he \\'as
callecl tip. 011 icacl1ng tl10 accou11t, lie tl11e\V l1is arms
iounu tl1e e)..1>rcss, dcclo.1 ctl him l1is b1 otl1cr and his pl cse1 ve1, aucl cx1Jrcsscd l11s iegrct at 11ot bn." i11g it in his
po,vct to hi11gl1t 11i111 1'r c, ui11n.tct11s, huvi11g 11ea1d tbiit
he \Vas abroacl, and tl1e1cf01 c had 11ot 11u1igccl l1imsclf, made
sure of soo11 seeing him a111011gst tis. Accor cl111gly he soon
ur1ivecl; sci4cd every n1un's hu11d us lie 1)assed l111U-\\'I'ung
tt almost fru11t1cully, n11d l1:ept eJUCt1lati11g, '' "\"\rhy, no\v,
be1e's sometl1111g like a u111rclcr t this is t11e 1cal tl1i11gthis is ger111i11e tliis is ''hut )rou can UJ1})l'O\'C, ca11 l ecommend to a fric11cl : tl11s-sa)s C\'c1y 1111111, on 1eflcct1011this is the thii1g tl1ut ot1gl1t to bet Sucl1 '' orls u1c c11011gh
to muk tis all yo1111g.'' A11d i11 fact the gc11cri1l ' opi11io11 is,
that To cl-1n-tl1e-l1olc \\'011lcl l1.1.\c died lJ11t fo1 tl11s 1egcnc1at1on of u1t, \vl1ich lie cullccl u. sccoi1ll age of Leo the
Tenth; a d it '''as 0111 tl11t), 110 sn1d, solc11111lj' to cornu1emo1ate it., At Jll'csc11t, a11cl e1i atte11da11t, 11e }llOllOScc1 that
the club sh6uld n1cet and dii1c togetl1e1. A <lii1ue1, tl1eref01 e, was gi~ e11 by the clt1b, to \vl11cl1 all a111uteurs were
invited fron1 ii. d1&ta11ce of 011e hunclred miles.
Qf thlS dinubr, tl1e1e UlC amplo sho1t-hand notes UIDODgBt

It!.<JP.DER.

49

'

th-a archives of the club. But they are not ''extended,'' to

tJpeak diplomatically; an9, the ieporter, who only could
!~ive the whole repo1i; in extenso, is missing I believe
murdered. Meantime, in years long after that day, and on
an occasion perhaps equally interesting, viz., the turning
up of Thugs and Thugg1sm, another dinner was given. Of
this I myself kept notes, fo1 fea1 of a11othe1 accident to the
short-hand reporter. .A.nJ I he1e subjoin them. Toad-inthe-hole,-I must mentiorl, was present at this dinne1. !11
fact, it "'as one of its sentimental incidents. Being as olcl
as the valleys ?-t t11e dinner of 1812, natu1ally he was as old
as the hills at the Thug dinner of 1838 He l1ad taken to
, wearing his beard again; why, or 'vith \\hat view, it passes
my persimmon to tell you. But so it was. .A.ncl his appea1ance 1vas most bemgn and venerable. N othi11g could
equal the angehc radiance of his smile, as he inqui1ed afte1
, the unfortunate reporte1 (whom, as a piece of private
scandal, I should tell }rou that he 'vas himself supposed to
have muidered in a raptuie of cieative art): the answer
was, with roars of laughter, fiom the under-sheiiff of our
county ''Non est m1entus.'' Toad-m-the-hole laughed
outrageously at this: in fact, we all thought he was choking; and, at the ea1nest request of the company, a musical
composer furnished a most beautiful glee upon the occasion,
'vh1ch was sung five times after dinne1, mth un1ve1sal applaus~ ancl inextinguishable laughte1, the wo1ds being these
(and tl1e chorus so cont1ived, as most beautifully to mimic
the pecuhar laughter of Toad-in-the-hole):' Et 1nter1:ogatum est a. Toad-in-the-hole-UIJ1 est ille ieporter?
Et responsum est cum cach1nno-Non est i11ie11tus ''

Chorus.
''})ci11de ite::atum est ab omn1bns, cum cach111uat1onc ~ntlul.111!e
tre1i1dante--',-n 1 e:.t i1',e'l1u.:; '
C,

lV-

50

'!IIU!lf>r11.

Toad-1n-the-l1ole, I ougl1t to i11c11ti1J11, n.l>out 11i11c ,; 1..11r~

}Jcfore, lvl1cn au express fLon1 l~<l111b111 !.{It l1;011:;J1t 111111 tl1c
ea1 liest intelligence of tl1c Dt1rl.c-1111d-II.trc revol11ti<>11 i11 tf1t:
art, \vent mud upon tl1e s1Jot, a11d, i11stc:td. of n.1ien!:i1011 to tl1e
e,:..prcss fo1 evc11 011e life, or a 1>111gl1tl1ood, cuclcu.\011rcd t(>
B111kc him; in consec1uence of\\'h1cl1 l1c \'t.ts IJ11t t11to :L:,trn1t\Vaistcoat. Aud tl1at '''as the i c:1so11 \\'C l1au 110 <li1111c1 tl1cn.
But DO\V all of us \Vere all ve 1111<l l.1c.k1r1g, st1 a1t-\\ uistco::i.tc1 &
und otl1ers, in fact, not one abse11tee \\us rcpot tccl 111>011 tl1c
entire ioll. Tl1ere \Vere also 1nany fore1g11 u1uutet11 s 11resc11t.
Din11er being over, a11d the clotl1 d1a\\'11, t11ere \Y;\S n
general call n1ade for tl1c 11e\v glee of No1i c.,t i11Lr:11tu$; l>ut,
us tf11s 'vould I1avo i11tc1fcred \Yitl1 tl10 icqui:,ito g11ivit) or
the compa11y duru1g the carl1e1 toui,ts, I O\ crl'ttlcd the call
.After tl10 nut1onul toasts 111\d bee11 gi \en, tl10 first ufliciul

toast of the day \\as, 1'/ie Old .Jlc11i ef tlte Jlou11tc~i11S<lru11k in solemn silence.
'foad-1n-tl1e-llole returned tl1unl;:s in a neat 1>peecl1. Ilo
l1l~e11ed l11mself to the Old 1\iau of tl1e 1fountalns, iI1 a fc\'t'
brief all11sions, tl1ut 'Dlade the con1pa11y ;ell \\1th lnugl1tcr,
and 110 cor1clt1<lcd \v1th giving tllc health of
.Jl1 JT01i Ilan11ne1, w1tl1 mn11y tl1u11ks to him for his lea111ed
History of the Old :Mc.n and his subJccts the assassins.
U1Jor1 this I iose and &a1cl, that doul)tlcss most of the
cornpany \Vere a\vare of tl10 clistu1gu1shed p!(1co assigned
by orientulists to tl1e very learned Turkish scholar, Vor1
IIammc1r the .Austrian; tl1at be had wade the i>rofoun(lcst
researcl1es into our art, as connected lYitl1 those en1ly null
emi11e11t artists, the Syria11 ussassi11s ir1 the pc1 iocl of tl1c
'
Crus~ders; tl1at bis \Vorlc hacl been fo1 several yca1s llcpos1tc'r1, as n. rare treasure of art, in tl10 library ot tl1e clttb.
1
Eve11 t l10 autl101's nan1e, gcntlen1c11, l)Ointcd him out as tho
hlstor1uri, of our nrt Von IIuu1lller - -

51

''Ye'-, )'CJ.'' i11tcrrt111tctl 'l'oall-111-tl1c-l1olc>, ',..on Tfun1

11.<:r h1.:'s tile 111nn for n. 111t1llc11s l1c1,1 ~ticor1t111. Y 011 ull J.11ow
'rl1at co111-itlc1 t1tio11 '\\ ill1..im:. Le~tO\\ cu 011 t!Je l1aui1ut.?11 or
tl1e 1-hipt~r1lenterts r11..illct, \\ 11ic:l1 is tl1c sn.n1e tl1i11g. G e11tll'me11, I gi\c )'OU unotl1cr great 11nm1nc1 Cl1:1rlcs tl10 IIu1111i1c1, tl1c )f:1rtca11, 01, i11 ol<l French, tl1c )fartcl lie l1u111n1crcd tl1e S:11accns till they ivcrc :111 r1s clc:1<l us <loor-naiis.''
2
' ChL1rleJ tl1e llci111111c1, \v1tl1 ~ll tl1c 11011011rs. '
But tl1c c.iplosio11 of 'l'ontl-i11-tl1c-l1ole, togctl1cr ivith tl10
1~1>roatiot1c; cl1ccrs for tl1c g1t111d1>a1>n. of CJ1;11 l()111agnc1 !Jail
1
110,\ 111:1<.le tl1e com1>any u111nanagcublc.
'l l1c orcl1estr.i.
\\as agai11 cl1allcr1ge<l \., it11 shouts tl1e storn1ic:.t for ti1c t1C\'f
glee. I f orcsa;., n. tcn11ic~tt1ou' eve11i11g; tind I or<lcretl
n1ysclf to be strc11gthc11ctl \\ itl1 three '' uite1.:> 01i 11cl1 :-illo;
the vicc-1lresic.1e11t ''itl1 a<> 111an). Sy1n1>to1115 of' 1111r11lj c11thusiasm \VC1 e llegi1111i11g to ~110\\. 011t; t111<l I O\\ 11 tb11t I
'
111jself ''I' us co11<-i<lcrul>l) c:\citctl, as the orcl1estr:.i opcue1l
"itl1 its btor111 01 11111::ic, u11ll tl1e im11nso:io11ctl glee 1Jega11'' Et i11tcrrogat11111 est a. 'l'o.-id-in-tl1e-holc Ubi c,t illo
Re1Jortcr 1'' ~\.11d tl1c ft e11z) of the pas3io11 bcc:11111~ :111:0<)
lutclj co11\ 11lsi11g, .1s tl1c fttll cl1ol t1s ft..ll in 'Et it'-r.itu111
est :1h omnibus X 011 est iu\e11tus.''
'1'110 next. toa:.t \\.U!> 'l'i.r:. J1.,1Lr::!1. S1i:ar1i.
Upon '' l1ich 1 t11adc tl1c follo\Yi11g ex1>l3.11utio11 to tll(!
co11111t1t1)~: ' Gentlcu1cn, 1 :1111 l>t1re it \\ill i11tcrcEt )vtl :111
t') 11ei1r tl1at tl10 11s~a~::ins, 1111cie11t U'> tl1c:
\I
crct
1111J
.1
r.!i..\!

of i1ri..(lccl:-Eors i11 tl1u 'er) l:'nt11c cou11tr,:. _\.JI O\ 1..:1 S: ~ iJ,

llut partic11J:1rl) i111'~1lt:'ltiue1 l1t11i11g tlic i::11rJ; )c.ir:. vt tl1
.E1:1y)t:rur X<.lO, tl10r~ \\tL') ti, bnnt'l of lllU1'(!1.tt'f~1 \lt} r1r11bC\'Ulc\l tl11:ir ctu<li(..; i11 :i. ,er\'
. 110\cl 11~1111;~1. 'f !:1. tli~l
t1ot l)l';.lLti,c iii tl1e i1igl1t-ti1111.? or i!t llt;:l) 11!,1~"; 1 J.~.
j1,,tl,: c{'11:1,lcrii1~ tl1lt ~rc:it er0\\,1~ >lf'-1 it1 ti,,til-'- 1 1 '- ...
stJJ: 21f <i~\tl,ilt.}t-., \,;.. 1,.t;..'!1~ of the tll....!1~0 l)l't. .. ,."tlt'i... .!".. t.! t!ti: i~!.l.
11

'

!11UUDLlt

pos:>il)il1t.y of finding out \\'110 it \Vas tl111t gti\c the !Jlo\.-, thCj'
mingled \vith mol)s cvery\\here ; part1ct1l11rly at tl1e gre~t
paschal feast in Jerusalem; ,,liere tl1ey actuo.11)' l1utl t!ic auc10.c1ty, as J osep11us assures ui:;, to pt cc:s irito il1c tcn1plcantl \'r 11om ~hot1lcl t11ey choose f 01 opcrati11g lll)On b11t Jonatl1a11 himself, tlie Pont1fex ::\Ial.i1nus 'I 'l'l1cy m111llc1cd I1im,
gcntlc111en, as l.Jeaut1fully us if they 11a<l l1utl 11i111 {tlo11e 011 :1
n1oonless night i11 a. dar}{ la11e. Anl1 \\ 11c11 it \1'i1s asked.
wl10 '''a<i the mu1t1crc1, antl '' l1cre lie '' ll'>
''
1
'' Wl1y, then, it \'tas a11S\\'ercd, ' i11ter1 u1>tcd 'l'oad-111-thcl1olc, '' '11ron est z11ientus.''' Anr1 tl1cn, in spite of 'all I coul(l
do or i;ay, t11e 01cl1estra opened, autl tl1c ,,l10Ic compnt1)'
lJegar1 ''Et interrogatum est n'l'oa(1-i11-tl1c-l101e Ub1 e<..t
ille S1car1us? Et responsum est al) omn1b11s i\ron est 111i,e11t11s.''
When t11e tempestuous clio1t1s l1atl st1lJ;,,icled, I bcgu11
again.-'' Gentlemen, j'Otl '''111 fi11d a "'cry circumstantial
account of tl1e Sicu11i 1n at least th1ee d1fl'erent pa1ts of
Josephus, once in Bool\. XX, sec. v, c. 8, of l1is '.Ant1quit1es ; ' once in Boo], I of 11is ' W a1s:' but in sec. :x:. 01'
tlie cl1aptcr fi1 <>t cited )'OU '' 111 find a particular desc1iptio11
of their tool111g 'J'his 1s \\hat l1e [!ays .-' Tl1ey tooled '\'1tl1
, small scimitars not much different f1om tl1c Pe1sian ac1'l1aca:,
but more curvec1, and for all t11e \\ orld most ltlc the Roman
semi-Iu11ar szcm' It is pe1fcctly magnificent, geutlcme11, to
hear the sec1ucl pf their history. Perhap:, tl1e only case 011
reco1d lvhere a regula1 army of murde1ers 1vas assembled,
a ;ustus exe1 c1tu8, i\'as in the case of tl1ese Si'ca11i They
'
mustered in such strength in the 'v1ldcrness, thu.t Festus
l1imse1f was obliged to marcl1 against them 'v1th the Roman
legioiiary force \ A pitched battle c11sucd; and tl11s army
of amatcu1s 1vas all c11t to pieces in the desert. l:Ieavens,
grntlcmen, 'vhat a\sul>limt' ,!}~cture ! 'rhe Roma11 Ic~io11s ,
1

53

:\IUltD:CR.

-the wtlderness Je1usalem in the distance an a1n1}' of

murderers in the f oreg1.'ound ! ''

The next toast was ''To the further impro"1>e1nent of

Tooling, and thanks to the Committee for their ser\'Ices.'
:llr L , on behalf of the Committee who had ieporteu on
that subject, returned thanks. lle made an interesting
extract f1 om the report, by which 1t appeared how ve1y
much st1ess had been la1cl formerly 011 the inode of tooling
by the fathers, both Greeli: and Lat111. In confi1mat1on of
this pleasing .fact, he made a very st1iking statement in refe1ence to the earliest wo1li: of antediluvian art. Father
::..\Iersenne, that learned F1ench Roman Catholic, in page
one thousand four hundred and th11ty-one""' of his ope1ose
Commenta1y on Geriesis1 mentions, on the autho11ty of
beveral iabbis, that the c1ua11el of Ca,in \\ith ~\..bel was about
1
,a young woman; that, accordillg to Tanous accounts, ( ain
had toolecl 1v1th his teeth (A.belem f11isse n1ors1bus d1laceratum Cam); according to many othe1::., \Vith the Ja\v-bone
of an ass, which is the tooling adopted by most painters.
But it is pleasing to tlie mind of sens1bihty to kno~"- that,
as science expanded, sounde1 views 1ve1e adopted. One
autho1 contends for a pitcl1fork, St Chrysostom for a
SiVord, Irenreus fo1 a scythe, and Prudentius, the Christian
poet of the fourth centu1y, for a hedging-bill. This last
1vr1ter delivers his opinion thus : -

'Frater, probatre sanct1tatis remulus,

Gern1ana cuno calla f1angit sarculo. ''

i.e., his brothe1, Jealous of his attesteu sanctity, f1actures

his fra.ter11al thro:!.t 1'"1.th a curved bedgi~g-btll. '' .A.11

\Vhich is respecttally submitted by you1 coifim1ttee, not, so
1
much as decisive of the c1ueshon (for it , is not), but in
I

'

'

'' l~age one thot1<:J.nd four hun<lred ancl turrty-one. ''-l1tcrall:1,

~ood r~.J.der, J.11tl no Jnl..i; .it all.
'

!14

~llJJLI>Ell.

01der to '1mp1eqs 11por1 t110 )'outbf11l 1nintl tl10 i1111>01tn11cc

'vhich l1n.s eve1 been attncl1cc1 to tl1c c1ual1ty of tl1e, tool111g
by suC(h men ns Cl1rysostom a.11<1 Irc11mus.''
'' Ire11mus, be hanged!'' sn1d Ton.(l-in-tl10-l1olc, '' 110 nO\\.
rose irnpn.t1ently to give tho nc:\t toast: ''Our Ir1sl1 f11cr1ds;
1v1c;l11ng tl1em n. Rpeedy revolution iu their moue of tooling,
as \Yell as in evcrytl11ng elc;e connected \V1tl1 tl1e u1t t ''
'' Ge11tle1nen, I'll tell you tl10 pln.1n ti 11tl1. Evc1 j' dn)'
of tl10 )'C:11 \Ve tal{C up n. i1:1per, \Ve 1encl tl1e 01Je11i11g of n.
1nurdc1. \Ve say, tl11s is good, this is cl1nrr11111g, tl11s I&
CAcellcnt ! But, bcl1olcl yo11 t Rcn1ccly 11u.vc 've iead !1 l1ttlc
fa1tl1er, before tl1e \Vorel 1'11)1)crn1y or Dnll1na-sometl11ng
betrays tl10 Irish ma11ufact11re. I nstn.ntly \Ve loatl1e it; '\'e
call to tl10 'vuiti;r, 'vc SUj', '\V u1ter, take n\vay tl11c; pupe1;
send it out of t11e ho11se , it 1s absolutely a scundul 111 the
11ost11Is of all Just tn<,tc ' I appeal to e\'CI'.}' n1ur1, \\ l1ethc1,
011 find111g a 1nurdc1 (otl1cr\\'ISe }JC1l1ups pron11&111g cno11gl1)
to be Irisl1, be doec; not feel 111mc;clf ns mucl1 i11s11ltcd nc;
"'hen, l\fa<leirn. being ordc1 cd, lie finds it to be Cupe; or
\Yl1en, ta l~1ng up '\Vl1ut 11e tul.:cs to be a n1usl11 oom, it tur11s
011t 'vhut cl11ldre11 call a ton.d-stool. 'r1tbes, pol1t1cs, ~ome
tl1111~ 'vrong 111 p11nc1ple, vitiate every I11&l1 mu1dcr
Ge11tlemen. this must be 1efo11nec1, 01 I1olu11d \\'tll not be 11
land to live 1n, at least, if 'vc do live tl1ere, '''O must 1n1po1t
all our mu1 <le1s, tl1ut's clca1.'' Toucl-1n-tl1e-hole sat U0\\11,
gro'~ l111g '''1tl1 suppressed w1ath, u11d tl1e up1 oa11ous ''Ileu1,
hear 1'' clamo1011c;ly expressed the general conc1111e11ce.
'l'l1e 11e:ii.t tonqt \vus-'' 'rhc s11bl1me epoch of Bu1!.:1s111
and I-I al'JSID ! ''
'l'l11s '''US\. \ Clru11lt with enthusiasm , nn{l one of the
mentbero;, '\vl10 ;:;polte to t11e c1uestio11, n1ade a very c1111ous
comm11111catio11 to the compu11y. '' Ge11tlcmcn, '''c fancy
Burk1~m to be n. pu1e invention of our O\Vtl times. and 111

3IUilDER.

f.1ct no Pancirollus has ever enume1atccl this u1ancl1 of

~irt 1\'l1cn w1iting de rebus depe1 dztzs. Still, I have ascertained that, the essential principle of tl1is va11ety i11 tl1e a1t
1ias kno\rn to the ancients; although, hke the a1t of pa1nt1ng
ltpon glass, of making the myrrhine rups, &c, it '''as lost
in the dark ages for want of encou1agement. In tl1e famous
collection of G1eel;: epig1ams made by Pla11udes, IS one t1po11
a -rery fascinat111g case of Du1kism : it is a pe1feet little
gem of a1 t. 'fhe CJ)igram itself I ca1111ot l.y my I1ancl UJ)Oll
at tliis moment, but the fallowing IS a11 abstract of it by
Saln1asius, as I find it i11 his notes on V op1scus : ' Est et
elegans ep1gram1na Lucil1i, ubi med1cus et poll1nctor de
compacto sic egerunt, ut medic11s regros omnes c111re sure
commissos occicleret : this was tl1e basis of the co11tract,
you see, tl1at on the oi1e part the doctor, for 111n1self a11d
l11s-assigns, doth unde1take a11d cont1act duly ancl t1uly to
murdei all the patients committed to l1is charge: b11t \vhy?
Tl1e1e lies the beauty of the case Et ut })Oll1ncto11 amico
suo tradereL pollingendos.' The pollzrzctor, you a1e a\va1e,
was a, person whose business it \Vas to dress and prepa1e
,dea'c-1 bodies for burial. Tl1e original ground of the transaction appea1s to have been sentimental: 'He was my
friend,' says tl1e murderous doctor; 'he "\\as dear to me,'
in speaking of the pollinctor. But the la\v, gentlem'en, 1s
stern and harsh: the law will not hea.r of tl1ese ,1tender
motives: to sustain a contract of this nature in law, it is
essential that a 'consideration.' should be given. New what
1i 1s the conside1ation?
For thus far all is on the Jide of
the pollinctor: he will be well paid for ltls seivices ; but, meantime, the generous, the noble-minded doctor gets
'nothing. What ivas the equivalent, again I ask; which the
law would i11sist on the docto1's tal;:ing, in order to establish that ' rons1deration,' without \vhicl1 the cont1act had
1

56

MURDBlt.

no force'? You sl1all hear : 'Et ut polbncto1 v1c1ssllll -reAa~

p.iiJvas quos fu1abata1 de llOllmct1one mo1 tuorum medico
mitteret donis ad all1gauda vulne1a eo1 um quos cu1 abut ; '
i.
and that iec1procally the polhncto1 should t1ausm1t to
the phys1c1an, as f1ee gifts fo1 the b1nd1ng Ul) of ;vounds IU
those ;vhom he t1eated medically, the belts 01 trusses
(re"Xawvas) whic.h he had succeeded in pu1lo1n1ng ju the
course of his functions about tl1e co11lses
''Now, tl1e case 1s clea1 : the ''hole went on a pr1uc1ple of
rec1p1oc1ty \\hich 'vould ha\e kept up tl1e t1ade fo1 eve1.
The docto1 \\'US also a surgeon. he could not mu1de1 all
his patients some of tl1e patients must l)e ieta1ned intact.
For these he vtauted linen ba11dages. But, u11hap1)ily, the
Romans wo1e woollen, on \\"l11c.l1 account it '''as tl1at they
bathed so often. l\Ieunt1me, tl1e1e u,ccs 1111en to be had i11
Rome; but it was monstrously dear ancl the refl.awves, or
linen S\\athing bandages, 1n \Vh1ch Sll}Jc1st1t1on obl1ged them
to hind up corpses, 'voulcl ans,ver capitally for the su1geon
The docto1, therefore, cont1acts to furnish his f1iend \\'1th a
constant succession of co1 pses, p1'0\'1cled, and be it understoocl
always, that his saicl f11e11d, in 1et111n, sl1ould sup1)ly him I\ ith
one-half of the a1t1cles he 'vould iece1ve f'1om tl1e f11ends of
tl1e ;ia1ties mu1de1ed or to be m111de1ed The doctor 1nva11ably recommended his mvaluable f11end tl1e polhncto1 (whom
let us call the undertaker). the unde1 taker, with equal i egard
to the sac1
ed
r1gl1ts
of
friendship,
11nliormly
recommended
\
the doct,01. Llke Pylades and 01ec;tes, they we1e models of
a pe1fiect f1iendsh1p . in tl1eir lives they were lovely ~ and
on the allows, it is to be hoped, they were not d1v1ded.
'' Geuu emen, it makes me laugh ho111bly, 'ivhen I think
or tl1ose t\\ o f11ends d1a\\ iug and ie-cl1a1v111g on each othe1.
Polhncto1 u account with Doctor, debtor by sixteen
co1 pscs: creu ito1 by forty-five bandages, two of v.b1cl1
J

e.,

Munnr.n.

'J7

c1arnarred.'
Their
names
u11fo1tunately
a1e
lost;
but
I
cono
ceive they must haYe been Quintus Burkins and Publius
Haiius By the way, gentlemen, l1as anybody heard lately
'
of Ha1e 'l I unde1stand he is comfortably settled iu I1eland,
considerably to the west, and does a little business ilow and
then ; out, as he obse1 ves with a sigh, only as a retatlernothing like the fine th1ivmg wholesale conce1n so ca1elessly
blown up at Edir1burgh. 'You see "'l1at comes of neglecting business' is tl1e chief mo1al, the Jr.i.l58iov, as iEso1)
-woulcl say, which Ha1e d1aws fiom bis past e:s:pe1ience ''
At length came the toast of the clay' Thugdo11i z1i all zts
I

blanches
'Ihe speeches attenpted at this c1isis of, the dinner we1e
past all counting. Bt1t the applause ,,as so fu1ious, the
m11sic so stormy, and t11e c1ashn1g of glasses so incessant,
f1om the gene1al i esolution never again to diink an .inferio1
toast f101n the same glass, tl1at I am unequal to the task of
1epo1ting. Besides which, Toad-in-the-bole now became
ungovernable. He kept .fiiing pistols in every di1ection ,
sent his se1vant for a blunderbuss, and tall;:ed of loading
'\'iith ball-cartridge. We conce1vecl that his forme1 madness
11ad 1.etu1ned at the me11tion of Bu1ke and Ha1e; 01 that,
being again \vea1y of life, 11e had resolved to go off in a.
gene1al massac1e. This we could not think of alloning,
it became indispensable, theiefore, to kick him out; 1vhich
we did "'ith umversal consent, the whole company lending
their toes uno pecle, as I may say, though pitying his g1ey
hai1s and his angelic smile. Dt111ng the operation, the 01chest1a pourecl m tl1eir old chorus. The u11ive1sal company
sang, ancl (what surprised us most of all) Toatl-ir1-the-hole
joined us fu1iously in sincr1no-o 0
'
(

' Et 1nter1ogutnm est ab om111bus-Ubi e5t ille Toa<l-1u-thc-ho!e?

I
Et r>!c:po11s11111 est .ib 0111111bus-:Xon est 111\ eutu.s.'

POS'ISCRIPT.

IT i<:. i1nnos.sible to conciliate readers of so saturnine antl gloomy

a cl.iss, that they cannot enter mth gemal sympathy into any
gaiety 'vhatever, but, least of all, when the gaiety trespasses ,\
little mto the provmce of the extravagant. In such a case, not
.to sympatl11se IS not to understand; and the playfuliiess, '1.luc11
IS not relished, becomes flat a11d insipiC., or absolutely without
mea.nu1g. Fortunately, after all such churls have withdrawn
from my audience in high dlSpleasure, there remains a Iaige ma]Onty 'vho are loud in acknowledgmgthe amusement which they
have denved from thIB little paper, at the same tune provmg
the sincerity of their praise by one hes1tatmg express1on of censure Repeatedly they have suggested to me, that perhaps the
extravagance, though clearly mtentional, and for1111ng one ele111ent in the general gaiety of the conception, went too far I
am not myself of that op1n1on, anc}. I beg t-0 remind these fi'l..?ndly
censors, that it IB amongst the direct purposes and efforts of tlus
bagatelle to graze tl1~ brmk of horror_, and of all that 1vottld m
actual real1sahon be most repulsive. The very exce.ss of the extravagance, m fact, by suggesting to the reader continually the
mere aenal1ty of the entire specuL.i.tion, furmsl1es. the surest
1neans of d1Sench3)lt1ng l11m fiom the ho1Tor which nnght else
f,rather upon hIB feelings Let me rem111d such ob1ectors, once
for all, of D_ean Sv;ut's proposal fox turnmg to account the
supern11merary mfants of the three kmgdoms, ,,filch, in those
-<lay:: "-,both at Dublin and at London, were provxlled form fou11lll1ng hL sp1tals, by cooking and eatmg them ThIB was a11 exti.itl1011gh really holller and more coarsely pract1t.al th.w

POSTSCRIPT.
I

n1ine, '''luch chd not provoke any reproaches even to a <lignita.t:y

of the supreme Insh church; its own monstrosity \\'US its excuse;
mere extravagance -was felt to license and accredit tl1e little Jeii
<I'eprit, precisely as the blank Jmpossiblhhes of Lilliput, of Laputa, of the Yahoos, &c, had hcensed those If, tl1erefo1e, any:
man thinks 1t worth lus wlule to tilt agajnst so mere a foambubble of gruety as tlus lecture on the resthetlcs of murder, I
shelter myself for the moment under the Te1amon1an slueld of
the Dean But, In reality, wluch (to say the truth) fo1mec.l one
motive for deta1nm~ the reader by tlus Postscript, my o;vu httlo
pape1 may plea(l a pri,-tleged excuse for its extra,agance, such
as is altogether "anting to the Dean's Nobody can preten(l, for
a moment on beI1alf of the Dean, that there is any orchnary ancl
J1a'-.intl tendency In human thoughts, which could e\'er turn to inf.in ts as articles of ch~t; under any conceivable circumstances, tl11s
,,ould be felt as the most riggravated form of cann1b:.tlJ.Em cannibal;s111 applyrng itself to the most defenceless part of tl1e species.
Dut, on the other hand, tl1e tend'ency to a cnt1c.-il or restl1et1c valuation of fires and murders is uni,ersal. If you are s11mmoned to
'
the spectacle of a great fue, J111doubtedly the first impulse is to
assISt in puthng it out But that field of exerhon lS -yery l1m1ted, ,
and is soon filled by regular profes;::1onal people, trained and
eqmpped,for the senTJce. In the case of a. fire which 1S operatmg
t1roi111r1i ate property, pity for a neighbour's calamity cl1ecks us
at first in treating the affair as a scenic spectacle But pe1ha~
tl1e fu-e m!_l.y be cqnfined to public butlcungs. Ancl m a11y case,
after we have paid our tribute of regret to the affair, considered
as a calamity, inevitably, and '"1thout restrrunt, we go on to
consider it as a stage spectacle. Exclamations of How grand!
l1ow magnificent I anse m a sort of rapture from the cro,vd.
For instance, when .Drury Lane 'vas burned do\vn 111 the firs~
'clecenn111m of tlus centur~', the falhng in of the roof was signal1.SC\.l by a llllroic SUlc1de of tl1e protct1ng ..t\.pollo that surmountec1
and cre."ted the centre of tlus roof. The g0d 'vas stationary w1tl1
lus 1)-re, and seemecl look1ng do,vn upon t.b.e fiery rmns that ,,ere
so rapidly .ipproacl11ng lilln. Sttddenly the suppo1tmg timber;:;
ricJO\\' ll!ffi ga,e '\::!.) 1 3. COn,uls1\e hea.>e Of tlltJ btlJo,,'lllg flame_..

60 _,

POSTSCRIPT.

seemed for a moment to raise tl1e statue , and then. as Ii on so1no

impulse of de..pau, the presidmg deity a1)pe:i.r(!J i1ot to fall, bt1t

to thro1v lumself into the fiery deluge, 01 lie '\'ent do\vu head
foremost; and mall respects, the descent l1ad the au of a vollmtary act \TI1at folloi;ved? From ei;cry one of tl1e b11llgcs over
the river, and from other open meas v:Iuch comma11dell the spec
tacle, there arose a sustained uproar of achn1rat1on and sympat11y
Some few yc..'trs before this e\e11t1 a proillg1ous fire occur1cd at
Liverpool; the Goi ee, a vast i)tle of \\ arel1ouscs close to one of
the docks, was burned to the ground. The huge Cll1ficc, eight 01
nine storeys high, and la.den ,\\'ltl1 most combustible goods, many
thousand bales of cotton," heat and oats m thousands of quarters,
tar, turpentme, r11m, guupo>vder, &c , contint1cd tlu:ough many
hours of darkness to feed tills tremendous fire To aggra,ate the

calamity, it blew a regular gale of wind, luckily for the sl1ipp1ng,

it blew inland, that is, to the east, and all tl1e v.ay c1o>vn to
\Varrmgton, eighteen miles distant to the east1var<l, the 11hole
atr was ill11m1nated by flakes of cotton, often saturated \l'tth rmn,
and by what seemed absolute worlds of bla,.ing spa1ks, that hgl1ted.
up all the uppe1 ch.<tmbers of the air All the cattle lying ab1oad
in tl1e :fields tl11ough a breadth of eighteen nules, we1e tlrro1vn
into terror and agitation. ~fen, of comse, iead m this hurrying
overhead of scmtillatmg and blazing vo1t1ces, the annt1nciat1on
of some g1gant1c calamity going on m Liverpool; ancl the lame11tatJ.on on t11at account '\\'as 11n1versal. But that mood of llubl1c
sympathy did not at all mterfere to supp1ess or even to check tl1e
momentary bursts of rapturous admiration, as this arro''7 sleet
of many-coloured if.re rode on the wings of hurricane, alternately
through open depths of air, or through dark clouds ove1head.
PreclSely the same treatment is apphed to mmuers After
the fuat tribute of sonow to those who have perished, but, at

3ll events, after the personal mterests have been t1anqutllISed

\
by time, ine\'ltably the scemca.l features (what resthct1callymay
be called the com_paril.t1ve advantages) of the several muideis are
reviewed and -valued 1 One murder is compared with another ;
::tu<l the citc11instances 'C?f super1or1ty, as, for example, in the m.::1d~nce
effects of SlU'~rISe. of myst~ry, &c , are collated and ap-

a.nu

'
POSTSCRIPT.

61

praised. I, therefore, for 11iy extra;ragance, claim an inevitable

and perpetual gro11nd in the spontaneous tendencies of the b11man
nund 1>hen left to itself. But no one will pretend that ,any cor
1espondmg plea can be advanced on. behalf of Swift.
In tlus impoi tant chstrnct1on. between myself ~d the Dean,
hes one ieason. "\\'hich prompted the present Postscript. A second
rurpose of the Postsci1pt IS, to make the reader acqumnted
circ11mstantJ.ally \\'Ith three memo1able cases of murder, which
long ago the \01ce of amateurs has cro;vned ;nth laurel, but
especially with the t'vo earhest of the three, VIZ , the immortal
Williams' murders of 1812. Tl1e ac,t and the actor are each separately in the lughest degree mterestmg; and, as forty-two
years have elapsed since 1812, it cannot be supposed th,tt either,
is kno\vn. crrc11mstantially to the men of the current generation.
Kever, thioughout the an11als of umve1sal Chr1Stendom, has
there.mdeed been any act of one sohtary 1nsulated individual,
ai'Illed mth po,ver so appall111g over the heaits of men, as that
exter1111nating murder, by which, dur1n~ tl1e winter of 1812,
John Williams, m one hour, smote tvro houses with emptmess,
exter1ninated all but two entne households, and asserted lu;> O\\'n
supremacy above all the clnlilien of Cam It would be absol11tely 1mposs1ble adequate!)' to descnoe the frenzy of feelmgs
\vmch, throughout the next fortnight, masteied the popular heart;
themeiedeln1.11m
of indignant ho1Tor in some, the mere dehn11m
,
of pamc in o'.:hers. Foi
t\\elve succeedmrr
days , lil'der some
'
0
ground1ess notion thatthe11nkno1\'Il murderer had quitted London, t11e panic wlnch had, convulsed the m1ghty me1'ropohs diffused itself all O\'Cr the island. I was myself at that time nearly
three hundred in1les from. London ' but there , an(\ ever'"lvhere,
J
the l'J.mc \\asmdescnbable One lady, myn.extneghbour, whom
perso11ally I knew, h\'mg at the moment, during the absence of
her l1usband, "\\'Ith a fe\v servants m a very sohtfa'Y house, never
rcstctl until she had pL.iced eighteen. doors (so ,. )J.~ told me, and,
11111-:eJ, s.1tisilc-d me by ociilai proof), each sec15r.:d by ponderous
bolts, and bars, and cl1ains, between l1ei Ol\'UllJeiliooi:p. and any
iut1ttiler of htlillan bmld. To reach her, evh1 in 'lier ili-awmgt 00111, ''as hke going, c..s a. fl:!g of ti ucc, intr a bele.'lguered foi c'

63

POSTSCRIPT.
'

of households, composed exclusively of women and chtlllren ;

1
many other thousands there are who necessarily confide theusafety, m the long e>enings, to the discretion of a. young ser-
vant girl j and if she suffers herself to be beguiled by the pretence of a. mes...o;age from her mother, sister, or sweetheart, into
open1ng the door, there, m one second of t1me, goes to "\vreck
the security of the house. However, at that time, and for many
months aftenvards, the pracbce of steadtly putting the chain
upon the door before it was opened prevailed generally, a.nd for
a. long t1me served as a record of that deep 1mpression left upon
London by ~fr Wtlhams. Southey, I may add, entered deeply
into the public feehng on this occasion, and said to me, within a.
"\veek or two of the first murder, that rt was a private event of
that or<ler which rose to the dignity of a. national event."" But
now, having prepared the reader to appreciate on lts true scale
this dreadful tissue of murder (which, as a record belonging to
an era. that is now left forty-t\\'o years be111nd us, not one person
in four of this generation can be expected to kno'v correctly),
let me pass to the crrc11n1f:tanbal details of the affair.
Yet, first of all, one "\vord as to the local scene of the murders '
Ratchffe Highway is no pubhc thoroughfare in a most chaotic
quari:er of eastern or nautical London i and at thls time (viz.,
in 1812), when no adequ.-ite police eXISted except the detective
police of Bo\\ Street, arlm1ra~le for its o'vn peculiar purposes,
but utterly incommensurate to the general service of the capital,
it ''as a most clangerous q11arter. Every third man at the least
Illlght be set do\vn as a foreigner. Lascars, Chinese, ?\foors,
Negroes, weie met at every step. And apart from the manifold
i11ffiani>:m, shlouded impenetrably under the mixed hats and
turbans of men whose past was untraceable to any European
eye, it 1S
known that the navy (especially, in time of war,
the commercial na''Y) of Chrl.Stendom is the sure receptacle of

'"ell-

'
*I am not

Stire '\ hether

Soutl1ev held nt this time 11is appoint

111ent to the ed1to1sl11p of tl1e '' Edinbtirgh ~i\.nnuul Regist~r '' If
he md, no doubt i11 the domestic sec.t1on of that cl1ron1clc \\ill ho
t-_:.nd an CAtcl1c11t .1ccount of the \\hole.
'

'

POSTSCRII'T.

'

anJ <ilio the stlent testunony of facts, sh;:,-r. eel th.'1.t the oihi't>;:;s a111l
snaky ii151nuation of his demeanour com1te1actecl tl1e rep11ls1> eness of his ghastly face, and amongst inexperienced yot111g "\"\orne11

''on for him a ve1;::fa\ourable reception. In particular, one g\'ntlemannered grr1, whom W.tlllarns had undoubte<ll:r dCSJ.gned to ruUIder, gave 1n e''lde.ace that once, '1.hen hltt1ng alone '''ltl1 her, he
had said, ''Now, Miss R, supposing that I sliotilrl app~'lr about
nudmght at your bec1side, aimed "\\'1th a C<'lr\'1ng lrni,fe, ,\hat'' ou1cl
you say?'' To which the confidmg gi.11 had 1eplied, ''Oh, 1lr
"\Villiams, if it "as anybody else, I sho11ld be f11ghtened. But, as
soon as I l1eard yoztr voice, I should be, tranqutl '' Poor gi1l' 11ad
this outline sketch of M1 \\rilliams been filled in and realised, sI10
would have seen somctl11ng m the corpse~hke face, an~ heaitl
somethmg m the s1niste1 voice, that "'ould have unsettled her
tranq111ll1ty for e,er. But nothing short of such ilieaclful ex, per1ences could avatl to unn;iask llh John Williams.
Into this pertlo11S region it was that, on a Saturday mght in
December, llir W1llia1ns, whom we must suppo~e to ha\e long
smce made his toz1p d'essaz, forced his way tlirough the crowdeu
streets, bound on business. To say, was to do. .And this night
he had said to himself secretly, that he woltld execute a c1esrgn
which he had already sketched, and \\hich, 'vhen fimsl1e(l, "'as
destmed on the following c1.'1.y to strike consternation into 'all
tlmt m1ght),he.ut '' oi London, nom centre to cuc11mference.
It was u.:fter\'iards rcn1embcrcd that he had q1utted his lodgmgs
on this dark errand about ele>en o'clock P :M.; not that he meant
to begin so soon: but he needed to reconnoitre. He carried his
tools closely buttoned up under his loose roomy coat. It ''as
m harmony with the general subtlety of his character, and his
polished hatred of brutality, that by universal agreement 1us
manners were distmguished for exq11isite sua\'lty: the tige1's
heart ''as masked by the most insinuating and snaky refine- \
ment. All his acquaintances afterwards described his dl.SSllllu- 1
I
lation as so ready and so perfect, that if, m making his '''ay
through the streets, always so cro,,ded on a Saturday mght m
neighbourhoods so poor, he had accidentally 3ostled any person,
he would (as they 'vere all satisfied) ha\e stopped to offei the
c2
I
I

'

66

l'OS1'SClt1PT.

most gentlemanly apologies with his devilish hea1t brooding

over the most hellish of purposes, he "\vould yet have paused to
exp1ess a benign hope that the huge mallet, buttoned up under
his elegant surtout, 1v1th a vie"lv to tho httle busmess that a"lva1ted
lum about runety minutes further on, had not in~cted any pam
on the stranger "IVlth 1vhom he had come mto collision T1t1an,
' I believe, but cert.unly Rubens, and pe1haps Vandyke, mac1e 1t
a rule nover to practISe lus a1 t but in full di ess-pornt i ufile<;,
bag "IVIg, and dramond-hrlted S"lvord and nfr 'Villia1ns, there 1S
reason to beheve, 1vhen he went out for a g1a11d compolm(l
'
mas&'lcre (m another sense, one n11gl1t have applied to it tl1P
Oxfo1d pluase of gozng out as Gra1zd Conzpou1zder), al1vays ass11med black silk stockings and p11mps, nor "lvould lie on a11y
account have degiaded hIS pos1t1on as an a1trst by wearing a
morrung go"lvn. In lus second great performance,
1t "\Vas part1c11,
11.rly noticed and iccorded 9y the one sole trembhng man, 1vl10
under killing agorues of fe111 "\Vas compelled (as the reader 1v1ll
:find) from a secret stap.d to become tl1e solitary spectator of his
atToc1t1es, that l\Ir Will1ams ;vore a long blue frock, of the very
finest cloth, and richly hued 1vith silk .t\mongst the anecc1otes
'
)Yillch circulated about him, it 1vas also &aid at the tune, tlwt
l\[r Wllliams employed the first of dentISts, and also the fi1'3t of ' clu:ropodISts On no account would he patronise any secondrJ.te skill. And beyond a doubt, m that pertlo11S httle b1ancl1
of busmess which wJ.S practISed by himself, lie m1.ffht be reg.i.rdeu
as the ihost a1IStoc1at1c and fast1d1ous of artIStio
But 1vho meantime .yas the victllll, to whose abode 11e '''flS
hurrymg? For surely he never could be so inchscreet as to be
sailing ab 011t on a roVIng cr111se in search of some chance pe1-son
to murder '(I Oh, no. he-had smted himself with a VIctun so1nc
tune before,viz, an old and verymtimate f11end For he seems
to have laid ..it down as a maxim-that the best person to murde1
>vas a friend~ and, m defJ.ult of a fnend, which lS a:n a1 t1cle one
cannot always command, an acquamtance because, in either case,
on first approaL~hmg his subject, suspicion ;vottld be ihsa11ned.
1 vhcrea'3 a strang r might take alaim, and find in tl1e ve1y countc~
13
z111pce of his Illll\Jcrer elect a warning surnmo11s to }Jlace Illlil
\


lOSTSCRIPT.

61

'

telf on guard. However, in the present case, his destined v1chn1

'

was supposed to urute both charJ.cters: originally he' l1ad been

a friend, but subsequently, on good cause ark-mg, he l1ad bP
come an enemy Or more probably, as others said, the feelmgs
had long smce languished ,,luch gave life to e1tl1er relation of
fnenc1sl1ip or of enmity. ~!arr was the name of that unl1appy
JTu'ln, who (>>het11er in the character 9f friend or enemy) 11ad
been selected for the subject of this present Saturday night's
perforcaance. ..t'tnd the story current at that time a1ot1t the
connechon between 1\1lliams and 1farr, mi,'lng (whether tr11~,
or not true) neer been contradicted upon authority, \\as, that
they &'liled in the same Incliaman ,to Calcutta; that they had
':i11ar1elled when at sea; b11t another verclon of the story said
-no: tl!ey had quarrelled after returning from se.'1., and the
c;ubject of then quarrel was Mrs 1farr, a very p1etty young
1vornan, for v.hose favour they had been rival candidates, and
at one -ti1ne "'1th most bitter enmity towards each otl1ei.
Some circ11mstances 'give a colour of proba1ility to this story.
Othermse It has sometin1es happened, on occasion of a. n1ur<ler
not sufficiently accounted for, that, from pure goodness of heart
intolerant of a mere sordid motive for a stnk1ng murder, some
person has forged, and the public has acc1edited, a. story representing the murderer as havmg moved untler some loftier exc1ten1enli: and in this case the p11bhc, too much shocked at the idea
,,f 1Y"illian1s ha\'IDg on. the Single motive of gain consummated
E-O complex a tragedy, W\!lcomed the tale wluch represented l11m
as go>erned by deadly malice, groWIDg out of the more i1npas.sioned rind noble rivahy for the favour of a woman The case
r.~maios m some degree doubtful; but, certainly, the probability
is, that Mrs 1farr had been the true en.use, the causa teten 1ma,
of the feud between the men. Meantime the minutes are n11mb~ed, fue sands of the hour-glass are ri1nn1ng out, that measure
the duration of tl11s feud upon earth. This mght it shall cease.
To-morrow is the day 'vhich m England they call Sunday,
>;hich in Scotland they call by the Judaic name of ''Sabbath ''
'l'o both nations, Under different names, the day has the sa1ne
functions; to both it is a day of rPSt. For thee also, Marr. tt

70

POSTSORil'T.
'

rtoources exist of everlasting surplus lands, the tendency of tl1e

change is pa1n1tl It carr1es.,vith it a sullen anrl a coa1se ex~
pression of 1mmun1ty from a yoke wlucl1 v.as in any case a light
one, and often a berugn one. In some other place, I will illus
trate my mearung Here, apparently, 1n 1ilrs :.\farr's service, ihe
l'nncip1e conce1ned illustrated itself practically. ltfary, the
female servant, felt a sincere and unaffected respect for a m1st1c.s...,
'vhom she saw so ster~ilily occupied 'v1th lier domestic duties, and
'vho, though so )'011ng, and invested 'vith some slight authority,
never e"Xerted it capnciously, or even showed it at all co11spicuously .;\.ccording to the testrmony of all the ne1ghbom-s, she
treated her mu,tress ,;1th a shacle of unobtr11s1ve respect on the
one 11and, and yet '\as eager to relieve her, 'vheriever th.'1.t was
possible, from tl1e weight of her maternal duties, with tl1e cheerf11l voluntary servJ.ce of a sISter
'
To tlns young 'voinan 1t was, that, stt(1clenly, mthin three or
four minutes of nndnight, llfarr calle<l .ilo11d frotn tl1e hearl of the '
!>lairs-directing her to go out and pu1chase some oysters for tlie

family s11pper 'Upon what slender acci1lents hang oftentimes

'>olcmn hle-long results 1 ~Ian occup1c<l 1n the concerns of 111s
shop, }ifrs llfarr occupied 'v1th some little a1lment and restlessn'""
of her- baby, had both forgotten the affair of s11rper, tl1e time

'vas now narrowmg every moment, as regardetl any variety of

choice ; and oysters were perhaps orrlered as tlie likehest article
to be had at all, after tvelve o'clock should have struck. Ancl
yet, 11pon this tr1Vl!l.l crrc11mstance dependeil 1ifary's hle. 1L'Ul
she been sent abroad for supper at the ordinary time of ten or
eleven o'clock, it IS almost certain tlw.t she, the sohtary member
of the 11011,t;hold 'vl10 escaped from the exter1nmatmg tragecly,
would n "i;1aYe escaped , too surely she would have f:hared the
general fa
It liad nov become necessary to be qmck. Hasttly,
therefore,r~ceIVIDg money from nfarr, 'Vlth a basket Ill her hand,
but unbonn9ted, }.fm-y tripped out of the shop It became ~fler
wards, on ret~ollcct1on, a heart-cl11l]1ng remembrance to 11e1'l:>elf
-tha.t, precisely as she emerged f1om the shop-door, she noticed,
on the oppoSite bide of the street, by the hght of t11e 11.mpH, a
mans figure, stn,tionar) at the mstant, but in the 11e'\.t instant

'

POSTSCilIPr

7l

slowly moving. This was Williams; as a httle incident, eitl1er

jlIBt before oi 1ust after (at present it IS impossible to say whicl1),
sufficiently proved. Now, when one considers the inevitable
hurry and trepidation of 11Iary under the circumstances stated,
time .barely sufficing for any chance of executmg her ~rrand, it
becomes eVIdent that she must have connected some deep feeling
of mystenous uneasiness with the movements of this unk110,vn
man, else, assuredly, she wo1tld not have founcl hei attention
disposable for such a case Th1IB far, she herself thre\v some little
light upon what it might be that, sem1-conscio1IBly, "as then
' pussing through her mmd ; sl1e said, that, notmthstandmg t11e
darkness, 1Yhich would not penn1t her to tiace the man's features,
or to ascertam the exact direction of h1S eyes, it yet stru~k her,
that from ills carriage 1~;hen ln motion, and from the apparent
mchnat1on of 1118 person, he 'must be lookmg at No 29 The
httle mc1c1ent "\\'mcl1 I have alluded to as confum1ng l\fary's behef was, that, at so111e period not very far from m1tln1ght, tl1a
watcbman had specially noticed tlus stianger ; he had observecl
-him contin11ally peeping into the window of 11Iarr's shop; antl
bad thougl1t tlus act, connected 1vith the man's appea1ance, so
'
susp1c1ous, that he stepped into Marr's shop, and comm11nicatecl
what he had seen TI11s fact he afterwards stated before th1
magistrates, and he added, that subsequently, VIZ, a few n1inute.q
after twelve (eight oi ten mmutes, probably, after tl1e depart1rre
of .J\Iary), he (tl1e watchman), when re-entering upon ills oid1nary half-l101rrly beat, \Vas requested by 2\Im'l' to ru,s1st him in
closmg t11e shutters Here tl1ey had a final commumcation with
- mentioned to Marr that the
eacI1' other ; and the watchman
m)ste116us stranger had now apparently taken 111mself off; for
th..i.t he had not been \'JS1ble since the first comm11n1cation n1ade
to )farr by the watchman Theie lS httle doubt that 'Vtlb.ams
had observed the watchman's VlSlt to Marr, and had thus 11acl
1118 attention seasonably dra\vn to the mdiscret1on of 111s O\v"'ll
demeanour; so that the warning, given unavailingly to )fari,
liad been turned to account by W ill1ams. There can be still
less do11bt, that th13 bloodl1ound had commenced lus \York w1tl11n
one minute of the "\\'atchman's :i.ssist1ng lfarr to put t111 \11c;

'

'
POSTSC;Ji~ PT.

shutters 1\.nd on the folio\\ mg consi<leration .-tl1at '\ l11ch

p1evented Williams from commencmg even cmhe11 ''M tl1e CYposure of t11e shop's wl\ole mter101 to the gaze of i:.trcct pas::im1gers It "\Vas indmpensable that the shutte1;, should be acclllately
closed before Wtlhams could safely get to \Vork. But, a.q soo11
as ever tlus preluruna1y precaution had been comp1etccl, once
haYing securecl tl1at conce.ilinent from tl1e public eye, it th-:11
became of still grcatm importance not to lose a. mo1ueut by delay, than previously it had bee11 not to l1.tla1d a.nytlm1g by p1cc1p1tance Fo1 all depended upo11 going ii1 befo1e M..u1 i,hould
liave locked the door. On any othe1 mode of effecting an c11trance (as, for instance, by waiting for tl1e ietm11 of 1fary, ,i11d
making lus entrance sunult:i.neousl)- nth lier), it \\ill be &cen
that "\Vtlhams must have forfeited tl1at pa1ticul.i1 <td\a11t,1ge
'
\vlnch mute facts, when re.i.d into theu- t1ue coru,t1uct1on 1 \\1.ll
soon sho\V the reader that ho mui:.t have en1ploycd. 1Vtlhan1s
\va1ted, of necessity, for tlie sound of the \\'atcluuau's rct1catmg
steps; waited, perhaps, 01 tlnrty seconds; but'\ 11e11 thiit c11ngcr
\Vas past, tho next danger \Vas, lest ~faiT sho1tltl lock the door ;
one turn of the key, and the murderer "\voulc.l have been lockecl
out In, ther.;fo1e, he bolted, aud by a dexte1ous movement of
lus left hand, no doubt, turned the key, "\v1thout letting ,Marr
perceive tlus fatal stratagem. It 1s ieally "\\'ondc1ful autl most
mtcrei:.tmg to pursue the i:.uccess1ve steps of thu, mo1IStcr, ai1d to
notice the absolute certainty "\Vlth >lucl1 tl1c silent lne1oglyplucs
of tl1e case betray to us the wl1ole p1oce:?s and movements of tho
bloody drama, not less surely and fully than if "\\o had been ourselves lndden m :;\farr 's shop, or had looked do\Vll from tho he.'l.vcns
of mercy upon tlus he11-li::1te, that knev not what mercy meant.
That he had concealed from Marr lus t11ck, secret and rapid, upon
the lock, IS eVIdent ; because else, Marr vould instantly have
taken the aJaxm, espec1:illy after what the watchman had. colll
'
mun1cated.
But it will soon be seen that llfaiT 11ad not been
alarmed In reality, towards the full s11ccess of 1'rtlhams, it "\VUb
nnpcrtant, Ill the last degree, to mtercept and forestall any yell
or shout of agony from 1.Iarr. Sllch an outcry, ancl m a. s1tuat!on so slenderly fanced off from tho f>keet, VIZ 1 by w,ills thu

POSTSCRIPT.

73
'

yery tlunnest, makes itself heard outLide pretty nearly as well

as if it ,,ere uttered m tl1e street. Such nu outcry it was indispe11s.1ble to stifle. It zias stifled; and the reader will soon
underst:wd l1ow
nfeant1me, at this point, !et us leave the
murderer alone v.'lth his ,1ctims. For fifty minutes let him -vrork
his pleasure. The front-door, as we know, jg now fastened
against all help. Help there is none. Let us, therefore, in
vision, attach ourselves to ~Iary; and, when all is over, let us
come back v.1th l1e1, agam raise the c1irtain, and read the dreadful record of all that has passed m her abcence.
,
Tl1e poor girl, uneasy m her nnnd to an extent that she could
but hall understand, roamed 11p and ct0,vn m sea.rch of an oyster
sho1); .rnd :finding none that was still open, '''1tltin any cuc111t
tl1at her ordinary experience had made her acquainted 'vitl1, sl1e
- fancied it best to try the chances of some remoter district.
L1gl1ts she saw gleammg or tv.'lnkl1ng at a distance, that still
te111pted lier on,,ards, and thus, amongst unkno\\'n streets poorly

lightetl,*'" and on a night of pecuhar darkness, and m a region of

London \vhere fc.roc1ous t11m1tlts 'vere contrnuall)r tu1n1ng her
out of \\'hat seemed to be tl1e diiect cotITSe, naturally she got
be'\\1ldered. The p1upose 'v1th \\luch she started, had by tlus
trme become hopeless Nothing ieinained for her no'v but to
retrace lier steps. B11t thIS \Vas chfficult, for she was afraid to
ask dtrect1011s from chance passengers, v.hose appearance tl1e
da1kness pre,ented her fiom reconnoitrmg At length by his
lantern she recogn:ised a '\vatchman; through lum she 'vas guided
into the right road; and m ten minutes more) she found herself ,,
back at the door of No 29, m l~atchffe H1gh1\ay But by tlus
tune she felt satisfied that she must have been absent for fifty or
EL'\.ty minutes ; mdeed, sl!e had heard, at a distance, the cry of
past 011e o'clock, 1\hich, commencing a few seconds afte1 one,
lasted mter1111ttmgly for ten or thirteen minutes.

*I do not remember, cl1ronolog1cally, the history of gas-lights. B11t

in London, 1011g after Mr \\r1nsor had sho\vn the value of gas-l1gliting,
and its appl1cab1l1ty to street purposes,, arious districts \Vere pre> ented, fo1 many years, from resorting to the ne\v Sj stem, in consequence
<:1f old contracts \Vlth 011 dealers. subsisting through long te1ms of}ears.
D

IV.

'

7-!

POSfSCRirT.

'
In tl1e tt11nu1t of agonising tho11ghts that ''ery soon surpnsetl
he1, 1i.'\t111nlly it becan1e ha1cl fo1 l1e1' to iecnll distinctly the'''l1olcs11cce.c:;s1on of do11bts, and Jealo11s1es, an::l sl1aclo'vy m1sgi,-mgs
th:i.t soon opened upon her. But, so fa1 as could be collected,
she had not m the first inoment of reaching home not1cecl
an)"1.l11ng dcc1s1\ely alanmng In ,ery many c1t1es bells are the
n1a1n 111Sh uments for colll111Ulllcat1ng between the street and the
i11ter1or of l101ises but in London kr1ockers prevail 1\.t ~Iarr's
t11erc '""as both a knocke1 and a bell )fary rang, ai1d at tl1e
sa111e tune very gently knocked She 11ad no fem of dJst1i1 bing
her master 01 illlst1 ess, tl1e11i sl1e made sure of fi11ding still up
Her a1ix1ety
for the baby, "'110 being dist1rrbed might agam
iob l1e1 i111st1ek of a n1gl1t's rest And she well knew t11at, mtl1
three p::o1)le nll an.."\:1ously a'\"a1ting he1 iet1un, and by tlllS tL'lle,
perl1aps 1 ser1011sly uneasy at her delay, the least audible whis1)er
fron1 11erself ,,ould in a moment brrng one of them to the door
1-et how IS tlllS? To her astonishment, b11t "ith t11e astonIBhment came c1eep1ng over her an icy horro1, no stir no1 murn1ur
\Vas l1ea1cl ascending from the kitchen At tl1is inoment cam<
u1ck upou lie1, "ith shudde1111!:!' anguisl1, the i11distmct image of
tl1e st1a11ger m the loose daik coat, "'hom she had seen stealing
along undei t11e shadO'll'J lamp-light, and too certainly watching
11e1 n1aste\'s motions. keenly she now iep1oached herself that,
U11der ,\hate\e1 stress Ot hmry, she fu'l.Cl not acquainted nf1 nfa1r
"ith tl1e susp1c101IS appemances Poor girl 1 sl1e did not then
kno1v tl1at, if this com1n11n1cat1on could have availed to put )fair
111)011 l11s gua1d 1 it had reached him from another q11artei.; so
tl1at lier O\vn om1ss1on, which had m reahty arisen under h.!1'
htirry to execute her maste1 's cornm1ss1on, could not be cl1argccl
'v1th any bacl consequences. But all such reflections th.is way
or that "'ere s'vnllowed up at tills pomt m overmru;terii1g panic.
Tl1at lier clo11ble summons could have been unnoticed-this solr,
'
tary fact in one moment made a revelation of horror. One person llllgl1t lk'\ve fallen asleep, but two but three tlzat was n.
me1e unposs1bili.ty And even supposing all three together mtl1
the baby locked m sleep, still ho'v unaccot1ntable \\"US this utter
-utter silence ' Most naturally n.~ tips moment so1nething like

'"as

"


POSTSCTIIPT.

75

'

11ysterical horror o>ershado,ved the poor girl, and no>v at last

she ranrr0 tl1e bell vitl1 the violence that belongs to s1ck'eni11g
terror T11is done, she pa11sccl. self-command eno11gl1 bhe still
retarne<l, though fast and fast it was shpping ai'.'ay fro1n her, to
betl1ink herself-that, if ,any over\vhclnnng accident l1a(l con1i:elled both ~farr and lus apprentice-boy to lcae the 11ouse in
order to st1m1non surgical 3.l.d f1om opposite q1w.1ters-a tl11ng
barely supposable sttll, even in tl1at case ~frs Ma1r and her
infant woltld be left i and some m1rrm1rrmg ieply, 11nder any
extre1nity, would be elicited irom tl1e poor mother. To pause,
therefo1e, to' 1IDpose ste1n silence upon herself, so as to leave
room for the possible ans\ver to this final appeal, bcc..'1.1ne a d11ty
of spasmodic effort. LISten, tl1erefore, poor trembling heart;
hsten, anJ. for twenty seconds be &till as clcath. Still as death
she ;vas and durmg that dreadful stillness, 'vl1en sl1e h11sl1cd
her brea.th tliat she might listen occtrrred an incident of hilling
fear, that to her dying day v. 011ld nevei cease to rene;\ its echoes
in her e.'\r. Sl1e, 1Iary, the poor trcmbl111g girl, cl1eck111g and
o\errtiling herself by a final effort, that she might lC'a\'C ftill
opening for lier dear young mishess's answer to her 0'\'11 I.1st
frantic appeal, heard at last anc1 most dISt1i1ctly a sot111d 'v1thm
the house. Yes, now bc:~;oncl a doubt there is coming ai1 ai1s\\ ct
to her s1unmons. What ,,as it? On tlie stairs, not tl1e stairs
tlw.t led do"'n\\'ards to the kitchen, but the stairs tl1at lecl upwa1ds to the single storey of bcdchambers above, ,\a.c; 11ca1cl a
creaking sotmd. Next v. as heard n1ost dISt1nctly a footfall. one,
tv.o, three, four, five stairs 'vere slov.'ly anrl distinctly 1.lcsc~ndcd.
Then the dreadfttl footsteps ;vere heard advancing alonr; t11e little
narro'v po:::sage to the door. The steps ob heavens! 1vl1ose
steps? have paused at the door. The very breathing can be
heard of that dreadful beinrt
,vho bus silenced all breatlu11g
Ol
except 1us O\vn m the house. There IS but a door between l11 m
and lliary. What is he doing on the other side of the door?
A cautious step, a stealthy step it was that came down tl1e stairs,
then paced along the little narrow passage narrow as a coffin
-till at last the st.ep pauses at the door. Ho\\" hn.rd the fello;v
br~'ltl1es ! He, the solitary murdeic.r, i1> on f ne side the door;

76

POSTSCRIPT

3Iary is on tl1e other side. Now, suppose that he sho1~d suddenly open tho door, and th..1t inc,1.11tiously in tl1e d.uk ~faiy
shoultl rush in, and fincl herself in the arms of tl10 in11rde1er.
ThtlS far the case is a possible one that toa certrunty, had tlus
httie trick been hied immediately 11pon M::tr.)T's ret1rrn 1 it '' ould
have s11cceeded 1 had tl1e door been 01Jene<l s11dde1tly upon her
:first tingle-tingle, l1eadlong she "\Yo1tld hae tun1bled u1 1 and
perished But now ~ary is 11pon lier gttard. 'l'l1e u11kno\vn
n1111derei and she l1ave both then hps upon tl1e doo1 1 hsterung,
brca.th1ng hard i b11t luckily they me on different sides of the
doo1 , and upon the least mchcat1on of 11nlocking or unlatclung,
she "'ould ha.e recoiled mto tho asylum of general darkness.
\That ,,.as the murdere1 's mean111g m conn11g a1011g tl1e passage to the front door? The meanmg ''as tl11s separately, as
nu inLu,1d11,tl 1 ~fary wJs wo1 th notl11ng at J.11to11rm But, cons1de1ed as a membei of a ho1IBel1old 1 sl1e ha(l tl1is 1,tlue, YlZ 1
tl1at sl1e1 if ca11ght ancl n1urdered 1 peifectecl a11cl ro1111ded tl1e
clesolat1on of the hollSe T11e case being repo1 ted, as iepo1 ted ic
"Woulcl be all over Christendom, led the u11ag111at1on capt1,e.
'Il1e '"l1ole coe) of v1ct1111s \\US tl11lS netted; the hotIBehold imn
"'as tl111s ftill and orbicular 1 and in that p1 opo1 t1on tl1e te11clency
of i11en a11d '' oi11eu, fluttei as they nught, '' oulcl be helplessly
ancl l1opelessly to s1nk into the a.ll-couque1u1g ha.uds of tho
n11gllt) 111mtle1er He had bl1t to s.1.y-roy testunon1a.ls a1e
l1a.te<l fto111 No 29, Ratchffe H1gh,a.y, a.nd the iioo1 'anql11sl1ed
i1t1ag11\at1on i,a.nk JlO'\erless before the fasc1nat1ng ra.ttles11ale
c)e of \11e mluderei. .Tl1ere is not a doubt tl1,it tl1e n1ot1vc of
t11e inut1: eier fo1 standmg on the m11er side of Marr's front door,
'' 111lst ~[a y stood on the outside,"' as-a hope that, if he qmetly
ope1iccl tl1~ cloo1, "hlspermgly counte1fe1t111g l!Ia.rr's ,.olce, a.11d
E3..) iug, \Tha.t n1ade yott stay so long? possibly she inigl1t ha.,e
been i11,c1gled He was \\'Tong; tl1e tune ,,as past fo1 tl1at;
~[a.rJ '\\as n \V ma.ma.call) a,,, ake; sl1e began now to ring the
bell and to pl. the knocker 1nth t1nlllternuttmg Ylolence A.lid
tlie natural co -equence was, that the nes.t door neighbour, '''ho
had recentlj go e to bed and inst,tntly fallen a.sleep, '"'tS roused;
11nd by the i11c''' t Tiolence of t11e iinwng and tl1c knocking,

'

POSTSCRIPr.

77

\vhich now obeye::l a delmous and uncontrollable impulse in

)fru:y, he became sensible that some very dieadful event must
~be at lhe root of so clamorous an up1oar. To rIBe, to tl11ow.
up the sash, to demancl :ingrtly the cause of tl11s unseasonable
t1nnult, was the work of a moment. 'Ihe poor girl remained
sltffic1ently mIBtress of herself iap1illy to explain tl1e c1rc11mstance of her 0"\\'11 absence for an hour; her belief that lifr a1td
)f1-s ~fru:r's family had all been murdered m the 111terval , and
that at this -..e1-y moment the murderer 1vas m the house.
The :person to "hom she adchessed this f:jtatement v.tas a pa\vnbroke1, and a tho1oughly brave man he must have been, for
it "as a perilous imde1 tnkrng, merely as a tr1al of pl1ys1cal
st1engtl1, singly to face a mysterious assa.<;s1n, -.,vho had appare11tly
s1g11ahsed his pro\vess by a tn11mph so comprehensive But,
agam, for the uuagmat1on it reqmred an eftort of self-conquest
to rush headlong into the presence of one mvested with a cloud
of mystery, v1hose nation, age, motives, were all alike .u1tl~nown.
Ra1ely on any field of battle has a soldier been called u1)on to
face so complex a dange1. For li the entue family of lus neighbour :::Iar1 had been exterminated, were t1us mdeecl true, suc,h a
scale of bloodshed would seem to argue that there inust l1ave
been t\VO persons as the pe1 pretators; or if one 51ngly hacl accomphshed Sltch a rum, in that ca;,e how colossal must l1a"\'e been

lu.s audacity r probably, also, lus skill and animal power I 1ifo1eover, - the 11nkno\\-U eneiny (\'rhether &1ngle or double) "\\"Ottld,
doi1btless, be elaborately armed Yet, under all these isadvantages, did this fearless man rush at once to the eld or
butcl1ery in lus neighbour's house. Wait1ng only to dr yon lus
trousers, and to arm himself with the kitchen pok , he went
do\vn mto lus o\vn little back-yard. On tlus mode f approach,
lie "\\ould have a cl1ance of intercepting the murd ier, 'vhereas
fro111 the front there would be no st1ch chance ;
d the1 e would
also be considerable delay m the process of br akmg open the
door. .;\ brick 1vall, 9 or 10 feet lugh, iliVId~u l1IS ol'rn back
prcnuses from those of Marr. Over th1S he vaulted; and at tho
mon1ent "hen he "\\'US iec~1ll1ng him;:;elf to tl1e necessity of going
1
b'lck for a canille. he suddenly percei\ccl a/feeble
ray of b~Lt
,
r

78

POSTSCRIP'.r.

already glimme1ing on some part of nfarr's prc1ruses ],f,trr'll

b ..cli:-door stood 'vidc open Probably tl1c murdere1 l1ad passed
tb.J.ough it one half mmute befo1e Rapidly the brave man
passed on1vards to tl1e shop, and there beheld tl1e ca1nage of tlie
mght stretched out on tl1e floor, and t11e narro'v prc1111ses so
floated 1'11tl1 gore, that it 111as ha1dly possible to esca1ie tho
pollution of blood in p1cl;:1ng out a patl1 to the front-door.
In the lock of tl1e doo1 still 1e1na1netl the key 'vlucl1 I1ad glven
to the u11kno,vn mur<le1er so fatal an ad\antage orer 111s
victuns By tlus time, tl1e l1eart-sl1a1..1ng nc\vs i11vol\'ccl in tl1e
outcries of ]l[ary (to whom it occltricd tl1at by poss1b1hty some
one out of so many victims m1gl1t still b3 \\1tl11n t11e ieach of
medical aid, but that all woultl depentl 11pon speed) hacl a1 a1lccl,
even at tb.at late hou1, to gatl1c1 a i:,n1all inob abo11t tl1e 11ouse.
The pa,vnb1oke1 t11re\v open the t1oor One or t\1 o 1ratcl1n1cn
headed the cro1vd; but the soul-11arro\\'1ng spect.tcle cl1ecked '
the1n, and unpressed sudden s1lc11ce 11pon tl1eu "\'01ccs, i)rcv1ously
so loud The tragic d1ama read aloud 1ts 01vn hlsto1J, a11d the
succession of its seve1al steps-fe1v ai1d summary. Tl1e in111de1c1
'vas as yet altogetl1er unkno1vn , 11ot even suspected. But tl1ero
were reasons fo1 tl11nking that 11e must 11ave been a pe1son fam1l1a1ly known to Marr IIe 11a(l entered the shop by 01Je111ng
the door after it had been closed b)' )fa1T. But it \vas Jlli>tly
argued-that, afte1 the caution co11\eyed to i1Iar1 by tlie 1vatcl1:man, the appearance of any st1anger i11 the sl1op at tl1at 11our,
and m so da.ngerous a ne1ghbo1u l1ood, and euterrng by so m egt1ln.r
anrl susp1c1ous a course (i e , "\valltrng in after tl1e door 11ad been
closed, and after the closmg of tl1e sl111tters 11ad ct1t off all open
comm11nicat1on Wltl1 the street), \\OUld naturally have roused
Marr to an\ fitt1tude of vigilance ai1d seli-defence ' J.\ny iuilicat1on, therefore, that Marr had 11ot been so ioused, \voul<l argue
to a certamty that son1etl1i11g had occurred to neutralise tllli,
alarm, and fatally to disarm tl1e prude11t Jealousies of )lar1 But
tlus '' something'' could olli) l1ave la111 m one SI111ple fact, >'IZ ,
t11at the person of the mm<lerer was f.innhaily kno1vn to l\fn.rr
as that of an 01di.nary and i1nsuspected acquamtauce. Tlus
~~g presupposed as the key to a.11 the rest, the whol& coursa
1

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81

bolcl pa,vnbro'ker had gone off to mal:e a commt1nication to the ~

coro11er; and another neighbour, to lodge some eviclence \\hich
he tl1ol1ght urgent at a ne1ghbourmg police-office. St1cldenly
some person appeared amongst the cro,vd who ,,as aware that.
the n1urdered parents had a young infant; this \\ould be found
either beio,v-strurs, or in one of the bc.drooms above. Immedi[ tel; a strean1 of people pomed <lo'\\'11 into the kitchen, 'vhere at
cnce they sa'' tl1e cradle but "'ith the bedclothes m a state of
mrlescr1ba.ble confusion. On clisentanglmg these, pools of bloocl
became vll,1ble 1 and the ne..-TI ominous sign \las, that the hood
of the cradle had been smashed to pieces. It became evident tl1at
tl e \vretcl1 h..'1cl found himseli doubly embarras:sed first, by the
ar<'hed hood at the heau of the cradle, will.ch ~ccordmgly he had
beat into a rmn with his mallet, and secondly, by the gathering
cf tl1e b'ankets and pillows about the baby's 11ead. The free
yla.} of his blows had thus been baffled. .And he had therefore
.rlnished the scene by appl;ing llis razor to the throat of t11e little
in11ocent; after "ill.ch, '\VIth no ~ppaient purpose, as though lie
rad becon1e confused by the spectacle of llis own atrocities, he
had bn:,1ed hirnseli m ptlmg tl1e clotl1es elaborately over the
child's corpse Tllis mcident lmdenia.bly gave the character of a
'\lnc11ct1\e proceeding to the '\\hole affair, and so far confirn1ed
the ctirrent rumour that the quai-:rel bet\\een W ilhams and l\far1
had originated in ri\alslup. One writer, indeed, alleged tl1'1t-the
n1t1rdere1 might h.'1.ve found it necessary for llis 01111 safety to
ext1ngmsl1 tl1e cr;ug of the c.llild; but it was justly replied, that
a. child only eigl1t montl1s old could not ha,'e cried under any
sense of tl1e tragedy pioceeding, but simply in its-orchnary 1\ay
for the absence of its mother; and s11cl1 a. c1y, even i audible at
all out of the house, must 11a\'e been preciseI;r what the neighbours were hearrng co11stantly, so that it could ha.,-e dra\';'n no
spi:cial attent1011, nor suggested any reasonable alann to the
n1urderer :Xo one incident, indeed, thro11ghout the ,,hole tissue
of atroc1t1es, so much envenomed tl1e popular fru-y against the
unkno,,n ruffun, as t1rrs useless butche1.Y of the infant.
Xatutall), on the Su11dav mor11u1,.,. tha.t cla.,\'llei four or five
~
"'
l111 urs later, the case V..l.-. too full of ho11.0l not to diff1l.Ee itself

82

POSTSCRIPI',

in nll directions ; but 1 have no 1~ason to think t11at it c1 ept i11to

any one of the n111nerous Sunday llapers. In the regt1l.ir cou1"le,
n.ny oid1nary occU11e11ce, not occu11ing1 01 not tiai1sp1ring until
lb mmutes after 1 ,\ lI on a Sunday n101n1ng~ wowd fi1-st reach
the public ear through the :Jionc:hy ed1tJ.011s of the S1mda.y papers,
and the regular morning papers of the 1tfo11day. B11t1 If sucl1
weie the colllse pUlsued on tlus occasion, nevei can there have
l)een a inore signal oversight 1?01 it is certain, that to have
met the public demand 01 dytatls on the Sunday, 'vluch 111ight
so easily have been done by cancelhng a cot1ple of d1tll col11u1us 1
and subst1tutmg a cucu1nsta.nt1al 1wiative1 for 'vl1icl1 the pa,vnbioker and the watclunan could have furillsl1ecl the mate11n.k1
wo1tlcl have made a small fo1t1,lne By prope1 handbills dISpei-sed
througl1 all quarte1s of the infi1ute metiopolis, 250,000 es:t1a
copies 111ight have been sold; tbat IS 1 by J.uy 3ouinal that sholtld
have collected exclustve materials, iueeting the public excite1uei1t1
eveiy"'l1era stir1ed to the centre by flying i umours, and e>eiy'vl1ere buimng for ample1 1nformation On the SuJJ.d..iy se1ennigl1t
(Sund1y the octave fiom the e''ent), took pl.ice tl1e funeral of tl1e
1iiai1-s, in tl1e fust coffin 'vas placed l1Ia1r, in the second M1-s
Mai11 and the b:i.by in her arms 1 in the third the app1ei1t1ceboy Tl1ey were buried side by side 1 and 30,000 labouring
people followed the funeral procession, with ho1io1 and grief
'\\Titten in their countenances.
As yet no whispe1 was astir that indicated, even con3ectu1ally,
the hideous author of these imns-tlus pation of gia,reiligger3
Had. as much been kno,,n on tlus Sunclay of the funeral concerning that person as became kno,vn un1versnlly SL\'. d..1.ys latei, tho
people would ha>e gone right from the churcl1ya1d to t11e murde1er's lodgings, and (b1ookiug no delay) 'vol1ld ha.,e t-0r11 l1i111
lmib fiom lmib. As yet, ho,ve\er, in meie def..iult of a11J ob3~ct
on whom reasonable suspicion could settle, tl1e pul)hc ''1atl1 \\'..13
compelleU. to suspend itself. Else, f..ir mdeecl fiou1 sl10,,'lllg any
tendency to subside, the public emotion strengthened e,ery d.'1.j'
consp1cuolisly, as the reverberation of the shock began to trav<!l
bac!;: from the proVInces t-0 the capital. , On e';e1y great ioad i11
tb.P. l~in~dl)m
contmual ar1ests \Veie made of v.io-1ants
antl
,
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POSTSCI!.11"!'.

''trampers,'' '\1ho could f,riVP no sati;;f,1clor1 accotmt of t11ur11selves, or '\vhose appcara11ce in any respect a1is'\\ered to t11e imperfect cleoc1.ipt1on of Williams ftirnished by tl1c ,,atcl1r1lan.
"\\'1th tlu.s mighty tide of pity and in(b~11~t1on point111g back'\ra1ds to tl1e dreadful past, there mingled also in tl1c tl1ot1ghts
of ieflecting pe1-sons au l1nder-c1uTent of fe:u.ful e:-.-pect.1.tion for
tJ1e in1med1ate fut111e. '' TI1e ea1 thqt1ake,'' to quot<! a fraf,rmeut
f101n a. str1l1ng pa<::~age ill \Vordsv:o1th:,, 'rl1c earthqt111~c not satisfied at or1ce.''

is

.All i)enls, specially malignant, are recun0nt. .t\ mur(l,;1er,

'\\l10 is s11ch by fJ.s.:;1on and by a'' olfi,,11 c1-J.v111g fo1 blooclsl1ed
a:. a mode of tmnatmal luxury, cannot icla}_}se i1ito i11c1 lta. S11cl1
-a man, even mo1e than the ..:\11)1nc ch..'ln1013 }1m1tcr, co111c,, to crJ.\ e
ti1e dan_sc1s and the h..1ubreJ.dtl1 esca1)cs of htS t1a<le, ti,, a contli:r1cnt for se..'1Somng the 1Ils1pid mo11otonies of daily life. But,
apa1 t f1om the hclh.,11 instincts that nugl1t too s1i.rcly be rel1eJ.
on fo1 iene\\cd at1ocit1es, it '\Vas clear tl1at the mu1de1er of tl1e
~airs, \\he1e;,.oe>er lurling, lllU.St b3 a needy n1an, anL1.i needy
man of that class least likely to seek 01 to fmu rco::ource::i in l1onoura.ble modes of industry; fo1 1\l11cl1, cc111allj-1)y h.iugl1Ly dls.g1ist and by dlsuso of the app101'11ate l1J.11ts, i11e11 of >1ole11co
a1e special!) tlisq_ualme<l. \\'ere it, the.1ciorc, mc1cly fo1 a l1\'cl1l1ood, the murdm e1, '' l1om all hem. ts \\ e1 c ye.1rn1ng to c1er1phe1,
lnight be expected to n1ake 11is r~u1rect1on on ~01ne stage of
11011 or, after n. reasonable inte1al E,cn m t11c .Jfa1T m111dc1,
gr.t11t1ng tlk'l.t it l1ad been go,c1ned cl11efly b.} c111el ttncl '\:11tucti>o
1n1p111:::es, 1t ''as stJl cle.n tl1:tt the cle.~11 e of boot) Ji:td co-011e1 at eel
v. it11 st1d1 fee1111gs. Equall.; cle.ir it \\,is that tlu.s l1e;::ire 1111ist
h::i.\e been <llsapporntcd: e.:-..cepting tl1e t1i\ ial s11111 ic::ie1 \cu by
)far1 for tl1e '\ eek's e.x.1;cncUture, tl1e n1ru(1e1c1 iot111cl, cloubtlc';:.3 1
httle ot 21othing tlia.t lie could ttun to ~cco1wt 'l' 11 o gt1111Las 1
pc1bap:;, 1.ould be the rJUt::,Ide of i\hat lie l1:id obt,u11cll 111 tl10
'ay of booty. A. '\\ ee~~ 01 so '' oul<l see the cuu of th.it 'l'l1e
con\"1ctio11, therefore, of all peoiile ..,, as, tl1at Ill a. 2no11tl1 01 t1. 01
\1he11 tl1e fe\er of excite111enti n1ight a. little l1tl.\ e coolct1 (10\\"ll,
or 11a.1:e been :,11pcr:seclcd bJ orl11..1 to1;1cs of fr.:-,l1ei ir1t1..1..:st. :,o
tb..i.t the ll\!1\ 1orr1 \'igtl.ir1c..; of 101!.b.. hulJ liie \\Ottltl h..i.; e 11..i.<l t1n10

84

l'OSTSC'RlPT.

'

to relax, some new muruer, equally appalling, might be countccl

upon.
Such was the public expectation. Let the rcade1 then figtrro
t-0 b1mse1 the plu:e frenzy of horror "\Vhen in tlu.c; hlisl1 of e'\'.pec-
tation, lookmg, mdeed, and wa1t1ng for the lllll{J10\\'ll a11n to
strike once more, but not behevrng that any aud..'l.city could be
equal to such an attempt as yet, "\lhtlst all eyes "\\c1e "\Vatch111g,
suddenly, on the t"\lelfth rught fiom the .Mari n1urder, a second

case of the sa1ne mysterious nat1ue, a murder on the came extermmatrng plan, was perpetrated ID the ,.ery same neighbourhood. It was on the Thmsd..1.y next but one succeeding to
'
the .Man murder that this cecond at1oc1ty took place; antl many
people tl1011gl1t' at the time, that in its diamat1c features of
t1rr1lling interest thlS second case even went beyond tl1c first.
The family '''h1ch suffered m tlus
, instance "as that of a ~Ii 1,rtlhamson i and the 1ho1l5e
situated, if not absol11tely iii Ratcltffe H1gl1"\vay, at any rate 1mmechatcly round the corner of son1e
secondary street, i'llllning at r1gl1t angles to tlus public tl1orougl1fa.re ~I1 \V tlltan11'on 'vas a '' ell-kno\>'ll a11d respectable ma11,
lung settled m that c:list11ct; he 1vas supposed to be i1ch, and
wore "\>'1th a view to the employment furn1sl1ed by s11eh a callmg,
than with much anxiety foi ftrrther aecun11tlati1>ns 1 he ke1lt a
sort of ta.vern ; ,,lucl1 1 m this respect, IDigl1t be considered on
an old p!l.Jriarchal footmg-that, althol1gh people of cons1deralJle property resorted to the 1101ise m the evcni11gs 1 no kind of
aniuous separation was ma1nta1ned between tl1en1 and tl1c other
YlSitors from the class of artisans or common JabotUel'S. Anybody "\vl10 conducted l11n1se1 "\V1th propriety '''\S free to tal{e a.
seat, and call for any hquor that he 1n1gl1t p1efer. .t\.i1cl thus
the society was pretty miscellaneous; in part st.'l.ttonaiy, but m
some proportion fluctuatmg. 'l'he l1ousehold concistc<l of the
following five persons
1. ~fr Williamson, its 11eacl, "\Vho "\Vas
an old man above seventy, and "\Vas "\vell fitted for hts s1tu,1t1on,
bcmg c1VIl, and not at all morose, but, at the same time, fu1n m
ma1uta111111g 01der I 2 ~Irs nr1llia1nson, 111s "\Vlfe, .i.bout ten years
younger tl1an hIIDself, 3 a little grand-(la11ghte1, about nine
yeru"S old 1 4 a housf!mat<l. "\Vho \V..LS ncaily 01 ty ye.u-s old: fi .i

''as

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POSTSCRIPT.

85

young journeyman, aged about twenty-six, belonging to some

lTu-inufactming establlshment (of what class I have forgotten);
neither do I remember .of i\''4at nation he was. It ..,,.as the
establlshed rule at Tu Williamson's. that, exactly as the clock
struck eleven, all the company, without favour or exception, .
moved off. Th\l.t "\Vas one of the customs by which, in so stonny
a district, )fr Williamson had found it po~1ble to keep his liouse
free from bmv.ls On the present Thtrrsday night e;verytl1ing
had gone on as usual; except for one shgl1t shadow of suspicion,
wluch had caught the attention of more persons than one.
Perhavs at a less agitating time it would hardly have bet>n
noticed; but now, "\\hen the fust question and the last in" all
social meetmgs turned upon the Marrs, and their unknown
murderer, it was a circumstance naturally fitted to cause some

uneasiness, that a stranger, of sinister appearance, in a ..,,1de

surtout, had futted m and Ol1t of tl1e room at intenals dur111g
the evenjng; h.'1.d sometunes retired from the hght mto obsclrre
corners; and, by more than one person, had been observed stealing into the p11va.te p::tsEages of tl1e l1ouse. It i\'as pres11med in
general that the man must be ]{nown to \V1lliamsou Ancl, 1n
some shght degree. as an occasional customer of the hotlSe, it IB
, not impossible that he zias Bttt afterwards, tlus ie1)ulsive
stranger, "'ITith lus cada;erous ghabthness, extraordinary h<11r,
and glazed eyes, shov,'1ng J1imself intermittingly through tl1e
hours from 8 to 11 P.~r., re...olved llpon the memory of all ;vl10
had steadily observed hrm "\V1tl1 something of the same freezing
effect as belongs, to the t'vo assassms in '' ~Iacbeth, 11 ,,ho pre~
sent themselves reeking from tl1e murder of Banquo, and gleam~
ing dimly, v.1th dre.'1.dful faces, from the misty background,
athv;art the pomps of the regal banquet.
lifeantime the clock str11ck eleven ; t~e company broke up ;
the door of entrance was nearly closed; and at this moment of
general dispersion the situation of the five inmates left upon
the premises was precISely tlus: the three elders, viz., W1ll1amson. 1ns "\\'lfe, and lus female servant, were all occupied on tl1e
ground-floor Wtlham:son himself ;vas drawing ale, porter, &c.,
01 those ne1ghboul'" in v:lrose fa>our tHe house-door had been
(

86

POSTSCRIPT.

left a3ar, until the hotll' of t\velvc sl1oulcl st11l~c, lliis 1'r1lli,1n1sou
ancl he1 se1vant \Vere moving to and fio bet,yeeu the bacl~
Intcl1en and a little i1ailour, tl1c httl~ glancl-daughter, \Vl1ose
sleeping-room was on the fi1st floor (,;Juch tcim in London
means al,vays the floor raised by one fl1gl1t of sta1i'S abo\'e the
level of the street), had been fast asleep smce iilUe o'clock;
lastly, the 3ourneyinan artisan 11ad 1etrrecl to iest fo1 some tlille.
He \Vas a regular lodge1 in tl1e 11ot1Se , a11d 111s bcdroon1 \Vas on
the second fioo1. For so1nc t11ne he had been u11dressed, and
had lain do\vn in bed. Being, as a \voilung man, bo11n(l to
habits of e.<trly r1s1ng, lie '''as natu1ally an..uous to fall asleep as

soon as possible But, on tl11S pa1t1ct1lar nigl1t, 111S UI1eas1ness,

arIB1ng fro1n tl1e iecent intirders at No 29, iose to a paro...ysm
of nervollS exc1te1nent wl11ch l~ept him a\valre It 1S possible,
tl1at f1on1 soinebody he had l1eard of tl1e suspic101tS- Ioolrn1g

strange1, or might even personally ha\e obse1ved lw11 sh1il~1i1g

about But, \Vere it otl1ei \Vtse, he \Vas awaie of sevcial crrct1mstances dangerously affecting this house ; 01 mstance, tl10

rufliantSm of tl11S \vl1olc ne1gl1bouil1ood, and tl1c d1sagiecable

fact tl1at the 1'Iar1s had lived \\'ltlirn a fe\v cloois of tlus very
house, wluch again argt1ed tl1at the mUiderer also lived at
no great dista11ce These \Vere matters of ge1ie1 al alarm But
there \Vere otl1ers pecu11a1 to tl1is house , 1n pa1 ticu1a1, tho
noto11ety of Wtlha1nson's opulence; the belief, \vl1ether well
or ill founded, tl1at he accumttlated, in desks and tlia,vers, the
money continually flo\VIng into hJS 11n.ntls , and L'lStly, tl1e
danger so ostentatiously courted by ' tl1at liab1t of leaving the
house-door a3ar tluough 011e entire hour-and tl1at hour loaded
with extra dangel, by the \Vell-adveitISed assurance tl1at no
collision need be feared \Vlth cl1ance con,'l\'1al VISitors, since all
such people \Vere banIShed at eleven. A regulation, \>mcl1 had
lutherto operated beneficially for the character and comfort of
the house, no\vr on the contrary, under altered c1.rcumsta.nces,
became
a positive proclamation of exposurs and defenceless,
ness, througl1 one entire pei1od of an hour. \Ytlhamson lumself, it was said generally, being a large un\vieldy man, past
eeventy, and signally inactive, ought, in prudence, to make tlte

rosr:::.cRtPT.

87

,
.

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,

locl:ing of hIB door coincident with the dis1nis.:;al of his evening

pru.ty.
Upon these and other grounds of alarm (particularly this, that
:rirrs Wtllin.1nson was reported to possess a considerable quantity
,
of plate), tl1e 3ourneyman was musing painfully, and the ti1ne
nught be '\Vltlun t'\venty-eight or t\venty-five minutes of t'\velve,
wl1en all at once, "\'\"1th a crash, procla1m1ng some 11and of hideous
violence, the house-door was suddenly shut ancl locked. Here,
then, beyoncl all do11bt, '\Vas the cbabohc man, clothecl 1n mystery,
from No 29, Ratcliffe Higl1'\\'ay. Yes, that dreadful being, "\'\'ho
for t'\velve days 11ad employed all thoughts and all tongues, )Vas
now, t-00 certainly, in this defenceless house, and would, in a
few inrn11tes, be face to face with every one of its inmates ..t\..
question still lmgered in the p11bhc m.nd \vl1ether at )fa1r's
there in1ght not have been tivo men at work. If so, the1e '\voulcl be two at present ; and one of the two would be 1m1nedi'l.tely
dis1)osable for tl1e up-stairs' "\'\'oilc; since no danger co1tld 'obviously be more im1nediately fatal to such an attack tl1an any
alarm given from an upper '\viudo\v to the passengers in the
street. Through one ha,lf-m1nute the poor pa1uc-stricken man
sat 1ip motionless m bed But then he rose, ills first movement
being to\vmds the door of his room. Not for any purpose of
securrng it against intr1lSion too well he kne\v tl1at there
no fastenrng of any sort neither lock, nor bolt ; nor '\vas there
any such moveable f1urut11.l'e in the room as might have ava1letl
to barricade the door, even if tune could be co1mtecl on for such
an attem1)t. It '\Vas no effect of prudence, me1ely the fascmation
of killing fear it was, that diove him to open tl1e door. One
step brought J11m to the head of the stmrs i
lo'\\'ered ills head
ov~r the balustrade in order to hsten i and at that mon1ent ascended, from the little parlour, this agonising cry from the
woman-servant, ''Lord Jesus ChrISt! we shall all be mllldcrecl 1''
What a Medusa's head must have lurked in those dreadful bloodle.:;s features, and those glazed rigid eyes, that seemed rightfully
belonging to a corpse, '\\hen one glance at them sufficed to proclaim a death-\'tarrant.
Three separate tl:!ath-strug6les '\Vere by t111s time over i ::i.!l<l

''as

he

88

t?OSTSCf:ll"r.

'

the i1oor }Jetrified JOllrneyn1a.n, qt1ito u11conscious of ,v}1,\t lie \\'lll'J

in bhnrl i1nss1vc i,clf ~st1rrc11de1 to 1)a111c, t1b,,olutc1y (le
dom
''
,
'
of sta1l's. I11fi111te te1ror i11sp11~tl l\111l '' 1tl1
Scended botl1 fi1crl1ts
0
the sa.n1e 1111pttlsc as n11gl1t l1a\'e bcc11 i11s1)11 eel L;i l1c,tdlo1ig
courage, !11 lm, slurt, anu llpOll oltl dccay111g J,t,\lf:> 1 tf1:1t (\{,
tm1es crca.l(ed ttnde1 his feet, 110 co11t111uc~l to tlc,,ce11<l, 1111t1l 11()
had rcucl1ed tl1e lo\Ycst step b11t fotU'. r110 i:,1t11:1tJou \\ll..'> trc
mendous beyo11d u.11y tl1at i::. on iceo1cl J.\. s11cclc1 t\ cot1gl1 1 :11
most a b1eatl1111g 1 n11tl tl1e yo1111g 1l1a11 \\Ottlll bet\ co11J;:,C 1 \\1tl1011t
a cl1ance 01 n. st111gglc for 111S life. 'l'l1e llllll <lt:re1 \\ i1.q :~t tlll\t
tm1e in tl1e little p.1ilolrr-t\1c t1oor of '' l11c\\ i1~\r\o\1r f,i.c\!u j 1)\l
in clcsce11iling t11e stairs; a11tl tl11s (loor stoou l\),\l'; i11tlccil 1 i111tclt
mo1c cons1cle1ably ope11 tl1a11 '\ !1at 1S l111<lcr::itooll b; tl1u tcr111
' nJar ,, Of tl111.t q11.1d1:111t, 01 90 <lt:'gtecs, '\'l11cl1 tl1e tloor '' 1it1l<l
desc11bc i11 S\\'111gi11g so f,11 ope11 as to bt,i11tl iit 11gl1t :111gles tv
tl1e lobby, or to itbelf, JU a. ,closcll 11os1t1011 1 <l5 (lcg1cc,,1\t tl1e 11..,t.::.t
wc1e exposed Co1iscq11c11tly 1 t\\ o 011t of tl1rec cor11~1.''> '' c1u e\:poscd to tl1e yo1111g i11a1l's g.1e. \\'11c1c \\'M tl1c tl1t1<l '? .\11ll
tlie 111111<.lerer-\\ l1c1c \\US lie? i\s to tl1c 111t11tlerc1, 110 \vas
1''iilkl11g 1ap1c1ly back\va1 tb n11<l for\\ ur<lq 111 tl1c p.11101111 ,\tllltLlu
but 11ot \'l&1blc at fi1st 1 be111g e11gagctl \Y1tl1 1:-0111ctl1111g or otl1cr
i11 tl1at p~1 t of tl1c 100111 \\'l11cl1 the lloo1 bt1ll co11ce.1lctl. 1\ l1,1i:i
tli.e so111ctl1111g 1111gl1t be, tl\e <>01111ll soo11 c\.1)l,1111ct1 , lie \\ ns :111
p1y111g ke)'S tcntat1\'ely to a c1111boa1ll, a. closet, a11(1 ,i bc111to1r,,

iu the l1itllle11 i1:i1 t of tl1c roo111. '\'c1 y soo11 1 110\\ c\ c1, lie c:i11111
iuto ; 1eiv, b11t, fortu11ately fo1 tl1e ) ou11g i11a11, nt tl1i:> c11t1c,il
mo1ue11t 1 tl1e l1111rue1er's pl11 pose too c11t11c1y ab~o1 l.letl !11111 1,,
allow of lus tl11 o\v111g a. g1a11ce to tl1e st:l11c:u,e1 011 '' l11cl1 cbo tl1u
wlute figure of t11c J01U uey1uau, staud111g in i11otio11lc..cs 1101101,
\\'O\tld have been detected i11 011c iustaut, and scaso11cd for U10
grave JU tl1e second. As to t11e tl11rd corpse, tl1c 1111ES111g cot pbe,
va , .Mr l\rllhamson's, tliat is u1 tl1e cell,11 ; and lto\v ttb local po1;1t1on can be accounted for, iema111s as a. scp.1rate qttcstiou 111ucl1
discussed nt tl1c t11ue1 but neve1 sa.tIBfactor1ly clca1etl up. Mea11time, that \Vtlhamson ''us dea.d, became evident to tl1e young
ll'<;n, smce else he 1voulcl ha.ve been heard stm1n<
01 00'10:111111n0
0
'l'hree friends, therefoie. out of fvllI', '' 11om tl1e young u1an h..v

POSfSCRIPT.

89

.
parted with :forty n1inutes ago, were now extinguished; re1nainetl,
therdore, 40 per cent. (a large per centage :for W tlbams to leave) ;
remairted, in :fact, hnnself and lns pretty young :friend, the httlo
grand-daughter, whose chtlc:bsh 1n11ocence was still sl11mbermg
\\"'l.thout:fearfor herself, or grief :fo1 her aged grand-parents. If
tlzey are gone for e,er, happily one friend (for such he "\Vill p1ove
himself, rndeed, if from such a danger he can save this chtld) is
pretty near to her. But alas! he is still nearer to a mmdeier.
.A.t this moment he IS unnerved for any exertion whatever, he
has changed mto a pillar of ice, for the objects befoie l11m,
separated b:; just tlurteen feet, are these. The housemaid had
been c.1.ught by the murdeier on her knees; she was kneehng
before the :fire-grate, wluch she had been pohslung with black
lead. That part of her task was fin1shed, and she had pass::cl
on to another task, viz , the filling of the grate mth woocl and
coals, not for kindling at this moment, but so as to have it ieady
foi kindhng on the next day. The appearances all showed t11at
she must have been engaged in this labour at the very moment
when the murderer entered; and peihaps the succession of the
incidents arranged itself as follo"\\S: From the awful ejaculation
and loud outciy to Christ, as overheard by the 3ourne;{man, it
was clear that then :first she had been alarmed ; yet. this "\\as at

least one and a-half or even two minutes after the door-slamming.
Consequently the alarm wluch had so fearfully and seasonably

alarmed the young man, must, in some unacco11ntable way, have

been misinterpreted by the two women. It was said, at the
time, that Mrs \Vill1arnson labomed 11nder some dulness of hearing; and it was con1ec~ured that the servant, havrng her ears
filled. with the noIBe of her own scrubbing, and her head half
11nder the grate, might have confounded it mth the street nolSes,
or else might ha>e imputed this violent closme to some rniscluevous boys. But, howsoever explarned, the fact was evident, that,
11nttl. the words of appeal to Christ, the servant had noticed
, notlung suspicious, nothing which, mterrupted her labours. If
so, it followed that neither had Mrs W1ll1amson.noticed anything;
for, m that case, she would have comm11n1cated her own alar1!1
to the servant, since both were in the snne small room. .A.ppaD2

90

PDSTSCRIP'r.

rently the co11rseof tlungs afteitl10 n111i dci er bad entci ed t11c 1 oom
was tlus 1f1'S Williamson hacl probably not seen 111111 1 f101n tl10
accident of standinrr
\v1th lier back to tl1c
doo1. Iler, ll1c1cfo1e,
0

before he was hi1uself observecl at all, 11e 11ad st1u1ucu a11ll JlIO;::.
trated by a shattering plo\V on tl1e b,10]\. of 11e1 11cad, t111s l1lo\V1
inflicted by a cro\v-ba1, bad sma':ll1cd i11 the l1111Jcr pa1 t of tl10
skull She fell, a11d by.the noise of l1e1 f,1ll (01 all '\ :~ tl1e
work of a moment) had first io1iscd tl1c .1ttc11t1on of the bet \a11t;
who then uttered the cry '''lucl1 l1J.d icacl1cd tl1e yo1111g 111an:
but before she could repeat ib, t11e n1ur<lc1cr 11atl desccn<lcd '' 1tl1
his uphfted instrument l1pon lie1 head, c1 Uhh1ng tl1c &kull i11\\'1ltlls
upon the brain. Both the \VOmen '\'Clo iiieco\ e1,1uly dcst10j'Cll,
so that f1irther outiages we1e needless, ancl, n1orco\ er, tl10
murderer was CODSClOUS of the lllUnlllCilt clanger fio1n clcl,ty j ltllCl
yet, in spite of his hurry, so fully <lid 11e a1)prcc1.1te t11e f,1t,1l
consequences to himself, if any of I11s \'1ct1111S sl1ould so f.ii ic,-1\ o
rnto consciousness as to make c11c11mstJ.nt1al depos1t1011s, tl1.1t,
by way of making this impossible, 11e l1ltd procccdcu i11st,111tly to
cut the throats of each. .All tl11s tallied 'v1th t110 appca1.i11ces
as now presentmg themselves Mrs \\r ilha.mson l1n.d f:1llc11 backwards \v1th her head to the door; tl1e ser\ant, from he1 1.11cel111g
posture, had been rncapable of i1su1g, and 11ad p1escutccl lier
heacl passively to blo,vs, after which, the iruscreant had but to
bend her head backwards so as to e:-.pose her th1oat, a11c.l tho
murder '\Vas fin1sl1ed It lS remal },able thn.t tl1e young m t1::.m,
p:i.ralysecl as he had been by fea1, and ov1dcntly fascrnated for a
tune so as to walk right to,var<ls the lion's mouth, yet found
himself able to notice everythrng rmpo1.t:mt. The reader must
suppose b1m at this pornt watchrng tl1e murderer 'vlulst hai1g1ng
over the body of rs Williarnson, and \"1cl11lst iene1vmg his sea.i cl1
for ce1-tam important keys. Doubtless it was an anxious s1t11ation for the murderer, for, unless he speedily found tho keys
wanted, all this ludeous ti.agedy 1vo1tld end Ill nothrng but a
prodigious rncrease of the pubhc horror, rn tenfold precautions
therefore, and redoubled obstacles interposed between l111nsclf
,and his future game. Nay, there 'vas even a nearer interest at
I
; t."t:>.'ke i his own immediate safaty might, by a probable accident,
'

91

POSTSCRIPT.

l1e compromjsed. Most of those who came to the ho1ise fo1

l1ql1or ;vere giddy girls or chtldren, who, on finding this house
closed, wottld go off carele::sly to some othe1; b11t, let any
thoughtful woman or man come to the doo1 now, a full q11,u1:er

of an hom before the established t1me of closmg, in that case

stISp1c1on wollicl arise too power.fill to be checkecl. Tl1ere wo11ld
be a sudden alarm given; after wlnch, mere 111ck wottld decide
the event. For it is a rema1kable fact, and one that illustrates
the singular mconsistency of this -.,'lllam, '''110, being often. so
supe1fluou.sly s11btle,
in other duect1ons so reckless and
imp10'\'1dent, that at tlus ve1y moment, standing amongst
corpses th.1.t had deluged the little pa1lou1 with blooc1, W,ill1a1ns
must have been in cons1c.le1able doubt 'vhethe1 he had any su1e
means of egress. Tl1ere 'vere windows, he kne\Y1 to the back;
but upon what gio11na they opened, 11e seems to have had no
'
certai11 information, and m a nc1ghbomh-ood so dangerous,

the 'vindows, of the lower storey wo1tld not improbably be

nruled down; those in. the upper might be free, b11t then came
the necessity of a. leap too formidable. From all tlns, however,
the sole practical inference was to hmry f 01\\"ard with the

trial of further keys, and to detect t11e hidden treashre. Tlllll

it was, this in.tense abso1 ption ui one overmaste1111g pmslt1t,
that dlliled the murderer's perceptions as to all around l11m ;
other'IYlSe, he must have heard the breathing of the young
man, wlncli to himsel at times became fearfllily audible. ..1;\s
the murderer stood once more over the body of M1'S tlhamson,
and searched her pockets mo1e narrov.ly, he pulled out vru101ts
. clusters of keys, one of which dropping, gave a. harsh Jingling
sound upon the floor. :A.t tliis time it 'vas that the sec1et w1tne~s,
from his secret stand, noticed the fact of Wtlhams's surtout bemg
lined with stlk of the finest c1uality. One other fact he noticed,
"hich eventually became mo1e immediately important than many
stronger ctrc11mstances of mcr1minat1on; this was, that the shoes
l)f the murderer, apparently new, and bought, probably, 'v1tli
poor Marr's money, creaked as he walked, harshly and frequently.
1Vith the new clusters of keys, the murde1er walked off to the
h1clden sechon of the parlour. ..i\ncl l1cre, at Jast, wa.c:; su~g-cstc<l

,,.as

"r

92

POSTSCRll'T,

to the 3ourneyman the sudden opening for an EEcape. Some

minutes wottld be lost to a. cert.i1nty m trying all tl1e~e l;:e.) i> ;
and subseqt1ently in searclui1g tl1c dra'\'ers, supposii1g tl1at tl10
keys ans\vered or m violently fo1c1i1g them, suppo::.111g tl1at
they did 1iqt He m1gl1t t11us count l1pon n. brief int~r\ .11 of
leIBure, whilst the iattlmg of tl1e keys m1gl1t obscure to tl10
murdere1 the creakrng of the st-ius t1nde1 tl10 rc-ascc11d111g
Journeyman. His plan 1vas IlO\V fo1n1ed . on rega1z1i11g 111" bwllroqm, be placed the beu against tl1e doo1 by 'va.y oi o. t1,111-,1e11t
retardation to tl1e enemy, that inigl1t give lum a short ''',it n111g1
and in tl1e '\YOrst extremity, migl1t g1\e him ii cl1a11ce fo1 lift! by
means of a. desperate leap 'l'lu& cl1,inge made as qtuetl.) <L'> \\ ,1.,
po:sible, he tore the sheets, ptllo,v-cascs, and bla11Jrcts into !J10,1d
, nbbons, and after pla1t1ng tl1e1n i11t-0 ropes, spltcc<l the <l1ife1(11t
lengtlis together. But at tl1e ''cry first he dcsc11cs tl11" tigly
addition to 1us labours. ''r11erc sl1all l1e look fo1 any staple, 11001':,
bar, or other ii::...ture, f1om '\'ltlch l11s rope, 'vhen t,\JStecl, 111:1y
safely depend? 1Ieasured from tl1c '' 111do\v~s1ll-i. c , the lo\\ est
part of tl1e w1ndo\v arclutra.ve-tl1cre count but t\vc11ty-t\\ o 01
t\venty-three feet to the gro11nd Of tills length ten 01 t\vel\ o
feet may be looked upon a& cancelle<l, because to tl1at e'\.tent 110
' might drop without danger So 1nttch bei11g dedJJctcd, tl1e1c
would remam, say, a. dozen feet of iope to prepare. Bttt, 1111happ1Iy, there IS no stout rron fixt1ue anY'\'here abo11t his
wmdow. The nearest, indeed tl1e sole fi...'\.ture
of
tl1at
sort,
i;;
I
not near to the wmdow at all, it IS a spike fi...\:ed (for no ic.1sor1
at all that is apparent) in the bed-tester; no\v, the bed bc111g
s1ufted, the spike lS slufted, and its distance from th(l 'v1ndo\\",
havmg al1vays been four feet, lS no'v seven. Seven entire feet,
therefore, must be added to that '\Vl11ch >vould have sufuced ii ,
measured :Uom the window. But courage! God, by the riio\ e1b
of all nations m Christendom, helps those that help the1nsel\es.
Tlus our young man thankfully acki10\v ledges; he reads ah e,1cly,
in the very fact of any spike at all bemg found where 111therto
it has been useless, an earnest of providential rud. Were it only
for lumself th3<._t he 'vorked, he could not feel himself mei1tor1ously
~mployed, but, tlus is not so; m deep smcer1ty, he IS now

l?OSTSClUPT.

93

'
agitated for ilie pooi chtlc1, 1vhom he knolls and loves; every
mmute, he feels, brmgs ruin ,nearer to lier; and, as he passed
her cloor, ]us first thought had been to take lier ot1t. of bed m
his arms, and to cru.ry lier where she might shJ.1e b1S chances. '
But, on considerat1on, he felt that tlus sudrlen a'' ak111g of her,
and tl1e un:poss1bllity of e\en ''hlspe1111g any explana:t1on, 1vould
calu;e hei to cry audibly, ancl tl1e ine"V1table indisc1et1on of one
"\\ould be fatal to the two. .As the Alpine a\1alancl1es, 1vhen
supenc1ed abo,;e the traveller's heac1, oftentimes (1ve are told)
con1e do\\i1 tl1iough the stiirmg of the air by a s1m11le \Vl1ISper,
i:recIBely on s11ch a tenu1e of a \Vl1isper '''as now s11spended tl1e
Tulllde101IB 1nal1ce of the man belo>v. No 1 tl1e1e 1S but one '''ay '
to save tl1e cl11ld, to-wa1ds 711..r deliverance, the first step L'>
througl1 his o\Vn And he has made an excelle11t begi1111111g;
for the spike, 1vhicl1 too ferufully 11e had. expcctccl to see torn
a>vay by a11y st1a111 lrpon it from tl1e 11alf-car1otlS >voocl, stands
fumly >vl1en tried against t11e p1essme of l11s o;;n 've1ght. He
1 a.s rapidly fastened on to 1t thiee lengtl1s of l11s 11e\\' rope,
Eeasur1ng ele\en feet. He plaits it io11gltly, so tl1at only thre~
feet 11a>'e been lost 10 the intert\\'lStln6 ; lie has spliced on a.
Eecond length equal to tl1e first; so that, already, sixteen feet
are ready to tluow out of the ''1ndo>v 1 and t111ts, let the '''01-st
come to the worst, it \Vill not be absol1tte rw11 to swarl\l do\\n
the rope so far as rt 1v1ll reacl1, and then to drop bolclly. All
t1us 11as been acco1nphshed m abo11t six mm11tes; and the 11ot
contest bet'''een above a11d be10\V' is still steachly but fervently
proceeding 1.furderer is '''01king hard in tl1e parlour; )Otrrneyman is working hard in thebedroom. 1.I1sc1eant is getting on
famously <1o\\'Il-stmrs, one batch of bank-notes he has already
bagged, and IS hard upon the scent of a second. He has also
sp1 ung a covey of golden coins. Sovereigns as yet \vere not ;
but gumeas at tlns penod fetched thirty sbill1ngs a-piece ; and he
has worked Ins 1vay into a httle quarry of these. .Murdeier is
almos~ Joyous; and If any creature is still hvmO' in this 11ouse
a.s~
0
'
e>vdly he suspects, a.nd very soon means to kno\v with
th.1.~ creature he 1vould be happy, before cuttmg the cr~trITe's
t1uoat, to drmk a glass of sometlung. Instead of the g1n!::S,

94:

POSTSCRIPT.

IDl rrhtl1enot make a present to t11e poor c1 e.~ture

of its tl1roat? 011

0
1
not impossible t Tlrroats are a sort of tl11ng tl1at 110 never ma.res
presents of, busrness-bus1ncss must be attended to. Really
the t'vo men conside1ed simply as nieu of bw,1ncss 1 are both
'
'
mer1tor1ous. Like chorus ancl seffil-cl101us 1 st1opl1c au~ a11hstropl1e, they work eacl1 agau1St t11c otl1c1. Pull JOt1incyn1J.n,
pull murderer I Pull baker, ptill devil! 1\.b 1cgar<lJ> tl1c JOUt 11eyman, he is now s:i.fe. To lus bL""<tcc11 feet, of 'vl1ich bC\ c11 a10
neutrahsed by the distance of the beu, lie l1as at ],1st allJc..<l 1o1x.
feet more, 'vhlch will be sl1ort of 1eacliing tlie groilllcl Ly 1ic1li..11J->
ten feet a trifle r.vhich man or boy may d1op ''J.thout i11jwy.
1\.11 IB safe, therefore, for l11m \\ h1cl1 u, more tl1a11 011c c.111 bo
sure of for mlScrmnt in the pa11our ~Iiloc,1c.1nt, ho\\C\c1 1 takc3
it coolly eno11gh t11e ieason bei11g, tl1at, ''iith all hb clc\ e1nc.0" 1
for once in his hfe inibcieant 11as bec11 ovc1-1eacl1el1. Tl1c le.lllcr
and I know, but ffilScreant does not in t11c le.'lSli buspcct, a 11ttlo
fact of some lillportance, ,1z , that just no,, tl11ougl1 a space of
full three minutes 11e has been O\'erlooked a11d sittl11r.l by 011e 1
1vho (though reading in a. dieadful bool'-, and su.ffe1111g tulllLr.
moi:tal panic) took accmate notes of bO n1ucl1 a& llli> lim1tecl
opportunities allo,ved him to see, and "\\ tll a.c.::.medly iepo1 t tl1e
creaking shoes and the sillr-mounted surtout in quarte1., '' 1ie1e
such ~ttle facts will tell very httle to llIB acl,antage But,
although it lS true that lifr "'\Vtlhams, uua.,vare of the JOUlneyman's having'' assisted'' at the e::i..arninat1on of Mis 1\tlhamson's
pockets, could not connect any anxiety "\Vlth that per.:;on's sub::.equent proceedings, nor specta.lly, therefore, "'\\~th lu.s hJ.'\1ng
embarked m the rope-"\vea.vmg lme, assuredly he kne\v of r~sons
enough for not loitering And yet he did loiter. Re.1.dmg lili
acts by the light of such mute t1a.ces as he left behind l11m tl10
'
I
police became a.ware that latterly he must have lo1teied. .t\.nd
the reason wlnch governed l11m is striking, becall':e at once it
records-that murder was not pursued by ]1im snnply as a n1eans
to an end, but also as an end for itself Mr "''Ttlhams had no\V
been upon the premises for perhaps :fifteen or t\\enty n1ill11te.s;
and m that space of tIIDe he had despatched, ma. style satis:.
.UCtory to l1imbe1f, a considerable rmount of business. Ile had

'

95

POSTSCRIPT

.
''
"al lan(l'ua(l'e ''a goocl. stroke orJ! b us1ness.
done m commerc1 ' "" "" '
,
Upo~ two floo1'S, viz' the cellar-floo1 and the grou11cl-floor, he
Jias '' acco11nted for'' all tl1e population. But the1e :emamecl ati
least two floors mo1e i and it now occurred to JII1 "\Villiams tl1~t,
altl1ough the landlord's some,vhat cl11ll111g man,ner 11acl shut h1m
t from any frumllar kno1vleclge of the ho1IBehold anangements, ,
011
t-0o probably on one 01 othe1 of those floors there ll).ust be some
throats. .ill; to plunder, he has already bagged the 1vl1ole And
it was next to impossible tl1at any arrear the most trivial should
still remain for a gleaner But the t111oats the tlrroats tl1ere
1t was that arrears and gleanings rmght per11aps be counted on.
And thus it appeared tl1at, in his wolfish tlmst ~or bloocl, ~Ir
Wtlhams p11t to hazard the whole fruits of lus n1gl1t's work,'
and lus hle mto the bll'ga1n. .A.t thIS moment, if tl1e m1rrderer
kne'v all, could he see the Ol?en 1\rindo>v above stairs ready for
tl1e de.scent of the journeyma11, could he 1vitness the hfe-anddeath rapidity with which t11at 10111neyman iB 1vorking, could lie
guess at the aln11gl1ty uproar 1vhicl1 'vitl1m ninety seconds will be
1naddenrng tl1e populat1on of thIS populo1IB district-no picture
of a mamac in flight of panic or i11 pursrnt of vengeance 'vould
adequately represent tl1e agony of haste with which l1e would
l11mself be hunymg to the street-door for :final evasion. That
mode of escape was still free Even at th1s moment, tl1ere yet iemained time sufficient for a successfttl fught, anc1, tl1erefore, for
the followmg revolutionm the rom~ce of his own abonnnable hfe.
He had in his pockets above a h'.undrecl pounds of booty, means,
therefore, for a full disg111se. This very night, if he wtll shave
off
Iris yellow hair, and blacken his eyebro,vs I bu~
no- 'vhen moin
J - Ol
mg hght returns, a dark-coloured 1ng, and clothes such as may
co-operate in personating the character of a grave professional
man, he may elude all suspicions of impertinent policemen may
satl by any one of a hundred vessels bound for any port alon()'
0
the huge line of sea-boa1d (stretch1n(l'
tlnouah 2400 miles) of
0
the.Am
o
erican Umted States; may enjoy fifty years for leJSurely
l'epentancei and may even die in tfieodour of f!.anctity. On the
hand
if
he
p
f
t hf
.
'
other
.
,
ie er ac ive e, it IS not 1mpossible that with
u'lS subtlety, hardil1ood, and 1tT1:>.C!'upulo11sness. in o. land ~l1f'l'rl
~

96

rosTSCRif'T

the snnpie process of naturalisation co11ilerts the all.e11 at once

into a cl11lcl of the fanuly, he might rise to tlie president's c11air;
l!llght l1ave a statue at l1is death , and aftel',var<ls a life i11 three
volumes quarto, with no hint glancmg to,var<ls No 29, Ratcliffe
Righ,vay But all depends on tl1e next ninety seconds. Withm
that t1111e there is a sl1arp titrn to be taken; there IS a 1\riong
turn, and a r1gl1t tlirn Shoulcl his better a11gel guide l11m to
the r1gl1t one, all may yet go well as iegards this 'vo1ld's p1os~
per1ty. But behold I m t\VO minutes f1'0ll). tills point \Ve bl1nJl
see hun talte tl1e wiong one and then Nemesis \vill be at ills
, heels \VIth rum perfect and sudden.
I
1Ieant1me, if tl1e murderer allo1vs lumself to loiter, t11e rope~
make1 overheacl does 11ot , 1Vell he knows that the poo1 cluld's
fate is on, tl1e edge of a razor; for all turns upon tl1e ala1111 being
raised befo10 tl1e inurderer rea.cl1es 11er bedside. And at tlllS
very mo1nent, \vlulst desperate agitation IS nearly pa1alys111g 111S
:fingers, he liea1s t11e sullen stealtl1y step of the mmdcrer c1eep1ng
'
up tlrrot1gl1 the daikness. It had been tl1e expectation of tho
JOU111eyn1an (founded on t11e clamorous uproai "\'nth \Vl1icl1 the
stree~-door was slammed) that W tlhams, \vhen disposable for
his up-stairs \VOrk, "\Vould come racing at a long Jl1btl,i11t gallop,
and \Vlth a tiger roa1, and perhaps, on his :natl11al instincts, lie
would liave done so. But this mode of approacl1, \vlucl1 \Vas of
dreadful effect \Vhen apphecl to a case of smpr1se, became dangerous in tl1e case of people who might by thIS tune ha,e been
placed fully l1pon their guard The step which lie had 11earcl
\VUS on the staircase but upon wluch stair? He fancied upon
the lo,vest: and m a movement so slow and cautious, even this
might make all t11e difference ; yet might it not have been th"e
tentli, t'velfth, or fourteenth stru.r? 'Never, perhaps, m this
"\vorld did any man feel ills own responsibility so cruelly loaded
and strained, as at this moment did the poor Journeyman on
behalf of the sl11mber1ng cluld. Lose but two seconds tlrrourrh
'
'
b
U\Vk,vardness or thro~gh the se1-counteract1ons of pamc, al}cl
for lier t11e total difference arose between hfe and deatl1. Still
there IS a hope and notbmg can so, fnghtfiilly 6:l..1JOUnd the
hellish. nattire of him \Vhosc baleful shado,v, to SJ?eak astrolog1~

97

POSTSCRIPT.

cally, at tl1is moment darkens the house of hle, than the simple
e..xpre.-:sion of the ground on which tlllii hope rested Tl1e journeyman felt sure that the murderer would not be satisfied to kill
the poor child whilst 11nconscious. This would be to defeat his
whole purpose in murdering her at all. To an epicure in murder
such as W1ll1ams, it would be taking away the very sting of the
enjoyment, if the poor child should be suffered to drink off the
bitter cttp of death Wlthout fully apprehending the misery of
the situation. But this luckily would req111re time: the double
con11::ion of mind, first, from being roused up at so 11nu.sual an
1!our, and, secondly, from the horror of the occasion when explained to her, would at first produce fa1ntrng, or some mode of
in:::ens1billty or distrachon, such as must occupy a considerable
-, time. The logic of the case, in short, all rested upon the ultra
:fiendishness of W1ll1ams. Were he hkely to be content with tho
mere fact of the child's death, apart from the process and lelSurely
e:.."Pansion of its mental agony in that case there would be no
'
hope. But, because our present murderer is fastJchousl~ :fl.meal
in his exactions a sort of martinet in the scenical grouping and
draping of the circ11mstances m his murders therefore it lS that
hope becomes reasonable, since all such refinements of pieparation
demand time. Murders of mere necessity W1ll1an1s was obhged
to htury , but, in a murder of pure voluptuottSness, entirely

dlS1nterested, where no hostile witne."S was to be removed, no

extr.i. booty to be gained, and no revenge to be gratified, it is
clear that to hurry would be altogether to ruin. If this child,
therefore, is to be saved, it will be on pure resthetical cons1derahons _,,
'

* Let the reader, who is disposed to regard as exaggerated or

romantic the pure fiendishness imputed to Wtll1ams, reeollect that,
except for the ltLxurious purpose of basking and re; ell1ng in the
angt.1ISh of d)ing despair, be had no mot1>e at all, small or great,
for attempting the murder of this young gi1l. She had seen nothing,
heard nothing-was fast asleep and her door was closed ; so that,
' that she 'vas as useless as any
as 'a witness against lnm, he knew
one of the three corpses. And )et he uas making preparations for
her murder, "\\hen the alarm in the street interrupted l1un.
E

lV

98

'

'

POSTSCRIP'f.

But all cons1derations whatever are at tlns moment suddenly

cut short. A second step 1s heard on the starrs, but still stealthy
and cautious; a thrrd-and then the cb..tld's doom seems fixed
But just at that moment all is ready. The wmdow lS 'vide open;
the rope lS swmgmg free; the journeyman has J.aunched himself;
and already he lS m the first stage of ills descent. Simply by
the weight' of his person he descended, and by the resistance of
his hands he retarded the descent The danger was, that tl1c
rope should run too smoothly through his hands, and tl1at by too
rapid an acceleration of pace he should come violently to the
ground. Happily he was able to resIBt the descendmg 1mpetus
the kriots of the sphcmgs furnished a succession of retardations.
But the rope proved shorter by four or five feet than he hacl
calculated. ten or eleven feet from the ground he hung suspended
in the arr, speechless for the present, through long-continued
agitation ; and not daring to drop boldly on the rough carriage
pavement, lest he should frarture his legs But the mght '\Vas
not dark, as 1t had been on occas1on of the lifarr murders. Aull
yet, for purposes of criminal pol1ce, it '\Vas by acc1dent worse than
the dark'lt night that ever h.J.d a murder or baffled a pursmt.
London, from east t-0 west, was covered with a deep pall (rIS1ng
from the river) of 11n1versal fog Hence it happened, that for
twenty or tl1irty seconds the young man hangmg u1 the arr was
tiot observed Hrs wh.J.te sh.J.rt at length attracted notice. Three
or four people ran up, and received him m their ar111s, 1 <Lil anti.eri1at1ng some dreadful annunc1at1on To what ho1ISe dJ<l be
, belong? Even that was not 1nstantly apparent , but he pomted
'1r1th ills .finger to Williamson's door, and said Ill a half-chokmg
.J\hrsper-'' .ilfarr's murderer, now at work!''
\All expla.1ned itself Ill a mbment: tlle silent languaae of the
\
0
fact made its O\vn eloquent revelation. The mysterious exter\
1nmfl.tor of No. 29, Ratcliffe Highway had,VlSited another house;
and, behold I one man only had escaped through the arr, and in
lus night-dress, to tell the tale. Superstitiously, there was
somet ng to check the pursurt of th.J.s unintelligible criminal
Mor
and Ill the interests of vindictive justice there >1,1;,
cvr at~g to rou.c;e, qurcken, l"l.11d sustam 1t.
'

99

POSTS!Jl{!PT,

Yes, Marr's murderer the man of mystery was again at

work : at tlus moment perhaps extingmshmg some la.mp of hfe,
and not at any remote place, but here in the very house which
the listeners to this dreadful anno11ncement were actually touch- ing. The chaos and blind uproar of the scene which followed,
measure!J by the crowded reports in the journals of manysubse"
quent days, and in one feature 'of that case, has never to my
knowledge had its parap.el; or, i a parallel, only in one cas.t!-e'vhat follo,ved, I mean, on the acquittal of the seven bishops at
Wesl1111nster in 1688. At present there was more than passion
ate enth11sias111. The frenzied movement of mixed horror and '
exultation the ululation of vengeance which ascended instantaneously from the individual street, and then by ~ sublnne sort
of magnetic contagion from all the adjacent streets, can be ade
quatcly e..'\.-pressed only by a rapturo1IB passage in Shelley . -

'

''The transport of a fierce and monstrous gladness

S11read through the multitudinous streets, fast flying
Upon the wings of fear :-Fi om his dull madness
The starvehng waked, and died in joy: the dying,
Among the corpses in stark agony lying,
Just heard the happy tidi.'lgs, and in hope,
Closed their famt eyes : from house to house replying
\V1th loud acclaim the liv1ng shook heaven's cope,
And fill'd the startled ea1-th ;vith echoes.''"
'

There was something, indeed, half inexphcable in the justantaneous interpreta.tion of the gathering shout according to its
true meaning. In fact, the deadly roar of vengeance, and its
subhme 11n1ty, could pomt in this district only to the one demon

;whose idea had brooded and tyrann15ed, for twelve days, over
the general heart : every door, every wmdow m the ne1ghbourhood, flew open as i a word of command' multitudes, wit11out 'vmtmg for the. regular means of egress, leaped down at
once from the windo,vs on the lower storey; sick men rose from
thetr beds, in one instance, as i expressly to verily the 1mage
of Shelley (m v. 4, 5, 6, 7), a man. whose death had been looked
for through some days, and who ac~ually did die on the follow-

at

"" '' P.ovolt of Islam,'' canto

,
x11.

100

:eosrsc1tIPT

ing day, rose, armed himself with a sword, and descended in 111a
slurt into the street. The chance was a good one, and the mob
were made aware of it, for catchmg the wolfish dog m the high
noon and carnival of his bloody revels-m tl1e very centre of lus
o\vn shambles For a moment the mob 'vas self-baffled by its
o\vn numbers and its o\vn fmy. But even that fury felt the call
for self-control. It was evident that the massy street-door must
be driven 1n, since there was no longer ap.y hving person to cooperate 'vith their efforts from withm, exceptmg only a female
chzld. Crowbars dexterously applied m one minute thre'v the
door out of hangmgs, and the people entered hl~e a torrent It
' may be guessed with what fret and irritation to their consuming
fury, a signal of pause and absolute silence was made by a person
of local 1mportance In the hope of receivmg some 11sef ul communication, the mob became silent. '' No'v listen,'' said the
man of autho1ity, '' and we shall learn 'vhether he IS above-staus
or below '' Immediately a noise was heard as if of some one
forc1ngwmdo,vs, and clearly the sound came from a beclroom abo> e.
Yes, the fact was apparent that the murderer 'vas even yet ill the
l1ouse: he had been caught ill a trap. Not havmg made lums.clf
familiai \\'ltl1 the details of )Vtlhamson's house, to all appearance
he had suddenly become a pr!Soner m one of the upper rooms.
Towards tlus the crowd now rushed 1mpetuously. The door,
howevei, was found to be shghtly fastened 1 and, at tl1c moment
when tlus was forced, a loud crash of the 'vindo,v, botli glass
and frame, announced that the wretch had made lus escape.
Ile had leaped do\vn; and several persons m tl1e cro,vd, \\ho
burned with the general fury, leaped after him. These persons
had not troubled themselves about the nature of the giound;
but now, on makmg an ex.am1nat1on of it with torches, they
reported it to be an mchned plane, or embapkment of clay, >c1y
wet and adhesive. The pnnts of the man's footsteps "'ere deeply
impressed upon the clay, and therefore easily traced up to the
s11mm1t of the em]Jankment, but it was perceived at once that
_ pursuit would be useless, from the density of the mist T\\o
feet ahead of you, a man was entirely 'v1thdrawn from yo11r
power of identrli.cat1on ; and, on overtaking him, you coulcl

POSTSCRIPT.

101

not venture to cl1allenge 111m as the same whom you had

lost sight of. Never, throt1gh the course of a whole century,
could the:re be a night expected more propitious to an escaping
cri1nmal: means of disguise W:ill.Iams now had in excess; and
'
the dens we:re innumerable in the neighbourhood of the river
that could have sheltered ]1jm. for years nom troublesome lllqurries. But favours are thro,vn away upon the reckless and
the thankless. That night, w'I!en the turning-pomt offered itself'
fo1 his \\'hole future caieer, Williams took the wrong tmn; foi.
out of mere indolence, he took the ttrrn to his old lodgmgs.tha.t place 1vhich, m all England, he had JUSt now the most
reason to shun.
nieantinie the crowd had thoroughly searched the premises of
-W:illiamson. The first inq11iry was for the young grand~daughter.
\Vtlhams, it was eVIden.t, had gone mto her ioom: but m this
room apparently it was that the sudden uproar in the streets
had strrprised bjm; after which lus undivided attention had been
directed to the mndO\\'S, since through these only any retreat
k1.d been left open to bim. Even this retreat he owed only to
the fog and to the hurry of the moment, and to the difficulty of
approachmg the premises by the rear. The little grrl was naturally agitated by the mflux of strangers at that hour ; but otherWISe, through the h11mane precautions of the neighbours, she was
preserved from all knowledge of the dreadful events that had
occurred whilst she herself was sleepmg. Her poor old grandfdther was still missing, until the crowd descended into the
cellar ; he was then found lying prostrate on the cellar floor:
apparently he had been thro1vn down from the top of the cellar
starrs, aud 'Vlth so much violence, that one leg was bioken.
After he had been thus disabled, W1lliams had gone do1vn to
h1m, and cut his throat. There was much disc11i:;s1on at the time,
m some of the public journals, upon the possibility of reconciling
these mcidents iVith other circumstantiahties of the case, supposing that only one, man had been concerned in the affair. That
there was only one man concerned, seems to be certam. One
only was seen or heard at ~farr's one only, and beyond all
doubt the same n1a.u, wa.s seen by the yonng Journeyman m

102

POSTSCRU'T

Mrs 'Villiamson's parlour; and one only was traced by hti. footmarkson the clay embankment. Apparently the course 'vhich
he had pursued was this he had introduced himself to 'V1ll1amson by ordermg soma beer. Th.ts order would oblige the old
man to go down into the cellar; Williams would 'vrut ~til he
11.3.d reached it, and would then'' slam'' and lock the street-door
in the violent way described Williamson would come 11p i11
agitation upon hearing tlns violence. The murderer, aware that
he would do so, met h1m, no doubt, at the head of the cellar
stairs, and threw b1m down ; after \Vh1ch he would go do'Vll to
cons11mrnate the mll.l'der m 1us ordinro.-y way. .All thl.S 'voul<l
occupy a minute, or a minute and a-lli'llf i and in that way the
interval would be accounted for that elapsed bet\veen. tl1e alarming sound of the street-door as l1eard by the journeyman, and
the lamentable outcry of the female servant. It is e\rident also,
that the reason why no cry whatsoever had been heard from tho
h:ps of Mrs Wtlhamson, m due to the positions of the parties as
I have sketched them. Coming behind Mrs 'Vtlhamson, unseen
therefore, and from her deafness i1nbeard, the murderer wottld
infuct entire abohtion of consciousness whtle she \\'US yet unaware
of his presence. But 'vith the servant, who had unav9idably
witnessr.d the attack upon her mistress, the murderer could not
obtain the same fulness of advantage; and she therefore hac1 time
ior makmg an agonising ejaculation.
It has been mentioned, that the murderer of the Man"S was
not for nearly a fortmght so much as suspected ; mea.mng tliat,
previously to the W1ll1amson murder, no vestige of any ground
for suspicion m any direction whatever h,'.l.d occurred either to the
general public or to the police. But there 1vere two very l1m1ted
exceptions to this state of absolute ignorance. Some of the
magistrates had in their possession something which, when
closely exam1ned, offered a vety probable means for tracing the
criminal. But as yet they had not traced him. Until the Frid3.y
morning next after the destruction of ~he Wilhamsons, they had
not published the important fact, that t\pon the ship-carpenter's.
mnllet (with which, as regarded the st11nning or chsablmg pro~ess, the murders hatl been acltleved) were mscnbed the letters

103
''J.P.'' Thisn.a1Jethad, by a.strange overs.igl1t on the IJar~ of tl1e

Ir1lrrderer, been left bel1ind in 1Ia.rr's shop; and it is an il1terestillg iact, therefore, that, l1ad the \-tll.i.1n been interce1)ted by
t11e bra\e pa.\\nb1oker, he ,,ould ha,e been met i.rutu,1lly d.Jsarmc-d. 'ThI.s public notificatio,n \\as made offic1ally on the
i:r1da.), v-:iz, on the tlurteenth day after the first m1ude1. 1\.u<l
it ,,as instantly follo...,,ed (as
be seen) b) a inost unportant

1t'Sult. .:.\feantimc, \\1thin the secrecy of one single bc<hoom m

.ill Londo11, it is a f.1ct tl1,it ''r1lliams had beeu \vl1ts1ic1ingly tl1e
object of very deep suspicion f1on1 the ,-c1y fl11:it thJ.t is, '''1tl1i11
th.it ~n1e hom \vlucl1 \Vitncsscd tl1e }farr t1-agetly ..t\.nd s1ngttlar it is, tliat the s11picion ''as due entirely to 11is O\\ ll folly.
\\tllL.'lms lodged, in cou1ra11) \;1tl1 otl1er 111cn of 'arious 11,i.t1ons;
at a. public-house. 111 a. lJ.1ge dorm1to1y the1e ,,e1e arrangcc.l
fi,e or sLx beds i these \vcre occu1lied by a1tis.ws, generally
of

respectable charactc1. One or t\\o Englishmen tl1erc \\ere, one

or t'' o Scotclilllen, tlrree 01 folu- Germans, a11cl 'y ill1ams, \Vl1ose
b:.rtl1-place 1\as 11ot ce1i:amly kno\\ n. On the fatal S,iturday
11ight, about half-past one o'clock,\\ lien W1Ih,1.ms rct11111cd f10111
hls dre.icliul labours, he found tl1e Englliih and Scotc}1 pa1 ty

asleep, but the Gern1aus a\vake: one of tl1em \Vas mttmg up'' ith
a. l1gl1ted canclie in his hands and ieaJmg aloud to tl1e otl1er
t\\'O, Upon this, IVilli,11ns said, 111 an angry and ,cry l'erc111ptory tone, '' Oh, put that candle out; put it out Ll1rcctly: '' e
shall all be burned in 01rr bcds. 1' Had tl1e Britisl1 p.i1 ty m tho
room been a\vake, ~fr \Vtlliams '' ould have roused a m1ltinou.<>
})rotest against this arrogant manclate. But Germans a1e generally mtld and facrle in their tcrppei-s; so the hght was complais;1ntly e."'\:tingtlished. Yet, as there were no c.u~ta111s, tt
struck the Germans that the danger '\\as really none at ..tll ; fo1
bed-clothes, massed upon each. other, \\ill no more bm'Il t"Pan tbe
lea\es of a closed book. Privately, therefore. t11e Gcr1na ns drevt

an inference, that Mr "\Vtlhams must have l1ad sol'l.(, rgent
motive for vr1thchawing ,his O\\"ll person and dress from obser\'1111on 1\hat tl1is moti,e nugl1t be, the next day's news diffused
:i.!1 over Lonclo11, and of course at this 11011sc not two :furlonrreo
'
o'
frc,m llfan s s11cp. lnade a\\ full) ev1tleut, anrJ 7 as may 11e:l be

,,.ill

104

'

POSTSCPJPT.

S'.!pposed, the sru,picion 'vas comm11nicated to the other men1bers

of the dor111itory. All of them, however, were aware of t11e leg.~l
danger attachmg, under Engh.sh law, to insmuat1orl.h agai11st a
man, even i true, "\Vl1ich might not admit of proof. In reality,
had 1Vtlhams used tl1e most obvious precautions, l1ad lie ~imply
"\Va1ked do'vn to tl1e Thames (not a stone's-thro'v du,t.int), .i.ncl
flung t'yo of ills implements into tl1e river, no conclllhive proof
could ],lave been adduced agamst him. .And he 1nigl1t h.r., e
reahsed the scheme of Courvois1er (the murderer of Lord"\\'ill1am
Rl1ssell) VIZ , have sougl1t each separate month's &uppo1 t in a
separate 'veil-concerted murder. '11e _party ID tl1e do1mito1y,
meantime, were satisfied tl1emselvcs, but waited fo1 e\ i<lencCd
that IDight sJ.tISfy others. No sooner, tl1erefo1e, 11ad the offiL1al
notice been pubhshed as to the mitwls J. P. on the n1allet, tl1an
every man ID the house recognised at once tl1e 'vcll-1;:110,vn
initials of an honest Norv.ef,ri.t11 ship-carpenter, Jolin Pete1sen,
who had worked m the English dockyardd until the pr~ent
year; but, having occasion to revrut lus
native
land,
11.td
le.ft

his box of tools m the garrets of this mu. Tliese g.tnet::. v.cre
no'v i;earched. Peter.,en's tool-cl1est 'vas found, but '\'antu1g
the mallet; and, on further exa111ination, 'anotl1er O"\'er\\ 11eln11ng
discovery was made. 'rhe ,urgeon, 'vl10 exammed tl1e corp::.es
at Wtlhamson's, had given it as 11lli opinion that tl1e thlo.i.t:> ''ere
not cut by means of a razor, but of some unpleme11t d1fte1ently
shaped. It 'vas no"\V remembe1ed that 1V1ll1ams had iece11tly
borro,vcd a large French knue of peculi.'ll' constructio11 ; and
accordmgly, from a heap of old lwnber and rags, tl1e1e '"as soon
extricated a waIStcoat, 'vluch the 'vl1ole 11ouse could s'vear to as
recently '\Vorn by Williams. In t}115 '\V.tIStcoat, anC!. glued by
gore to the hn1ng of its pockets, 'vas found the F1encl1 knife.
Next, it 'vas matter of notonety to ever)bocly iu the 111n, tl1at
Williams ordinarily '\Vore at pre::.ent a pair of creakmg bl1oes, and
a bro,vn surtout lined with silk lrfany other preswnptions
seemed scarcely called for. Wtlh.'lms 'vds'1mrnediately app1ehended, and briefly exam:ned. This was on the Frid.ty. On
the Sat11rday morning (vu, fourteen days from the ltfarr
m1uder.;) he was aga1n brought up. 'l'he circ11mstantial. eVIdenca
I

POSTSCRIPT.

'

105

was overwhelming; W1ll1ams v,ratched its course, but said \ery

little. .At the close, he was fully comm1tted for trial at the
next sessions, and it is needless to say, that, on his road to prison,
he was pursued by mobs so fierce, that, under ordinary circ11mstances, there would have been small hope of escaping s11mmary
"\ engeance. But upon this occasion a powerful escort had been
provided, so that he "\Vas safely lodged in jail In this particular
Jail at thIS time, the regulation was, that at five o'clock P..M. all
the pruonei-s on the c11m111al side should be finally locked up

for tl1e rught, and mthout candles For foru'i:een hours (that is,
, until seven o'clock on the next mornrng) they were left unvisited,
and m total darkness Tmre, therefoie, Wtlhams had for com
in1thng suicide. The means in other respects were small. One
rron bar the1e was, meant (rf I remember) for the suspension
of a lamp i upon this he had hangecl l11mse1f by his braces. .At
'\'hat hour was uncertam. some people fancied at midnight.
And in that case, precisely at the hour when, fourteen days
before, he had been spreading horror and desolation through the
quiet family of poor 111.iln, now was he forced into d.rmking of
the same cup, presented to his lips by the same accursed bands

The case of the lf 'Keans, wluch has been specially alli1ded to,
merits also a shght rehearsal for the dreadful picturesqueness of
some two or three amongst its circ11mstances. The scene of thIS
murder was at a rustic inn, some few miles (I think) from l!Ianchester i and the advantageous situation of this inn it was, out
of \Vhich arose the twofold temptations of the case. Generally
speaking, an inn argues, of course, a c;lose cmcture of neighbours
as the ongmal motive for opening such an establishment.
But, m tlus case, the house individually was solitary, so that no
.
'
mterrupt1on was to be looked for from any persons living \\ithm
reach of scre.-1ms, and yet, 9n the other hand, the cuc11mJacent
vicllllty was eminently populous; as one consequence of \vluch,
a benefit club had est_ablished its "\Veekly rendezvous m this inn,
and lefb t11e pec11n1ary acc1lmulanons m thell' club-room, under
the custod)- of the landlord This fund a1ose often to a con-

106

POSTSCPJP'.:.

ferred to the hands of a banker. He1 e, tl1e1 efore, "\\as a t1 ea&u1 \!

worth. some httle rak, and a s1tuat1on tl1at p1om1sed i1ext to
none These attractive circumstances hacl, by accident, becoine
accurately luio1vn to one or both of tl1e t'vo MKe.ws; and, 11nfortunately, .i.t a mom~nt of over\vhelrmng misfortune to themselves They "\vere hawkers; and, until litely, had borne most
respectable characters . but some mercantile c1ruih had overtaken
them with utter rmn, m "\vlnch theu Joint capital liad be~n
swallowed up to the 1'lst sh1ll1ng Thrs sudden p1ostra.t1on had
made them desperate their o'vn httle property had been S\Vallowed up 1n a la1ge social catastrophe, and society at large tl1oy
looked upon as accountable to them for a robbery In prey111g,
therefore, upon society, they considered themselves as pur&t1i11g
a \vtld natural Jl1St1ce of retaliation. The money alllled at cl1d
certantly assume tbe character of public money, bcrng the product
of many separate subscr1pt1ons Tl1ey forgot; 110'\vever, tl1at 1n
the m1trderous acts, 'vlnch too certamly they meilitnted as prelnrunaries to the robbery, they could plead no such unagina.ry
social p1ecedent. In deahng with a famtly that seemed .i.lmost
helpless, if all 'vent sinoothly, they ielied entirely upon tl1eii O\Vll
bochly strength They were stout young men, twent)-eight to

thirty-two years old, somewhat ,undersized as to height, b11t

squarely butlt, deep-chested, broad-shouldered, and so beautifttlly
fonned, as regarded the symmetry of their lunbs and thcu art1culat1ons, that, after t11eir execution, the bodies we1e pr1\atcly
exhibited by the surgeons of the llfanchester Infirmary, :is objects
of statuesque interest. On the other hand, the holLsehold wluch
they proposed to attack consisted of the follo\vmg four prrsons
-1 the landlord, a stoutish farmer-but J.iin they inte11dcc1 to
disable by a trick then newly introduced amongst robbe1s, and
termed liocusszng, i e , clandestinely drugging the l1q11or of tl1e
Tlctlm with laudan11m , 2. the landlord's '' ife ; 3 :i yo11ng
servant-\voman, 4 a boy, twelve or fourteen years old Tl1e
<langer was, that out of four persons, scattered by possibility over
u. house 'vh1ch had two separate exits, one at least might escape,
:i.nrl by better acquaintance with the adjacent paths, inigl1t s11ci!eed ll g-.ving an alarm to some of tl1e houses~ fu1long distant.

107

POSTSCllIPT

Their final resolution "\Vas, to be guided by circumstanc<:s as to

the mode o.f conducting the affair ; and yet, as it seemed e...c;sent1al
to success that they should ass11me the air of strangers to eacl1
other, it was necessary that they should p1econcert some general
outhne of their plan, smce it would on this scheme be impoSSJ.ble,
without awaking violent suspicions, to make any commumcat1ons
under the eyes of the farmly. This outlme included, at the least,
onemurde1: so much wa:; settled, but, otherwise, tl1eir subsequent
p1oceedmgs make it e'rident that they mshed t-0 have as little ,
' bloodshed as was consistent with their final obJect On the appointed day, tl1ey presented themselves separately at the iust1c
inn, and at chfferent hours. One came as emly as four o'clock
in the afternoon; the other not 11nttl half-past seveh. They
saluted each other distantly and shyly ; and, though occas1onally
cxchangu1g a few "\Vords 1n the character of strangers, chd not
seem disposed to any familiar intercourse. IV1th the landlord,
11oweYer, on his return about eight o'clock fro1n Manchester, one
of the brothers enteretl into a 1ively conversation ID"\ited hin1 to
t:ike a tumbler of punch; and, at a moment when the landlord's
aosence from the room allo"\\ed it, poured into the p11nch a spoonft1l of laudan11m. Some tjme after this, the clock struck ten;
upon which the elder }.!'Kean, professmg to be '1'eary, asked to
be sh91vn up to lus bedroom: for each brother, immedia.tely on
a1T1\ug, had engaged a bed. On this, the poor servant-girl
lJresented 11erself "\1J.th a bed-candle to hcrht
l1im up-stairs At
<:>
tlus cnt1cal moment the fanuly were chstr1buted thus t11e
la.ndlord, stupifi.ed "\vith the horrid narcotic which lie hacl di unk,
had retired to a p1ivate room adJ01n1ng the pubhc ioom, for tl1e
purpose of reclining upon a sofa: and he, luclnly for his o'vn
safety, 1vas looked upon as entirely inca,pacitated fo1 ac.t1on. The
1andl'Uly was occt1p1ed '111th he1 husband. And thus the younger
~['Kean was left alone m the public room He rose, therefo1e,
softly, and placed lumself at the foot of tl1e stairs wlnchhis brother
liacl Jl~t ascended, so us to be sure of interceptlllg any f t1git1ve
f1om the bedroom above. Into that ioom the elder )!'Ke.-i111>as
usl1e1ecl by the servant, "\Vh0 pointed to t1vo beds one of "\Yl11ch
\l.!'10

ll'la.<"'lrl~ 1, .... 1~

-. ...

...

...

..

108

POSTSCRil'T

these, she intunated that the t\vo strangers must dn,pose of the1nselves for the mght, accorchng to any anangeroent tl1at they
might agree upon. Saymg tlus, she presented lu1n ;v1th the
candle, wln.ch he m a moment placed upon the table ; and, intercepting her retreat from the room, threw hrs aims 2.iot1nd lier
neck with a gesture as though he meant to Jnss her. '1 h1s 'vas
evidently what she herself antie1pated, and endeavo1rred to IJrcvent. Her horror may be imagmed, ;vl19n she felt t11e pcrfichous
hand that clasped her neck armed ;v1th a razor, and violently
cutting herthroat. She was hardly able to utter one s~1cam,
before she sank powerless upon the floor. Tlus dreadful spectacle
;vas ;vitnessed by the boy, who '"as not asleep, but l1acl p1csei1ce
of nund enough mstantly t-0 close his eyes. 'l'l1e murde1er advanced hastily to the bed, and anxiously exam1ncd the expression
of the boy's features satisfied he was not, and 11e then placed b1'I
hand upon the boy's heart, in order to Judge by its beatings
whether he were agitated or not. Tlns "\Vas a dieadful tr1al and
no doubt the counterfeit sleep would immechately have been detected, when suddelliy a dreadful spectacle dre;v off the atte11hon
of the murderer Solemnly, and m ghostly silence, uprose m her
dymg dehr1um the murdered grrl , she stood upright, s11e ;valked
steachly for a moment or two, she bent her steps to;vards the door.
The murderer turned away to pursue her, and at that moment
the boy, feeling that his one sohtary cl1ance 'vas to fly 'vl111st tlun
scene was in progress, bounded out of bed. On the la.11l1mg.at
the head 0 the starrs was one murderer, at the foot of tl1e st.'\J.rs
was the other. who could believe that the boy had the s1udo\V
0 a chance for escapmg? .And yet, m the most natural \vay.
he surmounted all ln.ndrances. In the boy's hor1or, 11e laid h:t.'l
left hand on the balustrade, and took a flymg leap ove1 it, '''h1ch
landed him at the bottom of the stmrs, without havi11g' touched a
'Single stair. He had thus effectually passed one of the murderc1s
the other, it is true, was still to be passed, and tlns i'rould hJ.ve
been 1mposs1ble but for a sudden accident. The 1an2.!..tdy had
been alarmed by the amt scream of -the young woma11, had
hurried from her private room to the girl's assistance ; but at the
fC'Ot of the stall'S had been intercepted by the )ounge1 brother,
1

'
I

'

109

POSTSCRIPT.

and 'vas at this moment struggling mth liini. The confusion of

this hfe-and-deathconflict had allowed the boyto 'vhirl past them.
Luckily he took a turn into a kitchen, out of wlnch was a backdoor, fastened by a single bolt, that ran freely at a touch ; and
tluough this door he rushed into the open .:fields. But at this
moment the elder brother was set free fo1 pursuit by the death
of the poor girl There is no doubt, that m her dehri11rn the
Jrnage movmg throl1gh her thoughts was that of the club, wluch
met once a-,veek She fancied it no dol1bt i;ittmg; and to this
room, for help and for safety, she staggered along i she entered
it, and withm the doorway once more she dropped do,vn, and
1nstantly expued. Her murderer, who had follo"'ed her closely,
now saw himself set at hberty for the pursmt of the boy. At
this cr1t1cal moment, all was at stake; unless,the boy were caught,
the enterprise was rt11ned. He passed his brother, therefore,
and the landlady without pausing, and rushed through the open
door mto the fields. By a smgle second, perhaps, he was too
late. The boy 1vas keenly a1vare, that lf he contmued m sight,
he would have no chance of escapmg from a powei1ul young man.
- He made, therefore, at once for a ditch, mto wluch he t11mbled
headlong Had the murderer ventured to make a leISurely exau1ination of the nearest ditch, he would easily have found the
boy made so conspicuous by ills wlute shii1i. But he lost all
heart, upon fn.1ling at once to arrest the boy's fught. And evei-y
succeeding second made his despair the gieater. If the boy had
really effected his escape to the ne1ghbourmg farm-houses, a
party of men in1ght be gathered withm five minutes; and aheady
it might have become cl1fficult for himself and his brother, unacquamtd with the field paths, to evade being mtercept!'!d Nothlllg remained, therefore, but to SJ1mmon his brother away.
Thus it happened that the landlady, though mangled, escaped
mth hfe, and eventually recovered. The landlord owed his
safety to the stupefymg potion. And the baffled murde1ers had
the misery of knowmg that their dreadful crinie had been altogether profitless. The road, mdeed, was now open to the clllbroom; anti, probably, forty seconds 1vould have sufficed to carry
ofi the box of treasme, which a.fte..vwards IUight ha''e been bur::it.
1

'

110

POSTSCRIPT

open an.:i pillaged at leisure But the fear of intercepting enemies

\\"as too strongly upon them ; and they fled rapidly by a road
\vluch earned them actually mthm six feet of the lurkmg boy.
'l'h,1t night they passerl through Manchester. \Then dayhght
returned, they slept m a thicket twenty miles distant from the
scene of their guilty attempt. On the second and third rughts,
they pmsued their march on foot, resting agam dunng the day
.A.bout suntlSe on the fourth morning, they were entering some
village near Kirby Lonsdale, m \Vestmoreland. They must have
designedly quitted the direct hne of route, for therr ob1ect \Vas
Ayrshire, of \Vluch county they were natives ; and the regular
road would ha'Te led them through Shap, Penrith, Carhsle.
Probably they were seelnng to elude the persecution of the
stage-coaches, wluch, for the last tlurty hours, had been scattering at all the 1nns and road-side cabarets hand-bills descr1bmg
thelr perpons and dress. It happened (perhaps through design)
that on tlus fourth :morning they had separated, so as t-0 enter
the vtllagcl ten minutes apart from eacl1 other. They 'vere exh.i.ustecl .iud iuotsore In tlus condition it vras easy t-0 stop them.
A bL1cksm1th had stle11tly reconno1trecl them, and compared their
appearance \VJth the descr1pt1ons of the hand-bills. They we1e
then C.'lStly overtaken, and separately arrested Their tr1al and
condemnation speedily followed at Lancaster, and in those days
it fol1o,ved, of course, tl1attl1ey,vere executed OtherWlSe,
their

case fell so far mtl11n tl1e sheltering l1m1ts of what would nozo
he regarded as extenuating circumstances that, wlulst a murder
111ore or less ''as not to re1Jcl them from the11 ob1ect, very eVIdently they \Vere anxious to economise the bloodshed as mucl1
as po::s1ble Immeasurable, therefore, was the interval which
di\'lded tb.em from the monster \V1ll1am.c; They perIShed on the
sca.ffold: Williams, as I have said, by 1us own hand; and, in
obedience to the la,,v as it t11en stood, he was buned m the centre
of a quadrzvzum, or confiu."l: of four roads (m this case four
streets), witl1 a stake dnven through J11c; heart. And over hu1,
ch 1\e.-:, fo1 ever tl1e uproar of unrestrug J~ondon !

REVOLT OF THE TARTARS;

OR, :FLIGHT OF THE K..\.L11UCK KH.tU'f AND

ms PEOPLE FR011 THB

RUSSIAN TERRITORIES TO THE FRONTIERS OF

CH:U~A.

is no g1eat event in modern history, or, perhaps it

may be said more broadly, none in all history, from its
earliest records, less generally kno\vn, or mo1e striking to
the imagination, than the fught eastwards of a principal
Tartar nation across the boundless steppes of Asia in tl1e
latter half of the last centu1y. The terminus a qito of this
flight, and the terminus ad qitem, are equally magnificent ;
the mightiest of Christian thrones being the one, the mightiest of Pagan the other. And the grandeur of these two
terminal objects is J1armoniously supported by the romantic
circumstances of the flight. In the ab1uptness of its commencement, and the fierce velocity of its execution, we reacl
the wild barbaric character of those who conducted the
movement. In the 11nity of purpose connecting this myriad
of wills, and in the blind but unerring aim at a mark so
remote, there is something which recalls to the mind those
almighty instincts that propel the migrations of the swallow
and the leen1ing, or the life-withering marches of the locust.
Then again, in the gloomy vengeance of Russia and her
vast artillery, which hung upon the iea1 and the skirts of
the fugitive vassals, we are reminded of Miltonic imagessuch, for instance, as that of the solitary hand pu1sui11g
through desert spaces and thlough ancient chao~ a rebellious
THERE

112

REVOLT OF THE TARTARS.

host, and overtaking with volleying thunders those who believed themselves already within the security of dark11ess
'
and of distance.
I shall have occasion, fa1ther on, to compare this event
with other great national catastrophes as to the magn1t11de
of the suffe11ng. But it may also challenge a comparison
with slll1la1 events under anothei: relation, viz., as to its
diamat1c capabilities. Few cases, perhaps, in romance or
history, can sustain a close collation with this as to tl1e
co1nplexzty of its separate 1nte1ests. The great outhne of
the enterpiise, taken in connection with the operative
motives, hidden or avowed, anc1 the 1ehgious sanctions
unde1 wl1ich it was pursuec1, give to the case a t1iple character: 1st, that of a cons1Jz1acy, with as close a unity i11
the incidents, ancl as much of a i)e1so11al interest in the
movn1g cha1acte1s, mth fine d1amat1c cont1asts, as belongl>
to ''Venice Preserved,'' or to the '' F1esco '' of Scl11lle1
2dly, That of a g1eat mzlzta1y expedzt101i, offering the saine
romantic featu1es of vast c1istances to be t1ave1sec1, vast
reverses to be sustained, unt11ed ro11tes, enemies obscurely
ascertained, and hardsl1i11s too vaguely prefig11iec1, wl11ch
, mark the Egyptian exped1t1on of CamlJj'Ses which ma1k
the analJasis of the younger Cy1us,
and
tl1e
subsequent
ie,
t1cat of the ten thousa11d wh1cl1 ma1Ir the Pa1thian expec11t1ons of the Romans, especially t11ose of C1assus anc1
Julian or (as more disastrous t.ha11 any of tl1em, and., m
point of space as well as in amount of forces, mo1e extensive) the Russian anabas1s and katabasis of Napoleon'
3dly, That of a rel1g1o~s Exodus, autho11sed by an oracle
venerated throughout many nations of Asia, an Exodus,
the refore, in so far resembling the great Scriptural Exodus
of tl1e Israelites, under Moses and Joshua, as well as 1n
the ve1y peculiar d1stmction of ca11ymg along with tl1ein

REYOI.T OF TilE TA.RT.ARB.

113

tbei1 entire-. families, women, cl1ildren, slaves, t hei1 he1d

of cattle ancl of sheep, then horses and then camels.
This triple character of the enterprise naturally invests
it with a mo1e comp1ehens1ve inte1est. But the d1amatic
interest l\ hich I have asc1ibed, to it, 01 its fitness fo1 a stage
representation, depends pa1tly upon the marked va11ety
and the st1ength of the pe1sohal agencies conce1nec1, and
partly upon the succession of scen1cal situations. Even
the steppes, the camels, the tents, the snowy and the sandy
deserts, are not beyond the scale of our mode1n re1l1esentative po,ve1s, as often called into actio11 in the theatres botl-1
of Paris and Lo11don; ancl the se1ies of situations unfolded
beginning with the ge11eral conflagration on the W olgapassing thence to the d1sast1ous scenes of the flight (as it
lite1ally 1\ as in its commencement) to the Tartai siege of
the Russian fort1ess Koulagina tl1e bloody engagement
with t11e Cossacks in the mountain passes at Ouchin1 the
surpr1sal by the Bashki1s, and the advanced posts of the
. Russian a1my at To1gau the p1ivate conspi1acy at this
point against the K.11n.n the long succession of iunning fights-the pa1ting massacres at the Lake of Tengis unde1 the
~yes of the Chinese and finally, the t1agical retribl1tion to
Zebek-Dorchi at the hunti11g lodge of the Chinese empe101;
-all these situations commumcate a scenical animation to
the 'vild romance, if treated d1amatically; whilst a higher
and a philosophic inte1est belongs to it as ?- case of a1;1thentic histo1y, commemo1ating a g1eat revolution for good
and for evil, in the fo1tunes of a whol~ people a peop~e
semi-barbarous. but simple-hearted, and of ancient descent.
1

On the 21st of January, 1761, the young Prince Oubacha

ai;sumed the sceptre of the Kalmucks upon the death of his
9
F. -

'

llt

REYOLT OF THE TART,\RS.

I

f3tl1er. Some part of the power attachi&d to this cllgnity .

11e h.i.d already \vielded since his fourteenth year, in quality
of Vice-Khan, by the express appointment and \vith the
avo\ved support of the Russian Government. He \vas now
about eighteen years of age, amiable in 11is personal character, and not without titles to resrect in his public character as a sove1e1gn prince In times more peaceable, and
among<>t a people more enti1ely civilised, or mo1e humanised by iel1gion, it is even probable that he might l1ave
discharged his high duties with considerable distinction.
But l1is lot was thrown upon stormy times, and a most
1l1ftieult crisis amongst ti1bes, whose native ferocity was
exa,..,perated by debasing f01ms of superstition, and by a
11at1onality as well as an mflated conceit of their O\Vn me11t
absolutely unpa1allelecl, whilst the circumstances of their
hard anll trying position under the jealous surveillance of aL
irresistible lord paramount, in the person of the Russian
Czar, gave a fiercer edge to the natural unamiableness of
the Kalmuck disposition, and irritated its gloomier qua.lit1ee
'
into action under the restless impulses of suspicion and pe1n1anent distrust. No prince could hope fo1 a cordial allegiance f1 om his subjects, or a peaceful reign under the
circumstances of the case ; for the dilemma m which a
I{al1nuck ruler stood, at present was of this nature : wanti11g the sanction and support of the Czar, he was inevitably
tcJo weak from \vithout to command confidence from his
s11bJects, or resistance to his competitors ; on the other
b11nd, with this kin.d of support, and deriving his title in
o.r1y degree from the favour of the Imperial Court, he became almost in that extent an object of hatred at home,
arid \vith1n the whole compass of lus o\vn te11ito1y. He
\Vas at once an obJect of hatred for the past, bemg a living
monument of national independence, ignominiously surren-

RL\OI.T OF TIIE TJ..RT.IBS.

lf5

ac1ed, and an object of jealousy fo1 the future, as one wh~

'
.
had alreJ.c1y advertised himself to be a fitting tool for the
ultimate pu1poses (whatsoever those might prove to be)
of the Russian Court. Coming himself to the Kalmuck
sceptre uncle1 the heaviest weight of prejudice f1om the
unfortunate circumstances of his position, it jllight have
been e:i-pected that Oubacha would have been pre-eminently
an object of cletestat1on; for, besides his kno\vn clependcnce
t1pon the Cabinet of St Petersbu1g, the ch1ect line of sue, cession had been set a'lide, ancl the p1inciple of inhe1itance
\iolently suspended, in favour of hIS O\\'n father, so recently
as nineteen years before the era of his own accession, consequently \'lithin the lively remembrance of the existing
generation. He therefore, almost eq11ally \\'ith his f,ither,
stood within the full cur1ent of the nationJ.l prejuchces, anc~

might have anticipated tl1e most pointed hostihty. But it

,.,. .is not so : such a1e the cap1ices in human affairs, that
lie \Vas even, in a modeiate sense, popular a benefit which
\Vore the more cheering aspect, and the p1omises of pe1manence, inasmuch as he oi\ed it e::\.clusively to his personal qualities of kindness and affability, as well as to the
On the other hand, to
beneficence of his gove1nment.
balance this unlooked-for prosperity at the outset of his
reign, he met \vith a rival in popula1 favour almost a
competitor in the pe1son of Zebek-Dorch1, a prince with
considerable pretensions to the throne, and perhaps, it
might be said, with equal pretensions. Zebek...Dorchi wasa direct descendant of the same ioyal house as himself.
through a different branch. On public grounds, his cl.aim
stood, perhaps, on a footing equally good ,yith that of
Oubacha, \Vhilst his personal qualities, even in those aspects which seemed to a philosophical observer most odiouc;
m.1d repulsive, promiserl the.most effectual aid to the <lark

116

REVOLT OF THE TA.RT.ABS.

purposes of an intiiguer or a conspirator, and weie geneially

fitted to win a popular support pieciseJy In those points
where Onbacha was most defective. He was much supe1ior
in exteinal a11pea1ance to his I'ival on the th1one, and so
far bettei quahfied to win the good opi11ion of a sem1-ba1- '
barons people, whilst his da1k Intellectual qualities of
Machiave]ian dissimulation, piofonncl hypociisy, and pe1fidy which knew no touch of iemoise, we1e admi1ably cul'
culatecl to sustain any gro11nd '''h1ch he might "'in from .
the simple-hearted people with w11om he had to deal aud
from the f1ank carelessness of his unconscious competito1.
At the very outset of his tieache1ous ca1ee1, ZebelcDorchi was sagacious enough to pe1ceive that notl1i11g
could be gained by open decla1ation of hostility to tl1e
. re,ign1ng p11nce : the choice hacl been a dehbeiate act on
the part of Russia, and Elizabeth Pet10\vna was not the
person to recall her own favouis 'vith levity, or upon slight
'
grounds Openly, therefore, to have declared his enn1it7
towards lus relative on the throne, coulcl have had no effect
but that of a1ming suspicions against his own ulte1ioi puiposes in a quarte1 "'here it was most essential to his inte1est that, for the present, all suspicion should be hoodwii1lced
Accorchngly, after much meditation, the course he took
for opening his snares was this : He raised a rumour that
his O\Vn life was in danger from the plots of several Sa1ssang
(that is, Kalmuck nobles), who weie leagued togethe1, un..der an oath, to assassinate him, and immediately afte1,
assummg a well-counterfeited alarm, he fled to Tcherkask,
followed by sIXty-five tents. Fiom this place he kept up
a correspondence with the Imperial Court; and, by way of
sohciting his cause more effectually,
he
soon
repai1ed
in'
,
person to St Petersburg. Once admitted to personal conferences with the cabinet, he found no difficulty _in winning

'

117

REVOLT OF THD T.ARTAns.

'

over i.he Russian' counsels to a concurrence v.'ith some of

his IJo11tical vjews, and thus covertly int1oducing the point
of that \veclge \vhich was finally to accomplish his purposes.
Iu partic11la1, he pe1suaded the Russian Government to
make a very important alte1ation in the constitution of the
Kalmuck State Council, which in effect ie-01ganised the
whole pohtical coi1dition of the state, and cl1stu1bed the
balance of powe1 as pieviously adJusted. Of this council
-in the-Kalmuck language called Sarga the1e we1e eigl1t
membe1s, called Saigatchi; and hitherto it had been the
custom that these eight membe1s should be entirely sub01chnate to the Khan; holding, in fact, the ministerial character of secietaries and assistants, but in no respect acting
some
inas co-ordinate autho1it1es. That had producec1
,
conveniences in former reigns ; and it was easy for ZebekDorchi to point the jealousy of the Russian Court to others
mo1e serious, \Vhich might a1ise in future circun1stances of
wa1 or other contingencies. It was resolved, the1efore, to
place the Sargatchi henceforwarc1s on a footing of JJerfect
independence, and the1efo1e (as regardecl responsibility) on
a footing of equality with the Khan. '!'heir independence,

howeve1, had respect only to their o \Vil sovereign ; for

to,va1ds Russia th<}y we1e placed in a new attitude of
di1ect duty and accountability, by the creation in their
favour of small pensions (300 roubles a-yea1), which, howeve1, to a Kalmuck of that day were more conside1able
than might be supposed, and had a farther value as marks
of honorary distinction emanating f1om a great empress.
Thus far the purposes of Zebek-Do1chi were served effectually for the moment: but, apparently, i~ was only for the
moment; since, in the further development of his plots,
this very dependency upon Russian influence would be the
most serious obstacle in his way. There was, however,

ItEVOLT 01!' TIIC 'f,\ It1'.\l~~.

118

anothe1 point carried which out,veighed all infeiior con:

siderat1ons, as it gave him a. po,vei of setting aside disc1et1onally whatsoever should arise to d1stu1b his plots : he
\vas l1imself appointed President and Controller of tl1e
Sargatch1. The Russian Cou1t liad been a.1va1e of l1is
high pretensions by birth, and hoped by tl1is p101not1on to
satisfy the amb1t1on which, in some degree, was aclinO\Vledged to be a reasonable passion for any man occupying
11is situation.
Having t11us completely blindfolded tl1e Cabinet of Russia, Zebelr-Dorch1 proceeded in his ne\v character to fulfil
l11s political mission 1vith the Kl1an of tl1c Kal1n11cks. So
aitfully did he piepare the road foi 111s favou1able recc1ltion at the court of this prince, that he was at once auc.l
universally welcomed as a benefacto1. The pensions of
the counsellors were so much aclditio11al 1vealtl1 poured into
the 'arta1 excheque1; as to the ties of depe11dency thus
created, experience had not yet enl1ghte11ed these simpl~
tribes as to that result. And that he himself sl1ould be
the chief of these mercenary counsellors, 1vas so fa1 from
being charged upon Zebek as any offence 01 any gro11ncl
of suspicion, that his relative' the Kl1an retu1ned him hea1ty
thanks for 1118 services, under the belief that he could l1ave
accepted this appointment only with a view to keep out
othe1 and more un,velcome pretendeis, 'vho would not have
.
'
had the same motives of consangu1n1ty or fiiendship fo1
executing its duties in a spirit of kindness to the Kal111ucks.
The first use 'vh1ch he made of his 11ew functions about the
Khan's pe1son, was to attack the Court of Russia by a
iomant1c villainy not easy to be credited, foi those very
acts of inte1ference mth the council 'vh1ch he himself 11atl
prompted. This was a dange1ous step . but it \\'as indISpcns:i.ble to his further adva11ce upo11 tl1e gloon1y l'itl1 "l11ch

'

liE,'OLT' Ol!' THE T_\..1{TARS.

119

he had t1ace<1 out f oi himself. ..A. triple vengeance was

what he meditated: 1. upon the Russian Cabinet for hav
ing unde1valued bis O\VI1 pretensions to the throne ; 2. upon
his amiable rival fo1 having supplanted him; and 3. 'upon
all those of the nobility who had manifested their sense of
his weakness by their neglect, or thei1 sense of his perfidious
charactei by their suspicions. Here was a colossal outline of wickedness; and by one in his situation, feeble (as
it mlght seem) for the accomplishment of its humblest part&,
I1ow was the total edifice to be reared in its compiel1ensive
grandeur 'l He, a worm as he was, coulcl he venture to
-assa1J the mighty behemoth of Muscovy, the potentate "'ho
<>ounted th1ee hundred languages a1ound the footste1)s of
his throne, and from whose '' lion ramp '' recoiled alike
''baptizecl and infidel'' Ch1istenclom on the one side, st1ong
by her intellect .and he1 organisation, a11d the '' Ba1ba11c
East'' on the other, with her nnnumbe1ed numbers? rr11e
match was a monstrous one; but in its very monstrosity
there lay this germ of encou1agement, that it COlild not be
suspected. The very hopelessness of the scl1eme grounded
his hope, and he resolved to execute a vengeance whicl1
should involve, as it weie, in the unity of a well-laid tragic
fable, all whom he judged to be his enemies. That vengeance lay in detaching from the Russian Empi1e the whole
Kalmuck nation, and breaking up that system of1nteicourse
which bad thus far been beneficial to both. This last n'as
a consideration whicb moved him but little. True it was,
that Russia to the Kalmucks had secmed lands and extensive pastuiage; true it was, that the Kalmucks.1eciprocally
to Russia had fu1mshed a powerful cavalry. But the latter
loss would be part of his triumph, and the foime1 might be
more than compensated in other climates u11de1 other so1ereigns. Here was a scQ.eme which, in its final accom11lisb

'

'

120

REVOLT OF TIID

T~\IiTAl?S,

ment, would avenge him b1tte1ly on the Cza1iI1a, and in

the course of its accomplishment might fuinish him witl1
ample occasions for removing his other enemies. It may
be ieadtly supposed, indeed, that he 'vho could delibeiately
raise lus eyes to the Russian autociat as an antagonist in
single duel with filmself, was not 11ke~y to feel much anxiety
about Kalmuck enemies of wl1atever rank. Ile took his
resolution, therefore, steii1ly and irrevocably to effect this
astonislung t1anslation of an ancient people across tl1e pathless deserts of Central Asia, intersected conti11ually by iapicl
rivers, raiely fmn1shed with bridges, and of which the fords
we1e known only to those who might think it fo1 their ii1terest to conceal them, through many nations inhospitable
or hostile ; frost and snow around them (f1om the necessity
of commencing tl1ei1 flight in winter), famine in theii front, '
and the sab1e, 01 even the artillery of an offended and
mighty empress, hanging upon their l'ear f01' thousands or
mtles. But 'iYhat was to be the11 final mark the po1t or I
shelter after so fearful a course of wandering'2 Two things
were evident~ it must be some power at a g1eat distance
from Russia, so as to make return even m that view '
hopeless; and it must be a power of sufficient rank to insure them protection f~om any hostile eliorts on the part
of the Czarma for reclaimmg them, or for chastising their
revolt. Both conditions were united obviously in the person of Kien Long, the reigning Emperor of Chilla, who was
further recommended to them by his respect for the head
of the ii religion. To Chila, therefore, and, as their first
rendezvous, to the shadow of the great Chinese Wall, it
was settled by Zebek that they should direct theho flight.
Next came the question of time when should the fugl1t
commence? and finally, the more delicate question as to the
choice of accomplices. To extend the knowledge of tl.e

RL\"OLT OF TilB T,,\.RT..ll{S.

121

conspiracy too far, was to insure its bet1ayal to tl1e Russian

Govern1uent. Yet, at some stage of the prepaiations, it
was evident that a very extensive confidence must be made,
}Jecause in no othe1 way could the mass of the Kalmurk
population be pe1suaded to furnish their families \i,ith the
requisite equipments for so long a migration. This c1itical
ste1J, ho1vever, it was iesolved to defer up to the latest
possible moment, and, at all evPnts, to make no general
commumcat1on on the subject until the time of departure

should be definitely settled. In the meantime, Zebek admitted only th1ee pe1sons to ills confidence; of 1vhom
Oubacha, the reigniI1g p1ince, was almost necessarily one;
but him, frore. his yielding Pncl some1vhat feeble character,
he viewed iather in the light of a tool, than as one of his
' active accomplices. Those whom (if anybody) he admitted
to an un1eser,ed pa1tici1)ation in his counsels, were two
only, the great Lama among t11e Kalmucks, ancl his O\\'D
fathe1-in-law, E1en1pel, a ruling prince of some t11be in
the neighbou1hood of the Caspian Sea, iecommended to
his favour, not so much by any strength of talent co1responding to the occasio1i, as by his blincl devotion to himself, and his passionate anxiety to promote the elevation of
1us daughter and his son-itl-law to the th1one of a sove1eign
prince. A. titular p1ince Zebek all eady \i'as : but tl1is dignity, without the substantial accompaniment of a scept1 e,
seemed but an empty sound to both of these an1b1tious

rebels. The othe1 accomplice, whose name was LoosanDchaltzan, and whose rank was tl1at of Lama, or I\:al111nck
pontiff, was a person of fa1 more distmguishecl p1 etcnsions;
he 11ad something of the same gloomy and tc1rific i)1ide
which marked the cha1acter of Zebek himseif, ma111fes ting

also the same e11e1gy, accompanied by the same unfJlter'

ing cruelty, a11d a nat11ral facility of chssimult1tion eve11 more
F

IV.

122

REVOLT OF 'l'IIIl

T.ART.Al~S.

profound It was by this man that the other question was

settled, as to the time for giv1i1g effect to tbei1 designs.
Eis own pontifical character had suggested to him, that-; in
oruer to st1engthen their influence mth the vast mob of
simple-minded men whom they were to lead into a ho\vling
lvilderness, nftcr persuacling them to lay desolate their O\Vn
ancient hearths, it was indispensable that they should be
able, in cases of extremity, to plead the exp1ess sanction
of Goel for their ent1re enterpi'ise. This could only be do11e

by addressing themselves to the great head of their religion,

the Dala1-Lama of Tibet Him they easily persuaded to
counte11ance their schemes and an oracle 1vas delivered
solemnly at Tibet, to t11e effect that no ultimate prosperity
would attend this great Exodus unless it were lJursued
tbrougl1 the years of the t1ge1 and the lzare. Now, the
Kalmucl\. custom is to distinguish their years by attaching
to each a denomination tal\.en froin one of t\velve animals,
the exact 01der of succession being absolutely fixed, so
'
that the cycle revolves of cou1se through a period of a
dozen yea1s. Consequently, if the appioaching year of
the t1ge1 \Vere suffered to escape them, in that case the exped1t1on mu:it be delayed for twelve years more, 1v1tlun
whicl1 pe1iod, even \Ye1e no other unfavou1able changes to
arise, it \vas pretty well foreseen that the Russian Government 1vould take the most effectual means fo1 bridling their
vagrant propensities by a ring fence of forts or m1l1ta1y
i)osts; to say nothing of the still ieadier plan fo1 secu1ing
thei1 fidelity (a plan already tall~ed of in all quarters), by
exacting a large body of hostages selected f1om the families
of t11e most influential nobles On these cogent considerations, it was 'Solemnly determined that this terrific experiment should be made in the next year of the tiger, which
ha\Jpened to fall UI>on the Christian year 1771 .With


.ttE\"OLT Ol!' THE TARTARS,

123

respect to the month, theie was, unhappily for the Kal

mucks, even less latitude allowed to thei1 choice than with
respect to the yeai. It was absolutely necessary, or it
was thought so, that the dift'eient divisions of the nation
which pastured their ilot'ks on both banks of the W olga,
should have the means- oi' e~ecting an Instantaneous junction; because the danger of being intercepted by flying
columns of the impe11al a1mies was precisely the greatest
at the outset. Now, from the want of bridges, 01 sufficient
river craft for transporting so vast a body of men, the sole
means which could be depended upon (especially "'he1e so
. many "\vomen, children, and C:!.mels were conce1:ned), was
ice: and this, m a state of sufficient fiimness, could not be
absolutely counted upon befo1e the month of January.
IIence it 11appened that this astonishing Exodus of a wholo
nation, before so mucl1 as a whisper of the design had begun to ci1culate amongst those whom it most Interested,
befoie it was even sus1Jected that any man's wishes pointed
in that diiection, 11ad been defin1t1vely appointed for Janua1y of the year 1771. And almost up to the Oh11stmas
of 1770, the poor simple Kalruuck he1dsmen and their
fam1lies were going nigl1tly to their peaceful bedF, "11thout
even dreaming that the fiat had alieady gone foith f1om
thei1 rule1s which consigned those quiet abodes, togethe1
with the peace and comfo1t which ie1gned w1thm them, to
a "\vithe1ing desolation, now close at hand.
Meantime war raged on a gieat scale between Russia
ancl the Sultan; and, until the time a1rived fo1 thro\v1ng off
their vassalage, it was necessa1y that Oubacha sl1ould contribute his usual contingent of maitial aid Nay, it had
unfortunately become prudent that lie should cont11bute
much more than his usual aid. Human expe1ience gives
ample evidence. that in some mysterious and u11accou11t '
I

REVOLT OF TH.E T,illTARS

124

able way no g1eat c1es1g11 is ever agitated, no ro11tte1 110\v

few or how faitl1ful may be the i)a1tic1pato1s, but that some
presentiment some dim misgiving IS lt1nc1led amongst
those whom it IS chiefly im1)orta11t to blind. And, l1owever it m1gl1t have happenccl, certain 1t is, tl1at alrcac1y,
when as yet no syllal)le of the cons1J1rary bac1 been b1eathed
to any man 1vhose ve1y existence was not staked upon its
concealment, nevertl1eless, some vague and l1ncasy Jealousy
had a1isen in the Russian Cabinet as to t11e f11tu1e schemes
of the Kalmuck Khan: and very probable it is, tl1at, but for
the war then raging, and the consequent p1udence of cou~
c1liating a ve1y 1mpo1tant vassal, 01, at leaEit, of absta1rting
from what would po,verft11ly alienate him, even at tl1at
moment such measu1es would have been adoptec1 as n1ust
for eve1 have inte1ceptcd t11e Kalm11cl\: schemes Sl1ght
as we1 e the Jealousies of the Im1Jer1al Cou1t, they l1ad not
escapee! the l\Iachiavelian eyes of Zebek and tl1e Lama. .A.rtd
under therr gu1clance, Oubacha, bencling to the circumstances
of the moment, and meeting the Jealousy of the Russian
Court with a policy co11espond1ng to the11 own, st1ove by
unusual zeal to efface the Cza11na's unfavourable 11np1ess1ons. He enlarged the scale of his cont11b1lt1ons, and that
so p1odigiously, that he absolutely ca1r1cd to heacl-qua1ters
a force of 35,000 caval1y fully equ11)ped; some go fu1the1,
and iate the amount beyond 40,000; but the smalle1 estimate is, at all events, wzthzn the t1uth
W1tl1 this magnificent array of caval1y, heavy as well as
light, the Khan went into tlre field under great expectations; and these he more than ieal1sed. f!av111g the good
fortune to be conce1necl with so 111-organisecl and diso1de1Iy
a descr1pt1on of fo1ce as that which at all times composed
the
bulk
of
a
Tur'l(ish
a1my,
he
ca1r1ed
victory
alo11cr
witl1

0
n1s banners ; gamed many x1~rt1ul successes , and at last. 1n
I

,
RJ:\TOLT OF THE TARTARS

a pitched battle, overthrew the Turkish f01ce opposed to

him with a loss of 5000 men left upon the field.
These splendid achievements seemed likely to ope1ate in
various ways against the impendrng revolt. Oubacha had
now a stiong motive, in the mai' tial glo1y acqrn1ed, for
continuing his connection with the empire m whose se:r:vice
he had won it, and by whom ouly it could be fully app1eciated. He was now a great maishal of a great emprre,
one of the Paladrns around the impe1ial throne ; in China
he would be nobody, 01 (wo1se than that) a mendicant
alien, piostrate at the feet, and soliciting the piecarious
alms, of a p1 ince with whom he had no connection. Besides, it might ieasonably be expected that the Cza1ina,
giateful foi the really efficient aid given by the Ta1tar
prince, would confer upon him such eminent iewards as
might be sufficient to ancho1 hIB hopes upon R1issra, and
to wean him from every possible seduction. These we1e
the obvious suggestions of piudence and good sense to
every man who stood neutral in the case. But they were
disappointed. The Cza1ma knew her obligations to the
Khan, but she did not ac1..'"llowledge them. Whe1efore?
That is a myste1y, pe1haps never to be explained. So it
'\1as, however. The Khan went unhonoured; no ul..ase
ever proclaimed his merits ; and perhaps, had he even
been abundantly recompensed by Russia, there we1e otl1e1s
who would have defeated these tendencies to ieconciliation.
E1em1iel, Zebek, and Lo.osang the Lama, were pledged
life-deep to prevent any accommodation ; and their efforts
'1'e1e uufortunately seconded by those of thei1 deadliest
enemies. In the Russian Comt there were at that time
some great nobles pre-occupied with feelings of hatred
and blind malice towards the Kalmucks, quite as stiong as
eny whicl1 the Kalmucks could hurbou1 towa1ds Russia,

. 126

ltEVOLT OF TUE r,\..RTARS

anrl not, perhaps, so well fonndec1. Just as much as tho

Kalmncks hated the Russian yoke, the11 galli11g assu1npt1on
of authority, the ma1ked air of d1sda1n, as towa1ds a i1ation
of ugly, stupid, ancl filthy ba1ba1ians, which too ge11e1ally
marked the Russian bea1ing and language; but, above all,
the insolent contempt, or even outrages, 1v11ich the Rt1ssian
governors or great m1lital'Y comma11clants tolerated in theit
t'ollo\ve1s towards the ba1barous religion and supe1st1tious
mummeries of the Kalmuclt priesthood precisely in that
extent did the ferocity of the Russian resentme11t, and tl1eir
wrath at seeing the trampled worm tur11 01 atten1pt a feeble
retal1at1on, re-act upon the unfo1tunate Kal1nucks. .At
this c11s1s, it is probable thal envy and wou11de(l pri<le,
upon w1tness1ng the splendid victo1ies of Oubachu. and
Momotbacha over the Turks and Bashltirs, contributed
strength to the Russian irritation. .A.nd it must have been
through the intrigues of those nobles about l1e1 person,
who chiefly sma1ted under these feelings, that the Czaiina
could eve1 have lent he1self to the un\vise and ungrateful
policy pursued at this cr1t1cal period towards the Kalmuck
Khan. That Cza11na was no longei Elizabeth Petro\vna,
it was Catherine II. a princess "'ho did not often e1r so
injuriously (1njur1ous1y for herself as much as for othe1s) in
the measures of her gove1nment She 11ac1 soo11 ample
reason fo1 iepent111g of her false policy. Meantin1e, how
much 1t must have co-operated \v1th tl1e other motives previously acting upon Oubacha. m, sustaining his determmation to revolt; and ho\v powerfully it must l1ave assisted
t.he efforts of all the Tartar chieftains in prepa1ing the
minds of their people to feel the necessity of this difficult
enterprise, by arming their pride and their suspicions
against the Russian Government, th1ough tile kee.une::.s
:f their sympathy witl1 the \vrongs of theu ins11lted print e.

.k~VOLT

OF THE T.1ill'r_\.l{::3

l~7

may be readily imaginec1. It is a fact, and it has l)een

confessed by candid Russians themselves, when t1eating of
this great dismembe1ment, that the conduct of tl1e Rt1ssian
Cabinet th1oughout the pe1iod of suspense aucl du1i11g the
c1isis of hes1tat1on in the Kalmuck Council, 'vas exactly
such as was most des11able for the pu1poses of tl1e conspi1ators; it was such, in fact, as to set the seal to all
theii machinations, by supplying c11stinct evidences and
offic.ial vouche1s fo1 what could othcr11'ise have been, at the
most, matte1s of doubtful suspicion and inc1I1ect p1esun1ption.
Nevertheless, in the face of all these a1gumeuts, and eveJ).
allowing their weight so far as not at all to cleny the injus
tice or the impolicy of the impe1ial Illlniste1s, it is co11tended by many persons who have revie'.ved the aff.iir ,,ith

a command of all the documents bet11ing on the case, more

especially the lette1s or minutes of council suLsequently
discovered in the 11and,viit1ng of Zebel~-Dorchi, and the
impo1tant evidence of the Russian captive W eselofl', ,\ho
was ca111ed off by the Kalmucks in then flight, that beyond
all doubt Oubacha was powerless for any purpose of impeding or even of delaying the ievolt. He himself, indeed,
was unde1 religious obhgations of the most ter11fic solemnity never to flinch from the enterp1ise, or even to slacken
in his zeal: for Zebek-Do1chi, c1I.st1 u&ting tbe fumness or
his resolution under any unusual pressure of alarm 01 difficulty, had, in the ve1y earliest stage of the conspiracy,
availed himself of the Khan's well-known super5t1t1on to
engage him, by means of previous concert \\'1th the p11ests
ancl the11 heacl the Lama, in some da1k and mysterious
rites of consecration, te1minat1ng in oaths unde1 sucl1 terrific sanctions as no Kalmuck woulcl haV"e courage to \'iolate. As far, tnerefore, as regruJe<l the pe1sonal slui1e of

1:2b

REVOL'r OF THE TART.A.ltt!.

the Khan m what was to come, Zebek was euti1ely at his

'lase; he knew him to be so deeply pledged by religious
terrors to the prosecution of the consp11acy, that no
honours within the Cza11ua's gift coulcl have possibly
s!1aken lus adhesion and then, as to thieats f1om the same
quarter, he knew him to be sealed against those fea1s by
others of a gloomier cha1actei, and bette1 ada1Jted to his
peculiar temperament For 011bacha was a b1ave man as
respected all bodily enemies or tl1e dangers of human warfare, but 'vas as sensitive a11d as tin1id as the most superstitious of old \vomei1 in facing t11e frowns of a priest, or
under the vague anticipations of gl1ostly retiibutions. But,
bad lt been othe111 ise, and had tl1e1e been any ieaso11 to
apprehend an unsteady demeanoui on the pa1t of this
prince at the app1oach of the critical mome11t, such "i\'e1e
the changes aheac1y effected 111 t11e state of their domest1e

politics amo11gst the Ta1 tars, by the undermining a1ts of

Zebek-Doich1 and his ally the Lama, that very little importance 'vould have attached to that doubt. All power
\Vas now effectually lodgec11n the 11ar1ds of Zebelr-Dorchi.
He 1vas the true and absolute w1elde1 of the Kalmuck
sceptre ; all measu1es of irn1)01tance \\'el e submitted to his
discretion; and nothing was finally iesolved but unde1 his
dictation. This result he had b1 ought about, in a yea1 01
two, by means sufficiently sunple; fi1st of all, by availing
lumself of the p1eJud1ce in his favoui, so largely diff11sed
amongst the lo,vest of the Kaln1ucks, that his own title to
the throne, in quality of g1eat-grandson in a direct hne
from .AJouka, the most illustrious of all the Kalmuck Kl1ans
'
stood upon a. bette1 basis than that of Oubacha, who derived fiom a collate1al branch; secondly, 'vith iespect to
that sole rdvantage ii'h1ch Oubacha possessed above himi:elf inthe \atihcat1on of 1us title, by llllp1ov1ng thlS differ
1

ltEV"OLT OF TIIC TA.UT.illS.

129

ence between their situations to the cusad.vantage ot his

compet1to1, as one who had not sc1upled to t1ccept that
t1iumph from an alien, power at the p1ice of his iude1)endence, "'hich he himself (as he would have it understood)
clisdained to cot1rt; th11clly, by his o'vn talents and adcl1ess,
coupled with the fe1ocious ene1gy of ills mo1al cha1acte1;
(ou1thly and pe1l1aps in an equal deg1ee by the c11minal fac1lit .f and good-natme of Oubacha; finally ('vhicl1 is
rema1kaL:o enough, as illust1ating the cha1acter of tho
man), by tl1at ,ery new modelling of the Sa1ga or P1ivy
Council "hich he had used as a princi1Jal topic of abuse
and mahc1ous insinuation against the Russian Gove1nment,
whilst, in 1eality, he fi1st had suggested the alte1ation to
the Emp1ess, and he chiefly a1J1Jropriated the political advantages ''thich it was fitted to yield. Fo1, as he was himself appointed the cl1ief of the Sa1gatchi, and as the pensions to the inferior Sa1gatch1 passed thiough his hands,
whilst m effect they owed their appointments to his nomination, it may be easily snp1)osed, that whatever po,ver
existed in the state capable of cont1oll1ng the K11an, being
held by the Sa1ga unde1 its new 01ganisation, and this
body being completely unde1 his influence, the final iesult
was to th1ow all the functions of the state, 'vhether nominally in tl1e prince or in the council, substantially into the
hands Cit ihis one man; whilst, at the same time, f1orn the
st11ct league 1th1ch he maintained with the Lama, all the
thunders of' the spuitnal power were always ieady to come
in aicl of the magist1ate, or to supply his incapa.e1ty in cases
'vhich he could not reach.
But the tlIDe wag now rapidly approaching fo1 the
n1ighty experiment. The day was diaw1ng near on "h1ch
the signal was to be given for iaising the sta11(1a1d of
r~volt, and by a combined movement on both sides of the

130

llEVOLT OF TIIJ.o: 'l'Alt'fAitl::l.

W olga for spreac11ng tl1e smolce of one vast confiagru.tior1,

that shoulcl w1ap m a common blaze tl1e11 o\vr1 huts :ind
the stately c1t1es of tl1e1r enemies, ove1 tl10 b1calltl1 u11d
lengtl1 of those g1cat i)rov1nces in \vl1icl1 tl1eir ilockc; \Vero
dis1Je1sed Tl1e yea1 of the t1ge1 \Vas IlO\V \v1tl1111 one little
month of its comme11ceme11t, the fifth mornmg of that
yea1 \Vas fixed for the fatal clay 1vhen the fo1tunes a11cl
hap1J111ess of a \Vhole nation 1ve1e to be put upo11 the hazard
of a d1ce1's thro\v, and as yet tl1at natio11 \vas in lJI'Ofou11d
igno1a11ce of the \Vl1ole plan. rl'he Kl1an, such 1vas tl1e
kind11ess of l11s natu1e, could not b1ing 111illself' to ma!(o
the 1evelat1on so u1gently 1eq111red. It \Vas clea1, 11oweve1, that this co11ld not be delayed, and Zebeli:-Do1ch1
tool\: the tasl\: mlhng,ly upo11 l11mself. But \vl1e1e or ho\v
shoulcl this not1ficat1on be macle, so as to excl11de R11ssian
hea1e1 s ~ After some dehbe1at1on, t11e follo\v1ng plan \VUS
ado1)tecl Cour1e1s, it was contr1\etl, sho11ld a1rive ii1
fu11ous 11aste, one upon t11e heels of a11o'tl1e1, 1cport111g :1
sudclen 1r11oad of the Ki1gh1ses a11d Bashk1rs upon tho
l(al1uuek la11ds, at a point distant about 120 miles 'f hithe1 all the Kalmuclc fan11l1es, acco1dmg to immemo11til
custom, 've1e 1equ11ed to send a sepa1ate iep1csentat1ve;
and there accordingly, \V1thin three days, all up1)ea1ed.
'fhe distance, the sohta1y ground appointed fo1 the iendezvous, the rapidity of the ma1ch, all tended to mal\.e it
almost ce1tam that no Russian could be p1esent. Zebel\:Doich1 then came f01 wa1d. He did not 'vaste many '''01cls
upon ihetoiic He unfu1led an lillmense sheet of paichment, Yisible from the utte1most distance at '''h1ch a11y of
this vast crowd could stand, the total nu111be1 ,imot1uted
to 80,000; all saw, and many heard. 'rhey \Vere told of
the op1)ress1ons of Russia, of he1 p11cle and haughty chsdain evidenced to,,artls them l1y a thousa11d acts; of lter

I~J;VOLT

1:ll

OI:' '!lIE T_\ltT.\.R:,.

contempt for tl1ci1 ieligion; of her (1ete1minati1J11 to reduce

them to nbsol11te sla.very; of the p1cliroina1y n1cas111e~ <:\10
l1ad already tali:en by erecti11g f01ts upo11 many of tl10
g1ent rivers in their 11cighbo11rhood; of tl1e t1ltc1io1 i11tcntions slie tbt1s an11ounced to circt1rnsc1ibe thei1 pnsto1ul
lancls, until they ''tould all be obligell to 1c1101111cc t11c1r
fiocl~s, a11cl to collect in to,vllii like Sa1cpta, t11c1c to pu1st1e n1cchanical a11d se1vilc t1 ntles of sl1oc111ake1, tailo1, a11(l
l\ea\er, sucl1 as tl1c free-bor11 'l.1 a1tn.1 hucl u},, .1ys tlisdu111cd.
'' Tl1cn, again,'' said tl1c su1Jtlc p1i11ce, ' sl1e i11c1cascs lier
milita1y le\ies upon ou1 populatio11 e\e1y ;ea1; '' e })Ot11
out our blood as j'Ottng n1en i11 her defence, or mo1 c often
in s11p1Jo1t of 11c1 i11sole11t 11ggressions; and as oltl 1ncn, '\\'C
reap notl1ing from ou1 sufferings, 1101 ber1efit b; ou1 s111,.i,01sl1ip ,,l1erc so 111an; arc suc1ificcc1.'' ..\.t tl1is }JOi11t of
his ha1u11guc, Zebel.: 1)roclt1rcd SC\ cral papers (fo1gecl, ,n;, it
is generally belie'i efl, by 11in1self antl the Lama), co11tui11i11g
projects of tl1e TI.11.::sian court for n. general t1.i11sfer of tl1c
eldest so11o:;, taken e1i 111asscJ fron1 tl1c greutc::t K:1I11111c:!t
fan11Iics, to the in1per1al court. '' N O\Y let t11is lJe 011cc
accou1pli:;hccl,'' lie a1gue<l, ''and t11(.rc is nn cud of all useful iesi-,tnr1ce froxn tl1at (la\ for\\ arcls. I,eiitio11s 1\e rni 0,.l1t
' n1ake, or c1e11 rc111onst11111cc::; as 1nen of '\\ords \\ e in1gl1t
p1t1y u. l)olcl p.1rt; b11t f01 tlcell.:,, fo1 tl1:1t ~01 t of Ju11gu.1gc
b) '\\hi ch 011r ru1cc:stors '" ei o u'CU to s11ci1k holtli11g u~ 1>)'
st1cl1 ii cl1tli11, R11ssia wo~1Ill 111al,:c u jest of 011r ' i:-l1t..:r,
kr10\\ in:; f11ll "ell tl1.!t i.c should i1ot (la.re to iuake nr11

effectt1ul 1110\en1c11t ''

IIu.;ix1g tht1:, s11tlicier1tl; ro11~lcl tli>J an~r\' pn::::i1JI:'> of Iii..,
iist n.11t1ic11ee, n11tl l1!i\i11ti r1!~rr11c\l tl1cil' t'l.!r-, 11,: tlii:.' i>Zt
tc11ll1.li ~cl1 1.'t11c :1:; iir1-;t ti1:ir 1i1~ t-wrtl (\1~1 t1rtitit:-; \, liicl1
'l~ i11\ii..-,pl'l~Jol1! to 11i;, l)urpl)~l', }).:<'.ltlC it ill"! l11 ~iri..
t1.~t1ll tJ.~IJ fvrtU Of :1.:llCllUl.;l'tlt to 11..: fJr 11 .;.,.lt i..C lltll,.: ,~ru'!J
1

132

'

REVOL'r 01!' 'l'llE T.t\.l\T.\.US.

the more mode1ate nobles, who 1voulcl not othci\vise 110.ve

failed to insist upon tiy1ng the effect of bold adt1ic:ises to
the Emp1ess, befo1e reso1ting to a11y dcs1)e1ate e:-..trcn1ity),
Zebek-Dorch1 01)e11ed his scheme of icvolt, a11u, if so, of
instant ievolt, since any p1e1)a1atious ie1)01tcd at St
Petersburg \vould be a signal for the a1m1es of Russia to
cross into such i)os1t1ons from all i)arts of J.\..:iia as '''ould
effectually intercept the11 march. It 1s re1uarl-.able, ho\veve1, that, 1v1th all bis audacity ai1d his 1eha11ce u1)on the
momentaiy excitement of tl1e Kalmucks, tl1e subtle l)l'ince
did 11ot ventuie, at tl11s stage of 11is seduction, to n1al-.e so
staitlrng a l)l'oposal a-s that of a il1gl1t to Cl1111a. All tl1at
he held out for the p1esent 1vas a 1ap1cl ma1c.h to the
Temba 01 some othe1 great iive1, 1vh1cl1 tl1ey '''ere to c1oss,
and to take U}J a st1 oug position on the fa1thcr ba11k, froiu
wl11ch, as from a l)Ost of conscious security, they cot1l<l l1old
a bolcle1 language to tl1e Czarina, a11d one '''l11cli 'voulcl
have a bettei chance of winning a favouiablc uuclience.
These th111gs, in the i111tated conditiol1 of' tl1e sim1)le
Ta1tars, llassed by acclamation , a11d all rett1111eu l101ne\Vards to push fo1\vard with the most f1111ous speed the
prepa1at1ons fo1 the11 a\vful u11dertal{111g. Ra1)id ancl
energetic these of necessity \Vere, a11d m tl1at de~iee they
became noticeable and manifest to the Russians \Yho happened to be interm111gled with the diffe1ent hordes either
on comme1c1al e1rands, or as agents officially f1om the
Russian Gove1nrnent, some in a financial, others in a d11)lOmatic character.
.Amongst these last (indeed at the head of them) \Vas a
Russ1,an of some d1sti11ct1on, by name Krcl11nskoi, a man
memo1able foi his vanity, and memorable also as 011e of
the many victims to the Ta1ta1 ievol11t1on. Tl11s Krch1nsl\:oi had been sent by the Empress as her envoy to over-

,
REVOLT OF

TRI~

TARTARS.

133

look the conduct of the Kalmucks; he was styled the G1and

Pristaw, or Great Commissioner, and was universally known
amongst the Tartar tribes by this title. His mixed cha/ racter of ambassador and of political su1-vezllant, combinecl
with the dependent state of the Kalmucks, gave him a ieal
weight in the Tartar co11ncils, and might have given him
a. fa1 gieate1, had not his outrageous self-conceit, and his
arrogant confidence in his o'vn autho1ity as due chiefly to
his personal q11alities for command, led him into such harsh

diSJJlays of powe1, anc1 menaces so odious to the Tartar

pride, as ve1y soon made him an obJect of their profoundest
malice. He had publicly insulted the Khan; and, upon
making a communication to him to the effect that some
ieports began to ci1culate, and even to ieacl1 the Emp1ess,
of a design in agitation to fly f1om the imperial dominions,
he hacl ventuied to say, ''But this you da1e not attempt;
I laugh at such rumours; yes, Khan, I laugh at them to the
Empress; for you are a chained bear, ancl that you know.''
The J{han tu1ned a'vay on his heel with ma1ked disdain;
and the Pristaw, foami11g at the mouth, continued to utte1,
~imongst those of the Khan's attendants who staid bel1ind,
to catch his real sentiments in a moment of ungua1<led
passion, all that the blindest frenzy of rage could s11ggest
to the most presumptuous of fools. It was now asce1 tained
that suspicions lzad arisen; but at the same time it was
ascertained that the Pristaw spoke no more than the t1uth
in rep1esenting l11mself to have discredited these suspicions.
, The fact/"'~s, that the me1e infatuation of vanity made him
believe that nothing could go on t1ndetected by his allpiercing sagacity, and that no rebellion could p1ospe1 "\Vhen
rebuked by his commanding p1esence. The Taitars, t11erefo1e, pursued their p1epa1ations, confiding in the obs~ino.te
blindness of the Grand P1ista.w as in their perfect safr-

'

134

guard; and such it p1oved to his ow11 ru111 as 'vell u.s that
of my1iads bes1de.
Christmas a1r1ved; and, a little before tl1at time, courier
upon cou11e1 can1e dro1)p1ng 1n, one l1pon tbe ve1y heels of
another, to St Pete1sburg, assu1ing tl1e Cza1111a that beyond all doubt the Kal111ucks were in tl1e very cr1s1s of depa1 tu1e. rrhese l1espatehes came from the Gover11or of
.Astrachan, nnc1 co1)1es 've1e insta11tly f or\''a1ded to Kicl1inskoi. No,v, rt 11appe11ed, that bet\veen this goveinor n.
Russian named Beketoff and the Prrstaw had been an
anc1er1t feud. The very name of Beketoff inflamed his 1eser1tment ; and no soone1 did he see that hated name
attached to the despatch, than lie felt himself confirmed in
l11s former views 'vith tenfold bigotry, a11d w1ote i11stantly,
in terms of the most poi11ted ridicule, against 1 the ne'v
alarmist, pledgi11g his o'vn head U})OU t11e v1::.1onar1ness of
11is alarms. Beketoff, 11owever, \vas not to be put do,,11 by
a few hard wo1ds, o~ by ridicule~ he pers1stecl i.11 111s statements, the Rl1ss1an ministry \Vere co11founded by the obstmacy of the disputants; and some \Vele beginning eve11
to trea.t the Governor of Ast1achan as a bore) and us the
dupe of bis own nervous terrors, wl1en the roemorab!e day
arrived, the fatal 5th of Janua1y, '''h1ch for ever terminated
the dispute, an cl put a seal upon tl1e ea1thly hopes and fortunes of unnumbered myr1acls. Tl1e Governor of .A.strachan was the first to l1ear the 11e\vs. Stung by tl1e m1x.ed
furies of jealousy, of tril1mpl1a1\ , -ve11geance, and of u11xious
ambition, he spra11g into l1is sledge, and, at the rate of
300 miles a-day, pursuecl his ioute to St Pete1sbu1g1ushed into tl1e In11)e1ial presence announced tl1e total
real1sat1on of l11s worst pred1ct1ons and upon. the confirruat19n. of this i11tell1gence by subsequent despatches from
rrany different posts on the y..r olga, he ieceived an impe1i11l

REVOLT OF THE TARTARS.

135

commission to seize the person of his deluded enemy, and

to keep him in strict captivity. These orders were eagerly
fulfilled, and the unfortunate Kicbinskoi soon afterwards
expired of grief and mortification in the gloomy solitude
of a dungeon-a victim to his own immeasurable vamty,
and the blinding ioelf.delusions of a presumption that refused all warning.
The Governor of .Astrachan bad been but too faithful a.
prophet. Perhaps even he was surp1ised at the sudclenness
with which the verification followed his reports. Precisely
on the 5th of January, the day so solemnly appointed under
religious sanctions by the Lama, the Kalmucks on the
east bank of the Wolga were seen at the earliest dawn of
day assemblmg by troops and squad1ons, and in the tumultuous movement of some great morning of battle.
Tens of thousands continued moving off the ground at
every half-hour's interval. Women and chtldren, to the
amount of two hundred thousand and upwards, we1e placed
upon waggons, or upon camels, and drew off by masses of
twenty thousand at once placed under suitable escorts,
and contmually swelled in numbers by other outlying
bodies of the horde, who kept falling in at various distances
upon the first and second day's march. From sll.i;y to
eighty thousand of those who were the best mounted staid
behind the rest of the tribes, with purposes of devastation
and plunder more violent than p1ud ence justified, or the
amiable character of the Khan could be supposed to approve. But in this, as in other instances, he was completely overruled by the malignant counsels of ZebekDorchi. The first tempest of the desolating fury of the
Tartars discharged itself upon their O\vn habitations. But
this, as cutting off all infirm looking backwa1d f1om tbe
llnrdships of their march, b.id been thought so ne1!essa1y a
1

13f

REVOLT OF THE TA.RT.A.RS.

'

measure by all the cbieftams, that even Oubacha himself

was the fi1i,t to autbo11se the act by his O\\'ll example.
Ile seized a torch 1JI'ev1ously p1epa1ed \v1th 111ate11als the
n1ost durable as well as co1nbust1ble, and steadily 111Jpl1ec1
it to the t1mbe1s of his o"'n palace. Nothing \Vas saved
f1om the general \v1eck except tl1e po1table pa1t of the
domestic utensils, and that part of the \vood-\vo1k \vhicb
co11ld be a1)phed to the manufacture of the lo11g Ta1tar
la11ces. Tl11s chapte1 111 the11 memorable clay's \vo1k being
fi111shed, and the \Yl1ole of the11 villages th1oug,hout a dist11ct of ten thousand squa1e miles in one simultaneous
blaze, the Ta1tars '''a1ted f01 ft11ther 01de1s.
Tl1ese, it \Vas intended, sho11ld l1ave taken a cl1aracter of
valed1cto1y vengeance, and thus 11ave left behind to the
Czarina a dreadful commcnta1y u11on t11e main motives of

the11 fug,ht. It was the pu1pose of Zcbel<:-Dorch1 t11at all ,

tl1e R113s1an tow11s, ch111ches, a11cl b111ld1ngs of eve1y desc11pt1on, should be g1ve11 11p to }Jillage a11d dest1t1ct1ou,
and such t1eatment applied to the defence]("SB i11hab1tants
as might natu1ally be expec.tecl from a fie1ce }lco11le already
infur1atecl by the spectacle of their O\VIl 011t1ag,es, and by
the bloody ietal1ut1011s \vh1ch tl1cy n111st i1eccssarily have
provol;:ed. Tl11s }la1t of the t1ugecly, l1011e\'e1, \Vas ha1J1J1ly
mte1ce1Jted by a i)1ov1dent1al d1sappoi11t111ent at tl1e ve1y
c11sis of depa1ture. It 11as bee11 n1e11tionefl al1ead.}', that
the n1ot1ve fo1 selecting the de1Jtl1 of wrntei as the season
of flight (\vl11~h othe1\v1se \Vas obviously the ve1y \vo1st
l)OS~ible), had been the imposs1b1l1ty of cffect111g a j11nct1on suffic1e11tly iapic1 with t11e tribes on the '\\'est of the olO'a
\
0 '
in the \absence of bridges, unless by a natu1al bri(lg,e of ice.
For this one-adva11tage, tl1e l{aln1uck leade1s 11ad co11sented
\
to ngg1avate by a thousu11dfold the calan11t1es i11ev1table to
c. rap1d fi~ht oer boundless tracts of country, with women,

''r

llliVOLT OF TllE TA.RTAI{S.

137

cl1tldren, and herds of cattle for this one single advantage; 1

nnd yet, after all, it was lost. The reason never has been
explained satisfactorily, but the fact was such. Some have
said that the signals were not properly conce1ted for
departllie
that
is,
for
marking
the
moment
of
absolute
.
signifying whether the settled intention of the Eastern
l\:almucks might not have been suddenly interrupted by ,
adverse intelligence. Others have supposed that the ice
nright not be equally strong on both sides of the river, and
111ight even be generally insecure fo1 the treading of heavy 1
and heavily-laden animals such as camels. But the pre- ;
' ailing notion is, that some accidental movements on the
3d and 4th of January of Russian troops in the neighbourhood of the Western Kalmucks, though really having no
i eference to them or their plans, had been construed into
certain signs that all was dlscovered; and that the prudence
of the Western chieftains, who, from situation, had never
been exposed t.o those intrigues by which Zebek-Dorchi 1
ha:i practised upon the p1ide of the Eastern tribes, now
stepped in to save 'their people from ruin. Be the cause
what it might, it is certain that the Western Kalmucl\s
Nere in some way prevented from form1n the intended
junction with their brethren of the opposite bank; and the
result was, that at least one hundred thousand of these
Tartars were left behind in Russia. This accident it "as
wlnch saved their Russian neighbours universally from the
desolation which else i1va1ted them. One general massacrr
and conflagration would assuredly have surp1ised them, to
the utter extermination of their property, their houses, and
the::tnselves, had it not been for this disappointme11t. But
th& Easte1n chieftains did not dare to put to hazard the
safety of their brethren under the first impulse of the
Czarina's vengeance for so dreadful a tragedy; for, as thcJ
L'

)
...,

138

REVOJ,T OF TilE T,\.RT,\.RS.

we1c well awa1e of too many crrcumstances by "IVhich s11e

rrught d1scove1 the concu1rence of the W este1n people in
the general scheme of revolt, they Justly feared tLat she
would thence infer their concui1ence also in the bloody
events \vh1ch marked its outset.
Little dzd the 1'Vestezn Ka1mucks guess wl2at 1easons
they also had for gratitude on account of an interposition
so unexpected, and wh1cl1 at the moment they so ge11e1ally
deplored. Could they but have \Yitnessed tl1e thousuuclth
part of the suffe1ings which ove1 too le thei1 Easte1 n breth1en
in the fi1st month of thei1 sad fught, they \vould have
blessed Heaven fo1 their own nari'O\V escape; and y~t ll1ese
suffe1ings of the first month vre1e but a p1elude or foretaste
comparatively slight of those "'h1ch afte1\vards succeedccl.
For now began to uni oll the most a\vful se11cs of calamities, and the most exte11sive, \\'hich is any\vl1ere iccordcd
to have vii,ited the sons ancl daughte1s of men. It is possible that the sudden in1oads of dest1oying natior1s, such
as the Huns, or the Avars, or the Mongol Ta1ta1s, may
have inflicted misery as extensive; but there tl1e misery
and the desolation would be sudden, hke the flight of vol- '
ley1ng lightning. Those who were spared at first '' ould
geneially be sparecl to the e11d; those \vl10 pe1ishecl at all
woulc1 perish at once. It is possible that the French iet1eat
from Mosco\v may have made some nea1er approach to this
calamity m duiation, though still a feeble and miruature
approach; fo1 the lfrench suffe11ngs did not commence in
good earnest until about one month from the time of leaving Mosco1v; and though it is true that afterwards the vials
of wrath 1vere emptied upon the devoted army for six 01
seven weeks in succession, yet what is that to this Ralmurk
'
tragedy, which lasted for more than as many months'? But
t.be main feature of horror by which the Tartar march was

REVOLT OF THE TARTARS.

139
I

distinguished from the French, lies in the accompaniment

of women~ and children. There were both, it is true, with
the F1ench aimy, but not so many as to bear any marl.:ed
proportion to the total numbers concerned. The French,
in short, were merely an army a host of professional destroyers, whose regula1 t1ade was bloodshed, and whose
regular element was danger and suffe11ng. But the Taitars
were a nation carrying along with them more than two '
hundred and. fifty thousand women and children, utteily
unequal, for the most part, to any contest with the calami- ties before them. The Children of Israel were in the same
eircumstances as to the accompaniment of their families ;
but they were i eleased fiom the pursuit of their enemies
in a very ea1ly stage of their flight; and, theu subsequent
1es1dence in the Dese1t was not a march, but a continued
halt, and under a contrnued interposition of Heaven for
their comfortable support. Earthquakes, agam, however
comprehensive in thei1 ravages, are shocks of a moment's I
.duration. A much neare1 appioach made to the wide '
range and the long du1 ation of the Kalmuck tragedy may
have been in a pestilence such as that which visited Athens
in the Peloponnesian W a1, or London in the reign of
Charles II. There also the ma1tyrs were counted by 1
myriads, and the peiiod of the desolation was counted by
months. But, after all, the total amount of dest1uction
was on a smaller scale ; and there was this f eatu1e of alleviation to the conscious pressure of the calamity that the
Singular it is, and not generally known, that Grecian women
accomparued the anabaszs of the younger Cyrus and the subsequent
Retreat of the Ten Thousand. Xenophon affirms that there "ere
'many'' '.vomen in th e Greek army-r.c.:h/\u11 ~cru11

=-ru1ea1
11
""'rneu-r:vp.ct,TI; and in a late stage of that trymg expedition, 1t JS
evident t11at 'vomen were :1mo11gst the l>Urvivo1s

'

140

REVOLT OF TilE TARTARS.

miseiy was w1thd1awn f1om public notice into p1ivate

chambers and hospitals. The siege of Jerusalem by Vespasian and his son, taken in its entire cu'Cllmstances.
comes nearest of all for breadth and depth of suffeiing,
for duiation, for the exaspeiat1on of the suffering fiom
without by internal feuds, and, finally, for that last most
appalling expression of the fu1nace-heat of the anguish in
its power to extinguish the natt1ial affections even of maternal love. But, after all, each case had circumstances of
romantic misery peculiar to itself ci1cumstances without
precedent, and (wheiever human natu1e is ennobled by
Christianity), it may be confidently hoped, never to be
1epeated.
The first point to be reached, before any hope of repose
could be encouraged) was the i1ve1 J a1k. This was not
above 300 llllles from the main point of depaitui e on the
W olga; and if the march thither was to be a forced one,
and a severe one, it was alleged, on the other band, that the
suffermg would be the more brief and tians1ent ; one s11mmary exertion, not to be repeated, and all was achieved.
Forced the march was,- and severe beyond example: there
the forewarning proved cor1ect , but the promised rest
proved a mere phantom of the WJ.Jderness a visiona1y
rainbow, which fled befo1e their hope-sick eyes, acioss these
interminable solitudes, for seven mo11ths of hardship and
calanuty, without a pause. These suffe1ings, by tlieu very
nature, and the circumstances under which they arose, were
(bke the scenery of the steppes) some'rvhat monotonous in
their colourmg and external featuies, what va1iety, how
ever, there was, will be most natu1ally exhibited by t1acing
historically the successive stages of the gene1al misery, exactly as it unfolded itself .under the double agency of weakne~s still increasing from within, and hostile p1essure from

REVOLT OF TIIE TART.A.RS.

l<l-1

'\\1thout. Viewed in this manner, under the real 01der of

' development, it is remarkable that tl1ese suffe1ings of tl1c
Tarta1s, though under the moulding hands of accident,
arrange themselves almost with a scenical p101l1iety. They
seem combined, as with the skill of an artist; the intensity
of the IDisery advancing reg1!.la1ly with the advances of the
march, and the stages of the calamity corresponding to the
stages of the ioute; so that, upon raising the curtain i,vhich
veils the g1eat catastrophe, we behold one vast clinlax of
anguish, towe11.ng upwards by ieg ular gradations, as if
constructed a1'tifi.cially for pictu1esque effect-a result
which might not have been su1pnsing had it been reasonp.ble to anticipate the same rate of speed, and even an aclerated iate, as p1evatling th1ough the later stages of the
expedition. But it seemed, on the co11tra1y, most ieasonable to calculate upon a contmual decrement in the rate of
motion acco1ding to the inoreasing distance ftom the headquarters of the purs11ing enemy. This calculation, however, 1\'as defeated by the extraordinary chcnmstance, that
the Russian a1mies did not begin to close in ve17 fiercely
upon the Kalmucks until after they had accomplished a
distance of full 2000 illlles: 1000 illlles fa1the1 on the
assauits became even more tumultuous and murderous :
and already the great shadows of the. Chinese Wall were
r1imly descried, when the frenzy and acliarnement of the
pursuers, and the bloody desperation of the mise1able fugitives, had ieached its uttermost ext1emity. Let us briefly
rehearse the main stages of the mjsery, and trace the
ascending steps of the t1agedy, according to the great divisions of the route marked out by the central iive1s of Asia.
The first stage, we have already said, was f1om the W oJga
to the J aik; the distance about 300 miles; the time allow eel
seven days. Fo1 the first weel;:, therefo1e, the t ate or

REVOLT OF TffE TART..illS

14;$

s. distant flank of the Kalmuck movement a bloody and

exte1ininating battle had been fought the day before, :i11
whicl! one entire tribe of the Khan's. dependants, numbering not less than 9000 fighting men, had perished to the
last man. This was the ouloss, or clan, called Feka-Zechorr,
between whom and the Cossacks there was a feud of ancient

standing. In selecting, therefore, the points of attack, on

occasion of the present hasty inroad, the Cossack chiefs
were naturally eager so to direct their efforts as to combine
with the service of the Emp1ess some gratification to their
own party hatreds : more especially as the present was
likely to be their final opportunjty for revenge, if the Kalmuck evasion should prosper. Ha-ring, therefore, concentrated as large a bocly of Cossack cavalry as cilcumstances
allowed, they attacked the hostile ouloss with a preripit.:i.tion which denied to it all means for communicating ~'1th
Oubarba; for the necessity of commanding an ample range
of pasturage, to meet the necessities of their vast flocks
and herds, had separated this ouloss from the Khan's head-
quarters by an interval of 80 miles; and thus it was, and
not from o-re1sight, that it came to be thro\vn entirely upon
its own resources. These had proved insufficient: retreat,
from the exhausted state of theii horses and camels, no
less than ftom the prodigious encumbrances of their live
stock, was absolutely out of the question : quarter was disdained on the one side, and would not have been granted
on the other: and thus it had happened that the setting sun
of that one day (the thirteenth f1om the first opening of the
revolt) threw his parting rays upon the final agonies of an
ancient ouloss, stretched upon a bloody field, who on that
day's daw11ing had held and styled themselves an mclependent nation.
Universal consternation was diffused throurrb
tl1e wi11e
0
~

141

REV OL'r Ol!' rnE

T.\lt'l'1J~S.

'

bo1de1s of the Khu11's encumpn1e11t by this disnst1ot1s in,

telligence; not so ml1ch on accou11t of the nlunbc1s blu111,
'
01 the total extinction of n. po'''e1ful ally, us bcct11rso tl10
position of the Cossack f 01ce 'vas likely to pt1t to 111t1.n1cl
tho futu1e advU.11ccs of the Kulru11cks, 01 ut lct1st to ict111d
a11d hold them u1 cl1eclt unttl tho hcuv1c1 colu1n11s of tl10
Russian a1my sl1011ld a1rive 11pon thei1 fluul(S, Tl10 s1cgo
of Ko11lag111a 'vas i11sta11tly iaised; u11d tl1ut sig11ul, so f utul
to the happi11ess of tl10 'vomen a11cl thei1 cliilcl1c11, once
ugam icsounded througl1 tho te11ts tho signn.l fo1 il1gl1t,
and this ti1ne fo1 n. flight ino10 rapid t11nu evc1. A.bo11t
150 miles ahead of theh p1eseut p0Slt1ou, thc1e u1oso t\
t1nct of hilly country, fo1mmg n. so1t of n1nrgin to tho vast
sea-llke expanse of champaign savannahs, steppes, u11d occasionally of sanely dcse1ts, wluch stretched tt,\'ay on ettch
side of tlus murgm both east\va1ds and \\'CSt\vu1ds. I>1cL!iy
11ea1ly in the ceut1e of this lully iange lay a nnr10\v clofilc,
th1ough wh1eh passed the i1earcst and tho most l)l'ucticullle
ioute to tho rive1 To1gai (tho fti1ther bu11k of '''hicl1 ii\'Cl.'
offe1ed the next g1eu.t station of secu1ity fo1 a ge11c11tl hult).
It was the mo1e essential to guin tl11s puss bcl'orc tl10 Cos' sacks, musmuch us not only \vould tho clelay in i'o1ci11g tho
puss g1vo time to the Russian pu1s1tlng colmn11s fo1 combj11111g then attacks, and for b1i11gu1g up tl1ei1 art1llcr.Jr,
bltt also because (even if all e11cm1es i11 pu1suit 'vc1e tl110\vu
out of the question) it 1vus held by those best ncqun111tcd
with the difficult and obseu10 geography of these ptithless
steppes thut the loss of this one narro\v st1uit amo11gst
the lulls would have the effect of t1110,vi11g thcn1 (us theh
only alte1native in n. cuso where so 1v1ue a S\veep of p11stur
age was iequi1ed) upon a eiIc1ut of at leas~ 500 1111lcs extra ; besides that, after all, this cucl11tous iouto \vould
'
~'1r1y them to tl1e To1gui u.t u. poi11t ill fi(,tecl for t,ho })US-

R!'.:\rOLT Ql<' TIIE T.\RT.ARS,

145

s!:.ge of their heavy baggage. The defile in the hills, theref01e, it was iesolved to gain; and yet, l1nless they moved
upon it \\ith the velocity of light,cavahy, the1e l\ras httle
chance b11t it \vould be found pre-occupiecl by the Cossacks
, They also, it is t1ue, had suffered greatly in the blood)
actio11 1\ith the defeated ouloss; but the excitement of victory, and tl1e intense sympatl1y ''rith theu unexampled tr1
um11h, had again S\Velled their ranks, -and would p1obabl,:
act with the f 01ce of a vo1tex to chaw in their simple
count1ymen from the Caspian. The question, t11eref01e
of pre-occupation was reduced to a iace. The Cossack
\\ere marching upon au oblique hne not above 50 rn1le!onger than that 1\luch led to the same point f1om tl1E
Kalmuck head-qt1arte1s before Koulagina; ancl therefo1e
,,1thout the most furious haste on the part of the Kalmucl\.s.
there
was n'ot a chance for tl1em, bu1dened and ''trashed.,.,
,
as they were, to anticipate so agtle a light cavalry as the
Cossacks in seizi11g this impo1tant pass.
D1eadful were the feelings of the poor women on hearing .
tl1is exposition of the case. For they easily understood
that too capital an interest (tl1e sunzma re1um) was now at
stal\:e, to allow of any regard to minor mterests, or what
\';011ld be considered such in their present circumstances.
The d1 ea(1fttl week aheady p'.lssed then inaugmation in
mise1y was yet f1esh in their i ememb1ance. The scars
ofsuffering were impr.::ssed not only upon their memo1ies,
but upon their very persons and the pe1sons of their chillh en. And they knew, that where no speed had much
eJ1ance of meeting the cravings of the chieftains, no test .
"' ''Trashed :''-Tl1is is an expressive ,,ord used by Beaumo111
anrl Fletcher 1n their '' Bonduca,'' &c, to describe tl1e case of a per
son ietarded and embarrassed in flight, or in pursuit, by some encum
br"ace, ''!tether thing or person, toQ valuable to he left behind.
(x

!\To

\~ot1lil

lJe ncce1)ted, i-.1101t of al>..,ol11te c:i.l11i.11i;,t1<i11 1 tl1:1t a~

n1uc1i had 11ee11 accon11)li-,J1cd us cot1lcl 11a\'C l1cen i1cco111
1lished. W e'leloff, tl1e llt1'\sia11 c:tpt1vc, l1t1s rccot i lctl tl1u
g1Jent 1v1etcl1eduess 'v1ti1 ,,l1icl1 tl1c i'iOUlcn ut1<l cl1lcr IJt))'d
!lssisted i11 drawing tl10 te11t-1/\pe<>. 011 tl1e :Jtl1 of Jt\1111ury
tll had bee11 animation, and tl1e JO.} ou~11e~s of i11cleli11it(
\""Xpectation; 110,v, on tl1e co11tru.l')', ~brief l)\\t 11itter C'.JlC
:ience hn.d tn'1~11t tl1eru. to ta.l-.e n11 a.111e11(1cd ctilc11\utio11 l>f
,,11at it \Vtl'l tliat lay befoie tl1e1n.
One whole day antl fa1 into tl1e h~tcece<lt11g nigl1t l1.t:l
the rene,ved fi1gl1t contin11cu; tl1e s11lfc1111gs ha(l l)Pe:1
greaior than before; for the coltl l1a<l \)ccn n1oro il1tc1i,c ~
and many pc1isl1ed 011t of tl1e lt\i11g crcut111os tl1ro11g!1
'
every class, exce1)t only the carl1els \Vl1o::e llO\\'cts of c11tlu1ance seemed equally a<la1Jtecl to colu a11d to l1e:it. 'l'l1e
necond mor11ing, 110\\'C\'er, bro11gl1t u11 allc\ iutio11 to t lie
iiistres'3. 8110\v 11au begun to f<tll; n11tl tllo11gl1 11ot Llt.e11
at present, it \VUS eas~ly foresce11 tl1at it soo11 \~ 011ld })e ~') ,
and that, as a halt 1vould in that case bccon1c ur1avoidt\l>le,
uo plan could be better than tl1at of stnyi11'..j '' 11cre tl1ey
\rere; especially us tl1e same cau~e lYould c11ccl;; tl1e atlva11ee
of the Cossacks. Here tl1en \\'U'i tl1e lust interval of co11fort \\'hich gleamed upon t11e \lul1appy t1ation (lt1riug tl1eir
whole i.uigration. Fo1 ten days the sno'v continued to f.lll
'vith little inte1mission. At the encl of that t11ne keen br1gl1t
frosty weather succeeded ; the drifting ha(1 ceased ; i11
thlee days the smooth e)..panse beca111e firm er1ougl1 to su11
port the t1eadmg of the camels; a11d t11e ilizht '''ns reco111menced. But during tl1e liu.lt much dou1estic comfort l1nl
been enjoyed; and fo1 the last time uni,crsal I)lentf. Tl111
co\VS and oxen had perisl1ed in s11cl1 va5t nu1nbers on t11e
previouq marches, that an or1er \Vas liuw isst1ed to tu111
what remained to ~ccoimt by slaughtcri11g tl1e \\'i1olc. a1J1}


!{k. \'OLT OF 'flIE TARTARS.

147

s&lti11g whatever part should be found to exceed the i111meftI~-\ te

consumption. This measme led to a scene of general

banqueting and even of festivity amo11gst all who were not
i11ea1Jacitated for joyous emotions _by dist1ess of mind, b)
g1 ief for the lmhappy experience of the few last da;Ts, and
b)' aJL"'tiety~ for the too gloomy futl11e. Seventy thousand
i)e1sons of all ages had already pe1ished; exclusively oi
tl1e many thousand allies who l1ad been cut do,vrL by the
Cos.;ack sabre. And the losses in 1 eve1sion we1 e hlrely to
lJe, many mo1e. Fo1 rumours began now to ar1ive from
all quarters, by the mounted cou1ie1s 'vhom the Khan had
despatched to the rear and to eacl1 flank ag well as in adva11ce, that large masses of the im1le11al t1oops were converging from all pa1 ts of Cent1al Asia to the f orc1s of the
'
R1ve1 Torgai, as the most convenient point fo1 intercepting
the flying tribes ; and it '\\'as by this time well known tl1at
a powerful division was' close in then rear, and was retarded only by the numerous a1tille1y which had been
judged necessary to support tl1ei1 01le1at1ons. N e'v motives
\Vere thus daily a1ising for quicl.:eni11g the motions of the
\\'l'etched Kal11111cl;:s, ancl fo1 exl1austing those \Vho were
already but too much exhausted.
It 1vas not until the 2d day of Feb1uary that the A.nan's
adva11ced guard came in sight of Ouchun, the defile among
the hills of Mougaldchares, in which they anticipated so
'
bloody an opposition fiom the Cossacks. A pretty large
I.Jody of these light cavalry had, in fact, pre-occupied the
}Jass by some hours, but the Khan having two great advantages namely, a strong body of infantry, who had bee11
conveyed by sections of five on about 200 camels, S.Tcl

son1e pieces of light artillery which he had not yet bee11

ft1rcPd to abandon soon began to make a se1ious impressio; 11pon this unsuppo1ied detachment; and t11oy 1vuul1J

148

lt'CVO!,T OF TUE T,\.R'l',\.RS,

probably at any iate have ietired; but at the ve1y moment

\Vben they were mak111g some dispositions in that Yie\v,
Zebek-Dorcl1i appeared upon tbe iear \Vith a bocly of
trained riflemen, \Vho had distinguisl1ed tl1en;iselves in the
1va1 \V1th Tu1key. , These men had contrived to cra1,l
unobserved over tl1e cltlfs 'vh1cb. skirted the ravine, availing themselves of the c.lry l)eds of the sumn1er torrents, ancl
other inequalities of the grout1d, to conceal the11 movement.
Diso1der a11d t1e1)idation ensued instantly in the Cossacli
files; the Khan, \Vho had been 1vaiting with the elite of his
heavy cavalry, cl1a1gec.1 furiously upon ~11em; total ove1thrO\V follo\ved to tl1e Cossacl\.s, anll a slaugl1te1 such a~
in some measure avenge.cl tl1e rece11t bloody extermination
of their alhes, the ancient ouloss of Feli:a-Zecho1r. T11e
sl1gl1t 11orses of the Coc;sacks 'vere unable to support the
\Ve1gl1t of lieavy Polish dragoons and a body of tra1ne(1
ca1nelee1s (t11at is, cuirass1ers mounted on camels); harll)
they \Vere, but not strong, noi a matcl1 for their antago11is.ts
i11 .'veigl1t; and their extraordiua1y efforts through the la"t
fe\v da.;;s to gain their prese11t position, l1ad greatly climi111sl1ed their '1)0\,ers for effecting an escape. \Tery few, 1n
fact, dzd escape; nnd the llloody day at Ouch1m became
as memorable amongst the Cossacks as that ,vhich, about
t'venty days before, had signalised the complete annihilation
of the Feka-Zecho1r. .t:
Tl1cre \Vas n11otl1er ouloss eq11ally strong 'v1th that of Feka
Zccl1orr, viz , tl1nt of E1ketu11n 1 under tl1e government c.f Assarel1o
untl )fuch1, \\ l1om some obl1gat1ons of treaty or otl1er J11uden mot1e~
drc\v 111to tl1e general conspiracy of revolt Eut fortunntely tl1e
L\Vo cl11efta1ns fo1tnd means to assure the Go' ernor of A.strach,111,
011 t11e first outbre,1k of the insurrection, t11at t11e1~ real ,v1.,hes ,\ e1 e
fur mu111ta1111ng t11c o~d cor1ncctton ''1tl1 l{uss1a The Cossarh1,
tl1t..t<.Jore, to \\ l101n tl1e p111su1t 'vas 1ntrustecl, l1acl 1 1t!>tr1iet1on~ tr>
.i.ct c.i.ut1ou:ily .i.11u u.1.coi 1lu1g to c11cumstnn1-es on con11ui! up ,, 1111

'
RE"\~OLT

149

OF 'nIE TARTARS.

'

The 1oad was now open to the rive1 Irg1tch, and as yet

e,eu far beyond it to the To1gau; but ho\v long this state
of things \Vould contmue, was eve1y day more doubtfui.
Ce1 tain intelligence '\'\'as no1v received that a la1ge Russia11
;1.1111y,. well appointed in eve1y a11u, \Vas o.dvancing upo11
tl1e Torgau, under the command of Geue1al T1aubeuberg.
l'l1is officer was to be joined on his route by ten thousan(l
U~ts11l<irs, and pretty ne,t1ly the same amou11t of Ki1ghises
-both hereilita1y enemies of the Kalmucks, both exastJe1ated to a point of mallness by the bloody troplties wh1cl1
Oubacl1a and l\fomotbacha had, i11 late yea1s, won f1om such
of their compat11ots as se1ved uude1 tl1e Sultan. Tl1e
Czarina's yoke t11ese \viltl natio11s bo1e with submissive
patience, but not the hands by \Vh1ch it had been llll}Josed;
and, acco1d1ngly, catching with eagerness at the Jlresent
occasion offered to their veng,eauce, they sent au assu1anC'e
to the Cza1ina of their perfect obedience to her co1n1nands,
a11d at the same time a message s1gutlicautly declaring in
\\hat spll'it they meant to execute them, viz., '' that tl1ey
would not trouble her l\Iajesty mth p1isoners ''

Here then aro&e, as bef01e \vi th the Cossacks, a race t'or

the Kal1nucks \Vitl1 the regular armies of Russia, and concur1ently 'vith nations as fierce and sem1-humani5ed as
, tl1emselves, besides that they had been stung into threefold
.1ct1v1ty by the fmies of mo1tified p1ide and m1lita1y abase
111e11t, u11de1 the eyes of the 'filll~1::.l1 Sultan. The forces,
a11(l more especially the a1t1lle1y, of Russia we1e fa1 too
ove1\vhelming to bear the thought of a regular opposition
tl1em Tl1e result 1vas, through tl1e pn1dent management of Assarcl10, tl1at the c1an, \Ylthout compro1nis1ng the11 p11de or'1ndependence, ruade such n1oder.ite subm1ss1ons us satisfied the Cossacks;
a111! e\ e11tu'llly both chiefs and people rncet\ecl f1om the Czar1ns
the lt- \\ .i.1 els and honr11rs of exem~1l,<ry fi1lel1t).
'

150

lll:VOL'.l'

O~' r111~

rAit'l',\.l?S.

i11 pitc11t'cl battles, C\'Cn '''it11 u less c111npil1i1tcc1 stntc of tl1l1r

resources thun tl1ey could rensonub1y e:\pect nt tl10 perio1l
of thei1 u1r1vnl on tl1e 'ro1gnu. In tl1cir spccc1 lny tlicir

'

only 1101)0 in st1engtl1 of foot, as bcfo1 c, u11cl not 111blrc11gt11

of u1m. On1vn1cl, thc1cforc, tho Knl11111cJ,s })I cs~Cll, ru1i1 h.1ng tl10 lines of tl1c1r '''icle-cxtcncli11g 11111rcl1 O\ c1 the s11tl
solitudes of tl1c stc1Jpcs by a 11evc1-011c1ing cl111111 of corz1se~.
'11e olu nn(l tl10 you11g, tl10 sicl\. n1nn 011 11is co11cl1, t11c
motl1c1 '''ith he1 bttb)' all '''ere d1op11i11g f11st. Sig11ts
sucl1 as t11cse, \v1tl1 tl10 {11l111y l'lteful nggrn ''ul1011s inciclc11t
to tl10 helpless conc1ition of inf11ncy of c1isenso 11nd {1f
female '''eo,lcne'ss 11bu11do11ed to tl10 'volvcs un\1<l~t n. 110\\ l111g
\\'1ldcr11ess, co11t111uo<1 to t1ncl< tl1ci1 co111so tl1ro11gh n. s11ucc
of f11ll t'''O t11011~1111d 1111lcs; for so n111cl1, at t11c least, it
l\'1ts likely to pro\'C, i11clucl111g tl1e c11c11its to \\'l11c11 tlll'J
'
ivere often co111pellecl by 1'1ve1 s 01 l1ost1lo t11\)cs, fro11\ t\10
\)0111t of ~tu1ti11g, 011 tl10 "\\' olgn, 1111til t_l1ey co11ltl 1rntl1
tl1e11 dcst111cd l1ulti11g g101111cl 011 tl10 cust l)t111lt of tl10 'for{;UU. For tl10 first scve11 '''cel<s of tl11s 111111cl1 tl1c11', s11fi'c1111gs l1ucl bec11 cn1b1tte1ecl by t110 c~cessi\'O se"I er1ty oi' tl10
cold; a11d c\cry i1igl1t so 1011g 11s '''oocl \\'US to be l1utl for
fites, e1tl1er fro111 tl10 111tl1ng of tl10 cun1elb, or from t\11:

clcspera.to suc11fice of tl1c11 bnggnge\\ nggo11s, 01 (us occ11s1oually l1a1)1)c11ecl) fro111 tl1e fo1e::,ts \Vbicl1 slt11tecl tl1e bu11l,s
of the 111n11y i1vc1s '' l11cl1 c1ossecl tl1e11 ptttl1-110 spcctnclc
'''flS n101e f1cq11e11t tl1u11 t11at of a c1rclc, co111poscd of i11c11,
\Von1e11, arid cl11J(lrcr1 1 gatl101 eel by 11u11d1ccls 1ot111tl n. cc11tral fi1e, all dead u11c1 stift' at tl1e ict11111 o~ i110111111g 11gllt
~Iy11ac1c; '''010 left bcl1111d fro111 !lure c~l10.t1stio11, of' \\ ho111
uo11e ba<l a chance, 1111rler tl1c co1ubi11cc1 evils '' \11c\1 bc1-1't
tl1c1n, of su1v1v1r1g tl11011gl1 tl1e nc~t t\\ c11ty-fo111 ho111 s.
l!~''Ost, 11o'''cvc1, and s110\v at lo11gtl1 reasctl to i1c1scc11le;
the vuet c~te11t of tho u1a1'<!lt u.t 1011, tl1 b1011gl1t tl111rn i11to
'

151
'

more genial latitt1rles, and the unus11al du1ation of tl1e

march was gradually bringi_ng tl1em into more genial f.:easons of the .}'ear. T\VO thousanc1 miles had at last been
tiaversed; February, n[arcl1, April, were gone; the balmy
month of M.13' had opened, vernal sights and souncls came
from ever.} s1cle to comfort the hea1t-\vea1y travellers; and
at last, in the latter end of May, crossing the To1gau,
they took up a pos1t1on where the)' hoped to fincl I1be1t.} to
repose themselves for many "-'eel\:s in comfo1t as \\ell as in
sect1rity, and to d1aw such supplies f1om the fe1 tile ne1gl1bourhood as m1gl1t restore their shatte1ed forces to a condit1on for executing, with less of wreck and 'll11n, the la1ge
rema1nder of the jou1ney.
Yes , it \Vas true that two tho11sand miles of wandering
had been con1pleted, but in a pe11od of nearly five montl1i-,
and with the te1T1fic sacrifice of at least two hund1ed ancl
fifty thousand souls, to say notl11ng' of hercls and flock:, past
all reckoning These 11ad all pe11shed: ox, cow, horse,
ml1le, ass, sheep, 01 goat, not one survived only tl1e
camels. These arid and aclust c1eatures, loolt1ng like t11e
mummies of some antediluvian animals, w1tl1out tl1e affections or sens1b1lit1es of fie::ih and blood these only still
ere9ted the11 speaking eyes to the eastern heavens, and 11a<l
to all appearance come out from this long tempest of trial
unscathed and ha1dl.)' <lim1n1shed. Tl1eKban, kno,v1ng 11ow
1nuch lie was rnd1v1c1ually answe1aLle fo1 the m1se1y 1' l11cl1
l1ad been sustained, must have wept tears even more b1tte1
than those of Xerxes, when he threw his eyes over the
myriads whom he had assembled for the tears of Xerxes
\\'ere unmrngled with remorse Whatever amends \Vere in
his power tl1e Khan iesol ved to make, by sacJ ifices to t11e
gPneral good of all personal regards , and accordingly,
e,en at this point of their advance, he once mo1e del1be~
1

152,

RF.VOLT-Oit 'I'll T.\RT \.1:5.

rate1y brc>ught under review the 'vhole question of tl1e

revolt. Tl1e question was formally, debated before tl1e
Council, \Vhether, even at this point, they should untren.u
tl1eir steps, and, throwing themselves upon tl1e Cza1ina's
me1 cy, return to their old allegiance 1 In that ca~e,
Oubacha professed himself 'vill1og to become tl1e scapegoat
for the general trn.nsgress1on. Tl1is, he argued, was no
far1tastic scheme, but even easy of accomplishment; fo1 the
\ll\limited and sacred po\ver of the Kl1an, so \Vell }{nown to
t11e Em1J1ess, made it absolutely iniquitous to attrtl)ute
any separate responsibility to the people upon tl1e Khan
rested tl1e guilt, upon the Khan would descend the imperial vengeance Tl1is proposal was applauded for its generosity, but \Vas energetically opposed by Zebelc-Dorchi.
W e1e they to lose the 'vhole journey of t\vo thousand
n11les 'l v\1as their misery to llerish \Vithout ftuit? True
it \\'as that tl1ey had yet reached only the half-way house;
but, in that respect, the motives were evenly balanced for
retreat or fo1 advance. Either way they '''ould have p1etty
nea1ly t11e sa1ne distance to traverse, but v.1th this difference t11at, for\varcls, their route lay th1ough lands comparatively fe1t1le; back\vards1 through a blasted \Vilderncss, 11ch only in memorials of their sorrow, and hideous
to ICalmuck eyes by the ,trophies of their calamity. Besides, thougl1 the Empress might acce1)t an excu:;e for the
past, "ould she the less forbear to suspect for the futu1e?
'fl-1e Czari11a's pardon tl1ey might obtain, but coufd thev

ever I1ope to iecover her confidence 'l Doubtless there v. oull\

no'v be a standil1g p1ec;umption against them, an immortal
ground of jealou3y; and a jealous gove1nment would be
but anothe~ name for a harsh one. Fmal1y, whatever
111otives the1e ever had been for the, revolt surely remainerl
u11impaired by anyt11ing tl1at littd occur1 ed. In 1eality, tho
1

'

IlI.:''01.T OI Tiil:

1.1.ltT~\l?S.

153

rnroli '\as, afte1 ull, 110 I'C\'Olt, bt1t (&t1ictiy spen1..ing) a

1cturn to their old allegin.1,ce: s111ce, 11ot ubove one hundred
a11d fifty yea1 s ago (' iz., i11 the )'Ca1 1616), their ancesto1s
l1au 1 evolted froru the E111pc101 of China. 'l hey hud now
t1 iel1 botl1 go' er11n1e11ts; a11cl fo1 t11e1n Chiuu '''as the land
or l)l'ODll~C, :llld Russia the hot1se of bo11<lage.
S1J1te, 1101,ever, of all that Zebel\: co11lcl say 01 do, the
.)eJ.1ui11g ot' tl1e people was st1011gly in behalf ot' th.e Khan's
pro1)05al, the pa1don of thei1 p1rnce, tlie.)' pe1suaded them
' lly the Emp1ess: and
sel,e;:,, ,,oulcl be readil.) co11ceclecl
there l:. little clo11bt that tl1e.)' '' 011lcl at this tune have
tl11 O\\ r1 the ms el ,-cs gladly u1Jon the unpe11al mercy; '\\'hen
sucldenl.) all ,,as det'eated by tl1e a1111al of t\\'O envoys
t'101n rr1uubenberg. 'l'l1is g,e11e1al I1ad reached the fo1tress
of 01sli:, afte1 a >Cl)' painft1l n1a1cl1, on the 12th of .i\p11l;
tl1c11ee lie set fo1 \\ a1ds to\\ .:i1cls 01 ien11Jourg, '''hicl1 lie
1 eachcd upon tl1e 1st of J u11e, I1a \'i11g been joined on ills
i oute at ,a1ious tunes during tl1e month of May by the
h:11gl1ises and a. corps of ten tho11sand Bashkil:s. F1om
Orierubot1rg he sent fo1:"11u1d 11is offic.ial offe1s to the Khan,
\\ hich ''ere ha1sh and pe1em1)tOl)', holdi11g out no specific
i.tir1ulations as to pardon 01 iruptt111t)', ancl exactmg uncon1l1t1011al s11bmiss1on as the p1elin11nJ.1y price of any cessa
tion f1on1 nuhtu1y ope1ations rl'he IJe1s,onal character of
'l'1aubeube1g, '' h1ch 'vas an)thing but ene1getir, und the
<'ondition of his a1my, diso1ga111sed i11 a great measllle by
tl1e length a11u se,c11ty of tl1e ma1ch, made it }Jrobuble
ihat, 1\ith a little tune fo1 negot1at1on, a more conctl1ato1y
tone \\ oulcl have lJeen assumed. But, unhappily for all
parties, si11i&te1 e\ents occu11ed m tl1e meantime, such as
eft'ectually llUt an end to eve1y hope of t11e kind.
The t\\'O e1110) s sent f 01'\\ a1d by T1auLenberg had reported to this 'Jflicer that a cU.'t!!11ce of 011ly ten days' ma1cli
~

'

154

RE,'Ol,'l' OF' TIII: 1',\.ltT,\.l!::l.

la)' l>ctwcen l1is o\vn bca{1-quu1 tc1s n11cl those of tl1i: Kl1.i11.
Upon this fact t1a11s1)i1111g, the I\:i1gl1ibe<i, lJy their i>ri111e
:N"0111ali, and the Basl1l.:11 s, c11t1 ca tccl tl1e. n U'-c:irin gc11er:1l
to advance \Vitl1011t clela.y. Once !ta.\ ing pluccc.l 11i!> cu1111on
in position, so as to con1mand t11e Kaln111ck cr1r111}, tl1e f:1te
of the 1ebel Kl1a11 and l1is peo11le \\ould be i11 11is O\\ 11
hancls: a11d the)' ,,ould tl1en1sel\es for111 11iq utl\a11cf'c]
guard. T1aube11be1g, ho,vee1 (1ll1.1J l1:i.-; 11ot l)ce11 cc1tai11ly
ex1)Iained), iefused to ma1cl1, g101111<li11g 111s ref11~al u1J<J11
tl1e condition of his a1my, a11d tl1c11 absolute 11cccl of IC
freshment. Lo11g ancl fierce \\US tl1e altercation: but at
length, seeing no chance of prevmli11g, arid cl1 eatling noo e
all othe1 events the escape of tl1e11 dctc::tec1 c11c111:, tl1c~

fe1ocious Basl1li.irs '''e11t off i11 n. body by f01cc(l 111:11cl1c-.

In six days they reachec1 t11e 'l'or,au, crossecl J)y 'i\\ i111111111!.;
t11e1r horses, and fell u1)011 t11e Kal11111cls, '' 110 ''ere cl1-..persed for many a league In seu1cl1 of food or JJI O\ e11cle1
for their camels. Tl1e first da)'s :1ct1on ,,as one ':1st bliccession of 111depende11t sk1rn11bl1cs, clifl'usecl orer a fielcl of
thirty to f01 ty n1iles in extent; 011e party ofte11 breal.:ing
U}l into t11ree 01 four, ar1cl again (arco1cl111g to tl1c accic1cnts
of ground) th1 ee 01 four blend111g 111to 0110 ; fl1gl1t and IJUI'~
suit, rescue anrJ' total overthro,v, go111g on &imultancouslJ,
under all va11eties of for1u, in all q11a1tcrs of tl1e plairi
The Bashk1rs had found t11e1n<>el\es olJl1gec1, b) tl1e SC'atterecl
state of the Kalmucks, to split up i11to i11n11me1al>lc sec~
tions; and thus, for some hours, it l1ad been im1Joss1ble fo1
the most practised eye to collect the gene1al tcncle11cy of
the day's fo1tune. Bot11 the Khan and Zebek-Dotcl1i ,vet e
at one moment made p11sone1s, and more tl11in once i11 i111minent dange1 of being cut down ; but at lengtl1 Zellek
Fttcceeded in 1all)i11g a stro11g colum11 of i11fn11tr.)', l\ Iii l:.
with the support of the camel-co1 ps on each flank, cu111>

I!:CVOI.T OF TTIL T.\l:T,\ll:-.

11<:ll<1cl the Dftsl1h.i1 s to 1etrcat. Cloucls, 110\\'e\ c1, of tl1c--c

'' ild c::i.val1y co11ti11t1e(l to a111ve tl1rougl1 the ne1.t t\\ o ct:1yc;
nnd nigl1ts, follo\vetl or accon1panicd lJy tl10 .Kirgl1ises.

These being ,ie,,ed as t11c aclvu11ced parties of 'l'rar1l1enlJerg's u1 n1y, tl1e l{:1lmi1cl\. cl11eftui11s sa\V no hope of s:1fcl)'
but i11 fligl1t, and i11 tl1is '' n.y it l1a1lIJcned tl1at n. retrc..tt,
\hich bt1<l so iccc11tl.} been brougl1t to a. pat1se, ,,as 1 cs11mell
at t11e -re1y n1oment \vhen t11e u11l1i1p1)Y f11giti\ es ''ere a11ticipati11g a deep iepose \\ithout furtl1ei. 111olcstutio11 tl1c
>\hole s11mn1er th1ot1gl1.
'
It see111e(l as tl1ougl1 .eve1y va.1 iet; of '' 1etcl1ccl11es~ \\ <:r1
predestined to the l(aln1ucks; and as if tl1ci1 s11fi'c1 iilf!!'\ere inco111plete, u11less t11ey \Vere ronndcll a1lcl 1i1:1tu1 eel 1)).
all that tl1c n1ost d1eadful agencies' of su1n111er'1. 11eat coi1l<l
st1pcradd to tl1ose of frost ttr1cl '' ir1te1. 'l'o tl1is :::cqttel (;f
tl1ei1 story I sl1all i1111uetliately ie\crt, afte1 first 11ot1c111J..'
a little rorna11tic e1)1socle \\ l11cl1 occ1111ecl (\t this 1ioi11t lJet,,een Oubacl1a a11tl liis 11111l1i11ciplecl co11~i11 Zcl)el~-Do1cli1.
'l'he1 e ''as at tl1e ti111e of the l\:al11111cl\. fl1gl1t f1ori1 tl11~
\Volga a R11ssiun ge11tlemu11 of sonic ia11k nt tl1e routt 11f
tl1e Kl1a11, v. 110111, for 11olitical I cac;o11,, it ''as tl1ot1!!'l1t
11ecessary to ca11y aI011g '' 1tl1 tl1em us a cap ti' e. Fo1
some '''eeks liis co11fi11ement l1atl been i,c1y st1ict, a11cl 111
011e 01 o instances c111el. Ilut, as tlie i11c1 ei1b111g <l1;:,t~111cc
''as co11tint1ally <lin1i11ishir1g tl1e cl1a11ces ot e::cupe, 111:11
11crl1aps, also, us tl1c 1nisc1 .)' of the gun1 d<> gtu<l11,1llj \\ 1tl1<lrciv the11 atte11t io11 1ron1 :111 111i1101 iutc1 c:::-t~ to tl1eir O\\ 11
i)erso11t1l s11ffering::, tho >igiln.11cc of tl1c custod.) grL. \\" i11or.:
lllld lliOl 0 1 cl,1~ccl ; ltnt1l at }e11gtl1, upOll a 11CUtiOil to th~'
IG1a11, l\I1 ,\. c~eloff '\'Us fot n1ull) restore<.l to libc1 ty; ar11l
1t \vas unclerstoo<l tl1:1t lie 01i:l1t u~e 11is l1bc1 t) i11 \\l1:ttt.. er
\\U)' }1c ClLOSe, C\"Cll fOl' rcttll lllllg to Il11:-:::i:1. if tlltlt l1ot1i1I
lie l1i!:> \\i::l1. .\Lcorlli11~ly, hi! \\:t;:, i11t1ki11~ ,1cti\i 11rt-'J11r:i

t''

ItV.\'OJ:i' OJ<'

'1'111,

'f,\ll'l',\lCtl.

for J1i& jo11r11cy to St Pctcr<,l>11rg, 'vlic1. it occ11rre 1l to

ic:liolc-Do1c:hi tl1ut, riot i1111)roiJ11l>ly, 1r1 1:01111 of tlie IJ.ltl le,
1
\\ l1icl1 'verc tl1c11 ar1tic!if1n.tc(l \Villi 'l r:111l1cr1lJe1 g, it 1111gl1l
11:1pr>e11 to t11c1n to lo&c i,01nc r;1i.;011cr of' r1111J{, in \:l1icl1
case tl1c P~u1-i,i1111 \Vec..cJoll' \V011!111Jc :i I'lecJge i11 tl1ei1 l1antl-.
for 11cgcJt111ti11g a.n e~cl11111gc. Ur1011 tl11s 1ilcn, to hi-. 0 11
severe 11fll1ctio11, tl1c R11i,c..ian \\ 11<; <lctu111ccl 1111til tl1c f111tl1cr
Jilcur,u1c of tl1e }{)1a11. 'l1l1e l{l1u11'r. 11ur11e, i111lcetl, \\a-, 11-c1I
tl11011gl1 tl1c \vl1olc t1ff.tir; l>ut, a<; it 1iccrncu, \\ itl1 1>0 l1ttl1!
co1icur1cncc 011 111'1 pa.rt, tl1:lt, \vl1en 1\rChcloll' i11 a. 111 ivitt(
uutlic11cc l1uml>ly icn1011st111tcd 11port t11c i11j11~ti1~c llo11e l1i1n,
ancl tl1c cruelty of tl11tH bJ1ort111g \Vitl1 111-; fccli1igb lJy r.ctt111~
111111 at lil1crly, ar1cl, a<i tt \Vctc, tc:r11ptic1g 11in1 t11to <1Lcu111~
of l101nc anrl restored l1appir1c~ci 011ly fo1 tlic p11r11o~c <if
IJl1gl1ti11g ti1crr1, t11c goou-1111t11rctl pr111ec cliscl:11111c1] 1111
p:1rt1ci1iut1011 ir1 tl1c uflu11, a11tl \\'c11t 1io f11r hi pro\ 111g Iii.,
B111ccrity, ab even t<J give 11i1n pcrn1ii,.,1or1 to cllcct. 111.;
c.:capc; a11c1, a'i a rcacly n1cnns of co1111nc11<!i11g it \v1tl11J11l
aib1ug !'111ip1c1on, the Kl1110 111c11tio11ccl to )[1 ''' ci:cloif tl11it l1u
!1ad jtt&t tl1cr1 rccc1vccl a 111c;,sugc f101n tl1c IIct111,111 of tl1c
1311sl1l(ll'h, iiol1citing 11 pr1vrltc i11tcrv1c\v on tl1c bu11J's of tl1c
'l1fJrgti.11 at u. &pot poir1tc1l ot1t: t11tlt 111tcrv1c\v \~u<.; u11u11gcd
for tl10 con1i11g 11igl1t; anll :.'\fr \\' c,;;cloff n11gl1t go in tl1c
1
ICl11ln & .~111te, 'vl1icl1 011 citl1cr Billo '\ ac, riot t<J c.:..ccccl tl11cc
f'''l'"O!J'i, \\r cscloff \\'11'! a pru<lc11t n1tt11, 11cr111ui11te'l '\ ill1
tire \vorl<l, and lie rcu.<l trcu.cl1cry i11 tl1c very 011tli11e of tliis
scl1crnc, U'i stated by tl1c 1\:l1u11 trciicl1e1y ng11111<.it the
1Cl1a11's person. IIc m11i,c<l a little, 11r1d tl1cr1 cf1111r111111ic11te<l
E-<J mucl1 of 11is su::.picio11s to tl1c 1Cl1u11 u.. 111igl1t [Jttt !11111
011 hir; gt1artl; }Jut, urior1 f111tl1r~1 co11-.iclc1at1rJ11, lie lJeggetl
lravc to clccl111c tlrc 11011our of ac1Jo1r11>1111yi11g tl1c J(l111u.
'1'110 fact \Vas, tl1ut tl1reo I\:ulrn11cl{s, ,vJ10 11ad btl'or1g r11ot1vc"
ft>r rci11r11ir1g tr1 tl1cir co1111t1y1no11 c1u tl1c \VC~t 1Jtt11l{ of tl1'J

t11Jtl&

JU.) OLT 01 'TlIE '1'.\ltT.\ l{S.

'

'

157

'\V" olga, guessing the intentions of W eseloff, hn.d o1fercc1 to

join 11im in his escape. These men the Kha.n would proI:;a.bly find l1imself obliged to cou11tenante in their p1oject,
so that it became n. point of honour i'."ith W eselotf to concea.l their intentions, and therefo1e to accomplish the e\asion f1om the camp (of 'vhich the fust steps only would l.Je
haza.1dons), '\\ithout riskir1g the notice of the Khuu.
The dist1ict iu ,,hich they \\'e1e 11ow encamped ubot111de<l
through many h1mdred Illlles "ith '''ilcl ho1ses of a dolile
arid beautiful b1eed Each of the four fugitives bad cauglit
from se'\'"en to ten of these spi1ited creatures in tl1e cot11 ~e
of the last few days: this iai:::ed no suspicion, for the lel-t
of the Kalmucks had bee11 making the same sort of pro\ ision against t11e coming t61ls of t11eir iemaini11g ioute to
Ohit1a. These horses \\ere secl1recl by halters, und 11iGlde11
about (lusk in the thickets '' hicl-1 lined the margin of tl1e
111er. 'l'o these thickets, ubo11t ten at i1ight, tli.P four fug,iti,es repaited; they took a circuitous path, which dre\V
them as little as possible Vi'ithin cla11ger of cballe11ge fron1
any of the outposts or of tl1e patrols v.Thich had bee11 established on the q11urte1s \\'he1e the Basbkirs lay ; and in
tluce-quurters of an hom they reached the rendezvou<::
The m9on bad now risen, the horses vtere unfastened, and
they i\'ere i11 the act of inounting, \\'ben suddenly the deep
silence of the i\oods ,,as disturbed by a violent uproar,
and the clashing of arms. W eseloff fa11cied that he heard
the voice of the Khan shouting fo1 assistance. fI e remen1J)ered the commu11ication made by that prince in the
mo1ning; and ieqnesting bis companions to support hin1,
he rode off in the clirection of the sound. A very sho1t
distance brought him to au open glade within tl1e wood,
whe1e he beheld fou1 men contenc11ng with a party of nt
~east nine OR ten. Two of the fo11r ""'Cl'e <1ismounted at tl1e
'
'

'

Ifi8
'

reI)' in:;lant of \VescloIT's ar1ival; one of tl1ese he iecog

n1'led a1n1ost ce1 tai11ly as tl1c Kl1a11, \vl10 \Vas figl1ti11g 11an<l
t i l1ancl, lJt1t at great
disad\antage, '''1tl1 t'''O of the adve1se
,
l101semcn. Seeing that no time was to be lost, 'Veseloff
!11 ed a11ll brought do,vn one of tlie t\\'O.
Ilis companions
cl1scl1a1gecl tl1ei1 ca1b1nes at tl1e sa111c moment, and then u.ll
111shcd simultaneously into tl1e little open a1 ea. 'rl1e
thunde1ing sound of about t111rty horses all 1 usl1ing at once
into a narrow space, gave the impression tl1at a wl1ole
t1oop of t~aval1y was coming dO\Yil upoi1 tl1e assailants ; '''ho
acco1d111gly wheeled a.bout and fled '' itl1 011a i1npulse.
"\Veseloff advanced to the (ltsmounted cavalier, \Vl10, ns 110
expected, proved to be the Khan. Tlic n1an 'vhom \\rescloff had shot \Vas lymg dead; and botl1 \'rere shocked,
though W eseloff at least '1.'as not surp11secl, on stooping
I '
clown and scrutinising his features, to 1ecogn1se a "\vellh.no\vn confidential sci vant of Zebel{-Dorchi. Nothing was
said by either party, tlie Khan rode off esco1ted by "\Veseloff and his compan1011s, aitd f01 son1e time a uea(l s1lei1ce
prevailed The situation of 'Veseloff '1.'as delicate and critical, to leave the Kl1an at tl11s point, '\\'as probably to ca11cel the11 recent services; fo1 he might be again crossed on
his path, a11d again attacked by tl1e very pa1 ty from whom
he had JUSt been delivered Yet, on tl1e other hand, to
return to the camp was to endanger tl1e chances of accomplisl1rng the esca1)e. Tl1e Khan also was appa1 ently revolving all this in b1s mind, for at length he b1oke silence,
and said, ''I compreliencl yo111 situation; and under other,
circumstances I n1ight feel it my duty to detain your companions. But it would ill become me to do so after the
itnportant service you have just rendered me. Let us turn
a little to the left. There, where yo11 see the '' atch-fire,

ls an outpost. Attend me so far. I am then safe. You

;

'

l~h \

OL'I' U.i' '!HE rAlll,\ltS

may tl:nl n11c1 })t11-11e your e11terpr1:,,e; for the ci1e11m'-ta11r!es 1111de1 v. l1icl1 yo11 '\ 111 appea1,, as n1y escort, tLI e
s11fficient to shield you from all suspicion for the present
I regtet having no bettc1 means at my disposal for testifying n1y gratitude. But tell me bef01 e we part Was it
accident only ,\-filch led you to my lescue 1 01 bad you
acqui1ed any knowledge of the plot by v.hich I was decoyed mto tl1is sna1e ?'~ Weseloff ans"\\e1ed very candidlyt
tl1at me1 e accident had b1 ougl1t him to the spot at which
lie l1ea1d the uproar, but tl1a.t h(tz,i11g l1ea1 d it, and co11nect111g it with the Kl1an's communica~ion of the morning, he
bad tl1en des1gnecll)' gone after the sound in a way \\'l1irh
he certainly sl1ould not l1ae done at so critical a moment,
unless in the expectation of finding the KJ1an assaulted by
assassins. A re11 n1int1tes after they reacl1ed the outpost

at \Vhich it became safe to leave the Ta1ta1 chieftain ; a11d

immediately tl1e fo11r fugitives commenced a flight 11hicl1
is pe1haps 'vitl1out a par:1llel in the annals of travellmg

Each of them led six or seven ho1ses besides the one he

rode; and by shifting from one to the ather (hke the ancient
Desulto1s of the Roman cuc11s), so as never to burden tl1e
f'ame ho1-se f01 mo1e tl1an half an hour at a time, they continued to advance at tl1e iate of 200 miles in the 24 hours
for three days consecutively. After that time, conceivmg
themsel>es beyond pursuit, they proceeded less rapidly;
tl1ough still "ith a velocity which staggered the belief of
W eseloff's friends in after yea1s. He was, however, a ma11
of higli p1inciple, and always ac1I1ered fi1mly to the details
'
of his }Jlinted repo1-t. One of the ci1cumstanres the1e
stated is, that tl1ey continued to pursue the route by which
tl1e Kalmncks had fled, never for an instant finding any
difficulty in tracing it by the skeletons ~nd other memo,
rials of their calamities. ln particular, he mentions Va!!t

RLVOLT OF 'fill-: T,\J:1.\It'3.

'

heaps of money as part of the vnluable p1operty wllicl1 it

(l~lfl been found neceSSllfJ to SRCl'ifice. rfhese }1eapS, \Vere
f'ou11d lyi11g still 11ntouched in the deserts. F1om these
\.V cseloff and his compa11ions toolc as much as they could
cc1nver1ie11tly car1y, a11d this it \Vas, with t11e price of their
l1eat1t1ful 1101ses, \Vhich they after\'latds sold at one of tl1e
Ilu~sian milita1y settlements fo1 about 15 a~piece, 11thJeh
erentually enabled t11em to p11rsue their journey in Russia.
'rhisJourney, a.s rega1ded Weseloff111 particula1, \va.s closell
by a trag,1cal catastrophe. Ile \vas at that tlII1e young,
and t11e only cl1ild of a doating mother. Iler affiict1on
111ider t11e violent abduction of her son had been excessive,
and prolJably had undermined he1 constitution. Still sl1e
had sup1)01 ted it. W eseloff, giving \vay to the natural impulses of his :filial atfection, had imprt1dently posted through
Russia to, his mother's house 1v1thout 1va1ning of bis ap
proach. IIe rusl1ed prec1p1to.tely into her presence ; and
she, who had stood the shocl>:s of sorro1v, \Vas found unec1ua1
to the c;hock of joy too sudden and too acute. She died
11pon th~ i:,pot.
I uo\v revert to tl1e final &cenes of t11e Kalm11clc fl1gl1t.
1
l'l1ese it \Vould be useless to p11rsue circumstantially
tl1rougl1 t11e 1vhole t\VO thousand miles of suffering \vhicl1
I

remained; for tl1e cl1aracter of t11at sufferii1g \VUS even

mo1c monotor1ous than on the forme1 l1alf of the flight, and
also mo1e bevere. Its main elements were excessive heat,
tvith the o.ceompantments of famine and thirst, but aggra~
vated at every step by tl1e m11rde1ous attacks of thei1 cruel
enemies the Bashkirs and t11e Ki1ghi~cs.
'rb3se }Jeople, ''more fell than a11gnish, h11ngcr, or the
sea,'' stuck to tl1e unhappy Kalmucks l1le a S\varm of en
ra.gcd hornets. A11d very o!ten, \1hilst tlzey were attack

REVOLT OF TEI 1; TARTARS.

'

161

ing them in the rear, thei1 advanced parties and fianliis

were attacked "itl1 a11nost equal i'11ry by the people of the
country "hich they \\ere traversi11g; and witl1 goocl 1eason,
since the ln.'v of self-1Jreser>ation bad now obliged the fl1giti>e Tarta1s to pluuder pro\is1ons, and to forage 1vl1erever tl1ey passed. Iu this respect their condit1on was a
constant oscillation of \\'Tetchednes; for someti111es, i)ressec1
by g1inding fan1ine, tl1ey took a circuit of llerhaps a hundred miles, in order to st1ilie into a land 11cl1 m the comforts of life ; but iu such a laud tl1ey 1vere su1e to find a
c1owded po1Julation, of "'hich every a1m v.as raised in unrelenti11g l1ostility, \\'ith all the atlva11tages of local knowledge, a11d 1\ith constant pre-occupation of all t11e defensible
positions, mountain passes, 01 bridges. Son1etirnes,. again,
'vearied out v.ith tl1is mode of suft'ering, they took a ci1cuit
of pe1haps a hu11d1ed miles, iu ordet to st1ike into a lanrl
n itl1 fe1v or no inhabitants. But iI1 sucl1 a land they "ere
su1 e to meet absolute starvatio11. The11, again, whethe1
"'ith 01 '''1tl1out this plague of starvation, whethe1 witl1 or
'vithout this plague of hostility in f1ont, whateT"er migl1t
lJe the ''fierce varieties '' of their mise1y in this respect,
no rest eve1 came to thei1 unhappy rear; post equzteni seclet
at1a cu1 a; it i\as a. to1me11t lllie the undying 1orm of conscience. .And, upon the lv11ole, it p1esented a spectacle
altogether unp1ecedented in the bi;,to1y of 1na11k1nu Private and pe1sonal malignity is not nnf1equently irnn1ortal,
l1ut rare indeed is it to find the same pertinacity of malice
i11 a nation. And ,,hat embitte1ed the i11terest was, that
the malice vas reciprocal: Thus fa1 the pa1ties met upon
ec1ual terms; but that equality only sharpened the sense of
t11eir ilire inequality as to oth_e1 circumstances. The Bashl~irs were ready to figl1t ''from mo1n to dewy eve.'' The
Ka1mncks, on the contrary, were always ol)liged to ruu ;
G2
I

'

'

162

RI.:YOLT OF 'l'lll~ T,\fl.T,\ 1~~.

"rns itfiom their e11emies ns crcatuies 1viiom they fcntc{} 7

No; but toi1:a1 lls tl1e11 f1 ie11cls to,va.1 <ls tl1at finnl }1n.ven <>f
Cb1_nn ns '\'hat \Vns 11ou1ly i1nplo1ed by tl1e p1n)'e1s c1f
t l1e1r 1v1vcs, a11cl tl1e tears of t11c11 cl11l<l1e11. B11t, tl10110 !1
they fl eel un\v1!!111gly, too oftct1 tliey fl ell in vu11 b e
11
1
e111~
u111v1 111gly iecnlled TI1ere lay tl1e to .
t
E
.
c1men . ~\e1y dt1y
tl1e Basl1l\1rs fell U}JOil tl1em eve1y ll"y tl1e
fi
'
"'
1:.lllllC lll1p10tal1le battle '\Vas ic11c11ed' ns n matter of course, t11e K,11mucks rec1illed pa1t of t11e11 advn11ccd gunrll to fin lit tl1e1r1 .
'e:e1y day the battle raged for 11ours, nncl unifo~111ly 1v1tl;
the~~:c re~ult. F~r no soone1 dicl tl1e Bt1<;l1l\i1s fincl
march G~., too heavily p1cssecl, and tl1ut tl1e K.ulmucl~
into the bo':i:~ reta1 cled by so1ne 110111s, tl1an tl1ey r~tired
But if the Kar:~ deserts, 'vl1ere all pt11s11it ,,as l1o:r:ele&s.
of theu enemies, i~ti1'riP 1 v~t~p:_ess fpr\vard, iegu.1dlci:-s
and over\vhe1m111g, that the general s~!~~ ?ccame so lie1cc
-___,.,.
be brought ir1to question, nor coulll any effect1 IJ.l\.ely to
be applied to the case, even for eacl1 se1larate daj 1en1euy
a most embar1ass111g, halt, and by countermarcl1xcept O.\'
meu in their c1rcumstnnces, 1ve1e almost 'vo1se t that, to
It w1U not be surp1is1ng, that the irr1tat1on of s111 deatl1.
mat1c pe1secution, superadded to a previo11s anda sy&tehatred, and accompu111ed by the stmg1ng consc.ecl1ta1y
utter impotence as regarded all effectual vengearJiess of
gradually have inflamed the Kalmuck animos1t sbo11lJ
\Vlll1est exp1ess1on of do\vn11gl1t mac111e~s and fr~to tl1c
deed, long befo1e the fro11t1ers of Ch1ua \Ve1e ay. Inthe host1l1ty of both sides had assumecl the appearachecl,
more of a wa1fare amongst wild beasts, tl1an a1n.e m11cl1
tures ackno\vledging tl1e rest1a1nts of reason 01 tit c1e:i
a common nature. Tl1e spectacle became too aiaims ot
~'as that of 11 host of lu1111t1rs P i1st1ed '\:iy a 110.1011s; it

1f fie1irlr;;

f
I

'

RE\TOL'l 01'' THE 'fAllT..:\.RS

163

a fine morning in early autumn of the year 1771,

Kien Long,'tl1e Emperor of China, was pursuing his amusements in a wild frontier dist1iet lyi.ng on the outside of the
Great Wall. For many hundretl
squa1e leagues the col111
try was desolate of inhabitants, but iich in woods of ancie11t
gro'i\th, and overrun with ga1ne of every deSpription. I11
a central spot of this solitary regio11, the Empe1or had
b.J1lt a go1geous hunting lodge, to whicl1 he resorted. annually for recreation and relief from the cares of go\ernn1ent. Led 011wards in pursuit of game, he had iamblecl
to a distance of 200 miles or more from this loclge, followed
at a little distance by a sufficient military escort, and every
11ight pitching his tent in a different situation, until at
length he had arrived on the very ma1gin of the vast ce11t1al dese1ts of Asia."* Here he was standing by accident
at an opening of his pavilion, enjoying the morning sunsl1ine, when sudde1Ily to the westwa1ds there, arose a vast
cloudy vapour, whicl1 by degrees expancled, mounted, a11d
seemed to be slo,vly diffusing itself ove1 tl1e '\Vhole face of

t11e heavens. By and by this vast sheet of mist began to

thicken towards the horizon, and to roll f01"\'\ard in billow,;

volumes The Empero1's suite asse1nbled from all ql1a1ters. The silver t1umpets were sounded in the rear, ancl
from all the glades a11d forest avenues began to trot fo1ward towards the pa'til1on the yage1s half caval1'J, half
huntsmen who composed the imperial escort. Conjectu1e
was on the stretch to divine the cause of this phenomenon,
, and the interest continually increased, in proportion as
011

'

'

.All the circumstances are learned from a long state paper upo11
the subject of this Kalmuck migration, dra'vn up in the Chinese lang11age by tl1c Emperor l11mself. Parts of this paper have been tra11~
lated by tl1e J e::,u1t m1ssio11.i.11es The Empe1or states the 'vhole
motives of lus conduct and the cluef incidents at grP.at length.
'

164

REVOLT OF

Tlll<~ 'l'.\lt1',\.lt~.

simple curiosity grn.clt1ully dccpcne<l t11to the an:\rcty 01

\1ncertaiu da11gcr. At first it 110.ll been ir11,1gi11cd tl1nt
some vast t1001)s of c1ee1, or otbe1 ,,1lcl u11i111uls of tl1e cl1tibc,
11ac1 been di::.turbed in t11eir forest 11u.t111ts by tl1e E11111cro1's
lnovemcnts1 or possibly by \\lld beasts p10\vl111g tor pre)',
a11d might be fetching a co1npass by \\ Uj' of ic-c11tc1 i11g t ltc
forest grou11ds at some rl'motcr points :,ec111e f10111 111olcstat1011. But this conJectu1e 1vns d1sc;i1)1\tcc1 by tlie slo\v i11c1ease of the cloud, nncl t11e stcndi11ess of its n1otio11. 111
tl1e cou1se of t\YO hou1s tl1e vast pl1enon1e11on hntl all\nncctl
to a point \vhicl1 was j11dged to be \v1tl1i11 five n1iles of tl10
spectnto1s, thol1g:l1 all calculations of distance \\ere ll1ffie11It,
and o.ften fallacious, \vl1en applied to tl1e c11dlcss C:\p11n:ies
of the Ta1tar dese1ts. . Th1ougl1 tl1c 11c:\t bou1, llu1i11g
'Yh1ch the gentle mo1ning b1ee.le hal1 a little f1 ei,l1l'11cd,
the dusty vnpouJ; had developed itself fa1 and \\1tle ir1tu
the appe~ra11ce of huge aerinl d1a1)e11cs, 11unging i11 111igl1t y
volumes f1om the sky to tl1e ca1tb; and at i)n1t1cul111
points, 1vbere the eddies of t11e b1ccze actell u1)011 the pe11
dulous skirts of these aerial eurta111s, ic11ts \Ye1 e i)ercciveu,
sometimes taking the fortn of regulur arches, lJOl tn.ls, illl\1
windows, through whici1 began c1imly to glenro the henc1s
of camels '' indo1scd '' ~ w1tl1 hun1an be11\gs-und at i11tc1
vals the moving of men and horses i11 tumt1ltl1ot1s arro.yand then tl1rough other openings or vistas at fu1 c11stu11t
points t11e flaslung of polished arms. Bt1t so111cti111cs, ns
the Vi'1nd slackened or died a'''ay, all tl1ose openings, of
whatever fo1m, m the cloudy pull \VOultl slo\\'ly close, u11cl
for a. time the \Vhole 1Jagea11t \Vas sl111t U}) from view; although the growing run, tl1e clamou1s c:;h1iel\S 1 an<l g'l't1tl11~ 1
Camels ' 1 1ndo1 sed '-~\nu elc1ll1nnts 111lo12~<l 'i 1rl1 to~\ eri:.' ~!11.ToN in '' Pur.i<l1se l!egu1JJP1J.' 1

REVOLT OF TUC T,\.RT...\.RS.

16B

t!scending from infuriatecl myriads, ieported, in a language

'
not to be misunderstood, what was going on behind thecloucly sc1een.
'
It was in fact the Kalmuck host, now in the last
ext1emities of their exhaustion, and ve1y fast ap1Jroaching to that
fi11al stage of p1ivation and ktlling n1ise1y, beyond 'vhich
few 01 none could have livec1, but also, happily for tl1emselves, fast app1oaching (in a literal sense) that final stage
of their long pilgrimage, at '''hich they would meet hospitality on a scale of ioyal magnificence, and full p1otection
ftom thei1 enemies. These enemies, ho\\eve1, as )'et, 1ve1e
still hanging on tl1eir iear as fiercely as ever, though this
clay 1vas dest1necl to be the last of thei1 hideous pe1secution
rrhe Khan had, u1 fact, sent forwa1c1 cou1iers with all tl1e
requisite statementc; and petitions, addressed to the Em11eror of CI1ina. These had been duly received, and p1epa1ations made in consequence to welcome the Kalmucl~s
\"\'ith the n1ost pate1nal benevolence. But, us these cou1iers
had been despatc11ed from the Torgau at the moment of
a1rival tl1ithe1, and befo1e the advance of Tra11benl)erg
11ad made it necessary for the Khan to orde1 a hasty re11ewal of the flight, the Emperor had not looked f 01 their
a11ival on his frontiers uut1l full th1ce months after the
})resent time. The Khan had indeed expressly notified his
intention to pass the summe1 heats on the banl~s of the
Torgau, and to iecommence his retreat about the begin11ing of September. The subsequent change of plan being
n1lknown to Kien Long, left him fo1 some tinle in doi1bt as to
tl1e true ii1terp1etation to be put upon this mighty apparition in the desert, but at length the savage clamours of hostile fmy, ai1d tl1e cla11~t1ur of 'veapo11s, unveiled to the E111pero1 tl1e t111e 11atn1e ot tho.::" une::.'..}Jccted calan1itic", \\'llll h
l>acl :;o j)lCillatu1 el}r J)rec1pits.ted tl1e K.tl11111rk J11easutes

166
-

'

Rl!. ''OI.T 01!' .rllE TA1t'f,\.l{8.

Apprehendi11g the real state of affairs, tl1e Emperor 111stantly i)e1ce1ved tl1at t,he fi1st ac~ of l1is fatl1e1ly ca1e for
these er1i11g ch1ld1 en (as he estee111ed t11e1n ), no'v 1 etu1111ng

to their a11cient obedience, must be to clel1ve1 tl1em f10111

tl1e1r 1Ju1sue1s. And this 'vas less d1ffic11lt tl1an m1p,l1t
11ave been supposed. Not ma11y miles i11 tl1e l ear '''a::. i1
body of well-appointed cavalry, '''1th a st1ong detachment
of artillery, \vl10 al\vays attended the Em1)eror's motions.
These 've1e hastily summoned. Meanti1ne it occu11ed to
the t1ain of co111t1ers that some da11ge1 n11gl1t arise to tl10
'
E111pero1's }Je1son f1om the proximity of a lawless ene111y ;
l~nd accorcl1ngly he \Vas induced to reti1e a little to tl1e
1ea1. It soo11 ap1Jea1ed, ho,vever, to those \Vho watched
tl1e va1)ou1y sl1roud 111 t11e desert, that its motion '\\'as not
such as \Voul(l argue the di1 ect1on of the ma1 ch to be exactly '
upon the paVIl1on, but iather in a diagonal 1111e, mal\:i11g
an angle of full 45 deg1ees \Vlth that lrne i11 wl11ch the i111perial co1 tege had been standing, and the1efore \vitl1 a cllstance continually inc1eusing. Those '''110 ltnew the cou11try Judged that the Kalmucks '''ere making for a large
fresh-water lake about seven or eight miles distant; thly
were right; and to that point the impe11al c.avalry V.'tl~
01Jered up; and rt 'vas p1ec1sely in that spot, and abo11t
three hou1s after, and at noonday on tl1e 8th of Se1Jte1ul)e1,
that the gieat Exodus of the l\:almuck Tarta1s was b1ougl1t
to a final close, and with a sce11e of such memo1able and
hellish fury, as formed an appropriate \Vinding up to an
expedition 1n all its parts and details so awfully disahtrous.
The Emperor 'tvas not prrsonally present, or at least he sa\v
'
whatever
he did see from too great a cli::.tance to chsc11m1
nate its inchvrdual features; but he ieco1ds in h1s \Vl'rtten
111e111011al the repo1 t made to l1im of tlus scene by some of
\us own officers.

'

'

.Rl!."VOLT OF Tll E TARTA.nS.

1fl7

'l'he lake of Tengis, near the dreadful desert of Kobi,

lay in a hollow amongst hills of a moderate height, ianging
generally from two to three thousand feet high. About
eleven o'clock in the forenoon, the Chinese cavalry reached
t11e summit of a road which led through a cradle-like dip
in the mountains right down upon the margin of the lake.
From this pass, elevated about t1vo thousand feet aboTe
the leve\ of the 1rater, tl1ey continued to descend, by a very
winding and difficult road, for un hour and a half; anu
during the \Vhole of this tlescent they "\\'ere compelled to be
i11active spectators of the fiendish spectacle below. The
Kalmucks, reduced by this time fl.om about six hundreli
tl1ousand souls to two hundred and sixty t11ousand, ancl
after enduring for so long a tinle the mise1ies I have p1v\ iously described out1 ageous heat, famine, and the clestrojing scimitar of the Kirghises and the Bashki1s hatl
for the last ten days been t1aversing a hideous desert,
where no vestige'> 1vere seen of vegetation, and no drop of
1vater could be found Camels and men we1e aheady so
overladen, that it "Tas a mere impossibility that they should
carry a tolerable sufficiency for the passage of this frightfttl wilderness. On the eighth day, the wretched daily
allowance, v;hich had been continually diminishing, failed
entirely; and thus, for t"To days of insuppo1 table fatigue,
tl1e horrors of thi1st had been carried to the fiercest extremity. Upon tliis last mo1'Iling, at the sight of the hills
and the forest scenery, which announced to tl1ose who acted
as guides tl1e neighbou1hood of t11e lake of Tengis, all the
people rushed along with maddening eagerness to the anticipated ~olace. The day grew 11otter ancl hotter, the
people more and more exhausted, and gradually, in the
gcr1eral rush fonva1 da to the lake, all discipline a11d con1
l!.l!lil'l were lost all attcu1pts to p1ese1\-c a rear~11,1rtl \\ere
<

'

'

168

11eglected the wild Bashl\.irs rode in amongst tl1c c11c11111

!Jered people, and slaugl1terecl tl1cm by \\'l1olcsulc, and al
n1ost 'vithout icsistance. Sc1ean1:, a11d tu1n11ltuous sl1011ts
llroclain1ed the prog1ess of the 111assac1c ; b11t 11011e 11ecclc.<I
-none halted; all alike, paupc1 01 noble, cont11111e(l t(
1U"Il 'on '' itl1 maniacal haste to tl1e '''ate1'& all ''1th faces
blackened by the heat p1eyi11g upon tl1e li\c1, antl '''1tl1
tongue d1oop1ng f1om the 1noutl1. The cruel JJ:1shl.11 "i\':1i::
affected by tl1e same m1se1'J', a11cl 111u111fcstc(l tl1e sa111e
SJ'lllptoms of 111s m1sel'J as the \\ ietcl1cd K11ln1ucl1.; tl1e
mu1dere1 '' ns ofte11tllllcs in tl1e su111e f1a11tic misery as l11R
m111derecl victin1 ma11y i11deed (an 01d!11a1J effect of tl1i1::.t)
111 both nations bad become lu11at1c, a11cl in this state, \Vl1il:ot
111e1e multitude a11c1 condensatio11 of hoc.lies alo11e 0111~oseu
any cl1eck to tl1e cleatrO)'ing scin11tar a11d tl1c t1a1111)J111g
lioof, the lake \\'US ieached; and ir1to tl1at tl1c '" 11ole vast '
11ody of enen1ies together rushed, u11d togetl1e1 co11t11111ct1
to iush, forgetful of all things at that n1oment but of one
almighty instinct. Thrs abso1pt1on of tl1e tl1011gl1ts in 011e

maddening appetite lasted fo1 a s111gle half-l1ol1r ; but i11

tl1e next a1ose the final scene of pa1t111g \c11geancc Fa1
arid wide the '''aters of tl1e sol1ta1y lal(e '''Cle 1nsiantly
d)rec11ed with blood and go1 e. hc1 c rode a pn1ty of savage
Dashlrus, hewing off heads as fast us t11e s,,atl1cs fall befo1 c
tl1e IDO\\'er's scythe, the1e stood una1mccl Ki1l111uclis in .1
death.grapple '\\'ith their detested foes, both up. to tl1e
middle in wate1, and oftentinles both s1nk111g together below tl1e surface, f1om weakness 01 f1om st111ggles, a11tl
perishmg rn each other's a1ms. Did tl1e Dushkhs at a11)'
point collect into a cluster for the sake of g1,111g impetus
t <> the assault 'l Th1tl1e1 we1e the camels d11 \'CU in fie1cely
Ly those \VhQ rode them, geneially \Vornen or boys; a.nu
oven these quiet c1eatures lv11re forced into a share in tl1is
0

169

RE"\rOLT OF THI<.. T,\.RTARS.

ca1nival of mu1de1, by trampling do,vn as many as tl1ey

could stnke prostrate 'vith the lash of then fore-legs. Every
moment the water grew mo1e polluted ; and yet every moup
to
the
lake
and
rushed
in,
not
ment fresh
myriads
came

able to_ resist their frantic thirst, and swallowing lar~e

'
draughts of water, visibly contaminatecl with the blood of
their slaughte1ed compat1iots. Wheresoever the lal{e was
shallow enough to allow of men iaising their heads above
'
the water, there, for scores of acres, were to be seen all
fo1ms of ghastly fear, of agonising struggle, of spasm, of
'
death, and the fear of death revenge, and the lunacy of
revenge until the neutral spectators, of whom there were
not a few, now descending the eastern side of the lake, at
length averted their eyes in horror. This horror, which
seemed incapable of further addition, was, howeve1, increased by an unexpected incident : the Bashkirs, beginning to perceive here and the1e the approach of the CI1inese
caval1'J, felt it prudent wheresoever they were sufficiently
, at leisure from the passioilS of the mmderous scene to .
. gather into bodies. This was noticed by the governor of
a small Chinese fort, blnlt, upon an eminence above tb~

lake; and immediately he th1ew in a broadside, whicl1

sp1ead havoc amongst the' Bashkir tribe. .As often as
the Bashkirs collected into ''globes'' and '' tu1~,'' as thetr
only means of meeting the long lines of descending Chii1esc
cavalry so often did the Chinese gove1no1 of the f 01't pour
in his e:xtermjnating broadside; until at length the lake, .i.t
.its lower end,' became one vast seething caldron of h1IIDan
bloodshed ancl ca1nage. The Chinese cavalry had reached
the foot of the hills : the Bashkirs, attentive to thezi moveme11ts, had formed; skirmjshes had been fought: and, with
a quick sense that the contest was hencefo1,vards rapiclly
\1ecoming 11opeless, the Bashkirs and Kiri;hises began to

IT.

170

'
REVOLT OF TIIE TARTARS.
I

retire. The pursmt was not as vigorous as the l{almucl~

hatred would have desired. But, at the same time, the
very gloomiest hatred could not but find, :iJ1 tbe1r own
dreadful experience of tl1e Asiatic dese1ts, and in the certainty that these wretchec1 Bashkirs bud to repeat that
same experience a second time, for tl1ousancls of mlles, as
'
the price exacted by a ret1ibutary P1ovidcnce for their
vindictive cruelty not the very gloomiest of the Kalmucks,
or the least reflecting, but found in all this a 1etaliatory
chastisement mo1e complete and absolute than any which

their swords and lances coulc1 have obtained, or human

vengeance have devised.
I

Here ends the tale of the Kalmuclr wande1ings in the

Dese1t, for any subsec1uent marches which a.waited them
we1e neither long nor painful. Every possible alleviat1on
anc11efreshment for their exhausted bodies had been aheady
p10VIded by Kien Long, with the most princely m11n1ficence ;
and lands of great fe1tility were immediately assigned to
them in ample extent along the river Ily, not ve1y far f1om
the point at which they had first emerged from the wilderness of Kobi. But the beneficent attention of the Chmese
Emperor may be best stated in his o\vn words, as t1uru;.' lated into French by one of the Jesmt missionaries: ''La
nation des Torgotes (savoir les Kal1nuques) an1vn. a Ily.
tonte delabree, n'ayant ni de quoi vivre, ui de quoi se vetir.
, Je l'avais prevu; et J'avais ordonne de fai1e en tout geme
les provisions necessaires pour ponvoir les secou1ir promptement: c'est ce qui a ete execute. On a fa1t la division des
te1res ; et' on a ass1gne a ehaque fam1lle une portion suffisante pour pouvoir servir a son entretien, so1t en la cult1vant; so1t en y nou1issant des best1aux. On a clonne a
cl1aq'J.e partlC'ulier des etoffes pou~ l'l1abille1, des grain~

.P..EYOLT OF mE TART.lllS.

171

pour se nourrir pendunt l'espace d'une annee, des ustensiles

pour le menage, et d'a.ntres choses necessuircs: et ontre
cela plusierus onces d'argent, pour se poUl vo1r de ce qu'on
aura.it pu onblier. On a designe des lieux pa1iicu1iers,
fertiles en. patnrages; et on leur a donne des bceufs,

moutons; &c , pour qu'tls pnssent dans la suite tra.vailler par .

euxn1emes a leur entretien et a leur bienetre.''
These are the words of the Empero1 himself, speaking in
his oivn person of his own pruental cares ; but another
Chinesei treating the same subject, records the munificence
of this prince in terms which proclaim still more forcibly the
disinterested generosity which prompted, and the dehcate
confilderatene.ss which conducted this extensive bounty. Re
has been speaking of the Kalmucks, and he goes on thus :
- ' ' Lorsqn'tls arrive1ent snr nos front1eres (au nombre
de plusieurs centaines de mjJJe), quoic1ue la fatigue extreme, la faim, la soif, et toutes les antres incommodites
inseparables d'une tres-longue et tres penible route en
eussent fait perir presque autant, tls etaient rednits a la
derniere misere; ils manquaient de tout. Il'' [viz.,
l'Empereur, Kien Long] ''.leur fit preparer des logemens
confor:mes a leur maniere de vivre; il leur fit distnbne1 des
alimens et des habits ; il lenr fit donner cles bcenfs, des
moutons, et des ustensiles, pour les mettre en etat de
former des troupeaux et de cultiver Ia terre, et tout cela
a ses propres frais, qui se sont montes a des sommes immenses, sans coinpter l'a1gent qu'il a donne a chaque chefde-famille, pour pourvoir a la subsistance de sa femme et
de ses enfans.''
Thus, after their memorable year of misery, the Kalmucks were replaced in territorial possessions, and in comfort equal perh_ups, or e\en superior, to that which they
1w.d enJoyed in Russia, and with superior political advan\

'

17:.>.

REVOLT OF 'l'IIE TAltTARb.

'

tafl'es.
But,
if equal or superio1, tl1eir cond1tioi1 was no
0

longer the same , if not in degree, then social prosperity

had alterecl in quahty; for, instead of being a puiely pas,
toral and vagrant people, they were now in ~ircumstances
which obliged th.em to become essentially dependent upon
agricult11re; ,and thus far iaised in. social rank, that, by the
'
natural course of their habits and the necessities of life,
they were effectually reclaimed from rovmg and fi.om the
savage customs connected with a half nomadic life They
gained also in political p1iv1leges, ch1efiy through tl1e unmumty from military service which their new relations
e11abled them to obtain. These were circumstances of ad'
vantage and gain. But one great disaclvantage there 'vas,
amply to overbalance all other possible gain , the chances
were lost or were iemoved to an incalculable distance f 01 ,
their conversion to Christianity, without 'vhich, fu these
times, there is no absolute advance possible on the path of
true c1v1hsat1on
i
One word remains to be said upon the personal interests
concerned m tlns great diama. The catastrophe in this
respeet was remarkable and complete. Oubacha, with all
lns goodness and incapacity of sus1Jectmg, had, since tl1e
mysterious affair on the banks of the Torgau, felt his mind
alienated from his cousin; he revolted from the man that
would have murdered him ; and he had displayed his caution so VIS1bly as to provoke a reaction in the bearmg of
Zebek~Dorcbi, and a cbspleasure which all his cbss1mula, tion could not hide. ',rhis had prod11ced a feud, winch, by
l\:eeping them aloof, had probably saved the life of Oubacha;
for tl1e frie11dship of Zebek-Dorch1 was more fatal than his
open enmity .After the settlement .on !he Ily tl1is feud
continued
to advance, unttl it came under the notice of the

Emperor, on occasio11 of a visit will.ch all the Tartar cl11ef

173

ltEVQI,T OF 'l llE T.\ Il.T.\.ltS.

ta.ins made to his Majesty at his hunting lodge in 1 772.

The Emperor informed himself accu1ately 'of all the pa1ticula1s connected with the, t1ansaction of all the iights
and claims put forward and of the way in i.vhich they
\vould severally affect the interests of the Kalm11ck peo1)le.
The consequence was, that he adopted the cause of Oubachu,
and'repressed the p1etensions of Zebek-Dorchi, who, on his
pa1t, so deeply resented this discountena11ce to his ambitious projects, that, in conjunction with otl1e1 chiefs, he had
tl1e presun11)tion even to weave nets' of treason against tl1e
Empe1 or 11in1self. Plots we1e laid, were detected, were
baffled; counter-plots we1e constructed u1)011 the same lJasis,

and 1vith the beneBt of the oppo1tunities thus offe1ed.

Finally, Zebek-Dorehi was invited to the impe1ial lodge,
together with all his accomphces ; and unde1 the skilf11l

manage1uent of the Chinese nobles in the E1n1Jeror's ~stablishment, the murderous artifices of tl1ese Ta1tar chieftains
were made to recoil upon themselvec;; and the whole of
them perished by assassination at a g1eat imperial banquet.
For the Chinese morahty is exactly of that kind which approves m eve1ything the lex talionis :-

''Lex nee JUSt1or ulln. est (as t!Ley

Quam nec1s artdices arte per11e

tlunl~)

sua.'~

So pe1ished Zebek-Dorchi, the autho1 and originator of

the g1eat Tartar Exodus. Oubacha, meantime, and bis
people, were gradually recove1ing from the effects of thei1

misery, and repairing their losses. Peace and prosperity,

l1nde1 the gentle rule of a fathe1ly lord paramount, ieda\\'ned upon the tribes: their household la1 es, after so
harsh a. t1anslation to distant climes, fo11nd agam a l~allPY
ie-instatement in '' hat had in fact been their prirnitire
abodes: they found themselves settled in c1met sjl,-au
sce11es, i ich i11 all the luA.uries of 11fe, a11cl e11clo\ve<l \Vi th
1

174.

'

REYQI,T OF TiiE TAltTARS

t11e perfect lovel1ness,of .Arcadian beauty. But from the

hills of this favou1eclJand, and even f1om the level g1ounds
aq they approached its weste1n border, they still loolt out
upon that fea1ful \Yilderness \vhich once beheld a. natio11 in
agony the utte1 extirpation of nearly half a millio11 from
amongst its numbers, and, fo1 tl1e remainder, a. sto1m of
misery so fierce, that in the end (as happened also at
.\.thens du1i11g tl1e Peloponnes1an W a1, f1om a dill'e1e11t form
- of misery) ve1y many lost their me1nory; all iecortls of
tb eir p:ist life \\'ere wiped out as witl1 a sponge utte1Iy
erased and cancelled: a11d many otl1ers Jost tl1eir reason;
some in a gentle fo1m of pensive melancholy, some in a
mo1e restless fo1m of feve11sl1 del1i1um and ne1vous ag1ta~
tJon, and others in the fixed fo1ms of tempestuous mania,
1 aving f1 enzy, or moping idiocy. T\vo great commemo1ative
!llo~uments a1ose in after years to mark the deptl1 and
pe1mane11ce of the awe the sacred and rev;ere11tial g1ief
'
with 'vhich all i)ersons looked back upon the dread calu.roit1es attached to the yea1 of the tigei all "'ho had either
'
1ie1sonally sl1a1ed m those calam1t1es, and had themselves
drunk from that cup of so1row, or who had effectually
been maqe witnesses to their results, and associated with
thei1 relief, two g1eat monuments ; one embodied in the
1ehg1ous solemnity, enjomed by tl1e Dalai Lama, called
in the Tartar language a Roinanang that is, a national
commell}-Oration, mth music the most 1ich and solemn, of

all the souls who departed to the rest of Pa1ad1sc fi.om the
affi1ct1ons of the Desert : this took place about six yea1s
after the arrival in Chma. Secondly, another mo1e durable
and more commensmate to the scale of the calamity and
to the grandeur of this national Exodus, in the mighty
columns of g1anite and b1ass, e1ected by the Etnperor
Kien Long, near the banks of tl1e Ily: these columns stancl

REVOLT OF

'

~1n~E

TARTARS.

175

upon the very margin of the steppes; and they brar a sborl
but emphatic inscription~ to the fallowing effect:By the Will of God,
Here, upon the Brink of these Deserts,"\Vhlcl1 from this Point begin and stretch away
Pathless, treeless, waterles<;,
For thousands of miles and along the margins of many n11ghty Nations,
Rested from their labours and f1om great afflictions ,
Under the shadow of t11e Chinese -:W-all,
And by the favour of KrE:s LosG, God's Lieutenant upon Earth.
The ancient Children of tl1e W1lderness-tl1e Torgote TartarsFljing b-efore the wrath of the Grecian Czar,
Wandering Sheep \fho had stra)ed awa.; from the Celestial Empire
in the .; ear 1616,
But are now mercifully gathered again, after infinite sorrow,
Into the fold of thc.1r forgi>ing Shepherd.
Hallowed be the spot for ever,
and
Hallowed be the daj-September 8, 1771 [
Amen.

This inscription has been shghtly altered m one or two phrases,

and I!articnlarly in adapting to the Chnst1an era the Emperor's
expressions for the year of the original Exodus from Chma and the
retrogressie Exodus from Russia. With respect to the dl'si;;nation
adopted for the Russian Emperor, either it is built upon some confusion between him .and the Byzantine Cresars, as though the
former, being of the same rehgion with the latter (and occupying
in part the same longitudes, though in different lahtudes), nught
be considered as his modern successor; or else it refers sllllply to
the Greek form of Christ1au1ty professed by the Russian Emperor
and Church.

DIALOGUES OF THREE TEMPLARS

I

ON POLITICAL ECONOMY,

CHIEFLY IN RRLATION TO THE PRINCIPI,ES OF MR nICJUIDO.

Original ;!duertisement, in .1lpr1l, 1824:.

I HAVE resolved to fung my analysts of Mr Ricardo's system into
the form of Dialogues .A. few wordij will s1tffice to determine the_
pnnc1ples of criticism wruch can fairly be applied to such a form
of composition on such a subject It cannot reasonably be ex~
pected that chalog11es on Pohtical Economy should pretend to the '
appropnate beauty of dialogues as dmlogucs-by thro,ving any
dramatic interest mt-0 the parts susp1.ined bythechfferentspeakers,
or any chaxacterist1c distmctions into theu style. Elegance of
this sort, if my time had allowed of it, or I had been otherwi.so
capable of producing it, would have been here nusplaced. Not
that I would say even of Pohtical Economy, m the words com~
monly apphed to such sub1ects, tlui.t '' Ornari res ipsa 11egat1 con~
tPnta doceri ''for all things have their pec1tl1ar beauty and sources
of ornament-deter101ned by thell' ultllllate ends, and by the
proce<:.5 of the m1nd 1n pursumg them. Here, as m the proce.sse:i
of nature and m mathematical demonstrations, the appropriate
elegance is derived from the sunphc1ty of the means employed, ,
as expressed m the '' I4ex Parc1mon1re '' ('' Frustra. fit per plunl,
quod :fi.en fas erat per pauc1ora ''), and other IDX\."lms of that
sort. Tills sunphcity, lio,vever, must be looked form the ordi::r
and relation of the thoughts, and l~ the steps through \Vhieh they
are trained to lead into each other, rather than in o.ny an:x:ious
conclSeness as to \vords; wluch, on the contrary, I have rather
!!ought to avoid in the en.rl1er Dmlogues, m order that I m12hi,
,

l'/7

UlAI.QGUES OJ!' THREE TI:lfPI.ARS.

keep those d.istmct1ons longer before tl1e reader from \Villch all
the rest were to be denved, For he, who has fully maste1ed the
:loctrine of Value, is already a good pohtical economist. Now,
ii any man should object that m the follo,ving Dialogues I have
..in1formly given the victory to myself, he will make a pleasant
lcgical blunder: for the true' logic of the case IS this, Not that
, it is myself to whom I give the \'lctory; but that he to whom I
gi.~e the victory (let me call h1m by what name I will) is 0
nece.~s1ty myself; since I cannot be supposed to have put tn11mphant arg11ments into any spec'lker's mouth, unless they had
preVIously convmced iny ov.'Il understandmg. Fmally, let me

.entreat the re.ideE not to be 1mpat1ent under the d.isp1opo1t1onate length (as he may fancy it) of the opemng discussions on
Value: e\""en for its O\~n sake, the s11bject IS a m.'ltter of curio1is
speculation; but m relation to Pohhcal Economy it IS all 1n all,
for most of the errors (and, i.vhat is much i.vorse than erro1'b,
most of the perplexities) prevatlmg m this science take thell"
rise flom tl11s source. nir Ricardo 1S the first \Vr1tei \ lho has
thrown light on the subJect; and even he, ID the last edition of
his book, still found it a '' difficult'' one (see the .AdvertISement
to the Third Edition) What a Ricardo has found cl1fficult, can.'..
not be adequately discussed rn fe\v words; but, Ji the reader
will once thoroughly mnster this part of the science, all tlie iest
will cost 111n1 hardly any effort at all.

'

INTRODUCTORY DIAI,OGUE.
'
(SPEAKERS THROUGHOUT THE DIAI.OGUES .ARE PHDRUS,
,

PIDLEBUS, .AND X. Y.

z.)

'

Pluecl1 zts. This, Phtlebus, is my f1iend X. Y. Z , 'vhom I

have long 'vished to introduce to you; he has some busi

ness 'Yhich calls him into this qua1ter of the town for the
11e:\t fo1 tnight; and dm111g that time he bas promised to
dine. with me; and TI'e a1e to cliscuss togetbe1 the mode1n
cloct1'ines of Political Eco1101ny; most of which h;e tells Ine,

178

'l:HE TE'.lfPLARS' DIALOGUES

'

are due to Mr Ricardo. Or rather, I should say, that I

am to become his pupil; for I pretend to no regular knowledge of Pohtical Economy, having picked up what little I
possess in a desultory way amongst the 'vriters of the old
school; and, out of that little, X. obligingly tells me tnat
three-fourths are rotten. I p.m glad, the1efore, that you
are in town at this time, and can come and help me to
contradict him. Meantime X. has some iight to play the
tutor amongst us ; for he has been a regular student of the
science: another of his merits is that he is a Templar as
well as ourselves, and .a good deal senior to eithe1 of us.
Phzlebus. And for which of his merits is it that you
would have me contradict llim 'l
Phmd. Oh, no matter .for his merits, which doubtless are
past all computation, but generally as a point of hospitality For I am of the same opinion as M
, a ve17
able friend of mine in Liverpool, who looks upon it as
cnminal to concede anything a man says in the process of
a disputation: the nefarious habit of assenting (as he justly
'
aays) being the pest of conversation, by causing it to stagnate. On this account he often calls aside the talking men of
the party before dinner, and conjures them with a pathetic
earnestness not to agree with J1im in anything he ma
advance during the evening ; and at his own table, when
it has happened that stranger~ were present who indulged
too much in the habit of politely assenting to anything
'
which seemed to demand no particular opposition, I have
seen him suddenly pause with the air of the worst-used
mah in the world, and exclaim, ''Good heavens! is there
to be no end to this 1 .A m I nei.er to be contradicted 1
I ~ppose matters will soon come to that pass that my
i1Parest relations will be perfidiously agreeing with me ;
the very wife of my bosom will refuse to contradict me ;
I

O~

POLITICAL

EC0~0:\['.1..

179

arid I shr..11 not have a friend left on whom I can depencl ~

for the consolations of opposition.''
,
Phil. Well, Phredrus, if X. Y. Z. is so much devoted as
you represent to the doctrines of Mr Rica1do, I shall perhaps find myself obliged to indulge your wishes in thls
point more than. my O\\lll taste in conversation would lead
me to desire.
X. And what, may I ask, is the particular gro.und of
your opposition. to Mr Ricardo 1
Pha:d. I suppose that, like the man who gave hls zote

against Aristides, because it wearied him to hear any iuan

surnamed the ;ust, Philebus is anuoyed by finding that so
many people look up to Mr Rica1do as an 01acle.
Phzl. No : for the very opposite ieason; it is because I
hea1 him generally complained of as obscure and as ambitiously paradoxical ; two faults which I cannot tolerate :
'
and the extracts f1om hls 1rritings which I have seen satisfy
me that this judgment is a reasonable one.
Phmd. In addition to which, Philebus, I now recollect
something which perhaps weighs with you still more,
though you have chosen to suppress it; and tliat is that
you .are a disciple of l\Ir Malthus, every part of whose
w1itings since the year 1816 (I am assured) have had one
origin jealousy of Mr Ricardo, '' qnem si non aliqu3.
nocuisset, mo1tuus esset.''

X. No, no, Phredrus : we must not go so far as tlzat;

though undoubtedly it is true that Mr Malthus has often
conducted his opposition in a most vexatious and disin-
gen.nous manner
Pliil. How so'? In what instance'? In what justance '?
X. In this, for one .Mr Malthus in his ''Political Eco~
nomy '' (1820) repeatedly charged Mr Ricardo with having
confounded the t\vo notions of '' cost ' 1 and '' value: '' I
<

180

l'IIE TEllll'LARS' DLU.OGU.I!.&.

smile by the way when I 1epeat such a cl1arge, us J.f it \Vere

the office of a Ricardo to confound, 01 of a Malthus to dis
tingu1sh: but
''Non usque adeo perm1scu1t 1m1s
Longus summa dies, ut non-s1 voce Illetell1
Serventur Ieges-mal1nt a Crosare toll1 .i<

'J>/zzl. '' Im1s !'' Why, I hope, if l\I1 Ricaido may do for
the Crosar of the case, Mr Malthus is not the1ef01e to be
tl1ought the l\fetellus. '' Imis '' indeed!
X. .As to tlzis, he is : his gene1al me1its of good sensb
and mgenu1ty we all acknowledge; but for the office of a
d1stmgu1she1, or any othe1 \vh1ch demands logic in the
fiist place, it is impossible to conceive any pe1son belo\v
him. To go on, however, with my instance : this objection of Mr liialthus's about '' cost'' and '' value'' 1vas
founded purely on a very g1eat blunde1 of his own - so
great, that (as I sliall sho1v in its piopei place) even l\Ii
Ricardo did not see the whole extent of his misconception :
thus much, however, was 'nlam, that the meaning of Nr
Malthus was that the new docttine of value allo\\'ec1 for
wage~, but c1itl 11ot allow for p1ofits; and thus, acco1tling
to the Malthusian te1m1nology, expressed tl1e cost but not
'
the value of a. thing. What was .l\Ir Rica1do's au&wer 7
In the third edition of his book (p 46), h~ told Mi .l\Ialthus
that, if the \VOrtl, '' COSt '' We1 e undel'btootl lll UllJ sense
which excluded profits, then he did not asse1t 1.l1e thing
att11buted to him; on the other hand, if it were u11tle1stood
m a sense 1vh1ch z11cluded profits, then of co11rse l1e did
assert 1t, but then in that sense Mr Malthus himself did
'

"' For t11e sake of the unclassical reade1, I add a prose tr.i11slat1on -Not to .s11ch an extent has the Jap~e of time confo11ncled
' th111gs highest with thi'ngs lo\vest, as t11at-1t the laws can be sa\ ed
:>nly by the voice of a ?vietellus-they \vould not ratl1e1 choose tn
be abol1shecl bv a C.usar

'

'

OX POLITl.CAL ECO!\OliY.

181

not deny it. This plain answer was published in 1821.

Will it be believed that two years after (viz., in the spring
of 1823), Mr Malthus puqlished- a pamphlet in which he
repeats the same objection over and over again, without a
hint that it had ever met with a conclusive explanation
which it )Vas jmpossible to misunderstand~ Neither m"ust
it be all~ged that Mr Malthus might not have seen this
third edition; for it is the very edition which he constantly
quotes in that pamphlet.
Pha:cl. "\Vhat say you to this, my dear Philebus '? You
seem to be in perplexity.
,
X. But an instance of far greater disingenuousness is
this : Nr Ricardo, after laying down the general law of
value, goes on to state three cases in which that law will
be modified; and the extraordinary sagacity with which
he has detected and stated these modifications, and the
startling consequences to which they lead, have combined
to make this one of the most remarkable c}lapters in his
books. Now it is a fact, gentlemen, th.at these very restrictions of bis o\vn law so openly stated.as restrictions
by nfr Ricardo are brought fo1ward by Mr Malthus as
so many objections of bis O\Vn to upset that law. The
logic, as _usual, is worthy of notice : for it is as if, in a
question about the force of any projectile, a man should
urge the resistance of the air, not as a limitation of that
force, but as a capital objection to it. \Vb.at I here insist
on, ho" eve1, is its extreme dL~genuousness. But this is
a subject which it is unpleasant to pursue : and the course
, of our subject will of itself bring us but too often across
the blunde1s and mis-statements of Mr Malthus. To
recur therefore to what you objected about Mr Ricardo
that he was said to be paradoxical and obscure I prei,ume that you use the word '' paradoxical'' in the commo11
>

'

1-

182

THE TE:\1PLA.RS' DI,\.LOGUES

and improper sense, as denoting what has a specious air of

truth ancl subtlety, but IS in fact false; whereas I need not
tell you that a paradox is the very opposite of this mea11ing in effect what has a specious air of falsehood, thougl1
possibly very true: for a pa1adox, you know, is Slillply
that which contradicts the popula1 opinion 'vhich in too
many cases is the false opilllon ; and in none mo1e inevitably than in cases as remote from the popular understandmg as all questions of severe science Ho,vever, use
the "\\'Ord in what sense yon please, Mr Rica1do is no
ways mte1ested in the charge : .A.re my doct1ines true, are
they demonstrable '2 is the question for hlill ; J.f not, let
them be overthro,vn; if tliat is beyond any man's po\ver,
what matters it to lum, that the slumbering intellect of the
mt1ltitu~e regards them as strange '2 As to obscurity, in
general 1t IS of two kmds one arising out of the '\\'rite1's
O\Vn pe1plexity of thought ; which is a vicious obscurity:
and in this sense the opponents of Mr Ricardo are the
obscurest of all economists. Another kind - Phmd. .A.y, now let us hear what is a viituous obscu11ty.
'
X. I clo not say, Phredrus, that in any case it can be
me1itorious to be obscu1e: but I say that in many cases it
is I very natural to be so, and pardonable
m
profound
thinkers,
I
and in some cases inevitable. For the other kmd of obscurity which I was going to notice is that which I \Vould
denominate elliptical obscurity ; a11sing, I mean, out of the
f1equent elhpsIB or suppression of some of the Jinks in a.

long cham of thought : these are often invol11ntarily suppressed by profound tlunkers1 from the &sgust 'vluch they '
naturally feel at overlaying a subject mth superfluous explanations. So far from seeing too &mly, as in the... case
of perplexed obscurity, their defect is the very reve~se:
tht'y see too clearly; and fancy that others see as clearly

O:S- POLITICAL ECONO:lIY.

183

themselves. Such, without any tincture of confusion,

was the obscurity of Kant (though in him there was also
a singular defect of the art of communicating kno\\ledge,
as he was himself aware): such was the obscu1ity of Le1bnitz (who
othe1wise
was
iemarlrable
for
his
felicity
in
ex.
'
'
plaining himself): such, if any,' is the obscu1ity of Ricardo;
though for my own part I must acknowledge that I could
neve1 find any: to me he seems a model of pe1spicuity.
'
But I believe that the very g1ound of his perspicruty to me
is the ground of his apparent obscurity to some others, and
that is his inexorable consistency in the use of words :
and this is one of the cases which I alluded to in speaking
of an ''inevitable obscu1ity :'' fo1 wherever men have been
accustomed to use a word in two senses, and have yet supposed themselves to use it but in one, a writer, who corrects
this lax usage, and forces them to maintain the unity of
the meaning, i,vtll always appear obscure; because he will
oblige them to deny or to affir1n consequences from which
they ''ere hitherto accustomed to escape under a constant
though unconscious equivocation between the two senses.
'
Thus, for example, M1 Ricardo sternly insists on the true
sense of the word Value, and (what is still more unt1sual
to most men) insists on using it but in one sense: and
hence arise consequences which natmally appear at once
obsct11e and paradoxical to M Say to Mr Malthus to
the author of an Essay on Value'" and to all other lax
thinkers, who easily bend their understandings to the infirrnity of the popular usage. Hence it is not surprisu1g
to find 1\Ir Malthus complaining (''Polit. Econ,'' p. 214)
of 'the units11al application. of common terms'' as having
l\S

" I forget tl1e exact title; but it '"ns printed for Hunter, :5-:.
P'lul'<> Churchvard.
~

184

T'".dE TE::IIPLAltS' DJ_.U.QGUES

'

made ~\11 Rica1do's wo1k ''difficult to be u11cle1stood by

many people:'' though, in fact, there is nothing at all unusual in his a1)plicat1on of any term whatever, but only in
the steadiness wlth which he keeps to the same applica
tion of it. '
.
Pl11l. These distinctions of you1s on the subject of obscurity I am dISposed to think reasonable : and, unless the
contrary should appear m the course of our conversations,
I will concede them to be applicable to the case of :l\Ir
Rica1do : his obscurity may be venial, or it may be inevitable, or even none at all (if you will have it so). But I
cannot allow of the cases of Kant and Leibnitz as at all
relevant to that before us. Fo1 the obscu1ity complained
of in metaphysics, &c., is inhe1ent in the very objects contemplated, and is independent of the pa1t1cular ming contemplating, and exists in defiance of the utmost talents for
diffusing light: whereas the obJects about wl1ich Political
Economy is concerned, are acknowledged by all persons to
be clear and simple enough, so that any obscunty which
hangs over them must arise from imperfections m the art
of a1ranging and conveying ideas on the part of him who
undertakes to teach it
X. This I adllllt : any obscurity which clouds Political
Economy, unless whe1e it arises from want of sufficient
facts, must be subjective, whereas the main obscurity whicl1
besets metaphysics is objective; and such an obscurity is
in the fullest sense inevitable. But this-I did not overlook;
fo1-an objective obscurity it is in the power of any writer
to aggravate by his O\Vn perplexities ; and I alleged the
cases of Kant and Leibrntz no further than as they were
said to have done so ; contending that, if Mr Ricardo were
at all hable to the same charge, he was entitled to the same
t\pology \lZ., that he 1s never obscure from any confusion

ON POLITIC.t\I. EC01\IO:U1..

'

of' thought, but, on the cont1a1y, tiom too keen a' pe1cep~
t 1on of the truth which may have seduced him at tlllles into
too elliptic a development of ms opmions, and made him.
impatient of the tardy and continuous steps which are best'
adapted to the purposes of the teacher. For the fact is, '
that the labou1e1 s of tlle 1llz1ie (as I am accustomed to call
them), 01 those who dig up the metal of t1uth, a1e seldom
'
I
fittecl to be also labou1e~s of tl1e Mint-i.e., to \\'Ork up the
metal for rurrent use. Besicles which, it must not be -eor

D"Otten that ~I1 Rica1c1o did not propose to deliver an entire

0
'
system of Pohtical Economy, but only an investigation of
such doc>trines as had happened to be imperfectly 01 e110- .
neously stated. On this account, much of his work is
polemic; and presumes therefore in the reader an acquaintance with the 'vr1ters whom he is opposing. Indeed, in~ '
every chapte1 there is an under reference, not to this 01
that autho1 only, but to the whole current of moder11 _
opinions on the subject, which demands a lea1ned ieader
'
who is already master of \Vhat is generally received for
truth in Pohtical Economy.
' Phzl. Upon this statement it appea1s at any rate that
Mr Ricardo's must be a mosp improper book as an elementa1y one. But, after all, you will adinit that even amongst
Mr R1ca1do's friends the1e is a prevailing opinion that he

is too subtle (or, ~sit is usually expressed, too theoretic) a

1vi1ter to be safuly ielied on for the practical uses of leg1slat1on.
;

X. Yes. And, indeed, we are all so deeply _indebted

to Enghsh 'wisdom on matters whe1e theo1ies really a1e
dange1ous, that we ought not to wonder or to complain
if the Jealousy of all \vh1~h goes under that name be sometimes extended to cases in which it is idle to suppose any
oppos1t1on possible bet\veen the' true theory and tl1e prac11

186

TIIE TE:'llPI.1\l?S' DIALOGUES

tice. However, on the whole question \Vh1cl1 l1us bee11

moved in regard to ~fr Ricn.1clo's obscu11ty 01 tcnlle11cy to
paradox or to over refinement and fulso st1btll!ty, I am
satisfied if I have won you to any p1ovis1011ul sus1Je11s1on
of your p1ejudices; and will nO\V press it 110 furtherwilhngly leaving the matter to be settled by tho result of

our discussions.
Pl1red. Do so, X. ; n.nd especially because my watcl1 informs me that dinner an event too a\\ fully practical to
allow of any violation from mere sublunn1y d1bputcswill be announced in six minutes ; \vithin \\ l1ich space of
time I will trouble you to produce the utmost poss1blo
amount of truth with tho least possible proportion of ob"
1
scur1ty, whether ''subjective''- or '' obJcct1ve,' that may bo
convenient
X. .A.s the time which you allow us is so sho1t, I think
that I cannot better employ it than in reading a short
pape1 wlnch I hn.ve dra\vn up on the most genertil distribut1on of Mi Ricardo's book; because tl1is may serve to
guide us in the course of our future discussions.
'
''Mr Ricardo's Principles of Pohtical Economy consisted
in the second Edition of 31 chapters, to which, in the third
edition, was added another,.making 32. ' These 32 chapters fall into the fallowing classification : Fourteen are on
the subject of Taxation; viz., the 8th to the 18th .;i inclu
0

'

The 11th is on Tithes; and the 18t11 on PoorRatcs; but tl1cse

of course belong to the subJ cct of Taxation properly defined. Tho
present Lo1d Chancellor (late Earl of Eldon) said on some cause
wl11ch came before him about a year ugo, that Tithes were nnJustly
called a Tax; meamng only that Tithes were not any 11rb1trury
impos1t1on of the government, but claimed by as gpod a tc11uro as
any other sort of property. In this doctrine no doubt the Ch1tu
tellor 'vas perfectly nght; and only 'vrong 1n suppo:.1ng that a117

'

ON POLITICAL ECONO:\IY.

187

'

'

sively, the 22d, 23d, and 29th; and these may be enti1ely
'
omittetl by the student, and ought at any iate to be
omitted on his first examination of the work. For, though ,
Mr Ricardo has rea!ly been not the chief so much as the
sole author of any important truths on the subject of
Taxation, and though his 14 chapters on that head are so
n1any inestimable corollaries from his gene1al doctrines,
and could never have been obtained without them, yet these
'
general doctrines have no sort of recip1ocal dependency
upon what concerns Taxation. Consequently) it will g1 eatly
lighten the billden to a student, if these 14 chapters are
sequestered fi.om the rest of the work, and reserved fo1 a
separate and after :investigation, which may furnisl1 a commentary on the first. The chapters on Taxation deducted,
the1e remain) therefore, 17 in the second edition, or 18 in

the third: These contain the general principles) but also

something more which may furnish matter fo1 a second
subtraction. For in most speculations of this nature it
usually happens, that, over and above the direct positive '
' communication of hew truths, a writer finds it expedient (or

perhaps necessary in some cases, in order to clear the

ground for himself) to address part of his efforts to the
task of _meeting the existing e).rors: hence arises a division '
of his work into the doctrinal or ajji1'11zative part, and the
polemic..;! or negative part. Tu Mr Ricardo's \vritings, all
'

den:al of that doctnne is implied by the Political Economists in

callmg Tithes a Tax; which, on the true definition of a Tax (as I
sh!ll show_ hereafter), they certainly are.
Polemic -There is an occasional tendency in the use and
practice of the English language capriciously to linut the use of
certam wo:ds, _Thus, for instance, the word condign is used only '
in connection mth the word punishment: the word in1pl1c1t is used
only (unless by scholars, like :1hlton) in connection \\1th faith. or

' 188

TllE Tl~\lPJ,,\llS' DJ,\LOGUI:S

(us I have a~1eady obse1vecl) have a luteut polc1u1c

1cte1ence; but some, ho\veve1, u1c mo1e di1cctly uud
formally polemic than the l'e:>t; 1111d tl1c~o may J1 0 tl10 iuo1 o
readily detached from the 1n:1J,U body of tl10 \vo1J{, })ccittl:>O
(l1lce the cha1)ters on Tu.Aut1on) they u1e all co10Jlu1ies 110111
tl1e gkne1al la\vs, a11d in no cuse rniroclucto1y to tl1cm.
D1v1ded on this p11nc1ple, tl10 18 chu1)te1s full i11to tl1e
f'ollo\VIng a11ungement . -

pttL'ts

Loi!ftdence. So al::,o putatite 11> iest11cted 1110::,t a\i.,ui<llj to tl1c 0111.\

sole 'void father, in ii qucst1011 of doubtful .1f11l1:1t1011. 'l'ltc'o.J i111d
other 'vord;,, if u1iloeked fro1n tl1e11 ab;,111d 11111i11so11111c11t, '' 011ltl
become extensively u;,elul \Ve sl1ould s.1), fo1 111.,t.}11ce, '' c.ond1gn honours,'' '' condign i e\\ ar<ls,'' '' t-011<l1~11 ti e.1t111c11 t '' ( t1 c.1t1nent a1iprop11.i.te to the n1e1"Jts)-thus .1t once ic,1l1~111g t\\ o r.1t10111l
pu1poses, v1t, g1v111g a 11seful fu11ct1011 to u \\Oill, 'vl111,l1 nt J>rc.,c11t
has none; and also p10\1d1ng a11 intcll1g1ble C'\.}Jtc::;,1011tor .1111<lc1i
'vh1ch other\\lSe is left '~1tl1out n1cu11s of 11ttcr111g it~elt, C'l.Ccpt
thiougl1 a 11ondcrous c11cumlocut1011. Prcc1:.ely 111 tl10 s.11110 c1rc.umstances of idle and absu1d seq11c:.t1ut1011, ;,t,111<l~ tl1c ter111 polenizc At present, accordi11g to t11e po11ul:11 11s11ge, !111:, \\ 0111 11.1;,
some fantastic inal1e11uble con11cct1on '\ 1tl1 1,011tro' c1 :.1111 tl1colog)'.
The1e can11ot be a more cl1ild1sh ch1111c1.1. No doulit tl1erc i:. a.
polemic side or aspect "of t11cology, b11t ;,o tl1cre is of all hllO\\'
ledge, so there is of every science. The radical 11nd cl1aracter1:.t1c ,
'idea concerned in this term pole1111c, 1a io11nd 111 ou1 o'' 11 P:1rl1umentary d1st1nct1on of tl1e good speaLcr, as co11t111:.tcd '' 1tl1 tl1c !JDD1l
debater. The good spc.1ke1 is lie '' 110
, 11nfol<l;, t11e \\hole of :1 <111C!>
t1on in 1ta affirmative aspects, ,y}10 presents these abpccts 111 tl1c1r
JUSt propo1 t1ons, and aceord1ng to their orde1ly u11d ::.) 111111ctr1cul
ded11ct1ons from each other. But tl1e good debater is lie '' 110 I.ices
the negative aspects of tho question,'' 110 meets suu<le11 obJcct1011s,
' has an ans,ve1 for any momentary s11mn1011s of do11l1t or d1llic11lt:),
1
d1ss1patcs s em1ng incons1stenc1es, and reconc1Ics tl1e gco111etr1c.1l
smootl1ncss f a przorr abst1act1ons 'v1th tl1e coa1se u11gul1111t1es of
p1.i.ct1cal exp1t1ence. The great \Vork of R1c.i.1do 1::i of 11ecess1ty,
and almost in Prvery page, polemic; '' h1lst vcr,; ottc11 tl1e llurt1culur
ob1ect1ons or d~fficult1es to \Vh1ch 1t replies, 11re 11ot 111d1catcd at 1111
-being sp1ead1 through entire systems, and ussumeu a.~ 7>1 eco9111tJ1
that are f.i1n1I1a'\:. to tl1e le:i.rncd student

189

ON POLITICAL ECO:S-OllY.
'

Cb,\p.

20.

on Value;

: on Rent;
;.' on \\~ages;
r. on Profits ;
'. on Foreign Trade;
I. on Sudden Ch,111ges in. Trade;
,. on Accumulat1on ;
) ou Colonial Trade;
'. on Currencj and Banks ;
l. on ::\lac h1nery.

24:,
26.

28.

32.

C.ei;aUve (or Polemic) Cbap\tlS.

on Value au(i l{iches. ag.i1r1st

A.dam Su11th, Lord Lauderdale, M. Saj' ;
Rent of Land. against Adan1
Smith;
1
Gro~s and Nett Re\e11ue:
a2ai11st A.dam Smith ;
Relat1011s of Gold, Corn, and
Labour, unuer certai11 circumstances : against. A.
Smith:
Rent. agamst ::\fr ~althus.

Deducting the polemic chapters, there remain 13 affir1ative or doctrinal chapte1s: of which one (the 27th), on
lurrency, &c., ought always to be insulated from all other
,arts of Political Economy. And thus, out of the whole
2 chapters, 12 only are important to the student on his
rst exan1i11ation ; and to these I propose to limit our dis

:USSlOilS.

Plza:d. Be it so, and now let us adjourn to mo1e solemn

iuties.

,
,

DI.A.LOGUE THE
O~

FIRST.~

1'BE I:I.ID~'T~illY l'RIXCIPLE OF :POLITIC_.\L ECO);O:\IT.

Plued. To cut the matte1 sho1t, .X.Y.Z. and to begi.t1

is near as possible to the end is there any one principle
:11 Political Economy from which all the rest can be dea.uced? .A principle, I mean, which all others presuppose,
but l\hich itself presupposes n.one.
X. There is, Phredrus : such a principle exists fu the
lloctrine of Value truly explained. The c1uestion from
which all Political Economy will be found to move tl1e
question to which all its difficulties l'rill be found reducible,
is this: 1V11at is tlze 91 oun<l of exclzangectble '/.,alue 'l My hat,
for example, bears the satne value as you1 urnb1~lln.; c1oi1ble

190-

'

'IllE 'fI:lIPLi\.RS' Dii\LOGUI:S

'

tl1e value of my shoes; four times tlte val11e of my gloves;

one-t\vent1eth of the value of this \Vatch. Of tl1cse several relations of value, \vhat is tl1e sufficient cause? If t11ey '''ere
capricious, no such science as that of Political Economy
could exist; not being capricious, they must have an assignable cause: this cause what is it?
Plucd. Ay, wl1at is it?

X. It is thIS, Phrodrus; and the entire merit of thodisoovery belongs to nir Rica1do. It is t11is ; and listen 'vith
your \Vhole understanding: tlze ground of tlze value of all things
lzes in tlie quantity (but ma1k \Vell that word .'' c1uantity'') 'of
labour wlticli p1 oduces tl1em. Here is that great principle
\vl1ich is the corner-stone of all tenable Political Economy;

\vhich g1antecl or denied, all Political Economy stands or

falls. Grant me this one principle, with a few square feet
of the sea-shore to dra\v my diagia1ns upon, and I 'vill
undertalre to deduce eve1y other t1uth in the science.
Plucd. Take it and '\vclcome. It \Voulc.1 be impob1'1ble for
most people to raise a cal)bago out of the sea-sho1e, though
the sand were manured by p1inciples the noblest. You
tl1erefore, my dear friend, that promise to raise f1om it
not a cabbage, but a system of Political Econo1ny, a10
doubly entitled to your modicu1n of sand, and to your principle beside; 'vhich last is, I daresay, a ve1y 'vo1thy and
iespectable p1inc1ple, and not at all the worse for being as
old as my great-grandfather.
X. Pardon me, Phrodrus : the principle is no older than
tlie first edition of Mr Rica1do's boolc : and \Vhen you
1nake me thIS concession so readily under the notion that
you are conceding nothing more than has long been estaol1shec1, I fear that you will seek to retract it, as soon as
you are a'vare of its real import and consequences.
Plued. In most cases, X., I should hesitate to contradict

'

191

ON POLITICAL ECO:SO:MY.
1

'

yo11 peremptorily upon a snpject which you have studied

so much more closely than myself; but here I cannot hesitate ; for I happen to remember the very words of .A.dam
Smith, wlu.ch are - X. Substantially the same, you will sa.y, as those which
I have employ"ed 'in expressing the great principle of Mr
Ricardo: this is your meaning, Phredrus; and excuse me
for.interrupting you; I am anxious to lose no time; and
therefore let me remind you, as soon as possible, that ''the
wo1ds '' of .A.dam Smith cannot prove any ag1eement with
Mr Ricardo, if it appears that those words are used as
equivalent and convertible at pleasure with certain other
words not only irreconcilable with Mr Ricardo's principle,
but expressing the very doctrine which Mr Ricardo does,
and mu.st in consistency, set himself to oppose. Mr Ricardo's doctrine is, that .A. and B are to each other in val11e
as the quantity of labour is which produces .A. to the quan-,
ti.ty which produces B; or, to express it in the very shortest
formula by substituting the term base, aa synonymous with
the term productng labour, All thz'ligs are to eacli other in value
as their bases are in quantity. This is the Rica1d.Ian law:
you allege that it was already the law of .A.dam Smith;
and in some sense you are right; for such a law is certamly
to be found in the ''Wealth of Nations.'', But, if it is explicitly .affi1:med in that wo1k, it is also implicitly denied:
formally asserted, it is viitually withdra,vn. For .A.dam
Smith everywhere uses, as an equivalent formula, that .A. and
B are to each other in value as the v~lue of the labour which
produces A to the value of the labour which produces B.
PluP,ii. And the formula for Mr Ricardo's law is, if I understand you, that .A. and B are to each other in value not
as the ialue, but as the quantzty of the labour which p10dnces .A. to the 'Jllnuty which produces B.
,

192

'

'

THE rEMPLARS' DIA.LOGUE:S

X. It is.

Phcecl. .And is it possible that any such migli.ty magic

'can lurk in the simple substitution of quantzty for 'l:alue 'l

Surely, X., you are bair-split.tmg a htt.le in this instanc&~

and mean to amuse yourself with my simplicity, by playing
'off some logical legerdemain upon: me from the ''serap111}!''
or ''angelic'' docto1s.
X. 1'he eainestness and good faith of my 'vhole lQgic
and reasoning will soon become a pledge for me that I am
incapable of 'vhat you call ha11-splitti11g : and in this pa1ticular i11stance I might appeal to Plulebus, wl10 \Vill tell you
that l\Ir l\Ialthus has grounded his ent11e opposition to l\Ir
R.1co.rdo on the ve1y d1st1nction which you are no"\v t1eatmg as aerial But tl1e fact is, you do not yet pe1ceive to
'vhat extent this d1sti11ction goes : you suppose me to be
contending foi some minute and subtle shades of difference;
so far from that, I mean to affirm that t11e one la\v is the
direct, formal, and d1amet11cal negation of the other : I
~ssert in the most peremptory manner that he who says,
' The value of A. is to the value of B as the quantity of
labou1 producing .A. is to the quantity of labou1 p1oclucing
B,'' does of necessity deny by jmp1ic,\tion that the relations
of value between A and B are governec1 by the va7ue of the
labour which seve1ally produces them.
Plizl X. is perfectly ngl1t in his distmction You know,
Phredius, 01 you soon will know, that I chife1 f1om X.
altog.ethe1 on the choice between the two laws: he contends
that the value of all things is dete1mined by the quantity
of the producing labom ; I, on the other hand, contend
' that the value of all things is determined by the ialue of
the producing labour. Thus fa1 you will find us i1re~
conc1lable in our dtlfe1ence; but this very diffeience implies that we a1e ag1eed on the &.stinction wlucl1 X. is 11ow

'

'

O~

POLITIC..U.

ECO~O:'.lrY.

193

urging. In fact, so far are the two formulm from presenting merely two different expressions of the same law, that
the \ery best wo.y of eA-pressing negatively nlr Ricardo's
law ( riz , A is to B in value as the qiLantities of the producing labour) would be to say, A is 1iot to Bin value as
the 1:alues of the producing labour.
Plzrecl. Well, gentlemen, I suppose you must be right : I
am sure you are by the logic of 1.Tigs, anc1 '' acco1ding to
the flesh;,, for you are two to one. Yet, to my poor
glimmering unc1erstanding, which is all I have to g11ide me
in such cases, I must acknowledge that the whole question
seems to be 3. mere dispute about wo1ds
X. For once, Phredrus, I um not sorry to hear you
using a phrase which in general is hateful to my ears.
''A mere dispute about wo1ds'' is o. phrase which we hear
daily; and v.hy '? Is it a case of such daily occurrence to
hea1 men disputing about mere ve1bal dilfe1ences '? So
far from it, I can truly S'.!..J that I never happened to
witness such a dispute in my whole life eithe1 in llooks
or in conTersation ; and, indeed, considering the smi Jl
nt1mbe1 of absolute synonyme3 V.'hich any language con
tains, it is sca1cely possible that a dis1)ute on wo1ds should
arise which would not also be o. dispute about ideas (i e.,
about realities). Why, then, is the ph1ase in every man's
mouth, when the actual occurrence must be so very uncommon~ The reason is this, Phredrns : such a plea is a
'' sophism::i, pigri intellectus,'' which seel~s to escape from
the effort of mind necessary for the comprehending and
solving of any difficulty under the colourable pretext that
it is o. question about shadows, and
not
about
substances,

and one the1efore which it is creilito.ble to a man's good

sense to decline : a pleasant sophism t1ns, which at the
same time flatters a men's indolence and his vanity ! For
I

IV.

l94

'

TllE TE::\[l'L,\.RS' DI,\.LOGUE3

once, 110\vever, I .1cpeat tl1at I am not so1ry to 11c:i.r st1c]ia pl1rase in yom mouth, Pl1redrt1s : I h11vo l1en1'(1 it f'101n
you before, and I \V1ll franl{ly tell you tl10.t you ougl1t to
be asbamecl of such a plea, \Yl1ich is beco1ni11g to 11. slothf11l
i11tellect, l)ut ve1y unbecoming to yot11s. 011 tl11s account,
it gives me plensu1e that yot1 havo at lengtl1 urged it i11 a.
case -where you \Vlll be obbged to nbiindon it. Jr tl1ut
sl1ould l1appen, icmcmbe1 \Yl1at I have said ; und icsolv~
n~ve1 mo1e to sl11111k effem1nately from the toil of u11 ir1lellcctual d1scuss1on under any prete11ce that tt is a verbal
dispute In the p1escnt case, I i:hull clrivo you out of thiit
conceit in less time than it cost you to b1i11g 1t fo1\vnr<l.
Fo1 now, Phrodius, ans\ver me to 0110 01 t1\'0 little ftt1cstio11s
1vh1ch I will put. Y011 fancy t11nt betlvcc11 t!1c c.xprcs~io11s
'' quantztg of producmg l11bou1, '' ancl '' ial11c ot' p1ocl11cing
labou1,'' there is no11e but a vc1:bnl d1ffc1cncc. lt iollol\'S
tbc1efore that the same effect onght to take Jlluce 'vhcthc~
the value of the producing labour be altc1cd 01 1t& q11a11titj'
Pliced. It does.
X. For mstance, the production of n. hat such ns mIDo
bas hit11crto cost (we will suppose) fo11r days' lcbou1, at 3s.
a-day: now, \Vlthout any chang,o '' 11atsover in tl1e q11a11t1t9
of labou1 requ11cd fo1 its prod11ction, let this labour ouddenly inc1euse in value by 25 per cent. in this case four
days' labour will produce a ho.t ns hc1etofore; but the
value of the producing labour being nO\V raised f1om 3s.
a-day to 3s. 9d., the value of the total labour neressary fo1
the production of a hat will now bo raised from 12s. to
15s. Thus far you can have nothing to object 1
Phcecl. N oth1ng at all, X. But lvhat next 1
X. Next, let us suppose a case in which the labour of ,
producing hats shall inc1case, not in value (as in tho {Jl'oceding case), but in quantity. Labom lS still a.t its ol<l

OX l'OLITICAI. ECO:XOlI.Y.

195

value of 3s. a-day; but, from increased chfficnlty in any

part of the process, five days' labour are now spent on the.
production of a. hat in::tead of fom. In this second case,
Phredru.s, how much mil be paid to the labourer'?
Ph([d. Precisely as much as in the first case : that is, 15s.
X. True: the labourer on hats recei\es 15s. in the
second case as well as in the first ; but in the first case for
fo11r days' labqur, in the second for five: consequently, in
the second case, wages (or the value of labour) have not
risen. at all, whereas in the first case wages have risen by
25 per cent.
PhtXd. Doubtless: but what is your inference'?
X. My inference is as follows : according to yourself
and .A.dam Smith, and all those who overlook the momentous difference between the quantity and the value of
labour, fancying that these are mere varieties of expression for the same thing, the price of hats ought in the two
cases stated to be ec1ually iaised iz., 3s. in each case
If then it be utterly untrue that the price of hats would
be ec1ually raised in the two cases, it \\ ill follow that an
alteration in the value of the p1oclucing labom and an
alteration in its quantity must terminate in a very dilferent
r~sult;; and consec1uently the one alteration cannot be the
same as the othe1, as yoa jnsisted.
Phcecl. Doubtless.
X. Now then let me tell you, Phredrus, that the price
of hats would not be equally raised in the two cases : in the
i,econd case the price of a hat will rise by 3s., in the first
case it will not iise at alL
Ph<Ld. How so, X? How so 1 Your own statement
supposes that the labourer receives 15s. for four days instead of 12s., that is, 3s. mo1e. Now, if the price lloes
not rise to meet this rise of labour, I demand to know
7

196

THE TE:IIPI.ARS' :DIALOGUES

whence the labou1er is to obtain th1s ~dditional 3s. If

' the bt1yers of hats do not pay him in the price of hats, I

presume that the buye1s of shoes will not pay him. The
poor devil must be paid by somebody.
X. You aie facetious, my f11end The man must be
paid, as yon say , but not by the buyeis of hats any mo1e
1
than by the buyers of shoes : fo1 the pi1ce of hats cannot
possibly i1se in such n. case, as I have saicl befoie. And, ,
that
I
may
demonst1ate
this,
let
us
assume
that
when
1
the labour spent on n. hat cost 12s., the iate of p1ofits
was 50 per cent.; it is of no conseqt1ence what iate be
fixed on : assuming this rate, therefo1e, the p11ce of a hat
woulcl at that time be 18s. Now, when the qi1a1zt1ty of
labou1 iose from four to five clays, this fifth day woulcl
acld three shillings to the amount of wages, au_d tl1e p11ce
of a hat would rise in consequence f1om 18s. to a g u1nea.
Ou tl1e othe1 hand, when the ialzte of labou1 rose f1om 12s.
to 15s , the price of a hat would not rise by one fa1thing,
but wo11ld still continue at 18s.
Plicecl Again I ask, then, who is to pay the 3s. 'l
X. The 3s. will be paid out of p1ofits.
Pl1CEd. What, without reimbursement '2
...:Y. .Assu1 edly '''1th out a fa1th1ng of re1mbu1sement . it is
l\I1 Rtca1do's doct11ne that no variation m e1the1 profits
or wages can ever affect p11ce ; if wages i1se 01 fall, the
only consequence is that profits must fall or i1se by the
same sun1 ; so again, if profits iise or fall, wages must fall
or rise accordingly.
PnCEd. You mean then to assert that, when the value of
the labour iises (as in the first of your two cases) by 3s,
this rise must be paid out of the Gs. which had previously
gone to profits.
X. I do ; ancl your reason fo1 questioning this opinion
I

ON POLITICAL ECONO:ln.

197

is, I am sure, because you think that no capitalist would

consent to have bis profits thus diminished, but would
hbe1 ate himself from this increased expense by cha1ging
it upon the price. Now, if I prove that he cannot liberate
himself in this way, and that it is a matter of pe1fect indifference to him whether the price rises or not, because in
either case he must lose the 3s., I su1lpose that I shall
have removed the sole g1ound you have for opposing me.
PhaJd. You are right: prove this, X., ''et e1is mihi
magnus Apollo.''

X. Tell me then, Phredrus, when the value of labour

rises in other words, \\hen wages rise what is it that
rauses them to rise 'l
Plzred. Ay, what is it that causes them, as you say? l

should be glad to hea1 your opinion on that subjert.

X. My opinion is, that the1e are only two - great cases
in which wages rise or seem to rise :
1. \\'hen money sinks in value ; for then, of coui:se, the
labourer must have more wages nominally, in order to
have the same virtually. But this is obviously nothing
more than an apparent rise
2. When those commodities rise upon which wages are
spent. A iise in poi't wine, in jewels, or in horses, \\'ill
not affect wages, because these commodities are not consumed by the labourer ; but a rise in manufactu1ed goods
of ce1iain kinds, upon which pe1haps two-fifths of his
wages are spent, will tend to raise wages : and a rise in
,
< There is another case in which wages have a. constant tendency
to nse :viz, when the population increases more slowly than the
demand for labour. But this case it is not necessary to introduce
into the dialogue first, because it IS gradual and insensible In its
operation , secondly, because, if it >vere othenvLSe, it would not dis~11rb any part of the arg11meut.

'

ON POLITICAL ECOXO:\IY.

X. Wages in general, therefore, will nse 1Jy 25 per cent.

Now~ when the wages of the hatter rose in that propo1tion,
you contended that this rise must be charged upon the
price
hats; and the price of a. bat having bee11 previously lSs., you insisted that it must now be 2ls.; in which
case a rise in wages of 25 per cent. would have raisecl the
price of hats about 16~ per cent. And, if this were possible, two great doctrines of :i\Ir Ricardo would have been
overthrO\'ill at one blow: 1st, that which maintains t11at
no a11:icle can increase in price except from a. previous
increase in the c1uant1ty of labour necessa17 to its p1ocluction: for he1e is no increase in the quantity of the labour,
but filrnply in its value; 2d, that no rise in the value of labour
can erer settle upon price; but that all inc1ease of wages
'
"\nll be paid out of profits, and all increase of profits out of
wages. I shall now, however, extort a sufficient defence of
Mr Rica1do from your O\\'ll concessions. For you ackno\vledge that the same cause which raises the wages of the
hatter, will raise wages universally, and in the same iatio
-i. e., by 25 per cent. And, if such a iise in wages could
raise the price of hats by 16! pe1 cent., it must raise all
other commodities i.vhatsoe\er by 16-j- per cent. Now
tell me, Phreili us, when all comn1odities without exception
are raised by 16! per cent., in what proportion will the
power of money be climinished under evecy possible application of it 1
Phrecl. Manifestly by 16!- per cant.
X. If so, Phredrus, yon must now acknowledge that it
is a matter of pe1fect indifference to the hatter whethe1 the
price of hats rise or not, since he cannot under any ci1cumstances escape the payment of the 3s. If the price
should not rise (as assuredly it will not), he. pays the 3s
<lirectly; if the price '\\ere to iise by 3s., this implies cif

or

200

THE TElIPLARS' DL\.LOGUEB

necessity that p1ices iise unive1sally (for it 'vould answer no

pmpose of you1 a1gument to suppose tl1at l1atte1s escaped
an evil which affected all otl1er t1ades). N o,v, if p1ices iise
unive1sally, the hattei undoubtedly esca1Jes the illl'eet payment of the 3s., but he pays it ind11ectly; inasmuch as
116. 10s. is now become necessary to give hi1n the same
command of labour and commodities '';h1ch was previously
given by 100. Have you any ans,ve1 to these deductio11s?
Plired. I must confess I have none.
X. If so, a11d no ans,ve1 is possible, then I have he1e
given you a demonst1at1on of Mr R1ca1do's g1eat la,,._
That no product of labour whatsoeve1 can be affected in
value by any va11ations m the value of the produr1ug
labou1. But, if not by va1iat1ons in its value, then of
necessity by variations in its quantity, fo1 no othe1 va11ut1ons are possible.
Pliaxl. But at first sight, you know, variations in the value
of labour ap1Jea1 to aft'ect the value of its product : yet you
have sho,vn that the effect of such variations is defeated,
and rendered nugatoiy in the end. Now is it not possible
that some such mode of a1gurnent may be applied to the
case of va1iations in the qua1zt1ty of labour 1
X. By no means: the reason 'vhy all variations in the
value of labour are incapable of tia11sfeiring themselves to
the value of its product is this, that these va11ations extend to all kmds of laboui, and the1ef01e to all commodities alike: now that which ia1ses 01 depresses all thillgs
equally, leaves then ielat1ons to each other unfustt11bed.
In 01der to d1sturb the relations of value bet'''een A, B,
and.O, I must ia1se one at the same tune that I clo 11ot
raise another ; dep1ess one, and 1zot dep1ess anothe1 ; raise
or depress them unequally. This IS necessa1tly done by
cny var1f!,tions in the quantity of labour. Foi example,

ON POLITIC.A.I. ECONO:llY

201

when more or less labour became requisite for the production of hats, that variation could not fail to affect the
value of hats, for the variation was confined exclusively to
hats, and arose out of some ci.l:cumstance peculiar to hats;
and no more labour was on that account requisite for the
_ p1oduction of gloves, 01 wine, or carriages. Consequently,
these and all other articles remaining, unaffected, whilst
hats required 25 per cent. more labour, the previous relation between hats and all other commodities was disturbed
- i e., a real effect was produced on the value of hats.
Whereas, when hats without requuing a greater c1uantity
of labour we1 e simply proc1uced by labour at a highe1
value, this change could not possibly distmb the relation
between hats and any othe1 commodities, because they we1e
all equally affected by it. If by some application of any
mechanic or chemical chscovery to the process of making
candles the labour of that process were diminished by onethird, the value of candles would fall ; for the relation. of
candles to all other articles, in which no such abridgment
of labour had been effected, would be immediately altered:
t'vo days' labour would now p1oduce the same quantity of
candles as three days' labour before the discove1y. But
if, on the other hand, the wages of thiee days had sin1ply
fallen in value to the "ages of two days that is, if the
labourer received only 6s. for three days instead of 9s.this could not affect the -value of candles; for the fall of
wages, extending to all other things whatsoever, would
leave the relations between them all undistmbed; every, thing else~ which had rcq11i1 ed 9s. wo11:h of labom, would
now require 6s. worth; and a pound of candles would exchange for the same qu[:\ntity of everything as before.
Hence it appea1s that no cause can possibly affect the value
of anything i.e 1 its exrha11geable ielat1on to othe1 things

'

202

THE TE:llPLARS' DI,\.LOGUES

-but an increase 01 duninut1on in tl1e c1uantity of labour

requiied for its production: and tl1e })iices of all ihrngs
1vhatsoeve1 represent the quantity of labot11 by >vh1ch they

a1e seve1ally })l'oduced, and the value of A is to the value

of B universally as the quantity of labot11 which produces
A to the quantity of labour which p1oduces B.
Here, then, is the great law of value as fi1st ex1)lu1ned
by l\Ir R1ca1do. Adam Smith uniformly takes it fo1
gianted that an alteration 111 the c1uant1ty of labou1, and
an alteration in wages (i.e , the value of labot11), are the
same tlung, and 1\ 111 i)roduce the same effects : and hence
he never distinguishes the t>vo cases, but eve1y\\hc1e uses
the two expressions as synonymous. If A, 11hich had
hlthe1to required 16s. 1voith of labou1 foi its p1oclt1ction,
should to-moriow iequi!'e only 12s. worth, A.darn Smith
, would have treated it as a matte1 of no 1m1Jo1 ta11ce '' 11ethe1
tlus change had a11sen f1om some d1scove1y in the a1 t of
manufacturing A 1vhich ieduced the quai1t1ty of lab.om icquired from fou1 days to th1;ee, or sunply from some fall
m wages which ieduced the value of a day's labou1 f1om 4s.
to 3s. Yet m the former case A would fall considerably
in price as soon as the dic;covery ceased to be mono1Jol1sed;
whe1eas in the latter case we have seen that A could not
possibly
va1y in p1ice by one faithing

PlzaJd. In what way do you suppose that Adam S1111th

came to make so great an oversight, as I now confess it
to be 'l
X. Mr l\falthus iepresents Ji.dam Smith as not having
sufficiently explained himself on the subJect. '' He does iiot
mal{e it quite clea1,'' says 1\fr 1\Ialthus, '' whethe1 l10 adopts
for his pr1nc1ple of value the quantity of the }Jioduc1ng
labou1 or its value.'' But this is a most ei1oneoi1s repre7

ON POLITIC AI. ECON01IT.

203

sentation. There is not a chapter in the '' Wealth of

Nations'' in which it is not made redundantly cleai, that
Adam Smith adopts both laws as me1e va1ieties of exp1es
sion for one and the same law. This being so, how could
he possibly make an election between two t11ings 1vhich he
constantly confounded and iegardecl as identical? The
truth is, Adam Smith's attention was never directed to the
question: he suspected no distinction; no man of his day,
or before his day, had ever suspected it; none of the French
or Italian mite1s on Political Econo1ny had ever suspected
it; indeed, none of them 11as suspected it to this hou1. One
single writer before l\il Rica1do has insisted on the quantity
of labour as the t1ue ground of value; and what is ve1y
singular at a period when Political Economy was in the
rudest state viz., in the ea1ly part of Cha1les II.'s ieign.
This TITiter was Sir William Petty, a man who would have
greatly advanced the science, if he had been properly
seconded by his age. In a remarkable passage, too long
for qtJ.otation, he has expressed the law of value mth a
Ricardian accuracy : but it is scarcely possible that even
he was aware of his own accuracy; fo1, though he has
asserted that the reason why any two articles exchange for
'
~ach other (as so much corn of Europe, suppose, for so much
silver of Peru), is because the same quantity of labour has
been employed on their production; and though he has
certainly not vitiatecl the purity of this principle by the
usual heteronomy (if you will allow me a learned wo1d)- ,
i e, by the introduction of the other and opposite law derived from the ialue of this labour yet it is probable that
in thus absta1ning he was gmded by mere accident, and not
by any conscious purpose of cont1adisting uishmg the one
law from the othe1; because, bad that been his purpose, he
would hardly have contented J1imself with fOfbearmg to

'

..

-#"

, 204

' '

'

TIIE TE:MPLAI{S' DI,\.LOGU~S

, affum, but would fo1mn,lly have dei1ied, the false lu,v. For
it can neve1 be sufficiently im1)1essed l1pon the stt1dcnt's
mind, that it b1111gs him not one step neu1e1 to the t111tl1
to say, that the val11e of A is dete1m1r1ed by tl1e quantity
of ln,bou1 '''h1ch p1oduces it, unless by t11at lll'opos1t1on he
men,ns, thn,t it is 1zot dete1mined by the val1tc of the ltibour
which prod11ces it.
To ietuin to Adam Smith, not only bus he '' made it
qmte clea1'' that he confounded the t\\'O la,vs, o.ncl 11ucl
neve1 been s11n1111oned to examine i\'hethe1 tl1ey led to cl1fferent iesults but I go fa1the1, ancl i\'111 affii1n tl1at, if lie
had been summoned to such an examination, he co11ltl not
hn,ve pu1sued it ivith any success until t11e cliscove1')" of' tl1e
t1ue la\v of P1ofi.ts. Fo1, in the case of the hats tis liefoie
argued, he would hai'e sa1cl, '' Tl1e ,,o.gcs of the hattc1,
whether they have been augmented by lllcicased qt1ant1ty
of labou1, 01 by i11c1eased value of lt1bou1, 1u11st i11 a11y case
be paid'' No'\\, \\'hat is the uns\ve1 'l They m11st be paid,
but f1om i\'hat fund 'l Adam Smith knc\v of no f1111tl, no1
could k11ow of any, until l\I1 R1cu1do had asce1tainccl tl1e
tiue law of Piofi.ts, except P1ice: in e1tl1c1 case, tl1c1cfo1e,
as Political Economy then stood, he iVas compelled to
conclude that the 15s. woulcl be paid out of' tl1c }llICC i.e.,
that the ivhole diffeience bet\veen tl1e 12s. ancl the l;)s.
would settle u1Jon the pu1rhase1. But we now }{11ow that
this mil happen only m the co.se i\'l1cn the d1ffe1cncc has
arisen f1om inc1eased labou1 ; and that Ci'e1y fa1tlli11g of
the difference, wluch a1ises from inc1easecl val11e of labou1,
will be paid out of ai1other fund viz., P1ofits. B11t tl1is
conclusion could not be a1rived at without the neiv tl1co1v

of Profits (as will be seen more fully i\'hcn 1vo come to tl1ttt.
theo1y); and thus one e1101 w<ts the 11ecess111:; parent Jf
u.notl1cr.

ON' POLITIC.AL ECO.l.'1'11

'

Here I will pause, and must beg you to pardon my long

speeches, in consideration of the extreI?e importance of tbe
subject; for eerything in Poht1cal Economy depenc1s, as T
said before on the la'v of value; and I have not happenecl
'
.
to meet with one write1 who seemed fully to understancl
Mr Ricardo's law, ancl still less who seemed to perceive the
immense train of consequences which it involves.
Pl1Ccl. I now see enough to believe that Mr Ricardo is
rirrht

and,
If so, it is clea1 that all former writers are
0
'

wrong. Thus far I am satisfied with your way of conducting the argument, though some little confusion stillr clouds
my view. But, with regard to the consequences
you
speak
,
of, how do yon explain that under so fundamental an erro1
(as you represent it) many write1s, but above, all .Adam
Smith, should have been able to c1educe so la1ge a body of
truth, that we all regard him as one of tbe chief benefactors
to the science~
X. The fact is, that his goocl sense interfe1ed eve1-ywhe1e
to temper the extravagant conclusions into which a severe
logician coulcl have chiven him .. At this ve1y day, a

The 'Wealth of Nations'' has never yet been ably re1;iewed,

nor sat1sfactor1ly eruted Tl1e eilitron of l\Ir Buchanan is unquestionably the best, and displays great kno,vledge of Pol1t1cal
Economy as it stood before the re,olut1on effeeted by nfr Ricardo.
But having the misfortune to appear immediately before that revolution, it is already to some degree an obsolete book. Even for
its O\\'Il date, howeer, it was not good as an edition of Adam Smith,
its value lying chiefly in the body of or1g1nal d1squ1sitions wh1eh
composed the fourth \olame; for the notes not only failed to corIect tl1e worst errors of Adam Slnlth (which indeed in many cases is

saymg no more than tl1at 1Ir Bucl1anan did not forestall Mr Ricardo), but we:e also deficient m the history of English finance,
and generally in the kno,>ledge of facts Ho,v much ieason there
1~ to call for a ne'v ed1t1on, ;v1th a commentary adapted to the exlBtlng state of the science, \\ill appear on this consideration: the

206

'

THE TE:Z,IPL..1\RS' DI..1\.LOGUES

Fiench and an English economist have ieaied a BalJel of

far mo1e elabo1ate eriors on this subject; 1.I. Say, I mean,
and l\Ir l\Ialthus both ingenious wiitcis, both emitle11tly
illogical, especially the latter, w1tl1 'vhose '' confusion 'vorEe
confounded'' on t11e subject of value, if revie\ved lJy some
unsparing Rhaqamanthus of logical justice, I believe that
chaos would appea.1 a model of orcler ancl light. Yet the
ver;y want of logic, ,vhich 11as betrayecl these two w11ters
mto so many errors, has ben.'1ended them iu escaping from
then consequences ; fo1 they leatJ '''1th the utmost agility
over all obstacles to any conclusions wh1cl1 the11 goocl sense
points out to them as Just, howeve1 much at wa1 with the11
o\vn p1em1ses. \\r1tl1 1espect to the co11ft1sion "'hich )'OU
complain of as still clinging to the subject, this i1at11rally
attends the first efforts of the mind to dISJOlll t\vo ideas
''Wealth of N at1ons '' is the text-boo}( resort ell to by all students
of Political Economy. One main pioblcm of tl11s sc1cncc, if not
the main problem (as lVI1 l{1cardo tl11nks)1 is to detc1n11ne the la" s
which regulate Rent, Piofit, and Wages, but e'er.} body 'vlio is
acq11ainted with tl1e present state of tl1e science m11s!. achno,vledge,
that precisely on these three points 1t affo1ds ''''ciy little satisfactory
information.'' These last 'vords are the gentle c11t1c1sm of :i\Ir R1caido, but the truth 1s1 that not only does it afford 'cry little 1nformat1011 on the gieat l1eads of Rent, Profits, and "'\Vuges, bttt ('~h1ch
is much 'vorse) it gives vciy false and misleading 1ntormat1011.
P S-Septembcr 271 1854 -It is suggested to me by a f11end, that,
itl this special notice of 1\Ir Bucl1anan's edition, I shall be interpreted as having designed some covert reflection upon the edition
of Adam Smith published by 1\Ir lVI'Culloch. l\Iy summa11' ans,ver
to any sucl1 insinuation is, tl1at this whole paper was ,vr1ttcn in
the spring of 1824, i e, thirty and a-half yea1s ago; at ,vh1ch trm1;
to the best of my ltno,vlcdge, 1\Ir 1\I'Culloch had not so much as
meditated any sucli edition J~ei; me add that, if I bad seen or
fancied any ieason for a ciit1c1sm unfnendly to Mr 1\['Culloch, or
to any 'vriter 'vhatever, I should not have offered it indirectly, but
openly, frankly, and in the spuit of liberal candour due to an
l1onourable contemporary

ON POLITICAL ECONO:lIY.

207

which have constantly been regardccl as one. But, as we

advance in our discussions, illustration and proof will gradually mise from all quarte1s, to the great principle of Mr.
Ricardo which we have just been considering; besides
which, this principle is itself so much requjred for the illustration and proof of other l?rmciples, that the mere practice of applying it will soon sha1'Pen your eye to a steady
fanul1arity with all its aspects.

DI.A.LOGUE THE SECOND.

REDUCTIO AD ABSORDTI;ll.

Phil. X., I see, is not yet come : I hope he does not mean
to break his appointment, for I have a design upon hlfil.
I have been considering his argument against the possibility
of any change in price arising out of a change in the value
of labour, and I have detected a flaw in it which he can
never get over. I have him, sir I have him as fast as
ever spide1 had a fly.
PhG!d. Don't thmk it, my dear friend: you are a clexterous
retiai'lus; but a gladiator who is a1med with Rica1dian
weapons will cut your net to pieces. He is too strong in
his cause, as I am well satisfied from what passed yesterday. Jfe'll slaughter you: to use the racy expression of a
friend of mine in describing the redundant power with
which one fancy boxer disposed of another, he'll slaughter
,., you '' with ease and affluence.'' But here he comes., Well, X., you're just come in time. Phtlebus says that you
are a fly, whilst he 1s a murderous spider, and that he'll
slaughte1 you with ''ease and affluence'' and all tbino-s
'
'
0
considered, I am inclined to think he will.
Phz7. Phredrus does not report the matter quite nccu-

'

208

'

'l'HE TE:)I.PLARS' DLUOGUES

rately, however, it is true that I believe myself to have

detected a fatal e11or in you1 a1gument of yesterday on
the case of the hat ; and it is this When the value of
labour rose by 25 per cent, you contended that this iise
would be paid out of piofits. N o'v up to a certain limit
this may be possible; beyond that it is impossible. For
the p1ice of the hat was supposed to be 18s.; and the })rice
of the labou1 being assumed originally ut 12s leaving 6s.
for profits it is ve1y possible that a rise in wages of no
more than 3s may be paid out of these p1ofits But, as
this acl vance in wages mci eases, it comes nea1e1 and neaier
to that point at whic11 it will be impossible fo1 p1ofits to
pay it; since, let the advance once reach tho "\vhole 6s.,
and all motive fo1 producing hats 'v1ll be extii1guished; a11d
let 1t advance to 7s., tlie1e will in that case be no fund at
all left out of "\vl1ich the seventh shilling can lJe paid, even
if the ca1J1talist \ve1e disposed to ielinqu1sl1 all his profits.
Now, seiiously, you will hardly maintain that the hat could
not ri~e to the p1ice of 19s. 01 of any higher sum '2
X. Recollect, Pl11lelJus, what it is that I maintain; assuredly the hat may i1se to the p11ce of 19s , or of any
nigher sum, but not as a consequence of tl1e cause you asw
sign. Taking your case, I do ma111tain that it is impossible
the hat should exceed or even ieach 18s. When I say
18s., however, you mu~t recollect that the particular sum
of 12s. fo1 labour, and 6s for p1ofits, we1e taken only for
the sake of illustration; translating the sense of the proposition into universal forms, what I assert is, that the rise
in the value of the labour ran go no further than the
amount of profits 'v1ll allow it : profits S\vallowed up, there
will remain no fund out of which an increase of wages can
be paid, and the p1oduction of hats will cease.
P.~zl. This is the sense m which I unde1stood yon; a11u

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O!\ l'OLlTlC.A.L ECONOllY.

209

in this sense I wish that you would convince me that the

hat could not, under the circumstances supposed, advance
to 19s. or 20s.
"Y. Perhaps in our conversation on Wages, you will see
tl1is more iJ:resistibly ; you yourself "\vill then sh1ink f1om
uffi1n1ing the possibility of such an advance as from an obvious absurdity ; meantime, he1e is a short demonstration :
of it, which I am surprised that Mr Ricardo did not use
as the strongest and most compendious mode of establishing his doctrine.
Let it be possible that the hat may advance to 19s.; 01,
to e::i.."Press this mo1e generally, from x (or 18s )-which it
"\Vas worth before the rise in wages to x + y; that is to
say, the hat will now be worth x + y quantity of moneyhaving previously been "\vorth no more than x. That is

'
_you1 meaning'?
Phil. It is.
X . .And if m money, of necessity in everything else ; be- 1
cause otherwise, if the hat we1e worth more money only,
but mo1e of nothing besides, that would simply argue that
money had fallen in value; in "\vhich case undoubtedly the
hat might rise in any propo1tion that money fell; but then '
ilithout ga111i11g any increased value, which is essential to

your argument.
Plzil. Certainly; if in money, then in eve1ything else.
X. Therefore, for instance, in gloves; having previously
been worth 4 pail: of buckskin gloves, the hat will now be
'\VOrth 4 pair + y?
Phil. It will.
X. But, Philebus, either the rise in wages is universal ,

or it is not universal. If not umversal, it must be a case

of accidental rise from mere scarcity of bands ; "'I1ich is
the case of u. iise in 1na1 I.ct value; aud that lS not the case
T2

210

THE TIDIPLARS' DIAI.OGUES

of M1 Ricardo, 'vho is laying do\vn the laws of natural

value. It 1s therefore universal; but, 1f unive1sal, the gloves
f1om the same cause will have iisen from the value of x
to x + y.
Hence, the1efore, the p11ce of the hat, estimated in gloves,

is= :i + y.
And again, the p1ice of the gloves, estimated in hats.
is= x + y
In othe1 words H - y = a;.

H+y=x

That is to say, H - y
H + y.
Pl1C1Jd. Which, I sup1Jose, is an absurdity ; and in fact it
turns out, Philebus, that he has slaughte1ed you mth ''ease
and affluence.''

X . .A.rid this absurdity must be eluded by lum. who undertakes to show that a iise in the wages of labour can be
transferred to the value of its product.
'
I

DI.A.LOGUE THE THIRD.

[Et reqmon sane anrmo feres, c11m hie de pnm1s agatur pr1nc11111s,

'

s1 superst1t1ose omn1a exaIIllnavi,-VIamque quasi palpando s1ngulaque cur1os1ils contrectando, lente me promovi et testudineo gradu
Video en1m ingen111m b11manum ita compa1atum esse-ut fac1l1us
longe qrud consequens sit disp1ciat, quam quid in natu1l prinzo ''erum,
nostramque omn111m cond1t1onem non multum ab tlla A1ch1me1l1s
abludere-Ao> 7.0!J
"'ll~rT"' 'l'IJll "/IJll Ub1 pnmum figamus
pedem, 1nven1re multo magis satagim;us, quam ( ub1 inven1mus) ulter1us progred1 -Henrzcus lJiorus in Epzst ad Oarteszum J

a"' "u'

PRINCIPLE OF VALUE

CO~TINOED.

Plzmd. In our short conversation of yesterday, X., you

parried an objection brougl1t forward by Ph1lebus in a way
'' hicl1 I t11ougl1t satisfactory. You reducecl lurri to an

'

O~

POLITIC.AL l:COXO"lIY.

211
I

nhsnrdit)', 01 what seemed such. In fact, I clid verily l)elie-ve that you had slaughtered Ph1lebus; and so I told him.
J~ut we have smce ieconsidered the matte1, ancl have settled
it between ourseleg thut your a11swe1 will not do ; tl1at
your ''absurdity,'' in f.:ict, is a ve1y absu1d absurdity.
Phtlebus will tell you why. I for my pa1t shall l1a\e
enough to do. to take care of a little argument of n1y o~"'Il,
which is designed to meet something that passed in om
first dialogue. Now my pnate conviction is that botl1
I and Phtlebus shall be cudgelled; I am satisfiecl that such
will be the issue of the business. And my reason fo1 thinking so is this that I al1eady see enough to discern a char, acter of boldness and dete1mmation in J\Ir Rica1do's cloct1ines which needs no help nom sneaking ec1uivocat1ons,

and this \\ith me is a high p1esurnption that he is in tl1e

right. In whatever rough i'l::t.Y his theories a1e tosser1
about, they seem always, like a cat, to light upon thei1 legs.
But notwithstancling this, as long as there is a possibility
that he may be in the \vrong, I shall take it for granted
that he is, and do my best to prove bim so.
X. For which, Phredrus, I shall feel g1eatly,indebted to
you. We are told of Trajan, that, in the camp exe1cises,
he not only tolerated hard blo1vs, but courted them; '' alacer
virtnte rnilitnm, et lrotus qnoties ant cassidi sure aut clypeo

gravior ictus incideret. Laudabat qnippe fe1ientes, ho1tal:Jatnrc1ue ut aude1ent.'' \\1hen one of our theat1es let
,do1vn an iron curtain upon the stage as a means of insulating the audience from any fire amongst the scenery, and
sent men to proe the strength of ,this curtain by playing
upon it with sledge-hammers in the sight and hearing of
the public who would not have laughed at the hollowness
of the mummery, if the blows had been gentle, considerate,
ru1d forbearing? .A. '':rr1a1.e-llelieve'' blo\v wonlfl l1ave im-

'

'

. '
O.N POLITICAL ECONOMY.

213

position; for, when you say, ''As soo1i as ,p1ofits a1e absorbed,'' I retort, ..A.y, no doubt'' as soon'' as they are;
but when 1vill that be '2 It requires no Ricardo to tell us
that, wlien profits are absorbed, they will be absorbed; what
I deny is, that they ever can be abso1bed. For, as fast as
wages increase, what is to hinde1 p1ice f1om increasing
pari passu? In which case p1ofits will ne1;e1 be absorbecl.
It is easy enough to prove that price will not increase, if
you may ass11me that p1ofits will not remain stationary.
Fo1 then you have assumed the whole point in dispute;
and after tliat, of course you have the game m your own
hands;,. smce it is self-evident that if anyl)ody is made up
of t\VO parts p and vV, SO adJUSted that all which lS gained
by either must be lost by the other, then that bocly cn.n .

never mcrease.
Plimd. Nor decrease.
Pltzl. No, nor decrease. If my head must of necessity
lose as much weight as my trunk gams, and 'Vice ve1sct, then
it is a clear case that I shall never be heavier.' But why
cannot my head remam stationa1y, whilst my trunk grows
heavier~ Tlns is what you had to prove, and you have

not proved it.

Pn<:Ed. Oh ! it's scandalous to think how he has duped
us; his '' 1ecluctio '' tUI'IlS out to be the merest swinclling.
X. No, Phredrus I beg your pa1don. It is ve1y true
I did not attempt to prove that your heacl might not
remain stationa1y; I could not have p1oved this d11 ectly,
without anticipatmg a doct1ine out of its place; but I
'
proved it znd11ectly, by showing t1iat, if it were supposed .
possible, an absurdity would follow from that sup1)osition.
I said, and I say again, that the doctrine of wages will show
the ve1y supposition itself to be absmd; but, until we
eome to that doctrine, I content myself with p1oving tbu~

'
THE TEMPLARS' DIALOGUES

214

let that supposition seem otherwise ever so reasonabie

(the supposition, namely, that p1ofits may be stationary
whilst wages are advancing), yet it d1aws after it one absurd
consequence viz., that a thing may be bigger t11an that to
which it is confessedly equal. Look baek to the notes of
our conversation, and you will see that this is as I say.
You say, Philebus, that I p1ove profits in a pa1iicula1 t'af:e
to be incapable of iemaining stationary, by assuming that
p1ice cannot increase; or, if I am called upon to prove that
assumption viz , that price cannot increase I do it only by
assummg that p1ofits in t11at case a1e incapable of iemaining stationa1y But, if I had reasoned thus, I should not
only have been guilty of a JJetztio przncipii (as you allegecl),
but also of a circle. Here then I utte1Iy disclaim ancl ienonnce either assumption ; I do not ask you to g1ant me
t11at p11.ce must continue stationary in the case supposed ;
I do not ask you to grant me that profits must iecede in the
case supposed. On the contrary, I will not have them granted
to me; I insist on your refusmg both of these p1inciplec;
Phil Well, I do refuse them
Plired So do I. I'll do anything in reason as well as
anothe1 ''If one mgl1t give a test11l
,,_

X. Then let us suppose the mines from which we obtain

our stlve1 to be in England.
Pliwd What for ~ Why am I to suppose this 'l I don't
kno'v but you have some t1ap in it.
X. No ; a Newcastle coal mine, or a Cornwall tin mine,
will answer the purpose of my a1gurnent just as well. B11t
it is more convenient to use silve1 as the illust1ation ; and
I suppose it to be in England simply to avoid inteimixing
a11y question about foreign trade. Now wl1en the hat

* 811

Anurew 1\~echeek. 1n '' Twe1t'th N1gl1t ''

ON roI,ITICAL ECOXO::IIY

215

.sold for 18s., on Mr Ricardo's p1inciple why did it sell for

that SUID ~
Phzl. I suppose, because the quantity of silver in that
sum is assumed to be the product of four days' labour in a.
silver mine.
X. Certainly; because it is the p1oduct of t11e same
quanhty of labour as that which produced the hat. Calling 20s , the1efo1e, 4 ounces of silve1, the hat was worth
9-lOths of 4 ounces. Now, when wages aclvance from 12s.
to 14s , p1ofits (you allege) will not pay this ad-ranee, but
price. On this supposition the price of the hat will now
be what~
Phzl. Twenty shillings; leaving, as befo1e, Gs. for p1ofit.
X. Six sl1jJJings upon 1-1s. are not the same 'l'ctte of p1ofit
as 6s. upon 12s. ; but no matter ; it does not affect the
argun1ent. The hat is now worth 4 entire ounces of
silver, having previously been worth 4 ounces 1nin11s a
tenth of 4 ounces. But the })roduct of 4 days' labour in a
silver mine must also advance in value for the same cause.
Forn ounces of silver, which is that product, will now
have the same power 01 value as 22 22s had before.
Consequently the 4 ounces of stlve1, will.ch had previously
commanded in exchange a hat and the 9th of a hat, will
now command a hat and 2-9ths, fractions neglected.
Hence, therefore, a hat will, upon any Anti-R1cardian
theory, mamfestly buy 4 ounces of silver; and yet, at the
same time, it will not buy 4 ounces by I-5th part of 4
ounces. Silver and the denominations of its qualities
being familiar, make it more ~onvenient to use that m~tal ;
but substitute lead, iron, coal, or anything whatsoeverthe argument is the same, being in fact a universal demonstration that variations in wages cannot produce cor1 Psponiling variations in price.

216

THI1 TE'll'LARS' DI.\.LOGU.CS

'
'

Pl1ced. Say no more, X.; I see that yon are r1gl1t; ar1cl
it's all ove1 '\1th ou1 en.use, unless I rct11eve it. 'l'o thinlc

that the \vhole cause of tl1e..A.nti-llicard1au economy should

devolve upon me ' that fate should 01 dam n1e to be t11e
Atlas on whose un\vo1thy shouldc1s tl1e \Vholc system IS
to iest. '11lns bemg my destiny, I ought to ha.ve been
built a little stionge1. Ho,vever, 110 n1atter. I l1cart1ly
llray that I may p1ove too stio11g for you; though at tho
same tune I am convinced I shall 11ot. Rc111e1nbei, tl1eiefo1e, that you have no 11ght to exult if you toss anll goro
me, fo1 I tell you befo1ehand that you \vtll. And, I! you
<lo, that only IJroves mo to be i11 the 11ght--aud a vc1y
&ugacious person; &1nce my a1gumeut l1as all tho ai)pearance of being ir1 es1St1ble, and yet such is n1y discernment,
that I foresee most acutely that it ' '111. turn 011t a most
absu1d one. It lS thlS: your aus\\ci to Plulebus issues in
this that a thing A rs shO\\'Il to be at once more valuable
and yet not mo1e valuable than the sau1e tl1i11g B. Now
this answe1 I take by the ho1ns ; it is po.,;,1ble f'oi A to be
more and yet not more valuable than the same tlting. l!,or
exnmple, my hat shall be more valuable than tl1e glo,es;
more valuable, that is, than the gloves ,~e1e; and )'Ct not n101e
valuable than the gloves; not moie valuable, that is, than
the gloves now u1e. So of the '''ages ; all things preserve
their fo1mei relations, because all a.re equally raised. 'flus
is my httle a1gt1ment. What do you t11inlr of it? Will it clo?
X.No
Plzced. Why, so I told you.
,
X. I have the pleasme then to assure you that you
'\\'ere perfectly iight. It will not do. But I unde1stancl
you IJe1fectly. You mean to evade my argument that the
increase of wages shall settle upon profits ; acco1du1g to
this o.igument, it '\'tll settle upon p1ice, and not upo11 p1ofits;

'
'

'

'

ON

PO~ITIOAL

217

EOO.NO)IY.

'

J'et again on price in such a way as to escape the absurdity

of two relations of value.existing bet,veen the very same
things. Bllt, Phred1us, this rise will be a mere metaphysical ens, and no real rise. The hat, you i::ay, has risen;
but still it commands no more of the gloves, because they
also have iisen. Ho'v then has either risen? The rise is
purely ideaL
Pl1ceil. It is so, X.; but that I did not overlook; for tell

me on Mr Ricardo's principle, "\'11.ll not all things double

their value simultaneously, if the quantity of labour spent
in producing all should double simultaneoltsly?
X. It will, Phred1us.
Pliced. And yet nothing will exchange for mo1e or less
'
than before.
X. True; but the rise is not ideal for all, that, but will
affect everybody A pound of wheat, which previously
bought three pounds of salt, w1ll still buy three pounds;
but then the salt-maker and the wheat-maker
have
only one pound of those articles where pefore he had two.
Ho,vever, the difference between the two cases cannot fully
be unde1stoocl, without a p1evious examination of certain
distinctions, 'vhich I will make the subject of our next
dialogue; and the rather, because, apart f1om our present
question, at eve1y step we should else be embarrassed, as
'
all others have been, by the pe1plex1ty attending these
c11stinctions. Meantime, as an answer to your a1gument,
the following consideiation will be quite sufficient. The
case. which your argument respects is that in which wages
are supposed to nse? ,Why? In consequence of a real
rise in corn or something else. As a means of meeting
this rise, wages iise; but the increased value of \"/ages is
only a means to an end, and the labourer cares about tho
rise only in that light.. The end is to give him the same

will

IV.

'

'

218

l'IIE TI::IIPL\.ns' DIJ..LOGUE!:!

qua11tity of corn, Sllppose. Thut end attained, 110 care~

notlunO'0 abol1t the iiieans by "Iuch it is ntti1i11cd. No,.,..
your icleal i1se of wages cloes not utt~in this end. 'fl1e
corn has 1eall!J risen, this is the first step. 111 conseftueuce
of this an ideal rise follo\VS in all tl1ings, \vh1cl1 e\uclcs the
absuidtties of a real rise a11d c1ades the llict\l tl1an cloctr1ne of p1ofits; but then only by also c\ucli11g UII)' ieal
iise in wages, the necessity of ''hicl1 (in orclcr to r11eet the
real irse in co1n) fust led to tl1e \\'hole n10\cn1e11t ot' price.
But this you "'1il more clea1Iy sec after ou1 next dialogue

DIALOGUE THE FOURTII.

ON THE USE ..U."D ABUSE OF TWO CELEillt..\TED

Di Tfil THEORY

DISTC\CTIO~S

or V.\LUE.

X. No,v, gentlemen, I eome to a q11cstion "hicl1 011 n.

cloubleaccount is intercsti11g; fiist, because it is i11cl1&pcnsuble to the fluency of our futt1re prog1css tl1at this question sl1ould be once for all dcciclecl; seconclly, bccu11sc it
fmn1shes an expe1 i1ne11t1lni c111c1s for cl1Sti11gu1sl1111g n. true
kno,,lcdge of Mr Ricardo's theo1y from a spurious 01 half,
knowledge Many a man 'rill accomnany Mi Il1cu1do thlts
. fa1, ancl will keep l1is seat pretty "ell t111til lie comes to the
point "'hich we hat"e now icachcd at "hich pou1t scurccly
one in a thousan~ '\\'ill escape being unho1sed. '
Pha:cl. "'Vhich one most assu1edly \v1ll 11ot bl3 m)'S(!}f.,
Fo1 I have a natmal alacrity i11 losing my se!lt, and g1a;itate so delermmately to the g1ound, that (like a Roman of
old) I iide without sti11ups, by \vay of holdi11g myself in
constant ieadiness for proJection; upon the least hint,
nnt~cipating my horse's wishes on that point, and th10,ving
myaelf '.>ff as fast as possible; for what's the use of t11l;:ing
1

'

;219

ON POLITIC:\L :CCONOMY.

the negative side in a dispute where one's horse takes the

affirmative? So I leave it to Philebus to ride through
the steeple-chase you will lead l1im ; his be the honour of
the day and his the labour.
X. But tliat cannot be,.Philebus is bound in duty to be
dismounted, for the sake of keeping Mr Malthus with many
others in countenance. For at this point, Phmdrus, more
than at othe1 almost, there is a satl confusion of lords and
gentlemen that I could name tbro\vn out of the saddle pellmell upon their mothe1 earth.
Phil

'(So they among themselves in pleasant vein

Stood Ecoffing ''

I suppose I may add''Heighten'd in their thoughts beyond

.All doubt of v;ctory.''

Meantime, what is 1t' you allude to~

X. You are acq11ainted, I doubt not, Phtlebus, with the
common d1st1nction between 1eal and no1ninal value; and
in your judgment upon that distinction I pres11rne that

you adopt the doctrine of Mr Malthus.

Phz7. I do ; but I know not why you should call it the
doctrine of Mr :i\Ialthus ; fo1, tho11gh he has re-urged it
against Mr Ricardo, yet 01'1ginallyit belongs to Adam Sn1ith.
X. Not so, Philebus; a distinction between real and
nominal value was macle by A.dam Smith, but not altogether the ilistinction of Th Malthus. It is t1ue ihat Mr
Malthus tells us ('Polit. Econ.,'' p. 63), that the distinction is '' exactly the same.'' But in this he is inaccurate ;
for neither is it exactly the same ; no1, jf it l:ad been,
could Tu Malthus have urged it in his 'Political Economy''
~~th the same consistency as its original author. ThLq
, you w1ll see hereafter. But no matter; how do you u:idcrhtn.nd the d1stmction ~
'
Pltil. ''I continue to think,'' with .:\Ii Malthus, and lll lllii

220

THE TI::lIPI.ARS DI.}-LOGUEB

words, '' that the most proper definition of real va1ue in

exchange, in contradistinction to nominal value in exchange, is the power of commanding the necessaries and
conveniences of life, including labour, as distmguished from
'
the power of commanding the precious metals.''
X. You think, for instance, that if the wages of a
labourer should in England be at the iate of 5s a-day, and
in France of no more than ls. a-day, it could not, therefore, be inferred that wages were at a high real value in
' England, or a low real value in F1ance. Until we know ho'v
much" food, etc , could be had for the 5s. in England, and
how much in France for the ls., all t11at we could fairly
~ssert would be, that wages were at a high nominal value
'
in England and at a low no1ninal value in France ; but the
moment it should be ascertained that the English wages
'
would procure twice as much comfort as the French, or
the French twice as much as the "English, we might then
perempto11ly affirm that wages were at a high real value

m E11gland on the first supposition, or in France on the

second: this is what you think~
_
Plzzl. It is, and very fairly stated. I think this, in. common with llir Malthus ; a11d can hold out but little hope
that I shall ever cer.se to think it.

'

X.

''Why t~n, know tlus,

'Thou think'st amiss;
And, to think right, thou must tlunk o'er again.'',,.

Pkeil. But is it possible that Mr Ricardo can requiie

me to abjure an inference so reasonable as this? If so,
I must frankly acknowledge that I am out of the saddle
already.
,
X. Reasonable inference 7 So far from tlzat, there is an

----------------------

Suckling's ;\ell-known song.

'

OS POLITIC.\J,

r:coxo::1rr.

221

'

end of all logic if such an inference be tolerated. That

man may rest assured that his vocation in this world is
I1ot lob-ical, v;ho feels disposed (after a few minutes' consideration.) to question the following proposition TI.z.,
That it is very possible for A continually to increase in
Talue in real \alue, obse1'\e and yet to command a contmually decrefuing quantity of B ; in short, that A may
a.cc1nire a thousand times higher value, and yet exchange
1or ten thousmd times less of B.
Phced. \Vhy then, ''chaos is come again!'' Is this the
unparadoxical Ricardo?

X. Yes, Phmdrus; but lay not this unction to your old

prejudices, which you must now prepare to part with ,for
eer, that it is any spirit of mlful paradox which is, now
speaking; for get rid of Mr Ricardo if you can, but you
will not, therefore, get rid of this paradox. On any other
theory of value whatsoever, it will still continue to be an
irres:k"hble truth, though- it iP the Ricurdtan theory only '

which can consistently explain it. Here, by the way, is

a. specimen of paradox in the true and laudable sense in
.
that sense accor&ng to which Doyle entitled a book ''Hydrostatical Paradoxes;'' for, though it wear3 a prinza facie
appearance of falsehood, yet in the end you will be sensible
that it is not only true, but true in that -...ray and degree
which will oblige him who denies it- to maintain an absu1&ty. .A.gain, therefore, I affirm that, when the labourer
obtnins a large quantity of ~orn, for instance, it is so far from'
being any fair inference that wages are then at a high real
valne, that in all probability they are at a very low real value;
and in>ersely I affirm, that when wages are at their very
highest real value, the labourer mll obtain the Tery smallest
ftnantity of corn. Or, c1nitting wages altogether (becausE:
such an illustration would drive me into too much anticipa .

22~

THE TE:l[PLl1.RS' DL\.LOGUES

tion), I affi.1m umveisally of Y (that is, of any assignable

thing whatsoeve1), that it shall giow mo1e valuable acl i1ifinztum, and yet by possibility excha11ge fo1 less and less ad
in.finituni of Z (i. e., of any other assignable thing).
Plu:ed. Well, all I shall say is this am I in a wo1!d whe1e
men stand on then heads 01 on thei1 feet 'l But t~e1e is
'
some trick m all tlus ; the1e is some sna1e. And now I
consider what's the meaning of yo111 saying ''by possibili.ty 'l'' If the doct11ne you 'vould foice upon me be n.
plam, broad, st1a1ghtforwaid tiuth, "'hy fett-e1 it 'v1th such /
'
a susp1cio11s iestr1ct1on 'l
X. Think for a moment, Phred1us, what doctiine it is
'
wlnch I would fotce upon yott; not, as yoaseem to suppose, that the quantity obtained by Y is in the z1it'CJ'se ratio
of the value of Y; on the cont1aiy, if that were so, it ,..,.ould
still remain t1ue that an iiies1st1ble infeience migl1t be
diawn from the quantity pu1ehased to the value of the
thing pm chasmg, and vzce ie1 set, from the value of the thing

purchasmg, to the quantity which it would purchase The1e

. would still be a connection between the t'vo, and ' the sole '
diffe1ence between my doctiine and the old doctri11e woltld
be tlus that the co11nect1on woulcl be no 1011ge1 d11 ect (as
by your doct11ne), but z1ii.e1se Tlus would be the clift'e1ence, and the sole diffeience. But what is it tl1at I a:ssc1t '?
Why, that the1e is no connection at all or of any kmd,
direct or i11veise, between the quantity commanded and
the Vi].lue commanding. lVIy obJect is to g,et i1d of your
inference, not to substitute any new infeience of my own.
I put, therefore, an extreme case. Tlus case Ol1ght by
your doctrine to be impossible. If, theref01e, it be not impossible, your doctrine is upset. Simp1y as n. possible case,
it is sufficient to dest1oy you. But, if it 'vere more than :1
possible case, it would destroy me. For if, jnstead
de-

'

of

'


O~

POLITICAL ECONO:JfY

monstrating the possibility of such a case, I bacl atten1ptecl

to sho\v that it were a universal and necess:11y case, I
should again 1Je introducing the notion of a connection
between the quantity obtained anc1 the v..i.lue olJtaining,
which it is the veiy, purp~se of my whole a1gument to ex~
terminate. For- my thesis is, that no such connection subsists between the two as wa11ants any infc1ence that the
real value is great, because the quantity it b11ys is great,
'
or small, because the quantity it b11ys is smull; or, reciprocally, that, because the ieal value is great or small, therefore the quantities bought shall lJe great oi small. From,
or to, the real value in tl1ese cases, I contend 'that the1e is
no ,more valid inference than f1om, or to, t11c nominal valt1e
with which it is contrasted.
'
Pliil. Your thesis then, as I understanc1 it, is this: that if
.A. double its value, it will not command clo11ble the quantity
of B. I have a barouche which is \Yorth about 600 guineas
at this moment. Now lf I should keep this ba1oucl1e un. used in my coach-house for five yeais, and at the end of

this term it should happen from any cause that ca11iages

had doubled in value, my understanding woulc1 lead me to
expect double the quantity of any commodity for which I
might then exchange it, whether that we1e money, sugar,
besoms, or anything whatsoeve1. But '!JOU tell me no.
And vzce versa, if I found that my barouche at the end of
five years obtained for me double the quantity of sugar, or
besoms, or political economists, "\Vhich it would now obtain,
I should thinl;:. myself "\varranted in dra,ving an infe1cnce
that carriages had doubled theii value. But you tell me
-no; ''non valet consec1uentia.''
.,T. You , are in the iight, Phredrus ; I do tell you so.
But you do not expre~s my thesis quite accuiately, which
'
is. tl1n.t 1f _.\_ doul)le its value, it will n<1t tl1e1 efo1 e con1mancl

'

'
(

'

224

THE '.l'E!ill'LABS' DIAI.OGUES

do

double the former quantity of 13. It may

so; a_nd 'it,
may also command five hundred times more, or five hnridred times less
Plu:ed. 0 tempora ! 0 mores ! Here is my friend X.;
that in any other tlilles would have been a man of inco~
ruptible virtue ; and yet, in our unprincipled age, he is
content to barter the interests of truth and the ''majesty
of plain-dealing'' for a brilliant paradox, or (shall I say!)
for the glory of being reputed an accomplished disputant. "
X. But, Phrodrus, there could be little brilliancy in a.
paradox which in the way you understand it will be nothing
better than a bold defiance of common sense. In fact, I
should be ashamed to give the air of a paradox to so evi-
dent a truth as that which I am now urging, if I did not
continually remind myself that evident as it may appear
-it yet escaped Adam Smith. This consideration, and
the spectacle of so many writers since his day thro\vn out
and at a fault precisely at this point of the chase, make it
prudent to p1esent it in as sta1tling a shape as possible ;
in order that, the attention being thoroughly roused, the
final assent may not be languid 01 easily forgotten. Suffer
me, therefore, Phrodrus, in a Socratic way, to extort an
assent from your o~n arguments nllow me to drive you
into an absurdity.
Plu:ed. With all my heart; if our father Adam is \Yrong,
I a.m sure it would be presumptuous in me to be right; so
drive me as fast as pos:oible

X. You sa:y that A, by doubling its own value, shall com,

mand a double quantity of B. '\Vhere, by .A., you do not
mean some one thing in particular, but generally any assign-
able thing whatever. Now B is some assignable thing.'
'
Whatever, therefore, is true of .A. will be true of B 'l
Pht:Pd. It will

'

225

ON POLITICAL ECO'XOJIY

~Y.
o~\n

It will be true therefore of B that, by doubling its

"\'"alue, it mll command a double quantity of A'?

PhCd. I cannot deny it.
X. Let .A.. be your carriage; and let B stand for six
hundred tho a sands of besoms, v; hich suppose to express
the value of your ca1Tiage in that article at this present
moment. Five years hence, no matter why, ca11iages have'
doubled in value; on which supposition you affirm that in
exchange for your barouche you will be entitled to receive
no less than twelve hunclred thousands of besoms.
Ph.red I do ; and a precious bargain I shall have of it;
hke Moses v;ith his gross of shagreen spectacles. But
sweep on, if you please; brush me into absurdity.
X. I will. Because barouches have altered in value,
that is no reason why besoms should not have altered'?
Plzwi!.. Certainly; 'no reason in the worlc1.
.
X. Let them have altered; for instance, at the end of the
five years, let them have been doubled in value. Now because your assertion is this simply by doubling in value, B
shall command a double quantity of A it follows inevitably,
Phmilius, tl1at besoms, having doubled their value in five
;Tears, mll at the encl of that time command a double quantity
of barouches. The supposition is, that six hundred thousand
at present command one barouche-; in five years, therefo1e,
six hundred thousand will command two barouches?
Pha:d. They will.
X. Yet at the very same time, it has alreac1y appeared
from your argument that t"\vele hunched thousand will
command only one ba1ouche ; i.e., a. barouche will at one
and the same time be v;'o1th twelve hundred thousa11d
besoms, and worth only l-4th part of that quantity. In
ilns an absurdity, Phred1us ~
'
Pha:d. It seems such.

'

226

'

Tl(C TClIPLAilS' Dii\.T,OGLii'S

X. And therefore the argument f101n \vl1icl1 it flo,vs, I

pre.,u1ne, i,, fal~e 'l
Pl1md. Scavcr1gc1 of 1Jad logic! I confesq tl1iit it loo]{S so.
'
Phil. You co11fc&s 7 So c1o 11ot I. Yo11 <lie '' soft,''
PJ1a::u1uq; give me tl1e cudgels, a11d r11 die ''game'' at
least. 'l1I1c ila\V in your a1gu1ncnt, X., is tl1is: you summo11cd Phro<lrus to invert his p1oposition, antl then you
c:\.tortell ar1 al>st1rility f1om tl1is 1nve1sion. But that absurdity f ollo\vs only f'1om the IJarticular fo1m of expressio~
i11to \Vl1icl1 you tl1re\V tl1e 01igir1al proposition. I will
e:\.p1e:is tl1e same propos1t1on i11 otl1er te1mq, ur1exception:Lblc te1m'l, \vl11cl1 sl1all evat1c tl1e a!Jsurdity: Observe.
J.\. an<l I3 a1c at tl1is time ec1 ual in value , that is, tl1ey
110\Y exchange c1uaui1ty f'o1 c1uant1ty. Or, 1f you prefer
your o\vu case, I say tl1at 011e ba1oucl1e exchanges for si.c
l1u11<l1cd t11ousand be5oms. I cl1oosc, l10\veve1, to ex111ei:;s
tl1i'l propos1tio11 thus : .A. ( 011e ]Jarouche) and .D (six hu111lred tl1ou!.-u11rl IJcsoms) a1e f>evcrally ec1ual ~r1 val11e to 0.
1Vl1c11, tl1crcfo1c, .A. doubles its value, I say that it shall
con11r1an<l a double c1uant1ty of 0. No\v ma1k 11ow I \Vill
CAfircss tl1e inverted case. When I3 dottbles its value, I
<iiiy tl11lt it 0110.ll commancl a double quantity of 0. ' .But
t11ese b.vo ca:ies a10 very icco11c1lable \V1tI1 eacl1 otl1er. ..1\.
inay co1nn1and a double c1uant1ty of C at tl1e same t11no
t!Jo.t J3 co1n1nundr; a <louble c1uo.ntity of C, \Vithout 1nvolv111i~
~1ny absur<l1ty ut all. And if &o, the disputed doctrine i11
eiltablisl1cd t11at a <loulJled value implies n. doubled com111uncl of' c1u:tnt1ty; u11d iecip1ocally, that f'rom a doublecl
co1111uu11ll of c111uut1ty \VO may infe1 a c1011bled val11e
. .r . .A. a11tl 13, you say, 1nny s1multar1eo11sly co1n1nn.11fl a
tlo11!)lc c1uu11t1ty of C, iu conc;cr1uer1ce of' doul>i111g tlic1r
'n111e; .111d this they 1nay clo \V1tl1out abs111dity. J~11t 1111\V
&hall I 1.110\Y tl1c1t, 1111t1l I 1~now \Yl1at yo11 cloJ.I>: 1111cl<JI' tl1e
I

ON POLITICAL

EC0~011Y.

--

'>97

symbol of C '2 For if the same thing shall ha\e happened

to C, which my argument assumes to have happened to B
(viz., that its value has altered), then the same demonstration will hold; and the ve1y Eiame. absurdity will follow
any attempt to infe1 the quantity fron;t the value, 01 the
value ftom the quantity.
Pl1zl. Yes, but I have provided against tliat; for by C I
mean any assignable thing which has 1iot alterec1 its own
value. I assume C to be stationary in value.
Y. In that case, Philebus, it is u11doubtedly true that no
absurdity follows from the inve1sion of the l)l'opo.s1tion as
it is expressed by you. But then the short answer "lrich
I ieturn is this : your thesis avoids the absu1clity by
avoiding the entire question in dispute. Y ou1 thesis is
not only not the same as that 1vhlch we are now dis.cl1ssing; not only di.fferent in essence from the thesis 'vhlch
is noiv disputed; but moreover it affirms only what never
was disputed by any man. No man 11as ever denied
that _A by doubling its 0\Vll Value '\\'ill COlilmand a double
quantity of all things which ha\e beei1 stci.iona1y in value.
Of things in that predicament, it is self-ev1clent that .A. 'vill
command a double quantity. But the question is, whetl1er
nnive1sally, from doubling its value, .A. 1''111 command a
double quantity; and inve1sely, whether universally, from
the command of a double qu~1ntity, it is lawful to mfe1 a
double value. This is asse1 tecl by .A.dam Smith, and is
essential to his distinction of nominal and ieal value ; this
is pe1en1ptorily clenied by us. We offer to produce cases
in 'vhich from double value it shall not be la\rful to infer
doulJle quantity. We offe1 to produce cases in which from
dol1ble qt1ant1ty it shall not be la\vful to infer double value .
.And thence we argue, that ur1ttl tl1e value 1s discovered in
some other \Vay, it will be iu.1poss1ble to discover ,,hetber

228

THE TElIPL,\.RS' DIALOGUC8

it be high or low from any considerat1on of tho c1uru1t1ty

'

commanded; and again 'v1th iespect to the c1uant1ty com~

mantled that, u12t.zl kno,vn in some othe1 ivay, it shall never
be known from any conside1ation, of the value comma11dlng. ,
ThIS is what we say; no'v your '' O'' co11t1adicts the co11dit1ons; ''until the value is discovered in some ot11e1 '" ay, it
shall neve1 be lea1ned fiom the quantity commanded.'' But
1n you1 '' C'' the valuo is all eady disco,e1ed; fo1 yo11
assun1e it ; you postulate that C is stationaiy in alue; and
hence it is easy indeed to infer that, because .A. commantls
double c1uantity of '' C,'' it shall thc1efore be of double

value; but this inference is not obtained from the single

oonside1ation of double quantity, but from tliat con1b1ned
iv1th the assumption of unalte1ed value i11 C, without '' 11ich
'
assumption you shall never obtain that infe1e11ce.
Pl1a;d. The matte1 1s cle111 beyond uhat I I equire; J'et,
X., fo1 the satisfaction of my ''game'' f1iend Ph1lebt1s, g1vo
us a proof or t\vo ex abuncla11ti, by applymg \vhat you bavo
sai(l to cases m .A.dam Smith 01 others.
X. In gene1al it is clear that, if t11e value of .A. increases
in a duphcate iatio, yet if tl1e value of B increases in o.
triplicate ratio, so fat from commanding a g1eate1 quantity

of E, .A. shall command a smalle1 quantity; and if A continually goes on squaring its fo1me1 value, yet if B contmually goes on cubing its fo1mer value, tl1en, though .A.

wtll continually augme11t in value, yet the qt1ant1ty \Vhic11

it mll command of B shall be continually less, 11nt1l at
length it shall become p1:actico.i1y eq11al to notlung. $
Hence, the1ef01e, I deduce,
The reader may imagine t11at there is one exception to tl11~
case-viz., if the values of A and B 'vere assumed at st.irt1ng to b~
= 1 ; because in that case t11e squares, cubes, and all other po,vers
nl1l~e, l\ ould be = I ; and thus, under a11y apparent alteration, tho

'

0:-l POLITIO.A'L

ECO~O~lY.

l)J9
.,._

1. That when I am told by Adam Smith that the money

'

which I can obtain for my hat expresses only its no112inal

value, but that the labour which I can obtain for it ex11resses its ?eal value I reply, that the q11antity of labour
1s no more any expression of the real value tl1an t11e
quantity of money; both are equally fallacious expressions,
because equally eq~ivocal. iry hat, it is true, now buys
me x quantity of labour and some years ago it bo11ght ~
quantity of labour. nut this no more proves that my hat
has advanced in real value according to that proportion,
than a double rnoiicy price will piove it. For how 1vill
Adam Smith reply to him who urge~-~he double money
, value as an argument of a double real value? Re Ytill say
-No; non v~let con-sequentia. Your proof is equivocal;
for a double q11antity of money will as inevitably arise from
the smking of money as from the rising of hats. .And supposing money to have sunk to I-4th of its former val11e,
in that case a double money value so fa1 from pro\it1g
hats to have risen in real value ,n.u prove that hats have
absol11tely fallen iu real value by one-half; ancl they mil
be seen to ha\'.:e done s.o by comparison with all things
which have remained stationary; otherwise they would obtain not double merely, but foui times the quantity of money
price. This is 'vhat A.dam Smith wtll reply in efi'ect.
Now the very same objection I make to labour as any test
of real valt1e. My hat now obtains x labour; formerly it
obtained only one-half of x. J3e it so ; but tho whole real

change may be in the labour ; labom may now be at onchalf its forme1 val11e; in which
case my l1n.t obtains the
,
same real price; double the quantity of labour being no1v

'

real relations of A and B 'vould al\>.1ys ren1.1in the same. Du'

this is :in impossible and unmeaning case in Political Ecouom), .l:>

might easily be shO\\"ll,

230

'

required to express the same value. Nay, if labour has

fallen to 1-lOth of its former value, so fa1 f1om being
proved to have risen 100 pe1 cent. in real value by now
purchasing double quantity of labou1, my hat ~s proved to
have fallen to 1-5th of its fo1mer value; else, instead of
buying me only x labour, which is but the double of 1ts
forme1 value (i-), 1t would buy me 5. x, or 10 times its

former 1alue

Phil. Your objection, then, to the labour price, as any

better expression of the 1eal value than the money price,
would be that 1t is an equivocal exp1ession, leaving it
doubtful on which side of the equation the disturbance

, had taken place, or whether on both sides. In. which

objection, as against others, you may be right, but you
must~ not uige this against Adam Smith; because on his
t.heory the expression is not equivocal ; the disturbance
can be only on one side of the equation viz.; in your hat.
For as to the other side (the labou1), tJ1at 1s secured f1om
all disturbance by his doct1ine that l.ibou1 is always of the
aame value. When, therefore, your hat 'v1ll J)Urchase x
quantity of labour instead of half x, the infe1ence is i11esistible that yom hat has cloubled its value. Theie lies
no a1)peal from this ; it cannot l)e evaded by alleging that
the labom may have falle11, for the labom cannot fall.
,
X. On the Sm1thian theo1y it cannot; and the1ef01e
it is that I make a great ilist1nct1on between the e11or of
Adam Smith and of othe1 later w11te1s. Ile, though
wrong, 'vas consistent. That the value of labour is 1nva11able, is a principle so utterly untenabl~, that many t;mes
Aclam Smith abandoned it himself im1Jhcitly, though not
explicitly. The demonstration of its va11able value indeed
follows naturally f1om the laws which govern 1vages; and,
therefore, I will not here ant1civate it "'Meantime, haYing
I

THI~ TE:\IPL.\.RS' nTALOGUES

'

231

ON POLITICAL ECONO:!IIY.

once adopted' that theo1y of the unalterable value of labour,

'
.A.dam Smith was in the right to make it the expression of
ieal value. But this is not done with the same consistency
by N1 Malthus at the very time when he denies the possibility of any inva1iable value,
Phzl. Row so'2 Mr nfalthus asse1-ts that there is one
article of inva1iable value; what is more, this article IS
labour t11e very same as that forme1ly alleged for such by
Adam Smith ; ancl he 11as written a book to prove it.
_,y '1'1 ue, Philebus, he has done so; and he now holds
that labot11 is_inva1iable, supposing that his opinions have
not altered within the last twelve months. But he was so
far from holding tl1is in 1820 (at which time it was that he
chiefly insistecl on the distinction bet,veen nominal and real
value), that he was not content 'v1th the t1ue arg11ments
against the possibility
of
an
inva11able
value,
but
made
use

of one, as I shq.11 soon show you, which involves what t11e

metaphysici,ans callanon.. ens or an idea which includescontradicto1y and self-destroyi11g conclit1ons. Omittrng, however, the inconsistency in the iclea of 1 eal value, as conceived
by Th Malthus, the1e is this additio11al e1101 eug1afted upon
the Smithian clefi11ition, that it is extenclecl to ''the necessa1ies
and conveme11ces of hfe'' m general, ancl no longe1 confined
e~clusively to labou1. I shall therefore, as another case for
illustrati11g and applying the iest1It of ou1 dispute,
'
2. Cite a passt1ge from l\Il' l\Ialthus's ''Political Economy'' (p. 59): ''If we are tolcl that the 'vages of claylabom in a particular count1y are, at the present
time; four,
pence a-day, or that the revenue of a pa1 t1cular sove1e1gn, '
700 or 800 years ago, was 400,000 a-year, these state~
ments of nominal value conveynosortofmfo1mation respect, ing the conc11t1on of the lo\ver class of people in the one case,
or the resources of the sovereign in the othe1. Without
-

'

Till~ TE:\IPI.AR&' DIALOGUES

furthe1 knowledge on the subject, we should be quite at a

loss to say, whethe1: the Iabouie1s in'the countiy mentionetl
've1e sta1ving or living in great plenty, whether the lting
in question might be cons1de1ed as having a very inadequate
1evenue, 01 'vhethe1 the sum ment1011ed was so great as to
be mcreilible. It is quite obvious that in cases of tills kind,
and they a1e of constant 1ecu11ence, the value of 'vages, incomes, 01 commodities estimated in the p1ec1ous 1nctals 'vill
be of httle use to us alone. Wha.t we want further is some
estimate of a kind which may be denominated ieal value i11
exchange, 1mplymg the quantity of the nccessa.1ies and convemences of life which those wages, incomes, or commoilit1es will enable the possesso1 of them to command.''
In this passage, over and above the iadical crroi about
real value, there 1s also apparent tl1at confusion 1vliich bas
m1slecl so many miteis bet1veen value and ivealtli; a confusion 1vlnch l\Ir Ricu1do fust cletected and cleared u11.
That we shall not l)e able to determine, f1om the mere
money wages, whether the labourers were ''starving 01
hving in great plenty,'' is certam; and that 1ve sliall be
able to deteimine this as soon us we lrnow the quantity of
necessaries, &c., which tho~e 1vages commandecl, is equally
'certam; fo1, in fac~, the one knowledge is iclentical with
t11e other, and but another way of exp1essing it; we must,
of cou1se, lea1n that the labourer hvcd in plenty, if we
should learn that his \vag,es gave him a g1eat deal of b1ead,
milk, vemson, salt, honey, &c .A.nd as the1e cot1ld 11evei
have been any doubt whether we sl1ould learn thzs from
what Mr Malthus terms the real value, and that we should
not learn it from what he terms the money value, Mi l\fal-

'

"' Hume very reasonal)ly doubts the possibility of W ill1am the Conqueror's revenue being 400,000 a-year, as represented byana11c1ent
lustonan, and adopted by supsequent 1vr1ters.-Note of JJlr },falthu~

OX POT.ITICAL ECONO,IT.

233

thus may be assu1ed that there never can have been an~'
dispute raised on that point. The true dispute is, "hethe1,
after having learned that the laboure1 lived i11 .A1ne1icau
plenty, we shall have at all app1oximatec1 to the appreciation of his wages as to real value; this is the question; ancl
it is plain that \ve shall not. Wl1at matters it that his
wages gave hin1 a great deal of corn, until "e k11ow whetl1er corn bore a high 01 a low value? A great deal of cor11
at a high value implies wages of a high value; but a great
deal o( ro1n at a low value is very consistent \Vith \Yages
at a lo\v value. Money wages, it is said, leave us qt11te in
the dark as to real value. Doubtless; nor are we at all tl1e
less in the darl\. for knowing the co1n wages, the mill{ \vages,
the grouse "ages, &c. Giie1i the value of corn,giie1ithevaluo
of milk, giien the value of grouse, we shall kno\V \vhetl1er
a great quantity of those a1ticles implies a high value,
or is compatible with a low value in tl1e \vages which c9mmanded them; but, 1111t1l that is given, it has been alr~ady
shown that the quantity alone is an equivocal test being
equally capable of co-existing w1tl1 high wages 01 lov; wages.
Plzzl. Why, then, it passes my, comp1ehens1on to understand what test remains of real value, if neithe1 money price
nor commodity price exp1esses it. -nrhen are wages, for
example, at a high real value 'l
X. Wages a1e at a high ieal value when it iequi1es mucl1
labour to produce vrages ; an~ at a lo\V real value, \\hen it
1equires httle labour to produce \Vages; and it 1s pe1fectly
consistent "'ith the b1gl1 ieal value that the laboure1
should be almost starving; ancl pe1fectly consistent \\'ith
the low real value that the labourer should be living in
great ease and comfort.
Plzil. Well, -this ma.y be true; l1ut you must allow t]12.t
it sounds ext1avngant .
K 2

234

'

'

THI<~ TE?.IPJ..,\.ns' DI,\.I OGUI~S

' ' x.

Donbt1ess it sounds e:xtravagant to him \VlIO r1c1~ist11

in slipping under his notion of value another and l1etero
geneous notion viz., that of \Vealth. But, let it sound as
it may, all the absurdities (which a1e neithe1 few uor sbght)
are on the othe1 side. These will discover themselves aq
'
"\Ve ' advance. ~Ieantime, I lJresume that, in your use, and
in eve1ybody's use of the word value, a high value ougl1t
to purchase a high value, ttnd that it ,,111 lle ve1y absurd If
It should not. But, as to puichasmg a great quantity, that
. condition is su1ely not included Ill a11y n1an's idea ~f value.
Plizl. No, certainly; because A 1s of J.1gh value, it does
not follow that it must pu1chase a g1c~1t quantity; that
must be as various as tl1e nature of the thing with which
it is compared. But ha-ving once assumed any ce1tain
thing, as B, it does seem to follow that, howeve1 small a
quantity A may pu1chase of this (which I admit may be
very small, though the value of A should be very great),
yet. it ,does seem to follo\v, f1om everybody's notion of
'
value, that this quantity of B, ho\vevei f>mall at fiist, must
continually inciease, if the value of A be supposed co11tinually to ip.crease.
X. This may ''seem'' to follow; but it has been sl10\v11
that it does not follow ; for if A continually double its
value, yet let B continually triple or quadruple its \'alue,
'
and the quantity of B will be so f a1 f1om i mcreasing, that
it will finally become evanescent. In short, once fo1 all.
the fqrmula is this : let A contmually increase in value, anll
it shall purchase continually more and more in quant1tythan what? l\iioie than it did~ By no means; but moro
than it would have done, but for that increase in value
A has doubled its value. Does it therefore purchase moie
, than it clid before of B '? No; pe1haps it purchases mucl1
less ; suppose only 1-4th part as much of B us 1t cl1d

235

OK POLITICAL ECONOMY

befurc; bnt still the doubling of A's valne has had its full
effect; for B, it may happen, has li1creased in value eightfold; and, but for the doubling of A, it 1vould, instead of
1-!.th, have bought only l-8th of the former quantity. .A
therefore, by doubli11g in value, has bought not double in
quantity of what it bought before, but double in quantit:;
of what it would else have bought.
The remainder of this dialogue related to the distinction
bet\veen '~ relative'' value, as it is termed, and ' absolute''
value ; , clearing up the t1ne use of that clistmcrion. But .
this beinz al1eady too long, the amount of it will be give11
hereafter with a. specimen of the errors,1.-hich have a1isen
from the abuse of this distinction.

DIALOGUE THE FIFTH.

OX THE

DDU:Dll.T~

USES OP THE !\'EW TIIEORY OF

v~uUE

X. The g1eat Ia.w which governs exchangeable value

has now been stated and argued. Next, it seems, we must
ask what are its uses? This is a question which you or
'
I should not be likely to ask; for with what colour of propriety could a doubt be raised about the use of any trutI1
in any science'? still less, about the use of a leading truth'?
least of all, about the use of Ute lea.cling truth 7 N evertheless, such a cloubt lzas been raised by Mr 1Ia1thus.
Plzced. On \\hat g1onnd 01 pretence~
'
X. Under a strange misconception of nir Ricaido's meaning. Mr Malthus has written a g1eat deal, as you mn,y
have hen.rd, against Mi Ricardo's p1inciple of value; his
purpose is to prove that it is a false p1'inciple; independently of which, he contends that, even if it were a t1ue
principle, it would be of little use.'1"' J""1de the foot-note to p. 5-! of'' The Measu1e of V aluc."

236

Ph.ad. Little use 'l in relation to what?

X. .A.y, there lies the inexplicable mistal\.e: of little u<-e
as a measure of value. Now, this is a mistake for '\'hich
there can be no sort of apology; for it supposes Mr R1ca1<lo
to have brought forward his principle of value as a standard
or measure of value; whereas :i.\Ir Ricardo has repeatedly
info1med his readei: that he utterly reJects the possib1l1ty
of any such measure. Thus (at p. IO, ec1it. 2d), after la)'ing
cTo\vn the condztio sine qua non unde1 which any commodity
could preserve an unvarying value, he goes on to say'' of sucl1 a commodity we have no knor;ledge, und consequently are unable to fix on any standa1cl of ~alne~'' .Ancl
again (at p 343 of the same edition), after e~posing 'at so mp
length the circurnstahces '' hich disc1ualify ''any commocl1ty.
or all commodities together,'' from perfo1ming the office of
a stanclard of value, he again states the indISpensable 'donilit1on which must be realised in that commodity which
should pretend to such an office; and agam he aclcls immediately ''-of such a commodity v:e have no knowleclge."
But 'vhat leaves this mIStake st1ll mo1e "ithout excuse is,
that in the third eilition of his book l\Ir Ricardo has,added
an. express section (tbe sixth) to 11i5 cbapter on value, having for its direct object to expose the 1Illpossibil1ty of an)'
true measure of va1ue Setting aside, indeed, these explicit
declarations, a f eiv words will suffice ~o show that Mr Ricardo could not have consistently beheved in any standard
or measure of value. What does a standard mean?
Phrxd ..A. standard is that-which stands still wlnlst othe1
thmgs move, and by this means se1ves to indicate or measure the degree in which those other things have advanced
or receded.
X. Doubtless ; and a standard of value must itself stand
still 01 be stationary in value. But nothing coulrl possibly

'
O!i POLITICAL ECONO:lIY.

IJe statio11a1y in value

UJJOn

237

Mr Ricardo's theo1)", unless it

we1e al\\'ays produced by the same quantity of labour ; since

any alteration m the quantity of the producing labour must
immediately affect the value of the p1oduct. No1V, what
is there which can always be obtained by the same c1uantity of labour'? Raw materials (for ieasons which will a1)peru when we cons1de1 Rent) a1e consta.Rtly tending to gTow
<leare1 -- by requi1ing more labour for their p1oduct1on;
"' '' Consta11tly tending to g1 ow dea1 e1 ''-To the novice in Political Economy, 1t will infallibly suggest itself that the d11eet cont1ary
1s the truth; since, even ln ru1al 1nd11st1y, though more tardily
improving its p1oce:>ses than manufactunng mdustry, tl1e tendency
is always J.ll that di1ection: agric~lture, as an art benefit111g by expe11ence, has ne\e1 yet been absolutelyreg1ess1ve, thougl1 not progressive by such stnk1ng leaps oi sudden discoveries as manuf.icturmg a1t. Bt1t, for all that, it still iema1ns t1ue, as a gene1al
pnnciple, that ra''' mate11als won from the soil a1e constantly
tending to grow dearer, '' htlst these same materials, as wo1ked up
for use by man11factu1ing sltill, are constantly t1avell1ng upon an
opposite path. The reason is, that, in the case of manufacturing
i.mprovements, no conquest made is ever lost. The course lS never
r.et1ogi.ess1ve to'l'<atds the"' 01st maclunery, 01 to,vards the moio
circuitous process; once res1g11ed, the infer1or'met11od 1s iesigned
for eve1. But in tl1e industry applied to tl1e sotl t111s is othenvise.
Doubtless the farmer does not, with his eyes open, ret11m to methods wl1ich have e~pe1lillentally been sho"l't"ll to be inferior, unless.
indeed, \~here ,,ant of capital may have forced him to do so; but,
as poplllation expands, he is continually forced into descending
upon iufenor soils, and the product of these infe1"Ior sotls it 1s
which gives tl1e ruling price for the wliole aggregate ofproducts. Say
t11at soils l~os I, 2, 3, 4, had been h1the1to sufficient for a nation,
\\'l1ere the figures exp1ess tlie regular graduation do,vnwards in
pomt of fertility: then, when No. 5 is called for (which, producing
less by the supposition, costs therefore more upon any given
quantity), the p1"Ice upon this last No. 5 regulates the price upon
all the five sotls And thus. it happens that, wlulst always progressive, rural industry is ne\ertheless always travelling towards an
increased cost. The product of Nos 1, 2, 3, 4, is continually tendii1~ to be cheaper; blit, when the cost of No. 5 (and so on for ever

'

238

THE TEMPL,IBS' DIALOGUES

'

ma1~ufactu1es, from tl1e changes in macl1ine1y, 'vLich ar..

al\1ays p1ogressive and never 1etrograde, a1e constantly

te11c1ing to g1ow cheaper by requ11i11g less; co11seqt1ently
the1e is nothing which, upon l\I1 Ricardo's theo1y, can 1011g
- continue stat1ona1y in value. If, therefore, he had p10
posed any mensu1e of value, he must 11ave forgotte11 l1is O\Vtt
p11nc1ple of valtte.
Pl1il But allow me to ask, if that p1i11ciple is not p10
l)Osed as a measu1e of value, m whu.t character is it lJlO
posed '2
'
X. Su1ely, Phileb11s, as the g1ound of value; wl1eieri.s a.
measu1e of value is 110 more than a c1 zterion 01 test of val11e.
'rl1e last is simply a 11121zcpi1111i cog11oscenclz, \vl1e1eas tl1e
othe1 is a p1111cipiu11i essendz.
Plzzl But wherein lies the d1fference 'l
-Y. Is it possible that you can asl\: sucl1 a question '2 A
the111101uete1 measu1es the ten1peratu1e of the a11; that is,
it furnishes a c1iterion fo1 asce1ta111i11g its varyi11g deg1ees
. of 11eat, but you cannot even imagine that a thermorneter
fur11ishes any grou1id of this heat. I wish to know \vhether
a day's labour at the time of the English Revolution bo1e
the same value as a hundred years after at the time of the
F1euch Revolution; and, if not tl1e same value, \Vhether a
higher or a lower. For this puipose, if I believe that
theie is any commodity \Vlucb is immutable in value, I shall
natu1ally compare a day's labour with that co1nmodity at
each period. Some, for instance, have imagined that coiu
is of mva1iable value; and, supposrng one to adopt so false

as to the fresh soils ieq~ired to meet a gro,vlng pop11lat1011) 1s

combined with that of tlie superior soils, tl1e q11ot1ent fto1u the
cnt11e dividend I, 2, 3, 4, 5J .u. al,vays tending :JI ad ually to .l
lugher exp1ess1on

'

ON

POI.I~CAI.

'
:CCONOlIY.

239

notion, we should merely have to inquire what qi1a11tity

of corn a day's labom would exchange for at each period,
and we should then have dete1mined tl1e ielations of value
between labour at the two pe1iods. I11 tl11s case, I sl1ould
have usecl corn as the measure of the value of labou1; l))lt
I could not rationally mean to say t11at corn '''as tl1e
g1 ou12cl of t11e v .1lue of lab'our; and, if I said that I made
ttse _of corn to dete111111ze tl1e value 9f labour, I sl1ould e1nploy the word '' c1etermine '' m the same sense as when I
say that the the1mometer cletermines the heat viz., that
it asce1tains it, 01 dete1mines 1t to my knowleclge (as a
p1 illcipi1i1n cog1ioscencli). But, 'vhen Mi, Ricardo says that
the quantity of labo11r employed on A. dete1mines the "alue

of .A., he must of co1irse be unclerstood to mean t11at it

causes A to be of tl1is value, that it i$ the g1 oitnd of its
'
value, the p1zncipiu1n essencli. of its value just as wl1cn 1
beizig asked what determines a stone to fall ao,vnwa1ds
\
rather than upwa1ds, I answe1 tl1at it is the ea1tl1's att1action, 01 the p1inc1ple of gravitation, meaning that thIS prmciple causes it to fall do\vn,,a1cls; and if, in this. case, I say
that gravitation '' dete111:z1cs'' its course down,vards, I no
longer use that word in the sense of asce1 tazn; I do not
- mean that g1avitation asce1 tai1zs it to have descended, but
that g1avitation has causati1Jely impressec1 that diIection on
its cou~se ; in other 1vo1ds, I make g1avitation the p1-zndpiu11i essendi of its descent.
Phcecl. I understand your clistmction; and in which sense
do you say that Mr Malthus has used the term l\Ieasu1e of
'
Value in the sense of a g1ound, or of a cnte11on?
X. In both senses, he talks of it as ''accounting fo1'' the
value of .A, in which case it means a g1ound -0f value; a11ll

as ''estimating'' _the value of A, in which case it means a

c-riterion of value. I 1nention these exprE'ssions as inst::tnCP'>~
tl

'

'

240

'

THE T.C:\rPL.ulS' DI,\.LOGUES

but the truth is, that, througl1out his essay entitle~ ''Tho
:i\Ieasure of Value Stateil and Illustrated,'' ancl th1oughont
his '' Political Economy'' (but especially in tl1e seconcl
chapter, entitled '' The Nature and iiieasuies of Value''),
he uniformly C'onfounds the t'yo ideas of a ~round and a
crite1'lon of value under a much gieate1 vaiiety of exp1essions than I have time to enumerate.
Plizl. But, admitting that Mr Malthus has proceeded on
the misconception you state, what is t11e specific mjury
which has thence iesulted to Mr Ricaido 'l
X I am speaking at present of the uses to be deiived
from Mr Ricardo's principle of value. No\\', if it 11ad bee11
proposed as a measure of value, we might Justly demaucl
that 1t should be ''ready and easyof application,'' to adopt
the words of Mr Malthus (''Measu1e of Value,'' p. 54);
but 1t is manifestly not so , fo1 the quantity of labom en1ployed m producing .A. ''could not 111 many cases'' (as Mi
Malthus truly ObJects) ''be asce1i;a1ned 1vithout considerable difficulty,'' m most cases, mdeed, it could not be ascertained at all. .A. measure of value, boweve1, ,,h1ch cannot be practically appliecl is \vorthless ; as a measu1 e of
value, therefore, 1\fr Ricardo's la'v of value is worthless,
and 1f it had been offe1>ed as suC'h by its autho1, the blame
would have settled on Mr Ricardo; as it is, 1t settles on
i\Ir Malthus, who has grou11ded an 1magma1y ti111mph 011
his O\vn gross m1~concept1on. Fo1 Mr Ricardo never
dreamed of offe1rng a standard or fixed measu1e of value,
or of toleratrng any pretended measure of that so11, by
whomsoever offered.

Thus much I have said for the sake of showing what is

-not the use of Mr Ricardo's p1mciple in the design of its
author; in order that he may be no longer exposed to t11e
false cnhcism of those 'who are looking for what is not to

O~

POLITICAI. ECON01..'Y.

241

be fou11d, nor ought to be found~ in his work. On quitting

this part of the subject, I shall just observe that Mr "1Ialthus,
in common with many others, ,attaches a most unreasonable
importance to the discovery of a measure of value. I challenge any man to show that the great interests of Political

Economy have at all suffered for want of such a measure,

'vhich at best would end in answering a few questions of
nnprofitable curiosity; -whilst, on the other hand, without
a knowledge of the ground on which value depends, or without some approximation to it, Political Economy could
not exist at all, except as a heap of baseless opinions.
Phred. Now then, having cleared away the imaginary
uses of .Mr Ricardo's principle, let us hear something of
its real uses.
X. The most important of these I t:x:pressed in the last
words I uttered : Tlzat, withont which a science canuot
exist, is commensurate in use with the science itself; being
the fundamental law, it will te:itify its O\vn importance iu
the changes which it will impress on all the derivative laws.
For the main use of Mr Ricardo's principle, I refer you
therefore to all Political Economy. Meantime I will notice
here the immediate services which it has rendered by liberating the student from those perpl&xities which previously
embarrassed him on his first introduction to the science ; I
mention two cases by way of specimen.

At p 36 of ''The "llieasnre of Value'' (in the foot-note), tills

misconception as to l\fr Ricardo appears in a still grc.~ser shape,
for not only does Mr Malthus speak of a. ''concession'' (as he calls
it) of ~Ir Ricardo as being ''quite fatal'' to the notion of a standard
of value as though it were an object with Mr Ricardo to establish
l>uch a standard; but tlns standard, moreover, is now represented
as being gold. And wnat objecnon does Mr Malthus make to gold
as a standard? The idenncal objection which Mr Ricardo had
,himself 1nsISted on in that very page of his third edition to which
~{r l\Ialthus refers.
I.

'

IV.

,
I

242

T1II~ 'fE:UI'J,,\.1~5' III,\LOG\:l 9

'

1. Wl1en it 'vas nsker1 by tl1e st11dcnt \Yl1at dctcrr11ir1ccl

the value of all commoc11ties, it 'vu'! a11'!\\'Cl ed tl1ut this vul11c

was chiefly determined by \\ nges. Wl1c11 ngiti11 it ,,as a<,kccl
wl1at determined wages, it 'vas iccollcctcd tl1at ''ages must
ge11e111lly be adjusted to t110 ''ulue of tl10 co1n1noditics upo11
\Vh1ch they 'verc spent; and tho u11s\ve1 \\'US in effect tl1at
wages 'vere dcte1m1necl b)' tl10 value of co1111uodit1c'!. .A11d
thus t11e mind \Vas enta11gled i11 thi!> i1ic:'.\.t1ical)le c1rclethat the p1ice of co1nmoditics \Vas determ111ed by ''ages,
and wages dete1mined by tl1e p1icc of com1noditicl-i. Froni
this gross AiaA>.rj"A.01: (as the logicians call it) 01 sec-sa\V' \Ye
a1e now 11be1atcd; for tl1c fi1st step, us 'l\'O arc llO\V' U\\a1c,
i::i false : the value of com1nodit1ts is not determi11cd J)y
\Yages, since wages express tl10 valt10 of Iubou1; and 1t
11as been demonstrated tl1at not the ictlue but tl1e qua12lll!J
of labour determines the value of its })l'oducts.
2. A second case, m wl11cl1 Nr R1ca1do's la\v bas introduced a simplicity into tl1e science 'vhich 11ad in vain been
so11ght for before, is this: all f01mer eco11omists, iI1 la)Ti11g
do,vn the component pa1ts of p1ice, had fancicu 1t lmpossible to get rid of 'vhut is te1med the razv 111ate1 zal as one
of its elements. 'rhis in1poss1bility v.as gene1ally tal{cn
for granted: but an economist of our times, the late ~Ir
F1anc1s Ho1ner, 11ad (in the ''Edinburgh Revie\v '') expressly set himself to prove it. ''It is not t1ue,'' said Mr
Ho1ner, ''that the thing l)Urcbused m every ba1ga1n is
me1ely so much labour: the value of the iaw mate1iul can
neitl1er be rejected as nothing, no1 est1~nated as a consti1nt
quantity'' Now this ref1actory elemetlt is at once, and in
the simplest way possible, e.xte1m1n1.1.ted by ~I1 R1ca1do's
reformed law of value. Upon the old system, If I had iesolved the value of my hat mto 'vages and profits, I shoultl
i1nmedi<1.tcl,;' have been admomshed tl1ut I had fo1gotteu
~

o.:'i POLITIC.lf, ECOlfO'l!Y.

243

of the elements: ''wages, profits, .and ra'v material.

)'011 mea11,'' it "'ould have been said. Ra.w mate11al ! Well.
but on what separate principle can this raw material be
valued? 01 on what other p1inciple than that on \Vhich tl1e
hat itself was valued '1 Like any other product of labou1,
its value is cleter1n1ned by the quantity of labour employecl
in obtairnng it; and the amount of this p1oduct is dividecl
between wages and profits as in any case of a manufacturecl
commodity. The raw material of the hat suppose to be
beave1: if, then, in 01der to take the quantity of beavers
which a1e necessa1y to furnish materials for a thousand
hats, four men have been employed for t'venty-five day~,
then it appeiL1's that the raw material of a thousand hats
has cost a hunched days' labou1, which will be of the same
value in exchange as the product of a hundred clays' labour
(previously equated and discountecl as to its quality) in any
other direction; as, for example, if a hunched days' labour
would produce two thousand pahs of stockings of a certain
quahty, then it ~allows that the ra'v material of my hat is
wo1th two pairs of sucl1 stockings. And thus it turns Ollt
'
that an element ofvalt1e (which l\fr Horner and thousands of
others have supposed to be of a distinct nature, and to resist
all furthe1 analysis) gives way befo1e Th Ricarc1o's law, and
is eliminated; an aclmi1able simplification, which is equal
in me1it and use'tO any of the iules 'vhich have been devised
f1om time to time for the resolution of algebraic equations.
Here, then, in a hasty shape, I have offered two specimens ,
of the uses 1vhich arise from a better law of valuo; aguin
reminding you, however, that the main use must 110 in the
effect which it will imp1ess on all the othe1 Jai\'S of Political
Economy. And reverting fo1 one moment, before we part,
to the difficulty of Ph1lebus about the diffe1ence bct,,een
this principle as a p11;zcipium cognoscendi or measu1e, untl u
011e

Tirr: TL.'\IPL.\RS' DI.\LOG UE3

01 detern1ining g1orn1ll, let rue dc:oire :1011

to conside1 tl1cse t'vo esse11t1al ina1ks of di')tinction: 1. tl1:1t
by all iespectable economists any t111e iuci1s11ro of \ alt1e
bus been doubted or denied as a possibility : but 110 mun
can doubt the existence of a g1ou11cl of \'aluc; 2. that u.
measure is postc11or to the value; for, bcfo1e o. value cu11
be measmed or estin1ated, it must exist: b11t a gro1111d ot'
value must be antecedent to tl1e value, like any other co.tstJ
to its effect.

p1'1.11cipi1111i esse11di

DIALOGUE 'rHE SIXTH.

ON THE OBJECTIONS TO THE NE\V lu\\V OF V,\LUE.

X The two most eminent econon1istc; :i; \\'ho ho.'r'C oppose<!

tho Ricardian doct1ines1 a1e i\Ir l\Ialtltus and Colonel Toitens. In the spring of 1820 l\11 l\I:ilthus p11blishecl 111s
, '' P1inciples of Political Economy,'' m11ch of n l1ieh \\'as n11
attacli: upon Mi Ricardo; and the e11tire second chapter of s.;
pages, 'On the N at111 e and i\Ieasui es of Value,'' "as one con- ,
t1nued attempt to ove1throw i\Ir Rica1do's theory of val11e.
Th1ee yea1s after\va1ds he published a seconcl attael.. on tlie
same theory Ill a distinct essay of 81 p:1ges, er1titled, '' 'l'he
lo.Ieasure of Value Stated and Illustrated.'' In this latte!.'
wo1k, amongst other a1guments, 110 has ielied upon one 111
pa1ticular, which he has chosen to exhibit Ill the fo1m of u.

table. As it is of the last in1po1tance to Political Economy

that this question should be settled, I n ill shrink f1om nothing that wears the semblance of an a1g11rnent; and I wtll
110\v examine this table; and will show that the wl1ole of t11e '
" 'l'l1c rc.1dcr 1oust continue to remc111llcl thi..t this }J:i!JCr '' n..1
11. !'!ttCU Ill 1821

215

infcrences contained in the seventh, eighth, and nintlt c.o-lumns a1e founded on a gross blunder in the fifth and sb..i;h ;
every number i11 wluch columns is falsely assigned.
:llR !fAI.THUS'S T.IBLE lLLUSTRATCTG THE Th"V.U!IABLE VALUE
OF I.ABOUR

.A).J)

ITS

I~ESULTS.

(From p. 38 of the ' Measure of Value Stated and Illustratecl.''

London: 1823.)
N.B.-The sole change which has been made in t111s reprint of
the ong1nal Table, is the ass1gn1ng of names (.Alpha, Beta, ~re to
the se; eral cases for the purpose of eas1e1 reference and d1st1nct1on.

_1_J _2_ _a__ 1__ 5_j 6__

,_
_, :
" .
.
..
=
_,,
-u::.... -."" .....
-_....-... .,. .
....
" ,.,. ,.,
"
-"
"'
-.. _,
-.. - - -

::

CASE

::

__
;_
1

-'i-_!>_..:!.
... _

c "
"-"
c

::
0

-~
_..
0

::

~$

=,.;:;

:;)~

~~

--- ---

.. J

"-Cl

."-..

150
I.JO
150
140
140

12

c: ::..--

::

Cl

'

-""'
--.... -.... -#,-::
.._,
o-~

...a-;

::: ::

-"

M OJ

__
1

-"

__
1

MA
J

__
1

......

o--o
~

~...
0
-o::..

-- -- -- --:,;.:-- -

'

r:::s...--

.::::--=
- c
...

c :::
~
::
;: -::r

-"

~
~-~..a

o_-:;::::I

....- ' ....

Cl

1~~~-1-~1~-1-~1-~-J-~-1-~-l--~~~-1-~Qrs.
Qrs.
Per Ct.

Alpl1a
Beta
Gamma .
Delt.1

F..ps1lon.

Zeta....
1JO
!.:ta
130
Theta 120
I11ta.. . 120
Kappa..
110
Lambda. 110
:)Ij
100
Ny.
100
Xi
90

13
10
12

120 25
!JO 15 38
1011 50

11

120 IG6G
110 27 2

12

120

10

9
9

100 30
110
9
100 20
100 10
90 22 2
90 111

B
8

80 25
80 12 5

11

10
10

1.4

10

714

116

7 85
923
77

215
0 77

10

!)

09

10
10

83J

12 7
108

917
833
9 09

08-3
167

818

182
1

8
888

112

866

66
86

83

I 34:
3 4:

10
10
10

23
091

10
10
10
10
10
10

10

833
77

10

10
9 09
10
10

111
111

1., ~ 1-o

-"'

<) l -o

1153
1.3

13
109
12
11
122

11 1

1.,_o1125

*This is an oversight on the part of Mr ~falthus, and not an error

of the press; for 7.14 '' ould be the \alue of the 100 quarters on tl1e
supposition that the entire product of the ten men (iz.140 q11artcrs)
went to "'ages; bnt the1vagesin this c..1.Se (Delta) being 120 quarters.
t!le true ,-alue on the principle of this table is manifestly 8.33.

246

T!IB TElfPJ,AitS' DI,\.I,OGUES

SECTION I.

Plimd. Now, X., you know tl1at I abhor arithmeticn.l cn.l

ct11n.tions; besides which, I have 110 faith i11 any i)ro1)ositto11s
of a political economist whirh 110 cannot ruul~c out reutl1ly
'''ithout all this elabo1ate mach111e1y of tables a11d figures.
U nde1 these c11cumstances, I i)11t it to you, as a 1nun of
freling, vrhcther you ougl1t to 111fl1ct upon me tl1is alt11m1ng
pile of computations; 'vhich, by your gloon1y counte11ancc,
I see that you a1c med1tat1ng.
.
X. Stop, iecollect yol11self: not I it is, icn1e111be1, tl1at
impose this clabo1atc ''table'' Ul)Oll you, bt1t nI1 nialthus.
The yoke is his. I am tl10 inan se11t by P1ovidcnce to
l1gl1ten this yoke. Su11encle1 yot11self, t11erefo1e, to my
guidance, Phrecl1us, and I will lea.cl you ovo1 t110 hill by so
easy a ioad that you shall 11ovo1 k110\Y yoll have bee11
climbing. You see t11at tl1e1 o arc 111110 col1111111s, t/1(tt, I
suppose, does not })USS yol11 sl~rll in a11th111ot1c. N o,v,
then, to simplify the 1natte1, bcg,111 by c11sn11ss1ng f10111 ~'0111
attention eve1y colum11 but the first u1id the last ; fancy all
the rest obl1ierateL1.
Plired. l\'Iost 'vrlb.ngly, it is a 11c11venly fancy.
X. Next look into the first column, ancl tell me \Vho.t
you see the1e
'
Plzrecl. I see ''lots'' of 150s and 140s, a11d otl101 illlooking people of the so.me c1esc111)tion.
X. Well, these numbe1s e'\:p1 ess t11e p1ocluots of tl1c sumo
labour on land of d1fferent qual1t1es. The qua11t1ty of labour is assumed to be al,vays the same viz., the labour of
ten men for a yea1 (01 one n1rL11 f01 ten yea1s, 01 t\venty
1nen fo1 half, a-year, &c ).
The p1oduc111g labou1, I say, is
nl\vays tbe same; b11t t110 i)roduct is constantly v11ryi11g.
Thus, in the case .L\.l1)hJ. the product is one h1111d1 ed a11cl

2-17

0:::-1 POLITIC.A.I. J.:CO!\O:'olY

fifty qua1ters; in the cases Delta ancl Epsilo11, ~lien cultivation has been compelled by increasing population to descend upon infe1ior land, the prod11ct of equal labou1 is no
more than one hundred and forty qua1ters ; and iA the case
Iota it has fallen to one hundrecl and twent~ quarter&. ,
Now, upon Th R1caido's principle of valciatiol!, ! demand
to 1..11ow ~hat ought to be the price of these seve1al p10dncts wh1cl1 vary so much in quantity.
Plued. Why, since they are all the p1oducts of the same
quantity of labour, they ought all to sell for the same p1ice.
X. Doubtless; not, however, of necessity for the same
money price, since money may itself have "Vaiied, in which
case the same money price would be really a ve1y different
price; but for the same price in all things wl1ich ha"\""e 1not
varied in value The Xi product, therefore, which is ohly
nmety qua1 ters, will fetch the same ieal p1ice as tho Alpha
or Gamma products, which are one hundred and fifty. But,
by the way, in saying this, let me caution you against inaking tl1e false inference that co1'll is at the same piice in the
case X1 as in the case Alpha
Gamma; for the infeience
is the v~ry opposite; since, if ninety quarters cost as much
as one hundied a11d fifty, then each individual c1ua1ter of
the ni11ety costs a g1e11t deal more. Thus, su1)pose that
tl1e Alpha p1oduct sold at 4 a-quarte1, the p1ice of the
whole would be 600. 600, therefore, n1ust be the p1ice
of Xi, or the ninety quarte1s; but that is 6 : 13 . 4.
a-quaiter. This ought to be a needless caution; yet I havr
known economists of great name stand much in 11eed of it
Pha:d. I am sure I stand iIJ. need of it, and of all sort of
'
assistance, for I am ''ill at these numbers.'' But let us go
on; what you requiie my assent to, I understand to be this:
that all the different qnnnt1ties of corn e:xp1essed in the
first colnrun will be of the same value, because they arc :111

or

2i8

TIIE 'fE1IT'LAns' DI,\.LOl} UI.:S

alil~c the p1oduct of ten 1ncn's'labou1.

To this I cb asoe11t,
and what next? Does anybody dc11y it?
X. Yes, M1 ltfalthus : lie asseits tl1at the value 'v1ll 1zot
be always the same; and tl1e pu11Joso of tlie ninth colt1mn
is to assign the t1uc val11es; 'vhich, by loolring into that
column, you inay pp1cc1ve to be co11stantly vaiyir1g: tl1e
value of .A.lpl1a, fo1 instance, is t\velvc a11cl 5-lOths; the
value of Epsilon is t\velv~ and 7-lOths; of Iota, t,vclvo; and
of X1, cloven and 25-lOOtlis.
Phmd. But of 'vhat'2 T\\'clvo a11d 5-lOtlis of \Vl1at7
"'Y. Of anything \vh1cl1, thogh va1iablc, has i11 fi1ct
'
bappe11ed to be stationary in value; or, if you choo3e, of
anytl1i11g \vl1icl1 1s not variable in value.
Plzmd. Not variable t But tl1c1e is no s11cl1 thing.
X. No! l\fr Malthus, ho\veve1, says there is, lnbou1, he
asserts, is of unalterable value.
Plzmd What' docs he mean to say tl1en that tho,labourc1
always obtams the same wagcs'l
X. Yes, the same 1eal \Vages; all dllfe1 e11ccs bc111g only
appa1ently in tl1e 'vages, but ieally In the co111moc1ity in
\vh1ch the wages arc paid. Let that commodity bo '''l1eat;
then, If the labou1e1 ieecives te11 quarte1s of \V heat in 1800,
and nine in 1820, that \vould imply only that'' l1ent \VUS alJout
11 per cent. cleaIe1 in tho latte1 yeu1. 01 let money be
that commodity; t11en, if tho labou1e1 receives tl11s cc11tury
2s , and next centu1y 3s., t111s slillply u1gues tl1at money
has fallen in value by 50 IJe1 cent
Pltmd. Why, so It may; and the \Vhole d1ft'e1cnce in
wages may have a11sen 1n that \Vay, and be 011ly uppa1ent.
But then It may also have urise11 from a cl1ange u1 tl1c
real value of 'vages ; that is, on the R1card1un pI1nciplc,
in the qua11t1ty of labour necessa1y to produce wages.
And this latte1 must have been tho ua.ture of the cl1ange, '

249

ON l'OI,l't'IC.AL ECONO)IY

if Alpl1a, Iota, Xi, &c., shoulcl be found to pu1cl1ase ruo1c 1nl)our; in which case .Mr Rica1do's doctrine is not distnrbed;
for he will say that Iota, in 1700 exchanges for 12, and
'
Kappa in 1800 for 11, not because Kap1)a has fallen in
that propo1tion (for Kappa, being the product of the same
labour as Iota, cannot fall below the value of Iota), but
because the commodity for which they are exchanged has
1isen in that propo1 tion.
X. He will; but l\I1 1.falthus attempts to bar that
answer in this case, by alleging that it is impossible f 01 the
commodity in question (viz., labour) to rise or to fall in
that or in any other proportion If then the change cannot be in the 1abou1, it must be in Alpha, Beta, &c. , in
which case Mr Ricardo will be ove1 thio\vn, for they a1e
the products of the same quantity of labol).r, and yet have
not ietained the same value.
Phced. But, to bar M1 Ricardo's answer,
Malthus
must not allege this n1erely; he roust.prove it.
X. To be sure; and the fi1st seven columns, of this
table are designed to prove it. Now tl1en we have done
'vith the ninth column, and also with the eighth; for they
are both mere corolla1ies f1om all the rest, and linked
together under the pla1n rule of three. Dismiss these altogether; and we w1ll now come to the argument.

nil

SI~CTION

II.

The table is no1v reduced to seven columns, and the

logic of It is this: the four fi1st columns express the conditions under w~1ch the three following ones are deduced
its consequences; and they a1e to be read thus, taking the
case Alpha by way of example :-Suppose that (by colunz1i
one) the land cultivated is of such a quality that ten
lt.llou1ers produce me ona hundred and fifty quarte1~ or

'

'

TilE Tt;31PJ,,\ It&' DI \I oc~ LJ;:)

250

corn; and that (by colu11z1i t1vo) en.cl1 ln.lic)111c1 ieceivc.,

for bis O\Vn \Vages t\velvc c1ua1te1s; i11 \\'l11cl1 caso (by
,olumii three) the \Vhole te11 receive 011e 11u11t1retl 1111tl t\vc11L)'
qua1te1s; and thus (by colunirt fo111) lea\c me f'o1 i11y l>l'olit
thirty c1ua1ters out of all tl1at tl1cy 11a\ e p1ocl11ccc1; i. e,
25 per cent. U nde1 these conclitions, I ir1s1:.t (says l\fr
11falthus) that the '"ages of ten men, :1;,, st11tcd ir1 colun1n
three, let tl1em be l)l'oduced by little l11bo111 01 inuch
labour, shall neve1 exceed or fall bclo\\' 011c 111\a11abl~
value exp1essed in column seve11; a11cl ucco1 dir1gly, by
looking do\vn that column, you \v1ll pe1cc1e 0110 11111fo11n
valuation of 10. Upon tl11s stJ.teme11t, it is 111a111l'cst thtit
the wl1ole f01ee of t11e logic tu1ns u1)011 tl1e ace111ucy \V1lh
which column th1 ee I:t val11ed in colum11 se\c11. If tho.t
valuation be co11ect, then It f ollo\YS that 1111de1 all clla11gc:i
in' the quantity of labour \vhicl1 p1oduccs tl1ern, \Vagcs
never alte1 In ieal value; iii othe1 \\'Ords, tl1e value of
labour is invariable.
Plued But of course you deny that the valuation is
cor1ect 'l
X. I do, Phred1us, the valuation is wrong, even on l\Ir
~Ialthus's 01 any other man's p11nciples, in eve1y i11stance;
il1e value is not truly assigned in o. srngle case of the \vl1ole
fourteen. For ho\v does Mr Malthus obtain this invari,
able value of ten cz lie resolves the value of the ,\ages
expressed in column three into t\VO pa1 ts; one of \vl1icl1,
under the name '' Zabou1,'' 11e assigns in column five ; tho
other, under the n11me ''profits,'' he assigns in colum11 six;
and column seven exp1esses the sum of these t\vo }Jill ts;
' "\vh1ch are always kept equal to ten by al\vays cornpe11sating ea.ch other's excesses and defects. IIe11ce, Pl1U?tl1l1s,
yon see that as column seven simply e::-..-pres;,,es tl1e s11n1
ot' columns five and six if tl1ose column'> a1e right, col11u111
I

ON POL1TIC .\I. ECON03IY.

seven cannot be wrong. Consequently it is i11 co1umus fivt:and ::iix tb'at we are to look for the root of th~ error ; \\ h1ch
is indeed a ve17 gross one.
Plizl. Why, now, for instance, take the case Alpha, and
i.vhat is the error you detect in that 'l

X. Simply this that in column five, instead of 8, the

trne value is 6.J; and in column scr, insteacl of 2, the true
value is 1.6 ; the sum of wl1ich values is not 10 b11t 8;
ancl that is the figure which should have stood in column

seven.
Phil. How so, X. '? In column five Mr Malthus undertakes to ac;sign the quantity of labour necessary (under
the conditions of the }Jarticnlar case) to produce the wages
expressed in column three, which 'ln this case Alpha are
one hundred and twenty quarters. Now yo11 cannot deny
that he has assignec1 it truly; 'for, when ten men produce
one hundred and fifty (by col11mn one) i.e, each man
fifteen it must require eight to produce one hundred and
twenty ; fo1 one hundred and twenty is eight times fifteen.
Six men a11d 4-lOths of a man, the numbe1 you woulc1
substitute, could p1oduce only ninety-six quarters.
X. Ve1y true, Ph1lebus; eight , men are necessary to

procluce the one hundred and twenty quarters expressed

in column th1ee. And nO\V answer me: what part of thei1
o\rn product will these eight produce1s deduct for their
o\vn wages'?
Phil. Why (by column two J, each man's wages in tl1is
case are twelve quarters; therefore the wages of the eight
men will be ninety-six quarters.
X. And what quantity of labour will be necessa1y to
produce these ninety-six c1uarters?
Pliil. Each man producing fifteen, it will requi1e six
men's labou1, and 4-lOths of another man's l.ibot1r.
l

'
'

2.32

'

TIII~ TI~11I>L,\R S Dl,\LOGUES

X. Very well; 6 4 of the e1gbt a1e e111ployed i11 p1 oducing the wages of the ivhole eight. N O\V tell me, Philebus, what more than their OiVII wugcs do the whole eigl1t
_ produce'!
Pliil. Why, as they produce m all one l1undrcd antl
twenty qua1te1s, and their own deduction is i1mety-sL"\.,
it is clear that they produce twenty-fou1 quarters besides
their own 'vages.
'
X. And to whom do these twenty-fom qua1ters go 'l
Plzzl. To the11 employer, f01 his profit.
X. Yes ; and it answers the condition exp1essed in
column four; for a profit of twenty-four q11aite1s on ninetJsix 1s exactly 25 per cent. But, to go on you have
acknowledged t11at t11e ninety-sL'{ qua1te1s fo1 \\'ages woulll
be produced by the labour of 6.4 men. Now ho\v mucl1
labour will be requited to produce the rema111i11g twe1ttyfour qua1 ters for profits?
'
Plzzl. Because fifteen quarte1s requ11 e the labo111 of one man
'
(by column one), twenty-fou1 l\'111 requ11e the labour of l.G.
X. Right; and thus, Philebus, you have ackno,vlec1ge<l
all I wIBh. The object of l\Ir Malthus is to ascertain t11e
cost in labour of p1oducing ten men's 'vages (01 one
hundred and twenty quarters) under the cond1t1ons of this
case Alpha. The cost resolves itself, even on l\fr l\Ialthus'fl
pr1nc1ples, into so much wages to the laboure1s, anc1 so
much profit to their employer. Now you or I 'v1ll unde1tale to furnish l\!1 l\Ialthus tl1e one hur1d1ed and twenty
c1ua1ters, not (as he says) at a cost of ten men's labour (for
at that cost ive could produce him one hur1dred and fifty
quarters by column one), but at a cost of eight. Fo1 SL"'C
men' and 4-lOths will produce the whole wages of the
eight p1oducers, and one mau a11d G-lOths \Vlll lJl'oduce
our profit of 25 pe1 cent.
_

'

ON POLITICAf. ECONO:.tY.

253

PlzCEd. The n1istake, then, of Mr Malthus, if I understand

it, is egregious; in column five he estimates the labour
uecessa1y to produce the entue one hundred and twenty
quarters which, he says, is the labour of eight men; antl
so it is, if he means by labour what produces both wages
and profits; otherwise not. Of necessity, therefore, he has
ai:;signed the value both of wages and profits in column
five. Yet in column six he gravely proceeds to estimate
profits a second time.
X. Yes; and, what is still worse, in estimating these
}lrofits a second tim~ over, he estimates them on the
\Vhole one hundred and twenty; i.e., he allows for a second
profi_t of thi1 ty quarters ; else it could not cost two men's
labour (as by his valuation it does); for each man in the
case .Alpha prodttces fifteen quarters. Now thirty quarters
added to one hundred and twenty, are one hundred and
fifty. But this is the product of ten men, and not the wages
of ten men ; which is the amount offered for valuation iI1
column three, and which is all that column seven professes
to have valued.
SECTION ill.

Phced. I am satisfied, X. But Philebns seems perplexed.

Make all clear, the1ef01e, l)y demonst1ating the same result
in some other way. With your adroitness, it can cost
you no trouble to treat us with a little display of dialectical skirmishing. Sho'v us a specimen of manamvring ;
enfilade him ; take him in front and rear; and do it rapidly,
and with a light-horsemap.'s. elegance.
X. If yon wish. for variations, it is easy to give them.
In the first argument, what I depended on was this.that the valuation was inaccurate. Now, then, secondly,
!'uppose the valuation to be accurate, in this case we must
st1ll disallow it to M1 Malthus; for in columns five and six
'

'

254.

TIIE TE!IIPLARS' DIAT.OGUES

he values by the quantity of p1oc1ucing lnlJou1 ; but that ,

is the R1cardian principle of valuation, 'vhich is the very
prir1c11lle that he 'vr1tes to overtl1row.
Plzced. This may seem a good quoad ho1nine11i o.rgi1ment.
Yet surely any man may use tho p11uciple of his a11tago111st
in 01de1 to exto1t a pa1ticular result f1om it?
X Ile may , but in that case '\vill the re5ult llo truc1 or
will it not be t1i1e 'l
Plzced. If he denies the p1inciple, ho is bound to thinlc tho
result 1zot t1ue; and he uses it as a 1cductzo ad abs111 d1l1n.
X. Right; but now in this case Mr Maltl1us presents tho
:i:esult as a t1uth.
Plzzl. Yes, X ; but observe, t11e iesi1lt IS t11e c1irect contradiction of l\I1 Ricardo's iesult. The qunnt1t1cs of colun111
fi1st va1y in vali1e by column t110 last; but the iesi1lt, i11
:Mr Rica1do's hands, is that they do 11ot vo.1y in value.
X Sttll,1f in M1 l\Ialthus's bands tl10 Jll'inc1ple 1s made to
yield a truth, then at any rate the p11nciple is itself true;
'
and all that will be proved aga111st l\Ir R1ca1do is, that he
applied a sound p1iI1c1ple unsl{1lfully. But l\f1 Malthus
'\vr1tes a book to prove that the p1i11ciple is 11ot sound.
Plza;d. Yes, and to substitute another.
X. True, ,vltlch othe1, I go on tl111 clly to say, is actually
employed i11 this table. On which account it is fa11 to say
that M1 Malthus is a thi1d time iefuted. Fo1, if two inconsistent p1inciples of valuation be employer], then the
table will be vicious because heteronymous.
Plzzl. Negatur nzznor.
X. I p1ove the minor (viz , that two inconsistent p1inciples are employed) by column the ninth ; and thence also
I deduce a fourth and afiftli refutation of the table.
Phred Euge I Now thIS is a pleasant sltl1mishing.
,
X. Fo1 in column the last, I sny that the p1inciple of

'

O~

valt~ation

POLITICAL ECOXOliY.

'

255

employed is different fr~m that employed in

columns five and SIX. Upon which I offer you this dilcmmc..:
it is 01 it IS not; choose.
Phzl. Suppose I say, it is~
.
X. In that case, the result of this table is a case of
ide1n per ide1n; a pUIe childish tautology.
Phz7. Suppose I say, it is not ?
X. In that case, the result of this table is false.
Plzzl. Demonstrate.
X. 1 say that the principle of valuation employed in
colun1n nine is, not the quantity of p1oducing labour, but
the quantity of labour co1n11zanded. Now, if it is, then
the result is childish tautology, as being, identical with the
1
prerojses. :b or it is already introduced into the premises as
one of the conditions of the case Alpha (viz., into column
two), that twelve quarte1s of coin shall command the
lapour of one man; which being premised, it is a mere
variety of expression for the very same fact to tell us
in column nine, that the one hundred and fifty quaite1 s
of column the first shall command twelve men and 5-lOtbs
of a man; for one hundred and forty-four, being twelve
times twelve, will of course command twelve men, and the
remainder of six quarters will of course command the half
of a man. And it is most idle to employ the elaborate
machinery of nine colurn11s to deduce, as a learned result,
what you have already put into the premises, and postulated amongst the conditions.
Phced. This will therefore destroy Mr Malthus's theory
a fourth time.
X. Then, on the other hand, if the principle of valuation .
epiplored in column nine is the same as that employed in
columns five :ind six, this principle must be the quantity of
11rodtlcing labour, and not the quantity of labour com~

256

TllF. TE~IPLAltS' DIALOGUES

'

mancled. But in that case the iesult will be false. Fo!'

colun1n nine values column the fust. No\v, If the one
hunc11ed ancl fifty quarteis of case Alpha are tiuly valued i11
column first, then they aie falsely valued in column the

last; and, if tiuly valued In column the last, t11en falsely

valuecl in column tl1e first. For by column the last the
one hundiecl and fifty quarte1s are p1oduced by the labour
of t\velve and a-half men; but it is the veiy condition of
column the first, that the one hundred and fifty quarter:are produced by ten men.
P/z(T?,d. (Laugliing ) This is too hot to last. Here we
J1ave a fifth refutation. Can't you give us a sixth, X: 'l
X. If you please. Supposing Mr l\faltl1us's theoiy to
be goocl, it sl1all be impossible for anytl1mg whatsoever
at any time to vary in value. For how shall it vary?
Because the quantity of producing Iaboui varies? But that
is the -very }Jr1nc1ple \vhich he is writing to overthrow.
Shall it va1y, then, because tne value of the p1oducing laLour
varies? But tlzat is impossible on t11e system of l\'Ir JYial,
thus; for, accordmg to this system, the value of labour is
invariable.
Plztl. Stop, I've thought of a dodge. The thmg shall
vary, because the quantity of labour commanded shall vary.
X But how shall that vary 7 .A. can never command a
greater quantity of labour, or of anything which is presumed to be of invar1able value, until .A. itself be of n.
higher value. To command an altered quantity of labour,
. wl1ich (on any theory) 'must be the consequence of altered
valu,e, can never be the cause of altered value. No alterations of. labour, therefore, whether as to quantity or value,'
shall evei account for the altered value of A; for, accord:
ing to Mr :i\'Ialthus, they are either insufficient on the onu
l.t!lnd, or impossible on the other.

O:X POLITICAI. ECONO)!Y.

257

Pht1. Grant this, yet value may still vary ; for suppose
labour to be invariable, still p1ofits may vary.
X. So that, if .A. iise, it mil irresistibly &.1gue profits
to have iisen 1
Phzl. It wtll; because no other element can have risen .

X. But now column eight assicins the value of a unifo1m

quantity of corn viz., one hundred quartets. In case
..Alpha, one hund1ed quarte1s a1e wo1th 8.33. What are
one hundred qua1-ters worth in the case Iota 'l
Phil. They are worth 10.
X. And that is clearly more. Now, if A have risen, by
your O\vn admission I am entitled to mfe1 that profits have
r:IBen: out wnat are profits fu the case Iota ?
Phil. By co111mn fom, they are 20 pe1 cent,
X. And what in the case Alpha?
Plizl. By column four, 25 pe1 cent.
X. Then profits have fallen in the case Iota; but, because

.A. has risen in case Iota from 8.33 to 10, it i~ an irresistible inference on your theory that profits ought to have

nsen.
PhaJd. (Laughing.) Philebus, this is sharp Practice; go
on, X., and skirmish with him a little more m this voltigenr
style.
N.B.-Tlns little paper wea1s a fragmentary appearance; for t11e
explanation of "l'r h1ch the reader is referred to the Preface.

L2

ON "\VAR .

FE'V people need to be told, that associations

C'\I'lt tlft

antl down 0'11istendom, hn.ving tl10 a111l>it1011s object of

abolishing war. Some go so f111 as to believe t11nt tl1is
evil of wnr, so ancient, so ubiquitous, autl a1Jptt1e11tly
so inalienable from inau's posit1011 11pou ea1th, is alretl(ly
doomed; that not t11e p11,11te assoc1ntions only, but the
prevailing voice of races the most civ1l1scd, is tc11di11g to
confede1ation agai11st it; that sentence of ex.tern1inution
has virtually gor.e forth ; and that all, \\'h1ch remui11s, is

gradually to execute the sente11ce. Co11scientiously, I

find myself unable to jom in t11cse views. Of all 1oma11ccs,
this seems to me the most iomu11tic. Conseqt1e11t1y, \\11cn
asked to become a membe1 of any such association, I hJ.ve
al\vays thought it most iespectful, becau::.e most s1nce1e, tc>
decline. Yet, as it is painful to icfusc all ma11;:s of i;ympathy with persons \vhose motives one honours, I de:,ign at
my death to bequeath half-u.-c10,vn as the foundntio11-i,tor1e
,
of a fund for extmgu1shi11g \var; the said half-cro\vn to be
f
improved in all tlllle coming fo1 the-benefit of tho aforesa1cl
fund, under the trusteeship of Euro1Je, .A.sin., ancl .A.mo11cn.,
but not of .A.frica. I really dare not trust Africt1. \Vi th
money, so little is she able as yet to to.ke care of her~elf.
This half-crown (a, fu11d that \vill ove1shadow the ea1tl1
,
, ' cfore it comes to be \vanted, under the p1ovisions of ruy

'

259
\\ill) is to be. improved at any interest whatever no mat- .
'
ter what; for the vast period of the accumulations will
easily c-0mpensate any tardiness of advance, lo11g before
the time comes for its commencmg po.yment ; a point
which will be reachly understood by any gentleman that
hopes to draw upon the fund, when he has read the follo,ving explanation.
.
'
There is in Ceylon a granite cippus, 01 monumental pillar, of immemorial antil111ity; and to this pillar a remarlrable legend is attached. The pillar measures six feet by
six i.e., thirt)-six sc1uare feet-on the flat c1uadiangnlar
tablet of its up1Jcr horizontal smface; and in height tho
pilla1 measures seve1al 1iya1zas (\\hich are Ceylonese cubits
of eighteen it1cl1es each) ; but of these cubits, there are
cithe1 eight or t\\el,e; excuse me for having forgotten
i'i'hich. .At first, pe1haps, you 'vill be angry viz., when
you hear that this simple difference of four cubits, or six
feet, measures a clillerencc fo1 you1 'expectations, whether
you count those e:\.-pectations in kicks or halfpence, that
absQlutely st1i1..es ho1ror i11to ar1tl1metic. The siI.1gularity
of the case is, that the ve17 solemnity of the legend, ancl
the in1measl1rability of time, de1Jend upon the cubical rontents of the mon11ment, so that a. loss of one granite chi1)
is n. loss of a frightful infinity; )et, again, for that veI')'
reason, the loss of all but a chip, len.ves behind a time-fund
oo appallingly inexhat1stible, that everybody becomes care~
less about the four cubits. Enough is as good as a feast.
T\VO bottomless abysses take as much time fo1 the d1ve1 us
ten; and five eternities are as frightful to look clown as
four-and-twenty. In the Ceylon legencl all turns upon
the inexhaustible" series of ages v.hich this pillar guarantees. But, as one inexhaustible is quite enough for one
race of men, and you a1e sure of more by ineffable e:'l.ce;;~
;

260
'

tlian you can use in any consum1)tion of your olvn, naturally

you become generous; '' and betlveen f1iends,'' you say, m
accepting my apologies for the doubtful e1101 as to the
f'our cubits\ ''what signifies au infinity more or less?''
For the Ceylonese legend is tl1is, that once, and only
once, in eveiy hundred yea1s, an angel visits the granite
pillar. This angel is dressed in a robe of lvlute muslin,
inuslin of that kind which the Romans called au1a te:ttzlzs\Voven, as might seem, f1om zephy1s or f1 om pulses of tl1e
s.ir, such m its tianspa1ency, such ,1n its gossame1 lightness. Does the angel touch th~ pillar with hIB foot? Oh, no !

Even tlzat lVould be something, but even tlzat IS not allol\ ecl.
In his soundless flight across 1t, he suffers the hem of 111s
impalpable robe to sweep tl1e surface as fueam1Iy as a
moonbeam. So much and 'no mo1e of pollution he endures from contJtct with earthly obJects. The lowest extrefillty of his fuess, but lv1th the delicacy of hght, g1azes
the granite surface. And that is all the attr1tio-n wl1ich the
sacred granite receives in the course of any one centu1y ;
and this is all the progress which we, poo1 ch1lclre.n of
earth, in any one century make. towards the exhaustion of
our pr1son-pe1'iod. But, argues the subtle legend, even
tlzat attrition, when weighed in metaphysical scales, cannot
be derued its value ; it has detached from the ptlla1 an
atom of granite dust, the ratio of wh1oh atom to a g1a1n
avoiIdupois, if expressed as a f1action of uruty, would by
its denominator st1etch from the .A.ccountant-Gene1al's
office in London to the lVIilky Way. No,v, the total mass
of the gramte represents, on this scheme of payment, the
total a1rearage of man's 1ace, as debto1s to Father Time
and ea1'thly corruption; all this intole1able score, chalked
up to our debit, we by ourselves and our postei1ty have
to ab off, before the granite will be rubbed away b)' t11e
1

ON WAR.

261

muslin robe of the proud flying angel, before time \Vill be

at an end, and the bu1den of flesh accomplished. Some
sceptics in Ceylon offer bets upon the granite against the
muslin; conceiving that the attrition of the second by the
first will far outrun the inverse attrition. But, at any iatc,
the muslin, being wo1n by an angel, will never need washing;
which, in oriental lands, is the capital mode of attrit1onbuman or angelic. .And the local estimate may tl1erefore be
taken as correct, which expresses in terms that will astonish
Baron Rothschild, what is the p1ogress in hquidation which
we make fo1 each pa1ticular century. A billion of centuries pays off a quantity that is barely visible under n
powerful lens. Despair seizes a man in contemplating a
single coupon, no bigger than a. Ylsiting card, of such a.
stock as this; and behold we have to keep on paying
away until the total granite is reduced to a level. with a
grain of mustard-seed. But, when that is accomplished,

our last gene1ation of descenc1ants will be entitled to leave

at Master Tlille's door a P. P. C. carc1, upon seeing which,
the meagre shadow is bound to give a receipt in full fo1 all
debts and arrears. Pe1haps the reade1 and I know of debts
on both sides the Atlantic that have no greater prospect
of being paid off much before this in Ceylon.
N atu1ally, to match this order of debts, moving off so
slowly, there are funds that accumulate as slowly. My
O\vn funded half-cro,vn is an illustration. The half-c10\vn
m1l travel in the inverse 01der of the granite pillar. The
pillar and the half-cro\vn move upon oppoSite tacks; and
there is a point of time (which it is for .Algebra to investigate) when they will cross each other in the exact moment
of their punctual decussation, as you see it expressed in a
St Andrew's Cross, or letter X. From this half-way point
of intersection, my aspiring half-crown wtll tend g1udually

262

Ol'! 'V'.\T:.

towa1ds the fixocl stars, so that l)Orhaps it might lio 1igl1t

'
to rual{e the man in the moo)l trustee fo1 that part of tl1e
~1ccumulu.t1ons 'vhich i1ses above tho optics of su1Jlunn1y
110.nkers; \vh1lst tl1e Ceylon pilla1 'v1ll constantly t1n\vcave
its O\vn granite textu1e, ancl d\\T1ndle earth1va1'lls. It is
p1obable that each i)rocess 1vill 1111ve ien.checl its consumm11tion about the same time. Wh11t is to be clone 'v1tl1
the musta1cl-seed, Ceylon has fo1gotten to say. But \Vl10.t
is to be clone with the half-c10,vn and its suipl11s, nobolly
can cloubt aftei r.ead1ng my last 1VIll and testume11t. ...if'tei
ieciting a fe,v inconsiderable legacies to the three contiucnts, an cl to the man in the moon, for any tlouble they
may have had in managmg tho hype1bollcal accumulut1ons,
I go on to obse1ve, that, 1vhen \Va1 is p1ovecl to have taken
itself off for eve1, '' and no mistake'' (because I foresee ma11y
f..tlse ala1ms of a perpetual peace), a va11oty of incon'1e11iences
'
\v1ll arise to all branches of the United Se1vice, not except111g even the Horse J\Iarines. Clearly there can br. no ,
1no1e half-pay. Pensions are at an e11d :t'or ''good seivice,., '
or fetch httle more than Spanish and ~reek bonds.
Allowances for wounds .ca11not be thougl1t of, when all
"\vounds shall have ceased except those from female eyes,, foi wluch the Ho1se Gua1ds is too little advanced in c1vilisat1on to make much allo\vance. Ba.rga111s there \Vlll bo
no mo1e amongst auctions of old government stores.
B11m1ngham will be ruined, 01 so much of Drrmingham us
depe11ded upon l'lfies. And ihe great Scotch works on the
river Ca1~on '''111 be iuined fo1 want of beef-steaks, so far
as Ca1ron. depended for beef upon ca1ronacles. Otl1er
\
arrears of vil will stretch out endlessly after the extinction
of 'va1, an would tend to general banktl1ptcy, 've1e they
not all cha1 -ed r1pon the interminable sinking-funcl of n1y
I

hru[

CJ:O\Vn.

'

263

l!pon this fi1nd it is (a fund able to meet anything by

the time it is wanted) that I charge once and for ever the
general relief of all debts, deficiencies, or burdens incident
to the final extinction of i\ar I charge tbe fund i'rith a
perpetual allowance of half-pay to all the armies of ea1ih;
or indeed, whilst my hancl is in, I cha1ge it with full pay.

.And I strictly enjoin upon my trustees and executors, but

especially upon the man in the moon, if his unsocial 1.Ifo
has left him one spark of gentlemanly feeling, that he anll
they shall construe all claims liberally; nay, with that riotous liberality*which is ~afe and becoming, when applied to
n. tund so inexhaustible. Yes, reader, my fund will, be inexhaustible, seeing that it cannot cease growing so long
as war continues to exist. Of necessity, therefore, the ine.x:haust1lJility of my p1onsional f11nd is concu1Tent with
that of the granite pillar in Ceylon.
Yet why, or on l'lhat principle'? It is becnuse I see a
twofold necessity for war: lst, a physical necessity arising
out of man's nature when combined with man's situation;
2clly, a moral necessity connected \\ith benefits of compeusation,..such as continually lu1k in enls acknowledged to
be such a necessity under which it becomes lawful to say,
that war ouglzt to exist, as a balance to opposite tendencies
of a still more eru character. War is the mother of \'irong
and spoliation : granted; but, like other scourges in the
ilivine economy, war pm'ifies and redeems itself when viewed
as a connterforce to greater evils that could not otherwise
' be intercepted or ,redressed. "Irr two different meanmgs
we.say that a thing is necessary: either in that case where
it is inexorably forced on by some sad overruling principle
which it is vain to fight against; or, 2clly, in that case
where an jnstr11ment of sorrowful consequences to man, that
separately would have been hateful, passes m,>-ste1ious1y

264

ON

1V.\.l~.

ir1to un object of tole1at1on, of hope, or even of pru.)c1, ns

u counte1-venom to the taint of some mo1e mortal poiso11.
Poverty, for instu11ce, sta11ds in both ca.tegorics of tl1is t\vofold necessity. ,As a gro\vth of physical nece::is1ty, it fo1111s
p111t of tl1e p1imal curse; und tl1e Sc1iptures \Varn 11& tl111t
it '''111 neve1 cease out of the land. But, by the g1andc11r
of man's nature, it 1s disu1med of its sting ; at1(l uctin~ as
a nzoral coercion upo11 t}1e human \vill, 1t exto1 ts i1111111nc1ablo graces of patience, of he1oic resistance, of heuve11-bor11
ene1gy, tl1at \Vould else huve languishecl. \V a1 stands, or
:>eems to stand, upon the same double basis Of Ilecessity; a
prima1y necessity that belongs to our huma11 degral1ations,
a secondu1y one that towers by means of its 1no1al i elations
into the region of ou1 impassioned g1u11dcurs. 'l'l1e t\vo
p1opositions on \Vh1ch I take 111y i:.tand u1e t11ese: 1st, that.
tl1ere a1e nowhere latent Ill society UIIY 1)0\VCl'S by \Vhicll it
can effectually ope1ate on \Var for its e:'..te1n1lllation. 'l'l1e
maclune1y is not there. 'rhe game is not \vithin the compass of the curds. 2dly, that this defect of pO\\'e1 is not
a curse, but on the \vhole a blessmg f'1om century to ce11tury,
if it is an inconveruence from year to ycu1. 'rho A.bolitio11
Committees, it is to be feared, 'v1ll be ve1y u11gry at botl1
propos1t1ons. Y ct, gentlemen, hca1 me st1Ike, but heu1
me. That's u so1t of plag1a1ism from ThemIStocles. But
n~ver mmd. I have us good a right to the words, until
translated back into Greek, us that most classical of yello'v
admirals. I protest that I should have used these \Vord:.
even if ThemIStocles had absconded into Scythia m his boy~
hood. '' Pereant qui alite nos nost1a dzxerunt I''
The first propos1t1on is, that war cannot be abolished ;
the second, and more offensive that war ought not to be
abolished. Fil st, the refore, conce1ning the first. Ho'v
Chme it into any man's hea1t, first of all, to conceive so

265

IJN "\\'AR.

1iudacio11s a11 id~a as that of a conspi1acy against war 1

Whence could he d1aw any vapou1 of hope t~ ~ustain his
preliminary steps 7 .A.nd, in framing his plot, which way
did he set his face to look out for accomplices'.! Revolving
this question in times past, I came to the conclusio11 that
perhaps this colossal project of a war against wa1, had been
first put in motion under a misconception (natural enough,
and countenanced by books) as to the t1uo histo1ical 01igin
of wars in many notorious instances. If these had arisen
on trivial imJ?ulses, a trivial iesistance might have intercepted them. The one mistake might authorise the other.

I
If tt man has once persuaded himself that long, costly, and
bloody wars had arisen upon a pomt of ceremony, upon a
personal pique, upon a hasty word, upon some explosion of
momentary caprice, it is a natural inference that strengtl1
of national i\'111, and public combinations for resistance,

might prove redundantly effective when pointed against personal and casual autho1s of wa1, so weak, and so flexible to
any stern counter-volition as those inust be presumed, whose
wars had aigued so much of vicious levity. - The inference
is unexceptionable : it is the p1emises that a1e unsound.
Anecdotes of war as having emanated from a lady's teatable or toilet, would authorise such inference as to the
facilities of cont1olllng them. But the anecdotes tl1emselves
are false, or false substantially. All anecdotes, I fear, are
false. I am sorry to say so ; but my duty to the reader
exto1ts f1om me the disag1eeable confession, as upon a
matter specially investigated by myself, that all dealers in
anecdotes a1e tainted ,with mendacity. Rarer than the
phcenL"C is that virtuous man (a monster he is nay, lie IS
an impossible man) who Wlll consent to lose a p1osperous
anecdote on the consideration that it happens to be a lie.
A.11 history, therefore, being built p::i.1tly, and some o!' it
1.I

IV.

266

O'i 1V \I~.

altogetl1e1, tt}JOlL a11ccdot:1ge, 11111st l1C' n t1h'lt1e of f:1l'icl1ood11.

St1cl1, fo1 tl1c rnobt pitrt, 11> t11e 11i&t(>ry of Suetonius, \1h~~
may be esteemed t110 fitt11e1 of ar1ecdotuge; a11d bc111g s11cl1.
he (and not IIe1o(lottt'>) sl1011ld have, bce11 110110111 etl '\'itl1
the title, Fcttlie1 of Lze.~. S11cl1 1s tl1e Aug11&tar1 J-listo1y,
wl11cl1 is tl1e 111a1n icl1c111e of' tl1e Ilomun e1111111c; &ttch is
tl1e vast se1ics of' F1er1cl1 :i\Icmo1rs, no>v st1etcl1i11g tl1rougl1
rnorc tl1ur1 th1ee e11t11e cent1111cs. U r1iversally, it may lJe
1eee1ved as a rule, t11ut, \Vl1cn an u11ectlote involves u stinging repu1tce, or coll1s1on ot' ideas, fu11c1f11lly a11c1 b11ll111r1tly
'
relate<.l to each other by 1csem\)lu11ce 01 eo11t111st, tl1cu )'Ott
n1uy cl1ullenge it as false. 0110 1ll11&t1ut1011 of' \\ 111cl1 is,
that pretty i1carly evc1y 1ne111oruble p1 opos, Ol' po111tcd icpartce, 01 st11!\1r1g 11wt, c11culat1og at t11i11 1110111e11t 1r1 P:11js
1
01 Lo11do11, as tho 11ndoul,tetl property of 'l allc.y1ar1d (tb~t
ern1r1cr1t lc11ave), was asc11be(l 1n tl1e yen.1 1811-15, at the
Cor1gres& of Vienna, to the P1i11cc c1o Lig11c; ulJ011t fifty
yca1s ea1!1c1, inany of tl10 sa1ne 11iots 've1c asc11becl to tl1:Lt
bame Pr1ncc de I 11gne, t11e11 a. y1lu11g ma11, t\ve11ty 01 tl111 t)
ycttrs ea1!1e1 st1ll, tl1cy I1ad been. a<>c11bcd to Vol tau c, a11tl
so on, regressively, to inuny otl1e1 'v1ts (l\nave5 or not);
until, at length, if you persist ir1 bacl~ing 1u.1 e11011gl1, yol1
find yourself umo11gst Puga11'l, \Vith the ve1y same icpt11tec,
&c., clo1ng duty i11 p1etty good G1cck; '" somet11r1cs, f'tll'
"' 'fl11s is literally true, more frec111cntly than \V011lcl be q11ppose<l '
Fo1 lll~tancef a JCSt oftc11 ,1&cr1bed to Volta1rc, and.of late r101r1tc<llj
rccJ,11rr1ccl for l11m liy Lord Bro11gl1am, us being 011e tl1at 110 (Lortl
JJ.) co11J<l s\veu1 to for !tis, so c.!1ar,1cte11st1c sc.eme1l tl1e 11r11>1e~:.1011
of Vc1Jt,11re's mincl upon tl1e tournure of tl1e sarcas1n,, 11r1l1111>p1l.} fo1
tl11q \V,i~tc oi ~11g11c.1ty, may be fo11nd reco1<le<l lJy l!',1br1l.111s 1n t11e
'' B1l1l1otl1l.ca Gr..ccu,'' as the Jest of n. G1eel: \Vl10 has l>ce11 <lead
f<>l 11bo11t qc,entcen centuries. Tl1c mun certainly did utter the
~1t, .111<l 1750 years ago
But \vl10 1t \\a<; t11at lie stoic it fro.n
1.~ (,nott1er qucbt1on. 'l'o all appc11r,1nce, and accor<l1ng to Lflru


O~

WAlt.

267

instance, in Tuerocles, sometimes in Diogenes Laertiu~, in

Plutarch, or in Atbenreus. Now the thing, claimed by so
many people, could no~ belong to all or them; all of t11em,
'
you 1cnow, could not Le the inventors. Logic and commo11
sense unite in sho,,ing us that it must have belong,ecl to
tl1e moderns, who bad clearly been hustled and robbed by
the ancients, so much more likely to commit a robbery than
Ch1~stians, these ancients being all Gentiles
Pagn.11sHeathen clogs. What do I i1lfer from this? Why, that,
upon a1iy solution of the case, ha1clly one worthy saying cn.u

be mentioned, ha1dly one jest, pun, 01 sa1ca~m, which has

not l)een the occasion and subject of many falsehoocls as
having been au- (and 1nen-) dac1ously t1ansferrecl f1om generJ.tion to generation, sworn to in eve1y age as this ma11's
Brougham's opinion, t11e party 1obbed must have been ~I. de Voltaire. I notice tl1e case, ho\Ve\'er, of the Greek thefts and frauds
committed upon so many of our excellent "its belonging to the
eighteenth Or Illlleteenth cent11rics, c}1icfly "ith a "\'le\V to nf. de
Talleyrand, that rather middling bishop, but ve1y eminent lmave.
He also bas bee1i extensive!; iobbed b)' the Greeks of the second
and t11ird centu1 ies. Ho11 else can you account for so many of his
sayings being found amongst tl1e1r pages ?-a tl1ing you may ascertain in a moment, at any police office, by hn.ving the Greeks
searched, fo1 surely yot1 \\ ould never think of sea1cl1ing n. bishop.
:J:ost of tl1e Talle}ra11d Je1vels \\ill be found ccncealed amongst t11e
goods of these unprincipled Greeks But one, and the most famous
in the \vhole je1vel-case, &orry am I to confess, was nearly stolen
from the bishop, not by any Greek, but by an English 1v1iter, \'1Z.,
Goldsmith, '\ho must have been d)ing about tl1e time tl1at the
R1gI1t Re,erend F1ench knave had the goodness to be born. 'J'hat
famous 111ot about language, as a gift made to man for the purpose
of concealing 111s thougl1ts, is lurking 1n Goldsm1tl1's essays. Think
of that! Already, 1n hIB childhood, \Vh1lst the bishop \\as yet in
pettic.oats, and almost as soon as he had be!!lln
to cu1se and to
0
s~ea1 plainl ,. in French, an Irish \'agabond had attempted to S\\ indie
him out of that f.i.mous ,,1tt1cism "hich has since been as l(c.oi.l P.!!
a llfe-.i.i1nmty to the venerahle K.uave's !iter1'.ry tame.
;

268

1J101'lc1ty, or tl1at ma11's, by peor>le tT1at must l1avc I~no\v11

they were lying, ui1til you l'etirc f101n tl1e invest1gatio.1
,vith a conviction, tl1at t111de1 any system of cl11oi1ologyr ,
tl1e science of lying is the only 011e tl1at l1as neve1 clrooped.
Date from Anno Donzi1zi, 01 f1om tl1e Julian e1a, pat1onise
Olympiads, 01 patronise (as I do, f1om misa11th1opy, berause nobody else wzll) the era of Nabonassa1 110 matter,
upon every road, thicker than milestones, yo11 sec iecords of
human mendacity, 01 (wl1ich is much 'vorse, in my opinion)
of human sympathy 'vith other people's n1e11dacity.
This digression, now, on ai1ecdotes,"' is what the learnecl
'
~all an excztrsus, and, I am af1a1d, too long by half; not
1>tr1ctly m proportion. But don't mincl tlzat. I'll mal~e it
'1.ll right, by being too short upon something else, at the
'1e:xt oppo1tunity; and then nobody can complain. Mean\ime (I arg11e) that as all brilliant 01 e1Jigrammatic anecuotes are probably false, mo1e especially sucl1 a1c all tl1ose
g,necdotes which, fo1 the sake of raising wonderment, t1acc
great wars to trivial domestic b1awls. For instance, 've
ti.ave a F1ench anecdote, f1om the latter pa1t of the seventeenth ce11tury, ''Th1ch ascribes one bloody 'var to the acc1~t of a httle '' miff'' ar1s1ng bet'''een the king and his
~1In ter upon Rome sucl1 t11fle as the situation of a palace

'

" The word '' anectlotes '' fi1st, I bel1e;e, came into ct1rrenc)
about th middle of tl1e si:i..th centu1y, from the use made of it b)
Procop1us \ Literally, it 111d1catcd notl11i1g t11at could interest eithe1
public mal1U,e 01 puLl1c favou1 , it promised 011ly unp11b/1sl1ed notice&
of tl1e Empe~~1 J11st1n1a11, l11s \I 1fe Tl1eodora, N arses, .Bel1sa11us, &c.
But w/171 l1'lrl ~hey been unpubl1sl1ed? Simply because scand:1lo11s
11nd defam,1toty, and J1ence, from the interest which 1n\ested the
'
1.,ase of an imp~r1al
c.ourt so .remarkable, tl11s oblique, sccondalJ,
a11d j)Utely ac.c1dental mod1ficat1on of the 11 ord came to 1nfluciice
1t~ qe11e1al accentat1on
So arose the \\Ord; b11t the t/11ng arose 111th
Sueton1tL~ tliat de.ir, excellent, and l1ard-1vorh.1ng 'lather of J1c.:. >

,,1.udo\'i. .A.gain, f1om the ea1Iy })a1t of the e1g,ntee11th

century, we have an English anecclote, asc1ibing consequences no less bloody to a sudclen feud between t\\'O ladies,
t1ar1ng itself up to a pair of gloves ; so that, in effect, the
war and tee' gloves form the two poles of the t1ansaction.
H.l.1lequin throws a pai1 of Lime1ick gloves into a co1nImll; and the specttt.tor is astonished to see the gloves immediatel}' issuing from the hopper, "\Veil g1ouncl 111to seven
tt11uies of fifty thousancl men each, \vith pa1lrs of art1lle1y
to co1respond. In these two ?-necdotes, we iecognise at
once the able and mendacious artist~ arranging his mate1ials ;v1th a })ious rega1d to theat1ica.l effect 'l'he story,
fo1 example, of the Frc11ch minister Louvois, and the ad1 oitness with wluch he fastened upon great foreign potentates,
in the sha.pe of war, that irritability of temper in his ioyal
master which tl1reatened to co..aume himself; the c11plon1at1c add1ess with which h.e t1ansmuted suddenly the task of
shirm1sh1ng daily i11 council with his own sove1eig11, into
that far jollier mode of disputation '''I1ere one replies to all
objections of the ve1y keenest logician, eitl:ier with ioundshot 01 with g1ape ; 11e1e is an anecdote, which (f01 my
0"\\'11 part) I am inclined to view as pme gascona,de.
But
s11ppose the sto1y true, still it may happen that a bette1
vult1ution
of
it
mn.y
disturb
the
\vhole
edifice
of
logical
in,
ferences by "\Vhich it seemecl to favou1 the speculations of
t11e \Va1 abolitionists. Such a tale, or the English tale of
the gloves, being supposed true, it would seem to follo,v,
that wa1 and the pu1poses of war were phenomena of
chance growth, not attached to any i11stinct_ so ancient, or
so g1ooved into the dark necessities of 011r i1atu1e, as we
hacl all taken fo1 granted. Usually, we 1ank war with,
l1t1ng;e1, with cold, \v1th so1row, with deatl1, affliction~ of
otu- ltuman :,tate that spring up ns inevital1Jy 1''1tl1011t Sella-

'

27l)

rate culture, and in defia11ce of all hostile cultu1e, as vcr

dure, as weec1s, and as flowers that ove1s1)1 cad in s1)1iI1g
time a fe1t1le soil \v1thout needing to be sown 01 \Vatcrcd
-a,,ful is the' necessity, as it seems, of all such ufilictions.
Yet, again, if (as t11ese unecdotes imply) i'rar coulll by pos ..
'
sibility depend f1ec1uently on accidents of personal tc1npc1a..
1
ment, on n 1itabil1ty ir1 a sensual ki11g, ,,ot111clccl sensibilities
of p11de between t\VO sensitive ladie'l, the1e in a momc11t
shone fo1th u l1gl1t of hope upo11 the c1u:-ade nga111st war.
If perso1ial :tcc1de11ts, ancl accidents so t1ivial, coul(l, to auy
se1ious exte11t, be amongst the causes of \Var, then it \\'ould
become a hopeful cluty to I)t'econcert 1Jc1sonal cornb111ations
that should take an opposite d1.1cctio11. If casual causes
could be supposed chiefly to have p1omotecl wa1, how easy

for a nation to arrange permauent a11d dete1111iuate causes

against it ! The logic of tl1ese anecdotes seemed to a1guc
that the fountains of \Va1 '''ere left to tl1e gove111111ent of
chance and the wu1diest of levities ; tl1at war '' as not in
reality roused into act1v1ty by the evil that resides i11 tl1e
human will, but, on the cor1t1a1y, by the sim1Jle defect of
any will ene1getic enough to face a11d control tl1em. l\fult1tudes of ev1ls exist m ou1 social system, me1ely because
no steadmess of attention, nor action of combi11ed \\'Ill, has
been conve1ged upon them. W a1, by the silent e\ iclence
of these anecdotes, seemed to lie amongst that class of
evils. A new e1a might be expected to commence ftom the
moment when the true sou1ces of the evil we1e detected;
and the evil woulcl be half conque1ed f1om the moment that
it should be traced to a t1ivial 01 a pe1sonal 01ip;in.
All this was plausible, but false. The anecdotes, ancl all

similar anecdotes, might tell the t1uth, but not the wl1ole
t~uth. The logical vice in them was, that they confounded
nn ocrusion with a ca11se. 'fhe king's ill tempe1, for 1117

'

'
'

stance, acting through the levity and impatience c! the

ministe1, might be the causa occaszo1ialzs of the wa1, but not
its true causct ejficzens. What iias '2 Wllel e do the true
and ultimate causes of wa1, as distinguishecl from its
proximate excitements, find their lodgment ancl abidrng
ground~ 'They lie in the system of national com1Jetitions;
in the common political system to 1vhich all rnclividual
nations a1e ui1avo1dably pa1ties; in the system of pt1blic
fo1ces dist11buted amongst a numbe1 of iival nations, with
no internal p11nciple f 01 adjusti11g the equ1hbr1um of these
'forces, an cl no Council of .A.mph1ctions f 01 deciding Llisputes.
'
He1e lies the 11zc1t1 zx of wa1 v1z., in a system of mte1ests
that are dangerously the same, and therefore tile pa1 ents
of ii >alships too keen; that are dang e1 ously cliffe1e11t, and
therefore the parents of alienation too wide. .A.11 war is
an instinctive rzisus for iedress1ng the e1rors of eq111l1b11um
in the relat1>e position of nations amongst 11ations Eve1y
nation's duty, first, midst, and last, is to itself. No nation
can be safe from continual losses of ground, but by continual jealousies, watchings, and ambitious strivings to mend
its O\vn i)osit1ou. Civi.lities and higl1 bred courtesies pass
and ought to pass between nations; that is the graceful
drapery wl11ch shrouds their natmal, fierce, and tiger-hke
relations to each other. But the glaring eyes, 'vhich express this deep and inalienable ferocity, look out at intervals from below those go1geous drape1ies; and at mtervals
the acts suitable to such a temper mitst come f01;vard. Mr
Carter was on ter111s of the most exquisite dlssimulation
with his lions and tigers ; but as often as he trusted ills
pe1son amongst them, if, in the midst of jufin1te politeness
expresexchanged on all sides, he saw a certain portentous
,
sion of mutiny km~g in the eyeball of any discontented
'tiger, all was lost, unless he came do\\'11 instantly tipon thnt

I)!{

ti,Jer's skulJ 'vitl1 a blow from an i1on bar, that suggested ,

zomething like apoplexy. On such te1ms do ntitio11s meet
in diplomacy; high cons1c1e1at1on fo1 eacl1 otbe1 docs noi.
ronceal the basis of enmity oi1 which tl1ey iest; a11 enmit)
that does not belong to the11 feelii1gs, but to the necessities
of their position. Every 11atiou in ncgot1ati11g l1ac; I1c1
right hand upon the hilt of l1e1 s'vo1d, and at i11tc1'\'J.ls
playfully unsheatl1s a little of its glean1ing blacle. As
things stand at p1e~ent, wa1 and peace a1e bou11cl togetl111\'
like the v1c1ss1tudes of clay and n1gl1t, of Custo1 a11d Pollux. It matters little 'vhich buC:l;:ct of t11c t\vo is go111g t11>
at the moment, ''rbich going clo,\'-n. Dotl1 are stcclfastly
'
tied by a system of alte1nations to a ievol v111g ''vl1ccl; a11cl
a new war as certainly becomes due du1ing t11e C\'Olut1011s
of a tec11ous peace, as a 11e'v peace may be looked f01 during the throes of a bloocly 'var. Co115ec1uently, 'vl1e11 tlie .
ar1ogant Louvois carr1ec1 a \Var to t11e c1ec1it of his o'vn
little account on the national leclger of F1auce, this coxcon1b
well };:new that a war was at any rate clue about tl1at t1111e.
I1r1tal)le or not i111table, 'v1tl1 a puppy f01 his minister 01
not, the French ki11g '\'oulcl natu1ally, 'vitl11n a yea1 or two,
have been earned heacllong i11to 'va1 by the mere S)rsten1
of Europe. So much had the causes of complaint ieciprocally accumulated. The accoui1t must be cleansed, tho
cou1t roll of g1ievance:; must be 1Ju1g,ed. With ies1)ect tu
the t\vo Er1glish ladies, again, it is still more ev1l1ent tl1at
they could not have caused a war by pulling caps '\'1th eacl1
other, since th!f g1ounds of eve1y war \vl1at had caused it,
and what prolongec"l 1t--we1e su1e to be 'ste1nly sc1utinised
' by Pa1hament at each annual revision of the national
finances These ladies, and even the F1ench coxcomb,
could not have cciused a war; they at the utmost might
have cla11ned a distinction suc11 as that \Vhicl1 belo11gecl
<

\VA!t.

ON

W~\.n..

~73

co a particular Turkish gunner at Navarino viz.. th:::.r.

he, by firi11g the fust shot '\Vithont 01de1s, did (as p.
matter of fact) unmuzzle the whole of that dreadful irou
hu11icane f10Ill four nations whicl1 instantly followed, but
\'llrich (be it known to the gunne1) could not have been
delayed for fifty minutes longer (such was tl1e temper of
the rrurli:ish fo1ces), whethe1 he had fired, or had forborne
to fire, the unautho1ised shot.
One of the ea1liest aspects under '\Vhich t11is morn.I necessity fo1 war fo1ces itself upon our notice is, its physicul
necessity. I mean to su.y, that one of t11e ea1liest ieasons
'\vhy wn.1 ougl1t to exist is, been.use, under any mode of suppressing i\n.1, virtually it uzll exist. - Banish war as now
administered, and it will revolve upor1 us in a wo1se shape;
that is, in a shupe of predatory und iuffi.an \\rar, more and
more licentious, as it enjoys no p1iv1lege 01 suffe1ance, by
the supposition, unde1 municipal laws. W tll the causes
of wa1 die away because war is fo1bidden '2 Certa1r1ly not;
ancl the only result of the prohib1t1on nould be to thro'\v
back the exe1cise of wa1 f1om natio11al into p1ivate and
mercena1y ha11cls; and thctt is p1ecisely the iet1og1ade 01
inve1ted comse of ci,,ilisation; fo1, m the natu1al 01tler of
civilisation, \Va1 passes fiom the hands of knights, barons,
insulated cities, mto those of the unive1sal community;
'
from the la\vless gue1 zlla, to the state of national "~ar admiI1istercd with tl1e responsibility that belongs to supreme
rar1k, "'ith the humanity thut belongs to conscious power,
and with the dimiti.ishing havoc that belongs to inc1 easing

skill in the a1ts of dest1 uction. Even as to this last feature in I1uman couilicts, ,,,.h1ch in a wa1fare of b1igauds aud
co1tdottic1i1vould fo1 many reasons rap1clly decuy, no reucle1
can f.-.11 to be a\\'are of the marvels efi'ected by the forces
of invcnti\e science that 1 uu alor1gsi(lc tl1e advances of

.,
'

civilisation. Loolc baclc even to tl1c g1andest peiiod of tl1e

'
humane Roman 'vaifaie, listen to tl1e noblest and most
n1erciful of all Roman ca1lta111s, sayi11g 011 the day of
Pl1a1salia (and saying of necc'isitY,), '' St1il\e at thei1
faces, cava11y ,'' yes, absolutely di1ecti11g h1s OWI1 t1oopers
to plougl1 up 'vith their sab1es tl1e blooming, frtccs of the
young Roman nob1l1ty. Loo}{ bacl;:, I so.y, to this, ancl then
pass to a modern field of battle, 'vhe1c all is finisl1ccl by
n1l1sketry and artilleiy amidst clouds of sn1ol1:e, no soldier
recognising his o'vn desolations, or the ghastl)' iuins wo1lred
by 111s O\vn sepaiate a1m; hO t11at 'vai, 1Jy losing all itg
brutality, has lost half of its den101al1sing po\ve1
W a1, so fu1 from ending, because \Va1 \Vas foi bic1den and
nationally renounced, on the coi1t1ary \vould tia11sinigrate
into a mo1e feaiful shape. As t11ings a1e at present (ancl,
observe, tl1ey are al,vays g,ro\ving bette1), \\'l1at 11umbe1s of
noble-minded men, i11 tl1e persons of our office1s (yes, and
often of non-commissioned officers), do \Ve B1it1sl1, for
example, dispeise ove1 battle-fields, tl1at could not dishonour the11 glo11ous uniform by any countenance to an
act of cruelty t rrhey are eyes delegated f1om the cl1a11ties
of our domestic life, to ove1look ancl curb tl1e license of
war. I remen;be1, in Xenophon, some passage \Vhe1e he
desc11bes a class of Pe1s1an gentlemen, \vho were called the
JcpBall.ot, 01 eyes of the kmg, but for a ve1y diffe1ent purpose. These B11tish officers may be called the opl1tl1al111oi,
or eyes of our Sove1e1gn Lady, that into eve1y corne1 of
the battle carry their scrutiny, lest al}y c1nelty sl1ould be
committed 9n the helpless, or any advantage tal~en of a
dying enemy. But such office1s "'ould be rare in the irregular troops succeeding to official a1mies. Arid through tl1is
channel, amor1gst othe1s, 'va1, when c1ied clo\vn by act of
Parliament, ancl precisely becau.se it 'va~ 1!11ed clo\vn. \vonld

'

~75

UN ,V,\R.

beco111e perilously effective fo1 the degradation of human

!1at11re. Being itself dlshono11red, wa1 '\'Ould become so
much the mo1e eifective as nn inst1ument for the c1ishonou1ing of its agents.
' But is \Ya1, tl1cn, to go on for eve1 1 Are ,,.e 11erc1 i:O
un11rov~ 1 Aie nations to conduct their inte1co111se eter11,111} 1111de1 tl1c secret u11dcrstiJ:ncling that an unchristian
bolution of all i1 l'cconcilablo feuds stands in tl1e rear as
tl1c ultin1ate appe.:i.l? I a11s,vcr tl1at \\'0.1, going on even
fo1 e\er, may still be fo1 eve1 amending its modes and its
results upo11 l1u1uan happiness; 2dly, that \VO not only are
unde1 no f.ital a11est 1n our p1ocess of im1)ro1-cment, but
tl1at, as rega1 <ls ,\a1. histo1y shows 11ow steachly \Ve ha. e
been imp1ovi11g; a11cl, 3dly, that, altl1ougl1 ,,a1 may be
ir1evc1siblc us our lust iesource in the p1osecution of natio11::~l t11spntes, this lust resource may constantly be iething ft1rtl1er into the rea1. Let us speak to tl1is last point
W a1 is the last resou1ce, only because other and 111ore intellectual resou1ccs for solving disputes are not availJ.ble.
J..nd iil1y are they not '2 Simply, because the kno,vledge,
a11<l the logzc, l\'hicl1 ultimately lVIll govern the case, and the
\cry circumstances of tl1c case itself in its details, as the basis
on ,,hich this ]{110\\ledge and logic a1e to ope1ate, happen
not to 11ave been s11ffic1e11tly developed. A code of la\V is not
a spasmodic effo1t of gigantic talent in any one man 01 any
one generation, it is a slo\V g10\vtl1 of acc1clcnts and occasions ex1Ja11tling \vitl1 civilisation ; dependent upon time as
a multiform eleme11t in its development; and p1esupposing
often a cor1c11rrcnt gro\\ th of analogous cases to\vards the
completion of its comprehension. For instance, the law
whicl1 regulates the i1ghts of shipping, seafa1ing men, ancl
maritime co1nmc1ce, ho'v slo\v was its development! Bcf"lrt. '>nch 1vo1l{S as the ''Consolata <1el Ma1e,'' the ''La\\ 'i
I

'

276

ON "\V,\.ft,

of Ole1on,'' &c., had been matu1ecl, how wicle must }1(1 \'e
been the experience, and ho\V slo\v its accu111ulat1ou !
Durmg that long period of infapcy fo1 la\v, ho\'.' mt111y
must have been the openings f01 igno1ant and uui11tcntional injustice! Ho\v dille1ently, again, \vould the several
parties to any transaction const1ue the 11gl1ts of the case!
Discussion, \vithout rules for guiding it, does bt1t e111b1tter
t11e d1s1lute. And in tl1e absence of all guidance f101n tlio
intellect, g1ac1uallv \Veavi11g a conzn101i sta11<la1d of' intc1nt1.tional ap1leal, ~t i .. ~Iear that 11p.t1ons must fight, and 011gld
to fight. Not being convinced, it is base to pretend tl1at
you are convinced; and fa1hng to be couvinc,ed by )'Ot11
neighbour's a1gt>aients, you confess yo111self a polt10011
(and you in111te lllJU11es), if you
}Joel.et
\Vhat
you
tliiuk
)ou1
,
\vrong:: 'fhe 0111y cou1se in sucl1 a ca!')e is to thum1J )T011r
neighbour, and to tl1ump lilill sou11c1Ij, f 01 the p1 esent.
rru1s t1eatment is ve1y SCl'\'lCeable to youl' nc1gl1bour's O}JtlCS, he sees thu1gs m a 11e\v light, afte1 a sufficient courso
of so dist1essing a' iegimen. Yet, even m tl11s case, ,., ar
has no tendency to p1opagate \Var, but te11c1s to the ve1y
opposite result. To tl1ump is as costly, und in othei \\'::t)'S
as pamful, as to be thumped. The evil to both sides a1ises
in an undeveloped state of la,v. If i1gl1ts \\'eie defined by
a well-considered code g10\v1ng out of long expe11ence,
each pa1ty sees that this scouige ot \Val' ,,ould cout1nually
tend to narrow itself. Consequently tl1e ve1y necessity of
wai, the veiy adm1ss1on of the truth that 'var cannot be
ill&llensed with t1s oui ultimate
appeal, becomes the stro11"'CSt

0
invitation to that system of jutl1c1al logic \Vhich fo1ms its
- final limitation. It follows that all war "hatcvei (unless
on tl1e brutal principle> of a Spartan warfa1e, '' that made
''Spartan wa1fare ''-It 'vas a trad1t1on i11 G1ccce, tl1ut about
se-en centuries before Christ the'' I!1ad'' ,v,1s car11cd 111to ~p.irtu.:

277

ONWAP.

sufficient object and self-justification), ope1ateP

as n. pe11,etl1al bot111ty or premium upon the investigation
and acJudicat1on of those disputed cases through which it
'
is that war prospe1s.
Such cases a1e continually '1.'ithdrawing themselves, from
that state of unperfect development which enforced a warlike appeal, to a state in which they allow of an amicable
sol11tion All this we may see.mirrored in a class of cases

that powe1fully illustrate the good and the bad in wa1viz., those cases of domestic d1sput~ which continually arise
under the law of neighbou1hood
N 0'1i', this law of neighbou1hood, this lex, vicznztatzs
amongst the Romans, righted itself, as amongst ou1selves
. it continues to do, by means of actions at law. If a man
poisons us with smoke, we compel him by an action to
consume his own smoke. Here is beheld a transmuted
war. In a barbarous state, fire and sword would have
'
avenged this invasion of smoke ; but, amongst civilisecl men,
judicial investigations beat off the enemy. .And on the same
principle, exactly as the law of international rights clears
11p its dark places, 'var g1adually na1rows itg grounds, and
v;-i1 it:; 01v1i

~om~

said, by Lycurguo; the lawgiver 'vhen returnii1g from h1s

travels. But t11e tradition added, that the importer excluded the
'' Odjssey ,'' not as being non-Jlomer1c-for 'vhich obJCCt1on that
age
not cr1t1cal enough , h11t as tending to cherish ideas of
happiness derived from peace and the domestic affections ; 'vhereas the ''Iliad'' exhibited 'var as the final obJCCt for which man ex
isted Whether t11is tradition 'vere w!!ll-founded or not, it shows
- us in either case 'vhat 'vas the reputed character through Greece o
the Spartan. No tnbe' of semi-savages on record ever laboured so
effectually as the Spartans to strip ,var of all its grandeur by
clotl11ng 1t 'vith ungenerous arrogance; and the consequence is,
that a111eaders to this day rejoice 1n every defeat and hum1liat1on
11h1ch this kennel of hounds sustained
'

was

278
the ;11s ge11ti1L1n defines it'lelf tl11ough national attorneyr;that is, th1ough d1plon1utists.
I have iny~elt' w1t11essecl a ease 'vl1e1c a man c11lt1vu.ting
i1 flowe1-ga1den, ancl d1st1essecl for some delivc1ance f101n
his rubbish of clcad leaves, 11tte1, st1a,v, sto11es, toolc tltc
despe1ate l'esolution of p1'0Jccting the 'vl10Ie upo11 his
neigl1bou1's flo\ver-ga1de11. Tl1is \vro11g 111igl1t 11ave pa::.&cd
un11ot1cecl, but f01 the accident that l11s inj111ed neigl1l>ou1

unexpectedly ia1::.ed up l1is l1ead above the d1 vicli11g 1vall.

a11cl ie1)1oacl1ed the aggresso1 'vith his unp1inci11lcd conduct. This agg1esso1, adLl111g eVIl to evil, suggested, a&
an obvious remecly f01 his o\v11 011t1age, that tl1e s11ffe1e1
sl1011ld pass tl1e 11u1sance on'''a1cls to tl1e g:11de11 next beyond him; fiom 1vl1ich it n11ght be postccl f or1vard
indefinitely on the sa111e })l'111c11)Ie. The agg11eved n1an,
howeve1, ll1efe1recl pas'l111g baclc tl1e 111bb1'lh, '''1tl1out a11y
discount, to the 011giual p101J11eto1. Here llO\v \\'lls a. ripe
case, a caiisa tete111111ct, for \\':.tl' bet\\'een the pa1t1es ; uncl
fo1 a national '''ar, l1ucl the lla1t1cs bce11 11ations. In fact,
tl1e very same 111Jury, in a more agg1avatecl shape, is })elpetrated f1om t1111e to time by J e1sey lll)Oil ou1scl ves, and
'
'vould, upon a la1ge1 scale, i1g,ht itself by \\'Ul'. Co11victs
a1e costly to maintain; and Je1sey, who'le national ievcuue
is ll1n1tecl, be111g too \veil a\vare of this dist1cssi11g fact,
c1o'es us the favour to laud t1pon the coasts of Do1sct,
Devo11, <-~C , all the c11111i11als \vl1om sl1e cannot other\VISe

c1ispose of at each jail cleli vei)r. '' ''rhat are ive to do iu

En~land 'l'' is the 11atu1al q11cstion p1opoundecl by the inju1ed sco11nd1els, \vhen tal~1ng leave of thei1 J e1sey esco~t.
''Anything you please,'' is tl1e ans\ve1, iise_, if you can,
to be dukes , only never come back l11the1 ; since, dukes or
?lo dt1kes for tl1e iest of Cl111stendom, to its of the Channel
1sla11ds you will al\vays be t1a11s1Jorted felons.'' There is

ON \V,\.R.

'

279

there!'ore a. good right of action i e , a good ground of

\va1 against Jersey on the part of Great Britain ; since,
besides the at1ocious injury inflicted, this unprincipled little
island has the audacity to rega1d our Engl~nd (all Eu1ope
looking on) as existing only fo1 the pt1rposes of a sewe1 or
cess-pool to receive 11e1 impu1ities. Some time back I iemembe1 a Scottish newspape1 holding up the case as a
ne"Iy-discove1ed ho1ror in the social system; though, by
'
the v,ra;, Jc1sey has al\vays been engaged in this brancl1
of expo1 tation, and ia1ely, I am told, fails to ''run'' a ra1go
of rogues upon ou1 shore once or so in the season. But
what amuses one, in tl1is Scottish c1en11nciation of the vilIany, is, that Scotland"' of old pu1sued the ve1y same mode
of jail delivery as to knaves that we1e not thought ripe
for hanging; she cartec1 them to the Eng11sh borde1, unchajned them, and hu1r1ed them ad1tl't into the l\rilcler11ess
of N 01tl1urnbe1land, sa}riug, Now, boys, sl1ift for yourselves;
repent; ancl hencefo1 th plunde1 none but Englishmen.
\Vhat I tledt1ce f1om all this is-t11at as the feuds a1ising
between indindt1als l1nder the relat1011 of ne1gl1l)ours a1e
so ra1 from tending to a11 inc1easing hostile result, that, on
t11e co11tra1y, as corning u11de'r a rule of law al1eady
ascer,
tainel1, q1 ft11nishi11g the basis for a new iu1e, they gradually
tig11ten the cords '''l11ch e:s:cll1de all ope11ing for quar1el;
not otl1er'\\1se is the iesult, and therefore the usefulness, of
TIa1 amongst nations. All the causes of '''m, the occasio11s
upon which it is likely to a1ise, the true and the ostensible
motives, are grac1ually evolvec1, a1e examined, sea1ched,
val,ued, by publicists ; anc1 by such means, n1 tl1e further
"" To ban1;,h them ''forth of the kin~dom '' 'vas the euplzernismllf!,
the s;veet, care~s1ng mode of exp1ess1ng the case; but the reality un1lerstoo1l '\as, to carry the knaves, 11lte foxes in a barr
t~ tl1e
0
.,
'
1.'..l'gl lS h, b 01der, and t11e1e unb.ig them for Eugl1sh usP-

280

ON 1VAlt.

progre;;s of n1en, a comprehensive law of nations 'vill finull)

be accumulated, not sudh as now passes for international
law
(a
woi
thless
code
that
lzas
no
we1gl1t
in
the
practice
of
nations, no1 deserves any), but one which 'vill exhaust the
great body of cases under "'hich wars have ai1sen duiir1g the
Christian era, and will giadually collect a public op1mon of
Chi1stendom upon the natu1e of each paiticular case. The
causes that lzave existed for war are the causes that ivzll
exist; oi, at least, they aie the same under mocl1fications
that will simply vary the rule, as our la'v cases in the courts
are eveiy rlay circ11mstantiating the generalities of the statute concerned. A.t this stage of advance, and when n. true
European opinion has been created, a ''si:::zsus conzmunis,'' or
community of feelmg on the main classifications of wars, it
'VIll become possiLle to erect an operative tribunal, or central Amplnct1on1c Council for all Christendom, not with
any commission to su1)press wais a policy which would
react as a fresh ca11se of wa1; since high-spirited nations would arm fo1 the pu1 pose of resisting such arrogant debut
with
the
pu1pose
and
the
effect
of
oftentimeil
crees
,
11eal1ng local or momentaiy an1mosit1es ; and also (by publ1sh1ng tl1e opinion of Eu1ope, assembled in council) with
the effect of taking away the shadow of cl1shonour from tho
act of mal{ing concessions Not to mention that the mere
delay, mvolved in the 'va1ting for the solemn opinion of a
congiess, 'vould alu ays be f1iendly to pacific councils. But
1
would the belligerents wait 'l '1 hat concession might b~
sec~red by gene1al exchange of t1eaties, in the same way
tha\the co-operation of so many nations has been secured
to th supp1ession of the t1acl~ in slaves. And one thing
\

'

IDJUSt1

are banished by the force of Eu1opean opinion,

ON \V .A.t..

IJe p1ud1giously cll.cumsc11bed. Tne costl111ess of \var

(>vhich fo1 va1ious reasons has been continually iucieasi11g
Rince the feudal pe1iod) \v1ll ope1ate as anotl1er Ii111itation
i1pon its field, concu11ing po1ve1fully ~ith the i)ubhc declaration fiom a council of collecti,e Ch1istendom. _
Tl1e1e is, besides, a clist1nct and separate cause of \Ytir,
mo1e fatal to the 'contrnued clu1at1on of peace in Et11opr,
than open injustice; and this cause being to a ce1tai11ty i11
the bands of nations to deal \v1th as they please, there is a
'
tolerable gua1antee thatacong1ess sz11ce1ely pacific \vould cut
it' up by the ioots. I~ is a ca11se noticed by Kant 1u h1s el'say
on a Perpetual Peace; and this cause lies rn the lliplomacy
of Eu1ope. T1eaties of peace a1e at p1esent so const1uctecl,
as aln1ost always to SO\V the seeds of futu1e \vars. To the
mexperiencecl this seems a matte1 of ca1elessi1ess 01 laxity
in the choice of e2..pression; and sometimes it iuay be so;
but more often it has been the result of seciet dictation f1on1
poweiful cou1 ts mal\.ing peaces only as t1uces, anxious only
foi time to nurse then ene1gies, and to keep open some
plausible call for \var. This is not only amongst the most
extensive causes of wa1, but amongst the ivorst; because
it giyes a colou1able aii of Jtistice, and almost of necessity,
to a wa1 which is, in fact, the most outrageously i1njust, as
, being de1ived from a pretext silently p1epa1ed m f'o1111e1
yea1s, with me1e subtlety of malice: it is a wa1 g10Ivi11g 011t
of occasions, fo1ged befoieha11d, lest no occasions sho11ld
spontaneously arise. And yet how easily might this ca11se
of war be healed by a congress, and through a ref01m in
Eu1opean diplomacy.-..-

One great 1izdu;, of this i11s1(liot1s prep.ir.ition fo1 ,var under tl1c
''ery n1:1:>k ot peace, '\ h1cl1K.i11t11 is failed to p.i1t1c11l.i1ii:c, ltc!> .11
tbe neglecting to i11ah.e J.11)' pro' 1s1ou at .tll for c.t!>C!> tl1at n.1e ine' 1tal>le. .\, B, C, D, arc .111 eq11ally iioss1bl1, but tl1e treaty }>IO\ idt.'i 11
)I

282

'

, ON \VAR.

It is the stror1gest confirmation of the-power inherent 111

growing civilisation, to ame11d 1var, and to 21arro'v the field
of war, if we look back for the reco1ds of the changes ir1
this direction which have already arisen in generations before, our O\Vn.
The most careless renewer of history can hardly fail to
read a rude outline of progress made by men 1n the rights
(and Clnsequently in the duties) of war througl1 the last
twenty-five centuries. It is a happy c11cumstance fo1 man,
that oftentimes he is led by pu1e selfishness into reforms
the very same as high prmc1ple \Vould have prompted; and,
in the next stage of his advance, 'ivhen once habituated to
an improved code of usages, he begins to find a g1atification to his sensibilities (pa1tly luxurious sensibilities, but
partly moral), in what originally had been a me1e movement of self-interest. Then comes a third stage, in \vhich,
having thoroughly reconciled himself to a better 01der of
things, and made it even necessary to ills own comf01t, at
length he begins in his reflecting moments to perceive a
moral beauty and a fitness m arrangements that had originally emanated f1om accidents of convenience; so that,
finally, he generates a sublime pleasure of conscientiousnes<;
out of that which had commenced in the meanest f01ms of
mercena1y converuence. For instance, a Roman lady of
rank, as luxury advanced, out of mere voluptuous regard
~pec1fic

course of action only for A, suppose Then upon B 01 C

..nsing, the high contractmg parties, though desperately pacific, find
themselves committed to war actually by a treaty of lasting peace
Their pacific majesties sigh, and say, .Alas, that it should be so! but
really fight 've must, because the treaty makes no proVlS1on fo1 lceep1ng the peace in the part1c.ular case before us The very same evil,
from the very same neglect ofpronding for cases sure to anse, forms
the m9st extensive so~ce of disputes arJS1ng upon cont1acts in
ilomcat1c life

283

to her o\vn comf01-t, ievolted from the harsh clamours of

ete1nal chastisements inflicted ou he1 nun1erous slaves; she
i'o1bade them; the grateful slaves showed their love fo1
he1; this love, by natural reaction, awakened her own be
nevolent sensibilities; gradually ancl unintentionally she
trained he1 feelings, wllen thus liberated from a continual
temptation to cruelty, into a demand for gentler and pure1
excitement. Her pu1pose 01ig1nally had been one of
lnxu1y; but, by the benignity of uatu1e still i\'atching for
ennobling opport11nities, the actual result was a development given to the higher capacities of he1 hea1t. In tl1e
same way, when the brutal i1ght (and in many chcumstances the brutal duty) of in:fucting death upon 1Jrisone1's
taken in battle, had exchanged itself for the profits of iansom 01 slave1y, this ielaxation of fe1oc1ty (though commencing in selfishness) g1adually exalted itself into a habit
of mildness, and some dim perception of a sanctity in human
life The very rice of a\"arice minIBtered to the pu1ifica- ,
tion of barbarism; and the ve1y evil of slave1y m its ear'
liest fo1m was applied to the mitigation of another
evtlw~ conducted in the spi1it of piratical outrage. The com- mercial instincts of men having worked one set of changes
in wa1, a second set of changes was prompted by instincts
derived from the arts of ornament and pomp. Martial
music, splendour of a1'Ills, of banners, of equipages, of ce1emonies, and the elaborate forms of inte1cou1se with eneillles,
through conferences, armistices, t1-eaties of peace, &c., having tamed the savagery of wa1, a permanent hght of 1
civilisation began to steal over the bloody shambles of )
bnccanee1ing warfa1e. Other modes of ba1monising
in.flu
ences arose more directly from the bosom of wa1 itself.
Gradually the mere practice of war, and the cultu1e of'\ a1,
t!J.ough still viewed as a rude trade of bloodshed, iipeni!d

'

284

i11to an intellectual a1t. "'' e1e it 111e1ely \v1th u. v1e\v to

more e1fectt1al car11age, this a1t (l10\veve1 simple ~incl g1oss
at first) opened at length into \vide subo1d1uu.te a1ts, into
strategics, into tactics, into cast1ametat1on, into polioicetics, and all the p1ocesses th1ougl1 \Vl1ich the fi1st i11de
effoits of ma1ti<tl c11nn1ng finally connect themselves \v1tl1
the exquisite iesources, matl1emat1c ancl philoso1)hic, of a
complex science. Wai being, a g,a1ne i11 '''l11cl1 eul1l1 sido
fo1ces tl1e othe1 into the instu11t acloptio11 of all imp1ovc- "
ments, th1oug,h the mere necessities of self-1)1ese1vtit1on, beco111es continually, and must become, IDOl'C intellectual.
It is inte1estmg to obse1ve the ste1)s lJy \Vh1cl1 (\ve1e it only th1ough impulses of self-defence, and with a v1e\V to
more effectual destructiveness) \Var exaltecl itself f1om a
ho111d t1ac1e of butcl1e1y, into a magnifice1it a11d e11l1gl1tencd
science. Stait111g f1om no highe1 impulse 01 question tl1ai1
ho\v to cut th1oats most ra1)1c1ly, most safely, and on the
largest scale, it has issued even at our O\Vn stage of aclvn11co
into a scien~e, magnificent, oftentimes ennobling, an cl cleansecl
from all ho1ro1s except those which (not being 'vitl11n ma11's
po,ve1 utte1ly to d1voice from it) no longe1 stand ot1~ as
rep1oaches to his humanity.
What opening is there for complaint 1 If the obJect is,
to d1mi111sh the frequency of 'va1, this is, at any rate, secu1ed
by the eno1mous and grow111g costlu1ess of wa1. 111 these
days of accountability on the part 'of gove1nments, a11d of
jealous v1g1lance 011 the part of tax-paye1s, we may safely
leave it to the n1a1n inte1ests of almost eve1y Eu1opean
population not to allow of idle 01 frivolous wa1s. J\fe1ely
the public debts of Christendom form a pledge, we1e the1e
t10 othe1, that supe1fluous wa1 will 110 longer be tole1atecl
by those who pay fo1 the1n, and whose children inherit their
conseq1e11ces. 'l'he same cause, wl1icl1 mal\:es \Va1 continn

ON \V,\.R.

285

in1er, \v1ll tend, to make earh seJ:Jaiate war shortc1..

There ,,111, therefore, in the coming gene1~1tions, be less of
lra1; an1 what there is will, by expanding civil1sation, anc1,

all)

indirectly, through science continually mo1e exquisite"'" applied to its admi1rist1ation; be indefinitely humanised and
refined.
It is sufficient, therefore, as an apology for wa1, that it
'
is 1st, systematically
imp1oving in temper (privateering,
f01 instance, at sea, sacking of cities by land, a1e in a cou1se
of abolition); 2dly, that it is unde1 e.. necessity of beconring
- less frequent; 3dly, that on any attempt to abolish it, tl1e
result would be something ve1y much wo1se.
Thus fa1, meantime, war bas been palliated merely by
its relation to something else viz., to its ow~ elcler stages
as t1espassing much mo1e 11pon human happiness and p1 ogress ; and, sec.ondly, by its ielation to any conceivable
state that could tal\.e place on the ass11m1Jtion that wa1
were abolished by a Pn:n-Ch11stian compact. But is t11is
all tnat can be pleacled on behalf of 'var 'l Is it good only

'' Scze1zce nzore e:.rquj'szte. ''-I-low inadequately th1s is app1 eciated,

nrn.y be seen in tl1e popular op1n1on applied to 011r ,,ars ''1th t11e
Ch].nese and Bu1"ID.ese-\1z, tl1at grad11ally we shall teach tl1ose
sem1-burbarous peoples to fight. Some ob\1ous improvements, purchasable '\1tl1 monej', it is piobable enough, \vrll be adopted t'rom
us But as to an) general imp1ovement of their military system,
this is not uf a nat11re to be transferred The science, for 1n.,tance,
appl1ed to our artillery and eng1nce11ng systems, prcsu1>poses a total
change of education, and the est,1bl1bhmcr1t of new 1nstitut1ons. It
\V1ll 11ot be sufficient to ha\e 2nst1tut1ons for teaching mr.them,1t1cs;
these must be suppo1ted by a demand for mathem~1t1c k110,vlel1ge
in every quarter of public industry, in civil eng1neer1ng, 1n naut1c..1l
commerce, 1n m1a1ng, &c :i\Io1eover, the manufacturing establish
ments th.it would be required as a basis of support fo1 tl1e im1>rovc1l
science, such as cannon foundi:ies, man11factor1es of 1>h1lo.>opl11c.il
instruments, &c, pres11ppose a concur1cnt expansion i11 ma11y other
Jirec~1011s, so .is to furnish nQt 011ly ne'v means b11t also nc>Y n1ot1ves.
'ind, 1n s11ort, pres11ppose an entire ne,, c1v1l1s:1t1on.
I

286

'

i11 so fa1 as it stands opposed to soruetl1ing \VOrsc? No

Unc1e1 c11cumstances that inay exist, anc1 have existed, \Var
is a posztiie good ; not ielative me1ely, 01 negative, but
[)Ositive. A g1eat t1uth it \YaS \vhich W 01ds,vo1tl1 uttcied,
'''hateve1 n11ght be the expansion \Yhich he nllo\vecl to it,
\vhen he said that
''God's most pe1fect instrt1n1cnt,
Is \Vork1ng out a pu1e inte11t,
I:. man-u11ay'd for 1nt1tu.tl :.laughte1 :
Yea, Ca1nugc is bis da11gl1ter.''

'fhere 1s a mystery iu approaching this aspect of tho

case, \vh1ch 110 man has read fully. W u1 l1as a deepei uud
more ineffable relation to hidden g1andeu1s in man, tl1an
has yet been deciphe1ed. To execute judgme11ts of iet1ib11tion upon out1ages offe1ea. to 11uman iights or to human
dignity, to vindicate the sanctities of the altar a11d the
sanctities of the hearth these arc functions of human
greatness which wa1 has many times assun1ed, and many
'
times faithfully, discha1ged. But, behind all these, tl1ere
towers dimly a greate1. 'fhe great phenomenon of \var it
is, this and this only, which keeps open in man tt spirwle
-an organ of i esp11 at1on for b1eatl1ing a tra11scendent
at1nosphe1e, and dealing with an idea that else 'vould perish
-viz., the idea of mixed crusade ,and marty1dom, cloing and
snffe1ing, that finds its iealisat1on in a battle sucl1 us that of
Waterloo :viz., a battle fought for interests of the human
race, felt even wl1ere they are not understood; so that the
'
tutelary angel of man, when he t1ave1ses such a clreadful
fielc1, when he reads the disto1ted features, cou11ts the gl1ast lv
r-nins~ st1ms the hidden anguish, and the harvests
I

''Of.horror breathing from the silent ground,''

1evertheless, speaking as God's messenger, ''blesses it,

calls it very good ''

:1111J

'

'

THE EN GLISH M:.A.IL-COA.Gtl,

'
SECTIOX THE l'll{ST.

THE GLORY OF JIOTIOX.

So:u:E twenty or more years before I mat1iculated at Ox- '

ford, :illr Palmer, at that time nI.P. for Bath, had accomplished two things, ve1y hard to do on om little planet,
the Earth, however cheap they may be held by eccentric
people in comets he had invented mail-coaches, and he had
married the daughter.~ of a duke. ' He was, therefore, just
twice as great a man as Galileo, 'vho did ce1tainlyinvent (or,
which is the same thing, t discove1) the satellites of Jupiter,
those very next things extant to mail-coacl1es in the two
capital pretensions of speed -and keeping time, but, on the
other hand, who did not marry the daughter of a duke.
"""These mail-coaches, as organised by Mi Palmer, are entitled to a circumstantial notice f1om myself, havmg had
so large a share in developing the anarchies of my snbse
quent dreams; an agency which they accomplished, 1st,
through velocity, at that time unprecedented for they
first revealed the glory of motion; 2dly, through giancl
effects for the eye between lamp-light and the darkness
,upon solitary roads; 3c1ly, through animal beauty and
power so often displayed in the class of horses selected for
*Lady l\-(adellne Gordon.
t ''The same thing: ''-Thus, in the calendar of the Church Festi
vals, the discovery of the true cross (by Helen, the mother ot Constantine) is recorded (and one might think-with the exp1ess con
~ciCLlSlless of sarcasm) as the Invention of the Cross.
_

288

THE ENGLISII :II.\.IL-CO,\.Cll

tlns mail service; 4tbly, througl1 the conscious l)l'ec:;cace

of a central int.ellect, that, in the midst of vast dist:111ces "'of sto1ms, of cla1kness, of da11ger ove11 uled all o!Jstacles
into one steady co-operation to a national ies11lt. Fo1 my
o'vn feeling, this post-office se1vice spol~e us by son1u
1Il.1gl1ty orchestia, whe1e a thousand instrun1ents, all c.lisregai ding each other, and so fu1 in clange1 of clic:;co1cl, )'Ct
all obedient as slaves to the supreme bctto1i of so1ne g1cat
leade1, te1n1inate in a pe1fection of ha1mo11y 111.:e t11at of
11ea1t, brain, and lui1gs, m a 11ealthy animal 01ganis.ition.
But, finally, tl1at paitic11lar e,lement in this \vl1ole co111b1uation 'vh1ch most im1)1essed myself, ancl th1011gl1 '''l1icl1
it is tl1at to tl11s hou1 l\I1 Palmer's matl-coacl1 S)'Stcm
tyrannises over my dreams by te1101 a11d te1111ic beauty,
lay in the a\vful political mission \Vh1ch at tl1at time it f 111fillecl. The mail-coach it was that d1st1ibuted ovc1 t11e
face of the land, hke the opening of :i'i)l)"ciil~rptic vittls, tl10
'hea1~sha1..1ng news of T1afalga1, of Salamanca, of V1tto1ia,
of W ate1loo. These \Vere the ha1vests tl1at, in tl1e g1a.11dem of thei1 reaping, iedeemed the tears and blood 1n
which they had been sown. N eitl1e1 was the meanest peasant so much below the g1andeu1 and tl1e so110,v of the
times as to confound battles such as tl1ese, which ive1e
gradually mouldmg the destinies of Oh1istendom, with the
vulga1 confucts of 01dma1y wru:fa1e, so often no mo1e tho.11
glad1ato11al t11als of national p10\vess. The victo11es of
Engla11d in this stupendous 'contest rose of themselves as
'
natural Te Deurns to heaven; and it was felt by the thouO'l1t'
'
0
ful that such V1ctories, at such a c1is1s of gene1al p1ostra-

* '' Vast distances

''-One case was fa1n1l1a1 to ma1l-coacl1 tra,'cllers, 'vhe10 t'vo mails in opposite cb1ect1ons, no1 tl1 a11cl 5outl1, sta1t111g
nt the same minute f1om points six hund1ed mile~ apart, 111et aln1ost
constantly at a pa1t1cular bndge 'vh1cl1 b1Rectcd the total <l1st:111co

'
'

289

TB El GLORY OF MOTION.

tion, were not more beneficial to ourselves than :finally to

France, our enemy, and to the nations of all weste1n or ,
central Europe, through whose pusillanimity it was that

, r1rt-:,., . . ~"' ~'1,,.the French dom1nat1on

had prospered. ~........lr"-~
-::. _.....Jf....:;,
,,The mail-coacl, as the national organ for publishing
these mighty events thus diffusively influential, became

itself a spir1tualised and glorified obJect to an impassioned

heart; and naturally, in the Oxford of that day, all hearts
were impassioned, as bemg all (or nearly all) in ea1ly manhood In most 11nivers1t1es there is one single college; fu
Oxford there were five-and-twenty, all of 'vh1ch 'vere peopled by yo11ng men, the elite of their O\Vn generation; not
boys, but men; none lmder eighteen. In some of these
many colleges, the c11stom permitted the student to keep
what are called '' short terms,'' that is, the four terms of
1\Iichaelmas, Lent, Easter, and .A.ct, 'vere kept by a residence, in the aggregate, of ninety-one days, or thitteen
weeks Under this interupted iesidence, it was possible
that a student might have a reason for gomg down to his
-home four t1mes in the year. This made eigl1t JOurneys to
and fro. But, as these homes lay dispersed through all the
shir~s of the island, and most of us disdamecl all coaches
except his majesty's matl, no city out.of London could pretend to so extensive a connection \Vlth 1Yh Palmer's establishment as Oxford. Three mails, at the least I remember as passing every da.y through Oxford, and benefiting
by my personal patronage viz., the Worcester, the Gloucester, and the Holyhead mail. Naturally, therefore, it became a point of some interest with us, whose journeys revolved eve1'Y six weeks on an average, to look a httle into
the executive details of the system.' With some of these
:ilir Palmer had no concern; they rested upon bye-laws
enacted by posting-houses for their OVi'll benefit, and upon
!:6-.._.,

IV.

'

2til

THE GLORY OF llIOl'lON

goo<l men f1way to the kitchen But that plan ha<l 11ot
al\vays ansv.'ered. Sometimes, though iarely, cases occur1ed 1vhe1e the iutrucle1s, being st1011ge1 than usun1, or
more vicious t11an usual, iesolutely iefused to budge, and
so far car1ied their l)Oint, as to have a sepa1ate table
anariged fo1 themselves in a co1ner of the ge11eral roo1n.
Yet, if an Inclia11 sc1een could be found am1)le enough to
plant them out from the very eyes of the high table, or
dais, 1t then became possible to nss11me as a fiction of la1v
-that the three delf' fellows, after all, were not present.
They could be igno1ed by the porcelain men, under the r
maxim, that objects not appea1ing, and not existing, are
gove1ned by the same logical const1uctiou,#"
Such being, at that tIIDe, the usages of mail-coaches,
what was to be done by us of young Oxf01d '1 V\T e, the
people, 'o/I}o were,
addicted
to
tl1e
,praQ,,..
most a1istocratic ofQJr.'...,._
c,
.... ..,,,, ... .. ,,.A
tice of looking down supe1c1liously even t1pon tl1e lll!,icles - ;

tl1emselves as often ve1y questionable cl1a1acte1s \\'ele \Ve,

by volunta11ly going out .,1cle, to court indignities 'l If om
d1ess and bea1ing shelte1ed us, gene1ally, f1om tl1e suspicion of being ''1uff'' (tl1e name at that pe11ocl fo1 ''snobs''t)
we really iie1 e such constructively, by the place 've assu1ned.
If we d1cl not submit to the deep sha.clO\Y of eclipse, \Ye
;-~- ...f- ,, ~f'.. ~~
~
I~
entered at least tl1e skirts of its penumbra. Auel the a11alogy of theatres 'vas valid against ;1s, \vheie no man can
complain of the annoyances inc1clent to tl1e pit 01 galle1y, ~
having his instant remedy in paying the 11ighe1 11rice of
the box.es. But the soundness of this analogy we d1spt1tcd

t.#~ .. ~~....,..,.

""-"...-1"''~

#"'ot.'l..- ..,.,;;,...

'I'::.

..

)1

De 11on apparentzbus1 O-c

,{.... t '' S11obs,'' and ltS ant1tl1cs1s, '' nobs1' ' arose among tl1c 1ntc::ual
:''""factions of sl1oemakcrs perll..l}JS ten )'ears later. Possibly eno11gh,
~~ tl1e terms m;i.y hn> e e-...1stcd much earlier; but tlicy \\Crc tl1en fi1 -.t
1
made kno\vu, p1ctt<resquely a11d effectively, b) a triJl 'lt i;on1P .iss1Lc:.
.-...h1rh huppe11ed to fix the public attent1ou.
>

TllL GLORY 01' ::'ilOflOX

these in a diplomutic whisper, at the T"eiy moment

of. his .
""-vl.i). ;.-4' . _ I/
departu1e, the celestial intellect was very feebly illuminated.
and it became necessa1y to call a cabinet council on the
grand state c1uestion, ''Where was the Emperor to sit?''
The hamme~-cloth happenecl to be unusually go1geous ;
a11d partly on that consideration, but partly also because
the box offered the most elevated seat, was nearest to the
moon, ancl undeniably went fo1emost, it was iesolvecl by
acclamation that the bo:s: was the imperial throne, and for
the scouncl1el \\ho drove, he might sit where he coulcl fi.11d
a~rch. The 401ses, therefore, being harnessed, solemuly
his imperial 'majesty ascended his new English throne unde1
a flomish qf tiumpets, haring the first 101d of tbe treasu1y
on bis 1ight band, ancl t11e chief jeste1 on llis left. Peku1
glo1ied in the spectacle; ancl in the \\'hole fioweiy people,
consti ucti\ely p1esent by iepresentation, the1e 1yas but one
<liscontented person, and tl1at was the coachLLan. Tl11s
mutinous individual auclaciously shol1ted, ';..Where am I to
sit?'' But the pri\y council, incensed ~ his disloyalty~
unanimously opened the door, and kicked b1m mto the lllside. J;[e had all the inside places to lumself; but such is
the rapacity of ambition, that he \\'as still dissatis.fiec1. 'I
say,'' he cried out in an exte!!lpore petion, addiessed to
the emperor through the window ''I say, how am I to
catch hold of the reins'?'' ''Anyhow,'' was the lillperial
J.nswer; ''don't trouble 11ie, man, in my1glory. How catch
ihe reins'? Why, thlough the 1v1ndows, thr~ugh the-key~""- '-. ...,{',, -~~ 1i
holes anyhow.'' Finally this cont11mac1ous coJ.c man
lengthened the check-r:trings into a sort of Jury-reins, communicating with the horses; with these he diovc as steaclily
as Pekin had any right to expect. The empe1or returned
after the briefest of circuits; he descencled in great pom1)
from lus th1one, ,,ith the seve1est I e::;ol11tion neve1 to

~'-~

Till l~NGJ,ISll 'IAlT,00.~CII.

re111ount it. A public tl1anl,sg1;ing \VU!> 01dcre<l for l1is

majesty's happy escape f1om the disease of b10Ire11 ~1el:! l"i"
ancl tl1e state-coach was dedicated tl1enccfor\\'ard as a votive
offering to tl1e gocl Fo, Fo 1vhom the lea1ncd mo1e ncl'11rately callecl Fi, Fi.
A 1evolut.ion of tl11s same Ol1inese cl1a1acter did young
Oxfo1cl of tl1at era effect in tl1c constitution of ma1l-coucl1
'>oc1ety. It \Vas a pe1fcct F1e11cl1 rcvol11tio11; ai1cl 11'c 11ad
good reasoi1 to say, ~a 21a. In fact, it soon became too
popular. Tl1e ''public'' a \ve11 lr1101vr1 cl1a1actc1, i1urticularly c11sagreeable, tho11gl1 sl1gl1tly ies1Jcctablc, and 11oto.
iious for affect1ng tl1e cl11ef seats in synagogues l1ad at
first louclly opposed t111s ievolut1on; b11t \vhen tl1e opposition sl10\'\ed itself to be ineffectual, ou1 disag1eeable f11end
went into it \\'Ith headlong zeal. .A.t fi1st it '\Vas a soi t of
race bet\veen us , nnd, as the p11bl1c is usually f101n tl1i1ty
to fifty years old, naturally \Ve of young Oxf01d, tl1at ave1aged about t\venty, 11ad t11e advantage. Tl1en tlie p11l)lic
took to bribing, giving fees to 1101se-li:ecpcrs, &c., \vho l1ired
out their pe1sons as \Va1m1ng-pans on the box-scat. Tl1at,
you know, was shocking to all mo1al sens1b1!1ties. Come
to bribery, said \Ve, and tl1c1e is an end to all morality,
Aristotle's, Zeno's, C1ce1o's, or anybody's. .A.nd, besic1es, of
what use was 1t 'l Fo1 we b11bec1 also. And as our b1ibcs
to thoc;e of tl1e public were as five s~11ll1ngs to sLxpence,
ne1e again young Oxfo1cl 11ad the advai1tage. But the contest wa3 ruinous to the p1 inc1ples of t11e stables connected
with the mails. Tl1is wl1ole co1po1ation was constantly
bribed, reb11bed, and often su1-reb11bed, a matl-coacl1 ya1d
was 11l{e tEe hust1ng~m a contested election ; ai1d a horsekeepe1, ostlc1, or hclpe1, \Vas held by tl1e ph1losopl11cal at
that time to be the most co11 upt cl1a1acte1 in tl1e nation.
'l'here \Vf\S an 1mpreElRiou upon tl1e public n1111c1, natn1'r!l
I

295

THE GLORY 01'' !>IOTJO:S.

enough f1om the contil1ually augmenting velocity of the

matl, but quite erroneous, that an outside seat on thi,s C'lass
~
"' ..
of ca1Tiages was a post of danger. On the cont1ary, I
-
maintamed that, if a man had become nervous from some
gipsy p1ediction in his chll(Thood, allocating to a pa1ticular
'
moon now approac.ng: S!3me unJ,nown danger, and he
should inquire ea1nestlf,'' Whithe1 can I fly fo1 sl1elte1'l
Is a prison the safest retreat 'l 01 a lunatic hospital? or
the B1itish Museum?'' I should have ieplied, ''Oh, no,
I'll tell you what to do. l'ake lodgings fo1 the next forty
clays on the box of his majesty's mail. Nobody can touch
you the1e. If it is by bills at ninety days after elate that
you are made unhapr1y if noters and i)roteste1s a1e the ,
sort of wretches whose astrological shadows darken the
house of hfe then note you what I vehemently protestviz., that no matter though the she1iff and unde1-sherilf in
every connty should be running after you with his p<]!se, >
touch a ban of you1 head he cannot whilst you kee1) house, 1and have your legal clomic1le on the box of the mail. It is"""
felony to stop the mail; even the sherilf cannot do that.
And an extla tquch of the whip to the leaders (no g1eat
matte1 if it gUl-zes the sheriff) at any time guarantees your

safety.'' In fact, a bedioom in a quiet house seems a safe

enough retreat, yet it is liable to its own notorious nmsances
-to robbers by night, to rats, to fire. But the mail laughs
- at these terrors. To robbers, the answe1 is packed up and
ready for deh very in the barrel of the guarp.'s blunderbuss. :,
Rats again! there are none about mail-coaches, any mo1e
than snakes in Von Troll's Iceland;'*" except, indeed, now ;
.....

;I

* '' Von Trozfs Ieeland: ''-Theallus1on1s to a well-kno\YD chapter

1n Von T101l's work, entitled, '' Concerning the Snakes of Iceland''
1'he entire chapter consists of tl1ese six 'voids-'' Tl1ere a1e no snakes
't'l

lrrln11d ,.

2!:JG

TIIE E:XGLISil l\L\II,-CO,\CII.

ancl the11 a pailiamenta1y iat, who always hides his sh.2,n1e

in '''hat I have sho1vn to be tl1e ''coal cellar.'' ..tl.i1d as to
fi1e I neve1 knew but one iI1 a mu1l-coach, wl1ich was in
the ' Exete1 mail, and caused by an obstinl1te, sa1lo1 bound
to Devon1Jort. Jack, making bght of the law and tl1e lavrgive1 that had set theii faces against his oifence, insisted
on taking up a forbidden seat - rn the rea1 of tl1e ioof, fio1u
which he could exchange 111s o"'n yarns with tl1ose of tl1e
...
'
gua1d. No g1 eate1 offence "'as tl1en known to n1a1l-coo.ches;
it \Vas t1eason, 1t was la:sa 111ajestas, it 1vas by tenclency
a1son,
ancl
the
abhe~ 1~f Jack's p11)e, falling amo11g,::t the
' v"I " t.._,._,,,_, ,_, c_
straw of the h1nde1: lJoot
Yco11tai11ing
the
mail-hags,
1aised

a flame which (a1clecl by the "'111d of ou1 motion) th1eatened

a revolution i11 t~1e ie1)ublic of lette1s. Yet e\ren tl11s left
the sanctity of the box unviolated In dignified repose,
the coachman and myself sat on, resting with benign com-._.-

* ''Forbidden seat

''-The' erj'Sterncst code of inles ''as cnfoiccd

upon the mails by tl1e Post-office Thiougl1011t Englar1<l, only tl11ce

outsides vere allo\\ed, of'' l1om one ''a:> to sit on the box, ai1d the
other t\VO immediately behind tl1e box; none, under any prcte:i.t, to
come neai theguaid, an indispensable cantioi1, sii1ce else, 11ndcr the
grnse of passengei, a iobbei ni1ght by any one of a tl1ousand ad\ a11t.iges-\\ liich sometimes are cieated, b11t al\\'U) s aie ftvoured, by the
animation of franhsoc1al inte1cornse-lia> edisarrned tlle guard. Be) onll tl1e Scottish border, tl1e iegulatio11 "\Vas so fai iela.."ed as to
allo'v offour outs1d~s, but not iel,1xed at all .is to tl1e ID<)<le of placing
tl1em. One, as befo1 e, "\Vas seated on tl1e box, and tl~., ul1ei tl1iee
on tl1e fiont of the roof, 'vitl1 a clete1m1nate and ample sepaiat1on
f1om the little insulatedchai1 oftlie g11aid. This ielaxation \\as conceded b) ~y of compensating to Scotl.ind her <l1sad antages 1n })Olnt
of pop11lat10~1 England, bj' the su1)ei101 clensity of 11Qr })Opulat1on,
n1ight al\\ U.)S\couut upon a laige fu11d of piofits 1n the f1.ict1011al tiips
of cl1ance pass~ngei:, riding for short distances of two Ol three stages.
In Scotland, this cli.i.nce cou11ted for 1nucl1 less And. theiefo 1e to
'
make good tlie de~c1ency, Scotl,1nd 1vas allo,ved a compensatOlj pio.
bt upon one cxt1 a\1J.i;,::,e11ge:.

'

'

THE GLORY

O~'

::.\IOTl(>ti.

posure upon our knowledge that the fi1e would have to

burn its way th1ough four inside passengers befo1e it could
ieach ourselves. I iema1ked to the coachman, "\VIth a
quotation from Virgil's '' ..tEneid '' reall.}' too hackneyed''J:.:.m p1oximus ardet
Ucalegon.''

But, recollecting that the Yi1g1lian pa1t of the coachman's

education migl1t have been neglectec1, I inte1 l)l'eted so fur

to

as
say, that i)e1haps at that moment the flames \\'ere
catching holcl of our "\Vo1tl1y bi other and i11s1de i)asseuger,
U calegon. The coachman made no ans\,ei, which is my
own nay when a st1ange1 add1esses me either in.Sy1iac or
in Coptic, but lJy his faint sceptical smile he seemed to
insinuate that he knew better; foi that U calegon; as it
happened, was not in the \\'ay-bill, and therefore could not
have been booked.
No dignity is peifect \\'hich does not at some po111t ally
itself with the myste1ious. The connection of the "mail
with the state and the executi\e government a co11nect1on obvious, but yet not st1ictly defi11ecl gave to the whole
mail establishment an official g1andeu1 which did us seiVIce on the ioads, and invested us \\'1tl1 seasonable te1101s
Not the less imp1essive were those terro1s, because their
legal limits were imperfectly ascertained Look at tl1ose

tu1np1ke gates; with ,,hat defe1ent1al hui1y, with what

an o"bechent start, they fly open at ou1 ap1)1 oach 1 Look
at that long line of ca1ts and ca1-te1s ahead, audaciou~ly
usur1)iug the very crest of the road. Ah 1 traito1s, they
do not hear us as yet ; but, as soon as the d1eadful blast of
ou1 horn ieaches them w1~hJ?.<1l~~tiR~-~~-.J1PPl'oach,
see \\'itl1 \vhat frenzy of t1ep1dl1tion they fly to their horses'
!1eads, ancl dc1)1ecate our \vra.tl1 b~ the r>ree11.)1tation of

...

,_,
..r /_

J...Jj,_n,,f....,J
:;,..r f,._,'i....,,t"'"'
"'""';,.

' 1.

\"'~

"'' ~

,
t:.,'ri,.....-'
... t.t.:Jv
.._,

t.t

....

Tlll~ ENGI,1SH ;\I,\ILCO,\Cll

298

thei1 c1ane-11cc]{ qi1a1 terings. 'l'reaso11 tl1ey feel to be tlterr

'l
c11111e, each 1nc11v1d11al ca1ter feels l111i1self u11de1 tl1e l,llUl ,
?,{cq11fiscat1on a11cl atta1nde1, his blood is attu111tcgt~1:J{,~~;11
sL'{ g enerat1011s, and notl11ng is \V1t11t111g but tl1e l1eads111an
and 111s axe, t11e block and tl1e saw-clust, to close up tho
vista of his hor1 01s. What t sl1ull it be \\'itl11n benefit of
-cle1gy to delay tl1e king's message 011 t11e 111gl1 ioad ?to 1nte11upt tl1e g1eat iesp11at1011s, ebb ancl flood, S!Jsiola
artd diastole, of tl1e natio11al intc1cou1se? to c11daugc1 the
safety of t1d111gs, r111111111g day and n1gl1t bct\vcc11 all nat1011s
an cl languages 'l 01 can it be fa11c1ec1, a111011gst tl1e \\ calcest of i11e11, t11at tl1e bodies of the c1i111111als \\'ill be give11
up to tl1e1r '\v1clo,vs 1'01 Cl111st1an bu1ial 'l N O\V t11e doubts
wh1cl1 \ve1e ia1sed as to ou1 po"'el'& c1id~11101c to \\ Jf!Jl 1tliCl,ID
~ ~!ro1, by \v1a1J1)i11g the1n i11 llnce1tai11ty, tl1a11 could
have l>een effected by tl1e sharpest definitions of tl1e la\v

f1on1 tl1e Qua1ter Sef,,sio11s. We, on ou1 pa11.s (\ve, tl1e collective ina1l, I mean), did our utn1ost to c:-..alt tl1e it.lea. of
ou1 p11v1leges by tl1e insolence 'v1th '''l1icl1 '''e 'v1clded tl1eru.
Wl1ether this insolence rested upon la\\' tl1at gtt\o rt a.
sa11ct1on, 01 upon consciot1s 130"'01 that 11at1gl1t1ly d1s11ensed
with that sanction, equally it spoke f1on1 a potential station
and the agent, in each pa1ticula1 i~solence of the moment,
was viewed 1eve1ent1ally, as one 11av1ng autl101ity.
Sometimes after b1ealrfast Ins l}lajcsty,'s mail \\'ould become frisky, and in its difficult '\\'hecl1ngs amongst the intricac1es of early markets, it 'vould upset an a1)J)le-cart, a
cart loaded with eggs, &c. Iluge was the affi1ct1on and
dismay, awful was the smash. I, as fa1 as })OS&tblc, eudeavou1 ed in such a. case to iepresent the conscience a11cl mo1 al
sens1l11lit1es of tl1e ma1l, and, when \v1lclc1nesscs of ecro
00 s'
\Vere; lying poached under ou1 ho1ses' 11oofs, then '\\'Ould I
i;;tr etcl1 fo1 tl1 iuy ht11ds in sorrow, say111c: (111 'vo1 els too ccl1

t ~

THE GLORY OF :MOTION.

brated at that time,fron1 the false echoes "ofMa.E.engo), '' ~\.b!

__ w11erefo1e have we not time to '\Veep over you'?'' '\vhich \vas
evidently impossible, since, in fact, we had not tin1e to laugh
' o\er tl1em. Tied to post-office allo,vance, in some cases of
fift)' miu11tes for eleven miles, could the royal matl pretend to
nnde1take tl1e offices of sympatl1y a11d condolence? Could
it be expectec1 to pro,'icle teais fo1 the accidents of the ioad 't
If even it seemed to t1ample on humanity, it c11d so, I felt,
,k!.-t1ischa1ge of its own mo1e pe1en1pto1y duties.
U pholdi11g the morality of the mail, a/01 tiorz I upheld its
11gl1ts; as a matte1 of duty, I st1etrbed to the utte1most its
pr1nlege of impe1ial prececlei1cy, and astomsbed '''eaR. minds
by tl1e feudal po'' ers \vhich I hinted to be Imking constructively in the charte1s of this proud establishment. 011ce I
ie1nember being on the box of the Holyhead
maib
bet\\een
"J""!-~ ~~ q.Jj., !! "l.J'<ff ~ ~-:...J,
SI11ewsbu1y
and Osi\'est1y, \\'hen a tawd1y thing :;fiom Bir,,.
mino-ham
o
' some '' Tallylio '' 01 '' Hi<rhflyer
o
>'' all fiau11ti1100'

o
witl1 g1een and gold, came up alo11gs1d~p_f us. What a
cont1ast to ou1 ioyal s1mpl1city of f01m and colom in this
plebeian i\'1etcl1 ! The single 01nament on ou1 dark g1ound
of chocolate rolour '\YUS the mighty shield of the m,1pe1ial
,.r~~-"'
arms, but emblazoned in p1opo1tio11s as modest as a signet-<,
'
iing beats to a seal of office. Even this was displayed only
on a single paJl.nel, "'luspering, rather than p1oclaiming,
our relations to the llllgl1ty state, whilst the beast f1om
Bhming11am, our g1een-a11d-gold friend from false, fleeting,
perjured Br mm\tgmn,
hu.d
as
much
writing
and
pai11t1ng
-v:,. -~,..,,,-"""' ... -.Pr ~ ..-:;:,_t::,.-.. I - ~... .,..,,,..'""-' ... :,..._.i
on its sp1a!}"ling fl~nks as would have p11zzlecl a dec1phe1er ~
1

.,..,__......,.~ ~.,,.

...

... ''False eclioes. ''-Yes, false! for tl1e 'vords ascribed to N1ipoleo11,
as b1 eathed to tl1e memory of Desa1x, never 'vere uttered at all. They
stand in tl1e same categorv of theat1ical fictions as tl1e cry of the
fo1111denng l111e-of-battle ship Venge11r, as t11e vaunt of Ge11e1al Cambronne at \Vaterloo, ''La Ga1 dd 1neurt, mazs ne se rend pas,'' or as tho
rep:irtees of T .illeyranU.

30v

fro1n the tombs of Luxo1. Fo1 son1e t11ne tl1is J311111111~}1(tt11

lllachine l'aU along by OUl' SiLle a f~lCCC Of f1tllli}i:11ity tll(~t
al1eady of itself seen1ed to i11e s11llic1c11tly jaco!.11t1ic:~I. D11t
ttll at once a 1novcrne11t of tl1e horses tt111101111cc(l u. clcs1Je1ate
intentio11 of leav111g 11s bcl1i11cl. ''Do you. sec thcct 7 '' I fi:~1<1
to the coacl11111t11. ''I sec,'' \Y:1s 111::, &l101t 1111s\\ c1. fle
,vas \vide a\valcc, yet he i\'a1tccl lo11gc1 tl1u11scc111ccl1>1'ttt1cut,
fo1 the 1101ses of 0111 at1c1ac1ous op1Jonc11t l1au a c11::.1g 1cc,11Jlo tL
a11 of fresl1ncss and po\ve1. B11t 111s i11otive \Yr1s lo) .11, h1::1
\Vtsh \Vas, tl1at the B111u1ngl1a111 co11cc1t sl1011!Ll be f11ll-l.ilo\\'ll
before he f1oze it. \Vheu tl1at sec111cu iigl1t, lie u11loo::cll,
01, to s1Jeal1: by a strougc1 '''01cl, lie .'lj_Jl'<t11g, 111'> 1~110\\ 11 i esou1ces : he slipped ou1 ioyal 1101scs 11lce cl1cct11!1-:, 01
hunt111g-lcopardS, after tl1e a[1igl1tctl ga111e. llo\Y tl1cy
could reta111 such a. icse1ve of fie1y po\vc1 al te1 tl1c \1 01 l\:
they 11ad accon1phshed, seernccl 11a1d to e:\plai11. I>t1t 011
ot1r side, besides t11e physical st1perio1it), \\as ~1. to\1 e1 of
mo1a1 st1e11gtl1, i1a1nel), the k111g's i1a1ue, '' \\l111..l1they1111011
tl1e adve1se f.\ct1ou \Vanted.'' Passi11g tl1cm 1\1tl1uut a11
elfo1 t, as It seemccl, 'Ye tQI',CW them fllltO tl1c l'CO.l' \'lltll SO
le11gthen1ng au interval bct\\ee11 us, tis p1oved in itself t11e
b1tte1 est n1o~ke1y of their p1esurnptiou ; '' h1lst our g u.i.1<1
blew back a shattering blast of t1iurnpb, that \Vas ically
too1)ainfully full of de11s1on.
. I mention thIB little i11c1uent f01 its conncet1on \\'1tl1
\Vhat folloT1cd. A \\T elsh i11st1c, s1tti11g bel1ir1d 111e, :1~l(ecl
!f I had not felt 111y heart bur11 'vitl1in ine dur111g tl1Q p10g1ess of the iace 'l I sa1c1, 'V.ltl1 phtlosoph10 cti.l1n11css, .1.Yo;
l1ecause \Ve \ve1e .not iac111g \V1tl1 a n1a1l, &o tl1ut uo glory
could be gained. In fact, it \vas s11ffic1e11tly 11101t1fj111g
that, such a B1rmi11gham thing should da1e to ch:i.llcnge us
The W elshn1an ieplied, that he cbd'ut see tha(; f 01 tl1.tt .i.
q~_ Ig.J!!,llt .Iool\:_t1t,,tt !dug, a11d a. I~1 t1m111ng,e111 co~clt migl1 t
1'"

......,_~ ...... -

...

...

...

... .,.

'
'!'HD GLORY 01'' :MO'l'lON.

301
'

lawfully iace the Holyhead mail. ''Race us, if you like,''

I repliecl, '' though even tliat bas an air of sedition, bt1t not
beat us. This \Vould have been treason; and for its own
sake I am glad that the 'Tallyho' was disappointed.'' So
dissatisfied did t1te Welshman seem with this opiriion, that
at last I was obliged to tell him a ve1y fine story f1om one
of our elder dramatists viz., that once, in some far 01iental
kingdom, \Vhen the sultan of all the land, with his prmces,
ladies, and chief om1ahs, were flymg then falcons, a hawk
suddenly flew at a maJestic eagle; anc1 in defiance of the
eagle's natural advantages, in contempt also of the eagle's
traditional royalty, and before the \vhole assembled field of
astonished spectato1s from .A.g1a and Lahore, killed the
eagle on the spot. Amazement seized the sultan at the
unequal contest, and bu1'Iling admil:ation for its unpa1alleled result. He commanded that the hawk should 1.Je
brought before him; he ca1essed the l{ .. 1' with enthusiasn1;
and he ordered that, for the commemorai1on of his match!.
less courage, a diadem of gold and rubies should be solemnly
placed on the hawk's head; but then that, Immediately afte1
this solemn coronation, the bird should be led off to execution, as the most valiant indeed of t1aitors, but not the less a
traitor, as having cla1ed to iise iebelliously against his 4,ege
101d and anointed sovereign, the eagle. ''Now,'' said I to
the Welshman, ''to you and me, as men of iefiped.s..ensJ.hihties, how painful it would have been that this poor Br11rnmagem b1ute, the 'Tallyho,' 1n the impossible case of a
victory over us, should have. been crowned with Birmingham tip.sel, with paste diamonds, and Roman. pearls, ancl
then led off to instant execution.'' The Welshman doubted
if that could be warranted by law. .And when I hinted at
the, 6th of Edward Longshanks, chap. 18, for regulating
tt:e precedency of col:lches, as being p1obably the statute

'

302

THE ENGLISH l\IAILCOACH.

relied ou fo1 the caprtal punisl1ment of sucl1 offences, !1e

I~'(
replied di!ly, that if tl1e attempt to pass a mail really weie
t1easonable, it was a pity that the '' Tallyho'' appea1ecl to
have so im1)e1fect an acquaintance 'vith la'v
The modern modes of t1avelli11g <;annQt compare \Vith
the old nia1l-coach system in gia11deur and powe1. 'rhey
boast of mo1e velocity, not, however, as a consciousness,
b11t as a fact of our lifeless knowledge, iesting upou alze1i
eVIdence; as, foi insFance, because somebocly says that \Ve
have goue fifty n11les in the 11our, though we are fa1 from
feeling it as a peisonal ex1)eiie11ce, or upon the evidence of
a result, as that actually 've find ourselves in Y 01k, four
hours afte1 leavi11g London. Apa1t from such-an asseition,
or such a iesult, I myself am little a"rare of the pace.
But, seatecl on the old mail coach, 've needed no evidence
out Qf.omselves to indicate tl1e velocity. On this system
the word was, No1i 112agria loq11z11i111, as upon iailways, but
vzvz11ius. Yes, '' magna v1vz1nus ;'' we do not make veibal
oste_~t_at1on of our grancleuis, we iealise our g1ande11is in
act, and in the ve1y ex1)eiie11ce of 11t'e. The vital e:\.peiience of the glad animal sens1bil1t1es made doubts impossible on tl1e question of our speecl; we hea1d ou1 speed, we
salv it, we felt it as a thi1lling, and this speed was not the
product of bhnd insensate
agencies, tl1at had no sympatl1y
,..,
to give, but was i11ca1nated
in the fie1y eyeballs of the
..,,
noblest amongst brutes, in 111s d1latecl nostril, spasmodic
muscles, and thundei-beat1ng hoofs. The sens1b1l1ty of the
horse, uttermg itself m the maniac light of his eye, might
l)e the last v1brat1on of s11cb a movement; the glory of
Salamanca might be the fiist. But the intervening links
that connected them, tl1at spiead tl1e ea1thquake of battle
into the eyeball of t11e horse, were tl1e heait of man and
ltL elect1ic th11ll1ngs lrindli11g in the rapture of the fi~1y
<""

THE GLORY OF llIOTION.

303
,

strife, and then propagating its O\vn tumults by contagious

shouts and gestu1es to the hea1t of his servant the horse .

But now, on the new system of travelling, iron tubes

and boile1s have disconnecterl man's heart from the ministers
of his locomotion. Nile nor Trafalgar has power to raise
an extra bubble.in a:steam-kettle. The galvanic cycle is
broken up for eve1; man's irupe1ial nature no longer sends
itself forward through the electric sensibility of the horse;
the inter-agencies are gone ~n the mode of communication
between the horse and his master, out of which g1ew so
many aspects of sublimity under accidents of mists that hid,
or sudden blazes that ievealed, of mobs that agitated, or
midnight solitudes that awed. Tidmgs, fitted to convulse
, all nations, must henceforwards travel by culina1y IJrocess;
and the trumpet that once announced f1om afar the lau1elled
mail, heart-shaking, when hearcl screaming on t11e wit1d, and
proclaiming itself through the darkness to every village or
solitary house on its route, has now given way for ever to
the pot-wallopings of the boiler.
Thus have perished multiform openings for public exp1essions of interest, sce~1cal yet nutu1al, in great national
tidings; fo1 revelations of faces and groups that could not
offer themselves amongst the fluctuating mobs of a rail\vay station. The gatherings of gazers about a laurelled
mail had one centre, and acknowledged one sole inte1'st.
But the crowds attending at a railway station have as little jl
unity as running wate1, and O\vn as many centres as the1e
a1e separate carriages in the train.
Row else, for example, than as a constant watcher for the
dawn,and fo1 the London mail that in s11mmer months entered about daybreak amongst the lawny thickets of l\IarlIJorongh forest, couldst thou, sweet Fanny of the Bath road
ltave become the glorified inmate of my dreams~ Y ct

301

TBD ENGLISII .IIIAILCOACH.

Fanny, as the loveliest young woman fo1 face and perso:l

that pe1haps ju my wl1ole life I Lave beheld, me11ted tho
station which even now, f1om a dista11ce of f01ty years, she
holds in my dreams; yes, t11ough by lrnks of natu1al association she brings along with lier a troop 9f d1eadful creatures, fabulous ancl not fabulous, that are more abominable
to tl1e hea1t, than Fanny and the <lawn are delightful.
Miss Fanny of the Bath roacl, st11ctly speaking, lived at
a_ mile's distance f1om that ioad; but came so continually
to meet the mail, that I on my fi:equent tra~s!ts rarely
missed h111, ancl natu1ally connected her llllage with the
great thoroughfa1e whe1e only I had ever seen hc1. Why
she cam{) so punctually, I do not exactly k11ow; but I bejeve with some burden of commissions to be executed in
J3ath, wl11cl1 hacl gatl1e1ed to her own ies1dence as a central
rendezvous for conve1g111g them. The mail-coachman 'v ho
d1ove the Bath mail, and "rore the royal livery,"* happenecl to be Fanny's grandfather. A good man he was,
tl1at lovecl his beautiful g1andd.iughter, and, loving her
i\ 1sely, was vigilant ove1 her cleportment in any case where
'
young Oxford might 11appen to be concerned. Did my
vanity then suggest that I myself, ind1v1dually, could fall
within the line of his te1ro1s 'l Ce1tainly not, as rega1ded
-any }Jl1ys1cal p1e~;_isions that I could p~d, fo1 Fanny (as
a cba!J.Ce passenger f1om her OWll neighbourhood once told
1

"* '' Wore tl1e royal lruery

''-The general impression 'vas, that the

royal livery belonged of right to the mail-coachmen as their professional dress But that 'vas an error. To the guard 1t did belong, I
believe, and 'vas obviously essential as an official warrant, and as a '
means of instant identification fo1 his person, in the discharge ofh1s
important public duties But the coachman, and especially if h1:i
place in the series did not connect h1mimmed1ately 'v1th London and
the General Post-office, obtained the scarlet coat only as an honorary
di~t1nct1on after long (or, if not long, trying and special) service.

305

'.ITIE GLORY OF ::i:oTIClX.

n1e) counted in her train a hunc11cc1 anc1 ni11cty-11inc l!lQiessed ac1mire1s, :if not op~l} asp_i1~nts to her f,l.vou1; ant1
probably not one of the 1\ hole brigade 111],t excelled myself
!n personal advantages. Ulys,_es e1en, \\ith tl1e u11f,lir .'.1.d.-vantage of bis acc.ursed bow, could ha1 c1ly have I1nde1taker1
tbat amount of suitors So the dJ.nger illight l1a:ve seemecl
slight only that v;oman is urrive1sally a1istocratic; 1t i::amongst her nobilities of heart that she zs so. N 0\1, tl1c
aristocratic d1stiuc~ions in my favour might easily with ::\Iiss
Fanny have compensatecl my physical deficiencies. D1tl I
th.en make love to Fanny? Why, yes; about as mncli
love as one could make whilst t11e mail was changing 1101ses
-:a process irhich, ten years late1, did not occupy above
eighty seconds; but tli.en 1iz., al)out Waterloo it occu1)ied
five times eighty. Non, four hnnclled seconds offe1 a helcl
quite ample enough for i1hispe1ing mto a young \\'Oman's
ear a great deal of truth, and (by \\ay of pare11thesis) some
trifle of falsehood. Grandpapa did i'ight, the1efore. to

"\\'atch me. .A.ncl )'et, as happens too of:en to the grand}Japas of earth, in a contest with the admirers of grandtlaughter;:,, how vainiy \Vould he have watched me had I
med1tatec1 any evil wh1spers to Fanny! She, it 1s my belief,
would have protected herself against any man's evJ sugges
tions. But he, as the result showed, could not have intercepted the opportunities for such suggestions. Yet, why
not? Was he not active'! Was he not blooming'! Blooming he was as Fanny herself.
''Say, all our praise.1 why should lords;---''

Stop, that's not the line.

'Say, all our roses why should grrls engross? '

The coachman showed rosy blossoms on his face deeper

even than hls granddaughter's his being diawn-fiom tl1e
rue cask, Fanny's from the fountains of tho dawn. But, i:1

xz

306

THE ENGLISH )!,\.IL-CQ,\.CH.

~p1te

of his blooilllng face, some 1nfirmit1es he had ; and one

1iarticularly in which he too much resembled a crocodile.
This lay in a monstt._ous.maptitude for turning round. The
crocodile, I p1esume, owes that inaptitude to the absurd
lengtli of his back; but in ou1 grandpa1Ja 1t arose rather
f1om the absu1d b1eadtli of }us back, combmed, poss1l)ly,
'nth some g1owing stiffness m his legs. Now, upon this
crocodile rnfirm1ty of his I pla11ted a human aclvantage for
tenderiug my homage to 1iilss Fanny. In defiance of all
to
his honourable vigilance, no sooner 11ad he presented
,
ua his mighty Jovian back (what a field foi di~playing to
ma11kind his royal scailet 1), whilst inspecting professionally
the buckles, the straps, and the silvery turrets'-- of his harness,
than I raised Miss Fa.nn.y's hand to my lips, and, by the
mixed tenderness and respectfulness of my manner, caused,
her easily to understand how happy it would make me to
r~k_npon her hst !!:.No. 10 or 12,
, in 1vhich case a few
casualties amongst her lovers (and observe, tl1ey Tia11ged
liberally in those days) IDight have promoted me speedily to
the top of the tree ; as, on the othei hand, w1tl1 ho1v mgch
loyalty of submission I a~quiesced by anticipation in her
award, supposing that she should plant me in the very
rea1:-ward of her favou1, as No. 199+1. Most tiuly I
loved tltls beautiful and 1ngenuous girl; and had it not been
for the Bath mail, tlllling all courtships D.y post-office
allowance, heaven only knows what might have come of it.

* '' Turrets .''-.AJs one who loves

and venerates Chaucer for his

unrivalled merits of tenderness, of picturesque characte11sat1on,
and of narrative skill, I noticed \V1th great pleasure that the \void
torrettes is used by him to designate the little devices through "'h1ch
the reins are made to pass. This same \Void, in the same exact seni.e,
I l1eard uruformly used by many scores of 1llust11.ous mail-coachmen, to whose confidential fnendsh1p I had the honour of being adm1tted in my younger days

TRF. GLOP.Y OF :\lOTTON.

307

f>eople talk of being- over hl'ad an1I ear<> in loe; no\v, the
n1all was the cal1se that l. sanK Ollt.f uver ears 1n love,
lrhlch, you know, still left a t1ilie of brajn to overlook tl1e
\Yhole conduct of the affair.
'li'C!f
Ah, reader! when I look back upon those days, it seems
to me that all things change all things pe1ish. '' Pe11sh : ;
the roses and the palms of kings : '' pe1 ish even the c10,rns
'
and trophies of Waterloo : thunder and l1ght1tlng are not '
the thunder and lightning which I remember. Roses are
degeneratillg. The Fannies of our island thongl1 this I saJ
with reluctance aie not visibly improving; a11d the Bath
road is notoriously superannuated. Crocodtles, you will
say, are stationary. Mr Waterton tells me that the crocochle does not change; that a cayman, in fact, or an alligator, is just as good for riding upon as he was in the tIIDe
of the Pharaohs. That may be; but the reason is, that the
crocodtleuoes not live fast he is a slow coach. I believe
it is gene1ally unde1stood among natUlalists, that the
crocodile is a blockhead. It is my oTu-n impression that '

the Pharaohs were also blockheads. Now, as the Pharaohs

and the c1ocodile domineered
over
Egyptian
society,
this
.....
accounts for a singular mistake that prevailed thIough innumerable generations on the Nile. The crocodile made
the ridiculous blunde1 of supposing man to be meant
chiefly for his own eating. l\fan, taking a different view
of the subject, naturally met
_r,,. that mistake by another: he
viewed the crocodile as a thing sometimes to worship, but
.always to run away from. And this continued until i\Ir
W aterton* changed the relations between the animals.

'll' '' ..Jlr

Waterton: ''-Had the reader lived through the l.ist generation, he would not need to be told that some thirty or tb1rt)-fi;e
years back, ~[r W aterton, a d1st1ngwshed country gentleman of an~ient f..inuly in Northumher)and, publicly mounted and roil<' in top-

308

TllL :CNU LlSll ,1.\ l L-CQ.\L).l:f.

Tl1e moi:lc of escan111~; rroru tllA J'C~)t1le 110 s110\\'CCt to o<:,

not by i1111111ng a'''ay, b11t l)y lcap111g 011 its bt1ck, lio9_,tcd
arid spu11ed. The t,,.o a111111als 11utl n11s11ntle1stootl eacl1
other The use of the c1ocotl1lc l1as 110\Y been clcu1cd 11p
-VIZ., to be r1tlclen; a11cl t11e fi11al c1111~e of 1nr111 is, t11.1t ho
may 1m1)1ove tl1e l1cultl1 of the c1ococl1lc by iitl111g 11i111 a. fo::-..l1unting bef01 e b1 ea1;:fi1st. ..:\..11ll it is lll'Ctty re1 tai11 tl1al/'
any crococ11le, wl10 has been rcg11la1ly 111111tccl t111011gl1 the
season, a11d is master of the ,,e1gl1t he ca111cs, \\ tll tal;:e :i
six-bu1red gate no'v as ,,ell as e\'CL' he '' 011lcl ha\ e clo11e iu

t11e mfancy of the pyran11c1s

If, tl1erefore, the c1ocod1le docs 1zot cl1nnge, all things else
undeniably clo. even the sl1ac10\v of t11c })y1an1ic1s g,10\vs
less. Ancl oftc11 tl1e resto1at10111n vi&1on of Fa11ny a11d the
Bath. road,' makes me too pathetically sc11s1ble of t11r\t
t1uth. Out of the da1kness, if I 11a1Jpe11 to call bncl;: tltl'
image of Fanny, up i1ses sucldcnly f1om n. gulf of forty
yea1s a iose in Juue; or, if I tl1inl>: for a11 instant of tl1c
rose in June, up i1ses the heavenly face of Fan11y. 011e after
tl1e other, like tl1e ant1pl1on1es in the choral service, riso
.Fanny and the 1ose in June, the11 back again the iose in
June and Fanny. Then come both together, as .1n 11.
cho1us roses ancl Fa11n1es, Fannies and ioses, without c11cl,
tlnck as blossoms in paradise. Then comes rt. ,enerable
crocodile, in a. ioyal hvery of sca1let and gold, 1\1tl!
sixteen capes ; and the crocodile is driving fou1-in-hanu

from the box "Jf the Bath mall. And suddenly we upon
boots a savage old crocodile, tl1at 1vas restive and ,cry impertiueut,
but all to no purpose. The crocodile Jibbed and tried to krck, bu~
vainly. He 1\ as no more able to throw the sqrure, thnr1 S1nbad ,\as
to throw the old scoundrel who used hIB back 'Vlthout );la; 1ng for it,
until he discovered a mode (sl1gl1tly immoral, perhaps, thougli somtl
tlnnk not) of murdering the old fraudulent JOch.ey, and so c1rcu1tou1>ly of unhorsing him.

TUE GLORY OF 3IOTIOX.

309

tl1e mail are pulled up lJy a. mip:l1ty dial, Sl'lllptllred witl1

the hOUlS, that mingle \Vlth the heave11s and the neaven(y
host. Then all at once we are a1riv-ed at nia1Il)orough
fo1est, amongst the lovely households"' of- the ioe-dee1;
the deer and the11 fa" ns reti1e into the dewy thickets ;
the thickets are i'ich with roses; once again the roses call '
up the sweet countenance of Fanny ; and sI1e, being tl1e '
grandclaughter of a crocodile, awal~ens a cI1eaclful host or
sen11-legenda1y animals g1 Iffins, d1ag ans, basilisl{S, sphinxes
-till at length the whole vision of fighting images cro\1ds
into one towe1ing armo1ial shielcl, a vast ernl)lazon1y of
human cha1'ities and b11man loveliness that have pe1ished,
but quarterecl he1alclically \V1th unutte1able ancl demoniac
natures, whilst over all i1ses, as. a' su1mounti11g c1 est, 011e
fair female hand, 11rith the fo1efinger pointing, in Si\'eet,
sorrowful admonition, upwa1ds to heaven, 11r here is sculptured the eternal wr1t1ng which proclaims the f1a1lty of
earth and her ch1lcb.en.
GOL.'\G DOIY'X \VITH VICTORY.

But the grandest chapte1 of our experience, 1Vithin the

whole matl-coach service, was on those occasions when 1ve
went do\vn from London 1\-ith the ne11rs of,\-icto1y. A pe1iorl
of about ten years st1etched from Trafalgar to W ate1loo ;
the second aucl third yea1s of which pe1iod (1806 and 1807)
'vere comparatively ste11le; but the ot11er nine (f1om 1805 to
1815 inclusively) furnished. along succes::i1on of victo1ies;
''Households :''-Roe-deer do not congiegate m herds like the
fallow or the red deer, but by separate families, parents and ch}ltlren;
'vl11ch feature of approximation to the sanctity of human hearths,
added to their comparat1,-ely m1mature and graceful propo1tions,
conciliate to them an interest of peculJ.ar tenderness, supposing e eu
that tlus beautiful creature is less cbara.cter1st1cally impressed'' ztll
me i;randeurs of saage and forest hfe.

310

THE ENGLISH MAIL-COACH

1

the least of 'vhlcl1, in sucll a contest of 1'1tans, l1ad au 1na1Jp1cciable value of position partly for its absolute inte1fe1ence with the plans of our enemy, but still more f1om its
keepip.g_~J1ve through central Europe tlie'- ~~?se of a deep ..
seated vulne1ab1l1ty 1n France. Even to tease the coasts of
our enemy, to mortify them by continual blockades, to in~ult them by capturing if 1t were but a baubl1ng schooner
under the eyes of their ai1ogaut armies, iepeated from time
to time a sullen proclamation of power lodged in one quarter
to which the hopes of Christendom turned 1n secret. Ho1v
much mo1e loudly must this proclamation have spoken in
the audacity'* of having bearded the elite of their tioo1Js,
and haVIng beaten them ill pitched
battles
1 Five years o!
....
life it was woith paying do,vn for the pr1VIlege of an outside place on a mail-coach, when carrying down tlie first
tidmgs of any such event. .And it is to be noted tl1at, f1on1
our insular situation, and the multitude of our f11gates disposable for the rapid transmission of llltelligence, iarely did
any unauthorised iumour steal away a preJ!.bation f1om the
first ar~a of the regular despatches. Tl1e government

news was generally the earliest ne\vs.

''Audacity: ''-Such the French accounted it, and 1t has &truck

1ne that Soult 'voultl not have been so popular in London, at the
period of her present MaJesty's coionat1on, or in Thfanchester, on
occasion of his visit to that to'vn, if they had been aware of the insolence with which he spoke of us 1n notes \vr1tten at intervals from the
field of Waterloo. AB though 1t had been mere felony in our army
to look "a French one in the face, he said 1n more notes than one,
dated from t\vo to four l' :M. on the field of Waterloo, ''Here are the
EnglISh-\ve l1ave them; they are caught e11flagrant delzt '' Yet no
man should have lcnown us better, no man had drunk deeper from
t11e cup of I1um1l1at1on than So11lt had 1n 1809, wl1en eJected by us
'l'rith headlong violence from Oporto, and pursued through a long line
of wrec~s to the frontier of Spain 1 subsequently at Albue1a, in the
bloodiest of recorded battles, to say nothing of Toulouse, he should
have learned 011r prerens1ons.

1'HF. GLORY OF MOTION

311

F.1.on1 eight P.:r.r., to fifteen 01 twenty minutes later, iniagine the mails assembled on parade m Lombard Street,
'vhere, at that tllile,-..; and not in St l\'.[artin's-le-Giand, was
,
seated the General Post-office. In what exact stiength
we mustered I do not iemember; but, from the length of
each sepa1ate attelage, we filled the street, though a long
one, and though we were drawn up in double file On any
night the spectacle was beautiful. The absolute perfection
of all the appointments alJout the carriages and the ha1ness,
theii stiength, their brilliant cleanliness, thei1 beautiful simplicity but, more than all, the ioyal magnificence of the
' hoises were i.vhat might fiist have fixecl the attention.
Every cairiage, on eve1y morning in the yea1, was take11
down to ?-Il official inspector for examination "\\'heels,
axles, linchpins, pole, glasses, lamps, we1e all c1itically
probed and tested. Every pa1t of eveiy car1iage had bee11
cleaned, every horse had been groomed, with as mucl1 r1gour
. as if they belonged to a private gentleman; and that part
of the spectacle offered itself always. But the nigl1t before
us is a night of victoiy ; and, behold r to the 01dinaiy display, what a heart-shaking ac1dit1on ! horses, men, car
riages, all a1e dressed m lau1els and flowe1s, oak-leaves
and i1bbons. The guards, as being officially his l\'.fe.Jesty's
servants, and of the coacl1men such as are within the privilege of the post-office, wear the royal liveries of course ;
and as it is summer (for all the la1zd victoiies were naturally
won in summer), they wear, on this fine evening, these liveries
exposed to view, without any covering of upper coats.
Such a costume, and the elaborate mrangement of the
laurels in their hats, dilate their hearts, by givmg to them
openly a personal connection mth the great news, in which

* ''.At that time

''-I speak of the era preVIous to W nterloo

THI.: E)[GJ lSH :.\I,\.JI,-CQ,\CB.

already they l1ave t11e general interest of pat11otism. That

great national sentiment su1mounts and qt1ells all sense of
ordinary l11st111ct1ons. Those passengers "\vho happen to
be gentlemen a1e no1v hardly to be dist1ngtusl1ed as s11ch
except by d1ess, fo1 the usual rese1ve of theu manne1 in
speaking to tl1e atte11dauts has on this night melted away
One heart, one piide, one gloiy, connects every man by
the transcendent bond of lus national blood. The spectatois, "\vho a1e numerous beyoncl p1ecedent, ex111ess their
sympathy with these fervent feelings by continual 11urrahs.
Eve1y moment ale shouted aloud by the post-office se1vants, and summoned to c1raw up, the g1eat ancest1al names
of c1t1es lrno,vn to histo1y through a thousand yea1s Lincoln, vV1ncbeste1, Po1tsmouth, Glouceste1, Oxfo1d, B1istol,
nianchestei, York, Newcastle, Edinbuigh, Glasgow, Pe1th,
Sti1hng, .Abe1deen expressi11g the grandeur of the empire
by the antiquity of its towns, and the grandeui of the mail

estauhshment by the diffusive radiation of its separate 1111ssions Every moment you hear the tl1t1nder of lids locked
do1vn upon the mail-bags. That sound to each individual
mail is the signal fo1 drn.wing off, wl1ich process is tbe finest
pa1t of the entire spectacle. Then come tl1e horses into play.
IIorses ! can these be ho1ses that bound oil' with the art1on
a11d_gestu1es of leopards'2 What stir 1 '\Vhat sea-like fermentl what a thuncler1ng of wheels' what a trampill1g of
hoofs! what a sounding of trumpets 1 what farewell cheers
_,vhat red~bhng peals of brotheily congratulation, connecting the name of tl1e particular matl ''Liverpool for
ever!'' with the name of the })articular victory '' BadaJoz
for everl'' or ''Salamanca fo1 ever!'' The half-s1umberin0'0
consciousness that, all night long, and all the next day perhaps for even a 1011ger pe11od many of these mails, hl\:e fire
lacing along a train of gunpowder, will be k1nclling at every

'

rt!l!l GLORY O~' JlOTIO~.

313

11.st~tnt 11e\\'

s11cces:-ions of l)u111i11g joy, bus an ol)sct11e efi'ect

of ll1ult11}lyi11g the v1cto1y itself, by n1ult1ply111g to the
imagi11ation into 1nfin1ty tl1e stages of its 1)1 og,ressi\re chffus1on. .A. fiery ar10\v seems to be let loose, r1b1ch from
that moment is destined to ,trav-el, \1itl,.Q.ut... intermission,
''est wards for tl11ee bundred miles northwards for si1.

Three hundred ''-Of necessity, this scale of measurement,

to an A.inerican, if he happens to be a tliougl1tless man, must sound
111dicrous. Accordingly, I iemember a case in 'vbich an .t\.mericiin
'v;r1ter indulges himself in the luxury of a little fibbing, by ascnb1ng
to a11 Englishman a 11ompous account of tI1e TI1ames, constr11cted
ent11ely upon American ideas of ~randeur, and concluding ir~ something like these te1ms :-'And, s1i, ar1 iving at London, this mighty.
father of rivers attains a breadth of at least t\VO furlongs, having;
in its \\ 1nd1ng course, trJ.versed the aston1sh1ng distance of or1e hundred nnd seventy miles.'' And this th9 candid Amencan tl11i1ks it
fair to contrast with the scale of the :Ultssiss1pp1. No\v, it is ha1dly
worth ~l1ile to ans,ve1 a pure fiction gravely, else one migl1t say
that no Englishman out of Bedlam ever tl1ought of looking In an
isl.ind for the i1;ers of a corttinent; nor, consequently, could have
thought of looking for the peculiar grandeur ot tl1e 'l'l1ames in tl1c
lengtl1 of its course, or in the extent of soil wl11ch it dr:11ns; yet,
1f he had been so absurd, tl1e American migl1t ha\ e i ccollected tlat
a ri> er; not to be compared \Y1th the T11ames e' e11 as to 'olume of
'
'vater-\iz 1 tl1e Tiber-has contr1> ed to mal.e itself 11ea1d of in tliis
'vorld for t\venty-fi;e centuries to a11 extent not reached as yet Ly
an} 11ver;ho,\e,e1 corpulent, of 111s O\\n land. ' 'fl1e glory of tl1e
Thames is measured by the destiny of t11e popt1lat1011 to "hich it
ministe1s, by the commeice ,,111ch it s11ppo1ts, by tl1e g1andeu1 of
the emp1ie in ''hich, thougl1 f.i.r from tl1e la1gest, it ll> tl1e most
influential st1eam Upon some sucl1 scale, a11d not by a tr:111sfer
of Columbian standa1ds, is tl1e cou1se of our Engl1sl1 ina1ls to be
valued. Tl1e .A.me11can mav
fane;
tl1e effect of l1is O\\n valuatio11!1

to our Eugl1:,h ea1s, b) supposing the case of a S1berian glorif) ing

J11s co1inn1 in these tcrn1s -'' Tl1e,se '\ retcl1es, sir, In Fiance and
E11glantl, cannot march 11alf a mile i11 any d1rcct1on '\ ithot1t finding
n. l1ouse '' l1ere food ca11 be had and lorlging, '\\ hereas, such is tl1e
t1oble desolation of our magnificent cour1tr), that in m'ln) a d1rcct1on'
for a thousand miles I 'vil.l enzage that a dog shall not iin<l shelter
crom a snow-~torm, 11or a \\ren find un apologj for breal,.f.ist.''
1

IV.

.I. l

'l'llE CXGLl:,lt

:\!.\ILCO.~(.r1

the syn1putll.)' of 0111 T.,1l111bt1rcl St1l Ct f1ie11rtc;.

nt l)n1t111g, is ext1ltccl u. h1111d1ccl!'olcl by u. ~l)l't of' \'i::i1ont11:i
sy1111Julhy '''it11 tl1c .)'ct sl11n1be1i11g S.)'lltllltlhics \\l11cl1 i11 so
,i1~t u. st1cccssion \\'C a10 go111g to U\\'ttl~c.
L11Jc1:itcll t'1on1 tl1c cu1bt111:1:::s111c11ts ol' tl1e cit.)r, :1ntl isi:.11i11g llltO the broacl llllCl'OiVdccl U\ CilllCS of tllC llOl't ltCl'll S\\\)Ul'}JS, '''e soo11 begi11 to c11tc1 1111011011111t1t11111l lJttco of tc11
n11lcs nn 110111. I11 the b10:1tl ligl1t ot' tl10 s1111111c1 C\ c11111g,
t11c s1111, 1Jc1lt:11Js, 011ly j11st ttt tl1e i1oi11t of sett i11g, '' c nru
seen f10111 evc1y sto1cy of C\ cijr l1011sc. llc:1c1::i of C\'CI'Y
ng, e c1o"d to tl10 \Vit1llO\\'S Jot111g u11ll oltl t111clcrstu11t1 tl10
ln11g11t1ge of ot1r \1clo1iot1s sy111bols 1t11cl ioll111g ,olloys of
sy1111)n.tl1is111g cltce1s it1u along 11s, bcl1111cl 11s, u11cl ucf'ol L'
11s. '1.'l1e 1Jegga1, ica1i11g 1ti111self 11g:1i11st tl10 \\all, fo1gctg
his 111111e11ess roul or ussumecl tl1111l(s 11ot ot' l1is \V 11111i11g
.....
trttlle, bt1t stu11ds erect, \\'1tl1 bold oxulti11g s1n1lc~, ns \\ o
1
pr ss l1im. rl10 victo1y 11ns l1c:1lecl l11m, t111d Sil..) s, Do tl1011
'vl1ole ! W 01ue11 n11cl rhilcl1e11, fro111 gt111cts nlil\o nncl
cell111::, tl11011gh i11fi111tc Lo11clo11, lool~ clo\\'tl 01 look 111J '' 1tl1
lo,i11g C)'CS upo11 ou1 guy i1l1bo11s ntlll ou1 i1111rtiul ln.t11cls;
sot11ct1111es kiss tl1ei1 J1n11c1s; so111etin1es I1ung 011t 1 ns &ig11nl<>
of a!l'ecfion, pocl,et-l1a11cllc1cl1ief.,., upro11s, clt1sto1s, u11)tl1111g
tl111t, b;r cntcl1111g t11c s\1111mer breclcs, \\ill cxp1css nit 1\ctitil
Jtll)tl.1t1011. 011 tl1e Lo11clo11 s1c1e ot' B:1r11ct, to '' l1icl1 '' o
clt':li\' 11cnr \\1tl1111 n. fe\v u1i11t1te:> 11ftc1 i1i11e, obscl'\'C tl111t
pl'i\':1to ca111ng,o \\'hich is lll)}ll'Ottc11i11g llS. rrl1e \\ e1tt}1c1
b<.!111g so ,,,. a rn1, tl1e glasscc; ur o all do\\'11; n11cl 0110 intt)'
rcacl, ns 011 tl1c stage of 11. tl1c!1t1c, C\'c1ytl1111g tl1t1t goes 011
'' 1tl1i11. It co11la111s tl11co lncl1cs one lil~c1)' to ho ''111nn11nn,''
:111cl t,,.o of sove11tec11 01 e1gl1tcc11 1 '\\'ho n10 })l'obably l1c1
cl:111g,l1tc1s. Wl1ut lo\cly n1111unt1on, \Vl1ut bc:111tif'11l 1111p1en1ccl1tatctl i)nntom1111e, cxpluini11~ to us evc1y s;rlJiiblo tl1:1t
11"-Sses, i11 tl1cso i11ge11uous girls ! By the sullLle11 st111t ti.11d

l1t111llrc11: t111Ll

'l'HE GT.ORY OF :\IOTIO!{.

ra13i.J1g~of

315

the ha11ds, on first c1J.scove1ing ot11 la11rellecl eql1ipage ' :b) the s11clde11 movement a11d a1J1)eal tQ the elLler
lady from both of them and lJy the heightened colou1 on
the11 a1111uated countenances, 1ve can almost. hear them sayil1g, '' See, see ! Look at their la11rels ! Oh, mamma !
tl1e1e 11as bee11 a great battle h1 S1)ain; and it has beei1 a.
g1eat victory.'' In a moment 1ve are on the poii1t of passing them. We passenge1s I on the box, ancl tl1e two on
the roof behind me 1aise ou1 hats to the ladies ; the
coac1n1an makes ,his p1ofessional sal11te 1vith the wl1ip; the
g11ard even, though punctilious on the matter of his dignity
as an officer under the cro\vn, touches his hat. The ladies
move to us, in return, 1vith a winning g1aciousness of
gesture ; all smile 011 each s1cle in a way that nobocly could
misunde1stand, and that nothing short of a grand nat1011al
sympathy could so instantaneously lJl'OIDJJt. Will these
ladies say that we are nothing to tllem'< Oh, no; they 1v1ll
not say tlictt. They cannot deny they do not deny that
for this night they are our sisteis; gentle 01 simple, scholar
or ill1te1ate servant, fo1 t"'elve l1011rs to come, we on the
outside have the honou1 to be their brotl1ers. Those poor
women, again, who stop to gaze U}Jon t1s with de1ig11t at
the entiance of Ba1net, an cl seem, by t11eu air of wea1ines~,
I
to be ieturnmg from labour do you mean to say tl1at tl1ey
a1e 1vashe1'\\omen and char,vomen? Oh, my poo1 f11end,
yo11 are c111ite mista1.en. I assu1e' you they st an cl in a far
highe1 ia.111~ ; for this one nigl1t they feel themsel\es by
birth-right to be daug,hte1s of England, and answer to no
humb1e1 title.
,

Eve1y joy, however, even raptu1ous joy such is tl1e sad,

law 'of ea1th may carry with it g1ief, 01 fear of grief, to
some. Th1ee n1tles beyond Ba1net, we see a1Jp1oaching us
'
u:nothe1 private ca11iage, nea1ly repeatrng the circumstances

l:Slb

THE EXGLlSH 'f.\.IL-CO \Ctl.

of t11e foimer case. Rei e, also, the glasses aIe all clo,ru
-he1e, also, is an elderly lacly seatecl; b11t the two da11gl1ters a1 e mis<>1ng, fo1 the single yourL_g pe1son sitt111g b )'
the lacly's side, seems to be an attendant so I j11clge fro111
her dress, ancl he1 air of respectful reserve. The lacly is
in mourning ; and her countenance e.:\.p1esses so1row. .At
first she does 11ot look up ; so that I l)el1eve she is not
awa1'e of 0111 approach, until she hears the measured beat
ing of our ho1ses' hoofs. Then she raises her eyes to settle
tl1em painfully on ou1 triumphal equipage. Ot11 decorations explain tl1e case to her at once; but she beholds them
with apparent anxiety, 01 even with te1ro1. Some time
before this, I, finding it difficult to hit a flying maik, when
embarrassed by the coachman~s per'Son and reinf; intervening, had given to the guard a '' Co11rier'' evening paper,
containing the gazette, for the next carriage that Il1ight pass.
Accordingly he tossed it in, so folc1ed that the huge capitals
expiessmg some such ~egend as GLORIOUS YICT()RY, might
catch the eye at once. To see the paper, however, at all,
interpreted as it was by our ensigns of t1iurriph, explained
everything ; and, if the gua1d were rigl1t in thinking the
lady to have received it with a gestuie of horror, it ,could
not be doubtful that she had suffered some deep pe1sonal
affliction in co11nection with this Spanish "\va1.
Here, now, was the case of one who, having fo1merly
suffe1 ed, migl1t, erroneously pe1haps, be d1st1essing herself
mth antici1)ations of anothe1 similar suffering. That same
night, ab~ hardly three hours late1, occur1ed the reverse
case. .A ,poo1 woman, who too p1obably >vould find her
self, in add or two, to have suffered the heavie~t of affl.ic
tions by the battle, blindly allowed herself to express an
e.--c11ltation so unmeasured in the news ancl its deta1ls. as
f\a.ve to 11e1 tll~ UJJ~earance whlc\1 v.n1ong:st Celtic Jlii i._
\

'

'l'liE C>LOltY OF )!QTIO!f-

:-: 17

Iu11ders is called fey. 1'11is '\as at so111e little tO\';n '''hero

we changed 1101ses ?-Il 11our 01 t\vo after n1i<l111gl1t. Some
fai1 01 ''Jike hacl kept the llCO})le u1) out of thei1 beds, a11d
had occasio11ed a pa1tial illu111111ation of the stalls at1{l
booths, p1esenting an unusual but \"Cl.}' imp1ess1\e effect.
we saw many lights moving abo11t as we dre\v nea1; and
pc1haps the most st11king scene on the '';liole route was
our reception at this place. The flashing of to1cl1es and
tl1e beautiful iadia11ce of blue lights (tecl1nically, Bengal
ligl1ts) upon the heads of on1 l101ses; the fine effect of such
a sho\\'ery and ghostly illumination falli11g upon 0111 flo\vers
a11d gL.tterrng laurels ; -1- whilst all a1ound oursel \'es, tl1at
formed a centre of light, the da1kness gathe1ed on tl1e rea1
:tnd flanks in mussy blackness ; these optical sple11dou1s,
together with the prodigious enth11siasm of the people,
~om1)osed a picture at once scenical and affectlllg, theatri\!2.l and holy. As ~'e st_flisl for th1ee 01 four n1ir1utes, 1
alighted; and immediately from a disma11tled stall in tl1c
st1eet, where no doubt she 11ad been presiding th1ot1gh tl1e
earlier part of the night, advanced eage1ly a middle-aged
woman. The sight of my nevspaper it was that had drn\\'D
her attention upon myself. The victory ivbich we ivcre
carrying down to the provinces on this occasion, was tl1e
imperfect one of Talavera-imperfect for its iesult!:., such
\\a:, tre virtual t1eacl1e1y of the Spanish general, Cuesta.
lit1t 111Jt i111perfect in its eve1-n1emorable he101-:n1. I told
l1e1 the main outline of the battle. 1'be agit.1tion of l1cr
enthusiasm had been so conspicuous when listening, a11d
,~hen fi1st applying for information, that I could not but
ask her if she 11ad not some relative in tl1e Peninsular arn1y.

" '' Glittering laurels: ''-I must observe, tl11t tl1e col1>t1r of gru:n
~:~pr;; almost a spir1tual cl1ange and ex.ilt tt1011 11111lcr tl1c ",, ,;~t of
ile11..t.il 11:;:hts

318

f!IE E::-\GL1Sll

~I,\IL-CC ACII.

Oh, yes; lier only so11 was tl1erc. In '''l1at ieg1n1e11t 'l Ee
was a trooper in t11e 2'3c1 Dragoorts. ~Iy heart san1\: \\'ith1u
me as she made tl1at ans\ve1. This sul)l11ne rcgi111c11t,
'\vh1ch au Engl1sl1man sbo11lcl i1eve1 mcnt1011 ,,ithout 1a1s1ng
his 11at to their memo1y, hac1 made the most memo1able
and effectiv;e cha1ge 1eeo1dec1 i11 m1hta1y annals. 'rl1ey
lea1)ed tl1ei1 horses-oier a t1ench 1vhe1e t11ey could, 211to
it, and \V1tl1 tl1e result of cleath 01 muti1at1011 '''l1e11 t!1ey

could 1iot. Wl1at i)rO})Ortio11 clea1ed tl1e t1e11cl1 is i10\vl1ere

stated. Tl1ose who llzd, closec1 u1) a11d \\'e11t clown 11pon the
enemy \vit11 s11ch c11v1n1ty of f ervou1 (I 11se tl1e \vord clziz111ty
by design the insp1rat1on of God m11st 11ave l)lOn111tecl tl11s
movement to those \vbom even tl1cn He \\'as call111g to Il1s
'
p1esence), tl1at t\VO results follo''Ted. A.s 2ega11ec1 the
enemy, tl1is 23d Dragoons, not, I be11eve, 01ig111ally tbrcehunc1red and fifty strong, paralysed a F1encl1 column, sL'{
thousand strong, then ascended tl1e bill, and fixed tlte
gaze ot the 'vhole French ar1ny. ' As iegarcled thcn1selves,
tl1e 23d we1e su1)poc;ed at fiist to _have been barely not
annil11lated, but eventually, I believe, about one in four
survived. A.nd this, then, \Vas tl1e 1eg1ment a reg,1mcnt
al1eady fot some hours glo11fied and hallo\ved to the ear
of-all London, as lying st1etched, by a large majority, upon
one bloody acEtl<Jama in "h1ch tl1e young tloo1)er se1ved
whose mother 1vas no\v talking 1n a spirit of such joyous
enthusiasm. Did I tell her the tr11th ~ Had I the hea1t to
b1eak up her d1cams '2 No. To-mor1ow, said I to myself

-to-morrow, or the next day, will publish the worst. For

one n1gl1t more, wherefore shoulcl sl1e not sleep i11 peace '2
A.fte1 to-morro\v, tl1e chances are too many that-peace ,vill
forsake her pillow. Tlus brief res1)1tc, then, let he1 O\Ve to
1ny gift and 1iiy forbearance. But, if I told her not of the
b1oody price that had been p:::.id, not, therefore, was I silent
I

'l llB GLOlt1- OF ::lfOTIOX

:.119

ou t11e cont1il)utions from he1 so11's reg11nent to tl1at l1ay's

se1vice and g101y. I sho\vecl he1 not tl1e ft111e1al IJa1111ers
i1nde1 '.vl1ieh tl1e noble regiment \\-:as slee1)ing. I l1ftecl i1ot
rhe ove1shado1nng laurels f1om the blooclJ' rre11ch in '' l11cl1
ho1se and 1iJer lay m:;giglecl tog.etl1e1. B11t I tolcl l1e1 ho\V
these clea1 ch1ld1en of England, office1s an cl 1)1 i vat es, ha cl
lea1)ed theu 11or:=es over all ol)stucles as gaily as h1111te1s to
tl1e morn111g's cl1ase. I told he1 ho\Y they iode thei1 ho1ses
ir1to the mists of cleath (saying to myself, but not ~a)'i11g
to lw1 ), and laid down their young lives for thee, 0 motlier
E11glanc1 ! as 1;1l1Ingly pou1ed out tbe11 11oble blood .is
c.l1ee1f11lly as eve1, afte1 a long day,s sport, \Vhen inf:111ts,
they had restec1 their wearied heads upon thei1 1notl1e,1 's
knees, or hac1 sunk to slee1J in he1 a1ms. St1a11ge it is, ) et
t1ue, that she seemed to have no fea1s fo1 he1 son's safety,
even after this l{nO\\'ledge that the 23d D1agoons l1a(1 been
memorably engaged; but so much was she en1apt111cc1 by
the knowledge tl1at hzs regiment, and therefo1 e tl1at lze,
bad rendered conspicuous service in the dreadful conflict
-a service which had actually made them, '''ithin the la:it
twelve hours, the foremost to1Jic of con,ersation in London
-so absolutely was fear Sl\ allowed up in joy that, it1
the mere simplicity of her fervent natu1e, the poor 1voma11
threl\' her arms round my neck, as ~he thought of 11er son,
~rid rravc to 1ne the kiss which secretly was n1eant for Jw--.
1

TlIE ENGLISII MAILC01\.CII.

.
SECTION TJID SECOND.

'

TIIE VISION OF SUD.D~"r D~1\.'llJ.

WnAT is to be taltcn a'> tl1e prcdon1ii1ant opinion of ma11,

reflective und ph1los91Jl11c, 111Jon &UDDLN D1;,\.r1r '1 It is iemarltable tl1at, in d1iferc11t coull1tio11s of society, suc1de1t
death 11as been varrously iega1dell as t11c C'011sum1nutio1t of
an eartl1ly ca1ee1 mo&t fervently to be dcsi1ed, 01, again,
as that consummation 'vh1ch is 'vitn inost l1011or to be deprecated. Cresar tl1e Dictator, at llis last oin11er pn.1ty
(cwnci), on the ve1y evening befo1e his ussussi11at1on, 'vl1en
the minutes of his' ea1tl1ly career 've1e numbered, bei11g
asked \Vhat deatl1, in lizs JUllgme11t, m1gl1t be' pronounced
tl1e most eligible, replied, ''I 'l'l1at 'vhicl1 should be most
sudden.'' 011 the other ha11d, the d1v1ne Litany of our
E11gl1sh Church, 'vl1en b1eath111g fo1tl1 suppheatio11s, us if in
'Some iepresentat1ve eha1acte1 for the \vhole human race
ptOB'tl ate befote Ootl, p\ac\:!B t:;ucb. a d\:!at\1. 1.n the 'i'i:."lJ >'ti.n
of horrors:
''
F1on1
11gl1t11ing
ar1cl
tempest,
from
plague,

pestilence, and fJ.r11111e ; from battle a11cl murder, an cl from

SUDD:CN DEATII
Good Lord, deliver us.'' Sudden death is
l1ere made to Cl'O\Vn the climax in a grand ascent of calamities ; it is rankecl among the last of cmses ; ancl yet, by tl1e
11oblest of Ro1nans, it \Vas ranlted as the first of blessings.
l'l that clilferene~. most rea<lers Vt1ll see little more \.h:in

'

321

TB F: VISIOX OF SUDDI:N DE.\.Tll.

the esse11tial diffe1ence bet,,~een Christianity au,: Paganism.

But this, on consideration, I doubt. Tl1e Ch1istian Cl1u1cn
may be right in its estimate of sudden death; and 1t is a
natural feeling; though afte1 all it may also be an infirm

one, to wish for a quiet dismissal fLom life as tl1at which

I
seenzs most reconcilable with meditation, with penitential
retrospects, and with the h11mil1ties of farewell prayer.
'Ihe1e does not, however, occur to me any diiect sci'iptura1
warrant for this earnest petition of the English Litany,
unless under a special construction of the 'vo1d ''sudden.''
It seems a petition indulged rathe1 and conceded to
human i11firm1ty, than exacted f1ora human piety. ~ It is
not so much a doctrine built upon the ete1nit1es of the
Christian system, as a plausible opinion built upon special
varieties of physical temperament. -Let that, howeve1,
be as it may, two iemarks suggest themselves as prudent
restraints upon a doct1ine, which else nzay wande1, and lzas
wandered, into an 1uncha1itable superstition. The ~st is
this: that many people are likely to exaggerate the horror
of a sudden death, f1om the clisposition to lay a fa!se stress
upon words or acts, simply because by an accident they
have become final wo1ds 01 acts. If a man dies, for instance, by some sudden death when he happens to be mtoxicated, such a death is falsely regarded with peculiar
horror; as though the intoxication were suddenly exalted
into a blasphemy. But tliat is unphilosophic. 'fhe man
was, or he was not, habitually a drunlta1d. If not, if... his
intoriration were a sol1ta1y accident, the1e can be no reason
for allowing snecial emphasis to this act, simply because
through misfo11une it became his final act. Nor, on the
other hand, if it were no accident, but on.e of his habitual
transgressions, will it be the more halJitual or the more a
t:-iiusgression, because some sudden calamity, surprisin~
)'..,..,,_

...,_ .. -~-..

..,

.._

322

TH~

ENGLISH :11.\IL-COJ.. CfI ,

him, has caused this habitual tra11sg,ress1011 to be n,Jso

;:-, fi11al 011e. Coulcl the man l1ave l1ad a11y ieason even
u11nly to f01esee l11s own sudden deatl1, the1e woulcl have
bce11 a 11e\Y featu1e iu his act of ii1tempe1anC.e a featu1e of
111 est11111Jt1011 ai1cl i11eveie11ce, as in one that, ha11ng,' l(r1own
h1111self tl1 a\v111g, nea1 to tl1e p1esence of Goel, sl1ould l1ave
st11tetl l11s cle111ea11ou1
to
an
expectatio11
so
awft1l
'But

tl11<: 1s 110 1)a1 t of tl1e case s11pposed. And the only new
Ple111e11t 111 tl1e 111a11's act is i1ot any element of s1Jec1al imn101 ,1J1ty 1 but s1111ply of s1Jec1al m1sfo1tune.
'I l1e otl1e1 ie111a1l{ 11as i efe1ence to the meaning of the
,,01tl 1>11llle1i. Very possibly Cresa1 and the Ch11stian
(Jl1111 cl1 clo 11ot cl1ITe1 i11 tl1e way suppof>ecl ; that is, do not
d11fe1 by a11y c11ffe1 e11ce of doct11ne as lJetween Pagan and
Cl111..,t1:111 v1e,vs of the ino1al te1n1Je1 U}J}Jl'op11ate to death,
lJ11t iie111111Js tl1ey a1e co11templating, diffe1ent cases Both
co11te1111Jlate a viole11t deatl1, a Bia8avaros death tl1at is
Bir1ios, 01, in othe1 \VOrds, death that is b1ougl1t abot1t,
not by 111ter11al and spontaneous change, but by active fo1ce
hav1r1g its 011g,111 f1on1 \\'itho11t. In this meaning the t\vo
a11tl1011t1es ag1ee. Tl1us far they a1e i11 11armo11y. But
tl1e d1fle1p11ce is, that the Roman by the wo1'll ''sudden''
mea11s u11l111ge1 z11g; 'vl1e1eas the Christian Litany by ''sudden c1eath '' means a death wztlzout warn111g, consequently
witl1out any available summons to 1el1gious p1e1Ja1ation.
The poor mutinee1, \vho kneels do'vn to gather into his
hea1 t tl1e bullets from twelve fi1elocks of 11is pitying comrades, dies by a most sudden death in Cresar's sense ; 011e
shoc.k, one mighty spasm, one (possibly not one) groan, and
all is ove1. But, in the sense of the Litany, the mutineer's
death is far f1om sudde!l; his offence 011grnally, 11is imp1iso11ment, l1is t1ial, t11e inte1val between his se11tence and
its execution, having all t'urnished him \titl1 sepa1ate \vu1n~

Tllr:

b.gs of l1is fate

"\1s10~

'
01'' SUDDL'\ DL\TI!.

323

hn.1iug all snmmonefl 11i111 to n1eet jt i\itb

~olen1n

p1cparation.
Here at 011ce, :ll1 th.is sharp 11crl1ul l1istinct1on, ue con1preheutl t:ile f,1ithf'ul ca1uest11css ~-ith w?icl1 ::r. l1oly Cl11istiJ.n
Cl1t1rcl1 pleudS' on beh~lf of he1 }Joor dc1>,1rtir1g ch1l111 en,
tLat Gou wot1lJ \'ouci1safe io tl1cm t11e lust g,rc,tt p1 i\1leg,e

untl distinction possible on u dcuth-bccl \iz , tl1e op1101tu11ity of untrouuletl preparation for f.!cing tl11s 111i0 lity
t1 iul. Suuuer1 <lco.tl1, .is a me1c \'J.l'Iety i11 t11e mo(le:. of
'
ti;ing, "\\l1cre dcutl1 in some sl1..1pc i:. iner1t,1b1c, p101)o:>c.; a.
question of rhoire '' hicl1, er1ually in the Ro111<1.11 ~i.ud tl1e

Chri::tian sense, ,,111 be variot1sly ansnerec1 i:tcco1drng to

each I}lans \a1iety of te1nperan1eut. ).fe<tt1tirne, one a~1)e<:t
of sudden cleatl1 there is, 011e n1odificution, upon ''1hieh i10
doul)t can urke,_ that of all ma1 t;r(lotns it 1s t11e n1ost

agitating :viz., ,y here it su1p1ises a man unl1er circllIB

stznces ,,hich oiler (or \\ hith seem to offc1) some l1u11)111g,

fi)1.ng, inu1)prcciabl)T minute cl1ance of e'lacli11g it. Suclcle11
as the da11ger 1\bich it afi'1onts, illllSt be Uil)' eftort by "\Vl11rl1
""'
such an evasion can be accon1plisl1ed.
Elen thut, e\en tl1e
sickening necessitj' for hur1y1ug in e.xt1cm1t3 ,\}1ere all
hurry ~eems destined to be vru11, e1en that angu15l1 is
liable to a. 111cleous exaspe1at1on in one i1at ticulur c.iseviz., w11ere the ap1Jeal is made i1ot exclus11ely to t11e insti11ct of self-presc1\ation, but to tl1e conscience, on bel1alf
of some other life besides )'ou1 0\1n, accrdcntally tl1ro'\ u
upon you1 p1otection. To fail, to collo.1)se in n. se1,ice
merely your own, might seem co111pa1atively Yenial; thor1gh,
in fa.et, it is' far f1 om venial. But to f..itl in a. case \\ 11e1 e
Proridence has suddenly th10\vn into you1 hands the finJ.l
interests of another a fe1lo\v-c1eatul'e shudderinrr
bet\\eeu
0
the g_ates of life and c1eat4; this, to a. man of app1ebensi,e
conscience, would mingle the mise1y of au atrocious crim11

3:?i

TlIF. BNGLISlI IlIAIJ,-CO \Cll

nahty ,\ itl1 the mise1y of a bloody calamity. ' You are

callecl u1)on, by the case supposed, possibly to ilie; but to .
che at t11e ve1y moment when, by any even i)a1t1al failure,
or effem111ate colla1Jse of your e11erg1es, you ,will be selfdenouncecl as a murderer. You had but the t\v111kl111g of
an eye fo1 you1 effort, and that effort might have been
unav:11l1r1g; but to have risen to the level of such a11 effort,
woulcl l1ave resC'lled you, though not from dying, yet f1om
dying :ts a tra1to1 to your final ancl faiewell duty.
Tl1e. situation he1e contemplated exposes a dreadful
ulcer, lurking far down in the depths of human nature.
It is not that me11 generally are summoned to face such
awful t11uls. But potentially, ancl 1n shadowy outl111e, such
a trial 1s moving subter1aneo11sly in pe1l1aps all me11's
natures Upon the s.~c:1et m11ror of ou1 g}, eaJUS sucl1 a trial
is darl\'.l)r proJected, perhaps, to eve1y one of us. ,That

dleam, so fani1l1ar to childhood, of meeti11g a lion, and,

thro11gh langu~sh1ng prost1ation in hope and the ene1g1es
of hope, that constant sequel of lying do\vn befo1e the
lion, pubhshes the sec1et f1a1lty of human natu1 e reveals
its deep-seated falsehood to itself. i erords its abysmal
t1eache1y Pe1haps not one of us escapes that dream;
pe1haps1 as l)y some so11owful doom of man, that dream
repeats for every one of us, through eve1y generation, the
origmal temptation in Eden. Every one of us, in this
dream, has a bait offered to the infirm places of his o'''n
individual will, once again a snare is IJresented f01 tempting him into captivity to a 111xury of ruin ; once again, as
in aboriginal Pa1ad1se, the man falls by his own choice ;
again, by infinite iteration, the ancient ea1th groans to
IIeaven, through her secret caves, over the \\'eakr1ess of her
child ''Nature, f1om her se'at, sighing th1ough all her
works.'' .1ga.in ''gives bigns of wo that all is lost,'' a11d
~

l'II~~

VISIOS l)F SUDDE.'i DC\Tll.

~6ain the counte1

sigh is repeated to the sor1'0\\'111g lte~ivens

101 the enclless rebellion against Goel.
It is rtot 'V"ithout
probability tl1at in t11e wo1Id of drean1s evel'.}' one of us
ratifies for himself the original transg1ess1on In dreams,
perl1aps under iiome sec1et conflict of the midnight sleeper,
lighted up to the consciousness at the time, but da1kened
to the memo1y as soon as all is finished, eacl1 severn.l cl1ild
of our mysterious race completes for himself t11e t1ea&on
of the aboriginal fall.
The incident, so memorable in itself by its featu1es of
horror, and so scenical l>y its g1011ping for the eye, which
furnished the text for tl1is rev~ie upon Suclde1i Death, Ncurred to myself in the dead of night, as a solitary spectator, when seated on the box of the l\Ianchester and Glasgow mail, in the second or third summer afte1 Waterloo.
I find it necessary to relate the C'ircamstances, bec,o,11se they
are such as could not have occurred unless under ::i. i:inguln.r
combination of accidents. In those days, the obliq11e and
'
lateral communications 'vith many rural post-offices were so
arranged, either through necessity 01. tl11ough dcfect of
system, as to mali:e it iequ1site for the main north-western
mail (z e., the cloicn mail), on ieaching l\[anchester, to halt
for a n11mber of hours; how many, I do not iemen1ber; sL\:
or se\"en, I think; but t11e result was, that, in t11e ordinary
course, the mail recomme11ced its journey north,vards ~bout
m1duigl1t. W ea1ied with tl1e lo11g detention nt n. gloomy
hote1, I walked out about eleren o'clock at night for the
sake of fresh ai1 ; mcaniI1g to fall in with the 111.iil and
iesume my seat at the post-office. The night, l1on-e\er,
being yet clark, as the moon bad scarcely Tise11, and the
streets being at that hour euipty, so as to' offe1 no opport""lnities fo1 aslung tl1e ro::ic1, I lost my ''ay; a11d 11icl IlL't

226

TI!:C ENGLISH ::U.\IL-CO.\Cil

reach t11e !)Ost-office until it was. conside1al)Jy past midnigl1t; but, to my great l'e11ef (as it "'as impo1taut f 01 me
to be in \'ir estmo1 elancl l)y tl1e mo1ning), I saw in the huge
sa1~ce1 eyes of the r11tl1l, blazing th1ough the gloom, an
evic1e11ce tl1at niy cha11ce ,,as not yet lost. Past the tin1e it
"as ; b11t, by some 1are acc1clent, the mail \\'US not e\en yet
ready to sta1t. I ascenc1ec1 to my seat on the box, \vhe1e my
cloal-. 1vas still l)i11g as it 11acl Iain at tl1e Br1(1ge,ate1 A1ms.
I bacl left it t11e1 e in imitation of a nautical d1scove1e1, who
leaves a lJit of bunting on the sho1e of 11is discovery, by
way of \varning off tl1e ground the whole huma11 iace, and
notifying to the Chr1st1an and the heathen wo1lc1s, ivitl1 11is
be:.t compliments, that he has ho~ted his pocl.:et-handke1chief once and f 01 ever upon that virgin
soil; tbe11ceforward
.,...,
claiming the JUS do1n1111i to the top of the atmosphe1e above
it, ancl also the right of clriving shafts to tl1e cent1e of tl1e
eartl1 below it; so that all people found afte1 this "a1ning,

eithe1 aloft in uppe1 c11an1be1s of the atmosphe1e, 01 g1oping u1 subte11an,,ous shafts, or squatting at1dac1ously on
tl1e su1face of the soil, will be t1eated as t1espassers,kieked, that is to say, 01 decapitated, as ei1cumstances
may Sltggest, by the11 1e1y fa1tbf1tl se1vant, t11e O\vne1 of
t11e said })Ocl-.et-hanc1h.e1ch1ef. In the p1esent case, it is
'
})l'OlJaule that n1y cloa1{ might not have been iespected,
and the JUS ge11t1u11z might have 1Jeen cruelly violatecl in my
pe1 son f01, in the da1 k, 1>eople commit cleeds of da1kness,

~fbas being a great ally of n101ality b11t 1t so hap1)enetl

tl1at, on this night, there ivas no otl1e1 outside }JUssenge1;
ancl thu:> the e11me, 'vhreh else '''as but too probable, 1nissed
fiie for want of a crlJ1lina1.

Having mounted the box, I took a small quantity tif

laudantllll, ha;mg already t1a1elled two hundred and fifty
miles viz., f1om a point Reventy miles beyond London.

TJ-IB .,iISIOX

01~

327

SUDDE-X DEA.TR.

the taking of Iauc1anum there w-as nothing ext1aordi,

'
nary. But by accident it drew upon me the special attention of n1y assesso1 011 the box, the roachn1an .And 1n tliccl
also the1e ''as nothi11g extrao1dinary. But by accident,
and with great delight, it d1e\V my o~ attention to tl1e
fact that this coachman "Was a monster in poi11t of ,bulk,
and that he hacl but one eye. 111 ft1ct, he ha(1 been fo~tltold by Vi1g1l as
.
(n

' }.fonst11m horrendum, infonne, ingens cm l11meu ademptum ''

He answered to the conditio11s in e\'ery one of tl1e

items: 1. a monste1 he "as; 2. cb.eadful; 3. bha1Jeleso;;
4. huge; 5. who had lost an eye. But ,,hy shoulcl tllat
delight me '2 Had he been one of the Cale11da1s in the
'' A1abian Nights,'' and had paid down his eye as tl1e
price of his c1iminal curiosity, what i1ght had I to ext1lt
in his misfortune '2 I did 11ot ex.ult: I deli!!htec.l
i11 110
..,
man:s punishment, thot1gh it were even me1ited. B11t tl1e<..e
personal distinctions (Kos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) icle~fiecl in an
instant an old friend of n1jue, whon1 I hacl kno\\ n i11 the
south for some years as the most maste1ly of rnatl-coacl1n1en.
He was the man in all Europe that co11lcl (if an!J could)
have d1i1en sL"{-in-hand full gallo1) o\er Al 811 at that
dieaclful l)1idge of :!\Iahomet, with i10 side battlements, a11cl
of ext1 ci ioom i1ot enough for-a iazor's edge lea"c1111g i1gl1t
ac1 oss tl1e bottomless gulf. Under this eminent n1an,
whom in G1eek I cognQ_m1natetl C;clops lliplu elates (Cyclops;.
the c11arioteer), I, and othe1s kno\\-u to me, stud1ecl the
dipb1elat1c art. Excuse, reade1, a \Vo1d too elegant to be
peclantic. .As a pt1p1l, though I paicl ext1a fees, it is to be
lamented that I clid not stancl high in his esteem. It

sho\ved his clogged honesty (though, obser-ve, not 11is'd1scernment), that he could notsee my merits. Let us excuse
bis a11surclit)~ in this pa1'tic1.tlfil, bv remembe1ing his v.lli!t

--

228

1111; J'\OJ lflII :ll,\IJ,-C{J,\t_,IJ.

of an eye Do11))tle~~ thclt mar.le 11i111 bli11cl to 1ny merit:;

I
In the a1t of co11versJ.t1on, however, lie ad1111ttrd tl1u.t
I had t11e \\'htp:l12:1!4 of h1n1. On t11is prese11t occt1sion,
great JOY 1vas at 0111 meeting. Bt1t ivl1at i\'as Cyclops
clo1ng l1ere ~ II,1d tl1c incd1cal men recommcnc1ell 11ortl1cr11
ai1, or how? I collected, f1om s11cl1 cxplu11at1011s as he
voluniee1ed, that he 11ad an interest at stal(e i11 so1ne su1tat-la\v no\V pendi11g, at Lancaster; so t11ut probably lie 11acl
got himself tr an sfe1rell to this station, f 01 tl1e pu1 pose of .
connect111g 1vitl1 l11s profesbio11al pursuits an ir1c;tu11t icucl1uess for the calls of'. his lawsuit.
J\Ieantlllle, ivhat a1e iVe stopping for 'l Surely \Ve 11avo

110\v \Va1tcd long enough. Oh, tl11s procra&tinating mail,

. and this procrastinating post-office! Ca11't tl1cy tal(e a
lesson upon t.11at subject from 11ze 'l 801110 people ]1n.vo
called me p1ocrastrnating. Yet you al'e \v1tness, ieadcr,
'
that I was here kept \va1t1ng for tl?-e post-office 1V 111 tl1e
post-office lay its hand on its hea1t, in its moments of spbriety, and asse1t that ever it iva1tec1 for me? 'Vl1at a1c
they about '2 'rl1e gl1a1d tells me that tl1ere is n. la1 ge
ext1a accumulation of foreign mails this nigl1t, O\vi11g to
irregula11t1es caused by \va1, by \Vind, by "\\'Catl1c1, irt tl1e
pacl{et se1 ~ice, wl11ch as yet does i1ot be11efit at all by
steam Forau ext1a11our, it seems, t11e post-office ltllS beeu

engaged in t11reshing out the })Ure 1vheate11 co11csponllence

of Glasgo,v, and \YIDU0\vi11g it from tlict cht1if of all basc1 intermediate to\vns. But at last all is finished Sot1nd yo11r
ho1n, gua1d. 1\ianchester, good-by; \ve'vc lost an 1101tr by
your cr1m1nal conduct at tl1e post-office: \vl11cl1, 110\Ve\er,
though I do not mea11 to pa1t with a serviceable gron11d
of complaint, and 011e ivhich really is suc11 fo1 t11e ho1sc~,
to me secretly s ar1 ad1antage, since it compels us. to lool;;
sharply for this l~st hour amon~st the next eight 01 ni,1c:>.

THE VlSIOl\ 01'' SUDDEN DE.-\TH.

329

r..nd to recover it (rf we can) at the rate of one mile extra

per hour. Off we are at last, and at eleven miles an hour;
-and for the moment I detect no changes in the energy or
in the skill of Cyclops.
. From Manchester to Kendal, which virtually (though
not in law) is the capital of Westmoreland, there were at
'
this time seven stages of eleven Illlles each. The first five ,
of these, counting f1om Manchester, te1minate in Lancaster, which is therefore fifty-five miles north of l\lanchestcr,
and the same distance exactly from Liverpool. The fust '

three stages terminate in Preston (called, by way of dis- .,

tinction fiom other towns of tl1at name, p1oucl Preston), at
which place it is that the separate roads from Liverpool
and from l\lancheste1 to the north become contluent.-t
Within these first three stages lay the foun~tion, the pr.Q.-J>.
gress, and te1mination of our night's adventure. Du1ing
.....
the first stage, I found out ~hat Cyclops was mortal: hf!
was liable to the shocking affection of sleep a thing which ,
previously I had never suspected. If a man indulges in
the vicious habit of sleeping, all the skill in au1ig,ation of
Apollo himself, with the horses of Aurora to execute his
notions, avail him nothing. ''Oh, Cyclops!'' I exclalmed,
''thou a1t mortal. My f1iend, thou snorest.'' Througl1 , i
' the first eleven miles, however, this infirmity which I
'
grieve to say that he shared 1vith the whole Pagan Pantheon
-bet1ayed itself only by brief snatc,bes. On waking l1p,
'
he made an apology for himself, which, instead of mending
I

*''Confluent: ''-Suppose a capital Y (the Pythagorean letter): ;

1
Lancaster is at the foot of this letter; Liverpool at the top of th~
right branch ; l\Ianchester at the top of the left; proud Preston at
the centre,' where the t'vo branches unite. It is thirty-three miles
'aiong either of t11e two branches ; it is twenty-two mtles along the
stem-viz , from Preston in the middle, to Lancaster at the root..
"There's a les~on m geography for the reader.
(J

330

THE 'ENGLlSII 1t1AIL-CQ,\.CII.

matters, laid open a gloomy vista of coming disusterB.

The summer assizes, he reminded me, we1 e now going on
at Lancaster : m consequence of wh1cl1, for tl11ee n1g,l1ts
and three days1 he had not lain c1o\vn in a bed. Dur111g
the day, he was waiting for his o\vn summons as a \V1t11c"S
on the trial in wl1ich he was intei ec;.tecl; 01 else, lc~t lie
should be missing at the critical moment, '''as drii1l\i11g \V1tl1
the othe1 witnesses, under tl1e pastoral surveillance of tl10
atto1neys. Du11ng tl1e i1ig,ht, or tl1at pait of it \Yl11cl1 at
sea \vould form the inidclle \\'atch, 11e ''as clriving. 'l'l11s
explanation .ce1ta1nly accounted fo1 bis drO\\'Siness, b11t in
'
a \Vay wl11ch made it much mo1e ala1m1ng, since no,v, aftc1
several days' resistance to tl1is infi11n1ty, at lc11gtl1 he ''as
steadily g1v1ng way. Th1oughout tlie scconcl stage lie g1'C\V
more and mo1e dio\vsy. In tl1c seconcl mile of tl1e tl1ircl
stage, he surrendered himself finally ancl \\'1thout a stiuggle
to his perilous tem1ltation. All his past ies1stance 11ad llut
deepened the weight of this final 01lpression. Seven atmospheres of sleep rested upon hiin; aud to consumn1atc tl1e
case, our worthy guard, afte1 s111gi11g ''Love an1ongst tho
Roses'' for pe1ha1)s tl11rty times, \Vlthout i11,1tat1on,
and
'
mtl1out applause, 11ad in ieve11gc moodily ies1gn_od. hl1nself ,to slu1nber not so c1e~}J,. doubtless, as the coacl1mu11's,
but deep enough for m1scl1ief. And th11s at last, about ten
miles from Pieston, it came about that I found ID)'Self
left in charge of his MaJesty's Lonclou and Glasgow ma11 1
then running at the least t'velve miles an ho11r.
What made this negligence less crinii11al than else it
'
must have been thought, was the co11d1tion of the ioads at
i1ight during the assizes. At that tlllle, all the law llusiness of populous L1ve1 pool, a11d also of llopllious 1\Ianchester, 'Vlth its vast ~c1nc.t.ure of }lOl)Ulous rural districts.
was called up by ancient usage to the tribunal of Ltll1pu

TH1'~ VISIO~

OF SGDDE:X DE,\.TIT

331

tinn IJancaster. To break up this old traditional usage rec1uired, 1. a conflict with powerful established interests;
2. a la1ge system of new a1Tangements ; and 3. a new parliamenta17 statute. But as yet this change was merely in
contemplation. .A.s things were at present, twice in the
year so vast a body of business rolled northvra1ds, f1om
t11e southern c1ua1ier of the county, that fo1 a fortnigl1t at
least it O~!!RL~d the severe exerti9ns of two judi;es m its
"-------..d~tch.
The co.nsequence of this was, that eve1y ho1se
a>ailable for such a service, along the whole line of roacl,
was exhausted in ca1rpng do\vn the multitudes of people

who were parties to the diffe1ent suits. By s11nset, the1efore, it usually happened that, through, utter exhaustion
amongst me11 and horses, the ioad sank into })10founc1
silence. Except the exhaustion in the vast adjacent cou11ty
of York from a, contested election, no such silence succeeding to no such fiery uproar was eve1 witnessec1 in England
On this occasion, the usual silence and solitude pre>ailed
along the road. Not a hoof nor a wheel was to be 11eard.
.And to strengthen this false lnxu1ious confidence in the

noiseless roads, it happened also that the night 1vas one of

peculiar solemnity and peace. For my ow11 pa1t, though
slightly alive to the possib,ilities of peril, I hn.d so fa1
yielded to the influence of the mighty calm as to sink into
a p1ofound ieverie. The month was .August, in the mic1dle
of which lay my O\vn birth-clay a festival to eve1y thoughtful man suggesting solemn and often sigh-bo1n t thoughts
-~

'' Twice in the year: ''-There were at that time onl) t\l"O assi.les
!ven in the most; populous counties '-'1Z, the Lent Assizes, and the
Summer Assiz~s.
t '' Sz'gh-bom. ''-I owe the suggestion of this word to an obscure
remembrance of a beautiful phrase in'' Gll'aldus CambrensIS ''-::.,

s:usptno~re cogztatzo11es.

332

TBJ<} ENGLISH

~AIL-COACH.

The county was my own native county upon which, in its

southern section, more than upon any equal area known to
man past or piesent, had descendecl the original curse of
labour in its heaviest fo1m, not masteiing the bodies only
a
of men as of slaves, 01 criminals in mines, but working
' through the fiery will. Upon no equal space of ea1th was,
or eve1 had been, the same eneigy of human powe1 put
forth daily. At this particular season also of the assizes,
that dreadful huriicane of flight and pJ.Irsu1t, as it might
have seemed to a stranger, which swept to and f1om Ln.11caster all day long, hunting the county up and down, and
' regularly sulJsiding bacli: into silence about sunset, could not
fail (when united with this permanent distmction of Lancashire as the very metropolis and citadel of labou1) to point
the thoughts pathetically upon that counter vision of iest,
of saintly repose f1om stiife and sor1ow, towa1ds "Th1ch, as
to their secret haven, the profoundei asp1iations of man,s
heart are in solitude continually travelling. Obliquely u1Jon
our left we weie nearing the sea, which also must, under the
present circumstances, be iepeatrng the gene1al state of halcyon repose. The sea, the atmosphere, the light, bo1e each
an orchestral pa1t in this un1ve1sal lull. Moonhght, and the
first tlllid tieroblings of the da\vn, weie by this time blending; and the blendings were b1ought mto a still more exquisite state of unity by a slight silveiy mist, motionless
and dreamy, that cove1ed the woods and fields, but with a.
veil of equable transpa1ency. Except the feet of om own
horses, which, running on a sandy margin of the road,
made bi1t little disturbance, there was no sound abroad.
In the clouds, and o.n the earth, p1eva1led tl1e same majestic peace; and in spite of all that tlie villain of a schoolm.'lster has done for the ruin of our sublimei thoughts,
;;bich are the thoughts of our infancy, we still believe in
~-~

Tiir:

\'l~JOS

o:r

~UDl>.l'-\

335

Ul:.\'111.

oo such nonsense as a limited ntmos1)hcre. \\-rhatevcr i\o

may S\Vear \Yi th our false feigni1>g lips, in our faitl1ful
11carts we still believe, and must for e\e1 belie re, i11 fields
of nir traversing the total gulf bet\veeu ea~th a11tl tlic centla.I heavens. Still, in the confidence of chilclrcr1 tba~
tread 'v1tl1ont fear eiery chamber in their f.tther's ltousc,
and to \vhom no door is closed, \Ve, in that Su.bl)atic vi::io11
'vhich sometimes is re'r'Caled for an hou1 UI)Oll nigl1ts like
this, ascend \Vith easy steps f1on1 the sorro\v-strickect fit:I<l.i
of eurtl1, up\ lards to the sandals of God.
Suddenly, from thoughts lil~e these, I was a\'rakened to

a sullen sound, as of some n1otion on the dkta11t ioad. It

stole upon the air for a inon1ent; I li'ltened in U'i\ e; but
then it died away. Once 1oused, ho\vevc1, I co11I(l 111Ji
but observ-e with alarm the quickened ruotio11 of 0111 l11)r;;1;-.
Tc11 years' expe11ence had made my e;e Iet1111cd i11 tl1e
valuing of motion ; and I saw tl1nt '' e ,.. e1e no'v l'lll'" i11g
thirteen miles an hour. I pr ete11d to no lll'e~cr1ct.! of 111i111l.
On t11e contrar.), ID.)' fea1 is, that I um tl1i:-e1aLI) u11 u
shamefully c1eficieut in tl1at q11ul1t.} ns itg..i1cl;,; aLlio1>. rl'l1e
palsy of doubt n11d dist1actior1 hur1gs like soi11c gt1ilt:-,1eigl1t
of dark unfntl1omed
rememb1~1nces t1po11 u13 e11e1 gic", \\ l1t:n

tl1e signal is flying for actio11. I3utJ on tl1e otl1er hn11J, tl1i~
accu1sed g1fc I l1ave, as l cg:ircl~ fho11gl1t, th.it i11 t lie fir,,,t
step tO\\artls the llOssibtlit)y of ~t n1i:,fo1 tune. I sec its t1Jt:il
cvolutio11; i11 the rutl1x of the series I ~ee too ct:rtai11l) :1.1.ll
too i11st~111tly its c11ti1e exp.111:::io11; i11 tJ1c first ~j ll.J.11!~ J(
tile c11 c.iclful sentence, I reud .llrc.1<l; tl1c l.:ist. It. 'i .i."' l:u~
tl1.it I feared to1 ourscl\'Cs. l~s, our bt1ll.: .inti i111f t!tu')
cl1.irn1ed uga111~t lJeriL i11 ~t11y colli::iou. _\.1111 I 11.irl r~!(lLn
througI1 too ruttrly !1u11drcJ::. 01 r1e1iI;; tl1~1.t. >\cr1~ irigllliui to

z111lrO.lll1) tl1:lt '~er i: !!latter 01~ !.111glit(.r to lvoi;. 1111:!\: 1111c 1~.
Jic first 1~1cc of\\ l1icJ1 \\u.S l1orL'1Jr tfic 11.!rti11;; f..,<::i: tl J~~t ..
1

'

334.

THE ENGLISII MAILCOACil,

for any anxiety to rest upon 0111 111te1ests 'f l1c Illttil \\ &3
not built, I felt assuied, nor bespol{e, tl1u.t could betray 11ie
"'ho tiusted to its i)1otection. But any ca1r1age thu.t 've
co11ld meet \vould be fru.11 and light in compa1ison of our
selves And I ien1a1l{ecl tltlb 01111no11s accicle11t of our
s1tuu.t1on. vV c 'vcre on the 'vrong side of the road. B11t
tl1en, it may be st11d, tl1e otl1e1 IJa1ty, if otl1er tl1cre ,,us,
might also be 011 tl1e \Vro11g s1cle; and two w1011gs 1n1ght
make a. rigl1t. Tfic1t \Vas 11ot l1l{ely. 'rl1e sumo 111otivo
\vh1ch l1ad dra\v11 us to tl1e i1gl1t-hand side of tl1e ioatlVIZ., the luxury of tl1e soft beaten sand, as coi1t1astell \VIth
t11e paved centre \\'oulcl 1)1ove attrac:tivc to others. 'rl1e
t\vo aclve1se ca1riuges '''ould therefore, to a. certa111ty, be
travelling on the same side; an cl f101n tl1is 51de, as not
being ours 1n law, the crosbing ove1 to the oil1c1 \V011lcl, of
cou1se, be lookecl for from us * Ou1 lamps, still l1ghtecl,
\'foulcl give tl1e 2m1)ress1011 of vigilance on ou1 pa1t. ..1.\.11d
eve1y r11,ature tl1ut met us, 'voulcl 1ely lllJ011 11s fo1 quarte11ng t All this, anu if tl1e sepa1ate li11lcs of tl1c ant1ci1)at1011
had been a. thousand times inorc, I sa,v, not cliscursi\ cly,
01 by effo1 t, or by success1011, but by one .flash of 11or1ic1
Slffiultaneous it1tu1t1on.
Under this steu.dy tl1011gb. rap1d u.ntici1)ution of tl1e evil
which ?nzght be gather111g ahead, ah! \Vhat a sullen n1ystc1y
of fear, what a s1gl1 of 'vo, 'vas that \\'l11ch stole 1111011
the u.1r, as aga1u the far-off souucl of a. \\'heel was hea1 d !
It is t1 tte tl1at, acco1tl111g to t11e la'v of t11e case us est .1liltsl1etl
;

by legal p1ececlents, all ca111ages ''c1e ieq1111ecl to g1\e '''t}' beloro

Ro)'tl equ1p.1gcs, 11ncl t11c1efo1c bcfo1e tl1c 1nu1l as 0110 of tl1c111.
J3ut tl11s 011ly i11c1eascd tl1c tlu11ge1 1 us be111g n. rcg11lnt1on ''cry 11uperfectl) made J,no1111 1 1e1y11ncqu11Ily cnfo1<.e(l, u11d tl1crcfo1e often
cmba1 rabs1ng t11e mo' cn1e11ts on both s1tle3
t ' Q11artc11ng "-'f!11s 1s tl1e tcc11n1c.i.l \Vo1tl, an<l, I 1}rcs11111c, <lened from the 1!'1encl1 cartajer, to c\urle ,11 rttt 01 .111y -obst.1clu

THI~

VISION OF SUDDl ....~ I!CATH.

335

'

.A. "\\ hil>Jler it.was

a whisper f1om, perhaps, font miles off

-secretly an11ouncing a ruin that, being foreseen, was
not the less ine,ritable; that, being k11own, was not, therefOTe, healed. What could be done who was it that coulcl
~o it to cl1eck the sto1m-flight of these maniacal l101ses?
Could !- not seize the reins f1om the g1asp of the slumbering coacl1man? You, reade1, thinlc that it "\\'011lcl have
been in your powe1 1.o llo so. And I qua1rel not 1vith yon1
estimate of yourself. But, from -the v.ay in which the
coacl1mun's hand was viced between his uppe1 and lower
ihigl1, this v.as impossible. Easy, was it 'l See, then, that
bronze equestrian statue. The c1uel iicle1 has kept the
bit in his horse's mouth for t'v:o centu1ies. U nbridle him,
fo1 a minute, if yon JJlease, and wasl1 bis mouth "\\ ith water
Easy, "\\'as it? U nho1se n1e, then, that impe11al iider;
k11ock me those ma1ble feet from t11ose ma1J)le stirrups of
Cha1Iemagne.
The sounds al1ead strengthened, anc1 were now too
clea1ly the sounl1s of wheels. Who and what coulcl it be'l
Was it indust1y in a taxed ca1t 'l Was it youthful gaiety
in a gig? Was it so1ro'\Y tl1at loiterec1, or joy that raced 'l
'
For as yet the snatches of souncl were too inte1m1tting,
f1om distance, to c1eciphe1 the cha1acter of the motion.
Whoever i\'ere tl1e t1avelle1s, son1ething must be done to
warn them. Upon the othe1 party iests the active iesponsibilrty, but upon 1ts-anc1, wo is me l that its was
reduced to my frail op1um~sl1attercd self iests the responsibility of 'varn1ng. Yet, how should this be accomplished 7
Might I not sound the guard's horn? Already, on the
fust tl1ought, I was making n1y "\\'ay over the roof to the
guard's seat. But this, f1on1 the accident which I have
mentioned, of the foreign m'lils' being ptled lllJon the ioof,
WRS a d.Ifficult and even dange1ous attempt to one crampetl
1

'

336

THE ENCrLll:lH l\LUL-COACH.

.And,
fortunately, before I had lost much tune in the attempt,
our frantic horses swept round an angle of the road, which
opened upon us that final stage where t~e collision mt1st
be aocomphshed, and the catastrophe sealed. All wa'e,,
apparently finished. The court was sitting ; the r:ise was
heard ; the Judge had finished; and only the verdict was
yet rn a1rea1.

Befo1e us lay an avenue, straight as an arrow, six hundred yard&, }Jerhaps, in length , and the umb1ageous trees,
which rose m a regular line from either side, meeting high
overhead, gave to it the characte1 of a cathedral aisle.
These tree~ lent a deeper solemmty to the early light; but
there i,vas sttll bght enough to perc,1ve, at the furthe1 end
of this Gothic aisle, a frail reedy gig, in which were seatecl a
young man, and by bis side a young lady. .A.h, 'young sir!
1vhat a1:e you about 1 If it is requisite that you should
whispe1 your communications to this you1ig lady though
really I ~ee nobody, ?-t an hour and on a road so so1Ita1y,
likely to overhear you is it therefore requisite that you
should carry yor lips forwaid to hers 'l The little carriage
is creepmg on at one mile an hour ; and the parties 'vithin
it being thus tenderly engaged, are naturally bending do\vn
their heads. Between them and ete1nity, to all hnman
calculation, there is but a minute and a-half. Oh heavens!
'vhat is it that I shall do 'l Speaking or acting, what help
can I offer" St1ange it is, and to a mere audito1 of the
tale might seem laughable, that I should need a suggestion
from the ''Thad'' to piom1Jt the solo iesouice tl1at rema111ed.
Yet so it was. Sudde11ly I iemembered the shout of Achilles,
and its effect Bl1t could I pretend to shout like the son
of Peleus, aided by Pallas 'l N q: but' then I needed not
the !>l1011t t11at should ala1m all .A.s1a m1l1tar1t, such a sho:1t

by nearl) th1ee hund1ed miles of outside tra.velhng.

1

337

'111.t; VISIO.S- OF SUDDBN DL.\.TH

wot1lc.l suffice as might ca11y terror into t11e hea1ts of two

thougl1tless yo11ng people, a11d one gig-horse I sbout<'cl
-and the you!lg n1an hearcl me not. A second time I
phouted and now he heard me, fo1 no1v he raised his 11ead.
Here, then, all had been clone that, by me, could be
done : mo1e on niy pa1t was not possible. Mine had bee11
the first step ; tl1e second was fo1 the yol1ng man; the
thITd was f01 God. If, said I, this st1ange1 is a brave
'
man, and if, indeec1, he loves the young gi1l at his side01, loving her not, lf he feels the obhgat1on, p1essmg upon
every man worthy to be called a man, of doing his utmost
for a worna11 confic1ed to 11is protection he '1. ill, at least,
makP some effo1t to save he1. If tltat fails, be will not
iierish the mo1e, 01 by a death mo1e c1uel, for having made
it ; and he w1ll die as a lJ1ave man should, 1vith his face to
the da11ger, and "\\'1th his o,1m abo11t the woman that he
sougb,t in vain to save. Brit, if he makes no effo1t, sh1inking, without a struggle, from l1is duty, he h~elf will not
the less ce1iainly perish for this baseness of poltroonery.
He will die no less: a11d why not 'l vYherefore sl1ould we
grieve that the1e 'is 011e c1aven less in the woild? No; let
him perish, without a pitying thought of ours wasted upon

11im; and, in that case, all our grief 1vill be ieserved fo1tl1e
fate of the helpless girl who now, i1pon the least shado\v
of' fa1lu1e in lt11n, must, by the fiercest of tianslat1onsmust, without tlille for a p1aye1 must, within seventy
seconds, stand before the judgment-seat of God.
But craven he was not : sudclen had been the call upon
him, and sudden f\ras his answe1 to the call. He saw, 11e
11ea1d, 11e comp1ehendecl. the rt1in tl1at 'vai:: coming do\\11
alreacly its gloomy shadow darl\:ened above him ; and already he was measu1ing his strength t~ cleal with it. .Ali!
\\.b[tt a vulgar thing does courage seem, when we Sl'O
1

IV.

'

'

338

TIIE .ENG LISI! :\I,\ I J,-co,\CTI.

nations bl1y1ng it and selling IL for a shilling a-c1iiv : ai1 !

\Vhat a sublime tl11ng does cou1agc seem, "'l1er1 son10 re11rful summons on the great deeps of 11fe ca1ries a mun, ai; if
running before a hur1icane, up to the g1cldy crest of son1f>
tumultuous crisrs, from 'vh1ch lie two courses, and a voice
says to him audibly, '' One way lies hope; tul{<' tl1e othc1,
and mourn for ever!'' I-Jo\v grand a tr1umpI1, if, e\e11
then, amidst the raving of all u1oi111d l11m, untl tl1e fre11z)
of tl1e danger, the man is able to co11front his sitt1atio11 iil
able to ietire fo1 a moment i11to sol1t11cle 1v1th God, and to

seek his counsel f1om llzni I

Fo1 seven seconds, it m1gl1t be, of his se\'enty, the
strange1 settled his countenance stedfastly 11pon 11.s, as if
to search and value every clement 1n tl1e co11fl1ct lJcfo1 e
l11m
Fo1 five seconds more of his SC\'enty lie sat i111movably, like one that mused on son1e great })t1r11obt'
Foi five mo1e, pe1haps, he sat witl1 eyes t1praic.,cc1, lih.e 011c

that p1ayed m sorro,v, 11nder some e~trc1111ty of doltl)t, f1>r

l1:;ht that should guide him to t11e better choice. 'l'l1e11
suddenly he rose ; stooc1 up11gl1t ; ancl by a po11crfl1l st1ai11
upon the reins, 1ais1ng his ho1se's fore-feet from tl1e g1'0llllll,
lie sle,ved lum round on tl1e pivot of his l1in(1-legs, :,o ns
to plant the little eqt1ipage in a pos~tion nearly at ii~l1t
angles to ou1s. Thus f .i1 111s co11cl1t1on ''us 11ot in1prorc11 ;
except as a fi1st step had beo11 tal{er1 to\\ a1 els the po~s1lJ11Ity of a. second. If no more '''ere do11e, 11otl1ing "as
done; fo1 the little ca111age still occup1ctl the 'e1y cent11
of ou1 fJath, though in an alte1ecl directio11. Yet even no\\ 1t
n1ay not be too late: fifteen of the sc\ent) scco11cls 111ay still
be uexhaustcd, and one almighty bot111cl n1a.3' a\ ail to clcn1
the ~ound. Ili11ry, then, hurry ! for tlie fl) ir1g mr .11e11ts
-they hurry. 011, l1u11y, llUl'l'.)', Ill)' b1 a \'e )'Ol!IJg IJlllII' fl)!'
Ll10 <'1 uel \hoofs of ,1u1 1101scs thelf also !1,111) ! l',1.,t 11re
1

'

TIIC YISION OF

'

SUDD~N

DI:.\J1;J

339

the flying moments, faster a1e the hoofs of our horses. Tiut
fea1 not- f01 hi111, if human energy can suffice; faithful wa~
he that clrove to his te1rific duty; faithful was the horse to
his command. One blow, one impulse given with voice an(l
hand, by the stranger, one rush from the ho1se, one bound
as if in the act of rising to a fence, landed the docile c1eatnre's fo1e-feet upon the cro\vn 01 archin_s centre of the
road. '.l'he large1 half of the little ec1uipage had then clea1ed
our over-towe1ing shadow: that was evident even to myow11
agitated sight But it mattered little that one wieck should
float off in safety, if upon the wreck that perished we1e embarked the human freightage. The rea1 part of the ca111age
-\\as that certainly .beyond the line of absolute iuin? "\Vl1at
power could a11swe1 tl1e ciuestion? Glance of eye, thot1gl1t
of man, wing of angel, which of these had speed enough to
sweep between the question and tl1e a11S\\'e1, and divide the
one f1om the other? Light does not t1ead upon the steps ot
light more indivisibly, than did our all-conc1uering a1rival
t1pon the escaprng efforts of the gig. That must the )'Oung
man have felt too plainly. His back was now tu1ned to us;
not by sight could he any longer communicate \\ith the peril;
but Ly the c11eadft1l rattle of our ha1ness, too t1uly had his
ea1 been instructecl tl1at all was fiuisl1ed as regardecl any
f1utber effort of !us. Ah eacly in iesignation he had restecl
tiom his st1uggle; and perhaps m his hea1t be was '\Vhispe1ing, ''Fathe1, which a1t in heaven, do Thou finjsh above what
I on earth have attempted.'' Faster than e''e1 m1ll-1ace we
ran past them in our inexo1able fl.ight. Oh, raving of hu1r1-
canes that must have sounded m their young ears at the
moment of our t1ansit ! Even in that moment the,thunder
of collision spol{e aloud. Either with tI1e S\v1ngle-bar, or
witl1 the 11au11ch of 0111 nea1 leader, we had struck.the off~heel of tl1e little gig-, '''11111 '>tC1)1l r2tl1e1 obliq11ely. a11cl uo~

'

340

TIJE ENGLISII 1\I.\.IL-CQ.,\.CII,

q111te so far acl 1a11ced, as to be acct1rately lJarallel \v1tb t110

i1ea1-,vl1eel. Tl1c blo,v, from the f111y of ou1 passage, 1.isou11ded te11lfically. I iose in hor101, to gaze 111Jo11 tl1e 1t1111s
've might 11avc caused. Fro1n my elevated sttition I lool~ccl
do,vn, and lool{cd back upon t11e sce11e, \vl11cl1 111 a n1ome11t
told its own tale, and w1ote all its recorcls 011 my 11ea1t
fo1 ever.
',
Here ,\vas tl1e inup of the }Jass1on that no'v l1ull finis11ecl
Tl1e 11orse \Vas i)Iauted 11nmovalJly, \v1th 111s fo1e-fcct u1Jo11
the pa\'ed c1est of the cent1al ioall. Ile of the \vl1ole
111irty migl1t be supposed u11iouched by tl1e 1Jass1011 of
cleatl1. 'l'be little cany ca111age lJartly, pe1l1aps, f1om tl1e
violcnL torf'1on of the '' l1eels in its icccr1t n10,en1e11t, pa1tly
fron1 tl1e tl1t1ndc1111g blow \Ve 11ad given to 1t-rts 1f 1t syr11' 'v1tl1 bumu~ 11orro1, '''as all, alive \Vttl1 t1en1bl111!.!-S
patl11'-ed
n11d &!11ver1r1gs Tl1e young man trembled not, i1or sl11ve1ed.
Ile sat l1l;:e a ioclr. But 11is \Vas the steucl111css of ag1tat101~
froze11 i11to icst lJy horror. .As yet he dt11ed not to loolr
ro1111tl, for lie l\:ne\v that, if anyth111g, rema111ell to clo, by l1im
it could 110 lougc1 be done. Ancl as yet be l(nC\V not for ce1tu.111 if tl1r11 safety \Vere accomplished. Dut tl1e lady --I3u t the lacly
! Oh, l1eavens ! \v1ll that s11ectacle ever
depart from my dreams, as she tose a11cl sa11k ll}JOTI lier
scat, sank and iose, th1e,v up l1e1 q1ms '''1ldly to heave11,
clutcl1ed at some v1s1onary obJect in the a11, fa1r1t111g, ]lray1ng, iaving, des1Ja111ng 'Z l!'1gure to yourself, ieader, tl1e
elements of the case, suffe1 me to iecall befo1e you1 m111d
the c11cumstanccs of that unparallelecl s1tuat1on. F1om the
&1le11ce aud d~ep peace of tl11s saintly sum1nc1 night-frorn
the llathetic blenc1ing of this S\\'eet mbo11l1gl1t, daw11hght,
<lreuml1gbt from the manly tenc1e1ness of' this tlatte1111g,
'''l11spering, mu1mur1ng love s11dclenly as from the \Voods
and ficlcls s11dclenlv as f1om tl1e cl1ambers of the a11 open-

Tfll~ 'ilSLON OF SUDDL'\ DE..\.TII.

311

'

ing in revelation suddenly as from the ground yawning

at he1 feet, leaped upon he1, 'vith tl1e flashing of catairacts,
Death the crowned phantom, with all the eqmpage of hif
ter1ors, and the tiger roar of his voice
The moments were numbe1ed; the strife was finished; tbl
vision was closed. In the twinkling of an eye, onr flyin~
horses had carried us to the te1m1n&tion of the umbrageouf
aisle; at right angles we wheeled into our former chre<'tion
the turn of the ioad carried the scene out of my eyes in at
instant, and swept it into my c11eams for Cler

TIIE ENGLISH MAIL-COACH.

SECTION TIIE Tf!!l{D

DREA.)I-FUGUE

.FOU:NDDD ON Tll.D PRI:CI:DING TilE)II: OF SUDDEN DE.\Tl!.

'' )VJJcncc the sound

Of instruments, that made melodious chime,
Was heard, ofha1p and 01gan, and ,vJ10 moved
Their stops and cl1ords, ''as seen , l11s vol ant touch
Instinct through all proportions, low and h1gl1,
Fled and pursued transverse the resonant ft1guc.''
Par. Lost, B XI.

Tumultuo:rzssimamente.
PASSION of sudden death! that once in youth I read and
interpreted by the shadows of thy averted signs 111 rapture
of panic takmg the shape (wh1cl1 amongs,t tombs in churches
~r have seen) of woman burstint; her se1)11lchral bonds of
woman's Ionic form bending for ward from the ruins of her
grave with a1cbing foot, with eyes upraised, \vith clasped
adoring hands \vaiting, watch111g, trembling, praymg for
the trumpet's call to nse from dust for ever' Ah, VIs1on
too fearful of shuddering humanity on the b11nk of aln11ghty
abysses! vis1orr that didst start back, that didst reel away,
like a shr1vell1ng scioll from before the \vrath of fire rac111g

''Averted szgns ''-I read the course and changes of the lady's

agony 1n the succession of he1 1nvolu11t:1ry gestures, but it m11st Le

remembered that I read all tl11s fron1 tl1e rear, never once c.itcl1111g
t4e luuy's full face, and even her profile imperfectly.

313

DRI:.\"\f-I"l:"GUE.

ou the wings of the wind! Epilepsy so brief of ho1ror,

v:herefore is it that thou canst not die? Passing :so sudtlenly into llarkness, whe1efore i.s it that still thou sheddest
thy sad funeral blights upoI1 the gorgeous mosaics of ilieam~ 1
Fragment of music too passionate, heard once, and heard
'
no more, what aileth thee, t~at thy deep rolling cho1ds
come up at interrals through all the worlds of sleep, and
'
..ifrer forty years, have lost no element of horror?

L
Lo, it i.s summer almighty summer ! The everlasting
gates of life and sun1mer are thro\vn open wide ; and on
- the ocean, tranquil and Yerdant as a saYannah, the unkno\vn
lady from the dreadful tlsion and I myself are floatingshe upon a. fa.iry pinnace, and I upon an Enghsh threedecker. Both of us are wooing gales of festal happiness
within the domain of our common country, within that
ancient watery pmlf, within that pathless chase of ocean,
,,here England takes her pleasure as a huntress through
\rater ancl summer, from the iising to the setting sun .
.Ah, what a wilderness of floral beauty was hidden, or was
suddenly _reveuled, upon the tropic islands through which
the pinnace moved! .And upon her deck v.hat a bevy
of human ftov.ers young women how lovely, young men
11ow noble, that were dancing together, ancl slo\\ly drifting
towards us amicb-t music and incense, amidst blossoms from
forests and gorgeous corymbi from nntages, amidst natu1al
carolling, and the echoes of sweet girlish laughter. Slo\\ly
the pinnace nears us, gaily she hruls us, and silently sl1e
disappears beneath the shadow of our mighty bows. B11t
then, as at some signal from hea\en, the music, and the _
c:irols, ~d the sweet echoing of girlish laughter all are
hushed. What evil lw..;; smitten the pinnace, meeting rJ-:

344

TllE E...1\GLISII 1\fAlLCOACH.

overtakmg her 1 Did r11in to our friends couch within our

own dreadful shadow 'l Was our shadow the shadow of
death 1 I looked over the bow for an answer, and, behold!
the p1nnace was dismantled ; the revel and the revellers
v.ere found no more ; the glory of the vintage was dust ;
and the forests with theii beauty were left without a witness upon the seas. ''But where,'' and I turned to our
crew '' wheie are the lovely women that danced beneatl1
the awnmg of flowers and cluste1ing co1ymb1 'l Wh1tl1e1
have fl eel the noble young men that danced with tlzeni <?''
A11s,ver there was none. Bnt suddenly the man at the
mast-head, whose countenance da1kened with ala1m, criecl
out, ''Sail on the weather beam ! Down she comes upon
ns . in seventy seconds she also will founder.''

'

II.

I looked to the weather side, and the summe1 had depa1 ted. The sea was rocking, and shaken with gathe1ing
w1ath. Upon its surface sat mighty mists, wlnch grouped
themselves into arcl1es and long cathedial aisles. Do,vn
one of these, with the fiery pace of a qua11el from a crossbow, ran a f1igate iight ath,va1t oui course. '' Aie they
n1ad 'l '' some voice exclaimed from ou1 deck. ''Do they
woo thei1 ruin?'' But in a moment, as she '\\'as- close upo11
us, some im1)ulse of a heady curient oi local vortex gave a
wheeling bias to her course, and off she forged without a
shock. As she ran past us, high aloft amongst the'shroudl:i
stood the lady of the pinnace. The deeps opened ahead
i11 malice to receive her, towering su1ges of foam ran after
he1, the billoi\'S were fierce to catch her. But far awn.)
she 11as bo1ne into desert spaces of the sea: '''h1lst still b)'
~ip;ht I follo,ved her, as she ran befo1e the ho,,l1ng gale,
r!tusecl by angry sea-bi1c1s and by maclclen1ng billo,vs , still
,

DRE.A1f-FUGUE.

345

I saw her, as at the moment when sl1e ran past us, standing
nmongst the shrol1ds, with he1 white draperies streaming
l>efore the \\ind. There she stood, with hair dishev-elled,
o>J.e hand clutched amongst the tackling rising, sinldng,
fluttering, trembling, praying there for leagues I ,saw
her as she stood, raising at intervals one hand to heaven,
amidst the fie1y crests of the pmsuiug ,,aves and the
raving of the storm; until at last, upon a souncl from afar
of malicious laugl1te1 anc1 mockery, all was hidden for ever
in d1iving showers; and Jfter\va1ds, but '\vhen I know not,
no1 how,

ill.
Sweet funeral bells f1om some incalculable distance, wailing ove1 the dead that die befo1 e the dawn, awakened me
as I slept in a boat moored to some fam1liar shore. The
morning twilight even then was breaking ; and, by the
dusky revelations which it spread, I saw a giil, adorned
with a garland of white roses about her head for some
great festival, running alo11g t11e solitary strancl in extrem
ity of l1aste. Her r11nning was the i unning of panic ; an cl
often she looked oack as to some dreadful enemy in the
rear. But \\'hen I leaped ashore, an.cl' followed on her steps to warn her of a. peril in front, alas ! from me she fled as
f1om nnothe1 pe1il, and vu.inly I shoutecl to her of quicksands that lay ahead. Faster and faster she ran; round a ,
p1omontt.ry of iocks she '\vheeled out of sight; in an instant I also wheeled ionncl it, but only to see the treache1ous sands gathe1ing abo,e her head. .Already her person
'
was buriec1; only the fair young head and the diadem of
'vhite roses around it v;ere still visible to the pitying heavens;
aucl, last of all, \\as nsilJle one white marble arm. I sa\v
by the early ti\'1l1ght tl1i3 fttir young head, as it was sink-

346

TIIE ENGLISll )fi\II,COi\CU.

ing down to cla1kness saw this marble ar111, as it ioc;e

above he1 head and hc1 treacl1erous g1avc, tossi11g, fultcr1ng,
r1s1ng, clutching, as at some false dece1\'111g 11an(l st1ctchell
out f1om the clouds sa1v this maible aim t1ttcri11g 11er
dying hope, and then uttering her cly1ng clec;1)u11. 'l'be
head, the diadem, the a1m tl1cse all hall si1r1Ic ; at 111&t
over these also the c1uel qu1elcs<t11d hucl closetl; a11tl no
memo1ial of the fa11 young g11I iemaincd 011 eartl1, e.xce11t
my own sol1ta.1y teais, and tl1e fi1neral bells f101n tl1e dcsc1 t
seas, that, i1s1ng again mo1e softly, sang a icc111ie1n ovc1

the grave of the bu11ed child, ancl ove1 he1 bligl1tecl c.la\v11.
I sat, and wept in secret the tears that men l1:1vc ever
given to the memo1y of those that died befo1 c t11e da\\'11,
and by the treuche1y of ea1th, ou1 motl1e1. Bt1t s11dller1ly
tlie. teu1s and funeral bells we1e hushed by a shout as of
niany nations, and by a io111 us fro1n so111e g1 e:it Icing'<;
artillery, adva11cing rapidly along the vn.lleys, and 11cuicl
afar by echoes from the mountai11s. '' II11sl1 ! '' I suicl, aq
I. bent my ea1 ea1ihwa1cls to listen ''hush ! '' t11is citl1e1

is the very ana1chy of st11fe, 01 else'' and tl1e11 I 11ste11ccl

more profoundly, and whis1le1ed as I iuised i11y 11ertd'' or else, oh heavens' it is111ctory tl1at is fi11al, ''1cto1y tl1at
s\vallows up all st11fe.''
>

IV.
Immediately, in trance, I was ca1ried ove1 lu11cl a11cl set\
to some distant kingclom, and IJlaced upo11 a tri111fpl1al car,
amongst companions crownecl with luuiel. rl'hc clu1l~11ess
of gathe11ng mrdnrg~t, b1ooding ovei all the ln11d, hid from
11s the m1gl1ty crowds that were 1veaving restlessly abo11t
011rselves as a centre: we heard tbe111, but s11\v then1 not.
'l'1dings had arrived, \vithm an hou1, of a g1andeur tl1:i.t
U!f'tisured itself against centuries ; too full of pathos tl1cv


l>l!E.\.:U-l!'UGUE.

'

were. too full of joy, to utter tl1emse!ver;; by othe1 language

tl1an by tea1s, by iestless anthems, and Te Deums reve1:lJe1atecl f1om the choi1s and 01chest1as of ea1th. These
ticlings we that sat u1Jou the lau1elled ca1 had it fo1 our
})t'ivilege to publish amongst all nations. And aheacly, 9y
signs audible through the da1kness, by sno1'tings and tramplings, ot1r ang1y horses, that knew no fear of fleshly wea11ness, upb1aided us 11 ith delay. Whe1efo1e ilccs it that we
delayecl? We 1\'aited fo1 a sec1et 1\'01c1, that should bear
witness to the hope of nations, as now accom1Jlishecl f 01
ever. .At midnigl1t the sec1et wo1d a11i reel ; 11 hich 1\ro1c1
was W ate1loo and Recove1ed Oh1istendom ! The cbeaclful '\\'01d sho11e by its O\vn hght; befo1e us it went; high
above our leade1s' heads it rocle, and sp1eac1 a golden light
ove1 the patl1s lvhich we t1:iversed. Ere1y city, at the
presence of the secret wo1d, th1ew open its gates. The
rivers were conscious as we crossec1. All. the fo1ests, as
\\e ran along thei1 margins, shive1ed In homage to the
sec1et wo1d. And the da1kness comp1ehendecl it.
Two hours afte1 mic1night we approached a 'mighty
},finster: Its gates, which iose to the clo11ds, we1e closed.
But when the dreadful word, tl1at rode before us; reachec1
them with its golden light, silently they moved back upon
their hinges; and at a flying gallop our equipage entered
the g1and aisle of the cathec1ra1. Headlong was our pace ;
and at every alta1, in the little chapels and orato1ies to the
right haKd and left of ou1 course, the lamps, dying or sickening, kindled ane\v in sympathy with the sec1et wo1d that
was flying past. Fo1ty leagues we might have run in the
cathed1al, and as yet no st1ength of mo1ning light had
'
reached us, wl1en betore us we saw the aerial galle1ies of
01 gun arid choi1.
Eve1y IJinnacle of the f1et,vo1k, eve1y
s;t.v.tion of adva11tage amor1gst the t1ace1ies, was crested by
1

'I If!<~ I'..XGLISH )f \.IL-CO,\.CH.

v;l1ite-1 obed cho1isters, that sang deliverance : tl1at wept

110 more tears, as once their fathe1s had \Vept; but at intervals that sang together to the generations, saying,

'' Cl1ant the deli,'erer's praISe in every tongue, "

and receiring answers f1om afar,

'' Sucl1 as once in heaven and earth were sung.''

..t\..nd of their chanting was no end ; of our headlong' pace

'
\\'as ne1the1 pause nor slaclrening.
'fhus, as we ran like torrents thus, as we swept with
bridal rapture over the Campo Santo"" of the catheclral
grJ.vcs sudllculy "'e became aware of a vast necropolis
11s1ng upon the fa1-off horizon-a city of sepulchres, built
'' ithm the saintly cathedial fo1 the 1va11ior dead that restecl
from their feuds on earth. Of purple .granite was the
necropolis; yet, in the fiist mmute, it lay like a purple
stam upon the horizon, so mighty was the distance. In
tl1e second minute it trembled through many changes,
gro,ving into terraces a11d toweis of wondrous altitude, so
llltghty 'vas the pace. In the third minute aheady, with
our llreadful gallop, 1ve were entering its suburbs. Vast
i:.arcopl1agi rose on every side, having towers and turrets -

"-It is probable t11at most of my readers will

'' Canipo Santo

be acquainted 'v1th tl1e history of t11e Campo Santo (or cemetery)
at Pisa, composed of earth brougl1t from Jerusalem from a bed of
sanctity, as the highest prize which the noble piety of crusaders
could ask or imagine. To readers who are unacqnamted mth
England, or who (being English) are yet unacquainted mth the
cathedral cities of England, 1t may be iight to mention that the
gra;es ''1tl1in-s1de the cathedrals often form a Hat pavement over
which carriages and horses 111zght run ; and perhaps a boyish remembrance of one particular cathedral, across which I had seen
pas,,e11gers walk and burdens carried, as about two centuries b.ick
tl:c) \Vere through the middle of St Paul's 1n London, may l1J.V'3
113:ll5t'!cl my dream.

>

D ltE .\.:U-Fli G V'E

tl1i1t, u1)on the li1111ts of the cent1al aisle, st1ode forua1cl

\\ith hauglit.)r i11t1 tt5io11, tl1at ra11 back l'>ith mighty shac1o\'< s
111to aus\e1i1ig recesses E\ e1y sa1co1)I1agus sl1owed ma1y
l)as-1el1efs bas-relief~ ofbuttles and ot'batt1e-:fields, battles
f1 om f 01 gotte11 ages lJ.1t tles fr om yeste1day battle-fielcl'3
t!1.1t~ lor1g since, natu1 e bJd healed and ieconc1led to her'-clf '' ith the sweet obli1iou of fio\\ers battle-fielcls that
''ere yet a11gry ancl r1in1son ,,itl1 ca1nage Whe1e the
terr.ices ian, the1 e did ue iun ; -r.he1e the to,i,e1s cu1vec1,
tl1ere c1ic1 Ile c11r\e. \\1tl1 t11e fligl1t of swalloiis our ho1se"
s\;ept, iou11d eve1y ar-'j le. Lil~e r1\ers in floocl, ,,J1eel111g
1our1c111cadla11c1s h1.:, }.l.ll1ica11es t11at iide into the secrets
ot' fo1estc; faste1 t11an e\e1 l1gl1t u11wove the mazes of
<la1k11ess, our flying equiIJJge ca111ed earthly 1Jassio110,
I:i11tlletl \\ a1 rio1 i11sti11cts. a111ongst the dust that Jay a1oun(l
tis-d11st oftenti1nes of our no!Jle f,1thers that l1acl slept 111
Goel f1 om Crec1 to Traft1Iga1. A11d no'v had we reached
the la.::t sa1cophagus, 110\\' \\'ere "\\e ab1east of t11e last bas1elief. al1 eady had '' c i CCL'Vered the a110\v~Iil{e flight of
the 1llin1itable cent1al aisle, nhen con1i11g up this aisle to
n1c.et us '' e lJel1eld afa1 off a fem ale cl11Icl, that iocle in a.
et11r1age as f1a1l as floue1s. The 1uists, ''l1icl1 \Vent befo1e
lier. l1ir1 tl1e fa1\ns tbt1t ell C\\' he1, but co11ld not hide the
i::l!ell.s a1:c1 t101>1c floue1s 11itl1 ,,}1icl1 s11e played bl1t cou1c1
1tot l11<le the lo\cly sn1iles, b; '''l1ich &lie l1tte1ed he1 t1u<>t
i11 t11e mighty cathec1l'.11, anc1 in the cl1e1 ubim that looked
<101\ n llpon. he1 f1om tl1c migl1ty &hafts of its p1ll!lls
Face.
to f,1ce :sl1e '''as meeting us; face to fnce sl1e iode, as if
tl,11.1ge1 t11e1 e \\'Cle no11e. ' 011, baby''' I exclaimed, ''shalt
tl1011 })e tl1e ian<>om for W ute1loo? M11st 11e, that car1y
tic1111g;; of great joy to e>el'y people, be messengers of
r11in to t11ee ! '' In bo1101 I iose at the t11ought; but then
al:ic1. in horror aL the thought, rose one tl1at \Vas scu1ptu1 ed
r3
1

351

DREA:ll-FUGUE.

volume of incense, that, night and day, streamed upwards

from the altar, dimly was seen the fiery font, and the
shadow of that dreadful being who should have baptized
her with the baptism of death. But by her side "\\'as kneeling her better angel, that hid his face with wings; that
wept and pleaded fo1 her;.. that
prayed when she could not;
,
that fought with Heaven by tears for liet deliverance;
which also, as he raised his immortal countenance from his
'vings, I saw, by the glory in his eye, that from Heaven he
had won at last.

v.
Then was completed the passion of the mighty fugue.
The golden tubes of the organ, which as yet had but
muttered at intervals gleammg amongst clouds and ~urgec:;
of incense threw up, as from fountains unfathomable,
columns of hea1t-shattering music. Choir and anti-choir
'vere filling fast with unknown voices. Thou also, Dying
Trumpete1 ! with thy love that was victorious, and thy
anguish that i.vas fiuishing didst enter the tumult ; trumpet and echo fa1ewell love, and farewell anguish rang
'
through the dieadful sa1zctus. Oh, darkness of the grave !
that f1om the crimson altar and from the fiery font wert
visited ancl searched by the effulgence in the angel's eye-ewere tl1ese indeed thy ch1ld1en? Pomps of life, that, f1om
the burials of centuries, iose agaln to the voice of pe1fect
joy, chd ye 1ncleed mingle 'vitl1 the festivals of Death? Lo!
as I looked back for seventy leagues through the mighty
cat~edral, I saw the quick and the dead that sang togetl1er
to God, together that sang to the generations of man. All
the hosts of jubilation, like a1mies that ride in pursuit,
moved \\ith one step. Us, that, with laurelled heads,
v.ere passing f101n the cathed1al, they overtook, and, as
I

352

'IllD ENGLIS II l\I,\JLCO.\ 011.

\vitl1 a gar1nent, t11ey \Vl'fillPCLl tis io1111ll \vitl1 thuuuer'l

"'l'eate1 tl1an ou1 o\vn. A.s brothers \VO rno\ecl togetl1c1 ;
0
to tlie da\vn tl1at n<1vanced to tl10 st:i1s tl1at flcc1; icude1111g thanks to God in the h1gl1est tl1at, 11ri.v111g, l11cl Ilis face
th1 ough one generatio11 bel11ncl tl11cl\. clot1<ls of' 'V u1, 0111~0
uga.111 \Vas ascending fro1n tl1e Ca1111Jo S1t11to of \Y ntcrlo<)
'
\Vas ascending in tho visions of Peace ; ier1clcl'111g tl1n11l~b
for tl1ec, young girl! \Vhom, havi11g ovcrsl1udo\VC(1 \vitl1
II1s ineffable llnssiou of death, s11r1c1enly c1il1 God rclc11t;
suffered thy angel to turn ns1<le II1s a1m, nud even i11 t11ec 1
<;1ste1 unl~no\vn ! sl10\v11 to 1110 fo1 a mo1uc11t 011ly to be
111tlde11 fo1 ever, founcl an occasion to glo11fy IT1s goot111cs..,.
A. thousantl times, amo11gst the pl1:111ton1s of oleep, 11a e I

see11 thee e11te1111g tlic gates of tho goltle11 lln.\v11 \\'it11 tl1e
secret 'vo1cl rilling before t11cc '''1tl1 tho. ar1ies of tl1e
grave bel1111d thee; seen tl1ec s1n!,111g, i i~111g, ravi11g, cle
spa1ring; a. tl1ousa11d times in the 1vorllls of sleep 11avo sc11\
tl1eefpllo,ved byGocl's angel th1m1gh stor1us; tl1roug11 c1csert
Jens; th1oug~1 the clurl~ncss of q11icl(-;n11cls; tl11011gl1 {l1en1ns,
a11d the clreadf11l 1evelu.tions thnt a1 c i11 tl10:1111'> 011ly tl1t1t
at tl1e last, \Yith 0110 sli11g of Ths \1cto1io11s r1r1n, Ile 1nigl1t
&11atch thee bn.cl<. from ru111, a.11cl m1gl1t cn1blalon i11 tlt)
1l~livP.1a.nce tl1e e11dless resurrect1or1s of II1r:. love!

l~ND

OF li'OUilTll VOLU,1L.
'