友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!
contributions to all the year round-第3部分
快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完,想下次继续接着阅读,可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能!
h; something too active was the big forefinger of Mangel in its
propensity to rub out without proved cause。 At last; long and deep
was the breath drawn by Mangel when he laid down the pen; long and
deep the wondering breath drawn by the backgroundas if they had
watched his walking across the rapids of Niagara; on stilts; and now
cried; 〃He has done it!〃
But; Mangel was an honest man; if ever honest man lived。 〃T'owt to
be a hell; sir;〃 said he; contemplating his work; 〃and I ha' made a
t on 't。〃
The over…fraught bosoms of the background found relief in a roar of
laughter。
〃OR…DER!〃 cried the little man。 〃CHEER!〃 And after that second
word; came forth from his mug no more。
Several other clubs signed; and received their money。 Very few
could write their names; all who could not; pleaded that they could
not; more or less sorrowfully; and always with a shake of the head;
and in a lower voice than their natural speaking voice。 Crosses
could be made standing; signatures must be sat down to。 There was
no exception to this rule。 Meantime; the various club…members
smoked; drank their beer; and talked together quite unrestrained。
They all wore their hats; except when they went up to Friar Bacon's
table。 The merry…faced little man offered his beer; with a natural
good…fellowship; both to the Dreary one and Philosewers。 Both
partook of it with thanks。
〃Seven o'clock!〃 said Friar Bacon。 〃And now we better get across to
the concert; men; for the music will be beginning。〃
The concert was in Friar Bacon's laboratory; a large building near
at hand; in an open field。 The bettermost people of the village and
neighbourhood were in a gallery on one side; and; in a gallery
opposite the orchestra。 The whole space below was filled with the
labouring people and their families; to the number of five or six
hundred。 We had been obliged to turn away two hundred to…night;
Friar Bacon said; for want of roomand that; not counting the boys;
of whom we had taken in only a few picked ones; by reason of the
boys; as a class; being given to too fervent a custom of applauding
with their boot…heels。
The performers were the ladies of Friar Bacon's family; and two
gentlemen; one of them; who presided; a Doctor of Music。 A piano
was the only instrument。 Among the vocal pieces; we had a negro
melody (rapturously encored); the Indian Drum; and the Village
Blacksmith; neither did we want for fashionable Italian; having Ah!
non giunge; and Mi manca la voce。 Our success was splendid; our
good…humoured; unaffected; and modest bearing; a pattern。 As to the
audience; they were far more polite and far more pleased than at the
Opera; they were faultless。 Thus for barely an hour the concert
lasted; with thousands of great bottles looking on from the walls;
containing the results of Friar Bacon's Million and one experiments
in agricultural chemistry; and containing too; no doubt; a variety
of materials with which the Friar could have blown us all through
the roof at five minutes' notice。
God save the Queen being done; the good Friar stepped forward and
said a few words; more particularly concerning two points; firstly;
that Saturday half…holiday; which it would be kind in farmers to
grant; secondly; the additional Allotment…grounds we were going to
establish; in consequence of the happy success of the system; but
which we could not guarantee should entitle the holders to be
members of the club; because the present members must consider and
settle that question for themselves: a bargain between man and man
being always a bargain; and we having made over the club to them as
the original Allotment…men。 This was loudly applauded; and so; with
contented and affectionate cheering; it was all over。
As Philosewers; and I the Dreary; posted back to London; looking up
at the moon and discussing it as a world preparing for the
habitation of responsible creatures; we expatiated on the honour due
to men in this world of ours who try to prepare it for a higher
course; and to leave the race who live and die upon it better than
they found them。
FIVE NEW POINTS OF CRIMINAL LAW
The existing Criminal Law has been found in trials for Murder; to be
so exceedingly hasty; unfair; and oppressivein a word; to be so
very objectionable to the amiable persons accused of that
thoughtless actthat it is; we understand; the intention of the
Government to bring in a Bill for its amendment。 We have been
favoured with an outline of its probable provisions。
It will be grounded on the profound principle that the real offender
is the Murdered Person; but for whose obstinate persistency in being
murdered; the interesting fellow…creature to be tried could not have
got into trouble。
Its leading enactments may be expected to resolve themselves under
the following heads:
1。 There shall be no judge。 Strong representations have been made
by highly popular culprits that the presence of this obtrusive
character is prejudicial to their best interests。 The Court will be
composed of a political gentleman; sitting in a secluded room
commanding a view of St。 James's Park; who has already more to do
than any human creature can; by any stretch of the human
imagination; be supposed capable of doing。
2。 The jury to consist of Five Thousand Five Hundred and Fifty…five
Volunteers。
3。 The jury to be strictly prohibited from seeing either the
accused or the witnesses。 They are not to be sworn。 They are on no
account to hear the evidence。 They are to receive it; or such
representations of it; as may happen to fall in their way; and they
will constantly write letters about it to all the Papers。
4。 Supposing the trial to be a trial for Murder by poisoning; and
supposing the hypothetical case; or the evidence; for the
prosecution to charge the administration of two poisons; say Arsenic
and Antimony; and supposing the taint of Arsenic in the body to be
possible but not probable; and the presence of Antimony in the body;
to be an absolute certainty; it will then become the duty of the
jury to confine their attention solely to the Arsenic; and entirely
to dismiss the Antimony from their minds。
5。 The symptoms preceding the death of the real offender (or
Murdered Person) being described in evidence by medical
practitioners who saw them; other medical practitioners who never
saw them shall be required to state whether they are inconsistent
with certain known diseasesbut; THEY SHALL NEVER BE ASKED WHETHER
THEY ARE NOT EXACTLY CONSISTENT WITH THE ADMINISTRATION OF POISON。
To illustrate this enactment in the proposed Bill by a case:… A
raging mad dog is seen to run into the house where Z lives alone;
foaming at the mouth。 Z and the mad dog are for some time left
together in that house under proved circumstances; irresistibly
leading to the conclusion that Z has been bitten by the dog。 Z is
afterwards found lying on his bed in a state of hydrophobia; and
with the marks of the dog's teeth。 Now; the symptoms of that
disease being identical with those of another disease called
Tetanus; which might supervene on Z's running a rusty nail into a
certain part of his foot; medical practitioners who never saw Z;
shall bear testimony to that abstract fact; and it shall then be
incumbent on the Registrar…General to certify that Z died of a rusty
nail。
It is hoped that these alterations in the present mode of procedure
will not only be quite satisfactory to the accused person (which is
the first great consideration); but will also tend; in a tolerable
degree; to the welfare and safety of society。 For it is not sought
in this moderate and prudent measure to be wholly denied that it is
an inconvenience to Society to be poisoned overmuch。
LEIGH HUNT: A REMONSTRANCE
〃The sense of beauty and gentleness; of moral beauty and faithful
gentleness; grew upon him as the clear evening closed in。 When he
went to visit his relative at Putney; he still carried with him his
work; and the books he more immediately wanted。 Although his bodily
powers had been giving way; his most conspicuous qualities; his
memory for books; and his affection remained; and when his hair was
white; when his ample chest had grown slender; when the very
proportion of his height had visibly lessened; his step was still
ready; and his dark eyes brightened at every happy expression; and
at every thought of kindness。 His death was simply exhaustion; he
broke off his work to lie down and repose。 So gentle was the final
approach; that he scarcely recognised it till the very last; and
then it came without terrors。 His physical suffering had not been
severe; at the latest hour he said that his only uneasiness was
failing breath。 And that failing breath was used to express his
sense of the inexhaustible kindness he had received from the family
who had been so unexpectedly made his nurses;to draw from one of
his sons; by minute; eager; and searching questions; all that he
could learn about the latest vicissitudes and growing hopes of
Italy;to ask the friends and children around him for news of those
whom he loved;and to send love and messages to the absent who
loved him。〃
Thus; with a manly simplicity and filial affection; writes the
eldest son of Leigh Hunt in recording his father's death。 These are
the closing words of a new edition of The Autobiography of Leigh
Hunt; published by Messrs。 Smith and Elder; of Cornhill; revised by
that son; and enriched with an introductory chapter of remarkable
beauty and tenderness。 The son's first presentation of his father
to the reader; 〃rather tall; straight as an arrow; looking slenderer
than he really was; his hair black and shining; and slightly
inclined to wave; his head high; his forehead straight and white;
his eyes black and sparkling; his genera
快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!