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contributions to all the year round-第3部分

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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
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