Tales And Novels, Volume 1 by Maria Edgeworth

M >> Maria Edgeworth >> Tales And Novels, Volume 1

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The paper was handed to the jury; and one of the shades of blue exactly
matched that of the ground of the Prussian Vase. Albert now called upon
the Jew to produce, once more, the handkerchief with which he had rubbed
off the paint. The chain of evidence was now complete, for the blue on
the handkerchief was precisely the same as the colours on the paper and
on the vase. After the jury had satisfied themselves of this resemblance,
Albert begged that they would read what was written upon the paper. The
first thing that struck their eyes was the word _tyrant_ frequently
repeated, as if by some one who had been practising to write different
hands. One of these words was an exact resemblance of the word _tyrant_
on the Prussian Vase; and Albert pointed out a circumstance, which had
till now escaped attention, that the letter _r_, in this word, was made
differently from all the _ars_ in the rest of the inscription. The
writing of the Count Laniska had, in every other respect, been
successfully imitated.

After Albert had shown these things to the jury, he here closed the
evidence in favour of the prisoner, observing, that the length of time
which the trial had lasted seemed to have somewhat fatigued both the
judge and jury; and, knowing that it was now their usual hour of dinner,
he prudently forbore to make a long speech upon the evidence which had
been laid before them in favour of his friend: he left it to their own
understandings to determine the balance of probabilities between the
honour of Count Laniska and the honesty of Solomon the Jew.

The judge, in a manner which would have done honour even to the English
bench, summed up the evidence on both sides, and gave a distinct and
impressive charge to the jury, who, without leaving the court, gave a
verdict in favour of the prisoner. Loud acclamations filled the hall. In
the midst of these acclamations, the word--"Silence!" was pronounced by
that voice which never failed to command instantaneous obedience in
Prussia. All eyes turned upon the monarch.

"This court is now dissolved," said his majesty. "My judgment confirms
the verdict of the jury. Count Laniska, I took your sword from you too
hastily. Accept of mine in its stead." And as he pronounced these words,
Frederick ungirded his sword, and presented it to the young count. "As
for you, sir," continued the king, addressing himself to Albert, "you
want no _sword_ for the defence of your friends. Your arms are superior
to ours. Let me engage them in my service; and, trust me, I shall not
leave them long unemployed, or unrewarded."

There was but one person present to whom this speech seemed to give no
satisfaction. This person was Solomon the Jew, who stood apart, waiting
in black silence to learn his own fate. He was sentenced, not to a year's
imprisonment in the castle of Spandau, but to sweep the streets of
Potzdam (including the court in front of Count Laniska's palace) for a
twelvemonth.

After having heard this sentence, which was universally approved of, the
spectators began to retire.

The king dined--it is always important to know where great men
dine--Frederick the Great dined this day at the Countess Laniska's, in
company with her son, his friend Albert, and the English traveller. After
dinner, the king withdrew to attend parade; and it was observed that he
wore the Count Laniska's sword.

"You will allow," said the countess to the English traveller, "that our
king is a great man; for none but great men can bear to acknowledge that
they have been mistaken."

"You will allow, madam," replied the Englishman, "that it was our English
trial by jury which convinced the king of his mistake."

"And you applaud him for granting that trial," said Albert.

"To a certain degree I do," said the Englishman, from whom it was
difficult to extort praise of a despotic king--"to a certain degree, I
do; but you will observe, that this trial by jury, which is a matter of
favour to you Prussians, is a matter of right to us Englishmen. Much as I
admire your king of Prussia, I admire our English constitution more."

THE GOOD AUNT

Charles Howard was left an orphan when he was very young. His father had
dissipated a large fortune, and lost his life in a duel, about some _debt
of honour_, which had been contracted at the gaming-table. Without
fortune and without friends, this poor boy would probably have lived and
died in wretchedness, but for the humanity of his good aunt, Mrs. Frances
Howard. This lady possessed a considerable fortune, which, in the opinion
of some of her acquaintance, was her highest merit: others respected her
as the branch of an ancient family: some courted her acquaintance because
she was visited by the best company in town: and many were ambitious of
being introduced to her, because they were sure of meeting at her house
several of those distinguished literary characters who throw a radiance
upon all who can contrive to get within the circle of their glories. Some
few, some very few of Mrs. Howard's acquaintance, admired her for her
real worth, and merited the name of friends.

She was a young and cheerful woman when she first undertook the education
of her little nephew. She had the courage to resist the allurements of
dissipation, or all that by her sex are usually thought allurements. She
had the courage to apply herself seriously to the cultivation of her
understanding: she educated herself, that she might be able to fulfil the
important duty of educating a child. Hers was not the foolish fondness of
a foolish aunt; she loved her nephew, and she wished to educate him, so
that her affection might increase, instead of diminishing, as he grew up.
By associating early pleasure with reading, little Charles soon became
fond of it: he was never forced to read books which he did not
understand; his aunt used, when he was very young, to read aloud to him
any thing entertaining that she met with; and whenever she perceived by
his eye that his attention was not fixed, she stopped. When he was able
to read fluently to himself, she selected for him passages from books,
which she thought would excite his curiosity to know _more_; and she was
not in a hurry to cram him with knowledge, but rather anxious to prevent
his growing appetite for literature from being early satiated. She always
encouraged him to talk to her freely about what he read, and to tell her
when he did not like any of the books which she gave him. She conversed
with him with so much kindness and cheerfulness; she was so quick at
perceiving his latent meaning; and she was so gentle and patient when she
reasoned with him, that he loved to talk to her better than to any body
else; nor could little Charles ever thoroughly enjoy any pleasure without
her sympathy.

The conversation of the sensible, well-informed people who visited Mrs.
Howard contributed to form her nephew's taste. A child may learn as much
from conversation as from books--not so many historic facts, but as much
instruction. Greek and Latin were the grand difficulties. Mrs. Howard did
not understand Greek and Latin; nor did she, though a woman, set too high
or too low a value upon the learned languages. She was convinced that a
man might be a great scholar without being a man of sense; she was also
persuaded that a man of sense might be a good scholar. She knew that,
whatever abilities her nephew might possess, he could not be upon a
footing with other men in the world, without possessing that species of
knowledge which is universally expected from gentlemen, as an essential
proof of their having received a liberal education; nor did she attempt
to undervalue the pleasures of classic taste merely because she was not
qualified to enjoy them: she was convinced, by the testimony of men of
candour and judgment, that a classical taste is a source of real
enjoyment, and she wished her nephew's literary pleasures to have as
extensive a range as possible.

To instruct her nephew in the learned languages, she engaged a good
scholar and a man of sense: his name--for a man is nothing without a
name--was Russell[1]. Little Charles did not at first relish Latin; he
used sometimes to come from his Latin lessons with a very dull, stupified
face, which gradually brightened into intelligence, after he had talked
for a few minutes with his aunt. Mrs. Howard, though pleased to perceive
that he was fond of her, had not the weakness to sacrifice his permanent
advantage to her transient gratification. One evening Charles came
running up-stairs to his aunt, who was at tea; several people happened to
be present. "I have done with Mr. Russell, and my Latin, ma'am, thank
goodness--now may I have the elephant and the camel, or the bear and her
cubs, that you marked for me last night?"

[Footnote 1: RUSSELL.--This name is chosen for that of a good tutor,
because it was the name of Mr. Edgeworth's tutor, at Oxford: Mr. Russell
was also tutor to the late Mr. Day. Both by Mr. Day and Mr. Edgeworth he
was respected, esteemed, and beloved, in no common degree.]

The company laughed at this speech of Charles: and a silly lady--for even
Mrs. Howard could not make all her acquaintance wise--a silly lady
whispered to Charles, "I've a notion, if you'd tell the truth, now, that
you like the bear and her cubs a great deal better than you do Latin and
Mr. Russell."

"I like the bear a great deal better than I do Latin, to be sure," said
the boy; "but as for Mr. Russell--why, I think," added he, encouraged by
the lady's smiles, "I think I like the bear better than Mr. Russell."

The lady laughed affectedly at this sally.

"I am sure," continued Charles, fancying that every person present was
delighted with his wit, "I am sure, at any rate, I like the learned pig
fifty times better than Mr. Russell!"

The judicious lady burst into a second fit of laughter. Mrs. Howard
looked very grave. Charles broke from the lady's caresses, and going up
to his aunt, timidly looking up in her face, said, "Am I a fool?"

"You are but a child," said Mrs. Howard; and, turning away from him, she
desired the servant, who waited at tea, to let Mr. Russell know that she
desired the _honour_ of his company. Mrs. Holloway--for that was the
silly lady's name--at the words, "honour of his company," resumed her
gravity, but looked round to see what the rest of the company thought.

"Give me leave, Mr. Russell," said Mrs. Howard, as soon as he came into
the room, "to introduce you to a gentleman, for whose works I know you
have a great esteem." The gentleman was a celebrated traveller, just
returned from abroad, whose conversation was as much admired as his
writings.

The conversation now took a literary turn. The traveller being polite, as
well as entertaining, drew out Mr. Russell's knowledge and abilities.
Charles now looked up to his tutor with respect. Children have sufficient
penetration to discover the opinions of others by their countenance and
manner, and their sympathy is quickly influenced by the example of
those around them. Mrs. Howard led the traveller to speak of what he had
seen in different countries--of natural history--of the beaver, and the
moose-deer, and the humming-bird, that is scarcely larger than a bumble
bee; and the mocking-bird, that can imitate the notes of all other birds.
Charles _niched_ himself into a corner of the sofa upon which the
gentlemen were sitting, and grew very attentive. He was rather surprised
to perceive that his tutor was as much entertained with the conversation
as he was himself.

"Pray, sir," said Mrs. Howard to the traveller, "is it true that the
humming-bird is a passionate little animal? Is the story told by the
author of the Farmer's Letters true?"

"What story?" said Charles, eagerly.

"Of a humming-bird that flew into a fury with a flower, and tore it to
pieces, because it could not get the honey out of it all at once."

"Oh, ma'am," said little Charles, peeping over his tutor's shoulders,
"will you show me that? Have you got the book, _dear_ aunt?"

"It is Mr. Russell's book," said his aunt.

"Your book!" cried Charles: "what, and do you know all about animals, and
those sorts of entertaining things, as well as Latin? And can you tell
me, then, what I want very much to know, how they catch the
humming-bird?"

"They shoot it."

"Shoot it! but what a large hole they must make in its body and beautiful
feathers! I thought you said its whole body was no bigger than a bee--a
humble bee."

"They make no hole in its body--they shoot it without ruffling even its
feathers."

"How, how?" cried Charles, fastening upon his tutor, whom he now regarded
no longer as a mere man of Latin.

"They charge the gun with water," said Mr. Russell, "and the poor little
humming-bird is stunned by the discharge."

The conversation next turned upon the entertaining chapter on instinct,
in Dr. Darwin's Zoonomia. Charles did not understand all that was said,
for the gentlemen did not address themselves to him. He never listened to
what he did not understand: but he was very quick at hearing whatever was
within the limits of his comprehension. He heard of the tailor-bird, that
uses its long bill as a needle, to sew the dead and the living leaf
together, of which it makes its light nest, lined with feathers and
gossamer: of the fish called the 'old soldier,' that looks out for the
empty shell of some dead animal, and fits this armour upon himself: of
the Jamaica spider, that makes himself a house under ground, with a door
and hinges, which door the spider and all the members of his family take
care to shut after them, whenever they go in and out.

Little Charles, as he sat eagerly attentive in his corner of the sofa,
heard of the trumpet of the common gnat[2], and of its proboscis, which
serves at once for an awl, a saw, and a pump.

[Footnote 2: St. Pierre, Etudes de la Nature.]

"Are there any more such things," exclaimed Charles, "in these books?"

"A great many," said Mr. Russell.

"I'll read them all," cried Charles, starting up--"may I? may not I,
aunt?"

"Ask Mr. Russell," replied his aunt: "he who is obliged to give you the
pain of learning what is tiresome, should have the pleasure of rewarding
you with entertaining books. Whenever he asks me for Dr. Darwin and St.
Pierre, you shall have them. We are both of one mind. We know that
learning Latin is not the most amusing occupation in the world, but still
it must be learned."

"Why," said Charles modestly, "you don't understand Latin, aunt, do you?"

"No," said Mrs. Howard, "but I am a woman, and it is not thought
necessary that a woman should understand Latin; nor can I explain to you,
at your age, why it is expected that a gentleman should; but here are
several gentlemen present--ask them whether it be not necessary that a
gentleman should."

Charles gathered all the opinions, and especially that of the
entertaining traveller.

Mrs. Holloway, the silly lady, during that part of the conversation from
which she might have acquired some knowledge, had retired to the further
end of the room to a game at trictrac with an obsequious chaplain. Her
game being finished, she came up to hear what the crowd round the sofa
could be talking about; and hearing Charles ask the opinions of the
gentlemen about the necessity of learning Latin, she nodded sagaciously
at Mrs. Howard, and, by way of making up for former errors, said to
Charles, in the most authoritative tone,--

"Yes, I can assure you, Mr. Charles, I am quite of the gentlemen's
opinion, and so is every body--and this is a point upon which I have some
right to speak; for my Augustus, who is only a year and seven months
older than you are, sir, is one of the best scholars of his age, I am
told, in England. But then, to be sure, it was flogged into him well at
first, at a public school, which, I understand, is the best way of making
good scholars."

"And the best way of making boys love literature?" said Mrs. Howard.

"Certainly, certainly," said Mrs. Holloway, who mistook Mrs. Howard's
tone of inquiry for a tone of assertion, a tone more familiar to
her--"certainly, ma'am, I knew you would come round to my notions at
last. I'm sure my Augustus must be fond of his Latin, for never in the
vacations did I ever catch him with any English book in his hand!"

"Poor boy!" said Charles, with unfeigned compassion, "And when, my dear
Mrs. Howard," continued Mrs. Holloway, laying her hand upon Mrs. Howard's
arm, with a yet untasted pinch of snuff between her fingers, "when will
you send Mr. Charles to school?"

"Oh, aunt, don't send me away from you--Oh, sir! Mr. Russell, try me--I
will do my very, _very_ best, without having it flogged into me, to learn
Latin--only try me."

"Dear sir, I really beg your pardon," said Mrs. Holloway to Mr. Russell;
"I absolutely only meant to support Mrs. Howard's opinion for the sweet
boy's good; and I thought I saw you go out of the room, or somebody else
went out, whilst I was at trictrac. But I'm convinced a private tutor may
do wonders at the same time; and if my Augustus prejudiced me in favour
of public education, you'll excuse a mother's partiality. Besides, I make
it a rule never to interfere in the education of my boys. Mr. Holloway is
answerable for them; and if he prefer public schools to a private tutor,
you must be sensible, sir, it would be very wrong in me to set my poor
judgment in opposition to Mr. Holloway's opinion."

Mr. Russell bowed; for, when a lady claims a gentleman's assent to a
series of inconsistent propositions, what answer can he make but--a bow?
Mrs. Holloway's carriage was now at the door, and, without troubling
herself any further about the comparative merits of public and private
education, she departed.

When Mrs. Howard was left alone with her nephew, she seized the moment,
while his mind was yet warm, to make a lasting impression. Charles,
instead of going to Buffon's account of the elephant, which he was very
impatient to read, sat down resolutely to his Latin lesson. Mrs. Howard
looked over his shoulder, and when he saw her smile of approbation, he
said, "Then you won't send me away from you?"

"Not unless you oblige me to do so," said his aunt: "I love to have you
with me, and I will try for one year whether you have energy enough to
learn what is disagreeable to you, without--"

"Without its being flogged into me," said Charles: "you shall see."

This boy had a great deal of energy and application. The Latin lessons
were learned very perfectly; and as he did not spend above an hour a day
at them, he was not disgusted with application. His general taste for
literature, and his fund of knowledge, increased rapidly from year to
year, and the activity of his mind promised continual improvement. His
attachment to Mrs. Howard increased as he grew up, for she never claimed
any gratitude from her pupil, or exacted from him any of those little
observances, which women sometimes consider as essential proofs of
affection. She knew that these minute attentions are particularly irksome
to boys, and that they are by no means the natural expressions of their
feelings. She had sufficient strength of mind to be secure in the
possession of those qualities which merit esteem and love, and to believe
that the child whom she had educated had a heart and understanding that
must feel and appreciate her value.

When Charles Howard was about thirteen, an event happened which changed
his prospects in life. Mrs. Howard's large fortune was principally
derived from an estate in the West Indies, which had been left to her by
her grandfather. She did not particularly wish to be the proprietor of
slaves; and from the time that she came to the management of her own
affairs, she had been desirous to sell her West India property. Her agent
represented to her that this could not be done without considerable loss.
From year to year the business was delayed, till at length a gentleman,
who had a plantation adjoining to hers, offered to purchase her estate.
She was neither one of those ladies who, jealous of their free will,
would rather _act for themselves_, that is to say, follow their own whims
in matters of business, than consult men who possess the requisite
information; nor was she so ignorant of business, or so indolent, as to
be at the mercy of any designing agent or attorney. After consulting
proper persons, and after exerting a just proportion of her own judgment,
she concluded her bargain with the West Indian. Her plantation was sold
to him, and all her property was shipped for her on board _The Lively
Peggy_. Mr. Alderman Holloway, husband to the silly Mrs. Holloway, was
one of the trustees appointed by her grandfather's will. The alderman,
who was supposed to be very knowing in all worldly concerns, sanctioned
the affair with his approbation. The lady was at this time rich; and
Alderman Holloway applauded her humanity in having stipulated for the
liberty and _provision grounds_ of some old negroes upon her plantation;
he even suggested to his son Augustus, that this would make a very
pretty, proper subject for a copy of verses, to be addressed to Mrs.
Howard. The verses were written in elegant Latin; and the young gentleman
was proceeding with some difficulty in his English translation of them,
when they were suppressed by parental authority. The alderman changed his
opinion as to the propriety of the argument of this poem: the reasons
which worked upon his mind were never distinctly expressed; they may,
however, be deduced from the perusal of the following letter:--

"TO MRS. FRANCES HOWARD.

"DEAR MADAM,

"Sorry am I to be under the disagreeable necessity of communicating to
you thus abruptly, the melancholy news of the loss of 'The Lively Peggy,'
with your valuable consignment on board, viz. sundry puncheons of rum,
and hogsheads of sugar, in which commodities (as usual) your agent
received the purchase-money of your late fine West India estate. I must
not, however reluctantly, omit to mention the casket of your
grandmother's jewels, which I now regret was sent by this opportunity.
'Tis an additional loss--some thousands, I apprehend.

"The captain of the vessel I have just seen, who was set on shore, on the
15th ultimo, on the coast of Wales: his mate mutinied, and, in conspiracy
with the crew, have run away with the vessel.

"I have only to add, that Mrs. Holloway and my daughter Angelina
sincerely unite with me in compliments and condolence; and I shall be
happy if I can be of any service in the settlement of your affairs.

"Mrs Holloway desires me to say, she would do herself the honour of
waiting upon you to-morrow, but is setting out for Margate.

"I am, dear madam,

"Your most obedient and humble servant,

"A. T. Holloway.

"P.S. Your agent is much to blame for neglecting to insure."

Mrs. Howard, as soon as she had perused this epistle, gave it to her
nephew, who was reading in the room with her when she received it. He
showed more emotion on reading it than she had done. The coldness of the
alderman's letter seemed to strike the boy more than the loss of a
fortune--"And this is a friend!" he exclaimed with indignation.

"No, my love," said Mrs. Howard, with a calm smile, "I never thought Mr.
Holloway any thing more than a common acquaintance: I hope--I am sure I
have chosen _my friends_ better."

Charles fixed an eager, inquiring eye upon his aunt, which seemed to say,
"Did you mean to call me one of your friends?" and then he grew very
thoughtful.

"My dear Charles," said the aunt, after nearly a quarter of an hour's
silence, "may I know what you have been thinking of all this time?"

"Thinking of, ma'am!" said Charles, starting from his reverie--"of a
great many things--of all you have done for me--of--of what I could do--I
don't mean now; for I know I am a child, and can do nothing--I don't mean
_nothing_.--I shall soon be a man, and then I can be a physician, or a
lawyer, or something.--Mr. Russell told me the other day, that if I
applied myself, I might be whatever I pleased. What would _you_ wish me
to be, ma'am?--because that's what I will be--if I can."

"Then I wish you to be what you are."

"O madam," said Charles, with a look of great mortification, "but that's
nothing. Won't you make me of some use to you?--But I beg your pardon, I
know you can't think about me just now. Good night," said he, and hurried
out of the room.

The news of the loss of the Lively Peggy, with all the particulars
mentioned in Alderman Holloway's letter, appeared in the next day's
newspapers, and in the succeeding paper appeared an advertisement of Mrs.
Howard's house in Portman-square, of her plate, china, furniture, books,
&c.--She had never in affluence disdained economy. She had no debts; not
a single tradesman was a sufferer by her loss. She had always lived
within her annual income; and though her generous disposition had
prevented her from hoarding money, she had a small sum in the funds,
which she had prudently reserved for any unforeseen exigence. She had
also a few diamonds, which had been her mother's, which Mr. Carat, the
jeweller, who had new set them, was very willing to purchase. He waited
upon Mrs. Howard, in Portman-square, to complete the bargain.

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