  SCENES and events in old English life again employed the pen of the great novelist. The reign of Charles II. was the period of his present narrative. It was composed hastily, and in the opinion of many was not equal to his powers. "Peveril of the Peak," writes Mr Lockhart, "appeared in January 1823. Its reception was somewhat colder than that of its three immediate predecessors.... Fenella was an unfortunate conception. What is good in it is not original, and the rest extravagantly absurd and incredible. Yet did any dramatist ever produce, in spite of all the surrounding bewilderment, characters more powerfully conceived, or on the whole more happily portrayed, than those of Christian, Bridge-north, Buckingham, and Chiffinch?-sketches more vivid than those of young Derby, Colonel Blood, and the keeper of Newgate?" Our artist depicts the departure of the Countess of Derby from Peveril's Castle. The sounds "boot and saddle" rang through the halls of the castle, and in a few minutes the deep dell which separated the rugged rocks of that wild district was occupied with Peveril's followers proceeding cautiously to escort the Countess to the Cheshire border. A party of troopers in advance was followed by the main body which accompanied the Countess, mounted on Peveril's palfrey, along with a groom of approved fidelity, and attended by the Knight of the Peak with three files of horsemen. Dreading pursuit, they rode "with the beard on the shoulder," looking round from time to time at the sound of any unusual noise.
Mr Cruikshank represents the encounter between the dishonest Chiffinch and Peveril and Lance his pursuers. Chiffinch, in full presumption of his security, was riding along leisurely with his prize, when Peveril and Lance reached a solitary part of the road, where neither man nor woman were in sight. Lance then pushed forward with so much alacrity that he was between the courtier and his attendant, and had actually upset the Frenchman and his horse before any effort could be made to resist him. Julian* snatched the bridle of Chiffinch's horse with one hand, and presented at him a pistol with the other. "Rogue," cried Chiffinch, "take my purse, do me no harm, and spare the spices." * When, in 1821, Charles Mayne Young, the eminent tragedian, was on a visit to Edinburgh, he waited on Sir Walter at his residence in Castle Street. He was accompanied by his son Julian, then a youth. After warmly shaking hands with the tragedian, Sir Walter laid his hand gently on his son's shoulder, and asked his Christian name. As soon as he heard it he exclaimed, "Why, who is he called after?" "Master Chiffinch," said Peveril, "give me back that packet which you stole from me the other night, or I will send a brace of balls through you, and search for it at leisure" The tone of Peveril's voice, and the closeness of his pistol, convinced Chiffinch that an immediate delivery was necessary; thrusting his hand into a side-pocket, he brought out the object of Peveril's pursuit. By presenting the butt-end of his whip À la militaire, Lance pinned his enemy to the ground, where he lay on his back imploring mercy.
093
|
|
