Fardorougha, The Miser: The Works of William Carleton, Volume OneCarleton, William
General
Fardorougha, The Miser: The Works of William Carleton, Volume One
Carleton, William
Ireland -- Social life and customs -- Fiction
with their duty in providing for her wants and enjoyments. There is no
point of view in which the parental character shines forth with greater
beauty than that in which it appears while working for and promoting the
happiness of a daughter. But you, it would seem, did not think so. You
punished the father by a dastardly and unmanly act, for guarding the
future peace and welfare of a child so young, and so dear to him. What
would become of society if this exercise of a parent's right on behalf
of his daughter were to be visited upon him as a crime, by every
vindictive and disappointed man, whose affection for them he might, upon
proper grounds, decline to sanction? Yet it is singular, and, I confess,
almost inexplicable to me at least, why you should have rushed into the
commission of such an act. The brief period of your existence has
been stained by no other crime. On the contrary, you have maintained
a character far above your situation in life--a character equally
remarkable for gentleness, spirit, truth, and affection--all of which
your appearance and bearing have this day exhibited. Your countenance
presents no feature expressive of ferocity, or of those headlong
propensities which lead to outrage; and I must confess, that on no
other occasion in my judicial life have I ever felt my judgment and my
feelings so much at issue. I cannot doubt your guilt, but I shed those
tears that it ever existed, and that a youth of so much promise should
be cut down prematurely by the strong arm of necessary justice,
leaving his bereaved parents bowed down with despair that can never
be comforted. Had they another son--or another child, to whom their
affections could turn--”
Here the judge felt it necessary to pause, in consequence of his
emotions. Strong feelings had, indeed, spread through the whole court,
in which, while he ceased, could be heard low moanings, and other
symptoms of acute sorrow.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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