Sheppard Lee, Written by Himself. Vol. 2 (of 2)

Name: Sheppard Lee, Written by Himself. Vol. 2 (of 2)
Author: Bird, Robert Montgomery

Bird, Robert Montgomery

American fiction -- 19th century; Satire

CHAPTER I.
            Containing an inkling of the life and habits of
            Mr. Arthur Megrim.
                          CHAPTER II.
            The happy condition in which Sheppard Lee is at
            last placed.
                          CHAPTER III.
            The employments of a young gentleman of fortune.
                          CHAPTER IV.
            Some account of the inconveniences of having a
            digestive apparatus.
                          CHAPTER V.
            The same subject continued, with an account of
            several surprising transformations.
                          CHAPTER VI.
            An account of the woes of an Emperor of France,
            which have never before appeared in history.
                          CHAPTER VII.
            In which Sheppard Lee is convinced that all is
            not gold which glistens.
                          CHAPTER VIII.
            In which the Author stumbles upon an old
            acquaintance.

                              BOOK VIII.

            CONTAINING THE CONCLUSION OF THE HISTORY.
                          CHAPTER I.
            Sheppard Lee flies from the German doctor, and
            finds himself again in New-Jersey.
                          CHAPTER II.
            What had happened at Watermelon Hill during the
            Author's absence.
                          CHAPTER III.
            Containing the substance of a singular debate
            betwixt the Author and his brother, with a
            philosophic defence of the Author's credibility.
                          CHAPTER IV.
            Being the last chapter of all.




4. CHAPTER IV.

THE MISER'S CHILDREN.


It will scarcely be supposed that, with the passion of covetousness
gnawing at my heart, I had space or convenience for any other feeling.
But Abram Skinner had loved his children; and to this passion I was
introduced, as well as to the other. At first I was surprised that I
should bestow the least regard upon them, seeing that they were no
children of mine. I endeavoured to shake off the feeling of attachment,
as an absurdity, but could not; in spite of myself, I found my spirit
yearning towards them; and by-and-by, having lost my identity entirely,
I could scarcely, even when I made the effort, recall the consciousness
that I was _not_ their parent in reality.

Indeed, the transformation that had now occurred to my spirit was more
thorough than it had been in either previous instance; I could scarce
convince myself I had not been born the being I represented; my past
existence began to appear to my reflections only as some idle dream,
that the fever of sickness had brought upon my mind; and I forgot that
I was, or had been, Sheppard Lee.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Sheppard Lee, Written by Himself. Vol. 2 (of 2)

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