The collected works of William Hazlitt, Vol. 02 (of 12)Hazlitt, William
General
The collected works of William Hazlitt, Vol. 02 (of 12)
Hazlitt, William
English essays -- 19th century
you remember landing at Dover at such a time? To this the gentleman
answered, that he had landed at Dover, not long before, but that he
could not tell whether it was on the day he mentioned or not. Well, said
he, but don’t you recollect that a person in a blue jacket and trowsers
carried your trunk to the inn? To this he answered, that of course some
person had carried his trunk for him; but that he did not know what
dress he wore. But, said the prisoner, don’t you remember that the
person, who went with you from the boat, told you a story of his being
in the service, that he thought himself an ill-used man, and that he
shewed you a scar he had on one side of his forehead? During this last
question, the countenance of the stranger underwent a considerable
change, he said he certainly did recollect such a circumstance, and on
the man’s putting his hair aside, and shewing the scar, he became quite
sure that he was the same person. A buzz of satisfaction now ran through
the court, for the day on which, according to the prisoner’s account,
this gentleman had met with him at Dover, was the same on which he was
charged with the robbery in a remote county. The stranger however could
not be certain of the time, but said that he sometimes made memorandums
of dates in his pocket-book, and might possibly have done so on this
occasion. On turning to his pocket-book, he found a memorandum of the
time he landed from Calais, which corresponded with the prisoner’s
assertion. This being the only circumstance necessary to prove the
_alibi_, the prisoner was immediately acquitted, amidst the applause and
congratulations of the whole court.—Within less than a month after this,
the gentleman who came to the Inn, attended by a servant in livery, the
servant who followed him, and the prisoner who had been acquitted, were
all three brought back together to the same gaol, for robbing the mail.
_14th._—The assassination of Buonaparte, the subject at Debrett’s.
_15th._—Met Arthur B——, who disbelieves the assassination of Buonaparte.
It was much questioned at Debrett’s. T—— loud, in asserting it was
impossible that a general officer, surrounded by his staff, should be
massacred. Tarleton already imagines himself and his staff, in P——. B——
remarked to me on the triumphant tone of the ministry, and their
creatures, in announcing this intelligence. It is true enough, but party
spirit never yet had understanding.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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