The Continental Monthly, Vol. 1, No. 6, June, 1862: Devoted To Literature and National PolicyVarious
History
The Continental Monthly, Vol. 1, No. 6, June, 1862: Devoted To Literature and National Policy
Various
Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; United States -- Politics and government -- 19th century -- Periodicals
There is a little river in England called the Nidd, and on its high
banks stand the ruins of a castle. There is much in this part of it to
remind one of the Rhine; the banks rise up in bold, picturesque form;
the river just here is broad and deep, and the castle enough of a ruin
to lead us to invest it with some legend, such as belongs to every
robber's nest on that famous river. No hawk-eyed baron ready to pounce
on the traveler, is recorded as having lived here; all that seems to be
remembered of it is, that the murderers of Thomas À Becket lay secreted
here for a time after that deed of blood, ere they ventured forth on
their pilgrimage, haunted by the accursed memory of it all their lives.
This is something, to be sure, in the way of historic incident, but the
real interest of this immediate region arises from the fact of its being
the home and haunt of Eugene Aram. A great English novelist has woven
such a spell of enchantment around the history of this celebrated
criminal, that I could not help devoting a day to the environs of the
little town of Knaresboro', in and around which the most eventful
portion of Aram's life was passed. A famous dropping-well, whose waters
possess the power of rapidly petrifying every object exposed to them, is
one of the most noticeable things in the neighborhood. There are also
one or two curious rockcut cells, high up on precipitous slopes, which
were inhabited years ago by pious recluses who had withdrawn from the
vanities of the world. Some were highly esteemed here in their lives,
and here their bones reposed; and the fact of their remaining
undiscovered sometimes for many years, was ingeniously used by Aram in
his defense, to account for the discovery of the bones of his victim in
the neighboring cave of St. Robert. This latter is one of the few places
connected with Aram's history that can be pointed out with certainty. It
lies about two miles below the castle before mentioned. It is even now a
place that a careless pedestrian might easily pass without remarking,
notwithstanding that its entrance is worn by many curious feet. The
entrance is very narrow, and the cavern, like caverns in general,
exceedingly dark. The river flows by more rapidly here than above; the
grass grows long and wild, and there is a gloomy air about it that would
make it an unpleasant place for a night rendezvous even without the
horrid associations connected with it. The exact place where Clark's
hones were discovered is pointed out, and probably correctly, as the
space is too narrow to admit of much choice. Here they lay buried for
years, while according to Bulwer, this most refined of murderers was
building up a high name as a scholar and a stainless reputation as a
man. A field not far off is pointed out as the place where were found
the bones which led to the detection of Aram. Though but few places can
now be indicated with certainty in connection with his tragic story, a
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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