Arlington: a novel
Author Details
Surname:Lister
First Names:Thomas Henry
Gender:Male
Anonymous:No
Publication Details
Publisher:Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, New Burlington Street.
Place:London
Date:1832
Novel Details
Genre:Biography; courtship; crime; inheritance/identity; manners/society; political
Setting:London; Northern Estate; Lake District
Period:Contemporary
Plot
Lord Arlington is found murdered on his estate. A local man, Clarkson, is accused of murder on the basis of the testimony of Arlington's son. Clarkson is acquitted at trial, although still under general suspicion because he doesn't have an alibi. Arlington's lawyer, Holford, acts strangely throughout the trial. The new lord Arlington is educated under the usual regime of boarding school followed by Cambridge. He then enters the House of Lords. He is not a bad person, but he receives rather a lot of flattery and does not exert himself very much. He launches into society and makes various friends, but has only one true friend, Hargrave, who is busy being a lawyer. Arlington becomes romantically interested in Lady Alice Rochdale, but his friend Denbigh contrives to break it up by advising the Rochdales that it looks as though their daughter is fortune-hunting. The Rochdales are then cold to Arlington, who feels rebuffed.
Meanwhile Lady Saville decides to ensnare Arlington for her orphan niece Julia, although secretly Julia has feelings for his friend Beauchamp. Lady Saville invites Arlington to a house party with theatricals, and eventually Arlington proposes. However, an American arrives and declares himself to be the real inheritor of the Arlington estates, with documents to prove it. At trial the American wins the day, and Arlington finds that his supposed friends and fiancee abandon him. However, his old lawyer Holford works tirelessly on his behalf and eventually tracks down Clarkson. At a second trial, Clarkson sensationally reveals that he gave the American documents for revenge and payment. Holford has persuaded Clarkson to tell the truth by promising to pay him and reveal that he, Holford, was the accidental murderer of Lord Arlington, which will clear Clarkson's name. However, the American interloper murders Clarkson before he can benefit from any of this, and it is also revealed that Clarkson was planning to murder Lord Arlington, which is why he was in the area without an alibi in the first place. Holford confesses all to Arlington, who declares he is still loyal to his former guardian. Holford dies of shame and grief.
Arlington is now thoroughly disgusted with society and retires to a neglected Northern estate and some years pass. Eventually his old friend Hargrave visits him and is very impressed with all the good work he is doing on his estate, and the fact that he is keeping up to date with current affairs and contributing the odd sensible political pamphlet. However, Hargrave also tells Arlington that just as originally he was too uncritical of society, he is now too dismissive of it and that he has a duty to public service. They debate various philosophical issues (at frankly tedious length - it feels a bit as though the book is being padded out). Hargrave persuades Arlington to travel with him to the Lakes where they 'accidentally' bump into the Rochdales. It is revealed that Hargrave is a good friend of the Rochdales, and when he discovered that Lady Alice was still in love with Arlington, he set out to bring them together. It all ends happily with Arlington learning the importance of the 'golden mean'.
Meanwhile Lady Saville decides to ensnare Arlington for her orphan niece Julia, although secretly Julia has feelings for his friend Beauchamp. Lady Saville invites Arlington to a house party with theatricals, and eventually Arlington proposes. However, an American arrives and declares himself to be the real inheritor of the Arlington estates, with documents to prove it. At trial the American wins the day, and Arlington finds that his supposed friends and fiancee abandon him. However, his old lawyer Holford works tirelessly on his behalf and eventually tracks down Clarkson. At a second trial, Clarkson sensationally reveals that he gave the American documents for revenge and payment. Holford has persuaded Clarkson to tell the truth by promising to pay him and reveal that he, Holford, was the accidental murderer of Lord Arlington, which will clear Clarkson's name. However, the American interloper murders Clarkson before he can benefit from any of this, and it is also revealed that Clarkson was planning to murder Lord Arlington, which is why he was in the area without an alibi in the first place. Holford confesses all to Arlington, who declares he is still loyal to his former guardian. Holford dies of shame and grief.
Arlington is now thoroughly disgusted with society and retires to a neglected Northern estate and some years pass. Eventually his old friend Hargrave visits him and is very impressed with all the good work he is doing on his estate, and the fact that he is keeping up to date with current affairs and contributing the odd sensible political pamphlet. However, Hargrave also tells Arlington that just as originally he was too uncritical of society, he is now too dismissive of it and that he has a duty to public service. They debate various philosophical issues (at frankly tedious length - it feels a bit as though the book is being padded out). Hargrave persuades Arlington to travel with him to the Lakes where they 'accidentally' bump into the Rochdales. It is revealed that Hargrave is a good friend of the Rochdales, and when he discovered that Lady Alice was still in love with Arlington, he set out to bring them together. It all ends happily with Arlington learning the importance of the 'golden mean'.
Overview of the Dialect
Some various bits of dialect are represented, chiefly of servants on a North of England estate and an American. There is not a lot of detail, however. It is very noticeable for some excellent metalinguistic commentary on the practice of dialect representation in novels as a whole.
Speaker #1:Mr Jackson - Steward
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:Steward
Gender:Male
Age:Adult - unspecified age
Narrative Voice:3rd person
Role:Minor
Dialect Features:Discourse Marker, Grammar, Idiom, Orthographical Contraction
Social Role
Social Role Description:Steward
Social Role Category:Servant
Speaker's Origin
Place of Origin Description:Works on an estate in 'one of the Northern counties of England'
Place of Origin Category:North England, England
"It's an awsome thing, Mr. Jackson," said the park-keeper to the steward, after they had long plodded their way in silence, "to think what may have happened to my Lord. I'll be sworn there's poachers in this neighbourhood that would do a body a mischief as soon as look at him ; and so to my thinking â"
"They might touch you," said the Steward, "but I'm sure there's not a man hereabouts that would venture to lay a finger on his Lordship. There's not a set of tenants anywhere that have less reason to complain of their Landlord or them that manage for him ( though I say it ) than his Lordship's; and everybody will tell you the same; and if he's not liked, who is to be safe?"
" Oh, I never meant that my Lord wasn't liked, or you either, Mr. Jackson, but folks may do others an ugly turn; and as for poachers, I believe I ought to know something of them; and so to my thinking --?"
"Hark!" interrupted the Steward, as he heard at that moment a distant shout. "It is James, that went with my Lord this morning," said the other.
(Vol. 1,p. 6)"They might touch you," said the Steward, "but I'm sure there's not a man hereabouts that would venture to lay a finger on his Lordship. There's not a set of tenants anywhere that have less reason to complain of their Landlord or them that manage for him ( though I say it ) than his Lordship's; and everybody will tell you the same; and if he's not liked, who is to be safe?"
" Oh, I never meant that my Lord wasn't liked, or you either, Mr. Jackson, but folks may do others an ugly turn; and as for poachers, I believe I ought to know something of them; and so to my thinking --?"
"Hark!" interrupted the Steward, as he heard at that moment a distant shout. "It is James, that went with my Lord this morning," said the other.
Speaker #2:Park-keeper - Game keeper
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:Park-keeper
Gender:Male
Age:Adult - unspecified age
Narrative Voice:3rd person
Role:Minor
Dialect Features:Discourse Marker, Grammar, Idiom, Orthographical Contraction
Social Role
Social Role Description:Game keeper
Social Role Category:Servant
Speaker's Origin
Place of Origin Description:Works on an estate in 'one of the northern counties of England'
Place of Origin Category:North England, England
"It's an awsome thing, Mr. Jackson," said the park-keeper to the steward, after they had long plodded their way in silence, "to think what may have happened to my Lord. I'll be sworn there's poachers in this neighbourhood that would do a body a mischief as soon as look at him ; and so to my thinking â"
"They might touch you," said the Steward, "but I'm sure there's not a man hereabouts that would venture to lay a finger on his Lordship. There's not a set of tenants anywhere that have less reason to complain of their Landlord or them that manage for him ( though I say it ) than his Lordship's; and everybody will tell you the same; and if he's not liked, who is to be safe?"
" Oh, I never meant that my Lord wasn't liked, or you either, Mr. Jackson, but folks may do others an ugly turn; and as for poachers, I believe I ought to know something of them; and so to my thinking --?"
"Hark!" interrupted the Steward, as he heard at that moment a distant shout. "It is James, that went with my Lord this morning," said the other.
(Vol. 1,p. 6)"They might touch you," said the Steward, "but I'm sure there's not a man hereabouts that would venture to lay a finger on his Lordship. There's not a set of tenants anywhere that have less reason to complain of their Landlord or them that manage for him ( though I say it ) than his Lordship's; and everybody will tell you the same; and if he's not liked, who is to be safe?"
" Oh, I never meant that my Lord wasn't liked, or you either, Mr. Jackson, but folks may do others an ugly turn; and as for poachers, I believe I ought to know something of them; and so to my thinking --?"
"Hark!" interrupted the Steward, as he heard at that moment a distant shout. "It is James, that went with my Lord this morning," said the other.
Speaker #3:American - American and pretender to a title that is not his.
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:American
Gender:Male
Age:Adult - young
Narrative Voice:3rd person
Role:Significant
Dialect Features:Discourse Marker, Idiom, Orthographical Contraction, Vocabulary
Social Role
Social Role Description:American and pretender to a title that is not his.
Social Role Category:Yeoman
Speaker's Origin
Place of Origin Description:America
Place of Origin Category:America
"What, you?" said Clarkson, looking round, as his arm received a friendly support, that saved him from falling; "come, that's hearty. Dân it , you are a real good one. You bear no grudge, I see; that's right."
" No; we bear no grudge," said the American, "though it was your tarnation evidence that blew us out of Court entirely. It didn't leave us a splinter to stand upon. But it was old Ally's fault, I guess . He wouldn't give you enough, old boy, and who could expect that you shouldn't split if you had not your proper share of the Spanish ? But what did you get from the other side?"
"A dâd fine question to ask a gen'l'man ! Why, I'll tell you. I got what you couldn't give me."
"And what was that?"
" I've got it here -- a precious yarn of old Holford's spinning; a confession in black and white, and I may publish it if I like."
"And what the 'mighty is this confession?"
"Why, look you, I was tried once for shooting a man: -- you know his name : -- but I didn't do it."
"I thought," interrupted the American, "you let out once --"
" Hold your jaw ; what if I meant to do it? I didn't do it. Old Holford did it by accident. Think of the old fellow coming between us and taking my work out of my hands ! He let me be tried, though, dân him ! and then I came over to your free-and-easy rip of a country."
"Then he has confessed that he did it, and cleared you?"
"Yes; that's part of the story."
"And then -- the money?"
"A thumping annuity -- none of your promises -- all signed and sealed, by Gâd ! I shall live a dâd fine life of it now!"
(Vol. 3,p. 33-35)" No; we bear no grudge," said the American, "though it was your tarnation evidence that blew us out of Court entirely. It didn't leave us a splinter to stand upon. But it was old Ally's fault, I guess . He wouldn't give you enough, old boy, and who could expect that you shouldn't split if you had not your proper share of the Spanish ? But what did you get from the other side?"
"A dâd fine question to ask a gen'l'man ! Why, I'll tell you. I got what you couldn't give me."
"And what was that?"
" I've got it here -- a precious yarn of old Holford's spinning; a confession in black and white, and I may publish it if I like."
"And what the 'mighty is this confession?"
"Why, look you, I was tried once for shooting a man: -- you know his name : -- but I didn't do it."
"I thought," interrupted the American, "you let out once --"
" Hold your jaw ; what if I meant to do it? I didn't do it. Old Holford did it by accident. Think of the old fellow coming between us and taking my work out of my hands ! He let me be tried, though, dân him ! and then I came over to your free-and-easy rip of a country."
"Then he has confessed that he did it, and cleared you?"
"Yes; that's part of the story."
"And then -- the money?"
"A thumping annuity -- none of your promises -- all signed and sealed, by Gâd ! I shall live a dâd fine life of it now!"
Speaker #4:Landlady - Fat landlady
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:Landlady
Gender:Female
Age:Adult - unspecified age
Narrative Voice:3rd person
Role:Minor
Dialect Features:Discourse Marker, Grammar, Idiom, Orthographical Contraction, Orthographical Respelling, Vocabulary
Social Role
Social Role Description:Fat landlady
Social Role Category:Trade or craft
Speaker's Origin
Place of Origin Description:Works on estate in the North of England
Place of Origin Category:North England, England
Extract #1 dialect features: Discourse Marker, Grammar, Idiom, Orthographical Contraction, Orthographical Respelling, Vocabulary
It was on one bright sunshiny day in the summer of the sixth year from the event abovementioned, that a gentleman, attended by his servant, arrived in a travelling carriage at a small inn in a village situated in the North of England, and inquired his way to the residence of Lord Arlington. The request was followed by a curtsey and a stare from the fat landlady to whom it was addressed, and then a shrill scream to a slatternly girl, who was carrying a pail across the inn-yard; "Bess -- set down that, and rin for Jim to show the gentleman the way to the Hall."
"Is it far to the Hall ?" inquired the gentleman.
"It will, mayhap , be a short three miles, Sir."
"But if our guide is to go on foot," pursued the traveller, impatient to arrive at the end of his journey, "I am afraid he will hardly keep pace with the carriage. Had you not better direct the driver, if you can, which road he is to follow ?"
" You'11 be for walking up to the Hall, I suppose, Sir," replied the woman with another stare.
"No, I shall go in this carriage."
" I beg your pardon , Sir," said the woman, "but you can't go to the Hall in a carriage."
"No?"
"No, Sir; the road is not over and above good , though I won't say you mightn't go it well enough ; but then, Sir, the gates are locked. But I beg pardon ," with another low curtsey, "perhaps, Sir, you have got a key."
"Indeed I have no such thing," said the traveller; "have you no key here for the accommodation of visitors?"
" Laws! Sir, there never comes no visitors here," said the landlady; " we are not allowed to have no key : they've keys at the Hall, and we sent for one aforetime for a gentleman as called , but we couldn't get it. We'll send for one now, if your honour pleases; and if you'll be so good as to walk in and take a little dinner, I dare say you'll get the key in less than a couple of hours,--that is, if they send it at all."
"Thank you, my good woman; but in that case I prefer proceeding immediately on foot; my servant shall remain here with the carriage, and Jem, whom you called for, shall be my guide to the Hall."
"I suppose, Sir," said the landlady, as the traveller was departing, "you know that nobody is never let in to look at the house ; but if you have business with my Lord or Mr. Bennet the steward, that's another matter."
(Vol. 3,p. 67-69)"Is it far to the Hall ?" inquired the gentleman.
"It will, mayhap , be a short three miles, Sir."
"But if our guide is to go on foot," pursued the traveller, impatient to arrive at the end of his journey, "I am afraid he will hardly keep pace with the carriage. Had you not better direct the driver, if you can, which road he is to follow ?"
" You'11 be for walking up to the Hall, I suppose, Sir," replied the woman with another stare.
"No, I shall go in this carriage."
" I beg your pardon , Sir," said the woman, "but you can't go to the Hall in a carriage."
"No?"
"No, Sir; the road is not over and above good , though I won't say you mightn't go it well enough ; but then, Sir, the gates are locked. But I beg pardon ," with another low curtsey, "perhaps, Sir, you have got a key."
"Indeed I have no such thing," said the traveller; "have you no key here for the accommodation of visitors?"
" Laws! Sir, there never comes no visitors here," said the landlady; " we are not allowed to have no key : they've keys at the Hall, and we sent for one aforetime for a gentleman as called , but we couldn't get it. We'll send for one now, if your honour pleases; and if you'll be so good as to walk in and take a little dinner, I dare say you'll get the key in less than a couple of hours,--that is, if they send it at all."
"Thank you, my good woman; but in that case I prefer proceeding immediately on foot; my servant shall remain here with the carriage, and Jem, whom you called for, shall be my guide to the Hall."
"I suppose, Sir," said the landlady, as the traveller was departing, "you know that nobody is never let in to look at the house ; but if you have business with my Lord or Mr. Bennet the steward, that's another matter."
Speaker #5:Jem - Ostler
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:Jem
Gender:Male
Age:Youth
Narrative Voice:3rd person
Role:Minor
Dialect Features:Codeswitch, Grammar, Metalanguage, Orthographical Contraction, Orthographical Respelling, Vocabulary
Social Role
Social Role Description:Ostler
Social Role Category:Servant
Speaker's Origin
Place of Origin Description:Works on an estate in 'one of the Northern counties of England'.
Place of Origin Category:North England, England
Extract #1 dialect features: Codeswitch, Grammar, Metalanguage, Orthographical Contraction, Orthographical Respelling, Vocabulary
The traveller was obliged to her for the hint, and, conducted by Jem, he proceeded on his pedestrian pilgrimage to what was emphatically called "the Hall." On his way thither he was curious to extract from his conductor some information respecting Lord Arlington, and the light in which he was regarded in that neighbourhood. "Is Lord Arlington popular hereabouts?" he asked.
"Sir?" was the exclamation of the uncomprehending Jem, a short, bandy-legged, ostlerlike looking youth of about twenty.
"I mean," said the traveller, altering his phraseology , " is he liked in this neighbourhood? "
"Oh -- ay -- yes , he's liked very well, for he's a very good gentleman, and spends a sight of money here. There's lots of hands as he employs one way or tother , and nobody hereabouts needs be out of work as wants to have it ; only, you see, it would be better for the inn if he didn't live so quiet like, but had gentlefolks come and see him, just as other gentlefolks do; howsumever , that's partly his own consarn , for the inn is my Lord's, and master says he can't pay him hardly no rent if he don't do nothing for it. "
"People would be sorry, I suppose, if Lord Arlington were to go away from here?"
" Ay , surely. It has been a rare thing for the parish him coming and living down here."
"Is he charitable?" inquired the traveller; " does he give away much money ?"
"He gives some sometimes to them as can't work , but he generally gives work to them as can ."
"Is he often seen?"
"Oh -- ay -- you 'll see him most days riding or walking somewhere abouts, but he don't go much off his own ground -- but then that reaches a long way; why it is all my Lord's as far as you can see, and a mile or two afore you came to the village."
"Does he dislike being met or spoken to?"
"Eh! no -- not at all -- at least by them as live about here . He talks a deal to 'em , and knows them well nigh all, I reckon; there an't a gentleman in the land as is freer and pleasantspokener than my Lord, and he isn't stiff and high a bit, and not as they say lords is elsewhere."
"Do any gentlemen of the neighbourhood ever call upon his Lordship?"
"No, Sir, none as I knows of; but there is no gentleman very nigh ; Squire Grufferton is the nighest , and he is about twelve miles off."
"Then Lord Arlington lives quite alone, doesn't he?"
"No, Sir."
"No! and who lives with him?"
"Oh, there's Master Bennet the steward, and there's the butler, and -- "
"Ah! his establishment, his servants; but is there anybody else?"
"No, Sir, nobody as I knows of ."
(Vol. 3,p. 69-72)"Sir?" was the exclamation of the uncomprehending Jem, a short, bandy-legged, ostlerlike looking youth of about twenty.
"I mean," said the traveller, altering his phraseology , " is he liked in this neighbourhood? "
"Oh -- ay -- yes , he's liked very well, for he's a very good gentleman, and spends a sight of money here. There's lots of hands as he employs one way or tother , and nobody hereabouts needs be out of work as wants to have it ; only, you see, it would be better for the inn if he didn't live so quiet like, but had gentlefolks come and see him, just as other gentlefolks do; howsumever , that's partly his own consarn , for the inn is my Lord's, and master says he can't pay him hardly no rent if he don't do nothing for it. "
"People would be sorry, I suppose, if Lord Arlington were to go away from here?"
" Ay , surely. It has been a rare thing for the parish him coming and living down here."
"Is he charitable?" inquired the traveller; " does he give away much money ?"
"He gives some sometimes to them as can't work , but he generally gives work to them as can ."
"Is he often seen?"
"Oh -- ay -- you 'll see him most days riding or walking somewhere abouts, but he don't go much off his own ground -- but then that reaches a long way; why it is all my Lord's as far as you can see, and a mile or two afore you came to the village."
"Does he dislike being met or spoken to?"
"Eh! no -- not at all -- at least by them as live about here . He talks a deal to 'em , and knows them well nigh all, I reckon; there an't a gentleman in the land as is freer and pleasantspokener than my Lord, and he isn't stiff and high a bit, and not as they say lords is elsewhere."
"Do any gentlemen of the neighbourhood ever call upon his Lordship?"
"No, Sir, none as I knows of; but there is no gentleman very nigh ; Squire Grufferton is the nighest , and he is about twelve miles off."
"Then Lord Arlington lives quite alone, doesn't he?"
"No, Sir."
"No! and who lives with him?"
"Oh, there's Master Bennet the steward, and there's the butler, and -- "
"Ah! his establishment, his servants; but is there anybody else?"
"No, Sir, nobody as I knows of ."
Speaker #6:Clarkson - Former steward (sacked) - note that his speech changes a lot during novel
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:Clarkson
Gender:Male
Age:Adult - unspecified age
Narrative Voice:3rd person
Role:Significant
Dialect Features:Discourse Marker, Idiom, Orthographical Contraction, Vocabulary
Social Role
Social Role Description:Former steward (sacked) - note that his speech changes a lot during novel
Social Role Category:Servant
Speaker's Origin
Place of Origin Description:Worked on estate on 'one of the Northern counties of England'
Place of Origin Category:North England, England
"What, you?" said Clarkson, looking round, as his arm received a friendly support, that saved him from falling; "come, that's hearty. Dân it , you are a real good one. You bear no grudge, I see; that's right."
" No; we bear no grudge," said the American, "though it was your tarnation evidence that blew us out of Court entirely. It didn't leave us a splinter to stand upon. But it was old Ally's fault, I guess . He wouldn't give you enough, old boy, and who could expect that you shouldn't split if you had not your proper share of the Spanish ? But what did you get from the other side?"
"A dâd fine question to ask a gen'l'man ! Why, I'll tell you. I got what you couldn't give me."
"And what was that?"
" I've got it here -- a precious yarn of old Holford's spinning; a confession in black and white, and I may publish it if I like."
"And what the 'mighty is this confession?"
"Why, look you, I was tried once for shooting a man: -- you know his name : -- but I didn't do it."
"I thought," interrupted the American, "you let out once --"
" Hold your jaw ; what if I meant to do it? I didn't do it. Old Holford did it by accident. Think of the old fellow coming between us and taking my work out of my hands ! He let me be tried, though, dân him ! and then I came over to your free-and-easy rip of a country."
"Then he has confessed that he did it, and cleared you?"
"Yes; that's part of the story."
"And then -- the money?"
"A thumping annuity -- none of your promises -- all signed and sealed, by Gâd ! I shall live a dâd fine life of it now!"
(Vol. 3,p. 33-35)" No; we bear no grudge," said the American, "though it was your tarnation evidence that blew us out of Court entirely. It didn't leave us a splinter to stand upon. But it was old Ally's fault, I guess . He wouldn't give you enough, old boy, and who could expect that you shouldn't split if you had not your proper share of the Spanish ? But what did you get from the other side?"
"A dâd fine question to ask a gen'l'man ! Why, I'll tell you. I got what you couldn't give me."
"And what was that?"
" I've got it here -- a precious yarn of old Holford's spinning; a confession in black and white, and I may publish it if I like."
"And what the 'mighty is this confession?"
"Why, look you, I was tried once for shooting a man: -- you know his name : -- but I didn't do it."
"I thought," interrupted the American, "you let out once --"
" Hold your jaw ; what if I meant to do it? I didn't do it. Old Holford did it by accident. Think of the old fellow coming between us and taking my work out of my hands ! He let me be tried, though, dân him ! and then I came over to your free-and-easy rip of a country."
"Then he has confessed that he did it, and cleared you?"
"Yes; that's part of the story."
"And then -- the money?"
"A thumping annuity -- none of your promises -- all signed and sealed, by Gâd ! I shall live a dâd fine life of it now!"
Speaker #7:Hargrave - Lawyer
Individual or Group:Individual
Primary Identity:Hargrave
Gender:Male
Age:Adult - middle aged
Narrative Voice:3rd person
Role:Significant
Dialect Features:Metalanguage
Social Role
Social Role Description:Lawyer
Social Role Category:Professional
Speaker's Origin
Place of Origin Description:Unspecified, presumably England
Place of Origin Category:England
Extract #1 dialect features: Metalanguage
"Let me ask, by whom studied? by the poor themselves, or by us?"
"By us! but why do you ask?"
"Because it makes a material difference. No man can study the feelings and character of another class so well as those of his own. The educated rich cannot read the innermost thoughts of the uneducated poor; nor will the poor be better able to fathom the characters of the rich. Every man is to those of another class as a foreigner among them; and the utmost knowledge he can acquire will, as compared with what he can gather in his own, be like a foreigner's information respecting other countries, compared with that which he may obtain at home. Mix with the poor as much as you will, you are not, and cannot be as one of themselves. You will be as a spy among them; and there will be much in the recesses of their minds, which, owing to your position, you will never know. Much will be presented to you under a distorted aspect -- partly because your associations are not as theirs, and you view things through a different medium -- partly because you are treated as a stranger, and often purposely misled. Writers will sometimes profess to exhibit the feelings, habits, and language of the poor, upon the strength of a few cruises of mere curiosity. Of the intrinsic character, they know little, but they catch the phraseology, which is easy enough, and take note of a few externals; and this is sufficient for them, and perhaps for certain of their readers, who think they have found a fine ' bit of nature,' when they have got nothing but a mouthful of slang."
(Vol. 3,p. 239)"By us! but why do you ask?"
"Because it makes a material difference. No man can study the feelings and character of another class so well as those of his own. The educated rich cannot read the innermost thoughts of the uneducated poor; nor will the poor be better able to fathom the characters of the rich. Every man is to those of another class as a foreigner among them; and the utmost knowledge he can acquire will, as compared with what he can gather in his own, be like a foreigner's information respecting other countries, compared with that which he may obtain at home. Mix with the poor as much as you will, you are not, and cannot be as one of themselves. You will be as a spy among them; and there will be much in the recesses of their minds, which, owing to your position, you will never know. Much will be presented to you under a distorted aspect -- partly because your associations are not as theirs, and you view things through a different medium -- partly because you are treated as a stranger, and often purposely misled. Writers will sometimes profess to exhibit the feelings, habits, and language of the poor, upon the strength of a few cruises of mere curiosity. Of the intrinsic character, they know little, but they catch the phraseology, which is easy enough, and take note of a few externals; and this is sufficient for them, and perhaps for certain of their readers, who think they have found a fine ' bit of nature,' when they have got nothing but a mouthful of slang."