Methought the souls of all that I had murder'd Shakspeare. Richard III. The times have been, That when the brains were out, the man would die, And there an end; but now they rise again, Macbeth. The Father of Peter a Fisherman-Peter's early Conduct― His Grief for the old Man-He takes an ApprenticeThe Boy's Suffering and Fate-A second Boy: how he died-Peter acquitted-A third Apprentice-A Voyage by Sea: the Boy does not return-Evil Report on Peter: he is tried and threatened-Lives alone-His Melancholy and incipient Madness-Is observed and visited-He escapes and is taken: is lodged in a Parish-house: Women attend and watch him-He speaks in a Delirium : grows more collected-His Account of his Feelings and visionary Terrors previous to his Death. THE BOROUGH. LETTER XXII. PETER GRIMES. OLD Peter Grimes made fishing his employ, At first refused, then added his abuse: His father's love he scorn'd, his power defied, He in contempt and anger left the shed: "It is the word of life," the parent cried; “Thy mother left me in a happy time, “ Thou kill'dst not her—Heav'n spares the double crime.” On an inn-settle, in his maudlin grief, This he revolved, and drank for his relief. With greedy eye he look'd on all he saw, Oft in the night has Peter dropp'd his oar, Fled from his boat and sought for prey on shore; Oft up the hedge-row glided, on his back Bearing the orchard's produce in a sack, Or farm-yard load, tugg'd fiercely from the stack; He built a mud-wall'd hovel, where he kept Peter had heard there were in London then,Still have they being!-workhouse-clearing men, Who, undisturb'd by feelings just or kind, Would parish-boys to needy tradesmen bind: They in their want a trifling sum would take, And toiling slaves of piteous orphans make. Such Peter sought, and when a lad was found, The sum was dealt him, and the slave was bound. Some few in town observed in Peter's trap A boy, with jacket blue and woollen cap; |