A Modern Dick Whittington (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1892. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XL. WISE AT LAST. There is a general impression in the world that when a man is dead all that was evil in him is, among persons of charitable disposition at least, forgotten as well as forgiven; that de mortuis nil nisi bonum applies not only lo the speech of his fellow-creatures--or at least the worthier portion of them--but to their thought. There is nothing more false than this idea, which is, -moreover, ridiculous. Memory is not destroyed in us by the death of another, though it may temper our judgment with mercy. In the case of Robert Stratton, the Latin proverb would have been difficult, indeed, to work out in practice, from the complete absence of the bonum in his character. The nearest approach to it was to keep silence. Lawrence Merridew was of a kindly disposition, certainly not of a revengeful one, but the lines of the French poet, with reference to the tomb, would have applied to him--Rien jusqu'ici pour suivre une memoire--Rien excepte la Verite; and the truth was not to be spoken. "Robert dead " he said. "How did that happen?" For not having heard of his being ill, he naturally ascribed his decease to accident. "He was drowned in the lake while bathing." "Good heavens " Even this expression of sorrowful amazement was not, it seemed, evoked by the occurrence, for he immediately said: "How dreadful it will be for my poor mother and Ruth to be left with Aunt Jane." "It is not that reflection, let us hope," said Mr. Latham, "that caused your mother to take the step she has done; though, on another account, one might almost wish it were. The fact is, your cousin Ruth has been seriously affected--upset, I suppose, as she well might be--by this painful catastrophe." "I will go down to Hillsland at once," said Lawrence, rising from his chair....