The book, which is very well worth reading, belongs to the literature
of humanity and protest. Its author had to suffer much acrimonious
attack, and was probably called a Little Hollander, but the fragment
from an unpublished play which he placed as a motto to his book shows
him to have lacked no satirical power to meet the enemy:--
_Officer_.--My Lord, this is the man who murdered Betsy.
_Judge_.--He must hang for it. How did he do it?
_Officer_.--He cut up her body in little pieces, and salted them.
_Judge_.--He is a great criminal. He must hang for it.
_Lothario_.--My Lord, I did not murder Betsy: I fed and clothed and
cherished her. I can call witnesses who will prove me to be a good man,
and no murderer.
_Judge_.--You must hang. You blacken your crime by your
self-sufficiency. It ill becomes one who ... is accused of anything
to set up for a good man.
_Lothario_,--But, my Lord, ... there are witnesses to prove it;
and as I am now accused of murder....
_Judge_.--You must hang for it. You cut up Betsy--you salted the
pieces--and you are satisfied with your conduct--three capital
counts--who are you, my good woman?
_Woman_.--I am Betsy.
_Lothario_.--Thank God! You see, my Lord, that I did not murder her.
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