SCENES and events in old English life again employed the pen of the
great novelist. The reign of Charles II. was the period of his present
narrative. It was composed hastily, and in the opinion of many was
not equal to his powers. "Peveril of the Peak," writes Mr Lockhart,
"appeared in January 1823. Its reception was somewhat colder than that
of its three immediate predecessors.... Fenella was an unfortunate
conception. What is good in it is not original, and the rest
extravagantly absurd and incredible. Yet did any dramatist ever produce,
in spite of all the surrounding bewilderment, characters more powerfully
conceived, or on the whole more happily portrayed, than those of
Christian, Bridge-north, Buckingham, and Chiffinch?-sketches more vivid
than those of young Derby, Colonel Blood, and the keeper of Newgate?"
Our artist depicts the departure of the Countess of Derby from Peveril's
Castle. The sounds "boot and saddle" rang through the halls of the
castle, and in a few minutes the deep dell which separated the rugged
rocks of that wild district was occupied with Peveril's followers
proceeding cautiously to escort the Countess to the Cheshire border.
A party of troopers in advance was followed by the main body which
accompanied the Countess, mounted on Peveril's palfrey, along with a
groom of approved fidelity, and attended by the Knight of the Peak with
three files of horsemen. Dreading pursuit, they rode "with the beard
on the shoulder," looking round from time to time at the sound of any
unusual noise.
*****
Mr Cruikshank represents the encounter between the dishonest Chiffinch
and Peveril and Lance his pursuers. Chiffinch, in full presumption of
his security, was riding along leisurely with his prize, when Peveril
and Lance reached a solitary part of the road, where neither man nor
woman were in sight. Lance then pushed forward with so much alacrity
that he was between the courtier and his attendant, and had actually
upset the Frenchman and his horse before any effort could be made to
resist him. Julian* snatched the bridle of Chiffinch's horse with one
hand, and presented at him a pistol with the other. "Rogue," cried
Chiffinch, "take my purse, do me no harm, and spare the spices."
* When, in 1821, Charles Mayne Young, the eminent tragedian,
was on a visit to Edinburgh, he waited on Sir Walter at his
residence in Castle Street. He was accompanied by his son
Julian, then a youth. After warmly shaking hands with the
tragedian, Sir Walter laid his hand gently on his son's
shoulder, and asked his Christian name. As soon as he heard
it he exclaimed, "Why, who is he called after?"
"Master Chiffinch," said Peveril, "give me back that packet which you
stole from me the other night, or I will send a brace of balls through
you, and search for it at leisure" The tone of Peveril's voice, and the
closeness of his pistol, convinced Chiffinch that an immediate delivery
was necessary; thrusting his hand into a side-pocket, he brought out the
object of Peveril's pursuit. By presenting the butt-end of his whip _à
la militaire_, Lance pinned his enemy to the ground, where he lay on his
back imploring mercy.
[Illustration: 093]
[Illustration: 094]
"It is a fancy name in memoriam of his mother, compounded of her two
names, Julia Anne," said Mr Young. "It's a capital name for a novel,"
responded Sir Walter. In his next novel, Peveril of the Peak, the hero's
name was Julian.--Memoir of Charles Mayne Young, by Julian Charles
Young; M.A. London, 1871.