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admired school of Fleet Street leader…writers； and this school
JANUS WEATHERCOCK may be said to have invented。 He also saw that
it was quite easy by continued reiteration to make the public
interested in his own personality； and in his purely journalistic
articles this extraordinary young man tells the world what he had
for dinner； where he gets his clothes； what wines he likes； and in
what state of health he is； just as if he were writing weekly notes
for some popular newspaper of our own time。 This being the least
valuable side of his work； is the one that has had the most obvious
influence。 A publicist； nowadays； is a man who bores the community
with the details of the illegalities of his private life。
Like most artificial people； he had a great love of nature。 'I
hold three things in high estimation；' he says somewhere： 'to sit
lazily on an eminence that commands a rich prospect； to be shadowed
by thick trees while the sun shines around me； and to enjoy
solitude with the consciousness of neighbourhood。 The country
gives them all to me。' He writes about his wandering over fragrant
furze and heath repeating Collins's 'Ode to Evening；' just to catch
the fine quality of the moment； about smothering his face 'in a
watery bed of cowslips； wet with May dews'； and about the pleasure
of seeing the sweet…breathed kine 'pass slowly homeward through the
twilight；' and hearing 'the distant clank of the sheep…bell。' One
phrase of his； 'the polyanthus glowed in its cold bed of earth；
like a solitary picture of Giorgione on a dark oaken panel；' is
curiously characteristic of his temperament； and this passage is
rather pretty in its way：…
The short tender grass was covered with marguerites … 'such that
men called DAISIES in our town' … thick as stars on a summer's
night。 The harsh caw of the busy rooks came pleasantly mellowed
from a high dusky grove of elms at some distance off； and at
intervals was heard the voice of a boy scaring away the birds from
the newly…sown seeds。 The blue depths were the colour of the
darkest ultramarine； not a cloud streaked the calm aether； only
round the horizon's edge streamed a light； warm film of misty
vapour； against which the near village with its ancient stone
church showed sharply out with blinding whiteness。 I thought of
Wordsworth's 'Lines written in March。'
However； we must not forget that the cultivated young man who
penned these lines； and who was so susceptible to Wordsworthian
influences； was also； as I said at the beginning of this memoir；
one of the most subtle and secret poisoners of this or any age。
How he first became fascinated by this strange sin he does not tell
us； and the diary in which he carefully noted the results of his
terrible experiments and the methods that he adopted； has
unfortunately been lost to us。 Even in later days； too； he was
always reticent on the matter； and preferred to speak about 'The
Excursion；' and the 'Poems founded on the Affections。' There is no
doubt； however； that the poison that he used was strychnine。 In
one of the beautiful rings of which he was so proud； and which
served to show off the fine modelling of his delicate ivory hands；
he used to carry crystals of the Indian NUX VOMICA； a poison； one
of his biographers tells us； 'nearly tasteless； difficult of
discovery； and capable of almost infinite dilution。' His murders；
says De Quincey； were more than were ever made known judicially。
This is no doubt so； and some of them are worthy of mention。 His
first victim was his uncle； Mr。 Thomas Griffiths。 He poisoned him
in 1829 to gain possession of Linden House； a place to which he had
always been very much attached。 In the August of the next year he
poisoned Mrs。 Abercrombie； his wife's mother； and in the following
December he poisoned the lovely Helen Abercrombie； his sister…in…
law。 Why he murdered Mrs。 Abercrombie is not ascertained。 It may
have been for a caprice； or to quicken some hideous sense of power
that was in him； or because she suspected something； or for no
reason。 But the murder of Helen Abercrombie was carried out by
himself and his wife for the sake of a sum of about 18；000 pounds；
for which they had insured her life in various offices。 The
circumstances were as follows。 On the 12th of December； he and his
wife and child came up to London from Linden House； and took
lodgings at No。 12 Conduit Street； Regent Street。 With them were
the two sisters； Helen and Madeleine Abercrombie。 On the evening
of the 14th they all went to the play； and at supper that night
Helen sickened。 The next day she was extremely ill； and Dr。
Locock； of Hanover Square； was called in to attend her。 She lived
till Monday； the 20th； when； after the doctor's morning visit； Mr。
and Mrs。 Wainewright brought her some poisoned jelly； and then went
out for a walk。 When they returned Helen Abercrombie was dead。
She was about twenty years of age； a tall graceful girl with fair
hair。 A very charming red…chalk drawing of her by her brother…in…
law is still in existence； and shows how much his style as an
artist was influenced by Sir Thomas Lawrence； a painter for whose
work he had always entertained a great admiration。 De Quincey says
that Mrs。 Wainewright was not really privy to the murder。 Let us
hope that she was not。 Sin should be solitary； and have no
accomplices。
The insurance companies； suspecting the real facts of the case；
declined to pay the policy on the technical ground of
misrepresentation and want of interest； and； with curious courage；
the poisoner entered an action in the Court of Chancery against the
Imperial； it being agreed that one decision should govern all the
cases。 The trial； however； did not come on for five years； when；
after one disagreement； a verdict was ultimately given in the
companies' favour。 The judge on the occasion was Lord Abinger。
EGOMET BONMOT was represented by Mr。 Erle and Sir William Follet；
and the Attorney…General and Sir Frederick Pollock appeared for the
other side。 The plaintiff； unfortunately； was unable to be present
at either of the trials。 The refusal of the companies to give him
the 18；000 pounds had placed him in a position of most painful
pecuniary embarrassment。 Indeed； a few months after the murder of
Helen Abercrombie； he had been actually arrested for debt in the
streets of London while he was serenading the pretty daughter of
one of his friends。 This difficulty was got over at the time； but
shortly afterwards he thought it better to go abroad till he could
come to some practical arrangement with his creditors。 He
accordingly went to Boulogne on a visit to the father of the young
lady in question； and while he was there induced him to insure his
life with the Pelican Company for 3000 pounds。 As soon as the
necessary formalities had been gone through and the policy
executed； he dropped some crystals of strychnine into his coffee as
they sat together