Article #446-1 | Gutenberg Articles

Excerpt

Excerpt from A Book of Remarkable Criminals, by H. B. Irving

Mr. Thompson was generous in giving and punctual in paying. He had his
eccentricities. His love of birds and animals was remarkable. Cats,
dogs, rabbits, guinea-pigs, canaries, parrots and cockatoos all found
hospitality under his roof. It was certainly eccentricity in Mr.
Thompson that he should wear different coloured wigs; and that his dark
complexion should suggest the use of walnut juice. His love of music was
evinced by the number of violins, banjoes, guitars, and other musical
instruments that adorned his drawing-room. Tea and music formed the
staple of the evening entertainments which Mr. and Mrs. Thompson would
give occasionally to friendly neighbours. Not that the pleasures of
conversation were neglected wholly in favour of art. The host was
a voluble and animated talker, his face and body illustrating
by appropriate twists and turns the force of his comments. The
Russo-Turkish war, then raging, was a favourite theme of Mr. Thompson's.
He asked, as we are still asking, what Christianity and civilisation
mean by countenancing the horrors of war. He considered the British
Government in the highest degree guilty in supporting the cruel Turks, a
people whose sobriety seemed to him to be their only virtue, against
the Christian Russians. He was confident that our Ministers would be
punished for opposing the only Power which had shown any sympathy with
suffering races. About ten o'clock Mr. Thompson, whose health, he said,
could not stand late hours, would bid his guests good night, and by
half-past ten the front door of No. 5, East Terrace, Evelina Road, would
be locked and bolted, and the house plunged in darkness.

Not that it must be supposed that family life at No. 5, East Terrace,
was without its jars. These were due chiefly to the drunken habits of
Mrs. Thompson. Peace was willing to overlook his mistress' failing
as long as it was confined to the house. But Mrs. Thompson had an
unfortunate habit of slipping out in an intoxicated condition, and
chattering with the neighbours. As she was the repository of many a
dangerous secret the inconvenience of her habit was serious. Peace was
not the man to hesitate in the face of danger. On these occasions
Mrs. Thompson was followed by Peace or his wife, brought back home and
soundly beaten. To Hannah Peace there must have been some satisfaction
in spying on her successful rival, for, in her own words, Peace never
refused his mistress anything; he did not care what she cost him in
dress; "she could swim in gold if she liked." Mrs. Thompson herself
admitted that with the exception of such punishment as she brought on
herself by her inebriety, Peace was always fond of her, and treated her
with great kindness. It was she to whom he would show with pride the
proceeds of his nightly labours, to whom he would look for a smile when
he returned home from his expeditions, haggard and exhausted

Through all dangers and difficulties the master was busy in the practice
of his art. Night after night, with few intervals of repose, he would
sally forth on a plundering adventure. If the job was a distant one, he
would take his pony and trap. Peace was devoted to his pony, Tommy,
and great was his grief when at the end of six months' devotion to duty
Tommy died after a few days' sickness, during which his master attended
him with unremitting care. Tommy had been bought in Greenwich for
fourteen guineas, part of a sum of two hundred and fifty pounds which
Peace netted from a rich haul of silver and bank-notes taken from a
house in Denmark Hill. Besides the pony and trap, Peace would take with
him on these expeditions a violin case containing his tools; at other
times they would be stuffed into odd pockets made for the purpose in
his trousers. These tools consisted of ten in all--a skeleton key, two
pick-locks, a centre-bit, gimlet, gouge, chisel, vice jemmy and knife; a
portable ladder, a revolver and life preserver completed his equipment.

Explanation

This excerpt from A Book of Remarkable Criminals (1918) by H. B. Irving (son of the famous actor Henry Irving) profiles Charles Peace, one of Victorian England’s most notorious criminals. The passage blends biographical detail, psychological insight, and dark irony to paint a complex portrait of a man who was at once a charming eccentric, a violent abuser, and a methodical criminal. Below is a detailed breakdown of the text, focusing on its themes, literary devices, and narrative techniques, while grounding the analysis in the excerpt itself.

Context & Source

Charles Peace (1832–1879) was a real-life burglar and murderer whose crimes fascinated the Victorian public. He was hanged for the murder of Arthur Dyson, but his legend endured due to his audacity, intelligence, and contradictory personality.
H. B. Irving’s book is a collection of criminal biographies, written in a dramatic, almost novelistic style, blending fact with psychological speculation. The excerpt captures Peace’s duality: a man who loved music and animals yet brutalized his mistress and robbed with cold precision.

Themes in the Excerpt

The Mask of Respectability vs. Criminal Reality
- The passage opens with Mr. Thompson (one of Peace’s aliases), a man who appears generous, cultured, and sociable. His love of music, animals, and tea parties suggests a genteel lifestyle, but this is a façade.
- The wigs and walnut juice (used to darken his skin) hint at deception—Peace is literally and figuratively wearing a mask.
- The Russo-Turkish War (1877–78) discussion is ironic: Peace condemns war’s horrors while himself being a violent criminal. His moralizing about "Christianity and civilisation" is hypocritical, underscoring the duality of human nature.
Domestic Violence & Gender Dynamics
- The abuse of Mrs. Thompson is framed in chillingly casual terms. Her drunkenness is called a "failing," but the real failing is Peace’s brutality.
- The jealousy of Hannah Peace (his wife) adds another layer: she spies on and participates in beating her rival, revealing a toxic, competitive dynamic between the women in Peace’s life.
- Mrs. Thompson’s admission that Peace was "always fond of her" (except when he beat her) reflects the Stockholm Syndrome-like attachment of abused partners.
The Criminal as a Methodical Professional
- Peace’s nightly "expeditions" are described with clinical precision, almost like a craftsman’s work. His tools (skeleton keys, pick-locks, chisels) are listed like a tradesman’s inventory, normalizing his crimes.
- The pony, Tommy, humanizes him briefly—his grief at the animal’s death contrasts with his ruthlessness toward people. This selective empathy is unsettling.
- The violin case (a symbol of culture) hiding burglar’s tools is a darkly poetic image, merging art and crime.
Class & Social Performance
- Peace mimics middle-class life (tea parties, musical instruments, political opinions) but is fundamentally an outsider.
- His critique of the British government (for supporting the "cruel Turks") is ironic—he poses as a moralist while being a thief and abuser.
- The address (No. 5, East Terrace, Evelina Road) grounds the story in real, mundane London, making his crimes feel closer to home.

Literary Devices & Stylistic Choices

Irony & Contrast
- Situational Irony: Peace preaches against war’s cruelty while beating his mistress and robbing homes.
- Dramatic Irony: The reader knows he’s a notorious criminal, but his neighbors see only a charming eccentric.
- Juxtaposition:
  - "Tea and music" (civilized pleasures) vs. "plundering adventures" (savage crimes).
  - "Fondness" for Mrs. Thompson vs. "soundly beaten" when she misbehaves.
Characterization Through Detail
- Physical Eccentricities: The wigs and walnut juice suggest theatricality—Peace is performing a role.
- Speech & Behavior: His "voluble and animated" talking (with "twists and turns") makes him seem charismatic, masking his violent nature.
- Possessions as Extensions of Self:
  - Animals = his softer side (but also control—he keeps them caged).
  - Musical instruments = cultural pretension.
  - Burglar’s tools = true identity.
Foreshadowing & Ominous Tone
- The locked door at 10:30 PM suggests secrets hidden in darkness.
- The death of Tommy the pony foreshadows Peace’s own downfall (he will later be caught and executed).
- The revolver and life preserver hint at violence to come.
Narrative Voice & Tone
- The detached, almost amused tone ("It was certainly eccentricity in Mr. Thompson...") normalizes the bizarre, making Peace’s crimes feel ordinary.
- The matter-of-fact description of abuse ("soundly beaten") is chilling—it treats violence as routine.

Significance of the Passage

Victorian Fascination with Crime
- The excerpt reflects the 19th-century obsession with criminal psychology (see also Sherlock Holmes, Dickens’ criminals). Peace is both monster and man, fascinating because he defies easy categorization.
The Criminal as a Dark Mirror of Society
- Peace mimics middle-class respectability, exposing how thin the veneer of civilization is. His hypocrisy (condemning war while committing violence) critiques Victorian moral double standards.
The Banality of Evil
- The passage domesticates horror—Peace is not a monstrous villain but a man who loves tea, music, and animals, making his crimes more disturbing.
Gender & Power in the Victorian Home
- The abuse of Mrs. Thompson (and Hannah’s complicity) reveals the violent undercurrents of domestic life, challenging the ideal of the Victorian home as a safe haven.

Key Takeaways from the Text Itself

Peace is a master of deception—his performative charm hides his true nature.
Violence and tenderness coexist in him (e.g., grieving for a pony but beating a woman).
His criminal life is routine, almost mundane—he goes to work like a tradesman, but his "job" is theft and intrusion.
The excerpt blurs morality—Peace is sympathetic in moments (loving animals, enjoying music) but repulsive in others (abuse, hypocrisy).

Final Thought

This passage is a masterclass in criminal characterization, using irony, contrast, and eerie detail to create a portrait of a man who is both ordinary and monstrous. It forces the reader to confront the uncomfortable truth that evil often wears a friendly face—and that civilization’s rules are easily bent by those who know how to play the part.

Questions

Question 1

The passage’s depiction of Peace’s political commentary on the Russo-Turkish War serves primarily to:

A. illustrate the widespread public sentiment of the era regarding British foreign policy.
B. highlight the intellectual depth of Peace’s moral reasoning despite his criminal lifestyle.
C. provide historical context for the socio-political tensions influencing Peace’s criminal motivations.
D. underscore the hypocrisy of a man who condemns institutional violence while perpetrating domestic and criminal brutality.
E. contrast Peace’s humanitarian concerns with the apathy of his middle-class neighbours.

Question 2

The narrator’s description of Mrs. Thompson’s abuse—particularly the phrase “soundly beaten”—employs a tone that is best characterised as:

A. morally outraged, using understatement to amplify the reader’s indignation.
B. clinically detached, reflecting the Victorian tendency to medicalise female hysteria.
C. chillingly matter-of-fact, normalising violence through euphemism and routine phrasing.
D. darkly satirical, mocking the absurdity of domestic power struggles among criminals.
E. ambivalent, oscillating between sympathy for Mrs. Thompson and disdain for her drunkenness.

Question 3

Which of the following best captures the symbolic function of Peace’s violin case in the passage?

A. It represents the fusion of artifice and brutality, where cultural pretension conceals criminal instrumentality.
B. It signifies Peace’s failed artistic ambitions, suggesting a man who might have been redeemed by music.
C. It serves as a literal tool of his trade, emphasising the practicality of his burglar’s equipment.
D. It reflects the Victorian association of musicians with bohemian immorality, foreshadowing his downfall.
E. It underscores the irony of a thief who appreciates beauty but destroys the security of others.

Question 4

The passage’s treatment of Peace’s grief over the death of his pony, Tommy, is most effectively interpreted as:

A. a moment of genuine pathos, revealing a capacity for love that complicates his villainy.
B. a calculated performance to manipulate the sympathies of his associates and the reader.
C. an instance of anthropomorphic projection, where Peace mourns the loss of a loyal accomplice.
D. a narrative device to humanise him before revealing the full extent of his crimes.
E. a dark parody of Victorian sentimentalism toward animals, juxtaposed with his cruelty to humans.

Question 5

The structural shift from the domestic scenes at No. 5, East Terrace to the cataloguing of Peace’s burglar’s tools primarily serves to:

A. expose the mechanical precision underlying his performative eccentricity, collapsing the boundary between persona and predation.
B. transition from psychological portraiture to a forensic analysis, aligning the narrator’s perspective with that of a detective.
C. emphasise the economic necessity driving his crimes, framing him as a product of systemic inequality.
D. contrast the warmth of his home life with the cold efficiency of his professional criminality.
E. foreshadow his eventual capture by enumerating the incriminating evidence he carries.

Solutions and Explanations

1) Correct answer: D

Why D is most correct: The passage’s inclusion of Peace’s moralising about the Russo-Turkish War is deliberately ironic, given his own violent behaviour. His condemnation of "the horrors of war" and the British government’s complicity in "cruelty" is undermined by his personal hypocrisy—he beats his mistress and robs homes while posing as a man of conscience. This juxtaposition is the primary rhetorical effect, forcing the reader to recognise the disjunction between his stated principles and his actions. The option captures the dark irony at the heart of the characterisation.