Article #446-2 | Gutenberg Articles

Excerpt

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

"The silent workings, and still more the explosions, of human passion
which bring to light the darker elements of man's nature present to the
philosophical observer considerations of intrinsic interest; while
to the jurist, the study of human nature and human character with its
infinite varieties, especially as affecting the connection between
motive and action, between irregular desire or evil disposition and
crime itself, is equally indispensable and difficult."--Wills on
Circumstantial Evidence.

I REMEMBER my father telling me that sitting up late one night talking
with Tennyson, the latter remarked that he had not kept such late
hours since a recent visit of Jowett. On that occasion the poet and
the philosopher had talked together well into the small hours of the
morning. My father asked Tennyson what was the subject of conversation
that had so engrossed them. "Murders," replied Tennyson. It would have
been interesting to have heard Tennyson and Jowett discussing such a
theme. The fact is a tribute to the interest that crime has for many
men of intellect and imagination. Indeed, how could it be otherwise?
Rob history and fiction of crime, how tame and colourless would be the
residue! We who are living and enduring in the presence of one of the
greatest crimes on record, must realise that trying as this period of
the world's history is to those who are passing through it, in the hands
of some great historian it may make very good reading for posterity.
Perhaps we may find some little consolation in this fact, like the
unhappy victims of famous freebooters such as Jack Sheppard or Charley
Peace.

But do not let us flatter ourselves. Do not let us, in all the pomp and
circumstance of stately history, blind ourselves to the fact that the
crimes of Frederick, or Napoleon, or their successors, are in essence no
different from those of Sheppard or Peace. We must not imagine that
the bad man who happens to offend against those particular laws which
constitute the criminal code belongs to a peculiar or atavistic type,
that he is a man set apart from the rest of his fellow-men by mental or
physical peculiarities. That comforting theory of the Lombroso school
has been exploded, and the ordinary inmates of our prisons shown to be
only in a very slight degree below the average in mental and physical
fitness of the normal man, a difference easily explained by the
environment and conditions in which the ordinary criminal is bred.

Explanation

**Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from A Book of Remarkable Criminals by H. B. Irving**

H. B. Irving’s A Book of Remarkable Criminals (1918) is a collection of essays examining infamous criminals and the psychological, social, and philosophical dimensions of crime. The excerpt provided serves as an introductory meditation on the fascination with crime, its universality across human experience, and the flawed assumptions society often makes about criminals. Below is a breakdown of its key elements—context, themes, literary devices, and significance—with a primary focus on the text itself.

1. Context of the Excerpt

Author & Work: H. B. Irving (son of the famous actor Henry Irving) was a writer and legal scholar interested in criminology. This book reflects early 20th-century debates on crime, morality, and human nature, influenced by:
- 19th-century criminology (e.g., Cesare Lombroso’s now-discredited theory that criminals were biologically distinct "atavistic" throwbacks).
- Legal and philosophical discussions on motive, morality, and justice (e.g., the quote from Wills on Circumstantial Evidence frames crime as a window into human psychology).
- Cultural fascination with crime: The excerpt references real criminals (Jack Sheppard, Charley Peace) and historical figures (Frederick the Great, Napoleon), suggesting crime is a universal, timeless subject.
Audience & Purpose: Irving writes for an educated readership, blending anecdote, philosophy, and social critique to challenge romanticized or oversimplified views of crime. His tone is conversational yet intellectual, inviting readers to reflect on their own assumptions.

2. Themes in the Excerpt

A. The Universal Fascination with Crime

Intellectual Curiosity: The anecdote about Tennyson and Jowett staying up late discussing "murders" illustrates how crime captivates even great minds. Irving suggests this interest is natural because crime reveals "the darker elements of man’s nature" (from the epigraph).
Narrative Allure: Crime is essential to history and fiction—without it, stories would be "tame and colourless". This reflects the Victorian/Edwardian obsession with sensational crime (e.g., penny dreadfuls, detective novels like Sherlock Holmes).
Historical Perspective: Irving notes that even catastrophic crimes (e.g., World War I, implied by "one of the greatest crimes on record") may later be seen as compelling historical drama. This dark humor underscores how suffering can be aestheticized over time.

B. The Myth of the "Criminal Type"

Rejection of Lombroso’s Theory: Irving dismisses the idea that criminals are biologically or psychologically distinct "atavistic" beings. Instead, he argues they are "only in a very slight degree below the average" in mental/physical fitness, with differences explained by environment and upbringing.
Crime as a Spectrum: He equates the crimes of infamous outlaws (Sheppard, Peace) with those of "great" historical figures (Frederick the Great, Napoleon), suggesting power and scale—not morality—separate "criminals" from "conquerors". This challenges the reader to confront the arbitrariness of legal and social labels.

C. The Illusion of Moral Superiority

Collective Self-Deception: Irving warns against "flatter[ing] ourselves" that societal crimes (war, imperialism) are fundamentally different from individual crimes (theft, murder). The "pomp and circumstance of stately history" masks this truth.
Consolation Through Detachment: The victims of criminals like Sheppard or Peace might take cold comfort in knowing their suffering will one day be "very good reading"—a dark commentary on how society consumes tragedy as entertainment.

3. Literary Devices & Stylistic Choices

Device	Example from Text	Effect
Epigraph	Quote from Wills on Circumstantial Evidence about crime revealing human nature.	Sets the philosophical tone; frames crime as a lens for understanding psychology and justice.
Anecdote	Tennyson and Jowett discussing murders late into the night.	Humanizes the fascination with crime; appeals to authority (great minds also ponder this).
Rhetorical Questions	"How could it be otherwise?"	Engages the reader, implying the answer is obvious: crime is inherently compelling.
Irony/Sarcasm	"We may find some little consolation" in our suffering becoming future entertainment.	Dark humor underscores the callousness of historical detachment.
Parallelism	Comparing Sheppard/Peace to Frederick/Napoleon.	Forces the reader to confront the hypocrisy in how society judges crime.
Allusion	References to Jack Sheppard (18th-c. thief), Charley Peace (Victorian murderer).	Grounds the discussion in real, sensational cases familiar to contemporary readers.

4. Significance of the Excerpt

A. Criminological Perspective

Early Rejection of Biological Determinism: Irving’s dismissal of Lombroso’s theories aligns with modern criminology, which emphasizes social, economic, and psychological factors over innate criminality.
Critique of Legal Arbitrariness: By equating state violence (war) with individual crime, he questions how laws are constructed and who they serve—a theme later explored in critical legal studies.

B. Philosophical & Ethical Implications

The Banality of Evil: Long before Hannah Arendt’s phrase, Irving suggests that evil is not exotic but ordinary, shaped by circumstance. This challenges the comforting idea that criminals are "other."
Moral Relativism: If Napoleon’s crimes are no different in "essence" from a thief’s, then morality may be a matter of perspective and power, not absolute truth.

C. Cultural Commentary

Crime as Entertainment: Irving’s observation that history’s horrors become "good reading" foreshadows modern true-crime media, where real suffering is commodified.
War as Crime: Written during/directly after WWI, the passage implicitly critiques the glorification of war, framing it as a collective crime no more justified than individual violence.

5. Key Takeaways from the Text Itself

Crime is a Mirror: It reflects the extremes of human nature, making it endlessly fascinating to philosophers, artists, and jurists alike.
The "Criminal" is a Construct: The line between criminal and non-criminal is blurred—often drawn by power, not morality.
Society’s Hypocrisy: We condemn petty thieves but celebrate conquerors, ignoring that their crimes differ only in scale.
The Dark Comfort of History: Even in suffering, there’s a grim solace in knowing that future generations may find our tragedies compelling—though this says more about human detachment than justice.

Conclusion

Irving’s excerpt is a provocative meditation on crime as a universal human phenomenon, stripping away romanticized or demonizing narratives to reveal its mundane, environmental roots. Through anecdote, irony, and philosophical inquiry, he invites readers to question their own moral assumptions and the stories society tells about good and evil. His work remains relevant today, resonating with debates on mass incarceration, the ethics of true-crime media, and the thin line between legality and justice.

Questions

Question 1

The passage’s allusion to Tennyson and Jowett’s late-night discussion of murders serves primarily to:

A. illustrate the triviality of intellectual pursuits when confronted with the gravity of crime.
B. contrast the poetic imagination with the philosopher’s analytical approach to evil.
C. suggest that crime is a subject unworthy of serious scholarly attention.
D. demonstrate that crime’s intrinsic fascination transcends disciplinary boundaries and intellectual stature.
E. imply that only those with a morbid sensibility are drawn to the study of criminal behavior.

Question 2

The author’s claim that “the crimes of Frederick, or Napoleon, or their successors, are in essence no different from those of Sheppard or Peace” is most fundamentally a critique of:

A. the legal system’s failure to prosecute historical figures for war crimes.
B. the arbitrary social constructions that distinguish “great” crimes from “petty” ones.
C. the psychological similarities between political leaders and common criminals.
D. the historical record’s tendency to glorify conquest while vilifying theft.
E. the lack of moral education among both the powerful and the powerless.

Question 3

When the author states that “the ordinary inmates of our prisons [are] shown to be only in a very slight degree below the average in mental and physical fitness,” the rhetorical effect depends most heavily on:

A. an appeal to statistical authority to undermine emotional arguments.
B. the subversion of a widely held assumption about the inherent depravity of criminals.
C. a comparison between physical fitness and moral capacity to highlight their independence.
D. the implication that environmental factors are irrelevant to criminal behavior.
E. a concession that criminals are, in fact, slightly inferior to non-criminals.

Question 4

The passage’s closing sentiment—that victims of crime “may find some little consolation” in their suffering becoming “very good reading for posterity”—is best described as:

A. a sincere attempt to mitigate the trauma of crime through historical perspective.
B. a sardonic observation about humanity’s capacity to aestheticize suffering.
C. an endorsement of the idea that art can redeem even the most horrific events.
D. a call for historians to prioritize the stories of victims over those of perpetrators.
E. evidence that the author views crime primarily as a source of narrative entertainment.

Question 5

The epigraph from Wills on Circumstantial Evidence functions in the passage as a:

A. thematic framework that positions crime as a revelation of universal human psychology.
B. legal counterpoint to the author’s more literary and philosophical treatment of crime.
C. historical artifact that underscores the outdated nature of 19th-century criminology.
D. rhetorical device to lend credibility to the author’s anecdote about Tennyson and Jowett.
E. critique of the jurist’s tendency to overemphasize motive at the expense of action.

Solutions and Explanations

1) Correct answer: D

Why D is most correct: The anecdote about Tennyson (poet) and Jowett (philosopher) staying up late to discuss murders is used to illustrate that crime’s allure is not confined to a single discipline or type of intellect. The author’s point is that crime’s intrinsic fascination is broad and deep, transcending the boundaries of poetry, philosophy, and even juristic study. This aligns with the passage’s broader argument that crime is a subject of universal intellectual and imaginative interest.