" As the purpose in publishing these passages from the private
note-books is to give to those who ask for a memoir of Mr. Hawthorne
every possible incident recorded by himself which shows his character and
nature, the editor thinks it proper to disclose the fact that Mr.
Hawthorne was himself the gentleman of that party who took up in his arms
the little child, so fearfully repulsive in its condition. And it seems
better to quote his own words in reference to it, than merely to say it
was he.
Under date February 28, 1856.
"After this, we went to the ward where the children were kept, and, on
entering this, we saw, in the first place, two or three unlovely and
unwholesome little imps, who were lazily playing together. One of them
(a child about six years old, but I know not whether girl or boy)
immediately took the strangest fancy for me. It was a wretched, pale,
half-torpid little thing, with a humor in its eyes which the Governor
said was the scurvy. I never saw, till a few moments afterwards, a child
that I should feel less inclined to fondle.
But this little, sickly, humor-eaten fright prowled around me, taking
hold of my skirts, following at my heels, and at last held up its hands,
smiled in my face, and, standing directly before me, insisted on my
taking it up! Not that it said a word, for I rather think it was
underwitted, and could not talk; but its face expressed such perfect
confidence that it was going to be taken up and made much of, that it was
impossible not to do it.
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