The Last Chronicle of Barset
Chapters 10 to 12

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[7-9]   [13-15]

Chapter 10
Dinner at Framley Court

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Chapter 11
The Bishop Sends his Inhibition

Rumor
The personified Rumor (Latin, Fama) in this chapter conveys the swiftness with which the news of Mr. Crawley's being committed by the magistrates has spread through the county.  Trollope implies that it is always characteristic of Rumor that news and gossip should travel quickly and imperceptibly to ears that will inevitably be ready to hear unflattering news.  See commentary on Rumor in Chapter 17 of The Small House at Allington.  [AM] 

T. Barnum
This is perhaps the Latinized name for Barchester which Trollope invented. Bishop Proudie signs his letter with the Latinized name for Barchester because bishops usually signed their letters with the Latin name of their diocese.
See Sophie Gilmartin's note in the 2002 Penguin edition, p. 868.  [AM]

 

Chapter 12
Mr Crawley Seeks for Sympathy

Leaf of hemlock
This refers to the poison Socrates drank when he was sentenced to death by the Athenian assembly for impiety and corrupting the youth of Athens.  By invoking the suicide of Socrates, Mr. Crawley presents himself as one who would stand by his ideals and would not take advantage of a chance to escape.  Through this classical allusion Mr. Crawley compares himself with Socrates, one who is wrongly charged and one who voluntarily undergoes punishment for the sake of upholding his principles. Perhaps Mr. Crawley over-dramatizes his predicament by making reference to the suicide of Socrates.  [AM]

 
 
 

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