Burke Manuscript

Burke Manuscript: Page 223

Transcript

A man who was well known in Chch in the sixties, was Charles Morgan the Professor as he was called. He was a rather under middle height, strong set, florid man, the very spit of an Englishman, with a remarkably good looking face, with a strong chin and Dundreary whiskers. He had been all his life amongst horses and in the stables of many of the aristocracy amongst others Lord Foley. His “Morgan’s oil” was in common use in the sixties, amongst farmers, stablemen, and others, and was, that is, the original, a good, useful preparation.

Poor Morgan once told the writer his story. Everyone has a story. Remarking to him that I could not understand how he so coolly took language from a fellow, who ought to have been knocked down. “No!” he said, “I could knock a hole through him. But I’ll never strike a blow again.” He was not pressed for his reason. A few moments after he added, “No! Why, I could kill him with one blow. Feel that arm. In London years ago a thing of that sort insulted me. I struck him. He died. I was tried for manslaughter and sent for seven years to West Australia. I will never hit a man again in anger. I have suffered enough.” You could see pain in his fine manly face.