Lavengro · Chapter
Pseudo-Radicals explained
The author launches a polemic against the 'pseudo-Radicals' of the 1820s-30s, contrasting their hypocrisy and gentility with genuine republicanism.
What happens
The author launches a polemic against the 'pseudo-Radicals' of the 1820s-30s, contrasting their hypocrisy and gentility with genuine republicanism. He defends the Duke of Wellington against earlier calumnies while refusing to join in later sycophancy, and praises the honesty and bravery of true Radicals like Thistlewood and Ings, who died for their principles.
Themes in this chapter
Freedom vs. Convention
The author contrasts genuine Republicanism and radical freedom with the hypocritical gentility of pseudo-Radicals who abandoned their principles for social status.
Honor and Morality
The author defends Wellington when underrated and praises the honesty and bravery of Thistlewood and Ings, emphasizing moral integrity over political fashion.
Social Class and Gentility
Critiques the 'ultra-gentility' of the Whigs and Radicals after 1832, who worship Wellington only because he is a duke and genteel.
Characters to notice
- Lavengro
The author-narrator reflects on his own principles, his defense of Wellington, and his admiration for genuine Radicals.
- Thistlewood
Mentioned as a brave soldier and true Radical who was executed for levying war against George IV.
- Jerry Grant
Implied as 'Ings'—a humble butcher of amazing strength and resolution, executed alongside Thistlewood.
- William Wallace
Referenced in the song 'Scots wha hae wi' Wallace bled' sung by Ings before execution.
- King George
Mentioned as George IV, against whom Thistlewood and Ings levied war.
- Napoleon
Implied in the reference to Marshal Ney and the battle of Copenhagen.
- Sergeant Broughton
Referenced as 'the son of the Norfolk clergyman'—a brave man compared to Wellington.
Key passages
“making them pluck off their eyebrows, hair by hair, generally dismisses them on the plea of sluttishness; whereupon they return to their papas to eat the bread of the country, with the comfortable prospect of eating it still in the shape of a pension after their sires are dead.”
The pseudo-Radicals' sons are sent home in disgrace for being slovenly, only to live off their fathers' pensions.
Satirizes the idle, genteel sons of pseudo-Radicals.
“Oh, assuredly Wellington was infamously used at that time, especially by your traders in Radicalism, who howled at and hooted him; said he had every vice—was no general—was beaten at Waterloo—was a poltroon—moreover a poor illiterate creature, who could scarcely read or write; nay, a principal Radical paper said boldly he could not read, and devised an ingenious plan for teaching Wellington how to read.”
Radical newspapers unfairly vilified Wellington, even claiming he was illiterate and proposing a plan to teach him reading.
Highlights the extreme abuse Wellington suffered from Radicals.
“Now real Republicanism is certainly a very fine thing, a much finer thing than Toryism, a system of common robbery, which is nevertheless far better than Whiggism—a compound of petty larceny, popular instruction, and receiving of stolen goods.”
True Republicanism is admirable, while Toryism is institutional theft, and Whiggism is a mix of small-scale corruption and hypocrisy.
The author ranks political systems by their honesty.
“Thistlewood, who was, perhaps, the most calm and collected of all, just before he was turned off, said, “We are now going to discover the great secret.” Ings, the moment before he was choked, was singing “Scots wha hae wi’ Wallace bled.””
Thistlewood faced execution calmly, speaking of discovering death's mystery, while Ings sang a patriotic Scottish song.
Illustrates the dignified deaths of genuine Radicals.
