Tales from "Blackwood," Volume 2

In Short

This volume gathers short fiction originally published in the renowned Blackwood’s Magazine. The stories range from gritty, realistic sketches of the Siege of Gibraltar to supernatural comedies involving body-swapping and ghostly apparitions. Whether depicting the rigid social hierarchies of English country houses or the rowdy, rule-breaking antics of Oxford undergraduates, these tales capture the wit, moral earnestness, and penchant for the bizarre that defined the Victorian literary spirit. The collection endures as a fascinating artifact of its time, showcasing the storytelling versatility required to entertain a sophisticated, demanding nineteenth-century readership.

The Story

The collection opens with "Lazaro's Legacy," a grim, atmospheric account set during the Siege of Gibraltar. It follows an elderly grandfather’s journal, which records the desperate, thieving opportunism of a soldier named Bags and his companions, who loot abandoned homes while the town is shelled. Their story turns tragic when they hide in a cave to conceal their stolen goods, only to be trapped alongside a wounded, delirious Jew and his devoted daughter, Esther. The narrative shifts from the brutality of war to the domestic tensions of "Devereux Hall," a story that laments the decline of traditional filial piety. Here, a narrator observes the contrast between the courtly, formal manners of an aging brother and sister and the vulgar, dandyish intrusions of their modern relatives, the Heneages.

The tone takes a sharp, fantastic turn with "The Metempsychosis," a tale of a student at the College of Gottingen who finds himself inexplicably inhabiting the body of a man named Wolstang. The narrator experiences the surreal indignity of being greeted by strangers who do not recognize his identity, leading to a frantic, metaphysical struggle to reclaim his original form. The stakes are physical and absurd; he must threaten to strike his own body to force the soul of the interloper to vacate it.

The volume concludes with the lighter, more collegiate "College Theatricals." Set in the grey, snow-bound quadrangle of an Oxford college, the story details the boredom of a group of undergraduates who attempt to stave off ennui by staging a play. Their endeavor is marked by high-spirited, juvenile mischief—such as the deliberate release of a swarm of frogs into the college yard to baffle the dons. The climax arrives when the Dean, suspicious of a woman’s presence on campus, discovers that the "lady" in question is actually a student in costume. The dean’s pursuit of the mystery ends in a moment of comic exposure that cements the event as a legendary piece of college history. Each story arc moves from the quiet observation of human nature—whether in a war zone, a library, or a dining hall—toward an inevitable moment of revelation, be it a tragic death, a supernatural confrontation, or a social embarrassment that leaves the protagonist permanently changed.

How It Unfolds

The siege begins The narrative establishes the harrowing reality of Gibraltar under fire, where soldiers and civilians struggle to survive amidst rubble and starvation. Major Flinders’s journal provides the lens through which we view both the professional coldness of the military and the desperate humanity of the townspeople.

The plunderers at work Bags and his associates emerge as the story's antagonists, driven by a base desire to acquire wealth from the ruins of their neighbors' lives. Their greed eventually leads them into a dark, claustrophobic cave that serves as a tomb for the Jew and a site of terror for his daughter.

A transition to tradition The focus shifts to the quiet, antiquated world of Devereux Hall, where time seems to have stopped. The author contrasts the "obsolete virtues" of the past with the coarse, fashionable ease of the present, framing the arrival of the Heneage family as an assault on dignity.

The metaphysical puzzle In the sudden shift to the student life of Gottingen, the plot discards realism for a surreal psychological dilemma. The narrator’s confusion upon being called "Wolstang" by every passerby builds into a frantic, physical battle for self-possession that defies logic.

Collegiate rebellion The final movement returns to the grounded, if chaotic, reality of Oxford University. A group of bored students turns to theatricals and practical jokes to defy the authority of the Dean, culminating in a farce that exposes the tension between institutional rules and youthful exuberance.

The People

Major Flinders acts as the collection’s most observant moral center, a man who values the dignity of the suffering over the dry reporting of military facts. He stands in stark contrast to the soldier Bags, a man motivated entirely by "the ardour of acquisition." Bags is defined by his selfishness and lack of scruple, ending his arc as a pathetic, grasping figure. Esther, the Jew’s daughter, provides the emotional weight of the Gibraltar tale; she is defined by her protective love and her harrowing endurance. In the academic stories, the student narrator of "The Metempsychosis" is a man of logic and reason, desperate to reconcile his intellect with the irrationality of his situation. Wolstang, his double, is an elusive, frustrating figure who serves as the catalyst for the protagonist’s existential crisis. Finally, the characters in "College Theatricals"—specifically the student Leicester and the overbearing Dean—represent the classic conflict between the rigid, watchful authority of the older generation and the restless, performative spirit of the younger, leaving both sides at a standoff of mutual amusement.

In Its Own Voice

"Drinkwater confines himself mostly to professional matters--the state of the fortifications, nature of the enemy's fire, casualties to the soldiery, and the like--and seldom introduces an anecdote interesting to the generality of readers without apologising for such levity."

The narrator of "Lazaro's Legacy" explains why his grandfather’s journal offers a more human perspective on the Siege of Gibraltar than standard historical accounts.

"Could it be that they really mistook me for Wolstang? This was still more incredible, for Wolstang was fully six inches taller, four stones heavier, and ten years older than I."

The bewildered student in "The Metempsychosis" attempts to use rational measurement to disprove the bizarre claims of his peers.

"The dean looked bewildered at first, and then savage; but a hearty laugh from Dyson settled the business."

The tension of a secret theatrical performance is broken when the Dean discovers that the 'woman' he has been hunting is merely a student in disguise.

What It's Really About

At its heart, this collection explores the fragility of identity and the social structures meant to protect it. Whether it is the physical loss of one's body in a metaphysical swap, the dilution of aristocratic manners by modern vulgarity, or the disruption of military and academic hierarchy by the whims of common soldiers or students, the book remains concerned with how the "self" behaves under pressure. It poses the question of whether our true character is revealed by the roles we are forced to play—soldier, student, or patriarch—or by the secrets we try to hide in the dark. It is a meditation on the tension between the order we impose on our world and the chaotic, often absurd, realities that persistently break through.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy the slow, deliberate pacing of nineteenth-century prose will find this volume a rewarding experience. It captures the specific, slightly detached irony of the Blackwood tradition, where a tragic death in a cave might be followed by a humorous anecdote about a student’s prank. However, readers should be prepared for the period-specific attitudes, particularly the dismissive language regarding Jewish characters and the sometimes archaic social commentary that reflects the prejudices of the 1800s. The dialect used in the Scottish and military sequences requires a bit of patience, as does the occasionally discursive, rambling style of the narrators. Despite these hurdles, there is a genuine warmth in the way the authors look back on these "old times." What stays with you is the startling contrast between the high-minded, moralizing tone of the academic pieces and the raw, almost gothic intensity of the stories about war and displacement. It is a book that rewards the patient reader, offering a bridge into a world that feels both comfortably familiar and strangely, dreamily distant. It is perfect for those who want to feel the texture of the past without the filter of modern sentimentality.