William Belsham (1572-1827)
¿Recuerdas la relación entre este autor y Mujercitas?
Si no caes ahora, te diré que es uno de los autores que se nombran en la novela. Porque la familia March leía mucho...
Belsham aparece nombrado en cuatro ocasiones. Sucede en un pasaje en que Jo cuenta a sus hermanas su día en compañía de la tía March... Parece que a Jo le aburrían bastante sus ensayos...
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"(...) But, like all happiness, it did not last long; for as sure as she had just reached the heart of the story, the sweetest verse of the song, or the most perilous adventure of her traveller, a shrill voice called, 'Josy-phine ! Josy-phine !' and she had to leave her paradise to wind yarn, wash the poodle, or read Belsham's Essays by thehour together".
(...)
"Has anybody got anything to tell? It's been such a dismal day I'm really dying for some amusement," said Meg, as they sat sewing together that evening.
' I had a queer time with aunt to-day, and, as I got the best of it, I'11 tell you about it," began Jo, who dearly loved to tell stories. ' I was reading that everlasting Belsham, and droning away as I always do, for aunt soon drops off, and then I take out some nice book, and read like fury till she wakes up. I actually made myself sleepy; and, before she began to nod, I gave such a gape that she asked me what I meant by opening my mouth wide enough to take the whole book in at once.
' I wish I could, and be done with it,' said I, trying not to be saucy.
'Then she gave me a long lecture on my sins, and told me to sit and think them over while she just ' lost ' herself for a moment. She never finds herself very soon ; so the minute her cap began to bob, like a top-heavy dahlia, I whipped the ' Vicar of Wakefield ' out of my pocket, and read away, with one eye on him, and one on aunt. I 'd just got to where they all tumbled into the water, when I forgot, and laughed out loud. Aunt woke up; and, being more good-natured after her nap told me to read a bit, and show what frivolous work I preferred to the worthy and instructive Belsham. I did my very best, and she liked it, though she only said,
' I don't understand what it's all about. Go back and begin it, child.'
'Back I went, and made the Primroses as interesting as ever I could. Once I was wicked enough to stop in a thrilling place, and say meekly, ' I'm afraid it tires you, ma'am ; sha'n'tI stop now?'
" She caught up her knitting, which she had dropped out of her hands, gave me a sharp look through her specs, and said, in her short way,
' Finish the chapter, and don't be impertinent, miss.' "Did she own she liked it?" asked Meg.
" Oh, bless you, no! but she let old Belsham rest ; and, when I ran back after my gloves this afternoon, there she was, so hard at the Vicar that she didn't hear me laugh as I danced a jig in the hall, because of the good time coming. What a pleasant life she might have, if she only chose. I don't envy her much, in spite of her money, for after all rich people have about as many worries as poor ones, I think,"added Jo.
(...)
Pero, como puedes ver, en este pasaje aparece otra obra, El vicario de Wakefield..., una obra de Oliver Goldsmith.
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