The Irony of Sheppard Lee’s Attachment - “The Miser’s Children”
Sheppard Lee explains, “It will scarcely be supposed that, with the passion of covetousness gnawing at my heart, I had space or convenience for any other feeling. But Abram Skinner had loved his children; and to this passion I was introduced, as well as to the other. At first I was surprised that I should bestow the least regard upon them, seeing that they were no children of mine. I endeavoured to shake off the feeling of attachment, as an absurdity, but could not; in spite of myself, I found my spirit yearning towards them; and by-and-by, having lost my identity entirely, I could scarcely, even when I made the effort, recall the consciousness that I was not their parent in reality.” Sheppard Lee assumes that his attachment for Abram Skinner’s children and his ‘passion of covetousness’ are mutually exclusive. However, he hankers for and adores the children as if they were his. The longing and attachment imply that Lee aspires to adore the children unreservedly. Sheppard Lee espouses unconscious and imperceptible affection for the children.
The Irony of Abram Skinner’s Affection - “The Miser’s Children”
Sheppard Lee elucidates, “Abram Skinner, on the contrary, loved his children; which I suppose was owing to their being the worst children that ever tormented a parent. He loved them, and so did I; he pondered with bitterness over the ingratitude of their tempers, and the profligacy of their lives, and I—despite all my attempts to the contrary—did the same.” Typically, Abram Skinner would not have adored his children unconditionally considering that they torment him. His ironic love confirms that his children’s troublesome nature did not impact his unqualified affection for them. Abram Skinner’s ironic love is representative of categorical parental love which is not contingent on children’s perfection.
The Irony of Sheppard Lee’s Compassion - “The Fate of the Firstborn
Sheppard Lee writes, “The thought of making restitution drove me almost to a phrensy, while the idea of seeing him carried to jail, to meet the doom of a felon, was equally distracting. My misery was read on my face; and some one present, perhaps with a motive of humanity, cried out.” Sheppard Lee’s distraction is ironic. Ralph’s confinement means that he would not bother him with more forgeries. However, Sheppard Lee’s sympathy validates that he considers Ralph to be his son and his incarceration would be tantamount to deserting and losing him.
