Mermaid Monday: Mermaid Exhibited in Rome March 12, 2018
Author: Beach Combing | in : Modern , trackback
This horror story dates to 1841. It comes to us by a long route. This text is taken from a British newspaper, which excerpted from an American newspaper, which translated from the Revue Britannique, which took its information from the Italian press. Is it true? Drbeachcombing AT gmail DOT com Can it be traced back to the Italian papers?
Towards the end of the month of February last, an Englishman, named Hudson, took up his residence at Rome, near the Porta del Popolo, and announced in the Diario de Roma (the Gazette of the Holy City), that he had a most extraordinary object for public exhibition — in a word, no less rare an object than a Siren! On the appearance of this announcement, all the savans of Rome hastened to visit the rooms of Mr. Hudson; and, surprising as it may seem, everyone came away with a full conviction of the bona fide character of the exhibition. A most charming creature, half woman half fish, was found reclining in an immense bath; her head was adorned with long black locks, among which marine plants appeared to grow; her face was charming, and the features perfectly regular, but in the place of a neck she appeared to have a sort of collar of scales, and the ‘creature’ terminated in an immense fish-tail, which floated in the water with all the vitality of a real, natural fish. But cette bizarre créature spoke not a word – ever and anon she would open her mouth as if about to speak, and then instantly plunge into the water. It will readily be conceived that such an exhibition excited a lively curiosity among all the wonder-loving world. The Prince Borghese, the Due de Bordeaux, Count Briggeis, and Don Sebastians d’Alvar of Spain, were among those who satisfied themselves that ‘it’ was alive and en bonne sante.
There are no references to the mermaids’ clothes here. Was this a stratagem to have a topless woman disport in the middle of the holy city? These kinds of shows always mix prurience with credulity.
The people shared the curiosity of the great, and manifested even a larger share of enthusiasm, as well as a strong desire to penetrate into the mysteries of the existence of Zevelar (the name which Hudson had given to his monster), and one of the servants of the hotel glided unperceived into the principal room occupied by him, concealed himself in the fireplace, and waited the result of his voyage of discovery. He had not been there long when he saw Hudson come into the room, dragging after him by the hair of the head the poor Zevelar. The poor Siren was dripping wet, and the big tears rolled from her sorrowful eyes; she walked upright, and the fish’s skin which formed the lower extremity dragged along the ground. She threw herself on the floor, and cried out in perfectly intelligible English, ‘Oh, pity! for mercy’s sake, pity! pity!’ The servant, who did not understand the English language, thought she spoke in her ‘langue maritime.’ The fellow then began to beat her, upon which she exclaimed, ‘Spare my life, oh God! and I obey!’
First absolutely unbelievable detail. The servant – and only witness – who records a conversation not understanding the language.
No longer able to bear the frightful spectacle, the servant seized the first opportunity to steal away, and recounted all he had seen. His story was the means of awakening the attention of the authorities, and Doctor Amariti was sent to visit the pretended divinity of the waters. The Doctor soon discovered that the Siren was, in point of fact, none other than a young woman of about twenty years of age, whose mind had given way under the cruel treatment which she had experienced at the hands of her inhuman master; and he found that the fish tail and the scaly neckpiece were artfully fastened on with flesh-coloured silk. On her body he discovered the blood stained marks of punishment which she had received from ‘farouche Hudson.’ He [Hudson] was immediately arrested and thrown into prison, and before the tribunal he confessed that he had taken ‘his Siren’ on the banks of the Thames; that it was, in fact, a young woman, whom he had fitted with a tail, and exhibited merely for the sake of making money. The young woman, whose real name turned out to be Jane Soane, was introduced, and described her sufferings from the immersion. She suffered greatly from the cold, and all her teeth, she said, had fallen out from its effects.
Now the collar is explained.
President: How was it that you did not, when persons came to see you, make known the cruelties which were practised on you? Jane Soane: ‘Oh no, I dared not. If I opened my mouth he pulled the cord immediately.’ President: ‘What cord?’ Jane Soane (Pointing to her neck): ‘It was fastened here, under the scales. If I attempted to speak he pulled the cord, and I was plunged under water in an instant.’ (Expressions of indignation ) The Court sentenced Hudson to imprisonment for life. He heard his sentence with a smile, and said, ‘Qui vivra verra!’ and was led out whistling an Irish air.’
18 Mar 2018, GdF writes in to make the point that the Diario di Roma has nothing for the relative dates. Check the capital’s news for the first three months… Looking more and more like a fake.
