The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1867-10-01 00:00:00

Drat of Jar. Inilliam eliallace
fgt.

We announce with deep regret the sudden death of
Mr. William Wallace Fyfe, at Nottingham, on Wed.
eseday, the 25th ult., at the age of 51, after 27 years of
literary labour, allied y in connection with the newspaper
Press, In various mite of the kingdom. Of late poem
hie health had been greatly impaired, while domestic
affliction and personal troubles bad preyed upon him,
and rendered his declining days a source of greet anxiety
and full of difficulty. He had just attained to his old
position on the Nottinghamshire Geordies with the
prospect of *Laing his life with • few peseshil years,
when death terminated his chequered career, after en
Illness of little more than twenty-four hours. The
dimmed gentleman was born in Dundee, Ilan* 28,
1816, and there comment:wet hit education at the
grammar school. He showed mach precocity, for, at
the early age of 13. be wrote letters on political matters
to the Thtfleiel Advertiser and other local prints.
At 15 he obtained • scholarship in the CiMmirow
University, and Sluts his studies were direeled with •
view to the Bee. In 1837 he removed to Scan-
bomb University, and the old members of the
' well known Dialectic Society will still have re-
maleetions of him aslthelr secretary. At this time
honours fell thbk upon him. In 1810 he was created •
life member of the Angus Club, he was also made •
member of the Hunteristo Society, and a Fellow of the
Botanical Society of Edingbargb ; sod in the month of
March of the rm. year, he received • diploma from the
Society of Arts for Scotland. Shortly alter this period,
he retired from the bar, finally inclining to literature
instead of law, and commenced his editorial career it
Henrik* on the Aswirick avid de1413 Warder. • couple
et years after, his meneetion with Freemasonry ecen-
meseed, be Mies installed • brother of the Order on
the 10th September, 1842, at Dunbar Castle Lodge, by
the Earl of Pyfe. In this same year he gave literary
and scientiflo Ircitnrem at Berwick, A Inwiek, and
Kilmarnock, with • moles which encouraged him to
subsequent repetitions of them elsewhere. In 1854 b.
returned to Edinburgh and there published and edited
The &wink dories/tura! Journot, under the patronage
of the Earl of Fyfe. In 1850, or thereabouts', he was
appointed lecturer to the Normal Schools in Edinburgh,
and he also bell the lectureship of the °Sendoff
Institution. A year later be published" Summer Life
oo Land and Water " previously to which, we should
mention, he had Paned high re”gnition from the
Highland Society for an essay on ' Hiring markets,*
and several other works; and in 1851 he obtained from
the Royal Agricultural Society of England a handsonle
silversalver with inscription Ua priie for the nieemsfid
competitive essay on " Timber.' Soon alter this he
sold his newspaper to Edinburgh and assumed the
editorship of the Nottinghamshire Guardias in 1953,
and motioned acting in that capacity for foor
daring which time he delivered several lectors' L"Le'
ws
neighbouring towns, on Moire connected with literature
and agriculture. In March, 1857, Mr. Pyle became the
nominal proprietor of the Dorset CAroaiele and its
editor, and his connection with that journal continued
until Christmas, 1864. During the eight years *Melt be
conducted the Chronicle it attained • sumer
and prenipe never before attached to It, sod Aloe
his departure the paper has been gradnallf
declining In is position and inflames It was
while associated with the Chronicle that he had
the &nem which resulted in his permanent lameness,
He had gone to Wells to represent the paper on
scion important occasion, and at night he was given •
damp bed at the hotel, from the effects of sleeping in
which be never recovered. From that time to the end
of his days his health was feeble and his sufferings
Incessant. In 1864 some difference arose between Mr.
Fyfe and the proprietor of the Chronicle, the breach was
widened by the unfaithfulness of interested parties, and
It became impossible forhim to continue there in cont.
fort, so, at Christmas, 1864, he left the paper be bad
mad*, and had to commence life anew, with
shattered health and • spirit embittered by the
treatment he bad received. He then started
the "Church and Country Newspaper Company
Limited," aided by a few friends, on March 25. 1866,
but business was not his forte, and the difficulties of
conducting • concern, which required time to mature
It yet lacked the capital necessary to that end, through
the years 1868 and 1866, so disastrous to limited
liability enterprise, proved too mach for him, and be
suffered loss of home and liberty—troubles which
growing years rendered him less able to bear. Leaving
Dorset at the beginning of the present year he proceeded
to London, where he remained for some timer, dtirieg
which be was &contributor to various agriculture' and
other journals. Eventually he removed to Nottingham,
She seem of happier days, and maimed the political editor-
ship of Um Nottinghannitr• Geareliaa. This position he
bad held beta few days when be was stteeked by the
111.... which so quickly terminated in his death. His
genius was versatile, and hL labours were extensive and
valuable both in literature and scientific agriculture.
He was • contributor to the ff,dinbarpli Resins and
other leading publications. In 1882 he obtained •
chair in the Royal Agricultural College, and
In 1859 he published ' Agricultural iSleience
applied to practice," a work which is used as
a textbook at the college of agriculture in Ireland, and
which had the distinction of attracting the notice of the
late Prince Consort, who honoured the author with a
letter accepting • copy of the volume. But he has
passed ...7, and this intimation will be received with
varied feelings of rehret—by some, may de, that they
served him ill, and by many that • useful and valuable
life has been suddenly brought to a close.