The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-05-16 00:00:00

THE LONDON PRESS ON THE LATE

LORD BROUGHAM.

The London morning journals contain lengthy
biographical sketches of the late Lord Brougham, from
which we take the following extracts :
The Daily News says that Lord Brougham was not, as
some men have been, a man of science impelled by theoretic
convictions a Inch be felt constrained to enforce into prac-
tical affairs, be wan not first a man of contemplation and
then a man of action. lie wags man of affairs impelled by a
restless spirit of action into the field of science. In that,
and in the quiet paths of social reform, be found a sphere :
of exertion when his own mistakes, and his unsuitability to'
his age, had withdrawn him from official, and even, so far ,
as influence and prominence were concerned, from Perlis- ,
mmitary life. Lord Brougham had great powers, and ren-
dered his country great services. More it in not necessary,
nor would it be becoming, now to say. Ilia troubled and
fitful career of glorious triumph and bitter disappointment is
over. The words which are inscribed over the portal of his
house might truly be inscribed over his tomb noeniporeurn.
lie has reached the harbour.
The Daily Telegraph remarks that we owe deep reverence
to the memory of a roan like this; if, indeed, anybody could
be called "like" Henry Brougham. lie wanted many gifts,

•nd some gmeee ; and oertain of his best political and persona
traits died before Um. Moreover, a picturesque uncouthness
—as in the great square nose which he used to twitch in
speaking, and the world-known Cheviot -plaid breeches—.
militated against the just admeasurement of his nature, aa
foolish trifles will do. But, now that he is dead, let us
all speak 1 the grand old North countryman with affec-
tion, honour, and fervent gratitude. Take Ms work out
of this England which we now Inhabit and call "ours,"
and what huge gaps and wind-holes there would be, How
many a reform would show his prodigious handiwork by
shaking, and what wrongs and uppreanons would lift their
wicked heads again, at the news that Brougham had never
lived and burled at them hit perfervid perorations Ile haa
done marching, the old drum-major of the Army of Liberty :
lie has done with human life, the stout, untiring Wend Of
humanity !--done with woolsacks and wigs, and all the fuss
and fever of the struggle that was to him only " all in the
day's work." He has done even with that sad stuff which we
call rest," in this unresting world_ Over his villa at Cannes
he painted long ago the Latin line Invent pertain Spelt it
Fortuna rattle t But the old Peer was a little wrong there ;
that,was only the harbour-liar, not the harbour ; now he is quiet
"in port." as true a specimen of " A 1" in manhood as ever
carried God's venture of life and life's duty safely and nobly
from birth to death

In the opinion of the Morning Post, it is no exaggeration
to say that for the last sixty years Lord Brougham's name
has been connected with every useful reform that has been
advocated in theory or carried out in practice. It is curious
to reflect that the luau who could legitimately boast many
years ago that he had inaugurated a reform of the Iridi
Church by the abolition of ten bishoprics should have just
survived, by a few days, the carrying of Mr. Gladstone's
resolutions for its total reform—in the only sense in which
such an institution can be reformed—by an overwhelming
majority last week. Nor would it be lust to pass over
it bout special notice those labours already allin led to, which,
though of a less brilliant and ostentatious character than great
political triumphs, were among the most solidly and perma-
nently useful in which lord Brougham had bee h engaged.
To use language that is not Inappropriate, Ikeause It is
Imtilier in our mouths as household words. Lord Brougham
hi the prosaic character of thi3 schoolmaster abroad. pro-
moting popular education, founding mechanics' institutes.
circulating a cheap and wholesome literature, and lighting
for a free untaxed press, is, though a more homely and
matter-of-fact image, not less intrinsically estimable than
that in which he appears with the associations of romance
—as the .riour of a neglected race, and striking off the
chains and fetters of the slave.
. . . . .

The Morning Star thinks it is too soon, perhaps, to begin
to appraise the value of the stirring career which closed at
last so peacefully—one had almost said so obscurely. it
would be idle even to attempt to do so, were it not that
the interval of almost total retimment front public con-
troversy Brougham lately passed through. allowed us all to
look back on his life nod his doings with something like
the impartiality we feel when surveying the career of
one also died years ago. Judgi.,g as fairly as we can it
seems to its that Brougham, with all his splendid
eloquence and his vigorous versatile intellect, will not
rank in history with our foremost great mesc lie tried
to do almost everything —he tried to know almost
everything. He did many things admirably; he
knew some subjects well; but we doubt whether
be WaS supreme in anything. Even his grandest oratorical
efforts are now little read ; even the best of -Isis writings do
not seem likely to hold a classical place. lie was marvel-
lously versatile, but he was md what Germans call many-
sided. That Is to say. be attempted, and with remarkable
since., a large Variety of intellectual feats, but he was
always the same rough, restless. vigorous Henry Brougham,
whatever lie tried to do. As an orator, Brougham probably
takes his highest rank; and yet he can be hardly said to have
a place even among the highest of our English political orators.
His scientific writings were nuirvellons—for a politician. His
legal achievements were astmishing—for a scientific man.
Each of his feats in itself lacked something necessary to
supreme success. You must take them altogether to under-
stand how extraordinary a man lie was, indeed, perhaps
that word best sinns him up. He was an extraordinary
rather than a great man.
The Standard says :—Lord Brougham will be remembered
not fir the speeches he bas made or the books he has
written, but because of the inseparable manner in which
his name is interwoven in the history of his country for
twenty eventful years. That history will record little of
him before 1515 aria Mule after 1835, but between those
epochs be played a part second to none in prominence and
importance. Whilst the abolition of the slave trade, the
trial of Queen Caroline. and the Reform Act of 1532 are
remembered, Brougham's mine win live in the reconeetion
of his countrymen, and it will he held, when his whole
caner is impartially considered, in honour and respect.