The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-22 00:00:00

and interesting events that have occurred during
the career of the noble lord, and they are ably
set forth in a striking sketch in the Western
Morning News. A more appropriate article could
not have been penned for the natal day of the octos
genarian, and many associations and reflections
combine to impart interest to its recapitulation.
Not only has the noble lord lived over this long
period, which has seen the crash of empires, the
wreck of states, and the overthrow of destinies, but
he has taken for a considerable space of time an
active part in the affairs of the nation. Few,
if any, can boast of having been so long
in harness as the present First Lord of the Treasury,
Many of his colleagues have departed this life full
of honours, if not of years, and peorle have said
that they were worn out with the cares of State
and the toils of office, but meanwhile the ruling
power has gone on, and in the whirl of existence
lookers on have been too busy or too ignorant to
reckon that he was in office when some of them,
supposed to be exhausted with their efforts, have
sunk by the wayside, weary of the march of
life, as it is well put in the notice re-
ferred to, Lord PALMERSTON, during this
recess, has been at the city of Hereford,
"inaugurating the statue of a departed colleague,
who was born in the year he himself entered
Parliament. Yet again he is down amid the
chalky plains of Wiltshire, where, at the former
residence of another departed colleague, who was
an infant when Lord PALMERSTON was vigorously
carrying on war against the first NAPOLEON, he
gives sound advice to a portion of our great
volunteer army." Surely such things are as
strange as any of the incidents that are sedu-
lously sought for in the pages of fie.
tion, and the representations of the drama.
May we not learn, not only the uncer-
tainty of life in its length as well as in its
shortness—may we not feel the incompatibility
of our frail judgments and erring calculations to
compute the span of existence, and to measure
out what this man shall do and the other man
cannot. Had a mysterious reader of future events
in some of the marvellous fashions of the present
day declared, half a century back, to his audience
that at this especial juncture the noble vis-
count would be at the helm of affairs,
and that so many of his friends and colleagues
would have been laid low, would not the most
willing of his auditors have refused credence
to the tale, and supposed that the narrator was
indeed dreaming. One should be taken, and
another left, is a well-known description of human
events; but not often do we find that one man
survives so many younger and apparently longer-
lived men than himself—survives them, too, in the
active performance of laborious duties—in the
anxious cares of a responsible position, and in the
full discharge of those public, private,
and political duties which ceaselessly re-
volve around a career so elevated. It
cannot be said that the noble lord shirks his
work, and did they not know the fact from the
I register of incontrovertible accuracy. The lookers
on of public affairs would certainly have no right
to suppose that he lived in the days when the
young Pretender was existing in Rome, or that
" the Premier of to-day was an active War Secre-
tary ere Lord WELLINGTON baffled MASSENA
before the lines of Torres Vedrae. Such
records and reminiscences put aside the
discords of the present, and from the
mighty events that seem lost in the twilight
of fable they carry us on to the great future, in the
light of which the posteritiea of distant nations and
the children of unborn generations shall scan our
actions and discourse of our doings. Greater and
more distinguished men have illumined our epoch
and adorned our age; bat Lord PALMERSTON may
lay claim to the merit of making his vocation his
pride and pleasure—of entering upon his work
with zest that gives it spirit, and with vigour that
imparts vivacity. It is the feelings of
men that really alter and influence them ; some are
never young in the true sense of the word, and
some are never old in the real acceptation of the
term, but surely :those who meet their task in
the genial and gracious way are the wisest, the
happiest, and the most successful.. We are told
that a merry heart goes all the day, and through
the years of his pilgrimage Lord PALMERSTON has
proved the truth of this adage. In the summary
of his career before alluded to, it is truly remarked
that it can never be said that "Lord PALMERSTON
has stood idle in the market-place of life, it can
never be said that when called upon to serve his
Sovereign in the political crisis and exigencies of his
ceuatry, he has been weighed in the balance and
found wanting." This is an honoured and honour-
able reflection for a man to carry with him to
retirement. The Chancellor of the Exchequer
the other day seemed to be getting weary, and spok e
of a future unconnected with the turmoils of politics,
but in this notion he found no encouragement from
his leader, he is firm at his post, true to his colours,
and faithful to his calling. Various ways conduce
to the same end ; there may be some who pass their
last years in happy retirement in atium cum
dignitatc, and recount to wondering listeners the
thrice told but ever welcome tale of the glories of
their prime; but there are others who go on till the
last working at the plough, from which having put
their hand they have not looked back and content
to wait firm at their post until the Great Master shall
summon them to receive the eternal wages of their
earthly toil. Of such we may reckon our Premier,
and, as Mr. DISRAELI once said that the career of
Lord RUSSELL was among the precious possessions
of the House of Commons, so it may appropriately
be observed that Lord PALMERSTON'S history is
among the honoured trophies of Ministerial records.
He has shown how a man may hold an onerous
task with credit to himself, and fulfil important
duties with a willing mind and a cheerful heart.
Surely this is a lesson that youth may mark and
manhood notice. It is always difficult to spend old
age happily, but to spend it heartily and honour-
ably is still more rare. This need not be if right
feelings influence the mind, and an earnest spirit
impress the actions. The ruling spirit strong in
death may be strong while life lasts; and when
we notice that attention wanes, interest figs, and
affection dulls, as years increase, it is often
because the root was not deep, nor the appearance
genuine. Amaranthines and asphodels can only
flourish on indigenous soils, and if the energy be
not strong, nor the endurance perfect, they will fail
as life progresses; but if they are solid and can
weather the storm, they will last in perennial
vigour, and blow in unfading splendour until the
shadow feared of man proclaims Out the night is
La- spent, and thJ day is at hand. A better dcfi
nition of the endurance of deep.rooted sentiments
was never given than in these expressive lines of
WORDSWORTH:—

Thy thoughts and feelings shall not die,
Nor leave thee when grey hairs aro nigh
•
A melancholy slave,
But an old age, serene and bright,
And lovely as a Lapland night,
Shall light thee to the grave.

There is a certain sort of Nemesis which
always overtakes evildoers in some form or another.
True, it may not always be in the particular way
supposed by lookers-en, or it may not suffice to