The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-02 00:00:00

Inauguration of Sir G. C. Lewis's Memorial
at New Radnor.

-- 0^ - -

The Radnorshire memorial to the late Sir G. C. Lewis,
Bart., wee inaugurated on Wednesday at New Radnor.
The right hon. baronet, besides being much esteemed as a
scholar and statesman, wee greatly honoured as a landlord
and country gentleman in the county of Radnor and
the adjoining districts, with which he was intimately
connected. Closely allied with two ancient families
(Lewis, of Harpton Court, Radnorshire, and Cornewall,
of Moccas Court, Herefordshire), he owned consider-
able landed property in both counties, and succes-
sively represented the county of Hereford and the
Radnorshire boroughs (which include Radnor, Rhaya-
der, Knighton, Presteign, Celiallys, and Knuckles) in
Parliament. A resolution to erect a substantial monument
in Radnorshire to the memorzo he deceased baronet was
passed- at a county- meeting,
in May, 1863, in compliance with a requisition frona the in-
habitants, Subscriptions were readily obtained from per-
sons of all shades of politics; and, as the people of Radnor-
shire had subscribed towards the statue lately unveiled by
the Premier in Hereford, so the residents in Herefordshire
contributed towards the memorial just inaugurated. The
design was selected by the building committee from 59 that
were sent to them, It is mainly of Box ground stone, and
is in the Eleanor Cross style. It is 77ft high, by 25ft at the
base, is octagonal in form, and divided into three compart-
ments or stages. On the front of the lower stage is the
following inscription :

Radnorshire
To her most distinguished son,
Sir

George Cornewall Lewis,
Bart.
Died 1863.
Under the inscription is a good medallion portrait in
marble of the late Baronet, by Mr R. Boulton, of Wor-
cester. The chief stage rises from the one described
and in four recesses, divided by eight columns, stand
four allegorical figures, of Caen stone, each 61t 6in high,
representing Justice, Truth, Oratory, and Literature,
under canopies of richly-carved arches and gables. In the
compartment above are other columns of red Mansfield
stone, around an octagonal shaft, with canopies, arches, and
other decorations, and representations of the coats of arms
of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The next stage,
which is similarly ornamented, has also four large griffins,
hoLt ing the arms of Sir George Lewis, An ornamental
spire springs from the last stage, on the top of which is a
carved cross with a circle entwined in the centre.
It had been intended that the memorial should stand
on the top of Castle Hill, close to the town of New Rad-
nor, an eminence 100 ft. above the level of the highroad.
But, in digging the foundation, the remains of the old
castle were discovered, including old floors around which
were good arched doorways, and windows were moulded
in the style of the 13th century, and in some cases pos-
sessing the old iron stanchion and grating. Principally
from a desire to preserve these ancient relies, on account of
their historical interest, the site was abandoned, and a much
more suitable one was subsequently secured, namely, a
triangular spot upon a level in the roadways, at a junction
of three roads, one of which is used by the mail coach to
Aberystwit h. Advancing towards New Radnor from King-
ton the memorial is seen to advantage, and from its height,
boldness, and richness of detail has a very handsome ap-
pounce. The architect is Mr Joint Gibbs, Oxford, the
design, r of the memorial cross at B y, the memorial to
the Prince Consort at Abingdon (which, it is stated, the
Queen will inaugurate early in the spring), and the me-
tuorial toShakepere at Stratford-upon-Avon. Mr Mansfield,
builder, Kington, has carried out the architect's plans in
an admirable manner. Mr Stephens, of Barnwell, executed
the carving. The cost of the memorial is £l,OOO.
It had been intended that theßuil ingeommittee, accom-
panied by the Bailiff and Corporation, who hold office under
charters granted by Eliz theth and Ut orge 11. and others,
should walk in procession from the Town Hall to the monu-
ment ; but the extremely unfavourable weather precluded
any outdoor demonstration. The proceedings were confined
to a tent, which happily resisted the drenching rain and the
violent wind that prevailed, The principal residents in the
noigbbourho )d, including many ladies, were present. Sir
John B. Walsh, Bart, M.P. and lord lieutenant of Radnor-
shire, presided ; and there were also present the Earl of
Clarendon, the Rev. Sir Gilbert and Lady Lewis (flamptc n
—the High Sheriff of the county (Mr G. A. Haigh), Mt.
Court)—Mr R. G. Price, M.P. fey the Radnor boroughs
Rev. L. VENABLES, the chairman of the committee,
said they had completed the work, and now handed it
over to the groat body of
the subscribers represented by
Sir J. Walsh.
Sir J. WALSh said they had met upon a very grave and
solemn occasion to perform an act that would close the
connection between them and the eminent man whom
they met to honour and to mourn. (Hear, hear.) He did
not mean to infer that by that day's proceedings he would
pass from their remembrance. Far otherwise. (Applause.)
He (Sir J. Walsh) was quite sure that in these retired
districts his name would become a tradition, and that
fathers would tell their children some particulars of the
great man whose name reflected such lustre upon the
country. (Applause.) Mixed with their regrets, he
feared that there would always be a feeling of bitter
disappointment. They Must all regret that a career so
honourable during its whole course, and so brilliant towards
its close, met with so abtup
t a termination. They must
always regret that that career had been left incomplete. It
was one of the defects of our thronged community, of our
ancient civilisation, that every profession was crowded, that
every path was thronged, and that even the greatest merit
found its way slowly to the surface. Perhaps there was
something in human nature that rendered the active com-
petitors in this race peculiarly jealous of excellencies of a
varied and diversified character, They were jealous of see-
ing one individual associate different species of success and
different orders and descriptions of merit, and there were
some who bestowed their suffrages in the first instance
grudgingly and distrustfully
different bases. So in Sir G., ucp. olicl ims
Lewis's
early wh i f
er uponeesyteerdyba
d y
knew that he was a great and profound classical scholar,
acquainted with all the shades and
tthhaatthaaenwtiaas intimately
beauties
aaddaliaacies
of
the Greek language—all who
knew him were aware that his capacious mind embraced the
whole circle of modern literature, both foreign and English.
But there wore those who said that these acquirements were
admirablethemselves--they were rare in their excellence,
they
were
sufficient
a distinguish
any person, and were of
a character to enable any
t
man to occupy with honour and
P or the head of a college,
bc ruetd it
theyt the e
werec ae r
neat t aa
Iptraogf
ee
tails oa rr s
those
qualities which fitted a
man to enter into the active pursuits and business of life.
A man might be an admirable scholar and might be no man
G. C. Lewis was placed
oinf baussitinnnestiso.nTwimniecnromlleodatonpe,aannldiaSrlir
y tested his abilities as a
man of business and of practical knowledge and acquaint
ance with affairs. He was placed at the head of the Poor
papers, Law, which at that time was not one of those old-esta-
blished offices where everything went on by clockwork,
hp clockwork of the machine with
undeviating regularity. No ; this was a very different ordeal, where admirable and active
ole
when it was sufficient that the head should sign his name
to a certain
carried
number
a t e etw
olerks n the
that he passed though. The Poor Law was at that time
something entirely new. He had to create the machinery as
well as to apply it. He had to apply new rules to infinitely
diversified cases. Ho had constantly to change and to
adapt to different circumstances rules and principles which
were in themselves perfectly novel, and also very unpopu-
lar. No one could have performed so difficult a task without
possessing the highest administrative ability, and all ac-
knowledged that the scholar was likewise a great adminiss
trator, and were prepared to admit that Sir G. C. Lewis was
as equal to deal with the business of life as he was to deal
with the literature of the present or of past ages. (Ap-
plause.) Still there were cavillers. Perhaps there were
those who were anxious to accord the very smallest modi-
cum of merit, and to receive proof at every stop for
everything and to infer nothing, and there were those
who might say, " He is an admirable scholar, he is a great
administrator, but it is one thing to administer well the
affairs of a department,and it is another to take a part in the
national councils, and to be not only an able administrater
but a profound and comprehensive statesman When Sir
Geo. Lewis was well on towards middle lt
fe. he had an op •
an round of the lad der.
He
portunity of stepping up U
had an opportunity of showing how the administrator
and
the statesmen,
the scholar was capable likewise of becoming
how the same mind that could grapple with details was
equally able to impart sound and wise counsels to a nation.
one
He was placed in of the highest and most responsible
and most difficult positions which any statesman could oo-
oupy in this country, was made Chancellor of the Ez.