The Sun.
London, England, 1854-07-19 00:00:00

Tib

~v

~1~~~~~0

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 1854.

Yesterday is not unworthy of being inscribed
henceforth as red-letter-day in the Calendar of
Literature. It must be remembered, at least, as
interesting in the literary annals of our genera-
tion. It must be referred to in terms of pecu-
liar tenderness in a book that remains still to be
written, but one that, sooner or latter, will be
written, inevitably, a book eloquent—no matter
from whose hand it may emanate eloquent
with the simple facts of THOMAS HOOD'S bio-
graphy, a record of his life and genius, of his
sufferings and of his philanthropy. In that nar-
rative, yesterday, the 18th of July, 1854, must
perforce be mentioned as a date not unworthy of
very particular commemoration. As scarcely less
worthy of note in the " Life of HOOD" than the
day of his birth, the 23d of May, 1798, or than
the day of his death, the 3d of May, 1845—the
alpha and the omega of that brief History which was
as potent for good, as fraught with stores of elo-
quence, as lucid in meaning, as simple in structure,
as complete, and as symmetrical, as an Alphabet.
Several years have passed by since the body of the
Poet and Humorist was laid in his grave in Ken-
sal-green Cemetery. Half-a-dozen had elapsed
without that grave being marked even by a com-
mon slab or an ordinary head-stone. A few
simple but heart-stirring stanzas from the hand of
ELIZA COOS first directed attention to the ne-
glected condition of the spot redeemed from ob-
scurity by the dust of the dead Lyrist. Out of
that poetic garland, flung by a gentle sympathy
above the grass-grown grave of HOOD, has sprung
up, in substantial bronze and granite, a very
beautiful and enduring monument. A work of
art not unworthy of the refined taste and ripening
abilities of MATTHEW NOBLE, the sculptor. And
one which, unostentatious though it is, will attest
to posterity that THOMAS HOOD was appreciated
and that his memory was beloved by his contem-
Nraries. For the most noteworthy circumstance
in connection with the monument which was
inaugurated yesterday in the presence of a
numerous assemblage, and the uncovering of
which was preceded 'by a feeling and effective
address delivered u
member p
on the occasion by the accom-
plished.tfor the borough of Pontefract—
was the fact graven upon the pedestal, the fact
that this graceful andappropriate monument was
erected by public subsen
therefore, and the impotan°lcle
_
It has the merit,
testimonyneo tributeof
to
gratefulth eof being a sponta-
maenulderyaffeDeftillaTHOMAS HOOD, a
el
isimmediateadmiration
proffered by all ranks and classesoofti
contemporaries. As such the event of y
inesterda the
y
becomes of sufficient value to be recorded
pc
annals of our home literature. CHARLES
e
himself illustrious among the most illustrious
m of
"s'
the contemporaries of How), has spoken so
I where, tenderly and sorrowfully, of the time "when
he had come to know him well, and to see him,
stout of heart, going slowly down into his grave"
--that grave is no longer overlooked or un-
honoured. It bears above it a very visible attes-
tation that the benign genius and the innocent
fame of HOOD are cherished in the na-
tional remembrance. A little while since
and that spot was only marked by the neglected
turf and the funereal hillock. It is now touch-