New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-08-26
John Crifchiey Prince.
Foreign Correspondence Of The Tribune


his acquaintance and have thus learned something
Of his history, which is very remarkable may per.
haps interest your readers by sketchng the prin-
cipal events Of his life. He was born 10 Wigan.
manufacturing town Of Lancashire June o. lsOs.
His father was reed maker for weavers, ex-
tremely ill-psid employment, and having large
family, and being much gwen TO dissipation was
unable as well as indisposed, 10 give our subject
the advantages even Of the most ordinary educa
ton. But, fortunately, he had good and prudent
mother-one who possesseda little learning her
self and wished TO impart it to her children
and by dint Of her assistance and the instruction be
received short time at Baptist Sunday School,
be learned to read, though imperfectly. He could
now, however, collect the conveyed in print
ed characters and every book and every scrap Of
paper thatcame within his reach he perused eagerly
At nine years Of age he was taken by bis father
10 work at reed making in which from this time, he
was usually employed from fourteen 10 sixteen hours
day. 1t may be well supposed that under these
circumstances he would have little time to improve
his mind, especially as his father sought every op-
portunity to repress his bookish nclinations, lest
they should interfere with work yet in spite OF all
difficulties he would steal a few moments. whenever
he could TO crafty his thirst for knowledge. Often
at night, after the rest OF the family had gone to
sleep he would slip silly out of bed, and rakng the
dim FIRE, pore over some borrowed volume till ma
ture completely exhausted, compelled him to retire
20 repose Thus he dragged on the days Of his boy
hood, neglected and discouraged, his imprisoned
genius struggling for more enlarged life and liberty
In 1921, when he had reached his thirteenth year,
pecuniary difficulties induced bis father to leave
Wigan and move to Manchester, thence he soon re.
moved TO Stockport, neighboring town, shortly
after back again TO Manchester, and finally to Hyde
about eight miles from the latter. While in Man
chester young Prince obtained copy of Byron, the
perusal of which gave him so much delight that he
became from that time forth devotee Of the Muses..
While here, also he became acquainted with an
old German soldier, who had been wounded at
Waterloo who often entertained him with glowing,
and doubtless exaggerated, descriptions OF the coun
tries the Continent, particularly OF Germany
This planted in the breast Of the future poet de
sire 10 see foreign lands-a desire which was sub
sequenty gratified under painful circumstances
In Hyde our subject lived a wretched life, owing
to his fathers habits and the wretched return for
eed.making Thinking TO make for himself bet
ter home than that Of his fathers house he married
his own condition in life. This only served TO IN
crease his difficulties for, though his wife was in
dustrious and continued To work at weaving, 10
which she had been accustomed as his family
grew around him, his trade still being very bad he
was often sadly pinched.
In $50, hearing that reed makers were much de
manded and well paid in France he determined to
try his fortune in that country Leaving therefore
his wife 10 support herself and three children TIL he
could get employment and send TOR them, with what
little money he could gather together, he started
On reaching London he learned that France was IN
state of revolution but not considering that this
would inevitably destroy all trade, for time at
least and goaded on doubtless by desire 10 break
up the dull monotony Of his life and crafty an ar
dent curiosity TO visit scenes on which his lmagina
ton had long dwelt he still persevered in proceed
ing. Reaching Calais, he remained there TILL Louis
Philippe was made king, and then went on TO St
Quentin in Pcardy, where he expected to lind en-
ployment But no was doomed to be sadly disap-
pointed, not being able to get anything TO do. Yet
unwilling now 10 turn back he resolved TO go to
Muhausen on the upper Rhine, great seat OF man.
ufactures On his way there he showed the bent
of his mind by stopping eight days at Paris, visiting
oil the places of interest and amusement thereby
nearly emptying his purse which at first was but
scantily supplied.
At Muhausen he had no better success. His
condition, therefore. became very far from envable
In the heart of strange country, totally ignorant
gone-whchever way he turned starvation stared
him in the face His thoughts also reverted 10 his
family, whom he had left with very precarious
means of support and this added deeper pang to
his suiierings. TO return Immediately to England
WAS his first thought but, hoping that trade might
shortly revive, he fingered about the city hve
months in the most miserable condition, subslsting
on private charity At the end of that time, there
being no better prospect of employment his clothes
becoming literally rags, sorey haunted likewise by
fears for his family he determined to beg his way
back to HIS own country.
In his return he followed the banks of the Rhine.
and, though his body subsisted on scanty morses
from the hand of charity, his poetic spirit enjoyed
I many an ambrosial feast The scenes OF historic
and romantic interest that consecrate the borders
of the beautiful Rhine, found, in the ragged Eng
lish wanderer, a most enthusiastic admirer Often,
without sou in his pocket hungry uncertain
whether he would find bed for the night he
would sit down among the ruins OF some ancient
castle his imagination revellng In the rich assocla
tons of the Past till the gathering chilling shades
of night called him from his bright reveries to the
4 bleak realities BY which he was surrounded. He
would then hobble away, shivering from cold TOR
it was Winter when he began the journey and
thought himself fortunate if admitted TO spend the
night beneath the humbest roof. Passing through
Strasbourg, Nancy, Verdun, Lunevile Chalons and
Rheims, he at length reached Calais where he OBJ
tanned passage across the Channel from the British
Consul.
The first night after landing IN England, he ap-
piled for food and lodging at work house IN Kent
and was put into garrett in which were already
twelve persons-eight men and four women-some
Of whom were dangerously i'll. He lay at the back
of an old woman. whose continued groans' mingled
with those Of others around kept him awake and
in agony all night Glad he was when the morn
lug came to release him from this wretched lazar-
house. He had noticed toward ay-hght that the
grooming ihis bed fellow gradually ceased, and on
rising to leave, the keeper opened the door, he
beheld with horror that she was dead She was
temporary inmate like himself and had been left 70
die without any of the attention requisite TO sevi
ate the pains OF dissolution
Glad to escape from this painful scene, be imme-
diately left. taking the direct road TO London
When he reached the metropolis, be had been all
dsy without food. The thought now suddenly
struck him that he might perhaps turn his poeticsl
predictions TO some account--ior already he had
been accustomed to solscc his woes by wooing the
MUSES.. though he had published nothing except
lew pieces in some obscure provincial publications.
Big with hope, he sold bis waistcoat at nag su
tor eightpence and having first partially aPpeased
the cravings of hunger with penny roll OF bre ad