New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-06-22

/ servef.y called.
Mrs. Alien bad o1l given Mp washing and gone
tores.de inaneat cottage which her son built out
Of TIE first produce oi lis quarry aud many of
( or former employers sal1ted The good woman as
she n-esci o. So. AIaIvs rAllcl ll her black sag
st-ier sac li-h leaIcd shoes, and velvet hood he
I q respectable old 'e1y Of the period. Alou, this
tune ti.a works O.. tle great DR.. Warbu-t1n were
a.f.acfir- public attention, md much talked az iu
/ the best society ot Bath Ralph Allen brought the
/ laresf pub shed .o'ume home one day, AID found
. lis mother seated ia the small paror " ..h bis Old
. friend Mr. LeatLem. - lO was about o. retire from
public blsi...s s.. ald bad called o. see him What
/ books won DO buy. Ralph sad the old woman
/ who bad alvey susi -.-'l pi Der son cxt.afa
/ -rrre oa th.. point. and she pointed t3 a irr-e
I I0okcree where DRYDEN. Ti.l1tson, ami all ths
/ best authors OF the preceding age migif 1e sce4
/ ir f'.a- works. closely ranged together. " IL was
/ 0ni, last week" continued tine good dame. that
you b.ou-lt home that book about Fame, written
b. one Mr. Pope.
/ %" And don @ son iuoN, mother, who Is the WI
/ fcr o. i.ls volume sai Ralph. Don sou -c-
member M- WARRINGTON. .ac parsJa Of 0ur 1w4
+ G.eaJev. i N9t'iu-hansh.r.. Who gave me tle
certificate which presented ~ yo1. Alr. Leatlen
/ ten years ago. when / wished o. be p0s-Ooy o.
MARLBOROUGH
Tina was true the vicar %. Greasiey became
/ tue celebrated Dr. Warbuftou. oterward Bishop
/ of Gloucester. and it vas sad Ar Leathcm's
/ faml- kept that certiiCst- Ike sort oil relic.
RalrI Aliens making bis fortune. was the
\ usual remark of everybody about Bath when tle
quarry was mentioned AMI % bad now grown an
important matter a. the whole property ol CJ0me
I Down winch s0 many farmers bad called oco1
Joss. found o. be one vast bed ci thc urs buiii-
/ il- stone
Ralph was making money last aud las deposit,
I in the Bank increased every year but bis aims
did not end thefe-the experience OF his ioner
situation n the Post Office was al length en-
pl0rCt O. some purpose SludrT us-iu! arrange.
neuts aud inventions had long ago made his name
aud abilities known 90 Che authorities OF that De
/ paltlaelt. AZ the period % our story. the Pos
/ Office in almost every County was lalmei d. some
wealthy 0l eute4pusll- person, who to1a ils Whole
/ revenue and expenses n his own hands, paying o.
/ the Government T. certain SUN annually, according
/ o. las contract. Ralph who had acquired. a cOI-
/ siderable acquaintance with all the details OF the
| business. aud had beside the good opinion o. the
most influential iJuctouaries. proposed % vest the
small fortune already gained by the Coome Down
quarry In q Post Office contract tor ali England
aud ms proposal was accepted. From tins period
the career ol Ralph Allen was one 81 uliluts-l1pt-
| ed prosperity. Under Dds administration. The Post
Otlce revenue, even 800 that age of cOmfsfa-tfelf
/ little ieter-wIting. vas almost doubled 80 llw
/ years owing 10 the better arrangements introduced
/ boy hiin ln the Transmission oi mais, aud various
| postage regulations. which have made nis name
celebrated a. one OF the few who have conferred
benefits of lasting kind on their native country.
| Bur Ralph Allen was destined 90 become, II pos
5.be, still more honorabiy known TO iane. From
his earliest youth he had cultivated his mind.
wei as imprJE ei his fortune as without tLe .orm.
er eudeav0r. the latter would have been but halt
success, t0o ia wealth had been gathered like the
sand. Ills Post Office contract in snOr. time real
zed such au income as made the proprietor one O.
the richest men ia The ucl-iborl0ad of Baln.
Mrs Allen had lived 70 see her sons prudent
conduct and perseverance warded to an extent
Of which she had ncye dreamed and Tue good dame
closed her days in pcac, and comfort ia The pleas
ant cottage at CoOme Down, having nothing 60 fe-
ret and mo- annoyance but a shadow fear. which
at times slightly agtated the calm current OF her
.atterday thoughts that Ralph was buying 700
many BOOKS. But having gained tie summit OF his
early ambtOn-a well and houOrably won fortune
he determined % enjoy IL agrceably % ms re-
fined taste, in the mun.hcout announcement oi
arts and literature. He had acquired general re-
spect as wei as riches and as has fortune raised
him gradually in tine scale oi society, had won the
esteem, and formed the acquaintance OF men ce.e.
brated for I'll err talents. aud still famous through
their works Pope, Fielding, Swift, and Goldsmith
were among the number Oh his friends. and thc
titled and fashionable paid naturaltribute tomcrt
and success by including Mr Allen in their most
select society.
The country round Bath is one Of the finest dis.
ticts in England, being diversified with beautiful
wood crowned hills aud broad green meadows
One property, IN particular, popularity called Pro-
Park had i0ug attracted Ralph Aliens eve from
the barren slopes o., CO0me Down. and there, DE-
often said. he should wish, il fortune permitted
him. 20 build mansion worthy of the sceae. TINS
project was at last put in execution. The pos
SCISSOR Of the estate ruined his affairs by careless
ness and extravaganza IN London II was IN con
sequence. offered ior sale, and Ralph Allen, Esq.
became tho purchaser of Prior park Here on the
slope of ono of those wood covered hills which De-
had often admired splendid mansion was erect
ed under his own superintendent, whose beaut
ful Cornthisn porico and tasteful decorations were
the theme ot praise among all the lovers o.
ant the former especially being still regarded a.
unrivaled iu English architecture. Here Ralph
retired about middle life leaving the field oi act
i've industry 10 youngeran and more needy aspiroufs
here also hc gathered round him the most poi
.shcl society of that fashionable cchb1rh10d and
many of the authors the purchase OF whose works
had once ast0nished his mother Mr.. Allen is
well known 20 all cOnyersant with the literature
of those times rs its udicious and muniiicent pat
ron aud ia particular as the attached iuend OF the
somewhat irritable poet Alexander Pope, and the
philosophic Bishop Warburton.
The facts oil his story, though not 50 generally
known. belong % real lie. and verified by has
contemporaries Prior Park has now become
Catholic College bat its romantic situation ano
fine CorinthIan columns are still rcckoned among
tie attractions OF the district and they oher
lesson al how much may be achieved by woA-di-
rected energy and perseverlng prudence.
Prior Park looks down beautiful valley, with the
City OF Bath repOsing the lower ground and rising
slopes On the right hand slope, Gn BathwCk II we
remember rghtly) stands a very handsome house OF
the style OF the seventeenth century with tail rails snd
gate enclosing the front garden and looking toward tho
noble mansion OF Prior Park. Enjoying the scenefy
there one day with clerical friend he informed tina
in that house Fielding wrote his celebrated novel; Tom
Jones and that the character Of Squire Allworthy
was no other than biz friend Mr. Allen.
Eds Liverpool Mercury
prior Park the residence thirty years ago. OF John
Thoua7 wealthy, philosophical Quaker I'd IrbI /
SOUSD.-On Saturday evening last the sound Oh
the wheels and engine OF the steamer Vanderot weie
heard distinctly st Stonngt0n Conn when the boat Wa
ten mi of Saybrook forty miles distant Inc
sound continued distinct until the boat reached New
London when two gentlemen on the wharf al Stol.ns-