Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1852-04-08

MISCELLANEOUS.
Men Of the Time.

Men Of the Time.
A neat little volume. well filled with in
formation, has just made its appearance
under this title; the object being to present
sketches of living notables-men from
whose actions we may learn the character
and aims of the passing era. As speci-
men of the manner of execution, we pre-
sent the following scraps of quotations:
JOSEPH HUME.
Hume, Joseph, Radical Reformer,
whose history adds another memorable ex-
ample Of perseverance, raising its posses
sor from an humble station 10 distinction,
Hewas born at Montrose, in theyea l777,
While he was still young, his father, the
master of a small tradingvcssel of that
port. died, leaving his widow to bring up
numerous family. Mrs. Hume, it is re-
lated, maintained herself and her children
by means Of small earthenware business
and placed Joseph in school Of the town,
where he received an education which
included instruction in the elements oi
Latin. With such scanty stores Of kuowl-
edge, he was apprenticed to surgeon Of
Montrose, with whom he served three
years.
Having attended the prescribed lee
lures to the medical classes in the univer-
sty of Edinburgh, he was admitted, in
1706, a member ofthe College of Surgeons
in that city. India was at that time ia
vorite, and, indeed, almost the only field
for the young who had no other fortune
than their talents and enterprise. To India,
accordingly, Mr.. Hume went, and entered
as surgeon the naval service Of the East
India Company. He had not been there
three years, before he was placed on the
medical establishment of Bengal. Here,
while increasing his professional reputation
he had the opportunity of watching the
whole operation Of the machinery OF the
Company's service. His quick eye soon
detected the deficiencies Of the greater
number Of the Company's servants in com
mand Of the native language, an acquire
ment so valuable In possessions such as
ours. He determined to acquire knowl-
edge Of the dialects Of India, not doubling
that sphere of larger utility and greater
emolument would open before his efforts
The Mahratta was breaking out in 1903.
Mr.. Hume was attached to Major-general
Powell's division, and accompanied it on
its IL arch from Allahabad into Bundel-
cund. The want ofinterpreters was now
felt, as Hume had expected. and the com
mander was glad to find among his sur
geons a man capable Of supplying the de-
ficiency. He continued to discharge his
new uties without rcsigning his medical
appointment. and managed 10 combine
with both the Offices Of paymaster and
post master ofthe troops. His ability to
hold direct intercourse with the natives
continued to he of immense service to him,
and enabled him to hold, simultaneously, a
number of Offices with most varied duties,
such as nothing but an unwearying frame
and au extraordinary capacity could have
enabled any person to discharge.
AT the conclusion Of the peace, he re-
turned to the presidency, richer by many
golden speculations, for which a period of
war never fails to offer opportunities. In
1908, having accomplished the object for
which he left his native land, he came to
England, and, after an interval of repose,
determined upon making tour of the
country, the better to acquaint himself with
the condition Of lis inhaLitrnts. After
making this tour, and visiting various con-
tlnental countries, he returned TO England,
where he devoted himself to a political
career; and since 1912, he has for the most
part had seat in the House OF Commons
His parliamentary history since 1912 has
been that of a retormcr of abuses and enc
my Of monopoly, and he is respected even
by those who differ from him in opinion.
Dickens. Charles, the most popular wri-
ter of his time, was born in February,
1912. at Landport, Portsmouth. His ia
ther, the late MIR. John Dickens, in the
earlier part of his life, enjoyed post in the
Navy Department, the duties of which re-
quired that he should reside from time to
time in different seaports: now at P PlymoIth,
now at Portsmouth, and then at Sheerness.
ain the glorious days" Of the war with
France, these towns re full OF life, hustle
and character; and the farther of Boz"
was at times fond of dilating upon the
strange scenes be had witnessed. One of
his stories described sitting-room he once
enjoyed at Blue town. Sheerness, abut-
ting on the theatre. OF an evening he
used to sit in this room, and could hear
what was passing on the stage. and Join
in the chorus of God SAGE the Ksng. and
britannia rules the Wares-then the "a
vorite songs of Enghshmen. The war
'heing at an end; amongst those who left
the public service with pension was the
father of our novelist. Coming to Lon
don, he subsequently found lucrative EN-
ployment for his talents in the press as a
reporter ofpariamentary debates. Charles
Dickens may, therefore, be sind TO have
been in his youth famiiiarised with "copy;"
and when his father, with parental anxiety
for his future career. took the preliminary
steps for making his son an attorney, the
dreariness of the proposed Occupation fell
SO heavily upon the mind of The future au
thor, that he induced MS fat her to permit
MIN to resign the law, and join the parlia-
mentary corps ofa daily newspaper.
His first engagement was on the True
Sun, and ultraliberal paper. then carrying
on fierce struggle for exis .tence, from the
staff of which he afterwa rds passed into
the reporting ranks ofthe Morning CAroni-
Gle. On that paper, he obtained reputa-
ton as a frst-rate man-lals reports being
exceedingly rapid, and n o less correct
r, tho co1umns of Tho f-yro,;cIo bo 500,