The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1858-01-08
BIppEFoRD, MAINE, FRIDAY, JANUARYs, 1858.
woodbine and the wild rose over the
neighboring fields. The distant hills,
sharply defined,

HcibuootiuS hciuS' AhN e
sharply defined,
~in clear--i air ascending, showed isro or
A suifsc. d,ppled o'er with shadows tiung
FROM b,o.din. clvuds shaoows that 10y In spot
Determined aud uumuvcd, with steady beams
Vi brigL, anJ pIeassnt sunshiue in,erPoscd.
The neighborhood Of Beaconsfeld pos
sesses no features of striking beauty, but
it is not deficient in certain rural charms.
1t is reilly cultivated, uudulating and well
timbcred; and the coppce and other
woods are sufficiently extensive to be inn
posing without monotony, and sufficient
ly broken into masses to give variety and
richuess to the landscape. Mat farms,
quiet homcsteads, and malt-houses, scat
tered in every direction, give an mir o;
competence and comfort to the district
and knowing Burke's taste for Asricul.
tnre, and his appreciation of country life'
Ne can understand that the features
which strike, or perhaps fail TO to strike,
casual observer, were TO him peculiarly
pleasing, and made the neighborhood OF
Bcaconsficld well suited to his desire at
once for congenial occupation and for the
indulgence OF occasional retirement.
The little town presents nothing OF III
tcrest; but at the distance OF about a
mile, on a road leading in a northcrly dl-
recton, stands diapidated gateway,
opcpiug upon road now oycrgrownwith
turi, and the whcel.track only family Wis
iblc. This road passes through a small
park studded with well-grown trees, and
leads TO the spot on which once stood a
mansion of some pretcnsion, and which
must have been well protected on three
sides hy shcltering woods. OF the house
no hing remains. 1t was totally destroy.
ID by tire in 1925, aud no scorched OF
blackened brick remains TO tell of its for.
mur existence. Its site is only marked
by an excava,ion-thc space once occu'
pied by the cellars and underground OF
fees, and well OF the purest water
The whole is now covered with turf and
few sheep were quietly cropping the
grass which has grown over the ruins
\ range of stabling still exists, but in q
diapidated state; and belfry over the
coach-house still marks the place as lav'
ing been once gentlemans residence,
The farmhouse called "Grcgories," rs in
Burke's time, is in good preservation -
aud the estate which once owned the
care of one OF the most practical Of agri
culturists and greatest of men Is now IL
the occupation oil n Buckinghalnshir,
yeoman.
This domain Burke became possessed
OF in the year 1868. In letter TO Al
early friend he writes: al have just made
a push with all | could collec. ofmy owl
and the aid oil my friends, to cast littl'
root in this country. l have purchased
house, with IN estate of about six hun
lrrd acres of land. in Buckinhamslire
,wcuty-.oar miles from London. 1t is
,lace exceedingly pleasant; anu par
osc, God will,ug, 10 become II farmer il
.ood earnest
Many conjcctnrcs have been formed u
10 the source iiom which Burke derive,
the money TO pay for so considerable |
property. Ii as been more than insinu
ltrd that the funds were the wages O
corruption. lie WAS known to be u poo
man, and he was suddenly transforne,
into landed proprietor and mansion
entertaining his friends with liberality
and able TO take his position with the al
i.tocacy Of the country. Johnson Wa
one OF his first friends who visited him a
his country seat (; and surveying his fin
estate aud well appointed establishment
exclaimed, "arui eYaiiem, hcideo miro
mIi,." Caring little for county life, h
.iewed his friends seat, nevertheless, wit
, pride, mixed undoubtedly with little as
constituent; but he knew him too WELT
suppose that such change OF forum
coald have arisen from any sacrifice q
personal or political integrity.
I'm explanation OF this rather mys'cr
oas chang, in Birkts position has beef
supplies, by the correspondence publishes
by Earl F,tzwilliam. Burke was at tn
time OF this purchase private secretary t
the Marquis OF Rockingham, and the
were ON terms of the strictest friendship
= The Marquis early acquired knowlcdg
!. OF the great qualities of Burke's mind an
character. The statepapers which Burk
!. wrote for the use Of the whigparty mark
. ed him out as its guiding and governin
\ spirit. Lord Rockingham felt himse
under the deepest obligations to his abl
:. and brilliant secretary; and he determir
, ed to requite him in way that woul
, secure at once his private and political il
/, dependence, and give him status in SC
!. cial life that should be in some dcgre
proportionate TO the dignity Of his char
ac,er and his great intellectual prc-em
:, nence. He advanced him considcmbl
. sum, and took bond for its repayment
T.. y>.,,, :, xxas ., Loan In snl,slan., a, .v;ft