Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-06-29
Reats orC.P.R. James.

The EroQa bring the brief announcement OF the death
OF g. p r. james, while filing the office OF British
Consul General at Venice to which port he was trans
rred about three years ago from his residence as Con-
sui in this cy The tidngs of his death will be receiv
ed with sincere regret by bis numerous acquaintance
and friends in Virginia, to whom he had endeared him
self by all the virtues and graces that lend charm to
social lite L has very rarely occurred that foreigner
has attained among US the extensive personal popular
i.v enjoyed by Mr.. James His manners were purely
unaffected, his spirits genial and his cordial
He seemed to have dspOsessed himself entirely of the
preudces natural to gentlemen of European and espec
ally British birth and education and to have assimated
himself uusectedly the tastes habits and symPathies
of our people Il heart was heabodeof generous SEN
umeuts. aud his private life was full of kindly deeds
Th1.e who knew him most intimately were warmest in
his praise aud sdoubdu whether in his native land he
had ,o,r friends personal associations reciproeaiy
more cherished than here.
Mr. james was born in George street Hanover square,
London about the beginning of the present century
His fathers family was originally from Stafordshire, and
his mother was Scotchwoman He received his early
education at a school Greenwich, kept by French en-
rant and was afterwards placed under he tuition Of the
Rev William Carmalt, with whom he remained until he
was nearly d,el wears of age shortly after which he
went TO France The death OF his elder brother about
this period considerably changed his prospects in he
aud he became almost bis master from that time
forward He renamed long time in France.
He very early imbibed literary tastes and from time to
time wrote small pisces which sent anonymously TO
the journals and reviews. IL also wrote number of
little tales for the amusement of himself and friends,
\ a Tba LAT Wash l.,
wing however having seen one of these advised the
hor to a.temp' something more important The result
of Encouragement was the novel OF Rchelieu, which
wa completed in the year 1928. The deah of Lord
Liverpool VITO was a friend of his father and on whom
Mr. James prospects greatly depended induced him to
make the a,,emp, to open a way for himself The man
uscr.p. of ''R.gheleu" was shown to Sir Walter Scott
and met with the appreciation Of the great novelist and
poet, who strongly advised the publication of the work
Ii accordingly appeared about 1925 and with great
/ success.
TIL e.ded NJ. James literary career, aud since that
time he has written large number Of novels and few
histories many Of which have attained high degree of
popu rty on both side Of the Atlantic. Mr. James was
uldoubted the voluminous newell Of the day
or perhaps Of any DAY. During the resu Of King VIII
liam " he received the appoint of htorographer for
Great Bitan but circumstances having rendered the Of
fee unpleasant be egnedi by the advice Of his friends.
From the wear ls22 ill the day of his death, Mr.
James pen was never idle The mere list Of his
writings Is beyond most meas power TO remember. His
last work If We remember correctly was Lady MOnta-
CUES PAGE which was the lS9.h volume Of his compO-
siion.
Besides these original works, Mr. James also gave
81. ~.
times Of William ILL.,; Of William Henry Ireauds his,ori
cal romance Of David Rzzio and with Dr. f. E. Grove
wrote The lives OF the eminent foreign statesmen.
Perhaps IS not exact to include under the tile Of
rhetorical romaaces such works Of his as The Lit, Of
Cha-emauge the History Of Chlyalry and other similar
works TIE Life Of Claylemlgne De- QIi1cey praised
highly and it IS still quoted authority His historical
works ae-e bis best and viii secure him long, postum
mo Is reputation for they exhibited most his extensive
knowledge OF history, his quick OF the pictures
que and d- sympathy with truth Of sentiment aud no
b...y of character.
1, was impossible that so yoIumiuous writer could
,s.lre Ia, cutc es Of the critics aud so Mr.. James
De was ,he most prolific Of contemporary authors,
also laou, the most freely satrzsi. His Two solitary
horsrea has been the thteal5re wittcsm of literary
para-r51l, but in one cnviable respect the most unre
leaaag reviewer viii accord him an honored position
He had written no ae which dying he could have wished
10 blot He always appealed pure and generous sem
tme1s aud the pen which covered many lines never
traced In one Of them defng word or called up an i'm
pure image.
For this while his genius is appauded and his social
worth cherished in the memories of those who mourn his
loss let bis name be blessed By the pure and good.