The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-06


those who have aggrieved him. His benevo-
lence, both in kindly acts and in aims, is pro-
verbal. AS a man of character whose long
business life has been without reprosch, whose
opinions have never been disguised, and who
has sorupulously summed untruthfulness
and meanness, he has reputation unsur-
passed among London merchants.
Mr.. Peabody's intimacy with Sir Curtis is
said to have first arisen from large pecuniary
loss which they both willingly ana honorably
made in common. II was on this wise-Esch
had purchased largely of certain railroad
bonds, and had recommended them to their
friends, who bought more largely still. They
had given their Recommendation in good faith,
and had proved it by their own purchases.
Their friends knew this, so that when it came
out that the bonds were worthless through
some fraud in their issue, no one imputed
blame either to Mr. Peabody or Mr.. Lampson
This, however, did not satisfy the latter His
friends had suffered, and his lack of Judgment
was the cause. He saw Mr. Peabody on the
subject, told him he had concluded to relieve
his friends by taking back their bonds, and
persuaded him to do the same. No financial
operation was ever more successful, for not
only did it create unbounded confidence in
capitalists towards the two American mer-
chants, but had its influence in no small de-
gree in causing the railroad company at length
TO recognize and liquidate its bonds.
With the active partners in the firm Of Bar
ing Brothers, Mr. Peabody has always been on
terms OF intimate acquaintance, though the
late head, Mr.. Joshua Bates, was many years
his senior in age, and the present head, Mr..
Russell Sturgis, is as many his junior. The
former rose to social position almost unpre-
cedented for a merchant, having, in fact the
entire of the most exclusive circles in the
United Kingdom He had, however, unusual
facilities. He was the father of Nine. Van
l,r IS al -
tentiary, and the most old and intimate friend
of Queen Victoria. He had been a valued
friend of the first Napoleon, and had received
many marks of his favor. The House, Of
which he was business chief, had had one ofits
members ennobled into Lord Ashburnham;
another, Sir Thomas Barring, for many years a
member of Parliament, and a third, Sir Thomas
Thornhill Barring, once Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, and for many years Lord of the Trea-
sury. He himself was more often consulted
regarding Government loans than any man
since the days of Sir Thomas Gresham and
played more successfully the double part of
courtier and merchant. From the position he
had attained in the commercial world, Ar.
Bates was perhaps inclined to assume a patro-
nizing manner towards younger aspirants for
wealth and fame like Mr. Peabody, and yet
whether at his town house or his country
seat at Sheen, no visitor was ever treated with
more marked attention. Indeed, Mr. Bates
was always the accomplished host. He had
acquired many rare works of art, possessed
well-selected library, and had one
room of the house at Sheen devoted to Ma
poleonic memorials. AT the table the reserve
of the counting-room was put aside, and few
hosts knew better how to draw out his guests
or to keep conversation at the medium which
requires neither stimulus to excite nor gravity
to check its flow. Mrs. Bates, whom no length
OF residence in Europe ever metamorpho5ed,
threw her Cheeriness over the circle tempted
the young men from wine at the table by the
merriment of the drawing-room, sharpened
their wit by her homey American salies, and
entered into every variety of game and leger-
demain with the ardor of school girl. Those
who have passed day at Sheen, or quiet
evening at the house in town, will hardly
forget the dignitied ease OF the princely mer-
chant or the homely naturalness of his wife.
Mr.. Bates never had, perhaps never de-
Sired reputation for liberality, although he
made some munifcent gifts. He never gave
from impulse or sentiment; never relieved a
street beggar; rarely assisted his countrymen
when in distress; and never put himself for
ward in any municipal or public charity. He
retained his American citizenship to the end,
though strong motives were presented to in
duce him to take the oath of allegiance to the
Queen. His habits, tastes, methods of thought,
preiudices, and choices were, however, ali
life, his looks, bearing, and carriage, were
those of pOrtiy English squire.
With the successor of Mr.. Bates in the
house of Barring Brothers, Mr.. Russell Sturgis,
Mr.. Peabody las always stood on terms of
more than pleasant acquaintance. His resi-
dence in London dates only from lS49,
although his reputation as one of the fore
most merchants in the East had been familiar
on Change years before. Mr.. Sturgis is one
of the most accomplished men in London.
Possessed OF fine figure and bearing, free
from hauteur and arrogance, emipently cour-
teous, easy and graceful in address, patient,
gentle, and atfable, having the advantage of a
finished education ana large experience, we'll
read fluent in conversation, and, perhaps,
more intimately acquainted with tho details OF
the local commercial laws and customs OF
various nations than any other man in Lon
don, he has taken prominent stand from the
first among the merchants of the city. If to
ready sympathy with suffering, and perfect
sincerity, it will be understood why he COM
mands paramount inf Ieuoe in his sphere with
both Englishmen and Americans.
At the residence OF Mr.. Sturgis one meets a
great deal OF society, though his social posi-
tion is not that occupied by Mr.. Bates. In my
day MIR. Sturgis had never been presented at
Court, was not a member of any one of the
leading clubs, and had not admission to the
circles in which his partners, the Barings,
were known. But in London, where what is
best OF the literary, political, scientific, and re-
find world is in the same category of exclusion
from Court, it does not much matter. The
middle class of England furnishes the best
society i'll the world, Why not II posses
ses the intellect, cultivation, learning, travel,