The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1871-08-09
From the London Saturday ReYiew.
The Romance of Reality.
THE STRANGE STORY OF THE EARL
WHO TURNED SAILOR.
THE TENDENCY TO REACT FROM HIGH
CIVILIZATION.

THE TENDENCY TO REACT FROM HIaE
CIVILIZATION.
The law courts are running the
noveliets hard, and the romance
of real life threatens to cast into
the shade the most thrilling SEN
sations of Mr.. Nudes purVeyors.
While Lord Chief Justice Borill
and his patient jury are engaged
ia their interminable inquiry as
to whether Roger Doughty Itch
borne, supposed to have been
drowned at sea seventeen years
ago, has survived in Tom Castro,
the horse-breakcr of Dargo in the
Australian bush, one e.of the Scotch
sheriffs has been very busy with
q somewhat similar question as to
the identity of George H. Osborne,
second mate Of the Hera, from
Boston to Melbourne, who was
washed overheard in January,
1870, and George Hamilton Cor
don, sixth Earl Of Aberdeen, whose
family had lost all trace Of him
some time previously. 1t is a
striking and very creditable4proof
of the discipline of the English
press, that as regards the: Itch
borne case it has been content
simply to report the proceedings,
and has scrupulously abstained
from all further reference to a
question which is probably upper
most in the minds of most Of the
readers of newspapers, which ev-
erybody is talking about with the
utmost freedom in private society;
and which is every day the sub
iect of innumerabIo rumors, com,
mepts and conjectures Of the most
extraordinary character. In the
Aberdeen case, however, the same
reasons ior reticense do not exist,
for it has practically, though not
formally, been decided, and there
are no hostile interests at issue in
regard to it. The story of the
young Earl is very curious and
romantic, and has, perhaps, some,
thing moro than nero personal
interest. What Psychologists tell
US of the difficulty Of keeping up
a highly cultivated breed, and the
constant tendency it displays to
return in one respect or another
to its primitive wilduess, is also
in some degreo applicable TO so.
cicty. In every highly civilized
community there may be observed
a similar tendency to revolt from
the artificial developments and re.
fined tamcness which mark the
social condition. There is q vague
longing for the rude simplicities
Of life when "wild in woods the
noble savage ran," or when at
least the limitations Of personal
freedom were less oppressive than
they are now, and there was more
room in the world for the swing
and play of individual character.
In most Of US this remains a mere
sen 'nent, but in some cases it
brea out IN startling eccentrici-
ties which puzzle many worthy
people very much. There was
evidently some influence of this
kind at work on young Aberdeen,
when he suddenly threw up his
name and rank aud plunged as a
common sailor, under an assumed
name, into the dirty drudgery
and obscure companionship Of 4
seaHaring career. When this hap
pened be was twenty-five years OF
age, had just succeeded his father
in the title and estates, and had,
as it seemed, every promise of q
happy and distinguished career.
He had shown good parts in his
college course at St. Andrews,
though his tastes led him rather
towards athletic exercises. He
was one Of the best rife shots in
the country, and could bring down
his stag with the best Of them.
He was on good terms with his
family, and deeply attached to his
mother. An alert, ,resolute. thought
full youth, with something both OF
his grandtather's still reserve and
hard-headed common-sense, min
gled with his fathers earnestness
and tenderness Of character, re-
gardcd hopefully by his elders
and pre-eminent in those exercl,
ses which suited his age and po.
sition and made him popular with
his companions, he seemed to
start in the race with no ordinary
advantages. But the race was
not to his mind, and he turned
away from it. On his fathers
death his own health had shown
some signs OF deIicacy, and he re-
solved to travel. Accompanying
two friends, Lord Gosford and
MIR. Peterkin, to America, be part
ed with them at Boston in the
spring Of 1866. and was never af'
terwardS seen by any one who
knew him by his real name. He
dropped his title, chose a pseudo