The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1872-11-14
THE TWO wEALTnrEsr nScLpsnnrs.


The two wealthiest Englishmen, so far
at least as personal estate goes, who have
ever lived In England, have died within
the last decade, They were Mr.. Morri-
son and Mr.. BraSscy The personal pro-
perty Of the first was sworn under s20,-
100000; that Of the second under $50 ,000,-
600; but il Is understood that great
deal of Mr.. Brassey's estate has not yet
been sworn for duty, owing 10 Difficult.
ties In appraising it, and In fact, Il viii
prove to be nearly si00, 100000 when
this has been done. Both these men, like
those VINO have made the very largest for
tunes, began life poor Mr.. Morrison on
tered dry-goods warehouse, where he.
contriyed to secure the affections Of his
employers daughter. They were married
and he was taken into the business, to
which he ultimately succeeded. One great
stroke he made was the buying up all the
Grape in England, in anticipation of the
death of the Princess Charlotte Of Wales.
This lucky hit is supposed to have put
very large sum Of money into his pocket.
He invested a large portion of his enor-
nous wealth In real estate, and became
one of the greatest landlords in the United
Kingdom. Ills principal country-resi-
dence was Basildon park, near Reading,
In Berkshire II is stately mansion,
standing in a very pleasant park, and
filed with magnificent collection Of
works Of art, of which he was a very lib.
eral purchaser. The very bookcases,
tables, and chairs, were designed by men
such as Sir Charles Eastlake, X. A. IN
the dinning-room were two columns OF
rare aud beautiful marble, purchased
from a church In hlay at a prodigious
price, These pillars we extraordinarily
heavy and considerable difficulty was cx-
perienced in bringing them to their dest.
nation, the roads being, at various points,
quite broken into holes by the weight.
Besides his collection at Basildon, Mr..
Morrison had a gallery Of choice pictures
at bis house in London. He was not In
the least ostentatious, nor did he ever
eyince the tendency, 20 common TO Hou.
peduz riches, Of toadying people Of rank,
his principal associates, being eminent ar
lists. Toward the close Of his life he be-
came, as so often happens III the case Of
very rich men, oppressed with The idea
that he was miserably poor and should
die pauper; and a small sum was paid
TO him weekly as wage 10 humor bis fan
cles. Mr.. Morrison left several sons TO
the eldest he bequeathed the interest IN
his warehouse, estimated at $3.50, 900
yeAr( (Which that gentleman sold 10 Joint
stock company aud further very extern
eiye estates. To the second be left some
goo, 900 year, and 10 the Others incomes
varying from geo 900 to ss0OC0. All biz
sons have turned out steady respectable,
men and one Is weil.kuown ibeTal
member Of Parliament Mr. Brasscy's
( eat fortune was the result, 81 tie first
instance, Of successful railway contracts,
and then Of the accumBlatiOns consequent
upon the great sums thus maao Like
Mr. Morrison, be Was tho lrssl oslsula.
lous Of men, and, Ike BIN, too, wa for
tnnaie IN wife who resembled him 10
this respect Indeed, Nj Brasscys ex-
penditure, 50 far a. his establishment, ete.
went, probably did 10, exceed sj0y9
year, when bis Income was s2 ,og0,O10
year Like Mr.. Morrison, lie sas forun.
ate 10 bis children. They bear tie highes,
character, and nov have divided sm0hg
them the colossal fortune which their
father and mother only seemed 70 care
for in 20 far A. Il would contribute - lbeir
ehiidren's happiness 4 i remarkable
that ihese two men ? Englahd's weailiiest
s0ns---should all their iife have been iu.
10 what most successful men 10
their eoaniry aspire to-a seat Ia Pafiia.
menl. Ar. Morrison, NC believe, did 0s-
eary one Tor brief time, bat Mr Br4s-
sey never. Two of bis s0us are nov yery
useful members of Parliament --Apple.
t0H's J0ernal.