The New York herald., 1874-11-09
OBITUARY.
Thomas Miller. tho English Author.

From the London News. Oct. ell
Mr.. Thomas Miller. the author or sGideon Gilos,n
"Royston Cover" Godfrey Malvern" and other
tales, besides long catalogue OF delightful coun.
try books and some volumes OF remarkably sweet
and pure poetry died early on Sunday morning,
at his residence In New street, Remington Park
Road. lie mad been in a more or less precarioua
state OF health for some time past but his last
illness commenced with q paralyric attack about
fortnight ago. His lather, George Miller, was .
wharnnger at Gainsborough. and his mother the
daughter OF Mayor OF Lincoln; but through fam
ny misfortunes, among which the early loss OF his
iatner was included he began lie as q basket.
maxer at Nottingham 1t is stated, indeed, on
good authority that ne was employed as a plough.
boy. lie lived IN his boynood in Sailors alley.
Gainsborough, and Mr.. Thomas Cooper, ths
Cnartist, author OF the "Purgatory OF Suicldes,n
lived at the same time in the same poor alley
Miller's nrst work was a volume OF POEMS ssSonga
OF the Sea Nymphs,n published while he was vet a
basxeimaker's apprentice. lie aiterward-hav.
ing in the meanwhile, however, started In
business for nlmsell-came up to London
impeled BY desire to earn literary fame.
HIS nrst prose book was the "DaJ
in the Woods,n which was received as work
the Literary Gazette, great nterarv authority az
that time, and also, we believe, by the Times, tho
6ecame rcm tsas time reqaens sfa guest as
the Countess q s Bessi%ngton's % aans ana an init:
mate friend OF moore, Rogers, Campbel. ana
Miss Landon. HIS suhseQuenr works are too
numerous to catalogue here. "ihe Beauties OF the
Country" "PIctures OF Country Lue," and Rural
Sketches'' are among the best OF his pastoral
works; but perhaps his highest efforts are TO bo
found In his poems and IN mis- earlier novels
.'Gideon Giles" "Godfrcy Malvern" and "RoystoR
Govern having been the most widely popular.
A an instance or q man raising hlmsei from Q
very handle sphere to become both literary ana
personal tavorlte In the most refined ana
discriminating circles. Mr. Miller is certainly with.
out modern parallel; Tor in addition to the poesa
whose names we nave mentioned above he was
intimate with and admired by Thackeray, Disraell,
Leigh Hunt, Jerrold, and many Of the finest minds
OF his time. For some years past he has been IN
very straitened circumstances, but q memorial
for q pension-though headed by the names OF
Lord Macaulay and Mr. Tennyson-met with
no reSpOnse and II Is 10 be regretted that
while SO many lnlerior authors received pen.
sion, the writer OF sucn o work as "Gideon Gilesn
should have been refused one. His most enduring
fame will probably be that earned by his poetry,
winch excelled In sweetness and sim pliclty. 'rhe
Old Fountainn and "rhe Evening Hymn" have won
the admiraton of the most critieal judges, the
with Samuel Rogers, much OF whose munihcent
Kindness was attributed by the author himself to
Rogers appreciation OF that poem. Thomas Miller
was born on the 3lSt oil August, 1907, and had
therefore completed his slXty-seventh year. Ha
had been widower above twenty years. but q son
and two daughters survive MIN.
Captain Hiram Putnam, OF Syracuse.