The Portland daily press., 1875-01-27
Charles Kingsley.

A despatch from London, announces the
death of Canon Kingsley, at the age of 56
years. He was descended from an ancient
family of Cheshire, in the forest Delamore,
who suffered severely during the civil wars
from their adherence to the cause of Parlia-
ment. He was born at Hilne vicarage, ON the
borders of Dartmore, Devon, June II, 1S19,and
was educated at home until the age of IA, when
he became pupil of the Rev. ID. Coleridge,
and afterwards student at Kings College,
London, whence he removed to Magdalen Col
lege, Cambridge. He gained scholarship and
several prizes in classics, and second class in
mathematics. Alter devoting some time to
preparation for the profession of the law, he
entered the church and took holy orders. His
first cure was Eversley, moorland parish In
Hampshire, and that living becoming vacant
after he had been carate about a year and
half. he was presented to it by The patron, the
late Sir John Cope, bart. Mr.. Kingsley ming
led largely with working men, as may be in
ferred from his "Alton Locke; and be took
leading part in the ragged school movement
and various other efforts to ameliorate the con-
dition of the working classes, to such an extent
as to have earned the name of "Chartist Par
son." He was the author of several able nov
els, all of which breathe this spirit, as ALTON
Locke" "Yeast, etc. He was also known as
dramatic and lyric poet, as was shown by his
Saints Tragedy" published in 1886 In ad-
ditIon to the books we have mentioned. Mr..
Kingsley was the author of ''PhaetoD," "Alex-
andria and her Schools" "Hypatia, or New
Foes with an Old Face" "Glaucus, or the
Wonders of the Shore,'' ''Westwarj Hor'
1.-TWO Years Ago." "Miscellanies," and various
books of sermons. He was appointed professor
of in tha T1niv itv of ia
bridge in 1859.
When he appeared in this country in the ear
ly part of last year he was cordially greeted by
all classes of Americans. Especially was this
the case in Boston. And, seeing that he was
so recently among US, and took so deep hold
upon the minds of all people of culture, few
words of euogium, published in the Independ-
ent IN 1874, may not be out OF place here.
"Kingsley is certainly not a typical churchman
priest. He is the least dronelike, the least
humdrum of Englishmen He has all the rev.
erence of an early Christian bishop; he is pro.
foundy and fervently religious; no preacher OF
his day is more earnest or more stirring in in
culcating the practical duties of Christians
lfe He is active and uDfiagging IN perform
ing all the tasks of his sacred office; nor do
they seem tasks to his Jealous and really de-
yout temperament. But what there is OF the
elOistral or the mechanically ceremonial IN
church traditions it is little in his nature TO OBJ
serve He does not suffer himself to be bound,
in his services of charity and counsel. within
the limits or the rubrc of sect. Mankind are
his brethren. Dissenters with him are not on
ly men, but Christians; nor are all those who
live beyond the sea-girt isles ''barbarians, in
the Greek sense, in his eyes. By precept, and
by example as well, he is good man, and
sincere beieveri in Christian doctrines. His
sympathies are catholic and sensitive. He
wishes well to, and, so far as he can, does well
for all the world. Indeed, this canon of West
minister and rector of Eversley parish is not on
E a novelist who finds in physical health. mus
n,,la arxtnO and NH m
elements of herosm but he is in the best sense.
| a man of the world, an unspoiled favorite of a
royal court, philosopher of every day life,
| lover of society, poet in admirable prose,
politician not expectant of Office, talker in all
| sorts of meetings, an enthusiastic spectator OF
events. far as well as near and traveller de-
| lighting in the beautiful and tender of the de-
! fcencieS of tie races which are not IS the
| English are. That Kingsley is as broad as
| humanity in his sympatbies and as cheerful IN
his faith he is fearless of its impregpabilty,
| may be seen from the wide range of his activ-
| tiles. He has taken prominent part in the
| trades union questions and emigration ques
| tions in art criticism and charity systems, IN
| the establishment of public schools, and in tho
| discussion of the claims of new philosophers to
| be heard with patience and credited on the
| proofs they offer. Especially notable has been
the courageous position which he has taken
| with regard to the Darwin theory of the origin
| of man. He repels the idea that the church
| should only shut its eyes to- the boasted
| demonstrations of science, but should warn the
| flock from them as from something which
| would infect its faith with corruption In an
| eloquent address, not long ago, he protested
| against the assumption of some theologians
| that science is hostile TO religion, to be fought
| against as an irrecoDcilable enemy, and TO be
| born down, if possible, by the anathema
| maranetha of Protestant pulplts. Theol-
| ogy," he declared-and the words, spoken BY
| canon of Westminster, and an inmate OF
| Windsor Castle, carried encouragement and in
i = .In-o Il
| i've in the English church-''theology should
keep pace with science, as human thought
changes and sciences develops The demands
| Of reason must and ought to be satisfied
| He spoke of the men of science as gallant
| and honest men,; but who yet find, "below all
| the phenomena which the scalpel and stere-
| oscope can show. a something nan eless, in
| visible, imponderable, yet seemingly omni-
them the deeper they delve. Boston AdUer-
GSer,