The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-12-22


back to Venice from his oriental travels, h'
brought with him a sack Of precious stones
All green. The sack was stolen, and the
loss nearly broke his heart. Bat it set hin
to thinking, and by some device ne found
out the sack. Not an emerald missing. Oh
then his Joy abounded, and his profound griei
fell like pebble into that sea which John
saw before the throne in the Isle of PatmOs'
Several persons associated with Liverpool
have risen to eminence. Mrs. Hemans and
Leigh Richmond were natives of the place,
but the former spent part Of her life in
Wales, and the other resided in the Isle OF
Wight, and subsequently at Turvey in the
shire of Bedford. The latter took tour
over Scotland, and like DR.. johnson went
even to the island of Iona. He was more
csptivated with cur scenery than the Bolt
Court Moralst; but the sight of the Fog
lish rambler was defective. One was the
greater, but the other the more elegant man
of the twain. The piety Of Leigh Richmond
wS vivid and 'experinsAels bat that Of Dr.
Johnson was intellectual, reverential, and
tinged with superstition. A bigOt to his
Church, but when he came to die he pre-
ferred Moravian minister to the Archbishop
of Canterbury. His Rasselas will outliVe
all his other productions, and reach the age
of nine hundred and sixty-nine years; nor
do We know that it will die at that time
We hope not, for its tendency is to convince
men that they are living in hollow world,
grasping at evaporation, unless they move
with light foosstep round the crust of the
earth, desiring heritage beyond the convex
clouds and concaye skies. The aesthetics
which God has thus far unfOlded to our
view, cannot satisfy the mind. An infinite
God has other attributes than those revealed
to finite creatures, and many golden cities
beside the one depicted in the Apocalypse.
Nor can the embellishments of men fill the
heart. The gardens of Bait, the plants of
Hammerby, the roses of the Lsasowes, the
parks of Blenheim have all been tried in
vain. They are cisterns which lose their
moisture even in the summer of our million
aire prosperity. But Macauley has re-
marked that Rasselas is an Eoglish and not
al Abyssiuian work. We all know that this
peer of the realm was prone on being hyper
critical. And he at last brought upon him
self large criticism which he most richly
deserved. He bore hard on the founder of
Pennsylvania, who was good bumored old
gentleman even when in the feet prison
But we are happy to say that all his state
ments about the Quaker have been disproved.
Therefore his statements, so far as the colo
mist is concerned, ought to be sent to Klr-
jathsepher where the records of the Canaan.
ties were kept before it was captured by
Joshua.
We always admired the character of Sir
Stamford Raflas, whose residence was at
village within the limits of Liverpool. Dur
ing the time he spent in Java he was neither
a Give nor Hastings. Many cruel things
have been done in the British possessions of
the East. Even CORVALLIS might have been
arbitrary. He was so in the execution of
Haines, when be was in command during the
Revolutionary war. Congress wished to de-
tain him as prisoner, after the peace with
England In 1888 But more peaceful coun
sells prevailed. He was appointed to India
in 1856, but returned before the Irish rebel
lion of 1899. The loss of his American col
onies made George the Third anxious to con-
solidate his possessions in India. He was 8
brave old man. Except for public opinion
be would have kept Oh lighting the Americans
TILL 1920, when he died. But we never could
tell why Robert Hall formed such low es
innate touching the talents of the Rev. DR..
Rifles, who sustained himself for long time
in Liverpool before highly cultivated audi
ence. The doctor was the author of elo-
quent discOurses, an interesting volume of
travels, the Life of Spenser, and a number
of spirited hymns. He started the Investi'
gator, a quarterly work which contained
articles quite as interesting as any which ap
peared in the Imperial Magazine, particu-
larly those which refer to Scotland. My
friend Charles Green, who lives in Ssvan-
nah, but spends much of his time in Liver
pool, presented me with bust of Roscoe.
He was banker, but possessed of correct
taste for literature. He was thoroughly &C
quainted with Italian and perhaps other Ian
guages. All the leisure hours which ht
could redeem from business, were devoted tC
literary pursuits. Lamb was in the same
predicsment, for he was employed by day il
the hustle of the India House and wrote BY
night. Roscoe published a work on thu
Ponti6cal reign Of Leo X. Among the twC
hundred and sixty Popes, be might certainl!
have found one better man than Leo. Gan
ganslli, by way of example, who anathema
tizad the Jesuits. De Cormenin has draw
the character of this Pontif in the darkes
colors. We will not follow out the terribl
details of his life. LaborO esse brepis. Lee
was full of his intrigues to obtain the posi-
tiOn, be went into power like a fox, scOrne
By the people of Rome who maltreated hi
! remains; and he was Ssdducee who be
lieVed neither in God, Angel or Spirit. Hi