The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-25
OBITUARY..
REV. CHARLES KINGSLEY.

The Rev. Charles Kingsley, Canon OF West
minister, whose death, In his hfty.sixtn year,
is just announced 10y cable from London, was
one Of the most distinguished men OF MS day.
He was born at Holne vcarage. in Devonshire,
June IL, 1919, and was son OF the Rev. G. Kings.
ley, Rector OF Chelsea. We told In the staid
and somewhat stately biographies OF this dis.
tngulshed man, which have been repeating them
selves in the English papers aud pert odcals from
time to time, that he was 'of an ancient family In
Cheshire, the Kingseys OF Kingsley. in the forest
OF Delamere In that county, who date from
period anterior to the Conquest, and rho suffered
severely during the civil wars from their fidelity
to the cause OF the Parliament. His ancestors
commission to raise q troop OF horse has
long been In the family; 1t Is signed oy
oliver Cromwell and lreton. This Kings.
ley's younger brother emlgrated to America
among the Pilgrim Fatners,' where the family
still nourishes. and where one OF them-Dr.
Kingsley, VINO was classical professor at Yale Col
lege-latey died, distinguished and lamented.
General Kingsley, who commanded a brigade at
the battle OF Minden, was one OF the Rev. Charles
Ktngsey's ancestors" Mr.. Kingsley was edu-
Gated at home until he was fourteen years OF are,
when he became pupil OF the Rev. Derwent Cole
ridge son OF the poet. subsequently he was q
student at Kings College. London. and Magdalen
College, Cambridge. At first 1t was his in ention
to study for the law, but alter devoting some time
to preparation Tor that profession he changed his
mind and became clergyman. he was for year
and q nalf curate at Evesham, moorland parish
IN Hampshire when the living became vacant.
and ne was presented to 1t by the patron Sir John
Cope AS clergyman Mr.. Kingsley at once be-
came noted lor MS stern adherence to uncompro-
missing TRUTH ana as he mixed mucn with
the working classes he was especially able
to appreciate Their wants and needs.
sprung the title OF the .'Chartist Parson." by
which ne was so widely known. In the stately
biographies TO which we have already alluded, We
ind him described as one or tnat small BODY OF
men VINO, ever alive to the m.serles OF the opera
sioe the Of aen
papers on Labor and the Poor" These men, with
the Rev. F. ID. Maurice at their head. convinced
that no one class Is chartered to revel In luxury
| while another IS doomed 10 TOLL yet lack the me-
! cessary means OF existence, anu believing that
they came into tile world on purpose to snare IN
Its work set about lnauring how they could best
amenorate the condition OF the afflicted and hall
/ starved poor. They had lett their halls and man !.
sions to teach IN nosome. ragged schools They
had gwen and gwen In money until the conclusion
was forced upon them that indscriminate aims
was often premium TO dleness So they thought
that If they could assist them 10 help themselves
great point might be accomplished. With
this view they called conferences, ut which par
sons, lawyers ana peers met numbers OF artisans
and laborers 10 discuss their wrongs and remedies.
! 1t was considered that the best thing to do would
be to set the operatives up IN business on their
own account and to combine capitalist and labor
In As the aorns TRADE tne
TEN" held up for general execration, 1t was de-
termned to commence the experiment with u
working Tailors' Association Funds were SUBJ
scribed and lent to 1t at an interest OF TOUR per
| cent. The scheme was launched and succeeded.
Other associations In various trades followed,
with more or less success Mr.. Kingsley power
July contributed to their success by his lectures
had tailor Tor It's hero. These biog.
raDhers add however. that It Is as
an author Mr.. Kingsley Is best known. This estt-
mate OF the man may be a true one, Tor he was
never so much n Chartist as champion OF the
poor but his "AltOn Locke" which Is by all odds
| his best book, owes Its success as much to It's
Chartst principles as to the strong ana vigorous
| Saxon IN which 1t Is written. IL Is d book marked
by great originality OF thought, and the rOtaior
! IN spite OF the opposition which the English press
threw In the way OF the success OF the work, Is
now one OF the recognized paladins OF fiction. The
character OF this opposition Is very amusing alter
the lapse OF quarter OF Il century, the popularity
or the book having outlasted the remembrance OF
the criticism. al Mr.. Kingsley had really been
tailor,n SAID the London quarterly Repieic. "the
style and sentiments OF Alton LOCKE would nave
strangeness and incongruty OF the exhibition
winch creates by much the larger share OF Its at
traction.
The things themselves are neither nor rare;
We wonder how the mischief they came there.
" is only as falling from the pulpit and the pro-
iessonal char that such trash could make an,
| impression, could excite even curl0sty.u Blu
'Aton Locke" though 1t was MIR. Kingsleys hes {
was not MS n st WORK. AS early as 1912 he mac
published u volume OF Village sermons" and h,
hao already shown himself a lyric and drama n,
poet OF much merit. AT the age Of twenty-seyeu
he wrote the '',aints Tragedy" winch ia one a
the best reading dramas OF modern times, ant
contains some remarkable representations O
! OF Elizabeth OF Hungary Mr. Kingsley also wrot
"Yeast, q Problem,u 1861; ''Phaeton or Loos
Thoughts for Loose Thnkers.r 1861; "Hypa,ia. O
LGsw Foes with an Old Face" 1883 "Aiexandri'