The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-12-10
Recent Publications.


London. BY Walter Besant and James Rice.
(New York: G. p. Patnam's Sons; Portland:
Loring, Short & HARMONY. This history Of Sir
Richard Wilmington and his Cat Is included
In Messrs. scribner's New Plutarch SERIES
though the publishers fail to mention whether
these worthless count for two or ten ofthe
Lives. Messrs. Besant and Rice are sure to
write with point, energy and an entertaining
quality of style that seems partly due to their
pleasant collaboration. They acknowledge
much Indebtedness to pamphlet by
the late Rev. Samuel Lysons, who
took Wilmington and his puss out
of the vague world of legend, and held him
up to public respect as the Model Merchant Of
present work have found occasion, however, to
differ from some of DIR. Lyson's conclusions;
and the reader, impressed by their graphic and
intelligent picture of London, its trade, char
ters and merchants, will be inclined to follow
their theories concerning the personal history
of Wilmington. The Introductory chapter is
remarkable one in the distinctness and brew
ity of its showing the state of things in four
teenth-century London. After this excellent
scene-setting it is time for the chief actor to
appear as the curtain is rung up by Bow Bells.
The Whittingtons were good old race. hold
ing three Ualains, who farmed for them their
estate at Parmsley in Gloucestershire, and from
this rural home young Richard Wilmington
went up to London town somewhere about the
year 1871, an apprentice-lad, thirteen years
old. Caravans of traders, joined together for
mutual insurance against highway robbers,
went and came between London and the west
country: and under care of one of these COM
panies it is probable that Richard Wilmington
made his way to the city. London at that time
took up nearly the same territory as it now
occupies; it was busy and crowded, well walled
and surrounded by moat 200 feet broad.
Four great gates gave to the north. south, east,
and west, and there were also lesser gates, and
water-gates on the riverside. The Tower oi
London was the lofty mark for the hatred OF
the citizens who regarded it as the stronghold
and emblem of kingly tyranny. The water
supply of the city came from the streams that
ran through it here and there; to Mayor Whit
tington it owed its first fountains, and it is
likely that the good knight took kindly thought
for both man and beast when he caused the
fountains to be built. The companies Of Lon
don were fine and hospitable set Of men and
gave costly feasts and pageants of which the
reader will greatly enjoy the curious descrip-
tions To one of the members Of the Honora-
BILE Company of MERGERS, Sir John Fitz-War-
rem, young Wilmington was bound prentice
The present biographers believe but part OF
the legendary tale of Whittington's despair
and the sudden revulsion of his feelings when
Bow Bells rang. They think, rather, that the
healthful country boy had high heart, glad
to take the happy omen of thegreat bells that
sang high in air the very song his ambition
was singing to his own mind. London was
place full of pleasure for boy; its plays were
rough, but there was fun to be had with pro
cessions, morris-dances and mummers, in tav-
erns, even in street brawls. Justice was queer
ly administered in picturesque punishments OF
street professions with candles and sheets or
pillores, whereia the culprit sat, with his name
s'writ large over his head, mark for over
ripe vegetables aud belated eggs All these
things, Dick Wilmington. of course, saw and
enjoyed with the unsympathetie eyes of the
small boy. And soon after his apprenticeship,
comes the cat episode-told in various ways by
as many writer's. 1t appears that similar
legend is told of citizens of many nations: as OF
Alphonso Portuguese, who bartered his puss
for its weightin gold at the court of Guinea;
of the cat of Almagro, companion of Pizarro,
bought in South America for GOO pieces Of
eight; and Arlotto in the 10Th century; Per
sian historian in 1919; and storytellers in Den
mark and elsewhere tell the tale of the valua-
BILE and necessary cat.' A skeptical COM
mentator believes the famous "cat" to be
merely mistake for the French achdt, pur-
chase; or if this rather far-fetched interpreta
tion should not find favor, the same critic tell
us that ships employed in carrying sea-coal to
London were called scats''. But sufficient ar
gument is brought forward to disprove both OF
these theories, which would destroy SO much of
the legends charm; and we may safely, with
Mesrrs Rice and Besant. decide that Dick
Wilmington paid his penny, bought his puss.
sent'her on shipboard along with richer ven-
tures had good profit of it, and SO laid the
first foundation of his business success and mu-
ncipal honors. Upon the gate of Newgate is a
fifteenth century sculpture of boy
and a cat which was in all probabili-
ty caused to be placed there by
Whittington's executors. Few traces remain OF
Whittington's career between his early begin
nings and latter fame. His name occurs in
the City Records of 1858. In 1897 he held the
place as acting Mayor, left vacant by the death
in office of Adam Bamme; and the next year
was chosen Mayor with such clamor that the
mode of election was changed from that date.
In 1406, he was chosen second time; In 1419
for his third term. His benefits to the city
were great and lasting, for he was wise and
public-spirited man. Interesting details are
given of his mercantile and political life He
was typical citizen; and memorable man
whom it is well to recall to actual prominence
from his strange place in nursery legend.
An appendix to the volume contains the lis'
of Mayors of London, 1364-1423, and the an
cient tale of Wilmington.