Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-12-14

tnti, WHICH ne WHB not.
So after few weeks restless fit ting
from hotel to hotel, he settled down in II
suite of chambers in the Temple.
1t was just the sort of haven for which
his wounded spirit sighed.
Inc buildings in whose midst he dwelt
had watched the long procession of CEN
turie5, and now stood apart from the strife
OF existence, wrapped in the repose of
age
| There, the roar of the Strand came
softened to a murmur that mingled with
the rhythm of a fountain which was old
and memorable when Bacon and his life.
long adversary, Coke, engaged in their
first love-rivalrv.
Even the rush Of the Thames and its
ever-burdencd tide was only dim vista
seen family through the uncertain flicker
ing of sycamore leaves.
In his second story set OF chambers,
Cecil could live as quietly, and almost as
solidarity, as hermit in his cell.
There, if anywhere, he would be safe
from the pursuit of his foe, and from the
tyrannies of fashionable and social life
for which he felt himself 80 unified
Cecil Cheetcrton's nature was too SEN
sitive and serious to recover quickly from
crushing disappointment, to which was
superaddcd the sting of shame and degra-
dation.
He was too swcct-trmpered to become
cynic, but he had all the qualities which
combine to make man 30 circumstance
a reclusc And recluse in effect he be-
came.
Only for Mr.. Foljambe, whose checri-
ness forsook him, poor old man, when his
wife died, and one or two male friends of
scholarly pursuits, did he ever emerge
from his retirement. Theatres and operas
he wholly eschewed ; in society he was
only conspicuous by his absence. But it
must not, therefore, be supposed that he
sullenly shut himself up to nurse an I'M
reasoning sorrow He was too true n
man to act thus.
Love, indeed, was denied him but he
still possessed the heritage which fools
miscall curse He had work to do in
the world, and he employed oil his ener-
gics to do it well.
Before he quilted Ceylon, he formed
the purpose Of devotipS his season of re-
lease from official business to the produc-
ton of a work on Buddhism suitable for
popular reading. In the selection and ar
rangement OF his subjects, he had been
materially assisted by the learned monk,
Sakra NUM- /; and there remained little
for him to do afterwards but put the
fruits of his research into an appropriate
form.
This task has been delayed by ankle
ties and interests already told or limited
ut. But after the rupture Of his luckless
love-sff'air the young author resumed his
pen, and applied himself to the compile
ton of his book with the zest which be-
longs, perhaps, alone to those who have
nothing hut their work to live for, and
only the approval Of their own conscience
to lose or gain.
At the end of four months, the work
was in the hands of the publishers two
more suificcd TO make it Familiarity known
to all that wide aud overwhelming circle
of readers whose literary thirst is slaked
at wells Of Eastern learning. 1t had
been favorably reviewed by the leading
Journals, aud what was OF much more sig
nifcance, had been formally approved by
the Royal Asiatic Society, who marked
their appreciation of the learning and
literary skill of the young author by con-
fcrriue upon him the title and privileges
of Fellow.
Fame is like Jonahs gourd-it springs
up in night, and the subject OF it cnn-
not be hid.
The obscure recluse of Fountain Court
found himself n public character, and
whether lie liked it or no, had to accept
the duties of his position.
Our lives are full of these unforeseen
sequences the past clings to the skirts
of the present ; the present puts out
cropping fingers to lay hold on the I'M
formed future the continuity goes on
we CAN'T. re"e- ourselves from the links
behind, and we eau selt.oro $50 the form
which those before are taking.
1t was thus with Cecil Chesterton. II
he Erd heen able to find the next link in
his chain Of Ike, perhaps it would have
been forged differently. The most tragi-
cal chapter in his history was opening
but it introduced itself in manner quite
harmless and matter-of-fact
Early in the new year adeputatlon from
tho Society 81 vl,icb re had recently been
made Fellow waited upon him with the
request that he would deliver coujec OF
lectures on buddhism as it is Known in
India"
"people, they said, "who are well ac-
quainted viii. thc doctrines Of Mahomet,
scarcely have an idea VINO ciut0ma was (;
and considering the immeasurable srpe-
riority of the one over the other, this is
disgrace to modern scholarship. You
who have lived in such intimacy with
Pud1bists can tell most effectively the |
story of the pure life rid high teachings |
of that noblest Prophet Of the East
That was the substance of the learned |
gentlemon's appeal, and Cecil was too en-
thuslastic an Orientalist to refuse it. He |
agreed to give course of Elk lectures on
the subject--to be delivered at st. |
Georges Hall. The datc of the first one
was fixed for the LIST of February.
Ee bad now been in England nearly |
seven months, end during the whole OF
that time had seen 10 r'en Of his foe,
though he had received credible iIfoEma-
ton that Seshaya Sastri was no longer IN
Paris. in fact, the Indian traced him to
london but the huge Behemoth city
bad swallowed him up, az 1t swallows so
many h;;ntCd creatrres. and there the
clue was lost ami but iUr She publica-
ton of Cecils book, It might perhaps
never have been found again.
1t was the publisher who innocently
supplied the missing link, and put SEES
haya Sastri once more on the trail of his
victim.
Every one knows st. Georges Hall--a
room not over big nor over small-with
no dull corners or other lurking places,
and where the audience is SO placed that
everp member of it is within the lcctur-
er's eye-range, unless from defect of Wis
ION that range be abnormally limited.
On the evening of the first CT February
st. Georges Hall was full, though our
hero did not perceive t!.e gratifying fact
all at once.
1t was his maiden effort as public
speaker, and he had little natural nSr-
vousncss to overcome at first. But this
soon passed away wien he found that his
audience was sympathetic and attentive.
MI ,,r;,o, ~ N .lp,;ouion bu1 hnan f,fa1