The Portland daily press., 1884-01-15

corrections Oh utS PAthtSL P4SSi
these too were dictated by him, vhlle
references for the volume were drawn
books were carried one by one to his
side, and the notes from them entere'
his directions. With such sustained
such eager conscientiousness was bis
done, that much of it was wholly reWr
FIVE times, other parts three times; u
autumn drew on, he was driven from
land, and 1t became needful to bring
book rapidly to an end, which fell she
his original scheme, and to close the
chapters with less finish and fulnsss Q
Dor.
the spring Of 1882 found the same
and suffering life still left to him. But
ness had no force to quench the srdor
spirit. Careful only to save what time
yet remain for his work, he FASTENED %
gland in May, and once moro all
weakness seemed to vanish before the
coming again to his own land. He hM
eagerly desired to press forward to lat
RODS of English history, in which the
varied forces at work in the national
and the larger issues that hung on I
might give free play to his own per
sympsthies. But the conditions Of hi
shut out the possibility of choice; An
resOlutely turned again to the inter-
history Of early England, to take up tn
at the period of its greatest obscurity
difficulty. In the scheme which was d
up at this time the present volume va
have closed with the Conquest of Emf
by the Danes. This plan was in fact
turn to the division marked in the :,
History Of the English People, where
hxfC
turning-point of the story, and new p
in he history of England began from
time when the English people first bow
the yoke of foreign masters, and >
from Denmark were succeeded by
from Normandy, and these by kings
Anjou.' The eight chapters which !
the narrative to the Danish Conquest
the work that filled the last months
life-a work still carried on with the
patient and enduring force, and done
that careful haste which comes of the <
ledge that each months toll may be the
The book in this earlier form was hn
and printed in the autumn, though IL
pressing peril of the time the final cha
were so brief as to be scarcely mlore
outlines. Once more he was forced to
England for the south. In spite Of
creasing illness and heavy suffe
there reviewed his whole work with
care. 1t seemed to him still far fr
conception of what it might be; the
ty of the subject reused in him a FRI
sire to bring it home with living int,
his readers; and he believed this mi
done by some added labor on his part.
resolved to make important changes IL
original plan and in Its order, to rev
some portions, and to extend the history
yond the conquest of England by the D,
to its conquest by the Normans. The p.
ed book was at once cancelled. With q
effort of supreme ardor and devotion, b
himself to task which ne was never 4
ish. A new opening chapter was fOrme
drawing together the materials he posg
for sketch of the English people AZ Il
ening of their long struggle with tbs iE
ers. But as the chapter drew towG
end his strength failed. The pages "
now close it were the last words ever
ten by his hand-words written one u
ing in haste, for weakness had air
drawn on so fast, that when In weaknel
at last laid down his pen he nevsr q
found strength even 10 read over the "
he had set down.
But even then his work was net over.
this last extremity of weakness his !
turned constantly to the story of bis pc
He would still hope, night by night, tia
the coming day there might be some
moment in which he could even yet dh
the thoughts that were shaping thers
in his mind-soms larger account OF
history of the English shires which was
taking form after long thinking, or
completer view of the rule Of tbs Da
kings, or some insight of more sure ]
ment and knowledge-.isto the relatio
the Norman conquest. Many wears be
listening to some light talk ABOUT th,
taphs which men might win, he had
half unconscioCsly, 81 know what mel
say of me: ''He died leQrninq;" and
made the passing word into noble tr
so long as he lived he strove to live
thily., By patient and laborious worl
reverence and singleness Of porpese,
long self-mastery, he had 'earned diligeI
his due reward in experience, knoWIs
matured wisdom, wider outlook q
deeper insight. 1t was impossible fc
not to know that his powers were on
coming to their full strength, and
real work lay yet before him. Il he
to do that knoiU is good,' he said whe
heard he had only few days to live, Il
try to win but one week more to write
part Of it down. Another conquest
this, however, lay before him. It wa
death drew nearer still that for th
time he said, Now am weary; ean1
no more.' Thus he laid down with UNI
planning patience the task he had taker
with untlinching courage. God so gra
it him. In those last days, as in his i
thoughts, the great love he bore his -e-''
was still, as it had ever been, the trR
ration of his life. The single
guided all his work till the end es
the desire TO quicken in others th
eens.;.,ce s s'-;tance he himself had of how
our fathers is with th,
TO bring home
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