Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-07-22
THE PARNELL FAMILY.
Sketches Of Notable Members
Poets, Warriors and Statesmen.

Sketches Of Notable Members
Poets, Warriors and Statesmen.
The Parnells originated in the rich
and beautiful English county of Chesh-
ire, county noted for the wealth
and the antiquity of its leading fami-
lies. Here the Parnells lived and flour
ishcd for several centuries, owning con-
siderable estates, which they held down
to the time of Charles the Second.
When the Commonwealth men rose
against the tyranny of Charles l., the
head of the family was Thomas Par
nell, who lived near the town of
Congleton, now an important place,
the seat of an extensive silk manufact-
ure. He took sides against the King;
and, as we may presume, made him.
self particularly obnoxious to the Roy
alist party. Upon the Restoration he
abandoned his native land and the
abode of his ancestors. Crossing the
channel he bought lands in Ireland, in
the county of Wicklow, near the sea-
coast, where representatives of the
family have ever since resided, and
where Charles Stewart Parnell holds
the estate which the Irish people freed
from encumbrance lately.
Thomas Parnell's new home was al
most directly opposite his ancient seat
in Cheshire. OF his subsequent doings
in the world we have no report. One
Of his sons, whose name was also
Thomas, obtained much celebrity in
Great Britain as minor poet. He
was conspicuous enough in hts DAY to
have his life written both by Goldsmith
and by DR.. johnson. Pope dedicated
apoem to him. Lord Bolingbroke in
yited hin 10 dinner. and took the lib
erty of correcting some of his poetry.
When say that Lord Bolingbroke in
.vited him to dinner, l am using the
language of to-day rather than that
of the year 17]2. The following is an
extract from the journal Of Dean Swift
for 1712:
~ gave Lord Eolngbroke poem of Par
hoHs. made Parnell insert some compli-
ments in it to his Lordshp He is extremely
pleased with it. and. indeed. Parncli out,
does all our poets here bars length L: Lord
dinner on Christmas Lay"
That is the style in which poets were
invited to dinner by Lords when George
]. was King. Swift duly entered on
Christmas Day in his Journal: ~ car
ried Parnell to dine at Lord Boiling
brokc's." Swift also complains that
This rogue Parnell has not yet cor
rected his poem, and would fain have
- - pa1.no1l ~ hEn
Swift himself, a dignitary of the Church
of En- Observation-Disclosures of Cloghcr.
He was very popular as a preacher in
London, and had expectations OF
further prefermcnt, which the death of
Queen Anne, it is said, disappointed.
He was the author of q Life of Homer.
and wrote several essays il the Guard
ian and Spectator. His poetry. though
little in the taste of our time, is not
quite forgotten. DR.. johnson praised
1.-the easy sweetness of his diction,"
and Campbell found ga charm in the
correct and equable sweetness of Par
aell."
Another person of note belonging to
this family, also q wltive of Ireland,
was Sir john Parne;', 4 son of the
poets brother. He vas born about
1850. and succeeded his father both in
the title and the estates in 1882. OF
him we know a great deal that is good,
and nothing except what is good.
Though holding valuable offices under
the crown in Ireland. such rs Commits
sioner of Revenue, Chancellor of the
Exchequcr. Lord of the Treasury, be-
sides being member of the Irish Parli-
nment. he was an honest patriot. and
opposed to the uttermost that political
union of Ireland with England which
involved the destruction of the Irish
Legislature. Darlington says of him
that he showed disintercstedncss
almost unparalleled" and. though for
years the dispenser of valuable patron
age, he forbore to use it for the adj
vancement of friends or relations.
After opposing the union to the end Of
the struggle, he was elected men,
Der to the English Parliament. and, on
his death, in 1901, the Prime Minister,
Arlington, paid a warm tribute to his
memory. Some lines on his death
were published in the Gcn.lcman's
Magazine for December. 1901.
Sir John was succeeded in the baron
etcy by his son, Sir Henry Brooke Par
county in Parliament, and served for
some time rs Minister of War. He was
somewhat prominent as member of
Parliament, but his main strength was
expended as writer upon political
economy. He appears to have been a
A4an Of enlightened opinion. in advance