Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-08-12
THE PARNELL FAMILY.
Sketches Of Notable Members
Poets, Warriors and Statesmen.

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
i'hed for several centuries, owning con-
siderable estates, which they held down
10 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
alst 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 his day to
have his life written both by Goldsmith
and by DR.. johnson. Pope dedicated
poem to him. Lord Bolingbroke in
vited him to dinner, and took the lib
erty of correcting some of his poetry.
When l say that Lord Bolingbroke in
vited him to dinner, | am using the
language of to-day rather than that
of the year 1712. The following is an
extract from the journal of Dean Swift
tor l712:
~ gave Lord Bolingbroke poem of Par
nclfs. made Parncll insert some compli-
ments in it to his Lordship He is extremely
pleased with it, and, indeed, Parnell out.
does all our poets here bars length. Lord
Bolingbroke has ordered me to bring him to
dinner on Christmas Day"
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: Il car
ried Parnell to dine at Lord Boiling
broke's.' Swift also complains that
This rogue Parnell has not yet cor
rected his poem, and would fain have
it out. /" The rogue Parnell was like
Il ton ,f fl,o( 4 Nh,,,, 4,
of England of Clogher
lie was very popular as preacher in
London, and had expectations of
further preferment, which the death of
Queen Anne, it is said, disappointed.
He was the author of Life of Homer,
and wrote several essays in the Guard
IAN and Spectator. His poetry, though
little in the taste of our time, is not
quite forgotten. DR.. johnson praised
" the easy sweetness of his diction," "
and Campbell found "a charm in the
correct and equable sweetness of Par
uell."
Another person of note belonging to
this family, also native of Ireland,
was Sir John Parnell, son of the
poets brother. He was born about
1850, and succeeded his father both in
the title and the estates in 1882. OF
him we know great deal that is good,
and nothing except what is good.
Though holding valuable offices under
the crown in Ireland, such as Commits.
sioner of Revenue, Chancellor of the
Exchequer. Lord of the Treasury, be.
sides being membero of the Irish Parli
ament. he was an honest patriot, and
opposed to the uttermost that politica
union of Ireland with England which
involved the destruction of the Irisl
Legislature. Darlington says of hin
that he showed disinterestednes
almost unparalleled, and, though fo
years the dispenser of valuable patron
age, he forbore to use it for the ad
yancement of friends or relations
After opposing the union to the end o
the struggle. he was elected a mem
Der to the English Parliament, and. ol
his death. in 1901, the Prime Minister
Addington, paid warm tribute to hi
memory. Some lines on his dealt
were published in the Gentleman
Magazine for December, 1901.
Sir John was succeeded in the baron
etcy by his son, Sir Henry Brooke Par
nell, who also represented an lrisl
county in Parliament and served 70
some time as Minister of War. He wa
somewhat prominent as member o
Parliament, but his main strength wa
expended as a writer upon politica
economy. He appears to have been
man of enlightened opinion. in advanc
of his time. OF that, however, the read
er shall Judge His political creed II
1885 was as follows:
Perfect freedom OF labor and capital; IN
abolition of the Corn Laws, and instead their
of. modeTIise fixed duty upon grain; the us