The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1888-09-08
IRISH / Il Ora ENGLAND,
III, BY MICHAEL MAoD ONAGH.
! REV. GEORGE cRoLY.

III REV. GEORGE cao1Y. 81
s# Dr.. Croiy, the author Of that brilliant
romance 9 Salathiel," was born in Dub
linon theS17th August. 1880. He was
educated IN Trinity College Il was the
{ wish Of his family that he should go for
the Irish Bar, and certainly he had all
the qualities to ensure him g successful
scareer in that5walk Of life; but he seems
to have had strong distastes for the legal
profession why could not ascertain
and in 1904 he was ordained minister
OF the Established Church. That he
was altogether unsuited for the career
he adopted events proved too truly. He
never reached TO any eminence in the
Church, comparatively speaking; and,
believing that his merits were intention
ally overlooked, he diea disappointed
man.
Afteg two years spent in curacy in
the North Of England, he left IN disgust
with the life and settled in London,
where he devoted himself 70 literary pur-
suits. BE wrote the drama f'Cataline''
and bis most famous work ''Selathiel, !"
and contributed rroae eud poetry to the
magazines. It was not, however. till
1856 that Che Toriee-in whose cause he
was rab1d partizan--did anything for
him. In that year he was presented by
Lord Lyndhurst, the then Lord Chan-
cellor, with the living of ST. Stephens.
Walbrook, London. and he ruled over
this parish till he died, Why he was SO
neglected he could never be got to I'M
dorstand, Why other men were appointed
bishops, whilst he-the poet. the dramar-
ist, the biographer, the novelist, the his
soriau, the commentator, the public
speaker, the preacher, the political
writer-was passed over, was TO him in
explicsbls, aud his naturally sour temper
got more euabitter. He never attacked
q political opponent without hitting ex-
txernely hard; he carried his Toryism
and Orangeism into tho very pulpit, and
xaved against Rome and Radicals with
the most yenemous Of tongues. His son
in e little biography, writes
$50 fer as ms worldly perspects were
concerned, the result was what might
have neen expected The English
Church offers little encouragement 50
talent and still less to independence Of
character. The clergyman who ventures
to speak boldly as he ought to speak in
&e.posea an impossible gull between
slinaseE and She prizes Of his profession.
But besides the bold uncomp promising
mind which disinclined him to pass
through life with gag upon his lips,
nay father had to contend against an OBJ
staale whioh experience has shown to be
almost insRcinourtable in the Engliah
Church. As Gratten said of Kirwin, the
curse Of Swift was upon him-tHe was
an Irishman and man Of genius.''
Croiy himself wrcte-.tI never heard
Of any Irishman rising to any dignity in
the English Establishment
Cro1y, though bitter Orange partizan,
had, to do him justice. strong mpathies
with his native land, and his eloquence
'wss as Celtic in spirit as the eloquence
of Grattan and Sheridan, In a lecture
he contracted England and Ireland in
This fashion;
s'England. like eagle newly bathed,
comprising the World with Civilization
Oh her wings snd the thunderbolt in her
4alons. Ireland, with her likelihood
ssraining away at every VEN, with glaz-
ing eye and broken piuion, lying below.
England, invigorated by difficulties,
striding with giant step over all OBJ
stacles, ana at every step rising higher
and entering upon broader view Of
empire. ireland, craving aims by the
waysiae. England defylng the storm.
Ireland sllivering in the sunshine. Eng
land driving her mighty plough through
the wastes Of the world, and sowing na-
tons. ireland, losing her population
day by day, and seeing her once smiling
fields turned into Wilderness.
Powerful pictures, truly, of the two
countries and the artist who has drawn
them asks why this difference between
the two countries?-What is the solution
OF this singular problem. Most people
now a-days will answer Home Rule, .
but Croly replied that the remedy for all
the Ills Of Ireland is sone word-Pro-
testantism.''
Mr.. s. G. Hall, in his ''Men and
Women I Have Known writes of
uroly:
.sIn 1888 applied to him for some aid
to a biography. He indignantly refused
il, writing-sI must request that nothing
whatever shall be said about me or my
,,araer ~, anv work of yours or where YOU