Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-05-29

G@1seso~</ e@'e
within the sound of Bow Bells. He was
the only child of the distinguished natur-
alist, Philip Henry Gosse, +. r. S. ,
who, though he only died last year, was
already forty years old when his son was
born. His work had, at that time, won
for him more of reputation than of money !;
and the childhood of the future poet
was passed in Strengthened circumstances.
Such duties fell to his lot as few children
have been called on to fulfil. His mother
sickened of cancer, and when the little
fellow was only seven he was her COM
panion and her nurse, in a cherries
apartment in Pimlico. The father was
busy in earning the money to carry on
the little household, and the serious
seven-year-old baby watched his mother,
and waited on her, and so made his first
forlorn acquaintance with the agonies and
horrors of pain and death, for she died
before he had reached his eighth birth
day
He as well as his father, had possessed
remarkable intellectual force. STE was
a Greek as well as a Latin scholar, at
a time when Latin and Greek were far
more seldom studied by women than at
present. She was the author of various
religious books, and of series of
tracts that were selling widely still,
long after she was dead. Both father
and mother were almost fanatically re-
hgious, and went-he from Methodism
and she from the Church of England
into the sect called plymouth Breth-
rem. - The mother visited the poor and
labored to bring their souls into what she
considered the true faith. The father
shut himself up with his microscope,
and little Edward had for friends
and playmates in those childish
years only library of very
solemn books, until he had to stop
reading and nnrse his dying
mother.
After his wife s death the fathers for
tunes began to improve. His lectures
brought him in more money, and ne left
London and bought him q home near
Torquay, in Deyonshire. Now, indeed,
littls Edmund could 'walk in a green
field as he had so longed to do in his
London days that he once startled his
parents by declaring he should die if they
could not some how manage it. He had
some friends in Wales, where, also, he
for che first time played with children of
his own age.
When he rejoined his father at Torquay
q wave of religious experience swept
over him. He listened to his fathers
eXhortations and was convinced of Gin
and resolved to save his soul. He was
told that he must "confess the Lord' in
public baptism; and people thronged
from all parts of Devoushire to witness
the ceremony. 1 can fancy those were
dark days, when the terrors of the law
had affrighted him, when his father had
discoursed TO him of death and of 6udg-
meut, and when his young mind strug-
gled with the doctrines of election and
1t was like opening o door that led
from some gloomy dungeon into the
light of cheerful day, when, in 1862, his
father married a Quaker lady, who
brought into the sombre household the
sunshine of her bright nature, her warm
heart, her happy and reasonable faith.
was thirteen then, and his
marriage was the best thing that
could have happened TO him. From
he had true mother in his
home-he knew what it was to be praised
and petted and encouraged and made
much Of. For the years to come his
was his closest and loTeliest
friend. He was sent through her influ-
ence to private schools where he found
and comrades among his
day had dawned.
His school education, however, was
not of long duration. In 1866, when he
was seventeen, his father brought
him up TO London to earn henceforth his |
own living. Fortunately he was able 70
do this not too painfully. The Rev. |
Charles Kingsley was great friend and |
admirer of Gosse, Sr. and he conceived |
q warm and active interest in the charm +!
ing boy, whose gifts he already OWNED. |
He procured for him an appointment in |
the British museum, with a salary of |
ESQ $3.50 per year.
Now it was that the education Of the /
future poet began in earnest. He gave |
the day to his work at the museum, but |
when he got home at night il was TO de- |
Tote himself TO his life's real business. /
He is one OF the best equipped authors, |
me of the most scholarly men, of our
OWN time; and the foundations OF his
are requirements were laid in those busy
nights following busy days. He eagerly /
tudieo the continental languages, which
we're to be of such infinite use 20 him
hereafter in the cheerful home he
ound for himself with some nice old
aides in the suburbs of Lottenham he
began already to form the nucleus of
hat wonderful library, so rich in rare
looks and frst editions, which is now his
orlde.
The spirit OF song was born IN him in
hose days. de formed Q close friend