The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1890-04-03
LORD NAPIER.

Loru Napier was an aiihosJ iueat
career. He attained to great age,
great honors, and that nothing might
he wanting, be was entirely the
architect of his own fortune. lie
began without friends or connec
tions. His bonors might have come
unsought for any marks of ostenta-
tion lie displayed in the wearing Of
them. He was q man of an extreme
simplicity Of character and of man.
ners. The fact that he was taking
drawing lessons within few days
of his death is not without its signit-
canoe. 1t shows that he had that
secret Of the gentle life which we
like to think is rarely wanting in
the British soldier. When the period
of active service was over, he simply
fell into line with the thousands Of
quiet, unobtrusive English gentle.
men, whose chief ambition it seems
to be to remain unknown. The pull
pit references to his great career,
made by those who had q personal
knowledge of him, all testify TO the
singular sweetness of his nature.
He helped to elevate the tone Of the
whole army 10y his example of per-
feet dignity and manly worth, and,
where he was, there vice and i'm
morality were sure not TO be. He
made the soldiers life easier, but,
in releasing him from host of veX-
atious duties, he took care to have it
understood that he only wished to
give him more leisure for self-im-
provement. He was especially
chiyalrous towards women, and he
always sought to inspire his troops
with the same sentiment. 1t is 10
drawing-room sentiment in the COM
mandcr Of legions, but precious
| and indispensable quality of most
practical kind. Half Of what sol
diers see in the course of sctive SER
vice they rarely care to speak Of.
What they do reveal is enough 10
show that mercy in them must indeed,
in certain circumstances, be a
| quality that Is thrice blessed. Their
gifts Of mind and disposition, at
their best. are the most winning Of
all with which men are endowed
The contrast between their mood OF
battle and their mood Of repose is
one of the most beautiful effects il
the play of human character. Their
self.restraint is fincr even than their
courage, for it is a part of that per-
feet possession of all the faculties
by the governing will which marks
the summit of human worth. Per-
haps it is, in some degree, a quality
which is found for them, as much as
it is found by them--a quality IN
duced by their extraordinary exper
ience of life. The tremendous issue.
of the events amid which they movt
have a SOLDERING influence. I'h'
destinies of nations hang on thei
fortunes, and, almost in spite o
themselves, they nothing little do
or mean, upon the always mcmora
BILE scene of their exploits, They
know life the better for being Otter
| face to face with death. Its smal
things seem smaller. its great thing,
greater, in their searching tests. L,
put il in another and truer way
only the great things survive. Thci
pursuit seems to give them a certain
breadth and massiveness OF nature
which is the trick of greatness il
character as it is in art. The eye
Us it secs them, is not too muc
fatigucd 10y detail. There is thei
great courage, their great conduc
in action; and when action is done
no more complicated problem o
personality than may he preschtc'
by the gen'leness of child. Al
intriguing soldier, quarrelsom
soldier, controversial soldier, ar
varieties no, unknown TO history
and, indeed, to living experience
bnl they always seem to mar TIL
purity Of the type. Their com
pound heing seems to involve an il
congruily like that of the sea-lawyo
or the sea-hOrse.- London Dali
News, Jan. 2l, 1890.