The sun., 1894-12-02


In another chapter we meet with some refer
ences to Lord Althorp, Lord Brougham. and
William Goblet, which are worth reproduc-
ing. II is probable that no man ever exer-
cised more influence in the House OF Commons
than Lord Althorp, though lie was slow ted,
with little or no education. But he was so ster-
llngly good and sensible that all men put their
trust In him. According To one of his biogra-
phers everyt thing about him was commonplace
but II was solid. Men trusted him rs they trust
faithful animal, entirely believing he would
not deceive II he could, and that he could not II
he would. His parents were frivolous people,
and until lie went to school at Eton he lived al
most entirely In the stables getting nearly all
the instruction he ever did get from n Swiss
footman. lie wont through school and college
like any other duh, ordinary English boy. On
leaving college he went abroad, declined to
learn French, Stunned society. took no interest
In sightseeing, and was glad to get home To his
sports and his hounds. Being somewhat I'M
couth person. and addicted to dogs and horses
he did not 60 much into the world. and was not
very attractive when he was there. Mrs. Lati-
mer finds it dificult to imagine how he could
ever have succeeded in getting married II
he had not met in the hunting field young lady
of the hi Vernon type, who made all the ad-
vances and managed TO capture him. She had
his whole heart. When she died, as she did in
few years, he went into complete retirement
for months, occupying himself almost solely in
reading a Bible. lie even gave up hunting be-
cause, as lie suld, he should find too much pleas
ure in IL for man in such affection. But dur
ing his wife's life, he had hegun to take some
interest Ia politics. and he now threw himself
Into II, espousing with enthusiasm the cause Of
the oppressed. 1t was largely through his influ-
ence that the Reform act OF 1882 was carried
han hon 4. -
death compelled him to enter the House OF
Lords Earl Spencer. he retired from public
lifv, and could never be persuaded to approach
1t again. "Of all my former pursuits" he said
"the only one In which now take interest is In
breeding stock 1t Is the only one in which
can build castles in the air"
or Henry BrouGham the fact Is recalled that
he was q grave, sad little boy, whose chief
pleasure at play was to act scenes in law courts
and be an imaginary Lord Chancellor From
his earliest years at school he began 10 practise
the sOcratio method of asking questions. lie
would put anybody who had in formation that he
wanted through keen cross-examlnatiOn. At
sixteen he wrote paper the refrantiol OF light
which was sent 20 be read at the Royal Society
The reader omitted some passages as too ex-
trayaHant, the truth being that these contained
the germ idea OF photography. During his col
lege life BroughRm was a leader at high links
and at the age OF ninety the eX- Chancellor used
10 chuekle over the remembrance OF his youth
full deyiltry. One OF his maxlms as a lawyer
was to consider no cause beneath his notice. He
lived up to this maxim, for when the trial OF
Queen Caroline was at its height, Brougham.
who was her leading counsel, ran down for a
day 10 York to odefend the rights OF poor widow
whose landlord had pulled down pig sty rented
BY her a5 sixpence year.
In the pages devoted TO CObhett there are
many attractive excerpts from his Autobio-
graphical "reminiscences. We have space but
for one OF these, the story of the young woman
whom he married and cherished with loyal af-
fection for forty-two years. II seems that when
hs first saw her she was years old. the dAugh-
ter Of a sergeant major in an artillery regiment.
Cobbett himself at the time was a sergeant
major In q regiment of foot. Il sat-" he saws.
in the same room with her In company with
others, and made up my mind that she was
the very girl for me. That thought her beau
tiful Is certain. for that always said should be
An indispensable qualification; but l also saw in
her what deemed marks Of that sobriety OF
conduct OF which / have said so much, and
which has been ty far the greatest blessing OF
my life. II was now dead OF winter 1.-THE scene
Of this idol OF common life Was IN Nova scOtlAl