The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-12-15
The Story of ~ - -
* ~ - King Alfred.

The nienary o. Alfred the Gr,at has resulted in tho
revival OF every shred OF authentic data regarding the
STeF9 whose a,i 0fFnpae has written Of him that he
he story OF Ning Alfred Sir Walter Besant n
sha present portrait Of Alfred w1om dissertation on the
desire TO write such history Of the great king shall be
accessible 9ud instructive to the great Body-every year
growing sreaero those who read books and wish be
acquainted with the national history shall endeavor
to exaggerate the achievements Of the .ing-they
exaggeraou overstate obligations which the pos
terity Of Alfred owe to his mcmoryhey can hardly be
overStacd The plain and uvarnished story should be uf
hccn This is truly high praise perhaps il IS not TOO
much say the highest praise Yet Mr. Besant is not
alone in his estimate OF the foremost Of Saxon rulers
for Gibhon did hesitate declare him the OF
English kings
In the thousand years that have passed day
fame has suffered dmuu,ion and while perhaps know
but little Of the individual and incidental part his
HE and have lived TO see some Of our most cherished le
gends concerning him relocated the realm fiction we, of
the wise lawmaker the just and progressive pa
riot and the soldier much has been verhed AS Mr
says the sources OF our information many, hut the
things they tell US few.
lie has himself drawn largely from The lie Of Alfred
by Asser ;he Welsh monk who became bishop OF Shef
borne and who, being the personal friend and daily
ciae Of the king might easily have lett fu
pee record OF much that is but regarding him
AS it IS Sir Walter Besaut frankly tells at outset
life Of Alfred can be produced at the present day
which adds anything TO the facts already known.
The author has carefully collected all the available data
regarding Afred cil1hood including his long pilgrimage
to Rome Under the care OF Bishop Swithn, his nth
year This probably undertaken order ha, he might
obtain special blessing from the supreme ponth
whom Ehewulf recognized Whatever the reason the child
anonted by The pope and adopted his spiritual son.
The date Of Alrcds arrival Rome has happily es
tabshed by the discovery Of written by the pope
Cleo V IN the year SIS King Ehevuf announcing the
safe arrival of the boy Three years his father made
pilgrimage to the holy city person and carried Alfred back
20 England
In sos the latter when but 10 years old was married
and in 81 began his stormy and empes,uou reign which
was 10 be long record of and ending only
with his death in II by the least OF All.
reds characteristics that he had the power Inspire and
influence only the chroniclers own day but the
historians OF time we'll IL possible even in the
brief limits OF review recognize eanesness OF pur-
that influenced sir Walter Besant undertake his hi
ography well the spirit Of fairness truhuness
which marks the presentation OF the data his command
His book will undoubtedly remain ritomc authentic
word TO say;
venture lastly express my own personal hope that
great were the achievements of Alfred the keynote
struck and 70 be maintained viii be that Alfred is and viii
always remain the typical Of raco-ca him Anglo
Saxon, call him American, call him Englishman call him
Australiauhe typical of at his best aud
modest quite and certain that the mind al the
AngoSaNon at his best and ncbest the mind OF Alfred
that the aspirations the hopes the standards of Anglo
Saxon at his best and nobest the aspirations the hopes
the standards OF Alfred He truly leader our founder
our king When takes shape and form let il
somehow by the example Of Alfred the Ango-Saxou at his
best and nobeshere within the circle Of the narrow sea,
or across the wherever King Alfreds language Is
spoken wherever King Afreds laws prevail into whatever
faiT lands of the wide world King Arcd descendants have
penetrated. K. NJ. POLLARD