The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-07-29

Va oh tAS Wv
10 the Governor Generalsbip Of India, the
young Duke, invited to reply TO tho toast
sThe House OF LORDS made q speech
which was extremely successful and which
caused Lord Dalhousie 10 say: Ell. whom o
question comes up In the House which you
feel you really understand and on which
you rave something to say, you step out
into the debate and join In 1t, by the time
! come back from India I shall find you
high enough The prediction was soon
to be fulfilled. In 1850 the Duke moved
a resolution or address to the Crown recon-
mending a favorable consideration OF the
case OF one Ryland, q colonial Official who
had been the victim OF gross injustice.
This motion he carried against the Govern
ment by a majority Of three, and, although
nothing was lone at the time, be succeeded
later in securing for Ryland o peolniary
compensation for his Losses. In january.
1851. he was invited to open the Athensoum
at Glasgow. the first Of many oocasions on
which during forty years he was called
upon to address large meetings In that
city on divers subjeots, social and religious.
as well as political. At this period OF his
life he gave a great deal Of attention to
the study Of geology, and In May, 1882,
communicated to the Geological Society
OF London q paper on certain new fossil
leaves found by him in the Isle Of Null, a
discovery which was treated a. OF con-
siderable Importance.
In March OF the same year he was elected
Chancellor Of the University Of st. Andrews.
We may recall in passing that in the autumn
of 1882 he went to Cromarty to visit Hugh
Miller, whose geological works had lately
astonished and fascinated the English
speaking world. The appearance OF the
author Of The Old Red Sandstone" Ia
described, After pointing nj that Hugh
Miller continued, when famous, to be in
outward aspect exactly what he had always
been-a NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. q trace Of
social culture In his manner or appear
ance. the Duke goes on to say: HE had.
indeed, a low and gentle voice. which sound
ed shy, but his accent was unlike that
Of an educated man. His expressl on was
more than thoughtful-it was very grave,
meditative and distracted; but saw In q
moment the secret Of his being. He had an
enormous head, made still larger In appear
anoe by a huge shock Of unkempt hair
which hung over his brows n eyes,
The author OF this autobiography recalls
that he had come across in life only four
men who had the enormous brain case
which was conspicuous in Hugh Miller.
One was DR.. Thomas Chalmers; another
was Sir James Simpson; the third was
Miller, aud the fourth was Whewell. the :
well known Master OF Trinity, and 'omnis-
Gent" author Of the History Of the Induo-
tive Sciences The Duke thought that
with such a brain nothing Is impossible,
provided only 1t be furnished with q very
few simple TOOLS and he adds that We are
too apt to forget how admirably such tools
have been fashioned and put into the hands
Of the humblest classes in Scotland in her
parochial schools
1t was in connection with the Ryland
matter, just mentioned, that our author had
occasion to seek the assistance Of the Duke
Of Wellington, and the latter is depicted
as he looked some two years before bis death,
which occurred in September, 1852. The
description is given because some features
Of the Iron Dukes person have seldom,
II ever, been correctly portrayed. His fg-
ure vas even then. perfectly erect and
soldierlike, but his head dropped q little
on his chest. What struck one most In his
appearance was not his high, aquiline nose,
which Is 30 prominent in all the pictures,
but his splendid eyes. They were blue In
color, and very round and very large. OF
course, all eyeballs are equally round, but
they are cut across in varying degrees by
the eyelids covering a smaller or a larger
arc OF them. When the eyelids hardly
are even lifted clear above them, q staring
effect is given. as In owls. This form Of
eye Is essentially expressionless. On the
other hand An some persons, the open part
Of the eye Is a mere slit, and this is almost
equally hostile to expressiveness. The
Dukes eyes were very large, the eyelids
cutting across them very high up. but not
leaving them uncovered. They arrested
all ones attention in q moment. One
thought no more Of the beaky nose or Of
the small and firm mouth Our author
acknowledges that the softer emotions
Of humanity were not prominent. Self
possession, calmness, ciroumspection, firm
ness, tTuthfulness and wisdom-these were
the speaking characteristics, blended in
one calm and impressive whole. His head
was not q high one-I mean that IL was
not a domed head. 1t was only moderately
high, but very broad and massive It was,
as It were, a battlemented forehead, four
square to all the winds that blew His
voice was powerful, deep toned, and with
. military 3imperativeness Of enunoiation..
The Iron Dukes gentleness and courtesy
and kindness of mi in private life is
illustrated by his treatment Of young
Argyll in 1880, when the latter had as yet
attained no political position. Calling at
Apsiey House with reference to the Ryland
affair, our author was shown into q sort
Of writing room; and presently the Duke
entered. When they were both seated
he folded his arms across his chest, in
clined himself forward toward his inter
~locutor, dropped his chin upon his chest, and
sat motionless In the attitude Of attentive
listening. It was q formidable ordeal for
tho young visitor. He felt that he had
before him the greatest man In Europe,
and had to speak to him without the guild
anoe Of a single leading question from him,
or observation Of any sort or kind. There
was but ono encouragement, tho great
ana, however, Of close and absolute atten-
don oh<he Dukes part. His eyes were not
-sandering, for they were fixed Upon the
ground. It seemed as II he felt Il q duty |
70 listen; and t, listen carefully Argyll
told his story as clearly and as shortly as