The sun., 1908-12-06
AN old ENGLISH GENTLEMAN
GLIMPSE OF THE PAST FROM
.3sa, ALBERT PELL'S BOSk.
Tus aefoFmeF ~ the English POOr Law
Il One or the Last OF Ills Type--Pietures
0G Early Nineteenth Century Rural
Hlfo In EnEland-An Old Library.

Hlfe in EnEland-,An Old Library.
4 LONDON, Nov. 2I.-Among the most
interesting books published in London
this year must be counted "The Auto
Biography Of Albert Pell.' This "fne old
English gentleman" as he Is well called
IA the introduction to his own story OF
his life, was one of the last OF fine type
of manhood.
y The most seriouo part OF Mr.. Pell's life
was devoted TO the reform of the English
poor law and to the general uplifting and
Improvement Of the condition. morally,
socially and politically. Of the English
Agricultural laboreEr For seventeen years
Ri The House Of Commons and throughout
d long life out Of 1t he devoted himself
10 this cause with unfagging energy and
dogged determination. A quotation from
q his epitaph in the church at Hazelbeach
may well serve as an introduction to him:
sEldest son Of Sir Albert Pell. Knit. and OF
Honble Margaret Letita Matilda, daugh-
Tfef and co-heir Of the 18th Baron st. John
e BIetsoe. Born March 18th. 1890. edu-
Gated under Dg. Arnold, at Rugby, NJ. A..
and LII. d, OF the University Of Cam
bridge, NJ. P. for South Leicestershire
iBeS-iss5. OF long experience as Guar
dian OF the Poor in London and in the
Country, he condemned Poor Law relief
as inconsistent with real beneficence and
aSiverse to the best interests Of the poor.
Honest In purpose. fearing no man. he
served his generation by the Will OF God
and died April !, 1907"
II would be impossible to read Albert
Pelle story of his life without being in
terested in and instructed by his ac-
counts Of his work in connection with
the poor law. But for the general reader
perhaps his "reminiscences Of day now
long gone. OF famous men and women,
md his pictures of English country life
will prove Of greatest interest. Writing
after he had passed his eighty-Sixth
Birthday, with mind and memory un-
touched by years. he could look back to
n period which to those of n younger
generation seems almost as strange and
Tar away as the Middle Ages, yet there
are men still living who can remember
those picturesque times.
sMy grandfather" he writes was
living in the reign Of George |. George III.
died in the year of my birth. was
st my mothers breast when Thistle
wood, the Cato street conspirator, was
hanged, and more than year old when
Napoleon died at st. Helena.
I'VE lived at the edge of a great wood
on the northern border of MddleseS.
with no neghbors within mile save
aome Of doubtful character, so the family
blunderbuss Was fired at night about
once fortnight, to announce that the
household was armed. My
mother when a girl used to come to
London for the season from Bedford
shire on horseback with her sister. On
these occasions they slept at Woburn
Abbey in order to cross Finohley Common
before dusk. travelling with two we'll
armed mounted servants. one in front
and one behind. as an escort. The plate,
linen and toilettes were conveyed to town
III one Of the estate wagons"
One OF the first we'll known men that
Rel met as o. small boy was Wilberforce,
who used to stop with his father in the
country. He remembers coming in to
dessert. aor possibly earlier in the meal
as the tablecloth was still on the table.
Wilberforce was not Sitting square to the
tabie but had one elbow on 1t, and the
other hand was crumbling some overdone
toast and making fearful mess.' Among
,Polls older friends was a Yorkshire doc
tor OF whom and Wilberforce he tells
the following story:
when he was en- infant in arms his
nurse was swept by an election mob to
the very foot Of the York hustings at a
famous contest for the county in which
nf ha
actors. With all the earnestness and
yigor which distinguished him he was
pressing his benefcent views on the
abolition of slavery. Carried away by
the depth Of his convictions and enthusi-
aAtin inspiration he reached over the bal
cony and snatching the baby from the
arms of its astonished nurse held it up
over his head in the face OF the people,
oxclaiming:
. See this and hear my prophecy.
iissefoT5 this child dies there will not be
white man In the world owning a slave
my friend survived the civil war IN
the United States and virtually Wilber-
forces prophecy was fulfilled
Here is picture OF English village
life about 1891. The village was Pinner.
near which was the Pells' country home,
from the lawn OF which in October. 1884 :
young Albert Pell saw the Houses OF
Parliament in flames.
-Atthe bottom Of the village was slow.
muddy stream on the other side Of which
was the workhouse. Thither was taken
on many Sunday morning by my in
diknant father. who Immediately has
tened through the hall to door opening
on 10 walk that bordered the whole
length Of the building.
Along this walk stretched for some
y&rt;h an iron rod. fastened TO the wall
At either end. On this rod ran an iron
ring, with short chain and shackle.
Ic this shaolle the village idiot was fas-
tened by his ankle, and 80. passing from
len 81 ht and right to left In the blaKin &
Tin hitter wind, took his exercise
and ay his life. Placing me for
y s7ii in front Of this exhibition.
my fathd gery solemn tone said:
This s07IgHHthing must be altered
n II is not ID my lifetime, mind you.
help to do il ID yours. Pell in later days,
In seventeen years work on the Metropol-
itan Asylums Board. did not forget.
At the age of IL Pell went to Rugby
School, OF which the famous DR.. Arnold
was then head master. Very interesting
are his accounts OF his early school days,
sbut too discursive for treatment here
49, III. Il. Al