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88 I made no objection to this; and Ernest and I prepared to go, and leave Fritz in charge of the family.

we were ready to set out, Fritz presented each of us with a little case he had made from the skin of the margay. They were ingeniously contrived to contain knife, fork, and spoon, and a small hatchet. We then harnessed the ass and the cow to the sledge, took a flexible bamboo cane for a whip, and, followed by Flora, we departed, leaving Turk to guard the tree.

We went by the shore, as the better road for the sledge, and crossing Family Bridge, were soon at Tent House. After unharnessing the animals, we began to load. We took the cask of butter, the cheese, and the biscuit; all the rest of our utensils, powder, shot, and Turk’s armour, which we had left there. These labours had so occupied us, that we had not observed that our animals, attracted by the pasturage, had crossed the bridge, and wandered out of sight. I sent Ernest to seek them, and in the mean time went to the bay, uhere I discovered some convenient little hollows in the rock, that seemed cut out for baths. I called Ernest to come, and till he arrived, employed myself in cutting some rushes, which I thought might be useful. When my son came, I found he had ingeniously removed the first planks from the bridge, to prevent the animals straying over again. We then had a


text: The Swiss Family Robinson - 1851/Chapter XV

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


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Rh was such as one meets everywhere. The rooms were decorated in the usual style. Some of the people looked better than others, and some worse than others. The dressing was just as it always is at parties. The hostess and her daughter behaved as people generally do in their own houses; the company as guests usually behave in other people s houses. There was some conversation and some music. The supper was like all other suppers, and everybody went away about the usual hour.” Mrs. Derrington was dubious about taking up the Cotterells.

“I knew we should not get much information out of Mrs. Middleby,” said Miss Telford to Sophia, after the lady had departed. “She always deals in generals, whatever may be the topic of conversation.”

“Because her capacity of observation is so shallow that it cannot take in particulars,” said Ellen Telford. “But here comes Mrs. Honeywood—we will stay to hear what she says.”

Mrs. Honeywood was introduced, and on being applied to for her account of Mrs. Cotterell’s party, she pronounced it every way charming; and told of some delightful people that were there. “Among them,” said Mrs. Honeywood, “was the dashing widow, Mrs. Crandon, as elegant and as much admired as ever. She was certainly the belle of the room, and looked even more captivating than usual, with her blooming cheeks, and her magnificent dark eyes, and her rich and graceful ringlets, and her fine tall figure set off by her superb dress, giving her the air of a duchess, or a countess at least.”

“What was her dress?” inquired Sophia.

“Oh, a beautiful glossy cherry-coloured velvet, trimmed with a profusion of rich black lace. On her head was an exquisite dress-hat of white satin and blond, with a splendid ostrich plume. She was surrounded by beaux all the evening. The gentlemen almost neglected the young ladies to crowd round the enchanting widow, particularly when she played on the harp and sung. They would scarcely allow her to quit the instrument; and, indeed, her music was truly divine. There was quite a scramble as to who should have the honour of leading Mrs. Crandon to the supper-table.”


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90 strong claws, the hind legs long, like a pair of stilts. After Ernest’s pride of victory was a little subdued, he fell back on his science, and began to examine his spoil.

"By its teeth," said he, "it should belong to the family of rodentes, or gnawers; by its legs, to the jumpers; and by its pouch, to the opossum tribe."

This gave me the right clue. "Then," said I, "this must be the animal Cook first discovered in New Holland, and it is called the kangaroo."

We now tied the legs of the animal together, and, putting a stick through, carried it to the sledge very carefully, for Ernest was anxious to preserve the beautiful skin. Our animals were heavily laden; but, giving them a little rest and some fresh grass, we once more started, and in a short time reached Falcon’s Nest.

My wife had been employed during our absence in washing the clothes of the three boys, clothing them in the mean time from the sailors chest we had found a few days before. Their appearance was excessively ridiculous, as the garments neither suited their age nor size, and caused great mirth to us all; but my wife had preferred this disguise to the alternative of their going naked.

We now began to display our riches, and relate our adventures. The butter and the rest of the provisions were very welcome, the salmon still more so, but the sight of the kangaroo produced screams of admiration. Fritz displayed a little jealousy, but soon surmounted it by an exertion of his nobler feelings; and only the keen eye of a father could have discovered it. He congratulated


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Blomfield comparatively modern date, remarkable only for the complete absence of beauty, dignity, or practical convenience, and for a total disregard of the many evidences, still extant, of the character and detail of the original building (see, The Priory of St. Mary Overie, Southwark, London, 1881, 4to).

Blomfield excelled in the charitable but unremunerative art of keeping down the cost, and among his triumphs in this direction is the church of St. Barnabas, Oxford, in which, abandoning his usual and favourite 'perpendicular' English Gothic, he adopted an Italian manner, making use of the basilica type of plan and adding a campanile. The church, though erected at a small cost, is singularly effective.

He carried out several works in connection with schools and colleges besides the examples already mentioned, such as the chapels at Selwyn College, Cambridge, and at Malvern College; additions to the library and master's house at Trinity College, Cambridge; the junior school at St. Edmund's, Canterbury; a chapel for a school at Caversham, Reading; school buildings at Shrewsbury; and the 'great school,' museum, and other buildings at Charterhouse, Godalming. Among his London works not already noted were the Royal College of Music; the important church of St. John, Wilton Road; St. Barnabas, Bell Street, Edgware Road; St. Saviour's, a striking brick building in Oxford Street; St. James's Church, West Hampstead; and the rearrangement of the interior of St. Peter's, Eaton Square. Mention may also be made of the churches of Leytonstone, Barking, Ipswich, and Chigwell, the West Sussex Asylum, and various important works for the Prince of Wales at and near Sandringham; in the diocese of Chichester alone, besides restoring or repairing twelve old churches, Blomfield built no less than nine new ones, of which the most important are All Saints and Christ Church at Hastings, St. John at St. Leonards, St. Luke at Brighton, St. Andrew at Worthing, and St. John at Bognor.

Blomfield, who was a rowing man when young, and had occupied the bow seat in his college eight, when head of the river, was fond in middle life of taking recreation in acting, in which his fine voice, expressive clean-shaved face, and real dramatic talent made him unusually successful. In his professional work he was unfailingly industrious and an excellent draughtsman. In spite of the fact that his large practice necessitated the employment of a good staff of assistants and pupils, he drew a large proportion of his working drawings with his own hands, and even wrote the whole of his own correspondence in a handwriting which to the last retained exceptional beauty. He died suddenly on 30 Oct. 1899, and was buried at Broadway, Worcestershire, where he had his country home. There is in the possession of the family an oil portrait by Mr. Charles W. Furse; exhibited in the Royal Academy exhibition in 1890.

He was twice married: first, in 1860, to Caroline, daughter of Charles Case Smith, who died in 1882, and was the mother of the two sons mentioned below; and secondly to Sara Louisa, daughter of Matthew Ryan, who survives.

Blomfield worked for many years at an office in Henrietta Street, at the corner of Cavendish Square, but latterly his residence and office were at 28 Montagu Square and 6 Montagu Place. In 1890 he took into partnership his two sons, Charles J. Blomfield and Arthur C. Blomfield, who were associated with him in the design of the Magdalen College choir schools and other buildings. They continued several of their father's works after his death, including the development of the Church House scheme and the additions to the parish church at Leamington, and succeeded him in his appointments at the Bank of England, St. Cross Hospital, Winchester, and St. Mary Redcliffe, Bristol.

 BLOXAM, JOHN ROUSE (1807–1891), historian of Magdalen College, Oxford, born at Rugby on 25 April 1807, was the sixth son of Richard Rouse Bloxam, D.D. (d. 28 March 1840), under-master of Rugby school for thirty-eight years, and rector of Brinklow and vicar of Bulkington, both in Warwickshire, who married Ann, sister of Sir Thomas Lawrence, P.R.A. All the six sons were foundationers at Rugby school, and all attended, as chief mourners, the funeral of Lawrence in St. Paul's Cathedral (D. E. Williams, Sir T. Lawrence, ii. 524-568).

Bloxam was sent in 1814 to Rugby school, where he was a school-fellow of Roundell Palmer, lord Selborne (, Memorials, 1. i. 74-5,311-15), and obtained an exhibition for the university in 1826. He matriculated from Worcester College, Oxford, on 20 May 1826, and was bible clerk there from that year


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Rh Ernest warmly, but could not help begging to accompany me next time.

"I promise you that," said I, "as a reward for the conquest you have achieved over your jealousy of your brother. But, remember, I could not have given you a greater proof of my confidence, than in leaving you to protect your mother and brothers. A noble mind finds its purest joy in the accomplishment of its duty, and to that willingly sacrifices its inclination. But," I added, in a low tone, lest I should distress my wife, "I propose another expedition to the vessel, and you must accompany me."

We then fed our tired animals, giving them some salt with their grass, a great treat to them. Some salmon was prepared for dinner, and the rest salted. After dinner, I hung up the kangaroo till next day, when we intended to salt and smoke the flesh. Evening arrived, and an excellent supper of fish, ortolans, and potatoes refreshed us; and, after thank to God, we retired to rest.

early, and descended the ladder, a little uneasy about my kangaroo, and found I was but just in time to save it, for my dogs had so enjoyed their repast on the entrails, which I had given them the night before, that they wished to appropriate the rest. They had succeeded in tearing off the head, which was in their reach, and were devouring it in a sort of growling partnership. As we had no


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 are present whom that sermon hits. This is art. A sermon, preached to the reader only, is a mere excrescence on the narrative. It is a wart, though it may not be a blot.

The only situation of any power in 'The Mill on the Floss'—viz. the heroine and her lover drifting loose in a boat, and being out together all night—is manifestly taken from the similar situation in 'Love me Little, Love me Long.' But Eliot's treatment of the borrowed incident is petty and womanish by comparison with her model.

In 'Felix Holt,' the ground is admirably laid for strong situations : but in the actual treatment only two come out dramatically, and they are both borrowed. The young gentleman going to strike his steward, and being met by 'I am your Father;' and the heroine going into the witness-box to give evidence for her lover. The former is borrowed from an old novel, and the latter from Charles Reade's 'Hard Cash;' and it may be instructive to show how the inventor and the imitator deal with the idea.

We print in parallel columns quotations of the evidence given in court by both novelists' heroines.


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 Bloxam to 1830. From 1830 to 1835 he held a demyship at Magdalen College, and graduated B.A. from that college on 9 Feb. 1832, having been in the fourth (honorary) class in classics in 1831. He was ordained by the bishop of Oxford deacon in 1832 and priest in 1833, and took the further degrees of M.A. in 1835, B.D. in 1843, and D.D. in 1847.

In July 1832 Bloxam became chaplain and classical master in the private school at Wyke House, near Brentford, of which Dr. Alexander Jamieson was principal, and from 1833 to 1836 he was second master at Bromsgrove school. He was elected probationer fellow of Magdalen College in 1835, and came into residence in 1836. He served as pro-proctor of the university in 1841, and he held at his college the posts of junior dean of arts (1838 and 1840), bursar (1841, 1844, 1850, 1854, and 1859), vice-president (1847), dean of divinity (1849), and librarian (1851 to 1862). From 1837 to February 1840 Bloxam was curate to John Henry Newman at Littlemore. He was in full sympathy with the tractarians. A carriage accident in a Leicestershire lane introduced him to Ambrose Phillips de Lisle. They corresponded in 1841 and 1842 on a possible reunion of the Anglican and Roman churches (, Life of De Lisle, i. 178–298, ii. 9–10, 225–7). In 1842 he proposed going to Belgium to ‘superintend the reprinting of the Sarum breviary’ (ib. i. 234–5). He was well acquainted with William George Ward [q. v.] (, W. G. Ward and the Oxford Movement, 2nd ed. pp. 111, 153–5, 190–201, 305, 338). He continued to live at Oxford until 1862, where he was conspicuous as ‘a striking figure, spare and erect, with reverent dignity.’

Bloxam was appointed by his college to the vicarage of Upper Beeding, near Steyning in Sussex, in February 1862, and vacated his fellowship in 1863. Newman paid several visits to him in this pleasant retreat, and he was probably the last survivor of the cardinal's Oxford associates. By Lord Blachford he was called ‘the grandfather of the ritualists.’ He died at Beeding Priory, Upper Beeding, on 21 Jan. 1891, having enjoyed wonderful health almost until the end of his days, and was buried in Beeding churchyard. A crayon drawing by Laurence of Bloxam and his brother Matthew when children is in the school museum at Rugby. He is a prominent figure in Holman Hunt's picture of the ceremony on Magdalen College tower on Mayday morning.

The labours of Bloxam in illustration of the history of his college were inspired by deep affection, and he worked at his task with unflagging zeal. His ‘Register of the Presidents, Fellows, Demies, Instructors in Grammar and in Music, Chaplains, Clerks, Choristers, and other Members of St. Mary Magdalen College, Oxford,’ came out in seven volumes, describing the choristers, chaplains, clerks, organists, instructors in grammar, and demies. Their publication began in 1853 and ended in 1881, and an index volume was issued by the college in 1885. His collections ‘for the history of the fellows, presidents, and non-foundation members were left by him to the college, together with much of his correspondence,’ and on them the Rev. W. D. Macray has based his ‘Register of the Members of St. Mary Magdalen College, Oxford,’ two volumes of which have been published. The appendix to the third volume of E. M. Macfarlane's catalogue of the college library contains a ‘Catalogus operum scriptorum vel editorum’ by its chief alumni which Bloxam had gathered together. In that library is a ‘Book of Fragments,’ privately printed by him in 1842, which gives a series of extracts from various books on ecclesiastical rites, customs, &c. It ends abruptly at p. 286, having been discontinued on account of a similar publication entitled ‘Hierurgia Anglicana’ brought out by the Cambridge Camden Society.

Bloxam edited for the Caxton Society in 1851 the ‘Memorial of Bishop Waynflete, by Dr. Peter Heylyn,’ and he collected the series of documents entitled ‘Magdalen College and James II,’ which was published by the Oxford Historical Society in 1886. He assisted Dr. Routh in his 1852 edition of Burnet's ‘Reign of James II;’ he possessed many relics of Routh, and gave much information on his life to Burgon (Twelve Good Men, i. 47). E. S. Byam dedicated to Bloxam the memoir of the Byam family (1854), and he assisted W. H. Payne Smith in editing the volume of M. H. Bloxam's collections on ‘Rugby, the School and Neighbourhood.’

He possessed four volumes of ‘Opuscula,’ containing many letters of Newman and prints of the chief persons at Oxford, which are now among the manuscripts in Magdalen College Library. He was also the owner of several curiosities belonging to Addison which had been preserved at Bilton, near Rugby; they are now the property of Dr. T. H. Warren, the president of Magdalen College.

[Foster's Alumni Oxon.; Rugby School Reg. i. 120; Magdalen Coll. Reg. vii. 323–4; Guardian, 28 Jan. 1891, p. 131, 11 Feb. p. 224; Newman's Letters, ii. 298–324; Macray's Magdalen Coll. Reg. vol. i. preface.]  Rh


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92 room for our provision, I decided to administer a little correction, as a warning to these gluttons. I gave them some smart strokes with a cane, and they fled howling to the stable under the roots. Their cries reused my wife, who came down; and, though she could not but allow the chastisement to be just and prudent, she was so moved by compassion, that she consoled the poor sufferers with some remains of last night’s supper.

I now carefully stripped the kangaroo of his elegant skin, and washing myself, and changing my dress after this unpleasant operation, I joined my family at breakfast. I then announced my plan of visiting the vessel, and ordered Fritz to make preparations. My wife resigned herself mournfully to the necessity. When we were ready to depart, Ernest and Jack were not to be found; their mother suspected they had gone to get potatoes. This calmed my apprehension; but I charged her to reprimand them for going without leave. We set out towards Tent House, leaving Flora to protect the household, and taking our guns as usual.

We had scarcely left the wood, and were approaching Jackal River, when we heard piercing cries, and suddenly Ernest and Jack leaped from a thicket, delighted, as Jack said, in having succeeded in their plan of accompanying us, and, moreover, in making us believe we were beset with savages. They were, however, disappointed. I gave them a severe reproof for their disobedience, and sent them home with a message to their mother that I thought we might be detained all night, and begged she would not be uneasy.

They listened to me in great confusion, and


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Rh were much mortified at their dismissal; but I begged Fritz to give Ernest his silver watch, that they might know how the time passed; and I knew that I could replace it, as there was a case of watches in the ship. This reconciled them a little to their lot, and they left us. We went forward to our boat, embarked, and, aided by the current, soon reached the vessel.

My first care was to construct some more convenient transport-vessel than our boat. Fritz proposed a raft, similar to those used by savage nations, supported on skins filled with air. These we had not; but we found a number of water-hogsheads, which we emptied, and closed again, and threw a dozen of them into the sea, between the ship and our boat. Some long planks were laid on these, and secured with ropes. We added a raised edge of planks to secure our cargo, and thus had a solid raft, capable of conveying any burden. This work occupied us the whole day, scarcely interrupted by eating a little cold meat from our game bags. Exhausted by fatigue, we were glad to take a good night’s rest in the captain’s cabin on an elastic mattress, of which our hammocks had made us forget the comfort. Early next morning we began to load our raft.

We began by entirely stripping our own cabin and that of the captain. We carried away even the doors and windows. The chests of the carpenter and the gunner followed. There were cases of rich jewellery, and caskets of money, which at first tempted us, but were speedily relinquished for objects of real utility. I preferred a case of young plants of European fruits, carefully packed in moss for transportation. I saw, with delight, among


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94 these precious plants, apple, pear, plum, orange, apricot, peach, almond, and chesnut trees, and some young shoots of vines. How I longed to plant these familiar trees of home in a foreign soil. We secured some bars of iron and pigs of lead, grindstones, cart-wheels ready for mounting, tongs, shovels, plough-shares, packets of copper and iron wire, sacks of maize, peas, oats, and vetches; and even a small hand—mill. The vessel had been, in fact, laden with everything likely to be useful in a new colony. We found a saw-mill in pieces, but marked, so that it could be easily put together. It was difficult to select, but we took as much as was safe on the raft, adding a large fishing-net and the ship’s compass. Fritz begged to take the harpoons, which he hung by the ropes over the bow of our boat; and indulged his fancy. We were now loaded as far as prudence would allow us; so, attaching our raft firmly to the boat, we hoisted our sail, and made slowly to the shore.

wind was favourable, but we advanced slowly, the floating mass that we had to tug retarding us. Fritz had been some time regarding a large object in the water; he called me to steer a little towards it, that he might ee what it was. I went to the rudder, and made the movement; immediately I heard the whistling of the cord, and felt a shock; then a second, which was followed by a rapid motion of the boat.


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Rh "We are going to founder!" cried I. "What is the matter?"

"I have caught it," shouted Fritz; "I have harpooned it in the neck. It is a turtle."

I saw the harpoon shining at a distance, and the turtle was rapidly drawing us along by the line. I lowered the sail, and rushed forward to cut the line; but Fritz besought me not to do it. He assured me there was no danger, and that he himself would release us if necessary. I reluctantly consented, and saw our whole convoy drawn by an animal whose agony increased its strength. As we drew near the shore, I endeavoured to steer so that we might not strike and be capsized. I sawafter a few minutes that our conductor again wanted to make out to sea; I therefore hoisted the sail, and the wind being in our favour, he found resistance vain, and, tugging as before, followed up the current, only taking more to the left, towards Falcon’s Nest, and landing us in a shallow, rested on the shore. I leaped out of the boat, and with a hatchet soon put our powerful conductor out of his misery.

Fritz uttered a shout of joy, and fired off his gun, as a signal of our arrival. All came running to greet us, and great was their surprise, not only at the value of our cargo, but at the strange mode by which it had been brought into harbour. My first care was to send them for the sledge, to remove some of our load without delay, and as the ebbing tide was leaving our vessels almost dry on the sand, I profited by the opportunity to secure them. By the aid of the jack-screw and levers, we raised and brought to the shore two large pieces of lead from the raft. These served for anchors,


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96 and, connected to the boat and raft by strong cables, fixed them safely.

As soon as the sledge arrived, we placed the turtle with some difficulty on it, as it weighed at least three hundredweight. VVe added some lighter articles, the mattresses, some small chests, &c., and proceeded with our first load to Falcon’s Nest in great spirits. As we walked on, Fritz told them of the wondrous cases of jewellery we had abandoned for things of use; Jack wished Fritz had brought him a gold snuff-box, to hold curious seeds; and Francis wished for some of the money to buy gingerbread at the fair! Everybody laughed at the little simpleton, who could not help laughing himself; when he remembered his distance from fairs. Arrived at home, our first care was to turn the turtle on his back, to get the excellent meat out of the shell. With my hatchet I separated the cartilages that unite the shells: the upper shell is convex, the lower one nearly flat.

We had some of the turtle prepared for dinner, though my wife felt great repugnance in touching the green fat, notwithstanding my assurance of its being the chief delicacy to an epicure.

We salted the remainder of the flesh, and gave the offal to the dogs. The boys were all clamorous to possess the shell; but I said it belonged to Fritz, by right of conquest, and he must dispose of it as he thought best.

"Then," said he, "I will make a basin of it, and place it near the river, that my mother may always keep it full of fresh water."

"Very good," said I, "and we will fill our


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Buck science. The medal has on its obverse a bust of Sir George Buchanan executed by Wyon.

Buchanan's works have not been collected. They consist in the main of innumerable reports scattered through various parliamentary blue books.

 BUCK, ADAM (1759–1833), portrait painter, elder son of Jonathan Buck, a silversmith of Castle Street, Cork, was born there in 1759. With a younger brother, Frederick, he studied art from an early age, and acquired some repute in youth in his native city as a painter of miniature portraits in water-colour. Coming to London in 1795, he settled at 174 Piccadilly, and soon gained popularity. He not only continued to paint miniature portraits in water-colour, but produced many portraits in oil and crayon of larger size. Between 1795 and 1833, the year of his death, he exhibited at the academy as many as 171 pictures. He also exhibited ten other works at the British Institution and at the Society of British Artists in Suffolk Street. But the pictures that he exhibited represent a small proportion of his labours. Numerous pictures by him were reproduced in coloured engravings, mostly in stipple, and had a wide circulation. Of extant coloured engravings after his pictures the originals of as many as forty or fifty are not known to have been exhibited. Among his sitters were the Earl of Cavan, the Duke of York, Sir Francis Burdett, Major Cartwright, John Cam Hobhouse, and John Burke, author of the ‘Peerage,’ and his family. His portraits were carefully finished, although they were stiff in treatment and design.

Buck was at the same time busily employed as a teacher of portrait painting, and in 1811 he brought out a volume entitled ‘Paintings on Greek Vases,’ which contained a hundred designs, not only drawn, but also engraved by himself. This work, which was planned to continue a similar compilation by Sir William Hamilton, is now extremely scarce.

In 1807 he moved from Piccadilly to Frith Street, Soho, and after several changes of residence died at 15 Upper Seymour Street West in 1833. Buck was married and left two sons, Alfred and Sidney; the latter followed his father's profession.

A miniature portrait of Buck by himself dated 1804, is in the Sheepshanks gallery of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

 BUCKLE, CLAUDE HENRY MASON (1803–1894), admiral, one of a family long distinguished in our naval records, grandson of Admiral Matthew Buckle (1716–1784) and son of Admiral Matthew Buckle (1770–1855), entered the Royal Naval College at Portsmouth in August 1817. In March 1819 he passed out, and after serving for a few months in the Channel was appointed to the Leander, going out to the East Indies. In her and in her boats he was actively employed during the first Burmese war and at the capture of Rangoon in May 1824. Returning to England in January 1826 he was appointed in April to the Ganges, going out to the South American station as flagship of Sir Robert Waller Otway [q. v.], and in her was promoted to be lieutenant on 17 April 1827. He afterwards (1829-33) served in the North Star and the Tweed, on the West Indian station; from 1833 to 1836 was flag-lieutenant to Sir William Hargood [q. v.] at Plymouth; and on 4 May 1836 was promoted to the rank of commander. From December 1841 to October 1845 he commanded the Growler, on the coast of Brazil and afterwards on the west coast of Africa, and in February 1845 led the boats of the squadron under the command of Commodore William Jones at the destruction of several barracoons up the Gallinas river. On returning to England he was advanced to post rank, 6 Nov. 1845. In January 1849 he was appointed to the Centaur as flag-captain to Commodore Arthur Fanshawe, going out as commander-in-chief on the west coast of Africa, where, in December 1849, being detached in command of the boats of the squadron, together with the steamer Teazer and the French steamer Rubis, he 'administered condign punishment' to a horde of pirates who had established themselves in the river Geba and had made prizes of some small trading vessels. Towards the end of 1850 Buckle was compelled by failing health to return to England; and in December 1852 he was appointed to the Valorous, steam frigate, attached during 1853 to the Channel squadron, and in 1854 to the fleet up the Baltic under Sir Charles Napier [q. v.], and more particularly to the flying squadron under Rear-admiral (Sir) James Hanway Plumridge in the operations in the Gulf of Bothnia. In the end of 1854 the Valorous


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Rh basin, as soon as we find some clay to make a solid foundation?

"I found some this morning," said Jack,—"a whole bed of clay, and I brought these balls home to show you."

"And I have made a discovery too," said Ernest. "Look at these roots, like radishes; I have not eaten any, but the sow enjoys them very much."

"A most valuable discovery, indeed," said I; "if I am not mistaken, this is the root of the manioc, which with the potatoes will insure us from famine. Of this root they make in the West Indies a sort of bread, called cassava bread. In its natural state it contains a violent poison, but by a process of heating it becomes wholesome. The nutritious tapioca is a preparation from this root."

By this time we had unloaded, and proceeded to the shore to bring a second load before night came on. We brought up two chests of our own clothes and property, some chests of tools, the cart-wheels, and the hand-mill, likely now to be of use for the cassava. After unloading, we sat down to an excellent supper of turtle, with potatoes, instead of bread. After supper, my wife said, smiling, "After such a hard day, I think I can give you something to restore you." She then brought a bottle and glasses, and filled us each a glass of clear, amber-coloured wine. I found it excellent Malaga. She had been dorm to the shore the previous day, and there found a small cask thrown up by the waves. This, with the assistance of her sons, she had rolled up to the


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Abbots' Way, 210-11. Algeria, 36. Amusing scene, 256. Ancient tenements, 24. Archerton, 27. Archpriests, 275. Arrow-heads, 37-8. Asphodel, 11. Assacombe, 163. Aune Head, 6. Avon River, 210-11. Axe River, 1.

Bairdown Man, 273. Bath huts, 46. Bat worthy, 160. Becka Fall, 174. Beehive huts, 213. Bee-keeping, 13. Bellever, 145, 223, 242, 256. Belstone, 144-8, 156. Bidlake, 106-7. Birds of the moor, 251-2. Bishop's Stone, 174. Blachford, 217, 219. Black Tor, 270. Blowing-houses, 120-1, 148, 200, 215-216, 270. Bog plants, 11-12. Bogs, 2-11, 202. Bovey Heathfield, 15. Bowerman's Nose, 75. Brent Tor, 97, 102-4. Bridestowe, 23; church, 138. Bridges, 72-3, 242. Brimpts, 25, 196. Bronescombe's Loaf, 139-41. Bronze implements, 15. Brooke, Rajah, 229. Broom, Yellow, 12. Browne's House, 164. Buckbean, 11. Buckland-in-the-Moor, 194. Bull-ring, 229. Burglary, 263-5. Burial alive, 174. Burleigh Wood Camp, 104-6. Burra Tor, 229.

Caches, 213, 230. Cainnech, S., story of, 64-5. Cairns, 71-2, 101, 211, 269. Caistor Rock, 160. Camps, 72, 82-3, 97-107, 130, 155, 162, 240. Canoe, 15. Castle, Lydford, 131. Causeway, great central, 71, 170, 242. Chagford, 157-60. Chaw Gully, 170. Childe the Hunter, 202-3.

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 Fertile situations are the true cream of fiction; these once supplied, any professional writer can find words.

Now, the fertile situation in 'Felix Holt' was supplied by Charles Reade. The true literary patent is in him. His is the witness with the clear mellow voice who gives her evidence as if before God—and that witness a young lady who loves the man for whom she gives evidence, he being present. To be sure, George Eliot's witness shows a disposition to argue the case; but that is no improvement on the original.

We will now call attention to another instance of George Eliot's imitation of Charles Reade.

In his little story, 'Clouds and Sunshine,' Charles Reade uses this expression—'the thunder of the horses' feet drawing the wagon into the barn.'

His unlucky imitator pounces on his 'thunder' and his 'wagon' and deals with them thus: 'The thunder of the wagon coming up the hill.' Now the iron shoes of a team going over the wooden floor of a barn do come the nearest to thunder of anything we ever heard; but a wagon coming up a hill does not thunder; the most prominent sound is the creaking of the slow wheels. This, then, is unintelligent imitation on a smaller scale.

In 1860 Mr. Reade produced a mediæval novel with an idea-ed title, 'The Cloister and the Hearth.'

His faithful imitator soon followed suit with a medieval novel, whose title was unidea-ed—'Romola.'

Here the two writers met on an arena that tests the highest quality they both pretend to—Imagination.

What is the result? In 'The Cloister and the Hearth' you have the middle ages, long and broad. The story begins in Holland, and the quaint


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 Dutch figures live; it goes through Germany, and Germany lives; it picks up a French arbalétrier, and the medieval French soldier is alive again. It goes to Home, and the Roman men and women live again.

Compare with this the narrow canvas of 'Romola,' and the faint colours. The petty politics of mediæval Florence made to sit up in the grave, but not to come out of it. The gossip of modern Florence turned on to medieval subjects and called mediaeval gossip. Romola herself is a high-minded, delicate-minded, sober-minded lady of the nineteenth century, and no other. She has a gentle but tame and non-mediæval affection for a soft egotist who belongs to that or any age you like. One great historical figure, Savonarola, is taken, and turned into a woman by a female writer: sure sign imagination is wanting. There is a dearth of powerful incidents, though the time was full of them, as 'The Cloister and the Hearth' is full, of them. There you have the broad features of that marvellous age, so full of grand anomalies: the fine arts and the spirit that fed them; the feasts, the shows, the domestic life, the laws, the customs, the religion; the roads and their perils; the wild beasts disputing the civilised continent with man, man uppermost by day, the beasts by night; the hostelries, the robbers, the strange vows; the convents, shipwrecks, sieges, combats, escapes; a robbers' slaughter-house burnt, and the fire lighting up trees clad with snow. And through all this a deep current of true love—passionate, yet pure—ending in a medieval poem: the battle of ascetic religion against our duty to our neighbour, which was the great battle of the time that shook religious souls. But perhaps we shall be told this comparison is beside the mark; that a dearth of incidents is better than a surfeit, and that it is in the higher art of drawing characters George Eliot stands supreme, and Charles Reade fills an insignificant place. We will abide by that test in this comparison.

What genuine mediæval characters, to be compared with those of Walter Scott, for instance, live in the memory after reading the two works we are comparing?

'The Cloister and the Hearth' is a gallery of such portraits, painted in full colours to the life. 'Romola' is a portfolio of delicate studies. 'Romola' leaves on the memory: 1, a young lady of the nineteenth century, the exact


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98 foot of our tree, and there covered it with leaves to keep it cool till our arrival.

We were so invigorated by this cordial, that we set briskly to work to hoist up our mattresses to our dormitory, which we accomplished by the aid of ropes and pulleys. My wife received and arranged them, and after our usual evening devotions, we gladly lay down on them, to enjoy a night of sweet repose.

before daylight, and, leaving my family sleeping, descended, to go to the shore to look after my vessels. I found all the animals moving. The dogs leaped about me; the cocks were crowing; the goats browsing on the dewy grass. The ass alone was sleeping; and, as he was the assistant I wanted, I was compelled to rouse him, a preference which did not appear to flatter him. Nevertheless, I harnessed him to the sledge, and, followed by the dogs, went forward to the coast, where I found my boat and raft safe at anchor. I took up a moderate load and came home to breakfast; but found all still as I left them. I called my family, and they sprung up ashamed of their sloth; my wife declared it must have been the good mattress that had charmed her.

I gave my boys a short admonition for their sloth. We then came down to a hasty breakfast, and returned to the coast to finish the unloading the boats, that I might, at high water, take them round to moor at the usual place in the Bay of


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Rh Safety. I sent my wife up with the last load, while Fritz and I embarked, and, seeing Jack watching us, I consented that he should form one of the crew, for I had determined to make another visit to the wreck before I moored my craft. When we reached the vessel, the day was so far advanced that we had only time to collect hastily anything easy to embark. My sons ran over the ship. Jack came trundling a wheelbarrow, which he said would be excellent for fetching the potatoes in.

But Fritz brought me good news: he had found, between decks, a beautiful pinnace (a small vessel, of which the prow is square), taken to pieces, with all its fittings, and even two small guns. I saw that all the pieces were numbered, and placed in order; nothing was wanting. I felt the importance of this acquisition; but it would take days of labour to put it together; and then how could we launch it? At present, I felt I must renounce the undertaking. I returned to my loading. It consisted of all sorts of utensils: a copper boiler, some plates of iron, tobacco-graters, two grindstones, a barrel of powder, and one of flints. Jack did not forget his wheelbarrow; and we found two more, which we added to our cargo, and then sailed off speedily, to avoid the land-wind, which rises in the evening.

As we drew near, we were astonished to see a row of little creatures standing on the shore, apparently regarding us with much curiosity. They were dressed in black, with white waistcoats, and thick cravats; their arms hung down carelessly; but from time to time they raised them as if they wished to bestow on us a fraternal embrace.


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100 "I believe," said I, laughing, "this must be the country of pigmies, and they are coming to welcome us."

"They are the Lilliputians, father," said Jack; "I have read of them; but I thought they had been less."

"As if Gulliver’s Travels was true!" said Fritz, in a tone of derision.

"Then are there no pigmies?" asked he.

"No, my dear boy," said I; "all these stories are either the invention or the mistakes of ancient navigators, who have taken troops of monkeys for men, or who have wished to repeat something marvellous. But the romance of Gulliver is an allegory, intended to convey great truths."

"And now," said Fritz, "I begin to see our pigmies have beaks and wings."

"You are right," said I; "they are penguins, as Ernest explained to us some time since. They are good swimmers; but, unable to fly, are very helpless on land."

I steered gently to the shore, that I might not disturb them; but Jack leaped into the water up to his knees, and, dashing among the penguins, with a stick struck right and left, knocking down half a dozen of the poor stupid birds before they were aware. Some of these we brought away alive. The rest, not liking such a reception, took to the water, and were soon out of sight. I scolded Jack for his useless rashness, for the flesh of the penguin is by no means a delicacy.

We now filled our three wheel-barrows with such things as we could carry, not forgetting the sheets of iron and the graters, and trudged home. Our dogs announced our approach, and all rushed


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102 short time we had a heap of what appeared to be moist white sawdust; certainly not tempting to the appetite; but the little workmen were amused with their labour, and jested no little about the cakes made of scraped radishes.

"Laugh now, boys," said I; "we shall see, after a while. But you, Ernest, ought to know that the manioc is one of the most precious of alimentary roots, forming the principal sustenance of many nations of America, and often preferred by Europeans, who inhabit those countries, to wheaten bread.

When all the roots were grated, I filled the two bags closely with the pollard, and my wife sewed the ends up firmly. It was now necessary to apply strong pressure to extract the juice from the root, as this juice is a deadly poison. I selected an oak beam, one end of which we fixed between the roots of our tree; beneath this I placed our bags on a row of little blocks of wood; I then took a large bough, which I had cut from a tree, and prepared for the purpose, and laid it across them. We all united then in drawing down the opposite end of the plank over the bough, till we got it to a certain point, when we suspended to it the heaviest substances we possessed; hammers, bars of iron, and masses of lead. This acting upon the manioc, the sap burst through the cloth, and flowed on the ground copiously. When I thought the pressure was complete, we relieved the bags from the lever, and opening one, drew out a handful of the pollard, still rather moist, resembling coarse maize-flour.

"It only wants a little heat to complete our


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 opposite of a mediaeval woman; 2, the soft egotist, an excellent type; 3, an innocent little girl; 4, Savonarola emasculated. The other characters talk nineteen to the dozen, but they are little more than voluble shadows.

'The Cloister and the Hearth' fixes on the mind: 1, the true lover, hermit and priest, Gerard; 2, the true lover, medieval and northern, Margaret of Sevenbergen; 3, Dame Catherine, economist, gossip, and mother; the dwarf with his big voice; 5, the angelic cripple, little Kate; 6, the Burgomaster; 7, the Burgundian soldier, a character hewn out of mediæval rock; 8, the gaunt Dominican, hard, but holy; 9, the patrician monk, in love with heathenism, but safe from fiery fagots because he believed in the Pope; 10, the patrician Pope, in love with Plutarch, and sated with controversy; 11, the Princess Clælia, a true medieval; 12, the bravo's wife, a link between ancient and mediaeval Rome.

Philip of Burgundy does but cross the scene; yet he leaves his mark. Margaret Van Eyck is but flung upon the broad canvas; yet that single figure so drawn has suggested three volumes to another writer.

You can find a thousand Romolas in London, because she is drawn from observation, and is quite out of place in a medieval tale. But you cannot find the characters of 'The Cloister and the Hearth,' because they are creations.

When 'The Cloister and the Hearth' was first published, the 'Saturday Review,' staggered by the contents of the book, yet bound by the sacred tie of habit to say something against it, summed it up as inferior on the whole to Walter Scott. But nobody has ever compared 'Romola' to Walter Scott. Adulation, however fulsome, has evaded this comparison, because it would have provoked derision; and no reviewer, until this article was written, ever had the courage to compare 'Romola' with 'The Cloister and the Hearth.' Yet any one who has not made that comparison honestly and fairly knows little of Charles Reade, and cannot possibly assign him his true place amongst living writers of fiction.

Of 'The Cloister and the Hearth' it is impossible to speak too well. The author's perfect knowledge of mediaeval life, just before the time of Erasmus, is wonderful. The plot is full of incident of the newest and most striking, yet most probable and natural sort: the characters live, and seem


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Rh success," said I, in great delight. I ordered a fire to be lighted, and fixing one of our iron plates, which was round in form, and rather concave, on two stones placed on each side of the fire, I covered it with the flour which we took from the bag with a small wooden shovel. It soon formed a solid cake, which we turned, that it might be equally baked.

It smelled so good, that they all wished to commence eating immediately ; and I had some difficulty in convincing them that this was only a trial, and that our baking was still imperfect. Besides, as I told them there were three kinds of manioc, of which one contained more poison than the rest, I thought it prudent to try whether we had perfectly extracted it, by giving a small quantity to our fowls. As soon, therefore, as the cake was cold, I gave some to two chickens, which I kept apart; and also some to Master Knips, the monkey, that he might, for the first time, do us a little service. He ate it with so much relish, and such grimaces of enjoyment, that my young party were quite anxious to share his feast; but I ordered them to wait till we could judge of the effect, and, leaving our employment, we went to our dinner of potatoes, to which my wife had added one of the penguins, which was truly rather tough and fishy; but as Jack would not allow this, and declared it was a dish fit for a king, we allowed him to regale on it as much as he liked. During dinner, I talked to them of the various preparations made from the manioc; I told my wife we could obtain an excellent starch from the expressed juice; but this did not interest her much, as at present she usually wore the


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the well-known editor of the comic journal, 'Fun,' son of the late celebrated poet and author, born at Lake House, Wanstead, Essex, January 19, 1835, was educated at University College School and Louth Grammar School, Lincolnshire; entered (intended for the Church) as a commoner at Pembroke College, Oxford, in 1853, where he passed all the examinations for the degree, but did not put on the gown, of B.A. His first work, 'Pen and Pencil Pictures,' written at Oxford, was published in 1854, 5. It was followed by 'Quips and Cranks,' and 'Daughters of King Daher, and other Poems,' in 1861; 'Loves of Tom Tucker and Little Bo-Peep, a Rhyming Rigmarole,' in 1862; 'Yere Vereker's Vengeance, a Sensation,' in 1864; 'Captain Master's Children, a Novel,' and 'Jingles and Jokes for the Little Folks,' in 1865. Novels: 'A Disputed Inheritance,' 'Golden Heart,' 'A Lost Link,' and 'Love and Valour.' He has written several books for juveniles, and illustrated his father's comic verses, 'Precocious Piggy,' having on other occasions wielded pencil as well as pen; and was appointed editor of 'Fun,' which had passed into the hands of a new proprietor, in May 1865. Tom Hood is a contributor to many magazines and periodicals, and has had some experience as a journalist. He is also author of two books on English verse composition. In 1868 he again started the 'Comic Annual,' which has achieved a decided success.

The popularity of 'Fun' under Mr. Hood's care speaks volumes for his skill and judgment as an editor; and he has a recognised position as an author, standing high in public favour.


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104 dress of a sailor, for convenience, and had neither caps nor collars to starch.

The cake made from the root is called by the natives of the Antilles cassava, and in no savage nation do we find any word signifying bread; an article of food unknown to them.

We spoke of poisons; and I explained to my sons the different nature and effects of them. Especially I warned them against the manchineel, which ought to grow in this part of the world. I described the fruit to them, as resembling a tempting yellow apple, with red spots, which is one of the most deadly poisons: it is said that even to sleep under the tree is dangerous. I forbade them to taste any unknown fruit, and they promised to obey me.

On leaving the table, we went to visit the victims of our experiment. Jack whistled for Knips, who came in three bounds from the summit of a high tree, where he had doubtless been pluudering some nest; and his vivacity, and the peaceful cackling of the fowls, assured us our preparation was harmless.

"Now, gentlemen," said I, laughing, "to the bakehouse, and let us see what we can do." I wished them each to try to make the cakes. They immediately kindled the fire and heated the iron plate. In the mean time, I broke up the grated cassava, and mixed it with a little milk; and giving each of them a cocoa·nut basin filled with the paste, I showed them how to pour it with a spoon upon the plate, and spread it about; when the paste began to puif up, I judged it was baked on one side, and turned it, like a pancake, with a fork; and after a little time, we had a quantity of


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280 Chinese, 33-5, 84. Circles, stone, 57-9, 101, 160, 163, 164, 273. Clakeywell Pool, 231. Clerk, old, 125-6, 158. Glitters, 17, 75. Coffin-stone, 195. Commons, 23. Convicts, 262-3, 265-7. Cooking-holes, 44-6, 70; pots, 46, 70. Cookworthy, William, 237-8. Coral moss, 250-1. Cosdon, 149. Country dances, 236. Cox Tor, 269. Cranbrook Castle, 104, 162. Cranmere Pool, 7, 149. Cromlech, 55, 57, 162. Crosses, Celtic, 42; on Dartmoor, 65-6, 159, 203, 210-12, 236, 274. Cuckoo, 252. Culture, encroachment of, 26-8. Cut Hill, 243.

Daddy longlegs, 254-5. Damnonii, 44. Dartmoor : ancient inhabitants, 29-51; antiquities, 52-73; bogs, 2-10; camps, 97-107; cradle of rivers, 1; forest, 22, 24-5, 271; granite, 16; lakes, 15, 16; plants, 11-13, 19-21; Preservation Society, 27; salubrity of, 178-9, 259-60; tin-streaming, 108-123; tors, 7, 14-15, 75. et passim; venville parishes, 22-3. Dart River, 194-200; East, 241; West, 224, 256; cry of, 235; otter-hunting on, 224-8. Dedication of Celtic churches, 128-9. Deer, 223. Destruction of antiquities, 53-5, 162, 172, 210, 211, 228. Dewerstone, 104, 239-40. Dolly Trebble, 196-7. Dolmens, 55-6. Dolmen-builders, 36-9. Drewsteignton cromlech, 162. Drift, a Dartmoor, 25. Drizzlecombe, 60, 63, 120, 236. Druids, 80-1, 272. Duchy, 27. Dunnabridge Pound, 26. Dyeing, 249.

Elford family, 221. Epitaphs, 129-30, 193. Erme Plains, 212; river, 211. Escapes of convicts, 265-7. Exe River, 1.

Fardell, 219. Farmhouses, 190. Fernworthy, 163. Fice's Well, 274. Flint finds, 160, 243; tools and weapons, 30, 37, 38, 45, 49. Foale's Arrishes, 176-8. Fordd = a road, 273. Forest, 22, 24-5, 271. Fox-hunting, 223. Fox Tor Mire, 6. Fresh air, 178. Funeral customs, 83-96. Fur Tor Cut, 7-8. Furze, 12-13.

Gael, 39, 41-2. Galford, 105-6.

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Rh nice yellow biscuits, which, with a jug of milk, made us a delicious collation; and determined us, without delay, to set about cultivating the manioc.

The rest of the day was employed in bringing up the remainder of our cargo, by means of the sledge and the useful wheelbarrows.

next morning I decided on returning to the wreck. The idea of the pinnace continually haunted my mind, and left me no repose. But it was necessary to take all the hands I could raise, and with difficulty I got my wife’s consent to take my three elder sons, on promising her we would return in the evening. We set out, talking provision for the day, and soon arrived at the vessel, when my boys began to load the raft with all manner of portable things. But the great matter was the pinnace. It was contained in the after-hold of the vessel, immediately below the officers' berths. My sons, with all the ardour of their age, begged to begin by clearing a space in the vessel to put the pinnace together, and we might afterwards think how we should launch it. Under any other circumstances I should have shown them the folly of such an undertaking; but in truth, I had myself a vague hope of success, that encouraged me, and I cried out, "To work! to work!" The hold was lighted by some chinks in the ship’s side. We set diligently to work, hacking, cutting, and sawing away all obstacles, and before evening we had a clear space round us. But now


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Author:Thomas Hood (1835-1874)

Works

 * Whimsicalities (London, 1844).
 * The Pleasant Tale of Puss and Robin, and Their Friends Kitty and Bob (London: Macmillan, 1871)

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veteran actor had earned a great reputation many years ago. His name will go down to future generations of playgoers as that of one who was a master of the art of embodying on the stage every variety of character. No man has played with success in a greater number of characters than the proprietor of the Adelphi.

Benjamin Webster is descended from a good Yorkshire family, though the city of Bath was his birthplace. He made his first appearance on the stage of life on the 3d of September 1800. He was educated for the navy, and a commission was procured for him by the late Duchess of York; but he never entered the service. The navy has been the loser and the stage the gainer by the circumstance. He was fond of music, and made that his first profession. While fulfilling an engagement in the orchestra of the theatre at Warwick, he first threw down the fiddlestick, and put on the mask and tights of a harlequin—a character different from those with which in after years he pleased the public. But his real début as an actor took place in the same theatre, in the character of Thessalus in 'Alexander the Great.' He succeeded, and resolved to devote himself for the future to the stage. His career after this was that of most young actors. He travelled from town to town, playing all sorts of parts at all sorts of theatres—a training which proved most beneficial. After various adventures in England and Ireland, he turned up in London, where he played trifling parts at several houses. At length, in 1825, 'Measure for Measure' was being performed at Drury Lane, with a strong cast, and Harley had the part of Pompey the clown. The popular comedian was suddenly taken ill. At three or four hours' notice, Benjamin Webster took his place, delighted the audience, pleased the manager, and filled the press with his praises. From this time his name was made. He had plenty of good offers; and in 1829 he opened at the Haymarket, in 'Lodgings for Single Gentlemen.' When Morris, the


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 lessee, retired, Mr. Webster took his place, and for sixteen years was lessee of that house. At the end of that time Mr. Buckstone took it, and Mr. Webster devoted himself exclusively to the Adelphi.

In 1858 he rebuilt that theatre, an old and inconvenient house, and raised in its stead one of the most complete and well-constructed houses in London. The Haymarket owes its position to his energy and liberality. He spent 2000l. a-year on English authors at a time when, as now, there was a cry that everything worth seeing was cribbed from the French. Knowles, Bulwer, and Jerrold supplied him with plays; and Macready, Phelps, Wallack, Warde, Farren, Reeve, Buckstone, Charles Mathews, Power, Helen Faucit, Mrs. Glover, Mrs. Warner, and Mrs. Stirling, illustrated them. Not least in this list of 'all the talents' was Benjamin Webster himself. It has been said of him, that 'his motley assumptions remind us of a crowd of Hogarth's. In looking back over all the years of his career, the mass is overpowering. Though each face is individual old age and youth, fops and vulgarians, Cockneys and countrymen, misers and gamblers, blacklegs and priests; Welshmen, Scotchmen, and Dutchmen; negroes, Jesuits, and Jews—their habiliments would form the wardrobe of a theatre.' Perhaps his greatest impersonation, out of all the characters he assumed, was that of Robert Landry, in the 'Dead Heart.' This was a wonderful delineation of character; and the scene in which Robert recovers his memory, after many years' incarceration in the Bastille, is as fine a piece of acting as ever was seen on the English stage. Old playgoers, too, will recall with delight his George Darville, his Richard Pride, and his Tartuffe. In all his characters, he entered heart and soul into the author's meaning, and the spectator was lost in the reality of the scene.

One other feature of Mr. Webster's career deserves notice; it is his connection with the Royal Dramatic College. This valuable institution he has from the first assisted with his purse and his labour, and has always done all he could to help it on to its present usefulness to decayed members of the profession.

Mr. Webster's very long connection with the stage has caused him to be looked upon as a sort of Nestor among actors; his friends, private and professional, looking up to him as 'the Governor.'


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106 it was necessary to return, and we put to sea with our cargo, purposing to continue our work daily. On reaching the Bay of Safety, we had the pleasure of finding my wife and Francis, who had established themselves at Tent House, intending to continue there till our visits to the vessel were concluded; that they might always keep us in sight, and spare us the unnecessary labour of a walk after our day's work.

I thanked my wife tenderly for this kind sacrifice, for I knew how much she enjoyed the cool shade of Falcon’s Nest; and in return I showed her the treasures we had brought her from the vessel, consisting of two barrels of salt butter, three hogsheads of flour, several bags of millet, rice, and other grains, and a variety of useful household articles, which she conveyed with great delight to our storehouse in the rocks.

For a week we spent every day in the vessel, returning in the evening to enjoy a good supper, and talk of our progress; and my wife, happily engrossed with her poultry and other household cares, got accustomed to our absence. With much hard labour, the pinnace was at last put together. Its construction was light and elegant, it looked as if it would sail well; at the head was a short half-deck; the masts and sails were like those of a brigantine. We carefully caulked all the seams with tow dipped in melted tar; and we even indulged ourselves by placing the two small guns in it, fastened by chains.

And there stood the beautiful little bark, immovable on the stocks. We admired it incessantly; but what could we do to get it afloat? The difficulty of forcing a way through the mighty


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name of Trollope was as familiar to the last generation of readers as it is to the present. Mrs. Fanny Trollope—she married in 1809 Anthony Trollope, barrister-at-law—having lost her husband, applied herself to literature. In 1832, the year of the Reform Bill in England, she published her first book. It was about the United States, where she had lived for some time, and was called 'Domestic Life of the Americans.'

In England, it was read and enjoyed. In the States, the people did not like it—they did not appear to advantage in the book; but it made the reputation of the lady who had written it; and Mrs. Fanny Trollope continued to apply herself to the manufacture of interesting and clever books, her chef-d'œuvre being 'The Widow Barnaby.' The authoress died at Florence in 1863; and in the outskirts of that city her eldest son, Thomas Adolphus Trollope, has made his home.

Her second son, the subject of this notice, has made England his home, and the English people his study.

Anthony Trollope seems to have 'thrown back' one generation. His grandfather was a parson; and it is in delineating the phases of clerical life, from the bishop to the curate, that this popular writer excels. Bishop Proudie, Archdeacon Grantley, the Rev. Obadiah Slope, Mr. Crawley of Hogglestock, are creations of his genius that have their originals in life. They are photographic portraits of men his readers know: nature clothed with the form of art: and from this exquisite truthfulness they derive their interest.

The conversations of the characters in his books are exactly the dialogues one hears in everyday life. One man turns to Trollope for his recreation, because 'it is exactly like life, you know.' Another man says: 'When I pick up a novel, I want to be taken above everyday life. I want the ideal. I don't find this in Trollope.' And so he does not read Trollope's


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Rh timbers lined with copper, that formed the side of the ship, was insurmountable.

Suddenly, suggested by the excess of my despair, a bold but dangerous idea presented itself to me, in which all might be lost, as well as all gained. I said nothing about this to my children, to avoid the vexation of a possible disappointment, but began to execute my plan.

I found a cast-iron mortar, exactly fitted for my purpose, which I filled with gunpowder. I then took a strong oak plank to cover it, to which I fixed iron hooks, so that they could reach the handles of the mortar. I cut a groove in the side of the plank, that I might introduce along match, which should burn at least two hours before it reached the powder. I placed the plank then over the mortar, fastened the hooks through the handles, surrounded it with pitch, and then bound some strong chains round the whole, to give it greater solidity. I proceeded to suspend this infernal machine against the side of the ship near our work, taking care to place it where the recoil from the explosion should not injure the pinnace. When all was ready, I gave the signal of departure, my sons having been employed in the boat, and not observing my preparations. I remained a moment to fire the match, and then hastily joined them with a beating heart, and proceeded to the shore.

As soon as we reached our harbour, I detached the raft, that I might return in the boat as soon as I heard the explosion. We began actively to unload the boat, and while thus employed, a report like thunder was heard. All trembled, and threw down their load in terror.


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Author:Frances Trollope

Works

 * Domestic Life of the Americans

title: Author:Frances Trollope


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Rh Gates, how hung, 133. Ghosts, 90-1. Gidleigh, 162-3. Gobbetts, 117, 203-6. Gold, 122. Granite, 14-16. Greenaball, 273. Grey Wethers, 164, 243. Grimspound, 165-70. Gubbinses, 134-5.

Harford church, 214. Harter Tor, 270. Hawns and Dendles, 217. Heather, 276-8; white, 162. Hembury Castle, 104. Hey Tor Rocks, 176. Holne Chase, 194; church, 193. Hound Tor, 175. Huccaby Bridge, 200. Hut circles, 43-4, 66-71, 148, 168, 176, 212-13.

Idol, wooden, 15. Inscribed stones, 142-3, 173, 219. Iron : introduction of, 29; smelting, 112; smelting-houses, 194. Ivybridge, 209.

Jack-o'-Lantern, 243-7. Jolly Lane Cot, 200-1.

Kaolin, 237-9. Kingset, 231. Kingsley, Charles, 206. King's Oven, 122. King's Teignton, 207. Kingston, Duchess of, 214-15. Kistvaens, 57, 101, 149, 168, 175, 268-9.

"Lady" Darke, 183-9. Lake-bed, 16. Lake-head Hill, 242. Langstone, 10, 101, 160, 274. Laurence, Archbishop, 87. Leather Tor, 235. Lichens, 199, 249-50. Lime, deficiency of, 255. Logan rocks, 75-9, 141, 270. Luminous moss, 19-20. Lustleigh church, 173-4. Lych Way, 255. Lydford, 107, 124-32, 134-5. Lynx Tor, 141-2.

"Maid and Lantern," ballad, 248. Manaton, 171-2. Marchant's Cross, 236. Mary Tavy church, 137; registers, 136-7. May Day customs, 206-7. Meavy, 236-7. Menhirs, 62-6, 101, 149, 236, 268, 273. Merrivale Bridge, 120, 268-9. Mires, 6, 8. Mistletoe, 272. Mis Tor, 269, 273. Murcens, 102.

Neolithic man, 31-51. North Bovey, 172. Nun's Cross, 230-1.

Oaks, 272. Oghams, 219. Okebrook, 200. Okement River, 1; West, 136, 138. Otter-hunting, 224-8.

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108 "What can it be?" cried they. "Perhaps a signal from some vessel in distress. Let us go to their assistance."

"It came from the vessel," said my wife. "It must have blown up. You have not been careful of fire; and have left some near a barrel of gunpowder."

"At all events," said I, "we will go and ascertain the cause. Who’ll go with me?"

By way of reply, my three sons leaped into the boat, and consoling the anxious mother by a promise to return immediately, away we rowed. We never made the voyage so quickly. Curiosity quickened the movements of my sons, and I was all impatience to see the result of my project. As we approached, I was glad to see no appearance of flames, or even smoke. The position of the vessel did not seem altered. Instead of entering the vessel as usual, we rounded the prow, and came opposite the other side. The greater part of the side of the ship was gone. The sea was covered with the remains of it. In its place stood our beautiful pinnace, quite uninjured, only leaning a little over the stocks. At the sight I cried out, in a transport that amazed my sons, " Victory! victory! the charming vessel is our own; it will be easy now to launch her."

"Ah! I comprehend now," said Fritz. "Papa has blown up the ship; but how could you manage to do it so exactly?"

I explained all to him, as we entered through the broken side of the devoted vessel. I soon ascertained that no fire remained; and that the pinnace had escaped any injury. We set to work to clear away all the broken timbers in our way, and,


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282 Otter River, 1. Over Tor, 269.

Palæolithic man, 30. Palgrave, Mr., 31. Peat fires, 180; works, 142. Pebbles, 47. Peter Tavy church, 137-8. Petrock, S., 12, 127, 129, 214. Phœnicians, 144-6. Pixy Cave, 200, 221. Plym River, 239. Population, ancient, 48-9. Post Bridge, 48, 241-58. Pottery, neolithic, 30, 38, 177-8. Pounds, 26, 48. Prideaux, John, 214. Prince's Hall, 27. Princetown, 27, 259-71. Prisoners, 261. Prisons, 259-61.

Quarters of the Forest, 25.

Radford, Daniel, the late, 132. Ravens, 170. Ravine, Lydford, 134. Redlake Mires, 7. Redmoor Mire, 9. Reservoir, Burra Tor, 221. Rock basins, 78-9, 273. Rooks, 254. Roos Tor, 78. Roundy Farm, 231. Roundy Pound, 160. Row. See Stone rows.

Salubrity of Dartmoor, 178-9, 259-60. Samoyeds, 58-9. Satterleigh, Sally, 201. Scaur Hill Circle, 160. Screens in churches, 163, 171, 172, 210, 228, 275. Shapleigh Common, 165. Sheeps Tor, 220-2, 228, 236. Sherrill, 199-200. "Silly Doe," ballad, 222. Slade, 219. Snaily House, 256. Sourton Down, 142. South Brent church, 210. Sparrow-hawk, 254. Staple Tor, 269. Steeperton Tor, 146, 148 Sticklepath, 149-50. Stinga Tor, 141. Stonehenge, 31, 40. Stone rows, 60-2, 149, 160-2, 163, 176, 212, 213, 268-9. Sundew, 11. Sweet gale, 11-12. Swincombe, 114-20, 203.

Tailor lost on the moor, 4-5. Taw Marsh, 146-7. Teign River, 160, 162, 164. Throwleigh, 156, 163. Tin, 22, 30; streaming, 108-23. Tincombe Lane, 159. Tolmens, 79-80, 162, 269. Tor Royal, 271. Tors, 17-18. Tracklines, 47, 71. Trackway, great central, 170, 242. Trippers, 217-18, 268. Tristis Rock, 213. Two Bridges, 268. Tyrwhitt, Sir Thomas, 26, 196, 259-61, 271.

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 incredible expence of mind; and that thro' a long series of years.

but his natural disposition was of a chearful turn, when not actually engag'd in thought. he could be very agreable in company, & even sometime talkative. his voice was of a deep tone, but pleasant enough, having a large chest, for one of his stature. a spirit of beneficence was, as it were, the basis of his composition. infinite instances might be given of the extensiveness of his charitys. not those of a little, & low kind, but what show'd the noble spirit, that gave prudently, as well as profusely.

Mr Clark of Grantham says, he gave £100 bank bill into his hands, for one of the Pilkingtons, his half niece: as a portion on her marriage. Dr. Newton says, Sr. Isaac Maintain'd her, & her mother when they were both widows. not long before his death, he bought land of about £30 a year value & gave to John Newton, his heir at law. For Robert Newton another relation he bought land of somewhat less value. he hoped it would not be so easily spent, as money. To one Ayscough a relation by his mother, who was clark to Mr Calcraft of Grantham an attorney, he gave £100 to set him up withal, & other benefactions: he was his godson. but all


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 relations, who were numerous enough, largely partook of his bounty.

to the Royal Society he frequently gave money, & to all subscriptions of publick utility, literary, political, charitable, religious. he was generally present at the marriages of his relations, when conveniently he could be. He would on those occasions, lay aside gravity, be free, pleasant, & unbended. he generally made a present of £100 to the females, and set up the men to trade, & business. he showd his good sense in this, as in every other affair; seeing that matrimony, trade, & industry is the foundation, & the strength of a common weal: & ought by all methods to be incourag'd in a wise government.

Sr. Isaac had likewise a natural dignity, & politeness in his manner, in common life, unusual in so hard a student. I heard from captain Short, of Keal, in Lincolnshire, who was related to him, that when he, & the family visited Sr. Isaac at the tower, to see the coynage; he entertaind them very splendidly, & gave to each a gold medal. & this he often did to such as visited him, out of curiosity, at the tower.

Mr Mason says, he gave the parish of Colsterworth a handsom sum of money toward the repairs of the church; & promised them more, when they wanted it.


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 useful on many accounts, the starry canopy.

and this perhaps may give us some being a very distant view of that luminous plain, like the ring of Saturn, extending all around & beyond us. the plane of Saturns ring the same. & thus we may be said to have before our eyes an actual view of God's infinite wisdom, power, & goodness: not a mental idea only, but real prospect; and that of the largest scope. & tis to be consider'd withal that God's infinite wisdom shines forth in highest lustre, in this particular construction of the universe. what would have been the consequence had infinite space quaquaversum been disseminated with worlds? we see every night, the inconvenience of it. The whole hemisphere would have had the appearance of that luminous gloom of the milky way. we should have lost the present sight of the beauty & the glory of the starry firmament. & therefore we may well conclude the great architect has herein truly united infinite wisdom, power, & goodness; in thus planning out the worlds; without robbing us of that most magnificent view we enjoy, and no less


text: A Christmas Faggot/Benedictus

title: A Christmas Faggot/Benedictus


text: A Christmas Faggot/Magnificat

title: A Christmas Faggot/Magnificat


text: A Christmas Faggot/Nunc Dimittis

title: A Christmas Faggot/Nunc Dimittis


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User:What is your name questionmark

abcd

title: User:What is your name questionmark


text: Cartoon portraits and biographical sketches of men of the day/G. E. Street, R.A.


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Author:George Edmund Street

Works

 * The Brick and Marble Architecture of North Italy in the Middle Ages
 * Some Account of Gothic Architecture in Spain

Works about Street

 * "", Encyclopaedia Britannica, 9th ed., (1887).
 * (1898).
 * (1898).

title: Author:George Edmund Street


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Talk:Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Rhygyfarch

Rhygyfarch in Annales Cambriae C.
There is only one reference to Rhygyfarch in Annales Cambriae C (British Museum Cotton Domitian A.i.). The last item in annal c420 (implying AD 1099) is Rikewarth filius sulien episcopi moritur. This is clearly 'Rhygyfarch son of bishop Sulien' and cannot be read as saying that Rhygyfarch was himself a bishop. --Henrywgc (talk) 10:10, 30 December 2010 (UTC)
 * This is the 1890s version of the DNB that is being reproduced, and if you click the numbers on the left hand side it will take you to the particularly page. More info about the project to transcribe the work at WikiProject DNB — billinghurst  sDrewth  11:58, 30 December 2010 (UTC)


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 BRETT, HENRY (d. 1724), colonel, of Sandywell Park, Gloucestershire, the associate of Addison and Steele, was eldest son of Henry Brett of Cowley, Gloucestershire, the descendant of the old Warwickshire family of Brett of Brett's Hall (see 's Gloucestershire, p. 400; 's Warwickshire, ii. 1039). Colley Cibber, who was intimate with him, says that young Brett was sent to Oxford and entered at the Temple, but was an idler about town in 1700, when he married Ann, the divorced wife of Charles Gerard, second earl of Macclesfield, who succeeded to the title in 1693. She was daughter of a Sir Richard Mason, knight, of Sutton, Surrey, and married the Earl of Macclesfield, then Lord Brandon, in 1683, but separated from him soon after. She had afterwards two illegitimate children, one of whom, by Richard Savage, fourth and last earl Rivers, was popularly identified with the unfortunate poet, Richard Savage (see Notes and Queries, 2nd ser. vi. 361 et seq.) The countess was divorced in 1698, when her fortune of 12,000l. (or, as some accounts have it, 25,000l.) was returned to her, and two years later she married Henry Brett. He was a very handsome young fellow, and the lady's sympathy is said to have been evoked by an assault committed upon him by bailiffs opposite her windows. After his marriage Henry Brett was for a short time member for the borough of Bishop's Castle, Salop. He also obtained in 1705 the lieutenant-colonelcy of a regiment of foot newly raised by Sir Charles Hotham, but parted with it soon after. Brett was a well-known member of the little circle of which Addison was the head, and which held its social gatherings at Will's and afterwards at Button's. He is supposed to be the Colonel Rambler of the 'Tatler' (No. 7). He rebuilt Sandywell Park, which he sold to Lord Conway, and at one time had a share in the patent of Drury Lane Theatre (, Apology, p. 212). He survived his friend Addison, and died, rather suddenly, in 1724. His will, wherein he is simply described as Henry Brett, and bequeaths all his real and personal property to his loving spouse Ann Brett, except his lottery tickets, half the proceeds of which, in the event of their drawing prizes, are to go to his sister Miller, was dated 14 Sept. 1724, and proved by his widow two days later. After her father's death, his daughter, Anna Margharetta Brett, who appears to have been the sole issue of the marriage, and who is described as a dark, Spanish-looking beauty, became the recognised mistress - the first English one - of King George I, then in his sixty-fifth year, by whom she is believed to have had no children. The young lady's ambition and prospects of a coronet were disappointed through the death of the king in 1727, and she subsequently married Sir William Leman second baronet, of Northaw or Northall, Hertfordshire, and died without issue in 1743, Mrs. Brett lived to the age of eighty. She died at her residence in Old Bond Street, London, on 11 Oct. 1753. She is said to have been a woman of literary tastes, and Colley Cibber is stated to have esteemed her judgment so highly as to have submitted to her revision the manuscript of his best play, the 'Careless Husband,' which was first put on the boards in 1704.

Colonel Arthur Brett (whose daughter married Thomas Carte, the historian) is sometimes confounded with Henry Brett.

BRETT, GEORGE. [See .]

BRETT, JOHN (d. 1785), captain in the royal navy, was probably the son or near kinsman of Captain Timothy Brett, with whom he went to sea in the Ferret sloop about the year 1722, with the rating of captain's servant. In May 1727 he followed Timothy Brett to the Deal Castle, and in the following November to the William and Mary yacht. On 2 March 1733-4 he was promoted to be lieutenant; in 1740 he commanded the Grampus sloop in the Mediterranean; and on 25 March 1741 was posted into the Roebuck of 40 guns by Vice-admiral Haddock, whom he brought home a passenger, invalided, in May 1742. In November 1742 he was appointed to the Anglesea, and in April 1744 to the Sunderland of 60 guns. He was still in the Sunderland and in company with the Captain, Hampton Court and Dreadnought, when, on 6 Jan. 1744-5, they fell in with, and did not capture, the two French ships, Neptune and Fleuron [see ; ]. Fortunately for Captain Brett's reputation, the Sunderland had her mainmast carried away at an early period of the chase, and he thus escaped a share of the obloquy which attached to the others. He was afterwards sent out to join Commodore Warren at Cape Breton, and took part in the operations which resulted in the capture of Louisburg. In 1755 he commanded the Chichester in the


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 Brett squadron sent under Rear-admiral Holburne to reinforce Boscawen on the coast of North America. On 19 May 1756 he was appointed to the St. George, and on 1 June was ordered to turn over to the Namur. Three days afterwards a promotion of admirals came out, in which Brett was included, with his proper seniority, as rear-admiral of the white. He refused to take up the commission, and it was accordingly cancelled (Admiralty Minutes, 4 and 15 June 1756). No reason for this refusal appears on record, and the correspondence that must have taken place between Brett and the admiralty or Lord Anson has not been preserved. It is quite possible that there had been some question as to whether his name should or should not be included in the promotion, and that this had come to Brett's knowledge; but the story, as told by Oharnock, of his name having been in the first instance omitted, is contradicted by the official list. From this time Brett lived in retirement, occupying himself, to some extent, in literary pursuits. In 1777-9 he published 'Translations of Father Feyjoo's Discourses' (4 vols. 8vo); and in 1780 'Essays or Discourses selected from the Works of Feyjoo, and translated from the Spanish' (2 vols. 8vo). A letter, dated Gosport, 3 July 1772 (Brit. Mus. Add. MS. 30871, f. 138), shows that he corresponded with Wilkes on friendly terms, and ranked himself with him as 'a friend of liberty.' He speaks also of his wife and children, of whom nothing further seems to be known. He died in 1785.

[Official Documents in the Public Record Office; Charnock's Biog. Nav. v. 67; Gent. Mag. li. 34. lv. 223.]  BRETT, JOHN WATKINS (1805–1863), telegraphic engineer, was the son of a cabinetmaker, William Brett of Bristol, and was born in that city in 1805. Brett has been styled, with apparent justice, the founder of submarine telegraphy. The idea of transmitting electricity through submerged cables is said to have been originated by him in conjunction with his younger brother. After some years spent in perfecting his plans he sought and obtained permission from Louis-Philippe in 1847 to establish telegraphic communication between France and England, but the project did not gain the public attention, being regarded as too hazardous for general support. The attempt was, however, made in 1850, and met with success, and the construction of numerous other submarine lines followed. Brett always expressed himself confident as to the ultimate union of England and America by means of electricity, but he did not live to see it accomplished. He died on 3 Dec. 1863 at the age of 58, and was buried in the family vault in the churchyard of Westbury-on-Trim, near Bristol. Brett published a work of 104 pages, 'On the Origin and Progress of the Oceanic Telegraph, with a few brief facts and opinions of the press' (London, 8vo, 1858), and contributed several papers on the same subject to the Institute of Civil Engineers, of which he was a member. A list of these contributions will be found in the index of the 'Proceedings' of that society.

[Notes and Queries. 3rd ser. viii. 203, &c.; Catalogue of the Ronalds Library.] ' BRETT, PEIRCY (1709–1781), admiral, was the son of Peircy Brett, a master in the navy, and afterwards master attendant of the dockyards at Sheerness and at Chatham. After serving his time as volunteer and midshipman, he was, on 6 Dec. 1734, promoted to the rank of lieutenant and appointed to the Falkland with Captain the Hon. Fitzroy Lee. In her he continued till July 1738, when he was appointed to the Adventure, and a few months later to the Gloucester, one of the ships which sailed under Commodore Anson for the Pacific in September 1740. On 18 Feb. following Brett was transferred to Anson's own ship, the Centurion, as second-lieutenant, and in this capacity he commanded the landing party which sacked and burned the town of Paita on 13 Nov. 1741. After the capture of the great Acapulco ship, Brett became first-lieutenant, by the promotion of Saumarez, and was appointed by Anson to be captain of the Centurion on 30 Sept. 1743, when he himself left the ship on his visit to Canton. On the arrival of the Centurion in England the admiralty refused to confirm this promotion, although they gave Brett a new commission as captain dated the day the ship anchored at Spithead, and a few months later, under a new admiralty of which Anson was a member, the original commission was as confirmed, 29 Dec. 1744 [see ].

In April 1745 Brett was appointed to command the Lion, 60 guns, in the Channel; and on 9 July, being then off Ushant, he fell in with the French ship Elisabeth of 64 gun's, a king's ship, nominally in private employ, and actually engaged in convoying the small frigate on board which Prince Charles Edward was taking a passage to Scotland. Between the Lion and Elisabeth a severe action ensued, which lasted from 5 p.m. till 9 p.m., by which time the Lion was a wreck, with 45 killed and 107


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88 with mildew. My husband had great control over himself in the small annoyances of life, and was able to repeat again the proverb he had adopted in his boyhood, "Never cry for spilled milk." How he could submit so quietly, when he took out his prized books and the few pictures I knew that he valued, was a mystery.

All thought began now to centre on the coming events of the summer. It was decided that the regiment was to go out to guard the engineers of the Northern Pacific Railroad while they surveyed the route from Bismarck to the Yellowstone River. The ladies necessarily were to be left behind. Now began the summer of my discontent. I longed to remain in Dakota, for I knew it would take much longer for our letters to reach us if we went East. Besides, it was far more comforting to stay at a military post, where every one was interested in the expedition, and talked about it as the chief topic of concern. I remembered when I had gone East before, during a summer when our regiment was fighting Indians, and my idea was that the whole country would be almost as absorbed as we were, how shocked I was to be asked, when I spoke of the regiment, "Ah, is there a campaign, and for what purpose has it gone out?"

I was willing to live in a tent alone at the post, but there were not even tents to be had. Then we all looked with envious eyes at the quarters at Fort Rice. The post was small, and there were no vacant rooms except in the bachelor quarters. These are so called when the unmarried men take rooms in the same house and mess together. No opportunity was given us to wheedle them into offering us a place. Our officers hinted to

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 Brett L.S.A.L., in 1830. He then probably filled some hospital posts, and most certainly married; and at this time he was so deeply imbued with religious feeling that he wished to take holy orders, and go abroad as a missionary. But he was dissuaded from such a step, and continued the practice of his profession. On the death of his wife, he went as assistant to Mr. Samuel Reynolds, a surgeon at Stoke Newington, whose sister he married, and with whom he entered into a partnership which lasted fourteen years. He continued to practise at Stoke Newington until his death, on 3 Feb. 1874.

He entered heart and soul into the tractarian movement from its commencement, doing all in his power as a layman to forward it; he was honoured with the friendship of most of the leaders, especially Dr. Pusey, and his whole life and means were spent in promoting the interests of this section of the Church of England. Even the motto on his carriage was 'Pro Ecclesia Dei.' It was owing to his calling the attention of Edward Coleridge, of Eton, to the deplorable condition of the ruins of St. Augustine's, Canterbury, that a scheme was set on foot which resulted, through the munificence of Mr. Beresford Hope, in the establishment of St. Augustine's Missionary College. He parcelled out the parish of St. Matthias, Stoke Newington, and was the chief agent in the building of its church, as he also was subsequently in the erection of two churches at Haggerston and St. Faith's, Stoke Newington. He did other practical good work in founding the Guild of St. Luke, which consists of a band of medical men who co-operate with the clergy. He was an active member of the first church union that was started, and was at the time of his death a vice-president of the English Church Union.

Although, as may be imagined, his time was well occupied, yet he found leisure to write many devotional books (sixteen in number), such as 'Devotions for the Sick Room,' 'Companion for the Sick Room,' 'Thoughts during Sickness,' &c. He was buried on 7 Feb. 1874 at Tottenham cemetery. A large number of clergymen, noblemen, physicians, and barristers attended his funeral.

[Private information.]  BRETT, THOMAS (1667–1743), nonjuring divine, was the son of Thomas Brett of Spring Grove, Wye, Kent. His father descended from a family long settled at Wye; his mother was Letitia, daughter of John Boys of Betshanger, Sandwich, where Brett was born. He was educated at the Wye grammar school, under John Paris and Samuel Pratt (afterwards dean of Rochester), and on 20 March 1684 admitted pensioner of Queens' College, Cambridge. He was removed by his father for extravagance, but permitted to return. He then found that his books had been 'embezzled by an idle scholar,' and migrated to Corpus on 17 Jan. 1689. He took the LL.B. degree on the St. Barnabas day following. He was ordained deacon on 21 Dec. 1690. After holding a curacy at Folkestone for a year he was ordained priest, and chosen lecturer at Islington. The vicar, Mr. Gery, encouraged him to exchange his early whiggism for tory and high-church principles. On the death of his father, his mother persuaded him to return (May 1696) to Spring Grove, where he undertook the cure of Great Chart. Here he married Bridget, daughter of Sir Nicholas Toke. In 1697 he became LL.D., and soon afterwards exchanged Great Chart for Wye. He became rector of Betshanger on the death of his uncle, Thomas Boys; and on 12 April 1705 Archbishop Tenison made him rector of Ruckinge, having previously allowed him to hold the small vicarage of Chislet 'in sequestration.' He had hitherto taken the oaths without scruple; but the attempts of his relation, Chief-baron Gilbert, to bring him back to whiggism had the reverse of the effect intended; and Sacheverell's trial induced him to resolve never to take the oath again. He published a sermon 'on the remission of sins,' in 1711, which gave offence by its high view of sacerdotal absolution, and was attacked by Dr. Robert Cannon [q. v.] in convocation (22 Feb. 1712). The proposed censure was dropped apparently by the action of Atterbury as prolocutor (Letter about a Motion in Convocation, &c. 1712). In a later sermon 'On the Honour of the Cnristian Priesthood' he disavowed a belief in auricular confession. On the accession of George I, Brett declined to take the oaths, resigned his living, and was received into communion by the nonjuring bishop Hickes. He afterwards officiated in his own house. He was presented at the assizes for keeping a conventicle, and in 1718 and 1729 complaints were made against him to Archbishop Wake for interfering with the duties of the parish clergyman. He was, however, let off with a reproof.

Brett was consecrated bishop by the nonjuring bishops Collier, Spinckes, and Howes, in 1716. He took part in a negotiation which they opened in 1716 with the Greek archbishop of Thebais, then in London, and which continued till 1725, when it was allowed to drop. Brett's account, with copies of a proposed 'concordate,' and letters to the


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 IT is satisfactory to find that another edition of Henry VIII and the English Monasteries is required. So far as the book itself is concerned the present issue is a reprint of the Volume published in 1899, in which the old references of previous editions to documents etc. not calendered at the time the work was written, were altered to accord with the numbers assigned them in Dr. Gairdner's monumental Calendar of Papers, Foreign and Domestic, of the Reign of Henry VIII. Beyond this I have availed myself of the opinions expressed by this exceptional authority on the documents of this period in the prefaces to the volumes of his Calendar which have appeared since the first publication of this work. Dr. Gairdner's conclusions, which naturally carry great weight, will be found to be in substantial agreement with the views I had previously expressed as to the main incidents in the drama of the suppression of the English monastic houses.

One or two assertions lately made in the pages of Magazines and Journals seem to point to the fact that some at least have misunderstood the argument I have tried to expose in the pages of this book, and it may not be without its use if I devote a small amount of space to set in the forefront of this enquiry the main features of what, in my opinion, has been established by it, as to the moral state of the religious houses at the time of their dissolution.

I do not, and indeed have never contended that in


text: Cartoon portraits and biographical sketches of men of the day/Mr. Speaker


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vi regard to discipline the monasteries of the sixteenth century were all that could be desired. Very possibly abuses, and even grave abuses did exist here and there; but this is not the question to be considered. The point is, were the English monks and nuns generally in the reign of Henry VIII the profligate hypocrites which they were subsequently represented to be by those whose interest it was to defame the religious state or to defend the wholesale destruction of the religious houses. I readily admit that the reports of Henry's visitors were bad enough, although even they do not bear out the charges of wholesale corruption; but there are elements of the greatest suspicion on the face of these documents, which would certainly cause them to be rejected as proof in any other case, whilst if the characters of the accusers are considered, no man of honour would dream of "hanging a dog" upon their word alone.

It has of late been pointed out that other "Visitation Records" contain instances of abuses and scandals, and that this is a strong corroboration of the correctness of the scandalous reports of Henry's visitors. It is hard to see how this can be so; the only evidence afforded by such documents is, what no one would deny, that men did not leave their human faults and failings behind them when they entered the cloister; and that the Church, so far from tolerating any abuses of this kind, sternly repressed them by legislation and punishment. To make this clear I may perhaps be permitted to repeat what I have elsewhere written on the subject of Visitations: That Visitations were not mere formalities, is obvious on the face of the records: they were made at regular intervals; and, con- sidering the distances which had to be covered between the


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Rh them, but they seemed to be completely intimidated regarding women. They received an honest and emphatic "no" when they asked if the ladies of the 7th Cavalry quarrelled. Even then these wary men said "they did not dare to offer to take in any women." They added that there were but three in the post, and no two of them spoke to each other. They thought if we were asked to remain it might be the history of the Kilkenny cats repeated, and they were obdurate.

There was nothing left for us, then, but to go home. It was a sore disappointment. We were put on the steamer that was to take us to Bismarck, a heart-broken little group. I hated Dakota, the ugly river, and even my native land. We were nearly devoured with mosquitoes at once. Only the strongest ammonia on our faces and hands served to alleviate the torment. The journey was wretchedness itself. I had thrown myself on the berth in one of the little suffocating state-rooms, exhausted with weeping, and too utterly overcome with the anguish of parting to know much of the surroundings. I was roused by the gentle hand of a woman, who had forgotten her own troubles to come to me. Ah, even now, when the tears rain down my face at the remembrance of those agonizing good-byes, which were like death each time, and which grew harder with each separation, I think of the sympathy shown me. The sweet, tender eyes of the wives of officers come to me now, and I feel the soft touch of their hands as they came to comfort me, even when their own hearts were wrung. Grief is so selfish, I wonder now that they could have been such ministering angels.

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