M MEMORIAM.--W: B. •
["So he went on his way, and. / saw him no more. ]
[TO THE EDITOR 01 THE "SPECTATOR:1
Sin,—The following few traits of a noble life recently closed may, I hope, be of interest to your readers. Though not a public character in the widest sense, and leading a life which might, as compared with many, be termed uneventful, our friend was nevertheless well, and even intimately, known to a large number of men and women, who are deeply grieved at his comparatively early death,—rendered the more tragic by its following closely on a marriage promising all happiness and consolation. The outward course of his life may be summed up in a few words. Having devoted himself from early years at Westminster and Christ Church, as well as later in his profession at the Equity Bar, and as a member of the Inns of Court Volunteers, and afterwards of the 18th Middlesex, to the performance of all kinds of arduous tasks, and having attained distinguished success in what he had undertaken; having read, rowed, travelled, seen, heard, and written (among other things, occasionally contributing poetry to your columns); and having won from all who knew him the tribute of affection and respect, he may fairly be said to have lived a life in a sense longer and more complete than that of many a one who has seen more -days. But more than all this, he possessed the quality, or combination of qualities, only met with very occasionally; which gives a man a sort of pre-eminence over other people, impressing us more powerfully than most even of the better kind of men, and causing us to feel, from the very outset of -life, that whether or not it should be his fate to deal with the greatest and weightiest issues, yet his work was so thorough, his aim so single, his perception so sound, that no duty would be too high for him, no responsibility too heavy, no effort too arduous. When he succeeded, we felt that the result was less and not more than he had deserved; had he failed, we should have felt that success was impossible. Strength and nobility of character were, of course, the centre and core of such a career. But besides these (and without them even strength and nobility do not go far in influencing the hearts and minds of people cast in a less heroic mould) there was much of the softer and more winning quality,—a large measure of indulgent sympathy for weakness in others, of readiness to help at a pinch, of geniality and humour, of patience, and of the humility which places all comers at once at their ease, and which banishes to infinity the atmosphere of the superior person. There was also in our friend's nature much of the best type of soldier; bent on improving and cultivating the spirited, the hopeful, the adventurous, the self-sacrificing quality : building his body up as a strong fort by strenuous and regular manly exercise ; garrisoning it with health and truth; watchful in guarding the avenues of the soul from the lightest -footfall of the traitor, fear. One cir- cumstance illustrating his independence of feeling may be recorded. Long before his practice at the Bar was estab- lished, and clearly facing the possible alternative of having finally to try his fortune afresh in a new country, he twice declined an exeellent opening in business which was offered to him by a relation occupying a commanding position, but which would have involved the relinquishment of his legal career, which he considered the finer occupation of the two. In accordance with what would certainly have been his own feeling in the matter, I have not mentioned our friend's ramie. Those who knew him will not fail to recognise the outline
above given. He would not have wished for other recognition.
• [It is with the greatest pleasure that we lend the aid of our columns to erect, as it were, a memorial-stone to the man of a great and noble nature whose life is here shortly described. His best monument, however, is that set up in the hearts of all who knew him, and it is by noting what wise and good men thought of him that we can best realise his high character.—ED. Spectator.]
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