R. collections of John Pounds. By Henry Hawkes, B.A. (Williams
and Norgate.)—Every one may not remember that John Pounds was the philanthropic cobbler of Portsmouth. "Philanthropic," indeed, is scarcely the right adjective for the man. It is too big, but cer- tainly not too good for him. The picture of the old man, bent almost doable by infirmity, rough of aspect and harsh of voice, and not one whit cleaner than the dirtiest of a trade in which it is scarcely easy to be clean, but still tenderly beloved by the children whom he gathered about him, and who valued a kiss from him as mach as a prize, is singularly affecting. John Pounds would scarcely have got a certificate in these days; his school, which was, indeed, nothing more than a very small cobbler's shop, would certainly have failed to satisfy the requirements of "my Lords ;" but there never was a man who did more hearty, honest work than he. Mr. Hawkes was, and,. we gather from his volume, still is minister of the chapel in which the old man used to worship; and he made Pounds' acquaintance more than fifty years ago. Six years afterwards he died, being then in his seventy-second year. We are thankful for these reminiscences, though they came somewhat late.
Previous page
