THE LATE SIR SPENCER WALPOLE.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR:1 SIR,—Not even the very closest friends of the late Sir Spencer Walpole could complain of the warmth and adequacy of the appreciations of his public career and his literary achievements which have been accorded him very generally in the Press, but a certain side of his character inevitably escaped those who had knowledge of him only in a public capacity as a Civil servant, Inspector of Fisheries, Governor of the Isle of Man, and head of the Post Office successively, or in his distinguished literary activity as historian and biographer. It is true that during no moment of his career, from Eton schoolboy to the end, could those qualities of kindliness, sympathy, courtesy, and consideration for others ever have failed to strike all with whom he came into personal relations. To the world in general, however, he was known as a man of high intellectual attainment and administrative ability rather than of special gifts of heart, yet it is for the latter qualities rather than the former that those who had the great privilege of knowing him intimately will cherish his memory most warmly. After his retirement from his last public appointment as head of the Post Office, a responsible position which he occupied with distinguished credit, he resided chiefly at his country place in SUssex, which he purchased on quitting public life, still retaining an eager interest in political questions, continuing his historical work, contributing articles to the Quarterly, Spectator, and other periodicals, serving on the Board of the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway Company and on boards of other public companies, and quite lately accepting a seat on the Bench of local Magistrates. In such various ways he continued his useful activity up to almost the last day of his life, but withal found time to make the personal acquaintance of very many of his poorer neighbours in the country ; and to be acquainted with them was, for him, to be eager to relieve their necessities and assist them by unnumbered acts of generosity and friendliness. Among the many tributes which have been accorded him since his tragically sudden death there is none, perhaps, which be would have valued more than that of one of these poorer friends : " It is like one of the family gone." The homely phrase came straight from the heart of him who said it, and had a true and simple ring which was very characteristic of Sir Spencer Walpole's own nature. There can be little doubt that it was this simplicity, combined with his affectionate kindliness, which at once attracted to him the sympathies of so many persons of either sex and of all classes. It is a simplicity and a tenderness which are not often found conjoined with the strong intellect, the exact and retentive memory (marvellous, .when the ques- tion was of dates or figures), and the general " hard-headed- ness" which went to make up Sir Spencer's mental equipment. The combination was as delightful as it is rare. He died as doubtless be would have wished, as any one of us must wish for himself or those who are to dear to him,—a swift, merciful death. Though in his sixty-ninth year, he was still full of mental and bodily vigour, and had no trace of senility, nor was any warning given of the end which came so quickly. He was still able to enjoy a walk of ten miles over the beautiful and hilly forest ridge of Sussex on which he lived. It' was a life full of useful interests and kindly thoughts until its close, and the writer feels that it is a true privilege to have the
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