A WORD ON CROMWELL
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] SIR,—It would take too long to argue with your correspondent, F. Gertrude Latham, as to whether Oliver Cromwell was a saint or not, though I stick to my own opinion that he was, as I wrote, one of the few English saints. But I certainly did not " class him among the tinkers." I classed him with Wycliffe and the Wesleys as well as Bunyan. Having read Carlyle's edition of " Cromwell's Letters and Speeches," and having visited Hinchingbrooke myself, I know something about that " Golden Knight " his uncle ; but a family may have rich and spendthrift relations without being more than " poorish " themselves, and Oliver's parents were respectable small farmers, who perhaps did a little brewing. I remember the Protector's saying that rather than retain his position he would return to the country and keep sheep, as though he were fairly well acquainted with that " homely slighted trade."—Yours, &c., HENRY W. NEVINSON. 4 Downside Crescent, N. IV. 3.
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