CONTENTS. vii Cambridge-Death of Dr. Whewell-The American Professorship- Monotonous Life of the Country Labouring Class-Penny Readings -London Sermons-Strange Correspondents-Letters to Max Müller -The Jews in Cornwall-Prussian War-The Meteor Shower-The Attacks of the Press-Lectures on Sixteenth Century-Letters on Emigra- tion-Newman's Dream of St. Gerontius-Military Education- Work of the Year-Resignation of Professorship-Women's Suffrage Question-Letters to Mr. Maurice and John Stuart Mill-Canonry of Chester-Social Science Meeting at Bristol-West Indian Voyage- Return Home-Eversley a Changed Place-Flying Columns-Heath Fires-First Residence at Chester-Botanical Class-Field Lectures- Lecture at Sion College-Correspondence-Expeditions of the Chester Natural Science Society-Lectures on Town Geology-A Lump of Coal-The Race Week at Chester-Letters on Betting-Camp at Bramshill-Prince of Wales's Illness-Sermon on Loyalty and Sani- Opening of Chester Cathedral Nave-Deaths of Mr. Maurice and Norman McLeod-Cathedral Stalls and Learned Leisure-Bishop Patteson- Notes on Modern Hymnology-Lecture at Birmingham and its Results-Lectures at Chester-Correspondence on the Athanasian Harrow-on-the-Hill-Canonry of Westminster-Congratulations-Parting from Chester-Sermons in Westminster Abbey and at King's College -Voyage to America-Eastern Cities and Western Plains-Letter from John G. Whittier-Niagara-Salt Lake City-Yo Semite Return from America-Work at Eversley-Illness at Westminster— New Anxiety-Last Sermons in the Abbey-Leaves the Cloisters for ever-Last Return to Eversley-The Valley of the Shadow of Death-Last Illness and Departure-Answered Prayer-His Burial The smaller Illustrations have all been taken, by kind permission from Photographs by Mr. Frank Mason Good. CHARLES KINGSLEY: HIS LETTERS AND MEMORIES OF HIS LIFE CHAPTER XIV, 1856. AGED 37. WINTER AT FARLEY COURT-LETTERS TO MR. BULLAR-LETTER FROM A SAILOR AT HONG KONG-UNION STRIKES-PREFACE TO TAULER'S LIFE-FISHING POEMS AND FISHING FLIES-STUDY OF PHRYGANÆ INVITATION TO SNOWDONIA-VISIT TO NORTH WALES-AMERICAN VISITORS. "I am very sorry for what you say about my not writing any thing startling; because it shows that you are beginning to judge me in part upon the reports of others. There are some people whom I must startle, if I am to do any good. . . . . But to startle the majority of good and sensible men, or to startle, so as to disgust at once a majority of any sort, are things which I most earnestly should wish to avoid. At the same time, I do strongly object on principle to the use of that glozing, unnatural, and silly language (for so it is in us now), which men use one after another till it becomes as worn as one of the old shillings."-DR. ARNOLD. THE winter of 1856, spent at Farley Court, a lovely spot in Swallowfield parish, adjoining to and overlooking Eversley, was a bright and happy one. The long rest in Devonshire had told on him, and now living on high ground, and in a dry house, acted as a tonic to him as well as to his family, and infused fresh life into his 32 VOL. II. B preaching and his parish work. The old incubus of the Crimean War, after two years' pressure, was removed, and the new one of the Indian Mutiny, which weighed even more heavily upon him from the thought of the sufferings of women and children, was as yet in the future, and his heart rebounded again. The formation of the camp at Aldershot created fresh interests for him at this time and during his remaining years, by bringing a new element into his congregation at Eversley, and giving him the friendship of many military men. In July he was at Aldershot on the memorable occasion of the Queen's first inspection of the remnant of her Crimean army, and saw the march-past of the different regiments before her Majesty, a sight never to be forgotten. In his night-schools, which were well attended, he gave lectures on mines, shells, and other subjects connected with Natural History, illustrated with large drawings of his own. His sermons were most powerful— among them one on Ghosts, the appearance of a ghost in the neighbourhood (which he stalked down and found, as he expected, to be a white deer escaped from Calverly Park), having greatly alarmed his parishioners. He gave various lectures in the diocese. He wrote a preface to Tauler's Sermons; two articles on Art and Puritanism, and on Mystics and Mysticism,* and began his new romance. His spare hours were devoted to the study and classification of the Phryganæ, carried on by the side of trout streams during a holiday in North Wales and in an occasional day's fishing at Wotton and Wild Moor. His private correspondence this year shows the life and vigour and ver * Since published in the Miscellanies. 1856.] VERSATILITY OF MIND. 3 satility of his own mind, and his power of approaching other minds from different sides. TO T. HUGHES, ESQ. "I wish you would make a vow, and keep it strong; for F. says, that if you will, I may-to go with me to Snowdon next summer for a parson's week, i.e. twelve days. For why? I have long promised my children a book to be called 'Letters from Snowdon,' and I want to rub up old memories, and to get new ones in parts which I have not seen. An ordnance map, a compass, fishing-tackle, socks, and slippers are all you want. Moreover, I do know where to fish, and one of the crackest fishers of the part has promised to give me as many flies of his own making as I like, while another can lend us boat or coracle, if we went to fish Gwynnant Dinas. We could kill an amount of fish perfectly frightful, and all the big ones, by the simple expedient of sleeping by day, walking evening and morning, and fishing during the short hot nights. Wales is a cheap place, if you avoid show inns; and, save a night at Capel Curig, we need never enter a show inn. We may stay two or three days at Pen-y-Gwyrrryynnwwdddelld-there-I can't spell it, but it sounds Pennygoorood, which is the divinest pig-sty beneath the canopy, and at Bedgelert old Jones the clerk, and king of fishermen, will take us in-and do for us * His versatility often puzzled those who knew him and his writings only partially. A reminiscence of this was given by a reviewer :-"What an unintelligible mystic Kingsley is!' said a guest at some festivity, of which perhaps few partakers are now living; 'I wonder if he himself understands his own writings.' His hearer did not see the appropriateness of the description, and the conversation took a line on which the speaker had more to say,-a subject connected with science. 'There is an admirable article on that subject,' he continued, 'in such and such a Review; it throws more light upon it, and gives more practical suggestions concerning it, than anything I have read for years.' 'It was written by Kingsley,' said the other—and the good man took refuge in his dinner. It was a startling transformation to find his religious mystic an authority on the practical applications of science! Here, we think, lies the secret of a large part of Kingsley's power." |