THOMAS SHILLITOE. "This game went on for better than a week, till the foolish beast (a young ass on the leads of Christ's Hospital), not able to fare well but happier than he must needs cry roast meat Caligula's minion, could he have kept his own counsel, but foolisher, alas, than any of his species in the fables waxing fat, and kicking, in the fulness of bread, one unlucky minute would needs proclaim his good fortune to the world below; and laying out his simple throat, blew such a ram's-horn blast as, toppling down the walls of his own Jericho, set concealment any longer at defiance." - ("Essays of Elia.") "In the evening I went with the lasses to the banks of Ouse, and scattered on the dimpling stream, as is their wont at the lamb-ale a thousand odorous flowers, -new-born roses, sweetwilliams, and yellow-coxcombs, the small-flowered lady's-slipper, the prince's-feather, and the clustered bell-flower, the sweet basil (the saucy wenches smiled when they furnished me with a bunch thereof), and a great store of midsumWhen with due observance I mer daisies. threw on the water a handful of these goldentufted and silver-crowned flowerets, I thought The great of Master Chaucer's lines. store of winsome and graciously-named flowers used that day set me to plan a fair garden, wherein each mouth should yield in its turn to the altar of our secret chapel a pure incense of nature's own furnishing." - ("Constance Sherwood.") And now for an example or two in O wretched set of sparrows, one and all, they are the "How say you, reader" "do not these words of Charles Lamb verses smack of the rough magnanimity of the old English vein? 799 From the Examiner. Thomas Shillitoe, the Quaker Missionary THOMAS SHILLITOE is said in the first page of this book to have "lived a life of wonderful energy as a univeral philanthropist, and as a Christian minister of almost apostolic activity; " which reminds one of a criticism upon Cowley's 'Davideis,' that while Homer simply opened the Iliad' by saying that he was about to tell of the wrath of Achilles, whom he calls barely Achilles, son of Peleus, and never praises except by the relation of his actions, Cowley put all his hero in the opening, where he is set down as the best poet and the best king. Thomas Shillitoe, we are told, however, at the close of the first chapter, was not perfect. He was "often impetuous and irritable, sometimes obstinate, occasionally uncharitable, and always more or less nervous and Twice," he records, "I was confined to my bed by the sudden sight of a mouse." But he was very like the apostles about the legs; which is more than can be said for a bishop when he has his gaiters buttoned on. eccentric." The Evangelists repeatedly allude to the journey on foot of that sacred band, foremost amongst whom was their Divine Lord and Leader. And when, on other occasions, they went forth two and two, they received the command that they should take nothing for their journey save a staff only," inasmuch as those who received the blessing of their services were to supply all needful wants; and when this return was not accorded, the further command was "Shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them." In the Acts of the Apostles also there are allusions to the general pedestrian movements of the Apostles. Of Philip, for instance, it is recorded that he "ran" towards the Ethiopian noble, who riding homewards in his chariot, was reading the pages of Isaiah. Other modes of travel were, doubtless, always permissable and often preferable. Never theless, for various reasons, the Apostolic missionaries appear to have usually chosen the independence and freedom of walking. Thus of Paul we read that when he had the option of proceeding from Troas to Assos by ship with his companions, or on land without them. he chose the later course," minding himself to go afoot" (Acts xx. 13). Probably the quiet opportunity thus afforded for meditation and secret prayer, was the deciding motive in the lat ter instance. Partly for a similar reason, partly on economical grounds, and also probably from a love of independent and free movement, Thomas Shillitoe very often performed his preaching journeys on foot. He was characteristically a pedestrian itinerant. His memoranda abounds in such records as the following:-"After meeting I walked to Castleton, ten miles; had a comfortable meeting with a few Friends there next morning. In the afternoon walked to Whitby, fourteen miles over a dreary moor. Afterwards I walked to Russell Dale, and next day to Helmsley; in the afternoon to Bilsdale. Next day walked about thirty-two miles to Knaresborough, and next day to Rawden. I walked to Lothersdale, about twenty-two miles. The great quantity of rain that has fallen of late has made travelling on foot trying: I hope I may be preserved in the patience, apprehending it is the line of conduct I must pursue when time will allow of it. Next day walked to Netherdale, about twenty-four miles." The continuity of Thomas Shillitoe's pedestrianism was sometimes extraordinary. Thus, in one week he mentions walking on a Satur day evening from Lancaster to Wyersdale; on the Suuday afternoon to Ray; on the Monday twenty-six miles to Hawes; on Tuesday twentyeight miles to Masham; on Wednesday twentythree miles to Leyburn; on Thursday eight miles to Aysgarth, and the same afternoon ten miles over the moor to Reeth. On Friday he set out with a horse and chaise to return to Hawes, but finding the dales were at the time flooded in many places owing to the recent heavy rains, he quitted the conveyance and recommenced walking, often coming to places where the usual crossing by stepping-stones was impracticable, and where he had to wade through the rushing streams. However, he reached Hawes safely, and, fortified by a good dinner, boldy struck over the fells to Brigflatts, whence on Saturday he walked to Kendall, and reached Lancaster in the evening. Such was a week's work of this zealous and simple-hearted evangelist! Repeatedly he proceeded on foot by rapid stages across England at a similar pace to the Yorkshire journey just described. Thus in the same year (1807) he walked from Liverpool to Warrington, thence to Macclesfield, on a Saturday, a journey of twenty-three miles. On the Sabbath morning he walked thirteen miles to Leek, and held a meeting there. He started again on foot on Monday, and performed twenty-nine miles to Derby; then the next day another thirty miles to Leicester; on Wednesday walked twenty-nine miles to Northampton. The day proving wet, travelling became more difficult; but now drawing so near home operated as a spur to do my best." On Thursday he accomplished twenty-three miles to Woburn, and on Friday walked the remaining thirty-nine miles, which brought him safe back to his family. Thomas Shillitoe's father was Librarian at Gray's Inn, from which office he retired in his old age upon a public-house, and became landlord of the Three Tuns' at Islington, when Islington was a village and the Angle was a rural tavern. Thomas became a Quaker against the wish of his parents, and was patronised by a Quaker lady who promoted him from his place of grocer's apprentice to a clerkship in a Quaker banking house. It grieved him to see his employers "going with a multitude to do evil." So he left the bank and put himself apprentice to a shoemaker. "The Almighty Care-taker" prospered him afterwards at Tottenham in making shoes for Quakers. He married, was frugal, and when his savings gave him a fixed income of a hundred a year, though he then had a wife and five children, he forsook his last and "devoted himself to the home and foreign service of his Lord in the churches." Shortly afterwards a woman was found to have left in her will a hundred pounds to Mr. Shillitoe. "This was an acceptable and seasonable gift, which he gratefully ascribed to the interposition of his Heavenly Father." He went to Russia, Prussia and elsewhere, offering personal advice to mon archs, and otherwise making himself useful. He was a temperance apostle, and (p. 130) "would fancy himself a teapot for weeks together." To this excellent man, before he took his journey to heaven, Professor Tholuck wrote that in his company he "tasted fully the sweetness of the presence of Christ." No. 1204. Fourth Series, No. 65. 29 June, 1867. Hon. Mrs. Norton, Gayarre's Philip II., 830. Sheridan in Lee's Last Campaign, 831. Battle Fields of Virginia, 831. Three Years in Field Hospitals, 832. Character and Characteristic Men, by E. P. Whipple, 832. Historical Memoirs of the Society of Friends, 833. Knights Templars of Pennsylvania, 833. Our Artist in Peru, 833. 4. Beauty and the Beast. By Miss Thackeray. 5. The League of Peace Cornhill Magazine, PAGE 803 819 833 854 POETRY: A Dream of Summer, 802. To Charles Lamb, 802. O I'm a Good Old Rebel, 802. Lay of the Little Wife, 817. Ye Working-Men of England, 829. Index and Table of Contents of Vol. 93. PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY BY LITTELL & & GAY, BOSTON. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. FOR EIGHT DOLLARS, remitted directly to the Publishers, the Living Age will be punctually forwarded for a year, free of postage. But we do not prepay postage on less than a year; nor where we have to pay a commission for forwarding the money. Price of the First Series, in Cloth, 36 volumés, 90 dollars. Second " The Complete work 20 Any Volume Bound, 3 dollars; Unbound, 2 dollars. The sets, or volumes, will be sent at the expense of the publishers. THEE I would think one of the many wise; Must move thy pity, as amidst their mime, Monk of Truth's Order, from thy memories Thou dost updraw sublime simplicities, Grand thoughts that never can be wearied out, Showing the unreality of Time. The following melody, we transcribe from a sheet of lithographed music bought in a fashionable music-store in Richmond. - Tribune. O I'M A GOOD OLD REBEL. A Chant to the Wild Western Melody, "Joe Bowers." RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED TO THE HON. THAD. STEVENS. O I'm a good old Rebel, Now that's just what I am : For this "Fair Land of Freedom " I only wish we'd won - I hates the Constitution, With all his brags and fuss The lyin', thievin' Yankees, I hates 'em wuss and wuss. I hates the Yankee nation, Of Independance, too; I followed old Mass' Robert A campin' in the snow; Three hundred thousand Yankees And Southern steel and shot: I wish they was three million Instead of what we got. I can't take up my musket And fight 'em now no more, But I aint a going to love 'em, Now that is sarten sure; And I don't want no pardon, For what I was and am: I won't be reconstructed; And I don't care a d-n. As I am about to make some remarks on a volume lately published, bearing the above title, it may be as well to state at the outset, that I have not read a single page of that work. Hence what I have to say can be no review, or criticism, or reply; and as to competition or rivalry, that of course will be wholly out of the question, between a volume, prepared, I suppose, with much care and thought; and a magazine-paper, thrown off in the course of a few hours. But if I had anything to say with reference to that work, why did I not make myself acquainted with it? A few words of explanation will convey my answer to this question. read. And so began and ended my acquaintance with that volume, until I took it up again a day or two since, merely to verify the above quotation from the Preface. Did I, in so putting it from me, act unjustly or arbitrarily? I think not. I believe that I merely followed the course usually taken among men; by placing the inquiry, Who Christ was? before, and not after, the inquiry, What Christ said? It seems to me that, in ordinary life, we all seek to learn who the speaker is, before we begin to listen to him. If I have a dispute with a powerful neighbour, which seems likely to lead to serious consequences, and suddenly receive a visit from a stranger, who proffers his good offices as a mediator, discusses terms, and even makes proposals, my first inquiry is, Who is the person who thus interposes between us? Till I can learn this, I can hardly attend to what he says. I want to understand his motives; I want to know what authority he has to offer terms. Until I can get an answer to these questions, I can scarcely bring myself to listen to anything he utters. A courteous and accomplished stranger obtains an interview with the Prime Minister, and states to him that he is the bearer of a private and important communication from a great continental sovereign. His appearance and manners may be very much in his favour; but most assuredly the Minister, if he listens to him at all, will, in the very first instance, claim to have the most entire satisfaction as to his real character, and as to his credentials. And if the visitor should express a desire to postpone this point until a future occasion, the reply would certainly be, "No, the question of who you are, and with what authority you are invested, is the very first point to be entered upon. Until these matters are placed beyond a doubt, it is impossible for me to hear, or to utter, a single word." When the book alluded to appeared, for the first few weeks it did not fall in my way. But not very long after its publication, I met with a review of it in the High Church newspaper, the Guardian, in which it was praised with no common praise. Soon after this, the leading Dissenters' journal, the British Quarterly Review, "hailed the work with gratitude and reverence;" and the North British Review, founded by Dr. Chalmers, as the organ of the Free Church of Scotland, "expressed hearty delight "at the appearance of a book which "treated the Christian faith in a truly Christian spirit." This unusual concurrence of approval, from three very different quarters, excited my attention; and happening to meet with the work about that time, I took it up with a half-formed intention of reading it. But, glancing at the Preface, I was startled by one or two expressions on which my eye fell, such as "No theological questions are here discussed. Christ, as the creator of modern theology I see that the writer, in a second Preface, and religion, will make the subject of anoth- admits the general accuracy of the remark, er volume; which, however, the author does that "half the truth is commonly a lie;' not hope to publish for some time to come." but endeavours to turn aside its application These words acted with a repelling force. to the present case, on the ground that he "What!" I mentally exclaimed, "a serious has avowed the fragmentary character of inquiry as to the Incarnate Theos, from his production, has offered it merely as which all Theology is excluded! is not an instalment, and has promised to comthat a strange idea." And the contents of plete his view of the subject on some future the book, I found, consisted of discussions occasion. I admit that this is something as to the words of Christ, while the prelimi- like an answer; but I do not think that it nary question, "Who Christ was?" was is a complete or satisfactory answer to the postponed to some future occasion. This objection. mode of proceeding seemed to me so utterly unreasonable, that I closed the book at once as one which it could not be worth while to 99 From the days of Solomon's Judgment down to the present time, it has been seen again and again, that there are numberless |