THREE GREAT MEN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 130, 10 September 1910, Page 10

THREE GREAT MEN.

I Three books about three remarkable , men have just been published—Rhodes, Beckford and Ijord Broughton. In "Cecil John Rhodes," by Sir Thomas Fuller, the author, reviewing his life and character, says:— "I am bound to say that on the whole, for a man of his warm temperament and measureless energy, compassing great schemes in the face of stupendous difficulties, he restrained his restless andpassionate nature and kept to the level ways which the wisdom of the world has sanctioned with marvellous patience and success; while, on the positive side, he achieved, apart from his work in the North, solid good for South Africa, and did much to help forward the union of States and races, which was the great purpose of his life.

RHODES ANGRY WITH HIS EDITOR. Here is an incident which happened one Sunday morning at breakfast at Groote ■Sclmur: "Rhodes was in a rather overbearing temper, and angry at an article of Garrett's, who was editor of the Capetown Times, which had appeared in the Times the day before. Rhodes said something to the effect that he had a right to look for fairer play from a paper in which he took so large an interest Garrett rose from his seat, and, looking, straight at Mr. Rhodes, replied: 'I think it is good for you, Mr. Rhodes that your paper has an editor who does not care a d— — if he pleases or displeases you.'" WILLIAM BECKFORD AND COUNTRY GENTLENESS.

Mr. Lewis Melville in his "Life and Letters of William Beckford," the author of "Vathek," gives some striking glimpses of a unique and interesting personality.

Beckford built a 12ft wall all round his estate to keep out hunters and shooters, and the squirearchy, refusing to believe in any such reason, insisted that it was to hide the goings-on at Fonthill from the outer world.

"Your country gentleman," wrote Beckford, "will transport a pauper for taking a few berries from a hedge, which they will break down without ceremony. They will take no denial, when they go hunting! in their red jackets, to excruciate to death a poor hare. 1 found remonstrances vain, so I built the wall to exclude them. I never suffer an animal to be killed but through necessity. Early in life I gave up shooting because I consider we have no right to murder animals for sport. I am fond of animals." Once he wrote: "I care not a grain of millet whether my' name be engraven an marble or graces the annals of a kingdom, not I. Give me but a secure retirement with those I love, surround me with impervious forests, and keep off the world; keep off ministers, generals, senators, sportsmen, courtiers, pedants and sectaries. Give me ignorance and tranquility, those may take science and '•■ibnr that choose. 'I envy not their position. Let me dream away my existence in the lap of illusions. Let irie fancy Nature ten thousand times more lovely than she is, and don't tell me that .there are any higher spectacles than the settjng sun, or any worthier occupations than calmly contemplating it." At another time Beckford expressed his resolve "to be a child for ever." WELLINGTON'S FEARLESSNESS. In Lord Broughton's "Recollections of a Long Life," we get this glimpse of the old Duke of Wellington, given to "Cam" by iSir Colin Campbell in 1828: — "He told us at dinner that when the Duke of Wellington was in Sir G. Collier's frigate going, to Portugal they were nearly lost. Sir C. Campbell was desired by Collier to tell the Duke that all was over. Collier was going to run the frigate ashore, and then try to save as many as possible, but probably none would escape. He seemed to (be totally lost. Campbell roused the Duke, and told him to get out of his cot and. come on deck, and put on his boots. Wellington very coolly put his legs out of his cot and eat upright, but said he had better not go on deck, the confusion being so great. He also remarked that he could swim better without his boots, and he very coolly waited' for the striking of the ship. The wind came round a point or two and saved them."

In Lord Broughton's "Recollections of a Long Life," we get this glimpse of the old Duke of Wellington, given to "Cam" by Sir Colin Campbell in 1828:

"He told us at dinner that when the Duke of Wellington was in Sir G. Collier's frigate going to Portugal they were nearly lost. Sir C. Campbell was desired by Collier to tell the Duke that all was over. Collier was going to run the frigate ashore, and then try to save as many as possible, but probably none would escape. He seemed to (be totally lost. Campbell roused the Duke, and told him to get out of his cot and come on deck, and put on his boots. Wellington very coolly put his legs out of h~is cot and eat upright, but said he had better not go on deck, the confusion being so great. He also remarked that he could swim better without his boots, and he very coolly waited for the striking of the ship. The wind came round a point or two and saved them."