PARNELL THE AGITATOR.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1500, 14 February 1882, Page 2

PARNELL THE AGITATOR.

A correspondent of The Times writes : — " The fact that Mr Parnell is originally of English, and not Irish origin, seems not sufficiently known. In the 17th century the family occupied a good position at Congleton, in Cheshire, and were of the Commonwealth party during the civil wars. At, the time of the restoration Thomas Parnell, the then head of the family, left England, and settled iii Ireland, where he purchased an estate. The property descended to his son Thomas, the well-known authpr Qf " The Hermit' and other poems, whose bio* graphy finds a place in Dr. Johnson's 'Lives of the Poets.' From that work we learn that on the ejection of the Whigs ap the end of Queen Anne's reign, Parnell was persuaded to change his party and he became the friend of Swift, through s whose influence he received valuable church promotion at the hands of Archbishop King. Dr. Aiken in his notice of the poet records tnis further fact, • that in every year, as soon as he had collected his rents and the revenues of his benefices, he came over to England and spent some months, living in excel* lent style, and impairing rather than improving his fortune. , His, brother John, who succeeded tq the estates at his death, was a Judge of the Court of King's Bench, amLtheCdirect lineal/ancestor of the present Home Eule leader. . The late Sir- Henry ParneliPwbb held office in England under Lord Melbounie'^Govern. ment; and' was by '.MM' created; Baron Congleton,in.lB4l, ,was jtecended' from - the same stock. „Mr. Charles \Stewart Parnell, of Avqntlale, /county;, Wicklow, was educated^at h CdmJbAdke/ He is now owner of -the^Avondale-estafe. His mother,- asjis-welj-k^owivry&s American. the abo,ve %w"(>pld appear th'at ffhi* vehement agitatop f for restoring - the land ra^bu^des^nde^froathosel/hasxded with Owmf^^^a^^fhe r IrfeS