AT MRS. CARLYLE'S GRAVE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2224, 9 October 1886, Page 1 (Supplement)

AT MRS. CARLYLE'S GRAVE.

The heat of July, the 23rd, was very great and oppressive, and a haze almost hid the beautiful scenery 'twixt Dunbar and Haddin^ton from our view. Arrived at the latter quaint old town, however, we were soon at home, for, through the kindness of the editor of the Courier, the Wanderer found a resting place in the beautiful haugrh close by the river side, and uuder the very shadow of the romantic old cathedral and church adjoining. The cathedral was rendered a ruin by the soldiery of Cromwell, and very charming it looks as I saw it to-night under the rays of the moon. Tha people of Haddington are genuinely and genially hospitable, and had I stayed here a month I believe I would &till have been a welcome guest. It ivS said that the coach -builders here are the best in Scotland. At all events, I must do them the credit of saying they repaired a bent axle of my caravan, and enabled me on the afternoon on the 24th, to proceed on my way in comfort and safety. Not, however, before T had made a pilgrimage to the grave of poor Mrs Carlyle, The graveyard all around the church and cathedral is spacious aud well kept, but her grave is inside the ruin. It was very silent among these tali red gloomy columua j the very river itself glides silently by, and nothing is to be heard except the cooing of the pigeons high overhead. The floor is the greens ward, and here are many graves. It was beside Mrs Garlyle's however, that I sat down, and the reader may imagine what my thoughts were better than I can describe them. An old flat stone or slab covers the grave, into \\ hich has beon let a piece of marble bearing the following inscription beneath other names — Here likewise now rests Jane Welsh Carlyle, Spouse of Thomas Carlyle, Chelsea, London. She was born at Haddingtou, 14th July 1800. The only child of the above John Welsh, And of Graco Welsh, Caplegill, Dumfriesshire, His wife. In her bright existence, She had more sorrows than are c >mmon, But also a soft invincibility and cle •mesa of discernment, And a noble loyalty of her heart which are rare. For forty ye.UN hho was The true and ever-loving helpmate of her husband, And by act and word uuwearily forwarded him as none Else could, in all of worthy that he did or attempted. She died at London, on tho 21st April, 188G r " Suddenly snatched away from him, and The light of his life, is as if gone out. I believe the above to be a pretty correct version of thir strange inscription, though treads hard.

How times change ! In Frauklin's time electricity was a wonder and a terror. Now we make li(?ht of it. Hougiiton Hall, which will be offered for sale to-morrow (Thursday), says Truth of July 22, is really a monument of the Ministerial corruption which flagrantly prevailed in this country until Mr Pitt came into power. Sir Robert Walpole commenced his political career with a fortune of £3000 a year. He lived sumptuously in Arlington-street, at Richmond, and at Houghton. He spent £250,000 on paintings, buildings, and in laying out Houghton. He left an estate of £13,000 a year at his death, and his two sons had been provided with siuecurca worth £14,000 a year. It is evident that Sir Robert must have plundered the country to a hideous extent, and Archdeacon Coe does not make the case much better by explaining that his hero was a very large gainer by the South Sea Bubble. The last session of the New South Wales House of Representatives practically lasted for about a year, the sitting only being broken by a dissolution. When the new Government got into power it imposed fresh taxation to wipe off the previous year's deficit in three years, and secured sanction to borrow £5,500,000 for railways. It was hold that tho British capitalist would lend no more money unless he saw that the people were prepared to tax themselves to mept their engagements. The taxation includes increased fctamp duties, a revised Customs tariff, and a Land and Income Tax, a description of which was recently published. It is expected that from each of these sources £200,000 will be realised, making an addition in taxation to the extent of 17a u'd per head of the entire population,