His Departure.

235

something in it approaching to idolatry. In his public life she watched over him with the trembling tenderness of a mother.' Sharing in his principles, appreciating his plans, benevolent and devout like him, she lived in his life, and was his ever-constant partner and helper. For some months before her death, suspecting danger from her illness, he scarcely ever left her side. When she was gone, this world, he declared, was a wilderness without her; and for several months it was difficult for him to overcome the keenness of his grief. After awhile, his home was once more made glad by womanly affection. In October, 1846, he married Hannah, youngest daughter of Mr. Barnard Dickinson, of Coalbrookdale; by her he had several children; and, when he passed away, his eyes were closed by her loving hands.

His last labours were in promotion of temperance, antislavery, and peace. An affection of the heart, which grew upon him, scarcely abated his efforts until 'he ceased at once to work and live." On the 13th of May, 1859, in the evening, he went to the bed-chamber of his little boy, gave him loving counsel, as he had often done, and prayed with him fervently, closing with the petition that in heaven not one of his family might be missing. Next morning he rose at six o'clock, his usual hour, and a distressing fit of coughing which came on did not prevent him from retiring to his closet, to read the scriptures as was his wont, and to kneel before Him who seeth in secret. He then called one of his little girls to prepare to join him in their customary ride on horseback; but the cough grew worse, and he said to his wife, 'I am very ill.' Such aid as could be obtained was given to him, but in vain. After a brief struggle he passed away, to the great and profound grief of thousands. In the words of his friend Whittier, written on learning that Joseph Sturge was dead :

:

For never yet with ritual pomp and splendour,
In the long heretofore,

A heart more loyal, warm, and true, and tender,
Has England's turf closed o'er.

And if there fell from out her grand old steeples
No crash of brazen wail,

The murmurous woe of kindreds, tongues, and peoples,
Swept in on every gale.

It came from Holstein's birchen-belted meadows,
And from the tropic calms

Of Indian islands in the sun-smit shadows

Of occidental palms;

That they who judged him by his strength or weakness
Saw but a single side.

Men failed, betrayed him; but his zeal seem'd nourished

By failure and by fall;

Still a larger faith in human kind he cherished,

And in God's love for all.

And now he rests; his greatness and his sweetness
No more shall seem at strife,

And death has moulded into calm completeness
The statue of his life.'

It is from the volume named at the head of this article that we have drawn the materials of this scanty memoir. Mr. Richard's book is one which we are glad indeed to have as our own. It shows considerable skill in the disposition of the very ample materials which the author's signally patient research has collected; and from beginning to end of its six hundred and twenty-two pages it is to ourselves as interesting as a

novel. Its great value is in that it really gives a faithful representation of the right noble man to whom it will serve as a long-enduring monument. We thank Mr. Richard sincerely for having preserved for us the at once kindly and majestic lineaments of this admirable character; and we cordially recommend all those for whom the foregoing slight sketch of Joseph Sturge has any interest to turn to Mr. Richard's book, where they will find a much more adequate and worthy portraiture.

ART. III.-HELPING THE POOR.

Thy Poor Brother: Letters to a Friend on Helping the Poor. By Mrs. Sewell. London: Jarrold and Son, 47, St. Paul's Churchyard.

E cannot complain of a deficiency of books of advice. had volumes innumerable written for their especial benefit; and if ignorance must still be blamed for much of the evil that exists, it is surely wilful rather than of necessity.

Among the various agencies established with the design, and hope, of benefiting the home-life, and raising the moral and religious condition of the poorer classes, there is still one, which we think has, as yet, scarcely received its fair share of attention. We refer to the system of district visiting, which is now so generally adopted in every parish, that it deserves a conspicuous place amongst the institutions of the country.

Service, voluntarily rendered, for the good of others, and often at great personal sacrifice, requires to be commented upon with much gentleness and refinement. The reason why little has been either said or written on the subject to which we allude is, that very few possess the tact, or, what is of far more importance, the loving, Christ-like spirit, which would enable them to speak to the hearts of those for whom they write; and everything which falls short of this heart-influence, would be more likely to aggravate than to ameliorate.

Influenced by considerations of this nature, we hail the appearance of a book, bearing the title which heads this paper, from the pen of a lady, who, by her former writings, has proved herself to be admirably fitted to treat appropriately any difficult and delicate subject. As the author of 'Homely

Ballads,'

Ballads,' 'Mother's Last Words,' 'Our Father's Care,' &c., Mrs. Sewell has found her way into our homes and hearts, and we are prepared to give her a quiet hearing, even though her subject be one upon which we feel uncommonly tenacious, and rather more than usually inclined to resent any dictation or uncourteous interference.

Whenever machinery is the agent relied upon for the accomplishment of work, we can calculate on results with considerable accuracy. Wheels turned by water or steam are expected to perform a certain number of revolutions within a given time; this they seldom fail to do, imparting motion also to a number of smaller wheels, each performing some appointed duty. Sewing machines are advertized which can make 500 stitches in a minute, and they do make them; there is consequently little difficulty in reckoning how much work can be turned out' in a certain time. But when we get away from the region of machinery, and come to calculate the influence of mind upon mind, the case becomes very different. It is true that large minds, like large wheels, do exercise a considerable controlling power over smaller ones; but so many disturbing influences will be ever at work, that all attempts to reduce moral results to anything corresponding to figures which can be cast up, and the sum total shown on a balance sheet, must ever end in failure and disappointment.

A clergyman may find himself surrounded by a staff of district visitors, so numerous and well appointed, that he can feel sure no house in his parish is neglected. Accounts are kept with such precision and accuracy, that he can tell to a penny what is expended, and what number of tickets for relief have been given away. His balance sheet at the end of the year is pronounced by his subscribers as most satisfactory. But is he satisfied? The printed sheets lie on the table ready for circulation, the hour is late, but he still sits by the fire, pondering over moral and religious results; and does he feel that all has been accomplished which he desired, or which he might reasonably have expected to realize from so large an outlay of time and money? Perhaps a new book has been received in the course of the day, which he has scarcely had time to observe; he now takes it up as a relief from thoughts which press heavily upon him and drive sleep from his eyelids. He opens it and finds it to be on the very subject just then occupying his attention. The name of the author assures him at once that the book is worthy of a thoughtful perusal; but he will not begin it that night, he will only glance at a page or two, and presently he alights on the following passages:

Almsgiving Unsatisfactory.

239

'I once lived in a large town, where the inspection was so universal, and gift charity so abundant, that indolent mothers might almost support their families by begging, whilst their husbands spent their earnings in drinking. The inhabitants of a district know that the lady comes on purpose to discover and relieve want; she enters every house with a sort of authority to do so; she holds an office which empowers her to give gifts. Why should they not get something from her? and why not quite as much as any of their neighbours? If the lady do not come to help them, why does she intrude herself at all? They will naturally argue thus, and use their best skill to make a good tale for themselves. They will hide their means and helps, and display their wants; they will slip the piece of meat into the cupboard, and place the "beautiful tract" upon the table; they will privately slander their neighbour for their own advantage, and impose upon the credulity or good nature of their visitor. It is in human nature to do all this, and much more, under the temptation of such circumstances; and what is to prevent the character of the poor from being lowered by it, unless the visitor be able to weave the warp of her material charity, with a wisdom so truly high-hearted and beneficent that it should have power at least to neutralize the evils of almsgiving? Bare almsgiving neither satisfies God nor man; the heart has cravings far keener than the body, which no soup kitchen, no money fund, no ticket system can possibly appease; but "draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul," then both will be nourished together.'-Page 30.

In this great country of ours, overlaid with prosperity, underlaid by adversity, we doubtless must have societies, institutions, combinations manifold, to prevent the rising of the under-currents to swamp the whole; but the finer, more delicate, more heavenly work of Christian charity is not often done by these. It is not great power that is required, but the electric touch of love, of self-denying help, and sympathy.'-Page 33.

The clergyman closes the book; he is satisfied that it answers to something passing in his mind, and on which he needs sympathy and help. He feels the same confidence in it which he would probably feel in a doctor who, without prompting, had described in detail the symptoms of a disease from which he suffered, and he resolves the next day to make himself acquainted with the writer's moral prescriptions.

The conclusion thus arrived at, that the author thoroughly understands her subject, will be shared by all the readers of the book now before us. From a child she has been accustomed to mingle much with the poor; and, as we proceed from chapter to chapter, the impression grows upon us that we are communing with the matured mind, and not with the 'prentice hand.' The volume abounds with facts narrated with great simplicity; and the suggestions arising out of them are chiefly the results of her own experience. There is no attempt to make a fine book; no new and wonderful schemes are started, which must supersede all others before anything can be accomplished. She is deeply conscious that whatever the defects of the system may be, they have arisen not from without, but from within, and her own mind is imbued with the sentiment of one of her chosen mottoes;

Oh merchant! at heaven's mart for heavenly ware,
Love is the only coin which passes there.'

The