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1861.]

Public and Private Purity.

But his trust in his own powers never deserted him throughout his difficulties, nor on any occasion. · When his Government was joined by the Duke of Portland in 1794, the Speaker asked him 'Have you no fears? Are you not afraid that you might be outvoted in your own Cabinet? Pitt replied, "I am under no anxiety on that account. I place much dependence on my new colleagues, and I place much more dependence on myself.' He had a generous confidence in those with whom he was to act, but his ultimate and transcendant reliance was upon the resources of his own vast intellect and upon his indomitable industry in the public service. This reliance was supported by the consistent strength of all his convictions, which no considerations of immediate expediency would ever induce him to sacrifice, and by his strict determination always to do justice to his own supporters -a virtue not uniformly practised by all his successors. These points in his character are well illustrated by his conduct in the Irish Ministerial complications of 1794, which displays him engaged in exhausting every effort at conciliation short of the sacrifice of principle and of his old friends, and which may be taken as a model for imitation for all who, in great or small affairs, may be placed in circumstances of similar delicacy and difficulty.

Abnegation of self, consideration of others, and entire devotion to the objects of his life, are the

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qualities most open to imitation in the character of Pitt, and yet they are those which largely contributed to make him what he was and to enable him to do what he did. The virtue of simple painstaking for duty's sake may be classed perhaps as a lowly one, but it is one without which no great or worthy result can be obtained, either by the minister in the senate or by the ordinary labourer who lives by the sweat of his brow. Pitt's private life was one of stainless purity. He had no engrossing tastes and no habitual amusements. His intended pleasure excursions were perpetually postponed for business, and seldom enjoyed. He belonged entirely to his public work, and upon it every thought was concentrated. Of ambition in its lower forms he knew nothing. He looked for no reward from king or people. To do the right thing in the best way was the grand and simple end of all his toils and aspirations. Of his services, as of those of that other great and good servant of his country upon whose loss they were written, the Laureate might have delivered the noble words, that he was

One upon whose hand and heart and brain Once the weight and fate of Europe hung;

and the name of Pitt, like that of Wellington, may be inscribed on the roll of everlasting fame as 'one that sought but Duty's iron

crown.

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BY THE AUTHOR of 'digby GRAND,' 'THE INTERPRETER,' ETC. ETC.

PART IL

I fruitless mourn to him that cannot hear,
And weep the more because I weep in vain.

CHAPTER XXVI.

OVER THE WAY.

A DAZZLING sky, a clear warm atmosphere tempered by a breeze, grassy plains alive with quails and paroquets, and rich in knee-deep verdure, undulating slopes crowned by waving woods a-glow in the mellow sunlight, and far away, beyond and above all, a strip of deep blue sea. Such is the scene I would fain call up, a scene of Australian splendour, of sylvan beauty, of wild adventurous associations, and yet, with its distant glimpses of ocean, a scene reminding those who looked upon it of

their home.

When the Dutch boër, toiling with his lumbering vehicle and his span of weary oxen towards Capetown, comes at last in sight of the sparkling African sea, he lights a fresh pipe with fresh satisfaction, and pointing exultingly towards that distant gleam, exclaims, ‘Behold the Englishman's waggonpath' and the Dutch boër, albeit a person of sluggish apprehension, and no very brilliant imaginative powers, is in this instance right. Whoever has been much in a foreign land, and has felt, as the absent are prone to feel, a weary longing for home, must remember the welcome with which he instinctively greeted the friend that, if ever he got there at all, was to bear him to his own shores, must remember how the sight of the sea alone was like the sound of a national strain, how to be under the union jack was the next thing to seeing the white cliffs once

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hard by the head, can command, rides an Englishman in the normal state of hurry peculiar to his countrymen in every land but their own. He has time, nevertheless, to feel his heart thrill as he catches a glimpse of that distant sea, but he is also too thorough a Briton to allow any consideration on earth to divert his attention from his present occupation, no less engrossing a business than the chase.

Many months have elapsed since I left Gilbert Orme at the gate of Kensington Gardens, in far worse plight, to his own thinking, than was ever his father Adam, for the latter, though driven from their Eden, took his Eve along with him. Many a month of adventure and excitement has passed over his head. The outward man has grown brown, robust, and prosperouslooking. A deep abiding happiness stamps its presence on the features as unerringly as does the endurance of a continuous afflic tion, but the glowing effects of the former are as becoming as those of the latter are the reverse. There are no haggard, anxious lines about Gilbert's eyes and mouth now, while his smile, always so sweet, has gained a frank joyousness which it did not display in London. A silken and abundant beard adds to the manliness of his appearance, and hides his chin, which is the worst feature of his face. In that rough shooting dress, with a gaudy handkerchief flying loose about his throat, I question if Lady Olivia would recognise her son; yet is he all unaltered in mind, and even now, speeding

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along after those gaunt kangaroo dogs, the presence of Ada seems to pervade the whole atmosphere of beauty and fragrance around him. Ada is in the rustling breeze-the glowing woods-the sunny upland slopes the smiling sky, above all, the distant strip of deep blue sea.

It is rare galloping ground, though somewhat hard for legs and feet of less enduring materials than the Australian horse possesses, and 'the pace,' as Gilbert would have called it in Leicestershire a twelvemonth ago, is sufficiently good to satisfy even that reckless and exacting horseman. A leaping, brown object about two hundred yards ahead of him, is bounding rapidly away down hill, disposing of all intervening obstacles, such as underwood, fallen timber, broken ground, and dry watercourses, with extraordinary facility; but those two large rough, lean dogs, are gaining on it nevertheless at every stride, and Gilbert's eager little horse is pulling hard at his rider, and spinning after them as if he, too, would fain have a share in the spoils. Here and there a huge tree lying prostrate and half-concealed by the luxuriant verdure, offers no mean obstacle to encounter at a flying leap, but the little bay horse gathers himself with the quickness of a cat for the effort, and landing like a deer, is in his stride and away again without loss of time, and with ever-increasing energy. The rider who urged 'Mouse' so resolutely to his downfall twenty years ago, has gained strength and experience now. Wherever a horse can go, be it across the stretching pastures, and over the formidable ox-fences of Leicestershire; be it through the dense underwood and athwart the 'apple-tree flats' of Australia, Gilbert Orme is the man to ride him; not only to sit on his back and allow himself to be carried like a sack of potatoes or a hundredweight of coals, but to ride him and make the most of him every yard he goes. He is close to the kangaroo dogs, cheering them on their game even now.

Yooi, over, Gilbert! that's a

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rum one!' cries a cheery voice behind him, as the little bay horse clears a fallen trunk as high as a fair-sized gate. 'Forward! forward!' adds the speaker, pointing ahead to a flat verdant glade up which the dogs are stretching at a killing pace, nearing their now flagging game; and John Gordon, gaining a few yards on his friend by a judicious turn, comes up alongside.

'Five minutes more and we shall run into him,' he shouts, sitting well back on his horse and urging him to his extreme pace; when he "blobs" like that he's getting beat. See how Canvass sticks to him, and the yellow dog hangs back waiting for the turn.'

While he speaks, a subdued sparkle in John's black eye shows that he, too, is not insensible to the excitement of the sport.

There are some men on whose exterior change of climate, life, or habits, seems to make no impression; whose persons, like their minds, are superior to extraneous circumstances, and of this class is John Gordon. Clean shaved is he, here in the wild Australian bush, as he used to be in the Fleet-street counting-house; and although he has discarded the black hat and coat of civilized life, or rather I should perhaps say those articles of dress have discarded their wearer, his habiliments have none of the picturesque variety in colour and fashion which distinguishes those of his friend. His clear olive tint is perhaps a thought clearer and deeper under this burning sun that has tanned his comrade so rich a brown, but the crisp black locks sit as close to the head as if they had but just emerged from the Burlington Arcade, and his well-cut jaw is rather defined than concealed by the short curling whiskers. John has been working hard in Sydney for months, astonishing, sometimes disgusting the old stagers, by the quick apprehension he shows for affairs of trade, and making himself thoroughly master of details in a few weeks, with which it took them as many years to become familiar. Newman and Hope look

upon him as a prodigy in the mercantile world. That firm has not been accustomed to see the keenest talents for business combined with a soldier-like rapidity of thought and action, and the manners of an accomplished gentleman. Also, they have more than once tried to contest some of John's arrangements, and found themselves, without knowing why, worsted in the attempt. Altogether, Mr. Gordon has rather astonished the good people at Sydney than otherwise.

It was with considerably more energy than his wont, that he greeted Gilbert's arrival at the Antipodes. I need not now observe that John was by no means a demonstrative gentleman, yet could he be sufficiently cordial on occasion, and even his self-command could not conceal his delight at Orme's unexpected appearance with the latest intelligence from the square. Since then they have been constant associates; the man of business sharing his hours of relaxation with the man of pleasure, the latter by all means in his power, and with considerable assistance from his friend, studying to acquaint himself with the resources of the colony, preparatory to that public life on which he has determined to enter because Ada wishes it.

In the meantime, both are enjoying a fortnight's expedition into the Bush; and after a long day's draw,' they have had an undeniable gallop with a kangaroo.

Three minutes more of thrilling excitement, a scramble through a dried-up watercourse-a 'crowner' for John, whose horse goes shoulderdeep into a hole-a shrill English 'Who-whoop!' and our sportsmen are standing by their reeking steeds, whilst Gordon, as the more experienced of the two, draws a glistening hunting-knife, and filling a short black pipe with Cavendish,' proceeds to take upon himself the obsequies of the prey. Gilbert pulls out his watch

'Eighteen minutes,' says he, 'from find to finish, and best pace every yard of the way!'

The horses, with drooping heads

and heaving, in-drawn flanks, attest the severity of the gallop. John meanwhile, with upturned sleeves, is demonstrating his thorough knowledge of woodcraft, in one of its departments on which it is unnecessary to dwell. He looks up from his work—

Equal to the Quorn,' says he, 'for pace and distance.'

'With almost as much jumping,' remarks his friend, patting the bay horse's dripping neck, and thinking what a rare cover-hack that game little animal would make him in England.

And the advantage of six feet of venison at the finish,' adds the carver, wiping his blade on the grass; 'we must have had short commons to-day if it hadn't been for this fellow. I rather think I shall astonish you when we camp, and I show you what "steamer" is!'

Indeed, they were rather short of provisions. In anticipation of a separation from their servants, they had with them a few ounces of tea, some tobacco, and a ration or two of pork and flour; but a haunch of kangaroo venison was likely to prove no mean addition to this humble fare, as John emphatically observed the while he packed it behind his saddle, ere they remounted their jaded horses to look for water in the vicinity of which they might camp.

The sun was going down as they reached one of those fluctuating rivers, called in Australia creeks, which, full of water and rushing in one mighty torrent towards the sea to-day, are perhaps to-morrow dried up into a succession of isolated pools fast waning into hopeless aridity. Once there, they unsaddled rapidly, turned their horses to graze, having first hobbled them, a somewhat unnecessary precaution, until they should have recovered their fatigues; and then proceeded with infinite labour to collect enough fallen branches to make a tolerable fire.

They had only their huntingknives for this purpose, and for cooking utensils possessed nothing but a certain iron pot, from which John never parted, and which

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indeed, with its close-fitting lid, formed the receptacle of all their luxuries, and a tin mug that hung at Gilbert's belt.

With such insufficient accessories, our two gentlemen from St. James's-street were now quite old enough campaigners to furnish an excellent meal.

It was well they were so, for their 'coo-ey' call-so termed from the distance at which a shrill enunciation of those syllables can be heard was never answered; and, indeed, their spare horses and servants must have been some thirty miles or more distant from them in a direct line through the bush.

At length their preparations were made. The fire burned up, the pot was on to boil, the flour, kneaded into a heavy dough, was placed to bake in the ashes, until the tough mass should have acquired the consistency that entitled it to its appropriate name of damper. Gilbert's mug was made a tea-pot for the occasion; and the two friends, thoroughly wearied, lit their short black pipes, and reclined against their saddles, watching with considerable satisfaction the cooking of a savoury mess which was to constitute their meal. The horses were grazing assiduously in their vicinity, and the stars coming out one by one.

'Nothing like steamer,' observed John, knocking the ashes from his pipe, and removing the lid of the pot to give its contents a good stir with his hunting-knife, the same weapon which had inflicted its coup de grace on the kangaroo.

'Not to be despised,' answered his friend, shovelling a liberal portion on a piece of bark that served him for a platter. 'I never could eat a 'haggis' in Scotland, but when it is made of kangaroo and salt pork, it is food for the gods. A little bit more liver, John, and a pinch of powder. As usual, we've forgotten the salt! Give us a drain of tea if it's drawn. As Holyhead says after a magnum, a child might play with me now!'

So they ate and drank as men can only eat and drink who are all day taking severe exercise in the

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open air, and who sleep with no lower roof over their heads than the starry heaven; and then, with the smoking mug of tea set equitably between them, and the pipes alight once more, they settled down to a quiet chat about 'home.'

'We will go back together, Gilbert,' said John, in his short, decided tones. A few weeks more will teach you all you are likely to learn about the colony, unless you came and settled here for good. I don't think it would suit you as well as West-Acres. My business will soon be wound up with Newman and Hope, then we'll hoist 'Blue Peter' at the fore, up anchor, westward ho! and away!'

'I am very glad I came,' said Gilbert, dreamily, between the puffs of his pipe.

'So am I,' rejoined the other; 'it has done you a world of good, depend upon it. For myself, I don't object to the colony; and if I hadn't been here, I fear we should have saved but little out of the fire. Aide-toi, et Dieu t'aidera. We've had a facer,' though, and I am very glad I came, too!"

'Is it a complete smash? asked Gilbert, rousing from his abstraction. The poor Alderman! how will he bear it?'

'He has enough left not to starve,' replied the junior partner, and that is more than can be said for some. I do not pity a man much who has been always in business. The Alderman has had a good time enough, and a long day. This could not have been avoided, and was one of the chances that must be run with large returns. I'm sorry for Bella.'

'And yourself?' put in his friend. 'I've lost ten years of my life, according to my calculation,' replied John. It's against me, but what then? You've seen a fellow climbing a pole at a fair, Gilbert! he swarms up to the six feet of grease at the top, gains an inch at a time, stops, gives way, and slides down by the run. What is the next move? To stand by and whine, giving up the leg of mutton altogether? Not a bit of it! He puts fresh sand in his hands, and at it

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