Theobald Mathew, Father Mathew," the apostle of temperance as he was called, and is still called, was undoubtedly one of the personalities of the century. He was an Irish priest whose mission was chiefly in the city of Cork, and in the course of his ministrations his attention was natu: ally directed to the terrible evils which were caused, especially among the poorer classes, by the vice of intemperance. In that fact he found his mission and to that, mission he gave up his life. Indeed he may be said to have sacrificed his life to it, for the incessant toi! to which he devoted himself proved too much for his health, and as the terrors of failing health could not induce him to rest from his labours he died at what might be called a comparatively early age. He preached temperance, and enrolled converts all over Ireland, England, and Scotland, and indeed throughout the North American colonies and the United States of Americs. He was not a great preacher, he had not the gift of eloquence, and' his only power was in his sweet persuasiveness, his benignant ma ners, his noble heart, and his absolute dev. tion to his cause. He founded a whole organisation wherever he went and the fruit of his labours is still evident in Ireland, although more than forty years have passed since his death, The poorer Irish population has never on the whole been a slave to intemperance as it was in the days when he began his work. Thack-croy met him in the south of Ireland and was charmed with the simplicity and be-dignity of his manner, The famous novelist, noted with peculiar interest the fact that when Father Mathew dined at some of the great houses he shook hands with the sor-Fants, asked them about their families, and without any ostentatious display of humanitarianism and benevolence made them feel that in his mission he recognised no distinction of classes. He worked among members of all creeds and was equally admired and trusted by all. His career was in its way almost absolutely unique in modern days, Richard Cobden was the apostle of peace and of Free Trade, His name will always be associated with that of the Manchester School, as it was called, but he himself was born among the farming classes of Sussex, and it was only on the breakdown of his father that he became a calico printer. He founded the Anti-Corn Law League, which, as Sir Robert Peel generously proclaimed in the House of Commons, enabled Peel's Government to carry the' abolition of the duties on grain. Cobilen was not an orator but he was one of the most persuasive and convincing speakers ever heard in the House of Commons. His genius asa ro-former was acknowledged as warmly by Distaeli, who opposed him and his measures, as it was by Peel, and those who first supported Peel. He was one of the avowed advocates of the principle of arbitration for the settlement of interna. tional disputes, and in pursuit of this purpose he travelled all over Europe, a great Fie was welcomed everywhere because of his wart of the East, and the United States.
noble character, his unselfish purpose, and his marvellous' power of reasoning' and convincing. The recent Peace Proposals of the Czar may be traced almost directly to his initiative, for he had obtained much influence over the mind of the Cat, Nicholas of Russia. It is scarcely necessary to add that Cobden was the author of the Commercial Treaty with France.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.