The Men at the Helm; Biographical Sketches of Great English Statesmen (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1862. Excerpt: ... SIR ROBERT PEEL. (a.d. 1788--1850.) Sie Kobert Peel was the second baronet of that name. His father, a wealthy cotton-spinner of Bury, and a man of broad and comprehensive views, received a baronetcy at the hands of William Pitt, in 1800. The second Sir Kobert was born on the 5th of July, 1788, twelve years before this high distinction was obtained, and two years before his father's entrance into Parliament as member for a borough which his enterprise had almost re-created--the borough of Tamworth. His mother was a Miss Tates, the daughter of Mr. Peel's partner in the cottonspinning firm, who became the wife of the senior and the chief on the 8th of July, 1783. Two daughters had already sprung from this felicitous union. During his boyhood, the second Sir Eobert Peel displayed none of those wonderfully brilliant qualities which, by superficial persons, are considered inseparable from the early years of great men; but he was found to be possessed of a clearness of judgment, and a solidity of application, which encouraged his father to prepare him for a public career. After receiving a particular course of education at home, he was sent, in 1801, to Harrow School, where he was the contemporary of the future author of "Childe Harold." The illustrious poet, at a later period, spoke warmly of his quondam Peel's Tjntyeesity Cabeeb. 257 schoolfellow: --"There was always," he says, "great hopes of Peel amongst us all, masters and scholars, and he has not disappointed them. As a scholar he was greatly my superior; as a declaimer and actor, I was reckoned at least his equal." This distinction clearly illustrates the particular bias of Peel's talents; he neither glittered nor shone, but he worked assiduously and sagaciously. So, too, when removed to Christchurch, Oxf...