Thomas Parr

“ These are followed by a discursive review of Fox's ‘James II.’ The most remarkable note is one, long enough for a volume, upon the criminal law. Parr argues at great length, and with many quotations from his friend Bentham and others, on behalf of a reform of the old barbarities. Though cumbrous in style and diffuse in substance, it is very creditable to his generosity and good feeling.
This was Parr's last work. In 1810 he had much domestic trouble. He had been the father of three daughters. The second, Eliza Jane, born at Colchester on 26 May 1778, died at Norwich on 29 May 1779 ”

“ During Parr's administration of nine years from 1782 to 1791, the welfare of the people was his study and care. His name will be ever associated with the coming of the Loyalists to Halifax and the province in 1783. His deep solicitude for their relief, welfare and settlement should never be forgotten by their descendants. He was not brilliant, but was the very man to suit the time he lived in, a plain, upright soldier, who prided himself on his attention to duty, and who endeavoured to discharge the obligations of a distinguished position with integrity and honour. ”

“ Some people, however, are peculiarly affected by the influence of that wind; and they tell a story of Dr. [Pg 415] Parr—for the truth of which I will not vouch, but which probably has some foundation in fact. When a young man, he is said to have had an attack of ague, which made him dread the east wind as a pestilence. He had two pupils at the time, gay lads, over whose conduct, as well as whose studies, he exercised a very rigid superintendence. When they went out to walk, Parr was almost sure to be with them, much to their annoyance on many occasions. ”

“ He was very sociable, and loved his dinner as well as Johnson. He smoked all day, and told with pride how the prince regent joined him in a pipe at Carlton House; and he used to make the youngest lady present give him a light till his friends persuaded him to give up the practice (Field, ii. 115–16) . Parr's library, consisting of about ten thousand volumes, was sold by auction at Evans's in 1828.
Parr was regarded as the whig Johnson. They had some acquaintance, as appears by references in Parr's correspondence with Charles Burney and Langton ”

“ D'Israeli, in the ‘Quarrels of Authors,’ and Mathias, in the ‘Pursuits of Literature,’ refer to a story, partly countenanced by a passage in Parr's own dedication, that Hurd had spoken contemptuously of Parr's ‘long vernacular sermon.’ It is also said (Works, i. 396) that Hurd had shown coldness to Parr personally (see Field, i. 377; De Quincey; Parriana, i. 417–18, and ii. 310 seq., where there is a long discussion of the case) . Such excuses only make matters worse. ”

“ In 1853 his father emigrated to the United States, and the family followed in 1854, settling at Danville, Pennsylvania. Parry first studied music at about seventeen years of age, attending a class conducted by two of his Welsh fellow-workers at the iron-works. At an eisteddfod held at Danville at Christmas 1860 he won his first prize for composition, namely for a temperance march. Next year a subscription raised by the Welsh colony at Danville enabled Parry to study at a normal college at Genesee, New York. He returned after a short course to become organist at Danville. ”

“ All three sons went into the army, and the youngest, John, is the subject of this memoir.
John Parr, the future Governor of Nova Scotia, was born at Dublin, 20th December, 1725, and , after a moderate course of study at Trinity High School, he was on the 26th May, 1744, gazetted Ensign of the 20th Regiment of Foot (Kingsley's and Wolfe's Regiment) . Parr was then in his nineteenth year, early in life, to enter upon a career of military activity, when the great powers of Europe were at war, and when a soldier's life was one of arduous and uninterrupted service. ”

“ In 1785, for some reason unknown to his biographer, Parr resigned the school at Norwich, and in the year following went to reside at Hatton. "I have an excellent house, (he writes to a friend,) good neighbours, and a Poor, ignorant, dissolute, insolent, and ungrateful, beyond all example. ”

“ Field (i. 62) , on the authority of Richard Warburton Lytton, grandfather of the novelist, and at this time a pupil of Parr, says that Sumner and Parr had offended the governors by opposing their claim to order holidays at discretion. Parr's own account (Works, i. 63) is that he had voted for Wilkes at the Middlesex election. The boys at the school addressed the governor on behalf of Parr. He was accused, but denied the imputation, of having encouraged them in an insubordinate expression of annoyance. In any case Parr was indignant, and resolved to start a rival school at Stanmore. ”

“ Parr narrowed the gap between himself and his prey.
And they turned a corner. Parr crossed the street, drew still closer, in time to hear the girl say, laughing, "... slumming once before I go back."
The crowd thickened and Parr found himself sidestepping passers-by. He was almost near enough, and his hand was moist on the focus gun. ”

“ Parr saw what they meant. With the other community, the newest and therefore most advanced individual ruled. In this more primitive society, the strongest held sway until a stronger displaced him. The giant called Ling was by no means the most human-seeming creature there, but he was plainly the ruler and plainly meant so to continue. Parr was no coward, but he was no fool. ”

“ You get the largest house—until somebody new shows up. Then you step down, like me."
He spoke with ill grace. Parr did not reply at once, but studied these folk who were putting themselves under his rule. They would not have been handsome even if shaved and dressed properly. Indeed, two or three had the coarse, low-browed look of profound degenerates. Back into Parr's mind came the words of Sadau: "The longer you stay ... the lower you fall." ”

“ I honour Parr—he knows much, and is a sound man.”
“Does he know the truth?”
“Know the truth; he knows what’s good, from an oyster to an ostrich—he’s not only sound, but round.”
“Suppose we drink his health?”
“Thank you, boy: here’s Parr’s health, and Whiter’s.”
“Who is Whiter?”
“Don’t you know Whiter? I thought everybody knew Reverend Whiter the philologist, [225b] though I suppose you scarcely know what that means. A man fond of tongues and languages, quite out of your way—he understands some twenty ”

“ Among tall trees, thickly grown, lay a throng of sleepers. Parr's companion led him there, and made an awkward gesture.
"You lie down. You sleep. Tomorrow—boss talk. Uh!"
So saying, the beast-man curled up at the root of a tree. Parr sat down with his back against another trunk, the club across his knees, but he did not sleep.
This, plainly enough, was the outcast horde. It clung together, the gregariousness of humanity not yet winnowed out by degeneration. ”

“ From amid the thud of hoofs, and the rattle of accoutrements, a voice spoke sharply:
"So you're here, Farrell, you old rebel hypocrite. Well, what are you hiding now?"
"I was not aware that I had anything to hide, Captain Grant," was the dignified response. "This is my shop, an' where I should be."
"Oh, hell! We all know you well enough, you old fox, and we'll catch you red-handed yet, and hang you. But we're not hunting after your kind to-day. Did you see anything of a fellow in scarlet jacket along here last night, or this morning?" ”

“ The flour mills at Sackville were kept at work night and day, to provide bread. Parr worked steadily, and methodically, as he had done all his life and being a seasoned veteran, it is said, was able to work at times twenty out of the twenty-four hours at the task of providing and arranging for the subsistence of such a host. The great problem was how to have them housed, before the severity of winter set in. The troops came by shiploads, and the vivid experience of Halifax at the declaration of war was repeated. Every shed, outhouse, store, and shelter was crowded with people. ”

“ Parr squinted at the huts, around the doors of which lounged the other men. "That looks like a permanent community, Sadau."
"It is, but the population's floating. I came here three months ago—Earth months—and the place was operating under the rules I outlined. Latest comer, necessarily the highest-grade human being, to be chief; those who degenerate beyond a certain point to be driven out; the rest to live peaceably together, helping each other."
Parr only half heard him. "Evolution turned backward—it can't be true. It's against nature." ”

“ Is your brother named Eric?"
"Yes; I told you, did I not, that we are twins? The physical resemblance between us is very strong; no doubt our voices sound alike also, or would to a comparative stranger. Will you not be seated, Major? We shall not have long to converse, and there is much to be said before those downstairs complete their rather frugal meal—Peter has promised to delay serving as much as possible, but, as our larder is not extensive, at best it will not be long. You overheard Captain Grant's threat?" ”

“ I only know Tom and I held the rear, sweeping circles of death with our whirling gun-barrels, falling back step by step as we fought. At last I felt the bottom stairs with my foot, and heard a voice shout,
"Come up, sir! We'll hold 'em now!"
Then I was above the heads of the mob, gripping the rail, and sobbing for breath. There followed a moment's wait, an instant of hesitancy. I began to see and feel once more. Below us the hall was jammed with men, so closely pressed together as to be almost helpless. ”

“ PRENTICE PARAGRAPHS
[From Prenticeana (New York, 1859) ]
James Ray and John Parr have started a locofoco paper in Maine, called the Democrat. Parr, in all that pertains to decency, is below zero; and Ray is below Parr.
The editor of the —— speaks of his "lying curled up in bed these cold mornings." This verifies what we said of him some time ago—"he lies like a dog."
A young widow has established a pistol gallery in New Orleans. Her qualifications as a teacher of the art of duelling are of course undoubted; she has killed her man.
Wild rye and wild wheat grow in some regions spontaneously. ”

“ I meant to accompany his party to Montreal, 275 find some excuse on the way for quarrel, and return to Quebec––and you.”
He paused, but I uttered no word, conscious that my cheeks were burning hotly, and afraid to lift my eyes to his face.
“You know the rest. I have made the whole journey; I have borne insult, the charge of crime, merely that I might remain, and serve you. Why do I say this? Because tonight––if we succeed in getting through the Indian lines––I shall be again among my old comrades, and shall be no longer a servant to Francois Cassion. ”

“ He swung himself from the saddle, tied a loose rein to a scrub oak, and clambered up the bank.
With the noiseless step of a plainsman he pushed in through the labyrinths of bush, only to halt petrified upon the very edge of that inner barrier. No figment of imagination, but the glowing reality of flesh and blood, awaited him. She had neither seen nor heard his approach, and he stopped in perplexity. He had framed a dozen speeches for her ears, yet now he could do no more than stand and gaze, his heart in his eyes. And it was a vision to enchain, to hold lips speechless. ”

“ Pulpit philosophizing was not rare in those times; it had been practised since Butler’s days by Dr. Ezra Styles [818] in 1761; and Dr. Richard Price had used a dissenter’s pulpit to utter his enthusiastic views on the future improvement of mankind (1787) and the love of our country (1789) . [819] Burke had denounced him for this in his Reflections; [820] but, if Parr could do the same thing on the other side a few years afterwards, it cannot have been any great singularity. Parr’s sermon was the subject of Sydney Smith’s first paper in the Edinburgh Review (Oct 1802) ”

“ Parrish declared that it exceeded, in its brilliancy and force, all his former utterances, of which he had any knowledge; and he never heard from him afterward, anything that could compare with it. His auditors were mainly those of his own people. His flow of thought was not interrupted by the slow, and embarrassing process of interpretation. The full grief of his heart, in view of the transactions of the previous year, was poured forth, and came like the irresistible sweep of a whirlwind. ”

“ A trick not uncommon with the women was to endeavour to excite the commiseration, and to tax the bounty of one person, by relating some cruel theft of this kind that had, as they said, been practised upon them by another. One day, after I had bought a knife of Togolat, she told Captain Lyon, in a most piteous tone, that Parree had stolen her last ooloo, that she did not know what to do without one, and at length, coming to the point, begged him to give her one. ”

“ I gasped.
"Yes, sir."
"Stand ready then, but look out for above; there was a guard up there—Tom."
He turned his face slightly.
"Move back a step or two more; we've got to hold them."
"All right, sir."
I felt weak from loss of blood, my head reeling, and had to hold to the rail. Below us, growling like wild beasts, but seemingly leaderless, the mob crushed forward to the foot of the stairs. Suddenly I saw Grant, and the sight of him gave me new life.
"You black-faced hound," I called down angrily. "You've kept yourself safe so far. Now come on." ”

“ I smile at the warning and send back a message of insult. Then my invitation to this ball is withdrawn, and, later still, La Barre even advises that I be assassinated at the least excuse. ’Twould seem they deem you of importance, Mademoiselle.”
“You make it no more than a joke?”
“Far from it; the very fact that I know the men makes it matter of grave concern. I might, indeed, smile did it concern myself alone, but I have your interests in mind––you have honored me by calling me your only friend, and now I know not where I may serve you best––in the wilderness, or here in Quebec?” ”