Townsend

“ TOWNSEND, MEREDITH WHITE (1831–1911) , editor of the 'Friend of India' and the 'Spectator,' born in London on 1 April 1831, was the only son (in the family of three children) of William Townsend, one of the sixteen children of Charles Townsend of Ferriers, Bures St. Mary, on the borders of Essex and Suffolk. The family had been long settled in North Essex, both at Coggeshall and Bures, and William Townsend inherited a few hundred acres, which he farmed himself. His wife Alicia was daughter of John Sparrowe of 'The Ancient House' or 'Sparrowe House,' Ipswich. ”

“ Townsend resolved to strive. Some business must be entered into. But the recollection of former disasters filled his mind with doubt, and made him hesitate and ponder long and anxiously the way before him. At length, he opened a store as a commission merchant, thinking that the safest, and used his capital in advancing upon goods. This was the aspect of things without. At home, Eunice and Eveline were doing all in their power to smooth the asperities of the change that had taken place, and to make every thing conform to their father’s reduced means. ”

“ Townsend's fellow countrymen must feel themselves to be put under a beautiful obligation to him by his work entitled Kentucky in American Letters. He has thus fenced off for the lovers of New World literature a well watered bluegrass pasture of prose and verse, which they may enter and range through according to their appetites for its peculiar green provender and their thirst for the limestone spring. ”

“ As for my friend, the gentleman--we should see.
Oddly enough, I came across Mr. Reginald Townsend that very afternoon. I had been shopping--shopping was about all there was for me to do; after Strikehigh City I found life pretty dull West Kensington way, but then I had expected it to be dull. As I was strolling homewards, who should I see but Mr. Reginald Townsend. He was a sight for sore eyes--at least, he was a sight for mine. I like to see a man that is a man--handsome, well set up, and dressed as only the thoroughbred man knows how to dress. ”

“ Horace Townsend threw himself down on his face as he reached the edge, grasped the rope and crawled over backwards in that way, descending it hand-over-hand. Those too far back from the edge to see, heard him call out to the man below as he disappeared from sight: "Hold fast like a man! I am coming!" Then they saw no more, and for the moment heard no more.
Those who stood on the verge, and Margaret Hayley among them—saw the adventurous lawyer descend the rope with slow and steady care but evident labor, until he reached the loop opposite and nearly under the suspended man. ”

“ Worcester was the name of the county, as the court and jail might tell.
Hidden in the sand, like Benjamin's cup in the bag of flinty corn, a golden lustre yet seemed to betray Snow Hill, as the sun rose into its old trees, and woke the liquid-throated birds, and finally made the old brick and older whitewashed houses gleam, and exhale a soft, blue smoke. Virgie heard a sound as of hoofs upon a bridge, and saw, across the lily-bordered river, the Custis carriage winding up a golden road.
"Alone!" said Virgie; "love has gone. Now I must live for freedom." ”

“ Townsend has been undeservedly neglected as a poet. Many of his lyrics, which possess much charm and grace, are scattered through manuscript miscellanies. His reply to ‘The Enquiry’ (a poem attributed to Carew or Herrick) , entitled ‘His Mistress Found,’ is printed in Carew's ‘Poems and Masque’ (ed. Ebsworth, 1893) . Beloe included it and another poem by Townsend, entitled ‘Youth and Beauty,’ in his ‘Anecdotes of Literature’ (1812, vi. 195, 198) . Mr. A. H. Bullen in ‘Speculum Amantis’ (1889) printed Townsend's poem ‘To the Lady May’ from the Malone MS. 13, f. ”

“ One word whispered to Hutchinson, you know, would lay you on a bed of coals."
The miser grasped his arm with a most beseeching look, just as a lumbering vehicle rattled to the door, and a loud knock announced another arrival. A tall, robust man, with a fear-nought coat buttoned up to his throat, and his cocked-hat unlooped to defend him from the tempest, impatiently inquired whether Mr. Townsend was ready to start for Providence. ”

“ Could I have given my life into the hand of an utter stranger, a [Pg 205] foreigner of whose race I know no good? Would my father and mother have blessed me and bade me go to my husband’s arms with joy? No, it could not have been, and I could not have done it without. Should Henri return tomorrow for the fulfillment of such a desire, I should bid him leave me. Is it right to marry George Townsend with this secret in my heart? ”

“ Foster Townsend was a very satisfactory traveling companion. She had but to mention a wish to visit some new locality and her wish was granted. She had learned to like him long before, now she loved him. As for him, he was happier than he had been for years. He never would have admitted it, but this charming, talented niece of his was now his sincerest, his chief interest. Even the great lawsuit, dragging its eternal length along between one set of lawyers who prodded it on to the Supreme Court and another set who held it back, was secondary. ”

“ Bagehot, again, was a great leader-writer; so were Robert Low and Sir Henry Mayne; and so also was Hutton. But these men, great publicists as they were, never attained to quite Townsend's verbal accomplishment. I fully admit that many of them could, on occasion, write with far greater political judgment, and with greater learning, and with greater force and eloquence. But where Townsend excelled them and was easily first was in his power of dramatic expression and what can only be described as verbal fascination. No one could excite the mind and exalt the imagination as he did. ”

“ And Townsend, why, he has puns in plenty; but, when there’s any work to be done, he’s the worst fellow to be near one in the world—he can do nothing but laugh at his own puns. This poor little fellow that we hunted into the corner has more sense than all of them put together; but then he is a Greybeard. ”

“ Reginald Townsend in the exercise of that very rare, and wholly indescribable gift, the gift of fascination. I should say that he would have been a favourite alike with men and women--I will stake my bottom dollar, as poor, dear Daniel would have said, that he would have been popular with every woman. To me the average "fascinating man" is a monstrosity. He so obviously bears his honours thick upon his brow. He so plainly tries his hardest to live up to them. There was nothing of that sort about Mr. Townsend. ”

“ TOWNSEND, JOHN (1757–1826) , founder of the London asylum for the deaf and dumb, born in Whitechapel on 24 March 1757, was the son of Benjamin Townsend, ‘citizen and pewterer,’ by his wife Margaret (Christ's Hospital Register) . His father was disinherited for his attachment to Whitefield. On 6 March 1766 John was admitted to Christ's Hospital on the presentation of William Brockett. He was ‘discharged by his father’ on 8 April 1771, and was apprenticed to him for seven years at Swallow's Gardens. ”

“ The clerk put the telephone into operation, and presently reported to Mr. Townsend:
“He says the man forgot to call on his afternoon trip, and it’s too late now.”
“That’s too bad!” exclaimed Mr. Townsend. “Those books must go to Dr. Spidderkins to-night, or he’ll be very much disappointed, and he’s too good a customer to disappoint. Tom, you had better jump on a car and take them to him. Do you know your way around the Back Bay district?”
The Back Bay district is the section of Boston where are located the residences of the rich, and it is quite exclusive. ”

“ Broken down in health and spirits when he left his old home, unable to travel except by slow stages, he knew perfectly well that his days were numbered, and that he could never again see Kentucky. How much more dignified would it have been if he had breathed out his once precious life in the bosom of his family and in the arms of the woman who for upwards of half a century had watched over his interests, reared his children with a fond mother's care, loved him with a true woman's love, and followed him, wherever he was, with her prayers and her blessings! ”

“ Townsend, were engaged in showing books, or wrapping up parcels.
Seeing that Mr. Townsend was busy, Tom decided to defer for the present reporting on the result of his errand. He hung up his coat and hat, and as there seemed to be nothing else for him to do, he proceeded to tidy up a table of small booklets, that was usually in disorder, as customers were continually looking over the stock.
While he was thus engaged he was approached by a young man, whose clothes were of expensive cut and material. ”

“ Townsend, with whom I lately parted, speaks of him as the greatest man that has lived in this century, and begs his life may not be penned in haste.”
In another unpublished letter, also addressed to Mrs. Fletcher, and dated “October 6, 1786,” Mr. Ireland wrote:—
“I never saw Mr. Fletcher’s equal. On him great grace was bestowed. What deadness to the world! What spiritual mindedness! What zeal for souls! What communion with God! What intercourse with heaven! What humility at the feet of Jesus! What moderation towards all men! What love for the poor! ”

“ Townsend for the first time at a luncheon-party in London, telling me that at a pause in the conversation she heard him say of a Polish actress, Madame Modjeska, then performing in town, "She has the most mobile face in South-western Europe." On another occasion the oracle gave forth this tremendous sentence: "Musicians have no morals" but then, remembering a musician who was a close friend of his and mine, Townsend added, "Except G—." ”

“ Revell, as his friends loved to call him, had been appointed to succeed Charles Townsend, as the Canterbury Provincial Government Agent at the Grey. Prior to this appointment he had been Inspector of Police at Timaru, and on resigning that position was made a Justice of the Peace.
Born in the North of Ireland in September, 1829, he arrived in Westland in the heyday of his manhood. His was a commanding presence. Over six feet in height and built on generous lines, he was a natural leader of men. ”

“ Townsend knew a great deal about diplomatic history and about war by land and sea, as must every man who has lived long in India; Hutton's mind was little occupied with such things. Home politics, as I have said, were his field and had his deepest concern, while Townsend took in these no more than an ordinary interest. Again, Hutton was deeply interested in psychology and the study of the mind, whereas what interested Townsend most was what might be called the scenery of life and politics. Townsend looked upon life as a drama played in a great theatre and seen from the stalls. ”

“ Custis replied, "your day is young. Life looks hopeful to you. I am growing old, and where is the arm on which I should be leaning? What are we but two women left? There is another passage on which I often think when we sit so often alone: 'Two women shall be grinding at the mill: the one shall be taken and the other left!' Is that you, or is it I? Listen, my child! it is time that you should feel the melancholy truth! Your father's habits have mastered him. He is beyond reclamation!"
Vesta was kneeling, and she slowly raised her head and looked at her mother, with her nostrils dilated. ”

“ I am greatly drawn toward George Townsend. Father and mother regard him highly; he is a God-fearing man, capable and conscientious; he is a member of our meeting; his business can [Pg 203] be readily arranged so that we may live near my dear parents and bless their declining years. Why not?”
To so pure a maiden, one whose affections had never keenly asserted themselves nor been lightly trifled with, the idea of having granted unasked the treasure of her love was in itself a reproach.
Dorcas paled in view of the thought to which she felt it right to give definite shape ”

“ TOWNSEND, GEORGE (1788–1857) , author, born at Ramsgate, Kent, in 1788, was the son of George Townsend, independent minister in that town, a man of some note and the author of numerous published sermons. ”

“ Our reprint is from the original Philadelphia version, omitting both the now unessential appendix, and that portion of the narrative which deals with Hawaii and South America, these being outside the field of our present interest.
Townsend wrote in an easy, flowing style, and a large share of his pages bear evidence of closely following his daily journals. Unlike Wyeth's kinsman, Townsend had much admiration for the ability and resource of his leader—for his "most indefatigable perseverance and industry"—and could only attribute his failure to the mysterious dealings of Providence. ”

“ Very respectfully, yours, etc.”
“Forty thousand dollars more as good as cast into the sea!” said Mr. Townsend, with forced composure, as he read the last sentence of this letter, and comprehended the whole matter. “Fool! Fool! Why did I not send the agent before I made the purchase? Was ever a man so beside himself!”
As soon as the mental blindness and confusion [Pg 46] that this intelligence produced, had, in a degree, subsided, Mr. Townsend began to think whether he could not save something by a forced sale of his interest in “Eldorado.” ”

“ Townsend being poor, Nuttall waived his intention of publishing in his favor. I have heard that Townsend wishes to make a journey as collector of birds, plants, etc. I wish he would go to the southern Rocky Mountains, and trace them into New Spain. Nuttall has brought home the Grayia. Have you ever received any more of Nuttall’s plants, or has Boott? He is selling them to different persons for ten dollars per hundred; just such specimens as you received through Boott, or sometimes much better and more copious ones. I have some of his Compositæ in my hands, which Webb has ordered. ”