Whitford

“ So the interview ended, and mother and son went to the grand entertainment at Mr. Birtwell's. Ellis did mean to heed his mother's admonition. What she had said, about the danger in which he stood had made a deeper impression on him than Mrs. Whitford thought. But he did not propose to heed by abstinence, but by moderation. He would be on guard and always ready for the hidden foe, if such a foe really existed anywhere but in his mother's fancy.
"Ah, Mrs. Whitford! Glad to see you this evening;" and the Rev. Mr. Brantley Elliott gave the lady a graceful and cordial bow. ”

“ Whitford's fingers found what they were looking for. He fished a ring from his pocket and put it on the desk. "Beatrice asked me to give you this."
"I don't think that's fair. If she wants to throw me over she ought to tell me her reasons herself."
"She's telling them through me. I don't want to be more explicit unless you force me."
"Of course I'm not good enough. I know that. No man's good enough for a good woman. But I'm as good as other fellows. We don't claim to be angels. New York doesn't sprout wings." ”

“ It always did out of everybody. The city was so big, so overpowering, so individual itself, that it tolerated no individuality in its citizens. Whitford had long since become a conformist. He was willing to bet a hat that this big brown Arizonan would eat out of the city's hand within a week. In the meantime he wanted to be among those present while the process of taming the wild man took place. Long before the cowpuncher had finished his story of hog-tying the Swede to a hitching-post with his own hose, the mining man was sealed of the large tribe of Clay Lindsay's admirers. ”

“ This Whitford is to compare with a similar effort of More's, and to decide which is better. The letter contains an enthusiastic estimate of More's abilities. It states that Whitford used to affirm Erasmus and More to be 'so alike in wit, manners, affections, and pursuits, that no pair of twins could be found more so.' It concludes, 'Both of us certainly you equally love; to both you are equally dear.' The letter occurs in the editions of these declamations which were printed with the translations from Lucian (e.g. Luciani Optiscula, Leyden, 1528, p. 210) . ”

“ In 1635 Whitford was consecrated as bishop of Brechin as successor to Thomas Sydserff [q. v.] , holding the sub-deanery in commendam until 1639, when he disponed his title to James Hamilton, third marquis (afterwards first duke) of Hamilton [q. v.] On 16 April 1635 he was created a burgess of Arbroath. Whitford used his episcopal authority to support the liturgical changes which Charles I had introduced. The new service-book was very unpopular with the multitude, and in 1637, when Whitford announced his intention of reading it, he was threatened with violence. ”

“ James received a commission as ensign in the Earl of Chesterfield's regiment of foot on 13 June 1667 (Dalton, Army Lists, i. 79) . David and Walter (d. 1686?) are separately noticed. In 1660 Whitford's widow petitioned for a yearly allowance out of the rents of the bishopric of Brechin in consideration of the sufferings of her family in the royal cause (Brit. Mus. Addit. MS. 23114, f. 135) .
His eldest son, John Whitford (d. 1667) , divine, was presented in 1641, at the instance of Laud, to the rectory of Ashton in Northamptonshire, and instituted on 17 May. ”

“ On the evening of 12 May, as Dorislaus was sitting down to supper at the Witte Zwaan, six men burst into his rooms, and while some of them secured his servants, Whitford, after slashing him over the head, passed a sword through his body, and said, ‘Thus dies one of the king's judges’ (Wood, Athenæ Oxon. ed. Bliss, iii. 666) . The whole party, leaving their victim dead upon the ground, made their escape, and Whitford succeeded in crossing the frontier into the Spanish Netherlands, where he was in perfect safety. All royalists received the news of the murder with unbounded satisfaction. ”

“ In that capacity he received at Paris a letter from Erasmus, Lord Mountjoy's tutor, written shortly before 4 Feb. 1497, probably from the Chateau Tournahens, where Erasmus was staying. Erasmus addresses Whitford as his 'dear friend Richard,' and encourages him in his study of philosophy. In 1498 tutor, chaplain, and pupil returned to England; and perhaps at this time Whitford visited Oxford with Erasmus. ”

“ He was one of the chief luminaries of the Dramatic Club, coached the players and had produced several one-act plays of his own that had the flavor of reality. He was of medium height and looked the soldier and athlete. Women had done much to spoil him, but in spite of his preoccupation with society, men continued to like George, who was a thoroughly good fellow and a clean sportsman.
Whitford entered at once into a colloquy with Constance. Thomas, having expressed his pleasure at meeting [116] Bruce, was explaining to Mrs. Torrence how he and Whitford had met Leila downtown. ”

“ He reared a large family of sons and daughters, who settled in this town and Plainfield, Otsego Co. They are mostly farmers, of the enterprising, progressive sort. Several of the descendants of Joshua Whitford are residents of Brookfield. This pioneer was one of the first assessors of the town --- chosen in 1795 --- and was afterwards for several years Town Clerk, as was also his son William. ”

“ I can neither fight nor fish, and on the whole agree with you: but I think it proper to be as English as I can in the presence of an American."
A whistle—a creak—a jar; and they stop at the little Whitford station, where a cicerone for the vale, far better than Claude was, made his appearance, in the person of Mark Armsworth, banker, railway director, and de facto king of Whitbury town, long since elected by universal suffrage (his own vote included) as permanent locum tenens of her gracious Majesty. ”

“ WHITFORD, WALTER (d. 1686?) , soldier, was the second son of Walter Whitford (1581?–1647) [q. v.] , bishop of Brechin. He fought on the side of the king in the civil war, attained the rank of colonel, and, on the overthrow of Charles, took refuge in Holland. In 1649 Isaac Dorislaus [q. v.] , who had taken an active part in the trial of the king, was appointed English envoy in Holland, and reached The Hague on 29 April. ”

“ Speaking of the duty of instructing others, “the wretch of Syon,” as Whitford constantly calls himself, urges those who can read to use their gifts for the benefit of others not so fortunate. They should get their neighbours together on holidays, he says, especially the young, and teach them the daily exercise, and in particular the “things they are bound to know or can say: that is the Paternoster, the Ave, and the Creed.” Begin early to teach those that are young, for “our English proverb saith that the young cock croweth as he doth hear and learn of the old.” ”

“ Wax-lights shine in tall, old-fashioned silver candlesticks on the mantelpiece, and on the centre table, and on a pianoforte, beside which stands a canterbury full of music-books. A great fire blazes in the grate, and makes its immediate neighbourhood too hot for the comfort of most people. But Minnie is apt to be chilly, and loves the heat. Some delicate ferns and hothouse plants adorn a stand between the windows. They are rather a rare luxury in Whitford; but Minnie loves flowers, and always has some choice ones about her. ”

“ WHITFELD or WHITFIELD, HENRY (d. 1660?) , divine, is said by Mather to have been second son of Ralph Whitfeld of Gray's Inn, by Dorothy, daughter of Sir Henry Spelman [q. v.] He was more probably son of Thomas Whitfeld, lord of the manor of East Sheen and of Mortlake, who was licensed to marry Mildred Manning of Greenwich on 10 Jan. 1585 (Addit. MS. 27984, f. 20b) . He appears to have taken holy orders, is described as B.D., and is said to have been appointed to the rich living of Ockley, Surrey, in 1616, although the register there contains no mention of his induction. ”

“ His preparation for a frontiersman’s life began early for young Whitman. Born in Connecticut when the eighteenth century had all but run its course, he was still in his swaddling-clothes when his parents, falling victims to the prevalent fever for “going west,” piled their lares and penates into an ox-cart and trekked overland to the fertile lake region of central New York, Mrs. Whitman making the four-hundred-mile journey on foot, with her year-old babe in her arms. Building a cabin with the tree trunks cleared from the site, they began the usual pioneer’s struggle for existence. ”

“ But there were phrases and sentences here and there, sometimes of Whitman's, sometimes of Dr. Needler's, that awakened a strange incoherent music in her soul—a new chord was struck. It was almost dark when she reached her room, at the close of a stormy winter day. She stood at her window watching the crimson and black drifts of cloud piled upon each other in the west. Strife and glory she seemed to read in that sky. She thought of Whitman's rugged manliness, of the way he had mingled with all classes of men—mingled with them to do them good. ”

“ There, in the very pulpit where Whitfield, the persuasive, the silver-tongued, stood—the Whitfield, whom lords and ladies flocked to hear; who lit up with light and life a wicked and adulterous generation—an age destitute alike of faith and heart and hope—you will see a big cumbrous man, of severe face and repulsive manner, with a voice harsh and rough as a mountain-stream. ”

“ Nothing breaks the uniformity but a number of white spots moving slowly here and there—the down sheep, with their black faces and fine wool. About three miles from Whitby, as you descend from the hilly country, the scene gradually changes, and near the town becomes very romantic. Meanwhile English cleanliness and elegance sensibly diminish. Whitby is exactly like an old German town; without ‘trottoirs,’ equally dirty, and with as narrow streets. ”

“ Some may say, "this is only a supposable case," [152] and it would be true, but the facts are that England, through her Hudson Bay Company, had virtually owned and controlled Oregon for nearly half a century, from 1818 up to the day Whitman started upon his great ride, altogether with the official sanction of the American people. There can scarcely be a doubt in regard to it, for reasons before stated, that England expected to continue to hold it all, or at least a large portion of it. Those who shout no danger are blind to historic facts. ”

“ Few indeed are the places which bring back more delightful memories or a greater longing to return than Whitby—old, straggling, storm-beaten Whitby—climbing up its steep hill crowned by one of the most unique churches and stateliest abbey ruins in all Britain. The road which takes us from Scarborough to its ancient rival is a wild one, wandering around the black, heather-splotched hills with trying grades which make careful driving necessary. ”

“ Whitman should make one of his delightful visits to his friends, the Staffords, in their beautiful country home, "Timber Creek," just as soon as he was sufficiently recovered to take the trip, and Mrs. Davis thought best to defer talking with him or considering any definite step regarding home matters until he returned. She took pains to get him ready, and, as she had done before, persuaded him to purchase some new clothing and look his best. This visit, like previous ones, was charming to the poet, and he came home much benefited. ”

“ Whitman, till a young priest, perhaps not so discreet as the older, and not thinking that there was an American at the table, sprang to his feet, and swinging his hand, exclaimed: 'Hurrah for Columbia! (Oregon.) America is too late; we have got the country. In an instant, as by instinct, Dr. Whitman saw through the whole plan, clear to Washington, Fort Hall, and all. He immediately rose from the table and asked to be excused, sprang upon his horse, and in a very short time stood with his noble 'Cayuse,' white with foam, before his door ”

“ Shortly before the marriage of his niece Lizzie to Mr. Pickard in the April of 1876, Whittier in a letter to Mrs. F——, expressing pleasure at hearing from her and sending her the requested autographs, announced:
“I am not going to give up my residence in Amesbury. But I expect to spend some time with my cousins at their delightful home, Oak Knoll, in Danvers. Lizzie sends love. She is busy with her preparations for a change of base.” ”

“ The ancient house which is the scene of the last named poem is still standing, and may be seen by passengers on the Boston and Maine road, near the Hampton station. It has a gambrel roof, and is on the left when the train is going westward. On the right as the train passes Hampton Falls station may be seen in the distance, shaded by magnificent elms, the house of Miss Gove, in which Whittier died. It was upon these broad meadows and the distant line of the beach that his eyes rested, when he took his last look [Pg 93] upon the scenery he loved and has so faithfully pictured in his verse. ”

“ This Amesbury home was a small dwelling on Friend Street, named from the fact that it led past the Friends’ meeting-house not far from this new home. Whittier’s biographer tells how the poet planned the new meeting-house which stands further up the street and faces a small common, with a by-road winding down on its other side behind the village, as it then was, and leading on to the old burying-ground where the poet now lies.
In such simplicity of life and holiness of purpose must be invigorating power. No home of luxury and self-indulgence could have produced a Whittier. ”