the English poets of this century" to be "a high and permanent one"; and testifies that "a more truly religious man never lived, every action and thought of his life being pervaded by the spirit of reverence."

Of the "four principal names enshrined" in a recent work, and to whose memory it is affectionately inscribed, that of Sydney Dobell is one. The author, who was personally acquainted with the poet, has a high and sympathetic appreciation of his gifts and virtues. In addition to many beautiful and discriminative remarks on his genius and his works, he has given a graphic description of the man, which may fitly close this brief account.

“We have never known a sweeter soul; never met so loveable a being in human form. We remarked that Robertson bore facially some resemblance to the received representations of the Redeemer. But this was still more strikingly the case with Dobell. We possess a photograph of him in which he is represented as looking down and reading a book; and it is marvellously like Ary Scheffer's ideal portrait of the Saviour. The long brown hair, prematurely touched with grey, parted down the middle, and revealing a forehead high and broad, indicating great intellectual power, yet softened by an indescribable beauty of form that gave it a soft feminine gentleness; deep-set, small blue eyes that were full of thought; thin, spirituel features; and a mouth that seemed naturally to wreathe itself into a pleasant smile—all compelled one to think of that face. He seemed rather like a spirit clothed upon a body, than a body possessed by a spirit. And as to his manners, they are expressed with admirable felicity and truth by Professor Nicol; 'His bearing had a touch of lofty, yet gracious mannerism, which re-called the idea of a Castilian Knight.' We esteem it as one of the great privileges of life to have known him as a friend. We can say of him in his own words :

'There was once a Roman I saw him, and felt nobler.""

66

The works of Sydney Dobell," in four volumes, edited by John Nicol, M.A., Oxon, LL.D., and published by Smith, Elder and Co., London, 1875-6 comprise a large number of his minor poems, and "Thoughts on Art, Philosophy and Religion."

NOTES.

1.-The Life and Letters of Sydney Dobell. London: Smith, Elder and Co., 1878.

2. The house is now known as "The Cedars."

Edited by E. J.—

About 2.30 p.m.

3. This was in many respects a remarkable storm. the sky became darkened with thick clouds of a sooty-yellow colour, and a short but strangely heavy fall of snow commenced, the flakes being unusually large. Spring snow-flights are common on the hills; a Cotswold ballad thus sings of a March day:

In a pleasant after-luncheon speech at the re-opening of Chedworth Church, April 24th, 1883, Dr. Ellicott narrated his experiences of the previous day, when he had walked across the country from Fairford to Chedworth, about eight miles. "The walk," said the good Bishop, "over your pleasant wolds was not much; but I had the pleasure, or the misfortune, to confront seventeen snowstorms during my progress. I am not quite sure as to the exact number, but having counted up to fifteen I grew tired of counting, and so threw in two for the rest." A rather different walk from one in the vale, on a warm September day in 1883, when his lordship was seen plodding in his shirt sleeves, and his coat on his arm, across the fields from Berkeley Road Station to take part in the re-dedication service of Stinchcombe Church Spire.

4.-"The Golden Decade of a Favoured Town. Being Biographical Sketches and Personal Recollections of the Celebrated Characters connected with Cheltenham from 1843 to 1853." By Contem Ignotus. London: Elliott Stock, 1884. It was not likely that the author of such a work could long "be hid "; and it is now no breach of confidence to say that we have to thank an excellent clergyman, the Rev. Richard Glover, M.A., Vicar of St. Luke's, West Holloway, London, for this admirably written and most interesting addition to our local literature.

HENRY S. P. WINTERBOTHAM.

[1837-1873.]

OR many years in the early part of this century, the Rev. William Winterbotham, of Shortwood Tabernacle, was the most active and influential Nonconformist Minister in Gloucestershire. He was a man whose life and character were alike remarkable. Born in London in 1763, his early life, as narrated by himself in an unpublished autobiography, is said to have abounded in facts stranger than fiction. In 1790, he became assistant Minister of the Baptist Church at Plymouth. Possessed of great natural abilities joined with unusual energy, he could not but be an element of force in whatever sphere he occupied. He proved himself so at Plymouth, where his advocacy of civil and religious liberty was an offence in the eyes of the Government of that period. A prosecution was commenced in 1793, and in July of that year he was indicted for "maliciously and seditiously" attempting to disturb the peace of the Kingdom, by a sermon which he had preached on the 5th of November in the preceding year. A second indictment charged him with a repetition of the offence in another sermon in the same month.

The "

The trial, which took place at Exeter, was a remarkable and historical one. The accused had the sympathy of the friends of freedom throughout the Kingdom. It is needless to say that Mr. Winterbotham was convicted. 'very moderate and merciful sentence of four years' imprisonment and a fine of two hundred pounds" was passed upon him, and he was fully committed to the gaol of Newgate.

On his liberation, he came forth with an unblemished name; and having secured many powerful and distinguished friends. In 1797 he married, and in 1804 became pastor of of the Baptist Church at Shortwood; and through the remainder of his life was the most prominent figure in the affairs of his denomination in this county. His labours were wide and abundant, and his influence for good was singularly great. He died in March, 1829, and was buried in the old Tabernacle graveyard, the marble tablet which was erected to his memory being now in the new Meeting House.

Mr. Winterbotham had a family of four sons and two daughters. One son died while a young man, the others all became well known in this county. Rayner was for some years a solicitor in Cheltenham, and on his retirement from that profession became a Magistrate at Stroud. He died at Clevedon, January, 1879, in his 81st year. Lindsey, who in earlier life practised as a solicitor at Tewkesbury and was Mayor of that borough, was afterwards long and honourably connected with the Gloucestershire Banking Company, and died at Stroud, December 25, 1871, aged 71. John Brend practised as a solicitor for many years in Cheltenham, as head of the firm of Winterbotham, Bell and Co., and died February, 1881, aged 75.

HENRY SELFE PAGE WINTERBOTHAM, the subject of this sketch, was the second son of Lindsey Winterbotham by his wife Sarah Ann Selfe-a daughter of the Rev. H. Page. He was born at Tewkesbury on March 2, 1837. He was sent to Mr. West's well-known school at Amersham, in Bucks; and in 1853 became a student at University College, London. There he graduated with honours B.A., in 1856; and L.L.B., in 1859, taking the University Law Scholarship and Gold Medal. In 1858 he was Hume Scholar in Jurisprudence; the following year Hume Scholar in Political Economy; and in 1861 was elected Fellow of his College. It became early evident that his intellectual powers were of a high order: these, combined with fine qualities and great charm of manners

and conversation, gave bright promise of a brilliant future.

It is interesting to note in connection with this period of his life, that at the age of fifteen, while yet at school, he took his stand as an avowed disciple of Christ, and was publicly baptised. This profession was consistently maintained. While his broad views and charitable spirit enabled him to form close friendships with men of the most diverse religious opinions, he held fast his own convictions; nor did he in his future course ever waver in his attachment to the principles of Protestant nonconformity or the cause of civil and religious liberty.

In November, 1860, he was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn, and practised as a barrister in the Chancery Court, and as a conveyancer till 1871.

He

Although successful in his profession, and having good prospects before him, his predilections were towards politics; and he announced his intention to seek the suffrages of the electors of Stroud, where his father had long resided, and his own early life had been passed. An opportunity was soon afforded. The veteran reformer-Mr. Scrope-retiring in 1867, Mr. Winterbotham offered himself as a candidate. had a powerful opponent in Mr. (now Sir John) Dorington, of Lypiatt Park, but was elected by a majority of 70. At the general election in November 1868, he stood in conjunction with Mr. S. S. Dickinson, and was again opposed by Mr. Dorington. Both Liberal candidates were returned, Mr. Winterbotham's majority reaching the high figure of 700. His popularity was very great. The intelligent working men regarded him with something like fraternal affection, having fullest sympathy with his political principles, and feeling justly proud of him as a local worthy.

Without the aids of aristocratic family connections, wealth, or other external influences, he stepped into Parliamentary life simply as a professional gentleman representing a provincial borough constituency. But he carried with him fixed and definite principles. He knew what he believed;

S