ENDON CHURCH, THE BURIAL PLACE OF HIS BELOVED SISTER HANNAH, AND HER CHILD, REFERRED TO IN HIS POEM, "WAITING FOR DEATH," AND OTHERS HIS MONUMENT, IN HORTON CHURCHYARD, RAISED BY SUB 154 261 MEMOIR OF GEORGE HEATH, stances. "Read from some humble poet, Whose songs gushed from his heart Who, through long days of labour, Of wonderful melodies."—Longfellow. T is both interesting and instructive to read over the records and achievements of genius and perseverance under discouraging and oppressive circumThey are examples which the thinking part of mankind are ever ready to admire, and which form incentives to others to exertion in future times. A large proportion of British biography is occupied with showing how poverty-a meagre education-the obstructions of friends-enfeebled health-and often unmerited frowns and cold neglect-have failed to prevent Worth rising by its native force to win admiration and renown. In the lives of inventors, men of science, or students of literature, art, or poetry, all do not attain a degree of lofty eminence; neither, perhaps, is it desirable they should. Diversity in degree is as much a law B of Mind as it is a law of Nature; when, however, we do observe some peculiar bent of mind breaking through the bars of hindrance, whether of poverty or sickness, and, laying at our feet the varied fruits of its endowments, even though they be but a little bunch of sweet poetic flowers—tinted it may be with many plaintive hues-it becomes a pleasure, if not a duty, to add their names to the list of those who, having toiled hard, have won a place amongst the world's worthy ones. There is much interest attaching to the story of the brief, sad life of the late George Heath, the invalid Poet. Warmhearted, deeply-feeling, of many moods, and as a student earnest and hardworking, it seems incumbent on his friends, in justice to his memory and merits, to undertake the task necessary for the preservation of his works, and of a knowledge of the incidents of his life. His published poems, entitled, "Rudyard at Sunset," "The Pauper's Child," and "Heart Strains," are productions which boded considerable promise. They were read on their first appearance with much delight, and yet remain a surprise as from an author so young, so unfavourably situated, and so severely afflicted, and whose future was shaded in utter gloom. The poems which he published comprise, however, but a small proportion of those he wrote. Many are left in manuscript evincing great advancement and poetic insight; some of these are in a finished state, and several to all appearance (although of considerable length) have not been carried to completion. In this condition are found his two most ambitious attempts, named respectively, "The Doom of Babylon," and "The Country Woman's Tale." It is evident he intended most of these poems for the press; and their publication, with those which appeared in his lifetime, would be a consummation of his fondly cherished hopes; indeed, were they not published, the poetic literature of our county would sustain the loss of a most interesting chapter by one of her truest and most earnest children. The present "Memorial Edition" of a selection from his writings (suggested by myself) has been partly undertaken to meet this object, and partly with the hope that some profit may accrue to benefit his worthy parents, whose difficulties, though cheerfully borne, must have been seriously augmented by the protracted illness of the author of these poems. The invalid Poet has left a "Diary," extending from January 1st, 1866, to the day preceding his death. It is a curious record of his moods and feelings, of the almost daily aspect of Nature, which he loved so much to contemplate, and as seen by an ardent and imaginative person; of the visits and kindness of his friends, of his reading, his books and his studies; it affords a characteristic picture of its recorder, but not many details for a Memoir." It is most touching to trace his lingering hopes of life and amended health running through this "Diary;" to see how they gradually faded out, and then arising over those "hopes" the grander light of fortitude and submission to the will of God. His literary career was a short one, and not crowded with many incidents or great events. His time passed quietly on, alternating between bodily suffering, producing at times sad melancholy and gloom; at others keen visual and mental enjoyment from the beautiful works of creation, and the pursuit of knowledge, in acquainting himself with English authors, and in giving form to his own poetic conceptions and feelings. Such facts, however, as the "Diary" affords, with a few 66 |