Roundabout Papers - Penn State University

Thackerayber.” We were first-cousins; had been little playmatesand friends from the time of our birth; and the firsthouse in London to which I was taken, was that of ouraunt, the mother of his Honor the Member of Council.His Honor was even then a gentleman of the long robe,being, in truth, a baby in arms. We Indian children wereconsigned to a school of which our deluded parents hadheard a favorable report, but which was governed by ahorrible little tyrant, who made our young lives so miserablethat I remember kneeling by my little bed of anight, and saying, “Pray God, I may dream of mymother!” Thence we went to a public school; and mycousin to Addiscombe and to India.“For thirty-two years,” the paper says, “Sir RichmondShakespear faithfully and devotedly served the Governmentof India, and during that period but oncevisited England, for a few months and on public duty.In his military capacity he saw much service, waspresent in eight general engagements, and was badlywounded in the last. In 1840, when a young lieutenant,he had the rare good fortune to be the means ofrescuing from almost hopeless slavery in Khiva 416subjects of the Emperor of Russia; and, but two yearslater, greatly contributed to the happy recovery of ourown prisoners from a similar fate in Cabul. Throughouthis career this officer was ever ready and zealousfor the public service, and freely risked life and libertyin the discharge of his duties. Lord Canning, tomark his high sense of Sir Richmond Shakespear’s publicservices, had lately offered him the ChiefCommissionership of Mysore, which he had accepted,and was about to undertake, when death terminatedhis career.”When he came to London the cousins and playfellowsof early Indian days met once again, and shook hands.“Can I do anything for you?” I remember the kind fellowasking. He was always asking that question: of allkinsmen; of all widows and orphans; of all the poor; ofyoung men who might need his purse or his service. Isaw a young officer yesterday to whom the first wordsSir Richmond Shakespear wrote on his arrival in Indiawere, “Can I do anything for you?” His purse was at the169