in february 1864, rowland hill sent in his resignation to the lords of the treasury. thenceforward, he retired from public life, though he continued to take a keen interest in all political and social questions, and especially in all that concerned the post office.[226] in drawing his pen-portrait, it is better that the judgment of a few of those who knew him well should be quoted, rather than that of one so nearly related to him as his present biographer.
in the concluding part to the “life of sir rowland hill and history of penny postage,” partly edited, partly written by dr g. birkbeck hill, the latter, while reviewing the situation, justly holds that “in the post office certainly” his uncle “should have had no master over him at any time.” ... “under the able chiefs whom he served from 1854 to 1860, he worked with full contentment.” when “this happy period came to an end, with the appointment of” the postmaster-general under whom he found it impossible to work, “his force was once [pg 287] more, and for the last time, squandered. how strangely and how sadly was this man thwarted in the high aim of his life! he longed for power; but it was for the power to carry through his great scheme. 'my plan' was often on his lips, and ever in his thoughts. his strong mind was made up that it should succeed.”... “there was in him a rare combination of enthusiasm and practical power. he clearly saw every difficulty that lay in his path, and yet he went on with unshaken firmness. in everything but in work he was the most temperate of men. his health was greatly shattered by his excessive toils and his long struggles. for the last few years of his life he never left his house, and never even left the floor on which his sleeping room was. but in the midst of this confinement, in all the weakness of old age and sickness, he wrote: 'i accept the evil with the good, and frankly regard the latter as by far the weightier of the two. could i repeat my course, i should sacrifice as much as before, and regard myself as richly repaid by the result.' with these high qualities was united perfect integrity. he was the most upright and the most truthful of men. he was often careless of any gain to himself, but the good of the state never for one moment did he disregard. his rule was stern, yet never without consideration for the feelings of others. no one who was under him ever felt his self-respect wounded by his chief.[227] [pg 288] he left behind him in all ranks of the service a strong sense of public duty which outlived even the evil days which came after him. one of the men who long served under him bore this high testimony to the character of his old chief: 'sir rowland hill was very generous with his own money, and very close with public money. he would have been more popular had he been generous with the public money and close with his own.'”[228]
when mr gladstone was chancellor of the exchequer, my father often worked with him, their relations being most harmonious. shortly before the postal reformer's resignation, the great statesman wrote that “he stands pre-eminent and alone among all the members of the civil service as a benefactor to the nation.” at another time mr gladstone assured his friend that “the support you have had from me has been the very best that i could give, but had it been much better and more effective, it would not have been equal to your deserts and claims.” and at a later season, when rowland hill was suffering from an especially virulent outbreak of the misrepresentation and petty insults which fall to the lot of all fearlessly honest, job-detesting men, the sympathising chancellor wrote: “if you are at present under odium for the gallant stand you make on behalf of the public interests, at a period, too, [pg 289] when chivalry of that sort by no means 'pays,' i believe that i have, and i hope still to have, the honour of sharing it with you.”[229] writing soon after my father's death, the then leader of the opposition used words which rowland hill's descendants have always prized. “in some respects his lot was one peculiarly happy even as among public benefactors, for his great plan ran like wildfire through the civilised world; and never, perhaps, was a local invention (for such it was) and improvement applied in the lifetime of its author to the advantage of such vast multitudes of his fellow-creatures.” ten years later, the same kindly critic, in the course of a speech delivered at saltney in october 1889, said: “in the days of my youth a labouring man, the father of a family, was practically prohibited from corresponding with the members of his household who might be away. by the skill and courage and genius of sir rowland hill, correspondence is now within reach of all, and the circulation of intelligence is greatly facilitated.”[230]
a very busy man himself, my father was naturally full of admiration for gladstone's marvellous capacity for work and for attending to a number of different things at once. one day, when the secretary to [pg 290] the post office went to downing street to transact some departmental business with the chancellor of the exchequer, he found the latter engaged with his private secretaries, every one of whom was hard at work, a sculptor being meanwhile employed upon a bust for which the great man was too much occupied to give regular sittings. every now and then during my father's interview, mrs gladstone, almost, if not quite, as hard-working as her husband, came in and out, each time on some errand of importance, and all the while letters and messengers and other people were arriving or departing. yet the chancellor of the exchequer seemed able to keep that wonderful brain of his as clear as if his attention had been wholly concentrated on the business about which his postal visitor had come, and this was soon discussed and settled in gladstone's own clear and concise manner, notwithstanding the should-have-been-bewildering surroundings, which would have driven my father all but distracted. a characteristic, everyday scene of that strenuous life.
on rowland hill's retirement, he received many letters of sympathy and of grateful recognition of his services from old friends and former colleagues, most of them being men of distinguished career. they form a valuable collection of autographs, which would have been far larger had not many of his early acquaintances, those especially who worked heartily and well during the late 'thirties to help forward the reform, passed over already to the majority. one letter was from lord monteagle, who, as mr spring rice, chancellor of the exchequer in [pg 291] the melbourne administration, had proposed penny postage in the budget of 1839.
prolonged rest gave back to rowland hill some of his old strength, and allowed him to serve on the royal commission on railways, and to show while so employed that his mind had lost none of its clearness. he was also able on several occasions to attend the meetings of the political economy club and other congenial functions, and he followed with keen interest the doings of the royal astronomical society, to which he had belonged for more than half a century.[231] he also spent much time in preparing the lengthy autobiography on whose pages i have largely drawn in writing this story of his reform. he survived his retirement from the post office fifteen years; and time, with its happy tendency to obliterate memory of wrongs, [pg 292] enabled him to look back on the old days of storm and stress with chastened feelings. over several of his old opponents the grave had closed, and for the rest, many years had passed since they and he had played at move and counter-move. thus, when the only son of one of his bitterest adversaries died under especially sad circumstances, the news called forth the aged recluse's ever ready sympathy, and prompted him to send the bereaved parent a genuinely heartfelt message of condolence. increasing age and infirmities did not induce melancholy or pessimistic leanings, and although he never ceased to feel regret that his plan had not been carried out in its entirety—a regret with which every reformer, successful or otherwise, is likely to sympathise—he was able in one of the concluding passages of his autobiography to write thus cheerfully of his own position and that of his forerunners in the same field: “when i compare my experience with that of other reformers or inventors, i ought to regard myself as supremely fortunate. amongst those who have laboured to effect great improvements, how many have felt their success limited to the fact that by their efforts seed was sown which in another age would germinate and bear fruit! how many have by their innovations exposed themselves to obliquy, ridicule, perhaps even to the scorn and abhorrence of at least their own generation; and, alas, how few have lived to see their predictions more than verified, their success amply acknowledged, and their deeds formally and gracefully rewarded!”[232]
[pg 293]
owing to the still quieter life which, during his very latest years, he was obliged to lead through broken health, advancing age, and the partial loneliness caused by the passing hence of his two eldest brothers, one of his children, and nearly all his most intimate friends, he was nearly forgotten by the public, or at any rate by that vastly preponderating younger portion of it, which rarely studies “the history of our own times,” or is only dimly aware that rowland hill had “done something to the post office.” many people believed him to be dead, others that he was living in a retirement not altogether voluntary. thus one day he was greatly amused while reading his morning paper, to learn that at a spiritualist meeting his wraith had been summoned from the vasty deep, and asked to give its opinion on the then management of the post office. the helm at that time was in the hands of one of the bitterest of his old opponents, and sundry things had lately taken place—notably, if memory serves me aright, in the way of extravagant telegraphs purchase—of which he strongly disapproved. but that fact by no means prevented the spirit from expressing entire satisfaction with everything and everybody at st martin's-le-grand, or from singling out for particular commendation the then novel invention of halfpenny postcards. these the living man cordially detested as being, to his thinking, a mischievous departure from his principle of uniformity of rate.[233] later, he so far conformed to the growing [pg 294] partiality for postcards as to keep a packet or two on hand, but they diminished in number very slowly, and he was ever wont to find fault with the unfastidious taste of that large portion of mankind which writes descriptions of its maladies, details of its private affairs, and moral reflections on the foibles of its family or friends, so that all who run, or, at any rate, sort and deliver, may read.
during the quarter-century which elapsed between rowland hill's appointment to the treasury and his resignation of the chief secretaryship to the post office, many generous tributes were paid him by the public in acknowledgment of the good accomplished by the postal reform.
the year after the establishment of penny postage, wolverhampton, liverpool, and glasgow, each sent [pg 295] him a handsome piece of plate, the liverpool gift, a silver salver, being accompanied by a letter from mr egerton smith, the editor of the local mercury. mr smith told my father that the salver had been purchased with the pence contributed by several thousands of his fellow-townsmen, and that mr mayer, in whose works it had been made, and by whom it was delivered into the postal reformer's hands, had waived all considerations of profit, and worked out of pure gratitude. the other pieces of plate were also accompanied by addresses couched in the kindliest of terms.
from cupar fife came a beautiful edition of the complete works of sir walter scott—ninety-eight volumes in all. in each is a fly-leaf stating for whom and for what services this unique edition was prepared, the inscription being as complimentary as were the inscriptions accompanying the other testimonials. my father was a lifelong admirer of scott; and when the cupar fife testimonial committee wrote to ask what form their tribute should take, he was unfeignedly glad to please his scots admirers by choosing the works of their most honoured author, and, at the same time, by possessing them, to realise a very many years long dream of his own. as young men, he and his brothers had always welcomed each successive work as it fell from pen and press, duly receiving their copy direct from the publishers, and straightway devouring it. younger generations have decided that scott is “dry.” had they lived in those dark, early decades of the nineteenth century, when literature was perhaps at its poorest level, they [pg 296] also might have greeted with enthusiasm the creations of “the great unknown,” and wondered who could be their author.[234] my father set so high a value on these beautiful presentation volumes that, from the first, he laid down a stringent rule that not one of them should leave the house, no matter who might wish to borrow it.
the national testimonial—to which allusion has already been made—was raised about three years after rowland hill's dismissal from the treasury, and before his restoration to office by lord john russell's administration, by which time the country had given the new postal system a trial, and found out its merits. in 1845 sir george larpent, in the name of the mercantile committee, sent my father a copy of its resolutions, together with a cheque for ￡10,000, the final presentation being deferred till the [pg 297] accounts should be made up. this was done in june 1846, on the occasion of a public dinner at which were assembled rowland hill's aged father, his only son—then a lad of fourteen—and his brothers, in addition to many of those good friends who had done yeoman service for the reform. the idea of the testimonial originated with mr john estlin,[235] an eminent surgeon of bristol, and was speedily taken up in london by the inquirer, the article advocating it being written by the editor, the rev. wm. hinks. the appeal once started was responded to by the country cordially and generously.
many pleasant little anecdotes show how heartily the poorer classes appreciated both reform and reformer. being, in 1853, on a tour in scotland, my father one day employed a poor journeyman tailor of dunoon to mend a torn coat. somehow the old man found out who was its wearer, and no amount of persuasion would induce him to accept payment for the rent he so skilfully made good. a similar case occurred somewhat earlier, when we were staying at beaumaris; while a “humble admirer” who gave no name wrote, a few years later than the presentation of the national testimonial, to say that at the time he had been too poor to subscribe, but now sent a donation, which he begged my father to accept. his identity was never revealed. another man wrote a letter of thanks from a distant colony, and not knowing the right address, inscribed the cover “to him who gave us all the penny post.” even [pg 298] m. grasset, when in a similar difficulty, directed his envelope from paris to “rowland hill—where he is.” that these apologies for addresses can be reproduced is proof that the missives reached their destination.[236]
it would be easy to add to these stories; their name is legion.
tributes like these touched my father even more [pg 299] deeply than the bestowal of public honours, although he also prized these as showing that his work was appreciated in all grades of life. moreover, in those now far-off days, “honours” were bestowed more sparingly and with greater discrimination than later came to be the case; and merit was considered of more account than money-bags. thus in 1860 rowland hill was made a k.c.b., the suggestion of that step being understood to lie with lords palmerston and elgin (the then postmaster-general), for the recipient had not been previously sounded, and the gift came as a surprise.
after my father's retirement, the bestowal of honours recommenced, though he did not assume the title of “lord queen's head,” as mr punch suggested he should do were a peerage offered to him—which was not at all likely to be done. at oxford he received the honorary degree of d.c.l.,[237] and a little later was presented by the then prince of wales with the first albert gold medal issued by the society of arts. the following year, when rowland hill was dining at marlborough house, the prince reminded him of the presentation. upon which the guest told his host a little story which was news to h.r.h., and greatly amused him. the successive blows required for obtaining high relief on the medal had shattered the die before the work was completed. there was not time to make another die, as it was found impossible to postpone the ceremony. at the moment of presentation, however, the recipient only, and not the [pg 300] donor, was aware that it was an empty box which, with much interchange of compliments, passed from the royal hands into those of the commoner.
from longton, in the staffordshire potteries, came a pair of very handsome vases. when the workmen engaged in making them learned for whom they were intended, they bargained that, by way of contribution to the present, they should give their labour gratuitously.
an address to rowland hill was voted at a town's meeting at liverpool, and this was followed by the gift of some valuable pictures. their selection being left to my father himself, he chose three, one work each, by friends of long standing—his ex-pupil creswick, and messrs cooke and clarkson stanfield, all famous royal academicians. three statues of the postal reformer have been erected, the first at birmingham, where, soon after his resignation, a town's meeting was held to consider how to do honour to the man whose home had once been there, the originator of the movement being another ex-pupil, mr james lloyd of the well-known banking family. from kidderminster his fellow-townsmen sent my father word that they were about to pay him the same compliment they had already paid to another kidderminster man, the famous preacher, richard baxter. but this newer statue, like the one by onslow ford in london,[238] was not put up till after the reformer's death. of the three, the kidderminster [pg 301] statue, by thomas brock, r.a., is by far the best, the portrait being good and the pose characteristic. mr brock has also done justice to his subject's strongest point, the broad, massive head suggestive of the large, well-balanced brain within. that the others were not successful as likenesses is not surprising. even when living he was difficult to portray, a little bust by brodie, r.s.a., when rowland hill was about fifty, being perhaps next best to brock's. the small bust in westminster abbey set up in the side chapel where my father lies is absolutely unrecognisable. another posthumous portrait was the engraving published by vinter (lithographer to the queen). it was taken from a photograph then quite a quarter-century old. photography in the early 'fifties was comparatively a young art. portraits were often woeful caricatures; and the photograph in our possession was rather faded, so that the lithographer had no easy task before him. still, the likeness was a fair one, though the best of all—and they were admirable—were an engraving published by messrs kelly of the “post office directory,” and one which appeared in the graphic.
the statue, kidderminster.
by thomas brock, r.a.
from a photograph by the late t. ball.
in june 1879, less than three months before his death, the freedom of the city of london was bestowed upon the veteran reformer. by this time he had grown much too infirm to go to the guildhall to receive the honour in accordance with long-established custom. the court of common council therefore considerately waived precedent, and sent to hampstead a deputation of five gentlemen,[239] headed by [pg 302] the city chamberlain, who made an eloquent address, briefly describing the benefits achieved by the postal reform, while offering its dying author “the right hand of fellowship in the name of the corporation.” my father was just able to sign the register, but the autograph is evidence of the near approach to dissolution of the hand that traced it.
on the 27th of august in the same year he passed away in the presence of his devoted wife, who, barely a year his junior, had borne up bravely and hardly left his bedside, and of one other person. almost his last act of consciousness was, while holding her hand in his, to feel for the wedding ring he had placed upon it nearly fifty-two years before.
my father's noblest monument is his reform which outlives him, and which no reactionary administration should be permitted to sweep away. the next noblest is the “rowland hill benevolent fund,” whose chief promoters were sir james whitehead and mr r. k. causton, and was the fruit of a subscription raised soon after the postal reformer's death, doubled, eleven years later, by the proceeds of the two penny postage jubilee celebrations, the one at the guildhall and the other at the south kensington museum, in 1890. had it been possible to consult the dead man's wishes as to the use to be made of this fund, he would certainly have given his voice for the purpose to which it is dedicated—the relief of those among the post office employees who, through ill-health, [pg 303] old age, or other causes, have broken down, and are wholly or nearly destitute. for, having himself graduated in the stern school of poverty, he too had known its pinch, and could feel for the poor as the poor are ever readiest to feel.
my father's fittest epitaph is contained in the following poem which appeared in punch soon after his death. his family have always, and rightly, considered that no more eloquent or appreciative obituary notice could have been penned.
in memoriam
rowland hill
originator of cheap postage
born at kidderminster, 3rd december 1795. died at hampstead, 27th august 1879. buried in westminster abbey, by the side of james watt, thursday, 4th september.
no question this of worthy's right to lie
with england's worthiest, by the side of him
whose brooding brain brought under mastery
the wasted strength of the steam giant grim.
like labours—his who tamed by sea and land
power, space, and time, to needs of human kind,
that bodies might be stronger, nearer hand,
and his who multiplied mind's links with mind.
breaking the barriers that, of different height
for rich and poor, were barriers still for all;
till “out of mind” was one with “out of sight,”
and parted souls oft parted past recall.
[pg 304]
freeing from tax unwise the interchange
of distant mind with mind and mart with mart;
releasing thought from bars that clipped its range;
lightening a load felt most i' the weakest part.
what if the wings he made so strong and wide
bear burdens with their blessings? own that all
for which his bold thought we oft hear decried,
of laden bag, too frequent postman's call,
is nothing to the threads of love and light
shot, thanks to him, through life's web dark and wide,
nor only where he first unsealed men's sight,
but far as pulse of time and flow of tide!
was it a little thing to think this out?
yet none till he had hit upon the thought;
and, the thought brought to birth, came sneer and flout
of all his insight saw, his wisdom taught.
all office doors were closed against him—hard;
all office heads were closed against him too.
he had but worked, like others, for reward.
“the thing was all a dream.” “it would not do.”
but this was not a vaguely dreaming man,
a windbag of the known utopian kind;
he had thought out, wrought out, in full, his plan;
'twas the far-seeing fighting with the blind.
and the far-seeing won his way at last,
though pig-headed obstruction's force died hard;
denied his due, official bitters cast,
into the cup wrung slowly from their guard.
but not until the country, wiser far
than those who ruled it, with an angry cry,
seeing its soldiers 'gainst it waging war,
at last said resolutely, “stand you by!
[pg 305]
“and let him in to do what he has said,
and you do not, and will not let him do.”
and so at last the fight he fought was sped,
thought at less cost freer and further flew.
and all the world was kindlier, closer knit,
and all man's written word can bring to man
had easier ways of transit made for it,
and none sat silent under poortith's ban
when severed from his own, as in old days.
and this we owe to one sagacious brain,
by one kind heart well guided, that in ways
of life laborious sturdy strength had ta'en.
and his reward came, late, but sweeter so,
in the wide sway that his wise thought had won:
he was as one whose seed to tree should grow,
who hears him blest that sowed it 'gainst the sun.
so love and honour made his grey hairs bright,
and while most things he hoped to fulness came,
and many ills he warred with were set right,
good work and good life joined to crown his name.
and now that he is dead we see how great
the good work done, the good life lived how brave,
and through all crosses hold him blest of fate,
placing this wreath upon his honoured grave!
—punch, 20th september 1879
