259 



MOLESWORTH, RIGHT HON. SIR WILLIAM. 



MOLIERE. 



280 



continued to the last a staunch adherent of the Bonaparte dynasty, 

 he remained in office under the Bourbons after their restoration, who 

 created him a peer of France. To the policy and measures of Prince 

 Polignac he offered the most determined opposition. After the 

 revolution of July 1830 he was appointed by Louis Philippe to the 

 portfolio of Foreign Affairs, and shortly afterwards was advanced to 

 the post of Prime Minister of France, which he eventually was obliged 

 to resign by the opposition of M. Guizot, and M. Thiers. Upon this he 

 retired into private life, and though he was elected a member of the 

 Legislative Assembly, he took little or no part in its proceedings, The 

 family of Count Mold was of that rank which is known as the 

 ' nobility of the robe,' and his ancestors were of gentle blood as long 

 ago as the days of Henri IV. Talents and administrative capacity 

 seem to have been hereditary in the family, as well as the love cf 

 legal order, monarchy, and constitutional government. Count Mole' 

 was almost the last remaining link between his countrymen of the 

 old and of the new regime, as combining the high-bred tone and 

 monarchical principles of the former with a proportion of the liberal 

 principles which are the distinctive mark of the latter class. But 

 whil-; Count MoliS accepted each successive change iu the governing 

 system of France as the result of political necessity, it cannot be said 

 that he ever swerved in principle from the opinions which he 

 had originally professed. At the close of his long career, under 

 various successive changes of government, he renewed his relations 

 with the ancient dynasty, and departed life as he entered upon it, a 

 supporter of the old monarchy. In his theological opinions he 

 inclined to the Ultramontane party, and from his high charact r, great 

 abilities, and illustrious position, he was one of the strongest sup- 

 porters of th Roman Catholic Church in France. His memoirs, which 

 naturally include reminiscences of all the great men and notables 

 of France during the first half of the 19th century, are shortly to 

 be published. He died suddenly at his family seat at Champalatrux, 

 November 23rd, 1855. 



MOLESWORTH, THE RIGHT HON. SIR WILLIAM, eighth 

 Baronet of that name, was born in 1810. He was the lineal repre- 

 sentative of an old Cornish family of large landed possessions, 

 originally of Irish extraction. The first baronet, was governor of 

 Jamaica iu the reign of Charles IL Sir William's father died in 

 1823. It is uncertain at what school Sir William Moleaworth was 

 first educated, but it is certain that having spent some time at 

 Cambridge, he was sent to Edinburgh, where he was taught classics, 

 mathematics, and metaphysical science, by an Italian refugee, and 

 afterwards passed to a German university. In this latter soil his 

 mind took deep root ; he acquired the German language, and followed 

 at will the bent of his own vigorous talents. Having left England 

 with an average acquirement of general and classical knowledge, he 

 concentrated hie. powers in Germany upon the study of philology and 

 history. His mind however revolted against the mysticism of the 

 German school, and as soon as he was released from collegiate study 

 he made the usual tour of Europe. On his return to England in 

 1831 he was still in his minority. His first public appearance in this 

 country was at a meeting convened in his native county in that year 

 for the purpose of supporting parliamentary reform, and his maiden 

 speech on that occa-iou gave considerable promise of future eminence. 

 He was little more than of age when he was returned to parliament 

 unopposed in December 1832, for East Cornwall, by which con- 

 htitu ucy he was re-elected in December 1834, but withdrew from 

 the contest in July 1837, when he was returned for Leeds. At the 

 dissolution of 1841, being convinced that his chance of success at 

 Leeds was hopeless, he declined a contest and remained out of parlia- 

 ment for four years. During this interval he read and thought much 

 on politics and social economy, gave himself a sounder political 

 education, and accumulated capital for hia future senatorial. life. Iu 

 1850, however, on the death of Mr. Wood, he offered himself as a 

 candidate for the representation of Southwark, and though strenuously 

 assailed for his support of the grant to Maynooth College, he was 

 successful, and he continued to represent the same constituency to his 

 death. In January 1853 he accepted the office of First Commissioner 

 of Public Works on the formation of Lord Aberdeen's administration, 

 and was re-elected without opposition ; and again on his subsequent 

 translation to the Colonial Office. 



A* a 'Common*' debater' Sir William Molesworth was not of 

 first-rate eminence. His speeches in parliament were few, but always 

 valuable, though of too philosophical, a cast to be generally popular. 

 Those on the colonies delivered iu 1838; in 1840 on the state of the 

 nation and the condition of the people; on transportation in 1837-38; 

 and on many important social and economic questions about the 

 name period, were of great merit and immense practical utility. They 

 were carefully prepared beforehand, and were the results of reading, 

 labour, and reUection. In July 1355 Sir William Moleaworth found 

 a sphere far more congenial to his tastes, aud a larger scope for his 

 administrative ability, on being appointed to the secretaryship of the 

 colonies, but he held that office only for the brief space of four 

 months, when his career of public usefulness was cut short by death, 

 which occurred on the 22nd of October 1855. The colonial and 

 domestic press were all but unanimous in expressing their satisfaction 

 at his appointment; it was not forgotten that he had taken the 

 deepest interest iu the affairs of Canada and Australia, and had 



BIOO. B1V. VOL, IV. 



studied the problem aud mastered the theory of colonisation to a 

 greater extent than perhaps any contemporary. Neither was it for- 

 gotten that he was the first person who, in this country, succeeded 

 in calling public attention to the manifold abuses connected with 

 the transportation of criminals, though eighteen years had elapsed 

 since the parliamentary committee, of which he was chairman, brought 

 to light all the horrors of our penal system. In the words of a 

 writer in the 'Times,' "Sir William Moleswovth found our colonial 

 empire disorganised and distracted by the mal-administration of the 

 Colonial Office, wedded as it then was to a system of ignorant aud 

 impertinent interference. He first aroused the attention of par- 

 liament to the importance of our remote dependencies, and explained 

 with incomparable clearness and force the principles of colonial self- 

 government. With untiring diligence and great constructive power 

 he prepared draught constitutions, and investigated the relations 

 between the imperial government and its dependencies. Starting 

 from a small minority, he brought the public aud parliament over t j 

 his side, till principles once considered as paradoxes came to be 

 regarded as axioms. By such means he fairly woii the position of 

 Secretary of State for the Colonies ; but he did not live to enjoy 

 the prize which he had grasped. Before we had time to hear of the 

 satisfaction with which his appointment was sure to be hailed by our 

 remote dependencies, the sceptre was snatched from his hand by 

 death, and the post became again vacant. In the full vigour of life 

 and intellect, in the possession of what must have been to him the 

 highest and noblest prize of ambition, in the enjoyment of the con- 

 fidence of his sovereign and the esteem of his fellow-subjects, he was 

 taken away suddenly j and prematurely, yet not so soon as to deprive 

 his friends of the consolation of thinking that he has left behind him 

 durable memorials which will link his name with the destinies of 

 every British community planted on the face of the earth. The best 

 monument that could be raised to him would be a complete collection 

 of his parliamentary speeches; the noblest epitaph that could be in- 

 scribed on his tomb would be the title of the ' Liberator and Regenerator 

 of the Colonial Empire of Great Britain. ' " 



Though he had not avowedly appeared before the public as an 

 author, Sir William Molesworth was favourably known in the world 

 of letters and science. Having purchased the ' Westminster Review,' 

 he for some years conducted it either alone or in conjunction with his 

 friend, Mr. John Stuart Mill, the eminent political economist [MILL, 

 J. S.], and during that time he was a not unfrequent contributor to 

 its pages ; he likewise wrote at different times many articles iu other 

 periodicals and newspapers. He also edited and published at his 

 own expense a complete edition of the English works of the philo- 

 sopher Hobbes, in 16 volumes. [HoBBES, T.HOUAS.] In science Sir 

 William Molesworth had obtained some reputation as a botanist ; but 

 bis acquirements extended over a large range of subjects. In private 

 life few men have been more highly esteemed. 



MOL1KRE was the name assumed by JEAN-BAPTISTE POQUELIK, 

 who was born at Paris on the 15th of January 1622. His father was 

 a ' tapissier,' aud also held the office of ' valet-de-cbambre-tapissier ' to 

 Louis XIII. Youug Poquelin was intended for the same trade, aud 

 remained in hia father's shop till he was fourteen years of age, having 

 been merely taught to read aud write. He had a grandfather who 

 was very fond of him, and often took him to the theatre at the Hotel 

 de Bourgogne : he even expressed a wish that his grandson might 

 become a celebrated actor, aud his words made such an impression on 

 the youth that he gradually became disgusted with his trade. As ho 

 returned home from the play one day iu a state of melancholy, his 

 father asked the cause, and learned that he desired a superior education. 

 His grandfather joined in his entreaties, aud he was sent to the College 

 de Clcrmont, which was under the care of the Jesuits, where he 

 remained till the end of the year 1641. When his studies both in 

 literature and philosophy were ended, he was obliged to fill his father's 

 office about the king's person, and he attended Louis XIII. in the 

 expedition from which resulted the taking of Perpignau from the 

 Spaniards. After this there is a gap in his biography, aud we find him 

 in 1645 performing in the Faubourg St. Germain with a company of 

 citizens, who at first acted for pleasure, but afterwards attempted to 

 combine profit with amusement. At this period he took the name of 

 Moliere. The company was unsuccessful. 



Hero comes another gap of eight years, and we find him in 1653 

 playing at Languedoc, whither he had been invited, at the head of a 

 company, by the Prince de Conti, who appreciated his histrionic talents. 

 In this company was Madeleine Bejart, whose daughter subsequently 

 became the wife of Molicro. He afterwards went with his company 

 to Lyon, where in 1653 he produced his first play, ' L'fitourdi,' with 

 such success, that two other companies joined him. This piece is 

 amusing from the variety of situations, which however have the dis- 

 advantage of resembling each other too closely. The portrait of the 

 Ktourdi shows the beginning of Moliere' s tendency to sketch character, 

 though character is here subservient to incident. In 1654, having 

 returned to Languedoc, he produced his second piece of ' Le Deplt 

 Amoureux,' which was likewise successful. The Prince de Conti was 

 so pleased with his productions as to make him director of the enter- 

 tainments which he gave in the province, and even to offer to him the 

 place of secretary. Moliere however refused this offer. 



After remaining four or five years in Languedoc, the company 



u 



