4 HENRY HILL GOODELL 



He was born at fifteen minutes past twelve on the morn- 

 of May 20, 1839; and was christened, three days later, 

 Henry Hill. 



The family ultimately consisted of nine children : four 

 sisters and two brothers older than himself and a brother 

 and a sister younger. When three years old, he lost a brother 

 eight years older, and he survived all the family but a sister 

 next older and a sister next younger, than himself. The 

 ties of blood were very strong in him, and his position in 

 the family, with older and younger brothers and sisters, 

 was a fortunate one for the development of the peculiar 

 relations that really constitute the family, which, as Emer- 

 son says, "makes a man love no music so well as his kitchen 

 clock." 



During his early teens the Crimean War broke out, and 

 Constantinople became the centre of interest to the whole 

 western world. The soldiers of three great nations, England, 

 France and Sardinia, in their various uniforms, together 

 with the great warships and innumerable transports hurry- 

 ing to the scene of conflict, left an impression on his mind 

 that years did not efface. He saw most of the great comman- 

 ders, both of the land and sea forces, and beyond this many 

 of the diplomats representing many nations and distin- 

 guished visitors from the West. It is related that one day 

 he heard that Lord Stratford de Redcliffe was going to call 

 on his father, and running home he rushed into the room 

 without noticing that any one was there and burst out: 

 "Papa, Lord Stratford de Redcliffe is coming to call on 

 you." — "My son," said the father, "Lord Stratford de 

 Redcliffe is already here," introducing him to the dis- 

 tinguished caller. The great ambassador, whom Tennyson 



