At the present writing (Summer of 1884), General Gordon, who has won the
heart of the world by his brave deeds, is exciting a great deal of
interest on account of his perilous position in Khartoum. A sketch of
his career will be acceptable to not a few readers.
The likeness which accompanies this chapter is from a photograph taken
not long ago at Southampton, England; but no portrait gives the
expression of the man. His smile and his light-blue eyes can not be
painted by the sun. The rather small physique, and mild and gentle look,
would not lead the ordinary observer to recognize in General Gordon a
ruler and leader of men; but a slight acquaintance shows him to be a man
of unusual power and great force of character.
His religious fervor and boundless faith are proverbial--so much so that
some men call him a fatalist; whilst others say, like Festus, "Thou art
beside thyself." Neither of these judgments is true, though it is
certainly true that, from a desire to oblige others, Gordon has
sometimes made errors in judgment that have led him into sad dilemmas.
To say nothing of his second visit to the Soudan, to oblige Ismail
Pasha, and his rash and most dangerous embassy to King John of
Abyssinia, to oblige Tewfik Pasha, we need but allude to his unwise
acceptance of the post of private secretary to Lord Ripon in India. He
was overpersuaded, and to please others he sacrificed himself. To those
who knew him, it was not surprising that almost the first thing he did
on landing at Bombay was to throw up his appointment and rush off to
China, where he was instrumental in preventing war between that country
and Russia.
Pages:
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130