X.
aay MUNIFIOENT FRIENDSHIP. 687

far, and others who fire at a shorter range beat them in the 1858
field. Besides, they look at things too much in the gross, ZrO
Neglect details, and disregard the element of time, which in
Speculation is everything. Here is Cobden dealing with
Winois Central as if they were going to yield him a profit
U9xt quarter-day. Warn him that it will take many years to
*ealize gl} his expectations.” Am I not right in my surmise ?
. Whether the surmise was right or not, it is clear that the
WVestment, however sound, was nota prudent one for a man
"ho had no spare capital, and who needed income. Cobden
Wag greatly inconvenienced by outstanding loans which
Were raised to pay the calls. In connexion with them, it is
for the honour of human nature that we should mention an
SXfraordinary example of grateful and considerate munifitence,
 The late Mr. Thomasson of Bolton, hearing from Mr.
Slagg, their common friend, that Cobden was embarrassed by
One of these outstanding loans for the Tlinois shares, amount-Ng
 to several thousand pounds, released the ghares and sent
them to Cobden, with a request that he would do him the
tavour to accept their freedom at his hands «in acknowledg-Went,
 of his vast services to his country and mankind.” On
® later occasion, when the same difficulty recurred for the
“me peagons, Mr. Thomasson went down to Midhurst,
Mcertained the circumstances, and insisted that Cobden
Shonlg accept a still larger sum, refusing a formal acknowodgment,
 and handing it over in such a form that the trans-%tion
 was not known to any one but Cobden and himself.
After Mr. Thomasson’s death, there was found among his
Private papers a little memorandum of his advances, containing
 these magnanimous words: “I lament that the
8reatost benefactor of mankind since the Inventor of printing
should be placed in a position where his public usefulness is
Sompromised and impeded by sordid personal cares; bub I
Rave done something as my share of what is due to him