Page:Walks in the Black Country and its green border-land.pdf/51

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and its Green Border-Land.
37

of gold now lavished on war, when the Penny Post shall reach out from London, Paris, and New York, until it touches the circumference of the globe and every point on the radii within its sweep. When that happy day shall come—when the interchange of thought and the commerce of affection, as well as the correspondence of the materialistic interests which the postal system of England has provided for her population, shall be extended to all the nations and peoples of the world, then will they know and recognize with admiration and gratitude what they owe to Rowland Hill. Indeed, every penny postage stamp put upon a letter the world around and the world through, if it does not bear his image and superscription, will bear his memory and its worth to mankind.

As no history is so liable to be lost sight of and unappreciated as that of the lives of living men, a few facts connected with the life and labours of this benefactor of his country and his race may be properly stated here. Whatever he put his hands to, he did with all his mind and strength, often forgetful of the capacities of both in his assiduous application. He gave the same unwearied but wearying attention to his profession as a teacher of mathematics, and as an organizer of system in his father's academy, that he gave to the development and prosecution of that great reform with which his name will ever be con-