ELLIOTT, EBENEZER, the Corn-law Rhymer, was born March 17th, 1781, at the New Foundry, Masbro', near Rotherham, Yorkshire. His father, a clerk at the foundry, was an ardent politician and a stern ultra.calvioietic dissenter of the Berean sect; and he employed his "brother Berean, Tommy Wright, the Barneeley tinker " to baptise his son—as the poet relates in his 'Autobiography,' published soon after Lh:s death in the 'Athenaeum' (January 12, 1850). The elder Elliott (also an Ebenezer) was accustomed to preach in his own room every fourth Sunday, to persons of a similar persuasion, who used to come twelve or fourteen miles to hear him ; and on the week-days ho "delighted to declaim on the virtues of slandered Cromwell and of Washington, the rebel," as be pointed to prints of them which hung on the walls : and here, as Elliott wrote, "is the key which will unlock all the future politics " of the Corn-law Rhymer. The young Ebenezer was regarded as a dull child, loved to be alone, made little progress at school, where he could never master grammar, or attain to vulgar fractions, was a frequent truant, and seemed to be a confirmed dunce ; and eventually, out of sheer hopelessness, was sent by his father to work in the foundry. At the foundry work however he was thought to be even clever, but with the workmen's ekiil he acquired also the workmen's evil habits, and for awhile gavo way to intemperance. But from sinking into thoroughly vicious courses his early love of nature saved him. A copy of Sowerby's 'English Botany,' lent him by an aunt, led him to collect botanical specimens, and after a while he became interested in poetry that treated of his favourite flowers, and of country scenes. He soon became a diligent reader, studying "after Milton, Shakspere—then Ossian, then Junius," and so on, while "of Barrow," ha says, "I was never weary ; he and Young taught me to condense." In time too he began to write verses himself, though his early efforts, he confesses, were very unsuccessful; and he set himself doggedly to learn in hie own way grammar, and even French, but could master neither. Meanwhile he was not neglecting his ordinary duties. His father had been induced to purchase the foundry busioess on credit, and from his sixteenth to his twenty-third year Elliott "worked for his father as laboriously as any servant he had, and without wages, except an occasional shilling or two for pocket money." It was while thus engaged that ho composed (in his
seventeenth year) his first published poem, the' Vernal Walk ; ' this was followed coon after by 'Night,' Wharneliffe; and others : and Elliott, between his rhymes and politics, began to be a local celebrity. He had the good fortune to form the acquaintance of Southey, who was earnest in giving him tho full benefit of his own wide experience in poetical studies, and ,Elliott was in after years prond of proclaiming that Southey taught him poetry. Happily for his lasting fame, he did not let his respect for the genius or hie gratitnde for the kindness of the laureate lead him to become an imitator, or to tame down his wild notes to the orthodox tunes. Between 'Wharocliffe; and the ' Corn-law Rhymes,' he published in 182S 'Love,' and another poem, accompanying them with a ' Letter to Lord Byron.' Elliott's father was too much hampered by the liabilities he had incurred, and his want of capital, to carry on the foundry with success. After a time young Elliott commenced business at Rother ham on his own account ; but failing there he removed to Sheffield, where in 1821 he, at the ago of forty, recommenced the battle of life as a bar-iron merchant, with a borrowed capital of 1001. Here he had a series of commercial successes, built himself a handsome residence in the suburb of Upper Thorpe, and carried on a flourishing business till the great panio of 1837, when heavy losses caused him to contract the scale of his dealings. He finally withdrew from business in 1841, and retired to a pretty country residence be had built for himself on an estate of his own at Great Houghton, near 13arnesley, and there he resided at ease in his circumstances, the centre and oracle of a circle of admiring friends, till his death, which occurred on the let of December ]849, having lived to see the great change effected in the commercial policy of the country which he had laboured so earnestly to bring about.