and pathos of Aristophanes, with something added, and has delighted successive generations of young readers. Later on he sang the praises of his native Sussex in The Country Town (Lewes), contributed to the National Review in 1886, and The Hop Garden (Blackwood’s Magazine, 1905), in which, with sure Virgilian touch and perfect accuracy of detail, he set out the charms of a waning industry. Both poems were brightened by passages of glowing hopefulness for the future of the race. His remains, The Country Town and other poems (1920), include many smaller pieces of great charm, as The Chancellor’s Garden (1888) and some lines suggested by war-time (1900 and 1914). He wrote frequently in the National Review, and contributed valuable papers to the newly founded British Academy. His last published work was a selection of translations and imitations in English verse of Martial’s Epigrams (1914).
In 1870 Courthope had married Mary, daughter of John Scott, H.M. inspector of hospitals at Bombay, who, with four sons and two daughters, survived him.
[J. W. Mackail, W. J. Courthope, in Proceedings of the British Academy, vol. ix, 1917-1918; The Country Town and other poems by the late William John Courthope, C.B. (1920) with a Memoir by A. O. Prickard; personal knowledge.]
COURTNEY, LEONARD HENRY, first Baron Courtney, of Penwith (1832-1918), journalist and statesman, eldest son of John Sampson Courtney, banker, of Alverton House, Penzance, by his wife, Sarah, daughter of John Mortimer, was born at Penzance 6 July 1832. As a boy he worked in Bolitho’s bank at Penzance. His mathematical talents attracted attention, and he won a sizarship at St. John’s College, Cambridge. His university career was distinguished; for he became second wrangler (1855), Smith’s prizeman, and fellow of his college. In 1857 he went to London and in 1858 was called to the bar at Lincoln’s Inn. But journalism drew him from the law, and he threw himself into the study of politics and political economy. In 1865 he was appointed leader-writer to The Times under John Delane [q.v.], and during the next sixteen years wrote some 3,000 articles for its columns. He also contributed to the Fortnighily Review, forming a lifelong friendship with its editor, John (afterwards Viscount) Morley. From 1872 to 1875 Courtney occupied the chair of political economy at University College, London. Some years later he became interested in bimetallism and expressed admiration for Bryan’s ‘silver’ speeches in the presidential campaign of 1896 in the United States.
Courtney entered parliament in 1875 as liberal member for Liskeard, and made his mark on the left wing of the party with Henry Fawcett, Joseph Chamberlain, and Sir Charles Dilke. In 1880 he became under-secretary for the Home Office in Mr. Gladstone’s second administration, then under-secretary for the Colonies, and in 1882 secretary of the Treasury, a speedy promotion which promised him Cabinet office. Two years later he fell out with the government. Having become a zealous believer in proportional representation as a means of protecting minorities, he urged its inclusion in the Redistribution Bill. When the Cabinet declined to adopt this novel proposal, Courtney rather quixotically resigned. In 1886 he rejected Gladstone’s Home Rule policy, holding that Ireland was unfit for self-government. At Gladstone’s suggestion he became chairman of committees and deputy-speaker. In that office, which he held until 1892, his decisions were wittily, but a little unjustly, described as ‘impartially unfair to both sides’. In 1892, though a liberal unionist, he was pressed by the liberal government to accept the speakership, but declined, partly owing to unionist opposition, partly because he preferred political freedom and influence to dignity and opulence.
The growing spirit of imperialism found an obstinate opponent in Courtney. He resisted consistently and conscientiously the ‘forward’ policy in Egypt, the Sudan, and South Africa. His interest in South African affairs dated from 1877 when he had strenuously opposed the annexation of the Transvaal. In 1896 he denounced the Jameson Raid, and afterwards the Rhodes-Chamberlain-Milner policy which ended in the Boer War. After its outbreak in October 1899, Courtney’s persistent advocacy of ‘forbearance and conciliation’ made him one of the leaders of the anti-war party. As chairman of the South African conciliation committee he did all that was in his power to counteract the demand for annexation and unconditional surrender. This severed Courtney’s official connexion with the unionist party, and made him for the first time a national figure, though it lost him his seat in the general election of 1900. For the next six years Courtney lived the life of a political sage in Chelsea. Some years before his eyesight had partially failed, but his vigour was unimpaired.
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