Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 17.djvu/384

 376 Southern Historical Society Papers,

and State, returned to his farm to plow ! Of Lee's personal presence Sir Garnet Wolseley and Lieutenant- Colonel G. T. Denison have said, **that he, more than any other man they had ever met, im- pressed them with human greatness."

Many years ago a writer in the Illustrated London News thus de- scribed the charm of Lee*s presence : ** If a number of men were seated in a circle, Lee being one of them, and a little child were placed in their midst, after looking round the circle, it would be sure to go to Lee.'* Canadians may well be proud of having been born upon the Continent which produced so great a man. With what sublime appropriateness could Robert E. Lee at his life's close have repeated the memorable words of Horace :

" Exegi monumentum aere perennius Regailque situ pyramidium altius. Quod non imber edax, non aquilo impotens Possit diruere aut innumerabilis Annorum series et fuga temporum."

Lee's private and public character has extorted even from his de- tractors unwonted praise. In him were combined in exquisite pro- portion many of the choicest gifts and graces of heart, of mind, of body. With sweet and simple dignity he trod the pathway of do- mestic life — loving, and beloved by all. With rare unselfish modesty he took upon his titan shoulders the crushing burdens of his com- rades' errors without a murmur or complaint. In him humility and greatness walked hand in hand, and from his life there fell with pure and steadfast lustre the offshining of that ** true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." The contemplation of the life and personality of this great and gentle man recalls the words of Wordsworth ;

" Soft is the music that would charm forever. The flower of sweetest smell is shy and lowly.**

Itinerary of the Fourth Virginia Cavalry.

March 27th' April gth, 1863.

[The following memorandum is from among a mass of army papers left by the late gallant Colonel William Beverley Wooldridge, and pre- sented by his widow to the Southern Historical Society. He entered