reflection, genial humour, or quaint fancy. Classifying these miscellanies on Lord Lytton's principle already alluded to, the Familiar would embrace humorous or satirical portraiture of men and manners; the Intellectual, miscellaneous works of more or less conscious didactic purpose; and the Picturesque, the real or ideal treatment of Nature. b. 1809.} 2. The Familiar Miscellany is largely connected with the ephemeral literature of the comic journals, and forms by no means an unimportant chronicle of the humours of the day. Most of Hood's works belong to this department, of which we may instance "Up the Rhine," a clever satire on the absurdities of English travellers, reminding us of Thackeray's "Kickleburys." This latter work, along with the Cornhill "Roundabout Papers" and Miscellanies in Prose and Verse, secure for the distinguished novelist a prominent place here. One of the most brilliant of this set of humorists was Douglas Jerrold, whose flashing wit and pungent sarcasm, relieved by tender touches of pathos and fancy, found fitting expression in the Familiar Miscellany. The “Caudle Lectures," "Story of a Feather," and "Sketches of the English,” are his happiest productions of this kind. These writers were all novelists. To another writer of fiction-Charles Leverwe owe those clever sketches purporting to be drawn by a new Censor of Men and Women-Cornelius O'Dowd. The subjects that interest him are congenial to the lighter portions of cultivated society, and evince in their treatment sustained characterization and official and literary experience at home and on the Continent. O'Dowd's anecdotes constitute his greatest charm; and his sketches of national character show minute and delicate portraiture. An original and inimitable specimen of this latter kind of writing is the late Judge Haliburton's "Sam d. 1865. Slick." It attempts to portray Yankee commercial finesse, and abounds in humorous and able delineations of character. With the adventures of the hero are combined many shrewd and sarcastic observations on political and social topics, of colonial or American interest. "The Diary of the Great Western," and "Nature and Human Nature," show the same gift of sly humour and lifelike sketching of individuals. The author was long a Nova Scotia judge, and latterly a member of the British Parliament. b. 1796. b. 1775. 3. The "Imaginary Conversations of Walter Savage d. 1864. Landor form an excellent example of the Intellectual Essay. His poetry is not in any way notable, but the prose work just mentioned is one of the most remarkable productions of its kind in this century. Begun in 1826, the series of "Conversations" was continued almost till his death-exhibiting throughout the unusual classical scholarship of the author, as well as his just notions of art, and his thoughts and feelings on history, politics, and religion. Full of beauties for the reflective and cultivated mind, and sparkling with condensed imagery and quaint colour, these "Conversations" are always strong and bright, though often paradoxical, and sometimes extreme. The "Friends in Council" of Arthur Helps is likewise b. 1817.} a series of imaginary conversations. Begun in 1847, the collection is scarcely yet complete. The scene in which they are laid-originally a country-house, where three college friends discuss essays written by one of their number-shifts in the "Second Series" to the Continent, where the Councils are relieved by descriptions of picturesque or historic spots. Latterly, the friends have discussed tales of a peculiar type. These imaginary characters— didactic dilettanti, who debate on abstract politics and social morality-are carefully-drawn types of distinct views of life. The tale of "Realmah," a political romance of the geologic Stone Period, is named from its hero, who is a highly-idealized personage of eminently mild and philanthropic views. "Cassimir Maremma," again, is an Oriental story. The form of the entire series is not attractive; while the tales, though daringly novel in conception, are not always skilfully managed. The language throughout is pure and elegant, and the true worth of the matter lies in its earnest and enlightened speculation. Oliver W. Holmes already noticed as a novelist and poethas also concealed a series of intellectual essays under the mask of fiction. The "Autocrat of the Breakfast Table" is a voluble American, who discourses at a boarding-house on philosophy, morals, manners, and æsthetics. He is less didactic and more conversational, less profound and earnest, than the "Friends" of Mr Helps; but his vivacity is much more pleasing to the general reader. We have much diffidence in placing Mr Carlyle's "Sartor Resartus," which is properly a philosophical work; but it contains so much skilfully-constructed biography and lifelike characterization, and makes so free a use of irresistible humour, that we class it with that sub-variety of imaginative prose-the Intellectual Miscellany. Its central figure is the eccentric German Professor, Herr Teufelsdröckh, whose character and fantastic clothes-philosophy embody the transcendentalism of Fichte. 4. The Picturesque Sketch is removed a degree further from b. 1786. fiction than the foregoing forms of essay, and requires for its successful execution a poet, or at least a man of strong poetic susceptibilities, able to transport himself in spirit into external nature, or into an idealised region of fancy, and, at the same time, to connect his imaginings with the passing mood, and the tastes and culture of the mind itself. Thomas de Quincey, above d. 1859. all modern writers, has carried the spirit and manner of poetry into prose in the way indicated. The "impassioned prose " of the "Confessions" and the "Suspiria" are conscious attempts at creating a new variety of literature. The novelty lies, not in the imaginative description of real scenes, though De Quincey is powerful here too,-but of that ideal world, set free from time and space, which he has created for those spiritual beings that breathe out the Suspiria. It was something new to body forth in prose such poetical personifications of gnawing grief, chilling anxiety, and the perplexity that haunts the earnest soul. The most characteristic feature of De Quincey's genius is this power of seizing and vivifying those subtle emotions,-now throbbing under the influence of music, now flitting through the soul in dreams or dreamlike reminiscence, which had previously defied fitting expression in prose. The flexibility of his style-now prolix to garrulity, now shy and secretive, now eloquent and lofty-harmonizes with the thought and the feeling. The life of De Quincey was, in some aspects, painful and profitless; but his rare gifts, extensive information, and meditative intellect, combined, with a character of peculiar constitution, to produce much that is unique in our literature. b. 1802. The character and writings of Hugh Miller present the d. 1856. strongest possible contrast to those of De Quincey. Not the least interesting portion of the works of both is autobiographic; but while the one records misspent opportunities and aimless meditation in an atmosphere of books, the other tells of successful struggles with adverse circumstances, healthy observation, and the earnest though limited study of an active man. The author of "The Old Red Sandstone" occupies no unimportant position as a man of science; but he is more remarkable for his beautiful descriptions of nature, and for the halo of poetic fancy which he has shed around scientific subjects. The dry facts of geology are aglow with his picturesque colouring, while he treats its grander theories with epic sublimity of conception and rich imagery. He evinces a power of spiritual vision that projects him into a region of extraordinary conditions, comparable in real nature to that of De Quincey in the world of intellect. Mr Miller's writings have had a vast influence in popularizing science. In a style quieter but as full of love for external nature as Hugh Miller's works, we note the writings of William and Mary Howitt, which exhibit a kindred vein of poetic fancy and a happy turn for describing the features of rural scenery and life. The "Dreamthorpe" of Alexander Smith is an exquisite specimen of verbal landscape, blended with delineation of character and the details of country life. Mr Smith makes the well-sustained fiction of an observant, critical, and meditative old man the medium of his thoughts and feelings in view of nature and literary art. The "Summer in Skye" contains less of fiction, but exhibits grander scenic effects, and a more varied interest in legend and incident. Both works evince the fine taste of a poet, and the grace and skill of a practised writer. CHAPTER XVIII. THE HISTORICAL AND DIDACTIC PROSE OF THE A. D. 1830-A. D. 1870. HISTORICAL PROSE.-1. First Group of Historians-Macaulay and Carlyle.— 2. Second Group of Historians.-3. Biography.—4. Theological History.— 5. Histories of Philosophy. DIDACTIC PROSE.-1. Summary of the Period.-2. Hamilton.-3. J. S. Mill. -4. Bain and Herbert Spencer.-5. The Philosophy of History.-6. Speculation in America.-7. Political Economy.-8. Esthetics, Pictorial and Literary.-9. Philology.-10. Theological and Scientific Literature. 1. THE historians of this period fall easily into two groups-the one embracing authors born within last century, but writing during the second quarter of this; the other, those born in the first quarter of the current century, but not actively engaged before 1850. The works of Palgrave and Alison gave earnest of that conscientious zeal and painstaking accuracy which are characteristic of the best histories of the period. The most valuable b. 1788. labours of Sir Francis Palgrave were directed to the elucidad. 1861. tion of early English history, and supply, in an agreeable style, fuller and more accurate information than was formerly possessed regarding the Saxons and Normans. By birth a Jew, he had changed his name from Cohen; his son is widely known as a b. 1792. graceful littérateur. Sir Archibald Alison's work narrates, d. 1867. on a scale both extensive and minute, the interesting period from the French Revolution to the coup d'état of 1852. The narrative portions are good, but the speculation and inference show much prejudice and narrowness of view. The book is a marvel of patient industry, involving, as it did, fifteen years of travel and study, and requiring as long a period for its composition. Much attention has been of late directed to the annals of Greece. Bishop Thirlwall's history is a learned work, combining elegant scholarship with independent judgment, and ranks higher in some |