eminence. Without making himself re- attracting a tithe of the attention given to
markable there as a student of subjects" Eothen." The book sparkles with fine
which lead to honors, or of general litera- points like a brooch set with brilliants.
ture, he was socially noted as a sayer of The "Methley " described as his compan-
that kind of epigram, the force and neation was Lord Pollington, afterwards Lord
ness of which infuses such a special flavor Mexborough; the interpreter Mysseri,
into his writings. And doubtless there kept, at the time of the Crimean war, an
was already apparent that meditative habit hotel at Constantinople, where, perhaps in
of mind which was afterwards so distinc- virtue of the fame derived from the book,
tive of him, and which led him in discuss-in which he is favorably mentioned, he
ing common matters to take views so
original and unexpected.

exercised an independence of demeanor not distinguishable from incivility.

For many years Kinglake's reputation as a writer continued to rest, undiminished, on the excellences of this small volume. Notwithstanding that he was always among the most quiet and unobtrusive of men, he was by no means one of those who disappoint expectation. In his deliberative way he would always utter something worthy to catch attention. A lady whose acquaintance with persons of note was extensive, and who has been honored by pleasant verses from Thackeray, her frequent visitor, once observed to the present writer, in discussing her brilliant circle: Kinglake always says the best thing."

His repute might never have extended
beyond the circle of his immediate ac-
quaintance—for he never showed himself
competitive or ambitious-but for his
famous journey to the East. The interior
of Turkey, the Troad, Cyprus, the Desert,
Damascus, were comparatively untrodden
ground half a century ago, and the notes
he took had all the freshness and pictur-
esqueness which come from the endeavor
of so original an observer to depict what
is at once deeply interesting and little
known. But the first casting of these
notes into shape was by no means what
was finally given to the world. For many
years the most fastidious taste was con-
stantly at work upon it, altering, blotting,
expanding, and polishing. Nobody who
has observed the fatal effects which have
often attended this process, or, indeed,
who has considered the matter from the
common-sense point of view only, would
recommend such a concentration of soli-
citude on a subject demanding, as did
Kinglake's, no especial research or exacti-
tude. It might well have been expected
that in the long endeavor after perfection
the sharpness, the distinctness, and the
force of the original impressions would
be hopelessly frittered away and lost.
But it was the special character of King-
lake's intellect to be able to indulge all
this paternal fondness, not only without
injury to the subject of it, but with a
constant infusion of interest and spirit.
After an interval which would in most
minds have dimmed into vagueness the
reminiscences of the trip to the East, the
record of it came forth so rich in color, so
incisive in form, so finished in literary
grace, that it at once made its author
famous. Probably no book of travel
which does not depend for its interest on
exciting adventure or absolute novelty of
subject, ever gained more celebrity for its
writer. Other notable works relating to
travel in the East appeared about the
same period such as Miss Martineau's
"Eastern Life," and Curzon's admirable
"Monasteries of the Levant "-without on.

It was when he was well on for fifty that the two chief events of his later life occurred. In 1857 he entered Parliament as Liberal member for Bridgewater, not far from which, at Taunton, his family dwelt. That this event had any important effect on his reputation or his success in life cannot be maintained. He never evinced the qualities which command the attention of the House. Matter however excellent, could scarcely make effective way through his unemotional manner and subdued utterance. It is probable, too, that his literary repute was of disadvantage to him, as it not uncommonly is in the eyes of those who conduct the affairs of the nation, and frequently conduct them so badly. But the incidents of political life were often intensely interesting to him, and brought him in a wholesome way out of his shell, and into contact with the movements of the world around him. It was not merely the questions of the day that thus occupied him; the system of Parliamentary business had also its charm; and up to the close of his life, he would fondly dwell, in all the detail which his singularly accurate memory supplied, not only on a political crisis of his own day, but on the forms of proceeding which attended it. But it cannot be said that, on public grounds, his Parliamentary life, which lasted twelve years, need now be dwelt

When the armies landed in the Crimea | grees, of historical merit. Of one kind in 1854, Kinglake's quiet but genuine love are all those parts which express the preof adventure had already brought him to possessions of the writer, such as the the scene. Landed with his pony, he was terrible caricature—so clever, yet so gropresent at the battle of the Alma. Before tesque of the French emperor; and of the opening of it, when near the headquar- St. Arnaud "formerly Le Roy;" and the ter staff, he met with a slight mishap from history of the origin and constitution of the slipping of his saddle, which was not the Times newspaper-very piquant, but without important results. One of the apparently founded on grounds entirely staff thus records the incident: 'Lord fanciful. Prepossessions of this unfaRaglan was most kind, riding up with in- vorable kind found, however, an ample quiries and offers of help. Mr. Kinglake balance on the side of eulogy. In his was all thanks. That night, after the "Crimead," the part of Achilles is asbattle, Lord Raglan met him wandering signed to Lord Raglan, and of Hector about, not knowing where to go, so he quite justly to Todleben; while on the asked him to dinner. Of course he came, other hand Louis Napoleon continues to and delighted every one present with his figure throughout as one of those ill-discharming manner and conversation." posed and somewhat futile deities who used, from their distant Olympus, to muddle the affairs of the Greeks. These representations are often supported on ingenious and refined surmises - too ingenious and too refined to afford a secure foundation. Of quite a different character are the parts of the history in which he deals with facts. These were collected with astonishing patience, and fitted in his mosaic with an interest always fresh, so that no chronicle has ever devoted so large a proportion of space to the incidents of conflict and to individual effort and achievement. The result of this unique mixture of fact and fancy, conveyed in a style of extraordinary and sustained animation, has been found, and will continue to be found, highly attractive as the expression of an intellect rare both in its qualities and in the combination of them, and wielding a great and refined literary power.

Mr. Higgins, the well-known "Jacob Omnium of that time, took occasion afterwards to relate this accident in print, and went on facetiously to remark that Kinglake was "the first man who fell on the British side." It so happened that the whirligig of time before long brought Jacob up for ballot at the Athenæum, of which club Kinglake was an influential member; and the unlucky narrator of the incident, seeing too late the impolicy of his offence, begged Kinglake not to blackball him. "I will not blackball you," was the answer, "but I will not vote for you." It was mainly for other reasons, however, that Jacób, who had for long been sowing similar dragon's teeth broadcast, was all too plentifully blackballed.

Lord Raglan, most amiable and courteous of commanders, followed up this introduction with a considerate kindness which was all that Kinglake could have desired, and far more than he could have expected, and which continued throughout his stay of about four weeks in the Crimea affording him, of course, many invaluable opportunities for observation. It cannot be doubted that this degree of favor won the sensitive heart of the future historian, who, as he would have been easily chilled by neglect, was in a proportionate degree gladdened by treatment so cordial; and it is quite conceivable that he may thus have been inspired by gratitude with that view of Lord Raglan's military qualities which became a chief motive of his history. That work has been so largely discussed, and the conclusions come to about it have been so generally in agreement, that its merits and defects need not be entered upon here. It may, however, be observed of what will yet find a multitude of readers, that its matter is of different kinds, and widely various de

When, therefore, the family of Lord Raglan invited him to undertake the history of the war, he already possessed a strong and personal interest in the subject, as well as another qualification for the task-namely, an extraordinary ardor for investigating and celebrating all kinds of warlike achievement. His view of his duties was so conscientious, and the pleasure he took in them so incapable of cloying, that they occupied nearly all the remainder of his life. The formidable masses of official papers supplied to him formed probably by no means the chief part of his materials. Upon every incident, all the evidence of the actors in it, or others possessing special information, was brought to bear. All this had to be considered, reconciled, and put in form, with a result that was sometimes happy, sometimes not. The charge of the Heavy Brigade, for example, was an affair of

minutes; and when it came to be expanded | worth pondering, being far more appliinto seventy pages of the history, the cable now than when it was written. distinctive character of a short cavalry encounter was necessarily lost. On the other hand, the long and confused struggle of Inkermann formed a much more suitable subject for close investigation; and the result was that, for the first time, the phases of that obstinate and desultory conflict were made intelligible.

Kinglake's later years were passed in that complete repose which wise men have in all times been supposed to covet. They will offer but scant material to a biographer. His walk in the Park, his dinner and evening at the Athenæum, were the chief of his recreations. Much of his time at the club was passed in a singular A whole generation thus not only grew companionship. Mr. Hayward was never to manhood, but was approaching middle satisfied to dine alone he liked to have age, while Kinglake was seated amidst the one or two friends to rely on, and then to multitudinous materials of his task. And add such others as might fall in his way, when he had obtained all the testimony and whom he might consider eligible for possible respecting a particular feature of the purpose, it being indispensable that the campaign, and had at last composed they should be persons of some note. A the narrative of it, the piece of work was minister, Forster for example; an_ambasstill far from ended. For then his fastidi-sador on furlough, as Sir Henry Bulwer; ous taste stepped in, and the polishing of the manuscript was continued with unwearying zeal on the proofs, till finish could go no further. All this time the collection of evidence for future volumes was going on; and perhaps the most singular witnesses who appeared before his judicial chair were Lord Lucan and Lord Cardigan, each intent on relieving himself of whatever of blame might attach to the famous action of the Light Brigade. Lord Cardigan was especially urgent in his representations, insomuch that Kinglake speaks of "a slight feeling of anger which his persistency gave me." But if either noble lord imagined that he would be able to sway the mind of the judge he was grievously in error, for Rhadamanthus himself could not have come to conclusions more severely impartial.

His one paper in Blackwood is on the "Life of Madame de Lafayette," which appeared in September, 1872. Of the Reign of Terror it takes, as was to be expected, a new and unconventional view. The establishment of that horrible domination is ascribed to the supineness of those who should have made head against its leaders. "Everywhere," says Kinglake, "submission, submission, submission, more than corresponding to the triple audacity of Danton." Speaking of the rule by guillotine, the writer asks: "What is the meaning of all this? Were people all madly wicked? Not at all. Only a few were wicked; the rest were cowed.... That fatal guilt which had been the cause of so much evil in France is the guilt of Resignation." In view of the indulgence accorded, with such shameful apathy, to mischief of various kinds, to the commonwealth, which is crippling us as a nation, the matter of the paper is well |

a traveller like Oliphant; such were invited (if a bidding so peremptory could be called an invitation) to be of Hayward's party. It was in vain to attempt an excuse, such as to say you were engaged to somebody else,- Hayward, like Justice Shallow, would reply: "There is no excuse shall serve you shall not be excused." People who had once assisted at these entertainments were sometimes a little shy of coming again, for an absolutism prevailed there, not a republic; the autocrat Hayward seldom brooked contradiction - he was always positive not to say contentious and for a guest to maintain his own opinions frequently led to war. But however little inclined to venerate others, the irascible sage had an extraordinary and invincible esteem for Kinglake, who, without the slightest apparent attempt to assert himself, received such a degree of deference as, coming from so peremptory a personage, and being so spontaneous, had something touching in it. Moreover, this regard was of an active kind, and Hayward became in case of need his friend's champion, — formidable both for the ardor with which he would enter on a contest, and the logical power with which he would maintain it, for his faculties were always ready to act with the precision and snap of a well-oiled machine. Both of them had large acquaintance with life and men, copious hoards of recollection, quotation, and anecdote, and remarkable powers of memory. A trio was frequently made up by Mr. now Sir Edward, Bunbury, who, with a wider and deeper knowledge than either, had also a surprising memory to render its stores at once available. Mr. Chenery was also welcome as bringing a deep learning, as well as the new and important contributions to dis

66

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cussion which the editor of the Times to find a companion at once helpful and must command. The alliance continued agreeable. He continued to spend much to prosper up to the time of Hayward's time in reading, but he probably did not last illness. Kinglake was warm and as- get through many books, for he dealt with siduous to the end in his companionship, the ideas of others as with his own, long which was the consolation that most of brooding over and revolving them. Even all brightened the latter days of his old novels he treated in this way, and of these friend. After that he still continued to he had (for which he is to be highly com come to the club, and was as good com- mended) an unappeasable appetite for pany as ever. Deafness, to which he had Mrs. Oliphant's. We knew no surer path long been subject, increased upon him, to his favor than to place in his hand in however, and an eminent frequenter of the drawing-room a new production of that the Athenæum once observed to the pres- prolific authoress. He was quite miserly ent writer: "I always know when you are in his jealousy of this treasure; and in dining with Kinglake, for everybody hears discussing her merits, as he was always everything that you say-except King- ready to do, it would presently appear that, lake!" There was much humorous exag- though Scott, and Dickens, and Thackgeration, however, in this; he could hear eray, and Bulwer were all very well, the a companion quite well, and maintained a novelist par excellence was Mrs. Oliphant. conversation without difficulty, and always Only there was one path illuminated by with pleasure to the hearer. He was as her genius he would never enter on. precise in memory, as epigrammatic in don't like the supernatural," he would remark as ever, and his observations con- say; and hence that extraordinary inspiratinued to be no less quaint and uncommon tion, "A Beleaguered City," and her powthan those we had long recognized as erful ghost stories, remained unknown to peculiar to him. The present writer, sit him. A book which was full of interest ting at table with him one evening when for him, rousing once more all his ready one who long ago was a leading advocate ardor for the military fame of the country, of an important policy entered the room, was Lord Stanhope's "Conversations with observed: "I suppose, Kinglake, you knew Wellington." He would take one of the Mr. when you were in the House?" duke's opinions as a text to be cogitated "Yes, yes, I knew him a clever man till on, viewed in every light, and all possible he destroyed his intellect." "Good heav-meanings extracted from it, which sermonens! how? surely not- We were izing process caused the book to occupy about to venture on a wild surmise, when him for an extraordinary length of time. he continued: "Destroyed his intellect His last year was clouded by a terrible by reading the newspapers." No explana- shadow of approaching torment, from tion was vouchsafed of this oracular deliv- which the only hope left to his friends erance; but in these days when so many was that a painless death might deliver derive not only their information but their him; and this sad desire was realized. opinions from an indiscriminate flooding of their minds with light from the press, it may not be deemed unsuggestive.

Mr. Kinglake, short and slight of frame, preserved to the last a neat and always well-dressed figure. His features were very neatly cut; their calm expression did not often change. Friends might have known him long without seeing him use one hurried gesture or hearing him utter a loud or hasty word. Below this imperturbably placid demeanor were incessantly at work the combative tendencies which lead to strong opinions, the refining processes of an intellect at once very unresting and very acute, and that fire of the spirit which lends animation to the expression of thought. He will be remembered, as he was always spoken of, with an affectionateness undiminished by any suggestion of abatement; for the effect of that remarkable personality was not only interesting and original, but singularly engag

Ábout his eightieth year he ceased altogether to come to the club, and near the same time he changed his domicile. He had for twenty years inhabited the same rooms, and it was characteristic of him that throughout that period he took this long-established home by the week. He was to be found there in a small double drawing-room-the scene of his labors the front windows bearing on Hyde Park, those at the back looking into St. George's burying-ground, a prospect not the more cheerful for being quite close. When he moved it was farther west, to larger and airier chambers, still looking on the Park. He was now well taken care of, having placed himself in charge of a professional nurse, a lady in whom he was so lucky asing.