Mr. Butler was a lawyer by profession, and a nephew of Alban Butler. In addition to his labors and writings of a legal character, he wrote a good deal on religious subjects, and though, like his uncle, of a courteous and charitable disposition, yet, from the nature of some of his topics, he became involved in a good deal of controversy.

Among his works are: A Succinct History of the Geographical and Political Revolutions of the German Empire; A Continuation of Rev. Alban Butler's Lives of the Saints; Historical Memoirs of the English, Irish, and Scottish Catholics since the Reformation; Life of Erasmus; Life and Writings of Bishop Bossuet; The Book of the Roman Catholic Church, etc.

WILLIAM MCGAVIN, 1773–1832, was a native of Ayrshire, Scotland, and was engaged in commercial business. He engaged actively in the controversy against the Catholics. His chief work was a series of papers, called The Protestant, and extending to four large volumes. The work is marked by vigor, and has had a large sale; but it is partisan in character, and is strongly objected to by Catholics for its alleged unfairness and inaccuracy in regard to facts.

VI. MISCELLANEOUS WRITERS,

Mrs. Barbauld.

Mrs. Anna Letitia Barbauld, 1743-1825, though not gifted with genius of so high an order as Joanna Baillie, was yet a woman of noble mould, who deserves well of her kind both for what she did and for what she was. Her writings, which are numerous, are partly educational and partly belong to what is called polite literature.

Mrs. Barbauld was the daughter of the Rev. John Aikin and the sister of Dr. John Aikin, Her father, who was a Dissenting minister and who kept a seminary for the education of boys, gave her the same lessons with his other pupils, and thus she was thoroughly instructed in Greek and Latin classics. At the age of thirty she published a volume of poems, of which four editions were sold in one year. In the same year, she and her brother published jointly a volume of Miscellaneous Pieces in Prose.

She was married at the age of thirty-one to the Rev. Rochomant Barbauld, a Dissenting minister of French descent. She and her husband opened a boarding-school for boys, the success of which was due mainly to her exertions. Several young boys were taken under her entire charge. Among these lads were two who afterwards became distinguished, Sir William Gell and Lord Chief-Justice Denman.

Works. It was for these young pupils that Mrs. Barbauld composed her two best works, Early. Lessons for Children, and Hymns in Prose. Somewhat late in life she

wrote several political pamphlets, exposing the course of the Whigs. She assisted her brother, Dr. Aikin, in the composition of Evenings at Home, though the part which she contributed to the work was but small. Among her other works, she edited the British Novelists, in 50 vols., and Selections from the Spectator, Tatler, Guardian, and Freeholder. She wrote a Life of Richardson; a poem of a political character, Eighteen Hundred and Eleven; A Poetical Epitaph to Mr. Wilberforce; and a great variety of critical and educational Essays.

Mrs. Barbauld lived to the age of eighty-two, and her closing years, like those of many other women eminent in literature, were peaceful and serene. "Her works show great power of mind, an ardent love of civil and religious liberty, and that genuine and practical piety which ever distinguished her character."- Mrs. Hale, in Woman's Record.

The lines given below were written by Mrs. Barbauld in her extreme old age. They have a curious history. Crabb Robinson says that on one occasion he repeated the lines to Wordsworth, while on a visit to the poet. Wordsworth, who was walking up and down in his sitting-room, asked to have them repeated again and again, until he had learned them by heart. Then, pausing in his walk, and muttering to himself, he said, "I am not in the habit of grudging people their good things, but I wish I had written those lines."

JOHN AIKIN, M. D., 1747-1822, an industrious and useful writer, was for fifty years prominently before the public as an author and a compiler, but without achieving any lasting renown.

Dr Aikin's earliest publications were in the line of his profession, and he prepared a volume of Medical Biography, which was favorably received. In conjunction with his sister, Mrs. Barbauld, he wrote Evenings at Home, a series of essays and tales for children. These were completed in 1795, in 6 vols., and were very popular. They were translated into almost every language of Europe, and led the way to numerous works of a similar nature by other hands. Other early works by Dr. Aikin are Essays on Song-Writing and Letters from a Father to a Son. He edited the Monthly Magazine for ten years (1796-1807), the Athenæum for two years (1808, 19), Dodsley's Annual Register five years (1811-1815). He was engaged for twenty years (1796-1815)

on a General Biography, in 10 vols., 4to, in which, however, he had the assistance of several fellow-laborers, Southey among others. His latest publication was an edition of the Select Works of the British Poets, with copious notes, biographical and critical. The work is familiarly known as Aikin's British Poets, and has enjoyed an extensive popularity.

LUCY AIKIN, daughter of John Aikin, M. D., has written several historical works, namely: Memoirs of the Court of James I., of Queen Elizabeth, and of Charles I., each in 2 vols., Svo, and a Life of Addison, also in 2 vols., 8vo. The Edinburgh Review speaks of the publication first named as "An admirable historical work, nearly as entertaining as a novel, and far more instructive than most histories." She wrote also a memoir of her father, Dr. John Aikin.

HELEN MARIA WILLIAMS, 1762-1827, was a voluminous writer on French affairs.

Miss Williams was born in London, but lived most of her time in Paris. She was a warm advocate of the French Revolution; and in consequence of her espousing the cause of the Girondists, she was imprisoned by the opposite party, but was released on the downfall of Robespierre. She died in Paris.

Miss Williams wrote Letters from France, several volumes, published at different times; A Sketch of the Politics of France, and of Scenes in the Prisons of France; Sketches of the State of Manners and Opinions in the French Republic towards the Close of the 18th Century; Narrative of Events in France from the Landing of Napoleon in 1815 till the Restoration of Louis the Eighteenth; Events in France since the year 1815. Miss Williams wrote also two novels, Edwin and Elfrida, and Julia; and several volumes of Poems; and translated several important works from the French, Humboldt's Travels in Central and South America, 7 vols., 8vo; Humboldt's American Researches; 2 vols., 8vo, etc. She is the author of some beautiful Hymns, among them that beginning, Whilst Thee I seek, protecting Power."

ROBERT ANDERSON, M. D., 1751-1830, a graduate of the University of Edinburgh, though not the author of many original works of note, was occupied with literary pursuits for forty years in the city of Edinburgh, where he occupied a position similar to that of Dr. Aikin in London.

Dr. Anderson's chief merit is that of a judicious biographer, editor, and annotator of the British poets. His principal publications are: The Works of the British Poets, with Prefaces Biographical and Critical, 13 vols.; Life of Dr. Smollett; Life of Samuel Johnson, with critical observations on his works.

ALEXANDER CHALMERS, 1759-1834, was a native of Scotland, but a resident of London. He had a good classical and medical education. His first literary employment was as a contributor to the leading newspapers of London. Later he gave his attention mainly to editing standard works, with critical collations and notices. He edited The British Essayists, 45 vols.; The English Poets, from Chaucer to Cowper, 21 vols.; Shakespeare, 8 vols.; also Fielding, Bolingbroke, Gibbon, Pope, Johnson, etc., etc. He wrote A Continuation of the History of England; A Sketch of the Isle of Wight; A History of the College, Halls, and Public Buildings of the University of

Oxford, with Lives of the Founders. His greatest and best work was A General Biographical Dictionary, 32 vols., 8vo. "Mr. Chalmers was most indefatigable and laborious in his studies and devotion to literature. No man ever edited so many works for the booksellers of London; and his attention to accuracy of collation, his depth of research as to facts, and his discrimination as to the character of the authors, under his review, cannot be too highly praised." — Gentleman's Magazine.

Sir Egerton Brydges.

SIR SAMUEL EGERTON BRYDGES, 1762-1837, a gentleman of wealth and of good family, was a most prolific writer.

He induced his brother to lay claim to the Barony of Chandos, but the House of Peers decided adversely to the claim. The disappointment of Sir Egerton was great, and his soreness on this account appears in many of his writings. He spent much of his time on the continent, and many of his works were printed abroad, at Geneva, Florence, etc. Many also were printed at his own private press, near Canterbury. Of these privately printed works, the editions were usually only 100 copies, sometimes only 30 copies.

His works are exceedingly numerous. The following are only a few: Censura Literaria, containing Titles and Opinions of Old English Books, 10 vols.; Res Literariæ, 3 vols.; Sonnets and Poems; Arthur Fitz-Albini, a Novel; Le Forester, a Novel; Coningsby; The Hall of Hallingsey; Recollections of Foreign Travel; Lake of Geneva; Letters from the Continent; Letters on Lord Byron; The Autobiography, Times, Opinions, and Contemporaries of Sir Egerton Brydges.

"The author before us is as intimately persuaded of the reality of his powers, of the solidity of his reputation, as if the loud huzzas of the literary world were borne to his retreat. The amabilis insania (the delusion is too proud, too strong for ordinary vanity), cheats, soothes, flatters, to the verge of the abyss. All that criticism could prove, all that neglect - servant of all critics-could teach, fåll vain and unheeded on the soul of a nature of this mould.” — Edinburgh Review.

NATHAN DRAKE, M. D., 1766-1836, made large and valuable contributions to literary history.

Dr. Drake was a native of England, and a graduate of the University of Dublin. While practising his profession for forty-five years, he was at the same time a diligent student of literature.

Dr. Drake's works are numerous. The following are the chief: Shakespeare and his Times, 2 vols., 4to; Literary Hours, 3 vols., 8vo; Winter Nights, 2 vols., 8vo; Evenings in Autumn, 2 vols., 8vo; Mornings in Spring, 2 vols., 8vo; Noontide Leisure, 2 vols., 8vo; The Speculator; Essays illustrative of the Tatler, Spectator, Guardian, Rambler, Adventurer, Idler, etc., 5 vols., 8vo.

"No work has hitherto appeared, and we may venture almost to pronounce that none can in future be produced, in which so much of agreeable and well-digested information on this subject [Shakespeare and his Times] will be found as in this masterly production of Dr. Drake."— Archdeacon Nares, in the Gent. Mag.

"In 1803, I got a bright new book, fresh from the press in those days, on which I still reflect with pleasure; namely, Drake's Literary Hours. It became my favorite

companion for years afterwards, and it was this work, more than all others, which at that early age fixed my affections on literary pursuits."― Gillies's Literary Veteran. "We have been surprised and mortified to notice the shameful ignorance prevailing in America respecting the publications of this eminent writer.”—Allibone.

Charles Lamb.

CHARLES LAMB, 1775-1834, excelled all the men of his day in the style of writing which he chiefly cultivated. The Essays of Elia, by which he is best known, are marked by a certain delicate and quiet humor, which will always ensure him a chosen band of devoted admirers.

Lamb was born in London, and educated at Christ's Hospital. He was clerk in the East India Company's House for a great number of years, and retired on a pension in 1825. In 1796, his sister, Mary Lamb, in a fit of insanity, killed her mother. Mary was intrusted after this for safe keeping to her younger brother Charles, who thenceforth devoted to her his supreme care and attention, even abandoning for this purpose his prospects of marriage. This harrowing event and its consequent burdens have given to Charles Lamb's writings that peculiar tinge of subdued melancholy which underlies all their wit and joviality.

Works. The brother and sister published several joint works, such as Tales from Shakespeare, The Adventures of Ulysses, and Poetry for Children. Charles Lamb first appeared as an acknowledged author in 1797, in a small volume of poems, the joint work of himself, Coleridge, and Charles Lloyd. This was followed by Rosamund Gray, a touching story; John Woodvil, a tragedy in imitation of the style of the Elizabethan dramatists; Mr. H, a Farce; Specimens of English Dramatic Poets. In 1823 appeared the work by which Lamb is best known, the Essays of Elia, and, in 1833, The Last Essays of Elia. In 1830 he published Album Verses and Other Poems.

Estimate of Him.- As a poet, Lamb cannot be placed very high in the scale. In the words of Moir, "he was a true poet, but not a great one." His verses abound in quaint feeling and suggestive passages, but they are deficient in poetic fire. Charles Lamb will ever be known as a prosaist—a writer of easy sketches. Not that he is a popular writer, in the strict sense of that word. His play of thought is too subtle, his suggestions-call for too much culture and information on the reader's part. Lamb will always be the delight of a select few in each generation, who have themselves the leisure and the freedom from worry which pervade his writings.

Conversational Powers.-It must be added, in conclusion, that the best part of Lamb is not embodied in his writings. His genius as a conversationist, his sly puns, far-reaching and deep-reaching sallies, his easy, quaint humor, his unexpected up-wellings of emotion, far outshone, according to the testimony of his contemporaries, all that he ever committed to paper. Many of his famous sayings have passed into the life of the people, but many more, unrecorded, are now lost beyond recovery.

AMOS S. COTTLE, 1800, a graduate of Cambridge, was a student of the Northern literature. He published Icelandic Poetry, or The Edda of Shemend, translated into English Verse.-JOSEPH COTTLE, 1770-1853, brother of Amos, and a bookseller of Bristol, was a studious man, and was the author of several volumos: Malvern Hills;