one of his homespun remarks. Mr. Jerrold, meeting the great tragedian, asked him if it was true that he had taken Drury Lane Theatre. The other replied it was, and that he hoped to be able to benefit Mr. Jerrold by bringing forward his pieces. This being said in somewhat of a patronizing tone, annoyed the dramatist, who replied sharply, "Come, come, Mr. Macready, none of your dd grim patronage to me, if you please." This is, however, a very mild specimen of his

retorts courteous.

Some years ago his genial [?] mode of living. brought on a severe illness, which many thought would incapacitate him for all future exertion, but a fortunate resolve to adopt the water cure did for him more than even his medical advisers hoped.

In 1846 he joined a few friends in getting up some private theatricals, which met with much success; they were first projected for the benefit of Miss Kelly, and a large sum was, collected: the first play was "Every Man in His Humour," and all agreed that never was it better played than by these distinguished amateurs. The chief parts. were represented by Dickens, Jerrold, Foster, Mark Lemon, Dudley Costello, and others of the contributors to "Punch." The Kite'y of Foster, and the Bobadil of Charles Dickens were especially well done. Shortly afterwards they were persuaded to repeat these performances for the benefit of the Sanatorium, and since then they have been exhibited at Manchester. The anxiety to see so many celebrated authors was excessive, and as much as five guineas were given for a ticket, the original cost of which was only one guinea. Prince Albert, the Dukes of Cambridge and Sutherland, and a host of fashionables were there, no doubt to the great delight of this band of Radicals, who had

spent so many hours in satirising the Prince Consort, in his abortive attempt to invent a hat.

The great secret of the success of "Punch" is the political character it has assumed, otherwise it must long ago have perished; nothing is so annoying and wearisome as a companion who is determined to be funny; but when you make the chief topics of conversation politics, with the follies and fashions of the day, and treat these in a facetious manner, you appeal at once to a world of ready and patient listeners.

193

JOHN FORSTER.

IT seldom occurs that the editor of an influential periodical produces, after his appointment, any work of eminence :—it is a very common thing for a distinguished author to be placed at the head of a Review, but few men achieve any greatness afterwards. It seems as though the unceasing critical necessities of his position deprived him of that directness of purpose, and energy of will, requisite for the conception and execution of a great work. This remark has been suggested by the contrary effect produced upon the accomplished author of the "Life of Goldsmith," who was comparatively unknown to the world of letters till he became literary editor of the "Examiner." Since then he has published three valuable works which give him a claim to be admitted into the British Authors.

Mr. Forster is descended from a respectable family of Berwick on Tweed, and after receiving a classical education, was entered of the Inner Temple. His predispositions were however to a more attractive profession, and he devoted more attention to the "dulce" than the "utile." Possibly this might have been the effect of necessity, as we seldom find barristers neglect their briefs

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when they can get any: it is a pleasant legal fiction to believe that some lawyers are so fond of poetry as to rise above the superior fascinations of a fee.

When Forster emerged from the anomalous position of a briefless barrister we find him engaged on the "Examiner," where his criticisms are held in much repute. When Mr. Dickens retired from the editing of the "Daily News," he undertook to conduct that paper, but after some time, we believe, abandoned it. Previous to this, Messrs. Chapman and Hall placed the Foreign Quarterly Review under his care, and he remained at the head of this entertaining periodical till it was finally incorporated with the "London and Westminster."

When Dr. Lardner projected his "Encyclopedia of British Literature," Mr. Forster promised his support, and contributed to that valuable collection "The Lives of British Statesmen." This established his reputation, and few prose writers have been more strikingly successful on their first appearance than was the author of these admirable biographies.

We shall pass these over with this general commendation, and conclude our hasty sketch of their talented author by a few remarks on his last and greatest work, "The Life of Oliver Goldsmith."

It is somewhat singular that having occasion to remark on Mr. W. Irving's false position in American literature, in order to bring the absurdity to the test of a mathematical problem, we compared him with Goldsmith, and we trust completely exposed the fallacy of considering the author of "The Sketch Book" as anything beyond an agreeable essayist, and a very successful imitator of the level style of Addison and Pope.

The piracy of American publishers has been a favourite topic for indignant vituperation, but Mr.

Irving has just given to the world so glaring an instance of unscrupulous appropriation of the labours of another, that it is utterly impossible to avoid arraigning the offender, however respectable bis general station in literature may be.

That we may allow Mr. Irving the full advantage of stating his own case, we quote part of his preface. He thus commences:

"In the course of a revised edition of my works I have come to a biographical sketch of Goldsmith, published several years since. It was written hastily, as introductory to a selection from his writings, and though the facts contained in it were collected from various sources, I was chiefly indebted for them to the voluminous work of Mr. James Prior, who had collected and collated the most minute particulars of the poet's history with unwearied research and scrupulous fidelity, but had rendered them, as I thought, in a form too cumbrous and overlaid with details and disquisition, and matters uninteresting to the general reader.'"

Mr. Irving, therefore, says he was induced by this cumbrous collection to undertake the revisal of his own 66 hastily written sketch." One would naturally have thought that had any one anticipated him he would, with the true gentlemanly instinct, have abandoned the field-but Mr. Irving's genius is essentially imitative, and he appropriates, as a matter of course.

"When I was about of late to revise my biographical sketch, preparatory to publication, a volume was put into my hands (sweet little twaddler, 'put into his hands,' as though he were fed with 'spoon meat,') recently given to the public by Mr. John Forster, of the Inner Temple, who likewise availing himself of the labours of the indefatigable Prior, and a few more lights, since coloured, has produced a biography of the poet, executed with a spirit, a feeling, a grace, and an eloquence that leaves nothing to be desired. Indeed, it would have been presumption in me to undertake the subject after it had been thus felicitously treated, did I not stand committed by my previous sketch. That sketch now appeared too meagre and insufficient to satisfy public demand, yet it had to take its place in the second series of my works unless something more satisfactory could be substituted.

Under these circumstances, I have again taken up the subject, and gone into it with more fulness than formerly, omitting none of the facts, which I considered illustrative of the life and character of