[This comment on the notes affords an interesting contrast to the opinion expressed by the Spectator. See above.]

From The Athenæum (London), June 18, 1853 and a second notice in issue for the June 25, 1853.

How far the lives and works of such personages as Swift, Steele, Prior, Fielding, and Smollett-five figures in Mr. Thackeray's gallery of Humourists-could be at once plainly and humorously treated by the most devoted Humour-worshipper, for the edification of an audience of the two sexes, admits of debate.

From a portion of his audience-with such themes as his many things had to be either hidden, or indicated so darkly and distantly as to be unmeaningly harmless. Thus, a certain tone of trifling must inevitably have been assumed as the leading tone of such lectures by any one desirous of suiting means to ends. Now, all the world knows this to be Mr. Thackeray's habitual mood. Real earnestness never spoke with so little apparent earnestness as in his mouth. When his audiences sat down to listen to him, he warned them in the outset that he could not hope to entertain them with a merely humorous or facetious story. Yet, after this, he could treat them to a drolling digression, to a dangling of good and evil in day-light, star-light, and lamp-light, so that the one should seem the other, and "both, neither"-to a conclusive inconclusiveness- -to a pleasant song, in brief, rather than a literary

66

essay of any deep authority or value. Slight, however, as is the work, it is not without valuable treasures, deep imbedded here and there among its shallows.

Proceeding with these desultory notes, it may be observed, that while some readers of these Lectures' will deem our author's estimate of Addison over-elaborate in its praise, -others (and ourselves among the number) will fancy that he has been hard on Congreve.

When The Spectator' was placed on a pedestal at the expense of 'The Way of the World,' our shrewd student of the Augustan life and literature of England forgot what were the several destinations of the two works, and laid too unfairly on the author's individuality the blame belonging to the miry place down to which Comedy lured the pretty fellows and toasts of the town to find their diversion.

We return to this welcome book at the name of Prior, of whom, we think, the lecturer might have. made more had it pleased him to exercise his poignant skill in painting a conversation picture showing the English diplomatist at the Hague.

*

*

*

*

*

Our lecturer thinks that Moore has read Prior closely. It may be so, but the signs of such study escape us.

Perhaps the figure in this gallery on which our Lecturer has bestowed his utmost pains is Pope. Here

Mr. Thackeray rises into a greater refinement of distinction, into a graver sympathy with his subject, than is his wont. He dwells like a true lover of "letters ' (somewhat different this from a lover of literature) on the fascinations of Pope's correspondence; and after a flourish of praise in its behalf something pompous, but, we doubt not, sincere-falls into a homelier tune which is holy and charming.

We can point to Mr. Thackeray's appreciation of Sterne with entire approval. "Yorick was, indeed, a fair subject for a denunciatory sermon, addressed to che sentimentalists of Vanity Fair, -and its morals, and his want of morals, are not spared by our preacher.With Goldsmith Mr. Thackeray's series closes. The author of the 'Vicar' is genially and tenderly handled. But it has been his fate, after death, to be loved by all who have commemorated him with uncommon ardour, indulgence and unanimity.-To conclude:-none will read these Lectures, whether in agreement or in difference, without looking forward to the announcement of some future series from their shrewd and suggestive discourser.

THE ENGLISH HUMOURISTS OF THE

EIGHTEENTH CENTURY*

Swift

In treating of the English Humourists of the past age, it is of the men and of their lives, rather than of their books, that I ask permission to speak to you; and in doing so, you are aware that 5 I cannot hope to entertain you with a merely humourous or facetious story. Harlequin without his mask is known to present a very sober countenance, and was himself, the story goes, the melancholy patient whom the doctor advised to go and 10 see Harlequin †-a man full of cares and perplexities like the rest of us, whose Self must always be serious to him, under whatever mask or disguise or uniform he presents it to the public. And as all of you here must needs be grave when you think 15 of your own past and present, you will not look to

* The notes to these lectures were chiefly written by James Hannay. A few corrections and additions, chiefly due to later investigations, are now inserted; for which the publishers have to thank Mr. Austin Dobson, Mr. Sidney Lee, and Mr. L. Stephen. 20 †The anecdote is frequently told of our performer John Rich (1682 ?-1761), who first introduced pantomimes, and himself acted Harlequin.