The Press.
London, England, 1854-12-09 00:00:00

DECEMBER 9, 1854.

J. G. LOCKHART.
THE obituaries of last week record the death of
Jous Gamow LOCKHART, at Abbotsford, aged 61.
The state of Mr. Loexusar's health had long pre-
_

pared the public for this announcement, but it will
nevertheless not be read without much emotion.
lie has left numerous friends to deplore his loss,

and his talents had been too long devoted to the
entertainment of the public not to entitle him to
their sincere regret.
The chief memorabilia of his career may be thus
briefly summed up. Mr. LOCKHART was born in
1793, the younger son of a Glasgow clergyman.
Being destined for the law, he studied first at Glas-
gow University, and thence passed to Balliol College,
Oxford, by obtaining an exhibition in the gift of the
Senatus Academicus. Afterwards he was called to
the Scotch bar, but never practised to any extent,
having early devoted himself to literature. Shortly
after the peace be travelled on the Continent, and
visited Germany, where he made the acquaintance
of GOETHE. In 1818 he first saw SCOTT, with whom
he was destined to form so close relationship. In
the same year he undertook to write the historical
chapters in the Edinburgh Annual Register for Messrs.
BALLANTYNE. Twoyears later, and in 1820, LOCKHART
married SOPHIA SCOTT, the eldest daughter of the
novelist. The issue of this marriage was two sons
and a daughter. The elder of the sons, the "Hugh
Littlejohn " of the " Tales of a Grandfather," died in
childhood. The younger lived to attain manhood,
but also died early and childless. Miss LOCKHART
survives, having married Mr. Hors, now Mr. HOPE
SCOTT, a Catholic barrister, of great wealth, into
whose hands the estate of Abbotsford has now
passed. For seven years after his marriage
Mr. LOCKHART rem ained in Edinburgh, when he contri-
buted largely to the pages of Blackwood's Magazine,
and published several works. In 1825 he succeeded
GIFFORD as editor of the Quarterly, and then re-
moved to London, which continued his head-quarters
for the five and twenty years that he retained the
guidance of the great Conservative trimestrial.
During this period, also, he succeeded to some
family property, by the death of an elder brother,
and was appointed Auditor of the Duchy of Lan•
caster, with a salary of 3001. per annum. Health
and spirits failing him, in 1853 Mr. LOCKHART
travelled in Italy for some months, and returned to
London somewhat better; but, relapsing in the
course of the past autumn, retired about two months
since to Abbotsford, where, as we have stated, he
died from apoplexy on the 25th of November last.

Few men entered life with fairer prospects than
Mr. LOCKHART. The younger son of an ancient and
honourable family, he possessed considerable natural
abilities joined to great personal advantages. He
was educated at Oxford, and was soon distinguished
both by academical success and by his taste and
skill in general literature. His early marriage with
with the amiable daughter of Sir WALTER SCOTT
seemed at once to secure his domestic felicity and
a permanent connection with all that was most
eminent and distinguished in his native country.
With talents and industry that would have ensured
sucess in any profession, he devoted himself exclu-
ssely to literature, and speedily acquired a reputation
i'iferior only to that of his celebrated father in-law.
His connection with the Quarterly Review fixed him
permanently in London, where he was received
with distinction in the best society. 111-health
and domestic sorrows, however, ere long clouded
these brilliant prospects. The misfortunes of Sir
WALTER SCOTT, felt more keenly by his friends, per-
haps, than his death itself, threw a gloom over Mr.
LOCKHART'S home. The subsequent death of his
favourite son, a child of great sweetness and promise,
followed by those of his wife's sister, her two bro-
thers, and of his wife herself, reduced the circle of
his family to two children only. The son expired
before his father; the daughter, honourably and
happily married, had the melancholy satisfaction of
soothing her father's last moments and receiving
his parting benediction.
It is as a literary man that Mr. LOCKHART belongs
to the public. His works are numerous; and it
would be useless to dwell at any length upon perfor
mances with which every one is familiar. We will
not do more than allude to his labours in the Quar
terly Review. It is well known with what zeal and
intelligence he conducted that popular miscellany,
and how largely his contributions promoted its circu-
lation. Many of the ablest articles are his own,
while his pen may frequently be traced in others to
which he has lent the grave interest to which they
perhaps owe their best claim to attention. Though
a master of sarcasm, it will be remarked that he
never indulged his wit by the ludicrous exposure of
ill-regulated genius, or made a butt of some un-
happy author for the amusement of his reader.
The first of his works which attracted much
notice beyond the circle which they were prin-
cipally calculated to interest was " Peter's Letters

THE PRESS.

to his Kinsfolk," the journal of a tour, contained in a'
series of letters addressed to an imaginary corres-
pondent, descriptive of Scottish scenes and persons.
He himself has described it as " a work which none
" but a young and very thoughtless person would have
" dreamt of publishing." We may add. however, that
it is one which none but a very clever man and a
very close observer could have written. It is dange-
rous, no doubt, to speak of living men and existing
societies even in praise. Silence often passes for
censure, and the warmest general approbation is fre-
quently insufficient to atone for the slight infusion of
seventy with which it is qualified. That the picture
was mainly intended to gratify we can have no dcubt,
and the storm of indignation that it excited is the
strongest proof of the irritable vanity of the litterati
who at that time composed the beau monde of Edin-
burgh. We are glad to find our opinion sanctioned
by that of Sir WALTER SCOTT, at that time but slightly
acquainted with the author. " The general tenor of
" the book," he says, "is, perhaps, too favourable,
" both to the state of our public society and individual
" character." "Dr. Morris,' he adds, " has maintained
" his high character for force of expression, both
" serious and comic, and for acuteness of observation
" —rem acu tetegit--and his scalpel has not been
" idle' though his lenient hand has cut sharp and clean
" and poured balm into the wound."
The novel of " Valerius," the scene of which is laid
at Rome, during the reign of the Emperor Trojan,
evinces much familiarity with classic literature and
antiquities. Many of the descriptions are powerful,
the characters are cleverly marked and discriminated,
and, in spite of our slender sympathy with antique
social life, many of the situations are full of interest.
" Reginald Dalton," which was written on a different
and more popular plan, presents the adventures of
a youth of the author's own standing and situation,
and is, consequently, much more generally interest,
ing. It exhibits a close observation and great
knowledge of life and manners ; so accurate, indeed,
are some of his individual portraits that many ac-
quainted with the society of Oxford at the period
have asserted that the author indulged in the dan-
gerous amusement of painting from life.
" Adam Blair," a simple narrative, contained in a
single volume, is in our opinion the most beautiful of
his works. Written with unequalled vivacity and
power, and exhibiting intense feeling, it rivets our
attention, and, though the situation of the principal
persons never changes, a never-flagging interest pur-
sues them to the close of their career. The violent
passions of the hero of the tale, which lead him into
error, are also the source of his deep repentance and
self-humiliation. The character of the unhappy
partner of his guilt, the kinswoman and friend of his
departed wife, is drawn with a tenderer and more de-
licate pencil. The tale of her early adventures, the
treachery of her youthful husband and her subsequent
misfortunes—misfortunes the result rather of a gene-
rous and confiding temper than of thoughtlessness or
levity—glanced at in a slight and judicious recapitu-
lation, which leaves much to the imagination of the
reader, is yet amply sufficient to satisfy his judgment
and to secure his indulgence. The story of Mrs. Camp-
bell has its prototype, we believe, in that of a beautiful
young woman who was well remembered at Edinburgh
when Mr. LOCKHART first entered life. The punish-
ment of the two lovers is detailed with unflinching
scrupulosity, and morality is amply satisfied by the
calamities their errors entail upon them.
" Matthew Wald," the last of his novels, was, we
believe, no less generally a favourite. It escaped,
indeed, some of the censures with which its predeces-
sor was visited. " Adam Blair" gave some offence
to the over-scrupulous, who thought that the
punishment of guilt, however signal, was insufficient
to atone for the details of its progress. These critics
were propitiated by the omiseion, in subsequent
editions, of the few passages which can in any degree be
supposed over-coloured. "Matthew Wald " contains
a wider scope of character and a greater variety and
interest of situation, but it is wanting in the delicacy
and purity of sentiment that distinguishes " Adam
Blair," nor does it possess the same charm of styles
Though he has published little original poetry his
mind was eminently poetical. He has succeeded in
doing what so many great poets failed to accomplish.
His "Spanish Ballads" have nothing of the stiff
mess of a translation, the language is purely idiomatic
English, while the sentiments have all the lofty
tenderness of Spanish chivalry.
The " Life of Sir Walter Scott," published for the
benefit of that great man's creditors, is the work upon
which Mr. LOCKHART'S literary reputation must rest.
By it he has secured himself a place in the literary
annals of his country from which no caprice of taste
or fashion can efface his name. We believe it is
pretty generally admitted to be the model of bio-
graphical impartiality, in which, while no failure is
veiled or extenuated, the affectionate admiration of
the biographer is fearlessly exhibited.
While pursuing with unflinching energy the
laborious duties his editorial responsibility entailed
upon him, his health was gradually undermined. His
appetite forsook him, he forbore necessary elercise,

1167

he passed hours and days in the unhealthy atmo-
sphere of his study. His nervous excitability became
excessive. In vain were reiterated the warnings of
doctors, the remonstrances and entreaties of friends ; it
was not till actually compelled to intermit his literary
labours that he consented to try the benefit of a milder
air and change of scene. After passing a winter at
Rome, he returned to England in some degree
revived and invigorated. These favourable appear-
ances were, however, fallacious—his worst symptoms
recurred with increasing violenoe ; a removal from
London was deemed advisable ; he retired to Abbots-
ford, the scene of SirWst TER SCOTT'S death-bed, and
where he, too, was ordained to breathe his last. We
wish we could add that his sufferings had been few
and short, but we may say with more satisfaction that
they were endured with patience and resignation.
Mr. Loceusnr, as we have observed, was emi-
nently handsome. Well proportioned in figure, he
was of the ordinary height. His features were regular
and delicate, though strongly defined and full of
character. His eye, keen and bright, glowed with
additional brilliancy under a straight and well-formed
eyebrow. His complexion was clear and transparent,
and in early life his hair flowed in curls of the richest
growth. Much of his comeliness was beyond the
reach of time. If the hair was thinned, its diminished
luxuriance displayed to greater advantage the finely-
formed head and intellectual forehead ; the fire of
the eye remained unquenched, and the pallid cheek
retained its monumental purity. All that was earthly
had disappeared, genius and intellect alone survived.
Those who were best acquainted with Mr. LOCI-.
HART must have observed how rarely he made him-
self the subject of conversation, and with what in-
stinctive reserve he avoided any allusion to his own
works. His keen sense of the ridiculous made him
dread the reputation of egotistical vanity, so fre-
quently attributed to authors, and his good sense
convinced him that the merits of a book cannot be
discussed with advantage between the author and the
critic. Little, therefore, could be learned of his lite-
rary history even in the most confidential intercourse ;
and we have frequently been amused by the uncere-
monious abruptness with which he dismissed the
subject when any literary admirer thought to render
himself acceptable by referring to his works with
praise.
His conversation was as various as his powers and
attainments. Apt to be silent in general society,
he was eager and animated in familiar intercourse,
and, though preferring to listen, he would often take
the lead in conversation to which he was so well en-
titled, and delight and entertain by the soundness
and originality of his remarks and the keenness of
his wit. His silence in general society, which was
often mistaken for superciliousness, was in fact the
result of constitutional shyness, which no familiarity
with the world could overcome. His wit, which too
frequently passed for satire, was but the sprightly
outpourings of a lively fancy involuntarily exhibited,
and intended rather to divert than to wound. He
was keenly alive, it must be admitted, to the foibles
and follies of mankind, yet few men were more indul-
gent to the weaknesses of their friends, or less severe
in their censures of their errors and defects. He dis-
liked censoriousness, and discouraged scandal and
backbiting. Like Swirl., perhaps, he thought ill of
human nature in the aggregate, but was willing to
believe his friends exempted from the vices and
follies he laughed at in mankind.
Punctual and honourable in all his dealings,
and humanely careful not to wound the susceptibility
which in his editorial capacity he was for ever en-
countering, firm and unshaken in his political prin-
ciples, and unflinchingly zealous in the assertion of
them, he was most eminently fitted for the post he
so long retained. Charitable and benevolent in deeds,
if not always in words, he was the friend and adviser
of the indigent author, and frequently, as far as his
limited means permitted, his liberal patron. Though
in the position he held it was impossible he should
not have some enemies, his friends were numerous.
Sincere and consistent in his friendships, the com•
panions of his youth were the friends of his age.
Hospitable, generous, high-minded, and tender-
hearted, his loss will be long lamented by a numerous
. I host of attached and grateful admirers.
stiff-

An exceeding press of matter compels UR to post-
pone all our theatrical and musical notices for this
week. Mr. Alsert Smith at the Egyptian-hall,
Aggravating Sam at the Lyceum, the Sacred Har-
monic Society's performance on Friday evening of
Handel's oratorio Deborah, ➢l. Jnllien's concerts at
Drury Lane, shall all receive due notice in the en-
suing week. We may observe, however, that report
states so successful have M. Jullien's concerts
proveed this season, that it is contemplated to con-
tinue the series for another month at the Royal
Italian Opera-house, Covent-garden.

The conversazione of the Rkinion des Arts, takes
place next Wednesday evening, Dec. 13, at the rooms
in Harley-street