The Press.
London, England, 1857-12-26 00:00:00

THE PRESS, DECEMBER 26,1857.

similar cases in which praise and blame have
been heaped so indiscriminately on a writer.
Though Lord Macaulay, in his history, has called
the " Lives of the Chancellors" "an excellent
" book," there have not been wanting learned
and eminent pens to commemorate the inac-
curacies that abound in this huge work. If in
the clubs and social circles the collected anec-
dotes and gossip of these volumes have been
often cited, we know that the little touches
of egotism, the overflowing self-esteem which
appear in these pages have hoen morosely
carped at and malignantly satirised. A Lord
Chief Justice will always find many indulgent
critics; but, on the other hand, disappointed
talent and blighted prospects will inspire the
spleen of adversaries anxious to aim their
arrows, not at carrion-birds fluttering near
earth, but on the nobler game which soars
triumphantly with defiant and exulting wing.
Tho original publication took place before
this Journal was founded. It is now brought
before us in a " fourth edition," and we are
therefore called on for our critical opinion on
the work considered as a whole.

There is much, truly, to be said on the
merits of the "Lives of the Chancellors," and
the frequent blemishes, and not few defects,
which detract from its literary value. The
idea of the book was happily conceived, its
serial character had unity of form, and the
vigour with which the author carried out his
designs is highly meritorious. In its aim the
work also had much novelty. It was not a
series of brilliant sketches like the portraits by
Lord Brougham ; it was a collection of biogra-
phies, treated with considerable detail. Never
before lin this country did any great official
personage pass in review so many of his his-
torical predecessors. The work was bold in
its tone throughout ; and though the party
bias of the writer was never concealed, yet a
considerable measure of justice was without
grudge allowed to the virtues and the learn-
ing of renowned lawyers of the Tory side,
though we can by no means accept his "ruling"
on the character of Lord Eldon and some
others. At times there was a cumbrous affec-
tation of classical erudition, but it cannot be
said that there was any attempt at what is
called " fine writing." The author taxed his
powers in the statement of his facts, and thus
cared little for the embellishment of his
matter. An anatomist, not an artist, he dis-
sected his characters rather than drew por-
traits of them—narrating much,composing little.
Never refining with exquisite taste, but often
reflecting with admirable shrewdness, Lord
Campbell awakened and sustained interest in
the reader. The main points were always
promptly seized, and he never lost sight of
his subject. Thus the work has a solidity, if
it has not elegance; it arrests attention by its
massiveness, rather than its form ; it has all
the importance of a weighty theme treated
with high practical ability; it has historical
matter for the antiquarian ; it has much
knowledge available for the active politician
it has traits of character for the student of
human nature, curious anecdotes for the
lounger, and is, altogether, a most agreeable
miscellany for the general reader. The dig-
nit} of the author's exalted station and his
experience give weight to his opinions, and
impart judicial gravity even to his edition of
facetia ; and, last of all, in spite of adverse
criticism and persevering detraction, the work
has had popular success.
But, with all these good qualities, the per-
formance wants the magic graces of a classic
and brilliant style. The noble and learned
author led so busy and laborious a life that he
had not leisure to imbue himself either with
the genuine Anglicism of our standard na-
tional authors, or to acquire the masterly con
densation and serene energy of the glorious
productions of antiquity. Whenever Lord
Campbell attempts to discuss purely literary
subjects we can always detect " the cant of
" Lord Jeffreyism." lie has an unformed
taste ; he is not habitually familiar with any
great prose examples. Composition has never
been studied by him as an art. In several of his
" Lives of the Chancellors " Lord Campbell
commences with making a catalogue of the
incidents of the life that he is going to tell,
and he thus produces anti-climax. In dra-
matic writing it is a recognised rule that the