The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1855-02-17


From ,Ac Tribune.
The London journals received by the Pa
!.orkhart as having taken place on the 18th
OF November. His health lial been failing
for the las: two or three ycar~ and in 1913,
hc made an intellectual, attempt or It's improve
mcnt Iv travelling on ,hcronlincnt
I.ockhar was wei known in the world of
letters. by several iiciiou< productions OF con-
siderable mcr, /; but his claim to distinction
mainly rests on his biography ct SIR Walter
scott, and his connection as cli,or-in-chict
with The Quarterly Review" lie was the
son OF a GLASGOW clergyman: and originally
intended for the profession of law. com
mcnccd lis academic c'nca,o>- 1T the 'nivcr-
-, rt,.. wl!ICii fc completed at but!-
ol College, Oxford Nmii;cl to the Scot
ti>h bar ne ma!c no pro.rt in the lcral ca
rrcr,--l his professional zee. falling >lo.t Of
$50 year HI in.IiHptiou led Lii" to a liz
cyarr vocation. and from The FIRST he relied
ior eurpor; on ;hc lro'inction> OF lis ncn.-
Ai.r Ike peace Of $50 he wcu. ~ Gcrmanl
for purposes OF study. anl became rir.intc'l
with several Of the DISTINGUISHED authors OF
that country. Here he lad the io:n!.ron
for lbs l,nowlcd-c o: German li;craturc. in
which he subsequently attained rncor':non
proticicn
ll;> first mcctin. with Scott was IN ISIS.
after his return from Germany. y few months
atjrrwarl, he published Tie work entitled
"prtcr> Letters to his Kn>io.k." which soon
became famous for lis eo~>ippin- sketches Of
the most popular celebrities ,hcn on the
STAGE. and It's cau>ic satire OF the writer
personal and political opponents. At a later
a book which none but 4 very vonny and Il
very 'iouchtlc>> prr>on would have written.
In lN2o. he published 'Nalcrius, asRoman
Story" which attained certain degree of
clnincncc, and is now regarded as an unconl-
monty successful Specimen or the clas>ica.
novel. This was followed by "Ecginad Dal-
ton" adam Blair" ana .,Gibcrt Earle
which made marNed impression on the pub
lie mind. both Ivy the ,cor OF their STYLE. and
their effective dcilncation of passion. His
Life OF Burns appeared in 1S23, as con
: tribution 10 "ConSta ,lc's MISCELLANY" and in
> the same year he took the place Of Clifford as
editor of The Quarterly Review" Upon
; the dcccasc of his ilustriotlS tatlcr-in-aw
; Sir Walter Scott, he commenced the prcpa-
. ration OF materials ior his life. which in due
= season he embodied i. the memoirs, that III
spite OF numerous j. ,'>:1;. temper and exc
cution, form one OF the mos. tascinain. piece:
Of biography in tI:c language.
The personal character of Lockhart ap
pears to have been unamiablc and rcrul>ivc
He was Of a sccrtical disposition, satirist, F;
scotlcr, a truculcnt and vindictive cncmv-
:, His management OF "Thc Quarterly Review
was marked by the absence of literary con
scientiousneSs. iicrcencsS of prejudice oftc;
tinged with maIcnity, and a cynical con
tempt OF every noble and generous sentiment
In notice of the deceased one of the lead
ING London journals remarks -
".\ll the world was always aware of tn
II sins Of The Quarterly, under Lockhart
&c management; and the best informed had caus
t. to view them the most severely. Ever, bod
# knew how the publisher was now and thcl
compelled TO rc-publi>h. as they had origin
:. allv stood articles which had been intcrpola
a ted by Croker and Lockhart (whose name
J. were always associated in regard to the re
At vicw). with libeis and malicious Jokes Ii
n their rcckles>ncss they drew upon tlcmselve
v an amount of rcprobation in literary circle
which thin->kinned men could never hay
:: endured. Now. the Young author OF ii father
= biography was invited i,v the editor TO sen,
II hi,, early iruot-slltct~, Tor The benefit OF
lc S.cruv review : aI.,. ti.c review uid what
4, could t. liai.l. IL. Uou- le!ol. Ii was fail