The Kansas herald of freedom., 1859-10-15
DisceIIaqeops.
Leigh Hunt

We regret to announce the death of the
charming essayist, Leigh Hunt. This pop
ular author was the son of a clergyman
of the Church of England, and was born
at SOuthgate, in Middlesex, October 18th.
1884 His father was West Indian, and
his mother Philadelphian but at the
period of the American Revolution his
father, who was then in the law, took the
British side in politics, and manifested
his loyalty to the Crown so warmly that
he was forced to fly to England. Having
taken orders, he was for some time tutor
to Mr.. Leigh, the nephew of the Duke of
Chandos, who had seat at Southgate.
Leigh Hunt received his education at
Christ's Hospital, like his friends Cole
ridge and Lamb. About the time of his
coming of age, he assisted his brother
John in the establishment of Sunday
paper, the Netos, to which he contributed
theatrical criticisms that brought new
tone of writing and independence into
that department of the press. He had
previously been employed in the Office of
his brother Stephen, an attorney, but had
relinquished that employment for a stu
alton in the War Office, which he gave up
on becoming, in 1903, founder and Joint
proprietor of the Examiner. This journal
he edited for many subsequent years, and
rendered it exceedingly popular. Some
remarks, by no means of personal char
acter, directed against the practice of fog
ging in the army, became the subject of a
prosecution, and the trial came on before
Lord Ellenborough, 22d of February,
1911. He was acquitted. But this was
not to be the last of the Hunts appear
ances in the law courts. A fashionable
newspaper having called the Prince Re
gent an Adonis, Leigh Hunt, in fit of in
dignation at the Regents having broken
his promise to the Wings, added-"of fif-
ty." The princes vanity triumphed over
his discretion, and on the pretended ground
Of some words of more serious import a
third prosecution was instituted. The
jury upon this occasion found a verdict of
guilty against Leigh Hunt and his brother
John, and each was sentenced to pay a
fine of $500, and to suffer two years i'm
prisonment. Offers not to press the PEN
alties were made on condition that no
similar attacks should appear, but were
with constancy rejected. Upon their lib
Grafton the Hunts continued to write as
before, and maintained the Examiner at
the head of the weekly metropolitan
press till It's fortunes paled for awhile be-
fore the Tory ascendancy above mention.
ed, from which it was redeemed by the
wit of Mr.. Fonblanque. Meanwhile
Leigh Hunt, on the invitation of hi:
frfapI, GL.1Io,, Il 60
set up the Liberal in Italy, where, aftei
the almost immediate loss of the former
he continued to reside for about fou
years, a small portion of which was passed
under the same roof with Lord Byron
but not happily. In the year 1647 th'
Queen, at the recommendation of LorC
John Russell, bestowed on him pension
of $500 year. Among the more impor
tant of his poetical works are his "Csptair
Sword and Captain Pen y the "Palfrey;'
the collection of his narrative poems en-
titled "Stories in Verse :" and his "Ls
gend of Florence" play in five acts
which we may mention as being favor
ite with her Majesty, who went seve-a
times to see it performed at Covent Gar
den, and. moreover, had it played befor
her at Windsor. First on the list of hi
prose works we may place his "Sir Ralpl
Esher," novel, or rather fictitious auto
biography of gentleman of the court @
Charles II. Then follows long list G
volumes, some Of which take their plac
in the standard literature of the country
the Indicator ;" the Companion th
"Seer p "Men, Women, and Books" 9Th
latter including articles from the E9ir
burgh and other ReUietcs } "Stories froI
the Italian Poets, with Critical Lives {
them all - "rsble Talk - the melang
of criticism and story, entitled "a Jar
Honey from Mount Hybla !" the critic.
essays and selections entitled "Imagini
ton and Fancy, Wit and Humor )" thrt
volumes of Autobiography, comprising
corrected and final account Of his relation
with Lord Byron; the Religion of Il
Heart" manual Of faith and duty, a
cording to the authors opinion on the:
subjects; the "Town, its Memorial
Characters and Events" Owo volumes
metropolitan anecdote and survey y al
two other volumes Of like nature, und
the title of the sold Court Suburb
Among the long list of his translatio
may be ementioned Tasso's "Aminta," al
Redfs "Bacco in Toscana - from 4
French, not whit less admirably tran
lated, perhaps, he has rendered the
nous "Lutriz" of Boileau. To his cri
cal productions may be added (by reas
OF their copious notices and comment
his edition of the plays of Wycherlt
Congreve, and Farquhar, and his cole
tons from prose writers and poets, und
the various titles Of IA Hundred
mances of Real Life" "a Book for C,
ner," and beaumont and Fletche
which last is collection of the least {
jectionable passages from those write
made for the purpose of enabling famil
to become acquainted with them. Ma
ofthe essays and poems gathered by Lei
Hunt into some of the volumes abe
named. originally appeared in various
rodieal publications Of his editing, 81