Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-02-18

cften arises from misconceptlon. 1t was as
| tonishing to see him during the composition oi
some great work descend from the height tc
which his imagination had borne him, and dea
at once With complicated transactions, as easl.
ly as if he had been bred and lived as man OF
business only.
In counsel he was singularly wise, and about
the best man to advise with that We ever en-
| countered. There are many persons, and,
among Others some of our leading statesmen,
| who, we are sure, willcon6rm this opinion. 1t
! is needless to say of one in his high position
that he was beset with applications for advice
and assistance Many Of our most eminent
men of letters have been distinguished for the
generosity with which they would give on such
occasions sympathy and aid; but it is impossl-
bic that the warm and honest feeling. which in
spires the wish to give true help to less gifted
or.less fortunate brethern can ever have gfowed
more unfailingly in any heart than 10 Lord
Lytton's. The readers of these words who
know how true this is must be very numerous
Apart from his novels, essays, and poetry,
Lord Lytton had the great merit OF having
written the only dramas which, during the last
thirty years have fairly kept the stage. 1t we
put together all his different attributes as an
author, we can scarcely fail to consider him as a
difficult to say whether we should most admire
the excellence or the versatility. Let us add to
this character the observation how rare it is to
fud these qualities combined with the political
sagacity the oratorical power, and the practl-
cal good sense which distinguished him as
statesman.
To the early part of this notice we said that
our correspondence with Lord Lytton had dur
ing the last six months been even more than
usually busy; and the cause may at once be ex-
planned 1t is, that the tale now appearing IN
our pages, The Parisians,' is from his pen;
and consequently our readers will know that to
the same fertile and powerful hand we owe
another tale, published by our house, The
Coming Race which has achieved a high
reputation, and passed through seven editions
Why he insisted on keeping this a secret we
never could thoroughly understand. But any
cause that existed for secrecy is now, alas re-
moved.
1t was only fortnight before his death that
he seut us the concluding volume Of 'kenelm
Chilingy,' another novel now on the eve of
publication; and early 10 the week of his death,
the bulk of the fourth and last volume of The
Parisians' reached us. He had been long en-
gagged on these two works. 1t Is more than
three years since we read a large portion OF
'kenem ChiIliugly, the MS being obviously
then of 90 recent date; and The Parisians'
had, we know, occupied his mind for still
longer time. From his letters to us, apparent
ly the few remaining pages of the latter book
are written out in the rough. 1t has often
been an interesting study to US to look at and
compare the alterations he made in his MS. as
he never quite obliterated the old text; and
strangely and sadly we shall look now at the
last handiwork of this great leader in literature,
who has maintained his powers and his pre-
eminence to the end
i will we are sure, be pleasing thought to
whose duties as Secretary of Legation at Wen
ma had lattery kept him almost constantly
abroad, but who, on occasion of his recent pro-
motion to the same position at Paris, was n able
for time to visit this country, was thus al1oW
cd. along with his family, to be with Lord Lyt,,
ton during the last two months Of his life; and
the father breathed his last, resting peacefully
in his sons arms.