The sun., 1883-10-31

pensable materials for the social history OF the
England OF the nineteenth century.
Precisely what Mr.. Trollore meant to give us
In this volume may be best explained in his
own words. In writing these pages" he
says. at the outset Of his first chapter lit will
not be so much my intention to speak Of tho
little details Of my private life Of what l. and
perhaps others round me. have done in litera-
ture. Of my failures and successes. such as
they have been. and their causes. and Of the
opening which a literary career offers to men
and women for the earning Of their bread"
Toward the close OF the last chapter we have
an even more explicit definition of his purpose;
in the course Of which. however he does tell us
something by implication about those personal
experiences which are passed over in the book.
: 1t will not. ! trust" he writes In the
last words OF a record which was not to be
perused till the writer was in the grave. be
supposed by any reader that have intended
In this so-cailed autobiography to give a
transcript Of my inner life. No man ever did
so truly. and no man ever will. Rousseau
probably ATTEMPTED it. but who doubts but that
Rousseau has confessed in much the thoughts
and convictions rather than the facts OF his
life? II the rustic Of IA woman's petticoat has
ever stirred my blood. il u cup OF wine has
been Joy to me- II have thought tobacco at
midnight In pleasant company to be one OF the
elements OF an earthly paradise: II now and
again have somewhat recklessy fiuttered a
50 note over II card table. OF what matter is tina.
TO any reader? have betrayed no woman.
Wine has brought me to no sorrow. 1t has
been the companonship OF smoking that |
have loved rather than the habit. have never
desired to win money. and have lost none.
IoenJoy the excitement OF pleasure. but to bs
free from its vices and i'll effects--to have the
sweet. and leave the bitter untasted-thnt has
hoen my study. The preachers tell us that this
Is impossible 1t seems to mo that. hitherto. |
have succeeded fairly well. l will not say that
! have never scorched II fnger-but carry no
u.ly wounds" With reference to the pleasures
that Were leit To him in the evening Of his days.
h" declares. with the modesty that in him Is 30
charming because 1t Is so Enthusiastically gen
uina that can read and be happy while
em reading is u great blessing. Could re-
member rs some men do, what read. should
have been able to call myself an educated IN All.
Eut that power have never possessed. Some
thug is always left, something dim and inac-
eurate but still something sufficient to pre-
serve the taste for more"
Sucn WAS the narrow range OF the disclosures
which Mr.. Trollope believed that II would DO
possible for him to make truthGully and use
fully and We cannot see that he has ever been
led to wander from his indicous purpose by
what he calls in his unaffected humility the
sarulity ~ old ago. In tho first place. Mr.
Trollope WAS not an aged man. in nny proper
meaning Of the word. when this autobiography
was penned-ior hs was but sixty -nve-nnd
certainly there Is no trace OF vagrant and r-
fee'ant discourse in these well ordered and
coherent pages.
Outside ot his natural aptitudes. which will
reveal themselves in the quality OF his per
io'ihahets. his requirements. experiences. and
opportunities may be said TO constitute tho
capital Of II man Of letters and Mr.. Trollupo
Accordingly gives good deal of space to an ac-
count oi his own equipment for a literary voca-
uoh' II" WAS To have rare facilities for the OBJ
heEvation "f English ana Irish life which, US his
readers know. w.re turned to admirable Rc
count. hat he owed comparatively little to enu
catlon. His Youth was rasscd In poverty and
u'seIy. which even in tho well. earned pros
herIty NJ later years he could never recall with
oht u pang. His father who had been a
"yEamist, nni Fellow %! New College. Oxford.
WAS Chancery harrister and at the time
6i AEthony's birth uSi5, was able to af-
lord country house MS we'll ns II
house IN London. But. owing mainly 10 a bal
temper, his clients deserted him. and the in
'estiEeEts and sptculntions 20 VIII ch he then rs
sorted Tor nm income ali went wrong. So that at
The r.riod whom young TraIlope frat began TO
hol'ce what went on around him. his family
hal taken refuge IN n ruined farmhouse. wher-
II struggled with tho sprd.d Iriyations ard
Shabby shifts Of hopeless indigeEce. The
\ !HfmhouSn, II seems was situated within the
parish OF Harrow. aud young Trol!Ope was
tHsrrfore. eligible Ia tho charitable provision
ll sstl.f a.. IL