Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-05-05
&@ %~@@
student. Note. and questions,

1. II. A. Pages Life of De Quin-
cey." published in two volumes in 1851
is the standard life" but perhaps or
binary readers will scarcely have time
TO read IT. (Scribners: one-volume edl-
ton, S2.5O) An easily accessible work
is Prof. David Masson's monograph in
The English Men of Letters series.
me student who has access to n good
library will find delight In consultine
j. Il. Findlays Personal Recollcctions
of Thomas de Quincy" edinburgh: A.
Il c. Blaclt), published IN 1856 from
notes taken by the author. with no
view TO their possible publication, al
a time when De Quincy, 20 years or
are. was one OF The most !nterestine
literary personages living AS an in.
stance Of the effect of opium on the
system. Mr.. Findlay states in these
Recoiicctions' that in November, 1854.
De Quincy told him that his leg wa,
quite black from the foot to consid-
crably above the knee"
:: IL possible Hosg's "Dc Quincy
and His Friends" should be consulted
collection of personal rccollcctions.
Gouvenirs ana anecdotes" Nondon:
samson Low, Marston &, Coz. We
doubt If any one interested in Dc
Quincy. when once he has taken m
this delightful volume, Will be within.
10 lay it aside until he has nnisilcl II
Mr.. HogS had exceptional facilities for
seeing and knowing DC Quincy an
ing number OF years.
.. we presume there are few of orr
students who have not heard OF the
famous Dictionary of National Bloc.
raphy," edited by Leslie Stephen-iho
most complete, the most authentic ,ho
most excellent in style Of all publica-
tons OF that sort in the world II
hapPens that the article on De Ouin
Gey IN the Dictionary" is written bv
Leslie stephen, the editor of the work
and this gives us an opportunity of
mentioning II. Of course it will he un-
oerstood that this national dlction-
ary' IS wholly confined to British M.
tional biography.
.. Ihacteray used to say that ba
never read autobiography" except thai
or the Robinson Crusoe sort witho,,t
olstrustinG IT.. We do not know whcth-
er he would have dstrusted De 0uin-
cey's "nutobiography' or not far =
was not published in collected form nm
I'll after ThacSeray's death. Howayer
any reader who may have n. reiish fn,.
autobiography that is not formal h,,t q
series Of dream-like pictures expressed
in English of the most mastery sort
will, we feel sure. find delisht +, 'I H. =,
Quincey's "Autobicgraphcal Sketches,,
Edinburgh: a. & g. Elack)
o. Houghton, Minin d Co. Boston
may be called the historical publishcrs
OF LIE Qulncey'S writings. They pub
fish number of them in inexpensive
form for students use. We would es-
pecially commend their Beauties from
the Writings of De Quincy,
QUESTIONS.
/. What famous New England family
is an offshoot of the same stock as thar
from which the family of Thomas De
Quincy was derived?
2 De Quincy could write Greek at Is
and converse nucnty in Greek at Ii.
what two other great Englishmen,
younger contemporaries of De Quincy.
were similarly proficient in classical
scholarship at very early age?
.. DE Quincy was the son of moth
er or strict evangelical principles. and
this fact had considerable to do with
inc quality of his early education. What
other great Englishman. contcmpo-
rary oil De Quincey's, was the son of a
father OF strict evangelical principles
the fact having similarly to 40 with the
Quality of his early education?
T. De Quincy. though he attended
co!lege, did not win university honors
nor did he take a university degree
What other four or five great English
men OF letters. contemporaries of De
Quincy. were similarly negligent of the
supposed advantages of university edu-
cation?
8. De Quincy was most disorderly in
the care Of his papers. etc. He would
stay In a lodging until ne was literally
showed up with the accumulations
of papers, books. pamphlets, ETC.. that
gathered about him. Then he would
lock the door, put the key in his pock-
ct and. betake himself to another