The Manchester Examiner. — 1848-08-22 (Manchester, Greater Manchester, England)

GEORGE DYER AND CHARLE\ LAMB.—No coutrast could be more vivid than that presente4 by the relatidns of each to the literature they both loved ; one divining its inmost essences, plucking out the heart of its mysteries, shedding light on its dimmest recesses; the other devoted, with equal assiduity, to externals. Books, to Dyer, "were a real world," both pure and good; aiming them he passed, unconscious of time, from youth to extreme age, vegetating on their dates and forms, and "trivial fond records," in the learned air of great libraries, or the dusty-etinfusion of his own, with the least possible apprehension of any human interest vital in their pages, or of any spirit of wit or fancy glancing across them. His life was an Academic Pastoral. Methinks I see his gaunt, awkward form, set off by trousers too short, like those outgrown by a gawky lad,. and a rusty coat as much too large for the wearer, banging about him like those garments which the aristocratic Milesian peasantry prefer to the most comfortable rustic dress; his long head silvered over with short yet straggling hair, and dark grey eyes glistening with faith and wonder, as Lamb satisfies the curiosity which has gently disturbed his studies as to the authorship of the Waverley Novels, by telling him, in the strictest confidence, that they are the works of Lord Castlereagh, just returned from the Congress of Sovereigns of Vienna! Off he runs, with animated stride and shambling enthusiasm, nor stops till he reaches Maiela Hill, and breathes his news into the ear of Leigh Hunt, who, "as a public writer," ought to be possessed of the great fact with which George is laden! Or shall I endeavour to revive the bewildered. look with which, just after he bad been announced one of Lord Stanhope's executors and residuarylegatees, he received Lamb's grave inquiry, "Whether it was true, as commonly reported, that he was to be made a lord?' "0 dear no! Mr. Lamb," responded he, with earnest seriousness, but not without a moment's .. quiverin vanity, " I could not think of such ai : thing; t is not true, I assure you. "I thought not, said Lamb, "and I contradict it wherever I go; but the government will not ask your consent; they may raise you to the peerage without your even knowing it. I hope not, Mr. Lamb; indeed, indeed, I hope not it would not suit me at all," responded Dyer, and went his way, musing on the possibility of a tr sange honour descending on his reluctant brow. Or shall I recall the visible presentment of his bland unconsciousness of evil when his sportive friend taxed it to the utmost, by suddenly asking what he thought of the murderer Williams, who, after destroying two families in Ratcliffeb o dy hadlli g jhuwsat Hy, ehf oartel bbereonk ecno npvrei ys oe dn ibny shocking suicide, od ewshs osne to its cross-road grave! The desperate attempt to compel the gentle optimist to speak ill of a mortal creature produced no happier success than the answer, "Why, I should think, Mr. Lamb, he must have been rather an eccentric character." This simplicity of a nature not only unspotted by the world, but almost abstracted from it, will seem the more remarkable, when it is known that it was subjected, at the entrance of life, to a hard battle with fortune. Dyer was the son of very poor parents, residing in an eastern, suburb of London, Stepney or Bethnal Greenward, where he attracted the attention of two elderly ladies as a serious child, with an extraordinary love for books. They obtained for him a presentation to Christ's Hospital, which he entered at seven years of age; fought his way through its sturdy ranks to its head, and, at nineteen quitted it for Cambridge, with only an exhibition and his scholarly accomplisluts to help him. On he went, however, placid, if not rejoicing, through the difficulties of lifeillustrated only by seholarship ; encountering tremendous labours ; unresting, yet s serene; until at eighty-live he i breathed out the most blameless of lives, which began n a struggle, to end in a learned dream I—Memorials of Lamb, and Sketches of his Companions, by T. N. Ta(fortrd.  WANTED, a MANAGER at aCt Sg oncerri, in the country.—Apply to Mr. E • d sterdine commission agent, 6, Bulls Head Yard, Mark de'  BEN RHYDDING HOTEL & WHARFEDALE HYDROPATHIC ESTABLISHMEN . The Directors of this Establishment are happy in being .le to state that the improvements are now finished, •1 A • hotel as the hydropathic department.—For terms •• . ..lectuses apply to Mr. STRACHAN, house steward, Ben B. ydding, near Otley. August Ist, 1848.