INTRODUCTORY NOTICE OF DE QUINCEY'S LIFE AND WRITINGS. GREAT men seldom appear in the literary hemisphere isolated, "Like a star When only one is shining in the sky," but in brilliant clusters, as in the Augustine age, and in the reign of Elizabeth of England. Such a constellation loomed above the horizon of England near the close of the last century, and shed its effulgence over more than half of the present century. Scott, Byron, Southey, Coleridge, Wordsworth, Lamb, Lan. dor, Rogers, Macaulay, De Quincey, (and may we not add our own Irving?) with others of less magnitude, formed this Orionlike constellation, with its attendant Hyades and Pleiads. - All all have set, excepting the octogenarian, Walter Savage Landor. Thomas de Quincey was one of the last survivors of this glorious band. He died at Edinburgh, December 8, 1859.* * De Quincey left five children. Two sons; one, a Captain in the army, in India; the other, a physician in Brazil. Of his three daughters, the eldest, Mrs. Robert Craig, and the youngest, (unmarried), were with their father at the time of his decease. The other daughter was with her husband, Colonel Baird Smith, in India. His last illness was of short duration. For a long time, however, the earthly tenement had seemed too slight to hold the restless, powerful mind within its narrow bounds. That mind retained its vivid perceptions and its characteristic capaciousness and acuteness till his last fatal illness. Strange that a life held by so frail a tenure should have been continued beyond the threescore and ten years allotted to man! For some years past De Quincey had secluded himself from general society, finding solace and occupation among the mute companions of his library. Occasionally, he went from Lasswade, his home, to Edinburgh, and there he had remained for some months previous to his decease. De Quincey was, by temperament, exceedingly susceptible to all external impressions; indued with a delicate sensibility that thrilled in sympathy with human joy and human woe, as the Eolian harp responds to the lightest breeze, passing over its vibratile chords. Though saddened by the keen sufferings and sorrows of early life, he cast no gloom over the social circle. Even in later years, he was the promoter of innocent mirth, and charmed with his delightful conversation an admiring circle of friends, young and old. In his conversation, De Quincey avoided that usurpation which he so frequently and so severely denounces. Conversation," says some one, "should be like an Orchestra, where every player has his own part to perform." The conversational "Orchestra" in which De Quincey was a performer must have demanded of him a frequent solo. In addition to his remarkable responsiveness, his boundless field of illustration, his felicitous language, his exquisite taste, his aërial fancy, and his odd humor, gave to his conversation its irresistible charm. His manners were polished and refined; yet conciliatory and cordial. Towards women, especially, he was chivalrous in his |