28 GENIUS OF GALT. 



his trials, arising from the conjoint operation of pecuniary reverses 

 and physical visitations, and the manner in which he has borne up 

 under those trials, will need any detailed proofs of this ? 



Sir Walter proved, by his latest productions, that his intellectual fa- 

 culties were as vigorous as ever. Mr. Gait's " Stories of the Study" 

 to notice which is the immediate object of this article establishes 

 the same thing. The work is unequal ; but there are passages in it 

 which will not suffer from a comparison with his most popular pro- 

 ductions. 



The work consists of a series of Tales, fifteen in number. The first 

 and longest is the " Lutherans ;" if it has a fault, it is its very great 

 length. It is quite disproportioned to the others ; indeed, it is 

 longer than all of them put together. It occupies the first and more 

 than the half of the second volume. It is nevertheless a tale of great 

 merit. Its nature will be in some measure inferred from the title. The 

 scene lies in Germany ; the time is the dawning of the Reformation. 

 It chiefly relates to a disputation between certain Lutheran doctors 

 and adherents of the church of Rome, respecting the leading ques- 

 tions then mooted by both parties. The result is the discomfiture of 

 the advocates of the Catholic faith and the consequent renuncia- 

 tion of that faith by the members of some noble families, who 

 were present during the controversy embracing the new creed. Mr. 

 Gait contrives to introduce a number of interesting episodes, which 

 keep up the reader's attention. The whole is worked up with 

 much skill. There are many passages in the tale, of great eloquence 

 and beauty. Here and there we meet with some profound philoso- 

 phic observation an unusual feature in the author's works of fiction. 



Of the other stories, The Dean of Guild/' " The Greenwich 

 Pensioner," and " The Jaunt," are undoubtedly the best. Mr. Gait, 

 in each of these tales, makes his hero speak for himself: and that is 

 done in a singularly characteristic way. These three tales, with one 

 or two others in the books, abundantly confirm what we have pre- 

 viously said of the remarkable fidelity with which Mr. Gait enters 

 into the feelings, and employs the phraseology of the humbler classes 

 especially of his own country. The " Dean of Guild" and " The 

 Jaunt" are on this account wonderful pieces of composition. 



In the remaining tales there is nothing particularly striking. 

 Most of them are interesting ; two or three are unworthy of their 

 author. 



As a whole, " The Stories of the Study" will maintain Mr. Gait's 

 reputation. They have appeared at a most seasonable time. We 

 know of no work that has lately issued from the press better calcu- 

 lated to beguile the tedium of these long winter nights. 



