80 
youngest of his friends amusing and entertaining. Having given 
during the evening some examples of Hood’s power in the 
pathetic and melo-dramatic style, he showed from his letters 
his capabilities in a lighter vein, read one or two of his jocular 
and punning epistles, and quoted one or two of the short 
humorous poems with which Hood’s name is so universally 
associated. 
THE AUTHOR OF “JOHN HALIFAX, 
GENTLEMAN.” 
By ARTHUR E. GRANT. 26th November, 1889. 
Little was said of the beautiful and harmonious life of the 
authoress, not only because there was little to tell, but on 
account of Mrs. Craik’s strong dislike of publicity. On this 
subject she writes in one of her kindly essays with much power 
and feeling, and is emphatic in her condemnation of those who 
drag into the daylight of public notice minute details of the lives 
of celebrities. The object of the essayist was rather to indicate 
her views on important matters, and to draw attention to that 
gentle and womanly charm which characterizes her writings. 
Genius was not hers to command—no sympathetic halo surrounds 
her like that which lends tragic interest to the history of the 
Brontes, she was not one of those whose books became famous 
because they dealt with great national crises or splendid social 
reforms, but she wrote one story which produced an instantaneous 
impression, and which, after thirty-five years, still maintains its 
popularity. Ruskin speaks of ‘ one of the increasing discomforts 
of my old age in never being allowed by novelists to stay long 
enough with people I like,” &c.; and he holds the opinion that 
‘‘for the general good of society the varied energies and 
expanding peace of wedded life, would be better subjects of 
interest than the narrow aim, vain distresses, or passing joys of 
youth.’’ Miss Muloch, in her most successful books, follows the 
line suggested by the Professor—she is most at home in her 
delineation of realistic scenes of domestic comedy and tragedy. 
She was conscious of the enormous influence the novelist wields 
and wrote what she deeply felt. Instances were given of the 
conscientious care she gave to all details. The account of 
Tewkesbury in “John Halifax,’ is said to be a wonderful 
