ELLIS, HENRY. 



ELLIS, Sir HENRY, K. H., LL. D., F. R. S., 

 F. S. A., an English bibliographer, antiquarian, 

 and author, for fifty-six years connected with 

 the British Museum, born in London, Novem- 

 ber 29, 1777; died there, November 15, 1869. 

 He was educated at the Merchant Tailors' 

 School, and at St. John's College, Oxford, 

 where he graduated A. B., in 1799, and B. 0. 

 L., 1802; was assistant-librarian of the Bod- 

 leian Library, at Oxford, in 1797 and till 1800; 

 in 1800 he was temporarily employed as an 

 assistant at the British Museum; in 1805 he 

 was appointed Assistant-Librarian; in 1806, 

 Keeper of the Printed Books; in 1812 trans- 

 ferred to the Department of Manuscripts ; and 

 in 1814 appointed Secretary. In 1827 he was 

 made Principal Librarian of the Museum, and 

 continued in that position till 1856, when he 

 resigned. From 1849 to 1856 he also served 

 as Secretary of the Museum. He was Secre- 

 tary of the Society of Antiquaries from 1813 

 to 1854, and Director of the Society from 1854 

 to 1858, and edited their annual volumes of 

 Archceologia, collecting valuable documents for 

 it, and occasionally, though rarely, adding some 

 important essays of his own. Aside from this 

 labor, Sir Henry was, during his long career, 

 constantly engaged in literary labors, mostly 

 rather in the way of editing and compiling 

 than in the production of original works. He 

 edited in this way, with many valuable anno- 

 tations, and prefaces, and memoirs, three of the 

 fifteen volumes quarto of " Old English Chron- 

 icles ;" two volumes quarto of " Brand's Ob- 

 servations on Popular Antiquities;" a "Gen- 

 eral Introduction," in two volumes, 8vo, to 

 " Domesday Book ;" a very elaborate edition 

 of Dugdale's "Monasticum Anglicanum," in 

 eight quarto volumes ; Dugdale's " History of 

 St. Paul's Cathedral," with large additions, in 

 one volume; twelve volumes of "Original 

 Letters Illustrative of English History," the 

 letters being selected with excellent judgment 

 by Sir Henry; four volumes for the "Library 

 of Entertaining Knowledge," on the Elgin, 

 Phigalean and Townley Marbles in the British 

 Museum ; seven or eight volumes, and parts 

 of volumes, for the Camden Society, and the 

 "Latin Chronicle of John of Oxenedes," for 

 the Master of the Rolls. He received the 

 Hanoverian Guelphic Order of Knighthood 

 from William IV., in 1833 ; was elected a Fel- 

 low of the Society of Antiquaries in 1807, and 

 of the Royal Society in 1811. He was also a 

 Fellow of the Geological Society, Vice-Presi- 

 dent of the Royal Literary Fund, and mem- 

 ber of most of the learned and antiquarian 

 societies of the Continent of Europe. 



EUROPE. During the year 1869 affairs in 

 Europe were of a more peaceful character 

 than in 1868. In Spain, the political excite- 

 ment attending the reconstruction of the coun- 

 try led several times to violent outbreaks. 

 The majority of the Cortes, in union with the 

 Government, showed themselves bent upon 

 restoring the monarchical form of government, 



EUROPE. 



247 



while the Republican party, being apparently 

 a minority of the people, but fully controlling 

 most of the large cities and several provinces, 

 showed itself determined to leave no means, 

 including even an appeal to arms, untried to 

 secure to the country the most popular form 

 of self-government, through the establishment 

 of republican institutions. These attempts 

 were, however, unsuccessful ; the Govern- 

 ment made its authority respected by prompt 

 and energetic action, and came at length to 

 the understanding with the majority of the 

 Cortes that the most suitable candidate for the 

 throne would be the Duke of Genoa, nephew 

 of King Victor Emmanuel of Italy. At the end 

 of the year no election had, however, been 

 held. (See SPAIN.) 



The Spanish Government remained unwa- 

 vering in its determination to subdue the 

 revolution in Cuba, continued throughout the 

 year to send reinforcements of troops to the 

 island, and declined to enter into any diplo- 

 matic negotiations concerning it with other 

 powers. At the close of the year the war 

 was not ended. (See CUBA.) 



In France, new elections took place for the 

 Corps Legislatif, which proved that the Oppo- 

 sition was gaining a little more ground, and a 

 great deal more courage. The city of Paris 

 elected many of the most violent Republicans 

 of France, adding, to those who were in the 

 Legislative body before, such men as Bancel, 

 Gambetta, Raspail, Rochefort, Emmanuel Ara- 

 go, and others. In a number of large cities, 

 tumults occurred at the elections, all of which 

 were easily quelled. The Emperor was, how- 

 ever, induced by these movements to make, 

 on opening the Chambers in November, far- 

 going promises of liberal reforms, inviting an 

 abandonment of the principle of personal, 

 and a restoration of constitutional or parlia- 

 mentary government. This change of govern- 

 ment satisfied moderate Liberals, like Ollivier, 

 while the more advanced Radicals will be sat- 

 isfied with nothing short of the reestablish- 

 ment of the republic. (See FEANCE.) 



In Great Britain, the Liberal Ministry of 

 Gladstone carried one of the greatest reform 

 measures in the history of the country during 

 the present century, the disestablishment of 

 the Anglican Church in Ireland, to a success- 

 ful end. The House of Lords made a faint at- 

 tempt to use its power and interpose its veto, 

 but the threat of the Government, that in such 

 a case it would appeal to the country, made 

 the Lords at once recede from their position. 

 The next great question, which is likely to en- 

 gage the attention of Parliament during the 

 coming year, is the land reform. (See GEEAT 

 BRITAIN.) 



The Liberal Ministry of Austria continues to 

 grapple courageously with the immense diffi- 

 culties which obstruct the reconstruction and 

 consolidation of the empire. Hungary is fully 

 reconciled, for she obtained all she wanted ; 

 but two other powerful nationalities of the 



