Ube f>on. (Brantlep jf. 3Berfeele 453 



was editor. Not content with abusing the book as 

 " stupid, ignorant, vulgar, and contemptible," " in 

 inception the most impertinent as in execution it is the 

 stupidest that it has ever been our misfortune to read," 

 "quite decisive of the character of the author as a 

 gentleman," the reviewer went on to rake up the 

 Berkeley scandal. 



Here is a specimen of the sort of thing which in those 

 days the editor of a periodical of the rank of Eraser's 

 Magazine thought fit to insert in his criticism of a novel : 

 " We are far from being desirous to insult, as the paltry 

 author of the book does, the character of a woman : but 

 when matters are recorded in solemn judgments there can 

 be no indelicacy in stating that Mr. Grantley Berkeley's 

 mother lived with Mr. Grantley Berkeley's father as his 

 mistress and that she had at least one child before she 

 could induce the very old and stupid lord to marry her." 



That was a cruel and dastardly stab which admits of 

 no extenuation or excuse. But this was not all. The 

 book was dedicated to Lady Euston, for whom the 

 author expressed feelings of " admiration and affection." 

 The reviewer, fastening like a stoat on the word 

 " affection," bade the Earl of Euston look to his honour 

 and horsewhip the author for presuming to offer his 

 " libertine addresses " to the Countess ! 



That any man of spirit should tamely submit to such 

 an abominable outrage as this was not to be expected, 

 and those who have branded Grantley Berkeley's 

 subsequent conduct as cowardly, cannot, I think, have 

 taken the trouble to ascertain the nature and extent of 

 the provocation he had received. 



