INTRODUCTION. 



YIELDING to no one in love for the beautiful in Art and in 

 Nature, or in veneration for whatever is great and good and 

 noble in the human family, the preparation of the life 

 of the man whose works are pre-eminently entitled to be 

 classed with the former, and whose whole life and character 

 so imperatively demand for him a proud place amongst the 

 latter, has to me been a " labour of love," and one in 

 which I have taken more than usual delight. 



The task has been one of serious labour, but fully com- 

 mensurate with that labour has been the pleasure I have felt 

 in prosecuting and completing my task. To me, in literary 

 matters, it has ever appeared that the heavier the toil, 

 the pleasanter will be the result. There is, in my opinion, 

 but little credit and less satisfaction in accomplishing a 

 work which takes no trouble. It is the hard literary digging 

 the throwing up of heavy spadesful of soil, in the hope of 

 finding even one little bulb which may germinate and add 

 its beauties to those that are already garnered or are yet 

 to come which brings with it enjoyment and satisfaction. 

 It is but small merit to compile a work from data and 

 materials ready "cut and dried" to one's hand. It is the 

 getting together of those materials that constitutes the 

 credit, and brings with it a gratifying reward. 



