NOVEMBER in 



a work of genius, and at the same time of great labour. 

 He is a man of humble birth, but of an exalted mind ; and 

 that, I am sure, you will think better than being " some 

 tenth transmitter of a foolish face " ! In religious works 

 I have best liked Butler's " Analogy " and " Sermons," 

 Taylor's and South's sermons, Paley's " Evidences," all 

 Whateley's works especially his " Eomish Errors " and 

 the " Peculiarities of Christianity " and Davison on pro- 

 phecy. This is a work which will survive the present day. 

 Its author is just dead, prematurely. He was a man of 

 great powers of mind, but his health prevented him 

 from sustaining any great intellectual labour. Summer's 

 " Eecords of the Creation " is a very instructive work as 

 well as a most interesting one. I should like to recommend 

 to you also Southey's " Life of Wesley." It is not very 

 easy to get it, but I am sure it would well repay you for 

 reading. Among lighter books I will mention Scott's 

 " Lives of the Novelists." It is not only a very interesting 

 book, but there is a great deal of sound criticism in it 

 particularly, for instance, in his lives of Richardson and 

 Fielding and it would be well if the generality of novel- 

 readers had some fixed and firm certain principles of 

 taste by which to judge of the merits of what they read. 

 I was much struck, I assure you, with your remarks upon 

 the " Admiral's Daughter " to my sister. The criticism 

 seemed to me as just as it was well expressed. What I 

 had objected to in the work was the intention of placing 

 the man of intellect and of cultivation in unfavourable 

 contrast with the man of impulse and feeling. You will 

 say that religion made the difference ; but I am not aware 

 that anything which is good in the good man is supposed 

 to arise from the presence of religion. But I will not 

 write you a letter, though I feel as if I could go on for 

 ever. No. I fear, for so long as you desire it, all direct 

 communication must cease between us. I doubt not you 



