HENRY WILLIAM HERBERT. Xxi 
a teaclier of Greek in the Rev. R. Townsend Huddart’s 
classical and fashionable school, which at that time was 
in Beaver street, near Broadway. The duties of his station, 
and the select company he met with, were too much like 
those at his father’s house at home. Herbert was, like 
Hazlitt, “ an untamable lover of liberty,” and he gradually 
began to write for the press, in a sort of anonymous man¬ 
ner, but with no objection to the pecuniary results. Mak¬ 
ing the acquaintance of the editor of the “ Spirit of the 
Times,” Col. Wm. T. Porter, the “ tall son of York,” Her¬ 
bert’s contributions were gladly received. He then “ did 
up the reviews” for the “Courier and Enquirer,” and 
soon made his mark as a keen and trenchant reviewer. 
Notwithstanding a discovery of these facts, it is due to 
the memory of the deceased to state that he retained the 
most honorable confidence, while giving perfect satisfac¬ 
tion, at Mr. Huddart’s school for eight years. 
In 1834, Herbert’s first historical novel, “The Bro¬ 
thers, a Tale of the Fronde,” was published by the Har¬ 
pers, and was very favorably received by the public. 
Such a writer certainly was an acquisition in those days, 
and the American mind readily acknowledged the au¬ 
thor’s claims to distinction. For some reasons we do not 
understand, and have no wish to interfere with, this work 
has been allowed to go out of print, although it is said 
that the pages are stereotyped, and the plates are in pos¬ 
session of Messrs. Harper, who refuse to allow any further 
use to be made of them. Herbert was for a long time 
known to the public only by the title of “ author of The 
Brothers,” etc., but he never offered the Harpers any 
more of his MSS. A member of that enterprising firm is 
said to have been “hit off” in the “Warwick Woodlands.” 
From 1833 to 1836, Herbert was, more or less, con¬ 
nected with the “American Monthly Magazine,” some¬ 
times writing all the editorial matter, having succeeded 
