blame every one. The patient philosopher who is cautious in his position, dubious of his data, slow in his conclusions, must fail at once.' "No man has ever praised very highly Lord Brougham's judgment; but to have exceedingly improved it would perhaps have impaired his earlier utility. You might as fitly employ some delicate lady as a rough-rider, as a man of a poising refining judgment in the task of a grievancestater." "There is a last quality, which is difficult to describe in the language of books, but which Lord Brougham excels in, and which has perhaps been of more value to him than all his other qualities put together. Persons instructed in the German language call it 'the dæmonic element." There is a glare in some men's eyes which seems to say, Beware, I am dangerous; noli me tangere. A mischievous excitability is the most obvious expression of it. If he were a horse, nobody would buy him; with that eye no one could answer for his temper. Such men are not pleasant to be near in a difficulty. They have an aggressive eagerness which is formidable. They would kick against the pricks sooner than not kick at all. A little of the demon is excellent for an agitator." I waited for the train at Coventry; I hung with grooms and porters on the bridge "Lord Brougham would not have waited so. He would have rushed up into the town; he would have suggested an improvement, talked the science of the bridge, explained its history to the natives. "His merit is that he was never idle in his life. He must not complain if he has the disadvantage of it also. "His power of sarcasm, his amazing readiness, his energetic vigor of language, made him, if not a very persuasive, at least a most formidable orator. He has shattered his contemporaries, but he will not charm posterity." Bagehot's unconventional literary criticism is clean and refreshing. Here, for instance, is his outline picture of Milton's "Adam": "Adam is far less successful. He has good hair-'hyacinthine locks' that 'from his parted forelock manly hung, a 'fair large front,' and 'eyes sublime,' but he has little else that we care for. He is very tedious; he indulges in sermons which are good, but . so delight ful a being as Eve must have found him tiresome. She steps away, however, and goes to sleep at some of the worst points." XV EDWARD NOYES WESTCOTT TH 1846-1898 HE author of "David Harum," whose life went out, pathetically, almost on the eve of his novel's phenomenal success, was a banker "from the ground up." After quitting the high school in Homer, N. Y., he became a junior clerk in the Mechanics' Bank of Syracuse. After two years spent in the service of the Mutual Life Insurance Company, in New York city, he returned to Syracuse and resumed his clerkship in the bank. He rapidly rose from clerk to teller and finally was made cashier. He then organized the firm of Westcott & Abbott, bankers and brokers. Not as successful in this venture as he had hoped, he accepted the position of registrar and financial expert on the Syracuse Water Commission. Failing health finally compelled him to retire from business, and, in 1895, then living at Lake Meacham, in the Adirondacks, he began his "David Harum." Freedom from the routine of the banking office, at first a relief, soon became irksome; but he found some measure of relief in writing. His story grew on his hands. He began with what constitutes chap |