Sad vision of a man of genius, as Hook certainly was, assiduously pickling his prerogative, and selling his birth-right for the hard and thankless servitude of pleasing idle hours and pampered vanities. The expenses, the debts, the secret drudgery, the splitting head-aches and heart's misery he incurred, in order to maintain his false position in these circles, are well known; and furnish one more warning to men of genius and wit, of how dearly, how ruinously they have to pay for an invitation to a great dinner, and a smile from his Grace. The man of moderate means who usually dines at home, saves money besides his independence; but the man who is always "dining out" let him look to his pocket, as well as his soul. Mr. Hood, in private, offers a marked contrast to all that has been said of Theodore Hook. In nothing, perhaps, more than in this-that Hook was audible, and full of vent," and Hood is habitually retiring and silent. Mr. Hood was originally intended for an engraver; but abandoned the profession, probably because a "graver" could not be found. Mr. Hook displayed a dashing physique; Mr. Hood rather resembles a gentleman of a serious turn of mind, who is out of health. Within this unpromising outside and melancholic atmosphere, lie hidden, and on the watch, a genius of quaint humour, a heart of strong emotions, and a spirit of kindliness towards all the world. HARRIET MARTINEAU AND MRS. JAMESON. "Therefore she walks through the great city, veiled 'Gainst scorn, and death, and pain, thus trebly mailed. "A thousand winged Intelligences daily -Thou shalt command all Arts, As handmaids."-MICROCOSMUS. "I meant the day-star should not brighter rise, Only a learned and a manly soul I purposed her; that should, with even powers, The rock, the spindle, and the shears controul Of destiny, and spin her own free hours."-BEN JONSON. HARRIET MARTINEAU, in whose powers of keen observation, clear thought, patient study, and untiring energy, guided always by singleness of purpose in the pursuit of truth, we should naturally have found promise of a long career of constantly progressive intellectual labour, has been withdrawn by disabling illness from the active course which from her youth she had worthily pursued. Had it been otherwise, a review of the character of her mind and writings must have been conducted as only an examination of one portion of their manifestations, and must have been prophetic as well as retrospective. As it is, it must bear something of the impress of finality. Yet, it will not be worthy of its subject if on that account it is tinged with regret or complaint. In her consistent and well-ordered mind, nothing akin to such a feeling has found a place. We did not require to be told that she has endured the ordeal, peculiarly hard to one of her active habits, with cheerfulness, courage, and faith in "the soul of good ness in things evil." The few works she has published since her illness have been addressed to the young, and written in a tone of entire sympathy with their buoyant life. This shows a singular freshness of spirit maintained throughout the languor and suffering of the bodily frame. The moral influence emanating from her sick room, and hitherto exerted over the circle of her friends, has by her volume of essays just published, extended itself more widely. Of this beautiful volume we shall speak in its place. It is a pathetic illustration of the way in which "They also serve who only stand and wait." Harriet Martineau was born in the year 1802, one of the youngest among a family of eight children. Her father was a proprietor of one of the manufactories in Norwich, in which place his family, originally of French origin, had resided since the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. She has herself ascribed her taste for literary pursuits to the extreme delicacy of her health in childhood; to the infirmity (deafness) with which she has been afflicted ever since, which without being so complete as to deprive her absolutely of all intercourse with the world, yet obliged her to seek occupations and pleasures within herself; and to the affection which subsisted between her and the brother nearest her own age, the Rev. James Martineau, whose fine mind and talents are well known. The occupation of writing, first begun to gratify her own taste and inclination, became afterwards to her a source of honourable independence, when by one of the disasters so common in trade, her family became involved in misfortunes. She was then enabled to reverse the common lot of unmarried daughters in such circumstances, and cease to be in any respects a burthen. She realized an income sufficient for her simple habits, but still so small as to enhance the integrity of the sacrifice which she made to principle in refusing the pension offered to her by Government in 1840. Her motive for refusing it, was, that she considered herself in the light of a political writer, and that the offer did not proceed from the people, but from the Government which did not represent the people. The list of works published by Harriet Martineau is 1 sufficient of itself to prove her great industry and perseverance in a course once begun. It will be seen that she published early in life, and that the series of her works proceeds with scarcely a break, year by year, onward to the period of her illness. Full as it is, it does not comprehend her numerous contributions to periodical literature, some of which are among the most valuable of her compositions. The list is as follows: 1823.-"Devotional Exercises, for the use of Young Persons." 1824 & 5.-" Christmas Day, or the Friends," a tale. "The Friends."Second Pirt. 1826.- Principle and Practice," a tale. "The Rioters." Prayers, and Original Hymns." 1827." Mary Campbell," a tale. 1829.-"Sequel to Principle and "My Servant Rachel," a tale. "The Turn Out," a tale. "Addresses, Practice," a tale. Tracis, for Houlston. "The Essential Faith of the Universal "Five Years of Youth," a tale. 1830.-"Traditions of Palestine." Church," (Prize Essay.) 1831. The Faith as unfolded by many Prophets," (Prize Essay.) "Providence as manifested through Israel." (Prize Essay.) 1832, 3, & 4.-"Illustrations of Political Economy," "Illustrations of Taxation," tales. "Poor Laws and Paupers Illustrated," tales. In this interval Miss Martineau went to America. 1837. Society in America." "How 1838.-" Retrospect of Western Travel." "Letter to the Deaf." to observe Morals and Manners." "The Maid of All Work," (Guide to Service.) "The Lady's Maid." The 1839.-" Deerbrook," a novel. "The Housemaid," (Guide to Service). 1840. The Dressmaker," with technical aid. (Guide to Trade.) Hour and the Man," a Romance. 1841.- The Playfellow," 4 vols., viz. ;-"The Settlers at Home." "The Peasant and the Prince." "Feats on the Fiord." "The Crofton Boys." From these works, the authoress would doubless, like all those who have published early in life, gladly expunge some of the earliest. Yet there is not one among them which is out of keeping with the rest. All are written with a moral aim, in some higher, in others lower, but always apparent; all are remarkable for a free, clear, and unaffected style, which in her later productions is admirable from its lucid distinctness and simple force; and the whole taken together evince a continual improveability and progression, an undoubted sign of the possession on the part of the writer, of a mind open to and earnest for truth. The year 1830 marks an epoch in the mind we are studying the works from that period assume a higher tone, and have in general a higher aim. The "Traditions of Palestine" was a beautiful conception executed in a spirit of love and poetry which throws a charm over its pages. The period in which Jesus Christ ful U filled his mission on earth, the people among whom he dwelt, the scenes in which he moved, the emotions he awakened, the thoughts he kindled, all are portrayed in a series of descriptions; while He himself (with that true art which has in this instance been instilled by reverence) is never introduced in person. This little book must kindle pure and holy thoughts wherever it is read. The three Prize Essays published in this and the following year by the Association of Unitarian Dissenters, to which Miss Martineau belongs, display some of the chief powers of her mind. At this period she began her contributions to the "Monthly Repository;" these were sometimes original essays, tales, or poetry; sometimes reviews of metaphysical or theological works. Among the most excellent, we may notice the "Essays on the Art of Thinking," on the "Religion of Socrates," and "True Worshippers;" but above all, the poem for the month of August, in a series by different authors, entitled "Songs of the Months." All these literary labours were coincident with the design which was afterwards accomplished in the “Illustrations of Political Economy." She has herself ascribed the original idea of this successful work to the reading of Mrs. Marcet's" Conversations on Political Economy" which made her perceive that in her own tales entitled the "Rioters" and "The Turn-Out," she had written political economy as M. Jourdain spoke prose, without knowing it. The question which thence presented itself, as to why all the doctrines of the science should not be equally well illustrated by fiction, was followed by a resolution to risk the publication of her Tales. The plan had been rejected by the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. They could not see that any practical knowledge or truth was to be conveyed through the medium of fiction, which they regarded in all its forms as light reading, in direct opposition to weighty facts. The leading publishers, probably had a similar impression; and would not accept the work. At length one was found who undertook the enterprise, and at the end of a month complete success was certain. The books were in everybody's hands; the new number was watched for at the beginning of every month; edition was called for after ediion; translations into French and German were made; |