The minister who, in terms alike honorable to himself and to the man of letters to whom the dignity was offered, tendered a baronetcy to Southey, and conferred upon him a pension of 300_l._ a year--who gave the same amount to Wordsworth--who gave to James Montgomery 150_l._ a year, and to Tytler, to Tennyson, and to M'Culloch, each 200_l._ a year--who bestowed a pension upon Frances Brown, and gave a 100_l._ a year to the widow of Thomas Hood--who gave the first appointment of his first administration to a son of Allan Cunningham, and placed the sons of Mrs. Hemans in the service of the Crown,--Sir Robert Peel, the man and the minister who could thus recognise the claims of Literature[1], and not, like ministers of old, stipulate for a return in the political support of those whom he so distinguished, was surely a person whose memory the men of letters in this country should not be slow to honour. [Footnote 1: We have confined our remarks to Sir Robert Peel's patronage of Literature; but that patronage was as liberally bestowed upon Science and Art. To him Mrs. Somerville and Sir M. Faraday were indebted for their pensions; and while his friendship with Lawrence, Wilkie, and Chantrey, and his patronage of Collins, Roberts, Stansfield, &c., cannot be forgotten, his prompt and most kind response to poor Haydon's application for assistance, though addressed to him at a moment when plunged in the fiercest political struggle in which he was ever engaged, can never be forgotten.] Let us hope that the moment has arrived when they will do justice to him who was so ready to recognise their claims. Let Lord Mahon or Mr. Hallam, who enjoyed the friendship of Sir Robert Peel, step forward and begin the good work. An appeal from either of them would arouse a host. They would be supported by all who love Literature, from the highest to the humblest. Who can doubt that the author of _Coningsby_ and the author of _Don Carlos_ would rejoice at the opportunity, which would thus be afforded them, of uniting to do honour to the memory of a political opponent, in that character in which he deservedly won the applause of all men--as the judicious and munificent PATRON OF THE LITERATURE OF OUR NATIVE COUNTRY. Notes. SITTING IN BEDE'S CHAIR.