The Victorian era was noted for the issue of many books which sent a thrill of excitement through both the religious and intellectual world. It was in 1867 that "Essays and Reviews" was published, and as it contained contributions by some of the leading men of that period, it greatly influenced the tendency towards liberty of thought and helped forward the period when human life and reason should have its consideration as well as the supernatural. Darwin's "Origin of Species" was still a living influence, although published in 1859, and undoubtedly prepared the way for such men as Huxley and Herbert Spencer. It is not too much to say that these, with other books by men of like opinions, created the spirit of reason and toleration which is having its effect upon the life and education of to-day. The Victorian era has also been termed the age of the novelist. To a certain extent that is true, as we undoubtedly had during Queen Victoria's reign some of the greatest authors of fiction that this nation has ever produced. To confirm this it is only necessary to mention the names of such men as Charles Dickens, W.M. Thackeray, George Meredith, Thomas Hardy, R.D. Blackmore, H.S. Merriman, C. Kingsley, S.R. Crockett, Charles Reade, Anthony Trollope, Wilkie Collins, Charles Lever, Lord Lytton. All of these authors still have a large number of readers and admirers and their circulation has been enormous. It is perhaps a debatable question whether the female novelists of this period will live as long as the male novelist. Undoubtedly there were many whose works had very important sales, such as Charlotte Brontë, Mrs. Henry Wood, Miss Braddon, Miss Muloch, Miss C.M. Yonge, Edna Lyall, Mrs. Sewell, Mrs. Oliphant, with many others; but I think it very doubtful if a collected edition, from a literary point of view, of many of these authors will ever be undertaken by a publisher.