I am glad to take this opportunity of thanking those who have helped me, and who will not let me speak my thanks direct. It is a pleasant thought that while working amongst the literary men of the past, I have received nothing but kindness from those of to-day. First and foremost to Mr. George Augustus Sala, to whom I am infinitely indebted; also to Mrs. Huntingford, Mrs. and Mr. Frederick Chapman, Mr. Henry M. Trollope, Dr. W. F. Fitz-Patrick, and Mr. S. C. Hall: to all these, as well as to my own personal friends, I offer my hearty and sincere thanks. M. E. W. CONTENTS PAGE JOSEPH ADDISON 1 HARRISON AINSWORTH 4 JANE AUSTEN 7 FRANCIS, LORD BACON 10 JOANNA BAILLIE 12 BENJAMIN, LORD BEACONSFIELD 15 JEREMY BENTHAM 17 RICHARD BENTLEY 20 JAMES BOSWELL 21 CHARLOTTE BRONTË 24 HENRY, LORD BROUGHAM 27 ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING 34 JOHN BUNYAN 36 EDMUND BURKE 39 ROBERT BURNS 42 SAMUEL BUTLER 47 GEORGE, LORD BYRON 47 THOMAS CAMPBELL 51 THOMAS CARLYLE 55 THOMAS CHATTERTON 58 GEOFFREY CHAUCER 61 PHILIP, LORD CHESTERFIELD 63 WILLIAM COBBETT 66 HARTLEY COLERIDGE 70 SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE 74 WILLIAM COLLINS 77 WILLIAM COWPER 79 GEORGE CRABBE 81 DANIEL DE FOE 83 CHARLES DICKENS 86 ISAAC D’ISRAELI 91 JOHN DRYDEN 94 MARY ANNE EVANS (GEORGE ELIOT) 98 HENRY FIELDING 102 JOHN GAY 105 EDWARD GIBBON 107 WILLIAM GODWIN 110 OLIVER GOLDSMITH 112 DAVID GRAY 114 THOMAS GRAY 116 HENRY HALLAM 118 WILLIAM HAZLITT 120 FELICIA HEMANS 125 JAMES HOGG 128 THOMAS HOOD 130 THEODORE HOOK 134 DAVID HUME 136 LEIGH HUNT 139 ELIZABETH INCHBALD 143 FRANCIS, LORD JEFFREY 144 DOUGLAS JERROLD 147 SAMUEL JOHNSON 150 BEN JONSON 152 JOHN KEATS 155 JOHN KEBLE 158 CHARLES KINGSLEY 164