with vigilance and discretion. Standing, if I may so express it, between the dead and the living, I have had to discharge a double-often a delicate duty; to omit nothing that his true friends would regret to lose; to revive nothing that Campbell himself would have wished forgotten. If in any instance I have failed to carry out these intentions to the very letter, it has been whore allegation had to be met by fact; where the balance had to be adjusted between the partiality of friendship, the prejudice of faction, and the obligations of truth.

It has been my aim to make Campbell the historian of his own life, as it is preserved in his letters and other documents, from the time he was nine years old until the year of his death. It has been my aim to show him at school, at college, at home, and abroad; in his private study, in social intercourse, in the exercise of his public functions-such as he appeared among ourselves a genuine example of the mens divinior, but subject, withal, to some of those common failings from which the favorites of genius are seldom exempt. Such, I humbly repeat, has been my aim; but how far that aim has been realized is a delicate question. The considerate reader is aware how easily an author's plan may be thwarted by his inexperience; how often retarded by the very earnestness with which he desires to carry it out; how liable, in cases like the present, to be influenced rather by affection than judgment; how difficult to bring long-cherished prepossessions to the severe. test of biographical history and criticism. But, whatever may be objected to the editor on the score of taste and judg ment, it is satisfactory to know that his errors will neither impair the freshness nor mar the beauty of Campbell's letters, which, like true gems, can lose nothing of their intrinsic value by a plain and homely setting. It is earnestly hoped that what was good in the original manuscript has not been obscured by superfluous commentary, nor, by a false notion of refinement, robbed of its native simplicity. It must not be inferred, however, from what has been said, that the matter contained in these letters is all good-all bearing the stamp

of Campbell's genius. Composed at every period within the last half century, in every mood of mind, under every change of outward circumstances—and often hastily-his letters represent him as he actually thought, felt, and wrote—always in character, and how often in a most amiable light! Of whom may so much be told with so little cause for apology?

It is easy to foresee that, among the numerous letters quoted in part or entire in these volumes, some detached portions may strike the general reader as presenting nothing very characteristic. Taken separately, indeed, they may not; as a whole, most likely they will; for if the detached paragraphs be collected like broken pieces of mosaic and reset, the character of the piece will be restored, the features identified; and, examined in more intimate connection, they will be found to exhibit a distinct portrait of the original: so, at least, I have ventured to think. It is not the fragments of a head or a limb, but the nice adjustment of these, that discovers the classic statue, whether a Minerva or an Apollo.

It will be granted, perhaps, that they who only knew Campbell as he appeared in society, in public meetings, or even the privacy of domestic life, had but a one-sided view of his character. In sickness, solitude, and depression, where I had occasion during many years to watch, advise, and converse with him, the thoughts of his heart were unreservedly thrown open-the nobler qualities of his mind brought into new and strong light. At such moments his words had a solemn weight, a depth of meaning, an earnestness of expression, which contrasted very strongly with his ordinary conversation, and brought to mind the best thoughts of his best poems. Before the world, the sparkling graces of his mind were easily discovered-they played lightly on the surface. The hidden treasures of his heart-the fountain of his poetry— lay deeper; its living waters were only drawn forth in seasons of trial, sorrow, sickness. In his sober estimate of life-in the contemplation of a future existence-they flowed with an inspired and refreshing sound. To these outpourings-often

reserved only for the physician-I must always revert when I attempt to convey a just impression of the poet's character.

To the materials here brought together, much might be added; but the recent decease of the poet alone, independently of considerations and restrictions which the editor is bound to respect, has interposed obstacles to a full biography which time alone can remove; and when time, like distance, shall have lent its mellowing influence to the subject, the outline here presented to the reader may be filled up with the completeness of a finished biography. But the hour has not

arrived when justice can be done to Campbell and his cotemporaries it seems but yesterday that he was among us bodily, as he will long be spiritually; his figure, voice, manner, and expression-his talents and eccentricities, are still fresh in the mind's eye. To paint him, therefore, as he actually appeared in his daily walk and conversation, is attempting a portrait which every man who knew him intimately can test by his own experience. If I have been so fortunate as to preserve a life-like resemblance in these volumes, it will be recognized by his friends; with this pleasing hope I have prosecuted the work; and I have at least the pleasing conviction that, in the laborious and delicate arrangement of these papers, I have neither yielded to the solicitations of party, nor transgressed the limits of private confidence.

In taking leave of the subject, I have one cause of regret : I have not been permitted to advert, in the terms they merited, to some of Campbell's most valuable friends and cotemporaries. I have been fearful, at one time, of offending delicacy by any appearance of officiousness; at another, I have been deterred by reflecting that the value of an opinion depends much less on the complimentary turn of a sentence than on the social and literary standing of the writer. These considerations, which I notice with no affected humility, have often kept me silent when I would rather have spoken, and will account for the absence of some names and circumstances that otherwise would have shone gracefully in a Life of Camp

bell; but the day will arrive when these and other omissions will be fully supplied and rectified. Finally: I began the duties assigned to me under much discouragement-continued them under very painful interruptions. And now, like the traveler who has made a tour through some classic region, and hears at the end of his journey that he has missed certain objects by the way, I may have committed a similar faultbut not intentionally. I have kept as much as possible to the main track, seldom diverging unless for some express object, and laying no distant neighborhood under contribution. The result now rests with the public, to whose decision I can not pretend to be indifferent.

To the friends and admirers of Campbell, whose names occur in these pages, I have to return my grateful thanks for the prompt and liberal manner in which they have supplied me with many original manuscripts.

To the family of the late Wynell Mayow, Esq., of Sydenham, I am indebted for the invariable courtesy with which they have facilitated and encouraged my progress in the work, by many original letters, poetry, and other documents, with personal reminiscences of Campbell from 1804 to the year of his death.

To the family of the late Rev. Archibald Alison; to John Richardson, Esq., W. S.; to the family of the late James Grahame, Esq.; to James Thomson, Esq.; to William Gray, Esq., I have to express my obligations for numerous letters and other records from 1795 to 1840.

To Prince Czartoryski, Lord Minto, Lord Cuninghame, Lord Cockburn, Lord Dudley C. Stuart, Sir John Herschel, Bart., W. C. Townsend, Esq., David Irving, Esq., LL.D., I am indebted for the inspection of original letters, and general information regarding the life and poems of Campbell.

To Dr. R. R. Madden, Dr. Sayer, Dr. Smith, the Rev. Dr. Roscoe, the Rev. Thomas Wright, the Rev. Hamilton Paul, the Rev. James Gibson, the Rev. J. G. Lorimer, the Rev. Dr. (...), the Rev. Dr. Wardlaw, of Glasgow; the

Rev. Dr. M'Arthur, of Mull; the Rev. Campbell, of Dunkeld; the late Rev. Dr. Strahan, Bishop of Toronto; the late Rev. Dr. Henry Duncan, of Ruthwell, my grateful acknowledgments are due for original letters, poems, reminiscences, and diaries, kindly forwarded for my inspection.

To the family of the late Dr. Currie, of Liverpool, communicated by J. G. Duncan, Esq., I am indebted for original letters from 1802-5.

To Samuel Rogers, Esq., Thomas Moore, Esq., Horatio Smith, Esq., William Smith, Esq., Francis Place, Esq., James Carrick Moore, Esq., Alexander Ireland, Esq., Patrick Maxwell, Esq., J. T. Wingate, Esq., Robert Williams, Esq., I am indebted for letters, poems, criticisms, and anecdotes of Campbell.

To J. G. Lockhart, Esq., I am greatly indebted for copies of Campbell's letters to Sir Walter Scott, Bart., communicated by George Huntly Gordon, Esq.

To Mrs. Joanna Baillie, Mrs. Fletcher, Mrs. Arkwright, Mrs. Woodhouse, Miss Moore, Mrs. Roylance Child, Miss Anderson, Mrs. Johnston, Mrs. Ireland, Mrs. Allison (widow of the poet's first master), Miss Wollaston (translator of Petrarch), I have to express my grateful acknowledgments for many of Campbell's letters, poems, and other documents.

To William Hamilton, Esq., H.B.M. Consul, Boulogne; William Dacres Adams, of Bowdon, Esq.; Thomas Roscoe, Esq.; James Murray M'Culloch, of Ardwell, Esq.; William Moxon, Esq., Ralph Stevenson, Esq., Robert Carruthers, Esq., Mr. B. B. Wiffen, A. A. Watts, Esq., William Coulson, Esq., E. J. Spry, Esq., and many other friends of the poet, I am indebted for letters, reminiscences, manuscripts, and personal information. I have also to acknowledge various communications from Mrs. W. A. Hill, Mr. Alexander Campbell, and Mr. Archibald Campbell, the niece and nephews of the poet. WILLIAM BEATTIE.

LONDON, December, 1848.