The Uncollected Writings

vage Landor, is what I have now the honour to set before the publ

-from the beginning of 1850 until his death in 1859.1 Throughout the whole period during which

ession, and a Selection of Papers from the original sources, which I feel warranted, by the Author's own estimate, in calling De Quincey's Choice Works. Meantime, in dealing with the various Essays and Stories here gathered

writings, gave me the key to some of the admirable papers here reprinted. It also entitles me to say, that he would have included a nu

the Author's own opinion, the Essays and Stories now first collected, were neither less dignified in purpose nor less finished in style than those which had passed under his hand in the fourt

ll as the Sketches from Childhood, published in The Instructor in the 'Autobiographic Sketches' with which he opened the Selections. The Casuistry of Duelling, indeed, appeared in Tait as part of the Autobiographic

ait in June 1836, and the Brief Appraisal of G

The London Magazine for April and May, 1824, were duly authenticated by the following characteristic letter fro

sday, Februar

ear W

cobinism, he is liberal and inevitably just to real wit. His fear is-that Blackwood may come as Nemesis, and compel him to regorge any puffing and cramming which Tiff has put into his pocket, and is earnest to have a letter addressed in an influential quarter to prevent this. I alleged to him that I am not quite sure but it is an affront to a Professor to presume that he has any connection as contributor, or anything else, to any work which he does not publicly avow as his organ for communicating with the world of letters. He answers that it would be so in him,-but that an old friend may write sub rosa. I rejoin that I know not but you may have cut Blackwood-even as a subscriber-a whole lustrum ago. He rebuts, by urging a just compliment paid to you, as a supposed contributor, in the News of Literature and Fashion, but a moon or two ago. Seriously, I have told him that I know not what was the extent of your connection with Blackwood at any time; and that I conceive the labours of your Chair in the University must now leave you little leisure for any but occasional contributions, and therefore for no regular cognizance of the work as director, etc. However, as all that he wishes-is simply an interference to save him from any very severe article, and not an article in his favo

friends, whom I remember with so much interest as

ectionate

s De Q

was necessary to act with extreme care. One was a painstaking list on the whole, but very inaccurate as regards certain contributions attribut

een furnished by Messrs. Taylor and Hessey, its Publishers. The Blackwood blunders made me very sceptical. There was one

incey dwelt on the merits of 'Juno,' and owne

to say I have quite forgotten this admirable receipt. To be sure, one ought never to forget such valuable pieces of information. So I thought one day lately before the muzzling order came into force, when a bloodthirsty monster,-a big, white bull-dog, sprang suddenly at me in Cleveland Gardens. Instantly there flashed the thought-what was it that De Quincey recommend

nce. Messrs. Taylor and Hessey were long dead, and after groping about like a detective, no one could tell me what had become of the records of The London Magazin

ected very well reading Mr. Schnackenberger. He informed me, 'I was greatly interested in the [London] Magazine generally, so much so, that, at my father's requ

he grandson of William Hazlitt, who was a frequent writer in the Magazine, and an old friend of my father. I thought he would like to possess it,

they do the contributions of many brilliant men of that period-it may not be amiss (as

Taylor and Hessey) it was because they were anonymous, or because, from some inadvertency, th

ory-translated from the German, (2) Moral Effects of Revolutions, (3) Prefig

Colonel Penson, in 1819 (Page's Life, vol. i. p. 207), wherein reference is

cey never wrote a line in it. Whether any contributions were ever commissioned, paid for, and afterwards suppressed, I have been unable to

pers. This editorship (1818-19) was of short duration, and pursued under hostile circumstances, such as distance from the Press, &c., which soon led to De Quincey's resignation. I had

ally careful in obtaining sufficient authority for what he published, in the original American edition, that De Quincey good-humouredly gave the verdict against himself, and 'supposed he must be wrong' in thinking that some of these special papers were not from his pen. Still,-he demurred, and before includin

f the old Quarterly Magazine turned up, and a list checked. I lately found this particular story also referred to circumstantial

may count upon me, as one of your men, for any extent of labour, to the best of my power, which you may choose to command." He wrote a translation of The Love-Charm of Tieck, with a notice of the Author. This is not reprinted in hi

d have been reprinted had the Author

of its existence. The facsimile, however, taken for The Archivist, by an expert like Mr. Netherclift, shows that it is, u

ublic in volume form, after the lapse of a whole generation (thirty-three years, to speak 'by the

its predecessor, the New Series of The Instructor, working in concert with my Father, the proprietor. In this New Series there ap

olicitude, gave me much good advice and valuable help, both in the selection of subjects for the Magazine and in the mode of handling them.

oude's well-known book, which on its publication made a great s

The Instructor. It never got beyond this 'Introduction,' but

on The English in India and The English in China, I have explai

y inclination to blame me when I reveal, that I rather stood in the way of

wing the Author to wander too far from the ever-present and irksome Works. Any possible escape-even through other downrig

us at last. We are daily reminded that 'art is long and life is short.' I had already saved the Works from being strangled at their birth in a legal tussle with Mr. John Taylor.2 My Father was at my elbow anxiously inquiring about the progr

charming essays, while you gained the fourteen volumes

e of my rare opportunities by doing whatever I can in these matters, 'b

some strong, just, sympathetic words which appeared

American R

ly into a strong and expanded web. Mingled with this, and perhaps springing from a similar mental habit, is an occasional dreaminess both in speculation and in narrative, when the mind seems to move vaguely round in vast returning circles. The th

sts us, but the mind working upon it, investing it with mock-heroic dignity, or rendering it illustrative of really serious principles; or, with the true insight of genius, discovering, in

ely loaded with the life spoils of their author's scholarship, yet carry their burden as lightly as our bodies sustain the weight of the circumambi

uincey's intellect, the brilliancy of his imagination, and the charm of his style, that he throws a new and peculiar interest over every s

erly Revi

ning unsurpassed, his imagination is warm and bril

ter con

rer-De Quincey has departed from us full of years, and left no successor to his rank. The exquisite finish of his style, with the scholastic vigour of

es

ary, 1890.