The Public and Domestic Life of the Right Hon. Edmund Burke

admitted, is the more to be lamented when one considers that Edmund Burke's whole life was a precept; that his domestic actions, as well as his historic deeds, were constantly of a nature to cheer, instruct, and edify mankind. Mr. Fry, in one of his popular and instructive discourses on the subject of Edmund "Nor is it," says the

Burke, particularly alludes to this.

learned lecturer, "only in the glare of public life, nor only for his immortal compositions, that Mr. Burke is to be studied and admired. The quiet under-current of his existence equally deserves our attentive approbation, and honourably distinguishes him from his eminent contemporaries. In all the private relations we see the conduct of this great man harmonious and consistent-anxiously discharging every private duty of husband, father, friend, and fellow-creature, till his great heart had ceased to beat." This is certainly true; and the probable reason why there exists such imperfect knowledge of the man himself arises doubtless from there having been really no complete and readable account of the life of Burke. The more extensive memoirs of him are mere disjointed, discursive, and confusing compilations. Political and private matters are so mixed up and jumbled together in them, with such little regard to following the time or tide of events as they flow on, that the reader who attempts to master the narrative finds himself lost as in a labyrinth, until utter weariness and perplexity impede, or altogether prevent, his going further. Each of these long and tedious memoirs is wretched as a whole, yet the present author has found in some of the earlier of them

facts and details pertinent and applicable to this book: such parts he has endeavoured to mould, make use of, and incorporate in this condensed and in some measure compiled biography. Nevertheless, after so general a condemnation of writers who, whether living or dead, have long since passed into merited oblivion, the author avoids, as invidious, pointing out any of them by name.

There are some smaller biographies of Burke-much better productions; but these, again, are either too short, or, like Dr. Croly's very able work, which first appeared in Blackwood's Magazine, are professedly or in effect confined to politics only. The present volume attempts to remedy the deficiency, by relating the history of Edmund Burke, both as a private person and a public character, in a compact, and, it is presumed, an easily intelligible shape. The author's aim and anxiety have been to furnish a plain and popular biography. In his endeavour to effect that object, he has experienced, from the quantity of matter he has had to sift and set in order, far more difficulty and toil than he could have anticipated, or than probably the result of his labours may make it be believed. His success has now in some measure been tested, by the sale of a very large edition of this book within a very short space of time. This favourable reception, and early call for another edition, are so far cheering, that they go to confirm what the author's estimation and admiration of the character and doctrine of Edmund Burke had led him already to hope,-that no effort would prove entirely vain which sought to aid in extending the

knowledge of what was said and done by a master-spirit, whose reason and eloquence, the more their influence should expand, the more would they conduce to the public and general good. If, therefore, this production has proved at all available for its intended purpose, the time and trouble devoted to the task of its formation seem light; the recompense is ample and agreeable indeed.

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