fading away of man that is born of a woman and
hath but a short time to live.

In his presentation of his father's moral nature
and intellectual qualities, Mr. Hunt is no less
faithful and no less touching. Those who knew
Leigh Hunt, will see the bright face and hear
the musical voice again, when he is recalled to
them in this passage: "Even at seasons of the
greatest depression in his fortunes, he always
attracted many visitors, but still not so much
for any repute that attended him as for his
personal qualities. Few men were more attractive,
in society," whether in a large company or
over the fireside. His manners were peculiarly
animated; his conversation, varied, ranging over
a great field of subjects, was moved and called
forth by the response of his companion, be that
companion philosopher or student, sage or boy,
man or woman; and he was equally ready for
the most lively topics or for the gravest reflections
—his expression easily adapting itself to
the tone of his companion's mind. With much
freedom of manners, he combined a
spontaneous courtesy that never failed, and a
considerateness derived from a ceaseless
kindness of heart that iavariably fascinated
even strangers." Or in this: "His
animation, his sympathy with what was gay
and pleasurable; his avowed doctrine of
cultivating cheerfulness, were manifest on the
surface, and could be appreciated by those who
knew him in society, most probably even
exaggerated as salient traits, on which he
himself insisted with a sort of gay and ostentatious
wilfulness."

The last words describe one of the most
captivating peculiarities of a most original
and engaging man, better than any other
words could. The reader is besought to
observe them, for a reason that shall presently be
given. Lastly: "The anxiety to recognise
the right of others, the tendency to 'refine,'
which was noted by an early school companion,
and the propensity to elaborate every thought,
made him, along with the direct argument by
which he sustained his own conviction, recognise
and almost admit all that might be said on
the opposite side." For these reasons, and for
others suggested with equal felicity, and with
equal fidelity, the son writes of the father, "It
is most desirable that his qualities should be
known as they were; for such deficiencies as
he had are the honest explanation of his
mistakes; while, as the reader may see from his
writing and his conduct, they are not, as the
faults of which he was accused would be,
incompatible with the noblest faculties both of head
and heart. To know Leigh Hunt as he was
was to hold him in reverence and love."

These quotations are made here, with a special
object. It is not, that the personal testimony
of one who knew Leigh Hunt well, may be
borne to their truthfulness. It is not, that it
may be recorded in these pages, as in his son's
introductory chapter, that his life was of the
most amiable and domestic kind, that his wants
were few, that his way of life was frugal, that
he was a man of small expenses, no ostentations,
a diligent labourer, and a secluded man of
letters. It is not, that the inconsiderate and
forgetful may be reminded of his wrongs and
sufferings in the days of the Regency, and of the
national disgrace of his imprisonment. It is
not, that their forbearance may be entreated for
his grave, in right of his graceful fancy or his
political labours and endurances, though

  Not only we, the latest seed of Time,
  New men, that in the flying of a wheel
  Cry down the past, not only we, that prate
  Of rights and wrongs, have loved the people well.

It is, that a duty may be done in the most
direct way possible. An act of plain, clear duty.

Four or five years ago, the writer of these
lines was much pained by accidentally encountering
a printed statement, "that Mr. Leigh
Hunt was the original of Harold Skimpole in
Bleak House." The writer of these lines, is the
author of that book. The statement came from
America. It is no disrespect to that country,
in which the writer has, perhaps, as many friends
and as true an interest as any man that lives,
good-humouredly to state the fact, that he has,
now and then, been the subject of paragraphs in
Transatlantic newspapers, more surprisingly
destitute of all foundation in truth than the
wildest delusions of the wildest lunatics. For
reasons born of this experience, he let the thing
go by.

But, since Mr. Leigh Hunt's death, the statement
has been revived in England. The delicacy
and generosity evinced in its revival, are for the
rather late consideration of its revivers. The
fact, is this:

Exactly those graces and charms of manner
which are remembered in the words we have
quoted, were remembered by the author of the
work of fiction in question, when he drew the
character in question. Above all other things,
that "sort of gay and ostentatious wilfulness"
in the humouring of a subject, which had many
a time delighted him, and impressed him as being
unspeakably whimsical and attractive, was the
airy quality he wanted for the man he invented.
Partly for this reason, and partly (he has since
often grieved to think) for the pleasure it
afforded him to find that delightful manner
reproducing itself under his hand, he yielded to
the temptation of too often making the character
speak like his old friend. He no more thought,
God forgive him! that the admired original
would ever be charged with the imaginary vices
of the fictitious creature, than he has himself
ever thought of charging the blood of
Desdemona and Othello, on the innocent Academy
model who sat for lago's leg in the picture.
Even as to the mere occasional manner, he meant
to be so cautious and conscientious, that he
privately referred the proof sheets of the first
number of that book to two intimate literary
friends of Leigh Hunt (both still living), and
altered the whole of that part of the text on
their discovering too strong a resemblance to
his "way."

He cannot see the son lay this wreath