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Why weepest thou?" Dost thou bewail the Nor can my voice to such far distance ring; We're sundered by the leaves of cornfields

From The Quarterly Review.
JOURNALS OF CAROLINE FOX.*

and interesting personalities of the last half-century. One or two sections, indeed, of society predominate over the rest those of science, of literature, and of the liberal school of theology of our time. But the writer comes into contact more or less with most classes at some point or other, and the index to the book, which enumerates the persons. referred to, includes a surprising number of the familiar names of our century. In the journals of a single year, for instance, we pass rapidly from Thomas Carlyle to Mr. J. A. Froude, Frederick Maurice, Chevalier Bunsen, Lady Franklin, Guizot, Sir Robert Peel, Cobden and Palmerston in the House of Commons, Mr. Forster, Elihu Burritt, Derwent Coleridge, Proare at- fessor Owen, Francis Newman, Hallam the historian, Louis Blanc, and Wordsworth, besides minor celebrities; and of each some vivid and characteristic touch is recorded. We move with the author from one scene to another, and see with her eyes and hear with her ears. times, indeed, it is only gossip she relates; but it is always thoughtful gossip, and carries the interest of real experience and observation. More generally she records the cream of her conversations with such people as we have named, and we have the pleasure of being silent listeners in some charming and instructive circle.

It is not surprising that this book,
though only published at the commence-
ment of this year, and that first of all in
an expensive form, should already have
reached a third edition; for it is a pecul-
iarly charming example of one of the
most attractive classes of books. Few
subjects command so wide an interest as
the personal characteristics of men and
women who have played a distinguished
part in life. When skilfully noticed and
described, such particulars of habits, con-
versation, manners, and features, have at
all times fascinated public attention. It
is by details of this kind that we are best
enabled to individualize the persons, by
whose actions or writings we
tracted; and to most people, and espe-
cially to English people, individuals in all
the distinctness of such peculiarities are
much more interesting than the work they
have done, or the imperfect ideas they
have developed. In one of the many
conversations with the late Mr. Mill re-
corded in these volumes, he makes the
curious and characteristic mistake of say.
ing that "the French care most for per-
sons, the English for things." It is just
the reverse. The French, for instance,
will at any time desert their leaders for
the sake of an idea; but English history
is made up of the history of individuals,
and of the attachment of the followers
who have gathered around them. Bos-
well's "Life of Johnson " is a typically En-
glish book, and the best literature of our
country is animated by personal feeling,
and breathes in a personal atmosphere.
It is this characteristic which is the real
source of our practical capacity; for the
chief work of life consists in dealing with
persons, not with things, and those who
care most for persons know them best.
It is no wonder, therefore, that a book
has proved fascinating which brings us in
every page into vivid and pleasant inter-
course with a variety of the most brilliant

* Memories of Old Friends; being Extracts from the Journals and Letters of Caroline Fox, of Pen jerrick, Cornwall; from 1835 to 1871. Edited by Horace M. Pym. Third Edition, with Fourteen Original Letters from J. S. Mill. London, 1882.

Some

The idea of such a book is delightful in itself; but the peculiar capacity of the author gives these volumes a rare and singular charm. It would have been in. teresting enough if a person of ordinary intelligence, with her opportunities, had simply recorded, day by day, reminis cences of the people she had met, and the conversations she had heard. But Miss Fox, had evidently, in a remarkable degree, the gift of eliciting the best thoughts of those with whom she conversed, and was gifted also with an unusual power of easy narration and vivid description. It is rare, in the present day, to meet a book so beautifully written. The style is perfectly simple and direct; the language is the easy talk of cultured English life; there is never the least sign of effort, strain, or affectation; and yet every character and every scene is depicted with lifelike vivid

of Christain belief and practice, remained firmly attached to the same community. Her quick and receptive nature seized the numerous opportunities for instruction, which were afforded by her father's large and interesting circle of friends; and, as

ness. Carlyle, in one of his letters to mind and character. Her father, Robert her, speaks of her "swift, neat pen," and Were Fox, held a considerable place desires her "to draw up, on half a sheet among the men of science of his day. of paper, an exact narrative" of a certain After his death in 1877, Sir Joseph miner's act of heroism, "authentic, exact Hooker, in his annual address to the in every detail of it;" and the book is Royal Society, said that they had suslike a collection of these swift, neat out- tained a severe loss in Mr. Fox, "eminent lines, on half-sheets of paper. They are for his researches on the temperature and not labored descriptions, but sudden the magnetic and electrical condition of sketches, as easily taken as photographs. the interior of the earth, especially in Every characteristic of interest in the connection with the formation of mineral people whom Miss Fox met seemed to veins, and who was further the inventor print itself instantaneously on her sym- of some, and the improver of other inpathetic mind, and to be as rapidly and struments, now everywhere employed in correctly reproduced. From a pathetic ascertaining the properties of terrestrial entry after her brother's death, in which magnetism." Both he and his wife she exclaims, "For whom should I now were earnest members of the Society of record these entries of my life?" it ap-|Friends; and Caroline Fox, notwithpears that, though she had no idea of standing her sympathy with other forms the publication of her journals, she wrote them in the hope of their being of interest to her family; and they are thus marked by a happy combination of the frankness of confidential intercourse and of the care bestowed on writings which are intended for perusal by others. We the editor says, "it makes a tender and do not think there is an artificial remark throughout the book. All is transparently fresh, natural, and true. We see the exact reflection which all these people and scenes produced in the mind and heart of Caroline Fox; and if the bright ness and beauty of the mirror throws sometimes a more graceful light over them than we should ourselves have seen, yet it never distorts them or disguises their real characters. The portrait pre-ited London, and the journey, in the early fixed to the book corresponds closely to the impression which the journals convey. Large, quiet, and kindly eyes, are combined with a delicate and expressive mouth; and the whole countenance bespeaks a sweet union of seriousness, humor, and kindliness of disposition. A few hours can hardly be passed more pleasantly and more instructively than with such a companion in such society. A brief- a too brief — memoir, pre-attracted there. Though always delicate, fixed to the book, gives the main facts of Caroline Fox's life. She was born on the 24th of May, 1819, and was one of the three children of parents who were distinguished "not only by their fine old Quaker lineage," but by great qualities of

striking picture-this young girl, with her deep reverence and vivid appreciation of all the magic world of thought in which she was permitted to roam, listening with delight to the utterances of wise men, and storing up their words in her heart." She possessed, however, plenty of originality and capacity for amusement; and to the last, there is a good deal of fun in her nature. Every two years the family vis

part of her life, consumed three days, for her home was at Falmouth, and in a country residence in its neighborhood called Penjerrick. It was, of course, mostly in London that she met the numerous men of distinction of whom we have spoken; but her father frequently took her to meetings of the British Association; and Fal mouth itself, and its neighborhood, were very fortunate in the visitors who were

she seems to have enjoyed fair health till about forty-four years old; but after 1863 she had frequent attacks of illness and weakness, and she was carried off by a sharp attack of bronchitis on the 12th of January, 1871, when only fifty-two years of

in

...

He supposed that in this intellectual banquet he was called for as one of the light dishes to succeed the gros morceaux of which we had been partaking, and he declared Science to be the handmaid, or rather the torchbearer, of Religion.

age. Though her life was, on the whole, his immediate presence." At the con-
a very bright one, she suffered some sharp cluding meeting his appearance is struck
sorrows. Her only brother, Robert Bar-off with one of the writer's happy touches :
clay Fox, to whom Mill's letters are ad-
When Tom Moore arose with a little paper
dressed, died of consumption in 1854, and his little hand, the theatre was almost
her mother in 1858; and the editor speaks knocked down with reverberations of applause.
of another period of severe sorrow and He proceeded to wonder why such a per-
suffering, during which her journals are son as he was, a humble representative of lit-
comparatively destitute of matters of gen-erature, was chosen to address them on this
eral interest. But personal feelings and scientific occasion.
experiences are very sparingly revealed in
the extracts from these journals which
have been given to the public; and though
the motive which has prompted this re-
serve commands all respect, we cannot
but indulge sometimes a feeling which she
herself expresses towards another writer:
"One has a vicious desire to know Miss
Martineau's private history." We own to
a very vicious desire indeed to know more
of Miss Fox's private history. Unless we
are much mistaken, it would not only be
very interesting in itself, but would throw
an interesting light upon some other pri-esting insight into the birth of many ideas
vate history. But we can well believe
that the time has not come, if it ever can
come, for such revelations.

"Little Tom Moore," with metaphors drawn from his experience of good living, celebrating the harmony of science and religion, forms an amusing and dainty picture. It is curious to go back with our author to the infancy of discoveries which have now grown to manhood; and, in her own phrase, she gives us "a very inter

which have now got into jackets and trousers.' Geology at that date is in the stage when Dr. Buckland was its boldest As is natural with the daughter of such representative among the clergy, and was a father, we start amidst scientific asso- concerning himself with its reconciliation ciations. The journals begin with a few with the Book of Genesis. In a lecture entries for the year 1835; but in 1836 the at Exeter after the meeting of the Assoeminent geologist, Sir Henry de la Beche, ciation, he "gave very clear details of the is vividly introduced to us, and we have gradual formation of our earth, which, he an amusing account of the meeting of is thoroughly convinced, took its rise ages the British Association at Bristol that before the Mosaic record. He says that year. It seems to have been as popular Luther must have taken a similar view, as a gathering then as now, for it was in his translation of the Bible he puts doubtful at first whether the party would'Ist' at the third verse of the first chapnot have to go back disappointed. How-ter of Genesis, which showed his belief ever, says Miss Fox, "the ladies, dear that the two first verses relate to somecreatures, would not hear of that, so thing anterior. He explains the formaby most extraordinary muscular exertions, tion of hills with valleys between them by we succeeded in gaining admittance." eruptions uuder ground." How startled That there was a similar mixture of social even Dr. Buckland would have been could and scientific attractions to that which he have been told of the millions of years still prevails at these meetings is amus- which modern geologists demand, or of ingly illustrated by the presence of Tom Mr. Darwin's hypothesis of the formation Moore, and his enthusiastic reception. of valleys by denudation with the aid of "We saw him," Miss Fox writes, "in all earthworms! Mr. Darwin, at this date, is his glory, looking, as Barclay" (her only described as the "fly-catcher" and brother) "said, 'like a little Cupid, with a "stone-pounder," who has decided that quizzing-glass in constant motion.' He seemed as gay and happy as a lark, and it was pleasant to spend a whole evening in

"the coral insects do not work up from the bottom of the sea against wind and tide, but that the reef is first thrown up by