own family and that of the senior partner of this house, a close private friendship had long subsisted; and he appeared to enter with the fairest prospects on his new profession. Though he had little affection for it, his strong sense of duty made him apply to its study with cheerfulness and zeal; and he soon won the esteem of his instructors.

By this removal to London no greater change was wrought in his mind than might fairly have been anticipated from difference of scene and circumstances. In one respect, however, the period of his clerkship formed a very remarkable epoch in his life. His studies took a theological turn; and as he never languidly applied to any subject, he entered deeply into both the study and the practice of religion. In the course of his theological studies, there was no standard work in English which he did not read, and with which he failed to render himself thoroughly conversant. And when all that remained for him to learn, was to be sought only from the divines and theological commentators of Germany, he made a careful and even rare collection of their works. Some fruits of his reading at this period still remain; and among these early manuscript pieces, is a "Statement of the various Opinions of Biblical Critics respecting the Origin and Composition of our Three First Canonical Gospels, with an Analysis of the Hypothesis proposed by Professor Marsh :" so full, close, and comprehensive a digest of the original, as would do credit to the most practised ability. This was written when he was only in his nineteenth year; and was composed merely for his private satisfaction, as an exercise to arrange and confirm his acquaintance with its subject.

With a mind elevated by such pursuits, at so early an age, it is unnecessary to add, that his life was preserved pure from the allurements of those vices and follies which beset his path in the metropolis, and to which an easy surrender, under his circumstances, would have been but too natural. While tinctured with the ardent colouring of youthful feeling, his religion then wore even an aspect of severity. But it was not ascetic, nor did it deny him the lawful amusements of society.

At this period he was fond of hearing the parliamentary debates, and became a frequent attendant in the gallery of the House of Commons. The theatres, also, attracted a great deal of his attention: he never went but to the pit; and with his early indication of intellectual taste, he readily learnt to distinguish the valuable from the worthless, both in the actors and in the productions of the stage. Thus it was, that never losing sight of the great object of mental improvement, even in his recreations, he knew how to extract the precious ore of the art from the base alloy and coarser dregs of its admixture. His passion for the theatre, like every other inclination, was made conducive to study and reflection; and he soon familiarized and enriched his mind with the works of the great masters of the old English drama. His thoughts were steeped in their beauties; and it may safely be averred that, in his later years, few men had become so thoroughly read in this sterling department of our literature. Formed upon such models, his judgment as a dramatic critic was chastened and rigorous.

Nor, during this same term of his articles at Lincoln's Inn, was he neglectful of other improvement, both in professional learning and in general literature. In 1809, then in his twentyfirst year, he compiled, still for his private use only, "A succinct Account of the History, general Nature, and peculiar Marks and Qualities of the Feudal Law, collected principally from the Notes of Mr. Hargrave and Mr. Butler to the sixteenth Edition of Coke upon Littleton."

Meanwhile, he also amused himself by other early attempts at more miscellaneous composition, and not unfrequently sent anonymous essays to the periodical publications of the day. But of their subjects or signatures, his early friends have preserved no record: it is remembered only that among them were a violent philippic against music, and a humorous defence of boxing. The graver studies of this epoch led him to an historical sketch of the "Rise and Decline of the Papal Power:" of which it may only be observed that it condensed sufficient information to be consulted with profit fifteen years

later, by a literary friend, whose researches were directed to the same subject.

During the summer of 1808, Mr. Mills's studies were interrupted by a tour to the Northern Lakes, in which he was the companion of his father, whose declining health suggested the necessity of change of scene, and recreation of mind.

At the close of the year 1809, the term of his legal clerkship expired. About a year before, he had sustained the misfortune of losing his excellent father; and this heavy calamity came upon him at a crisis in his life when he stood most in need of the anxious exertion and experienced judgment of a parent, to forward his talents and direct his views. This bereavement proved, in the sequel, the destruction of his best prospects in the law. He still, however, persevered in completing his legal education; and immediately on the expiration of his articled term, placed himself for a year's study in conveyancing, under Mr. Humphreys, a gentleman well known to the world by his extensive practice and his able professional writings. Acting on the principle that, as a considerable sum of money was paid for the advantages of this instruction, it became his duty to derive as much professional improvement as possible from the opportunity secured for him, he was punctual in his daily attendance of nine hours at chambers; and throughout the year 1810, which he thus passed with Mr. Humphreys, his application to his legal studies was laborious and unremitting.

Yet, singular as the fact may appear, this was the epoch at which the love of literature began to obtain the decided ascendancy over all other pursuits in his mind. While his days were scrupulously sacrificed to duty, his evenings were reserved for studies more congenial with his tastes. At nine o'clock he would return to his lodgings, and trim his lamp; and the greater number of hours, which should have been given to sleep, were consumed in reading. To the anxious remonstrance of his mother on the injurious consequences with which his health was threatened by this intense nightly ap

plication, his only reply was, "Nothing CAN be done without it;" and still he persevered. It was now that oriental literature attracted his attention; and the first draught of his History of Muhammedanism was the result of this new pursuit. At this time, after having on a Saturday remained for his usual hours at Lincoln's Inn, he sat up all the ensuing night reading and annotating Knolles's History of the Turks and then, without sleep or rest, walked down to his mother's house at Greenwich on Sunday morning. Nor was this a singular case; for he did the same thing several times. His practice was, when sleep began to overpower him, to bathe his hands and face in cold water, and to pace the room for a quarter of an hour: thus refreshed, he resumed his labours.

It was an amiable peculiarity in Mr. Mills's character, that, wherever he placed his esteem and regard, he laboured to elevate the individual to his own mental standard. An attachment had been formed between one of his intimates and a young lady, who afterwards became his wife. For her guidance and instruction in modern history, Mr. Mills drew up "A brief Summary of some of the Events of the greatest Magnitude in the History of Continental Europe, from the Subversion of the Western Roman Empire by Odoacer, till the Subversion of the Germanic Empire by Buonaparte." This paper is written in a colloquial style, and without much formal precision of language: but it would be difficult to point to any synopsis in which the great landmarks in the modern history of Europe are defined in their relative prominence with so much judgment and clearness.

The period between 1810 and 1813, extending from his twenty-second to his twenty-fifth year, offers nothing remarkable in Mr. Mills's literary life. It was passed in a noiseless and unobtrusive appropriation of all the hours which remained at his own disposal to the purposes of study, and in a series of disappointments, connected with his professional prospects, on which it would be useless to expatiate. But his pursuits were suddenly suspended, and the whole complexion of his prospects altered, by the occurrence of an alarming illness.

In the summer of 1813 he was, one evening, after his usual occupations, walking slowly to the library of the London Institution, then situate in Coleman Street, when he felt his mouth fill with blood; and the gush from the lungs was so violent, that, on reaching St. Sepulchre's church, he was obliged to rest his head against its wall, and suffer the blood to flow. He afterwards spoke of the surprise of the passing throng at the sight; but the discharge having ceased, he characteristically persevered in his original intention, and went to the library, where he remained reading until a late hour. He returned as usual to his brother's house, with whom he was then residing, and retired to rest without mentioning the circumstance: but in the middle of the night he was awakened by the sense of suffocation, for the internal bleeding had recurred with still greater violence than before. Medical assistance was of course immediately sought; and his complaint was at once declared to proceed from a ruptured blood-vessel within the lungs. Both by reason of this vessel being probably a branch of the pulmonary artery, and on account of the great quantity of blood which he had lost, and was still losing, the danger was extreme and imminent. But he had fortunately the benefit of the best advice and care, both in the consultation of Dr. Ainslie, and in the unremitting attention of his friend Mr. (now Dr.) Anthony T. Thomson. The most active measures were immediately adopted by these gentlemen, and happily succeeded in stopping the hæmorrhage; although for several months the spitting of blood occasionally returned, and evinced the precarious tenure by which his life was still held. Before the autumn his safety was sufficiently secured to admit of his removing to the sea-side; and he spent the few months of that season in the Isle of Wight and at Brighton. The severe winter of 1813-14, however, racked his enfeebled frame, from head to foot, with excruciating rheumatic pains; and the following summer so far failed in re-establishing his health, that obscure symptoms of pulmonary consumption began to develope themselves. He was, therefore, strongly recommended to pass the ensuing winter