The Quarterly Review

HE natural desire of all classes in England to have in their hands, as soon as possible, a full and authentic biography of the great philanthropist of the century, has been gratified sooner than could have reasonably been expected, by the appearance of Mr. Hodder's three large volumes. Of the speed with which he has accomplished his enterprise a partial explanation is to be found in the fact that he had commenced the execution of it a year before Lord Shaftesbury's death, under that venerable nobleman's own direction; and that during many months of close personal intercourse he had the advantage of being allowed to take down, pen in hand, from his lips the story of his life as he himself narrated it. But a still more important light is thrown upon the author's rapid workmanship by the lines which he decided to lay down for the construction of his memorial work. The Earl left behind him many bulky manuscript volumes of journals, diaries, and note-books, extending over the whole course of his prolonged life, and forming altogether an almost complete autobiography. During an illness, a very few years before his death, when occupying his forced inaction by looking over old papers and documents, and setting them aside for destruction, he had thrown into a heap, to undergo this fate, the entire collection of these personal records which had accumulated up to that date. It so happened, however, that before the sentence was executed upon them a return of health brought them a momentary reprieve; and other cares intervening, the respite became lengthened, until it grew into a final remission of the capital penalty. In this way it came about that the whole of these invaluable materials survived, to pass into Mr. Hodder's hands for his free and unfettered use; and as a matter Vol. 164.-No. 327.

of fact, the extracts taken bodily from them form the main bulk of his work. As he remarks in his preface, 'It has been my endeavour to let the record of Lord Shaftesbury's whole lifework be told, as much as possible, in his own words.'

It is obvious that on these lines the task became much easier and more capable of rapid performance than it would have been, had Mr. Hodder set before him the higher aim of constructing anything approaching to a critical biography-a biography which should trace carefully the inner growth of its subject's mind, analyse his character, harmonize his peculiarities, and construct out of the raw materials a complete and final portrait of the man. The fact that such a treatment of the subject as this has been entirely foreign to the writer's purpose makes the present work, full of interest as it is, rather à collection of materials for some future biographer's use, than a performance which can hope to take rank as the standard and monumental record of so noble and prominent a personage. For an achievement of this more arduous nature a firmer and more skilful hand is needed; a hand which will not only weed out a large quantity of trivial or irrelevant matter, but shall also possess that constructive power which alone can make the departed live again before us in their veritable form and pressure.'

That Mr. Hodder has been wise in refraining from the attempt to present to the world a work, which aspires to be a finished and perennial monument of the great noble, we discern plain tokens in the preface, from which we have already quoted his own account of his purpose and method. It there appears that Lord Shaftesbury had laid down with imperative emphasis the condition, that his biographer should tell the reality, be it good, or be it bad, and not a sham;' and this, as much as regarded his religious views and action as his philanthropical aims and labours. His words to that effect are precise and interesting:

'My religious views are not popular, but they are the views that have sustained and comforted me all through my life. They have never been disguised, nor have I ever sought to disguise them. I think a man's religion, if it is worth anything, should enter into every sphere of life and rule his conduct in every relation. I have always been, and, please God, always shall be, an Evangelical of the Evangelicals, and no biography can represent me that does not fully and emphatically represent my religious views.'

Of course Mr. Hodder has been right in considering himself absolutely bound by the injunction thus laid upon him; what we call attention to is his comment upon it. He concludes his preface as follows:—

'I have

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The Quarterly Review, Volumen 164