some of the ancient citizens, concerning one of their great emperor's fellow students, who forgot the art of war, to be the humble, laborious pastor of a forest parish, through which

he once guided the march of his famous schoolfellow, witnessed what was almost his last victory, and talked with him over the burnt ruins of Brienne.

Is it from the force of decent custom only, or is it not from the consciousness of a moral fitness, that we usually reserve till the close of a public man's career, that review of its history which may serve to fix his place in our estimation, and to supply us, for ourselves, with lessons that may either guide or warn— with the wisdom to be gathered from disaster, and the courage from success? It arises, we believe, from an instinctive consciousness that the close of a life is the most fitting time for passing upon our fellows a final judgment-not only because we can then include the man's whole being and doing, but also because in the presence of the Grim King, all ascerbity of temper is lost in a certain compassion for his victim, and the mind is more likely to find itself in the true critical region that of brotherly sympathy and kindness. Our first thought is, at such a time, that these men, with their life-work, the errors they committed, the follies they indulged, have passed away for ever:Death has invested them with a kind of sacredness, and humanity, with its eye of dewy pity, will only condemn, where we must condemn, rather "in sorrow than in anger." The career of Samuel Phillips, from the many schemes in which he was engaged, and the success he achieved, was rather that of a literary adventurer than of an ordinary man. of letters. This is not said as any thing to his dishonor, but to illustrate the strange places in which men of genius often find themselves, and to show what a curious novitiate this literary age, par excellence, has provided for the literary man. The education of neglect-the liberty to help yourself -bas certainly some advantages; for those who emerge victoriously from difficulties are doubtless the larger and stronger men for their struggle; but, alas! how many never do emerge! A remedy for this state of

things it would be impossible, perhaps, for one man, or any number of men, to devise. But it seems clear enough that in an age like ours, when literature is not, as in former times, a mere holiday business, but a lifework; when the greatest things, alike with the smallest, are subject to its power and surveillance; something should surely be devised by which authors who spring, as half of them do, from the workers-might receive something like timely help and furtherance. For the system of self-help-which often means self-extinguishment-forces men into such strange shapes and circumstances, that the better part of their powers are often sacrificed in seeking an opportunity to work at all. We happen to know a young man who applied to a celebrated literary M.P. for his advice as to entering the literary profession. He received for answer-"If you depend upon Literature for a subsistence, you must be prepared to forfeit your moral integrity." We are willing to believe that Mr. exaggerated his statement, that his advice might be effective-as it certainly was; for our acquaintance, if he has not relinquished his literary aspirations, has sought to realize them in the trade of a trunkmaker. Yet it is too true that in the novitiate, or the pauses, of his career, the man of letters is often compelled to write rather what will pay, than what is approved by his convictions or his tastes. And if he be one of the few whose opinions link them to no sect or party,-if his thoughts serve rather as food for the teachers of the present, than for the present itself, his choicest meditations will probably die with him, and the careless, somnolent world dream on for some century, or so, to come.

But we must leave these speculations for the narrative which suggested them. Professor Samuel Phillips was the son of a Lon

don tradesman, and by birth a Jew. His first appearance in public, was as a player; and very early in life he must have given his friends some striking evidences of histrionic talent; for he was announced on the bills of Covent-garden as "Master Phillips, whose extraordinary abilities have been much admired at select parties of the nobility." He was then only in his fifteenth year. His "Richard," it is said, had in it something of original merit; but he soon left the stage, either from constitutional inability, or from the non-appearance of the expected success; both causes are assigned. His friends next sent him to the London University, still giving him credit for uncommon talents; and his subsequent career has amply borne out their most sanguine expectations. He attracted the attention of the Duke of Sussex by an Essay on Milton, and was sent from the London University to Got tingen, and thence to Cambridge. On leaving the University, his prospects from literature seemed so cheerless that he accepted the situation of private secretary to Alderman Salomoos. Île exchanged this post, in a short time, for that of private tutor in the family of the Marquis of Aylesbury, and was the teacher of Lord Ernest Bruce. He made, it seems during this time, several unsuccessful literary attempts, and is described as just giving up his hope, when his novel of Caleb Stukeley" was accepted by the conductors of Blackwood's Magazine. This novel had a fair success-gave him a respectable standingand was followed by "We are all Low People There," and other tales. But the great event of his life was his becoming connected with the Times, as the writer of those celebrated articles, which have since been republished as Literary Essays. The engagement, like Edward Stirling's, was the result of an accidental communication. In style clear, clever, and eloquent, but not particularly accurate or profound, his contributions were read much less for the justness or originality of his views, than for the manly and vigorous form in which they were presented. The fact is, Phillips was a tory; and his essays often show how one radical error may color and pervert the whole current of opinion and taste. This is particularly evident in his review of Uncle Tom's Cabin." You read the essay right through, with high-wrought interest; but the interest you feel is a tribute rather to the genius of the writer, than a homage to the soundness of his argument. It will now scarcely be believed, that its

unique, graphic description, its unmatched tenderness and pathos, its thrilling incidents.

all based, confessedly, upon the facts of contemporary life-were passed by with little notice, and faint praise; and the thunder of condemnation hurled against the work as a whole-simply because it would injure the vested rights of property, even though that property consisted of flesh and blood. We well remember our impression of the book after we had read the essay; how little we thought such a treat was in store for us as was the first perusal of "Uncle Tom;" still less, that the name of the authoress was destined to become a household word in castle and cottage, and to outvie, in the universality of its fame, even that of Sir Walter Scott.

Phillips' reviews of the works of Thomas Carlyle are open to equal or more objection. In fact, whenever the book to be reviewed breathed freedom of thought, either in religion or politics, his critique was sure to be caustic, harsh and un

true. Still, as a slight exception, and partially, perhaps, explaining the cause of the rest, we may remark that there is noticeable in his Essay on Carlyle's "Sterling" a certain air of frolicsome raillery-as though the writer felt that, if he must condemn, it should at least be with jovial good-humor.

In passing judgment upon his literary labors, it should be remembered that they were, for the most part, produced in a very weak and precarious state of health,-so much so, that his death, though sudden, would at no time have been unexpected; the wonder being rather that he lived so long. This circumstance may also have increased the venom which he sometimes threw into his papers, if it did not wholly originate it. The probability of this is further increased by the fact, that his personal attacks were not republished with the collected Essays. Though by the public admired for their abil ity, by him they seem to have been regretted. In private life, moreover, he is described as a merry, good-tempered, and genial-hearted fellow. The Times says, "there never was a more honorable man, or a more amiable and intelligent friend and companion." And one who seems to have known him well, writes elsewhere, that "to do a service seemed with him the instinct of a generous nature;" that "his almost boyish sportiveness endeared him to a multitude of friends and associates;" and that "his memory will ever be tenderly cherished by all who enjoyed the influence of his kind and cordial nature."

More than 19,000 persons are under restraint alonaties in England and Wales, and early 4,000 in 12 workhouses. Of the foc soice are in private houses, but by the greater number are in public estabi. Some of the county asylums ay he toredallages" of lunatics; for yane as papalous as large villages. Thus, Celsey Hatch contains 1,244 inmates; Ilan L008: Springfeld, 218; Wakefield, 647;

several, more than 300. necessary attendants, servants, and and it is obvious that we have conthea institutions large societies. these prople spend their lives?--is which may very reasonably be

to be erected. Under the second head, we have hospitals for the insane, deserted as Institutions founded and supported by charitable individuals, and designed for the reception of needy patients of the middle and upper classes. They are not always designated Hospitals popularly; being "Retreats," or "Asylums," simply. The third head comprises Licensed Houses. These are Asylums, or Retreats, set on foot and maintained by private enterprise, for the reception of every grade of lunatic, from the psuper to the peer to England and Wales, on the frst of January, 1854, 37 county and borough Asylums contained 12,609 inmates; 14 Hospitals (not including the Royal Navy

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