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eray next appears. He was moved to enter this field (against the advice of many friends) by the hope that he might thus provide a sum of money for the future sustenance of his children. Having prepared with great care a series of lectures on The English Humorists of the Eighteenth Century, he first delivered the course in London in 1851, and afterwards in most of the leading cities of England. He then came to the United States, and during the winter of 1852-53 delivered his lectures to large audiences in most of our principal cities.

Having enjoyed his success in the first attempt to lecture, he, three years afterwards, prepared a second series, on The Four Georges, which he delivered both in England and the United States. Though Thackeray had none of those wonderful gifts of elocution which made it such a pleasure to listen to Dickens, he read well enough to interest his audiences in his deeply interesting matter. At any rate, the lectures were successful. A large sum of money was made — and was kept.

On his return from his first trip to the United States, Thackeray published The Newcomes, one of the greatest of his works. This was followed by The Virginians

(1857-59).

In 1859 Thackeray undertook the last great work of his life, the editorship of the newly started Cornhill Magazine. The fame of the editor made this periodical a marked success from the beginning. Thackeray contributed to it every month one of the charming articles known as the Roundabout Papers. He also published in it his novels of Lovel the Widower, and The Adven

tures of Philip. He was writing for it a new novel, Denis Duval, at the time that death overtook him.

Thackeray died on the day before Christmas, 1863, very suddenly and unattended, in his bed, early in the morning, in the fifty-third year of his life. Dickens tells us that the last written words of the unfinished novel of Denis Duval were, "And my heart throbbed with an exquisite bliss." And the great yet most friendly rival adds the touching words: "God grant that on that Christmas Eve, when he laid his head back on his pillow, and threw up his arms as he had been wont to do when very weary, some consciousness of duty done, and Christian hope throughout life humbly cherished, may have caused his own heart so to throb when he passed away to his Redeemer's rest!"

Thackeray was an imposing figure of a man, — in height six feet four, powerfully built, erect in his gait, and with a countenance peculiarly expressive, and capable of much dignity. His massive head was thickly covered with hair, which, long before his death, became silvery white. His nose had been broken in a school fight, while he was quite a little boy, by another little boy at the Charter House.

By many Thackeray is spoken of as a cynic. But, whatever of cynical there may be in his writings, as a man he was the reverse of a cynic. All the evidence goes to show that he was really one of the most softhearted of human beings, sweet as charity itself, who went about the world dropping pearls, doing good, and never willfully inflicting a wound. Hear what Dickens has to say:

"My long acquaintance with him is marked in my remembrance of him by many occasions when he was supremely humorous, when he was irresistibly extravagant, when he was softened and serious, when he was charming with children. But by none do I recall him more tenderly than by two or three that start out of the crowd, when he unexpectedly presented himself in my room, announcing how that some passage in a certain book had made him cry yesterday, and how that he had come to dinner, 'because he couldn't help it,' and must talk such passage over. No one can ever have seen him more genial, natural, cordial, fresh, and honestly impulsive than I have seen him at those times. No one can be surer than I of the greatness and goodness of the heart that then disclosed itself."

Various opinions are entertained as to the relative place of Thackeray among the novelists of the nineteenth century; but no one denies that he ranks among the masters, and it is held by many capable critics that he is the greatest delineator of character since Fielding. It was his aim to represent men and women as they are, with that mixture of good and evil and of strength and foible which is to be found in their characters; but it was also his constant endeavor so to represent human nature that his readers should learn to love what is good, and to hate what is evil. He is one of the healthiest writers since the days of Scott.

In point of style, Thackeray was a very great master, and his novels deserve the most careful study as inimitable models of pure and beautiful English.

1. CHARITY AND HUMOR.

FIRST READING.

SEVERAL charitable ladies of this city, to some of whom I am under great personal obligation, having thought that a lecture of mine would advance a benevolent end which they had in view, I have preferred, in place of delivering a discourse which many of my hearers no doubt know already, upon a subject merely literary or biographical, to put together a few thoughts, which may serve as a supplement to the former lectures, if you like, and which have this, at least, in common with the kind purpose which assembles you here, that they rise out of the same occasion, and treat of charity.

Besides contributing to our stock of happiness, to our harmless laughter and amusement, to our scorn for falsehood and pretension, to our righteous hatred of hypocrisy, to our education in the perception of truth, our love of honesty, our knowledge of life, and shrewd guidance through the world, have not our humorous writers, our gay and kind week-day preachers, done much in support of that holy cause which has assembled you in this place, and which you are all abetting?3 -the cause of love and charity; the cause of the poor, the weak, and the unhappy; the sweet mission of love and tenderness, and peace and good-will toward men.

1 this city: that is, New York, where he had just delivered his course of lectures on The English Humorists.

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2 benevolent end. Give a synonymous expression.

3 abetting, aiding, forwarding. See Glossary.

That same theme which is urged upon you by the eloquence and example of good men to whom you are delighted listeners on sabbath days is taught in his way, and according to his power, by the humorous writer, the commentator on every-day life and manners. And as you are here assembled for a charitable purpose, giving your contributions at the door to benefit deserving people who need them without, I like to hope and think that the men of our calling have done something in aid of the cause of charity, and have helped with kind words and kind thoughts, at least, to confer happiness and to do good.

If the humorous writers claim to be week-day preachers, have they conferred any benefit by their sermons? Are people happier, better, better disposed to their neighbors, more inclined to do works of kindness, to love, forbear, forgive, pity, after reading in Addison,1 in Steele,2 in Fielding, in Goldsmith, in Hood,5 in Dickens? I hope and believe so, and fancy, that, in writing, they are also acting charitably; contributing,

1 Addison. See biographical sketch, page 105.

2 Steele. Sir Richard Steele (1671-1729), a schoolmate and friend of Addison. He originated The Spectator, to which he contributed essays second only to Addison's in point of merit.

8 Fielding. Henry Fielding (1707-1754) was the first to show by example the great power of the novel as a moral influence in society.

4 Goldsmith. Oliver Goldsmith, a native of Ireland (1728-1774), one of the most genial souls and charming writers that ever lived, is best known as a novelist by his Vicar of Wakefield.

5 Hood. Thomas Hood (17981854) the prince of English comic humorists, and author of several famous poems, as the "Song of the Shirt" and the "Bridge of Sighs," marked by the profoundest pathos and sympathy with the suffering.

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