Library of the world's best literature, ancient and modern . king, the one isremembered and unread, the other read and unremembered. Syd-ney Smiths name is almost as familiar to the masses as Scotts, andfew could tell a line that he wrote; Barhams writing is almost asfamiliar as Scotts, and few would recognize his name. Yet he is inthe foremost rank of humorists; his place is wholly unique, and islikely to remain so. It will be an age before a similar combinatitmof tastes and abilities is found once more. Macaulay said truly ofSir Walter Scott that he combined the minute learning of an anti-(j
Library of the world's best literature, ancient and modern . king, the one isremembered and unread, the other read and unremembered. Syd-ney Smiths name is almost as familiar to the masses as Scotts, andfew could tell a line that he wrote; Barhams writing is almost asfamiliar as Scotts, and few would recognize his name. Yet he is inthe foremost rank of humorists; his place is wholly unique, and islikely to remain so. It will be an age before a similar combinatitmof tastes and abilities is found once more. Macaulay said truly ofSir Walter Scott that he combined the minute learning of an anti-(juary with the fire of a great poet. Barham combined a like learn-ing in different fields, and joined to a different outlook and temperof mind, with the quick perceptions of a great wit, the brimmingzest and high spirits of a great joker, the genial nature and light-ness of a born man of the world, and the gifts of a wonderfiilimprovisatore in verse. Withal, he had just enough of serious pur-pose to give much of his work a certain measure of cohesive unity,. Richard H. H.\kh.\m ,,^, RICHARD HARRIS BARHAM I5°4 and thus impress it on the mind as no collection of random skitscould do. That purpose is the feathering which steadies the arrowsand sends them home. It is pleasant to know that one who has given so good a time toothers had a very good time himself; that we are not, as so oftenhappens, relishing a farce that stood for tragedy with the maker, andsubstituting our laughter for his tears. Barham had the cruel sor-rows of personal bereavement so few escape; but in material thingshis career was wholly among pleasant ways. He was well born andwith means, well educated, well nurtured. He was free from thesordid squabbles or anxious watching and privation which fall to thelot of so many of the best. He was happy in his marriage and itsattendant home and family, and most fortunate in his friendshipsand the superb society he enjoyed. His, birth and position as a gen-tleman of good l
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectliterature, bookyear1
