National Progress page 7

The most distinguished dramatic writers of the time were Sheridan Kuowles, Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton, Mr. Justice Talfourd, and Miss Mitford. Mr. Knowles's first drama, " Caius Gracchus," appeared in 1815, and was followed by more successful efforts, namely, " The Wife, a Tale of Mantua," "The Hunchback," "Virginius," " The Blind Beggar of Bethnal Green," " William Tell," " The Love Chase," " Old Maids," " The Daughter," &c. Mr. Knowles was the son of James Knowles, author of the dictionary which bears his name. The dramatist commenced life as a teacher of elocution in Belfast; but his genius prompted him to seek a higher career, in which his industry was crowned with a large measure of success, for he was a successful actor as well as a writer of plays. Ultimately, however, he became disgusted with the stage from religious scruples, and taking a fancy to polemics, he published two attacks upon Romanism, entitled, " The Rock of Rome" and "The Idol Demolished by its own Priest." He ended his career as a preacher in connection with the Baptist denomination, and died in 1862, having enjoyed a literary pension of £200 a year since 1849.

Sir E. Bulwer Lytton (afterwards Lord Lytton) is chiefly known as a most successful novelist, but he won fame also as a dramatic author, his chief productions in this line being "The Lady of Lyons," "La Vallière," and "Richelieu." He was born in 1805, and was the youngest son of General Bulwer, of Haydon Hall. He commenced the career of authorship very early, having written " Weeds and Wild Flowers," "O'Neil, the Rebel" and " Falkland," before the appearance of "Pelham" in 1828. Then in rapid succession appeared "The Disowned," "Devereux," "Paul Clifford," "Eugene Aram," "The Last Days of Pompeii," "Rienzi," " Ernest Maltravers," "Alice, or the Mysteries," "The Last of the Barons," "Harold, or the I Last of the Saxon Kings," and several others. In 1831 he entered the House of Commons, and represented Lincoln till 1841. His political career, however, belongs to the reign of Queen Victoria.

Mr. Justice Talfourd, an eminent barrister, commenced his career as circuit law reporter for the Times. In 1835 he was returned to parliament as member for Reading, his native town, and he was so successful in his profession, that he was raised to the bench in 1849. He was the author of three tragedies - "Ion," "The Athenian Captive," and "Glencoe." He was also the author of some charming prose works. He was a man of genial disposition, of real genius, highly cultivated taste, and of strong popular sympathies. His sudden death occurred under circumstances singularly impressive and solemn. While addressing the grand jury at Stafford, in 1854, on the unnatural and deplorable estrangement between employers and employed in England, he said, "If I were to be asked what is the great want of English society, I would say in one word - the want of sympathy between class and class." This was the last sentence he ever uttered. He was seized with a fit of apoplexy as it escaped his lips, and died almost before he could be carried out of court.

The success of the Waverley Novels turned the main force of the genius and literary resources of the country into the ever widening channel of prose fiction. No fewer than thirty-five names of note appeared before the public as novel writers about that time. In Scotland, under the immediate shadow of the author of "Waverley," came John Gait, Mrs. Johnstone, Miss Ferrier, the Ettrick Shepherd, Allan Cunningham, Wilson, Gibson Lockhart, Picken, Moir. In Ireland, and of Irish birth, there were Colley, Grattan, Crofton Croker, Banim, Gerald Griffin, Samuel Lover, and last, though not least, William Carleton. In > England, and chiefly of English birth, were Mrs. Shelley,, Lady Caroline Lamb, Peacock, Thomas Hope, Leigh i Hunt, Theodore and James Hook, Morier, Lister, Ward, Gleig, Horace Smith, Miss Mitford, Miss Landon, Mrs. Gore, Mrs. Trollope, Sir Bulwer Lytton, D'lsraeli, Captain Marryat, and Mr. James. Professor Masson gives the following statistics of novels in the British Museum: - " In 1820 the number received was twenty-six; in 1830 the yearly number had increased to 100. Taking these data as approximately accurate, they give us the curious fact that the annual yield of British novels had been quadrupled by the time of Scott's death as compared with what it had been when he was in the middle of the 'Waverley' series, having risen from twenty-six a year, or a new novel every fortnight, to about 100 a year, or nearly two new novels every week; and, moreover, that this proportion of about 100 new novels every year, or two every week, has continued pretty steady since Scott's death, or if there has been any change, has fallen off lately, rather than increased. Making an average calculation from these facts, I find that there may have been in all about 3,000 novels, counting about 7,000 separate Volumes, produced in these islands since the publication of 'Waverley.' And this corresponds pretty well with a calculation made on independent grounds. In the 'London Book Catalogue,' giving a classified index of all books published in Great Britain from the year 1816 to the year 1851 inclusive, the novels or works of prose fiction occupy twenty-two pages, and amount to about 3,300 separate entries. In this list, however, reprints of old novels are included. Balancing these against the probable yield of the six years, from 1852 to 1857 inclusive, not embraced in the catalogue, I believe that my calculation, as just stated, may pass as near the truth."

Our limits forbid further biographical details, but these are the less necessary, as authors who would have a strong claim upon our notice happily still survive among us, and will hereafter receive their due share of attention. We have noticed that a large number of the poets who flourished in the last two reigns were women; and we find that the sex maintained an equal proportion, and a still higher position, in the department of fiction. This fact was the subject of comment in the Edinburgh Review in 1830. The writer remarks: - "There are some things which women do better than men, and of these perhaps novel-writing is one. Naturally endowed with greater delicacy of taste and feeling, with a moral sense not blunted and debased by those contaminations to which men are exposed, leading lives rather of observation than of action, with leisure to attend to the minutiae of conduct and more subtle developments of character, they are peculiarly qualified for the task of exhibiting faithfully and pleasingly the various phases of domestic life, and those varieties which chequer the surface of society. Accordingly, their delineations, though perhaps less vigorous than those afforded by the other sex, are distinguished for the most part by greater fidelity and consistency, a more refined and happy discrimination, and, we must also add, a more correct estimate of right and wrong. In works which come from a female pen we are seldom offended by those moral monstrosities, those fantastic perversions of principle, which are too often to be met with in the fictions that have been written by men. Women are less stilted in their style; they are more content to describe naturally what they have observed, without attempting the introduction of those extraneous ornaments which are sometimes sought at the expense of truth. They are less ambitious, and are therefore more just; they are far more exempt from that prevailing literary vice of the present day - exaggeration - and have not taken their stand among the feverish followers of what may be called the intense style of writing - a style much practised by those who only inquire if a work is calculated to make a strong impression, and omit entirely the more important question, whether that impression be founded on truth or delusion. Hence the agonies and convulsions, and dreamy rhapsodies, and heated exhibitions of stormy passions, in which several of our writers have lately indulged. Imagination has been flattered into a self-sufficient abandonment of its alliance with judgment, to which disunion it is ever least prone where it has most real power; and 'fine creations' (well so called, as being unlike anything previously existing in nature) have been lauded, in spite of their internal falsity, as if they were of more value than the most accurate delineations of that world which we see around us."

The changes in the manners and morals of the age since the reign of George III. have been sufficiently indicated in the preceding pages. There were corresponding changes gradually introduced in the world of fashion, though the conservative instinct of the aristocracy and the spirit of exclusiveness resisted innovation as long as possible. What was called "good society" was wonderfully select. The temple of fashion at the beginning of the reign of George IY. was Almack's; and the divinities which under the name of lady patronesses presided there were the Ladies Castlereagh, Jersey, Cowper, and Sefton, the Princess Esterhazy and the Countess Lieven. These and their associates gave the tone to the beau monde. We can scarcely now conceive the importance that was then attached to the privilege of getting admission to Almack's. Of the 300 officers of the foot-guards, not more than half a dozen were honoured with vouchers. The most popular and influential amongst the grandes dames was Lady Cowper, afterwards Lady Palmerston. Lady Jersey was not popular, being inconceivably rude and insolent in her manner. "Many diplomatic arts, much finesse, and a host of intrigues were set in motion to get an invitation to Almack's. Very often persons whose rank and fortune entitled them to the entree anywhere were excluded by the chquism of the lady patronesses." Trowsers had come into general use. They had been first worn by children, then adopted in the army, and from the army, they came into fashion with civilians. But they were rigidly excluded from Almack's, as well as the black tie, which also came into use about this time. The female oligarchy who ruled the world of fashion, or tried to do so, issued a solemn proclamation that no gentleman should appear at the assemblies without being dressed in knee-breeches, white cravat, and chapeaux bras. On one occasion, we are told, the Duke of Wellington was about to ascend the staircase of the ballroom, dressed in black trowsers, when the vigilant Mr. Willis, the guardian of the establishment, stepped forward, and said, " Your grace cannot be admitted in trowsers." Whereupon the great captain quietly retreated, without daring to storm the citadel of fashion. The principal dances at Almack's had been Scotch reels, and the old English country dance. In 1815, Lady Jersey introduced from Paris the quadrille, which has so long remained popular. The mazy waltz was also imported about the same time. Among the first who ventured to whirl round the salons of Almack's was Lord Palmerston, his favourite partner being Madame Lieven. This new dance was so diligently cultivated in the houses of the nobility and gentry that the upper classes were affected with a waltzing mania.

The coarse manners of the gentlemen were gradually yielding to refining influences, but the society of ladies amongst the upper classes was generally neglected. Husbands spent their days in hunting or other masculine occupations, and their evenings in dining and drinking; the dinner party, which commenced at seven, not breaking up before one in the morning. Four or five, or even six-bottle men were not uncommon among the nobility. Lord Eldon and his brother Lord Stowell used to say that they had drunk more bad port than any two men in England. The Italian Opera was then, as it is now, the greatest attraction. It became less exclusive in its arrangements when the Opera House was under the management of Mr. Waters; but the strictest etiquette was still kept up with regard to the dress of gentlemen, who were only admitted with knee-buckles, ruffles, and chapeaux bras. If there happened to be a drawing-room, the ladies as well as the gentlemen would come to the opera in their court dresses.

English cookery, even in the greatest houses, had not yet been much affected by French art. The dinners were remarkably solid, hot, and stimulating. Mulligatawny and turtle soups came first, then at one end of the table was uncovered the familiar salmon, and at the other the turbot surrounded by smelts. Next came a saddle of mutton, or a joint of roast beef, and for the fourth course came fowls, tongue, and ham. French dishes were placed on the sideboard, but for a long time such weak culinary preparations were treated with contemptuous neglect. The boiled potato was then very popular, and vegetables generally were unaccompanied with sauce. The dessert, which was ordered from the confectioner's, was often very costly. The wines used at dinner were chiefly port, sherry, and hock. " A perpetual thirst seemed to come over people, both men and women," says Captain Gronow, " as soon as they had tasted their soup, as from that moment everybody was taking wine with everybody else till the close of the dinner, and such wine as produced that class of cordiality which frequently wanders into stupefaction. How this sort of eating and drinking ended was obvious from the prevalence of gout; and the necessity of every one making the pillbox a constant bed-room companion."

There was a sort of understanding in those times that Hyde Park was the peculiar preserve of the aristocracy. Women of notoriously bad reputation would not then have dared to show themselves in Rotten Row, and the middle and lower classes of London did not think of intruding themselves as equestrians upon the pleasure- ground of the nobility. At that time it was every way more retired; the walks were fewer, and cows and deer were seen quietly grazing under clumps of trees. The frequenters of the park, who then congregated daily about five o'clock, were chiefly composed of dandies and ladies in the best society; the former, well- mounted and dressed in a blue coat, with brass buttons, leather-breeches and top-boots, with a tremendously deep, stiff, white cravat, and high shirt-collar, which rendered stooping impossible. Many of the ladies used to drive round the park in a carriage, called a vis-a-vis, which held only two persons, having a hammercloth rich in heraldic designs - powdered footmen in smart liveries, and a coachman who assumed all the airs and importance of a wigged archbishop.

The growing importance of the middle classes, the rapid multiplication of men of wealth and high social position in the mercantile community; the marriage of their daughters into noble families rendered insolvent by extravagance, and the diffusion of knowledge among all classes of the community, gradually levelled or lowered the barriers of exclusiveness, increased the facilities of social intercourse, and rendered the fashions in the clothing of both sexes more accordant with good taste, more convenient, and more conducive to health. With the use of the trowsers, and Hessian or Wellington boots, came the loose and easy surtout, and frock-coat; and instead of the deep stiff white cravat, black stocks or black ties were worn except in full dress at evening parties. The clergy, however, retained the white neckcloth, and, strange to say, it also became the necessary distinction of footmen, butlers, hotel- waiters, and shop-assistants. The old court dress coat, with its bag-like skirt, was abandoned by gentlemen who attended dinnerparties and balls, for the "swallow-tailed" dress coat.