elves--suddenly recovering in a degree from the
calm view we had taken of the poem as a work of art--asking _how_ we
should be so sensible of the grandeur of the situation if the poet by
his skill had not brought out its peculiarity.

* * * * *

A Lady of the Last Century. By Dr. Doran. London: Bentley.

This is the life of a lady remarkable in herself and in her
surroundings. Of every day in her life she could say, in the words of
Horace, "I have lived." "She never had a fool for an acquaintance,"
says her biographer, "nor an idle hour in the sense of idleness." Her
father, Mr. Robinson, who belonged to an eminent family which had been
settled about a century at Rokeby, subsequently the seat of Scott's
friend Morritt, in Yorkshire, married when a boy of eighteen a rich
young lady of very superior quality in every respect, and by her had
a large family. His wife's mother married secondly Middleton, the
biographer of Cicero, who took a great fancy to her grand-daughter,
Elizabeth Robinson, and paid much attention to her intellectual
development. In fact, from the cradle to the grave she was thrown
amongst the erudite and cultivated in a very uncultivated age. During
her girlhood Elizabeth Robinson had every advantage and pleasure which
wealthy and devoted parents could give her, and when twenty-two she
married Mr. Edward Montagu, a grandson of the first earl of Sandwich,
and first cousin of the celebrated Lady Mary's husband.

Mrs. Montagu was far more fortunate in her choice than the brilliant
daughter of the duke of Kingston. Her husband was in every way
estimable and amiable, and her letters afford ample evidence how
thoroughly she appreciated his character. They had only one child, who
died in infancy, and when Mr. Montagu died he bequeathed to his widow
the whole of his property, which she in turn left to her nephew, who
took the name of Montagu and became Lord Rokeby.

A few years after their marriage Mr. Montagu, already affluent,
received a great accession of fortune in the shape of colliery
property in the north of England. This enabled his wife to entertain
very liberally, and, in conjunction with her talents and high
connections, gave her a commanding place in society. They took a large
house in Hill street, then the extremity of the West End, which became
the resort of that class who, being anxious to put an end to eternal
card-playing and introduce rather more of the intel