he choice of words, phrases, and condensation of
thought than its predecessors, _The Tragic Comedians_ (1880), and _Diana
of the Crossways_, the first of the author's novels to attain anything
approaching general popularity. The same period yielded in poetry, _Poems
and Lyrics of the Joy of Earth_ (1883), _Ballads and Poems of Tragic
Life_ (1887), and _A Reading of Earth_ (1888). His later novels, _One of
our Conquerors_ (1891), _Lord Ormont and his Aminta_ (1894), and _The
Amazing Marriage_ (1895), exhibit a tendency to accentuate those
qualities of style which denied general popularity to all of M.'s works,
and they did little to add to his reputation. The contemporary poems
include _The Empty Purse_ and _Jump to Glory Jane_ (1892). In 1905 he
received the Order of Merit, and he _d._ on May 19, 1909. He was twice
_m._, his first wife, who _d._ 1860, being a _dau._ of Thomas Love
Peacock (_q.v._). This union did not prove in all respects happy. His
second wife was Miss Vulliamy, who _d._ 1885. In his earlier life he was
vigorous and athletic, and a great walker; latterly he lost all power of
locomotion.

Though the writings of M. never were and probably never will be generally
popular, his genius was, from the very first, recognised by the best
judges. All through he wrote for the reader who brought something of
mind, thought, and attention, not for him who read merely to be amused
without trouble; and it is therefore futile to attribute failure to him
because he did not achieve what he did not aim at. Nevertheless, the long
delay in receiving even the kind of recognition which he sought was a
disappointment to him. Few writers have striven to charge sentences and
even words so heavily with meaning, or to attain so great a degree of
condensation, with the result that links in the chain of thought are not
seldom omitted and left for the careful reader to supply. There is also a
tendency to adopt unusual words and forms of expression where plainness
and simplicity would have served as well, and these features taken
together give reason for the charges of obscurity and affectation so
often made. Moreover, the discussion of motive and feeling is often out
of proportion to the narrative of the events and circumstances to which
they stand related. But to compensate us for these defects he offers
humour, often, indeed, whimsical, but keen and sparkling, close
observation of and exquisite feeling for nature, a marvellous power