Sainte-Beuve, but almost as much for the information as for the
criticism contained in the 'Causeries.' He had always a fancy for such
books as Gibbon's great work which give a wide panoramic view of
history, and defended his taste on principle. These articles deal with
some historical books which interested him, but are chiefly concerned
with French and English writers from Hooker to Paley and from Pascal to
De Maistre, who dealt with his favourite philosophical problems. Their
peculiarity is that the writer has read his authors pretty much as if he
were reading an argument in a contemporary magazine. He gives his view
of the intrinsic merits of the logic with little allowance for the
historical position of the author. He has not made any study of the
general history of philosophy, and has not troubled himself to compare
his impressions with those of other critics. The consequence is that
there are some very palpable misconceptions and failure to appreciate
the true relation to contemporary literature of the books criticised. I
can only say, therefore, that they will be interesting to readers who
like to see the impression made upon a masculine though not specially
prepared mind by the perusal of certain famous books, and who relish an
independent verdict expressed in downright terms without care for the
conventional opinion of professional critics.

His thoughts naturally turned a good deal to various projects connected
with his writing. In July 1867 he writes that he has resolved to
concentrate himself chiefly upon the 'Pall Mall Gazette' for the
present. He is, however, to complete some schemes already begun. The
'Fraser' articles upon religious topics will make one book; then there
are the 'Horae Sabbaticae' articles, of which he has already written
fifty-eight, and which will be finished in about twenty more. But,
besides this, he has five law-books in his mind, including a rewriting
of the book on criminal law and a completion of the old book upon the
administrative history. Others are to deal with martial law, insanity,
and the relations of England to India and the colonies. Beyond these he
looks at an 'awful distance' upon a great book upon law and morals. He
is beginning to doubt whether literature would not be more congenial
than law, if he could obtain some kind of permanent independent
position. Law, no doubt, has given him a good training, but the
pettiness of most of the business can hardly be exaggerated;