are real diamonds, and diamonds of the first water.'"

"The foregoing is new to us, and full of a double interest. It is
followed, however, by a statement, that needs a word of explanation.
Mr. Irving says:

"'I have not time at present to furnish personal anecdotes of
my intercourse with Campbell, neither does it afford any of a
striking nature. Though extending over a number of years, it
was never very intimate. His residence in the country, and
my own long intervals of absence on the continent, rendered
our meetings few and far between. To tell the truth, I was
not much drawn to Campbell, having taken up a wrong notion
concerning him, from seeing him at times when his mind was
ill at ease, and preyed upon by secret griefs. I thought
him disposed to be querulous and captious, and had heard his
apparent discontent attributed to jealous repining at the
success of his poetical contemporaries. In a word, I knew
little of him but what might be learned in the casual
intercourse of general society; whereas it required the close
communion of confidential friendship, to sound the depth of
his character and know the treasures of excellence hidden
beneath its surface. Beside, he was dogged for years
by certain malignant scribblers, who took a pleasure in
misrepresenting all his actions, and holding him up in an
absurd and disparaging point of view. In what hostility
originated I do not know, but it must have given much
annoyance to his sensitive mind, and may have affected
his popularity. I know not to what else to attribute a
circumstance to which I was a witness during my last visit to
England. It was at an annual dinner of the Literary Fund, at
which Prince Albert presided, and where was collected much
of the prominent talent of the kingdom. In the course of
the evening Campbell rose to make a speech. I had not seen
him for years, and his appearance showed the effect of age
and ill-health; _it was evident, also, that his mind was
obfuscated by the wine he had been drinking_. He was confused
and tedious in his remarks; still, there was nothing but
what one would have thought would have been received with
indulgence, if not deference, from a veteran of his fame and
standing; a living classic. On the contrary, to my surprise, I
soon observed signs of impatience in the company;