luding Specimens of Controversy to the Reign of
Elizabeth," "Inquiry into the Literary and Political Character of King
James the First," "Commentaries on the Life and Reign of Charles the
First,"--the University of Oxford conferred upon him the degree of a
doctor of the civil law for this production, which it absurdly called
"Optimi regis, optimo defensori" "Amenities of Literature,"--this work
he wrote when blind, his daughter acting as his amanuensis; he notices
eloquently and feelingly her devoted services. Mr. Disraeli was the
friend, of literary merit in the obscure and unfortunate, in which he
was the rival of Sir Robert Peel, as his son Benjamin became in the
career of parliamentary oratory and politics. He married, in 1802, Miss
Basseni, of Brighton, aunt to the celebrated architect Basseni, and who
became the mother of the celebrated leader of the tory and protection
party in the commons, after the decease of his less able predecessor,
Lord George Bentinck. Few men ever pursued literature, for its own sake,
with more heartiness than Isaac Disraeli. It was no wonder that his son
should set out in life with the ambition of writing a great book, and
being a great orator--an ambition which can seldom be realised by the
same man, requiring mental qualities so different.

At Tunbridge Wells, in his eighty-fifth year, died General Frederick
Maitland, who had seen many fields of war, and had always distinguished
himself. During this month, in which death was so busy with eminent
persons, especially in the profession of arms, there died also,
at Edinburgh, Pringle Stoddardt, Rear-admiral of the White, and
Lieutenant-general Sir John Maclean, officers who had served in almost
every clime, and always with honour.

The eminent persons who died in February were Majorgeneral Carlo
Joseph Doyle; Major-general William Goodday Scott, Governor of Quebec;
Lieutenant-general Sir Thomas Reynel, the sixth baronet of the kingdom
of Ireland, K.C.B., and K.C.H.; Dr. Hamley, Archbishop of Canterbury,
and primate of all England; the Honourable James William King,
Rear-admiral of the Red, seventh son of the second Earl of Kingstown, of
Mitchelston Castle, Ireland; the Right Honourable Lord Graville
Charles Henry Somerset, a privy-councillor, and M.P. for Monmouthshire;
Rear-admiral Inglefield.

In March, Rear-admiral Warren; Major-general Sir W. Gosset, Bart.,
Serjeant-at-arms attending the House of Commons--he was a native of
Jersey,