EBENEZER ELLIOTT, "the Corn Law Rhymer,"

DR. SAMUEL BROWN, "the Galileo of Chemistry,"

Among the Memoirs and Verbal Portraits to follow, are those of MARY

RUSSELL MITFORD, Author of "Our Village ;" C. R. PEMBERTON, the

Wanderer;" WILLIAM HUTTON, Mill-boy, Stocking-weaver, Bookseller,

and Antiquary; JOHN HENRY, Fifth DUKE OF RUTLAND; JOHN CLARE,

"the Northamptonshire Peasant;" ROBERT BLOOMFIELD, "the Farmer's

Boy;" GEORGE HERBERT, Parson of the Olden Time; JOHN GRATTON,

"the Quaker Preacher;" BERNARD BARTON, "the Quaker Poet;" GEORGE

FREDERICK WILLIAM, Seventh EARL OF CARLISLE; NANNY SHACKLOCK, a

Village Florence Nightingale; the two MONTGOMERIES; GEORGE COMBE,

the Phrenological Writer; WILLIAM GREGORY, Professor of Chemistry;

DR. DICK, "the Christian Philosopher," and other Scottish Worthies;

BARON LIEBIG; an IRISH CHIEF and his People; JAMES S. BUCKINGHAM ;

ROBERT OWEN; JOHN EDWARDS, "the Dovedale Poet;" PHŒEBE, Mother

of the HOWITTS; GEORGE PURSEGLOVE, "the Poor Man's Poor Friend;"

MRS. JERRAM; FREDERICK DAVIES, a Hero of Humble Life; CLAUDE GAY,

and other interesting Characters.

*

** SECTION II will contain MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS on many themes.

SECTION III will consist of "LAYS FROM THE LAKES' and other Poems;

-and the whole, when complete, will form a Volume which it is hoped

may be interesting alike in the private study and the family circle.

TO THE CRITICAL READER.

Though deeply interested in Physiognomy and Phrenology, as in whatever else may throw light on human character, the Author of this work can honestly say that he never sought interviews or intercourse with persons of note for the mere purpose of studying and sketching their peculiarities. But walking through life with open eyes and mind; loving to read the biography of the past; and often thrown more by accident than design in contact with living people remarkable for their public spirit, picturesqueness of intellect, or private worth, he has not only enjoyed the impressions they have made upon him, but the giving off again of those impressions, where it could be done without offence to taste and right feeling, for the pleasure and instruction of the many.

It was thus that, during the last twenty years, most of the following memoirs, traits and verbal portraits were contributed to the periodical press; and the Author having frequently been solicited to revise and present them, with additions, in a concise form, a volume was announced several years back with that view; but from various causes its issue was delayed. One writer strongly advised that it should be withheld altogether, on the ground that it was wrong to publish anything we had learnt from ordinary intercourse with people of distinction; but with singular inconsistency followed that advice almost immediately with a printed volume of her own recollections of distinguished friends and acquaintance! Acting on the opinions of others