One other such novel, and there's an end; but who
can last for ever? who ever lasted so long?"
In 1823:--
"_Peveril_ is a moderate production, between his best and his worst;
rather agreeable than not."
His judgment on _The Bride of Lammermoor_ is indeed deplorable. He thought
it like Scott's previous work, but "laboured in an inferior way, and more
careless, with many repetitions of himself. Caleb is overdone.... The
catastrophe is shocking and disgusting."[168]
Incidentally we find him praising Lister's _Granby_, and Hope's
_Anastasius_. He early discovered and consistently admired Macaulay, though
he drew the line at the _Lays of Ancient Rome_, on the ground that he
"abhorred all Grecian and Roman subjects." It is curious to note the number
and variety of new books which he more or less commends, and which are now
equally and completely forgotten. As we come nearer our own times, however,
we find an important conversion. In 1838 he writes:--
"_Nickleby_ is very good. I stood out against Mr. Dickens as long as I
could, but he has conquered me."
In 1843 he writes to Dickens:--
"Pecksniff and his daughters, and Pinch, are admirable--quite
first-rate painting, such as no one but yourself can execute. Chuffey
is admirable. I never read a finer piece of writing."
And, when Dickens asks him to dinner, he replies:--
"I accept your obliging invitation conditionally.
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