of Useful Knowledge," of which Lord Brougham became, and continues
to this day, chairman. In the original prospectus, issued under his
sanction, we find "The object of the Society is strictly limited to
what its title imports, namely, the imparting useful information to
all classes of the community, particularly to such as are unable to
avail themselves of experienced teachers, or may prefer learning
by themselves." The Society commenced their labours by a set of
Treatises, the first or "Preliminary Treatise," "_On the objects,
pleasures, and advantages of Science_," being from the pen of Lord
Brougham; and in perspicuity and popular interest, this treatise
is unrivalled in our times. His Lordship is also understood, in
conjunction with Mr. Charles Bell, to be engaged in illustrating
with notes an edition of Paley's works, to be published by the above
Society.

In the preceding outline of the political life of Lord Brougham, we
have quoted but few points of his personal character. This has been
so well drawn, and so recently too, that we are induced to adopt the
following traits from a contemporary Magazine.[5] The paper whence
these are extracted, purports to be a description of the Lord
Chancellor's first levee:--

"Unfeigned respect for, and a slight personal acquaintance with, the
noble person who now holds the seals, led me to attend his last levee.
The practice of receiving the respects of the public on one or two
stated occasions is sufficiently ancient, but I have understood was
discontinued, or not much observed, in the latter days of Lord Eldon.
It was revived with somewhat greater splendour by Lord Lyndhurst, but
still it attracted little public notice. I incline to think that it
was reserved for Brougham to illustrate the ancient custom, by the