Mr. Da Quincey has begun an issue of his complete works in this country ; but of this issue, only four or five volumes have as yet (1S56) been published. In the preface to this edition, however, Mr. Do Quincey makes a classification of his writings, which it is useful to remember. The immense medley, which, in the American edition, is arranged on the loosest possible principle, may be distributed, ho says, in the main, into three classes of papers :—first, papers whose chief purpose is to interest and amuse (autobiographic sketches, rentiuis cencos of distinguished contemporaries, biographical memoirs, whim /deal narratives, and such like); secondly, essays of a speculative, critical, or philosophical character, addressing the understanding as an insulated faculty (of these there are many); and thirdly, papers belonging to the order of what may be called ' prose-poetry ;' that is, phautasies or imaginations in prose (of which class Mr. De Quincey cites the Suspiria de Profundis; originally published in Blackwood, as the most characteristic) /specimen). Under any one of the three aspects here indicated Mr. De Quincey must rank high in the entire list of British prose-writers. His papers of fact and reminiscence, though somewhat discursive, are among the most delightful in the language; and his essays have the merit of extraordinary subtlety of thought and of invariable origiunlity. Undoubtedly, however, his papers of prose-phantasy are the most splendid manifestations of his genius. Mr. De Quincey himself speaks of them as " modes of impassioned prose, ranging under no precedents that I am aware of in any literature ;" and, as such, claims for them more "iu right of their es/mention" than ho will venture to do In right of their "arcoution," Whether one agrees with him or not as to the "utter sterility of universal literature in this ono department of impassioned prose," one must admit that his own contributions to this department, or rather to the department of subtle-imagine/ire prose, are, as far as our literature is concerned, almost unique in their kind. They are often of such a weirdly and visionary character as to give an additional significanco to the circumstance of his being universally known as "the Euglieh Opium-eater." " DERBY, EDWARD•GEOFF1tEY SMITH STANLEY, 14in EAltL OF, born March 29, 1799, was the oldest son of Edward Smith, Lord Stanley, afterwards 13th Earl Derby, but then only heir apparent to his father, the 12th Earl. After quitting Christ Church, Oxford, where, as well as at Eton, he was greatly distinguished, Mr. Stanley entered the llouso of Commons in 1820 as member for Stock bridges It was not till 1321 however that he began to take an active part in the business of the House. From the moment that he did so his pre-eminent powers as a parliamentary debater gave him an acknowledged right to lead ; end these powers, together with his high connections, have enabled him ever since to be, whether in or out of office, one of our foremost political men. From 1826 to 1830 be sat as member for Preston. In this latter year, having been nominated to the post of Under-Secretary for the Colonies under the short Goderich administration, be was thrown out by the constituency of Preston, who elected the democratic favourite Henry Hunt in his stead. He found a seat however in Windsor, which was vacated by Sir Hussey Vivian in his favour. He sat for Windsor till 1832, when he was elected for North Lancashire ; which county be continued to represent during the remainder of his stay in the Lower House. The
death of his grandfather in 1834, by raising his father to the earl dom, devolved on him the courtesy-title of Lord Stanley. This same year brought about a change in his political relations. Since 1830 he had been officially attached to the Reform ministry of Lord Grey first as Chief Secretary for Ireland (1830-33), and then as Secretary of State for the Colonies (1833-34); and in both capacities he sig nalised himself by his energy and his eloquence. During the Reform Bill debates, in particular, his services as a speaker on the reform side were of the first order. In 1834 however be, along with Sir James Graham, the Duke of Richmond, and Lord Ripon, separated from Earl Grey, on the question of the farther reduction of the Irish Ecclesiaqical Establishment. Since that time accordingly he has taken part in British politics uniformly as a Conservative. In 1841 he took office in Sir Robert Peel's Couscrvative ministry, in his old post of Colonial Secretary ; and of this ministry he was an active member till 1845. In order that the ministry might have the advan tage of his services in the Upper House, he was in 1844 raised to that House by the change of his courtesy-title of Lord Stanley into the real title of Baron Stanley of Bickerataffe. Shortly after this eleva tion, Sir Robert Peel's growing determination towards a freo trade policy effected a separation between him and Lord Stanley. No sooner had Sir Robert carried the repeal of the Corn.Lawa, than his colleague placed himself at the head of what has since that time been known as the Protectionist party. The efforts of this party, with such men as Lord Stanley, Lord George Bentinck, and Mr. Disraeli to lead them, were directed to the disorganisation both of the Whigs and of the Peelite Conservative party ; and with such success that, at length, on the dissolution of the Whig Cabinet of Lord John Russell in February 1852, the Protectionist Conservatives were called into office. Of this ministry the Earl of Derby (raised to that rank by the death of his father, June 30, 1851), was the First Lord, with Mr. Disraeli for Chancellor of the Exchequer and leader in the Commons. The ministry lasted till December 1S52; but during its ten months of office did not carry any measures of a peculiarly Protectionist character. Defeated on the financial policy, of Mr. Disraeli iu December 1852, Lord Derby resigned, and Lord Aberdeen and the Coalition ministry came into office. On the fall of this ministry in 1855 Lord Derby had another opportunity of constructing a Pro tectionist ministry, but he declined the task, on the ground that, in the existing state of parties, no ministry that be could form could stand its. ground. Accordingly, at the present moment (1856), Lord Eerby'a position in the politics of his country is that of leader of a general, rather than a strictly Protectionist, opposition to the policy of Lord Palmerston. The conduct of the war with Russia and the management of the nenociationa for peace (March 1856), have afforded the most recent materials for debate to Lord Derby and his associates. Among other honours held by Lord Derby is that of Chancellor of the University of Oxford : ho has also been Lord Rector of Glasgow University. He married in 1825 Emma Caroline, daughter of the first Lord Skelmeredale, and has three children ; of whom the eldest, Lord Stanley, M.P. (born 1826), is heir-apparent.