ENGLISH BIOGRAPHIES
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—Your issue of July 6 contains an admirable review by Mr. Gilbert Thomas of Mr. Whitfield's book on Mrs. Gaskell, and it is refreshing to see his fine eulogy of a novelist whose works, it is to be feared, are not much read by the younger generation.
When Mr. Thomas, however, ranks Mrs. Gaskell's Life of Charlotte Beanie " among the four greatest biographies in our language," the matter is eomewhat different. One naturally asks what are the three other biographies which Mr. Thomas had in his mind ; and it would be interesting to know how some of your readers would compile a similar list. That Boswell's Johnson and Lockhart's Scott would be included seems almost certain, but is there really any other great English biography about the comparative merits of which there would be even moderate agreement ?—I am, Sir, &c.,
H. M. W.
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