The Late Samuel Warren, Q.C., D.C.L., P.R.S., Master In Lunacy
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Ix is our melancholy task to record the death of this distinguished lawyer and author. He has been the^ subject of so much unfair criticism, that we consider it an imperative duty to do justice to his undoubtedly remarkable talents and merit; at the same time, we are ready to admit that he was not exempt from the ordinary share of human frailty, and that he was somewhat elated by his literary success.
Master Warren was before the public for many years, not only as a lawyer of great eminence, but also as a most popular novelist. He was the son of a Wesleyan minister, and was born at Denbigh in 1807. We will speak of him first in his pro- fessional capacity. At the University of Edinburgh he studied for the medical profession, but he changed his mind and subse- quently entered at the Temple as a law student. He was called to the Bar in 1837, having previously published a valuable work entitled ” Introduction to Law Studies. He afterwards wrote on the Law of Court Martial and the Practice of Election Committees. He was appointed a Queen s Ctaunse in 1851, and was made Kecorder of Hull in 1852. He was returned to Parliament, as member for Midhurst in the on- servative interest, in 1856, and continued to represent that borough till 1859, when he retired on Lord Chelmsford s con- ferring on him the dignified and responsible office of Master m Lunacy, which he held till his death on the> 24th July last. For this judicial post he was eminently qualified, not only by is legal attainments, but also by his profound knowledge of human nature, which is so conspicuous throughout his works of fiction, and by his having devoted especial attention to psychological studies.
From having frequently attended Commissions in Lunacy over which he presided, we can bear ample testimony to his courtesy, to the extreme care with which he sifted evidence, and to the conscientious zeal, truthfulness, and discrimination with which he conducted the inquiiies.
As a writer of fiction there cannot be a question as to his very high merits. Two of his works,” The Diary of a Late Phy- sician,” and “Ten Thousand a Year,” which were published in parts in Blackwood’s Magazine, held the public in almost breath- less interest from month to month. In spite of many exagge- rations and medical mistakes, easily forgiven in a very young man?for he was no more than 23 years of age when he wrote ” The Diary of a Late Physician “?this work evinces a remark- able knowledge of human nature, manifests his early taste for psychological study, and shows a marvellous insight into the workings of the human mind. The mental struggles of a power- ful mind are admirably pourtrayed in the story of ” The States- man.” Again, the description of a young lady who became cata- leptic from the effects of a clap of thunder?which, we learnt from the author, was founded on fact?shows his power of describing the influence of the mind on the body. But the most striking feature in his novels is the high moral tone and religious tendency which is maintained throughout, without the slightest suspicion of cant. Neither was he tainted by the materialistic philosophy of the present day. It is but just a year since we received a letter from him, in which he says: “You and I are at one on the subject [Materialism]. His [Tyndall’s] design was not only to unsettle, but destroy belief… Let me quote a sentence from the great Pascal… There is light enough for those whose sincere desire is to see, and little enough to con- found those of an opposite disposition.” With these words we conclude our notice of Samuel Warren.
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