SIR ROBERT PEEL, AND HIS CLAIMS TO BE REMEMBERED BY THE LITERARY MEN OF ENGLAND.
One of the most interesting of the recently published parts of Murray's _Reading for the Rail_ is unquestionably _Theodore Hook, a Sketch_, which has been reprinted from the _Quarterly Review_, with some additional notes. Of these there is one (at p. 62.) which presents us with the following honorable and characteristic anecdote of the late Sir Robert Peel:--
"The writer of this sketch, now that Sir R. Peel is no more among us, takes this, perhaps his only opportunity of mentioning the generosity of that statesman's conduct towards Maginn. The Doctor having always retained the strong feelings of an Irish Orangeman, was one of those who condemned with severity Sir Robert's pro-Catholic policy of 1829; nor, perhaps was there any one writer of the time by whom the personal motives of the minister were more unmercifully dealt with. The Doctor assailed them with unwearied pertinacity, in various newspapers and magazines; but especially in rhymes only less galling than the fiercest of Swift's. He had never been personally acquainted with Peel, who could have known nothing about him so distinctly as this hostility. Yet when, a few years before Maginn's death, some of his friends were privately making a subscription to relieve him from some pressing difficulties, Sir Robert, casually hearing of it, immediately sent through the writer of this sketch, with a stipulation for secrecy, the sum of 100_l._ as a contribution to the fund. The writer believes that Sir Robert on various subsequent occasions interfered on the Doctor's behalf in a manner not less liberal, and with the same delicate precautions. At all events, when the doctor was near his end, Sir Robert forwarded for his use a similar benefaction of 100_l._ The writer has no reason to suppose that Maginn was ever aware of any of these kind deeds. It remains to be added that, some years after Dr. Maginn's death, his only son, on attaining the requisite age, received a cadetship in the East Indies from Sir Robert Peel's last government."--(1852.)
The perusal of this interesting passage has reminded us of a desire which we felt most strongly at the time when the country lost the distinguished man to whom it relates; and which we should then have given expression to, but for the fear that in the multitude of projects for doing honour to his memory then floating before the public eye, what we had to propose might not be received in the way which his merits deserved.
