PREFACE

IT seems necessary to say something by way of excusing myself for what I feel must appear to many the presumption of undertaking so serious a work as this biography. I need not relate the various unthought-of ways by which I have been led to undertake it, which are my apology to myself rather than to the public; but I may say that, in a matter so complicated and delicate, it appeared to me a kind of safeguard that the writer of Edward Irving's life should be a person without authority to pronounce judgment on one side or the other, and interested chiefly with the man himself, and his noble, courageous warfare through a career encompassed with all human agonies. I hoped to get personal consolation amid heavy troubles out of a life so full of great love, faith, and sorrow; and I have found this life so much more lofty, pure, and true than my imagination, that the picture, unfolding under my hands, has often made me pause to think how such a painter as the Blessed Angelico took the attitude of devotion at his labor, and painted such saints on his knees. The large extracts which, by the kindness of his surviving children, I have been permitted to make from Irving's letters, will show the readers of this book, better than any description, what manner of man he was; and I feel assured that to be able thus to illustrate the facts of his history by his own exposition of its heart and purpose is to do him greater justice than could be hoped for from any other means of interpretation. My thanks are due, first and above all, to Professor Martin Irving, of Melbourne, and to his sister, Mrs. Gardiner, London, who have kindly permitted me the use of their father's letters; to the Rev. James Brodie and Mrs. Brodie, of Monimail, and Miss Martin, Edinburgh; to J. Fergusson, Esq., and W. Dickson, Esq., Glasgow, nephews of Irving; the Rev. Dr. Grierson, of Errol; Patrick Sheriff, Esq., of Haddington; Mrs. Carlyle, Chelsea; the Rev. Dr. Hanna; M. N. -Macdonald Hume, Esq.; James Bridges, Esq.; Rev. D. Ker, Edinburgh; Rev. J. M. Campbell, late of Row; J. HIatley Frere, Esq., London; Rev. A. J. Scott, of Manchester; Dr. G. M. Scott, Hampstead; Rev. R. II. Story, of Rosneath; and: other friends of Irving, some of them now beyond the reach of earthly thanks-among whom I may mention the late HIenry Drummond, Esq., of Albury, and Mrs. Wm. Hamilton -who have kindly placed letters and other memoranda at my disposal, or given me the benefit of their personal recollections. M. O. W. OLIPHANT. EALING, April, 1862.