The Andrew Lang Library

Lost Leaders Essay 24 - Torrid Summer

In which the oppressive heat of a torrid summer in London is keenly observed through the clothing of its citizens, the scarcity of refreshing indulgences, and the natural pleasures accessible to beasts and anglers alike. Amidst the trials of enduring fashion and medical decrees, the simple joys of water and twilight offer a gentle reprieve from the weariness of man’s restless spirit.

Lost Leaders Essay 23 - Thackeray’s London

In which the author reflects upon the spectral presence of Thackeray’s characters who haunt the streets of London with timeless familiarity, illustrating the intimate connection between place and literary imagination. There is a gentle contemplation of vanished clubs, forgotten allusions, and the enduring need for detailed guides to the cities graced by novelistic creations, highlighting the delicate interplay between memory, history, and fiction.

Lost Leaders Essay 22 - On Hypochondriacs

In which the melancholy condition of hypochondria is tenderly examined, revealing how a shadowy sadness and baseless foreboding pervade the minds of many gifted individuals, while the medical profession offers a catalogue of varied remedies, often more whimsical than curative. The essay delicately balances the sombre and the salutary aspects of melancholy, recognising its humanising poignancy yet warning against its excesses, and ultimately counsels a sober embrace of life’s fleeting moments amid our common frailties.

Lost Leaders Essay 21 - Summer Nights

In which the restless vigour of sultry summer nights is explored with a gentle lament for the thief of sleep and the turmoil it wrought upon minds and manners alike. The landscape of London and country alike is painted with sounds and shadows that prey upon the quiet hour, proving that even amid nature’s calm, the human and animal worlds conspire to keep the night vigilant.

Lost Leaders Essay 20 - Involuntary Bailees

In which the peculiar affliction of the 'Involuntary Bailee'—that hapless recipient of unsolicited literary offerings and earnest yet burdensome correspondence—is explored through the trials endured by Lord Tennyson and his fellow authors. The narrative gently illuminates the vexations of artists besieged by unknown admirers, trivial tributes, and the unwelcome obligation to reply or return manuscripts, drawing a quaint picture of the burdens beneath the laurels of fame.