superior. With his theological or anti-theological views I had no quarrel; I only regretted some few utterances (chiefly in foot-notes) which might prove hindrances to his being generally accepted. Such things did much to retard the general recognition of Shelley's genius."
Looking back upon what I have written, I feel how inadequately I have performed my task. I only attempted it because of my earnest desire to see some degree of justice done to the memory of one whom I admired indeed as an author, but whom, in an even greater degree, I loved as a man. The world is strangely blind to its great men, and a Shelley, a Wordsworth, a Browning, or a George Meredith has to die, or at least to labour unnoticed for many years, before the great British public begins to discover that a splendid addition has been made to its most glorious endowment. If I have done a little to hasten the coming of the time when Thomson's great gifts shall be appraised at their true value, my labour has not been in vain, and I shall not go unrewarded.
I must not conclude without thanking most heartily my friend Arthur H. Bullen, Esq., who has kindly looked over the proofs of the present volume, and to whom I am also indebted for some valuable suggestions. Nor must I omit to mention Thomson's old friend, Mr. John Grant, whom I have to thank for having furnished very much of the information upon which I have founded the present memoir.
