LORD ACTON AND HIS CIRCLE
The letters of the late Lord Acton here published are for the most part on literary subjects. They were commenced when he was only twenty-four years of age ; and in more ways than one, according to the opinion of many, they show us the real Acton, as he was in the period of his greatest literary activity. In them may be seen his vast reading, his great industry, his marvellous memory and his acquaintance with writers in every country of Europe and with books of every kind on almost every subject. The letters themselves were mostly written in connexion with certain literary undertakings, which occupied some of the busiest years of his early life, from 1858 to 1871. In the former year he became part-proprietor of an existing Catholic magazine called the Rambler, the sub-editor of which was one of the most brilliant of the Oxford Converts of 1845, Mr Richard Simpson. Under the new management Simpson was appointed editor, and in this way a lasting friendship was formed between him and Sir John Acton. They became united in an association in literary matters, which continued for many years, and the nature of which is plainly indicated in the letters here given to the public.
