Whatever the twentieth century may say to Ainsworth’s historic romances, many of them have found high favor in the past.  Concerning ‘Crichton,’ so good a critic as “Father Prout” wrote:—­“Indeed, I scarcely know any of the so-called historical novels of this frivolous generation which has altogether so graphically reproduced the spirit and character of the time as this daring and dashing portraiture of the young Scot and his contemporaries.”  The author of ‘Waverley’ praised more than one of the romances, saying that they were written in his own vein.  Even Maginn, the satirical, thought that the novelist was doing excellent service to history in making Englishmen understand how full of comedy and tragedy were the old streets and the old buildings of London.  And if Ainsworth the writer received some buffetings, Ainsworth the man seems to have been universally loved and approved.  All the literary men of his time were his cordial friends.  Scott wrote for him ’The Bonnets of Bonnie Dundee,’ and objected to being paid.  Dickens was eager to serve him.  Talfourd, Barham, Hood, Howitt, James, Jerrold, delighted in his society.  At dinner-parties and in country-houses he was a favorite guest.  Thus, easy in circumstances, surrounded by affection, happy in the labor of his choice, passed the long life of the upright and kindly English gentleman who spent fifty industrious years in recording the annals of tragedy, wretchedness, and crime.

THE STUDENTS OF PARIS

From ‘Crichton’

Toward the close of Wednesday, the 4th of February, 1579, a vast assemblage of scholars was collected before the Gothic gateway of the ancient College of Navarre.  So numerous was this concourse, that it not merely blocked up the area in front of the renowned seminary in question, but extended far down the Rue de la Montagne Sainte-Genevieve, in which it is situated.  Never had such a disorderly rout been brought together since the days of the uproar in 1557, when the predecessors of these turbulent students took up arms, marched in a body to the Pre-aux-Clercs, set fire to three houses in the vicinity, and slew a sergeant of the guard, who vainly endeavored to restrain their fury.  Their last election of a rector, Messire Adrien d’Amboise,—­pater eruditionum, as he is described in his epitaph, when the same body congregated within the cloisters of the Mathurins, and thence proceeded, in tumultuous array, to the church of Saint Louis, in the isle of the same name,—­had been nothing to it.  Every scholastic hive sent forth its drones.  Sorbonne, and Montaigu, Cluny, Harcourt, the Four Nations, and a host of minor establishments—­in all, amounting to forty-two—­each added its swarms; and a pretty buzzing they created!  The fair of Saint-Germain had only commenced the day before; but though its festivities were to continue until Palm Sunday, and though it was the constant resort of the scholars, who committed, during their days of carnival, ten thousand excesses, it was now absolutely deserted.