Cranford

evidently by some old friend of the family, gives a quotation from
Longman’s Annual Obituary for 1830 and of the notice of Mr. Stevenson’s
death, beginning thus: ‘The literary and scientific world has sustained
a great loss in the death of Mr. Stevenson, a man remarkable for the
stores of knowledge which he possessed, and for the simplicity and
modesty by which his rare attainments were concealed.’ Among other facts
we read that in early life while preaching at Manchester Mr. Stevenson
was also ‘Classical Tutor in the Manchester Academy, so well known
through the Aikens and Barbaulds. He was afterwards appointed secretary
to Lord Lauderdale, and finally Keeper of the Records to the Treasury,
both of which appointments brought him up to London.’ He laboured with
unremitting diligence, contributing to the Edinburgh Review, the
Westminster, and Dr. Brewster’s Encyclopedia. ‘He had the true spirit of
a faithful historian, and, contrary to the practice too prevalent in
those days, dived into original sources of information.’ Was not this
the father, one might imagine, for such a daughter? Mr. Stevenson
married, as his first wife, Miss Eliza Holland of Sandlebridge. It would