The death of that remarkable old scholar, the Rev. W.
K. Fleming, should not be noted without a specific reference to the astonishing piece of textual' criticism which has 'ensured a place for him in the history of nineteenth-century literature. In 1925 he contributed to the Quarterly Review an article on the sources of John Inglesant and the literary method of its author. By a series of parallel quotations he showed that Shorthouse had drawn upon the literature of the seventeenth century for the language of incidents and descriptions, and even occasionally for a conversation, in his romance, in many cases transcribing a passage, long or short, virtually without change. Two points in particular Mr. Fleming was able to establish : (r) that Shorthouse was indebted to his sources for some of his most successful scenes, and (2) that a good many of the works he laid under contribution were not by obscure Caroline authors, but books that all educated readers were supposed to know well—e.g., Evelyn's Diary. Mr. Fleming, I- know, had a large amount of material in reserve and always hoped for health and opportunity to complete his demonstration. His literary memory was extraordinary. The Spectator published an article on his results in 1934 at the time of the Shorthouse centenary.
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