French literary lives as a rule are interesting; English literary lives as a rule are not. The rule, no doubt, has its exceptions. The life of Byron is more interesting than that of Alexis de Tocqueville the life of Shelley is more interesting than that of Taine. It might be possible to compile a long list of exceptions by citing such extreme instances as these. But the rule would still remain, and one is tempted to seek a reason for it.