OBITUARY.

Mr. BAZIX,1rTYNE, the prolific and excellent writer of tales for boys, whose death We announced yesterday, was connected with the vellknown family of the Ballantynes, Sir Walter Scottws printers. Be was born in Edinbmgh in 1825. WVbeti a lad of 16 be went oat to Canada, and spent six years there in the service of the Hudson Bay- Copany. Having retumed to Scotland in 1847, be Iublished in the following year his firt book, enfitled "H Hudson Bay, or Everyday Life in the -Wilds of North America." In this he embodied the substance of his letters to his mother and of his journals written on the spot. He spent zome time in the printing office of Messrs. Constable in Edinburgh, but he did not take kindly to the desk after his free and rovimg life in the West. At the same time his literary proclivities were asserting themselves strongly, and about th^ year 1856 he gave up business and adopted literatureas his profession. T'hen began that series of adventure tales written about and for boys and girls which bave brightered the lives of several generations of young folks, and which seemed ever fresh and never-failing in interest. " The Coral Island," " The W"orld ot Ice," " The Young Fur Traders," " Uugava, ' " The Dog Crusoe," and many more followed one another in quick succession. Every Christmas saw at least Cem new story frmn his busy pen. For the material of several of his earlier stiries be reverted to his Canadian experiences. Hie made it a rule, indeed, to write always, when be could, from his own experiences. Before he wrote " Tle Lightbouse " he livedfor some time with the keepers on the BellEock. He prepared for " Deep Down " by a visit to the Cornish mines, for "4 The Pirate City " by a winter in Algiers, and so in other cases. This method Qf preparation gave a realistio character to his work and a graphic force to his descriptions. There was a great deal of human mature in his creations, and all his books are pervaded by a sound and healt'hy tone which loses nothing from the vein of humuor that rua through mnost of them. Down to 1887 MIr. Ballantyine hbad written 74 volumes containing 62 separate stories. He was also a clever artist, and often exhibited water-colours in the Royal ScottishAcademy. For many years past he had resided at Harrow. A saort time ago he fell into bad health, the result of overwork, and he had gone to Italy in search of relief and rest. Be died in Roma.