BROOKS, Charles Shirley, an English novelist, and dramatic and miscellaneous writer, was born in 1815. He was the son of an eminent London architect, and received his education at a public school in the city. Applying himself to the study of law, he passed the usual examination for admission; but instead of pursuing further the professional path, he turned aside and began to feeFhis way towards the broader field of literature. He wrote, sometimes alone, sometimes in conjunction with others, slight dramatic pieces of the burlesque kind, and became a newspaper reporter. In this capacity he was for many years engaged on the Morning Chronicle. For the same paper he afterwards undertook to write the parliamentary summary, and was appointed special commissioner to carry out investigations on the subject of labour and the poor. For this purpose he travelled in Southern Russia, Egypt, and Syria; the results of his inquiries appearing first in the form of letters to the editor, and afterwards in a separate volume, under the title of The Russians of the South (1856). Brooks was for many years on the staff of the Illustrated London News, contributing the weekly article on the politics of the day, and the two series entitled “Nothing in the Papers” and “By the Way,” besides other occasional pieces. In 1854 he joined the staff of Punch, aud noteworthy among his numerous contributions were the weekly satirical summaries of the parliamentary debates, entitled “The Essence of Parliament.” His long service as newspaper reporter gave him special aptitude for this playful parody. In 1870, on the death of Mark Lemon, “dear old Shirley,” as his friends used to call him, was chosen to succeed to the editorial chair. He added to his reputation by several good novels, the first ...