1891. He received a baronetcy in recognition of his services. From this period he gradually declined, though he was still able to collect some of his old ‘Saturday Review’ articles for publication. He died at the Red House Park, Ipswich, on 11 March 1894.
In January 1877 Stephen was made K.C.S.I. He received the honorary degree of D.C.L. at Oxford in 1878, and of LL.D. at Edinburgh in 1884. He was made an honorary fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1885, and corresponding member of the French Institute in 1888.
Stephen was pre-eminently a man of masculine or, as his friends often said, Johnsonian power of mind. His massive common-sense implied some want of subtlety. His energy enabled him to turn out an immense quantity of valuable work, marred in some ways by want of finish and done at high pressure. In codifying he was carrying out the theories of his teachers, Austin and Bentham, and his failure to get his schemes adopted in England strengthened his predilection for strong government. His position, both in political and theological matters, made him an assailant of popular views, and he always expressed himself as vigorously and frankly as possible. As a judge his dislike of technicalities and subtleties was some disqualification in the nicer matters of the law, but he was respected for his downright force, and in criminal cases had the highest authority from his wide knowledge and unmistakable love of fairplay. A hatred of brutality gave him the reputation for severity; but no one was more anxious to avoid every chance of hasty and unjust judgments. In private life he was conspicuous not only for domestic affection, but for the warmth of his friendships and his generous support of the unfortunate.
Sir James Fitzjames Stephen's works are: 1. ‘Essays by a Barrister’ (anon. from the ‘Saturday Review’), 1862, 8vo. 2. ‘Defence of the Rev. Rowland Williams,’ 1862, 8vo. 3. ‘A general View of the Criminal Law of England,’ 1863, 8vo. A so-called second edition of this published in 1890 is really a distinct book. 4. ‘Liberty, Equality, Fraternity,’ 1873; 2nd edit. (with additions), 1874, 8vo. 5. ‘A Digest of the Law of Evidence,’ 1876; reprinted with alterations in 1876 (twice) and 1877; 2nd edit. 1881, 3rd edit. 1887; 4th edit. 1893. 6. ‘A Digest of the Criminal Law (Crimes and Punishments),’ 1877, 1879, 1883, 1887 and 1896, 8vo. 7. ‘A Digest of the Law of Criminal Procedure in Indictable Offences,’ 1883, 8vo, by Sir J. F. Stephen and Herbert (now Sir Herbert) Stephen. 8. ‘A History of the Criminal Law of England,’ 1883, 3 vols. 8vo. 9. ‘The Story of Nuncomar and Sir Elijah Impey,’ 1885, 2 vols. 8vo. 10. ‘Horæ Sabbaticæ: a reprint of articles contributed to the “Saturday Review,”’ 1892, three series. Stephen contributed many articles to magazines, of which a list is given in the life by Sir Leslie Stephen (pp. 484–6).
Stephen left a wife, two sons, and four daughters. His eldest son is now Sir Herbert Stephen. His second son, James Kenneth Stephen (1859–1892), was born 25 Feb. 1859. He showed great promise and won a foundation scholarship at Eton in 1871. He did well in examinations, but was better known for the intellectual ability displayed in a school periodical, the ‘Etonian.’ He was famous at the game of football ‘at the wall,’ and always retained the warmest affection for his school. He became a scholar of King's College, Cambridge, in 1878, won prizes and the Whewell scholarship (1881), and was in the first class of the historical tripos, and the second class of the law tripos, in 1881. He was elected fellow of his college in 1885. A dissertation upon ‘International Law,’ written as an exercise for this, was published in 1884. At Cambridge he was known as an ‘apostle,’ and was president of the Union (1882), where he won an unusual reputation for oratory. He appeared as Ajax in a Greek play, a part for which he was fitted by a massive frame and striking face. In 1883 he was for a short time at Sandringham as tutor to the future Duke of Clarence, who died in 1892. He was called to the bar in 1884, but devoted most of his energy to journalism. His high reputation as a speaker led his friends to anticipate for him a career of parliamentary success, and his singular sweetness and frankness gained him innumerable friends. An accidental blow upon the head at the end of 1886 inflicted injuries not perceived for some time. In the early part of 1888 he brought out a weekly paper called ‘The Reflector,’ chiefly written by himself. He now wished to devote himself chiefly to literature, and was appointed by his father to a clerkship of assize on the South Wales circuit. Meanwhile it became evident that the accident was affecting his brain. He gave up his place, and resolved in October 1890 to settle at Cambridge. He gave lectures, spoke at the Union, and was much beloved by many companions. In 1891 he wrote an able pamphlet, ‘Living Languages,’ in defence of the compulsory study of Greek at the universities. In the same year he published two little volumes of verse, ‘Lapsus Calami,’
