Rose [q. v.] was at that time the editor. Between him and Maitland a close friendship had grown up, and at his suggestion those remarkable papers were contributed to the ‘British Magazine,’ which appeared month by month during the next ten or twelve years, and which were eventually collected into two volumes, and have left a profound impress upon our historical literature. The first of these volumes appeared in 1844, under the title of ‘The Dark Ages: a Series of Essays intended to illustrate the State of Religion and Literature in the ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth Centuries.’ The second was issued five years later, as ‘Essays on Subjects connected with the Reformation in England.’ In 1838 Archbishop Howley appointed Maitland librarian and keeper of the manuscripts at Lambeth. The stipend attaching to the office was merely nominal; the duties just as light or just as onerous as the librarian was disposed to make them—the opportunities for study and research exactly such as a lover of learning would value highly. But no preferment followed. The archbishop indeed conferred the degree of D.D. upon his librarian; but when in 1848 Archbishop Sumner succeeded, Maitland returned to Gloucester an unbeneficed clergyman, never having even received the offer of preferment, nor any substantial recognition at the hands of high or low. Meanwhile, he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1839, and when Hugh James Rose died in this same year, Maitland became editor of the ‘British Magazine,’ and carried it on till 1849, when it was discontinued. The magazine after Rose's death became more and more literary and historical in its tone; and Maitland, while he had incurred the deep dislike of the evangelical party by his severe handling of many of their leaders, not to speak of his merciless criticism of Milner, Foxe the martyrologist, and many another, had become an object of suspicion to the tractarians, ‘whom he declined to follow in their later developments,’ by his ‘Letter to a Friend on Tract No. 89,’ which he issued in 1841, and republished in the curious little volume of ‘Eight Essays,’ which was printed in 1852. After his return to Gloucester and until his death Maitland lived in retirement, passing his time in amassing an immense store of varied learning, and yet interesting himself in all the literary questions of the day. He was a very active supporter of W. J. Thoms, when ‘Notes and Queries’ was first started, and a frequent contributor to the earlier volumes, sometimes under the signature of ‘Rufus,’ sometimes giving his full name. The list of his work shows how prolific a writer he was, and how wide his sympathies were. He was a man of many accomplishments, he was a considerable musician, he had great skill as a draughtsman, he kept a small printing-press in his house, and tried his hand at bookbinding among other things. His conversational powers were very brilliant, and he was very accessible to young students, whom he was always glad to help and advise. His influence, direct and indirect, upon those who were pursuing historical studies, especially at Cambridge, was far greater than is generally known. Such men as Archdeacon Hardwicke, J. G. Dowling, Canon J. C. Robertson, Dr. Luard, Professor J. E. B. Mayor, were proud to acknowledge their deep obligations to him. Animated by a rare desire after simple truth, generously candid and free from all pretence or pedantry, he wrote in a style which was peculiarly sparkling, lucid, and attractive. Few men of his generation were more stimulating and suggestive.
Maitland died at Gloucester on 19 Jan. 1866, in his seventy-fifth year. He survived his wife (Selina, daughter of Christopher Stephenson, vicar of Olney) and son, John Gorham Maitland [q. v.]
His works are:
- ‘A Dissertation on the Primary Objects of Idolatrous Worship,’ 1817.
- ‘An Enquiry into the Grounds on which the Prophetic Period of Daniel and St. John has been supposed to consist of 1,260 Years,’ 8vo, 1826; 2nd edit., pp. 72, 1837.
- ‘Saint Bernard's Holy War Translated’ (by the Rev. S. R. Maitland), with title-page etched by the translator, 12mo, 1827 (a tiny volume, the title-page evidently the work of an amateur).
- ‘A Letter to the Rev. Charles Simeon’ (Warsaw), 21 July 1828; 2nd edit. 1828.
- ‘A Second Enquiry,’ pp. 175, 1829.
- ‘The 1,260 Days, in Reply to a Review in the “Morning Watch,” No. 3, p. 509,’ 1830.
- ‘An Attempt to elucidate the Prophecies concerning Antichrist,’ 1830; 2nd edit. 1853.
- ‘A Letter to the Rev. W. Digby, A.M., occasioned by his Treatise on the 1,260 Days’ (Gloucester, 25 Oct.), 1831.
- ‘Eruvin, or Miscellaneous Essays on Subjects connected with the Nature, History, and Destiny of Man,’ 12mo, 1831; 2nd edit. 16mo, 1850.
- ‘Facts and Documents illustrative of the History, Doctrine, and Rites of the Ancient Albigenses and Waldenses,’ pp. 546, 1832.
- ‘The Voluntary System.’ Forty-two Letters reprinted from the ‘Gloucestershire Chronicle,’ 12mo, 1834; 2nd edit. 1837.
- ‘The 1,260 Days, in Reply to the Strictures of William Cunningham, Esq.,’ pp. viii and 118, 1834.
- ‘The Translation of Bishops,’ pp. 24, 1834.
- ‘A Letter to the Rev. Hugh James Rose, B.D., Chaplain to his
