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 long as Delane remained at his post, Dasent now for the first time turned his attention to contemporary fiction. His first novel—The Annals of an Eventful Life —issued at first anonymously in 1870, went through several editions in the course of a few months, and has since been frequently re-issued in one volume.

The capacity for fiction displayed in this highly original work, and its instantaneous success, led to his writing Three to One in 1872 and Half a Life in 1874.

To those who knew him well it is easy to see that the; latter is mainly autobiographical, and vhile; not amongst his best writings, it will always, be interesting for the vivid account in its pages of his Westminster school-days.

The Vikings of the Baltic, an ingenious attempt to dilute the Jomsvikinga Saga into a modern three-volume novel, was published in 1875.

On June 27th, 1876, on Mr. Disraeli's recommendation, Dasent received the honour of knighthood "for public services." He was already a Knight of the Danish Order of the Dannebrog; another compliment which he received from the Danes being a beautiful silver drinking-horn, shaped like a Viking ship, in recognition of his services to Northern literature.

On the institution of the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts, he was invited by the