"Youth longs and manhood strives, but age remembers, Sits by the raked-up ashes of the past, Spreads its thin hands above the whitening embers, That warm its creeping life-blood till the last." O. W. Holmes. Page | | Introduction | 1 | | CHAT I. | | On Richard Corney Grain—His home qualities—His love for children—His benevolence—His power of pathos— His letter on a holiday | 3 | | CHAT II. | | On a portrait of General Wolfe—On the use of portraits in country-houses—On a sale at Christie's—A curious story about a curious sale | 8 | | CHAT III. | | On holiday trips—Across the Atlantic—Some humours of the voyage—Some stories told in the gun-room | 18 | | CHAT IV. | | On a private visit to Newgate prison—In Execution yard— Some anecdotes of the condemned | 34 | | CHAT V. | | On Book-binding—Some worthy members of the craft —On over-work and the modern race for wealth—Charles Dickens on work—A Song of the City—Anecdote of Mr. Anstey Guthrie | 41 | | CHAT VI. | | On an uninvited guest—Her illness—Her convalescence—Her recovery—Her gratitude—On texts in bedrooms—A welcoming banner | 53 | | CHAT VII. | | On some minor poets—On vers de SociÉtÉ— On Praed, C. S. Calverley, Locker-Lampson, and Mr. A. Dobson | 58 | | CHAT VIII. | | On Mr. Punch and his founders—Concerning portraits of Jerrold, Kenny Meadows, and Horace Mayhew—On Mr. Sala as a painter—A letter from G. A. Sala | 66 | | CHAT IX. | | On our schooldays—On Bedford, past and present— On R. C. Lehmann—A poem by him—A Christmas greeting by H. E. Luxmoore | 73 | | CHAT X. | | On John Poole, the author of "Paul Pry"—His friendship with Dickens—His letter to Dickens detailing the French Revolution of 1848 | 82 | | CHAT XI. | | On Ethie Castle—Its artistic treasures—A letter from Charles II.—A true family ghost story | 99 | | CHAT XII. | | On Cardinal Manning—Dramatic effect at his Academia—On Poets who are never read, or "hardly ever" | 108 | | CHAT XIII. | | On a true story, called "Jane will return"—On Hamilton's "Parodies"—An unknown one, by the Rev. James Bolton | 119 | | CHAT XIV. | | On autographs—Mr. James Payn and his lay-sermons—Mrs. Charles Fox of Trebah—Her friendship with Hartley Coleridge—A letter from him—A letter from John Bright to Caroline Fox—Mr. Ruskin as a mineral collector—Five unpublished letters from him | 125 | | CHAT XV. | | On Mrs. Lyne Stephens—The story of her early life—Thackeray's sketch of her—Her art collections—A wonderful sale at Christie's—Her charities and friendships—Her death—Her funeral sermon—Her portraits | 143 | "I come not here your morning hour to sadden, A limping pilgrim, leaning on his staff,— I, who have never deemed it sin to gladden This vale of sorrows with a wholesome laugh." —The Iron Gate. Footer
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