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 Ruskin as a mineral collector—Five unpublished letters from him | 125 |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.