CONTENTS

I

The Victorian age-Modern pessimism-Life without living-Sixty

years ago and now-Increase of amusements and of sport-

Anecdotes-The Press-Toby, M.P.-The "Keepsake ❞—A

letter from Carlyle-Demoralizing literature-Social progress

-A worthy use of artillery-Beneficent capital-Anecdotes-

The Crimean campaign-A public scandal-The Victoria

Cross

PAGE

I

II

The progress of invention-The late Mr. Stead-His faith in

spiritualism-A séance that failed-The Great Eastern-

Old world travelling-Sir Tatton Sykes-Dangers and dis-

comforts of the road-Threadneedle Street biscuits-Turnpikes

and "Turnpike money "-Anecdotes-Railroad and Tramway

-A snob in office-Anecdotes-There's no place like home

III

The changing East-A strange bequest-Lord Palmerston's fore-

cast-Sir Robert Morier-Recollections-Travellers' tales-

Tiresome officials-A strange refuge-Il Conte Hulme-

Discomforts of old-fashioned hotels-Vicenza-A real romance

-The Palazzo Paciocchi-King Bomba and his cook Beppo-

Going to Rome in 1845-A faithless postmaster-Pio Nono

and his joke concerning Fanny Elsler-The late Mr. Watts

IV

A conversation with Mr. Hyndman-Why Unionism has lost

ground-Disastrous apathy-An apologetic party-Hedging

and quibbling-Lord Beaconsfield's methods of recruiting

clever young men-Enemies in the House of Commons, in-

timates in private life-Labour and capital-Semi-education

-Anecdotes-Setting class against class-Political renegades

-Mr. Lloyd George-Chartism-Misguided zeal-An out-

spoken divine-History repeats itself.

28

46

81

V

Janus and his political devotees-Anecdote of Lord Palmerston

-Mr. Lowe-Lord Iddesleigh-Anecdote-The decay of

oratory-Jobbery and election tricks--The late Lord Lytton's

apt criticism of Parliamentary life-'eds of feathers and 'earts

of gold-Anecdote of Mr. Gladstone-The Parliament Bill—

Lord Halsbury's fearless British pluck-Sham Radicals and

shoddy titles-An amusing anecdote-Women's rights-My

own view-" Babes for men "-An old French tale-Victorian

women-Mademoiselle de Fauveau

VI

The rage for wealth-Madame de Castiglione-Anecdotes-Cutlet

for cutlet-Former contempt of the English for foreigners-

Modern cosmopolitanism-A vulgar Anglo-American habit

-Anecdote of Queen Victoria-Nouveaux riches-Anecdotes

-"Quizzes "The power of fashion-West End tradesmen of

the past and their ways-Rotten Row in old days-Disappear-

ance of fine equipages-Some vanished figures-Modern

improvements in the Parks

VII

Disraeli as a dandy-Prince Louis Napoleon in his days of exile

and as Emperor-A stickler for etiquette-His gratitude-

Anecdotes-Ill-fated first-born-Beaux of other days-Count

d'Orsay and Prince Paul Esterhazy-Anecdotes—An official

"Sleepy Hollow"-New men and old acres-Sir Richard

Wallace-Sir John Murray Scott-The Admirable Crichton-

Esquires-King Edward VII and his high qualities-The

coronation of King George V.

VIII

PAGE

114

144

177

The old aristocracy-An adroit reply-Anecdotes of queer char-

acters-The last of the Gordons-Stories of the Iron Duke-

An ingenious subterfuge-Peers of the old school-Vicissitudes

of great families-"Finderne flowers "-Curious old privileges

of actors at Drury Lane-Matrimonial alliances between the

aristocracy and the stage-Romances of the Peerage-The

purchase system-Ruthless discipline-The "Wolseley gang" 209

IX

Country-house life-Then and now-The spirit of unrest-Simple

pleasures-The old English Christmas-Old country towns-

CONTENTS

Bee-keeping-Strange beliefs-Ancient abodes-The absentee

landlord - Local gentry-Vandalism-All honour to Lord

Curzon-The curse of "Restoration "-Quaint customs-Old-

fashioned parsons-Anecdotes-The obsolete three-decker-

Ritualism and Dissent-Rustics of the past-Anecdotes-"A

way to get Wealth"

X

ix

PAGE

236

London sixty years ago-Fogs-Amusements-Improvement in

locomotion-Hackney coaches and hansoms-Street noises

and cries-Punch-Unmelodious music-Letters from Mark

Lemon and Dickens — Tolerated mendicity- The London

police in its early days and now-Impostors-Begging letters

-A curious specimen-London rivers-The Lord Mayor's

barge-London bridge and Free Trade - The Spitalfield

weavers - From Camisard to Cockney - The Reverend

Osborne Jay and his admirable work-The London hospital. 259

XI

Modern London-The Casino style of architecture-An original

scheme of decoration-Increase of unwieldy statuary-The

Allée Verte-Northumberland House-Open spaces-Colonel

Sibthorp-Berkeley Square-London fountains-The Albert

Memorial-Victory or Peace?-Tombs of the Great Dead-

Architectural samples-James Gibbs and St. Martin's-in-the-

Fields-Mid-Victorian taste-London improvements-Temple

Bar-The mystery of its single room-Legal phraseology

changes but 6s. 8d. remains-Suburban health resorts of the

past-Travelling by canal-boat.

XII

The frugal past-Rise and fall in prices-Tea, oysters, and

sealskin-Before envelopes and postage stamps-Mulready—

A curious craze-Foolscap-Priceless MSS. at £7 a ton-An

astute collector-Gretna Green-Sir Henry Peyton's driving-

whips-"Amadio" portraits-Pins and fancy ware - The

White Lodge-Miss Braddon and her son-Teapots-Bomba

dollars-Anecdotes-Eridge

INDEX.

285

312

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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

LADY DOROTHY NEVILL IN 1846.

From a Miniature by Thorburn

. Frontispiece

FACING PAGE

LADY DOROTHY Nevill (froNTISPIECE TO "THE KEEPSAKE " 1851)

After a Painting by Buckner

PARADISE LOST; OR, THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AND THE PERI (A Cartoon published in 1868)

DERBY AND JOAN (MISS FARREN AND LORD Derby).

From a Print by Dighton, 1795

MARY, COUNTESS OF ORFORD

From a Crayon Drawing by Sir George Hayter

16

132

228

A DRAWING BY R. SEYMOUR

266

ERIDGE CASTLE A HUNDRED YEARS AGO

332

From a scarce Lithograph