"A Delightful book," quoth the Baron, "is _David Garrick_, written by my
worthy friend, JOSEPH KNIGHT, F.S.A. Let me recommend this work as one
to be placed by your reading chair, and to be taken up, as was _Mrs.
Gamp's_ bottle, when so dispoged, and oftentimes will you thus enjoy a
Knight with GARRICK." One of the most humorous among very many anecdotes
in this book is that about BOSWELL going to the SHAKSPEARE Fete costumed
as a Corsican, within his pocket a poem he had written for the occasion,
and "which," says Mr. KNIGHT simply, "he intended to speak, but the
crowd would not suspend its diversions to hear him." That's all: but
isn't it delightful! Poor BOZZY!!
The Baron is more than pleased to see once again the deft hand of Mr. T.
H. S. ESCOTT at work in reviews and magazines. His paper, entitled
"Edmund Yates, an Appreciation and a Retrospect," is most interesting to
the Baron, who can call to mind the persons he mentions in literary and
journalistic connection with EDMUND YATES--though the Baron does not
happen to remember them in this particular connection, but as a band of
brothers quite apart, and all of them younger by some years than EDMUND
YATES, who, at the time HOOD, PROWSE, H. S. LEIGH and others were
commencing, had made his name in literature, was CHARLES DICKENS'S
henchman, and had been also more or less successful, in combination with
a Mr. HARRINGTON, as a dramatist. The time I speak of is when H. J.
BYRON "flourished," and when "all the world was young." _The World_
itself, of course, not having been born or thought of. Looking back to
those days the Baron thinks that Mr. ESCOTT does himself an injustice,
and that he is younger than he thinks he is. Be this as it may, he will
in any case have a stock of pleasant memories to draw upon, and now, if
his health permit, all will look forward to what he cannot look forward
to himself, _i.e._, his reminiscences. "_Prosit!_ Mr. ESCOTT! Your
health, happiness, and a long life to you, quoth the gladsome