fect order.
When he retired, my friend took his seat, and slily poured me a glass
from Mr. Winfield's decanter. I found then, that during that long
afternoon he had taken nothing but toast and water, which had been
prepared to resemble sherry, and which he had taken from a wine-glass
as if it were wine.

I cannot say that I ever became very intimate with Mr. Winfield,
although we knew each other pretty well; but limited as my means of
acquaintanceship were, I watched his life with interest, because he
struck me always as being one of the very few men I have known, who
have been able to bear great success without becoming giddy with the
elevation; who have gone through life modestly and without assumption;
and who have won thereby the esteem of all those whose esteem has been
worth caring for.

Robert Walter Winfield was descended from an ancient family, which
had been settled in Leicestershire for several generations. His
grandfather, Edward Winfield, came to Birmingham about the middle of
the last century, and resided in a large house, on the site of the
Great Western Railway Station in Snow Hill. Here Mr. Winfield's father
was born. He was a man of independent means, but appears for some
short time to have been engaged as a merchant. He married a lady from
Loughborough, named Randon, and built for his own occupation the house
in the Hagley Road, Edgbaston, now occupied by Mr. Alfred Hill, the
son of the late eminent Recorder of Birmingham, Matthew Davenport
Hill. The house is now called "Davenport House." It was, I believe,
the first house erected on the Calthorpe estate. In this house, in
April, 1799, Robert Walter Winfield, the third son, was born. His
father died in his childhood. After his education was complete,
his mother placed him with Mr. Benjamin Cooke, whose name as a
manufacturer is still remembered in Birmingham. Mr. Winfield's mind,
being a peculiarly receptive one, readily grasped all the details of
the business, and he soon wished to enter life on his own account. His
trustees having great faith in his prudence and industry, advanced
him the necessary capital, and he commenced business before he was
twenty-one years of age. Just at the bend which Cambridge Street takes
to arrive at the Crescent, there is a stuccoed building, almost hidden
by the lofty piles around it. In this building he started on his
commercial career, and in these works he continued to carry on his
business until his death, some