heartily relished his Forster, his ways and oddities, as
Boz; albeit the sage was his faithful friend, counsellor, and ally. He
had an exquisite sense for touches of character, especially for the
little weaknesses so often exhibited by sturdy, boisterous natures. We
again recall that disposition of Johnson, with his "bow to an
Archbishop," listening with entranced attention to a dull story told
by a foreign "diplomatist." "_The ambassador says well_," would the
sage repeat many times, which, as Bozzy tells, became a favourite form
in the _coterie_ for ironical approbation. There was much of this in
our great man, whose voice became of the sweetest and most mellifluous
key, as he bent before the peer. "Lord ----," he would add gently, and
turning to the company, "has been saying, with much force," etc.

I recall the Guild _fete_ down at Knebworth, where Forster was on a
visit to its noble owner, Lord Lytton, and was deputed to receive and
marshal the guests at the station, an office of dread importance, and
large writ over his rather burly person. His face was momentous as he
patrolled the platform. I remember coming up to him in the crowd, but
he looked over and beyond me, big with unutterable things. Mentioning
this later to Boz, he laughed his cheerful laugh, "Exactly," he cried.
"Why, I assure you, Forster would not see _me_!" He was busy pointing
out the vehicles, the proper persons to sit in them, according to
their dignity. All through that delightful day, as I roamed through
the fine old halls, I would encounter him passing by, still in his
lofty dream, still controlling all, with a weight of delegated
authority on his broad shoulders. Only at the very close did he
vouchsafe a few dignified, encouraging words, and then passed on. He
reminded me much of Elia's description of Bensley's Malvolio.

There was nothing ill-natured in Boz's relish of these things; he
heartily loved his friend. It was the pure love of fun. Podsnap has
many touches of Forster, but the writer dared not let himself go in
that character as he would have longed to do. When Podsnap is referred
to for his opinion, he delivers it as follows, much flushed and
extremely angry: "Don't ask me. I desire to take no part in the
discussion of these people's affairs. I abhor the subject. It is an
odious subject, an offensive subject _that makes me sick_, and
I"--with his favourite right arm flourish which sweeps away everything
and settles it for ever, e