deceased,--and this led to my becoming a Parliamentary reporter.

I apologize for so much concerning myself,--a subject on which I desire
to say as little as possible,--but in this "Memory" it is more a
necessity to do so than it will be hereafter.

I have another story to tell of these editorial times. One day a
gentleman entered the "John Bull" office, evidently in a state of
extreme exasperation, armed with a stout cudgel. His application to see
the editor was answered by a request to walk up to the second-floor
front room. The room was empty; but presently there entered to him a
huge, tall, broad-shouldered fellow, who, in unmitigated brogue,
asked,--

"What do you plase to want, Sir?"

"Want!" said the gentleman,--"I want the editor."

"I'm the idditur, Sir, at your sarvice."

Upon which the gentleman, seeing that no good could arise from an
encounter with such an "editor," made his way down stairs and out of the
house without a word.

In 1836 Mr. Hook succeeded me in the editorship of the "New Monthly
Magazine." The change arose thus. When Mr. Colburn and Mr. Bentley had
dissolved partnership, and each had his own establishment, much
jealousy, approaching hostility, existed between them. Mr. Bentley had
announced a comic miscellany,--or rather, a magazine of which humor was
to be the leading feature. Mr. Colburn immediately conceived the idea of
a rival in that line, and applied to Hook to be its editor. Hook readily
complied. The terms of four hundred pounds per annum having been
settled, as usual he required payment in advance, and "then and there"
received bills for his first year's salary. Not long afterwards Mr.
Colburn saw the impolicy of his scheme. I had strongly reasoned against
it,--representing to him that the "New Monthly" would lose its most
valuable contributor, Mr. Hook, and other useful allies with him,--that
the ruin of the "New Monthly" must be looked upon as certain, while the
success of his "Joker's Magazine" was problematical at best. Such
arguments prevailed; and he called upon Mr. Hook with a view to
relinquish his design. Mr. Hook was exactly of Mr. Colburn's new
opinion. He had received the money, and was not disposed, even if he
had been able, to give it back, but suggested his becoming editor of the
"New Monthly," and in that way working it out. The project met the views
of Mr. Colburn; and so it was arranged.

But when the plan was communicated to me, I declined to be placed in