rty-nine." He was in this respect
a curious echo of Thomas Walker, who wrote his "Art of Attaining High
Health" in his paper "The Original," and did not survive the completion
of his task; and the prototype of the Duke of Marlborough, who died
while engaged on an essay on the "Art of Living" for the "Nineteenth
Century." Had he lived, he would certainly have been promoted to the
Staff; and the fact that his funeral was officially attended by Tom
Taylor, Percival Leigh, and Mr. Arthur a Beckett, on behalf of _Punch_,
is testimony of the respect in which his co-operation was held.

The literary post on _Punch_ which corresponds with that of Chief
Cartoonist has for years past been occupied by Mr. Edwin J. Milliken.
The position is an onerous one, and carries great responsibility with
it. He who fills it is at once "the _Punch_ Poet" _par excellence_ and
the big drum, so to speak, of the political orchestra. For many years
Mr. Milliken has written the letterpress explanatory of the Cartoon,
either in verse or prose, as well as the preface to each succeeding
volume. To his pen, too, we have owed during the same period those
verses which it has been the graceful practice of _Punch_ to devote to
the memory of distinguished men. Remarkable for their tact, dignity, and
good-sense--instinct with lofty thought and deep feeling--these poems
are often masterpieces of their kind, models of taste and generous
sympathy. In particular, those published upon the deaths of Lord
Beaconsfield, John Bright, and Lord Tennyson, may be remembered as
worthy of the men they were designed to honour, as well as for the
felicity with which they set down what was in the heart of the nation,
and the eloquence with which its sentiment was expressed.

On January 2nd, 1875, there appeared in _Punch_ some lines entitled "A
Voice from Venus," the planet's transit having at that time just
occurred. They were Mr. Milliken's first contribution--a bow drawn at a
venture--for he was entirely unknown to anyone connected with the paper.
Tom Taylor asked for a guarantee of the originality of the verses--in
itself a flattering distrust--and, receiving the necessary assurance,
printed them forthwith. From that time forward the young writer
contributed with regularity, and for two years was put severely through
his paces by the Editor, who, in order to "try his hand," as he said,
gave him every sort of work to do. Then came a personal interview of a
gratulatory natu