s. The leading article was a rather
more important part of the paper, or at least took up a larger
proportion of space than it does at the present day. Making allowance
for Sundays, it will be seen that in 1868 Fitzjames wrote two-thirds of
the leaders, nearly half the leaders in 1867, and not much less than
half in the three other years (1865, 1866, and 1869). The editor was Mr.
F. Greenwood, who has kindly given me some of his recollections of the
time. That Mr. Greenwood esteemed his contributor as a writer is
sufficiently obvious from the simple statement of figures: and I may add
that they soon formed a very warm friendship which was never interrupted
in later years.

I have said that Fitzjames valued his connection with the paper because
it enabled him to speak his mind upon many important subjects which had
hitherto been forbidden to him. In the 'Saturday Review' he had been
confined to the 'middles' and the reviews of books. He never touched
political questions; and such utterances as occurred upon ecclesiastical
matters were limited by the high church propensities of the proprietor.
In the 'Cornhill' he had been bound to keep within the limits prescribed
by the tastes of average readers of light literature. In the 'Pall Mall
Gazette' he was able to speak out with perfect freedom upon all the
graver topics of the day. His general plan, when in town, was to write
before breakfast, and then to look in at the office of the 'Pall Mall
Gazette,' Northumberland Street, Strand, in the course of his walk to
his chambers. There he talked matters over with Mr. Greenwood, and
occasionally wrote an article on the spot. When on circuit he still
found time to write, and kept up a steady supply of matter. I find him
remarking, on one occasion, that he had written five or six leaders in
the 'Pall Mall Gazette' for the week, besides two 'Saturday Review'
articles. Everyone who has had experience of journalism knows that the
time spent in actual writing is a very inadequate measure of the mental
wear and tear due to production. An article may be turned out in an hour
or two; but the work takes off the cream of the day, and involves much
incidental thought and worry. Fitzjames seemed perfectly insensible to
the labour; articles came from him as easily as ordinary talk; the
fountain seemed to be always full, and had only to be turned on to the
desired end. The chief fault which I should be disposed to find with
these articles is do