28 CHRIST CHURCH 1854 John's Wood, and a few shops. There is no sea-side walk, no pier, and no shipping, and an air of novelty and dependence on distant markets for all necessaries. So we went on, or rather backwards, to Christ Church, where was a good old-fashioned inn, overlooking the fine church, and with a distant view of the Isle of Wight Needles, across green meadows and a winding stream, one of the many Avons in England; and here we stayed for the night. 23d August.-Saw interior of the church, which is full of interest. A fine Anglo-Norman nave, restored thirty years ago; a late decorated chancel, and a very late perpendicular lady-chapel-all large. Just inside the West door is a monument to Shelley, bearing also the names of his wife and of his motherin-law, Mrs. Godwin, née Wollstonecraft. It has been recently erected by the present Sir Percy Shelley, now living in the neighbourhood. There is also a touching group by Flaxman, to the memory of Lord Malmesbury's mother, but unfortunately not in marble. Many old tombs, monuments, and chapels; and we 1854 WEYMOUTH 29 greeted kindly the hedge-hogs in the armorial bearings of the Malmesbury family, whose name is Harris-a corruption from Herries, as that is from the old Italian Erizzo, which furnishes the Rizzo, or hedge-hog. The modern Venetian branch add an E to complete the name in their coat-of-arms. On other shields appears an heraldic rebus on the name Harris-a hare holding in her mouth the letter S-Hare-S. Post back to the railway at Poole, and thence by rail to Dorchester, and read in the Times the account of the taking of Bomarsund. Post to Weymouth; much disappointed with the place. Conceive a mile of Baker Street houses of the dingiest hue, arranged in a semicircle round a land-locked bay of dull sea, a row of bathing machines, the biggest of which bears the inscription: "The machine of that good king, George III., the friend of the poor, and patron of Weymouth;" a statue of the same monarch upon a pedestal so large and so shaped that it looks like a figure upon a French clock, and you have a complete knowledge of Weymouth. So, after a short stroll on the esplanade and dining at an hotel, we took carriage, and 30 LYME REGIS AGAIN 1854 by nine o'clock found ourselves in Lyme Regis again. W was taken out a perfect lump of sleep, and all the bustle of being carried into the Cups Inn, and being put to bed, did not wake him. 8th January 1855.-To Dickens's, Tavistock House, to see a performance of an abridged version of Planché's Fortunio, in which the parts were chiefly taken by himself and his children. Dickens appeared in the bills as Mr. Passé. They were magnificently printed, some on white satin. Afterwards dancing and supper. 18th January. - Dine Kenyon's. Fanny Kemble, Forster, Henry Reeve, Harness, Hardwicke, Mrs. Procter. Ist March.-Elected one of the auditors for the ensuing year at the General Court of the Equitable Life Assurance Society. 12th March.-Dine with Crabbe Robinson, Met Boxall, the Dousterswivel of early days. Donne, Harness, Dr. Skey. 32 OSSA ON PELION 1855 14th March.-Was elected a member of the General Committee of the Royal Literary Fund. 28th March.-Dined with B. L. Chapman at the Blue Posts, Cork Street. Monteith, Venables, Garden, Brookfield, W. Macpherson. There were marrow-bones towards the end of a very abundant dinner, and some one remarked that this was heaping Ossa on Pelion. LONDON, 4th April 1855. DEAR E.-I have been lately reading Trench's little books, which I daresay you know. The Lessons in Proverbs, The Study of Words, and English Past and Present, which last is recent, and, on the whole, perhaps the most interesting. All, however, are suggestive of much more than is actually set forth in them, and deserve the extensive popularity which they enjoy. Of new books I really know none of value. The circulating library and book-club system enables publishers to bring out a certain class of works with a prospect of profit; but of these nine-tenths are, like the razors in the old story, only made to sell, and, having gone their round, read or not read, nobody cares or wishes to hear anything more about them. I was put, at the last meeting, on the Committee of the Literary Fund, and was equally surprised and amused at some of the people who claim relief as literary persons; only one must not talk of being amused when engaged in the business of relieving distress. In truth, much of the so-called literature now produced is rather damaging to the cause of real literature. Unless |