* A story is told of this visit. The Consul, on his arrival in England, called upon Lord Lytton. The two novelists chatted for some time, and at length Lytton said, “I’m so glad for many reasons to see you here. You will have an opportunity presently of meeting your chief, Clarendon. I expect him every moment.” Lever was aghast. He recollected that he had left Trieste without obtaining formal “leave.” He endeavoured to excuse himself to Lytton (who was now very deaf): he had to be off to meet his daughters. While he was apologising for his hurried decision to say good-bye, the Minister for Foreign Affairs was announced. “Ah, Mr Lever,” said Lord Clarendon, “I didn’t know that you had left Trieste.” “No, my lord,” stammered Lever, unable for the moment to see how he was going to get out of the difficulty. “The fact is, I thought it would be more respectful if I came and asked your lordship personally for leave.” Possibly this anecdote is of the “ben trovato” order.--E. D. “My old friend Seymour is with us every day with plans for amusement. “To turn to other matters, I have a couple of half finished O’Ds. which, if you like to print, I shall have time to lick into shape. I went yesterday to the ‘House’ to see if my countryman the Mayor of Cork might not furnish matter for an O’Dowd, but the whole was flat and wearisome.” _To Mr William Blackwood._ “Knebworth, _May_ 18, 1869. “Half stupid with a cold, and shaken by the worst cough I ever had in my life, I send you an O’D., part of which I read to your uncle, and indeed wrote after a conversation with him. I hope it has more go in it than the man who wrote it. “I am told you are likely to come up to town, and I cannot tell you how I would like to meet you. It may be, most probably is, my last appearance on these boards, for it is most unlikely I shall ever cross the Alps again, so that I entreat you let us have a shake hands, if only that we may recognise each other when on t’other side of the Styx. “I shall be back in town to-morrow or the day after, and hope to hear news of you. “I am afraid to write more, I am so overwhelmed by wheezing and nose-blowing.” _To Mr John Blackwood._ “Trieste, _June_ 25, 1869. “I have been coughing unceasingly since I saw you last, and with difficulty secured intervals to write these O’Ds. We made only a day’s delay at Paris, and came on here without resting at all. “Of my wife I can only say she is not worse, but I dare not say she is better. The excessive heat here is very debilitating, especially coming after a somewhat rough spring. “Sydney is pressing me to join her in a visit to a chateau in Croatia, where she is about to stay for a couple of months, but I can’t afford the time, though in one way it might repay me.” _To Mr John Blackwood._ “Trieste, _July_ 9, 1869.