Sir Charles Dilke (the Dilkes were then proprietors of the _Athenæum_) once came to dine with us, and was mortally offended because a foreign ambassador was given precedence, as is etiquette as well as politeness to a stranger amongst us. He took my sister down, and sulked and grumbled to her all dinner time, venting on our high-backed antique chairs his annoyance at what he imagined to be a serious slight to his dignity and position. I went with my father to Charles Dickens' last reading. He was an amateur actor of high repute, and his rendering of the famous novels was exceedingly dramatic. Wilkie Collins once wrote a play, called _The Lighthouse_, for some private theatricals in which Dickens acted. My father designed the invitation card, and the original drawing was sold at the Dickens' sale at Christie's, where it fetched a high price. At the last party given by Miss Dickens before he died, I was introduced to the great author, and curiously enough, he said, "I am so pleased to make your acquaintance, and I hope this will not be _your last visit_." That evening Joachim gave us an exhibition of his incomparable art. Lord Houghton, who was as absent-minded in his way as his brother-in-law, Lord Crewe, was one of the guests. He fell asleep during Joachim's recital, and snored. As the exquisite chords from the violin rose on the air, Lord Houghton's snores sounded loudly in opposition, sometimes drowning a delicate passage, and at others lost in a passionate rush of melody from the player, who must have needed all his composure to prevent him waking the slumbering lord. About that time I made several slight caricatures of Dickens, which have been not only exhibited, but published. [Illustration: LORD HOUGHTON. 1882.] [Illustration: FRED ARCHER. 1881.] [Illustration: THE DUKE OF BEAUFORT.] CHAPTER IV WORK AND PLAY School-days ended.--A trip to Paris.--Versailles and the Morgue.--I enter the office of Sydney Smirke, R.A.--Montagu Williams and Christchurch.--A squall.--Frith as arbitrator. --I nearly lose my life.--William Virtue to the rescue.--The Honourable Mrs. Butler Johnson Munro.--I visit Knebworth.-- Lord Lytton.--Spiritualism.--My first picture in the Royal Academy.--A Scotch holiday with my friend Richard Dunlop.-- Patrick Adam.--Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Lewis.--Mr. George Fox and Harry Fox.--Sir William Jaffray.--Mr. William Cobbett.-- Adventures on and off a horse.--Peter Graham.--Cruikshank.-- Mr. Phené Spiers.--Johnston Forbes-Robertson and Irving.-- Fred Walker.--Arthur Sullivan.--Sir Henry de Bathe.--Sir Spencer Ponsonby.--Du Maurier.--Arthur Cecil.--Sir Francis Burnand.--The Bennett Benefit.