In 1857 the first number of _The Virginians_ appeared, and the last,--the twenty-fourth,--in October, 1859. This novel, as all my readers are aware, is a continuance of _Esmond_, and will be spoken of in its proper place. He was then forty-eight years old, very gray, with much of age upon him, which had come from suffering,--age shown by dislike of activity and by an old man's way of thinking about many things,--speaking as though the world were all behind him instead of before; but still with a stalwart outward bearing, very erect in his gait, and a countenance peculiarly expressive and capable of much dignity. I speak of his personal appearance at this time, because it was then only that I became acquainted with him. In 1859 he undertook the last great work of his life, the editorship of _The Cornhill Magazine_, a periodical set on foot by Mr. George Smith, of the house of Smith and Elder, with an amount of energy greater than has generally been bestowed upon such enterprises. It will be well remembered still how much _The Cornhill_ was talked about and thought of before it first appeared, and how much of that thinking and talking was due to the fact that Mr. Thackeray was to edit it. _Macmillan's_, I think, was the first of the shilling magazines, having preceded _The Cornhill_ by a month, and it would ill become me, who have been a humble servant to each of them, to give to either any preference. But it must be acknowledged that a great deal was expected from _The Cornhill_, and I think it will be confessed that it was the general opinion that a great deal was given by it. Thackeray had become big enough to give a special _eclat_ to any literary exploit to which he attached himself. Since the days of _The Constitutional_ he had fought his way up the ladder and knew how to take his stand there with an assurance of success. When it became known to the world of readers that a new magazine was to appear under Thackeray's editorship, the world of readers was quite sure that there would be a large sale. Of the first number over one hundred and ten thousand were sold, and of the second and third over one hundred thousand. It is in the nature of such things that the sale should fall off when the novelty is over. People believe that a new delight has come, a new joy for ever, and then find that the joy is not quite so perfect or enduring as they had expected. But the commencement of such enterprises may be taken as a measure of what will follow. The magazine, either by Thackeray's name or by its intrinsic merits,--probably by both,--achieved a great success. My acquaintance with him grew from my having been one of his staff from the first.