The death of Theodore Hook, his life-long friend, occurred in 1841, and Mr. Barham was deeply affected by it. "One of the last parties at which Hook was present" (Mr. Barham's son tells us in his "Memoirs" of his father) "was at Amen Corner" (Barham's house). He was unusually late, and dinner was served before he made his appearance; Mr. Barham apologized for having sat down without him, observing that he had quite given him up, and supposed that the weather had deterred him. "Oh," replied the former, "I had determined to come--_weather_ or no." The friends met only once more after that evening. Within a year after taking up his abode at Amen Corner, a far heavier sorrow had fallen on Mr. Barham. His youngest son, a boy of great promise and precocious talent, died. His second son had died of cholera in 1832. This last blow fell heavily on the father. His elastic spirits had rebounded from the previous ones, but this loss was never fully recovered by him. The death of Hook, coming soon after, depressed him still more. In 1842, Mr. Barham was appointed to the Divinity Readership of St. Paul's, and was permitted to exchange the living he held for the more valuable one of St. Faith; the duties of which were, also, less onerous than those of the parish in which he had worked for twenty years. His parishioners felt the separation from their excellent pastor deeply, and no doubt their feelings were shared by him who had so long been their guide and sympathetic friend. Mrs. Barham was also greatly loved, and had rendered good service in the management of the school, and visiting the poor; a testimonial was presented to both by their grateful people, in the shape of a handsome silver salver. His new living being contiguous to his old one, Mr. Barham did not change his residence, in which, in fact, he was permitted to live for the remainder of his life. But he was always delighted when a little leisure enabled him to go into the country and to the seaside, or to his native Kent to find legends; but such excursions were few and brief for the hardly worked clergyman. Mr. Barham was one of the first members of the Archæological Association, instituted for the purpose of making trips to places where antiquarian research could be carried on; he had always possessed a great taste for, and much knowledge of, antiquarian subjects. He was also an excellent Shakspearian scholar, and could supply the context to any quotation made from the plays, and mention the play, act, and generally the scene from which it came. He was therefore deeply interested in the formation of the Garrick Club, of which he wrote the words of a glee song at the opening dinner (the music was by Mr. Hawes),-- Let poets of superior parts Consign to deathless fame The larceny of the Knave of Hearts, Who spoiled his Royal Dame. Alack! my timid muse would quail Before such thievish cubs, But plumes a joyous wing to hail Thy birth, fair Queen of _Clubs_.