During such a period personal history naturally loses most of its interest. For six years there was peace in the Post Office, and the history of peace, though often most important, is almost proverbially uninteresting. Quitting, therefore, for a time, that which more nearly appertains to myself, I proceed at once to describe the improvements effected or attempted within the period. ARRANGEMENT OF SECRETARIAL DUTIES. The private journal from which I have drawn so largely in narrating the occurrences of my official career was suspended soon after my appointment as sole secretary, partly because I now felt myself relieved from the fear of that antagonism which had rendered exact knowledge of past occurrences a matter of painful necessity, partly because I was no longer obliged to build up and maintain a claim for promotion, and partly because the full liberty now allowed for the furtherance of reform required on my part undivided attention to the device and careful consideration of measures, and of the means of carrying them into effect. Henceforward, therefore, I have for some years to depend mainly upon records of a formal and official character, and prominent among these stand the Annual Reports of the Postmaster-General, the first of which relates, so far as it is special, to the year in which I attained my final position. It describes, therefore, occurrences which partly preceded, partly followed, that change. Much, however, in this First Report is naturally of a more general character. I must premise, that one of my earliest steps on becoming sole secretary was to arrange for the meeting of the chief secretary (myself) and the two assistant-secretaries (Mr. Tilley and my brother) in frequent conference, for the consideration of measures in contemplation or in progress, and also of such suggestions on any subject as any one of the three might offer. This provision proved to be exceedingly useful. Mr. Tilley, who had been between thirty and forty years in the department, and had made good use of his opportunities, was always ready to furnish such information relative to details as occasion might require; while my brother, who had, for seventeen years, been engaged in duties of a higher order and greater difficulty than those now devolving upon him, brought with him a mastery of general principles, a power of origination, and a habit of constantly striving for improvement, which gave him special fitness for the duty to which, indeed, he was more especially appointed, that of aiding me in the work of amelioration. This conference continued its sittings during the whole of my secretaryship; and I felt much concern when I learnt that on my withdrawal it came to an end.