He took a strong interest in politics; and no long time before his death he was heard to say that he should gladly live two or three years longer, that he might see how the arrangements made under the Treaty of Berlin would work. It was, however, in watching the operations of the Post Office that his chief interest still lay. I remember how I called upon him one day about eighteen months before his death. On my coming into his room he turned with a smile of pleasure to his son, who happened to be present, and said, "Has your cousin heard of the discovery?" I pricked up my ears, and at once thought of some curious old family record that might have been found hidden away in an old chest or cupboard. "This year," he continued, with proud exultation, "the postal revenue is larger than the revenue produced by the income tax. I was quite startled to find this out." Many years earlier he had written to tell his brother how he had met Garibaldi. "On Thursday (April 21, 1864) Caroline (Lady Hill) and I dined at Fishmongers' Hall 'to meet Garibaldi.' I was a little afraid of the undertaking; but I enjoyed the meeting, and am, to say the least, none the worse for it. I had some conversation with Garibaldi about the state of the Italian Post Office; but it was evident that he felt but little interest in the matter. There is something very pleasing, not to say fascinating, in his appearance and manner." Mr. M. D. Hill replied, "I was very glad to hear you were able to go to the Fishmongers', and very much amused to find that you consulted Garibaldi on Italian Penny Postage. When you go to heaven, I foresee that you will stop at the gate to inquire of St. Peter how many deliveries they have per day, and how the expense of postal communication between heaven and the other place is defrayed."