"On reaching the Post Office, Mr. Cornwall (the Postmaster-General's private secretary), who had preceded us, told me that Colonel Maberly wished to see me. We went together to M.'s room. M. and I shook hands, &c. All three then proceeded to make the circuit of the Post Office, and I was introduced to all the heads of departments.... To commence duty on Wednesday, the 9th." This was at least a satisfactory beginning, but what was to follow? While I resolved that nothing should be wanting on my part to maintain harmony, I could not but form, from the past, unsatisfactory expectations as to the future. How far these misgivings were justified will appear presently; and yet I should willingly suppress much of the evidence on this point but for fear of misleading future reformers. It is important that any one meditating such a course as mine should know what that course really was; so that before entering on his work he may count the cost. How soon difficulties are forgotten by mere bystanders was curiously shown in my case by an article some few years later in the "Edinburgh Review," on Mr. Charles Dickens's story of "Little Dorrit." Few periodicals rendered me more important service than this--in none did it seem less probable that the nature and extent of my struggles would be underrated; and yet my course was cited as one notoriously demonstrating the injustice of those attacks on official jealousy which have rendered "Circumlocution Office" a familiar term. Mr. Dickens's amusing reply will be found in "Household Words," Vol. XVI, p. 97, and it may be added that it contains a short, but true and lively, sketch of my early struggles. Prior, therefore, to describing the improvements which I was gradually able to introduce, I shall endeavour to give a specimen of the circumstances which, for years after my restoration to office, made progress so tardy:-- "_December 9th._--Commenced duties at the Post Office. "The Postmaster-General has referred to me by minutes the Railway Report, and several applications for increase of force or of salary, but there is some demur in supplying the necessary papers, and the assistant-secretary (Campbell) showed me a minute (referred to in a note which I received this morning from the Postmaster-General, who is not at the office to-day), prescribing the course of proceeding in my department. It appears to be unnecessarily restrictive; must see the Postmaster-General on the subject."