The first place, however, was, by a sort of common consent, whenever he appeared among them, which was very often, assigned to H⸺ W⸺. He well deserved the distinction, on such occasions at least. His resources of anecdote were inexhaustible; his mode of communicating what he knew, was easy, gracious, and elegant, as can be imagined. He was the last of the old school, after the death of the venerable Earl Bathurst, who, when he left the world, seems not to have had a surviving friend, to record his various talents and accomplishments. Yet Lord Bathurst was a nobleman of no ordinary attainments, of admirable taste, acute discernment, and great learning. When in the decline of life, and his sight began to fail him, his relation and chaplain, the present Bishop of Norwich, used to read the classics to him. The Bishop is known to be an excellent scholar, yet Lord Bathurst would every now and then stop him, and say, “Harry, you read that passage as if you did not understand it; let me hear you read it again.” He would then, with the greatest precision, explain any difficulty which might have occurred, and was pleased with the opportunity of communicating what he knew. The reader, it is hoped, will excuse this digression in favour of a great and good man; but it is time to return to H⸺ W⸺. As far as verbal communication went, or communication of what he retained in his memory, availed, all his stores were at the service of literary men, and many of our modern popular books owe much of their zest and interest to this sort of assistance received from Lord ⸺. Among others, Pennant’s London was very particularly indebted to his “Reminiscences.” The Messrs. Lysons will doubtless not deny their obligations of a similar kind, nor Mr. Nichols; nor would the late Mr. Gough, nor Michael Lort, nor Michael Tyson, nor a great many others. Further than such communication, with perhaps the exception of a scanty dinner at Strawberry-hill, there is no instance on record of his liberality having proceeded. He certainly was proud of being considered as a sort of patron of literature, and a friend to literary men, but he did not choose to purchase the pre-eminence at a higher price than a little flattery and praise, and a pudding neither over large nor over solid.