TO THE

MEMORY

OF

CHARLES WENTWORTH DILKE,

OF

THE ATHENÆUM,

THESE PAGES are dedicatED AS A SMALL TRIBUTE OF ESTEEM BY HIS 'YOUNG FRIEND,"

JOHN COLLINS FRANCIS.

CHAPTER I.—AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JOHN FRANCIS.

Birth of John Francis-Parentage-Letter to his Son John-

His Grandparents- His Father's Marriage - Kent Street

Sunday School - William West - James Parker Francis,

Secretary of the Leather-Dressers' Trades Union — John

Francis's Schooling - Goes to Marlborough's Newspaper

Office Reminiscences of Bermondsey Sunday School

--

Society for Southwark-New Marriage Act-Incident in the

Reform Agitation-Goes to the Athenæum-Attacked in

Carter Lane-Superintendent of New Park Street Sunday

School-Secretary for South London of the Sunday School

Union-Corn-Law Agitation-Letter on Education-Taxes

on Knowledge-John Francis's Efforts for their Repeal-

Work in St. Giles's-Removes to Canonbury--Cholera in

Spitalfields-Removes to Highgate-Secretary for the New

I-19

Chapel

...

CHAPTER II.-THE FOUNDING OF THE ATHENÆUM,

1828-1832.

A Precursor-James Silk Buckingham-The Athenæum—Its

Independence-First Article-First Review-Dr. Stebbing

Editor-"Sketches of Contemporary Authors "-Issued twice a

Week-Warning to Publishers-The Verulam Incorporated-

The Argus-Maurice becomes Editor-Succeeded by Sterling

-Tennyson's 'Timbuctoo'-Mr. Holmes - Montgomery's

'Satan' - Printers' Pension Society - Charles Wentworth

Dilke becomes Editor-Objects to Publishers' Puffs-Death

of George IV.-New Year's Address-Limbird's 'Mirror of

Literature-The Inscription on the Monument-Plan to

capture Prince William-Mr. Dilke's First Year as Editor-

Reduction in Price-John Francis enters the Office-First

Supplement

...

20-48

CHAPTER III.-THE ATHENÆUM, 1832-1846.

New Year's Address-Poem by Carlyle—Published at 2, Cathe-

rine Street-Death of Sir Walter Scott-Contributors to the

Athenæum-English Literature in the Nineteenth Century-

Roxburghe Revels MS.-Spanish Literature-The National

Gallery-Letters of Nelson-Literature of the Nineteenth

Century-Railway Map of England-New Houses of Parlia-

ment-British Association at Bristol-Booksellers' Provident

Institution-Arabic and Persian Literature-Carlyle's German

Lectures-Death of William IV.-' Victoria's Tears'-Re-

moval to Wellington Street—Social Questions-Penny Postage

-Discoveries in Photography-Electrotyping - Stationers'

Benevolent Society-Bohn's Catalogue-The Literary Fund—

Printers' Franklin Pension-Longevity-Phrenology and Mes-

merism Miss Martineau-Polar Expeditions-Lithography

by Steam-Criminal Returns-The Oldest Woodblock-

Faraday's Discoveries-Public Parks-Crime and Imprison-

ment-Dwellings of the Poor-Death of Mr. Tegg-Tele-

graph to France-The Daily News Founded-Mr. Dilke

becomes its Manager

...

...

CHAPTER IV.-1846-1847.

...

49-88

Mr. T. K. Hervey Editor-Hepworth Dixon a Contributor-Na-
tional Testimonial to Rowland Hill-Subscription for Mr. Cob-
den-Baronetcy for Sir Moses Montefiore-Corn Importation
Bill-Social Reforms-Public Cemeteries Bill-Homes of the
Poor-Baboo Dwarkanauth Tagore-Great Hailstorm-Folk-
lore-Notes and Queries-Guncotton Invented-Public Record
Office-Prof. De Morgan and Sir W. Hamilton-Death of
Dr. Chalmers - Cruikshank's The Bottle'-Mechanics' In-
stitutions-'Jane Eyre'-Ether and Chloroform-Anxiety
about Sir John Franklin-Suez Canal

89-107

CHAPTER V.-1848.

The Learned Societies-Royal Society of Literature-The

Royal Society-Sir John Franklin-Ipswich Museum-The

Channel Islands and the Stamp Duty-Great Bibliographic

Hoax-Educational Endowments-Coals for the Navy-Go-

vernment Salaries-The Claims of Literature '- Harriet

Martineau's 'Eastern Life '-Miss Mulock-Ragged Schools-

J. S. Mill's Principles of Political Economy'-The Pepys

Portraits-Emerson's Lectures for the Early Closing Move-

ment-Proposed Institute of Actuaries-Liverpool School of

Chemistry-University suggested for Manchester-Health of

Towns Bill-Cholera-Silvering Glass-College of Preceptors

-Peace Congress at Brussels-Death of John Hunt-The

Prisons of London

108-137

...

...

CHAPTER VI.-1849.

Scientific Discoveries - Electric Lighting Experiments off
Folkestone-Layard's 'Nineveh '-Bookselling at Railway
Stations-Its Influence on Literature-Railway Circulating
Libraries-Gold in California-Peace Meetings-Search for
Sir John Franklin-Lady Franklin offers 3,000l.-Govern-
ment offers 20,000l.-Russian Expedition-Proposed Atlantic
Cable-Prince Albert and the Printers' Pension Corporation
-Savings Banks in Scotland-Number of Books in British
Museum-Daily Weather Chart-Stowe MSS.-Letters of
Nelson-"Ragged Schools "— Satirical Songs on Costume'
-Social Reforms-Dictionary of Greek and Roman Bio-
graphy'-Printers' Almshouses-Death of Countess of Bles-
sington-Zoological Society's Gardens-Cunningham's 'Hand-
book for London'-Royal Botanic Society-Russian Uni-
versity Students-Prof. Cockerell on Church Architecture-
Proceedings of Society of Antiquaries-Death of Horace
Smith-Dwellings of the Working Classes-Hepworth Dixon's
Life of Howard-Public Libraries-Cholera-Its Causes-
Works on Cholera-Death of Dr. Cooke Taylor-Penny
Banks -International Exhibition Projected-Literary Fund—
Ocean Penny Post-Public Parks-Notes and Queries Founded
-Dr. Lindley-Lending Stamped Newspapers-Ebenezer