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C. Harrison, who succeeded Dr Pepper later on, as President of both the University and the Extension Society. He also met many other prominent men,-and women also, of course-in Philadelphia Society, and was made a "Lion" of everywhere he went.

On January 5th, he began lecturing-at the "Association Local "-our strongest centre-in the heart of the city. Their announcement was:-"The first course after the holidays will be by Mr J. Churton Collins, M.A., Balliol College, Oxford, of enviable reputation in England as scholar, lecturer, and critic. His subject will be "Chaucer." On this subject he gave three lectures, viz. :

In all of these he recited, in his own inimitable way, many of Chaucer's finest passages. These, along with his own comments, had a distinctly marked effect upon the audience of students and others, and brought him much applause.

He next gave three lectures at another centre in Philadelphia, i.e., at "The Ladies Club." The subject was:-"The pre-Elizabethan Drama-the Miracle Plays, etc." These, as might be expected, caused much amusement along with some rare information as to the old plays and acting.

Together with these, another course of three lectures was going on at the West Philadelphia centre (on the intervening evenings)—whose meetings were held in the Hall of the University of Pennsylvania :—the subject was

"Greek

Literature" in which Mr Collins was profoundly versed. The class discussion which followed the first lecture, brought out a new and striking point in favour of the study of the Classics-as follows.

Some students in the audience asked the lecturer what real benefit was to be derived from the study of Greek and Latin by any others but teachers or literary men?

The lecturer very naturally answered, that the knowledge of the best literature was an enduring possession, which improved the mind and also helped to make life more agreeable, and interesting, etc. Then a distinguished Engineer, who was present, arose and spoke, saying: "Yes, and much more than that; it is good for men in all professions, for it trains the imagination! Even in my own profession of engineering, which seems remote from imaginative literature, it is nevertheless true that the engineer makes his successes quite as much by his imagination as by his technical knowledge; and nearly all inventions, in every department, are the result of a constructive imagination! Here was a new doctrine, even for the lecturer, who was much pleased with it. "And would you then," he asked, "give your own son a classical education if he were to be an engineer?" Most certainly," he replied. "It is just what I am doing, and in this very University!" Some more discussion followed, and then the audience and the lecturer parted, much pleased with each other. These three lectures were very interesting and successful. The audiences increased at each meeting.

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AT NEW YORK, ETC.

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They were followed by a course at the Centre in Germantown, a suburb of Philadelphia. The subject was "Shakspere," a most congenial one for the lecturer. And here again, his wonderful memory-the greatest since Macaulay-enabled him to deliver, offhand, and with great eloquence, many of the noblest passages of the great dramatist, and to point out the merits and beauties of the poems and plays by oral quotations, without referring to book or note a great advantage for both lecturer and audience-especially the latter!

After these lectures in Philadelphia, he went further afield and lectured at the Brooklyn Institute (Brooklyn, New York. They are now one city, like Southwark and London, with a river between), then, further still, into "New England," but always, of course, under the auspices of the University Extension Society. He lectured in New Haven, Hartford, and other towns. He was, of course, well received at Harvard Univ. Boston, Mass., at Yale, New Haven, Columbia, New York City, etc. He was very welcome everywhere, for he was always interesting and entertaining, and usually sympathetic. His lectures were greatly admired and enjoyed.

During his short stay of only a little more than seven weeks in America, his home was mainly at my house, but he made a short visit also with Miss Julia Wood and her three brothers, who lived quite near us, and were all interested in University Extension affairs. They also gave an evening party for him!

In our house, being perfectly at his ease, he was a continual literary banquet! And especially to Basil, my son, aged sixteen, and just beginning

his studies at College. One evening he asked Mr Collins where to find a really good description of a great battle? "Oh!" said he, " In Napier's Peninsular War, Vittoria for instance." "" Of course, Mr Collins,” I said in jest, “you can recite the whole of it?" Whereupon, he reeled off fifteen pages of Napier without a pause, or hesitation, to the great delight of the youthful Basil and all of us. He followed this, a little later, with the whole of Manzoni's hymn to Napoleon, in Italian! And then, at intervals, with extracts from the Iliad-Eneid, anything you liked, in Greek or Latin! Basil was his devoted adherent and always hunted his pipe for him . . . for, although he had the "literature of the world ” by heart, he could seldom remember where he left his pipe!

There were frequent amusing duets between them -Basil upstairs, Mr Collins downstairs-shouting to each other, and frequently ending like this"Is it up there, Basil?" No, sir! can't find it anywhere!" "Ah! Dear me, here it is in my pocket! All right, Bas!"

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We were all very sorry when he left us.

CHAPTER IX

1894-8

HIS CONNECTION WITH THE SATURDAY REVIEWMOVE TO NORFOLK SQUARE-CONTRIBUTION TO DICTIONARY OF NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY-SIDNEY LEE'S SHAKESPEARE-HIS TRIP TO ITALY

N 1894, when Mr Frank Harris took over the editorship, my father wrote his first article

I

for the Saturday Review. It appeared on the 24th of November and was entitled "A Specimen of Oxford Editing." This was the beginning of his connection with that Review, and when Mr Frank Harris left in 1898 he stayed on, and there were few numbers issued without something from his pen.

His last article appeared on the 17th of February, 1906, and was entitled "Twaddle from a Great Scholar."

The Saturday Review has always had a reputation for plain speaking, and this reputation was well maintained whilst he was a contributor.

Though his criticism was outspoken, it was just in this respect that chapter and verse, as it were, were given throughout-and the criticism was rarely replied to. On one occasion, however,