1021] on Chronicles of Cornhill 401 



whole world of English letters by giving them the greater part of 

 ■" Virginibus Puerisque," and of " Familiar Studies of Men and Books." 

 In the preface to the latter, Stevenson records his debt of thanks to 

 the " Cornhill " : "I was received there in the very best society, and 

 under the eye of the very best of editors." 



Payn stands out as a picturesque character in his position as 

 •editor. It was not only that he was a skilful writer of essays and of 

 stirring fiction, with a keen eye for a telling situation and well- 

 woven plot, but his bright personal geniality, which set at nought 

 suffering and ill-health, his unselfish friendship, his delight in dis- 

 •covering now talent and helping beginners, won him universal 

 affection as well as respect. 



As editor of the " Cornhill " for thirteen years from 1883, he 

 picked out and brought forward such writers after his own heart as 

 Mr. Stanley Weyman, Sir A. Conan Doyle, Henry Seton Merriman, 

 •Sir H. Rider Haggard, and F. Anstey. 



To James Payn succeeded Mr. St. Loe Strachey, who threw him- 

 self with his customary vigour into the task of reorganisation which 

 had been determined upon, bringing back the " Cornhill " to very 

 much its original type, only without illustrations. But his hand was 

 not long at the helm ; a couple of years later he joined the 

 " Spectator," and his place was taken by Reginald Smith. 



Now began the longest period of a single editorship. It lasted 

 •almost eighteen years, and till the last days of his life his object was 

 to maintain the ancient prestige of the literary inheritance which had 

 passed into his keeping. Another tradition left by his father-in-law, 

 his genial hospitality and love of his fellow-men rendered easy of 

 fulfilment. It was all but invariably true that when through his 

 business he gained a client, he made a life-long friend. He was 

 adviser, friend, and helper in personal or business matters, and in 

 business, where his own interests were concerned, endlessly scrupulous 

 that the other man should be considered first, and every doubtful 

 point be read in his favour. Towards a client his position was that, 

 he felt, of both partner and trustee, and honour was his most every- 

 day companion. His own tastes and education, his many friendships 

 dating from Eton and King's, his previous career as a working 

 barrister, conspired to give him a very practical knowledge of men 

 .and things and books, and his suggestions and counsel on the MSS. 

 he read were often of solid service to his writing friends. 



Reginald Smith not only drew closer the ties with Merriman and 

 Mr. Stanley AYeyman — still, I am proud to say, a steadfast con- 

 tributor — which had been initiated under James Payn, but gathered 

 into his friendship a new circle of writers. Among these let me 

 name two only, who, alas ! have recently passed away. To both 

 Lady Ritchie and Mrs. Humphry Ward he was for twenty years or 

 more a zealous guardian of their interests, trying, as he often put it, 

 to be a buffer between them and business worries, so as to leave their 



