i CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH 21 



friend of John Gibson the sculptor, and in a sculpture 

 gallery attached to the house the Sandbachs had some 

 of his most valuable works. Gibson was a prottgd 

 of my grandfather, and it was through the latter 

 that he became acquainted with Mrs. Sandbach. He 

 was originally a Welsh stonemason in Liverpool ; 

 his genius was discovered by Mr. Roscoe, who sent 

 him to Rome, where he soon blossomed into a 

 celebrated sculptor. Mrs. Sandbach, who died at a 

 comparatively early age, shared the literary gift of 

 the family, and published several volumes of poetry 

 as well as a tragedy. She was a most accomplished 

 woman and a delightful companion. 



We were also intimate with the family 01 the late 

 Dr. James Martineau, the eminent divine. He was 

 then the Unitarian minister in the old Presbyterian 

 chapel in Paradise Street. Dr. Martineau had built 

 himself a house in Prince's Park. My chief 

 recollection of him at that time is the admirable 

 manner in which he used to read Scott's novels and 

 poetry to the family and friends. He was truly one 

 of England's worthies. A more noble-minded man 

 never breathed, and he is acknowledged by all creeds 

 and all nations to have been a most able theologian and 

 metaphysician. He died at the ripe age of ninety-five 

 years. Shortly before his death I met him at one of 

 the soirees of the Royal Society, which he always 

 attended as a guest. I congratulated him on attaining 

 his ninetieth birthday, and he said : " I am working 

 through the letters of congratulation I have received, 

 and by degrees shall answer them all. One of the 

 most remarkable was from a lady, the only person 

 who addressed me as 'dear James.' I had not 

 heard of her since we were boy and girl together 

 in Norwich. She is one of the daughters of 



