178 LIFE OF SIR JOHN LUBBOCK oh. 



the Public Libraries Act of 1850, and that " The 

 Public Libraries Movement, which has now 

 assumed such great proportions, derived its 

 chief inspiration from this City. The inaugural 

 ceremony of fifty years ago was graced by the 

 presence of W. M. Thackeray, Charles Dickens, 

 Sir E. Bulwer Lytton, and other eminent person- 

 ages, and we are anxious that the coming celebra- 

 tion should be distinguished by the presence 

 and co-operation of leading men in the literary 

 world." 



He bravely managed to struggle down to it 

 and to play his leading part, and the Lord Mayor 

 in a letter of thanks for his presidency was able 

 to write : " The Commemoration, memorable 

 and important in itself, has derived additional 

 lustre from the countenance of so many dis- 

 tinguished men of letters and others interested 

 in library work. The Corporation are extremely 

 sensible of the honour you have conferred on 

 our City, by your presence and co-operation on 

 this occasion." 



Mr. Lecky had been appointed President of 

 the Royal Literary Fund, but his health was 

 failing, and he was obliged to go to the south 

 of France in the spring, and on his request 

 Lord Avebury filled his place in the chair at 

 the annual dinner. 



He was able to play a good deal of golf during 

 March and attended many social functions, in- 

 cluding a ball at his own house in St. James's 

 Square. Indeed, all through this season he 

 seems often to have been taking his daughters 

 to dances, sometimes to two the same night. 



