IN FULL CAREER. 179 



seemed affluence have been too much to pay 

 for such a man? I think that from a com- 

 mercial point of view, even including the year 

 when he was too ill to do any work, it might 

 have paid so to run Jefferies. As it was, he 

 had no one to advise him. He drifted help- 

 lessly from publisher to publisher. His name 

 stood high, and rose steadily higher, yet he 

 made no more money by his books. The 

 value of his work rose no higher it even fell 

 lower. This curious fact that increase of 

 fame should not bring increase of money 

 Jefferies did not and could not understand. It 

 constantly irritated and annoyed him. He 

 thought that he was being defrauded out of 

 his just dues. On this point I will, however, 

 speak again immediately. 



The young couple remained at Swindon 

 until February, 1877, when Jefferies thought 

 himself justified in giving up his post on the 

 North Wilts Herald, and in removing nearer 

 London. But it must not be too near London. 

 He must only be near in the sense of readyaccess 

 by train. Therefore he took a house at Surbi- 

 ton it was at No. 2, Woodside. At this 



122 



