Essays on Life 



the last dozen years or so I have sat ever 

 since. 



The first thing I have done whenever I went 

 to the Museum has been to take down Frost's 

 " Lives of Eminent Christians " and carry it 

 to my seat. It is not the custom of modern 

 writers to refer to the works to which they are 

 most deeply indebted, and I have never, that 

 I remember, mentioned it by name before; 

 but it is to this book alone that I have looked 

 for support during many years of literary 

 labour, and it is round this to me invaluable 

 volume that all my own have page by page 

 grown up. There is none in the Museum to 

 which I have been under anything like such 

 constant obligation, none which I can so ill 

 spare, and none which I would choose so 

 readily if I were allowed to select one single 

 volume and keep it for my own. 



On finding myself asked for a contribution 

 to the Universal Review, I went, as I have 

 explained, to the Museum, and presently re- 

 paired to bookcase No. 2008 to get my favourite 

 volume. Alas ! it was in the room no longer. 

 It was not in use, for its place was filled up 



