[ 3o6 ] 



CHAPTEE XVII. 



PILLARS OF THE PAST. 



There are colleagues of bygone days still living who 

 served in the Post-Office under Colonel Maberly. I 

 never had the opportunity. He was transferred to 

 the Commission of Audit in the year before my own 

 appointment to his old department, and I only saw 

 him once in the City, for a few minutes, when he was 

 advanced in years, and had fresh interests to occupy 

 his mind. 



After Freeling's death, the Post-Office was not left 

 long without a permanent chief. On September 29, 

 1836, Lord Lichfield appointed Maberly — Lieutenant- 

 Colonel William Leader Maberlj?", to give him his full 

 style — to be the Secretary. 



It has been the fashion somewhat to depreciate the 

 public services of this capable officer, and to regard 

 him as one disposed to obstruct rather than facilitate 

 the progress of the Post-Office. But I believe the 

 contrary to have been the fact, and that Maberly's 

 opposition to penny postage arose, in the main, from 

 a natural reluctance on the part of a newly-appointed 



