The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1885-02-21

IL wears ago lIOU AiTlVu' Wiu EoNN
il to me when he was u captain on
active service. But let us leave this
cave Of despair" he adds, "ond go
into my room.
We enter an apartment which at
first glance seems to he literally
chokcd with books and papers, but
there is ample room for the master
ut desk where he can sit surrounded
with his tools.
sYou asked me u question Just
now. think, about my method of
work. Now, the only volumes which
are here as matter of sentiment
are this little set of the Family
Herald which contain my first and
juvenile works in fiction and essay.
All the other volumes which you see
arc works of refcrcnce--things be
longing TO the practical work Of
journalism: scrap-books, pictorial
and otherwise dictionaries in almost
every language; encyclopedias, his
tories, technical works; and though
some of the shelves may at first sight
seem to indicate confusion of ar
rangement, l assure You they are all
SO disposed that l can lay my hand
upon anything and everything ! want
in moment. Those volumes on
the left are the Spectator, and
close by the Examiner from the
time of Leigh Hunt and Hazlitt. On
the next shelf, Cobbett's papers,
and other Radical and Liberal jour-
nails; and close by, a complete file
of John Bull and 'Blackwood' Of
the strong Tory days. You know
that myself and Lord Rosebery have
the Napoleonic legend mania. On
the shelves opposite to you are
several volumes that have been given
to me by Lord Rosebery in connec-
ton with this subject"
Here he took out unique work,
"The History of Napoleon in Medals"
exquisitely engraved, and including
the medal struck in contemplation of
the conquest of England. Close by
this was a wonderful collection of
the English, French, and Italian
drama. Then we came to the ellis
tory of Parliament" books Of natu-
raj history, leSicons, and books on
various trades.
Upon large square table near his
desk were number of other volumes
of reference, and conveniently placed
in their midst, and in adjacent
drawers, were boxes of photographs
of places he had visited, copies of
famous pictures, sketches Of sculp-
ture, and other aids to memory. On
his desk were several commonplace
books, in his own hand, written with
remarkable eXactness, as close as
print, and almost as plain as copper
plate engraving. In the body of the
text were inserted numerals in little
circles, which had reference to a
carefully kept index at the close.
Another book was literally an index
of letters, not that he had received,
but which he had written, and the
beginnings of leading articles.
"Further aids to memory" he re-
marked: show necessary, | need
not tell you, to man who in his
time has written for the ''Daily
Telegraph" 1000 editorial articles.
Here" he said, "are my references
and notes for my next Brussels
sketch in the Telegraph chiefly
relating to st. Nicholas. There are
those who will regard that, as they
do other similar contributions, as
having been dashed off, as they call
it--thrown off, done on the spur of
the moment; but one does not ex :
pect people outside our own circle to
quite understand how much research,
how much knowledge, how much ex-
perience, one often puts into col
umn that appears to be dashed off. "
While he is talking he beckons me
to an adjacent bed-chamber, which
repeats the calico aspect of the
packed-up drawing-room. But he
uncovers bureau, in corner by
the fire, which is literally packed
with cookery books, three hundred
of them, in every language, among
the most notable being the first edi-
ton of Mrs. Classes famous work,
and the secret cookery book Of Louis
the Eighteenth. Then We go back
to the workshop, where, beneath the
loaded table / have spoken Of, he
pulls out drawer after drawer con-
tanning thousands upon thousands Of
fashion plates and sketches of CO.'S
tune; and in the hall, as we return
for parting chat to the library-din'
ing-room, he shows me beautiful
replica Of the famous repousse shield
from South Kensington, hanging
over the doorway, and upon the
walls several panoramic-like coloret
plates which refer to his first techni
cal work when he was draughtsmal
on wood, a photographer and en-
gravcr in the atelier Of Henry Hal
kin, with whom he afterwards wen
into partnership, and produced poll
tical caricatures and pictorial Skit