cover, good type, good paper. What treasures they were, and only two
shillings! I was a little child when an important movement for the
cheapening of books began. In 1852 Charles Dickens presided at a meeting
of authors and others against the coercive regulations of the
Booksellers' Association which maintained their excessive profits.
Herbert Spencer and Miss Evans (George Eliot) took a prominent part in
this meeting and drafted the resolutions which were passed. The ultimate
effect of this meeting was that the question between the authors and the
booksellers was referred to Lord Campbell as arbitrator. He gave a
decision against the booksellers; and there were consequently abolished
such of the trade regulations as had interdicted the sale of books at
lower rates of profit than those authorised by the Booksellers'
Association.

Practically all my school days were spent at Derby. As I have said, ours
was a large family. I have referred to an only sister, but I had step-
sisters and step-brothers too. My father married twice and the second
family was numerous. His salary was never more than 300 pounds a year,
and though a prudent enough man, he was not of the frugal economical sort
who makes the most of every shilling. It may be imagined, then, that all
the income was needed for a family that, parents included, but excluding
the one servant, numbered eleven. The consequence was that the education
I received could not be described as liberal. I attended a day school at
Derby, connected with the Wesleyans; why I do not know, as we belonged to
the Anglican Church; but I believe it was because the school, while cheap
as to fees, had the reputation of giving a good, plain education suitable
for boys destined for railway work. It was a good sized school of about
a hundred boys. Not long ago I met one day in London a business man who,
it turned out, was at this school with me. We had not met for fifty
years. "Well," said he, "I think old Jessie, if he did not teach us a