heard from others has been very various. It is, I think, certain that he
had none of those wonderful gifts of elocution which made it a pleasure
to listen to Dickens, whatever he read or whatever he said; nor had he
that power of application by using which his rival taught himself with
accuracy the exact effect to be given to every word. The rendering of a
piece by Dickens was composed as an oratorio is composed, and was then
studied by heart as music is studied. And the piece was all given by
memory, without any looking at the notes or words. There was nothing of
this with Thackeray. But the thing read was in itself of great interest
to educated people. The words were given clearly, with sufficient
intonation for easy understanding, so that they who were willing to hear
something from him felt on hearing that they had received full value for
their money. At any rate, the lectures were successful. The money was
made,--and was kept.

He came from his first trip to America to his new house in Onslow
Square, and then published _The Newcomes_. This, too, was one of his
great works, as to which I shall have to speak hereafter. Then, having
enjoyed his success in the first attempt to lecture, he prepared a
second series. He never essayed the kind of reading which with Dickens
became so wonderfully popular. Dickens recited portions from his
well-known works. Thackeray wrote his lectures expressly for the
purpose. They have since been added to his other literature, but they
were prepared as lectures. The second series were _The Four Georges_. In
a lucrative point of view they were even more successful than the first,
the sum of money realised in the United States having been considerable.
In England they were less popular, even if better attended, the subject
chosen having been distasteful to many. There arose the question whether
too much freedom had not been taken with an office which, though it be
no longer considered to be founded on divine right, is still as sacred