FREDERICK ROBERTSON OF BRIGHTON.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] SIR,—You speak of Frederick Robertson's lack of humour. Thirty years ago and more, when I was a curate in Brighton, I saw a great deal of the two daughters of Horace Smith, who had been Mr. Robertson's chief friends. One day they brought down a little hair trunk quite full of letters received from him, and expressed the deepest vexation that Mr. Stop- ford Brooke, his biographer (to whom they had sent the whole collection), had utterly ignored every letter that had any fun in it. They asked me to taste and try in order to prove how difficult it was to find here and there one that lacked this lighter element. They were right. The letters were, like the man himself, mostly playful and full of fun. I carried off for my autograph collection a specimen which is humorous from beginning to end.—I am, Sir, &e.,
Eccles Vicarage, Manchester.
T. DA:USTINI CREMES.
Previous page
