ntensified, by the nuisances of which he
complained.

The state of Leech's health in May, 1864, seems to me best explained in
the letter which Mark Lemon at this time wrote to Mr. Bass, in relation
to his proposed bill for the regulation of street music. After showing
how he himself was obliged to quit London to escape the nuisance of
street music, the then editor of _Punch_ continues: "A dear friend of
mine, and one to whom the public has been indebted for more than twenty
years for weekly supplies of innocent amusement, and whose name will
find a place in the future history of art, has not been so fortunate. He
lived in Brunswick Square, and remained there until the nervous system
was so seriously affected by the continual disturbance to which he was
subjected while at work, that he was compelled to abandon a most
desirable home, and seek a retreat at Kensington. After expending
considerable sums to make his residence convenient for his
art-work,--placing double windows to the front of his house, etc.,--he
is again driven from his home by the continual visitation of street
bands and organ-grinders. The effect upon his health--produced, upon my
honour, by the causes I have named--is so serious that he is forbidden
to take horse exercise, or indulge in fast walking, as a palpitation of
the heart has been produced--a form of _angina pectoris_, I believe--and
his friends are most anxiously concerned for his safety. He is ordered
to Homburg, and I know that the expatriation will entail a loss of
nearly L50 a week upon him just at present.

"I am sure I need not withhold from you the name of this poor gentleman.
It is Mr. John Leech.

"If those gentlemen who laugh at complaints such as this letter contains
were to know what are the natural penalties of constant brain-work, they
would not encourage or defend such unnecessary inflictions as street
music entails upon some of the benefactors of their age. Such men are
the last to interfere with the enjoyments of their poorer
fellow-labourers; but they claim to be allowed to pursue their callings
in peace, and to have the comfort of their homes secured to them. All
they wish is to have the same immunity from the annoyances of street
music as the rest of the community have from dustmen's bells,
post-horns, and other unnecessary disturbances."

The terrible nature of poor Leech's sufferings will be shown by another
anecdote of Dr. Mackay's. Just about this time he met Mr. F. M