o
much information in relation to him tells me, under date of 10th August,
"Leech has returned from Germany, but I am sorry to say I don't think he
is stronger." The sole result, in fact, obtained was that his mind was
amused by his visit to new scenery, while his sketch-book was filled
with valuable memorials of the sojourn for future use. He was present at
the _Punch_ dinner on Wednesday, the 17th of August, and suggested to
his colleagues by way of cartoon the subject of _The American
Juggernaut_.

THE DEATH OF ROBSON.

Just at the time when Leech came back from Germany, unbenefited by the
change which it was hoped would recruit his exhausted strength, a great
artist in another and a different walk in art, one who had not used his
_genius_ (we will not say his opportunities, for we doubt whether they
were really given him) to the best advantage, took his departure from
the scene of many triumphs and greater disappointments: this was Thomas
Frederick Robson, the actor. He had been so long absent from the boards,
that the event failed to create the sensation which might have been
expected from the sudden fall of a theatrical star of such
unquestionable magnitude. Full justice has been done to his remarkable
genius elsewhere; and all united in regret that a man who was so great
an artist, and might have been a greater, had been prematurely lost to
the theatrical world. Those who remember Robson and his marvellous
powers,--the lightning-like flashes of energy he was wont to throw into
his parts,--his startling transition from passion to passion,--will
agree with us that, if circumstances had led him to study the higher
drama, his name would probably have occupied a place side by side with
the more prominent names of George Frederick Cooke, Edmund Kean, and our
own Irving. The remarkable power wasted on burlesque, or thrown away in
the delineation of low life character, must assuredly have made itself
felt in tragedy; and the _genius_ manifested in the _mock_ Shylock of
Robson, would have enabled him to offer a splendid presentment of the
real Hebrew, and as perfect a realization of the character of Richard
the Third as has ever perhaps been seen. His comedy--when opportunity
was given him of displaying it--was full of true humour. He had in fact,
in a remarkable degree, all the qualities of a splendid actor; but it
was his peculiar misfortune that he had never a proper opportunity given
him of displaying them. The