ole affair
was the least thing suggested; but Mr. Walter had taken precautions,
and, showing his work people that he was prepared to meet any outbreak
on their part, no violence was attempted. Since then _The Times_ has
been regularly printed by steam. Various improvements in steam machinery
have from time to time been patented, and Hoe's gigantic machines--the
production of that country the most prolific of all the world in useful
inventions, America--seemed to show that the limit of the application of
steam to printing had been reached. But a machine still more
wonderful--a machine that possessed all the skill of human intelligence
and ten times the quickness of human fingers--a machine for composing by
steam, was shown at the International Exhibition in London, in 1862.
Printing by steam at once raised the circulation of _The Times_
enormously, as was but natural, from the facilities which it afforded of
a rapid multiplication of copies; and under the editorship of Thomas
Barnes it soon reached the first place in journalism. But Walter himself
was not idle, and was always on the lookout for fresh and rising talent.
On one occasion, being at a church in the neighborhood of his country
seat in Berkshire, he was very much struck by the sermon which was
preached by a new curate. After the service he went into the vestry, and
had a long conversation with the preacher, the result of which was that
he told him that a curacy was not a very enviable position, and that he
would do much better to go to London, and write for _The Times_ at a
salary of L1,000 a year. It is needless to add that the offer was not
declined.

In 1817, _The Literary Gazette_ was brought out by William Jordan, as an
organ of literature and the fine arts, and, until The _Athenaeum_ was
established, it was without a rival of any consequence. But its
circulation declined, and, after Jordan's death, dwindled down to a very
small number. In 1862 its name was changed to _The Parthenon_, or
rather, to speak more correctly, _The Parthenon_ arose as a new
publication from the ashes of _The Literary Gazette_. But change of name
did not produce change of circumstances, and, before many numbers had
appeared, _The Parthenon_ was privately offered for sale at the low sum
of L100, but, failing to meet with a purchaser, it gave up the ghost
early in 1863. In 1817, Lord Sidmouth made a terrific onslaught upon the
press. He issued a circular to the different lord lieute