astonishment, that a complete breach had taken place between the
attached friends, who were now "at daggers drawn," as it is called.
The story went, as told, I think, by Browning, who would begin: "I
grew tired of Forster's _always wiping his shoes on me_." He was fond
of telling his friend about "dear, sweet, charming Lady ----," &c.
Forster, following the exact precedent of Mrs. Prig in the quarrel
with her friend, would break into a scornful laugh, and, though he did
not say "_drat_ Lady ----," he insisted she was a foolish,
empty-headed creature, and that Browning praised her because she had a
title. This was taken seriously, and the Poet requested that no
disparaging remarks would be made on one of his best friends. "Pooh,"
said Forster, contemptuously, "some superannuated creature! I am
astonished at you." How it ended I cannot say, but it ended painfully.

Some time elapsed and friends to both sides felt that here was a sort
of scandal, and it must be made up. No one was more eager than
Forster. Mutual explanations and apologies were given and all was as
before. The liberal Forster, always eager to find "an excuse for the
glass," announced a grand reconciliation dinner, to which came a
rather notable party, to wit, Thomas Carlyle, Browning and his son,
the Rev. Whitwell Elwin, the editor of Pope, and sometime editor of
the _Quarterly_, the young Robert Lytton, myself, and some others whom
I have forgotten. What an agreeable banquet it was! Elwin was made to
retell, to Forster's convulsive enjoyment, though he had heard it
before, a humorous incident of a madman's driving about in a gig with
a gun and a companion, who up to that moment _thought_ he was sane.
The Sage of Chelsea had his smoke as usual, a special churchwarden and
a more-special "screw" of tobacco having been carefully sent out for
and laid before him. There was something very interesting in this
ceremonial. We juniors at the end of the table, Robert Lytton and
myself, both lit a cigar, which brought forth a characteristic lecture
from Forster; "I never allow smoking in this room, save on this
privileged occasion when my old friend Carlyle honours me. But I do
not extend that to you Robert Lytton, and you (this to me). You have
taken the matter into your own hands, without asking leave or license;
as that is so, and the thing is done, there is no more to be said."
Here of course we understood that he wished to emphasize the
compliment to his friend a