ter, that made these publications
"good speculations" at the period of which I write, and undoubtedly
disgraced the "John Bull" during the early part of its career.

No wonder, therefore, that no such person as Mr. Theodore Hook was
connected with the "John Bull." He invariably denied all such
connection, and perseveringly protested against the charge that he had
ever written a line in it. I have heard it said, that, during the
troublous period of the Queen's trial, Sir Robert Wilson met Hook in the
street, and said, in a sort of confidential whisper,--"Hook, I am to be
traduced and slandered in the 'John Bull' next Sunday." Hook, of course,
expressed astonishment and abhorrence. "Yes," continued Wilson, "and if
I am, I mean to horsewhip _you_ the first time you come in my way. Now
stop; I know you have nothing to do with that newspaper,--you have told
me so a score of times; nevertheless, if the article, which is purely of
a private nature, appears, let the consequences be what they may, I will
horsewhip _you_!" The article never did appear. I can give no authority
for this anecdote, but I do not doubt its truth.

I knew Sir Robert Wilson in 1823, and was employed by him to copy and
arrange a series of confidential documents, relative to the Spanish war
of independence, between the Cortes and the Government, the result of
which was an engagement to act as his private secretary, and to receive
a commission in the Spanish service, in the event of Sir Robert's taking
a command in Spain. He went to Spain, leaving me as secretary to the
fund raised in that year in England to assist the cause. Fortunately for
me, British aid began and ended with these subscriptions; no force was
raised. Sir Robert returned without taking service in Spain, and I was
saved from the peril of becoming a soldier. Sir Robert was a tall,
slight man, of wiry form and strong constitution, handsome both in
person and features, with the singularly soldier-like air that we read
so much of in books. In those days of fervid and hopeful youth, the
story of Sir Robert's chivalric and successful efforts to save the life
of Lavalette naturally touched my heart, and if I had remained in his
service, he would have had no more devoted follower. During my
engagement as Secretary to the Spanish Committee, (leading members of
which were John Cam Hobhouse, Joseph Hume, and John Bowring,) I
contributed articles to the "British Press,"--a daily newspaper, long
since