clear to them some chapter of history.

The English, on the contrary, have practically no memoirs of that sort.
The only interesting ones that I know are those of Greville. On the
other hand, almost every man of note, literary man, journalist, artist,
actor, publishes his autobiography or his reminiscences.

While the French only care for the work that a man before the public
has produced, the English like to know how he lived, how he worked, whom
he met, whom he knew, and his appreciation of the character of his more
or less famous friends and acquaintances.

Why, even the music-hall star publishes his reminiscences in England.
The fact is that, if a man keeps his diary regularly, and knows how to
tell an anecdote well, he can always write a readable book of
reminiscences.

Among the best books of this sort that I know I would mention those of
the late Edmund Yates and George Augustus Sala; but the best of all is
the one which I do hope will make its appearance one day (although I am
not aware that it is being prepared), and will be signed by the wittiest
raconteur and causeur of England, Mr. Henry Labouchere.

Try to get Mr. Labouchere in one corner of the smoke-room in the House
of Commons, give him a cup of coffee and some good cigarettes, and just
turn him on; there is no better treat, no more intellectual feast of
mirth and humour and wit in store for you. His style is the very one
suited for a crisp, gossipy, brilliant book of reminiscences.

Among possible writers of interesting and piquant memoirs or
reminiscences I ought to mention Lady Dorothy Nevil and Lady Jeune. Both
ladies have known in intimacy every celebrity you wish to name--Kings,
Queens, statesmen, generals, prelates, judges, politicians, literary
men, artists, lawyers, actors; there is not a man or woman of fame who
has not supplied an impression or an incident to them.

And they are the very women to write memoirs, both possessed of keen
judgment and insight in human nature, and of great literary ability,
both delightful conversationalists, always capable of drawing you out
and enabling you to do your best, and thus supplying them with materials
for notes and observations.

I am not announcing any book, for neither of these two ladies ever
mentioned to me that she was preparing a book of memoirs, but I wish
they would, and I have simply named them as being both capable of
writing books of unsurpassed interest.

In order to write a good a