Table with the utmost regularity up
to the very end, the decay of nature robbed him of his value as a member
of the Staff. Then came an example of the kindliness of spirit that has
animated for so long the little coterie of humorists of Bouverie Street
and the generosity of the men for whom they work. For a long while
before his death "the Professor's" copy had been practically useless to
the Editor; yet everything was done to spare him the pain of rejection.
At first Mr. Burnand or Mr. Arthur a Beckett would rewrite the
paragraphs; and Leigh's delight when they were printed was sad to see.
But soon it was impossible to conceal the fact that they were utterly
useless; and so for some years it was the practice to set his "copy" up
in type and to send him proofs, which he duly corrected and returned.
But they never appeared in the paper, nor was ever question asked nor
explanation offered. Did the old gentleman forget all about them? Or was
he hoping against hope that some day room might again be found for him
in the pages to which he had contributed with so much applause? Or did
he appreciate the real motive and kindly feeling of the proprietors,
who, though they could not use his work, actually increased his salary?
Whatever the cause, "the Professor" to the last maintained a pathetic
silence. He died at Oak Cottage, King Street, Hammersmith, on October
24th, 1889, and was laid to rest in the Hammersmith Cemetery in the
presence of a circle of old _Punch_ friends. For one thing, at least, he
had laid the paper under a deep debt of gratitude--he had introduced to
it his hospital chum and life-long friend, John Leech, and that was a
service which could never be forgotten.

[Illustration: ALBERT SMITH.
(_From an Engraving by Cook._)]

The third of the medical trio was Albert Smith, a writer who was not
fortunate in making a good impression on the majority of his associates.
With Leech, with whom he had shared rooms in his "sawbones days," he
remained a steadfast friend; but it is probable that that friendship was
maintained by the artist by reason of the other's good nature, and in
spite of his manner. Henry Vizetelly, who evidently bore him no
particular goodwill, wrote to me his recollections of the man in these
words: "He was not the amiable person depicted by Yates in his
'Recollections.' He was vulgar and bumptious in manner until he became
polished by concerting with 'swells' after the success of his
entertainments