" "Among several things that
were very agreeable to me in connection with the publication of 'Verdant
Green,'" he continues, "was a circumstance that was related to me by an
eminent Oxford don, who is now a bishop. He had entered the room of Dr.
Pusey, at Christ Church, and saw, as usual, the library table covered
with books of divinity and learned tomes; but on the top of these was
perched, in pert, cock-sparrow fashion, that shilling railway book that
had recently been published, with the spectacled face of the Oxford
Freshman on the cover. My friend told me that Dr. Pusey held up the book
to him and said, that he had not only read it through, but that he kept
it on his table so that he might read bits of it in the pauses of his
severer study."

One of Cuthbert Bede's proudest memories was the introduction of the
double acrostic. He did not claim to have invented it, for he knew of
the monkish acrostics; but for six months he had amused his friends with
his revival before he showed them to Mark Lemon. The latter, with a
quick eye for novelty, asked Bradley to write a paper on them for the
"Illustrated London News," which was then being edited by Dr. Charles
Mackay, and the humorist was only too happy to comply with the request.
The first of these "double acrostic charades"--the first ever
printed--appeared in the paper on August 30, 1856, and at intervals for
some months afterwards; indeed, there was a regular column devoted to
them, edited by Cuthbert Bede, that drew letters from all parts of the
world, literally in thousands, which were forwarded to him in packets by
rail. He had to explain their construction, and give examples for
practice in the art.

The first was "Charles Dickens--Pickwick Papers"; then followed
"London--Thames," "Waterloo--Napoleon," "Scutari Hospital--Miss
Nightingale," and then "Lemon--Punch." Here is how the last-named was
treated:--

THE LETTERS (5).

I brighten even the brightest scene (L am P)
I very nearly an ostrich had been (E m U)
I with a hood once pass'd all my days (M aria N)
I am a fop in a play of all plays (O sri C)
To its greatness the city of Bath I did raise (N as H)

THE WORDS.

I'm a Mark of judgment, of taste, and wit,
O'er a crowd of pages I rule the roast;
I mix with choice spirits, while choicer ones sit
Around, while I give them full many a toast.
Of my two words, my first is squeez