s did, everything that happened to
those who were close to them. She liked always to receive the
tribute of what she called my "literary efforts," and was
ruthlessly sharp in observing announcements of them: "Publishing
again, and of course no copy for poor old me," when not a volume
had yet left the binders. She took up absurd little phrases with
delightful _camaraderie_; I have forgotten why at one time she
took to signing herself "Your Koh-i-Noor," and wrote: "If I can
hope to be the Koh-i-Noor of Mrs. Gosse's party, I shall be sure to
come on Monday." One might go on indefinitely reviving these
memories of her random humour and kindly whimsicality. But I close
on a word of tenderer gravity, which I am sure will affect you. She
had been a little tyrannical, as usual, and perhaps thought the
tone of her persiflage rather excessive; a few hours later came a
second note, which began: "You have made my life happier for me
these last years--you, and Lady Airlie, and dearest Winifred." From
her who never gave way to sentimentality in any form, and who
prided herself on being as rigid as a nut-cracker, this was worth
all the protestations of some more ebullient being. And there, dear
Lady Burghclere, I must leave this poor sketch for such approval as
you can bring yourself to give it.

Very faithfully yours,
EDMUND GOSSE.
_January 1914._

II

LORD CROMER AS A MAN OF LETTERS

In the obituary notices which attended the death of Lord Cromer, it was
necessary and proper that almost the whole space at the command of the
writers should be taken up by a sketch of his magnificent work as an
administrator, or, as the cant phrase goes, "an empire-builder." For
thirty years, during which time he advanced to be one of the most
powerful and efficient of proconsuls, he held a place in the political
world which arrested the popular imagination, and must continue to
outweigh all other aspects of his character. Of this side of Lord
Cromer's splendid career I am not competent to say a word. But there
was another facet of it, one more private and individual, which became
prominent after his retirement, I mean his intellectual and literary
activity, which I had the privilege of observing. It would be a pity,
perhaps, to let this be wholly subme