Select conversations with an uncle (now extinct)
and two other reminiscences

PREFATORY

HE was, I remember, short, but by no means conspicuously short, and of a bright, almost juvenile, complexion, very active in his movements and garrulous--or at least very talkative. His judgments were copious and frequent in the old days, and some at least I found entertaining. At times his fluency was really remarkable. He had a low opinion of eminent people a thing I have been careful to suppress, and his dissertations had ever an irresponsible gaiety of manner that may have blinded me to their true want of merit. That, I say, was in the old days, before his abrupt extinction, before the cares of this world suddenly sprang upon, and choked him. I would listen to him cheerfully, and afterwards I would go away and make articles out of him for the Pall Mall Gazette, so adding a certain material advantage to my mental and moral benefit. But all that has gone now, to my infinite regret; and sorrowing, I have arranged this unworthy little tribute to his memory, this poor dozen of casual monologues that were so preserved. The merits of the monument are his entirely; its faults entirely my own.

CONTENTS

SELECT CONVERSATIONS--
• OF CONVERSATION AND THE ANATOMY OF FASHION
• THE THEORY OF THE PERPETUAL DISCOMFORT OF HUMANITY
• THE USE OF IDEALS
• THE ART OF BEING PHOTOGRAPHED
• BAGSHOT'S MURAL DECORATIONS
• ON SOCIAL MUSIC
• THE JOYS OF BEING ENGAGED
• LA BELLE DAME SANS MERCI
• ON A TRICYCLE
• AN UNSUSPECTED MASTERPIECE
• THE GREAT CHANGE
• THE PAINS OF MARRIAGE
A MISUNDERSTOOD ARTIST
THE MAN WITH A NOSE

(End.)