Page:The Story of the House of Cassell (book).djvu/106

 of much more than usual kindness of heart. A son of the parsonage, he was interested in ecclesiastical architecture, but he found his chief delight in music. At one time he wrote a good deal of musical criticism, and on social occasions his cello was much in request. He was a capital reader of 'Pickwick,' and was not without a tincture of Bohemianism; but he sang in the choir of his parish church, and often helped the incumbent and pleased the congregation by reading the Lessons with admirable elocution. Altogether, he was one of the most capable and most versatile men who have served the House of Cassell, and had his ambition been equal to his abilities he might conceivably have done greater things than ever he attempted."

When John Williams passed away Sir Wemyss Reid advertised for a successor, and found one in the late Arthur John Butler, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, a ripe scholar and an expert in education. Brilliant as were his gifts, Butler, like Willis Clark, was out of his proper place as chief editor of a publishing house mainly concerned with popular literature. After less than three years' service he withdrew, and presently found a more congenial sphere in the Record Office. He left behind him none but pleasant memories; a more loyal or more agreeable colleague there never was. His biography has been written by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, who at this time and for some years afterwards was "reader" to the House.

The post of Editor-in-Chief was now filled for six years by the late James A. Manson. Relating his own story, Manson said his connexion with La Belle Sauvage arose from what Sir Frank Burnand would have called "a happy thought." "On September 21, 1870, I sailed from Granton for a fortnight's holiday in London. When I had spent a week in sight-seeing it suddenly occurred to me that as there was really nothing to keep me in Edinburgh—I was only attending the Arts course at the University and coaching the boys for the Royal High