“In the Volumes for this year, 1865, appear for the first time the fanciful, ingenious, elaborately symbolical designs of CHARLES H. BENNETT, who unhappily did not long enrich my pages with his facile execution and singular subtlety of fancy.  He died on the 2nd April.  His place at my Table was soon after taken by LINLEY SAMBOURNE.

“On the 23rd May, 1870, he who had sat at the head of my Table ever since its first establishment, ’who wrote the first article in this Journal, who from its establishment had been its conductor,’ left empty the chief seat at my board.

“’If this Journal has had the good fortune to be credited with habitual advocacy of truth and justice, if it has been praised for abstention from the less worthy kind of satire, if it has been trusted by those who keep guard over the purity of womanhood and of youth, we, the best witnesses, turn for a moment from our sorrow to bear the fullest and the most willing testimony that the high and noble spirit of MARK LEMON ever prompted generous championship, ever made unworthy onslaught or irreverent jest impossible to the pens of those who were honoured in being coadjutors with him.’

“This, Mr. ANNO DOMINI, was the high and merited tribute which the spokesman of his surviving colleagues paid to the beloved memory of MARK LEMON.

“SHIRLEY BROOKS succeeded him in the editorial chair, which he filled fittingly and faithfully for—­alas!—­only four years.  In 1874 I lost my second Editor.  TOM TAYLOR was his successor, taking up with the Editorship, the extraction of that weekly ‘Essence of Parliament,’ so long and so delightfully distilled by the deceased Chief.

“Meanwhile, on April 30th, 1872, HORACE MAYHEW, had departed from our midst.  A little later the Table received a further accession in the person of ARTHUR WILLIAM A BECKETT, (’Mr. BRIEFLESS Junior,’) son of that GILBERT ABBOTT A BECKETT who was one of my earliest ‘Stars.’  His brother, a second GILBERT A BECKETT, took his seat at the Table a few years later.  In Volume LXVIII. for 1875, E.J.  MILLIKEN made his first appearance as a Punch Writer.  The Author of the ’ARRY papers, ‘CHILDE CHAPPIE’s Pilgrimage,’ &c., joined my Table two years later.

“On the 12th July, 1880, another great loss befel me.  TOM TAYLOR, my third Editor, left that honourable post vacant, after occupying it with credit and distinction for six years.  Mr. F.C.  BURNAND, author of ‘Happy Thoughts,’ &c., reigns in his stead.  R.F.  SKETCHLEY, who had a seat at my Board for several years, resigned it a little later.

“The same year, 1880, saw the introduction of a new Artist, in the person of HARRY FURNISS; and the next introduced HENRY W. LUCY, the ‘TOBY’ of Mr. Punch’s remodelled Essence of Parliament.