The Story of the House of Cassell
it, I daresay she would lend it to you. I am weary of sitting for portraits, and of seeing myself in the newspapers in letter-press—at the same time I must thank you for your kind feeling towards me. If you don't like the photograph, you had better defer the matter to some future time.
"I hope your illustrated paper is doing well. The Penny Press is generally succeeding and extending. The Manchester Examiner and the Star are the best of them, I think.—Yours very truly,
Lord Shaftesbury was another correspondent whose letters to Cassell on minor points of business provided some entertaining self-revelation. Cassell had written to him asking him to adjudicate upon essays on Sanitary Reform for which prizes had been offered. Shaftesbury's reply shows both his attention to detail and his readiness to administer salutary advice on small provocation:
"Dear Mr. Cassell,—Your project is most laudable, and, judging by the success of the Sabbath Essays, will be well received and well executed.
"I should be very happy, had I full leisure, to act as adjudicator in the proposed essay on Sanitary (why do we write 'Sanatory'?) Reform, but I fear much the large influx of competitors, and the consequent inadequacy of my attention.
"If, however, the whole mass on that subject underwent a previous revision, and the numbers for final decision were reduced to a few, I could, I think, undertake the office.
"I have taken the liberty of suggesting one or two alterations in your prospectus. It should be drawn with care.—Your faithful servant,
"Dear Mr. Cassell,—You have sent me two very beautiful books, the Pilgrim's Progress and the volume of Family Prayer.
"But I must thank you more for the kind words you have written in them than for the works themselves.
"I feel deeply the attention you have shown me on this and on other occasions. Let me assure you that I prize very highly the esteem and friendship of a good, honest Englishman like yourself.—Yours very truly,
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