CHAPTER XVIII.
SHAKESPEARE COMMEMORATION.
On the three-hundredth anniversary of Shakespeare at Stratford-on-Avon I contributed an ode, to be found in my extant book of poems.

Among the notabilia of the feastings and celebration, I remember how Lord Houghton raised a great laugh by his pretended indignation when the glee singers greeted the guests at dinner as "Ye spotted snakes with double tongue!"-- Doubtless it was a Shakespearean old English piece of music,--but stupidly enough selected for a complimentary greeting.

My ode was well received, but I'll say no more of that, as it can speak for itself.

Lord Leigh made us all very welcome at his splendid Palladian mansion, and there I met Lord Carlisle, then Viceroy of Ireland, who kindly told me that as he had known my father, and knew me, and my son was then in Ireland (he was a captain in the 29th Regiment), he would put him on his staff, as a third generation of the name.

I am not sure if this happened, for my son soon was sent elsewhere; and he has long since gone to the Better Land.