In the old days, […] he gave no evidences of genius whatsoever. He never read me any of his manuscripts, […], and therefore my lack of detection of his promise may in some degree be pardoned. But he had then none of the oddities and mannerisms which I hold to be inseparable from genius, and which struck my attention in after days when I came in contact with the Celebrity.

Their praise is hymned by loftier harps than mine.

They were to spend many an evening together sitting round the old kitchen table playing twentyone ….

[…] a doddling old grandfather to act as sheep-dog, as a toothless, barkless, harmless guardian.