The son of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Benson was well-placed to observe the thoughts, words and deeds of the late Victorians. In this anecdotal book, Benson affords his sly observations on the great and the not-so-good. Prince Albert, Blume Jones, Queen Victoria and Edward VII, as well as Gladstone, Gosse, the Pre-Raphaelites, Ruskin, Swinburne, Whistler and Wilde are all subjects of his wit. He also gives sharp insights to diverse subjects such as the Baccrat scandal at Tranby Croft, The Temperance Movement and the Suez Canal.