According to his friend, Walter Crane, Wise was intended for the Church, but he left Oxford and quarrelled with his parents "on account of his free opinions.

For many years he wrote the section on Belles-Lettres in that magazine, but withdrew suddenly owing to political differences with Chapman.

[3] He hoped to write a book on the Peak District, similar to the one he had written for the New Forest, but did not receive sufficient encouragement to go on with the work.

The book contained a description of the local scenery, the natural history, the literary associations and dialect of Stratford-on-Avon.

The book contained sixty-two illustrations drawn by Walter Crane and engraved by William James Linton.

The text, a collection of lyrics from Wise's pen, was illustrated with fifty-two pictures by Walter Crane.