Miscellanies. Stories and Essays

Front matter

MISCELLANIES STORIES AND ESSAYS VOL. MISCELLANIES STORIES AND ESSAYS BY JOHN HOLLINGSHEAD IN THREE VOLUMES VOL. II LONDON: TINSLEY BROTHERS, 8, CATHERINE ST., STRAND. 1874. [Ait rights reserved. | JOHN C1IILDS AND SON, PRINTERS. CONTENTS. PACK A LITERARY ADVISER 1 AUNT DOBSON 9 THE LAST STAGE-COACH 17 RIDING THE WHIRLWIND . 33 ALL NIGHT ON THE MONUMENT 40 ON THE CANAL . . ? 47 CASTLES IN THE SEA 82 RIGHT THROUGH THE POST 9*2 OUR POSTAL REFORMERS 103 A MORNING CALL ON A GREAT PERSONAGE- . . . .113 GREAT EASTERN POSTSCRIPT 120 THE GREAT PUGILISTIC REVIVAL . . . * . 134 THE HAPPY FISHING-GROUNDS 144 ANOTHER WHITSTABLE TRADE 153 CHANGE FOR NUGGETS 155 ALDERSHOTT TOWN AND CAMP 163 A MUSICAL PRIZE FIGHT Contents. VI 11 PAGE A PHANTOM OPERA .... ... 187 A WORKING OPERA . 191 SHOT 196 HAPPY DOGS 201 A GREAT MEETING OF CREDITORS .206 UNDERGROUND LONDON 211 THE UNDERGROUND RAILWAY . . . . . .335 THE CITY OF UNLIMITED PAPER . . . . . .339 WANTED, A COURT GUIDE A LITERARY ADVISEE |llWcal,pA(J] WAS once a not undistinguished member of the Soso UNs t_w_\ theatre.

I flatter myself that I not only had the ______% ability to pay for the parts that I performed, but the ■____! i iiiirni ability to perform the parts that I paid for — at least Mr ElKston Potts, the manager of that nursery of dramatic genius, thought so. ' My dear sir,' said he, ' your Hamlet the other night forcibly reminded me of the elder Kean. I have made out your little bill for the month, and, in consideration of your unquestion able talent, and your taking a round of characters, I have put them in to you at half our usual price : — Mb Fudgeplot. Ur. to Elliston Potts. £ s. d. 4 Tony Lumpkins 1 Hamlet at 5*. 6d. 12 0 10*. Od. 0 10 0 £l 12 0 'Ah, sir,' he said, as he receipted the bill, 'it is a matter of con stant regret with the profession, that Shakespeare did not write some good farces.

We are bound hand and foot to these Dramatic Authors, whose terms are far from reasonable. Shakespeare has done a good deal for the stage, but he was guilty of a great over sight there.' It was this conversation with Mr Potts, coupled with the desire vol. u. that I felt to distinguish myself in the eyes of my theatrical com panions, that induced me to turn my thoughts to dramatic composition. I resolved to write a farce. I began my task. Many days and nights passed, without much progress. I found myself harassed by doubts and beset with difficulties. At one time I thought I had got too many women in the piece : I struck out four, and had consequently to re-arrange the thread of my story. At another time I took objec tion to several of the male characters. I turned one young man into an old man, and I transformed two old men into young ones.