The world went very well then

Front matter

\)J&i1ai iilili

By Walter Besant

Chatto & Windiis, Piccadilly.

Preface

I beo to express my best thanks to Mr. William Ingram, who nas most generously placed at my disposal, for reproduction, some of the drawings made originally for the ' Illustrated London News,' where this story first appeared. I have also to thank Mr. Charles Eden for kindly pointing out and correcting for me certain slips due to the fact that the writer of this narrative, Luke Anguish, was a landsman, though a painter of ships.

Those who wish to know the foundation of the story will find it in the Chronicles of Deptford, and on a tombstone in the Church of St. Nicholas.

I desire also to be allowed a word of personal explanation. Many people have written to me asking how I can write two novels at once, because during the time that this tale was running in the 'Illustrated London News,' the ' Children of Gibeon ' was concluding in ' Longman's Magazine.' I cannot, as a matter of fact, write two novels at once, and I should be very much afraid to try such an experiment. The following are the facts and dates :

vi PREFACE

In October 1883 I finished the story of 'Dorothy Forster,' which was published in the ' Graphic,' January-June 1884, and by Messrs. Chatto and Windus in May 1884.

On the completion of ' Dorothy Forster ' I began the ' Children of Gibeon,' which occupied me until May 1885. In the summer of 1885 I began ' The World went very Well then.' The first half" of this was sent in to Mr. Ingram in April of 1886, and the rest in June. So far, therefore, from writing two novels at once, the two which ran partly at the same time were written quite separately, the first taking eighteen months and the second about thirteen months.

W. B.

Contents

CHAPTBTl

I. HOW JACK HEARD TALK OF LANDS BEYOND THE SEA

n. HOW JACK CAME TO DEPTFORD