Bentley's Miscellany

pleasant men and women, who at that time were the soul of society in London. Their tricks, and jokes, and masqueradings, for the next four years, replete, as they were, with frolic and drollery, would fill a volume of whim, such, indeed, as he has sometimes introduced into his later novels. But, though playing in the bright stream of enjoyment, he did not allow luxury or idleness to interfere with graver pursuits. He continued to write with prolific industry, and with increasing popularity.

In 1806, he produced Catch him who can,' a farce; The Invisible Girl,' a drama or monologue, written to exhibit the peculiar talent of his friend Jack Bannister; and Tekeli,' a melo. drame, which was excellently acted, and caused a great sensation in the dramatic world. The Fortress,' another melodrame, followed in 1807; 'Music Mad;' The Siege of St. Quintin ;' 'Killing no Murder;' Safe and Sound;' Ass-ass-ination,' and 'The Will and the Widow.' The last was produced in 1810, making in all not fewer than eleven dramatic compositions in three years.

Of these, 'Killing no Murder' created the most sensation, the license being denied to it by Mr. Larpent, then deputy licenser, in consequence of his alleging that it turned a Methodist parson into ridicule. Hook defended his production, and flagellated the Licenser in a clever preface, which created much amusement, and ultimately obtained the victory for wit and satire over dulness and dogmatism. In representation, however, the character was of necessity transmogrified into that of a dancing-master (Apollo Belvi), so inimitably given by his friend Liston.

Soon after this Mr. Hook was appointed to an office of considerable value and responsibility in the Mauritius, whither he proceeded with every prospect of fortune before him. But alas! poets, dramatists, and literati, are, in general, but ill adapted to become accurate accomptants-general, or clear plodding treasurers. is no impeachment of intellect or honour to confess that the concerns of business, the cares and pains-taking, the constant attention to details, and a thorough knowledge of figures, (as applied not to verse but to money,) are seldom consistent with the devotion of the mind to the cultivation of letters. The realities of the one consort but if with the imagination of the other; and from the perplexities of the former, men are but too apt to seek a dreamy and delightful refuge in the castle-building world of the latter. Mr. Hook held the place of treasurer of the Mauritius from the 9th of October, 1813, to the 28th of February, 1818, when the confused state of accounts intrusted to his charge, and by him too readily left to the management of others, led to his being sent home by the Governor under a charge of defalcation. The extreme hostility and severity of this measure were strongly animadverted upon at the time, and have been assigned to other than public reasons, but we know nothing of the intrigues or the amours of the Mauritius.

Conscious of integrity, though legally answerable for his trust, Mr. Hook made the best of his position, brought on, as he said, by a disorder in his chest. His friends rallied round him in his adversity, and perhaps no palace ever rung with louder bursts of laughter, as the jest, and pun, and witticism followed in quick succession, among the merry souls who came to solace him, than did the abode in which he was temporarily confined.

Liberated, at length, he began again to write. Ever a stanch Tory in principle, the establishment of the John Bull newspaper formed a very important event in his life. He was selected to be its editor; and, besides holding a share in the property, he was allowed, as we have heard, a handsome weekly salary for this duty. It is not for us to enter into a discussion either upon the politics or personalities which marked the opening of this party battery; but we may truly say that the éclat given to its early numbers by his lavish talent raised the publication at once into a high degree of popularity and profit. Like the "Anti-Jacobin" of a preceding period, there were numerous poems, essays, and jeur d'esprit in the Bull from his pen, which will no doubt be collected, as they deserve to be, and published in a separate form.*

Mr. Hook's writings cover a space of twenty years, charming the public in many a way, whilst their gifted author was enjoying all the pleasures of the best society in the metropolis, all its gaieties and humours,-himself the most gay and humorous of its merry sons. His company was sought by the luxurious and by the intelligent; by the mirthful and by the wise; by the fair and by the learned. Wherever he came he was a welcome guest; and his arrival was the signal for hilarity and festivity. The dining-room and the drawing-room were alike his theatres: the former was enlivened by the jest and song, the latter by music and improvisation, of which he was master beyond any man that perhaps England ever beheld.

Our untractable language was to him as easy as the facile Italian, and whether seated at the genial board, with a few choice companions, or at the pianoforte, surrounded by admiring beauty, his performances in this way were the delight and admiration of all who heard them. They were, indeed, very extraordinary. Some of them might have been printed as finished ballads; and others, though not so perfect in parts as metrical compositions, were so studded with bright conceits, and often so touched with exquisite sentiment and pathos, that their effect upon the audience was evinced by loud shouts of laughter, or starting tears.

We remember one beautiful example of the latter. It was an early hour of morning, and the sun was rising on the banks of the Thames-another extempore song had been begged by a bevy of lovely dames, and granted to their request-and the subject given wasGood Night." Hook had proceeded through a few verses, and at length uttered a happy thought, which excited a hearty laugh in a beautiful boy standing by him; on which he turned to the child, and apostrophising the mounting orb of day, alluded in plaintive lines to his elders, to whom he was obliged to say, Good night,' then striking a gayer strain, he wished him a brightened morning and a prosperous day. It is not easy to describe such things; but stern as well as soft hearts there were deeply affected by the touching appeal.

Of Mr. Hook's works of fiction, biography, &c., we cannot undertake to supply any correct list. His 'Sayings and Doings,' his 'Gilbert Gurney,' and 'Love and Pride,' his 'Parson's Daughter,' his Maxwell,' his 'Jack Brag,' his Births, Deaths, and Marriages,' have all been pre-eminently successful. His 'Memoirs of

These we believe, were collected and arranged by Mr. Hook for publication, and placed in the hands of Mr. Bentley for that purpose.

Kelly," and his more important 'Biography of Sir David Baird,' have also been highly esteemed among contemporary works of a similar nature. In addition to a handsome sum paid for writing the latter, a magnificent diamond snuff-box was presented to him by Lady Baird, in token of her approbation of the manner in which he had executed the task. This box, which had been given by the Pasha of Egypt to Sir David Baird, Mr. Hook was justly proud of. We have also before us a prospectus of a contemplated History of the House of Hanover, which he had undertaken, but never lived to complete.

His last-alas! his last-work is a novel, called 'Peregrine Bunce; or, Settled at Last,' the MS. of which is in the possession of Mr. Bentley.

Of his character in private life we may be excused for borrowing a brief glance from a friend of thirty-six years' standing, who, in his Literary Gazette of the 28th ult. has said,

'We have lost a social companion and friend of more than five-andthirty years: a brilliant light of talent, and wit, and humour, is extinguished by the early death of Theodore E. Hook, which (hardly is it possible to think of aught melancholy in conuection with him-but he is no more,) melancholy event took place at his house in Fulham, on the night of Tuesday last. Mr. Hook had been severely indisposed for several weeks, and at length sank under a complication of disease, which no remedies could stay. It is too early a time to speak of this singularly gifted individual, except in the spontaneous and general terms of that sorrow which flows from the thought that we shall never listen to his voice again; never hear those sparkling sallies which used to "set the table in a roar;" never dwell with unmingled admiration on those extemporaneous effusions, in which he had no equal, and which were the delight and wonder of all who knew him; never witness that unabating spirit and unflagging mirth which made him the soul and centre of the convivial circle; never harken him on to new efforts and additional triumphs, after he had achieved more than would have been fame to twenty acknowledged wits; never again look upon that bright, dark, flashing eye, illuminated with mind; never more feel the force of that manly sense, acute observation, and accumulated intelligence, which rendered him as instructive when gravity prevailed, as he was unapproachable when festivity ruled the hour. Alas! dear Hook! there is now a void indeed where you filled an enviable place; a gloom where you so gloriously shone.

'His skill and readiness in music was almost equal to his powers in extempore poetical composition. He could invent and execute an opera on the spur of the moment; as he could conceive and sing half-a-dozen humorous and pointed songs in an afternoon, upon any subjects proposed to him. His jest was always ready, and his repartee so prompt, and so surely a hit, slight if playful, but heavy if provoked, that all around him soon became aware that his fires were either innocuously glancing or scorching, as the circumstances inflamed or called them forth.

'But whatever he was in his humour, he was warm in his friendships, liberal and generous in his character, charitable and humane in his nature. In many points he had no rival; and active as his path has been for many years, we believe he did not make a personal enemy. Sure we are that his memory will be hallowed by

the esteem due to genius, and by the mournful regrets of those who were his associates in scenes, the indescribable charms of which, all elicited by him, they never can forget.'

Mr. Hook had been ill nearly three weeks, but it was only a few days before his death his medical attendants ascertained that his constitution had completely given way, and no hope of his restoration remained. Violent relaxation of all the internal viscera hurried him at last rapidly to the grave; and he died conscious of the past and present, and looking with humble resignation to the future."

It is scarcely necessary to add that in the outset of this Miscellany, Mr. Hook was one of its earliest and most valued contributors. The subjoined sketches, hit off by his own hand in a playful mood, repre sent him, the one in his première jeunesse, when life and hope were new,' the other as he was-oh! that we should have to say wasat a more advanced period of his career. Each portrait, if it may be so called, is, of course, a caricature one, but, as is often the case in cari. catures, the strong resemblance of each will be generally admitted by all who knew him at those different epochs.

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BENTLEY'S

MISCELLANY.

OCTOBER, 1841.

Contents.

Page

RICHARD SAVAGE: A ROMANCE OF REAL LIFE. EDITED, WITH
OCCASIONAL NOTES, BY CHARLES WHITEHEAD.

ILLUSTRATED BY JOHN LEECH,

Chapter VII.-In which Mr. Myte is presented with a particular occasion of surprise,
with his behaviour thereupon.
Chapter VIII-Ludlow recounts a story which is no longer than is necessary;
wherein, and in his manner of telling it, he reveals his whole nature.
Chapter IX.-An apostrophe which seems to indicate the author's parentage. He
waits upon a certain Colonel. His reception, and in whose presence.
Chapter X.-In which may be seen a hot friend cooling. With some occurrences
which appear, as yet, to pertain solely to Ludlow.