Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 17.djvu/149

 Many years afterwards (in the 'Cornhill Magazine,' October 1860, No. viii. De Juventute in his 'Roundabout Papers') W. M. Thackeray described the impression left on him by his early perusal of the book, together with a much later reperusal and partial disenchantment, but did full justice to the clever illustrations which so largely contributed to the success of the work (see his paper on Cruikshank in the Westminster Review, 1840). Imitations and pirated copies appeared, both of the text and pictures. The chief of the former were 'Real Life in London; or, The Rambles and Adventures of Bob Tallyho, Esq., and his Cousin, the Hon. Tom Dashall, through the Metropolis. By an Amateur,' illustrated by W. Heath and H. Alken, Dighton, Brooke, Rowlandson, &c., May 1821, and following months to 1822, in sixpenny numbers. This was a favoured rival to 'Life in London,' and there was a suspicion that Egan was its author, but this is improbable. Other imitations were David Carey's 'Life in Paris, the Rambles of Dick Wildfire,' &c., illustrated by George Cruikshank,' 1821; 'The Sprees of Tom, Jerry, and Logick [sic];' 'A New Song of Flash, Fashion, Frolic, and Fun,' with general heading of 'Life in London,' and clumsy woodcut copies of groups after Cruikshank. The latter was published and signed by James Catnach, in Seven Dials, 23 March 1822, price twopence. Innumerable pictures appeared, representing the characters and incidents; print publishers made their market of the excitement, and the streets at night were certainly not quieter or 'sporting cribs' less frequented when fashion adopted 'Tom and Jerry ' habits. At many of the playhouses dramatic versions increased the notoriety. First of these was Mr. W. Barrymore's play, produced at the Royal Amphitheatre on 'Monday, 17 Sept. 1821; Gomersal acted Corinthian Tom, Jones and Herring took Jerry Hawthorn and Bob Logic. At the Olympic, an extravaganza called 'Life in London,' by Charles I. M. Dibdin the younger [see under ], was produced on 12 Nov. 1821, with Baker, Oxberry, and Sam Vale as Tom, Jerry, and Logic. W. T. Moncrieff (supposed pseudonym of W. J. Thoms) wrote the dramatic version for the Adelphi, 'Tom and Jerry; or. Life in London,' with many songs and glees, costume and scenery superintended by Robert Cruikshank. Produced on Monday, 26 Nov. 1821, it had a great 'run,' with Wrench, W. Burroughs, and Wilkinson as Tom, Jerry, and Logic, Walbourn and Sanders for Dusty Bob and Black Sal, Mrs. Baker and Mrs. Waylett as Corinthian Kate and Sue. This version was adopted throughout the country and in the United States, everywhere securing crowded houses. [q. v.], Farrel, and Douglas Jerrold separately dramatised it during 1821 and 1822. For Egerton, Egan himself prepared a dramatic version produced at Sadler's wells on Monday, 8 April 1822, with Elliott, Bob Keeley, and Vale as Tom, Jerry, and Logic. In this version, intended for Covent Garden, in December 1821, Egan had planned to marry Hawthorn and Mary Rosebud, when 'Jerry sees his folly, acknowledges his error, with Hawthorn Hill in perspective,' and concludes with 'Tom and Corinthian Kate made happy.' Postponed for six months and transferred to Sadler's Wells it was performed 191 nights. The book was translated at Paris by M. S—— in 1822. At this date (1822) Egan lived at Spann's Buildings, St. Pancras. At Paris the French translation was entitled 'The English Diorama; or. Picturesque Rambles in London,' 1822. On 2 June, at the Coburg Theatre, was produced T. Greenwood's 'Death of Life in London; or, Tom and Jerry's Funeral.'

In 1828 Egan, rebuking the pirates and plagiarists, produced his 'Finish to the Adventures of Tom, Jerry, and Logic, in their Pursuits through Life in and out of London, with numerous coloured illustrations by Robert Cruikshank' (n. d.) In this he introduced far more of the country sports and misadventures, anticipating, and no doubt suggesting, much of the character of Dickens's 'Pickwick Papers,' which were soon to follow and to excel it. He felt bound to display the consequences of such reckless prodigality and riot, by now introducing more serious incidents: the inconstancy, degradation, and suicide of Kate, the misery and deathbed of Logic, the sufferings as a convict of 'splendid Jem,' the sickness and remorse of Jerry, who reforms, retreats to the country, marries Mary Rosebud, his early sweetheart, and developes into a generous landlord and justice of peace; with the death of Corinthian Tom, who breaks his neck at a steeplechase. Strangely enough this concluding portion of the work remained wholly unknown to, or forgotten by, Thackeray, who writes of it as though merely suggested and never executed. It was reissued in 1871 by John Camden Hotten, with the original thirty-six aquatint plates. Possessing less of 'rattling gaiety' there is plenty of incident and more literary polish than in the antecedent 'Life.' Egan spent most of his time between the publication of these two books in varied literary work. He reported and published a full 'Account of the Trial of John Thurtell and Joseph Hunt' for the murder of William Weare. 'With an appendix disclosing some extraordinary facts,