Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 56.djvu/101

 Thackeray  Douglas Jerrold's 'Men of Character' in 1838, and in 1840 was recommended by (Sir) Henry Cole [q. v.] for employment both as writer and artist by the anti-cornlaw agitators. His drawings for this purpose are reproduced in Sir Henry Cole's 'Fifty Years of Public Work' (ii. 143). His most important connection, however, was with 'Fraser's Magazine.' In 1838 he contributed to it the 'Yellowplush Correspondence,' containing the forcible incarnation of his old friend Deuceace, and in 1839-1840 the 'Catherine: by Ikey Solomons,' following apparently the precedent of his favourite Fielding's 'Jonathan Wild.' The original was the real murderess Catherine Hayes (1690-1726) [q. v.], whose name was unfortunately identical with that of the popular Irish vocalist Catherine Hayes (1825-1861) [q. v.] A later reference to his old heroine in 'Pendennis' (the passage is in vol. ii. chap. vii. of the serial form, afterwards suppressed) produced some indignant remarks in Irish papers, which took it for an insult to the singer. Thackeray explained the facts on 12 April 1850 in a letter to the 'Morning Chronicle' on 'Capers and Anchovies' (dated 'Garrick Club, 11 April 1850'). A compatriot of Miss Hayes took lodgings about the same time opposite Thackeray's house in Young Street in order to inflict vengeance. Thackeray first sent for a policeman; but finally called upon the avenger, and succeeded in making him hear reason (see Haunts and Homes, p. 51).

For some time Thackeray wrote annual articles upon the exhibitions, the first of which appeared in 'Fraser' in 1838. According to FitzGerald (Remains, i. 154), they annoyed one at least of the persons criticised, a circumstance not unparalleled, even when criticism, as this seems to have been, is both just and good-natured. In one respect, unfortunately, he conformed too much to a practice common to the literary class of the time. He ridiculed the favourite butts of his allies with a personality which he afterwards regretted. In a preface to the 'Punch' papers, published in America in 1853, he confesses to his sins against Bulwer, and afterwards apologised to Bulwer himself. 'I suppose we all begin by being too savage,' he wrote to Hannay in 1849; 'I know one who did.' A private letter of 1840 shows that he considered his satire to be 'good-natured.'

Three daughters were born about this time. The death of the second in infancy (1839) suggested a pathetic chapter in the 'Hoggarty Diamond.' After the birth of the third (28 May 1840) Thackeray took a trip to Belgium, having arranged for the publication of a short book of travels. He had left his 'wife nearly well,' but returned to find her in a strange state of languor and mental inactivity which became gradually more pronounced. For a long time there were gleams of hope. Thackeray himself attended to her exclusively for a time. He took her to her mother's in Ireland, and afterwards to Paris. There she had to be placed in a masion de santé, Thackeray taking lodgings close by, and seeing her as frequently as he could. A year later, as he wrote to FitzGerald, then very intimate with him, he thought her 'all but well.' He was then with her at a hydropathic establishment in Germany, where she seemed to be improving for a short time. The case, however, had become almost hopeless when in 1842 he went to Ireland. Yet he continued to write letters to her as late as 1844, hoping that she might understand them. She had finally to be placed with a trustworthy attendant. She was placid and gentle, though unfitted for any active duty, and with little knowledge of anything around her, and survived till 1892. The children had to be sent to the grandparents at Paris; the house at Great Coram Street was finally given up in 1843, and Thackeray for some time lived as a bachelor at 27 Jermyn Street, 88 St. James's Street, and probably elsewhere.

His short married life had been perfectly happy. 'Though my marriage was a wreck,' he wrote in 1852 to his friend Synge, 'I would do it over again, for behold love is the crown and completion of all earthly good.' In spite of the agony of suspense he regained cheerfulness, and could write playful letters, although the frequent melancholy of this period may be traced in some of his works. Part of 'Vanity Fair' was written in 1841 (see Orphan of Pimlico). He found relief from care in the society of his friends, and was a member of many clubs of various kinds. He had been a member of the Garrick Club from 1833, and in March 1840 was elected to the Reform Club. He was a frequenter of 'Evans's,' described in many of his works, and belonged at this and later periods to various sociable clubs of the old-fashioned style, such as the Shakespeare, the Fielding (of which he was a founder), and 'Our Chub.' There in the evenings he met literary comrades, and gradually became known as an eminent member of the fraternity. Meanwhile, as he said, although he could suit the magazines, he could not hit the public (Cassell's Magazine, new ser. i. 298).

In 1840, just before his wife's illness, he had published the 'Paris Sketchbook,' using some of his old material; and in 1841 he pub-