Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 56.djvu/102

 Thackeray lished a collection called 'Comic Tales and Sketches,' which had previously appeared in 'Fraser' and elsewhere. It does not seem to have attracted much notice. In September of the same year the 'History of Samuel Titmarsh and the Great Hoggarty Diamond,' which had been refused by 'Blackwood,' began to appear in 'Fraser.' His friend Sterling read the first two numbers 'with extreme delight,' and asked what there was better in Fielding or Goldsmith. Thackeray, he added, with leisure might produce masterpieces. The opinion, however, remained esoteric, and the 'Hoggarty Diamond' was cut short at the editor's request. His next book records a tour made in Ireland in the later half of 1842. He there made Lever's acquaintance, and advised his new friend to try his fortunes in London. Lever declared Thackeray to be the 'most good-natured of men,' but, though grateful, could not take help offered by a man who was himself struggling to keep his head above water (, Lever, ii. 396). The 'Irish Sketchbook' (1843), in which his experiences are recorded, is a quiet narrative of some interest as giving a straightforward account of Ireland as it appeared to an intelligent traveller rust before the famine. A preface in which Thackeray pronounced himself decidedly against the English government of Ireland was suppressed, presumably in deference to the fears of the publisher. Thackeray would no doubt have been a home-ruler. In 1 840 he tells his mother that he is 'not a chartist, only a republican,' and speaks strongly against aristocratic government. 'Cornhill to Cairo' (1846), which in a literary sense is very superior, records a two months' tour made in the autumn of 1844, during which he visited Athens, Constantinople, Jerusalem, and Cairo. The directors of the 'Peninsular and Oriental Company,' as he gratefully records, gave him a free passage. During the same year the 'Luck of Barry Lyndon,' which probably owed something to his Irish experiences, was coming out in 'Fraser.' All later critics have recognised in this book one of his most powerful performances. In directness and vigour he never surpassed it. At the time, however, it was still unsuccessful, the popular reader of the day not liking the company of even an imaginary blackguard. Thackeray was to obtain his first recognition in a different capacity.

'Punch' had been started with comparatively little success on 17 July 1841. Among the first contributors were Douglas Jerrold and Thackeray's schoolfellow John Leech, both his friends, and he naturally tried to turn the new opening to account. FitzGerald apparently feared that this would involve a lowering of his literary status (22 May 1842). He began to contribute in June 1842, his first article being the 'Legend of Jawbrahim Heraudee' (Punch, iii. 254). His first series, 'Miss Tickletoby's Lectures on English History,' began in June 1842. They ran for ten numbers, but failed to attract notice or to give satisfaction to the proprietors (see letter in, p. 310). Thackeray, however, persevered, and gradually became an acceptable contributor, having in particular the unique advantage of being skilful both with pen and pencil. In the course of his connection with 'Punch' he contributed 380 sketches. One of his drawings (Punch, xii. 59) is famous because nobody has ever been able to see the point of it, though a rival paper ironically offered 500l. for an explanation. This, however, is a singular exception. His comic power was soon appreciated, and at Christmas 1843 he became an attendant at the regular dinner parties which formed 'Punch's' cabinet council. The first marked success was 'Jeames's Diary,' which began in November 1845, and satirised the railway mania of the time. The 'Snobs of England, by One of Themselves,' succeeded, beginning on 28 Feb. 1846, and continued for a year; and after the completion of this series the 'Prize Novelists,' inimitably playful burlesques, began in April and continued till October 1847. The 'Snob Papers' were collected as the 'Book of Snobs' (issued from the 'Punch' office). Seven, chiefly political, were omitted, but have been added to the last volume of the collected works.

The 'Snob Papers' had a very marked effect, and may be said to have made Thackeray famous. He had at last found out how to reach the public ear. The style was admirable, and the freshness and vigour of the portrait painting undeniable. It has been stated (, p. 319) that Thackeray got leave to examine the complaint books of several clubs in order to obtain materials for his description of club snobs. He was speaking, in any case, upon a very familiar topic, and the vivacity of his sketches naturally suggested identification with particular individuals. These must be in any case doubtful, and the practice was against Thackeray's artistic principles. Several of his Indian relatives are mentioned as partly originals of Colonel Newcome (, p. 168). He says himself that his Amelia represented his wife, his mother, and Mrs. Brookfield (Brookfield Correspondence, p. 23). He describes to the same correspondent a self-styled Blanche Amory (ib. p. 49). Foker,