Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 3.djvu/203

 10* 8. HI. MARCH 4, 1905.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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1. Recollections of an Artillery Officer : Adven- tures in Ireland, America, Flanders, and France. 1836. 2 vols.

2. Home Service ; or. Scenes and Characters from Life at Out and Head Quarters. 1839. 2 vols.

3. Playing About ; or, Theatrical Anecdotes and Adventures. 1840. 2 vols.

4. A Pinch of Snuff: Curious Particulars and Anecdotes of Snufftaking, by Dean Snift, of Brazen- Nose. 1840.

5. The Epicure's Almanac, or Diary of Good Living. 1841. Continued for 1842 and 1843, the latter volume being in great part a reissue of its predecessor. Hill "was born in a city renowned for good eating," and makes many references to dishes popular in the Western Counties. He well remembered " in his youth seeing the antique domi- cile" of Mrs. Sarah Lunn, near the Abbey at Bath. Another paragraph refers to what he had heard in Sicily. These volumes are still worth turning over.

W. P. COURTNEY.

THE EGYPTIAN HALL, PICCADILLY. THE fiat has gone forth, and in a short time this popular place of amusement -will have ceased to exist. In The Daily Telegraph of Saturday, 21 January, Mr. Maskelyne's advertisement reads :

"Egyptian Hall. Last two Performances at this world-famed hall previous to its demolition. Estab- lished 31 years. Lessee. Mr. J. N. Maskelyne. Mr. Martin Chapender's Season. To-day, at 3 and 8, Mr. Nelson Jackson, the brilliant humourist : Mr. Walter Graham, the human marionette ; Miss Eileen Elyce, elocutionist ; Gems of animated photography ; Mr. Maskelyne's latest illusion,


 * Well I 'm ! ! ' ' The Miser ' (a phantasy) ;

and Mr. Martin Chapender, the celebrated con- jurer."

When the doors closed after the evening entertainment, the last of the Egyptian Hall as a place of absolutely irreproachable amuse- ment had been seen ; and The Daily Telegraph of the following Monday contained this announcement :

" The Egyptian Hall is closed for demolition. Mr. Maskelyne has Removed to his New Home of Mystery, St. George's Hall, W. (adjoining the Queen's Hall)."

It is well to be able to fix definitely the date of closing, as after a very short time it is frequently difficult to do so.

The Egyptian Hall is numbered 170, Picca- dilly, and dates from 1812, when it was built from the designs of Mr. G. F. Robinson, its cost being 16,000?. It is said to be, in part at least, an imitation of the great temple oi Dendera, in Upper Egypt. The first tenant was Mr. Bullock, who exhibited here for seven years his celebrated museum, which was dispersed in 1819. The building soon took a recognized position among places of amusement, and in succession was occu- pied by many interesting exhibitions.

A model of the Pyramids and some other Egyptian monuments were here in 1821. In 1825 a Frenchman M. Claude Seurat who elected to be known as the " Living Skeleton, or the Anatomie Vivante," was shown here. Df this natural freak some particulars will DC found in Hone's ' Every-Day Book.' The- Egyptian Hall early became noted as a place 'or the exhibition of pictures, and Haydon's painting of ' The Mock Election ' -was sold to 3eorge IV. "for 800 guineas, to the great joy of the painter, in 1828." The Siamese Twins were on view here in 1829, and agaiu in 1869.

In 1841 Catlin's North American Gallery was opened here. The fine painting by Sir 3eorge Hayter of 'The First Reformed Parliament' was exhibited here in 1843. Perhaps the oddest of many odd inventions was to be seen here in 1845; it was known as the Eureka, a machine for composing Latin hexameter verses. General Tom Thumb (Charles S. Stratton), the celebrated dwarf, was exploited here by the prince of showmen P. T. Barnum in 1846, and again at a later period. In the former year Haydon had two pictures here ; they were, however, scarcely noticed, while thousands rushed to see the- midget " General." Some interesting facts- concerning these two diverse exhibitions may be seen in the ' Life of Haydon.' The first of the moving panoramas, 'Banvard's Missis- sippi,' was opened here in 1846 ; it was succeeded in 1850 by ' Fremont's Overland Route to California' and by 'Bonomi's Nile.'' On 15 March, 1852, Albert Smith gave his popular entertainment of 'The Ascent of Mont Blanc' for the first time, and patrons continued to flock to it for several years. His entertainment on 'China' did not draw the town as the previous one had done. I can remember being taken as a schoolboy to his entertainments. He was followed by quite a number of entertainers, chief among them being Col. Stodare, a conjurer of considerable- ability, who introduced the "Sphinx," the " Basket Trick," and other notable illusions ; and Mr. J. K. Lord, who gave an enter- tainment under some such title as 'The Canoe, the Rifle and Axe,' which was fairly popular. Arthur Sketchley (George Rose) gave here a variety of sketches in which the celebrated "Mrs. Brown " was the centre figure. Artemus Ward was here in 1866 with his panorama "rather worse than panoramas usually are" and his travels among the Mormons as told by him are fondly remembered yet by most of those who heard his quaint conceits and funny allusions to people and places. He had chambers opposite the hall, and many were