The Choice Humorous Works, Ludicrous Adventures 1

The Choice Humorous Works, Ludicrous Adventures 1

The Choice Humorous Works, Ludicrous Adventures, Bons Mots, Puns, and Hoaxes of Theodore Hook

 

Author: Theodore E. Hook

 

CONTENTS. PAGE

 

MEMOIR OF THEODORE HOOK 3

 

 

THE RAMSBOTTOM PAPERS:--

 

I. Mrs. Ramsbottom's Party 41

 

II. Miss Lavinia Ramsbottom 43

 

III. Miss Lavinia's Letter from Paris, forwarding her

Mother's Journal in England and France 44

 

IV. Higginbottom and Ramsbottom 52

 

V. Miss Lavinia Ramsbottom forwards the Continuation

of her Mother's Diary 53

 

VI. Adventures at Paris 60

 

VII. Further Adventures at Paris 62

 

VIII. Mrs. Ramsbottom back in London 66

 

IX. Mrs. Ramsbottom at Rome 69

 

X. Mrs. Ramsbottom objects to be _Dramatised_ 72

 

XI. Mrs. Ramsbottom writes from Dieppe 73

 

XII. Hastings 75

 

XIII. Mrs. Ramsbottom on the House of Commons 78

 

XIV. Mrs. Ramsbottom on the Canning Administration 81

 

XV. Mrs. Ramsbottom on Smoking 84

 

XVI. Mrs. Ramsbottom's Conundrums 85

 

XVII. A Letter from Cheltenham 87

 

XVIII. Hastings again 90

 

XIX. News from Hastings 94

 

XX. Mrs. Ramsbottom on the relative merits of Margate

and Brighton 96

 

XXI. Mrs. Ramsbottom contemplates the Collection of her

Letters into a volume 102

 

XXII. Mrs. Ramsbottom on Popery 105

 

XXIII. Mrs. Ramsbottom at the Royal Academy 108

 

XXIV. Mrs. Ramsbottom at the "Chiswick Fête" 111

 

XXV. A Letter from Walmer 117

 

XXVI. A Peck of Troubles 118

 

XXVII. Mrs. Ramsbottom on Public Events 120

 

XXVIII. Mrs. Ramsbottom declares herself a Convert to

"Reform" 123

 

XXIX. Mrs. Ramsbottom on the House of Lords 128

 

 

POLITICAL SONGS AND SQUIBS:--

 

Carmen Æstuale 133

 

Ass-ass-ination 135

 

Michael's Dinner 138

 

Mrs. Muggins's Visit to the Queen 140

 

Hunting the Hare 147

 

The City Concert 152

 

Invitations to Dinner 156

 

Vacation Reminiscences 159

 

Reminiscences Continued 162

 

Gaffer Grey 166

 

The Idle Apprentice turned Informer 170

 

The Queen's Subscription 174

 

Opposition 178

 

The Invitation 184

 

The Beggars--A New Song 188

 

Bubbles of 1825 194

 

The Grand Revolution 197

 

Imitation of Bunbury's "Little Grey Man" 200

 

Humpty-Dumpty 203

 

Parody--"While Johnny Gale Jones" 204

 

Parody--"The young May Moon" 205

 

Disappointment 206

 

 

TENTAMEN; OR, AN ESSAY TOWARDS THE HISTORY OF

WHITTINGTON, SOME TIME LORD MAYOR OF LONDON 207

 

 

MISCELLANIES, IN VERSE AND PROSE:--

 

Mr. Ward's Allegorical Picture of Waterloo 249

 

Letter from a Goose 259

 

The Hum-Fum Gamboogee Society 262

 

Moral Theatricals 269

 

Private Correspondence of Public Men 275

 

The Cockney's Letter 280

 

Byroniana 284

 

Lord Wenables 288

 

Lord Wenables Again 304

 

Modern Improvements (Two Letters) 309

 

Punning, with Cautionary Verses to Youth of both Sexes 316

 

Fashionable Parties 322

 

A Day's Proceedings of a Reformed Parliament 325

 

Clubs 333

 

Rachel Stubbs' Letter to Richard Turner 336

 

Mr. Minus the Poet 338

 

National Distress 339

 

Hints for the Levee 347

 

The Inconsistencies of Cant 350

 

Prince Puckler-Muskau's Tour 355

 

Prospectus for a General Burying Company 388

 

Letter from John Trot to John Bull 392

 

The March of Intellect 395

 

Sunday Bills 400

 

The Spinster's Progress 405

 

Errors of the Press 409

 

The Visit to Wrigglesworth 413

 

A Visit to the Old Bailey 440

 

The Toothpick-makers' Company 453

 

The Man-servant's Letter 464

 

The Bibliomaniac 468

 

Absence of Mind 469

 

A Distinguished Traveller 470

 

Daly's Practical Jokes 471

 

The Ballet 492

 

Toll-gates and their Keepers 496

 

Tom Sheridan's Adventure 499

 

Polly Higginbottom 503

 

Song--"Mary once had Lovers two" 504

 

Philip and Donna Louisa 505

 

The Blacksmith 506

 

"My Father did so before me" 507

 

"Throughout my Life the Girls I've pleased" 508

 

The Chambermaid 509

 

Song, "When I was a very little Fellow" 509