Thomas Hood: His Life and Times

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1907 edition. Excerpt: ... the company; he was probably always more or less shy with people whom he did not know well, though with those whom he did he was the liveliest and most boyish of companions. On May 21, 1826, there was started the Atlas, a new London Sunday " general newspaper and journal of literature," which proudly boasted that it was "nearly double the size of The Times," and " the largest newspaper ever printed." Robert Stephen Rintoul, who had come to London from the Dundee Advertiser, was on the staff for a time, but left the A Has to become first editor of the Spectator in 1828; Robert Bell, afterwards to become celebrated as a miscellaneous writer and editor of a series of British poets, became editor, 1 The sketch appeared this year in the first series of " Whims and Oddities." and Thomas Hood was appointed dramatic critic. I have been unable to consult a file of this journal, and cannot say how long it was that Hood remained its dramatic critic, but in the appendix to the ten-volume edition of his works are given several passages from his criticisms, and there we learn, too, that in this paper the dramatic critic occasionally dropped into verse with odes and addresses to certain actors and actresses--Wrench, Miss Kelly, "Paul Pry," etc. The attitude which Hood adopted in this work may be gathered from the opening address to his readers, in which he indulged on taking up his new r6le: --" We come unbiassed by any stage connections, and resolute to perform our office without fear or favour. "Our delight in Miss Kelly does not hinder us from seeing what is pleasant in Mrs. Farlowe. Our partiality for Mr. Wrench does not blind us to the merits of Mr. Bennet. There are other persons who...