AN AUTHOR AND HIS FRIENDS

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14360, 4 February 1911, Page 1 (Supplement)

AN AUTHOR AND HIS FRIENDS

GOOD STORIES ABOUT A NOTED NOVELIST. In the delightful volumes "William during liis lifetime had hosts of friends. b; S. M. Ellis, published by John Lane there are many quotable stories. Ainsworth was a popular man, who, during lifetime, had a host of friends. Amongst them were Walter Scott, Charles Lamb, Wordsworth, Thackeray, Browning, Dickens, Cruiekshank, and manv other celebrities. Harrison Ainsworth's • first criminal romance, "Jack Sheppard," was productive of much criticism and banter when it first saw the light. Its success led Punch to bring out the following amusing recipe for a successful novel:— "Take a small boy, charity, factory, carpenter's apprentice, or otherwise, as occasion may serve; stew him well down in vice; garnish largely with oaths and flash songs; boil him ill a cauldron of crime and improbabilities. Season equally with good and bad qualities; infuse petty larceny, affection, benevolence and burglary, honour and house-breaking, amiability and arson; boil all gently. St-3w down a. mad mother, a gang of robbers, several pistols, a bloody kuife. Serve up with a couple of murders and season with a hanging match." In fairness to Ainsworth, it must be said that this recipe was not wholly inspired by lus book, "Jack Sheppard." A postscript was added, which was intended to administer a similar piece of banter to Charles Dickens's "Oliver Twist." It ran:— "Alter the ingredients to a beadlo end a workhouse; the scenes may bethe same, but the whole flavour of vice wili be lost, and the. boy will turn out a perfect pattern—strongly recommended for weak stomachs." Harrison Ainsworth was closely associated in his work with Cruiekshank tho artist. Later in life they quarrelled and parted company, but all Ainsvorth's first publications were illustrated by this eccentric artist. "Cruiekshank" was gifted with high animal spirits, and these, added to c, reckless love of adventures and an aggressive, dare-devil disposition, involved him in many an escapade and broil in the low ways of life. Cruiekshank was a great believer in detail, and, in order to study scenes and characters' for his sketches of London life, Cruiekshank visited the vilest company and haunts ir. the town — low taverns, gambling dens, prize-fighting cellars, fairs, the foot of the gallows even, where he met in profusion prize-fighting bullies, thieves and worse. From his models Cruiekshank developed his modes of life. He got his nr.se put awry for i the rest of his mortal career in a boxing bout, and was seldom sober. In fact, he enjoyed and experienced to the full in his own person tho wild pleasures and adventures he so inimitably depicted for Egan's 'Life in London.' " The book was originally issued in monthly parts. At tho beginning of each month Ainsworth and. Cruiekshank used to spend a day in . the Tower itself, thoroughly examining and grasping tho details of those portions of the building they intended to depict in their number. Ainsworth carried his passion for accuracy to an amusing esient. Working very late one night revising a proof of the 'Tower of London." he came across a specific statement he was not quite certain about. It was tiie eve of publication, but it ■was resolved not to pass the doubtful detail without actual verification, and then and there he srt out for a special journey to tho Tower." Satisfying the sentries of his pacific intentions, Ainsworth rung up the unfortunate officials, who, needless to sav v.eie not appreciative of the -earnest zeal of this accurate author, when it came to rousing them out of b?d, in order that be might verify a trivial detail apporttuniirj; tu his description o; tlie Tower."

William Ainsworth was a personal friend of Charle* Dickens. The latter v.as a frequent visitor to Ainsworth's house, attend *l." ™r-

ties ho.arranged at frequent intervals foi thu\eaLitL^'iiiinoiit of his friends. On one occa-ion D.cUens wrote-:

"My dear Ah.sworLh, 1 want very much to see vrai. not having- had that old pleasure for h long t-.mo. I am at this moment deaf in tlic cars, hoarse in the throat, red in the no-o, green in the gills, damn in the eyes, twitchy in the joints, fractious in temper, from a mo-t intolerable and oppressive wild, caught the other day, I suspect, at Liverpool, where I got exceedingly wet. lint [ will make nrodigious efforts to sot the hetter of ft to-night by resorting to all eoneeivahle remedies, and :f I succeed, I will joyfully present myself at six, and bring my womankind along with me." Even in his worst moods, the humour of Dickens never deserted him.