On this page

• Text (1)

  Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

  • 

    lU ' /afMgawfe • ;" j,- 1?aiMMI:i

• Transcript

  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

    Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

    * Penny Dreadfuls'

    usually and eventful gives lives a , fictitious of various rendering areh-scoundrels of the stirring , whose

    I histories HiRtorms are a-pa enshrined Anahi « in « ri within wit . hin the t . hft classical alasaicAl pages n & fires of of ; the Newgate Calendar , and who , in most cases , were summarily removed front the scenes of their roman-r * ' *»' . * a * _ ' pk ^ pi ^ pk _

    ., . tic Other adventures equally effective by suspension but less at renowned Tyburn , or gallows some ; . ; The crude ' woodcuts on the first pages represent

    > sti stirri rHno ng " episodes enisrwlea in in the r . he careers careers of of th these ese heroes heroes . ; ' such such as the chivalrous Claude Duval bowing low to a i . duchess ^»*^ w ^ T ^ b ^ ivb ^ t wjiom » w ^ » piBv ^ ^ p pr ¦¦¦^¦¦¦ " he ^ pb ^ - ^^ ^ had "p » . ^^^ ^ robbed » - ^ " ^ ¦¦ - ^ ¦»! ^^ ¦ of ^^ ^ pv ¦¦¦ her •¦*¦ " ^^^ ¦ ^ jewels - ^ » ¦» ^» p * ^^^ w- ; y the ^ — * ^ Pk ' ^ . ^ PBh ¦ " ^ ^ Ph * b ~ k ~ H A PB pPfe ^ PB

    ; J dare-devil Dick ^^^^^ ^ Turp ^^^^ in , mounted * ^ on , his bonny Black Bess , taking a ten-barred turnpike gate ; the 1 skin treacherous _ -. , on _ ^ the - Jonathan subject y . -. ^ •— . of Wild some communing deed of villany with Bljue ; •* ¦ or

    -Jack Sheppard breaking out of Newgate , Besides : the doings of these worthies , there are numerous imaginary characters treated , such as adventurous ¦ juveniles who bp fias iratesbanditslers ;

    ¦ . & c . ^ "p * ^ ppp The ^ pppp ppp- ^ pr ^ 'ap '' bulk w » ^ - ^ - ^ - of ^ v ^ yjjpj gure the ^ ppp > p ?« BpV ^ P ^ ' dreadfuls ^ pp-af" ^ . * p ^ n ^^ ™^ ^ ^ " ^ ^^ ' , are ^ P" » - » indi ^ - ^^ m ^ « p *« " genous lpr , W smugg w « p * p * bpw ^^^ P ^ P ^ to ^^ ^^ the ¦ ™ y ' bounded region that on lies ilie between west b Fleet Fetter Street Lane and and Hoi on bor the n ; y

    , kind business east b of y Shoe literature nien jLane who are . have The , as a the publishers rule tact , shrewd to who , enterprising get what up sort this ( guess pi

    ; of stories -- — is most , g acceptable — — — — — ~_ to - — sensation - ~ — -v ~ ^^^^ - > - ^_ - ^ p' _~ - devouring -r v n _ —~ - ~_~ — youth . ; It may be interesting to know that several

    • . fortunes ' penny dreadfuls have been ; ' made and ev out ^ n of at the the publication present day of , when there is such a cry of over-competition , the

    . firms to receive that own from the them most annuall popular serials comfortable are reputed ' f sums . . , y , very The authors

    in their peculiar , it may line be of mentioned fiction , thei , are r specialists ranks re-: ceiving but few accessions from the outside ; therefore these ' writers are practically removed from the

    1 fierce rivalry that exists in almost every other department of literature . They commonly confine themselves to their own

    province , and do little else in the way of contributing to the Press . One or two of the criminal romancists have reaped considerable pecuniary

    benefit from their labours , and have been enabled to retire from active life to the luxurious seclusion of Suburban villasdevoting what remained of their

    , energies to the common , -place but innocuous work of gardening on a limited scale . The majority , however - - have - - been drawn ™—p- ¦ ' —i into - — ' the - — —¦— vortex -mr » of chronic — — , ^ pj — — — — — ¦ — ¦ ^^ ^ - ^^ ^^^^ - ^^ ^^ m - ^^ ^—— - ^^ - ^ v ^^^^ w ^ w ^^

    impecuniosity . A few of the adventurous youths of Britain on perusing ^^ ^^_ these ' penny ^ ~~ ~ ^ _ dreadfuls ~~ — ^ — ___ — * are _ , —^ , _ fired . — ^_ , ^ ^ - ^ wi , _ _ th _ i

    ambition to emulate the exploits of their heroes . It tuosit mig y ht of serve these as young a valu gentlemen able check if they to onl the y impe could - be made fully acquainted with the whole process of

    ¦ the manufacture of their favourite fiction . A feeling . of which nausea as mi narrated ght thus in be * engendered Uncle Tom similar ' s Cabin to / that the

    methodical , Miss Ophelia experienced when she ^ " made hloe , herself ' culinary conversan system t with shall the details ive the of follow Aunt

    ' \ ing G descri ' s ption of the person . We al characteristics g of a - I degenerate writer of ' penny dreadfuls : ' also the

    ; I modus He operandi is a wpefull of working y seedy , up bleared his copy , un . sh ^ aven indi-j vidual . An obliging friend has lent him

    two-> pence , which he is investing : in a much-needed ! ; 1 House repast . within Little a do Fleet the Street member Working s of a Men noi ' s Coffee ;

    J f ., apprentices seated in the next box sy who group are | I ^ ^ rrAngling over some , incident in the career , of the I lM & ropjf ft story-r-an ipstalment of which they have

    ,, , I 1 jnst . pjf ( the : Jjoad ;^ , al PagerJ ^ an 9 y , Vfe by now turns that —entitled thp . taj » ented l ? he Boy author Bandit of ]

    < ' ' " ' ' '" ' ' ' - 11 1 " " ' " " ' ' ' ' ' " ' ¦ ' ' ¦" "' " ' •• W

    : ferred tlie . excitmgr to . But tale the | s ^ the fictionist ^ a ^ little at ^ ^ hee liM 4 fi ( the ^ en ^ - :

    comiums passed on ' the pluck of his courageous hero ; he is hungry , and this is his first repast for that day . Hid meal fiaiehed , the author departs in !

    search search ot of something something in m the the Shane shape ot of recreation recreation ., which he finds in a visit to one of tpe contiguous < discussion ^^ p »^» . *^ ^ p ^ ¦¦ 1 ¦ ¦¦ vm * m - ^^ ^*^ tap - ^ » " ^ ^ P - » rooms ^ " ^ " ^ - ^^ ^— ^^^ p ^ pt , w w and pi ppi - ^ nv listens •» bb ^ t ^»^ ^ ^ pp ^^^ pppi ^ pp ^ to - ^ - ^^ the ^ ^ ^^ arguments ^ l ¦ - ^ ^^ pg — — ^ _ " ^ ^^ jppp ^ VM # * — ' ^ Pk ^ P ^ ^ Ph ^ hi W _^ ^ PB ^ ' - , ' II B ^ P > ' * * -- ^ - ¦ \

    time of ^^* one and ^ bir the two fictionist frothy debaters . . ' . a trifle It nears solicitous * closing ^ on I , grows the subject' of securing a bed for the night . An

    obliging friend favours him with the requisite sum , fburpence , and the joyful author hurries in ' the direction of the nearest registered lodging-house .

    Half-way there is an indecision in his movements ; gm the -shop glare forms of light a from sore the temptation plate glass . -window The ruling " of a passion ^ —— gets — — the — upper handand — he — impulsively

    invests _ ^ - his ^^ j coppers in a ^ bibulous , refreshment , though ¦ •^ well knowing that this action will result in an allnight // -air p i enaderather disagreeable

    - fli but ' - " certainly ^ open VLVU- no UIX novel prom VU 1 V 11 CVUV experience ; y X € * UA % ^ JL as v ^ CAOOKA far as U VHII our / AVy , friend is concerned . v

    It is 3 a . m . in Fleet Street ; the morning is damp , * sloppy , and miserable . The bulk of the millions of the " ¦ m— " ^ " ~ metropolitan —¦ ^ ~~ —¦— ~^ ^^ ^^^ " —*• i ^~ pop IP ^^ ' ^^ ^ PPPV u ^ ^ ^ lation ^^^^^ pr vpr ^^ ^ p ^ r vipi ^ pv are ^^ ^ v ^^ ^ p ^ ¦ sunk - ^^^^ ' ^ p ^^—^^^^^ in ^ ¦ - ^ profound pvppp ^^^ - - ^ p- ^— ' ^^ ^^ pppppp " ^ p ^ bv

    slumber , but the heart of British journalism is in full fierce throb . A few wearied editors , leader writersa ad reportershaving finished r their ¦ labours ;

    are hurry , ing home ^ . , , Telegrap — yr » h boys jr T . are scurry ~^ ~ ing 1 , y from office to office with missives containing the latest intelligence from alL ends of the earth . ;

    Juvenile emissaries from the case and machine- ( rooms of the dailies are conveying huge cans of beer ' for the purpose of recuperating the flagging energies

    of open their and in comrades full swingjf . The ; and nig our ht public acquaintance -houses , the are sensational the portico of author h Coven , having t Garden left the Market friendl under y shelter which of 1

    ^—^ l ^—^ ^^ pp~— — -r - ^^ — ¦ - ^— ^ - ^— — - —~ - ^^^ r ^^ ^^ —^^ r -. ~ - ^^^ r ^^^^ ^^ - ^^ ^ p ^ p > ^^ p ^ . ^ p ^^^ w ^^ pppt ^ ppp ^^^ r ^ r «™ ^^ " - ^^» pb , ^^^^ ^^»^^ p- ^^ - ^^ ^^ p- ^ ^^^ ^ ^^^™^^ ^^ ^ ppr ^»^^ . ^» looking he had through passed one the or window two hours of one , is of now these ' wistfull noctur- y | | nal hostelries—like a parched'Peri standing at the

    gate of a beery paradise . Ha ! a hospitable friend —au invitation to drink—and for the nonce the novelist is supremely happy — - —— »» ' . " ' "

    his He copy — seizes — for the this _— — — succeeding — ausp — —— ^ g icious — f |— ^ m week opportunity ^ ' s issue . of Its finishing composition is a work of little difficulty , as the author

    engaged had thought in tram out p the ing ^ development about the streets of his . p Arrang lot while ing j his papers on the top of an upright cask , he pauses

    his for hero a moment into a to fix collect the novel his i thoug st adroitl hts . Having ts him got out ¦ of ^ — * it " ^ , inserting ¦ ~ - ^ ^ ' ^^ ^» ™ - ™~^^^ m ¦¦ an ^ - ^ - ^ , ingenious pp ^ p ^ pppptHK - * r p ^ p . »» ^ - - —i i — ri _ r ^ finale * ^ pp * »*¦ vw **^ that " y ^ rfB ^^^ ge fcpi" * ¦ ^* will w pi » piPBtf ^ t serve i ^ pr ^^ b / 4 ^ B ^ ^ p »^ ^

    for a week to keep at fall tension , the interest of the youths who swallow hebdomadal doses of the ' Boy Bandit of the Balkans i . ' The author concludes

    thus ^^ : — - fc ^^ ^^ ^^ ^ ¦ ¦ ¦ —^ — ——^^ ^>/ ^^ p ^^^ ^^^^^^ - ^^ r- ^^ " ^^ ^ - " ^^ pp ^ p ^ ^*^ - ^— ^ p ^ ^ " ^^ ^ . " ^ ^^ p— - ^^**— ^ p p w ^^^—^ m ^^^^^ ^ ppp —^^^ Firmly pinioned , the Boy Bandit presents an undaunted front iji hands V vux w to uv of ^ _^ V the uuo the Ai deadly viv callous ; c » i ^ ujr , , oruel glittering ( jijiuvoi V soldiers ' uig pi'V * array t * L » who . t * j UM of . (| xo levelled vcjlicu be pB rifles ajlu . C 9 , , J in a . i- . 1 the ^ kajio a

    effect his destruction . nave en deputed to Ah ! Rupert , of what avail is your lion-like courage now ? The Fi j . 1 * 0 Boy ! shouts v » jr Bandit miuuiv the is to officer doomed uhuiiicu in .

    of musketry re breaks the stillness charge of the . plain The , rol and l of reverberates a platoon from cliff to cliff of the inaccessible mountain , on the icy sembled summit , mourning of which [ his I ] the fate boy and 's vowing devoted revenge adherents . are as-The smoke clears uioniii / i

    The m . jl » vj brutal oajuivrn ^ soldiery away an stare ^ jf . . in amazement . . . . The spot where ! I visible the T'BALr boy ^ d uld * * stood Whither he vr UJLUUU ha is ^ vacant e been has JU « O he | U . snatched «> flown UUWU No mangled ? f ¦ ' ¦ from the bullet jaws -riddled of death ' corse is f I 11

    the C Bpeotral ^ hand of the friendly Demon of the Cliff ? by r Perhaps I . ( To be continued —*** - in . ffr next

    <> > v happy About . On noon deposit this literary of his copy Bohemian the publisher wiHiagain ^ ^ Ul be :

    - favour _ ¦¦ ¦ ¦•¦ . ¦ ¦ . t . i .,. : him ' ¦ , un - r with , „ , .. r _ ' -, a , i . v _ sum , ; - „ i- . to , ^ . ,,- ' , . ^ atjeount - , no •"" ; v : ^ - ' , , ^ ' »^ A . ' . r ... debaiich . ^ ' '' . ^ ^ ^ ' fv I ^ Jgg l ^ ''' ifM I y

    Lu ' /Afmgawfe • ;" J,- 1?Aimmi:I

    lU ' / afMgawfe ; " j ,- 1 ? aiMMI : i

• Citation
  • Publishers’ Circular (1880-1890), April 15, 1887, page 390, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/pc/issues/tec_15041887/page/12/