The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-23 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

.I?ecolieetions and Wanderings of Paul Bedford.
One Vol., pp. 160. Routledge, Warne, and
Routledge.
A capital hook of its odd kind is this anecdotal
chit-chat about himself and his belongings given to
us (as just a taste cr flavour of his autobiography)
by the biggest and joviatist among our popular Low
Comedians. As about the best word we could say
for it—we immediately on getting it read thtoagh
the whole of the thin gilt-aged volume in which
Paul relates his " Recollcclions and Wanderings,"
we read through the whole of it from
cover to cover, if not literally at a single sit-
ting (seeing that we bege.n the reading of it
ie the street), at any rate, right off, at ono innings,
on end, or however we may like to put the fact
idiomatic slly, a fact that Sem Slick would
express in Yankee lingo by the term—at a single
streak. Chucklieg not iefree,uently as he turns the
leaves, anyone else who has a keen relish for, we
won't say exactly wit, but we will un
hesitatingly say for a capital bit of fun, may do
the like, with great profit to his digestion.
From cover to cover, that is, the reader of Paul
Bedford's souvenirs may skim lightlyaand pleasantly
through his amusing recollections from the lifelike
frontispiece representing Paul Bedford in propria
persona (of course with an open overcoat, of course
with his hat on, the said hat having just the
faintest perceptible cock over the left ear)
from the frontispiece, we say, sown to the last
words of the book ending so.very characteristically !
We may fancy we hear the words trolled out
in a deep bass voice, rather guttural in its intona-
tions, " And now, my fostering friends and patrons
[meaning the kyind public'] allow mc to subscribe
myself—your devoted boy—PAUL." It is just for
ell the world the very kind cf a book that wo should
have looked for at the hands of our devoted boy
Paul, in the happy event (now realized) of his
jotting down his professional sourenirs. The
only fault is—there is not by any means
enough of it. Like Friar Bacon's brazen head in
the old pantomime, now that we have tasted so
much, we are clamorous for " more !" And, no
matter at what uncertain intervals, just as Gria
maldi used to feed the Brazen Head with " mere"
—we shall really hope to taste a few supplementary
tidbits of the same relishing kind, vouchsafed to us
(to devour just pracisely in the same way, off hand,
and with an almost audible smack of the lips),
vouchsafed to us benignantly by a sort of
an after-thought, by our exhilarating friend
Paul—Paul with the stalwart form, and the
purple face, and the deep voice, and the irresistibly
winking eyelids ! At any rate, for as much of his
recollections as ho here obliges us with spontane-
ously, he merits at once our thanks and our congra-
tulations. Who, indeed, shall venture to say that
he is not entitled to our congratulations, seeing that
the book reveals himself (the writer of it) as the per-
sonal associate (among a crowd of other celebrities)
of men of mark as illustrious and as varied in their
genius as Edmund Kean, as the Emperor Napoleon
111. when Prince Louis Napoleori, as Lord Byron, as
Madame Malibran, as Sir Walter Scott, and Madame
Catalain, and Daniel O'Connell ! Yes---be it now
known and henceforth borne honourably in remem-
brance, not only that Paul Bedford asso-
ciated with these and a great number of other
famous and gifted people, but that some among them
he knew intimately, with some amongst them
he enjoyed the high and enviable privilege of an
earnest and cordial. friendship. For one thing, by
the way, we can't fancy any man being—seriously
—an enemy of Paul Bedford's. We don't know him
in the least personally. But, at any rate, we can
say that. The word Enmity and the name of Paul
Bedford somehow or another seem incompatiblJ,
incapable of any association whatever ! Tne
coupling of the two gives one upon the
instant a notion of the ludicrous ! However
here, in honest black and white, are proofs positive
of his friendships. About the earliest recorded
among these being his intimacy with one of the
greatest actors that ever breathed (of whom Paul
Bedford tells many a pleasant anecdote), meaning
that world famous G3nius of Tragedy, Edmund
Kean, Paul's first setting eyes upon Edmund Kean,
ran the former relates, occurred en the stage of the
Bath Theatre in "Richard lll.n—Paut Bedford as the
Duke of Norfolk, Lean as Richard—the scene
Bosworth's Battlefield! 'There it is that the King

X938-+

"Has any careful friend
Dl3coverod yet the nutub2r of the rebels ?"

Norfolk.—My lord, as I from spies am well informed,
Six or seven thousand is Their utmost power.
Richard.—Why our battalia trebles that account;
Besides, the king's name is a tower of strength,
Which they upon the adverse faction want.
Nor folk.--Their wants are greater yet, my lord, tho2e e'ea
Of motion, life, and spirit—Did you but know
How wretchedly their men disgrace the field ;

Oh, such a tattered host of mounted scare-crows

So poor, so famished ; their Pxecutors,

The greedy jack claws, fly hovering o'er their heads,
Impatient for their lean inheritance.
Now, for my misfortune. When I uttered the words,
"Jack Dews," the audience were convulsed with laughter,
in which mirth the wondrous "Richard" joined. I could
not imagine what caused this merriment-, brE was very soon
illuminated on the point, for on quitting the stage my pa, ron
manager came to me in terror, saying., "My dear, you com-
mitted a great error." Why so, sir ?" s_lid I. " Why,
my dear, you mistook the name of the bird. It should
have been 'the greedy crows.''' "Oa, pray, sir, forgive
me," said I, for my alarm was so great at the moment, I
knew not what I said. " But, my dear," said my manager,
" what will the great Mr Kean say to it ?" I said, " I
am sure I don't know I suppose I shall have my
marching ticket signed." When the tragedy ended
amidst a hurricane of applause, I rushed to my
dressing-room, and commenced changing my gar-
ments, hoping to escape from the theatre unnoticed; but
before I had completed my toilet, a knock was heard at the
door. "Who is there ?" said my attendant. A voice from
without replied, by saying "Mr. Kean requested Mr Bed-
ford would come to his dressing-room before he leaves the
theatre." At that summons I became nervously excited.
I approached the dreaded chamber, under the impression
of instant dismissal. But not so ; for on entering the room
and imploring forgiveness for the mistake I had committed,
the kind and wondrous tragedian said, "Make no apology,
my young friend, for you made me laugh more heartily
than I have done for years." He concluded by in-
viting me to dine with him 'Jae following day, which event
commenced a friendship that ceased not during the lifetime
of that inspired dramatic genius.

Thenceforth Bedford, obtaining among his other
well known sobriquets, that of "Jack Daw Paul."
Conspicuous among the revelations here made by
this " unbuzzuming" of Paul's, as he might call
it himself pre-eminent among them all in its
importance—should stand the remarkable dis-
closure made by our comic hero of the fact that
the phrase of phrases that he has most signally
immortalised by his mere manner of uttering it,
WEB interpolated by Buckstone in the original
manuscript of Green Bushes, at the suggestion of
the late Mr. T. P. Cooke That paragon among
theatrical sailors, inimitable not only in his vast-
heaving and his hornpipe, but in the very hitch
of his trousers, in the very turn of the quid in his
cheek ! And—the phrase hinted at ? Why
every one will surely recognise the allusion
as pointing to no other Bedferdiun or Paulof-u future
,
past, present, and, we had almost said!"
The
phrase than—" I believe you, my bat •
origin of it being this. according ,to Paul's own
account of it, in the manner following . Saith Paul
Bedford :

The world• wide end domestic phrase of " believe you,
my boy," was indicated to the talented author by that Tar
of
the late T. P. Cooke, who said, that when
he s
a t
at the naval engagement of the taking of
rand
Cape St. Vincent, they had on board a funny and facetious
messruate, who, amid the battle's roar, would make them
laugh ; when a Shot had just cleared hit figurehead, his
;:,un mate would say, " Iloilo, Joe, that was too ncar.to be
pleasant." "1 believe you, my boy," sung out Joe.

Net another plum or bit at candied peel in the way
oY aueed3ta will we vent u:•c; unfairly to pick thus,
'Tack Horpor-wiee, out of tars very rich slice
of Eattobiographizal cake. To the slice itself
in its integrity, as here served up for
those
who list, we commend the attention
of all lovers cf such good things as theatri.
cal small-talk and green-room facetiousness.
Again we say it—the book is just precisely whet,
from iss title, we should have expected it to he :
which is certainly saying a good deal, as books go
It, is, in ot tlsr wordA, exectiy what it assum(„,s to
namely, a ttoroughiy geod• humoured, merry, wink.
dig-in-the-ribz sczt of bw,toz-bolding Gossip of

Paul Bedford's, giving us (with parenthetical roars
of laughter, from us, every now and then, as we
stand listening to him, so to speak, at the street
corner) giving us all kinds of amusing recollections
of his, in this shape of memoranda illustrative of
his professional whnderings.

THE YELVERTON CORRESPONDENCE, oppor-
tunely collected and edited by the respondent in
the great case now before the House of Lords, has
been published in form of a pink volumetto of 208
pages, by Thomas Laurie, of Elinbargh. The
publication is wonderfully complete in itself, and
throws a flood of light over this eraraordinary
romance founded on reality. The little book Is
embellished "with portraits from drawings by
Mejor and Mrs. Yelverton," so says at least
the title-page—thereby, rather ambiguously
givirg us to understand, as we take it, that
the portraits are drawn each one of, or by the
other! Altogether the book containing this
wonderfully clever and interesting correepondellc°
is as enthralling, in its way, as many a novel writ-
ten (after the manner of famous works like "
plirey Clinker," "Evelina," " The Dodd FamitY,
and "Guy Mannering") in the form of letters. It
is singularly readable and—though about love, and
often intensely about it—readable throughout.

A POPULAR GUIDE TO THE GREAT NORTIXERN
RAILWAY, in 87 pages, has recently been issued
from the press by Messrs. Smith and Son, of 185,
Strand—the compilation (as with one or two similar
guide books, each of them very well known) of
George Rose Emerson. As evidence of the colil"
piler's quality as a cicerone along the north line,
take the follos ing :
Once more the eye ranges over the fields and undulat-
ing hills, and rests on the round tower of Knebworth, abev:
the trees of the wooded park—Knebworth, the residence e`
Sir E. Bulwer Lytton, the accomplished and popular Pet,
novelist, dramatist, and orator, of whom it may be trill?:
said, " He has touched nothing which he has not adorned.
The mansion at Knebworth is worthy of a man of letters
and taste. There are pictures, antiquities, treasures of err'
and objects of historic interest, and charming grounds,
where the author of the "Disowned" may enjoy
tions of delightful sylvan scenery, and glades sombre enough
for even the teller of the ''church,Strange Story." The church,
dedicated to the Virgin Mary, is in the centre of the perk'
and contains several monuments of the Lytton family.
Tae work is just the very one to wile away th°
tedium of a solitary journey tram King's-cross 10
Nottingham. the attraC-

Little Johnny's Catechism,

(From The Owl.)

Britannia—Can you tell me, child, what you are ?
Little Johnny-1 am a very small member of a
very weak Cabinet, in a very great country.
Britannia—How do you account for having
become this member?
Little Johnny—By reason of the name whin!) I
inherited from my fathers and my grandfathers at
my birth.
Britannia--Did they give you anything else at
your birth which should fit you for your present
post ?
Little Johnny—Yes ; the talent of sacrificing
everything to keep it, and of providing for all n'l
relations and friends.
Britannia—Have you any other higher duties?

Little Johnny—No.
Britannia—Oh, poor Johnny ! how sadly Yon
have been neglected. Tell me, child, how did you
expect to keep in office ?
Little Johnny—By preserving Denmark and
keeping the peace.
Britannia—And what have you done ?
Little Johnny— Dimcmbered Denmark, and in•
volved this country in war.
Britannia—And will this keep you in (11lice ?
Little Johnny—No; bon-bon—it will turn me out •
Britannia—Who hates you more than the Ger•
mans ?

Little Johnny—The Danes.
Britannia—Who laughs at you more than Big'

mark?

Little Jobnny—The Emperor of the French.
Britannia.—lf you go to war without him, what
will happen ?

Little Johnny—We shall blcckade all the German
ports, and keep out our own commerce, and every-
thing will go into Germany through France, and
American cruisers under th 3 German flag will
destroy our commerce, and the French will carry
the trade of the world and get the Rtline provinces,
e.nti we shall probably go to war with the United
States, and we shall not be able to send enough
troops to turn the Germans out of Denmark--s°
that the war cannot be a success, and if it is, success
will b 3 worse than failure.
Britannia—Naughty boy ; did you sea all this at
the bi ginning ?
Little Johnny—loo; I never could see very fat
ahead.

Britannia—Well, yon have got matters into s
great mess; but pay attention. Yoa Want t°
revenge yourself on Prussia ?

Little Johnny—Oh, yea.
Britannia—And you think you can do it by going
to war against Germany ?
Little Johnny--Yes. •
Britannia—Siily child. Do you know that an
Emperor will not go with you unless you enPratP
Federal Germany from despotic Prussia ; that BO'
tnarck wants to see Hamburg blockaded y
English ships; that to fight against the principle
of nationality in Holstein makes the co-operat'°;,
of the Enperor impossible ? But you can suPor:
independent Holstein and Germany ()gains; til
tyranny of Prussia, and get the Emperor to assist
you against Prussia, and get a better line for the
Danes, besides humiliating Prussia. My dear boy'
I know German politics are rather difficult to under;
stand, but, before going to war, you really Must
have a clear idea of who is your enemy, and '°
you can best damage him. If you go to war with
Germany, you fight against your best ally. If VII
go to war for Germany, you will destroy Prussia'
and get far better terms in the end for Denninri;*
If you had only asked somebody who knew about
it at the beginning, you might have saved yoursell
this lesson, which will make everybody laugh at
you,

LORD ABINGER AND HIS BUTLER,--.At the
Hammersmith police-court yesterday, Samuel flan"
son, a tall young man, butler to the Dowager Lady Abinger,
of 33, Queen's Gate•terrace, Kensington,
was placed in the
dock before Mr Ingham, charged with being drunk and
assau:ting Lord Abinger. William Harris said he was a
servant to Lord Abinger. On Tuesday night his lordship
went out to a party, and prisoner had to wait up for his
return. The prisoner asked witness to take his place for
short time as he wanted togo out, and he complied with
his request. He dozed for a few minutes, and he was
awoke by hearing a noise. Ile ran upstairs and found lie
lordship and the prisoner fighting together in the entrance
hall. Witness tried to part them, and after some time lie
succeeded,rp queered a I
wtihtneesTtsoonfeeth
rcwaentdownstaHis lord
policeman.
prisoner
then ran upstairs into his lordship's dressing-roonN
witness followed after him and saw him strike his lord-
ship, and they fought again. They both struck 0118
another. The prisoner struck the first blow, but witnees
did not know which struck first in the hall. Witness held
the prisoner while his lordship ran out and fetched- two
ri s
ship
constables. They came and took the prisoner in charge.
Police 'constable T said, at half-past eleven o'clock
on
Tuesday night ho was on duty in Queen's Gate-terrace,
when he was called by his lordship to take the prisoner into
custody. The prisoner had been drinking. He was under
the influence of liquor. Mr Ingham—Partly drunk. NV36
Lord Abingcr sober? Constable—Yes, your worship; thec
prisoner said his lordship struck him first. Mr Ingham-1)1i
yousceany marksof violence upcn his lordship? Constable---
Yes, sir; his nose was cut and there was blood upon his shirt.
Mr Ingham (to the prisoner)—Do you wish to say cur
thing ? The Prisoner—l am very Berry it happened. I was
not the instigator of it. Aa to being under the influence °f
liquor, I wis as sober as I am now. His lordship
ceme home from a dinner party, but I do not kOvi
whether he was sober or note Mr Inaba, (to
Ferris)—What do you say ; were they sober or not
Witness—My opinion is that they were both sober. T-11°
prisoner wes very excited. Mr Ingham (to the constable
—How do you know that the prisoner had been drinkiog r
Constable—He appeared so. He smelt of liquor.
Ingham--I find that Lord Abinger is obliged to go to tb:
House of Lords to-day. I shall remand the prisoner fo
cis attendazCe. The prisoner was soon afterwards bailed
to appear.
THE ALADAMe.—At the news of the destruction
of the Alabt:lna (says the Co:!rrier du Havre), the North
American vessels in this port dressed themselves out with
flags as a token of rejoicing.