William Makepeace Thackeray Contributor Possible (1 results)

6pp., 12mo, paginated 41-46. Unbound stab-stitched pamphlet. A frail survival: aged and worn. Priced at half a crown, and with the following note above the slug: 'No. 9 will be published on Thursday, June 4. | N.B. - All communications to be directed to Mr. Smith, Rose Crescent, which, it is requested, may be post-paid.' The number is almost entirely devoted to an anonymous burlesque play titled 'The Blood-Stained Murderer; or, The Cock and Charley'. Somewhat reminiscent of Sheridan's 'The Critic', and 'The Rovers' from the 'Anti-Jacobin', the play features watchmen, 'a Ghost in frock coat', 'Spirits of Turpentine', Dandybello, Whiskerandos, and Morning Sylphs. 'Article II', titled 'Mathematics' is a short piece of doubtful purport: 'On Saturday next, at Two o'clock, | The Snob will deliver a Lecture on the six first books of Euclid, at the Black Bull. Mr. Hatt has kindly volunteered to sing a comic song, at the close of each book. | N.B. - The Snob will be dressed in character, Trinity College having condescendingly lent him Newton's shoe-strings.' Excessively scarce: the only copies of the periodical on COPAC are at Cambridge University. During his first term at Cambridge Thackeray was a frequent contributor and possible editor of 'The Snob', which ran for eleven numbers from 9 April to 18 June, 1829. (It changed its name to 'The Gownsman' the following term.) According to the OED the word 'snob' was first used in late eighteenth century Cambridge as a derogatory term for a shoemaker, and was extended to include all townsmen. In his 'Book of Snobs' (serialised 1846-7) Thackeray employs the term in its modern sense.