Ramsgate, but I thought if Providence
were kind to him it might throw him in my way. I wanted to do him a good
turn. I had written a three-act farcical comedy at the request of an
amateur dramatic club. I had written out all the parts, and I think
there were rehearsals. But the play was never produced. In the light of
after knowledge I suspect some of those actors must have been of quite
professional calibre. You understand, therefore, why my thoughts turned
to Toole. But I could not find Toole. Instead, I found on the sands a
page of a paper called _Society_. It is still running merrily at a
penny, but at that time it had also a Saturday edition at threepence.
On this page was a great prize-competition scheme, as well as details of
a regular weekly competition. The competitions in those days were always
literary and intellectual, but then popular education had not made such
strides as to-day.

[Illustration: Drawing with signature below:

I. Zangwill]

I sat down on the spot, and wrote something which took a prize in the
weekly competition. This emboldened me to enter for the great stakes.

[Illustration: I SAT DOWN AND WROTE SOMETHING]

There were various events. I resolved to enter for two. One was a short
novel, and the other a comedietta. The '5_l._ humorous story'
competition I did not go in for; but when the last day of sending in
MSS. for that had passed, I reproached myself with not having despatched
one of my manuscripts. Modesty had prevented me sending in old work, as
I felt assured it would stand no chance, but when it was too late I was
annoyed with myself for having thrown away a possibility. After all I
could have lost nothing. Then I discovered that I had mistaken the last
date, and that there was still a day. In the joyful reaction I selected
a story called 'Professor Grimmer,' and sent it in. Judge of my
amazement when this got the prize (5_l._), and was published in serial
form running through three numbers of _Society_. Last year, at a Press
dinner, I found myself next to Mr. Arthur Goddard, who told me he had
acted as Competition Editor, and that quite a number of now well-known
people had taken part in these admirable competitions. My painfully
laboured novel only got honourable mention, and my comedietta was lost
in the post.

But I was now at the height of literary fame, and success stimulated me
to fresh work. I still marvel when I think of the amount of rubbish I
turned out in my seven