The Project Gutenberg eBook, The History of "Punch", by M. H. Spielmann

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Title: The History of "Punch"

Author: M. H. Spielmann

Release Date: December 17, 2007 [eBook #23881]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)

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THE HISTORY OF "PUNCH"

by

M. H. SPIELMANN

With Numerous Illustrations

Cassell and Company, Limited
_London, Paris, & Melbourne_
1895

All Rights Reserved

[Illustration: "THE MAHOGANY TREE."

(_By Linley Sambourne. From "Punch's" Jubilee Number, by special
permission of Sir William Agnew, Bart., Owner of the original drawing._)
(_See page 536._)]

_TO MY SON_

_PERCY EDWIN SPIELMANN_

[Illustration: (_Drawn by George du Maurier._)]

PREFACE.

The prevailing idea of the origin and history of _Punch_ has hitherto
rested mainly on three productions: the "Memories" of George Hodder,
"Mr. Punch's Origin and Career," and Mr. Joseph Hatton's delightful but
fragmentary papers, entitled "The True Story of _Punch_." So far as the
last-named is based upon the others, it is untrustworthy in its details;
but the statements founded on the writer's own knowledge and on the
documentary matter in his hands, as well as upon his intimacy with Mark
Lemon, possess a distinct and individual value, and I have not failed to
avail myself in the following pages of Mr. Hatton's courteous permission
to make su