The Autobiography of William Jerdan
Vol. I. Front Matter
THE
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
OF
WILLIAM JERDAN,
M.R.S.L., CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE REAL ACADEMIA DE LA HISTORIA
OF SPAIN, &c &c.
WITH HIS
Literary, political, and Social Reminiscences and Correspondence
DURING THE LAST FIFTY YEARS.
VOL. I.
LONDON:
ARTHUR HALL, VIRTUE, & Co., 25, PATERNOSTER ROW.
1852.
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LONDON:
BRADBURY AND EVANS, PRINTERS, WHITEFRIARS.
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TO
LORD CHIEF BARON, &c. &c. &c.
My dear Friend,
I beg your acceptance of this tribute of respect to your public
eminence and affection for your private virtues. The first I can only offer in common with
the universal voice of your country; but the last I hope you will allow me to boast as a
privilege and cherish as a happiness peculiarly my own. The knowledge of each other for
more than half a century may have made me somewhat garrulous in speaking of our early
times; but age has not altered nor abated the feelings of cordial esteem and regard which
began in youth, were increased in middle life, and now warm my breast with grateful and
kindliest emotions towards you and all who look up to and love you. If the most sincere
attachment can justify a dedication, you are too upright a judge to reject the plea of
My dear Friend,
Your’s most faithfully,
April 16th, 1852.
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CONTENTS.
Chap. Page
I.—INTRODUCTORY 1
II.—CHILDHOOD 8
III.—BOYHOOD 19
IV.—LONDON 27
V.—JUVENILE COMPANIONS—THE CYPHER! 35
VI.—THE CYPHER CONTINUED 42
VII.—EDINBURGH 51
VIII.—EDINBURGH—STORIES 59
IX—AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCURSION 67
X.—NAVAL SERVICES 73
XI.—THE PERIODICAL PRESS 81
XII.—THE PERIODICAL PRESS (continued) 88
XIII.—PAST TIMES 96
XIV.—PAST TIMES (continued) 101
XV.—LITERARY OCCUPATIONS 108
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Chap. Page
XVI.—WARS AND JUBILEES 116
XVII.—THE CRIMINAL 125
XVIII.—MURDER OF MR. PERCEVAL 133
XIX.—PINDAR, HOGG, BOWLES 142
XX.—THE SUN NEWSPAPER 155
XXI.—SUN ANECDOTES 165
XXII.—PARIS IN 1814 175
XXIII.—PARIS IN 1814 (continued) 186
XXIV.—RETURN—BYRON CHALLENGE—ANECDOTES 198
POSTSCRIPT 208
APPENDIX 209
SKETCH OF THE EARLY LIFE OF THOMSON,
AUTHOR OF THE SEASONS
211
THE SLEEPLESS WOMAN, A TALE BY W. JERDAN 233
LAMIA, A DRAMA, BY THOMAS HOOD, &c, &c. 249
ERRATUM.
In the chapter on Paris in 1814, p. 175 et seq., for “Parris”
of Hamburgh, read, Parish.
William Jerdan (1782-1869)
Scottish journalist who for decades edited the
Literary Gazette;
he was author of
Autobiography (1853) and
Men I
have Known (1866).
Sir Jonathan Frederick Pollock, first baronet (1783-1870)
The son of a saddler, he was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge and was MP for
Huntingdon (1831-44); he succeeded Lord Abinger as lord chief baron of the exchequer in
1844.
