ught
out at Christmas, 1830. In the following couple of years, Hood did some
theatrical work; writing the libretto for an English opera which (it is
believed) was performed at the Surrey Theatre. Its name is now unknown,
but it had a good run in its day; a similar fate has befallen an
entertainment which he wrote for Mathews. He also composed a pantomime
for the Adelphi; and, along with Reynolds, dramatized _Gil Blas_. This
play is understood to have been acted at Drury Lane. The novel of
_Tylney Hall_, and the poem of the _Epping Hunt_, were written at
Wanstead.

Born in comfortable mediocrity, and early inured to narrow fortunes,
Hood had no doubt entered upon the literary calling without expecting
or caring to become rich. Hitherto, however, he seems to have prospered
progressively, and to have had no reason to regret, even in a wordly
sense, his choice of a profession. But towards the end of 1834 a
disaster overtook him; and thenceforth, to the end of his days, he had
nothing but tedious struggling and uphill work. To a man of his buoyant
temperament, and happy in his home, this might have been of no extreme
consequence, if only sound health had blessed him: unfortunately, the
very reverse was the case. Sickly hitherto, he was soon to become
miserably and hopelessly diseased: he worked on through everything
bravely and uncomplainingly, but no doubt with keen throbs of
discomfort, and not without detriment at times to the quality of his
writings. The disaster adverted to was the failure of a firm with which
Hood was connected, entailing severe loss upon him. With his accustomed
probity, he refused to avail himself of any legal immunities, and
resolved to meet his engagements in full eventually; but it became
requisite that he should withdraw from England. He proposed to settle
down in some one of the towns on the Rhine, and circumstances fixed his
choice on Coblentz. A great storm which overtook him during the passage
to Rotterdam told damagingly on his already feeble health. Coblentz,
which he reached in March, 1835, pleased him at first; though it was
not long before he found himself a good deal of an Englishman, and his
surroundings vexatiously German. After a while he came to consider a
German Jew and a Jew German nearly convertible terms; and indulged at
times in considerable acrimony of comment, such as a reader of
cosmopolitan temper is not inclined to approve. He had, however, at
least one very agreeable acq