far has escaped the common historian and lain unplucked like a
wee wood violet in an old, old garden!

Modern realists would have us believe that romance and beauty are dead,
that the spirit of heroic achievement and chivalry has been crushed by
the juggernautic wheels of civilisation. Poor blind, sad-hearted
fools--their dreary, unlovely minds have risen like gaunt weeds from the
ashes of their wasted opportunities. Romance dead? Never! And in order
to disprove their dismal forebodings, I have included in my portrait
gallery studies of such national heroes as--Snurge, Spout, Puffwater and
Plinge. Men selected purposely not merely for the glory of their
achievements but for the individual dissimilarity of their fundamental
characteristics, and to illustrate to doubting minds the amazing
resemblance between the signal courage and romanticism of our forebears,
and the innate present day spirit of high endeavour.

Take for example "Madcap Moll," Eighth Duchess of Wapping, and her
famous ride to Norwich--and compare it with Jabez Puffwater's ride to
the succour of his old Aunt Topsy. Or E. Maxwell Snurge's celebrated
national appeal in West Forty-Second street, and Sarah, Lady
Tunnell-Penge's dramatic speech from Tower Hill to the turbulent people
of London.

All, all are impregnated through and through with the never failing
spirit of public heroism, and staunch loyalty to existing standards, and
all will stand for beauty, romance, and nobility of purpose until the
end of time.

Ring up the curtain. Bring to life the faded tapestries of yesterday
side by side with the vivid multi-coloured bas-reliefs of to-day! The
frou-frou of brocade and lavender adown bygone corridors, and the sharp
toned clarion call of Twentieth Century heroism and daring-do!

NOEL COWARD

"THE HOLLIES,"
MARINE CRESCENT,
ROME.

CONTENTS

PAGE

FOREWORD

1. MY AMERICAN DIARY

2. JULIE DE POOPINAC

3. MADCAP MOLL, EIGHTH DUCHESS OF WAPPING

4. E. MAXWELL SNURGE, AN INTIMATE STUDY

5. BIANCA DI PIANNO-FORTI

6. SARAH, LADY TUNNELL-PENGE ("WINSOME SAL")

7. JABEZ PUFFWATER

8. FURSTIN LIEBERWURST ZU SCHWEINEN-KALBER

9. JAKE D'ANNUNZIO SPOUT

10. DONNA ISABELLA ANGELA Y BANANAS

11. MAGGIE MACWHISTLE

12. THE EDUCATION OF RUPERT PLINGE

13. ANNA PODD

14. SOPHIE, THE UNCROWNED QUEEN OF HENRY VIII

15. "LA BIBI"

16. AH! AH!, QUEEN OF THE RUDE ISLANDS

GLOSSARY

PRESS NOTICES

FOOTNOTES

[Illustration: