e is Stirling Coyne's
new paper!" At last Coyne was charged by Lemon (who always referred
contemptuously to him as "Paddy") with stealing one of his "Puff Papers"
from a Dublin paper. At _Punch's_ transfer Coyne quietly, though
discontentedly, retired from duties which had hitherto brought him
neither reputation nor pleasure, and only a hundred pounds in cash from
Landells, and from Douglas Jerrold--as I learn from one who heard it--a
savage _mot_, referring to his somewhat uncleanly appearance, which will
undoubtedly adhere--"Stirling Coyne? _I call him Filthy Lucre!_"

[Illustration: GILBERT ABBOTT A BECKETT.]

From no choicer spirit than Gilbert Abbott a Beckett could Mayhew have
sought for assistance and literary support. He was the first applied to,
and of all the Staff he had had by far the most experience in the
production of "comic papers," although he was only thirty years of age.
His brother, the late Hon. T. T. a Beckett, has told how he and his chum
Henry Mayhew, his junior by a year, with a consolidated share capital of
three pounds and a mortgage to a printer of future profits, prepared to
start a "satirical paper," to be called "The Cerberus"--the joint
editors being then still young boys. As it happily befell, Mr. a
Beckett, senior, discovered a proof of the first number, and with his
solicitorial eye discovered some forty-three clear libels in the four
columns. He hastened to the address on the imprint, and set the matter
plainly before the printer, who was only too glad to cancel the whole
matter that had been "set" upon payment of the bill. So deeply were the
lads affronted by this unwarrantable interference with their
journalistic spirit and liberty of the subject that they ran away from
home to Edinburgh, walking all the way; but soon returned in a woeful
plight. From that moment, Gilbert turned journalist--it came to him as a
second nature--and thenceforward supported himself by his pen, while
establishing a very fair position at the Bar, thanks to the support of
his father's firm.

It was in 1831 that he presented himself prominently before the public.
Jerrold's "Punch in London" had not yet begun its little life of
seventeen numbers, so that the moment was propitious for a Beckett to
embark on a venture of his own; and on December 10th it made its first
appearance. This was "Figaro in London," in which his youthful ardour
and plain speaking found energetic vent. He was always ready, in a
humor