ion, Dickens, whose literary
style it was reported he was trying to copy. The novelist, who much
enjoyed Albert's sobriquet of "Lord Smith," simply shrugged his
shoulders as he replied--"We all have our Smiths." It is believed by
those who should know best that the cause of the final rupture between
Smith and _Punch_ was the discovery that some of his articles were
simply adaptations from the French; and this belief is still current in
the _Punch_ office.

Smith's connection with _Punch_ was through his engagement for the
"Cosmorama," on which Landells and Last committed infanticide at the
starting of _Punch_. He sent his first paper from his temporary rooms at
Chertsey; it was the burlesque, "Transactions and Yearly Report of the
Hookham-cum-Snivey Literary, Scientific, and Mechanics' Institute" (12th
September, 1841). This was succeeded in the following month, with the
opening of his "Physiology of a London Medical Student," which was
rather laughable in itself, while displaying a wonderful intimacy with
the rough and noisy world with which it dealt. The idea, however, had
already been sketched by Percival Leigh in "The Heads of the People."
Smith was now living at 14, Percy Street, Tottenham Court Road, in an
unpalatial lodging, where he nominally carried on the profession of
surgeon-dentist; but his best energies were thrown into his literary
work, and there is no doubt that that work was to the taste of the
_Punch_ readers. Mr. Walton Henning has told me how his father, A. S.
Henning, calling upon Smith concerning his work, found him like a
typical Bob Sawyer, with his heels upon the table, playing the cornet as
a grand finale to his breakfast. Then he would don his French workman's
blouse and scribble for dear life. The "Physiology of London Evening
Parties," which was originally written by him in 1839 for the "Literary
World," was illustrated by Newman, who was still a far more important
man on _Punch_ than Leech; and the series was followed by "Curiosities
of Medical Experiences," the less successful "Side-scenes of Everyday
Society," and "Physiology of a London Idler"--which, taken together,
were voted the most entertaining descriptions of social life that
_Punch_ was publishing, even at a time when _Punch_ was declared to be
vastly entertaining. Verse, epigram, jokelets, and articles on current
events came from Albert Smith's pen before the strained relations
between the parties and the irresistible hostility