of Jerrold bore him
down, though it is probable that the practical joke on him described
among the proceedings of the _Punch_ Club had some part in bringing
matters to a head; and on January 7th, 1844, his last contribution
appeared--"Important and Telegraphic." _Punch_, in reply to a criticism
of the "Boston Atlas," declared that Smith left in December, 1843; but
Albert Smith himself wrote (November 20th, 1845) to Mr. James Silk
Buckingham (who was protesting to him against _Punch's_ attacks): "I
have not written or suggested anything for _Punch_ since January,
1844.... I withdrew in consequence of being unable to agree with Mr.
Mark Lemon, the editor. Indeed, I have been attacked since then through
my novel of 'The Marchioness of Brinvilliers' both in _Punch_ and in
'Jerrold's Magazine,' for which I do not care a straw."

It was after his retirement from _Punch_ that, in conjunction with A. B.
Reach, he started "The Man in the Moon," with the express purpose of
making himself obnoxious to _Punch_ in general and Jerrold in
particular, in which laudable desire he in part, at least, succeeded;
while at the same time he turned his attention to the publishers by
bringing out a little Christmas volume entitled "A Bowl of _Punch_." But
in time all bitterness disappeared; Albert the Great, as Smith was
called, had "discovered" Mont Blanc and Chamonix, and peace prevailed,
though to the end Smith had no further access to _Punch's_ pages.

The last regular contributor of the year 1841 whose name has been
preserved is H. A. Kennedy, whose parodies of Horace were as good as
anything Leigh ever did of the kind. The parody of Horace's "Donec
gratus" is worth preserving, and that (p. 20, Volume II.) of "Ad
Lydiam"--becomingly rendered into a tender ode "To Judy"--is hardly
less excellent.

Dr. Maginn's connection with _Punch_ began with the first Almanac, while
he was, with James Hannay, in residence in the "Fleet." The doctor, as
one of the most versatile writers of the day, was looked upon by
the "Punchites" as useful for their purpose as he was for any of
the rival papers with which he was connected. "He would write a leader
for the 'Standard' one evening," it is said in J. F. Clarke's
"Auto-biographical Recollections," "answer it in the 'True Sun' the
following day, and abuse both in the 'John Bull' on the ensuing Sunday."
Such a man could not be without a sense of humour, especially with ample
gin and water to enrich it and