circulation, he has every reason to feel satisfied that the New Monthly has not suffered at his hands, nor lost any of its claims upon the estimation of the public.
Upon a review of his forces in 1845, the Editor found that although death had deprived the New Monthly of the varied talents of Laman Blanchard and the wit of Ingoldsby, there still remained many "good men and true" of former dynasties, foremost amongst them being Sir E. L. Bulwer, Horace Smith, Leigh Hunt, Mrs. Trollope, Mrs. Gore, and Captain Marryat, the latter of whom contributed the lifelike tale of the "Privateer's-man" and "Valerie," the last of his productions. A considerable addition was also made to the staff of the Magazine by the junction of several well-known periodical writers. Jacob Omnium, who afterwards addressed himself so ably in the Times to the redress of social grievances, illustrated the pages of the New Monthly by some pleasant fictions. Charles Hooton wrote wondrous legends; Thomas Wright, the learned archaeologist, brought stories of antiquarian lore; Dudley Costello interwove with fiction his knowledge of continental life, alternately in serious and sportive moods, the comic adventures of "Mr. Jolly Green" furnishing an almost inexhaustible theme for fun and satire; and Angus B. Reach and Edward Kenealy sent papers of remarkable interest.
In this year Mr. Francis Ainsworth, the Oriental traveller, began to write for the Magazine, and from that time to this he has been a regular contributor to its pages. More lately, the post of Assistant-Editor has devolved upon him.
In 1846, Mr. Serjeant Talfourd reappeared after an absence of many years, and Mrs. Butler (Fanny Kemble), W. H. Maxwell, and Alaric A. Watts were added to the list of contributors. In 1847, G. P. R. James, the prolific novelist, threw off one of the most spirited of his later works; Miss Lynn, author of "Azeth," narrated the mysteries of the old worship of Egypt; Mariotti familiarised the readers of the New Monthly with the least known customs of his native Italy; John Oxenford began to unfold the legendary and dramatic lore of Germany and Spain; the lamented Eliot Warburton wrote a pleasant sketch; Thomas Roscoe contributed many papers of diversified interest; Charles Hervey delighted all with the charming sketches of Parisian dramatic society which he embodied in "The Habitué's Note-Book;" J. E. Carpenter poured forth his plaintive, pleasing lays; and W. H. G. Kingston, in his nautical tales, showed that he had not tempted the wave in vain. The contents of the New Monthly were diversified in 1848 by the fictions of Charles Rowcroft, the reminiscences of Cyrus Redding, the half-military, half-sporting adventures of Colonel Napier, the tales of travel of the Hon. C. S. Savile, and the tender poetry of Mrs. Acton Tindal. The following year introduced the much-renowned "Soapey Sponge," whose "Sporting Tour" was eagerly read from one end of England to the other, a truer picture of the ludicrous shifts of certain quasi-sportsmen and inefficient masters of hounds having never before been given to the public. Other authors, prominent amongst whom was Nicholas Michell, made the serial articles of this and the next year an increased source of gratification to the Editor at having enlisted their services.
Two writers, who have for the last three years enriched the pages of the New Monthly by their labours, appeared for the first time as con
