DIARY OF A JOKE-HUNTER. 303 



explained- my wishes, and told him the nature of my plot, he fur- 

 nished me with true Italian names for each of my characters. I be- 

 lieve there are seven of them and ha ! ha ! I believe I gave him 

 but sixpence for the lot." " Ha ! ha ! ha !" " Wasn't it a good idea, 

 eh ?" " Ha ! ha ! what a splendid hoax ! How truly Neapolitan ! 

 It smacks of maccaroni ! and then the reviewers Ha ! ha ! ha !" 

 " Sir Mr. I beg pardon, but of course I expect an explanation." 

 " Oh ! you shall have it. My dear young friend allow me to condole 

 with you a chivalric romance, an affecting love-story too ! Oh ! if 

 ever you can lay hands on that clever young rogue, smash his images, 

 for he has ruined you. All your names are filthy compounds, totally 

 unfit to be uttered : the title of your hero, which you have also made 

 that of your book, however disgusting in itself, becomes prodigiously 

 ludicrous from its application. No man ever published such a satire 

 on his own work as you have on the first leaf of yours. Listen : it 

 translates allow me to mention it in your ear it translates into 



." " Heavens ! you don't say so ! Why what a diabolical 



hoax !" " Isn't it ? What will you do ?" fi Expatriate myself of 

 course for ever ! The villain has disappeared, but I'll hunt him 

 through the world." 



Mem. With great difficulty obtained a copy of the book : found 

 the imputed hoax a true bill. Feel tempted to give the title; but 

 really, on consideration, must refrain. Capital ! though low ; a re- 

 gular Lazzaroni joke. For the satisfaction of the curious, I may as 

 well state that the poem has a place in the trade lists for 1826, and 

 that its title commences with a P. It may, I am told, still be had.* 



7th. Having yesterday dined demurely at chambers on nothing 

 but a grilled fowl and preserved apricot tart, I rose this morning, 

 much heavier and more clear-headed. Answered several old cases ; 

 and settled exceptions in the Exchequer. Got over to the Surrey 

 Zoological Gardens. Found H. there, sketching geese. Told me 

 he had been in Ireland since I last saw him : inquired if he had im- 

 ported any good bulls. Discovered that he had to a small extent ; 

 and with a view to get one of them by the horns, related M's anec- 

 dote of the bookbinder's porter. The bait took ; for it lugged out 

 this from " memory's stream :" Luke M'Geoghan being at confession, 

 owned, among other things, that he had stolen a pig from Tim 

 Carrol. The priest told him he must make restitution. Luke 

 couldn't : how could he, when he'd eaten it long ago ? Then he 

 must give Tim one of his own. No : Luke didn't like that it 

 wouldn't satisfy his conscience it wouldn't be the downright iden- 

 tical pig he stole. Well, the priest said, if he wouldn't, he'd rue it ; for 

 that the corpus delictum, Tim's pig, would be brought forward against 

 him at his final reckoning. {{ You don't mane that, father?" In- 

 deed but the father did. " And maybe, Tim himself will be there 

 too." Most certainly. " Och then, why bother about the thrifle 

 this side the grave ? If Tim's there, and the pig's there, sure I can 

 make restitution to him then, you know." 



8th. Rose this morning nearly eight stone, and without a head- 

 ache. Four instructions for drafts came in : executed two, and 



It is dedicated to Thomas Fowell Buxton, Esq. M. P. 



