W. S. Gilbert, like many of his fellow workers on the staff of Fun, began life in the Civil Service, he having been for a short time in the Education Office; but the "diurnal drudgery" was not congenial. His impetuous temperament would not brook direction or control, as his most intimate friends were not slow to discover. Immediately on his fairly breaking away from the "ten to four slavery," the first thing he did was to buy a quire or more of foolscap paper, a bundle of quill pens, and a few pieces of boxwood. Thus armed, he commenced to fire away with pen and pencil, for at that time Gilbert contemplated turning his attention to art. His connection with Fun began in his early days, when he sent some of his "topsy-turvy" things to Mr. Maclean, the first proprietor, who, detecting the unquestionable merit, insisted upon their being accepted and published.
Clement Scott, another early and very valued writer on Fun, in a short sketch of his own career, referring to Gilbert, says:
"He was courteously, as a contributor, invited to the weekly Fun dinners, and I fear from what I have heard, that at the outset the young writer was not very courteously treated by some of those who afterwards recognised his great talent to the utmost, and became his warmest friends and companions. Frank Burnand, owing to his novel, 'Mokeanna,' was promoted to Punch; Tom Robertson, the dramatist, whom I met at the club on the Fun meetings every week of my life for half a dozen years; Arthur Sketchley, with his 'Mrs. Brown'; and for verse writers, the delightful Henry S. Leigh, Saville Clarke, and your humble servant, who has been writing bad verses for over thirty-five years."
So long as Hood lived, George Augustus Sala was a constant contributor, as were Edmund Yates and Arthur Sketchley; the latter gentleman's "Mrs. Brown at the Play," as well as a long series of "Mrs. Brown" papers, chiefly comments on the current events of the day, were all published in Fun, and had immense popularity.
Chelsea Hospitality, under a Cloud. By E. G. Dalziel. From Fun.
Pensioner (to Workman).—"Got e'er a bit o' baccy about ye?"
Workman.—"No, mate!—just smoking the last bit!"
Pensioner.—"Come off that there grass—directly!"