In 1825 the town was being amused by Liston, as ‘Paul Pry,’ then a recent creation of the stage. On November 8 in that year Bell’s Life published a woodcut representing the comedian in that character, which I have copied as an early example of the illustrations of the great sporting journal.

LISTON AS PAUL PRY. FROM ‘BELL’S LIFE,’ 1825.

In 1827 Bell’s Life commenced a series of caricature sketches by Cruikshank, Seymour, and Kenny Meadows, entitled a ‘Gallery of Comicalities.’ This continued at intervals, along with other sketches entitled ‘Phizogs of the Tradesmen of London’ (half-lengths of Butchers, Cobblers, &c., commencing in 1832); ‘Kitchen Stuff, or Cads of the Aristocracy’ (heads of gentlemen’s servants); ‘Portraits down the Road’ (heads of characters seen on a stage-coach journey, such as the Landlady, the Commercial Traveller, the Chambermaid, &c.); ‘The Sporting Album’ (sketches from life, commencing 1834). These caricature subjects were continued to the end of the year 1840. The greater number are much too coarse, cynical, and vulgar for the taste of the present day. Sometimes a series of sketches extended through several consecutive weeks, such as ‘The Pugilist’s Progress’ and ‘The Drunkard’s Progress,’ both by Seymour. ‘The Drunkard’s Progress,’ which appeared in 1829, consisted of twelve scenes, and embodied the same idea that was many years afterwards more fully developed by George Cruikshank in his series of large plates entitled ‘The Bottle.’ Now and then appeared a sporting subject by Harvey, such as Coursing, Hunting, Bull-Baiting, &c. In the number for February 8, 1829, appeared a curious woodcut representing a view in the Isle of Anglesea, which was said to have excited the attention and surprise of passing travellers from its presenting an excellent profile of the Marquis of Anglesea, who was then very popular. In 1831 portraits of Young Dutch Sam and Ned Neal, the famous pugilists, were published; and in 1838 the initials of John Leech began to appear to some of the cuts. Portraits of prize-fighters, race-horses, representations of racing-cups, &c., were given at intervals until 1851, when the last illustration, a monument to Tom Cribb, appeared.

THE MAN WOT LOST THE FIGHT.THE MAN WOT WON THE FIGHT.
FROM ‘BELL’S LIFE,’ 1831.

As further examples of the illustrations in Bell’s Life, I copy two, which were published in 1831.

About 1825 there was another sporting paper in existence, conducted by the celebrated author of ‘Tom and Jerry.’ It was called Pierce Egan’s Life in London, and, like Bell’s Life, had its sporting and other columns decorated with little woodcut headings, and sometimes published an engraving of a racing-cup.

At the beginning of 1827 the Observer resumed its illustrations of news, and on the death of the Duke of York published a long memoir of his Royal Highness, accompanied by an equestrian portrait of the Duke, ‘taken during his last visit to Newmarket.’ In the number for January 21 are engravings of the remains of his Royal Highness lying in state in St. James’s Palace, and a view of the interior of the Royal Mausoleum at Windsor. The above were engraved by Slader, and were published simultaneously in the Englishman and Bell’s Life.

The number published on Aug. 13, 1827, contains a large portrait of Mr. Canning, then just deceased. This portrait has the names of Jackson and Smith attached to it as the engravers. In the number for Sept. 30 there is a ‘correct view of the Suspension Bridge, Hammersmith, to be opened to the public on Saturday, Oct. 6, 1827.’ This is engraved by Slader, and appears also in Bell’s Life the same week. The following week the Observer published a large plan showing the alterations proposed in St. James’s Park in connexion with the building of Buckingham Palace; and on Nov. 18 appeared a plan of the port of Navarino, accompanying an account of the naval battle at that place. In December was published a view of ‘Mr. Gurney’s new Steam-Carriage, as it appeared in the Regent’s Park on Thursday, Dec. 6, 1827,’ and later in the same month a representation of Mr. D. Gordon’s new steam-coach. Both these engravings are curious and interesting, as showing the attempts that were made fifty years ago to apply steam to the propulsion of carriages on common roads.

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF YORK, TAKEN DURING HIS LAST VISIT TO NEWMARKET. FROM THE ‘OBSERVER,’ JAN. 8, 1827.

Mr. Gurney was a medical man, but gave up his practice and devoted himself to scientific studies, and particularly to the construction of locomotive engines for turnpike travelling. He had seen Trevithick’s engine, and when a youth had frequently met Trevithick himself. He had thus become imbued with a conviction of the practicability of making a steam-carriage that would travel on common roads. Other inventors succeeded in doing the same thing, but Mr. Gurney attained the greatest amount of success. With his steam-carriage he made a journey from London to Bath on July 28, 1829, performing the return journey at fourteen miles an hour, or the eighty-four miles in nine hours and twenty minutes, stoppages for fuel and water included. In 1831 he established a regular steam conveyance between Gloucester and Cheltenham, a distance of about nine miles. The steam-carriages commenced plying on Feb. 21, 1831, and continued running four times a-day for four months, with tolerable regularity and without accident. The project, however, received such determined opposition from coach proprietors and turnpike trusts that it was abandoned. The tolls exacted were so heavy that at one gate they amounted to eight guineas. Mr. Gurney is said to have expended 36,000l. on his enterprise, but without any permanent beneficial result. His inventive genius, however, contributed to develope the high speed of the locomotive and the subsequent success of railways. He died Feb. 28, 1875, aged eighty-two years.