Transcribed by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org
William Mackay on T. W. Robertson’s New Play,
“School.”
This is the story of how William Mackay, then studying for the law, wrote his first published piece, leading to his career in newspapers. The letters that occasioned the piece and a criticism of Mr. Robertson’s play are given first for context, followed by Mackay’s account and then his first published piece.—DP.
The Times, 20 January 1869
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
Sir,—It may be of some interest to you or your readers to learn that the comedy School now performed at the Prince of Wales’s Theatre is a play which was performed with great success at the principal theatres in Germany last year, and that Mr. Robertson has only the merit of translation. I myself have seen it acted in Hamburg and Cologne. I do not think Mr. Robertson will deny this fact.
I enclose my card, and beg to subscribe myself
VERITAS.
Jan. 18.
*** Why does not “Veritas” give the name of the German play?