It is obvious from the Index that this volume contains a most representative survey of its subject, and is probably second-to-none in THE FUN LIBRARY for the high spirits and good humour which it reflects. The collection ranges from the day of Cruikshank onward, and presents many examples of such talented artists of the past as Fred Barnard, Du Maurier, Keene, Leech, Phil May, Doyle, and many others, as well as examples of Mr. Gordon Thomson, the veteran survivor of the merry men who made _Fun_ and _Judy_ serious rivals of _Punch_ fifty years ago.
The sources from which the illustrations have been drawn are much the same as those that have provided the other volumes of THE FUN LIBRARY. In the present volume there is a particularly fine selection from the work of Mr. Haselden, reprinted here by special permission of the editor of _The Daily Mirror_, and it also contains an important series by the late Phil May, reprinted by arrangement with _The Sketch_, while we are indebted to Mr. Gilbert Dalziel for permission to use a considerable number of excellent items from _Fun_ and _Judy_, with which journals he was so long and honourably associated. To Mr. Punch’s collections of the “’sixties” we owe the numerous examples of Leech, Keene and Du Maurier at their best.
In brief, it may be claimed for “Stage, Study and Studio” that the collection is fully up to the high standard we have sought to maintain in all the volumes of THE FUN LIBRARY.
Rehearsing the “fish” ballet 1 Billy and Bunny 3 Winning the gloves 4 Modern languages taught in one lesson 5 Theatre Royal--Nursery 6 An ex(bus)horse-tive argument 7 A pict-ure 8 A swallow out of season 9 “With a neck like that” 11 Experienced young fellow 12 Two transformation scenes 13 Not the correct way of pudding it 15 Humanizing influence of pantomime 16
Prompt but not prepared 17 A wordless story 18 English as she is spoke 23 Cassius 24 Acting under difficulties 25 Ever-popular criminal on the stage 27 On the stage--and off 28-9 When actors are Members of Parliament 31 When actors become modest 32 “Still running” 33 The part of Hamlet 34 Good and bad business at the theatre 35 “A little padding” 37 The actor’s one topic--himself 39 A side-box talk 40 The bald baron 41-4
