References
“The New Comic Annual. London, 1831. Hurst Chance & Co.
We should rejoice if we had no worse to say of the New Comic — but, as in truth, we are not lawyers, we find ourselves in a very delicate position between truth and the law of libel. Not long since we read an announcement at one of the minors, that Mr. and Miss Kemble were engaged for a few nights, to play Romeo and Juliet, and we have no doubt it was true — true to the letter — but it seemed to us false in spirit and intention, and put forward specially to deceive. Silly people might have called this a fraud, but we know there are fine and delicate distinctions both in language and morals; and by some philologists or philosophers it might be called honest. We therefore offered no opinion, and shall not on the present occasion, but state a few facts, and leave the reader to his own choice of words to characterize the proceeding. It is known at least to some ten thousand purchasers of the ‘Comic Annual’ for 1830, that it was wholly written, and the designs were wholly sketched by Mr. Hood; it is known, indded, to every one that has ever opened the volume, for there is no other man could have produced any work at all resembling it — this work was published by Hurst & Chance. Now, Hurst & Chance are said to be highly respectable book-sellers, and therefore we only regret they are not a little more particular in the wording of their advertisements, for certainly the following, which has gone its round of the papers, might have deceived some innocent people into a purchase: —
THE NEW COMIC ANNUAL.
Published by Hurst, Chance & Co., of whom may be had Hood’s ‘Whims and Oddities,’ 2nd edit.
Innocent people might have supposed that this volume was called the New Comic Annual, to distinguish it from the ‘Comic Annual’ of last year; and, from the juxtaposition of ‘Comic Annual’ and Hood’s ‘Whims and Oddities,’ both published by Hurst & Chance, might suppose that it was ‘Hood’s Comic Annual.’ No such thing. Mr. Hood, early in the year, had, we believe, some little difference with Messrs. Hurst & Chance, and determined that his next volume should come out under the nursing care of Mr. Tilt, of Fleet Street. This advertisement, and names, and juxtaposition, are all mere accidents — curious coincidences; but so it is; and, under circumstances, we decline opening the volume, lest we should be laughed at after all, for going to see Mr. and Mrs. Kemble in Romeo and Juliet at one of the Minors.”
– The Athenaeum, Volume 3, Issues 115 – 165, 1830
