p. iiiADVERTISEMENT TO THE TWENTY-SECOND EDITION.

p. iiiADVERTISEMENT
TO
THE TWENTY-SECOND EDITION.

James Smith and Horace Smith, authors of the Rejected Addresses; or, The New Theatrum Poetarum, were the sons of Robert Smith, solicitor to the Board of Ordnance.  James was born at No. 36, Basinghall Street, London, on the 10th of February, 1775; and Horace in the same house on the 31st of December, 1779.

James was educated under the Rev. Mr. Burford at Chigwell in Essex; articled to his father on leaving school, subsequently taken into partnership with him, and eventually succeeded to his father’s business, as well as his appointment of solicitor to the Ordnance.  Horace received the same education as his brother, became a member of the Stock Exchange in London, acquired a fortune, and retired with his wife and family to Brighton.  James, who lived and died single, was the author of several small copies of verses, since collected by his brother; and Horace was the author of “Brambletye House,” a novel in three volumes, well received at the time of its publication.

The work by which the brothers are best known, and by which they will long continue to be remembered, is the Rejected Addresses.  This delightful volume—one of the luckiest hits in literature—appeared on the re-opening of Drury Lane Theatre, in October, 1812; the idea, as Horace relates, having been casualty started by the late Mr. Ward, secretary to the theatre, exactly six weeks before the night when the opening Address was to be spoken.  The hint thus p. ivthrown out was eagerly adopted.  The brothers arranged what authors they should respectively imitate; and James executed his portion in London, and Horace the remainder at Cheltenham.  James supplied the imitations of Wordsworth, Southey, Coleridge, Crabbe, and Cobbett, and Nos. 14, 16, 18, 19, and 20.  The Byron was a joint effusion—James contributing the first stanza, and Horace the remainder.  The Fitzgerald, the Sir Walter Scott, &c., were by Horace.  The corrections which each supplied to the compositions of the other seldom exceeded verbal alterations or the addition of a few lines.

The copyright, which had been originally offered to Mr. Murray for 20l., and refused without even looking at the MS., [0a] was purchased by that gentleman in 1819, after the book had run through sixteen editions, for 131l.

James Smith died at his house, No. 27, Craven Street, Strand, on the 24th December, 1839, in the 65th year of his age; and was buried in the vaults of the church of St. Martin’s in the Fields.  Horace died at Tunbridge Wells, on the 12th of July, 1849, in the 70th year of his age, and was buried in the churchyard of Trinity Church, Tunbridge Wells.

P. C.