II. In which Miss SHARP AND Miss SedlEY PREPARE TO OPEN THE CAMPAIGN, 5 III. REBECCA IS IN PRESENCE OF THE ENEMY, VII. CRAWLEY OF QUEEN'S CRAWLEY, VIII. PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL, X. Miss SHARP BEGINS TO MAKE FRIENDS, XII. QUITE A SENTIMENTAL CHAPTER, XIII. SENTIMENTAL AND OTHERWISE, XV. In which REBECCA'S HUSBAND APPEARS FOR A Short Time, XVI, THE LETTER ON THE PINCUSHION, XVII. How CAPTAIN DOBBIN BOUGHT A PIANO, XVIII. Who PLAYED ON THE Piano CAPTAIN DOBBIN BOUGHT, XX. In which CAPTAIN DOBBIN ACTS AS THE MESSENGER OF HYMEN, XXI. A QUARREL ABOUT AN Heiress, XXII. A MARRIAGE AND PART OF A HONEYMOON, XXIII. CAPTAIN DOBBIN PROCEEDS ON HIS CANVASS, XXIV. IN WHICH MR. OSBORNE TAKES DOWN THE FAMILY Bible, XXV. IN WHICH ALL THE PRINCIPAL PERSONAGES THINK FIT TO LEAVE BRIGHTON, 129 XXVI. BETWEEN LONDON AND CHATHAM, XXVII. IN WHICH AMELIA JOINS HER REGIMENT, XXVIII. IN WHICH AMELIA INVADES THE Low COUNTRIES, XXX. “THE GIRL I LEFT BEHIND ME,” XXXI. IN WHICH Jos SEDLEY TAKES CARE OF His Sister, XXXII. IN WHICH Jos Takes Flight, AND THE WAR IS BROUGHT TO A Close, 171 CHAPTER PAGE XXXIII. IN Which Miss CRAWLEY's RelatiONS ARE VERY ANXIOUS ABOUT HER, 180 XXXIV. JAMES CRAWLEY's PIPE IS PUT Out, XXXVI. How To Live WELL ON NOTHING A-YEAR, XXXVII. THE SUBJECT CONTINUED, . XXXVIII. A FAMILY IN A VERY SMALL WAY, XL. In which BECKY IS RECOGNIZED BY THE FAMILY, XLI. IN WHICH BECKY REVISITS THE HALLS OF HER ANCESTORS, XLII. Which TREATS OF THE OSBORNE FAMILY, XLIII. IN WHICH THE READER HAS TO DOUBLE THE CAPE, XLIV. A ROUNDABOUT CHAPTER BETWEEN LONDON AND HAMPSHIRE, XLV. BETWEEN HAMPSHIRE AND LONDON, XLVIII. IN WHICH THE READER IS INTRODUCED TO THE VERY BEST OF COMPANY, 265 XLIX. IN WHICH WE ENJOY THREE COURSES AND A DESSERT, L. CONTAINS A VULGAR INCIDENT, LI. IN WHICH A CHARADE IS ACTED WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT PUZZLE THE READER, 2So LII. In which Lord STEYNE SHOWS HIMSELF IN A MOST AMIABLE Light, 290 LIII. A RESCUE AND A CATASTROPHE, LV. IN WHICH THE SAME SUBJECT IS PURSUED, LVI. GEORGY IS MADE A GENTLEMAN, LX. RETURNS TO THE GENTEEL WORLD, LXI. IN WHICH Two LiGHTS ARE PUT OUT, LXIII. IN WHICH WE MEET AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE, BEFORE THE CURTAIN. As the manager of the performance sits before the curtain on the boards, and looks into the Fair, a feel. ing of profound melancholy comes over him in his survey of the bustling place. There is a great quantity of eating and drinking, making love and jilting, laughing and the contrary, smoking, cheating, fighting, dancing and fiddling : there are bullies pushing about, bucks ogling the women, knaves picking pockets, policemen on the look-out, quacks (other quacks, plague take them !) bawling in front of their booths, and yokels looking up at the tinselled dancers and poor old rouged tumblers, while the light-fingered folk are operating upon their pockets behind. Yes, this is VANITY FAIR; not a moral place ceriainly ; nor a merry one, though very noisy. Look at the faces of the actors and buffoons when they come off from their business ; and Tom Fool washing the paint off his cheeks before he sits down to dinner with his wife and the little Jack Puddings behind the canvas. The curtain will be up presently, and he will be turning over head and heels, and crying, “How are you?" A man with a reflective turn of mind, walking through an exhibition of this sort, will not be oppressed, I take it, by his own or other people's hilarity. An episode of humor or kindness touches and amuses him here and there ; a pretty child looking at a gingerbread stall ; a pretty girl blushing while her lover talks to her and chooses her fairing ; poor Tom Fool, yonder behind the wagon, mumbling his bone with the honest family which lives by his tumbling ; but the general impression is one more melancholy than mirthful. When you come home you sit down, in a sober, contemplative, not uncharitable frame of mind, and apply yourself to your books or your business. I have no other moral than this to tag to the present story of “Vanity Fair.” Some people consider Fairs immoral altogether, and eschew such, with their servants and families : very likely they are right. But persons who think otherwise, and are of a lazy, or a benevolent, or a sarcastic mood, may perhaps like to step in for half an hour, and look at the performances. There are scenes of all sorts ; some dreadful combats, some grand and lofty horseriding, some scenes of high life, and some of very middling indeed ; some love-making for the sentimental, and some light comic business ; the whole accompanied by appropriate scenery and brilliantly illuminated with the author's own candles. What more has the manager of the performance to say ?–To acknowledge the kindness with which it has been received in all the principal towns of England through which the show has passed, and where it has been most favorably noticed by the respected conductors of the public Press, and by the nobility and gentry. He is proud to think that his puppets have given satisfaction to the very best company in this empire. The famous little Becky Puppet has been pronounced to be uncommonly flexible in the joints, and lively on the wire : the Amelia Doll, though it has had a smaller circle of admirers, has yet been carved and dressed with the greatest care by the artist : the Dobbin Figure, though apparently clumsy, yet dances in a very amusing and natural manner : the Little Boys' Dance has been liked by some ; and please to remark the richly dressed figure of the wicked nobleman, on which no expense has been spared, and which Old Nick will fetch away at the end of this singular performance. And with this, and a profound bow to his patrons, the manager retires, and the curtain rises LONDON, June 28, 1848. |
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