Life and Times of "The Druid"; (Henry Hall Dixon). (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1895. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... 133 CHAPTER VI. THE DONCASTER GAZETTE." H E only four newspapers to which "The Druid" was a regular paid contributor, and on the staff of which he held a permanent position, were the Doncaster Gazette, Bell's Life in London, the Mark Lane Express, and the Sporting Life. That he sent voluntary contributions, for which, in most cases, no payment was asked, to other papers and periodicals (and especially to the Carlisle Journal} is well known to his family. He was also a contributor of verses to other journals, of which he specifically names two -- Punch and The Exa7niner--and in addition he wrote irregularly for the Daily News, though he was never on the staff of that journal, the Editor of which, however, held him in much esteem. I can well remember that when "The Druid's " article on the Marquis of Hastings (who died in 1868) appeared in The Daily News, Mr. Labouchere, who was then the proprietor of nearly half that journal, was so much delighted with the prolusion in question that on hearing of its writer's precarious state of health, he urged Mr. (now Sir J. R.) Robinson, the Editor, to spare no effort or expense in order to keep so valuable a contributor alive, if it were possible to do so. Unfortunately, "The Druid" himself was at that time not far from the end of his tether, and, in his own words--applied to the unfortunate but gallant young Marquis of Hastings--" all the wheels were down." I have before me as I write these words almost all the articles written by "The Druid" for the Doncaster Gazette between 1847 and 1850, when he moved from Doncaster to London. After his arrival in the Metropolis he was in the habit of sending a weekly letter to the Doncaster Gazette, which he headed either "Metropolitana," or "The Weekly Compendium." These contributions ...