remember the pain I felt when I had to expend five shillings in the purchase of my own birch. I wish I had kept that birch—it would have been an excellent reminder. I lived in the Rev. Gifford Cooksley's house. He was a very funny fellow. He was wonderfully kind-hearted—so kind-hearted, indeed, that if he had a fellow birched he would not see him for a couple of days afterwards. Cooksley was very fond of theatricals. He often took a party of us—some seven or eight—to the old Windsor theatre. He paid all expenses—seats in the dress circle, and a supper afterwards. After the performance we would go on the stage and chat with the actors. If there were any children playing he always had sixpence for them. Well, I wrote a play called 'Guy Fawkes Day,' and it was produced in Gifford Cooksley's own room. This same piece was also played for one night only at the Worthing Theatre soon afterwards. The manager was to have a benefit, and he called on a relative of mine asking for his patronage. The condition of granting it was that 'Guy Fawkes Day' should be produced. It was.
"I went to Trinity College, Cambridge, when I was 17, and remained there until 20, when I took my B.A. degree."
Mr. Burnand as "Rumtifoozle."
I shall probably be correct in saying that though studies were not forgotten acting was ever remembered. It was there that he started the famous Amateur Dramatic Company, of which he is still a member, and only recently the Honourable James Lowther set a movement on foot for the painting of the founder's portrait, a commission having been given to Mr. C. M. Newton, the artist. At Cambridge Mr. Burnand wrote some of the brightest and merriest farces ever conceived. They had the true ring of humour about them. He hands me a little volume. It contains some of the many pieces he wrote whilst at Cambridge. "Villikins and his Dinah " was the first, in which the author played Gruffin; another was "In for a Holyday," in which Mr. Burnand played Mr. Gustavus Popple, a young gentleman retained between ten and three by Government; "Romance under Difficulties," in which the author appeared as Timothy Diggles; and "Alonzo the Brave, or Faust and the Fayre Imogene," in which Mr. Burnand acted a prominent part. Through this little volume are scattered criticisms in ink and pencil. Here are some suggestive remarks made on the fly-leaf respecting "St. George and the Dragon! An historical-comical-but-still-slightly-mythical burlesque":
"Wednesday the 20th February, 1855."
"First night of the burlesque. Alf Thompson obliged to throw up the King on account of being ordered off instanter to the Crimea on the 19th. (3 p.m.) Thornhill took the part. The first act, with the exception of St. George's speech, song—Tuftee's song—and the last chorus, hung fire; Kelly utterly forgetting his part, and the prompter being among the chorus he (Kelly) was a 'gone coon.' Act II. Zara took, but the duets between Zara and Dragon went flatly. 'Oh diddle do' encored dubiously. The Bones dance encored dubiously. Fanny Frail, great success. Scene 2nd, very fair. 'Cheap Chesterfield.' Scene 1st, Act III. poor, and Mr. F. C. Burnand slightly forgot his tag which—." It is chronicled that the second night of burlesque was better. "Mr. Kelly got on very well, and having discovered the jokes in
