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OLLA PODRIDA

BY

CAPTAIN MARRYAT

[Illustration]

LONDON
J. M. DENT AND CO.
BOSTON: LITTLE, BROWN AND CO.
MDCCCXCVI




Contents


THE MONK OF SEVILLE                           1
        _Metropolitan Magazine_, 1833.

THE GIPSY                                    85
        _Metropolitan Magazine_, 1834.

ILL-WILL                                    159
        _New Monthly Magazine_, 1837.

HOW TO WRITE A FASHIONABLE NOVEL            179
        _Metropolitan Magazine_, 1833.

HOW TO WRITE A BOOK OF TRAVELS              200
        _Metropolitan Magazine_ 1833, 1834.

HOW TO WRITE A ROMANCE                      214
        _Metropolitan Magazine_, 1835.

S.W. AND BY W. 3/4 W.                       225

THE SKY-BLUE DOMINO                         243
        _New Monthly Magazine_, 1837.

MODERN TOWN HOUSES                          260
        _New Monthly Magazine_, 1837.

THE WAY TO BE HAPPY                         275

THE LEGEND OF THE BELL ROCK                 282

MOONSHINE                                   293

THE FAIRY'S WAND                            313
        _New Monthly Magazine_, 1840.

A RENCONTRE                                 328




Prefatory Note


This edition of _Olla Podrida_ does not include the "Diary on the
Continent" which appeared first in the _Metropolitan Magazine_ 1835-1836
as "The Diary of a _Blase_" continued in the _New Monthly Magazine_
1837, 1838, as "Confessions and opinions of Ralph the Restless." Marryat
himself described the "Diary" as "very good magazine stuff," and it has
no fitting place in an edition of his novels, from which the "Diary in
America" is also excluded.

The space thus created is occupied by "The Gipsy," "The Fairy's Wand,"
and "A Rencontre," which I have ventured to print here in spite the
author's protest,[A] that the original edition of _Olla Podrida_
contained all the miscellaneous matter contributed by him to periodicals
that he wished to acknowledge as his writing. The statement may be
regarded as a challenge to his editors to produce something worthy; and
I certainly consider that the "Gipsy" is superior to some of his
fragments, and may be paired, as a comedy, with "The Monk of Seville,"
as a tragedy.

  [Footnote A: Preface to first edition of O.P. printed below.]

But I have not attempted any systematic search for scraps. "The Fairy's
Wand" was published in the same year as, and probably later than, _Olla
Podrida_ itself, and need not therefore be "considered as disavowed and
rejected" by him. "A Rencontre" was always reprinted and acknowledged by
its author, being, for no ostensible reason, bound up with _Joseph
Rushbrook, or The Poacher_, 1841.

This seems the most appropriate occasion to supplement, and--in some
measure--to correct, the list of novels contributed to periodicals by
Marryat, which I compiled from statements in _The Life and Letters_ by
Florence Marryat (also tabulated in Mr David Hannay's "Life"), and
printed on p. xix. of the General Introduction to this edition.


     TO THE METROPOLITAN MAGAZINE.

     (Edited by Marryat, 1832-1835.)

     _The Pacha of Many Tales_, May 1831--February 1833; and May
     1834--May 1835.

     _Peter Simple_, June 1832--September 1833. The novel is not
     completed in the Magazine, but closes with an announcement
     of the three volume edition.

     _Jacob Faithful_, September 1833--September 1834.

     _Japhet in Search of a Father_, September 1834--January
     1836.

     _Snarleyyow_, January 1836--January 1837.

     _Midshipman Easy._ One specimen chapter only. August 1835.


     TO THE NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE.

     _The Privateersman_,