The Works of Max Beerbohm
A Bibliography by John Lane
Preface
After some considerable experience in the field of bibliography I cannot plead as palliation for any imperfections that may be discovered in this, that it is the work of a ’prentice hand. Difficult as I found my self-imposed task in the case of the Meredith and Hardy bibliographies, here my labour has been still more herculean.
It is impossible for one to compile a bibliography of a great man’s works without making it in some sense a biography—and indeed, in the minds of not a few people, I have found a delusion that the one is identical with the other.
Mr. Beerbohm, as will be seen from the page headed “Personalia,” was born in London, August 24, 1872. In searching the files of the Times I naturally looked for other remarkable occurrences on that date. There was only one worth recording. On the day upon which Mr. Beerbohm was born, there appeared, in the first column of the Times, this announcement:
“On [Wednesday], the 21st August, at Brighton, the wife of V. P. Beardsley, Esq., of a son.”
That the same week should have seen the advent in this world of two such notable reformers as Aubrey Beardsley and Max Beerbohm is a coincidence to which no antiquary has previously drawn attention. Is it possible to overestimate the influence of these two men in the art and literature of the century?
Like two other great essayists, Addison and Steele, Mr. Beerbohm was educated at Charterhouse, and, like the latter, at Merton College, Oxford. At Charterhouse he is still remembered for his Latin verses, and for the superb gallery of portraits of the masters that he completed during his five years’ sojourn there. There are still extant a few copies of his satire, in Latin elegiacs, called Beccerius, privately printed at the suggestion of Mr. A. H. Tod, his form-master. The writer has said “Let it lie,” however, and in such a matter the author’s wish should surely be regarded. I have myself been unable to obtain a sight of a copy, but a more fortunate friend has furnished me with a careful description of the opusculum, which I print in its place in the bibliography.
He matriculated at Merton in 1890, and immediately applied himself to the task he had set before him, namely, a gallery of portraits of the Dons.
I am aware that he contributed to The Clown and other undergraduate journals: also that he was a member of the Myrmidons’ Club. It was during his residence at Oxford that his famous treatise on Cosmetics appeared in the pages of an important London Quarterly, sets of which are still occasionally to be found in booksellers’ catalogues at a high price, though the American millionaire collector has made it one of the rarest of finds. These were the days of his youth, the golden age of “decadence.” For is not decadence merely a fin de siècle literary term synonymous with the “sowing his wild oats” of our grandfathers? a phrase still surviving in agricultural districts, according to Mr. Andrew Lang, Mr. Edward Clodd, and other Folk-Lorists.
Mr. Beerbohm, of course, was not the only writer of his period who appeared as the champion of artifice. A contemporary, one Richard Le Gallienne, an eminent Pose Fancier, has committed himself somewhere to the statement that “The bravest men that ever trod this planet have worn corsets.”
But what is so far away as yesteryear? In 1894, Mr. Beerbohm, in virtue of his “Defence of Cosmetics,” was but a pamphleteer. In 1895 he was the famous historian, for in that year appeared the two earliest of his profound historical studies, The History of the Year 1880, and his work on King George the Fourth. During the growth of these masterpieces, his was a familiar figure in the British Museum and the Record Office, and tradition asserts that the enlargement of the latter building, which took place some time shortly afterwards, was mainly owing to his exertions.
Attended by his half-brother, Mr. Tree, Mrs. Tree and a numerous theatrical suite, he sailed on the 16th of January 1895, for America, with a view, it is said, to establishing a monarchy in that land. Mr. Beerbohm does not appear to have succeeded in this project, though he was interviewed in many of the newspapers of the States. He returned, re infecta, to the land of his birth, three months later.
After that he devoted himself to the completion of his lifework, here set forth.
The materials for this collection were drawn, with the courteous acquiescence of various publishers, from The Pageant, The Savoy, The Chap Book, and The Yellow Book. Internal evidence shows that Mr. Beerbohm took fragments of his writings from Vanity (of New York) and The Unicorn, that he might inlay them in the First Essay, of whose scheme they are really a part. The Third Essay he rewrote. The rest he carefully revised, and to some he gave new names.
Although it was my privilege on one occasion to meet Mr. Beerbohm—at five-o’clock tea—when advancing years, powerless to rob him of one shade of his wonderful urbanity, had nevertheless imprinted evidence of their flight in the pathetic stoop, and the low melancholy voice of one who, though resigned, yet yearns for the happier past, I feel that too precise a description of his personal appearance would savour of impertinence. The curious, on this point, I must refer to Mr. Sickert’s and Mr. Rothenstein’s portraits, which I hear that Mr. Lionel Cust is desirous of acquiring for the National Portrait Gallery.
It is needless to say that this bibliography has been a labour of love, and that any further information readers may care to send me will be gladly incorporated in future editions.
I must here express my indebtedness to Dr. Garnett, C.B., Mr. Bernard Quaritch, Mr. Clement K. Shorter, Mr. L. F. Austin, Mr. J. M. Bullock, Mr. Lewis Hind, Mr. and Mrs. H. Beerbohm Tree, Mrs. Leverson, and Miss Grace Conover, without whose assistance my work would have been far more arduous.
The Bibliography of the Works of Max Beerbohm
1886
-
A Letter to the Editor. The Carthusian, Dec. 1886, signed Diogenes.
A bitter cry of complaint against the dullness of the school paper. [Not reprinted]
[1890]
-
Beccerius | a Latin fragment | with explanatory notes by M. B.
About twelve couplets printed on rough yellow paper, pp. 1 to 4, cr. 8vo, notes in double columns at foot of page.
No publisher’s or printer’s name. [N.D.]
1894
-
A Defence of Cosmetics. The Yellow Book, Vol. I, April 1894, pp. 65–82.
Reprinted in “The Works” under the title of “The Pervasion of Rouge.”
-
Lines suggested by Miss Cissy Loftus. The Sketch, May 9, 1894, p. 71. A Caricature. [Not reprinted]
-
Mr. Phil May and Mr. Aubrey Beardsley. The Pall Mall Budget, June 7, 1894. Two Caricatures. [Not reprinted]
-
Two Eminent Statesmen (the Rt. Hon. A. J. Balfour and the Rt. Hon. Sir Wm. Harcourt). Pall Mall Budget, July 5, 1894. Two Caricatures. [Not reprinted]
-
Two Eminent Actors (Mr. Beerbohm Tree and Mr. Edward Terry). Pall Mall Budget, July 26, 1894. Two Caricatures. [Not reprinted]
-
A Letter to the Editor. The Yellow Book, Vol. II, July 1894, pp. 281–284. [Not reprinted]
-
Personal Remarks: Gus Elen (Caricature). Pick-Me-Up, Sept. 15, 1894. [Not reprinted]
-
Personal Remarks: Oscar Wilde (Caricature). Pick-Me-Up, Sept. 22, 1894. [Not reprinted]
-
Personal Remarks: R. G. Knowles, “There’s a picture for you!” (Caricature). Pick-Me-Up, Sept. 29, 1894. [Not reprinted]
-
M. Henri Rochefort and Mr. Arthur Roberts. Pall Mall Budget, Oct. 4, 1894. Two Caricatures. [Not reprinted]
-
Personal Remarks: Henry Arthur Jones (Caricature). Pick-Me-Up, Oct. 6, 1894. [Not reprinted]
-
Personal Remarks: Harry Furniss (Caricature). Pick-Me-Up, Oct. 13, 1894. [Not reprinted]
-
A Caricature of George the Fourth. The Yellow Book, Vol. III, Oct. 1894. [Not reprinted]
-
A Note on George the Fourth. The Yellow Book, Vol. III, Oct. 1894, pp. 247–269.
Reprinted in “The Works” under the title of “King George the Fourth.”
A parody of this appeared under the title of “A Phalse Note on George the Fourth,” in Punch, October 27, 1894, p. 204.
-
Personal Remarks: Lord Lonsdale (Caricature). Pick-Me-Up, Oct. 20, 1894. [Not reprinted]
-
Personal Remarks: W. S. Gilbert (Caricature). Pick-Me-Up, Oct. 27, 1894. [Not reprinted]
-
Personal Remarks: L. Raven Hill (Caricature). Pick-Me-Up, Nov. 3, 1894. [Not reprinted]
-
Personal Remarks: The Marquis of Queensberry (Caricature). Pick-Me-Up, Nov. 17, 1894. [Not reprinted]
-
Personal Remarks: Ada Reeve (Caricature). Pick-Me-Up, Nov. 24, 1894. [Not reprinted]
-
Personal Remarks: Seymour Hicks (Caricature). Pick-Me-Up, Dec. 1, 1894. [Not reprinted]
-
Personal Remarks: Corney Grain (Caricature). Pick-Me-Up, Dec. 8, 1894. [Not reprinted]
-
Personal Remarks: Lord Randolph Churchill (Caricature). Pick-Me-Up, Dec. 22, 1894. [Not reprinted]
-
Personal Remarks: Dutch Daly (Caricature). Pick-Me-Up, Dec. 29, 1894. [Not reprinted]
1895
-
Character Sketches of “The Chieftain” at the Savoy.
-
Mr. Courtice Pounds.
-
Mr. Scott Fishe.
-
Mr. Walter Passmore.
Pick-Me-Up, Jan. 5, 1895. [Not reprinted]
-
-
Personal Remarks: Henry Irving (Caricature). Pick-Me-Up, Jan. 5, 1895.
-
“1880.” The Yellow Book, Vol. IV, Jan. 1895, pp. 275–283. Reprinted in “The Works.”
A parody of this appeared, under the title of “1894,” by Max Mereboom, in Punch, February 2, 1895, p. 58.
-
Character Sketches of “An Ideal Husband” at the Haymarket.
-
Mr. Bishop.
-
Mr. Charles Hawtrey.
-
Miss Julia Neilson.
Pick-Me-Up, Jan. 19, 1895. [Not reprinted]
-
-
Personal Remarks: Harry Marks (Caricature). Pick-Me-Up, Jan. 19, 1895. [Not reprinted]
-
Personal Remarks: F. C. Burnand (Caricature). Pick-Me-Up, Jan. 26, 1895. [Not reprinted]
-
Dandies and Dandies. Vanity (New York). Feb. 7, 1895.
The above has been reprinted with additions and alterations in “The Works.”
-
Personal Remarks: Arthur Pinero (Caricature). Pick-Me-Up, Feb. 9, 1895. [Not reprinted]
-
Dandies and Dandies. Vanity (New York). Feb. 14, 1895.
-
Dandies and Dandies. Vanity (New York). Feb. 21, 1895.
The above have been reprinted with additions and alterations in “The Works.”
-
Personal Remarks: The Rt. Hon. Sir William Vernon Harcourt (Caricature). Pick-Me-Up, Feb. 23, 1895. [Not reprinted]
-
Dandies and Dandies. Vanity (New York). Feb. 28, 1895.
The above has been reprinted with additions and alterations in “The Works.”
-
Personal Remarks: Earl Spencer (Caricature). Pick-Me-Up, March 9, 1895. [Not reprinted]
-
Personal Remarks: Arthur Balfour (Caricature). Pick-Me-Up, March 16, 1895. [Not reprinted]
-
Personal Remarks: S. B. Bancroft (Caricature). Pick-Me-Up, March 23, 1895. [Not reprinted]
-
Personal Remarks: Paderewski (Caricature). Pick-Me-Up, March 30, 1895. [Not reprinted]
-
Personal Remarks: Colonel North (Caricature). Pick-Me-Up, April 6, 1895. [Not reprinted]
-
Personal Remarks: Alfred de Rothschild. Pick-Me-Up, April 20, 1895. [Not reprinted]
-
Merton. (The Warden of Merton.) The Octopus, May 25, 1895. A Caricature. [Not reprinted]
-
Seen on the Towpath. The Octopus, May 29, 1895. A Caricature. [Not reprinted]
-
An Evening of Peculiar Delirium. The Sketch, July 24, 1895. [Not reprinted]
-
Notes in Foppery. The Unicorn, Sept. 18, 1895.
-
Notes in Foppery. The Unicorn, Sept. 25, 1895.
The above have been reprinted with additions and alterations in “The Works,” under the title of “Dandies and Dandies.”
-
Press Notices on “Punch and Judy,” selected by Max Beerbohm. The Sketch, Oct. 16, 1895 (p. 644). [Not reprinted]
-
Be it Cosiness. The Pageant, Christmas, 1895, pp. 230–235.
Reprinted in “The Works” under the title of “Diminuendo.”
A parody of this appeared, under the title of “Be it Cosiness,” by Max Mereboom, in Punch, Dec. 21, 1895, p. 297.
1896
-
A Caricature of Mr. Beerbohm Tree, a wood engraving after the drawing by Max Beerbohm. The Savoy, No. 1, Jan. 1896, p. 125. [Not reprinted]
-
A Good Prince. The Savoy, No. 1, Jan. 1896, pp. 45–7. [Reprinted in “The Works”]
-
De Natura Barbatulorum. The Chap-Book, Feb. 15, 1896, pp. 305–312.
The above has been reprinted with additions and alterations in “The Works,” under the title of “Dandies and Dandies.”
-
Poor Romeo! The Yellow Book, Vol. IX, April ’96, pp. 169–181. [Reprinted in “The Works”]
-
A Caricature of Aubrey Beardsley. A wood engraving after the drawing by Max Beerbohm. The Savoy, No. 2, April 1896, p. 161.
Personalia
-
On the 24th instant, at 57 Palace Gardens Terrace, Kensington, the wife of J. E. Beerbohm, Esq., of a son. The Times, Aug. 26, 1872.
-
A few words with Mr. Max Beerbohm. (An interview by Ada Leverson.) The Sketch, Jan. 2, 1895, p. 439.
-
Max Beerbohm: an interview by Isabel Brooke Alder. Woman, April 29, 1896, pp. 8 & 9.
-
On Mr. Beerbohm leaving Oxford in July 1895, he took up his residence at 19 Hyde Park Place, formerly the residence of another well-known historian—W. C. Kinglake. Woman, April 29, 1896, p. 8.
Portraits of Mr. Max Beerbohm
-
Max Beerbohm in “Boyhood.” The Sketch, Jan. 2, 1895, p. 439.
-
Max Beerbohm. Oxford Characters. Lithographs by Will Rothenstein. Part 6.
It is believed this artist did several pastels of Mr. Beerbohm.
-
Portrait of Mr. Beerbohm standing before a picture of George the Fourth, by Walter Sickert.
-
Mr. Max Beerbohm. Woman, April 29, 1896, p. 8.