Olla Podrida Part 1

Olla Podrida.

by Frederick Marryat.

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 s.p.a.ce 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 sc.r.a.ps. "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.

_j.a.phet 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_, 1845-1846.

_Valerie_ (the first eleven chapters), 1846-1847.

_The Phantom Ship_, 1838-1839.

The bulk of this volume is reprinted from the first edition of _Olla Podrida_, in three volumes, Longman, Orme, Brown, Green, and Longmans, 1840. "The Gipsy," from the _Metropolitan Magazine_; "The Fairy's Wand,"

from the _New Monthly Magazine_; and "A Rencontre," from the first Edition of _The Poacher_, 1841.

R. B. J.

Author's Preface to the First Edition

I have not yet ventured upon a Preface to any of my writings, and I did not expect that I should ever have written one. Except in a work of importance, which may demand it, a Preface is, generally speaking, a request for indulgence which never will be accorded, or an explanation to which the Public is indifferent. It is only when an explanation is _due_ to the Public, or to the Author's reputation, that he should venture to offer one. If a work is well written, the Public are satisfied; if not, they have just cause to feel otherwise; and if an Author obtains justice, he obtains all that he has a right to expect.

I write this Preface, because I consider that it may save me from a hasty remark or two, which it may be just as well to forestall. During the ten years which I have taken up the pen, I have furnished miscellaneous matter to various Periodicals, which, if it were all collected together, would swell into many volumes. Among it, as must be the case under the circ.u.mstances in which it was written, there is some which I consider tolerable; but the major portion is but indifferent; and I should be very sorry indeed, if at any future time, when I may not have the power to prevent it, all these articles should be collected and printed as mine. If ever it were done, it certainly would not be by my friends: I wish it, therefore, to be understood, that in the portions of these volumes which consist of republications, I have selected from the ma.s.s, all that I wish to acknowledge as my writing; and that the remainder (with the exception of the papers on nautical subjects, which are of no interest to the general reader) may be considered as disavowed and rejected. The major part of these volumes consist of a Diary written when I was on the Continent. It first appeared in the Periodicals, under the t.i.tle of a "Diary of a _Blase_:" the t.i.tle was a bad one, as I did not write up to the character; I have, therefore, for want of a better name, simply called it a "Diary on the Continent;" and I mention this, that I may not be accused of having intentionally deceived.

F. M.

THE MONK OF SEVILLE:

A PLAY, IN FIVE ACTS.

DRAMATIS PERSONae.

ANSELMO DON GASPAR, _A monk disguised as a cavalier_.

DON FELIX, _A Spanish n.o.bleman_.

DON PEREZ, _Do_.

SUPERIOR _of the monastery_.

ANTONIO, _Servant to Don Gasper_.

MANUEL, _A monk_.

JACOBO, _Porter to the monastery_.

SANCHO, _Servant to Don Perez_.

DONNA INEZ, _A n.o.ble lady._

ISIDORA, _Her niece._

DONNA SERAFINA.

BEPPA,} } _Servant to Serafina._ } _both wives of Antonio_ } NINA, } } _Do. to Isidora._