The stage management will again be confided, ladies and gentlemen, to the humble individual with the short name, who has now the honour to address you, and who hopes, for very many years to come, to appear before you in the same capacity. Permit him to add in sober seriousness, that it has been the constant and unremitting endeavour of himself and the proprietor to render this undertaking worthy of your patronage. That they have not altogether failed in their attempt, its splendid success sufficiently demonstrates; that they have no intention of relaxing in their efforts, its future Volumes we trust will abundantly testify. "BOZ." _London,_ _June, 1837._ CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME. Page Songs of the Month--January, by "Father Prout;" 1 February, by Dr. Maginn; 105 March, by Samuel Lover; 325 April, by W. H. Ainsworth; 429 May and June, by J. A. Wade 533 Prologue, by Dr. Maginn 2 Opening Chaunt 6 Recollections of the late George Colman, by Theodore Hook 7 The "Monstre" Balloon 17 Handy Andy, by Samuel Lover 20,169,373 Legend of Manor Hall, by the Author of "Headlong Hall" 29 Terence O'Shaughnessy, by the Author of "Stories of Waterloo" 33 The Sabine Farmer's Serenade, by Father Prout 45 Public Life of Mr. Tulrumble, by Boz 49 The Hot Wells of Clifton, by Father Prout 63 The Marine Ghost, by the Author of "Rattlin the Reefer" 65 Old Age and Youth, by T. Haynes Bayly 79 An Evening of Visits, by the Author of "The Pilot" 80 Who are you?--Metastasio, Fontenelle, and Samuel Lover 88 Metropolitan Men of Science 89 Kyan's Patent--the Nine Muses and the Dry-rot 93 The Original of "Not a Drum was heard," by Father Prout 96 A Gossip with some old English Poets, by C. Ollier 98 The Rising Periodical; Mr. Verdant's Account of the last aërial ascent, by T. Haynes Bayly 101 An Italian Anecdote, by the Author of "Hajji Baba" 103 Oliver Twist, or the Parish Boy's Progress, by Boz 105,218,326,430 Richie Barter 116 Plunder Creek, by the Author of "Tales of an Antiquary" 121