TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE Italic text is denoted by _underscores_. Bold text is denoted by =equal signs=. The 3-star asterism symbol in the Catalog after the Index is denoted by ***. Obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within the text and consultation of external sources. Many passages have deliberate misspelling for humorous effect. More detail can be found at the end of the book. [Illustration: Yours faithfully Theodore E. Hook] THE CHOICE HUMOROUS WORKS Ludicrous Adventures, Bons Mots, Puns, and Hoaxes OF THEODORE HOOK [Illustration: THEODORE HOOK'S HOUSE, NEAR PUTNEY.] A NEW EDITION WITH _LIFE OF THE AUTHOR, PORTRAITS BY MACLISE AND D'ORSAY, CARICATURES, AND FACSIMILES_ London CHATTO AND WINDUS, PICCADILLY 1883 CONTENTS. PAGE MEMOIR OF THEODORE HOOK 3 THE RAMSBOTTOM PAPERS:-- I. Mrs. Ramsbottom's Party 41 II. Miss Lavinia Ramsbottom 43 III. Miss Lavinia's Letter from Paris, forwarding her Mother's Journal in England and France 44 IV. Higginbottom and Ramsbottom 52 V. Miss Lavinia Ramsbottom forwards the Continuation of her Mother's Diary 53 VI. Adventures at Paris 60 VII. Further Adventures at Paris 62 VIII. Mrs. Ramsbottom back in London 66 IX. Mrs. Ramsbottom at Rome 69 X. Mrs. Ramsbottom objects to be _Dramatised_ 72 XI. Mrs. Ramsbottom writes from Dieppe 73 XII. Hastings 75 XIII. Mrs. Ramsbottom on the House of Commons 78 XIV. Mrs. Ramsbottom on the Canning Administration 81 XV. Mrs. Ramsbottom on Smoking 84 XVI. Mrs. Ramsbottom's Conundrums 85 XVII. A Letter from Cheltenham 87 XVIII. Hastings again 90 XIX. News from Hastings 94 XX. Mrs. Ramsbottom on the relative merits of Margate and Brighton 96 XXI. Mrs. Ramsbottom contemplates the Collection of her Letters into a volume 102 XXII. Mrs. Ramsbottom on Popery 105 XXIII. Mrs. Ramsbottom at the Royal Academy 108 XXIV. Mrs. Ramsbottom at the "Chiswick Fête" 111 XXV. A Letter from Walmer 117 XXVI. A Peck of Troubles 118 XXVII. Mrs. Ramsbottom on Public Events 120