Lamb composed this farce in the winter 1805-1806. Writing to Hazlitt on February 19, 1806, he says: "Have taken a room at 3s. a week to be in between 5 and 8 at night, to avoid my _nocturnal_ alias _knock-eternal_ visitors. The first-fruits of my retirement has been a farce which goes to manager tomorrow." Mary Lamb, writing to Sarah Stoddart at about the same time, says: "Charles is gone [to the lodging] to finish the farce, and I am to hear it read this night. I am so uneasy between my hopes and fears of how I shall like it, that I do not know what I am doing." The next day or so, February 21, she says that she liked the farce "very much, and cannot help having great hopes of its success"--stating that she has carried it to Mr. Wroughton at Drury Lane. The reply came on June n, 1806, saying that the farce was accepted, subject to a few alterations, and would be produced in due course (see Lamb's letter to Wordsworth, written in "wantonness of triumph," of June 26). Mary Lamb, writing to Sarah Stoddart, probably in October, 1806, says that Charles took an emendated copy of his farce to Mr. Wroughton, the Manager, yesterday. Mr. Wroughton was very friendly to him, and expressed high approbation of the farce; but there are two, he tells him, to come out before it.... We are pretty well, and in fresh hopes about this farce. Lamb tells Manning about it, on December 5, adding after an outline of the plot:--"That's the idea--how flat it is here--but how whimsical in the farce!" Later he says: "I shall get £200 from the theatre if 'Mr. H----' has a good run, and, I hope, £100 for the copyright. Nothing if it fails; and there never was a more ticklish thing. The whole depends on the manner in which the name is brought out, which I value myself on, as a _chef-d'oeuvre_." And a little later still: "N.B. If my little thing don't succeed, I shall easily survive." "Mr. H----" was produced on December 10, 1806. The play-bill for the night ran thus:-- Theatre Royal, Drury-Lane This present Wednesday, December 10, 1806 Their Majesties Servants will act the Operatic Drama of The Travellers; Or, Music's Fascination [&c. &c.] After which will be produced (Never Acted) a new Farce, in Two acts, called, Mr. H---- The Characters by Mr. Elliston Mr. Wewitzer, Mr. Hartley, Mr. Penley, Mr. Purser Mr. Carles, Mr. Cooke, Mr. Fisher, Mr. Placide, Mr. Webb Miss Mellon, Mrs. Sparks Miss Tidswell, Mrs. Harlowe Mrs. Scott, Mrs. Maddocks, Miss Sanders The Prologue to be spoken by Mr. Elliston [&c., &c.]