This reign saw the commencement of cheap, good literature, which was to overrun the country and utterly abolish the chap book, which till then had been the literary mainstay of the country folk. The year in which this transformation began was 1832, for then were published for the first time _The Penny Magazine_, and _Chambers' Edinburgh Journal_; whilst, during the reign, were published all kinds of books, from the watered-silk-bound annuals, such as the _Gem_, the _Offering_, the _Bijou_, the _Remembrancer_, the _Coronal_, the _Iris_, or the _Bouquet_, to abstruse scientific books--for it was, to a certain extent, a book-reading age, and people bought and kept their favourite authors. Of authors, what a lot there was! The following does not pretend to be exhaustive, but it will serve to give an idea of those who lived or wrote during the time when William IV. was King. Let us take them alphabetically. John Adolphus, who wrote the _History of the Reign of George III._, etc. W. H. Ainsworth, the novelist, who brought out _Rookwood_ in 1834. Sir Archibald Alison, to whom we are indebted for his _History of England_. T. K. Arnold, headmaster of Rugby. John Banim, whom we remember by the _Tales by the O'Hara Family_. Rev. R. H. Barham, whose _Ingoldsby Legends_ came out with the starting of _Bentley's Miscellany_ in 1837. The lyric poet, Thomas H. Bayly, whose _I'd be a Butterfly_, _She wore a wreath of Roses_, and _Oh no, we never mention her_, are classics in ballad song. Laman Blanchard, who was a contributor to the lighter periodicals of his day. George Borrow, who during the reign was an agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society--to which we owe his _Bible in Spain_. The Rev. Jos. Bosworth, to whom we are indebted for his _Anglo-Saxon Grammar_ and _Dictionary_, etc. The Very Rev. W. Buckland, Dean of Westminster, famous for his writings on Geology and Palæontology. Bulwer-Lytton, who published _Paul Clifford_ in 1830, _Eugene Aram_ and _Godolphin_ in 1833, _The Pilgrims of the Rhine_ and _The Last Days of Pompeii_ in 1834, and _Rienzi_ in 1835. Thos. Campbell, poet, author of _Pleasures of Hope_, _Gertrude of Wyoming_, _Lord Ullin's Daughter_, etc. Thos. Carlyle, who came to London in 1834, and then wrote and re-wrote his _French Revolution_, which was published in 1837. Captain F. Chamier, R.N., whose sea tales are only surpassed by Marryat. T. C. Croker, to whom we are indebted for _The Fairy Tales and Legends of the South of Ireland_. Dr. Croly, who will be chiefly remembered by his _Salathiel_. Allan Cunningham, whose _Songs of Scotland_ will always live. His son Peter, who wrote _Songs of England and Scotland_, and, among many other books, a _Handbook of London_, which is most valuable. De Quincey, whose _Confessions of an Opium Eater_ is an English classic. Thos. Dibdin--son of Charles, of sea-song fame--who was a most voluminous playwright. Charles Dickens, who published _The Pickwick Papers_ in 1836.