Mr. Thackeray makes another trip in the present (April) number of _The
Newcomes_. Clive writes a letter dated "May 1, 183--," which is at once
answered by Pendennis, who sends him "an extract from Bagham's article on
the Royal Academy," and Mr. Thackeray makes the critic ask, "Why have we no
picture of the _sovereign and her august consort_ from Smee's brush?" To
which it may be answered, "Because, even if the '183--' represents the time
of Victoria's reign, her Majesty did not take unto herself an 'august
consort' until Feb. 10, 1840." It may also be observed, that in all the
illustrations to Mr. Thackeray's delightful story, Mr. Doyle has clothed
the _dramatis personae_ in the dresses of the present day. A notable
example of this occurs at p. 75., in his clever sketch of Mrs. Newcome's At
Home, "a small early party" given in the year 1833, the date being
determined by a very simple act of mental arithmetic, since the author
informs us that the colonel went to the party in the mufti-coat "sent him
out by Messrs. Stultz to India in the year 1821," and which he had "been in
the habit of considering a splendid coat for twelve years past." The
anachronism on Mr. Doyle's part is probably intentional. Indeed, he only
follows the example which Mr. Thackeray had justified in these words:
"It was the author's intention, faithful to history, to depict all the
characters of this tale in their proper costumes, as they wore them at
the commencement of the century. But, when I remember the appearance of
people in those days, and that an officer and lady were actually
habited like this [here follows one of Mr. Thackeray's graphic
sketches], I have not the heart to disfigure my heroes and heroines by
costumes so hideous; and have, on the contrary, engaged a {368} model
of rank dressed according to the present fashion."--_Vanity Fair_, note
to p. 55.
And, certainly, when one looks at a fashion-book published some twenty
years ago, one cannot feel surprised at Mr. Doyle, or any other man of
taste, preferring to commit an anachronism, rather than depict frights and
monstrosities.