William Mackay on T. W. Robertson’s New Play,
“School.”
This is the story of how William Mackay, then studying for the law, wrote
his first published piece, leading to his career in newspapers. The
letters that occasioned the piece and a criticism of Mr. Robertson’s play
are given first for context, followed by Mackay’s account and then his
first published piece.—DP.
_The Times_, 20 January 1869
_TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES_.
Sir,—It may be of some interest to you or your readers to learn that the
comedy _School_ now performed at the Prince of Wales’s Theatre is a play
which was performed with great success at the principal theatres in
Germany last year, and that Mr. Robertson has only the merit of
translation. I myself have seen it acted in Hamburg and Cologne. I do
not think Mr. Robertson will deny this fact.