Tom and Jerry

Name: Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine — Volume 56, No. 345, July, 1844
Author: Various

Definition and stakes

The theme of "Tom and Jerry" refers to a musical duo active in 1957, though its literary significance emerges through works by authors like Pierce Egan, who crafted humorous narratives around the characters in The True History of Tom & Jerry. Egan’s passages depict Tom, Jerry, and their companion Logic engaging in boisterous escapades, merging satire with social commentary.

Mary Jane Holmes, in Tracy Park, evokes a more contemplative tone, contrasting their antics with moments of sorrow. These diverse portrayals highlight the theme’s duality: a medium for both uproarious humor and reflective storytelling, bridging the transient and the lasting in cultural memory.

Quotes about “Tom and Jerry”

Pierce Egan, The True History of Tom & Jerry

“ Enter TOM and JERRY.
Log. Ah, Tom and Jerry! my boys! this is kind indeed!
Tom. Never desert an old pal in limbo, Bob; but when you get safe out of the river tick, take my advice, look into not over your affairs; if young men would but deign to consider this, would but, in the flowery wilds of pleasure, cast one glance at the guiding star of prudence—their pockets would be more full, and the prisons of the law more empty. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Pierce Egan, The True History of Tom & Jerry

“ Jerry. Well, and do you know, Tom, to tell you the truth, I haven’t been a whit better than yourself. But, I say, only see how confoundedly the dustman’s getting hold of Logic,—we’ll funk him. (Tom and Jerry smoke Logic) .
Log. Oh, hang your cigars, I don’t like it; let’s have no funking.
Tom. Well, come, come, rouse up; don’t be crusty, Bob—let’s start on some spree; no doubt we shall spring a lark somewhere. (Rattles heard) .
There’s one! go it, Jerry!—Come, Green.
Log. Aye, come, Jerry, there’s the Charlies’ fiddles going. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Mary Jane Holmes, Tracy Park: A Novel

“ Tracy again, Tom and Jerry walked slowly toward the cottage, through the leafy woods, where the trees met in graceful arches overhead, and the moonlight fell in silver flecks upon the grass, and the summer air was odorous and sweet with the smell of the pines and the balm of Gilead trees scattered here and there. It was a lovely place, and Tom thought so with a keen sense of pain, as, after leaving Jerrie at her gate, he walked slowly back until he reached the four pines, where he sat down to think and wonder what he should do as a poor man, with neither business nor prospects. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Pierce Egan, The True History of Tom & Jerry

“ Well you and your country friend can pair with Sir Jeremy and the Captain, and this worthy vegetable, Green, and I will see fair play, pan hanour.
(Kate, Sue, Tom and Jerry sit down to cards; Trifle and Green stand behind them, overlooking Tom’s and Jerry’s hand) .
Log. (Drinking and looking on) . They’ll be done, as sure as my name is Logic.—Upon that suit some of the best judges in London have been had.—Inviting a man to a swell dinner, and making him pay five guineas a mouthful for it afterwards, is no new feature of Life in London—Go it, ye flats—“Thus for men the women fair,” (singing) . ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Pierce Egan, The True History of Tom & Jerry

“ SCENE.—Jackson’s Rooms, in Bond Street.—Tom, Jerry, and Logic discovered.
Life in London with us is a round of delight;
It is larking all day, sprees and rambles all night;
Tom, Jerry, and Logic have ever the best
Of the coves in the East, and the swells in the West;
Such pals in a turn-up, so bang up and merry,
As Jerry, Tom, Logic—Tom, Logic, and Jerry,
Ne’er was seen, since the world first by Noah was undone,
So here’s Logic’s, Jerry’s, and Tom’s Life in London!
Tom. We are, indeed, a regular trio; every part well harmonised.
Log. Ay, all sharps! not a flat or a natural among us. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Pierce Egan, The True History of Tom & Jerry

“ But all sorts of lush must be tipped for on delivery. “Poor Trust” being dead and buried.—“To keep the game alive,” Logic said to Tom and Jerry, “you shall now accompany me to what is termed a Cock and Hen Club. [Pg 168] Where you may say and do as you like, the crib is situated in an obscure part of the town, but I know it well.” * * * On entering the club-room Jerry was struck with astonishment at the surrounding group. “It is nothing new to me,” replied Logic, “but rather a renewed feature of low Life in London. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Pierce Egan, The True History of Tom & Jerry

“ But if enjoyment is your motto, you may make the most of an evening in these Gardens more than at any other place in the Metropolis. It is all free and easy—stay as long as you like, and depart when you think proper.” “Your description is so flattering,” replied Jerry, “that I do not care how soon the time arrives for us to start.” Logic proposed a “bit of a stroll,” in order to get rid of an hour or two, which was immediately accepted by Tom and Jerry. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Pierce Egan, The True History of Tom & Jerry

“ Enter TOM, JERRY, and LOGIC.
Tom. Ha! ha! ha! was there ever such a flat as that Mr. Green?—we can buy no prad to-day, Jerry; we must go when some gentlemen’s stud is selling; and while the dealers are running down the cattle, we can get a prime good one for a song. But now for Almack’s—the highest Life in London! and see what game Cupid has sprung up for us in that quarter. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Pierce Egan, The True History of Tom & Jerry

“ Enter TOM, JERRY, and LOGIC, full dressed.
Tom. At length, my dear Jerry, we are at Almack’s, though egad I began to think we should be too late.
Jerry. This indeed is a splendid view of Life in London.
Tom. It is; the tip-top! set off to the best advantage, by the best dresses, finished by the best behaviour. (Trifle quizzes through glass up stage) .
Log. Yes, witness that puppy, staring us out of countenance with his quizzing glass yonder—why don’t he wear green specs, as I do, if his ogles are queer.
Tom. LETHE! LETHE! my dear Bob—you forget where you are. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Pierce Egan, The True History of Tom & Jerry

“ Uncertainty of existence: sorrow succeeding sorrow: Tom killed by a fall from his horse while hunting. Jerry disconsolate for the loss of his two Pals. Reflections on the death of the Corinthian, and a few Lines to his Memory. Grieving’s a folly! Thoughts on Marriage: popping the Question—the bit of Gold—the reluctant NO—YES!—Old Jollyboy an important feature. The Wedding Day—all happiness at Hawthorn Hall—Jerry and Mary Rosebud united. The TIE-UP of the Story, i.e., to promote Life in the Country.
The sudden death of Logic made quite a chasm in the movements of Tom and Jerry ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Pierce Egan, The True History of Tom & Jerry

“ NO PLACES, IN FUTURE CAN BE KEPT, UNLESS PAID FOR WHEN TAKEN.
Shouts of Laughter and Applause attend each Representation of the New Pantomime.”
When the long run of Tom and Jerry ended at the Adelphi, a spectacular extravaganza of the same kind was produced with the title of “Green in France,” but it did not catch the fancy of the town like its predecessors. [34]
[Pg 77] In 1825, Mr. Moncrieff published his dramatic version of Tom and Jerry ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Pierce Egan, The True History of Tom & Jerry

“ Upon the return of Jerry to Hawthorn Hall, several days elapsed before anything like pleasure occupied his mind; he positively refused to quit the house, and he also shunned the society of his acquaintances. “It requires no common fortitude,” observed Jerry, to Old Jollyboy, “to bear up against the loss of two such invaluable friends as Tom and Logic, snatched, as it were, in an instant from me, when I stood most in need of their assistance, and to whom I am principally indebted for the knowledge of mankind which I now possess. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Pierce Egan, The True History of Tom & Jerry

“ Tom. Ha! ha! very good Primefit; I say, Jerry—you see he’s down upon you.
Jerry. Yes, he’s up, he’s awake, he’s fly—Ha! ha!
Tom. Now Dicky, out with your rainbow.
Prime. Here are the patterns, gentlemen, the very last fashions, every one; you can choose for yourself; but this is the colour most in vogue—generally greens.
Jerry. Yes, I’m told you London tailors are particularly fond of greens—cabbage to wit. But I am not very particular; only let me have something of this cut. (Turning round and showing himself) .
Tom. Oh, no, hang that cut; the colour may fit; but the cut never will. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Pierce Egan, The True History of Tom & Jerry

“ It was nearly the same with the Chief Magistrate of Bow Street: his experience rendered him perfectly sensible, that, long before the appearance of “Tom and Jerry,” young men and country gentlemen would in moments of hilarity, sometimes exceed in their potations, be provoked into quarrels by designing Watchmen, and consigned, for purposes of extortion on the following morning, to His Honour, the Night Constable ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Pierce Egan, The True History of Tom & Jerry

“ Jerry is in Tip Street on this occasion, and the Mollishers are all nutty upon him; putting it about, one to another, that he is a well breeched Swell. Fat Bet is pretending to Tom, that she had a great objection to every sort of ruin, no matter how coloured, since she had once been queered upon that suit. Swipy Bill, a translator of Soles, who has been out for a day’s fuddle, for fear his money should become too troublesome to him, has just called in at the Gin Spinner’s to get rid of his last duce, by way of a finish, and to have another drop of blue ruin. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Pierce Egan, The True History of Tom & Jerry

“ Flash, my young friend, or slang, as others call it, is a species of cant in which the knowing ones conceal their roguery from the flats; and it is one of the advantages of seeing Life in London, that you may learn to talk to a rogue in his own language, and fight him with his own weapons.
Tom. I was telling him before you came in, Bob, that he must go in training for a swell, and he didn’t understand what I meant.
Jerry. Oh, yes, I did, Tom.
Tom. No, no, you didn’t; come, confess your ignorance.
Log. Not know what a swell meant?
Tom. No: he wasn’t up.
Jerry. Not up? ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Pierce Egan, The True History of Tom & Jerry

“ Mill renewed.—The Women get away as before.—Tom and Jerry perform prodigies of valour, but are at length overpowered by numbers, and borne off.—Green enters alarmed, flies on all sides for safety, but is at length caught up by a watchman in his arms, and carried off.—Scene closes on two watchmen cuffing one another by mistake. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Pierce Egan, The True History of Tom & Jerry

“ This was the reason Tom assigned to Jerry for having it called the Sketch-Room. ‘Nine times out of ten,’ said Tom, ‘dull matter-of-fact calculation is not allied with genius.’ Money, to George Morland, was a colour that he did not paint with; and, therefore, respecting its value, he seemed to know nothing. Embarrassment and the Catchpoles first drew up the curtain and showed him the iron bars which stopped his thoughtless career. They also explained to him, in the most feeling manner, the uses of a strong lock. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Pierce Egan, The True History of Tom & Jerry

“ The Modest it is trusted, will not have occasion to turn aside with disgust, nor the Moralist to shut the book offended. The Corinthians likewise, will have no occasion to be ashamed to acknowledge ‘Tom’ as one of their party; the Universities not the slightest complaint to expel, or even rusticate ‘Bob Logic,’ nor the large Family of the Hawthorns to disown—poor Jerry, for his Sprees and Rambles in the Metropolis. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Pierce Egan, The True History of Tom & Jerry

“ Highflyer Hall.
Jerry. Hum! and if one may judge from the splendour and extent of his premises, he seems to be no small highflyer himself.
Tom. You are right, Jerry—I shall here buy a bit of cavalry—that is a prad, on your judgment.
Jerry. You’ll not find me at fault here, depend on’t.
Tom. What you’re up, eh?
Jerry. Yes, quite fly, depend on’t.
Gul. I beg pardon, gemmen—want to buy a prad? here’s one a gentleman wants to sell—you can’t have a better, Sir; here, you Bob, bring him out. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Pierce Egan, The True History of Tom & Jerry

“ The Laundress loves dearly a drain of “Ould Tom,” from its strength to comfort her inside. The drag Fiddler can toss off a quartern of “Max” without making a wry mug. The Coster Monger illumines his ideas with “a flash of lightning.” The hoarse Cyprian owes her existence to copious draughts of “Jacky.” The Link Boy and Mud Larks, in joining their browns together, are for some “Stark Naked.” And the Out and Outers, from the addition of bitters to it in order to sharpen up a dissipated and damaged Victualling Office, cannot take any thing but “Fuller’s Earth.” ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Pierce Egan, The True History of Tom & Jerry

“ You are right, Bob, it has not.—Well, we have been amused by Life in London, now let us endeavour to profit by it;—let our experience teach us to avoid its quicksands, and make the most of its sunshine;—and in that anticipation let us hope our kind friends will pardon Tom, Jerry, and Logic all their sprees and rambles. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Pierce Egan, The True History of Tom & Jerry

“ To give the present generation of playgoers an insight into the manners and customs of the so-called “good old days:” and in the “hot youth” of our great grandfathers—and mothers: when George the Fourth was King of England: the dramatic version of Tom and Jerry; or, Life in London, is occasionally revived at one or other of the Metropolitan Minor Theatres. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Pierce Egan, The True History of Tom & Jerry

“ Cope. Yes; and he’s promised to put him up first.
Gul. Mind, you’re the seller,—I’m the bidder—hallo! here’s three swells coming this way—that one in the middle, looks like a flat, we must try it on upon him.
Cope. Hush! don’t let’s appear to know one another.
Enter TOM, JERRY, and LOGIC.
Tom. Confound the little gipsy, she has fairly given us the slip, by Jupiter—however, the assignation must be attended to.—Almack’s! smacks well. You are now at Tattersall’s, Jerry, a very worthy fellow, who made his fortune by a horse called Highflyer. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Pierce Egan, The True History of Tom & Jerry

“ Tom. I’ll tell you; before we start on our sprees and rambles, I’ll send for that kiddy-artist, Dicky Primefit, the dandy habit maker, of Regent-street. He shall rig you out in grand twig, in no time. Here, Regular! (Calls) .
Reg. Here I am sir.
Tom. Send for Dicky Primefit, directly.
Reg. What! the sufferer, Sir?
Tom. Yes, that’s the fellow; tell him to bring his card of address with him.
Jerry. Sufferer! I’m at fault again, Tom; can’t follow.
Tom. The tailor, Jerry: we do make them suffer sometimes. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Pierce Egan, The True History of Tom & Jerry

“ Jerry. A hack! If it is the thing we rattled over the stones in to-day, it might more properly be called a bone-setter.
Tom. Or bone-breaker—But if you dislike going in a hack, we’ll get you a mab.
Jerry. A mab! I’m at fault again—never shall get properly broken in.
Tom. A mab is a jingling jarvey!—a cabriolet Jerry—but we must mind our flash doesn’t peep out at Almack’s. ’Tis classic ground there; the rallying spot of all the rank, wealth, and beauty in the metropolis; the very atmosphere of it is—
[Pg 24]
The Bang-up of the Big Wigs. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Pierce Egan, The True History of Tom & Jerry

“ Sue. Nay, but my dear madam, when beauty like yours is neglected, it is the duty of every man. (Kisses her) .
Mrs. T. Don’t take liberties, sir.
Kate. I wouldn’t take liberties for the world. (Kisses her) .
Mrs. T. Eh, I shall be ruin’d, I’ll call out—here, watch! watch! (Rattles heard) .
Enter TOM, JERRY, and LOGIC, with Umbrella.
Jerry. Ay, ay, ay, put down the rain napper, Doctor, the shower is over now. What’s the matter?
Mrs. T. I’m in the greatest distress imaginable.
Tom. Holloa, what’s the row?—a woman in distress! Where’s the man would refuse his assistance?
Kate. Who are you, sir? ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Various, Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine…

“ Tom and Jerry were in all their glory. I looked round the boxes, and soon saw the charming Arthurine, apparently perfectly comfortable, chatting with old Moreland as gravely, and looking as demure and self-possessed, as if she had been a married woman of thirty.
"That is a prudent young lady," said Richards; "she has an eye to the dollars, and would marry Old Hickory himself, spite of whisky and tobacco pipe, if he had more money, and were to ask her." ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Pierce Egan, The True History of Tom & Jerry

“ Indeed,’ continued Tom, ‘there is an air of sporting about this place altogether; elegance, cleanliness, and style, being its prominent features. The company, I admit, is a mixture of persons of nearly all ranks in life; but, nevertheless, it is that sort of mixture which is pleasingly interesting; there is no intimacy or association about it. A man may be well known here; he may also in his turn know almost everybody that visits Tattersall’s; and yet be quite a stranger to their habits and connections with society. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Pierce Egan, The True History of Tom & Jerry

“ TOM AND JERRY.
Put into Shape, exclusively for this Theatre, by Pierce Egan.
Who trusts it will not be deemed unfair that he should take a Leaf or Two out of his own Book, several other persons having made free with the Work. The Piece now prepared for representation is not entitled to the appellation of Tragedy, Comedy, Opera, Play, Farce, Ballet, or Melodrama, yet partaking of the Qualities of all, and possessing scenes High and Low in abundance, from the “Sky Parlour” to the “Diamond Vault.” Out and Out, Rambles and Sprees, East and West, and Lots of Characters, Up and Down. ”

Tom and Jerry

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