EGAN

egan, pierce (1772-1849), english sporting writer, was born in london in 1772. he began life as sporting reporter for the newspapers, and was soon recognized as the best of his day. in 1814 he wrote, set and printed a book about the relations of the prince regent (afterwards george iv.) and miss robinson, called _the mistress of royalty, or the loves of florizel and perdita_. but his best-known work is _life in london, or days and nights of jerry hawthorne and his elegant friend corinthian tom_ (1821), a book describing the amusements of sporting men, with illustrations by cruikshank. this book took the popular fancy and was one of thackeray's early favourites (see his _roundabout papers_). it was repeatedly imitated, and several dramatic versions were produced in london. a sequel containing more of country sports and misadventures probably suggested dickens's _pickwick papers_. in 1824 _pierce egan's life in london and sporting guide_ was started, a weekly newspaper afterwards incorporated with _bell's life_. among his numerous other books are _boxiana_ (1818), _life of an actor_ (1824), _book of sports_ (1832), and the _pilgrims of the thames_ (1838). egan died at pentonville on the 3rd of august 1849. his son, pierce egan (1814-1880), illustrated his own and his father's books, and wrote a score of novels of varying merit, of which _the snake in the grass_ (1858) is perhaps the best.