The Diary of a Nobody

A Note on the Text

Punch instalments of The Diary of a Nobody appeared on 26 May 1888; 2, 9, 16, 23 June; 7, 14, 21, 28 July; 18, 25 August; and 1, 15 September. The Diary was then rested until mid November, hence the gap in Pooter’s entries and his outburst for his 30 October entry: ‘I should very much like to know who has wilfully torn the last five or six weeks out of my diary.’ Instalments continued after the break on 17, 24 November; 1, 15, 29 December; 12, 26 January 1889; 2, 9 February; 2, 30 March; and 4, 11 May.

The text of the book version of The Diary of a Nobody closely follows the Punch original but there are some differences. The Punch instalments began with the preface: ‘As everybody who is anybody is publishing reminiscences, diaries, notes, autobiographies and recollections we are sincerely grateful to A Nobody for permitting us to add to the historical collection.’ The book replaces this with the paragraph beginning ‘Why should I not publish my diary?’

The magazine’s opening instalment and the book’s first chapter both open with the Pooters moving into their new home in Holloway. The first Punch instalment ends with Pooter ordering fresh eggs (7 April) and so the book’s 8 April entry, with the Curate catching his foot in the scraper, is new. Punch’s second instalment neatly coincides with the second chapter of the book but the link between magazine instalment and book chapter breaks down soon after.

Scenes added for the book which didn’t appear in the original include the one in which Pooter’s tie falls into the pit at the Tank Theatre (23 April), and much of the Mansion House Ball scene (7 May). The Punch original ended with Farmerson saying to Pooter: ‘Pardon me, Mr Pooter, no shop when we’re in company, please.’ So, the sheriff’s reunion with Farmerson, Pooter’s snobbish reaction to it and Pooter’s slipping over during the dance were freshly written for the book. The whole of the book’s Chapter XI – Burwin-Fosselton, Padge and the Henry Irving impersonations – were new. There were also some minor changes of date for the book, sorting out mistakes in the calendar made in the Punch original.

The main change though comes at the end of the book. The Punch episodes ended with the 21 March entry, ‘Today I shall conclude my diary…’ in which Lupin is taken on at Perkupp’s firm. In book form, however, there are seven new chapters following this Punch ending. Lupin’s position at Perkupp’s doesn’t work out, he gets a new, better paid job and gets engaged to Miss Posh. Pooter’s promise to conclude the Diary back in March now looks very odd, not that this hiccup detracts from the qualities of the Diary or the clever new ending in which Pooter again finds happiness.