William Mackay on T. W. Robertson's Play "School"

"William Mackay on T. W. Robertson's Play 'School'" by William Mackay is a blend of theater critique and personal story, looking at T. W. Robertson’s play "School" and the discussions it stirred up in the late 1800s. The book dives into the question of whether Robertson's work was truly original or just a copy of a German play, showing the arguments that played out in the letters of "The Times." Mackay shares his own journey as a young writer, explaining how this controversy pushed him to write his first published piece. He examines the relationships between characters and how the play is put together, giving credit to Robertson for his talent in portraying English life through realistic conversations but admits that Robertson was inspired by writers like Thackeray. Mackay's book both defends Robertson's creative spirit and tells the tale of how Mackay himself broke into the world of journalism.