Little is known about the life of William B. Boulton, who was active as an author in the 1900s. This illustrated two-volume set, published first in 1901 is perhaps the most famous of his works, though he also wrote biographies of Sir Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough. The work examines how popular entertainment in London changed dramatically between the restoration of Charles II and the accession of Queen Victoria. From cock-fights and bear-baiting, tastes turned to less bloodthirsty pursuits, and led to the rise of many leisure activities that are still popular today. Among the topics discussed in Volume 1 are gambling and masked balls, as well as opera and theatre during the period when women were first permitted to act on the public stage in England.