the library-第22节
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of Cruikshank's old age bear to the little…worked Grimm's 〃Goblins〃 of his youth。 So hazardous is the attempt to repeat an old success！ Nevertheless； many of the initial letters to the 〃Bird's Eye Views〃 are in the artist's best and most frolicsome manner。 〃The Foreign Tour of Brown； Jones； and Robinson〃 is another of his happy thoughts for 〃Punch；〃 and some of his most popular designs are to be found in Thackeray's 〃Newcomes；〃 where his satire and fancy seem thoroughly suited to his text。 He has also illustrated Locker's well…known 〃London Lyrics；〃 Ruskin's 〃King of the Golden River；〃 and Hughes's 〃Scouring of the White Horse；〃 from which last the initial at the beginning of this chapter has been borrowed。 His latest important effort was the series of drawings called 〃In Fairy Land；〃 to which Mr。 William Allingham contributed the verses。
In speaking of the 〃Newcomes；〃 one is reminded that its illustrious author was himself a 〃Punch〃 artist； and would probably have been a designer alone； had it not been decreed 〃that he should paint in colours which will never crack and never need restoration。〃 Everyone knows the story of the rejected illustrator of 〃Pickwick；〃 whom that and other rebuffs drove permanently to letters。 To his death； however； he clung fondly to his pencil。 In technique he never attained to certainty or strength； and his genius was too quick and creativeperhaps also too desultoryfor finished work； while he was always indifferent to costume and accessory。 But many of his sketches for 〃Vanity Fair；〃 for 〃Pendennis；〃 for 〃The Virginians；〃 for 〃The Rose and the Ring；〃 the Christmas books； and the posthumously published 〃Orphan of Pimlico；〃 have a vigour of impromptu； and a happy suggestiveness which is better than correct drawing。 Often the realisation is almost photographic。 Look； for example； at the portrait in 〃Pendennis〃 of the dilapidated Major as he crawls downstairs in the dawn after the ball at Gaunt House； and then listen to the inimitable context： 〃That admirable and devoted Major above all；who had been for hours by Lady Clavering's side ministering to her and feeding her body with everything that was nice； and her ear with everything that was sweet and flatteringoh！ what an object he was！ The rings round his eyes were of the colour of bistre； those orbs themselves were like the plovers' eggs whereof Lady Clavering and Blanche had each tasted； the wrinkles in his old face were furrowed in deep gashes； and a silver stubble； like an elderly morning dew； was glittering on his chin； and alongside the dyed whiskers； now limp and out of curl。〃 A good deal of thisthat fine touch in italics especiallycould not possibly be rendered in black and white； and yet how much is indicated； and how thoroughly the whole is felt！ One turns to the woodcut from the words； and back again to the words from the woodcut with ever…increasing gratification。 Then again； Thackeray's little initial letters are charmingly arch and playful。 They seem to throw a shy side…light upon the text； giving； as it were； an additional and confidential hint of the working of the author's mind。 To those who； with the present writer； love every tiny scratch and quirk and flourish of the Master's hand； these small but priceless memorials are far beyond the frigid appraising of academics and schools of art。
After Doyle and Thackeray come a couple of well…known artistsJohn Leech and John Tenniel。 The latter still lives （may he long live！） to delight and instruct us。 Of the former； whose genial and manly 〃Pictures of Life and Character〃 are in every home where good… humoured raillery is prized and appreciated； it is scarcely necessary to speak。 Who does not remember the splendid languid swells； the bright…eyed rosy girls （〃with no nonsense about them！〃） in pork pie hats and crinolines； the superlative 〃Jeames's；〃 the hairy 〃Mossoos；〃 the music…grinding Italian desperadoes whom their kind creator hated so？ And then the intrepidity of 〃Mr。 Briggs；〃 the Roman rule of 〃Paterfamilias；〃 the vagaries of the 〃Rising Generation！〃 There are things in this gallery over which the severest misanthrope must chucklethey are simply irresistible。 Let any one take； say that smallest sketch of the hapless mortal who has turned on the hot water in the bath and cannot turn it off again； and see if he is able to restrain his laughter。 In this one gift of producing instant mirth Leech is almost alone。 It would be easy to assail his manner and his skill； but for sheer fun； for the invention of downright humorous situation； he is unapproached； except by Cruikshank。 He did a few illustrations to Dickens's Christmas books； but his best…known book…illustrations properly so called are to 〃Uncle Tom's Cabin；〃 the 〃Comic Histories〃 of A'Beckett； the 〃Little Tour in Ireland；〃 and certain sporting novels by the late Mr。 Surtees。 Tenniel now confines himself almost exclusively to the weekly cartoons with which his name is popularly associated。 But years ago he used to invent the most daintily fanciful initial letters； and many of his admirers prefer the serio… grotesque designs of 〃Punch's Pocket…Book；〃 〃Alice in Wonderland；〃 and 〃Through the Looking…Glass；〃 to the always correctly…drawn but sometimes stiffly…conceived cartoons。 What； for example； could be more delightful than the picture； in 〃Alice in Wonderland；〃 of the 〃Mad Tea Party？〃 Observe the hopelessly distraught expression of the March hare； and the eager incoherence of the hatter！ A little further on the pair are trying to squeeze the dormouse into the teapot； and a few pages back the blue caterpillar is discovered smoking his hookah on the top of a mushroom。 He was exactly three inches long； says the veracious chronicle； but what a dignity！what an oriental flexibility of gesture！ Speaking of animals； it must not be forgotten that Tenniel is a master in this line。 His 〃British Lion；〃 in particular； is a most imposing quadruped； and so often in request that it is not necessary to go back to the famous cartoons on the Indian mutiny to seek for examples of that magnificent presence。 As a specimen of the artist's treatment of the lesser felidae； the reader's attention is invited to this charming little kitten from 〃Through the Looking…Glass。〃
Mr。 Tenniel is a link between Leech and the younger school of 〃Punch〃 artists； of whom Mr。 George du Maurier； Mr。 Linley Sambourne； and Mr。 Charles Keene are the most illustrious。 The first is nearly as popular as Leech； and is certainly a greater favourite with cultivated audiences。 He is not so much a humorist as a satirist of the Thackeray type；unsparing in his denunciation of shams； affectations； and flimsy pretences of all kinds。 A master of composition and accomplished draughtsman； he excels in the delineation of 〃society〃its bishops； its 〃professional beauties〃 and 〃aesthetes；〃 its nouveaux riches； its distinguished foreigners；… …while now and then （but not too often） he lets us know that if he chose he could be equally happy in depicting the lowest classes。 There was a bar…room scene not long ago in 〃Punch〃 which gave the clearest evidence of this。 Some of those for whom no good thing is good enough complain； it is said； that he lacks varietythat he is too constant to one type of feminine beauty。 But any one who will be at the pains to study a group of conventional 〃society〃 faces from any of his 〃At Homes〃 or 〃Musical Parties〃 will speedily discover that they are really very subtly diversified and contrasted。 For a case in point； take the decorously sympathetic group round the sensitive German musician； who is 〃veeping〃 over one of his own compositions。 Or follow the titter running round that amused assembly to whom the tenor warbler is singing 〃Me…e…e…et me once again；〃 with such passionate emphasis that the domestic cat mistakes it for a well…known area cry。 As for his ladies； it may perhaps be conceded that his type is a little persistent。 Still it is a type so refined； so graceful； so attractive altogether； that in the jarring of less well…favoured realities it is an advantage to have it always before our eyes as a standard to which we can appeal。 Mr。 du Maurier is a fertile book…illustrator； whose hand is frequently seen in the 〃Cornhill；〃 and elsewhere。 Some of his best work of this kind is in Douglas Jerrold's 〃Story of a Feather；〃 in Thackeray's 〃Ballads；〃 and the large edition of the 〃Ingoldsby Legends；〃 to which Leech； Tenniel； and Cruikshank also contributed。 One of his prettiest compositions is the group here reproduced from 〃Punch's Almanack〃 for 1877。 The talent of his colleague； Mr。 Linley Sambourne； may fairly be styled unique。 It is difficult to compare it with anything in its way； except some of the happier efforts of the late Mr。 Charles Bennett； to which； nevertheless； it is greatly superior in execution。 To this clever artist's invention everything seems to present itself with a train of fantastic accessory so whimsically inexhaustible that it almost overpowers one with its prodigality。 Each fresh examination of his designs discloses something overlooked or unexpected。 Let the reader study for a moment the famous 〃Birds of a Feather〃 of 1875； or that ingenious skit of 1877 upon the rival Grosvenor Gallery and Academy； in
