the library-第23节
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a Feather〃 of 1875； or that ingenious skit of 1877 upon the rival Grosvenor Gallery and Academy； in which the late President of the latter is shown as the proudest of peacocks； the eyes of whose tail are portraits of Royal Academicians； and whose body…feathers are paint brushes and shillings of admission。 Mr。 Sambourne is excellent； too； at adaptations of popular pictures；witness the more than happy parodies of Herrman's 〃A Bout d'Arguments；〃 and 〃Une Bonne Histoire。〃 His book…illustrations have been comparatively few； those to Burnand's laughable burlesque of 〃Sandford and Merton〃 being among the best。 Rumour asserts that he is at present engaged upon Kingsley's 〃Water Babies；〃 a subject which might almost be supposed to have been created for his pencil。 There are indications； it may be added； that Mr。 Sambourne's talents are by no means limited to the domain in which for the present he chooses to exercise them； and it is not impossible that he may hereafter take high rank as a cartoonist。 Mr。 Charles Keene； a selection from whose sketches has recently been issued under the title of 〃Our People；〃 is unrivalled in certain bourgeois； military； and provincial types。 No one can draw a volunteer； a monthly nurse； a Scotchman； an 〃ancient mariner〃 of the watering…place species； with such absolutely humorous verisimilitude。 Personages； too； in whose eyesto use Mr。 Swiveller's euphemism〃the sun has shone too strongly；〃 find in Mr。 Keene a merciless satirist of their 〃pleasant vices。〃 Like Leech； he has also a remarkable power of indicating a landscape background with the fewest possible touches。 His book… illustrations have been 。mainly confined to magazines and novels。 Those in 〃Once a Week〃 to a 〃Good Fight；〃 the tale subsequently elaborated by Charles Reade into the 〃Cloister and the Hearth；〃 present some good specimens of his earlier work。 One of these； in which the dwarf of the story is seen climbing up a wall with a lantern at his back； will probably be remembered by many。
After the 〃Punch〃 school there are other lesser luminaries。 Mr。 W。 S。 Gilbert's drawings to his own inimitable 〃Bab Ballads〃 have a perverse drollery which is quite in keeping with that erratic text。 Mr。 F。 Barnard； whose exceptional talents have not been sufficiently recognised； is a master of certain phases of strongly marked character； and； like Mr。 Charles Green； has contributed some excellent sketches to the 〃Household Edition〃 of Dickens。 Mr。 Sullivan of 〃Fun；〃 whose grotesque studies of the 〃British Tradesman〃 and 〃Workman〃 have recently been republished； has abounding vis comica； but he has hitherto done little in the way of illustrating books。 For minute pictorial stocktaking and photographic retention of detail； Mr。 Sullivan's artistic memory may almost be compared to the wonderful literary memory of Mr。 Sala。 Mr。 John Proctor； who some years ago （in 〃Will o' the Wisp〃） seemed likely to rival Tenniel as a cartoonist； has not been very active in this way； while Mr。 Matthew Morgan； the clever artist of the 〃Tomahawk；〃 has transferred his services to the United States。 Of Mr。 Bowcher of 〃Judy；〃 and various other professedly humorous designers； space permits no further mention。
There remains； however； one popular branch of book…illustration； which has attracted the talents of some of the most skilful and original of modern draughtsmen； i。e。 the embellishment of children's books。 From the days when Mulready drew the old 〃Butterfly's Ball〃 and 〃Peacock at Home〃 of our youth； to those of the delightfully Blake…like fancies of E。 V。 B。； whose 〃Child's Play〃 has recently been re…published for the delectation of a new generation of admirers； this has always been a popular and profitable employment； but of late years it has been raised to the level of a fine art。 Mr。 H。 S。 Marks； Mr。 J。 D。 Watson； Mr。 Walter Crane； have produced specimens of nursery literature which； for refinement of colouring and beauty of ornament； cannot easily be surpassed。 The equipments of the last named； especially； are of a very high order。 He began as a landscapist on wood； he now chiefly devotes himself to the figure； and he seems to have the decorative art at his fingers' ends as a natural gift。 Such work as 〃King Luckieboy's Party〃 was a revelation in the way of toy books； while the 〃Baby's Opera〃 and 〃Baby's Bouquet〃 are petits chefs d'oeuvre； of which the sagacious collector will do well to secure copies； not for his nursery； but his library。 Nor can his 〃Mrs。 Mundi at Home〃 be neglected by the curious in quaint and graceful invention。 ｛14｝ Another bookthe 〃Under the Window〃 of Miss Kate Greenawaycomes within the same category。 Since Stothard； no one has given us such a clear…eyed； soft…faced； happy…hearted childhood； or so poetically 〃apprehended〃 the coy reticences； the simplicities； and the small solemnities of little people。 Added to this； the old…world costume in which she usually elects to clothe her characters； lends an arch piquancy of contrast to their innocent rites and ceremonies。 Her taste in tinting； too； is very sweet and spring…like； and there is a fresh； pure fragrance about all her pictures as of new…gathered nosegays； or； perhaps； looking to the fashions that she favours； it would be better to say 〃bow…pots。〃 But the latest 〃good genius〃 of this branch of book…illustrating is Mr。 Randolph Caldecott； a designer assuredly of the very first order。 There is a spontaneity of fun； an unforced invention about everything he does； that is infinitely entertaining。 Other artists draw to amuse us； Mr。 Caldecott seems to draw to amuse himself；and this is his charm。 One feels that he must have chuckled inwardly as he puffed the cheeks of his 〃Jovial Huntsmen；〃 or sketched that inimitably complacent dog in the 〃House that Jack Built；〃 or exhibited the exploits of the immortal 〃train… band captain〃 of 〃famous London town。〃 This last is his masterpiece。 Cowper himself must have rejoiced at it；and Lady Austen。 There are two sketches in this bookthey occupy the concluding pageswhich are especially fascinating。 On one； John Gilpin； in a forlorn and flaccid condition； is helped into the house by the sympathising （and very attractive） Betty； on the other he has donned his slippers； refreshed his inner man with a cordial； and over the heaving shoulder of his 〃spouse；〃 who lies dissolved upon his martial bosom； he is taking the spectators into his confidence with a wink worthy of the late Mr。 Buckstone。 Nothing more genuine； more heartily laughable； than this set of designs has appeared in our day。 And Mr。 Caldecott has few limitations。 Not only does he draw human nature admirably； but he draws animals and landscapes equally well； so one may praise him without reserve。 Though not children's books； mention should here be made of his 〃Bracebridge Hall；〃 and 〃Old Christmas；〃 the illustrations to which are the nearest approach to that beau…ideal； perfect sympathy between the artist and the author； with which the writer is acquainted。 The cut on page 173 is from the former of these works。
Many of the books above mentioned are printed in colours by various processes； and they are not always engraved on wood。 Butto close the account of modern wood…engravingsome brief reference must be made to what is styled the 〃new American School；〃 as exhibited for the most part in 〃Scribner's〃 and other Transatlantic magazines。 Authorities； it is reported； shake their heads over these performances。 〃C'est magnifique； mais ce nest pas la gravure；〃 they whisper。 Into the matter in dispute； it is perhaps presumptuous for an 〃atechnic〃 to adventure himself。 But to the outsider it would certainly seem as if the chief ground of complaint is that the new comers do not play the game according to the old rules； and that this （alleged） irregular mode of procedure tends to lessen the status of the engraver as an artist。 False or true； this； it may fairly be advanced； has nothing whatever to do with the matter； as far； at least； as the public are concerned。 For them the question is； simply and solelyWhat is the result obtained？ The new school； availing themselves largely of the assistance of photography； are able to dispense； in a great measure； with the old tedious method of drawing on the block； and to leave the artist to choose what medium he prefers for his designbe it oil； water…colour； or black and whiteconcerning themselves only to reproduce its characteristics on the wood。 This is； of course； a deviation from the method of Bewick。 But would Bewick have adhered to his method in these days？ Even in his last hours he was seeking for new processes。 What we want is to get nearest to the artist himself with the least amount of interpretation or intermediation on the part of the engraver。 Is engraving on copper to be reproduced； we want a facsimile if possible； and not a rendering into something which is supposed to be the orthodox utterance of wood…engraving。 Take； for example； the copy of Schiavonetti's engraving of Blake's Death's Door in 〃Scribner's Magazine〃 for June 1880； or the cut from the same source at page 131 of this book。 These are faithful line for line transcriptions； as far as wood can give them； of the original copper…plates； and； this being the case
