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Diggory says in the play； who is bidden by his master not to laugh
while waiting at table〃Don't tell the story of Grouse in the Gun…
room； master； or I can't help laughing。〃 Repeat that history ever
so often； and at the proper moment； honest Diggory is sure to
explode。 Every man； no doubt； who loves Cruikshank has his 〃Grouse
in the Gun…room。〃 There is a fellow in the 〃Points of Humor〃 who is
offering to eat up a certain little general； that has made us happy
any time these sixteen years： his huge mouth is a perpetual well of
laughterbuckets full of fun can be drawn from it。 We have formed
no such friendships as that boyish one of the man with the mouth。
But though； in our eyes； Mr。 Cruikshank reached his apogee some
eighteen years since； it must not be imagined that such is really
the case。 Eighteen sets of children have since then learned to love
and admire him； and may many more of their successors be brought up
in the same delightful faith。 It is not the artist who fails； but
the men who grow coldthe men； from whom the illusions （why
illusions？ realities） of youth disappear one by one； who have no
leisure to be happy； no blessed holidays； but only fresh cares at
Midsummer and Christmas； being the inevitable seasons which bring us
bills instead of pleasures。 Tom； who comes bounding home from
school； has the doctor's account in his trunk； and his father goes
to sleep at the pantomime to which he takes him。 Pater infelix； you
too have laughed at clown； and the magic wand of spangled harlequin；
what delightful enchantment did it wave around you； in the golden
days 〃when George the Third was king！〃 But our clown lies in his
grave； and our harlequin； Ellar； prince of how many enchanted
islands； was he not at Bow Street the other day；* in his dirty；
tattered； faded motleyseized as a law…breaker； for acting at a
penny theatre； after having wellnigh starved in the streets； where
nobody would listen to his old guitar？ No one gave a shilling to
bless him： not one of us who owe him so much。
* This was written in 1840。
We know not if Mr。 Cruikshank will be very well pleased at finding
his name in such company as that of Clown and Harlequin； but he；
like them； is certainly the children's friend。 His drawings abound
in feeling for these little ones； and hideous as in the course of
his duty he is from time to time compelled to design them； he never
sketches one without a certain pity for it； and imparting to the
figure a certain grotesque grace。 In happy schoolboys he revels；
plum…pudding and holidays his needle has engraved over and over
again； there is a design in one of the comic almanacs of some young
gentlemen who are employed in administering to a schoolfellow the
correction of the pump； which is as graceful and elegant as a
drawing of Stothard。 Dull books about children George Cruikshank
makes bright with illustrationsthere is one published by the
ingenious and opulent Mr。 Tegg。 It is entitled 〃Mirth and
Morality；〃 the mirth being； for the most part； on the side of the
designerthe morality； unexceptionable certainly； the author's
capital。 Here are then； to these moralities； a smiling train of
mirths supplied by George Cruikshank。 See yonder little fellows
butterfly…hunting across a common！ Such a light； brisk； airy；
gentleman…like drawing was never made upon such a theme。 Who；
cries the author
〃Who has not chased the butterfly；
And crushed its slender legs and wings；
And heaved a moralizing sigh：
Alas！ how frail are human things！〃
A very unexceptionable morality truly； but it would have puzzled
another than George Cruikshank to make mirth out of it as he has
done。 Away； surely not on the wings of these verses； Cruikshank's
imagination begins to soar； and he makes us three darling little men
on a green common； backed by old farmhouses； somewhere about May。 A
great mixture of blue and clouds in the air； a strong fresh breeze
stirring； Tom's jacket flapping in the same； in order to bring down
the insect queen or king of spring that is fluttering above him；he
renders all this with a few strokes on a little block of wood not
two inches square； upon which one may gaze for hours； so merry and
lifelike a scene does it present。 What a charming creative power is
this； what a privilegeto be a god； and create little worlds upon
paper； and whole generations of smiling； jovial men； women； and
children half inch high； whose portraits are carried abroad； and
have the faculty of making us monsters of six feet curious and happy
in our turn。 Now； who would imagine that an artist could make
anything of such a subject as this？ The writer begins by stating；
〃I love to go back to the days of my youth；
And to reckon my joys to the letter；
And to count o'er the friends that I have in the world；
Ay； and those who are gone to a better。〃
This brings him to the consideration of his uncle。 〃Of all the men
I have ever known；〃 says he； 〃my uncle united the greatest degree of
cheerfulness with the sobriety of manhood。 Though a man when I was
a boy； he was yet one of the most agreeable companions I ever
possessed。 。 。 。 He embarked for America； and nearly twenty years
passed by before he came back again； 。 。 。 but oh； how altered！he
was in every sense of the word an old man； his body and mind were
enfeebled； and second childishness had come upon him。 How often
have I bent over him； vainly endeavoring to recall to his memory the
scenes we had shared together： and how frequently； with an aching
heart； have I gazed on his vacant and lustreless eye； while he has
amused himself in clapping his hands and singing with a quavering
voice a verse of a psalm。〃 Alas！ such are the consequences of long
residences in America； and of old age even in uncles！ Well； the
point of this morality is； that the uncle one day in the morning of
life vowed that he would catch his two nephews and tie them
together； ay； and actually did so； for all the efforts the rogues
made to run away from him； but he was so fatigued that he declared
he never would make the attempt again； whereupon the nephew
remarks；〃Often since then； when engaged in enterprises beyond my
strength； have I called to mind the determination of my uncle。〃
Does it not seem impossible to make a picture out of this？ And yet
George Cruikshank has produced a charming design； in which the
uncles and nephews are so prettily portrayed that one is reconciled
to their existence； with all their moralities。 Many more of the
mirths in this little book are excellent； especially a great figure
of a parson entering church on horseback；an enormous parson truly；
calm； unconscious； unwieldy。 As Zeuxis had a bevy of virgins in
order to make his famous picturehis express virgina clerical
host must have passed under Cruikshank's eyes before he sketched
this little； enormous parson of parsons。
Being on the subject of children's books； how shall we enough praise
the delightful German nursery…tales； and Cruikshank's illustrations
of them？ We coupled his name with pantomime awhile since； and sure
never pantomimes were more charming than these。 Of all the artists
that ever drew； from Michael Angelo upwards and downwards；
Cruikshank was the man to illustrate these tales； and give them just
the proper admixture of the grotesque； the wonderful； and the
graceful。 May all Mother Bunch's collection be similarly indebted
to him； may 〃Jack the Giant Killer；〃 may 〃Tom Thumb；〃 may 〃Puss in
Boots；〃 be one day revivified by his pencil。 Is not Whittington
sitting yet on Highgate hill； and poor Cinderella （in that sweetest
of all fairy stories） still pining in her lonely chimney…nook？ A
man who has a true affection for these delightful companions of his
youth is bound to be grateful to them if he can； and we pray Mr。
Cruikshank to remember them。
It is folly to say that this or that kind of humor is too good for
the public； that only a chosen few can relish it。 The best humor
that we know of has been as eagerly received by the public as by the
most delicate connoisseur。 There is hardly a man in England who can
read but will laugh at Falstaff and the humor of Joseph Andrews； and
honest Mr。 Pickwick's story can be felt and loved by any person
above the age of six。 Some may have a keener enjoyment of it than
others； but all the world can be merry over it； and is always ready
to welcome it。 The best criterion of good humor is success； and what
a share of this has Mr。 Cruikshank had！ how many millions of mortals
has he made happy！ We have heard very profound persons talk
philosophically of the marvellous and mysterious manner in which he
has suited himself to the timefait vibrer la fibre populaire （as
Napoleon boasted of himself）； supplied a peculiar want felt at a
peculiar period； the simple secret of which is； as we take it； that