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Napoleon boasted of himself）； supplied a peculiar want felt at a
peculiar period； the simple secret of which is； as we take it； that
he； living amongst the public； has with them a general wide…hearted
sympathy； that he laughs at what they laugh at； that he has a kindly
spirit of enjoyment； with not a morsel of mysticism in his
composition； that he pities and loves the poor； and jokes at the
follies of the great； and that he addresses all in a perfectly
sincere and manly way。 To be greatly successful as a professional
humorist； as in any other calling； a man must be quite honest； and
show that his heart is in his work。 A bad preacher will get
admiration and a hearing with this point in his favor； where a man
of three times his acquirements will only find indifference and
coldness。 Is any man more remarkable than our artist for telling
the truth after his own manner？ Hogarth's honesty of purpose was as
conspicuous in an earlier time； and we fancy that Gilray would have
been far more successful and more powerful but for that unhappy
bribe； which turned the whole course of his humor into an unnatural
channel。 Cruikshank would not for any bribe say what he did not
think； or lend his aid to sneer down anything meritorious； or to
praise any thing or person that deserved censure。 When he levelled
his wit against the Regent； and did his very prettiest for the
Princess； he most certainly believed； along with the great body of
the people whom he represents； that the Princess was the most
spotless； pure…mannered darling of a Princess that ever married a
heartless debauchee of a Prince Royal。 Did not millions believe
with him； and noble and learned lords take their oaths to her Royal
Highness's innocence？ Cruikshank would not stand by and see a woman
ill…used； and so struck in for her rescue； he and the people
belaboring with all their might the party who were making the
attack； and determining； from pure sympathy and indignation； that
the woman must be innocent because her husband treated her so foully。
To be sure we have never heard so much from Mr。 Cruikshank's own
lips； but any man who will examine these odd drawings； which first
made him famous； will see what an honest hearty hatred the champion
of woman has for all who abuse her； and will admire the energy with
which he flings his wood…blocks at all who side against her。
Canning； Castlereagh； Bexley； Sidmouth； he is at them； one and all；
and as for the Prince； up to what a whipping…post of ridicule did he
tie that unfortunate old man！ And do not let squeamish Tories cry
out about disloyalty； if the crown does wrong； the crown must be
corrected by the nation； out of respect； of course； for the crown。
In those days； and by those people who so bitterly attacked the son；
no word was ever breathed against the father； simply because he was
a good husband； and a sober； thrifty； pious； orderly man。
This attack upon the Prince Regent we believe to have been Mr。
Cruikshank's only effort as a party politician。 Some early
manifestoes against Napoleon we find； it is true； done in the
regular John Bull style； with the Gilray model for the little
upstart Corsican： but as soon as the Emperor had yielded to stern
fortune our artist's heart relented （as Beranger's did on the other
side of the water）； and many of our readers will doubtless recollect
a fine drawing of 〃Louis XVIII。 trying on Napoleon's boots；〃 which
did not certainly fit the gouty son of Saint Louis。 Such satirical
hits as these； however； must not be considered as political； or as
anything more than the expression of the artist's national British
idea of Frenchmen。
It must be confessed that for that great nation Mr。 Cruikshank
entertains a considerable contempt。 Let the reader examine the
〃Life in Paris；〃 or the five hundred designs in which Frenchmen are
introduced； and he will find them almost invariably thin； with
ludicrous spindle…shanks； pigtails； outstretched hands； shrugging
shoulders； and queer hair and mustachios。 He has the British idea
of a Frenchman； and if he does not believe that the inhabitants of
France are for the most part dancing…masters and barbers； yet takes
care to depict such in preference； and would not speak too well of
them。 It is curious how these traditions endure。 In France； at the
present moment； the Englishman on the stage is the caricatured
Englishman at the time of the war； with a shock red head； a long
white coat； and invariable gaiters。 Those who wish to study this
subject should peruse Monsieur Paul de Kock's histories of 〃Lord
Boulingrog〃 and 〃Lady Crockmilove。〃 On the other hand； the old
emigre has taken his station amongst us； and we doubt if a good
British gallery would understand that such and such a character WAS
a Frenchman unless he appeared in the ancient traditional costume。
A curious book； called 〃Life in Paris；〃 published in 1822； contains
a number of the artist's plates in the aquatint style； and though we
believe he had never been in that capital； the designs have a great
deal of life in them； and pass muster very well。 A villanous race
of shoulder…shrugging mortals are his Frenchmen indeed。 And the
heroes of the tale； a certain Mr。 Dick Wildfire； Squire Jenkins； and
Captain O'Shuffleton； are made to show the true British superiority
on every occasion when Britons and French are brought together。
This book was one among the many that the designer's genius has
caused to be popular； the plates are not carefully executed； but；
being colored； have a pleasant； lively look。 The same style was
adopted in the once famous book called 〃Tom and Jerry； or Life in
London；〃 which must have a word of notice here； for； although by no
means Mr。 Cruikshank's best work； his reputation was extraordinarily
raised by it。 Tom and Jerry were as popular twenty years since as
Mr。 Pickwick and Sam Weller now are； and often have we wished； while
reading the biographies of the latter celebrated personages； that
they had been described as well by Mr。 Cruikshank's pencil as by Mr。
Dickens's pen。
As for Tom and Jerry； to show the mutability of human affairs and
the evanescent nature of reputation； we have been to the British
Museum and no less than five circulating libraries in quest of the
book； and 〃Life in London；〃 alas； is not to be found at any one of
them。 We can only； therefore； speak of the work from recollection；
but have still a very clear remembrance of the leather gaiters of
Jerry Hawthorn； the green spectacles of Logic； and the hooked nose
of Corinthian Tom。 They were the schoolboy's delight； and in the
days when the work appeared we firmly believed the three heroes
above named to be types of the most elegant； fashionable young
fellows the town afforded； and thought their occupations and
amusements were those of all high…bred English gentlemen。 Tom
knocking down the watchman at Temple Bar； Tom and Jerry dancing at
Almack's； or flirting in the saloon at the theatre； at the night…
houses； after the play； at Tom Cribb's； examining the silver cup
then in the possession of that champion； at the chambers of Bob
Logic； who； seated at a cabinet piano； plays a waltz to which
Corinthian Tom and Kate are dancing； ambling gallantly in Rotten
Row； or examining the poor fellow at Newgate who was having his
chains knocked off before hanging： all these scenes remain indelibly
engraved upon the mind； and so far we are independent of all the
circulating libraries in London。
As to the literary contents of the book； they have passed sheer
away。 It was； most likely； not particularly refined； nay； the
chances are that it was absolutely vulgar。 But it must have had
some merit of its own； that is clear； it must have given striking
descriptions of life in some part or other of London； for all London
read it； and went to see it in its dramatic shape。 The artist； it
is said； wished to close the career of the three heroes by bringing
them all to ruin； but the writer； or publishers； would not allow any
such melancholy subjects to dash the merriment of the public； and we
believe Tom； Jerry； and Logic； were married off at the end of the
tale； as if they had been the most moral personages in the world。
There is some goodness in this pity； which authors and the public
are disposed to show towards certain agreeable； disreputable
characters of romance。 Who would mar the prospects of honest
Roderick Random； or Charles Surface； or Tom Jones？ only a very stern
moralist indeed。 And in regard of Jerry Hawthorn and that hero
without a surname； Corinthian Tom； Mr。 Cruikshank； we make little
doubt； was glad in his heart that he was not allowed to have his own
way。
Soon after the 〃Tom and Jerry〃 and the 〃Life in Paris；〃 Mr。
Cruikshank produced a much more elaborate set of prints； in a work
which was called 〃Points of Humor。〃 These 〃Points〃 were selected
from various comic works； and did not； we be