按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
than any other lawyers in the world； took the advice of a Mr。
Bagsby； of Lyon's Inn； whose name； as we cannot find it in the 〃Law
List；〃 we presume to be fictitious。 Who could it be that was a
match for the devil？ Lord very likely； we shall not give his
name； but let every reader of this Review fill up the blank
according to his own fancy； and on comparing it with the copy
purchased by his neighbors； he will find that fifteen out of twenty
have written down the same honored name。
Well； the Gentleman in Black was anxious for the fulfilment of his
bond。 The parties met at Mr。 Bagsby's chambers to consult； the
Black Gentleman foolishly thinking that he could act as his own
counsel； and fearing no attorney alive。 But mark the superiority of
British law； and see how the black pettifogger was defeated。
Mr。 Bagsby simply stated that he would take the case into Chancery；
and his antagonist； utterly humiliated and defeated； refused to move
a step farther in the matter。
And now the French gentleman； M。 Desonge； hearing of his friend's
escape； became anxious to be free from his own rash engagements。 He
employed the same counsel who had been successful in the former
instance； but the Gentleman in Black was a great deal wiser by this
time； and whether M。 Desonge escaped； or whether he is now in that
extensive place which is paved with good intentions； we shall not
say。 Those who are anxious to know had better purchase the book
wherein all these interesting matters are duly set down。 There is
one more diabolical picture in our budget； engraved by Mr。 Thompson；
the same dexterous artist who has rendered the former diableries so
well。
We may mention Mr。 Thompson's name as among the first of the
engravers to whom Cruikshank's designs have been entrusted； and next
to him （if we may be allowed to make such arbitrary distinctions） we
may place Mr。 Williams； and the reader is not possibly aware of the
immense difficulties to be overcome in the rendering of these little
sketches； which； traced by the designer in a few hours； require
weeks' labor from the engraver。 Mr。 Cruikshank has not been
educated in the regular schools of drawing （very luckily for him； as
we think）； and consequently has had to make a manner for himself；
which is quite unlike that of any other draftsman。 There is nothing
in the least mechanical about it； to produce his particular effects
he uses his own particular lines； which are queer； free； fantastical；
and must be followed in all their infinite twists and vagaries by
the careful tool of the engraver。 Those three lovely heads； for
instance； imagined out of the rinds of lemons； are worth examining；
not so much for the jovial humor and wonderful variety of feature
exhibited in these darling countenances as for the engraver's part
of the work。 See the infinite delicate cross…lines and hatchings
which he is obliged to render； let him go； not a hair's breadth； but
the hundredth part of a hair's breadth； beyond the given line； and
the FEELING of it is ruined。 He receives these little dots and
specks； and fantastical quirks of the pencil； and cuts away with a
little knife round each； not too much nor too little。 Antonio's
pound of flesh did not puzzle the Jew so much； and so well does the
engraver succeed at last； that we never remember to have met with a
single artist who did not vow that the wood…cutter had utterly
ruined his design。
Of Messrs。 Thompson and Williams we have spoken as the first
engravers in point of rank； however； the regulations of professional
precedence are certainly very difficult； and the rest of their
brethren we shall not endeavor to class。 Why should the artists who
executed the cuts of the admirable 〃Three Courses〃 yield the pas to
any one？
There； for instance； is an engraving by Mr。 Landells； nearly as good
in our opinion as the very best woodcut that ever was made after
Cruikshank； and curiously happy in rendering the artist's peculiar
manner： this cut does not come from the facetious publications which
we have consulted； but is a contribution by Mr。 Cruikshank to an
elaborate and splendid botanical work upon the Orchidaceae of
Mexico； by Mr。 Bateman。 Mr。 Bateman despatched some extremely
choice roots of this valuable plant to a friend in England； who； on
the arrival of the case； consigned it to his gardener to unpack。 A
great deal of anxiety with regard to the contents was manifested by
all concerned； but on the lid of the box being removed； there issued
from it three or four fine specimens of the enormous Blatta beetle
that had been preying upon the plants during the voyage； against
these the gardeners； the grooms； the porters； and the porters'
children； issued forth in arms； and this scene the artist has
immortalized。
We have spoken of the admirable way in which Mr。 Cruikshank has
depicted Irish character and Cockney character； English country
character is quite as faithfully delineated in the person of the
stout porteress and her children； and of the 〃Chawbacon〃 with the
shovel； on whose face is written 〃Zummerzetsheer。〃 Chawbacon
appears in another plate； or else Chawbacon's brother。 He has come
up to Lunnan； and is looking about him at raaces。
How distinct are these rustics from those whom we have just been
examining！ They hang about the purlieus of the metropolis： Brook
Green； Epsom； Greenwich； Ascot； Goodwood； are their haunts。 They
visit London professionally once a year； and that is at the time of
Bartholomew fair。 How one may speculate upon the different degrees
of rascality； as exhibited in each face of the thimblerigging trio；
and form little histories for these worthies； charming Newgate
romances； such as have been of late the fashion！ Is any man so
blind that he cannot see the exact face that is writhing under the
thhnblerigged hero's hat？ Like Timanthes of old； our artist
expresses great passions without the aid of the human countenance。
There is another specimena street row of inebriated bottles。 Is
there any need of having a face after this？ 〃Come on！〃 says Claret…
bottle； a dashing； genteel fellow； with his hat on one ear〃Come
on！ has any man a mind to tap me？〃 Claret…bottle is a little
screwed （as one may see by his legs）； but full of gayety and
courage； not so that stout； apoplectic Bottle…of…rum； who has
staggered against the wall； and has his hand upon his liver： the
fellow hurts himself with smoking； that is clear； and is as sick as
sick can be。 See； Port is making away from the storm； and Double X
is as flat as ditch…water。 Against these； awful in their white
robes； the sober watchmen come。
Our artist then can cover up faces； and yet show them quite clearly；
as in the thimblerig group； or he can do without faces altogether；
or he can； at a pinch； provide a countenance for a gentleman out of
any given objecta beautiful Irish physiognomy being moulded upon a
keg of whiskey； and a jolly English countenance frothing out of a
pot of ale （the spirit of brave Toby Philpot come back to reanimate
his clay）； while in a fungus may be recognized the physiognomy of a
mushroom peer。 Finally； if he is at a loss； he can make a living
head； body； and legs out of steel or tortoise…shell； as in the case
of the vivacious pair of spectacles that are jockeying the nose of
Caddy Cuddle。
Of late years Mr。 Cruikshank has busied himself very much with steel
engraving； and the consequences of that lucky invention have been；
that his plates are now sold by thousands； where they could only be
produced by hundreds before。 He has made many a bookseller's and
author's fortune （we trust that in so doing he may not have
neglected his own）。 Twelve admirable plates； furnished yearly to
that facetious little publication； the Comic Almanac； have gained
for it a sale； as we hear； of nearly twenty thousand copies。 The
idea of the work was novel； there was； in the first number
especially； a great deal of comic power； and Cruikshank's designs
were so admirable that the Almanac at once became a vast favorite
with the public； and has so remained ever since。
Besides the twelve plates； this almanac contains a prophetic
woodcut； accompanying an awful Blarneyhum Astrologicum that appears
in this and other almanacs。 There is one that hints in pretty clear
terms that with the Reform of Municipal Corporations the ruin of the
great Lord Mayor of London is at hand。 His lordship is meekly going
to dine at an eightpenny ordinary； his giants in pawn； his men in
armor dwindled to 〃one poor knight；〃 his carriage to be sold； his
stalwart aldermen vanished； his sheriffs； alas！ and alas！ in gaol！
Another design shows that Rigdum； if a true； is also a moral and
instructive prophet。 John Bull is asleep； or rather in a vision；
the cunning demon； Speculation； blowing a thousand bright bubbles
about him。 Meanwhile the rooks are busy at his fob； a knave has cut
a