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about him。 Meanwhile the rooks are busy at his fob； a knave has cut
a cruel hole in his pocket； a rattlesnake has coiled safe round his
feet； and will in a trice swallow Bull； chair； money and all； the
rats are at his corn…bags （as if； poor devil； he had corn to spare）；
his faithful dog is bolting his leg…of…muttonnay； a thief has
gotten hold of his very candle； and there； by way of moral； is his
ale…pot； which looks and winks in his face； and seems to say； O
Bull； all this is froth； and a cruel satirical picture of a certain
rustic who had a goose that laid certain golden eggs； which goose
the rustic slew in expectation of finding all the eggs at once。
This is goose and sage too； to borrow the pun of 〃learned Doctor
Gill；〃 but we shrewdly suspect that Mr。 Cruikshank is becoming a
little conservative in his notions。
We love these pictures so that it is hard to part us； and we still
fondly endeavor to hold on； but this wild word； farewell； must be
spoken by the best friends at last； and so good…by； brave woodcuts：
we feel quite a sadness in coming to the last of our collection。
In the earlier numbers of the Comic Almanac all the manners and
customs of Londoners that would afford food for fun were noted down；
and if during the last two years the mysterious personage who； under
the title of 〃Rigdum Funnidos；〃 compiles this ephemeris； has been
compelled to resort to romantic tales； we must suppose that he did
so because the great metropolis was exhausted； and it was necessary
to discover new worlds in the cloud…land of fancy。 The character of
Mr。 Stubbs； who made his appearance in the Almanac for 1839； had； we
think； great merit； although his adventures were somewhat of too
tragical a description to provoke pure laughter。
We should be glad to devote a few pages to the 〃Illustratons of
Time；〃 the 〃Scraps and Sketches；〃 and the 〃Illustrations of
Phrenology；〃 which are among the most famous of our artist's
publications； but it is very difficult to find new terms of praise；
as find them one must； when reviewing Mr。 Cruikshank's publications；
and more difficult still （as the reader of this notice will no doubt
have perceived for himself long since） to translate his design into
words； and go to the printer's box for a description of all that fun
and humor which the artist can produce by a few skilful turns of his
needle。 A famous article upon the 〃Illustrations of Time〃 appeared
some dozen years since in Blackwood's Magazine； of which the
conductors have always been great admirers of our artist； as became
men of honor and genius。 To these grand qualities do not let it be
supposed that we are laying claim； but； thank heaven； Cruikshank's
humor is so good and benevolent that any man must love it； and on
this score we may speak as well as another。
Then there are the 〃Greenwich Hospital〃 designs； which must not be
passed over。 〃Greenwich Hospital〃 is a hearty； good…natured book；
in the Tom Dibdin school； treating of the virtues of British tars；
in approved nautical language。 They maul Frenchmen and Spaniards；
they go out in brigs and take frigates； they relieve women in
distress； and are yard…arm and yard…arming； athwart…hawsing；
marlinspiking； binnacling； and helm's…a…leeing； as honest seamen
invariably do； in novels； on the stage； and doubtless on board ship。
This we cannot take upon us to say； but the artist； like a true
Englishman； as he is； loves dearly these brave guardians of Old
England； and chronicles their rare or fanciful exploits with the
greatest good…will。 Let any one look at the noble head of Nelson in
the 〃Family Library；〃 and they will； we are sure； think with us that
the designer must have felt and loved what he drew。 There are to
this abridgment of Southey's admirable book many more cuts after
Cruikshank； and about a dozen pieces by the same hand will be found
in a work equally popular； Lockhart's excellent 〃Life of Napoleon。〃
Among these the retreat from Moscow is very fine； the Mamlouks most
vigorous； furious； and barbarous； as they should be。 At the end of
these three volumes Mr。 Cruikshank's contributions to the 〃Family
Library〃 seem suddenly to have ceased。
We are not at all disposed to undervalue the works and genius of Mr。
Dickens； and we are sure that he would admit as readily as any man
the wonderful assistance that he has derived from the artist who has
given us the portraits of his ideal personages； and made them
familiar to all the world。 Once seen； these figures remain
impressed on the memory； which otherwise would have had no hold
upon them； and the heroes and heroines of Boz become personal
acquaintances with each of us。 Oh； that Hogarth could have
illustrated Fielding in the same way！ and fixed down on paper those
grand figures of Parson Adams； and Squire Allworthy； and the great
Jonathan Wild。
With regard to the modern romance of 〃Jack Sheppard；〃 in which the
latter personage makes a second appearance； it seems to us that Mr。
Cruikshank really created the tale； and that Mr。 Ainsworth； as it
were； only put words to it。 Let any reader of the novel think over
it for a while； now that it is some months since he has perused and
laid it downlet him think； and tell us what he remembers of the
tale？ George Cruikshank's picturesalways George Cruikshank's
pictures。 The storm in the Thames； for instance： all the author's
labored description of that event has passed clean awaywe have
only before the mind's eye the fine plates of Cruikshank： the poor
wretch cowering under the bridge arch； as the waves come rushing in；
and the boats are whirling away in the drift of the great swollen
black waters。 And let any man look at that second plate of the
murder on the Thames； and he must acknowledge how much more
brilliant the artist's description is than the writer's； and what a
real genius for the terrible as well as for the ridiculous the
former has； how awful is the gloom of the old bridge； a few lights
glimmering from the houses here and there； but not so as to be
reflected on the water at all； which is too turbid and raging： a
great heavy rack of clouds goes sweeping over the bridge； and men
with flaring torches； the murderers； are borne away with the stream。
The author requires many pages to describe the fury of the storm；
which Mr。 Cruikshank has represented in one。 First； he has to
prepare you with the something inexpressibly melancholy in sailing
on a dark night upon the Thames： 〃the ripple of the water；〃 〃the
darkling current；〃 〃the indistinctively seen craft；〃 〃the solemn
shadows〃 and other phenomena visible on rivers at night are detailed
（with not unskilful rhetoric） in order to bring the reader into a
proper frame of mind for the deeper gloom and horror which is to
ensue。 Then follow pages of description。 〃As Rowland sprang to the
helm； and gave the signal for pursuit； a war like a volley of
ordnance was heard aloft； and the wind again burst its bondage。 A
moment before the surface of the stream was as black as ink。 It was
now whitening； hissing； and seething； like an enormous caldron。 The
blast once more swept over the agitated river； whirled off the
sheets of foam； scattered them far and wide in rain…drops； and left
the raging torrent blacker than before。 Destruction everywhere
marked the course of the gale。 Steeples toppled and towers reeled
beneath its fury。 All was darkness； horror； confusion； ruin。 Men
fled from their tottering habitations and returned to them； scared
by greater danger。 The end of the world seemed at hand。 。 。 。 The
hurricane had now reached its climax。 The blast shrieked； as if
exulting in its wrathful mission。 Stunning and continuous； the din
seemed almost to take away the power of hearing。 He who had faced
the gale WOULD HAVE BEEN INSTANTLY STIFLED；〃 &c。 &c。 See with what
a tremendous war of words （and good loud words too； Mr。 Ainsworth's
description is a good and spirited one） the author is obliged to
pour in upon the reader before he can effect his purpose upon the
latter； and inspire him with a proper terror。 The painter does it
at a glance； and old Wood's dilemma in the midst of that tremendous
storm； with the little infant at his bosom； is remembered
afterwards； not from the words； but from the visible image of them
that the artist has left us。
It would not； perhaps； be out of place to glance through the whole
of the 〃Jack Sheppard〃 plates； which are among the most finished and
the most successful of Mr。 Cruikshank's performances； and say a word
or two concerning them。 Let us begin with finding fault with No。 1；
〃Mr。 Wood offers to adopt little Jack Sheppard。〃 A poor print； on a
poor subject； the figure of the woman not as carefully designed as
it might be； and the expression of the eyes （not an uncommon fault
with our artist） much caricatured。 The print is cut up； to use the
artist's phrase； by the number of accessories which