george cruikshank-第2章

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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

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　mustac