george cruikshank-第8章

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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　the　engraver　has

thought　proper；　after　the　author's　elaborate　description；　elaborately

to　reproduce。　　The　plate　of　〃Wild　discovering　Darrell　in　the

loft〃　is　admirableghastly；　terrible；　and　the　treatment　of　it

extraordinarily　skilful；　minute；　and　bold。　　The　intricacies　of　the

tile…work；　and　the　mysterious　twinkling　of　light　among　the　beams；

are　excellently　felt　and　rendered；　and　one　sees　here；　as　in　the　two

next　plates　of　the　storm　and　murder；　what　a　fine　eye　the　artist　has；

what　a　skilful　hand；　and　what　a　sympathy　for　the　wild　and　dreadful。

As　a　mere　imitation　of　nature；　the　clouds　and　the　bridge　in　the

murder　picture　may　be　examined　by　painters　who　make　far　higher

pretensions　than　Mr。　Cruikshank。　　In　point　of　workmanship　they　are

equally　good；　the　manner　quite　unaffected；　the　effect　produced

without　any　violent　contrast；　the　whole　scene　evidently　well　and

philosophically　arranged　in　the　artist's　brain；　before　he　began　to

put　it　upon　copper。



The　famous　drawing　of　〃Jack　carving　the　name　on　the　beam；〃　which　has

been　transferred　to　half　the　play…bills　in　town；　is　overloaded　with

accessories；　as　the　first　plate；　but　they　are　much　better　arranged

than　in　the　last…named　engraving；　and　do　not　injure　the　effect　of

the　principal　figure。　　Remark；　too；　the　conscientiousness　of　the

artist；　and　that　shrewd　pervading　idea　of　FORM　which　is　one　of　his

principal　characteristics。　　Jack　is　surrounded　by　all　sorts　of

implements　of　his　profession；　he　stands　on　a　regular　carpenter's

table：　away　in　the　shadow　under　it　lie　shavings　and　a　couple　of

carpenter's　hampers。　　The　glue…pot；　the　mallet；　the　chisel…handle；

the　planes；　the　saws；　the　hone　with　its　cover；　and　the　other

paraphernalia　are　all　represented　with　extraordinary　accuracy　and

forethought。　　The　man's　mind　has　retained　the　exact　DRAWING　of　all

these　minute　objects　（unconsciously　perhaps　to　himself）；　but　we　can

see　with　what　keen　eyes　he　must　go　through　the　world；　and　what　a

fund　of　facts　（as　such　a　knowledge　of　the　shape　of　objects　is　in　his

profession）　this　keen　student　of　nature　has　stored　away　in　his

brain。　　In　the　next　plate；　where　Jack　is　escaping　from　his　mistress；

the　figure　of　that　lady；　one　of　the　deepest　of　the　＇Greek　text

omitted＇；　strikes　us　as　disagreeable　and　unrefined；　that　of　Winifred

is；　on　the　contrary；　very　pretty　and　graceful；　and　Jack's　puzzled；

slinking　look　must　not　be　forgotten。　　All　the　accessories　are　good；

and　the　apartment　has　a　snug；　cosy　air；　which　is　not　remarkable；

except　that　it　shows　how　faithfully　the　designer　has　performed　his

work；　and　how　curiously　he　has　entered　into　all　the　particulars　of

the　subject。



Master　Thames　Darrell；　the　handsome　young　man　of　the　book；　is；　in

Mr。　Cruikshank's　portraits　of　him；　no　favorite　of　ours。　　The　lad

seems　to　wish　to　make　up　for　the　natural　insignificance　of　his　face

by　frowning　on　all　occasions　most　portentously。　　This　figure；

borrowed　from　the　compositor's　desk；　will　give　a　notion　of　what　we

mean。　　Wild's　face　is　too　violent　for　the　great　man　of　history　（if

we　may　call　Fielding　history）；　but　this　is　in　consonance　with　the

ranting；　frowning；　braggadocio　character　that　Mr。　Ainsworth　has

given　him。



The　〃Interior　of　Willesden　Church〃　is　excellent　as　a　composition；

and　a　piece　of　artistical　workmanship；　the　groups　are　well　arranged；

and　the　figure　of　Mrs。　Sheppard　looking　round　alarmed；　as　her　son　is

robbing　the　dandy　Kneebone；　is　charming；　simple；　and　unaffected。

Not　so　〃Mrs。　Sheppard　ill　in　bed；〃　whose　face　is　screwed　up　to　an

expression　vastly　too　tragic。　　The　little　glimpse　of　the　church　seen

through　the　open　door　of　the　room　is　very　beautiful　and　poetical：　it

is　in　such　small　hints　that　an　artist　especially　excels；　they　are

the　morals　which　he　loves　to　append　to　his　stories；　and　are　always

appropriate　and　welcome。　　The　boozing　ken　is　not　to　our　liking；　Mrs。

Sheppard　is　there　with　her　horrified　eyebrows　again。　　Why　this

exaggerationis　it　necessary　for　the　public？　　We　think　not；　or　if

they　require　such　excitement；　let　our　artist；　like　a　true　painter　as

he　is；　teach　them　better　things。*





*　A　gentleman　（whose　wit　is　so　celebrated　that　one　should　be　very

cautious　in　repeating　his　stories）　gave　the　writer　a　good

illustration　of　the　philosophy　of　exaggeration。　　Mr。　　was　once

behind　the　scenes　at　the　Opera　when　the　scene…shifters　were

preparing　for　the　ballet。　　Flora　was　to　sleep　under　a　bush；　whereon

were　growing　a　number　of　roses；　and　amidst　which　was　fluttering　a

gay　covey　of　butterflies。　　In　size　the　roses　exceeded　the　most

expansive　sunflowers；　and　the　butterflies　were　as　large　as　cocked

hats；the　scene…shifter　explained　to　Mr。　；　who　asked　the　reason

why　everything　was　so　magnified；　that　the　galleries　could　never　see

the　objects　unless　they　were　enormously　exaggerated。　　How　many　of

our　writers　and　designers　work　for　the　galleries？



The　〃Escape　from　Willesden　Cage〃　is　excellent；　the　〃Burglary　in

Wood's　house〃　has　not　less　merit；　〃Mrs。　Sheppard　in　Bedlam；〃　a

ghastly　picture　indeed；　is　finely　conceived；　but　not；　as　we　fancy；

so　carefully　executed；　it　would　be　better　for　a　little　more　careful

drawing　in　the　female　figure。



〃Jack　sitting　for　his　picture〃　is　a　very　pleasing　group；　and　savors

of　the　manner　of　Hogarth；　who　is　introduced　in　the　company。　　The

〃Murder　of　Trenchard〃　must　be　noticed　too　as　remarkable　for　the

effect　and　terrible　vigor　which　the　artist　has　given　to　the　scene。

The　〃Willesden　Churchyard〃　has　great　merit　too；　but　the　gems　of　the

book　are　the　little　vignettes　illustrating　the　escape　from　Newgate。

Here；　too；　much　anatomical　care　of　drawing　is　not　required；　the

figures　are　so　small　that　the　outline　and　attitude　need　only　to　be

indicated；　and　the　designer　has　produced　a　series　of　figures　quite

remarkable　for　reality　and　poetry　too。　　There　are　no　less　than　ten

of　Jack's　feats　so　described　by　Mr。　Cruikshank。　　（Let　us　say　a　word

here　in　praise　of　the　excellent　manner　in　which　the　author　has

carried　us　through　the　adventure。）　　Here　is　Jack　clattering　up　the

chimney；　now　peering　into　the　lonely　red　room；　now　opening　〃the　door

between　the　red　room　and　the　chapel。〃　　What　a　wild；　fierce；　scared

look　he　has；　the　young　ruffian；　as　cautiously　he　steps　in；　holding

light　his　bar　of　iron。　　You　can　see　by　his　face　how　his　heart　is

beating！　　If　any　one　were　there！　but　no！　　And　this　is　a　very　fine

characteristic　of　the　prints；　the　extreme　LONELINESS　of　them　all。

Not　a　soul　is　there　to　disturb　himwoe　to　him　who　shouldand　Jack

drives　in　the　chapel　gate；　and　shatters　down　the　passage　door；　and

there　you　have　him　on　the　leads。　　Up　he　goes！　it　is　but　a　spring　of

a　few　feet　from　the　blanket；　and　he　is　goneabiit；　evasit；　erupit！

Mr。　Wild　must　catch　him　again　if　he　can。



We　must　not　forget　to　mention　〃Oliver　Twist；〃　and　Mr。　Cruikshank's

famo