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risimilitude。 Personages； too； in whose eyesto use Mr。 Swiveller's euphemism〃the sun has shone too strongly；〃 find in Mr。 Keene a merciless satirist of their 〃pleasant vices。〃 Like Leech； he has also a remarkable power of indicating a landscape background with the fewest possible touches。 His book illustrations have been 。mainly confined to magazines and novels。 Those in 〃Once a Week〃 to a 〃Good Fight；〃 the tale subsequently elaborated by Charles Reade into the 〃Cloister and the Hearth；〃 present some good specimens of his earlier work。 One of these； in which the dwarf of the story is seen climbing up a wall with a lantern at his back； will probably be remembered by many。
After the 〃Punch〃 school there are other lesser luminaries。 Mr。 W。 S。 Gilbert's drawings to his own inimitable 〃Bab Ballads〃 have a perverse drollery which is quite in keeping with that erratic text。 Mr。 F。 Barnard； whose exceptional talents have not been sufficiently recognised； is a master of certain phases of strongly marked character； and； like Mr。 Charles Green； has contributed some excellent sketches to the 〃Household Edition〃 of Dickens。 Mr。 Sullivan of 〃Fun；〃 whose grotesque studies of the 〃British Tradesman〃 and 〃Workman〃 have recently been republished； has abounding vis ica； but he has hitherto done little in the way of illustrating books。 For minute pictorial stocktaking and photographic retention of detail； Mr。 Sullivan's artistic memory may almost be pared to the wonderful literary memory of Mr。 Sala。 Mr。 John Proctor； who some years ago （in 〃Will o' the Wisp〃） seemed likely to rival Tenniel as a cartoonist； has not been very active in this way； while Mr。 Matthew Man； the clever artist of the 〃Tomahawk；〃 has transferred his services to the United States。 Of Mr。 Bowcher of 〃Judy；〃 and various other professedly humorous designers； space permits no further mention。
There remains； however； one popular branch of bookillustration； which has attracted the talents of some of the most skilful and original of modern draughtsmen； i。e。 the embellishment of children's books。 From the days when Mulready drew the old 〃Butterfly's Ball〃 and 〃Peacock at Home〃 of our youth； to those of the delightfully Blakelike fancies of E。 V。 B。； whose 〃Child's Play〃 has recently been republished for the delectation of a new generation of admirers； this has always been a popular and profitable employment； but of late years it has been raised to the level of a fine art。 Mr。 H。 S。 Marks； Mr。 J。 D。 Watson； Mr。 Walter Crane； have produced specimens of nursery literature which； for refinement of colouring and beauty of ornament； cannot easily be surpassed。 The equipments of the last named； especially； are of a very high order。 He began as a landscapist on wood； he now chiefly devotes himself to the figure； and he seems to have the decorative art at his fingers' ends as a natural gift。 Such work as 〃King Luckieboy's Party〃 was a revelation in the way of toy books； while the 〃Baby's Opera〃 and 〃Baby's Bouquet〃 are petits chefs d'oeuvre； of which the sagacious collector will do well to secure copies； not for his nursery； but his library。 Nor can his 〃Mrs。 Mundi at Home〃 be neglected by the curious in quaint and graceful invention。 ｛14｝ Another bookthe 〃Under the Window〃 of Miss Kate Greenawayes within the same category。 Since Stothard； no one has given us such a cleareyed； softfaced； happyhearted childhood； or so poetically 〃apprehended〃 the coy reticences； the simplicities； and the small solemnities of little people。 Added to this； the oldworld costume in which she usually elects to clothe her characters； lends an arch piquancy of contrast to their innocent rites and ceremonies。 Her taste in tinting； too； is very sweet and springlike； and there is a fresh； pure fragrance about all her pictures as of newgathered nosegays； or； perhaps； looking to the fashions that she favours； it would be better to say 〃bowpots。〃 But the latest 〃good genius〃 of this branch of bookillustrating is Mr。 Randolph Caldecott； a designer assuredly of the very first order。 There is a spontaneity of fun； an unforced invention about everything he does； that is infinitely entertaining。 Other artists draw to amuse us； Mr。 Caldecott seems to draw to amuse himself；and this is his charm。 One feels that he must have chuckled inwardly as he puffed the cheeks of his 〃Jovial Huntsmen；〃 or sketched that inimitably placent dog in the 〃House that Jack Built；〃 or exhibited the exploits of the immortal 〃train band captain〃 of 〃famous London town。〃 This last is his masterpiece。 Cowper himself must have rejoiced at it；and Lady Austen。 There are two sketches in this bookthey occupy the concluding pageswhich are especially fascinating。 On one； John Gilpin； in a forlorn and flaccid condition； is helped into the house by the sympathising （and very attractive） Betty； on the other he has donned his slippers； refreshed his inner man with a cordial； and over the heaving shoulder of his 〃spouse；〃 who lies dissolved upon his martial bosom； he is taking the spectators into his confidence with a wink worthy of the late Mr。 Buckstone。 Nothing more genuine； more heartily laughable； than this set of designs has appeared in our day。 And Mr。 Caldecott has few limitations。 Not only does he draw human nature admirably； but he draws animals and landscapes equally well； so one may praise him without reserve。 Though not children's books； mention should here be made of his 〃Bracebridge Hall；〃 and 〃Old Christmas；〃 the illustrations to which are the nearest approach to that beauideal； perfect sympathy between the artist and the author； with which the writer is acquainted。 The cut on page 173 is from the former of these works。
Many of the books above mentioned are printed in colours by various processes； and they are not always engraved on wood。 Butto close the account of modern woodengravingsome brief reference must be made to what is styled the 〃new American School；〃 as exhibited for the most part in 〃Scribner's〃 and other Transatlantic magazines。 Authorities； it is reported； shake their heads over these performances。 〃C'est magnifique； mais ce nest pas la gravure；〃 they whisper。 Into the matter in dispute； it is perhaps presumptuous for an 〃atechnic〃 to adventure himself。 But to the outsider it would certainly seem as if the chief ground of plaint is that the new ers do not play the game according to the old rules； and that this （alleged） irregular mode of procedure tends to lessen the status of the engraver as an artist。 False or true； this； it may fairly be advanced； has nothing whatever to do with the matter； as far； at least； as the public are concerned。 For them the question is； simply and solelyWhat is the result obtained？ The new school； availing themselves largely of the assistance of photography； are able to dispense； in a great measure； with the old tedious method of drawing on the block； and to leave the artist to choose what medium he prefers for his designbe it oil； watercolour； or black and whiteconcerning themselves only to reproduce its characteristics on the wood。 This is； of course； a deviation from the method of Bewick。 But would Bewick have adhered to his method in these days？ Even in his last hours he was seeking for new processes。 What we want is to get nearest to the artist himself with the least amount of interpretation or intermediation on the part of the engraver。 Is engraving on copper to be reproduced； we want a facsimile if possible； and not a rendering into something which is supposed to be the orthodox utterance of woodengraving。 Take； for example； the copy of Schiavoti's engraving of Blake's Death's Door in 〃Scribner's Magazine〃 for June 1880； or the cut from the same source at page 131 of this book。 These are faithful line for line transcriptions； as far as wood can give them； of the original copperplates； and； this being the case； it is not to be wondered at that the public； who； for a few pence can have practical facsimiles of Blake； of Cruikshank； or of Whistler； are loud in their appreciation of the 〃new American School。〃 Nor are its successes confined to reproduction in facsimile。 Those who look at the exquisite illustrations； in the same periodical； to the 〃Tile Club at Play；〃 to Roe's 〃Success with Small Fruits；〃 and Harris's 〃Insects Injurious to Vegetation；〃to say nothing of the selected specimens in the recently issued 〃Portfolios〃will see that the latest ers can hold their own on all fields with any school that has gone before。 ｛15｝
Besides copperplate and wood； there are many processes which have been and are still employed for bookillustrations； although the brief limits of this chapter make any account of them impossible。 Lithography was at one time very popular； and； in books like Roberts's 〃Holy Land；〃 exceedingly effective。 The 〃Etching Club〃 issued a number of books circa 184152； and most of the work of 〃Phiz〃 and Cruikshank was done with the needle。 It is probable that； as we have already seen； the impetus given to modern etching by Messrs。 Hamerton； Seymour Haden； and Whistler； will lead to a specific revival of etching as a means of bookillustration。 Already beautiful etchings have for some time appeared in 〃L'Art；〃 the 〃Portfolio；〃 and the 〃Etcher；〃 and