george cruikshank-第4章

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reading　the　biographies　of　the　latter　celebrated　personages；　that

they　had　been　described　as　well　by　Mr。　Cruikshank's　pencil　as　by　Mr。

Dickens's　pen。



As　for　Tom　and　Jerry；　to　show　the　mutability　of　human　affairs　and

the　evanescent　nature　of　reputation；　we　have　been　to　the　British

Museum　and　no　less　than　five　circulating　libraries　in　quest　of　the

book；　and　〃Life　in　London；〃　alas；　is　not　to　be　found　at　any　one　of

them。　　We　can　only；　therefore；　speak　of　the　work　from　recollection；

but　have　still　a　very　clear　remembrance　of　the　leather　gaiters　of

Jerry　Hawthorn；　the　green　spectacles　of　Logic；　and　the　hooked　nose

of　Corinthian　Tom。　　They　were　the　schoolboy's　delight；　and　in　the

days　when　the　work　appeared　we　firmly　believed　the　three　heroes

above　named　to　be　types　of　the　most　elegant；　fashionable　young

fellows　the　town　afforded；　and　thought　their　occupations　and

amusements　were　those　of　all　high…bred　English　gentlemen。　　Tom

knocking　down　the　watchman　at　Temple　Bar；　Tom　and　Jerry　dancing　at

Almack's；　or　flirting　in　the　saloon　at　the　theatre；　at　the　night…

houses；　after　the　play；　at　Tom　Cribb's；　examining　the　silver　cup

then　in　the　possession　of　that　champion；　at　the　chambers　of　Bob

Logic；　who；　seated　at　a　cabinet　piano；　plays　a　waltz　to　which

Corinthian　Tom　and　Kate　are　dancing；　ambling　gallantly　in　Rotten

Row；　or　examining　the　poor　fellow　at　Newgate　who　was　having　his

chains　knocked　off　before　hanging：　all　these　scenes　remain　indelibly

engraved　upon　the　mind；　and　so　far　we　are　independent　of　all　the

circulating　libraries　in　London。



As　to　the　literary　contents　of　the　book；　they　have　passed　sheer

away。　　It　was；　most　likely；　not　particularly　refined；　nay；　the

chances　are　that　it　was　absolutely　vulgar。　　But　it　must　have　had

some　merit　of　its　own；　that　is　clear；　it　must　have　given　striking

descriptions　of　life　in　some　part　or　other　of　London；　for　all　London

read　it；　and　went　to　see　it　in　its　dramatic　shape。　　The　artist；　it

is　said；　wished　to　close　the　career　of　the　three　heroes　by　bringing

them　all　to　ruin；　but　the　writer；　or　publishers；　would　not　allow　any

such　melancholy　subjects　to　dash　the　merriment　of　the　public；　and　we

believe　Tom；　Jerry；　and　Logic；　were　married　off　at　the　end　of　the

tale；　as　if　they　had　been　the　most　moral　personages　in　the　world。

There　is　some　goodness　in　this　pity；　which　authors　and　the　public

are　disposed　to　show　towards　certain　agreeable；　disreputable

characters　of　romance。　　Who　would　mar　the　prospects　of　honest

Roderick　Random；　or　Charles　Surface；　or　Tom　Jones？　only　a　very　stern

moralist　indeed。　　And　in　regard　of　Jerry　Hawthorn　and　that　hero

without　a　surname；　Corinthian　Tom；　Mr。　Cruikshank；　we　make　little

doubt；　was　glad　in　his　heart　that　he　was　not　allowed　to　have　his　own

way。



Soon　after　the　〃Tom　and　Jerry〃　and　the　〃Life　in　Paris；〃　Mr。

Cruikshank　produced　a　much　more　elaborate　set　of　prints；　in　a　work

which　was　called　〃Points　of　Humor。〃　　These　〃Points〃　were　selected

from　various　comic　works；　and　did　not；　we　believe；　extend　beyond　a

couple　of　numbers；　containing　about　a　score　of　copper…plates。　　The

collector　of　humorous　designs　cannot　fail　to　have　them　in　his

portfolio；　for　they　contain　some　of　the　very　best　efforts　of　Mr。

Cruikshank's　genius；　and　though　not　quite　so　highly　labored　as　some

of　his　later　productions；　are　none　the　worse；　in　our　opinion；　for

their　comparative　want　of　finish。　　All　the　effects　are　perfectly

given；　and　the　expression　is　as　good　as　it　could　be　in　the　most

delicate　engraving　upon　steel。　　The　artist's　style；　too；　was　then

completely　formed；　and；　for　our　parts；　we　should　say　that　we

preferred　his　manner　of　1825　to　any　other　which　he　has　adopted

since。　　The　first　picture；　which　is　called　〃The　Point　of　Honor；〃

illustrates　the　old　story　of　the　officer　who；　on　being　accused　of

cowardice　for　refusing　to　fight　a　duel；　came　among　his　brother

officers　and　flung　a　lighted　grenade　down　upon　the　floor；　before

which　his　comrades　fled　ignominiously。　　This　design　is　capital；　and

the　outward　rush　of　heroes；　walking；　trampling；　twisting；　scuffling

at　the　door；　is　in　the　best　style　of　the　grotesque。　　You　see　but　the

back　of　most　of　these　gentlemen；　into　which；　nevertheless；　the

artist　has　managed　to　throw　an　expression　of　ludicrous　agony　that

one　could　scarcely　have　expected　to　find　in　such　a　part　of　the　human

figure。　　The　next　plate　is　not　less　good。　　It　represents　a　couple

who；　having　been　found　one　night　tipsy；　and　lying　in　the　same

gutter；　were；　by　a　charitable　though　misguided　gentleman；　supposed

to　be　man　and　wife；　and　put　comfortably　to　bed　together。　　The

morning　came；　fancy　the　surprise　of　this　interesting　pair　when　they

awoke　and　discovered　their　situation。　　Fancy　the　manner；　too；　in

which　Cruikshank　has　depicted　them；　to　which　words　cannot　do

justice。　　It　is　needless　to　state　that　this　fortuitous　and　temporary

union　was　followed　by　one　more　lasting　and　sentimental；　and　that

these　two　worthy　persons　were　married；　and　lived　happily　ever　after。



We　should　like　to　go　through　every　one　of　these　prints。　　There　is

the　jolly　miller；　who；　returning　home　at　night；　calls　upon　his　wife

to　get　him　a　supper；　and　falls　to　upon　rashers　of　bacon　and　ale。

How　he　gormandizes；　that　jolly　miller！　rasher　after　rasher；　how　they

pass　away　frizzling　and；　smoking　from　the　gridiron　down　that　immense

grinning　gulf　of　a　mouth。　　Poor　wife！　how　she　pines　and　frets；　at

that　untimely　hour　of　midnight　to　be　obliged　to　fry；　fry；　fry

perpetually；　and　minister　to　the　monster's　appetite。　　And　yonder　in

the　clock：　what　agonized　face　is　that　we　see？　　By　heavens；　it　is　the

squire　of　the　parish。　　What　business　has　he　there？　　Let　us　not　ask。

Suffice　it　to　say；　that　he　has；　in　the　hurry　of　the　moment；　left　up

stairs　his　br；　hispsha！　a　part　of　his　dress；　in　short；　with　a

number　of　bank…notes　in　the　pockets。　　Look　in　the　next　page；　and　you

will　see　the　ferocious；　bacon…devouring　ruffian　of　a　miller　is

actually　causing　this　garment　to　be　carried　through　the　village　and

cried　by　the　town…crier。　　And　we　blush　to　be　obliged　to　say　that　the

demoralized　miller　never　offered　to　return　the　banknotes；　although

he　was　so　mighty　scrupulous　in　endeavoring　to　find　an　owner　for　the

corduroy　portfolio　in　which　he　had　found　them。



Passing　from　this　painful　subject；　we　come；　we　regret　to　state；　to　a

series　of　prints　representing　personages　not　a　whit　more　moral。

Burns's　famous　〃Jolly　Beggars〃　have　all　had　their　portraits　drawn　by

Cruikshank。　　There　is　the　lovely　〃hempen　widow；〃　quite　as

interesting　and　romantic　as　the　famous　Mrs。　Sheppard；　who　has　at　the

lamented　demise　of　her　husband　adopted　the　very　same　consolation。





　　　　〃My　curse　upon　them　every　one；

　　　　　They've　hanged　my　braw　John　Highlandman；



　　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　　。



　　　　　And　now　a　widow　I　must　mourn

　　　　　Departed　joys　that　ne'er　return；

　　　　　No　comfort　but　a　hearty　can

　　　　　When　I　think　on　John　Highlandman。〃





Sweet　〃raucle　carlin；〃　she　has　none　of　the　sentimentality　of　the

English　highwayman's　lady；　but　being　wooed　by　a　tinker　and





　　　　〃A　pigmy　scraper　wi'　his　fiddle

　　　　　Wha　us'd　to　trystes　and　fairs　to　driddle；〃





prefers　the　practical　to　the　merely　musical　man。　　The　tinker　sings

with　a　noble　candor；　worthy　of　a　fellow　of　his　strength　of　body　and

station　in　life





　　　　〃My　bonnie　lass；　I　work　in　brass；

　　　　　　　A　tinker　is　my　station；

　　　　　I've　travell'd　round　all　Christian　ground

　　　　　　　In　this　my　occupation。

　　　　　I've　ta'en　the　gold；　I've　been　enroll'd

　　　　　　　In　many　a　noble　squadron；

　　　　　But　vain　they　search'd　when　off　I　march'd

　　　　　　　To　go　an'　clout　the　caudron。〃





It　was　his　ruling　passion。　　What　was　military　glory　to　him；

forsooth？　　He　had　the　greatest　contempt　for　it；　and　loved　freedom

and　his　copper　kettle　a　thousand　times　bettera　kind　of　hardware

Diogenes。　　Of　fiddling　he　has　no　better　opinion。　　The　picture

represents　the　〃sturdy　caird〃　takin