The Life of George Cruikshank in Two Epochs, Vol. 2. (of 2)Jerrold, Blanchard
History
The Life of George Cruikshank in Two Epochs, Vol. 2. (of 2)
Jerrold, Blanchard
Cruikshank, George, 1792-1878
“In that paper I spoke of a lady in an omnibus, whose set of false teeth
were projected into her opposite neighbour’s lap through a sudden jolt
of the vehicle while she was sucking her parasol handle. This led me to
tell Cruikshank an anecdote that I had then recently heard, and which,
as it has not been in print, I may here narrate; for Cruikshank
laughed very heartily at it, and said that he should like to make an
illustration to it, and asked me if I could not write a paper on country
rectors and their adventures, in which it might be introduced, and which
he would further illustrate. Very likely this suggestion might have been
carried into effect if Mr. D. Bogue had carried on the magazine. As it
was, it was lost to the world.”
Cuthbert Bede has also given us an account of Cruikshank’s first
introduction to the editor of his unfortunate final magazine:--
“He told me that, as in my own case, he had not known Cruikshank
personally until this projected magazine brought them together, although
Cruikshank had illustrated ‘Frank Fairleigh.’ The great artist’s first
call upon Smedley was made only a few days previous to my own; and
Smedley gave me the following account of it: ‘He was shown into this
room, while I was sitting at that writing-desk by the window, I wheeled
my chair round (poor Smedley had to use a self-acting wheeled chair),
and advanced to meet him. Thus I had my back to the light, and he was
facing the window. He appeared so amazed at seeing me such a cripple as
I am, that he could not overcome his wonder, but kept exclaiming,
“Good God! I thought you could gallop about on horses!” and the like
expressions. I explained how it was; and we then proceeded to discuss
business details. It was a hot, sultry day, and Cruikshank had walked
fast; he was heated, and his face and forehead were very red. His hair
was blown about, and, instead of sitting quietly on a chair, he was
standing up and gesticulating wildly. I have a sense of the ludicrous,
and had the greatest difficulty to keep from laughing, or to look him
in the face. For all this time, in the very centre of his capacious and
very red forehead, there was a round something of ivory, not plain, but
carved in circles, and as big as a large button.
I wondered what it could be. Was it some Temperance badge? Was it some
emblem of office in some secret society, in which he held rank as a
Great Panjandrum with the little button atop? For the life of me I could
not divine what it was. And all the time he was holding me with his
glittering eye, and going through a whole pantomime of gesticulations.
Suddenly, and to my from his forehead, and dropped on the hearthrug at
his feet. Cruikshank looked at it with bewilderment, and said, “Wherever
did that come from?”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account