If you ever happen to meet with the two volumes of "Grimm's German
Stories," which were illustrated by him long ago, pounce upon them
instantly; the etchings in them are the finest things, next to
Rembrandt's, that, as far as I know, have been done since etching was
invented. You cannot look at them too much, nor copy them too often.
All his works are very valuable, though disagreeable when they touch on
the worst vulgarities of modern life; and often much spoiled by a
curiously mistaken type of face, divided so as to give too much to the
mouth and eyes and leave too little for forehead, the eyes being set
about two thirds up, instead of at half the height of the head. But his
manner of work is always right; and his tragic power, though rarely
developed, and warped by habits of caricature, is, in reality, as great
as his grotesque power.
There is no fear of his hurting your taste, as long as your principal
work lies among art of so totally different a character as most of that
which I Have recommended to you; and you may, therefore, get great good
by copying almost anything of his that may come in your way; except only
his illustrations, lately published, to "Cinderella," and "Jack and the
Bean-stalk," and "Tom Thumb," which are much overlabored, and confused
in line. You should get them, but do not copy them.