"The Pickwick Papers" by publishing an _Edition de luxe_, with
_facsimiles_ of the original drawings made for the work, or, rather, of
as many of these as were then available. In the editor's preface it is
stated that four out of the seven drawings etched by Seymour for
"Pickwick" had disappeared, but it afterwards transpired that two of the
missing designs remained in the possession of the artist's family, until
they were sold to a private purchaser, who, in 1889, disposed of them by
auction. Of these drawings, therefore, only one, viz., "The Sagacious
Dog," is undiscoverable. The album in which the missing designs were
found also contained other original drawings for "Pickwick," as well as
the Dickens letter to Seymour and an excellent portrait of the artist;
this important collection included the three published designs (viz.,
"Mr. Pickwick Addresses the Club," "The Pugnacious Cabman," and "Dr.
Slammer's Defiance of Jingle,"--the latter differing slightly from the
etching), together with the first sketch for "The Dying Clown," and two
unpublished drawings (evidently alternative subjects, illustrating
incidents in the fifth chapter), respectively representing "The Runaway
Chaise" and "The Pickwickians in Mr. Wardle's Kitchen." All these
drawings, except that of "The Dying Clown," are outlined with
pen-and-ink, and the effects washed in with a brownish tint. Perhaps the
most astonishing circumstance in connection with this collection is the
extravagant sum it realised in the auction-room, for, as might be
anticipated, many were anxious to secure so valuable a memento. The
bidding was brisk until £200 was reached, when competition was confined
to the representative of Mr. Augustin Daly (of New York) and another
whose name is unrecorded, the result being that the prize fell to Mr.
Daly for £500--probably a record figure for such an item. No one
experienced greater surprise at this enormous price than the purchaser
himself, who assures me that, although he imposed no limit, it was never
his intention to offer so fabulous an amount; indeed, the sum he had in
his mind was not so much as a quarter of that at which this attractive
album eventually fell to the hammer. Owing to the generosity of Mr.
Daly, I am enabled to reproduce in _facsimile_ the whole of these
extremely interesting designs, which he brought to England expressly for
this purpose.
Seymour's method of work was to sketch with pencil or pen the outline of
his subject, and add the shadow effects by means of light washes of a
greyish tint. A precision and neatness of touch characterise these
"Pickwick" drawings, the most interesting of which is undoubtedly that
representing Mr. Pickwick addressing the Club, a scene such as Seymour
may have actually witnessed in the parlour of almost any respectable
public-house in his own neighbourhood of Islington. Here we have the
first delineation of the immortal founder of the famous Club, "that
happy portrait," as Dickens said of it, "by which he is always
recognised, and which may be said to have made him a reality." Seymour
originally sketched this figure as a long thin man, the familiar
presentment of him as a rotund personage having been subsequently
inspired by Edward Chapman's description of a friend of his at Richmond
named John Foster, "a fat old beau, who would wear, in spite of the
ladies' protests, drab tights and black gaiters." It is curious,
however, that in "The Heiress," illustrated by Seymour six years
previously, we find in the second plate a character bearing a striking
resemblance to Mr. Pickwick, and in "Maxims and Hints for an Angler"
(1833), the artist similarly portrayed an old gentleman marvellously
like him, both as regards physique and benignity of expression; indeed,
this seems to have been a favourite type with Seymour, and thus it would
appear that, in making Dickens's hero short and comfortable, he
only reverted to an earlier conception.
PLATE XIX
FIRST STUDY FOR
"THE DYING CLOWN"
_Facsimile_ of the Original Drawing for "The Pickwick Papers" by
R. SEYMOUR
_Lent by Mr. Augustin Daly._
[Illustration]
The drawing which ranks second in point of interest is the artist's
first idea for "The Dying Clown," illustrating "The Stroller's Tale."
The original sketch is a slight outline study in pen-and-ink of the
figures only, the facial expressions being cleverly rendered. In the
Victoria edition of "The Pickwick Papers" a _facsimile_ is given of a
later and more developed version of the subject; this differs from the
published etching, the alterations being the result, doubtless, of the
criticism bestowed upon the drawing in the following letter addressed by
Dickens to the artist,--apparently the only written communication from
him to Seymour which has been preserved:--
"15 FURNIVAL'S INN,
"_Thursday Evening, April 1836._
"MY DEAR SIR,--I had intended to write to you to say how
much gratified I feel by the pains you have bestowed upon
our mutual friend Mr. Pickwick, and how much the result of
your labours has surpassed my expectations. I am happy to be
able to congratulate you, the publishers, and myself on the
success of the undertaking, which appears to have been most
complete.
"I have now another reason for troubling you. It is this. I
am extremely anxious about 'The Stroller's Tale,' the more
especially as many literary friends, on whose judgment I
place great reliance, think it will create considerable
sensation. I have seen your design for an etching to
accompany it. I think it extremely good, but still it is not
quite my idea; and as I feel so very solicitous to have it
as complete as possible, I shall feel personally obliged if
you will make another drawing. It will give me great
pleasure to see you, as well as the drawing, when it is
completed. With this view I have asked Chapman and Hall to
take a glass of grog with me on Sunday evening (the only
night I am disengaged), when I hope you will be able to look
in.
"The alteration I want I will endeavour to explain. I think
the woman should be younger--the dismal man decidedly
should, and he should be less miserable in appearance. To
communicate an interest to the plate, his whole appearance
should express more sympathy and solicitude; and while I
represented the sick man as emaciated and dying, I would not
make him too repulsive. The furniture of the room you have
depicted _admirably_. I have ventured to make these
suggestions, feeling assured that you will consider them in
the spirit in which I submit them to your judgment. I shall
be happy to hear from you that I may expect to see you on
Sunday evening.--Dear Sir, very truly yours,
"CHARLES DICKENS."
In compliance with this wish, Seymour etched a new design for "The
Stroller's Tale," which he conveyed to the author at the appointed time,
this being the only occasion on which he and Dickens ever met. Whether
the novelist again manifested dissatisfaction, or whether some other
cause of irritation arose, is not known, but it is said that Seymour
returned home after the interview in a very discontented frame of mind;
he did nothing more for "Pickwick" from that time, and destroyed nearly
all the correspondence relating to the subject. It has been stated that
he received five pounds for each drawing, but it is positively asserted,
on apparently trustworthy evidence, that the sum paid on account was
only thirty-five shillings for each subject,[9] and that the artist
never relinquished the entire right which he had in the designs.
Footnote 9: R. W. Buss, the successor of Seymour as
illustrator of "Pickwick," records that ten shillings was the
price accorded to the artist for each plate.
As in the case of "The Stroller's Tale," there are noticeable
differences between the drawing and the etching of the last of Seymour's
published designs, depicting Mr. Winkle and the Refractory Steed. In
this plate it will be observed that, although the general composition is
identical with that in the drawing, the positions of the horse's
forelegs are reversed, and trees have been introduced on the left of the
picture.
PLATE XX
"THE RUNAWAY CHAISE"
_Facsimile_ of an Unused Design for "The Pickwick Papers" by
R. SEYMOUR
This Drawing illustrates an incident in the fifth chapter.
_Lent by Mr. Augustin Daly._
[Illustration]
An examination of Seymour's etchings for "Pickwick" shows that, in the
application of the dilute nitric acid to corrode the lines produced by
the etching-point, the artist was greatly troubled, and, in order to
save his designs and keep faith with the publishers and the public, he
was probably compelled to apply for help in his need to one of the
artist-engravers residing in his neighbourhood. It has been suggested
that certain faults in his plates caused by defective "biting" were
remedied by means of the engraving tool; but, so far as I have been able
to discover, there is no evidence of this. His plates possess the
quality of pure etching; indeed, in that respect they are superior to
those by "Phiz" in the same work. It should, however, be noted that
there are extant very few copies of "Pickwick" containing impressions
from Seymour's own plates; perhaps in not more than one copy out of a
hundred will they be found, and this scarcity is explained by the fact
that when the plates suffered deterioration through printing, the
artist's death prevented him from duplicating them, so that the subjects
had to be copied and re-etched by "Phiz." Seymour reversed his designs
upon the steel plates, so that when printed they appear exactly as
originally drawn. There is reason to infer, from an entry in the
artist's memorandum-book, that the first four subjects were etched
before he showed them to Dickens, and that they were afterwards
re-etched and modified in some degree to suit the author's views.
Besides these illustrations, Seymour is responsible for the design
appearing on the green wrapper of the monthly parts, which was engraved
on wood by John Jackson. A glance at this at once convinces us how
strongly the "sporting" element was at first intended to predominate,
for here are displayed trophies of guns, fishing-rods, and other
sporting implements; at the top of the page is seen the veritable Winkle
aiming at a sparrow, while below, seated on a chair in a punt,
peacefully reposes Mr. Pickwick with his rod, watching for a "bite"; in
the background of the picture may be recognised Putney Church, as well
as the old wooden bridge which once spanned the Thames at this point.
PLATE XXI
"THE PICKWICKIANS IN MR. WARDLE'S KITCHEN"
_Facsimile_ of an Unused Design for "The Pickwick Papers" by
R. SEYMOUR
This Drawing illustrates an incident in the fifth chapter.
_Lent by Mr. Augustin Daly._
[Illustration]
After the publication of "The Pickwick Papers" many veracious reports as
to its origin were circulated. In some of these statements Dickens was
entirely deprived of the credit of its inception, and partly to assert
his claim, but principally because he believed his readers would be
interested in the truth of the matter, he related the facts in the
already-quoted Preface to the first cheap edition. About two years later
he was considerably annoyed by the appearance of a pamphlet purporting
to give "An Account of the Origin of the Pickwick Papers," the author of
which was the "widow of the distinguished artist who originated the
work." Mrs. Seymour printed in her _brochure_ a distorted version of
Dickens's Preface, and attempted a reply thereto, by which she
endeavoured to show the fallacy of his statements. The following extract
from this privately-printed pamphlet sufficiently indicates the tenor of
Mrs. Seymour's attempt to prove that the honour belonged exclusively to
the artist: "Mr. Dickens edited a work called 'The Pickwick Papers,'
which was originated solely by my husband in the summer of 1835, and but
for a cold (which brought on a severe illness) which he caught on Lord
Mayor's Day, on taking his children to view the procession from the Star
Chamber, would have been written, as well as embellished, by himself;
this cause alone prevented him from doing so, as the numerous
periodicals he was constantly engaged upon had greatly accumulated
during his illness."[10] Although such a claim, so seriously maintained,
necessitated immediate refutation, Dickens allowed a considerable time
to elapse before making a formal denial thereof. With a view to future
action, however, he wrote to Edward Chapman for his recollections of the
primary events in the history of the work, and accordingly received from
him the following reply, dated July 7, 1849: "In November [1835] we
published a little book called 'The Squib Annual,' with plates by
Seymour, and it was during my visit to him to see after them that he
said he should like to do a series of Cockney sporting plates of a
superior sort to those he had already published. I said I thought it
might do if accompanied by letterpress and published in monthly parts;
and this being agreed to, we wrote to the author of 'Three Courses and a
Dessert' (a Mr. Clarke). I proposed it; but receiving no answer, the
scheme dropped for some months, till Seymour said he wished us to
decide, as another job had offered which would fully occupy his time.
And it was on this we decided to ask you to do it.... I am quite sure
that from the beginning to the end nobody but yourself had anything
whatsoever to do with it."
Footnote 10: In 1889 Mrs. Seymour's own copy of this
exceedingly scarce pamphlet (of which only three copies are
known to exist) was purchased by Mr. Daly for £74 at
Sotheby's. It contains a few slight corrections by Mrs.
Seymour.
Further publicity was bestowed upon the subject in a letter contributed
to the _Athenæum_ of March 24, 1866, by Seymour's son, who not only
repeated the principal arguments adduced by the pamphlet, but promised
further particulars in a subsequent communication. Whereupon Dickens,
rightly considering that the opportunity had now arrived for
emphatically repudiating the whole story, forwarded the following letter
for publication in the ensuing number of the _Athenæum_:--
"As the author of 'The Pickwick Papers' (and of one or two other books),
I send you a few facts, and no comments, having reference to a letter
signed 'R. Seymour,' which in your editorial discretion you published
last week.
"Mr. Seymour the artist never originated, suggested, or in any way had
to do with, save as illustrator of what I devised, an incident, a
character (except the sporting tastes of Mr. Winkle), a name, a phrase,
or a word, to be found in 'The Pickwick Papers.'
"I never saw Mr. Seymour's handwriting, I believe, in my life.
"I never even saw Mr. Seymour but once in my life, and that was within
eight-and-forty hours of his untimely death. Two persons, both still
living, were present on that short occasion.
"Mr. Seymour died when only twenty-four [twenty-six] printed pages of
'The Pickwick Papers' were published; I think before the next three or
four [afterwards corrected to "twenty-four"] were completely written; I
am sure before one subsequent line of the book was invented."[11]
Footnote 11: The unpublished sketch by Seymour in Mr. Daly's
collection, depicting the Pickwickians in Mr. Wardle's
kitchen, illustrates a scene described on page 50, so that
Dickens's memory was slightly at fault.
[Here follows the account of Mr. Hall's interview with the novelist, as
given in the Preface of the 1847 edition, and the letter thus
continues:]
"In July 1849, some incoherent assertions made by the widow of Mr.
Seymour, in the course of certain endeavours of hers to raise money,
induced me to address a letter to Mr. Edward Chapman, then the only
surviving business-partner in the original firm of Chapman & Hall, who
first published 'The Pickwick Papers,' requesting him to inform me in
writing whether the foregoing statement was correct."
A few days later Dickens wrote to his eldest son a letter in which he
says:--
"There has been going on for years an attempt on the part of Seymour's
widow to extort money from me by representing that he had some
inexplicable and ill-used part in the invention of Pickwick!!! I have
disregarded it until now, except that I took the precaution some years
ago to leave among my few papers Edward Chapman's testimony to the gross
falsehood and absurdity of the idea.
"But, last week, I wrote a letter to the _Athenæum_ about it, in
consequence of Seymour's son reviving the monstrosity. I stated in that
letter that I had never so much as seen Seymour but once in my life, and
that was some eight-and-forty hours before his death.
"I stated also that two persons still living were present at the short
interview. Those were your Uncle Frederick and your mother. I wish you
would ask your mother to write to you, for my preservation among the
aforesaid few papers, a note giving you her remembrance of that
evening--of Frederick's afterwards knocking at our door before we were
up, to tell us that it was in the papers that Seymour had shot himself,
and of his perfect knowledge that the poor little man and I looked upon
each other for the first and last time that night in Furnival's Inn.
"It seems a superfluous precaution, but I take it for the sake of our
descendants long after you."[12]
Footnote 12: This letter was first published in the
Introduction, by the late Mr. Charles Dickens the Younger, to
Macmillan & Co.'s edition of "The Pickwick Papers," 1892.
The "few papers" here alluded to were destroyed before the novelist's
death, with the exception of Edward Chapman's confirmatory letter.
Needless to say, both Mrs. Charles Dickens and Frederick Dickens
entirely corroborated the novelist's assertions respecting his own share
and that of Seymour in the origin of "Pickwick."
In concluding this account of a most unpleasant controversy, we may
reasonably surmise that had not Seymour communicated his idea to
Chapman, "Pickwick" would never have been written. The proposal for a
book similar in character certainly emanated from the artist, and in
this sense he was, of course, the originator of that work, while to him
also belongs the honour of inventing, pictorially, the portraits of the
Pickwickians. But it was "Boz, glorious Boz," who vitalised the happy
conception, by imparting thereto such prodigality of fun and so much
individuality that "The Pickwick Papers" at once leaped into fame, and,
as all the world knows, was received with acclamation by every section
of the public.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: =The Library of Fiction, 1836.=]
Coincident with the publication of the first monthly number of "The
Pickwick Papers," there appeared the initial part of a new serial called
"The Library of Fiction," which, under the editorship of Charles
Whitehead, was launched by the same publishers. Whitehead, whose name
has already been mentioned in connection with "Pickwick," became
acquainted with Dickens at the time the latter was writing "Sketches by
Boz," which he so much admired that he endeavoured to persuade the young
author to contribute something of a similarly striking character to the
projected "Library of Fiction." Dickens consented, and we find that his
amusing little story, entitled "The Tuggses at Ramsgate," constitutes
the opening paper. Several of the articles and tales in "The Library of
Fiction" were illustrated, and it is interesting to note that Dickens's
contribution to the first part was embellished with two designs by
Robert Seymour, engraved on wood by Landells. It is generally considered
that Seymour's woodcut illustrations are by far the best specimens of
his talent, and the engravers of that day were exceedingly happy in
reproducing the delicacy of touch and brilliancy of effect which
distinguished the drawings made by him direct upon the blocks.
Seymour's first design represents the Tuggs family and their friends,
Mr. and Mrs. Captain Waters, on the sands by the seaside, and it is
interesting to learn that the fat man seated on a chair in front is said
to be a portrait of the artist, as he appeared during the latter part of
his life. The second illustration, depicting the incident of the irate
Captain Waters discovering Mr. Cymon Tuggs behind the curtain, also
formed the subject of George Cruikshank's etching for the little story
when it was reprinted in the first edition of "Sketches by Boz,"
published about some three years later, and, in comparing the separate
designs, we find that they are almost identical, except that the two
prominent figures in the etching are in reverse of those in the
woodcut.
[Illustration]
PLATE XXII
ROBERT W. BUSS
From the Painting by Himself.
_Circa 1837._
ROBERT W. BUSS
Alteration in the Plan of Publishing "Pickwick"--The
Difficulty Respecting a New Illustrator--Buss Elected to
Succeed Seymour--Studies Art under G. Clint, A.R.A.--His
Painting of "Christmas in the Olden Time"--His Ignorance of
the Etcher's Art--Practises Drawing in Pen-and-ink--"THE
PICKWICK PAPERS"--Buss's First Plate Approved by the
Publishers--Failure of Subsequent Attempts--Expert
Assistance Obtained--Plates Cancelled--Buss
Dismissed--Substituted Designs by "Phiz"--"Pickwick"
Drawings by Buss--His Unused Designs for "Pickwick"--His
Illustrations for Marryat, Ainsworth, &c.--Accurate
Draughtsmanship--"THE LIBRARY OF FICTION"--Buss's
Illustrations for "A Little Talk about Spring and the
Sweeps"--His Paintings, Humorous and Historical--Some
Dickens Pictures--Drawings of Scenes in "Dombey and Son"--An
Unfinished Portrait of Dickens--Drawings on Wood for Charles
Knight--Exclusion of the Artist Buss's Pictures from the
Royal Academy--Endeavours to Obtain Pupils--Lectures on
Art--His Wife and Daughter Establish a School for Girls--A
Professor of Drawing and a Teacher of Science--Praiseworthy
Industry--Death of the Artist.
Charles Dickens's brother-in-law, the late Mr. Henry Burnett, was a
frequent visitor at the home of the novelist during the "Pickwick"
period, and years afterwards he vividly recalled the consternation,
disappointment, and anxiety of the young writer on receipt of the
melancholy news concerning the distressing fate of Robert Seymour, the
first illustrator of "The Pickwick Papers." Dickens greatly admired the
productions of that unfortunate artist, and, realising how successfully
he had so far portrayed the characters in the work, apprehended there
would be much difficulty in discovering a draughtsman who could
interpret him with equal felicity. Indeed, there was quite a dearth of
suitable talent, the only artist then living capable of etching his own
designs being George Cruikshank. Unfortunately, there was not much time
for consideration, as the third number of "Pickwick" had to be provided
for without delay.
The crisis brought about by the unexpected death of Seymour compelled
Chapman & Hall to promptly carry into effect a resolution they had
formed of issuing future numbers of "The Pickwick Papers" on an improved
plan, with a view to enhancing the attractiveness and popularity of the
work. They determined that each succeeding number should consist of
thirty-two pages of letterpress instead of twenty-four, and that there
should be two illustrations in lieu of four--an arrangement which held
good to the end. The difficulty respecting an illustrator to succeed
Seymour had now to be grappled with, whereupon the publishers called to
their assistance the eminent wood-engraver, John Jackson, who advised
them to approach Robert William Buss, as being the only artist of his
acquaintance likely to prove the most suitable for the purpose. Chapman
& Hall acted upon this suggestion, and Buss, after much persuasion and
at great personal inconvenience, agreed to temporarily relinquish very
important engagements in order to assist them in their dilemma.
PLATE XXIII
DESIGN FOR THE TITLE-PAGE OF "THE PICKWICK PAPERS"
_Facsimile_ of an Unpublished Drawing by R. W. BUSS
[Illustration]
Robert William Buss is referred to in an address issued with the third
part of "Pickwick" as "a gentleman already well known to the public as a
very humorous and talented artist." He was born on August 29, 1804, in
Bull-and-Mouth Street, St. Martin's-le-Grand, and in due course
apprenticed to his father, an enameller and engraver on gold and silver.
Like Seymour, he was inoculated with the prevailing mania for "High
Art," and this inclination becoming too strong to be thwarted, his
indulgent father not only permitted the cancelling of his indentures,
but even defrayed the cost of a year's study in Art, placing him under
his old friend George Clint, A.R.A. (a landscape painter, and
subsequently the President of the Society of British Artists), whose son
Alfred married the younger Buss's only sister. Having thus, at the age
of twenty-one, gained some practical experience in his adopted
profession, Robert Buss thought himself competent to start life on his
own account by painting portraits and subject-pictures. In this
direction he met with fair success, but it was as a painter of humorous
incidents that he first made his reputation, these finding eager
purchasers among well-known collectors and _connoisseurs_. Among his
earliest achievements was a painting representing "Christmas in the
Olden Time," which he exhibited in the gallery of the Society of British
Artists in 1838. This work, however, although warmly praised by the
critics, proved a most unhappy venture, as the price realised by the
artist for what represented the result of a year's labour hardly
recouped him for the expenses incurred by its production.[13]