"working" drawings for "David Copperfield." Like the "Dombey" designs,
these highly-finished drawings are executed chiefly in pencil and the
effects washed in with indian-ink, while a few are in pencil only. Of
that well-known design, "I Make myself Known to my Aunt," there exist no
less than three tentative sketches; the first (on which the artist has
written "Or--so--so?") represents Miss Trotwood sitting "flat down on
the garden-path,"--a pose which, although accurate enough according to
the text, was rightly deemed inartistic, whereupon the artist prepared
another design, and submitted it to Dickens. In the second picture
(where "Phiz" has queried, "Or--so?"), the lady stands erect, but the
pathetic appearance of David is lost, and the composition of the
background proves less fortunate. In the etching "Phiz" combined the two
designs,--that is, he used the first drawing, but substituted the
standing figure of Miss Trotwood for the seated one. On the margin of
the second design the artist (in a humorous mood) has limned an
unmerciful caricature of the whole incident. The third tentative drawing
for this subject, believed to be the first sketch, was sold at Sotheby's
in 1887 for £6, 15s.; it is now in the collection of Mr. Thomas Wright,
of Paris.
With the sketch for "The Friendly Waiter and I" the novelist was
delighted. "Phiz" originally represented David as wearing a long jacket,
but this not being quite in accordance with Dickens's idea, he wrote
asking the artist to "put Davy in a little jacket instead of this coat,
without altering him in any other respect," which was accordingly done.
In the drawing for the plate entitled "My Magnificent Order at the
Public-house," the form of the two large spirit-vessels behind David are
more jug-shaped than in the etching. The "little white hat," by-the-way,
as here worn by David, is just such head-gear as Dickens himself
disported when a boy. In the drawing of David on the box-seat of the
coach, "My First Fall in Life," the western towers of Canterbury
Cathedral are indicated in the distance, but these are omitted in the
etching. In the scene, "Mr. Micawber Delivers some Valedictory Remarks,"
certain faint lines are observable near the principal figure, indicating
that he was originally delineated in a different attitude. The effective
sketch of "The Wanderer" portrays more of the woman's figure than is
visible in the plate. In the design entitled "Our Housekeeping," the
frame of a mirror or picture is introduced on the wall behind David, but
this was afterwards considered superfluous; and in the drawing of "The
Emigrants," Mr. Micawber grasps a telescope, which does not appear in
the plate. The drawing of "Mr. Peggotty's Dream Comes True" varies
considerably from the etching, for not only is David seen wearing a hat
(which in the etching is placed upon the table), but the artist has
included a fourth figure, that of Rosa Dartle, who, seated in the chair,
leans her head upon her arms above the table. The introduction of Miss
Dartle is, of course, incorrect, as she had left the room before Mr.
Peggotty entered; but the error was detected, and the necessary
alteration effected in the published design.
"Phiz's" pictorial wrapper for the monthly parts is replete with detail,
around the title in the centre being displayed various figures
apparently exemplifying the Seven Ages of Man, with Dame Fortune
crowning the whole.
The first cheap edition of "David Copperfield," 1858, contained a
frontispiece by "Phiz," engraved on wood by Swain, representing Little
Em'ly and David as children on Yarmouth Sands; to the Library Edition
(1858-59) the artist contributed two vignettes (engraved on steel), the
subject in the first volume being Little Em'ly and David by the sea, and
for the second, another version of the etching entitled "Mr. Peggotty's
Dream Comes True."
* * * * *
[Sidenote: =Bleak House, 1852-53.=]
In the forty illustrations for "Bleak House" the artist introduced a
greater variety of subjects, and resorted more frequently to the use of
the ruling-machine, no less than ten being so treated with considerable
success. "Phiz" etched one complete set of the plates and duplicates of
the machine-ruled designs, which were repeated probably because they
could not so readily withstand the wear-and-tear of the printing.
A very few of the "Bleak House" illustrations are signed. In some of
them the details do not entirely accord with the letterpress, a
noteworthy instance of this inaccuracy being found in the etching
entitled "Miss Jellaby," who is represented as dipping her forefinger in
the egg-cup, whereas we are told that it was her "inky middle finger." A
more important oversight in the same picture is the introduction of the
infant Jellaby in the bed, who was not in the room at all, as a careful
reading of the text readily discloses. In two instances, Turveydrop
_père_ is depicted without the false whiskers he customarily wore, and
in the illustration of "The Smallweed Family," the son is incorrectly
omitted. It is perhaps worth noting an odd mistake on the part of the
artist--in the etching entitled "Consecrated Ground" he has represented
the iron gates in a manner to lead one to suppose they could not be
opened; it is unfortunate, too, that, in this pathetic scene (in which,
by the way, the _chiaroscuro_ is curiously forced) he partly destroys
its sentiment by inappropriately introducing on the left the comical
shadow of a man in the act of drinking from a tankard. With reference to
one of the characters in "Bleak House" Dickens wrote to Forster: "Browne
has done Skimpole, and helped to make him singularly unlike the great
original." The "great original" was, of course, Leigh Hunt, a fact which
the novelist himself did not so successfully disguise, and subsequently
paid the penalty for his indiscretion.
"Phiz" invariably depended upon his imagination or memory for his scenes
and characters; as the artist himself expressed it, he would merely go
"to have a look at a thing," and then be able to prepare his picture
without further aid. For instance, before designing the weird
illustration of "The Lonely Figure" in "Bleak House," he visited a
lime-pit, in order to see what the big crushing-wheels were like that he
desired to introduce, and made a mental note of them without leaving the
seat of his trap.
Besides the original "working" drawings for "Dombey and Son" and "David
Copperfield," Her Grace the Duchess of St. Albans also possesses those
for "Bleak House." They vary considerably in treatment, some being
carefully rendered, while those reproduced with the mezzotint shading
are very broadly and vigorously executed by means of a soft lead-pencil,
the lights heightened with chinese-white. In comparing the drawings with
the etchings, slight variations may here and there be noted; for
example, in the design for "Mr. Guppy's Entertainment," Mr. Jobling was
first seen wearing his hat, but this was partly obliterated and the
contour of the head afterwards drawn in; in "Visitors at the Shooting
Gallery," the figure of Mr. George is slightly different in pose, while
the sword rests on his shoulder; in "Mr. Smallweed Breaks the Pipe of
Peace," Miss Smallweed stands a short distance from her father's chair,
holding his "long clay;" in the charming design representing "Lady
Dedlock in the Wood," we see Ada coming up _behind_ her ladyship, the
figure of Charley (differently posed) being transferred to the other
side of the picture. A more remarkable alteration, however, occurs in
the design "Mr. Chadband 'Improving' a Tough Subject." Chadband's
attitude is entirely changed from that in the etching, and Jo is placed
on the other side of the drawing, with his back to Guster, while a cat
reposes upon an ottoman near Mrs. Snagsby. In the drawing of "Attorney
and Client," the face of Mr. Vholes is of a type differing from the
published version, and his arms rest upon the desk; also, there is no
waste-paper basket, and the deed-box is nearer the table. Mr. J. F.
Dexter has another sketch for this illustration (presumably an earlier
one), in which Richard Carstone stands with his back to the table, with
his right hand pressed despondingly against his forehead. The original
drawings for the sombre scenes, although more effective than the etched
reproductions, are remarkably crude in treatment--a criticism which
applies more especially to those depicting, "The Lonely Figure" and "The
Night." The etchings of these subjects are technically superior to the
drawings, their quality, however, being principally owing to the results
obtained by means of the ruling-machine. The late Mr. James Payn once
expressed the belief that it was "Phiz's" selection of subjects such as
these which made him so acceptable an illustrator to Dickens.
In 1882, a writer in _The Academy_, who considered the illustrations in
"Bleak House" as being practically perfect, said of them: "Not only is
the comic side, the even fussily comic, such as 'The Young Man of the
Name of Guppy,' understood and rendered well, but the dignified beauty
of the old country-house architecture, or the architecture of the
chambers of our Inns-of-court, is conveyed in brief touches; and there
is apparent everywhere that element of terrible suggestiveness which
made not only the art of Hablôt Browne, but the art of Charles Dickens
himself, in this story of 'Bleak House,' recall the imaginative purpose
of the art of Méryon. What can be more impressive in connection with the
story--nay, even independently of the story--than the illustration of
Mr. Tulkinghorn's chambers in gloom; than the illustration of the
staircase of Dedlock's own house, with the placard of the reward for the
discovery of the murderer; than that of Tom All Alone's; the dark, foul
darkness of the burial-ground under scanty lamplight, and the special
spot where lay the man who 'wos wery good to me--he wos!'? And then
again, 'The Ghost's Walk,' and once more the burial-ground, with the
woman's body--Lady Dedlock's--now close against its gate. Of course it
would be possible to find fault with these things, but they have nothing
of the vice of tameness--they deliver their message effectually. It is
not their business to be faultless; it is their business to impress."
The design for the monthly wrapper is emblematical of the Court of
Chancery, the artist availing himself of this opportunity of indulging
in humorous pencillings reflecting upon the integrity of lawyers. "Phiz"
contributed the frontispiece to the first cheap edition, 1858,
representing Mr. Jarndyce and his friends in Bell Yard. He also designed
the usual vignettes for the two volumes in the Library Edition
(1858-59), which were engraved on steel; in the first is delineated Lady
Dedlock and Jo, and in the second we behold Lady Dedlock and Esther
Summerson in the wood, the latter composition much resembling the
original etching of the same incident.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: =Little Dorrit, 1855-57.=]
Among the illustrations in "Little Dorrit" there are some as feeble in
execution as there are others remarkable for exceptionally vigorous
treatment; and it is worthy of note that, whereas in "Bleak House" the
artist began partly to relinquish the custom of appending his familiar
_nom de guerre_ to the plates, in "Little Dorrit" not a single design
bears his signature.
An examination of the "Dorrit" etchings discloses the fact that no less
than eight are toned by means of the ruling-machine, the result being
even more satisfactory than usual. The first of these "ruled" plates
represents the interior of a French prison, and the effect of deep
gloom, enhanced by a few bright rays of light darting through the barred
window, is remarkable for its Rembrandt-like _chiaroscuro_. Pleasantly
contrasting with this sombre subject there is the plate depicting "The
Ferry," a delightfully rural view, with trees and winding river, and
that entitled "Floating Away," where the moon, rising behind the trees,
imparts a romantic aspect to the scene. The old house in the last
illustration but one, "Damocles," indicates "Phiz's" power in expressing
the picturesqueness of ancient architecture, and his appreciation of the
effect of light as it falls upon quaintly-carved door and window. The
plate entitled "Mr. Flintwinch has a Mild Attack of Irritability" is
probably one of the most forcible etchings ever executed by "Phiz," and
it is difficult to conceive that the same master-hand was responsible
for the apparently inexperienced work to be found in an earlier
illustration, "Little Mother," the execution of which is as timid and
lifeless as the other is bold and expressive.
"Phiz" etched one complete set of the plates, and duplicated the tinted
subjects, the variations from the originals being slight and
unimportant. Of the forty illustrations, thirty-four are on octavo
plates containing single subjects, and three are quarto plates having
two subjects on each.
PLATE XXXVII
STUDY FOR
MISS HAREDALE
_Facsimile_ of an Original Drawing by
H. K. BROWNE ("PHIZ")
Designed for the series of extra plates for "Barnaby Rudge." This
Drawing differs from the published Engraving.
_Lent by Her Grace the Duchess of St. Albans._
[Illustration]
A part of "Little Dorrit" was composed in France, and on July 2, 1856,
Dickens informed the artist that he was returning to Boulogne the next
day, and desired him to make the illustration of "The Pensioner
Entertainment" "as characteristic as ever you please, my little dear,
but quiet." This plate proved a decided success. When, early in 1857,
the novelist was again in London, "Phiz" forwarded for his inspection a
sketch for the etching entitled "An Unexpected After-dinner Speech,"
which, however, did not quite realise Dickens's idea; whereupon the
artist received a letter (printed for the first time in Mr.
Thomson's Memoir) suggesting certain improvements, afterwards duly
carried out. "In the dinner scene," he wrote, "it is highly important
that Mr. Dorrit should not be too comic. He is too comic now. He is
described in the text as 'shedding tears,' and what he imperatively
wants is an expression doing less violence in the reader's mind to what
is going to happen to him, and much more in accordance with that serious
end which is so close before him. Pray do not neglect this change."
Dickens seems to have been much pleased with the artist's original
drawings of "Flora's Tour of Inspection" and "Mr. Merdle a Borrower,"
which he characterised as "very good subjects--both." Of the latter he
said: "I can't distinctly make out the detail, but I take Sparkles to be
getting the tortoise-shell knife from the box. Am I right?"
Only a few of the drawings for "Little Dorrit" have been available for
my inspection. Two of these, viz., "Mr. Merdle a Borrower" and "Under
the Microscope" (now in Mr. J. F. Dexter's collection), are executed in
pencil and wash, the second design not being reversed in the etching. As
usual, the pictorial wrapper for the monthly parts was designed by
"Phiz." The central picture represents Little Dorrit emerging from the
gates of the Marshalsea; above is placed the despondent figure of
Britannia in a bath-chair, attended by figures emblematical of the
Circumlocution Office, while at the base of the design is seen a mixed
assemblage of people, including some of the more prominent characters in
the story.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: =A Tale of Two Cities, 1859.=]
Although "A Tale of Two Cities" was written specially for the pages of
_All the Year Round_, it appeared concurrently in the familiar monthly
numbers, with illustrations by "Phiz." The artist, in writing to his son
Walter, said: "A rather curious thing happened with this book. Watts
Phillips, the dramatist, hit upon the very same identical plot: they had
evidently both of them been to the same source in Paris for their story.
Watts's play ['The Dead Heart'] came out with great success, with
stunning climax, at about the time of Dickens's sixth number. The public
saw that they were identically the same story, so Dickens shut up at the
ninth number, instead of going on to the eighteenth as usual." Whether
this explanation is correct or not, the fact remains that "A Tale of Two
Cities" was brought to a conclusion in the eighth number (not the ninth,
as stated by "Phiz"), being therefore less than half the usual length of
Dickens's serials.
As in the case of "Little Dorrit," the artist's signature does not
appear in any of the sixteen etchings contributed by "Phiz" to this
novel. It has been pointed out that the French personages in the
pictures are not characteristic of the period, there being but little
attempt at archaeological accuracy in the costumes. Only one set of the
illustrations was prepared, none being etched in duplicate; they were
executed on eight quarto steels, each bearing two designs. Of the
original drawings for "A Tale of Two Cities" I have seen only one (now
in Mr. J. F. Dexter's collection), and this was never etched. The sketch
in question, which is vigorously executed with pencil and brush, depicts
the incident of the stoppage at the Fountain, and constitutes an
excellent subject for illustration.
The artist's design for the monthly wrapper is composed of distinct
scenes separated by dividing lines. At the top of the page is St. Paul's
Cathedral as viewed from the Thames, and at the base the Cathedral of
Nôtre Dame is represented, while around are displayed some of the
prominent characters in the story.
"A Tale of Two Cities" is the last of the novels containing
illustrations by "Phiz," for, with the completion of the final plate in
that story, there came a severance of that fortuitous collaboration
between novelist and artist which had been maintained during a period of
twenty-three years. As there is no evidence of any actual rupture
between them, it is fair to surmise that a legitimate desire on the part
of Dickens for a new illustrator constituted the actual reason for that
severance. "Phiz" naturally felt aggrieved at "Dickens's strangely
silent manner of breaking the connection," and could only surmise the
reason; for, in an undated letter to Mr. Robert Young, written
presumably a short time before the publication of the succeeding story,
he said: "Marcus [Stone] is no doubt to do Dickens. _I_ have been a
'good boy,' I believe. The plates in hand are all in good time, so that
I do not know what's 'up,' any more than you. Dickens probably thinks a
new hand would give his old puppets a fresh look, or perhaps he does not
like my illustrating Trollope neck-and-neck with him--though, by Jingo,
he need fear no rivalry _there_! Confound all authors and publishers,
say I. There is no pleasing one or t'other. I wish I had never had
anything to do with the lot."
The amicable relationship that had subsisted between the author and his
principal illustrator was not strained by this event. As a matter of
fact, the artist ever entertained a tender regard and admiration for the
famous romancer with whom he had so long been associated, and we may
readily believe what a writer in the _Frankfurt Zeitung_ tells us when
he says: "Just after the death of Charles Dickens, 'Phiz' was
considerably affected by the mere mention of the name of that
illustrious novelist, which seemed to stir up in his breast feelings of
regret at losing such a friend."
* * * * *
Hablôt Knight Browne, as designer of the plates for ten of the fourteen
principal novels by "Immortal Boz," is justly termed "the illustrator of
Dickens." His name and fame are similarly identified with the works of
Lever and Ainsworth, while, in addition to this, his familiar signature
("Fizz, Whizz, or something of that sort," as Tom Hood used to say, when
endeavouring to recall the artist's sign-manual) may be found appended
to innumerable etchings and woodcuts. He was born at Kennington, London,
in July 1815, being the ninth son of William Loder Browne, who is
somewhat indefinitely described as "a merchant." The artist's
forefathers were of French descent, the original name (according to
tradition) being Le Brun, a member of which family emigrated to England
after the Massacre of St Bartholomew in 1572. His ancestors lived in
London in the early part of the last century and adopted the essentially
English cognomen of Browne. With regard to the artist's baptismal names,
it is interesting to learn that the first (Hablôt) was the patronymic of
a Colonel (or Captain) who was engaged to marry a sister of "Phiz," but
was killed in a charge of Napoleon's Garde Impériale at Waterloo, while
the second (Knight) was received from Admiral Sir John Knight, an old
friend of the family; thus, in respect of names, was the artist
associated with both Army and Navy.
"Phiz" inherited a strong artistic faculty, and, when a boy, was
encouraged to cultivate his wonderful talent for drawing by his
brother-in-law, Mr. Elhanan Bicknell, the well-known Art patron, who
took so keen an interest in his welfare that he offered to defray all
expenses of a thorough art education. It was through Mr. Bicknell's
generosity that the youth was apprenticed to Finden, the engraver, who,
it appears, more than once complained that his _protégé_ persisted in
covering with comic figures the entire margins of the plates entrusted
to him, thus indicating the humorous bent of his mind. In after years he
took occasional lessons in painting, but he never distinguished himself
as a painter, although he occasionally exhibited at the Royal Academy
and other public galleries. The only regular training he ever had was at
Finden's; but the work he was required to perform there proved much too
irksome and monotonous for one who, like "Phiz," possessed ideas so
eminently original and fanciful. As in the case of his two famous
contemporaries, Cruikshank and Leech, "Phiz" could never accustom
himself to draw from the living model, which accounts, of course, for
his conventional treatment of the human figure; his representations of
moving crowds, as well as other scenes of life and character, being
drawn either from recollection or by the aid of a few slightly-pencilled
memoranda.
It is unfortunate for my present purpose that nearly all the
correspondence which passed between author and artist should have been
destroyed. I am enabled, however, to print one or two brief notes
indicating their friendly and familiar relationship. In 1841, "Phiz"
supplied some etchings to "The Pic Nic Papers," a collection of essays
edited by Dickens and produced for the benefit of Mrs. Macrone, the
widow of the well-known publisher, who had been left in impoverished
circumstances. In reply to an inquiry on the part of the novelist
respecting the illustrations, the artist wrote:--
"MY DEAR DICKENS,--I have just got one boot on, intending to
come round to you, but you have done me out of a capital
excuse to myself for idling away this fine morning. I quite
forgot to answer your note, and Mr. Macrone's book has not
been very vividly present to my memory for some time past,
for both of which offences I beg innumerable pardons. I
think by the beginning of next [week] or the middle
(_certain_) I shall have done the plates, but on the scraps
of copy that I have I can see but _one good_ subject, so if
you know of another, pray send it me. I should like
'Malcolm' again, if you can spare him.--Yours very truly,
"Very short of paper.
"HABLÔT K. BROWNE."
The following terse epistle is undated, which is characteristic of
"Phiz's" letters:--
"MY DEAR DICKENS,--I am sorry I cannot have a touch at
battledore with you to-day, being already booked for this
evening, but I will give you a call to-morrow after church,
and take my chance of finding you at home.--Yours very
sincerely,
"HABLÔT K. BROWNE."