Chapter IV: Love of Field Sports

Leech had long passed his boyish days before his love for field sports showed itself in his works. I recollect his saying how fruitful of subject the hunting-field, the stubble, and the stream would prove to the artist who was also a sportsman. In his early works, dealing as they did chiefly with the London life of the street or the home, we find the horse playing an inferior part; and it was not till he felt the importance of varying his subjects, and of supplying the public with the sporting scenes they love so much, that, mounted by his friend Adams, he joined the "Puckeridge" and became one of the "field."

Leech was a timid rider. He much preferred an open gate to a thickset hedge, and the highroad to either. He must, however, have frequently been in full career with the "field"; how otherwise could he have acquired his knowledge of the thorough sportsman's seat on horseback, the cut of his clothes--correct even to the number of buttons--and, above all, display that Heaven-gifted power of showing the horse in repose, as well as in all the varieties of action? Landseer and all the animal-painters within my knowledge studied the horse from casts, often from the Elgin marbles, before they attempted drawing from the living animal. Landseer made himself acquainted with the superficial structure by dissection; but Leech, without any preparatory study whatever, drew the hunter, the cab-horse, the hackney, the rough pony, the cob--no matter which--in absolute perfection.

In the autograph letters which, through Mr. Adams' kindness, I am permitted to publish, Leech's constant charge to his friend to get him a horse suitable to a "timid, elderly gentleman," or to give the animal some preliminary gallops himself so as to take the _freshness_ out of him, prove, as I said before, that Leech was anything but a daring rider. In spite of his care, however, he had some ugly falls, in which, happily, his hat was the greatest sufferer. Numbers of the hunting scenes were _facts_, and the persons represented were Leech and his friend--notably one in which the artist is riding a mare afflicted with the "freshness" he dreaded, which his friend observing, shouts, "Give her her head, Jack! give her her head!" while it is pretty evident that more "head" will lead to the rider being swept from the saddle by the branches through which the mare is plunging.

"Barlow, Derbyshire,
"July, 1852.

"MY DEAR CHARLEY,

"You will see from the above address that I am still rusticating. I
expect to be in town soon after the 12th of August, and then, after
I have done my month's work, I am your man. You say when, and, if
you are quite sure it will not distress Mrs. Adams, I will bring my
wife with me. Charles Eaton [Mrs. Leech's brother] says he will
come too. I am sure nothing would please him more than to run down
to Barkway. Don't make yourself uncomfortable about the quantity of
sport. I shall be quite satisfied with what you offer me. I rejoice
to hear such good accounts of your wife and little ones. Pray give
our united regards to her and them, and believe me ever,

"Yours faithfully,

"JOHN LEECH."

Yet another fact. Somewhere in the Puckeridge country there is a deep gully, or dried-up water-course, with precipitous sides, with which Leech, one hunting-morning, found himself face to face. Some of the "field" had crossed, and were climbing the opposite bank. Leech pulled up, and said to his friend:

"Oh, if this is one of the places Charley spoke of, I shall go back!"

I am able here to give the rough sketch, now in Mr. Adams' possession, from which the drawing was taken that afterwards appeared in _Punch_.

Some years ago I took my exercise chiefly on horseback, and, after risking my neck several times from the "freshness" of a thoroughbred mare, I thought it best to get rid of her. Amongst the rest of my horsey friends, I thought Leech would be likely to know of an animal that might suit me, and I spoke to him on the subject. Leech soon succeeded, and sent the horse for my inspection. The man who brought the animal for approval assured me that a child could ride him with perfect safety. I liked his looks, and bought him. My first and last ride upon my new purchase was to Rotten Row in the height of the season. Whether he was a horse of Radical or Socialistic principles, or not, I cannot say; but what I soon discovered was a determined dislike to the aristocratic company in which he found himself; he shied at the ladies and kicked at the gentlemen, and finally took to what is called "buck-jumping," an amusement which would speedily have relieved him of my company if I had not taken advantage of a momentary cessation of his antics and safely descended from his detestable back. Leech soon heard of "the dangers I had passed," when he wrote to me as follows:

"6, The Terrace, Kensington,
"Sunday.

"MY DEAR FRITH,

"I was shocked last night at the Garrick to hear from Elmore that I
had nearly killed you through recommending a horse which had
misbehaved himself in the Park. To be sure, I told you that I had
been to look at an animal for my little girl, and that it did not
suit, and I told you that it might be worth your looking at, as I
had heard that it was young, sound, and steady; but if you ride a
beast that you know nothing about in Rotten Row, and if that beast
has not been out for a week, or probably a fortnight, I must
protest against being made answerable for the consequences. I most
sincerely hope, however, that you are not hurt or come to grief in
any way.

"Believe me,
"Yours always,
"JOHN LEECH."

It goes without saying that so true-hearted a man as John Leech, would be--as indeed he was--a model of the domestic virtues--the best of husbands and fathers, and a most dutiful and affectionate son. In evidence of the latter, I put before my readers some letters written to his parents in his maturer years, which will amply justify what I say of him.

"32, Brunswick Square,
"February 25, 1854.

"MY DEAR PAPA,

"I am sure you will be glad to hear that you have a little
granddaughter.

"She came into the world at a quarter-past eleven o'clock--just
now--and she is, with dear Annie (to me a _novel_ phrase), 'as well
as can be expected.'

"Kind love to all.
"Your affectionate son
"JOHN.

"Tell Polly that the flag will be hoisted!"

"8, St. Nicholas Cliff, Scarboro',
"August 30, 1858.

"MY DEAR MAMMA,

"Thank you with my best love for thinking of my birthday. I hope
you will be able to wish me happy returns of the day for many and
many a year to come. The children gave your kisses very heartily, I
assure you. You will be glad to hear, I am sure, that they were
never better.

"Thank God they are thriving beautifully, which is a great
happiness to me. I wish you could see them making dirt pies and
gardens on the sands. A great many people notice them--indeed,
although I say it, between you and me, I don't see any nicer little
folks down here. If either you or papa could come here for a time
we would endeavour to take the best care of you. I am no great hand
at pen-and-inking, as you know, so you will excuse a very short
note. I thought, however, that you would like to know that I got
from Ireland safe and sound, and always believe me,

"My dear mamma,
"Your affectionate son,
"JOHN."

"1, Crescent, Scarboro',
"August 29, 1859.

"MY DEAR MAMMA,

"It would be a great comfort to me, and I think it would be
pleasant for you, if you would come here and see us for as long as
you can spare the time. I want very much to go into the north, but
I do not like leaving Annie quite alone with the chicks. We can
give you a bed in, I think you will say, a tolerably comfortable
house. Come as soon as you can, and stay as long as you can. I
think it would do you good; only bring warm things, as when it is
cold here, it is very cold. By the way, it is my birthday. What
shall I say? Well, I wish you many happy returns of the day, and
believe me, with best love from all to all,

"Your affectionate son,
"JOHN."

"5, Pleydell Gardens,
"Sandgate Road, Folkestone,
"August 29, 1862.

"MY DEAR MAMMA,

"Many thanks for your note this morning. You will be glad to know,
I am sure, that it found us all very well. May you be able to send
me such a congratulation for many a year to come. And with best
love to you, and to all at home, believe me ever,

"Your affectionate son,

"JOHN.

"Tell papa that if he would like to run down here, we can give him
a bed. He would like to see a couple of little brown faces. I am
going away for a few days (on Monday, I think); so if any of you
could keep Annie with the chicks, and keep her company while I am
absent, it would be very nice, I think."

A great deal has been said--and with a certain amount of truth, no doubt--about the difference between a drawing on wood as it leaves the hands of the artist, and as it appears after its sufferings at the hands of the wood-engraver. Leech is reported to have replied to an admiring friend, who was extolling one of his drawings:

"Ah, wait till you see what it looks like in _Punch_ next week."

I once saw one of Leech's drawings on the wood, and I afterwards saw it in _Punch_, and I remember wondering at the fidelity with which it was rendered. Some of the lines, finer than the finest hair, had been cut away or _thickened_, but the character, the vigour, and the beauty were scarcely damaged. To Mr. Swain, who for many years cut all Leech's drawings, the artist owed and acknowledged obligation; he thought himself fortunate in avoiding certain other wood-cutters, who were somewhat remorseless in their operations.

Mr. Swain, the wood-engraver, writes:

"For twenty-five years I engraved nearly all Mr. Leech's drawings.
I always found him kind, and willing to forgive any of my
shortcomings in not rendering his touches in all things. My work
was always against time. I seldom had more time than two days to
engrave one of his drawings in.

"Photographing drawings on wood was not known in his time, or it
would have been a great advantage to him; instead of drawing on the
block, he would then have drawn on paper, as most artists do in the
present day, and had his drawings photographed on the wood, thus
preserving the finished drawings, which would have been of great
value now; besides, it would have been a great help to the
engraver, always to have the original drawing to refer to in
engraving the blocks.

"He never had any models, and rarely ever made any sketches. He
showed me a little note-book once with a few thumb-nail sketches of
bits of background, but he seemed never to forget anything he saw,
and could always go back in his memory for any little bit of
country street he might want for background, etc.

"It was generally very late in the week before he could get his
drawings ready, which gave very little time to the engraver to do
justice to his work.

"His first introduction to _Punch_ was through Mr. Percival Leigh.

"Mr. Leech was a man of very nervous temperament. I will give you
an instance of this. Mr. Mark Lemon told me one day that Leech had
been invited to a gentleman's house in the country for a few days'
hunting. He arrived there in the evening. He was awakened early in
the morning by a grating noise made by the gardener rolling the
gravel under his window--noise he could never endure. This had such
an effect upon his nerves, that he got up, packed his things, and
was off to town before any of the family were aware of it. A
barrel-organ was to him an instrument of torture.

"He had lived in Russell Square for many years, but for some time
before his death he took a large house--6, The Terrace, Kensington.

"I remember going to see him at his new house. He took great
delight in showing me over it, and pointing out that he had had
double windows put in all over the house _to keep all noises
out_."