Chapter I: Preface

Thomas Bewick, who revived the art of wood engraving in England, was apprenticed to Ralph Beilby, as a copperplate engraver, in 1767. About 1770 he began to engrave on wood. The work at first was rough, and chiefly for newspaper advertisements; but he soon saw the capabilities of the material, and he rapidly developed into the great master of his art. The excellence of his wood engraving may be said to have culminated in his "Book of British Birds," the first volume of which was published in 1797. For a century from that date the art of wood engraving has been the most popular as well as the best method for the reproduction of all classes of drawings, and during that hundred years much beautiful work has been done.

Bewick's pupils were all artists in the fullest meaning of the word--John Bewick (his brother), Robert Johnson, Luke Clenell, Charlton Nesbit, Isaac Nicholson, and William Harvey. What a grand start the first half of the century of wood engraving had with such great men!

In the second half--in which we claim to have had our share--were such brilliant contemporaries as John Jackson, John Thomson, the Williams', J. W. Whymper, Orrin Smith, Mason Jackson, W. L. Thomas, W. J. Linton, J. D. Cooper, C. Roberts, Biscombe Gardner, Joseph Swain, and J. W. Palmer--all true artists, draughtsmen, and painters, as well as wood engravers.

Touching the old cry of defective reproduction, we say that at times there could not fail to be some amount of depreciation, but never such as justified the senseless and vulgar remarks made by certain critics, which can only be passed over in consideration of their total want of technical knowledge of the art, and of the conditions under which much of the work was produced. Coarse epithets have been used towards men who were devoting, with all possible earnestness, their skill to an art for the reproduction of work for popular issues. Wood engraving, being no exception to other arts, demands conditions necessary for the production of perfect work. First, the man who makes the drawing ought to know the capabilities of the material and should work accordingly; second, the engraver should have all the true instincts of an artist; and, third, he must have the full interval of time to perform his work with proper care.

A large amount of wood engraving being done on the rush, it was a common thing to "burn the midnight oil" and the engraver's eyes at the same time, and it is a marvel that so much beautiful artistic work was done under such conditions.

We have printed in this book many letters from distinguished artists expressing their satisfaction with our rendering of their drawings, with one object--to place beyond all doubt that if wood engravings were produced under the conditions named, the results would always prove satisfactory.

We have a letter before us from Sir Edward Burne-Jones, in which he says: "I was quite unprepared for such fidelity."

By the introduction of the various "processes" by which artists' drawings are nowadays made applicable for reproduction, the days of wood engraving are practically over, and we have to bow to the new light which we had long felt would come; and we need hardly say that, for the reproduction of good pen work, with the new process by line etching, the results are perfect.

Also, when we look at the reproductions of tint drawings by such men as William Small, De Haenen, the Pagets, Caton Woodville, W. L. and C. Wyllie, Edgar Bundy, Jacomb Hood, and many other artists of distinction, by the half-tone process, and when we think (beyond all this fine artistic work) of the vast mass of wonderful illustration given to the public, week by week, of every conceivable class of subject, direct from the camera, in which the draughtsman has no part at all, and this work is generally of singular beauty and truth--we feel that our occupation is gone. In saying this we wish to add that we hail with satisfaction the marvellous results from these many ingenious adaptations of photography, and the consequent wide spread of the art of illustration, which has ever been our greatest delight.

In preparing the contents of this book it would have been impossible to give the many specimens of our work but for the kind and liberal spirit with which our requests were responded to by the various publishers who had entrusted us with their commissions from our very earliest days. Our best thanks are due, in the first instance, to Messrs. Adam & Charles Black, for the loan of two engravings for the "Abbotsford Edition of Scott's Novels," which were amongst our first important works; the Art Union of London, for a specimen of Kenny Meadows'; Messrs. Macmillan, for specimens from "The Ingoldsby Legends," "Tennyson's Poems," and "Alice in Wonderland"; Messrs. Bradbury & Agnew, for selections from Richard Doyle's work; Messrs. George Routledge & Sons, for specimens from "Gilbert's Shakespeare" and various "Fine Art Books"; Messrs. Herbert Virtue & Co., for several from Millais' "The Parables of Our Lord" and "Dalziel's Bible Gallery"; Messrs. Blackwood & Son, for "Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers," by Sir J. Noel Paton; Messrs. James Nisbet & Co., for "Lays of the Holy Land;" Messrs. Longman & Co., for Tenniel's "Lalla Rookh"; Messrs. Smith, Elder & Co., for "Framley Parsonage" and the _Cornhill Magazine_; Mr. James Hogg, for "London Society"; Messrs. D. Appleton & Co., for "Poems by W. Cullen Bryant"; Mr. John Hogg, for "Poems by Robert Buchanan"; Messrs. Chapman & Hall, for many illustrations to the works of Charles Dickens; the Proprietors of the _Graphic_, for "The Sisters," by G. J. Pinwell; and to Messrs. Ward and Lock, for "Dalziel's Arabian Nights" and "Dalziel's Goldsmith."

Mr. Alexander Strahan has our warmest thanks for much help which he kindly gave us in procuring many valuable representative specimens of our work from his various publications.

And yet other thanks are due. Before publishing the letters to be found in the following pages, it was necessary to seek the permission of the writer of each, or the executors of those no longer with us. In every case the response has been so kind and so reminiscent, that the interest and pleasure derived from their receipt will remain till the end with

George and Edward Dalziel

Hampstead
1901

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

SUBJECT. PAGE

OUR FATHER. GEORGE DALZIEL. From a Bust by his Son, Robert 3
Dalziel

OUR MOTHER. From an Oil Painting by her
Son, Robert Dalziel 5

PORTRAIT OF From an Oil Painting by his 7
Brother Robert

" EDWARD DALZIEL. From an Oil Painting by his 9
Brother Robert

" JOHN DALZIEL. From a Photograph 11

" THOMAS DALZIEL. From a Photograph 13

" WILLIAM HARVEY. From a Wood Engraving 15

" MARGARET DALZIEL. From a Photograph 20

ILLUSTRATED BY
THE EARL OF LEICESTER'S LEVEE. William Harvey 21
From the Abbotsford Edition of
"Kenilworth"

MACKAY, AS THE BAILIE NICOL Sir William Allan, R.A.,
JARVIE. From the Abbotsford P.R.S.A. 25
Edition of "Rob Roy"

CHILDREN IN THE WOOD. John Franklin 27

SLEEPING CHILD AND LAMB. William Mulready, R.A. 29

"EVANGELINE." From the Poetical Sir John Gilbert, R.A.,
Works of Longfellow P.R.W.S. 33

"L'ALLEGRO." Kenny Meadows 39

A BALL-ROOM. Frederick Walker, A.R.A.,
R.W.S. 43

"A LAY OF ST. DUNSTAN." From the
"Ingoldsby Legends" George Cruikshank 45

"THE LORD OF TOULOUSE." " " Sir John Tenniel 47

"THE WEDDING DAY." " " George Cruikshank 49

THE ADORATION OF THE MAJI. F. R. Pickersgill, R.A. 53

FAIRY DANCE. W. E. Frost, R.A. 55

"ORIANA." Tennyson F. R. Pickersgill, R.A. 57

SCOTLAND. From "An Overland
Journey to the Great Exhibition of Richard Doyle 60
1851"

JACK AND THE GIANTS. " 63

THE GIANTS. " 64

THE ARRIVAL AT COLOGNE. " 65

EVENING ON THE LAGO-MAGGIORE. " 67

"THE SALAMANDRINE." Dr. Charles Sir John Gilbert, R.A.,
Mackay P.R.W.S. 69

LUCY GRAY. W. Wordsworth " 71

KING LEAR. " 73

KING LEAR AND FOOL IN A STORM. " 75

LEAR FANTASTICALLY DRESSED WITH " 79
FLOWERS.

"THE LORD OF BURLEIGH." Tennyson Sir J. E. Millais, P.R.A. 83

"THE TALKING OAK." " " 87

"ORIANA." " Holman Hunt 90

"ST. CECILLIA." " Dante G. Rossetti 91

HALLELUJAH. Arthur Hughes 93

THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE. Sir J. E. Millais, P.R.A. 95

THE UNJUST JUDGE. " 99

THE LEAVEN. Sir J. E. Millais, P.R.A. 103

"EDINBURGH, AFTER FLODDEN." Aytoun Sir J. Noel Paton, P.R.S.A.
107

"THE EXECUTION OF MONTROSE." " " 109

"THE SONG OF BETHLEHEM." Campbell J. R. Clayton 113

THE FINDING OF MOSES BY PHARAOH'S Sir J. E. Millais, P.R.A. 115
DAUGHTER.

"THERE'S NAE LUCK ABOUT THE HOUSE." " 117

"THRENODY." Ralph Waldo Emerson Edward Dalziel 121

THE VEILED PROPHET OF KHORASSAN.
From "Lalla Rookh" Sir John Tenniel 123

MAIDEN PLAYING THE MANDOLINE. From
"Lalla Rookh" " 125

ALICE IN WONDERLAND. " 127

THE SLEEPING GENIE AND THE LADY.
From "Dalziel's Arabian Nights" " 129

THE CRAWLEY FAMILY. Sir J. E. Millais, P.R.A. 131

LADY LUFTON AND THE DUKE OF OMNEUM. " 133

TEMPTATION.--Horace Saltoun " 135

LADY WITH HOUNDS. " 137

"COME AWA, COME AWA." Thomas Birket Foster, R.W.S. 141
Pringle

"THE GRAVES OF THE HOUSEHOLD." " 145
Mrs. Hemans

"LINES WRITTEN ON EARLY SPRING." " 147
Wordsworth

SWEET MAY MORNING.
From "Intimations of " 151
Immortality"--Wordsworth

GRANDFATHER NURSING A SICK BOY. John Pettie, R.A. 155

COACH AND HORSES. A. Boyd Houghton, R.W.S. 157

KISS ME. " 159

SIGURD. Sir E. Burne-Jones, Bart. 161

SUMMER SNOW. " 163

WORLDLY WISEMAN. J. D. Watson, R.W.S. 165

CRUSOE VISITS THE OLD CAPTAIN. " 167

ABJECT PRAYER. " 169

"LIFE'S JOURNEY." George Wither Frederick Sandys 171

"THE LITTLE MOURNER." Dean Alford " 173

CLEOPATRA. " 175

"THE LENT JEWELS." Richard Holman Hunt 177
Chevening Trench

"A NORTHERN LEGEND." W. Cullen Edward Dalziel 179
Bryant

"THE BATTLE-FIELD." " " 181

"THE MAIDEN'S SORROW." " Harrison Weir 183

"THE LADY OF CASTLE WINDECK." " Edward Dalziel 185

"THE EXILES OF OONA." Robert Thomas Dalziel 187
Buchanan

"THE DESERTED COTTAGE." Wordsworth Joseph Wolf 189

"AN EVENING WALK." " " 191

"THE LONG VOYAGE." Charles Dickens Frederick Walker, A.R.A.,
R.W.S. 195

"THE SCHOOLBOY'S STORY." " " 197

A WOMAN IN THE SNOW. " 199

TWO FANCY SKETCHES. " 200

"TRAMPS." Charles Dickens G. J. Pinwell, R.W.S 208

"CITY CHURCHYARDS." Charles Dickens " 209

THE SISTERS. " 211

"AN ENGLISH ECLOGUE." Robert G. J. Pinwell, R.W.S. 213
Buchanan

"THE BALLAD MAKER." " " 215

THORNHILL PRESENTING LADIES OF
GREAT DISTINCTION TO THE VICAR.
From "The Vicar of Wakefield" " 217

GEORGE PLAYING THE FLUTE TO THE
PEASANTS. From "The Vicar of " 219
Wakefield"

"MEG BLANE." Robert Buchanan A. Boyd Houghton, R.W.S. 220

"THE SAINT'S STORY." " " 221

THREE BLIND MEN. From "Dalziel's
Arabian Nights" " 223

KING ZEYN CONDUCTS THE
QUEEN-MOTHER TO THE VAULTS. From Edward Dalziel 225
"Dalziel's Arabian Nights"

THE GENIE BRINGS THE HATCHET AND
CORD. From "Dalziel's Arabian Thomas Dalziel 227
Nights"

"MEG BLANE." Robert Buchanan " 228

"CELTIC MYTHS." " " 229

"THE EXILES OF GLEN OONA." Robert William Small 231
Buchanan

"HAHON." " Edward Dalziel 233

MUSIC.--A MAN AT THE SPINET. J. M. Lawless 235

CAIN AND ABEL. From "Dalziel's Lord Leighton, P.R.A. 239
Bible Gallery"

MOSES VIEWS THE PROMISED LAND.
From "Dalziel's Bible Gallery" " 243

ESAU MEETING JACOB. From
"Dalziel's Bible Gallery" G. F. Watts, R.A. 245

JOSEPH PRESENTS HIS FATHER TO
PHARAOH. From "Dalziel's Bible Sir E. J. Poynter, P.R.A. 247
Gallery"

MIRIAM. From "Dalziel's Bible " 249
Gallery"

ELIEZER AND REBEKAH AT THE WELL.
From "Dalziel's Bible Gallery" Holman Hunt 251

ELIJAH AND THE WIDOW'S SON. From
"Dalziel's Bible Gallery" Ford Madox Brown 253

ABRAHAM PARTING WITH LOT. From
"Dalziel's Bible Gallery" Thomas Dalziel 255

JACOB AND THE FLOCKS OF LABAN.
From "Dalziel's Bible Gallery" " 257

HOSANNAH. From "Dalziel's Bible Simeon Solomon 259
Gallery"

DANIEL'S PRAYER. " Sir E. J. Poynter, P.R.A. 261

CHRISTIAN CLIMBING THE HILL
OF DIFFICULTY. From "Bunyan's E. G. Dalziel 263
Pilgrim's Progress"

OLD HONEST. From "Bunyan's Sir James D. Linton, P.R.I.
Pilgrim's Progress" 265

THE ATHEIST. " " Frederick Barnard 267

MONKEYS. From "Wood's Natural Joseph Wolf 269
History"

THE OLD YEAR AND THE NEW. Cartoon Paul Gray 273
from "_Fun_"

"FUN." J. F. Sullivan 274

THE CHOSEN CHAMPION. Cartoon from Frederick Barnard 275
"_Fun_"

OLD FATHER TIME. " Gordon Thomson 279

AN URBAN DELUSION. From "_Fun_" J. F. Sullivan 280,
281

THAT OR NOTHING. " G. J. Pinwell, R.W.S. 283

TO EVEN MONEY! " E. G. Dalziel 285

CHELSEA HOSPITALITY, UNDER A
CLOUD. From "_Fun_" " 287

PARK LANE. " E. F. Brewtnall 289

A DRAP O' THE BEST. From "_Fun_" William Small 291

MISTRESS AND MAID. " A. Boyd Houghton, R.W.S. 295

THE THEATRE OF NATURE. " Ernest Griset 300,
301

AN ILLOGICAL DE-DUCK-TION. " E. G. Dalziel 305

GOING HOME TO LOVE IN A COTTAGE. " F. A. Fraser 309

ARGUMENTUM AD HOMINEM. " J. Mahoney 311

OYSTERS. " Ernest Griset 313

ÀPROPOS TO A PROPOSAL. " Hal Ludlow 315

MADAME. From "Behind a Brass
Knocker" ("_Judy_") Frederick Barnard 319

MISTER MITE. " " " 321

ON THE USELESSNESS OF NURSERY
LORE. From "_Judy_" E. G. Dalziel 323

ON LOVE AS A PASSION. " " 325

CODLIN AND SHORT IN THE
CHURCHYARD. From "The Old Charles Green, R.I. 327
Curiosity Shop"--Charles Dickens

NELL STOPPING MISS MONFLATHER.
From "The Old Curiosity " 329
Shop"--Charles Dickens

AT THE DOLPHINS HEAD. From "The
Uncommercial Traveller"--Charles E. G. Dalziel 331
Dickens

"AM I RED TO-NIGHT?" From "The
Uncommercial Traveller"--Charles " 333
Dickens

THE MARQUIS'S CARRIAGE STOPPED BY
THE CROWD. From "A Tale of Two Frederick Barnard 335
Cities"--Charles Dickens

NICHOLAS NICKLEBY'S INTERVIEW
WITH MR. BRAY. From "Nicholas " 337
Nickleby"--Charles Dickens

PORTRAIT OF GEORGE DALZIEL. From a 340
Photograph

" EDWARD DALZIEL. From a 341
Photograph

" THOMAS DALZIEL. From a 342
Photograph

Dedicated

IN KIND REMEMBRANCE

OF THE

MANY FRIENDS WHOSE WORKS ADORN THE PAGES

OF THIS BOOK.

THE BROTHERS DALZIEL.