The Library-第16部分

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In　connection　with　the　〃Annuals〃　must　be　mentioned　two　illustrated　books　which　were　in　all　probability　suggested　by　themthe　〃Poems〃　and　〃Italy〃　of　Rogers。　　The　designs　to　these　are　chiefly　by　Turner　and　Stothard；　although　there　are　a　few　by　Prout　and　others。　Stothard's　have　been　already　referred　to；　Turner's　are　almost　universally　held　to　be　the　most　successful　of　his　many　vigtes。　It　has　been　truly　saidin　a　recent　excellent　life　of　this　artist　｛10｝that　it　would　be　difficult　to　find　in　the　whole　of　his　works　two　really　greater　than　the　〃Alps　at　Daybreak；〃　and　the　〃Datur　Hora　Quieti；〃　in　the　former　of　these　volumes。　　Almost　equally　beautiful　are　the　〃Valombre　Falls〃　and　〃Tornaro's　misty　brow。〃　　Of　the　〃Italy〃　set　Mr。　Ruskin　writes：　〃They　are　entirely　exquisite；　poetical　in　the　highest　and　purest　sense；　exemplary　and　delightful　beyond　all　praise。〃　　To　such　words　it　is　not　possible　to　add　much。　　But　it　is　pretty　clear　that　the　poetical　vitality　of　Rogers　was　secured　by　these　welltimed　illustrations；　over　which　he　is　admitted　by　his　nephew　Mr。　Sharpe　to　have　spent　about　7000　pounds；　and　far　larger　sums　have　been　named　by　good　authorities。　　The　artist　received　from　fifteen　to　twenty　guineas　for　each　of　the　drawings；　the　engravers　（Goodall；　Miller；　Wallis；　Smith；　and　others）；　sixty　guineas　a　plate。　The　〃Poems〃　and　the　〃Italy；〃　in　the　original　issues　of　1830　and　1834；　are　still　precious　to　collectors；　and　are　likely　to　remain　so。　Turner　also　illustrated　Scott；　Milton；　Campbell；　and　Byron；　but　this　series　of　designs　has　not　received　equal　mendation　from　his　greatest　eulogist；　who　declares　them　to　be　〃much　more　laboured；　and　more　or　less　artificial　and　unequal。〃　　Among　the　numerous　imitations　directly　induced　by　the　Rogers　books　was　the　〃Lyrics　of　the　Heart；〃　by　Alaric　Attila　Watts；　a　fotten　versifier　and　sometime　editor　of　〃Annuals；〃　but　it　did　not　meet　with　similar　success。

Many　illustrated　works；　originating　in　the　perfection　and　opportunities　of　engraving　on　metal；　are　necessarily　unnoticed　in　this　rapid　summary。　　As　far；　however；　as　bookillustration　is　concerned；　copper　and　steel　plate　engraving　may　be　held　to　have　gone　out　of　fashion　with　the　〃Annuals。〃　　It　is　still；　indeed；　to　be　found　lingering　in　that　mine　of　modern　artbooksthe　〃Art　Journal；〃　and；　not　so　very　long　ago；　it　made　a　sumptuous　and　fugitive　reappearance　in　Dore's　〃Idylls　of　the　King；〃　Birket　Foster's　〃Hood；〃　and　one　or　two　other　imposing　volumes。　　But　it　was　badly　injured　by　modern　woodengraving；　it　has　since　been　crippled　for　life　by　photography；　and　it　is　more　than　probable　that　the　present　rapid　rise　of　modern　etching　will　give　it　the　coup　de　grace。　｛11｝

By　the　end　of　the　seventeenth　century　the　art　of　engraving　on　wood　had　fallen　into　disuse。　　Writing　circa　1770；　Horace　Walpole　goes　so　far　as　to　say　that　it　〃never　was　executed　in　any　perfection　in　England；〃　and；　speaking　afterwards　of　Papillon's　〃Traite　de　la　Gravure；〃　1766；　he　takes　occasion　to　doubt　if　that　author　would　ever　〃persuade　the　world　to　return　to　wooden　cuts。〃　　Nevertheless；　with　Bewick；　a　few　years　later；　woodengraving　took　a　fresh　departure　so　conspicuous　that　it　amounts　to　a　revival。　　In　what　this　consisted　it　is　clearly　impossible　to　show　here　with　any　sufficiency　of　detail；　but　between　the　method　of　the　old　woodcutters　who　reproduced　the　drawings　of　Durer；　and　the　method　of　the　Newcastle　artist；　there　are　two　marked　and　welldefined　differences。　　One　of　these　is　a　difference　in　the　preparation　of　the　wood　and　the　tool　employed。　The　old　woodcutters　carved　their　designs　with　knives　and　chisels　on　strips　of　wood　sawn　lengthwisethat　is　to　say；　upon　the　PLANK；　Bewick　used　a　graver；　and　worked　upon　slices　of　box　or　pear　cut　across　the　grain；that　is　to　say　upon　the　END　of　the　wood。　　The　other　difference；　of　which　Bewick　is　said　to　have　been　the　inventor；　is　less　easy　to　describe。　　It　consisted　in　the　employment　of　what　is　technically　known　as　〃white　line。〃　　In　all　antecedent　woodcutting　the　cutter　had　simply　cleared　away　those　portions　of　the　block　left　bare　by　the　design；　so　that　the　design　remained　in　relief　to　be　printed　from　like　type。　　Using　the　smooth　box　block　as　a　uniform　surface　from　which；　if　covered　with　printing　ink；　a　uniformly　black　impression　might　be　obtained；　Bewick；　by　cutting　white　lines　across　it　at　greater　or　lesser　intervals；　produced　gradations　of　shade；　from　the　absolute　black　of　the　block　to　the　lightest　tints。　　The　general　result　of　this　method　was　to　give　a　greater　depth　of　colouring　and　variety　to　the　engraving；　but　its　advantages　may　perhaps　be　best　understood　by　a　glance　at　the　background　of　the　〃Woodcock〃　on　the　following　page。

Bewick's　first　work　of　any　importance　was　the　Gay's　〃Fables〃　of　1779。　　In　1784　he　did　another　series　of　〃Select　Fables。〃　　Neither　of　these　books；　however；　can　be　pared　with　the　〃General　History　of　Quadrupeds；〃　1790；　and　the　〃British　Land　and　Water　Birds；〃　1797　and　1804。　　The　illustrations　to　the　〃Quadrupeds〃　are　in　many　instances　excellent；　and　large　additions　were　made　to　them　in　subsequent　issues。　　But　in　this　collection　Bewick　laboured　to　a　great　extent　under　the　disadvantage　of　representing　animals　with　which　he　was　familiar　only　through　the　medium　of　stuffed　specimens　or　incorrect　drawings。　　In　the　〃British　Birds；〃　on　the　contrary；　his　facilities　for　study　from　the　life　were　greater；　and　his　success　plete。　　Indeed；　it　may　be　safely　affirmed　that　of　all　the　engravers　of　the　present　century；　none　have　excelled　Bewick　for　beauty　of　black　and　white；　for　skilful　rendering　of　plumage　and　foliage；　and　for　fidelity　of　detail　and　accessory。　　The　〃Woodcock〃　（here　given）；　the　〃Partridge；〃　the　〃Owl；〃　the　〃Yellow　Hammer；〃　the　〃YellowBunting；〃　the　〃WillowWren；〃　are　popular　examples　of　these　qualities。　　But　there　are　a　hundred　others　nearly　as　good。

Among　sundry　conventional　decorations　after　the　old　German　fashion　in　the　first　edition　of　the　〃Quadrupeds；〃　there　are　a　fair　number　of　those　famous　tailpieces　which；　to　a　good　many　people；　constitute　Bewick's　chief　claim　to　immortality。　　That　it　is　not　easy　to　imitate　them　is　plain　from　the　failure　of　Branston's　attempts；　and　from　the　inferior　character　of　those　by　John　Thompson　in　Yarrell's　〃Fishes。〃　The　genius　of　Bewick　was；　in　fact；　entirely　individual　and　particular。　　He　had　the　humour　of　a　Hogarth　in　little；　as　well　as　some　of　his　special　characteristics；notably　his　faculty　of　telling　a　story　by　suggestive　detail。　　An　instance　may　be　taken　at　random　from　vol。　I。　of　the　〃Birds。〃　　A　man；　whose　wig　and　hat　have　fallen　off；　lies　asleep　with　open　mouth　under　some　bushes。　　He　is　manifestly　drunk；　and　the　date　〃4　June；〃　on　a　neighbouring　stone；　gives　us　the　reason　and　occasion　of　his　catastrophe。　　He　has　been　too　loyally　celebrating　the　birthday　of　his　majesty　King　Gee　III。　Another　of　Bewick's　gifts　is　his　wonderful　skill　in　foreshadowing　a　tragedy。　　Take　as　an　example；　this　truly　appalling　incident　from　the　〃Quadrupeds。〃　　The　tottering　child；　whose　nurse　is　seen　in　the　background；　has　strayed　into　the　meadow；　and　is　pulling　at　the　tail　of　a　viciouslooking　colt；　with　backturned　eye　and　lifted　heel。　Down　the　gardensteps　the　mother　hurries　headlong；　but　she　can　hardly　be　in　time。　　And　of　all　thissufficient；　one　would　say；　for　a　fairlysized　canvasthe　artist　has　managed　to　give　a　vivid　impression　in　a　block　of　three　inches　by　two！　　Then；　again；　like　Hogarth　once　more；　he　rejoices　in　multiplications　of　dilemma。　　What；　for　instance；　can　be　more　ically　pathetic　than　the　headpiece　to　the　〃Contents〃　in　vol。　I。　of　the　〃Birds〃？　　The　old　horse　has　been　seized　with　an　invincible　fit　of　stubbornness。　　The　day　is　both　windy　and　rainy。　　The　rider　has　broken　his　stick　and　lost　his　hat；　but　he　is　too　much　encumbered　with　his　cackling　and　excited　stock　to　dare　to　dismount。　　Nothing　can　help　him　but　a　Deus　ex　machina；of　whom　there　is　no　sign。

Besides　his　humour；　Bewick　has　a　delightfully　rustic　side；　of　which　Hogarth　gives　but　little　indication。　　From　the　starved　ewe　in　the　snow　nibbling　forlornly　at　a　wornout　broom；　to　the　cow　which　has　broken　through　the　rail　to　reach　the　running　water；　there　are　numberless　designs　which　reveal　that　faithful　lover　of　the　field　and　hillside；　who；　as　he　said；　〃would　rather　be　herding　sheep　on　Mickle　bank　top〃　than　remain　in　London　to　be　made　premier　of　England。　　He　loved　the　country　and　the　countrylife；　and　he　drew　them　as　one　who　loved　them。　　It　is　this　rural　quality　which　helps　to　give　such　a　lasting　freshness　to　his　quaint　and　picturesque　fancies；　and　it　is　this　which　will　continue　to　preserve　their　popularity；　even　if　they　should　cease　to　be　valued　for　their　wealth　of　whimsical　invention。

In　referring　to　these　masterpieces　of　Bewick's；　it　must　not　be　fotten　that　he　had　the　aid　of　some　clever　assistants。　　His　younger　brother　John　was　not　without　talent；　as　is　clear　from　his　work　for　Somervile's　〃Chace；〃　1796；　and　that　highly　edifying　book；　the　〃Blossoms　of　Morality。〃　　Many　of　the　tailpieces　to　the　〃Water　Birds〃　were　designed　by　Robert　Johnson；　who　also　did　most　of　the　illustrations　to　Bewick's　〃Fables〃　of　1818；　which　were　engraved　by　Temple　and　Harvey；　two　other　pupils。　　Another　pupil　was　Charlton　Nesbit；　an　excellent　engraver；　who　was　employed　upon　the　〃Birds；〃　and　did　good　work　in　Ackermann's　〃Religious　Emblems〃　of　1808；　and　the　second　series　of　Northcote's　〃Fables。〃　　But　by　far　the　largest　portion　of　the　tailpieces　in　the　second　volume　of　the　〃Birds〃　was　engraved　by　Luke　Clennell；　a　very　skilful　but　unfortunate　artist；　who　ultimately　became　insane。　　To　him　we　owe　the　woodcuts；　after　Stothard's　charming　sketches；　to　the　Rogers　volume　of　1810；　an　edition　preceding　those　already　mentioned　as　illustrated　with　steel　plates；　and　containing　some　of　the　artist's　happiest　pictures　of　children　and　amorini。　　Many　of　these　little　groups　would　make　admirable　designs　for　gems；　if　indeed　they　are　not　already　derived　from　them；　since　one　at　least　is　an　obvious　copy　of　a　wellknown　sardonyx（〃The　Marriage　of　Cupid　and　Psyche。〃）　　This　volume；　generally　known　by　the　name　of　the　〃Firebrand〃　edition；　is　highly　prized　by　collectors；　and；　as　intelligent　renderings　of　pen　and　ink；　there　is　little　better　than　these　engravings　of　Clennell's。　｛12｝　Finally；　among　others　of　Bewick's　pupils；　must　be　mentioned　William　Harvey；　who　survived　to　1866。　　It　has　been　already　stated　that　he　engraved　part　of　the　illustrations　to　Bewick's　〃Fables；〃　but　his　best　known　block　is　the　large　one　of　Haydon's　〃Death　of　Dentatus。〃　Soon　after　this　he　relinquished　woodengraving　in　favour　of　design；　and　for　a　long　period　was　one　of　the　most　fertile　and　popular　of　bookillustrators。　　His　style；　however；　is　unpleasantly　mannered；　and　it　is　sufficient　to　make　mention　of　his　masterpiece；　the　〃Arabian　Nights〃　of　Lane；　the　illustrations　to　which；　produced　under　the　supervision　of　the　translator；　are　said　to　be　so　accurate　as　to　give　the　appropriate　turbans　for　every　hour　of　the　day。　　They　show　considerable　freedom　of　invention　and　a　large　fund　of　Orientalism。

Harvey　came　to　London　in　1817；　Clennell　had　preceded　him　by　some　years；　and　Nesbit　lived　there　for　a　considerable　time。　　What　distinguishes　these　pupils　of　Bewick　especially　is；　that　they　were　artists　as　well　as　engravers；　capable　of　producing　the　designs　they　engraved。　　The　〃London　School〃　of　engr