Dickens and His Illustrators Part 25

"(6.) Close to C the thickness of a black line on the edge of the cypress has been split.

"(7.) From E down to F a minute speck of light has here and there been inserted on the outline of the cypress foliage to split some blots of dark which will be seen on the untouched proofs, and which were rather harsh.

"(8.) The light flashing on the steps ought to make thinner without removing the outline of the arm of the statue. The foot resting upon the pedestal should be indicated. The action of the other leg thrown back is shown in the retouching by the removal of the black line.

"(9.) The getting the upper part of the slender cypress of as full a tint as I have given it here seems to me so important that if it can be done in no other way, I think a piece should be inserted into the block to effect it. In the drawing on the block it was like this, which I have retouched with pencil."

_Second Proof._

"(1.) Opposite are a few touches on the slender cypress--two very thin lines of light on the stem. Specks of light on the foliage.

"(2.) There is a thick black line on the block, thus [Symbol: left-bowing arc] which I have here crossed with specks of white; although it is in the body of the tree, it kills the fine work on the Villa.

"(3.) The thickness of outline on the light side of this vase unfinishes the foreground. I have altered it.

"(4.) The thick outline on this leaf unfinishes everything about it."

Thus we discover how fastidious to a degree was the artist in his desire that every subtle touch of his poetic pencil should be reproduced--a result which, as he quickly perceived, it was impossible to achieve.

Samuel Palmer took a still keener delight in Literature than he did in Art. An insatiable but punctilious reader, the novels of d.i.c.kens and Scott were among the very few works of fiction which he read aloud to members of his own household. Mr. A. H. Palmer informs me that he has known his father to be so engrossed by reading aloud one of d.i.c.kens's finer and more exciting pa.s.sages, that the announcement and entry of a visitor served to stop the reading only for a few moments; the crisis past, he laid down the book and apologised. Literature, indeed, const.i.tuted the chief pleasure of his simple life--a life that, at one period at least, would have been almost insupportable without the consolation afforded by books. Early in May, 1881, he became, alas! too ill to work, and on the twenty-fourth of that month he pa.s.sed peacefully away, leaving behind him a reputation which is blameless.

F. W. TOPHAM

Ill.u.s.trations for "A CHILD'S HISTORY OF ENGLAND"--Begins Life as a Writing-Engraver--Designs for Books--Exhibits at the Royal Academy--Elected an a.s.sociate of the New Society of Painters--Retires from the Society--Elected a Member of the Old Society of Painters in Water-Colours--First Visit to Spain--Fatal Illness--Some Pictures Inspired by d.i.c.kens's Stories--Histrionic Ability--The Artist as a Juggler.

[Sidenote: =A Child's History of England, 1852-53-54.=]

During the years 1851-52-53, there appeared in the pages of _Household Words_ one of Charles d.i.c.kens's less familiar writings, "A Child's History of England." On its completion as a serial, the little work was issued in three 16mo volumes, each containing a frontispiece by F. W.

Topham. These ill.u.s.trations were engraved on wood, each consisting of a circular design, printed in black, and surrounded by an ornamental border of a light mauve colour, the latter enclosing familiar scenes from English History, viz., Alfred in the Neatherd's Cot; Canute reproving his Courtiers; Edwy and Elgiva; Eleanor and Fair Rosamond. The decorative border with its four _tableaux_ remained unchanged, but the subject of the central ill.u.s.tration varied, that in the first volume depicting a girl reading to two children; in the second, Alfred the Great receiving instruction in reading from his mother, Queen Osburgha; while in the third there is a more modern representation of a similar incident.

Francis William Topham, who was born at Leeds in 1808, enjoyed the privilege of being numbered among the personal friends of Charles d.i.c.kens. He entered professional life as a writing-engraver, and his first design was for a label required by a well-known firm of pin manufacturers. From this modest beginning he advanced to more artistic work, and was soon busily engaged in engraving plates for pocket-books, &c. During the several years he was thus occupied he engraved many original designs for book-ill.u.s.trations, and in 1832 began to exhibit pictures; his works after this date being frequently seen at the Royal Academy and other London galleries. In 1842 he was elected an a.s.sociate of the New Society of Painters in Water-Colours, of which body he became a full member in the following year. He, with several other members, left the New Society after a comparatively short time, and was immediately elected into the Old Society of Painters in Water-Colours--the present Royal Water-Colour Society--to the Exhibitions of which the majority of his more important productions were contributed. It was in Spain, whither he first went in 1852-53, that he found subjects most congenial to his tastes, and there, in that land of sunny skies, he was seized with a fatal illness in 1877, expiring at Cordova on March 31st of that year.

Topham was a great admirer of the works of Charles d.i.c.kens, and selected from them the subjects of some of his most successful pictures. One of these--a water-colour drawing executed in 1851--ill.u.s.trates a scene in "Barnaby Rudge," where children flock round the half-witted hero as he and his mother pa.s.s through her native village; the drawing was presented by the artist to d.i.c.kens, and realised at the sale of the novelist's effects the sum of 115, 10s. This picture was followed by another from "The Old Curiosity Shop," representing Little Nell and her Grandfather in the tent, making bouquets for the racecourse, which was also a gift to d.i.c.kens, being subsequently disposed of at the above-mentioned sale for 288, 15s. It is also recorded that the artist, in 1856, produced a drawing portraying "Little Nell in the Churchyard,"

which some five years after the novelist's death found a purchaser for 325, 10s.

F. W. Topham proved a welcome addition to d.i.c.kens's company of distinguished amateur actors, and concerning his histrionic ability the artist's son, Mr. Frank W. W. Topham (himself an eminent painter), thus writes: "My father had, from quite a young man, a great love of acting, at which he was considered unusually good. One of my earliest recollections of a play was one acted at the St. James's Theatre, in which my father, Sir John Tenniel, the late Francis Holl, A.R.A. (the engraver), and others took part, for the benefit of the Artists'

Benevolent Fund. I do not know if my father owed his introduction to d.i.c.kens to his acting, but have an impression that he did,--certainly it was the cause of their after intimacy."

_Apropos_ of their "splendid strolling," and the fun incidental thereto, d.i.c.kens observed to his wife, in a letter dated from Clifton, November 13, 1851: "I forgot to say that Topham has suddenly come out as a juggler, and swallows candles, and does wonderful things with the poker very well indeed, but with a bashfulness and embarra.s.sment extraordinarily ludicrous."

MARCUS STONE, R.A.

The Artist's Boyish Admiration of d.i.c.kens's Stories--His Delineation of Jo, the Crossing-Sweeper--A Present and a Letter from d.i.c.kens--First Success as a Painter--Death of his Father--Desires to Become an Ill.u.s.trator of Books--Befriended by d.i.c.kens--Initial Attempt at Drawing upon Wood--Frontispiece for the First Cheap Edition of "Little Dorrit"--The Artist's _Debut_ as a Black-and-White Draughtsman--His Designs for "OUR MUTUAL FRIEND"--The Pictorial Wrapper--Suggestions from d.i.c.kens--Portrait of Silas Wegg--Preliminary Sketches for the Ill.u.s.trations--Valuable Hints for the Artist--Realism in his Designs--The Prototype of Mr. Venus--Photography upon Wood--Defective Engraving--Sale of the Original Sketches--Ill.u.s.trations for Cheap Editions--Relinquishes Black-and-White Drawing--Elected a Royal Academician--Popularity of his Pictures--Intimacy with d.i.c.kens--Private Theatricals.

It will be remembered that "A Tale of Two Cities," the last of d.i.c.kens's novels containing Hablot Browne's designs, was succeeded by "Our Mutual Friend," the initial number of which appeared on May 1, 1864. In this story d.i.c.kens repeated an early experience in having woodcut ill.u.s.trations instead of the customary etchings, availing himself of the services of an artist whose style and method of work differed very considerably from those of "Phiz." The new recruit was Mr. Marcus Stone, who now holds high rank among Royal Academicians.

PLATE LVI

MARCUS STONE, R.A.

From a Photograph specially taken for this Work by

JAMES HYATT

[Ill.u.s.tration]

As the son of the novelist's cherished friend, Frank Stone, A.R.A., who partly ill.u.s.trated "The Haunted Man," Mr. Marcus Stone was brought by force of circ.u.mstances into early communication with the author of "Pickwick." Born in 1840, he soon indicated by his _penchant_ for Art that he inherited his father's talent, becoming in course of time a painter even more distinguished; for Frank Stone did not live to attain full honours of the Royal Academy. Mr. Marcus Stone proudly confesses that, even as a mere lad, Charles d.i.c.kens's romances proved most fascinating to him, and he recalls an interesting incident as evidence of this influence. When, in 1852-53, the dramatic story of "Bleak House" appeared in serial form, he eagerly read each number as it came out, and was much attracted by the novelist's rendering of Jo, the crossing-sweeper, being quick to perceive the artistic capabilities of the scenes in which that pathetic character is introduced. In the eleventh chapter a specially touching reference is made to the poor outcast--that memorable occasion when he softly sweeps the step of the gateway leading to the loathsome graveyard in which was buried the man who had been "wery good" to him. d.i.c.kens's vivid description of the weird picture at once induced Marcus Stone (then twelve years of age) to try his hand at depicting it with his pencil. While so engaged the novelist entered the room, and, looking over his shoulder, he immediately recognised the subject of the sketch, whereupon he encouragingly observed, "Well, now, that is very good. You will have to give that to me." Accordingly, on completion, the little drawing was sent to Tavistock House.[45] About a year afterwards the young artist received a copy of "A Child's History of England," containing the author's autograph, and accompanied by the following note, dated December 19, 1853:--

"MY DEAR MARCUS,--You made an excellent sketch from a book of mine which I have received (and preserved) with great pleasure. Will you accept from me _this_ little book? I believe it to be true, though it may be sometimes not as genteel as history has a habit of being.--Faithfully yours,

"CHARLES d.i.c.kENS."

Footnote 45: Curiously enough, "Phiz" had already selected the same subject as an ill.u.s.tration for the succeeding number, an early proof of which was forwarded by d.i.c.kens to Mr. Marcus Stone, in order to direct his attention to the coincidence.

Even at the early age of three or four, Mr. Marcus Stone evinced a desire to become an artist,--a wish that was never discountenanced. In his seventeenth year he ostensibly began his career as a painter, but his father, who was then an invalid, could not for that reason efficiently direct the course of his son's studies. Indeed, Mr. Marcus Stone never had any systematic training in the details of his profession, and what he learnt during his boyhood was, for the most part, casually "picked up" in his father's studio. At this time he painted a picture called "Rest," representing a knight in armour lying under a tree, and this, the first of his productions accepted by the Royal Academy, excited much favourable comment, the work being especially remarkable on account of the juvenility of the artist, who, as he himself intimates, was really ten years before his time.

In November 1859, shortly after his initial success in the world of Art, Mr. Marcus Stone mourned the death of his father, an event rendering it imperative that, in entering upon a career which not unfrequently fails to yield a golden harvest, he should have a powerful helping hand. Among those of his father's friends who recognised this necessity was Charles d.i.c.kens, who, with characteristic prompt.i.tude and energy, exerted his influence on behalf of the young man. Besides other kind actions, the novelist introduced him to Thomas Longman, the publisher, to whom he wrote: "I am very anxious to present to you, with the earnest hope that you will hold him in your remembrance, young Mr. Marcus Stone, son of poor Frank Stone, who died suddenly but a little week ago. You know, I daresay, what a start this young man made in the last Exhibition, and what a favourable notice his picture attracted.[46] He wishes to make an additional opening for himself in the ill.u.s.tration of books. He is an admirable draughtsman, has a most dexterous hand, a charming sense of grace and beauty, and a capital power of observation. These qualities in him I know well to my own knowledge. He is in all things modest, punctual, and right; and I would answer for him, if it were needful, with my head. If you will put anything in his way, you will do it a second time, I am certain."

Footnote 46: This picture was ent.i.tled "Silent Pleading" and represents a tramp with a child in his arms, who are discovered asleep in a shed by the squire and the village constable.

PLATE LVII

STUDIES FOR

"MR. VENUS SURROUNDED BY THE TROPHIES OF HIS ART"

_Facsimile_ of Original Sketches for "Our Mutual Friend" by

MARCUS STONE, R.A.

_Lent by the Artist._

[Ill.u.s.tration]