Dickens and His Illustrators Part 6

Seymour, in the course of certain endeavours of hers to raise money, induced me to address a letter to Mr. Edward Chapman, then the only surviving business-partner in the original firm of Chapman & Hall, who first published 'The Pickwick Papers,' requesting him to inform me in writing whether the foregoing statement was correct."

A few days later d.i.c.kens wrote to his eldest son a letter in which he says:--

"There has been going on for years an attempt on the part of Seymour's widow to extort money from me by representing that he had some inexplicable and ill-used part in the invention of Pickwick!!! I have disregarded it until now, except that I took the precaution some years ago to leave among my few papers Edward Chapman's testimony to the gross falsehood and absurdity of the idea.

"But, last week, I wrote a letter to the _Athenaeum_ about it, in consequence of Seymour's son reviving the monstrosity. I stated in that letter that I had never so much as seen Seymour but once in my life, and that was some eight-and-forty hours before his death.

"I stated also that two persons still living were present at the short interview. Those were your Uncle Frederick and your mother. I wish you would ask your mother to write to you, for my preservation among the aforesaid few papers, a note giving you her remembrance of that evening--of Frederick's afterwards knocking at our door before we were up, to tell us that it was in the papers that Seymour had shot himself, and of his perfect knowledge that the poor little man and I looked upon each other for the first and last time that night in Furnival's Inn.

"It seems a superfluous precaution, but I take it for the sake of our descendants long after you."[12]

Footnote 12: This letter was first published in the Introduction, by the late Mr. Charles d.i.c.kens the Younger, to Macmillan & Co.'s edition of "The Pickwick Papers," 1892.

The "few papers" here alluded to were destroyed before the novelist's death, with the exception of Edward Chapman's confirmatory letter.

Needless to say, both Mrs. Charles d.i.c.kens and Frederick d.i.c.kens entirely corroborated the novelist's a.s.sertions respecting his own share and that of Seymour in the origin of "Pickwick."

In concluding this account of a most unpleasant controversy, we may reasonably surmise that had not Seymour communicated his idea to Chapman, "Pickwick" would never have been written. The proposal for a book similar in character certainly emanated from the artist, and in this sense he was, of course, the originator of that work, while to him also belongs the honour of inventing, pictorially, the portraits of the Pickwickians. But it was "Boz, glorious Boz," who vitalised the happy conception, by imparting thereto such prodigality of fun and so much individuality that "The Pickwick Papers" at once leaped into fame, and, as all the world knows, was received with acclamation by every section of the public.

[Sidenote: =The Library of Fiction, 1836.=]

Coincident with the publication of the first monthly number of "The Pickwick Papers," there appeared the initial part of a new serial called "The Library of Fiction," which, under the editorship of Charles Whitehead, was launched by the same publishers. Whitehead, whose name has already been mentioned in connection with "Pickwick," became acquainted with d.i.c.kens at the time the latter was writing "Sketches by Boz," which he so much admired that he endeavoured to persuade the young author to contribute something of a similarly striking character to the projected "Library of Fiction." d.i.c.kens consented, and we find that his amusing little story, ent.i.tled "The Tuggses at Ramsgate," const.i.tutes the opening paper. Several of the articles and tales in "The Library of Fiction" were ill.u.s.trated, and it is interesting to note that d.i.c.kens's contribution to the first part was embellished with two designs by Robert Seymour, engraved on wood by Landells. It is generally considered that Seymour's woodcut ill.u.s.trations are by far the best specimens of his talent, and the engravers of that day were exceedingly happy in reproducing the delicacy of touch and brilliancy of effect which distinguished the drawings made by him direct upon the blocks.

Seymour's first design represents the Tuggs family and their friends, Mr. and Mrs. Captain Waters, on the sands by the seaside, and it is interesting to learn that the fat man seated on a chair in front is said to be a portrait of the artist, as he appeared during the latter part of his life. The second ill.u.s.tration, depicting the incident of the irate Captain Waters discovering Mr. Cymon Tuggs behind the curtain, also formed the subject of George Cruikshank's etching for the little story when it was reprinted in the first edition of "Sketches by Boz,"

published about some three years later, and, in comparing the separate designs, we find that they are almost identical, except that the two prominent figures in the etching are in reverse of those in the woodcut.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

PLATE XXII

ROBERT W. BUSS

From the Painting by Himself.

_Circa 1837._

ROBERT W. BUSS

Alteration in the Plan of Publishing "Pickwick"--The Difficulty Respecting a New Ill.u.s.trator--Buss Elected to Succeed Seymour--Studies Art under G. Clint, A.R.A.--His Painting of "Christmas in the Olden Time"--His Ignorance of the Etcher's Art--Practises Drawing in Pen-and-ink--"THE PICKWICK PAPERS"--Buss's First Plate Approved by the Publishers--Failure of Subsequent Attempts--Expert a.s.sistance Obtained--Plates Cancelled--Buss Dismissed--Subst.i.tuted Designs by "Phiz"--"Pickwick"

Drawings by Buss--His Unused Designs for "Pickwick"--His Ill.u.s.trations for Marryat, Ainsworth, &c.--Accurate Draughtsmanship--"THE LIBRARY OF FICTION"--Buss's Ill.u.s.trations for "A Little Talk about Spring and the Sweeps"--His Paintings, Humorous and Historical--Some d.i.c.kens Pictures--Drawings of Scenes in "Dombey and Son"--An Unfinished Portrait of d.i.c.kens--Drawings on Wood for Charles Knight--Exclusion of the Artist Buss's Pictures from the Royal Academy--Endeavours to Obtain Pupils--Lectures on Art--His Wife and Daughter Establish a School for Girls--A Professor of Drawing and a Teacher of Science--Praiseworthy Industry--Death of the Artist.

Charles d.i.c.kens's brother-in-law, the late Mr. Henry Burnett, was a frequent visitor at the home of the novelist during the "Pickwick"

period, and years afterwards he vividly recalled the consternation, disappointment, and anxiety of the young writer on receipt of the melancholy news concerning the distressing fate of Robert Seymour, the first ill.u.s.trator of "The Pickwick Papers." d.i.c.kens greatly admired the productions of that unfortunate artist, and, realising how successfully he had so far portrayed the characters in the work, apprehended there would be much difficulty in discovering a draughtsman who could interpret him with equal felicity. Indeed, there was quite a dearth of suitable talent, the only artist then living capable of etching his own designs being George Cruikshank. Unfortunately, there was not much time for consideration, as the third number of "Pickwick" had to be provided for without delay.

The crisis brought about by the unexpected death of Seymour compelled Chapman & Hall to promptly carry into effect a resolution they had formed of issuing future numbers of "The Pickwick Papers" on an improved plan, with a view to enhancing the attractiveness and popularity of the work. They determined that each succeeding number should consist of thirty-two pages of letterpress instead of twenty-four, and that there should be two ill.u.s.trations in lieu of four--an arrangement which held good to the end. The difficulty respecting an ill.u.s.trator to succeed Seymour had now to be grappled with, whereupon the publishers called to their a.s.sistance the eminent wood-engraver, John Jackson, who advised them to approach Robert William Buss, as being the only artist of his acquaintance likely to prove the most suitable for the purpose. Chapman & Hall acted upon this suggestion, and Buss, after much persuasion and at great personal inconvenience, agreed to temporarily relinquish very important engagements in order to a.s.sist them in their dilemma.

PLATE XXIII

DESIGN FOR THE t.i.tLE-PAGE OF "THE PICKWICK PAPERS"

_Facsimile_ of an Unpublished Drawing by R. W. BUSS

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Robert William Buss is referred to in an address issued with the third part of "Pickwick" as "a gentleman already well known to the public as a very humorous and talented artist." He was born on August 29, 1804, in Bull-and-Mouth Street, St. Martin's-le-Grand, and in due course apprenticed to his father, an enameller and engraver on gold and silver.

Like Seymour, he was inoculated with the prevailing mania for "High Art," and this inclination becoming too strong to be thwarted, his indulgent father not only permitted the cancelling of his indentures, but even defrayed the cost of a year's study in Art, placing him under his old friend George Clint, A.R.A. (a landscape painter, and subsequently the President of the Society of British Artists), whose son Alfred married the younger Buss's only sister. Having thus, at the age of twenty-one, gained some practical experience in his adopted profession, Robert Buss thought himself competent to start life on his own account by painting portraits and subject-pictures. In this direction he met with fair success, but it was as a painter of humorous incidents that he first made his reputation, these finding eager purchasers among well-known collectors and _connoisseurs_. Among his earliest achievements was a painting representing "Christmas in the Olden Time," which he exhibited in the gallery of the Society of British Artists in 1838. This work, however, although warmly praised by the critics, proved a most unhappy venture, as the price realised by the artist for what represented the result of a year's labour hardly recouped him for the expenses incurred by its production.[13]

Footnote 13: The picture afterwards changed hands for six or seven times the amount originally received by the painter. It eventually became the property of his daughter, the late Miss Frances Mary Buss, for many years the Head-mistress of the North London Collegiate School for Girls, in the Drawing-School of which inst.i.tution this interesting canvas now hangs.

[Sidenote: =The Pickwick Papers, 1836-37.=]

It was doubtless this painting with which Buss was occupied when Mr.

Hall (of Chapman & Hall) called upon him respecting the ill.u.s.trations for "Pickwick." "Taken quite by surprise," relates the artist, when recalling his a.s.sociation with d.i.c.kens's famous work, "I told him [Mr.

Hall] I had never in the whole course of my life had an etching-needle in my hand, and that I was entirely ignorant of the process of etching, as far as practice was concerned. He a.s.sured me it was very easy to do, and that with my talent I was sure to succeed." After some hesitation, overcome by Mr. Hall's promise that consideration would be shown towards his want of experience, Buss yielded to the pressure thus put upon him, and consented to put aside his picture (although most anxious to complete it for exhibition at the Royal Academy), with a view to embarking upon his new undertaking.

In preparing studies for his pictures, Buss had accustomed himself to the use of bold effects, obtained by means of chalk or black-lead pencils of various degrees of hardness, blackness, and breadth of point.

He therefore deemed it necessary to undergo a course of training which would enable him to impart to his work that delicacy of touch so essential in the art of etching upon copper or steel, and devoted himself almost day and night (as there was really no time to lose) to practice in drawing with pen-and-ink,--a fact (he observes) "of which Mr. Hall was utterly and entirely ignorant." There are still extant a few of these experimental efforts (chiefly figures and faces copied from line engravings), including a sheet containing a dozen sketches of heads--studies of characters in "Pickwick," apparently based upon Seymour's etchings--which testify not only to his energy, but also to his rapidly-acquired skill in the adoption of what was to him a novel medium. In these drawings, by the way, he used ordinary ink for the general design, diluting it for the delicate shades and distant objects, thus a.s.similating the effect of his pen-and-ink work with the variations resulting from the "biting-in" and "re-biting" of etchings.

PLATE XXIV

"THE BREAK-DOWN"

_Facsimile_ of an Unpublished Drawing by R. W. BUSS

Ill.u.s.trating an incident in the ninth chapter of "The Pickwick Papers."

[Ill.u.s.tration]

After labouring incessantly for a period of three weeks, the artist felt prepared to make his first attempt in etching, taking for his subject "Mr. Pickwick at the Review." Referring to this plate, he says: "Of course it was full of faults, inevitable to any one in the early stage of practice in etching. But it was shown to Messrs. Chapman & Hall, and approved by them, though not as one of the ill.u.s.trations to be published.[14] All this occupied much time, which was every hour becoming more and more valuable, as the date of publication was close at hand. I had barely time to prepare my two subjects for the next number of 'Pickwick' in pencil and submit them for approval to the publishers, who returned them, being much pleased with my efforts. The subjects I selected were the Fat Boy watching Mr. Tupman and Miss Wardle in the arbour, and the Cricket-Match." Buss now essayed to reproduce his designs upon the plates; but the result proved disastrous, the too violent action of the improperly diluted acid tearing up the etching-ground, which also broke up under the needle, creating sad havoc. Dreading the possible consequences of delay, he placed his original drawings in the hands of an expert engraver, to be copied on the plate and "bitten-in." "This work," remarks the artist, "he did very well indeed, but, as might have been expected, had I had time for thought, the free touch of an original was entirely wanting. The etching itself failed, but the 'biting-in' was admirably done. Time was up. The plates must be placed at once in the printer's hands, and so (there being no help for it) the plates were printed, the numbers st.i.tched and duly published. Thus my name appeared to designs of which not one touch of mine was on the plates." Had opportunities been given, Buss would have cancelled these plates, and prepared fresh ones of his own etching.

The immediate effect of this fiasco was the termination of his connection with "The Pickwick Papers," the artist being actually engaged in preparing designs for the succeeding number when he received a note informing him that the work had been placed in other hands. Under the circ.u.mstances, it is not surprising that Buss felt this curt dismissal very keenly, for it must be remembered that he ventured upon the undertaking mainly to oblige the publishers, who, it appears, had promised him every consideration on account of his inexperience with the etching-needle.

Footnote 14: This design has been reproduced by photo-lithography, impressions of which may occasionally be found in copies of "Pickwick."

Forster disposes of the subject of Buss's a.s.sociation with "Pickwick" in a very few words, merely observing that "there was at first a little difficulty in replacing Seymour, and for a single number Mr. Buss was interposed," thus intimating that the engagement was a temporary one. In commenting upon this, the artist's son, the Rev. Alfred J. Buss, expresses a belief that his father could not certainly have regarded it in this light. "Is it reasonable to suppose," he asks, in _Notes and Queries_, April 24, 1875, "that he would have consented to devote three weeks of his time, at the most valuable season to an artist, to the practice of an entirely new department of art, if it had been clearly stated that his engagement was of the transitory nature Mr. Forster would imply, and the more especially when we bear in mind that the price to be paid for the etchings was only fifteen shillings each?" It was Forster's scanty and misleading reference to Buss's engagement as ill.u.s.trator of "Pickwick" which induced the artist to draw up for his children a concise and clear account of everything that transpired.

It is not recorded whether Buss and d.i.c.kens became personally acquainted, nor, indeed, that they ever met. We may therefore surmise that all business transactions were carried on through the publishers, who probably forwarded to the artist proofs of the letterpress in order that he might select therefrom the subjects for ill.u.s.tration. The third number of "Pickwick" contains the only two published etchings by Buss for that work, viz., "The Cricket-Match" and "The Fat Boy Awake on this Occasion only." These plates, the effect of which was poor and thin, contrasted unfavourably with the Seymour etchings immediately preceding them, and were therefore suppressed as speedily as possible, others by "Phiz" (Hablot K. Browne) being subst.i.tuted before many copies had been issued.[15] In one of the latter an entirely different design is given,--that is to say, instead of "The Cricket-Match," we have "Mr.