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the late Mr。 Buckstone。 Nothing more genuine； more heartily laughable； than this set of designs has appeared in our day。 And Mr。 Caldecott has few limitations。 Not only does he draw human nature admirably； but he draws animals and landscapes equally well； so one may praise him without reserve。 Though not children's books； mention should here be made of his 〃Bracebridge Hall；〃 and 〃Old Christmas；〃 the illustrations to which are the nearest approach to that beauideal； perfect sympathy between the artist and the author； with which the writer is acquainted。 The cut on page 173 is from the former of these works。
Many of the books above mentioned are printed in colours by various processes； and they are not always engraved on wood。 Butto close the account of modern woodengravingsome brief reference must be made to what is styled the 〃new American School；〃 as exhibited for the most part in 〃Scribner's〃 and other Transatlantic magazines。 Authorities； it is reported； shake their heads over these performances。 〃C'est magnifique； mais ce nest pas la gravure；〃 they whisper。 Into the matter in dispute； it is perhaps presumptuous for an 〃atechnic〃 to adventure himself。 But to the outsider it would certainly seem as if the chief ground of plaint is that the new ers do not play the game according to the old rules； and that this （alleged） irregular mode of procedure tends to lessen the status of the engraver as an artist。 False or true； this； it may fairly be advanced； has nothing whatever to do with the matter； as far； at least； as the public are concerned。 For them the question is； simply and solelyWhat is the result obtained？ The new school； availing themselves largely of the assistance of photography； are able to dispense； in a great measure； with the old tedious method of drawing on the block； and to leave the artist to choose what medium he prefers for his designbe it oil； watercolour； or black and whiteconcerning themselves only to reproduce its characteristics on the wood。 This is； of course； a deviation from the method of Bewick。 But would Bewick have adhered to his method in these days？ Even in his last hours he was seeking for new processes。 What we want is to get nearest to the artist himself with the least amount of interpretation or intermediation on the part of the engraver。 Is engraving on copper to be reproduced； we want a facsimile if possible； and not a rendering into something which is supposed to be the orthodox utterance of woodengraving。 Take； for example； the copy of Schiavoti's engraving of Blake's Death's Door in 〃Scribner's Magazine〃 for June 1880； or the cut from the same source at page 131 of this book。 These are faithful line for line transcriptions； as far as wood can give them； of the original copperplates； and； this being the case； it is not to be wondered at that the public； who； for a few pence can have practical facsimiles of Blake； of Cruikshank； or of Whistler； are loud in their appreciation of the 〃new American School。〃 Nor are its successes confined to reproduction in facsimile。 Those who look at the exquisite illustrations； in the same periodical； to the 〃Tile Club at Play；〃 to Roe's 〃Success with Small Fruits；〃 and Harris's 〃Insects Injurious to Vegetation；〃to say nothing of the selected specimens in the recently issued 〃Portfolios〃will see that the latest ers can hold their own on all fields with any school that has gone before。 ｛15｝
Besides copperplate and wood； there are many processes which have been and are still employed for bookillustrations； although the brief limits of this chapter make any account of them impossible。 Lithography was at one time very popular； and； in books like Roberts's 〃Holy Land；〃 exceedingly effective。 The 〃Etching Club〃 issued a number of books circa 184152； and most of the work of 〃Phiz〃 and Cruikshank was done with the needle。 It is probable that； as we have already seen； the impetus given to modern etching by Messrs。 Hamerton； Seymour Haden； and Whistler； will lead to a specific revival of etching as a means of bookillustration。 Already beautiful etchings have for some time appeared in 〃L'Art；〃 the 〃Portfolio；〃 and the 〃Etcher；〃 and at least one book of poems has been entirely illustrated in this way；the poems of Mr。 W。 Bell Scott。 For reproducing old engravings； maps； drawings； and the like； it is not too much to say that we shall never get anything much closer than the facsimiles of M。 AmandDurand and the Typographic Etching and Autotype panies。 But further improvements will probably have to be made before these can pete mercially with woodengraving as practised by the 〃new American School。〃
〃Of making many books；〃 'twais said； 〃There is no end；〃 and who thereon The everrunning ink doth shed But probes the words of Solomon： Wherefore we now； for colophon； From London's city drear and dark； In the year Eighteen EightOne； Reprint them at the press of Clark。
A。 D。
Footnotes：
｛1｝ This is the technical name for people who 〃illustrate〃 books with engravings from other works。 The practice became popular when Granger published his 〃Biographical History of England。〃
｛2｝ Mr。 William Blades； in his 〃Enemies of Books〃 （Trubner； 1880）； decries glassdoors； 〃the absence of ventilation will assist the formation of mould。〃 But M。 Rouveyre bids us open the doors on sunny days； that the air may be renewed； and； close them in the evening hours； lest moths should enter and lay their eggs among the treasures。 And； with all deference to Mr。 Blades； glassdoors do seem to be useful in excluding dust。
｛3｝ 〃Send him back carefully； for you can if you like； that all unharmed he may return to his own place。〃
｛4｝ No wonder the books are scarce； if they are being hacked to pieces by Grangerites。
｛5｝ These lines appeared in 〃Notes and Queries；〃 Jan。 8； 1881。
｛6｝ In the Golden Ass of Apuleius； which Polia should not have read。
｛7｝ M。 Arsene Houssaye seems to think he has found them； marked on the flyleaves with an impression； in wax； of a seal engraved with the head of Epicurus。
｛8｝ This chapter was written by Austin Dobson。DP
｛9｝ The recent Winter Exhibition of the Old Masters （1881） contained a fine display of Flaxman's drawings； a large number of which belonged to Mr。 F。 T。 Palgrave。
｛10｝ By Mr。 Cosmo Monkhouse。
｛11｝ These words were written before the 〃Art Journal〃 had published its programme for 1881。 From this it appears that the present editor fully recognises the necessity for calling in the assistance of the needle。
｛12｝ The example； here copied on the wood by M。 Lacour； is a very successful reproduction of Clennell's style。
｛13｝ He also illustrated the 〃Memoirs of Joseph Grimaldi。〃 But this was simply 〃edited〃 by 〃Boz。〃
｛14｝ The reader will observe that this volume is indebted to Mr。 Crane for its beautiful frontispiece。
｛15｝ Since this paragraph was first written an interesting paper on the illustrations in 〃Scribner；〃 from the pen of Mr。 J。 yns Carr； has appeared in 〃L'Art。〃
End
【一支红枫】整理